One of the most frequently asked questions about living in Alaska is regarding the absurd amount of daylight we have right now. It’s true, the sun sets well after we go to sleep and rises long before we do. People are out doing yard work in total daylight at 11:00pm and I’ve found myself awake way past my usual bedtime because I have no idea what time it is as I’m happily working on a project with the sun shining through the windows when I’d usually be in bed (like right now). My husband takes special joy in this characteristic of Alaska living and frequently goes “Suicide Fishing”, which is fishing all night during the week in between work days. It really is suicide because he’s completely exhausted for days and then does it again on the weekends. I usually relish my alone time (and eating cereal for dinner) yet everything is different now that the babe is here. Fitting in family time, alone time, one on one time with Waverley, and time for our own hobbies is a continual balancing act of trial and error. This past weekend we really got it right: Nate went fishing on Thursday night/Friday morning, we had family activities on Friday evening, I spent the majority of Saturday out on my own, and we spent Sunday together all day. It truly is give and take and, more than anything, I’m learning it’s about speaking up for your own needs. Of course if your significant other ever needs a quick reality check about his or her hobby outing frequency, just follow this flow chart for a (pretty) fair answer. I think I’ll post it on our refrigerator.

Note of clarification: Nate would like to point out that fishing should be interchangeable with any other hobbies. Don’t pick on the fisherman.