"Anybody trying to find Jesus?"...

 the rest of the message on NextDoor....haha.  "after the wind storm I found a baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, on the corner of Robin and James".  when i saw this message i just started cracking up. it's hilarious.  people are so clever!  there are still many items lost and found on the message boards after our wind last week.

 for those of you who thought i would have something snarky to say about religion based on the lead in....shame on you, haha..or gotcha i guess. i don't hate religions just those who use them for their own benefit, who sham people out of their savings or scare them into living a life that doesn't bring them happiness but instead coats them in guilt. hate when people do things in the name of God that no just and decent God would ever agree too. also can't stand how often religion and politics are muddled.  money, power, control...all get corrupted by these.

 drove around a wee bit, shopped a few places for fun at this point...the puppies still would like to find me a great gift so i really need to shop around so i can give them ideas on how best to spend their allowances.  hehe.  Mama does need some new IceBugs!!  she also needs a new kitchen remodel...hmm.  the puppies for sure do not make enough on their security details at home to pay for that!!

 there were some lovely and festive decorations scattered around the hospital in all the various units.

 i was scattered around a bit as well.  i worked PICU, RCU and then PCU.  worked with this one sweet girl but we had each other in tears a bit...she just lost her dog and her Grandma in the past few weeks so we were talking about dogs and losses.  then Val came up in the conversation.  she was saying how often in her first year as a nurse she had the dark cloud over her and her patients seemed to always be on the verge of crashing so she became well acquainted with Val.  so more tears flowed remembering how great Val was with those young nurses....no surprise...in a job that often eats it's young, Val was always supportive and positive with those young nurses. 

 i asked her if she'd gone to the memorial and if so which one.  she had gone to the one that i spoke at so i said, so you know, i spoke right?  then she really started to tear up because she hadn't connected that yet. she said she had really loved my talk and especially the poem.  so sweet.  love my co-workers overall...there are the rare nurses that are difficult but overall...great folks!  i have been very blessed to have been able to work with such amazing people

 above is in Peds.  every unit has stockings up for all. 

 i wandered around on my breaks trying to get entries for the WARIS drawing for my annual calendars.  you can enter on line at our website if you are interested.  Walrus Advocates of Round Island Sanctuary...just look it up, our web page should show up.  anyway.  for a minimum $20 donation you get entered and a sticker.  a few just wanted to buy the calendar outright so i may have to do another small order to accommodate those folks.

 these are from Byers Lake.  today was just the dog park...so lazy. 

 i think as i get older i just either need more sleep or take more sleep.  in past winters i have woken at noon, walked and then came home and napped before work again...now i tend to sleep straight to 2:30.  whatever i need really.  it just gets dark early so that cuts into the dog walk.  i did buy some little lights for their collars so i can at least see them as they run through the woods now.

 did comment today on a post..the old Happy Holidays Vs Merry Christmas thing.  I'm amazed that people really find themselves offended by this.  you must have a life with few real troubles if you can waste your energy on this.  of course, then i heard that old Andy Williams version of the song Happy Holidays.  so i have been singing that all day.  people have said Happy Holidays for decades...it is not a smear on Christianity. 

 there I'm listening to it right now.  i laughed because on the post the photo was this person with Santa Claus.  maybe if the accompanying photo was at a manger scene.

 Christianity isn't going anywhere in the United States...well, I'd argue that there is an element that is headed for a more severe form of Christianity...I'd say a radicalized form of Christianity...

 Christmas originally began as a way to usurp the Pagan festivities.  i got no issues with the inclusive "happy holidays" over "Merry Christmas" at shops.  as long as the cashier is being nice.  i would also not be offended if as i left a store someone said, "happy Hanukkah" to me.  our society is way to sensitive and quick to offense. 

 speaking of offensive..apparently an edict came down from DC that henceforth documents produced by the CDC will not include newly banned words. radical Christians doing no doubt...what the the offensive words?  fetus, transgender, diversity, vulnerable, entitlement, science based and evidence based.  nobody should be okay with our government censuring words or books or music...or news for that matter.  we should not want a state run news...free press, freedom of speech.  these are vital to our way of life.

 this war on words, press and science is horrible for our nation.

