dreaming of summer fun

 headed off to Seward for a few hours today. it's a 2 hour drive either way but totally worth it on a day like today.  the pups had a great time playing on the beach.  i bought them new life vests before we left...ocean swimming is a bit rougher with the waves. i think it for sure gave Ivy Rose more confidence.

 this was the other item on my list this week . i was really set to make the purchase but then on a second look i had a different salesman who explained that my car could tow 1500 pounds but that weight was not just the trailer that includes all the stuff in the car as well...so me the dogs, the gas,any water in the tank in the trailer.  that would put me over the weight and possibly do harm to the car.  since it's not a young car anymore this seems a bad idea.

 would really like to have a more comfy camping situation.  a few things worry me about a trailer like this though i guess.  one is backing up...always a pain and the other is if a bear were trying to get in like i had that one day sleeping in my car...i couldn't do anything about it.  in the car i could just start the engine and go. so a bit bummed at the camper situation, but i can look for an osprey teardrop camper as i think those are more like 650# and this one seems somewhat modeled after it.  these are sweet little trailers though.

 need to spend this next week and focus on possible remodel of my kitchen which is long overdue.  will plan on my next car being more capable of towing or being a truck so i could then purchase a camper for that, which would work as well.

 the pups again got two walks today.  we did that Monday as well.  walked with one friend in Kincaid in the morning and then at the airstrip with another friend in the afternoon.  did some garden work in between. silly me had stuffed a plastic garbage bag in my pants but then ran out of time to load one with garden stuff, so i forgot about it and walked with a big plastic bag sticking out of my arse.  no wonder my arse felt over heated. haha.

 the pups are pretty wiped out.  i almost went back for a second run on the beach but after i ate my sandwich from subway at the harbor i went to grab a few items out of the back of the car and the pups tried to book...i think Tusker had gotten excited seeing all the birds in the harbor and was itching to take off after some, Ivy was just following along.  i had to do a mid flying puppy take down and slam the door to prevent loose dogs running all over the parking area in Seward.

 digging in the dunes

 will need to do some extra training on proper exits of cars i guess. the other day, i got the pups to load up in the car and was putting my gear in when Ivy shot past me rapidly followed by Tusker...the neighbors cat came into view...and they were off after it.  brats. not ok.  potentially deadly if they take off in street and there is a car coming.

 looked like a beautiful sunset tonight. debated heading back out....but me and the pups were beat.  should have i guess as it really did look pretty impressive. I'm sure someone was out there snapping away.  plenty of photographers in AK.

 a few lakes still have some left over ice. liked how this ice looked green.  this was in Moose Pass.

 i had attempted this Seward run yesterday and was even planning on tenting out...but it was looking worse and worse weather wise so at Portage i just turned back.

 so not much yesterday, dog park, driving, over sleeping.

 have been trying to get stuff scheduled that i have had on the list.

 lots of political news these past few days.  take a nap and you miss stuff.  drive to Seward was a nice break.  no radio.

 FBI director was fired. seemed pretty rude how it was done.  iitoo gets pissed and is reactive. so that is how things get done.  seems anytime it gets closer to his Russia ties he flips out and tweet storms or fires people.  dude is totally unhinged.  not that i think Comey is beyond reproach but the rational given for firing him is total crap...if iitoo was so concerned about Comey's handling of the HRC emails he may have said something during the campaign or shortly after instead of screaming lock her up.

 it is pretty much a given that Rus influenced the election and that influence was directed at getting the iitoo into his position. still pulling shit no doubt.  iitoo met with the Rus ambassador/kgb officer and was all smiles today i think.  boy he sure loves Rus and he sure loves dictators.  it's all very disconcerting...more disconcerting is how much the GOP is protecting him.  no matter what crap he pulls they seem to close up around him.  this last firing may not go as well for him

 hoping that finally we get an independent investigation into the Rus crap. not sure why the GOP is so hesitant to just put all this on the table...release the iitoo taxes, investigate.  it's not a witch hunt unless you carry on for 20 years and never find anything you can actually prosecute a person for...oh right, that was HRC...! actually, that is harassment.  I'm not saying she is a princess but if she was in office the GOP wouldn't let her do anything without oversight and with him they have let him do whatever he wants and not even blinked.

