fall rain and bog walk....

it was a lazy day here. of course the dogs got walked though. the dogs almost always get walked. today it was just in the bog and then off into the neighborhood. there was light rain coming down so with the chill of fall, it was just an easy day to settle in...walk slow. the dogs enjoy a slow walk, they get to smell everything. the flowers above and below were on patterson road. a garden going into slumber for the season. thought they looked cool, fading away as they were.

there is some termination dust on the chugach range. the snow will now move slowly down those mountains til we are covered as well. took picture below as i went to check my mail. already have my james herriot series from amazon. can't wait to watch one when i crawl in bed. for now i'm watching the netflix for this week, "the soloist". it's about a street musician in los angeles. a reporter for the los angeles times happened upon him and ended up getting to know this homeless man. many of our homeless are also our psychiatric patients. can't say we've done very well by our homeless or psych patients in this nation.

spoke to my brother jeff, my family likes to have political discussions. jeff and i are more often on the same thinking. health care in our nation is very inefficient. we have socialized medicine but it's all disjointed. native care, military care, medicare, medicaid, government workers...so it's funny that people are so against socialized medicine seeing that we already have it. really we need to just break down all these and start over with one singular system. all of these together just creat red tape upon red tape. being a nurse it's often assumed that i am cared for, when really i have just as crappy healthcare as anyone. every year it seems they charge us more and give us less. one illness can wipe each of us out. we live in fear of becoming sick in our nation. it destroys families, bankrupts them. of course, i explained to my brother that a huge part of the issue is this nations fear of death. we spend billions of dollars trying to prevent death, when death is the only alternative. death can be given with dignity, but we fear death in this nation...seemingly anything is better than death here.

blossom enjoys her time outside. she's just as cool with taking a nap. we did that for a bit today, lazed about reading my book. gotta enjoy a day like that.

this is a favorite neighborhood tree. it's starting to hit it's full fall bloom. not quite there yet. i asked the owner of this tree and he said it's a japanese maple. when i went to try and get one locally, they all told me that it wasn't possible, that those wouldn't live here. they convinced me to get an amur maple. so that is out front now. not quite as lovely, but i'm trying not to let it know that i really covet this tree down the street.

hit the pool again today. got in my mile, which is always great. the last bit another swimmer got in to share the lane. there are a few swimmers out there who have absolutely no grace. i don't know how this girl is even able to propel herself forward. she was all spastic and floppy in the water. i stayed on my side of the lane but she still scratched me. i can't help but watch through my goggles. crazy. i survived well enough though. there is lots to see under the water. today it was water aerobics and spastic swimmers.

rio enjoys the great outdoors, though i suspect she'd be just as happy sitting on the couch all day if i stayed there with her. she only walks cause i walk.

now i may need to read this book that the movie is based on. reminds you that there are people out there waiting to be aided, many however don't want to be helped. honestly, i often feel intimidated and fearful. you always think that you are tough and won't let the bad in the world impact what you do, but the truth is, it does. how can you keep yourself safe while helping people who live unsafe lives. you can't always.

have been loving the grass colour changes. hard to get a photo that shows it off..well for me anyway.

apparently my name was turned in for some nursing recognition. that was nice of someone to do. sweet, flattering. i know that i am not the person who gets awards or recognition. i joke and laugh and keep work light. they don't generally give awards for crass humor.

it's funny, the homeless guy isn't the one with the issues. he's adjusted to the life he lives and found his happiness. everyone has to fit in the box, everyone is supposed to want the same things, everyone will be happy that way. but they aren't.....

that is enough excitement for one day. i'm off to work tomorrow night so no further ramblings should occur for several days.

this is the picture i accidently deleted yesteday. have a lovely fall day, where ever you are!!