Goodbye Girdwood

In just 3 short weeks I will say goodbye to my favorite town in Alaska~ Girdwood. This is the longest I've lived anywhere since I graduated college 7 years ago. Naturally, it feels like home to me. This town is in my blood, and has become so special to me. There's a vibe here that I can't quite explain. It's an aura I felt the second I arrived in this quirky little ski resort town with a cozy population of less than 2,000. It's my refuge from all the stress in Anchorage at the hospital. There's a way about this relaxing town that will steal your heart. It's like living in a little forest, with all the unique log homes nestled in between, as to not disturb the nature around them. The residents here are often called hippies, but to me they have the best philosophy on life. They are carefree, healthy, and in touch with nature. Thats the way it should be.
Some residents, like me, make the 45 minute commute to Anchorage for work, weaving along the elegant mountains. The windey road provides majestic views of the ocean with the sweeping mountains as it's  backdrop. This is the most beautiful stretch of road in Alaska , unfortunately it's also the most deadly. I've driven that road hundreds of times, and each time I'm in awe of it's beauty. I won't lie, I'm not a fan of Anchorage. Compared to Girdwood, it doesn't even seem like Alaska to me. In Girdwood, the mountains are my backyard, they are so close I feel like I could touch them. There are no big stores here, no fast food joints, and no long lines of traffic. The air is cleaner in Girdwood. Nothing beats the smell of nature on a cool, crisp morning. I mustn't forget to mention the bears of Girdwood. They share this magical place with us too, mostly harmoniously, except when they think it's a good idea to have my garbage as a snack, and leave me to clean up the mess they made of my front yard. Thank you, Yogi :) Or when they make a surprising appearance while I'm walking my dog. It's nearly impossible to not have bears on your brain each time you leave your house. But you just learn to deal with it. The people of Girdwood are very outdoorsy, and they're not going to let some measly bears get in the way! Oh, no! That's what bear spray is for!
I'm going to miss the house I've called home for both the times I've lived in Alaska. I'm grateful that I was able to find this perfect place, it was just meant to be. I'm going to miss the 3 glacier view from my deck, the sound of the rain on my tin roof while I sleep, the glitter of the ice on the trees  in winter, the insulated, quiet feel I get when I drive through the dirt roads that wind among the log cabins, the Christmas lights that bring cheer during the long winter nights, the warmth of Chair 5, and the locals that gather there, wearing their xtra tuffs. I'll miss seeing the ski lifts light up the white mountain at night as I drive into town, the graceful fall of the enormous, fluffy snowflakes, and seeing happy people walking, running and biking through this eccentric town surrounded by the mountains. I'm going to miss seeing the husky dogs with mesmerizing blue eyes running around freely with no owner in sight, the fact that no one has a lawn to worry about mowing, or keeping curtains over their windows, and the  pitch blackness at night due to the absence of street lights. I'm going to miss the " Merc", the tiny over-priced grocery store in the middle of an almost non-existent town center, the lady that works at the post office that's took a liking to me and is always so friendly and helpful, the signs the locals post on the billboard at the post office, and the unique locals that read it when they stop to get their mail from the p.o. boxes. You see, there are no mail boxes in this cute little town, only one paved road that runs through town, and most of all, no worries. It's laid back like that.   
Me and this town.... we just fit.