 if this was switched around and HRC was the POTUS man they would be screaming at all this stuff.  if she hired her daughter as her assistant  (is that what Ivanka is?) or Chelsea's spouse as her advisor/fix everything in the world despite only having some real estate experience/prep to take over once the dictator iitoo is done. or not released her taxes or had 109 executive orders in 100 days or played golf as often as he has or made as much money off of the office, used his properties as he does, milked the nations tax dollars for his own security and that of his family by having them pay great deal of money directly to his owned properties, and not separating from business.  but whatever...

 investigate...if it all turns out to be nothing but "fake news" well then you can slam the Dems and the media for it all, but what if it all turns out to be true? don't you want to know if your POTUS and his lackeys colluded with Rus to take over our government? don't you want to know if your POTUS made a deal to remove sanctions in order to open up the oil for Rus while being paid through back channels?  don't you want to know if this guy is using our government to make real estate deals in other nations?  don't you want to know??

 for as much as people hate HRC and i get it, she ain't no saint, but for as shady as you think she is...he's just as bad if not worse.  don't you want to know if he is.  the guy has spent decades in business with a band of lawyers who try to keep him just shy of breaking the law.  he's been to court and settled huge cases even as recently as weeks before he entered the oval office. for everything they hate about her, there seems to be the excuse that iitoo can do it because she did it.  if it was so horrible when she did it, why is it suddenly ok?  is it just because he's on your side, because if that is the only reason, then the GOP has zero moral/ethical standing.  they were just bull crapping the entire 20 years about Clintons and Obama...they only hated that they weren't the ones calling the shots.

 Rus impacted our election by directing crap news at HRC to put iitoo in to his position and yet, i have not really noted any on the right to alter their views of HRC...to say well this turns out to have been false news brought on by RUs.  they still seem to believe all that was pushed their way and say that anything bad about iitoo is fake news...the bulk of the fake news was directed at her.  the crap i heard about him...came directly from his mouth.

 ultimately, i suspect the iitoo and the GOP actions in their quest for power and to make everything of the past several years disappear will actually turn out to bite them. i suspect that the society backlash will seed the stuff they hate the worst in place in a permanent way...gay marriage, climate change, women's rights. the powers of the 1% will be diminished because of their greed and power lust.

 the firing of Comey will be the driving force behind a bigger investigation. already some GOP members are starting to see that standing behind this weak, incapable man will take them down as well.  i doubt Ryan and McConnel will go down with the ship...they like the power they hold too much, they will abandon the ship and let him fall to the bottom of the sea to save themselves eventually.

 Nixon found few buddies in those last days...the stuff that happened then is child's play compared to what may be happening in this white house.  it's embarrassing and frightening.  hoping the truth comes out and sets us all free.

 the pups took turns swimming but often Ivy would go get it and Tusker would wait for her return and snag it from her.

 as you can see it was a beautiful day out there.

 don't they look adorable in their life vests!!  Ivy's fit perfect.  Tuskers needed some adjustments.his was xl and hers just large sized.  i had worried hers would be too small but they need to be somewhat snug.  i suspect he'll grow a bit more so his will fit later.  hopefully hers still fits.  will be good for ocean swimming or wearing in boats if we travel by boat..need to teach them when on leash they can't chase every bird squirrel and critter they see.

 voting them most likely to end up with porcupine quills in their faces..hoping they don't have really bad encounter with bear or moose.

 Tusker waiting for Ivy's return so he can steal the ball.

 not many out there.  tourist season doesn't really get started until Memorial day it seems. though with warming trends it seems to be starting a bit earlier each year.  May is nice for locals i guess.  we can get out to places without the bigger crowds.

 proof that Tusker was actually doing some swimming as well.

 loved all the water action.

 they did too....and lots of zooming around.  chasing birds of course.

 actually think the life vest may have hindered Ivy's ability to jump which was a good side effect

 double shakes...lots of shaking.

 and then right back out there for more.

 i think they could have gone on for hours more.  not at a point where they self entertain while i relax with a book though.

 double shaky, shaky...

 eventually, i needed to use the facilities and eat so we took off.

 but a great and relaxing day was had by all.

 so sweet!!

grateful for:  A.  beautiful spring days like today and drives to Seward for beach time  B.  folded up potato chips.  C.  laughter...it makes  life much easier.