 i saw that France was recruiting our scientists to come over there and continue to work towards positive changes in the world.  that is scary.  amazing how quickly damage is being done in our nation. brain drain from our nation is not great...of course, our education system is under attack.  the brains we have we are not cultivating to the fullest at great detriment to our nation.  this has been going on for years.  we can't expect to maintain our status year after year on a global sense if we don't cultivate our young minds.

 we also can't maintain our status on a global sense if we drive away the science and tech minded.   this also includes immigration policies that bring in great minds. 

 we will not have enough MD's and nurses to care for our aging population.  a good percentage of our MD's come from Visa/education programs where after they are educated they promise to work in our rural communities. 

 we don't just need well educated immigrants we need those immigrants that enter with few skills...many work several jobs to give their families a chance of a better life.  so many feel they steal jobs from Americans, but in truth they really are a modern form of indentured servants.  they are willing to work for less at jobs others do not wish to do.  they often have stronger work ethics than the average American worker.  hunger does that to people. it would benefit our nation to foster these folks and build them up...incentives.

 driving past Beans cafe tonight, that is a place they feed the homeless.  there are encampments all around there.  tents set up.  pretty sad to think of how large the homeless population is in our nation.  i really don't know what the answers are. we have a crisis of drug addiction and mental health...that seems to be the bulk of the homeless population.  we have failed as a society in these groups.  we have also failed the children...

 the program to bring funds for ill kids, CHIP....it needs to be continued.  this tax bill they are pushing through is a mess.  pushes up the deficit.... a lot.  fear they will screw folks like me out of our social security. i don't even bother looking into retirement. i have little hope that either party will not screw me and all of us out of every dime they can.  i have worked decades and put money in...i have little hope to get any of it back. that is not an entitlement.  of course, i tend to feel that we are all entitled to some basic healthcare and a decent education.  i don't see this as something the government owes me and others, i see it as myself being willing to see tax dollars go to these things for the betterment of society, to make our nation stronger, healthier, more able to compete in the world.

 last week over 40 inches of snow fell on the mountains around Valdez.  that was overnight.  an avalanche closed Thompson pass.  the only road in/out of Valdez.

 in the meantime, we have little snow left and a lot of ice.  cleats are in order.  the forecast keeps calling for snow and then when you check back it has changed. 

 snow really just brightens up the place. when we are at our darkest days it's nice to have the snow to brighten it all up.  it was pretty fun to watch all the dogs with lights running around the dog park this afternoon.  really should get a light video one of these days. 

 Ivy makes herself comfortable on the table at Byers Lake.

 great views of the great mountain, Denali

 another beautiful sunset.  I'm off work until Thursday i think..I'll have to double check that.  i have Christmas off this year, work New Years.

 some pics LM took of me with Ivy Rose...nice to have real pics on occasion.

 selfies with the puppies can be a bit difficult

 sunset on the window of the cabin

 we had a nice fire going and ate s'mores. 

 so the local paper is back to being called the Anchorage Daily News.  i am happy with that change, i always thought the Alaska dispatch news was silly title.  my paper stopped for a bit but seems to have returned. i think the costs have gone up..we will see what they do.

 Anchorage seems to have had a lot of murders this year.  we matched our high murder rate from 2016...seems most murders stem from drugs, alcohol and love...at least that has been my opinion for years.  avoid those things and you should be good.

 movies i want to see, "lady bird", "wonder", "LBJ" and what was that Meryl Streep one about the newspaper?  that one looked good too.

 about caught up on my paper reading.  requires reading glasses anymore.  always a bummer.  i now believe i have several reading glasses, but it seems like when you want to read you have to hunt them down.  i have always seen myself as an organized mess...right now i just feel like a mess.

 i really need to start now with the Spring cleaning process.  haha.

 gotta start thinking cabins now...summer will approach fast.  best to be ready with some fun stuff to do

 me with the boy

 libs enjoys the views

 as did the puppies. nothing like being totally off the grid.  peaceful

 a fire is always peaceful as well.  i better crash for the night. 

thankful for: A.  strong tech that kept that old man from harming any of us as we just tried to change his attends...spitting, hitting and kicking....aging is not for the young  B. that i got my scenarios all done on my ACLS...hope we don't have to do all that quarterly...still trying to figure out what the new deal is  C.  puppies with lights...so cute and fun to watch!