over and over and over again...

 these are from a walk up Arctic Valley and another walk looks like North Bivouac. 

 another mass shooting occurred.  i went to bed early last night.  had though of writing a blog last night, actually sat at the computer but i was too tired so i just crawled into bed. i had my appointment to get my permanent crown.  that is all done...but the day started with the bleeps on the phone for news

 at this time 59 are known dead in a Las Vegas attack and over 500 people injured.  many of these critically so the death toll may increase. i do hope not for these poor folks.  they were attending an outdoor concert and a shooter from 30+ floors up in a hotel just started unloading his assault rifle...what type of gun or how it was re-built...details for later.

 it's so sad, that these events happen over and over again.  nothing changes...with this iitoo and the GOP in command the only change is to make it easier for people to get guns.  they are so convinced by our friends at the NRA that the left wants to take all guns away that they collect more and more and work harder and harder to make it easier to obtain guns.  fear is like that.  this was never how the law was meant to be interpreted.  the gun rights advocates are rabid though.

 guns before life apparently.  someone on a friends page was upset that he had brought up the gun laws so soon after this attack..said that we should at least wait for the dust to settle on this attack...i pointed out that the dust settled after columbine, nothing, the dust settled after children were killed at Sandy Hook, nothing, the dust settled after the club attack in Florida, nothing.  it happens over and over and the right just digs in deeper and the dust settles and nothing improves.  not sure why they are so good with living with these mass attacks over and over again. 

 these happen far more often than terrorist attacks but they live in fear of the terrorists and have no concern it seems about all the guns here and the nearly continuous mass shootings.  it's so frustrating.

 so nobody wants to speak of it and nothing happens and then another shooting...nobody speaks of it and nothing happens....and then it happens again. 

 no idea what this guys motive was.  he's dead.  I've heard he was shot and I've heard he shot himself.  no idea which it is.  there is still much to investigate...that won't bring back all those lost though.  one of the band members that was on stage came out and said that he has always been a supporter of guns rights, but this has made him change his mind. 

 the right seems to be content to just say prayers about this.  pray for vegas, pray for columbine, pray for sandy hook... i would like to see action taken to prevent this from happening.  most of the GOP congress/senate get money from the NRA.  we really need to get all special interest out of the process.  we need to put limits on the money spent on campaigns.  we need to put limits on the number of terms these folks serve. 

 Colbert...he is doing a great job tonight. have the courage to do something.  offer thoughts and prayers, fine, but do something.  anything. 

 those people at the concert were forced into a horrific situation.  they found courage in their souls, many found a hero in their soul and put others ahead of their own needs and their own lives.  the police and paramedics and all responded quickly and with courage and bravery...they found the source of the shooting and ended it.  the medical folks at the hospital reacted bravely and with courage in treating what should have been an overwhelming number of patients and doing the best they could, no doubt, with the mass casualty situation that was put on them. 

 those who lost loved ones will go forward bravely and with courage and those who are injured and fighting for their lives will go forward bravely as well. 

 wouldn't it be better if we could just prevent this in the first place though.

 this isn't normal, we shouldn't be allowing this to become normal.  we shouldn't accept this.  we should fight with all we have to prevent these events from happening over and over and over!! 

 the base won't go for it.  they love their guns.  so don't expect anything to change.  deranged white guy, dead, end of story. 

 the comedians are doing what they do best...explain what is actually happening in our nation. speaking truth. they are your best news source.  watching Kimmel now.  an emotional plea to do something...

 watching Seth now.  they all handle it differently but all have done a great job speaking truth.

 first Monday walk started today.  KR and i did a meandering walk.  the pups mostly behaved....Ivy had a few leaping incidences.  no walkers were injured...how do you solve a problem like Ivy?  how do you stop a pup from jumping up and down? ....

 speedy joined us for coffee and the Monday walks are officially on again.  we must be at year 8 or 9?  had a memory show up on my feed from 7 years ago and i don't think that was the first year we did it. 

 gun rights over peoples lives...too many ignore these mass shootings done by American citizens but over react to possible terrorist threats. 

 it all just pisses me off.  thoughts and prayers for the victims and then...back to protecting their right to bear arms. 

 worked all three nights in the ICU.  not bad.  actually got through the PALS video's.  have all that education stuff coming up.  thank you work for giving me a few days off to compensate for all the hours of education. 

 working in medicine you never know when one of these mass casualty events will happen on your shift or you'll be called in to try and help.  heard one lady that was sitting in the ER waiting to be seen for a minor injury watching staff stream in to help out with the mass casualty. 

 was chatting with someone the other day about Puerto Rico and the exchange between the iitoo and the Mayor.  he's such a baby.  he went after this woman.  i could tell this person was about to defend the iitoo.  stop...don't even go there. 

 even if you feel she was totally wrong in what she said about the response, she is the one in the horrible situation, trying to deal with  things we can't even imagine really.  he should have sucked it up and behaved rationally.  i suck it up all the time.  nearly each day as a nurse i suck it up.  why?  because i know that when my patients get angry or irritated or behave irrationally, it's most likely because of their stress in their situations..the same for their family members.  we suck it up for the most part because that is what decent humans do when lashed out at by a person who is under extreme distress.  so suck it up!! 

 response has been slow.  they are in a devastating situation.  they are trying to do what they can but days and weeks into this they fray, they unravel, it becomes too much for anyone. 

 there is a lot going on that is stressful in our nation right now, sadly we have this weak and ridiculous potus who is incapable of doing this job and who is like the emperor with no clothes.  the GOP refuse to acknowledge his failing and instead pretend that all is well. 

 all is not well.  again..i would admonish these folks to suck it up.  think of what is best for our nation.  hell, think of what is best for him.  he is not fit for this job.  get him out of it.  let the poor rich man return to playing golf every day.  he hates this job. you hate him in this job...make us all happy by just putting an end to it. 

 I'm sure other things happened this week but it's hard to recall them all after a day of another mass shooting. 

 the mushrooms are nearly gone and we had frost the other morning.

 i had put bricks out front  to mark where the no dig line was so i could work on getting my little free library out there....the bricks were stolen.  i think i will leave a note out there.  i leave free shit out there all the time.  this wasn't free shit.  i leave a sign that says free when it's free.  jerks!

 these puppies make me smile. 

 they aren't perfect, I'm not perfect.

 they are way more perfect than i am though.

 remember those who are in pain tonight and those who are fighting for their lives in the ICU's in Las Vegas.  they do need our prayers, but our nation needs prayers too.  we need to have the courage to take action and make our nation safer.  we need the courage to stand up to the NRA and the courage to make those in positions of power stand up for us all.  we need to not just move on and forget these lives that are gone...

 the puff balls are no more. 

 still have some bear bread. that stuff is tough

 peaceful pictures on a less than peaceful day. 

 love the purple in these below. 

 came home from the dentist and took a nap...with a towel under my head since my mouth was still numb.

 pairs.

 loads of puffballs.

 from those cool turquoise tiny mushrooms.

 and there they are.  i shall retire.  hug your family, hug your friends, hug your cats and hug your dogs...it's that kind of night.

grateful for:  A.  those who step up and do what is right in the worst of times  B.  to be a nurse and be in a profession which helps others every day.  i am a better person for having become a nurse  C.  the first responders, the police....all who serve to protect and aid us.  we do not give them enough support or salary.  our society is so messed up.