packing again...

 there is apparently a fire closer to Tok.  may have to pass by and hope it doesn't change direction and trap me.  still thinking of heading towards Chicken tomorrow. i have Sat and Sun night to wander a bit before i get to Hunter cabin for a few nights, then home.  should be a fun little excursion.

 these first are from the Valdez trek still.  quite a few hikes between then and now. 

 weather was looking pretty decent out Chicken way.  spent the day trying to get errand stuff done before heading out tomorrow. 

 admittedly, I'm pretty ready to crash for the night.  my stretch is over.  ended up with 2 nights in RCU and a last night in ICU. 

 had one patient i haven't had for some time but that patient is still there.  i had the patient right after their original surgery....some people cant' catch a break.  also got to check in on another patient i had in the ER last week.  the patients family was so excited i stopped in and just way impressed with nurses and doctors at this point. 

 we are pretty cool.  for all the strangeness and gross stuff.  i have to admit i have ended up really enjoying being a nurse for the most part. it's not an easy job and it can be both frustrating and terrifying.  i really love that in those 12 hours i can really be impactful  on the lives of those i come in contact with. 

 we get paid to do a job but you aren't as good of a nurse if all you are doing is the basics of nursing.  you must infuse kindness, compassion and sympathy in there.  some days it can be tough to treat all the same, to show dignity and kindness to those who are undignified and unkind.  the truth is, you just never know what impression you will make on these patients lives and peoples lives can change just by someone seeing them and being kind. 

 this is a pretty rough life some times.  everyone doesn't live some perfect life, surrounded by happy times and love.  many struggle with pain and loneliness and doubt.  it would be great if more folks could just take a breath, relax and try to help one another. thankfully, i am in a position as a nurse, to be there for folks who are experiencing great pain and emotional upheaval. 

 this ice chunk looks like a big fish...see the eye and the mouth? 

 you also get to laugh. you have to laugh.  some of these folks will make you nuts other wise.  two nights i hit the IV on a co-workers patient first try, that patient had zero appreciation for my mad skills...oh the whining!! 

 my little old, and i mean old, guy had a unique way to take a dump...we always laugh with each other...you really can't make up the stuff we see at work.  it's nuts.  people really are queer...

 for me...as i look back at my career as a nurse, i can see that this job has had a profound impact on me as a human.  it's made me better...it's made me want to fight for what is right for the humans i share this earth with. 

 don't want to destroy capitalism...but how much money do these folks need.  how many huge boats and homes and all of that.  how is it right that some have so much while others have so little.  how is this the plan? how is this humane? how is this what God would want from us?  i can't fathom a universe where a kind and just God would encourage the few to hoard it all and sit in their castles while the masses struggle and falter.  it's not about a hand out...but more about giving a hand up. 

 at some point it just becomes so grossly unfair that it hurts all of us.  a nation cannot sustain itself for very long when the money is hoarded by a few while the masses suffer.  you just create a world of anger and frustration and hate...it boils up and then over. 

 it just seems like common sense to have a healthy and well educated population. that is not to say that we must all have college degrees...quite the opposite.  we need folks willing to do all the various jobs to build a community.  if we could make sure that all who worked, felt their work was valued, we would no doubt have more who worked.

 love these hues above.

 rain yesterday, today we hit the dog park. 

 can't say i slept too well yesterday.  the city guys were at the house.  guess there is some issue with the pipes?  not sure.  anyway, i think the issue is in my back yard. i told them the dogs and i will be gone Monday and Tuesday so they could work dog free out there.  hopefully, i do not come home to some mess and a sink hole in the yard.

 more packing to do, but at least I've gotten it started. throw crap in the car, gas up and hit the road. 

 looks like 405 miles from Anchorage to Chicken, with stops probably 7-8 hours...depends on what there is to see.

 could just take the Richardson Highway up to Fairbanks and back down to the cabin or do the Denali Highway crossing. as usual i do not have any sort of absolute plan. Paxson Lake campground is really pretty...or Tangle Lakes...hmm...could even try for Paxon lake then explore north a ways the next day and come back to Tangle lakes and then do the cross over on Monday on the way to the cabin...it's been a while since I've been to Chicken. 

 there is a party going on in the neighborhood. seems to be one in the neighborhood behind as well.

 still clearing out the old fridge.  freezer done the other day between shifts.  nice when i actually get stuff done.

 we are approaching this glacier.  once you pull up closer you can no longer see the glacier above that winds its way back up into the mountain ranges.

 those dark area's in front of the glacier above are seals.  there were quite a few seals chilling on ice closer to the glacier...closer than we got.  so not the best photos of the seals, but still fun to watch all of them out there.

 there is the face. 

 the rest are more cell phone shots i think from mine and other friends phones on various hikes around Anchorage.

 these are again at Reed Lakes trail system

 nice reflections.  we got lucky and got some sunshine.

 this is out powerline pass with friends.

 right after these it started to pour.  strange as it sounds i enjoyed that walk in the rain...

 with KR and LS.  i think Karen has forgiven us for taking her up the mountain a bit.  she did great and I'm guessing she recovered pretty fast!  :-)

 other friends headed south to the Kenai. always fun.  it's great to explore to me though.  i love a nice drive, see what i can see.  catch different places at different times of the year.

