each day an adventure in alaska: 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.