 Alaskan cotton in Glen Alps.  always a favorite.  it looked a bit different all matted down with the rains on the way back.

 attempting yoga poses. I'm not all that good at the balancing. i really need to get back to my yoga and swimming.  my body needs me to

 a few photo's of ceiling tiles in the peds units.  these were super cool.  they are having them painted and putting them up.  i think it's totally fun.

 they do need a walrus though.  :-)

 i haven't made it to Seward for a bit as well.  always just so much to see each summer.  need to just buy the RV and take off on all my days off.  haha.

 Ms Breezy Chatterbug snuggles in with Ivy Rose.

 well, i shall head to bed.  tomorrow will be a long day of driving.  hopefully a safe one.  no moose incidences please. 

thankful for : a.  sleep and a comfortable bed.  b.  happy pups to greet me when i awaken c.that i have time and the ability to wander about exploring. 

2551

 really liked this iphone shot my friend SH took.  we were just cracking up out there.  it was her idea to take selfies in the lupine.  Ivy and Tusker of course had a very different idea and it got pretty funny.

 this is Ivy with her newly root canal'd tooth. these are just a few more current iphone pics...there are some others by others as well.  SH and LS.  thanks for sharing guys!

 one night down and two to go. I'm officially getting ready for work. 

 it is a beautiful rainy day.  amazing how happy rainy days can make me.  it's an excuse to be chill.  i slept a bit, ready and did walk the pups out in the Bog.  no moose or bears were spotted.  the mosquito count is starting to be less, June is terrible in the bog. that is Baxter Bog by my house.  i believe i have avoided it more than i should due to a traumatizing flight i took related to dog walking.  brats!

 many of these flowers are from the Reed Lakes area walk. 

 lots of beaver ponds out there.

 worked in RCU last night. not really a favorite but it went fine and i really had good co-workers and patients.  it can be funny ending up with patients i took care of weeks before in the ER or ICU. 

 RCU is pretty short of late so i may end up there a bit over the next weeks.  we shall see. i find it's best to never attempt to guess.

 interesting connections between this Rus female that has been taken into custody and the NRA.  interesting also that the current administration decided to make it more difficult to see who gives big money to organizations just like the NRA.  hmm... way too many coincidences to be a nothing burger.  i do not envy the crew trying to put together what happened from this mess of improbable and strange connections.

 the fake patriots of the far right have introduced an attempt at impeaching Rosenstein.  doubt it will go anywhere, but it is pretty ballsy.  also super annoying to watch the GOP trash our justice department after screaming for years that they are their biggest supporters.  funny how that changes when they start investigation them.

 our iitoo quote to his loyalists...."what you are seeing and what you are reading is not what is happening".  really, and we should believe you why?  of course, i see a weak man, scared and paranoid, i read his even weaker words and i believe nothing he says can possibly be factual and everything he says is done in some way to benefit himself and those who are loyal to him.

 2551 is about the number of children that have not been returned to their parents.  that were used in some sick game as a deterrent to those seeking help crossing our borders.  these are not the rapists and gang members he said he would punish.  we'd all be okay with that...no these are decent humans who are desperate and trying to bring their families to a safer place and a better life.  these are people just like you and I but we were lucky to be born where we were safe and they were not. 

 because, really, that is the only thing that is different.  we are not better, we are not smarter, we are not wiser or more beautiful or more deserving.  we are not entitled.  we were just lucky.  we were not born in a war zone or an area riddled with government dysfunction and gang violence.  we were born in a stable government with free press.  i would say this administration is doing a job attempting to alter that dynamic. 

 if you find your self screaming things like "fake news" or "deep state" or "lock her up" you may want to do some research and make sure you have not been caught up in the propaganda that was created by the Rus government aimed at being divisive and tearing our nation apart. 

 not only is Rus attempting to disrupt our fair elections...it has made a good inroad at being able to disrupt our power grids if they so desire.  WWIII doesn't necessarily look like the others.  in this new cyber world we are already one foot in and if we continue to do nothing to thwart the incoming cyber attacks we have already lost.  this current administration is failing.  mostly because their leader fears being found to be illegitimate so he and his loyalists are hell bent to stop any information or action for fear it will shine a light back on them.

 chip, chip, chip...that is how this administration is taking down the norms of our government. 

 we will all fall down together if a large segment chooses to look the other way and another large segment chooses to ignore their right to vote. 

 our comfortable life is fleeting and must be fought for and protected if it is to survive.  we have all taken advantage of our good fortune for too many years.  when you don't appreciate what you have you often will find yourself in the position of losing what you have. 

 we are already in a terrible place.  what will you do? 

 these cuties, so much fun. happy i at least got them walked today. the bog is great for that. 

 i may have a group of 4 for the play...just have to buy those tickets!

 i better got finish getting ready for work.  got to chat with my niece before i headed to work last night. it was way too short of a conversation but she called right as i was ready to leave...didn't want to miss her call though.  :-) hope you have a fun trip CB!! 

 me getting silly on a rock...it's all fine until someone falls off  a rock and breaks a leg or something...thankfully that did not happen!

thankful for:  A.  a job B. the health to do my job C.  fair and free elections...may they remain so.