Dust Bunnies and Aftershocks...

 went to dog park yesterday and then drove down to watch the last of the sunset at Potters...needed to be reminded of all the good of nature.  lots of new cracks in lake ice at University Lake...

 you can see a few out on this cracked up ice skating...fools say I, but they did not die.  many fools were also out with their kids climbing around on the roads that are collapsed.  I've always felt that no photo op is worth being a fool...

 cracks on land and on the ice on lake

 the dogs were pretty fascinated by the scents coming from these smaller cracks at the park on land.

 a guy and his dog....Zeus will probably not be with us much longer.  when i met dane friends they said it was a bit of a farewell walk for this puppy yesterday.  i joined them for a loop at the park.  the dog is fairly young, but a large breed.  his heart....always so sad.

 the aftershocks do seem to be slowing a bit though we have had loads of them this weekend. today i think they have been mostly fairly small. 

 i braved the crawl space, which looks fine.

 you can see the break up of ice caused by the quake above nicely.

 i also tackled a bigger clean up in the bedroom.  as i put stuff back i realized how much crap had collected and how many dust bunnies were tucked away...so a deep clean today. tossing crap.

 my nieces recent loss of her home to a fire did keep my stuff in perspective.  easier to just trash stuff today knowing how little it all matters. the house appears sound and that is the most important thing. one couple in Eagle River had the home they were in buckle and fall into a crack formed. the photo I'd seen from a distance really didn't show what happened.  watched a video today where the guy walked right up to the house and you could see the garage was like 9 feet below where the main ground level originally was. thankfully, his husband was in a room in the back and not in a front room...he and the pets were fine and escaped with assistance of neighbors.

 JM had some extra special treats to offer the dogs so they were pretty happy here.

 Callista braves the ice, that was all smooth ice a few days before

 i also managed to salvage Alanis Morissette and Sister Hazel from the old boom box.  off to the dump with the relic from my past...I'll keep the music from my past though.  I'm sentimental that way.

 chatted with my sister for a bit.  she had called right after the quake but i think i have minimal memory of that conversation.  i was pretty shook up as it were and the aftershocks were coming pretty fast and furious that first hour.

 Tusker is becoming by guide...if it's over a 4 he seems to make his way out the dog door to the yard.

 overall they have been pretty chill through all of this.

 water has been determined safe to drink after the city checked it.  so that is good.  saw video of the Seward Highway. loads of rocks fell, the pipe seems intact though.

 traffic is getting through with areas of traffic work arounds.  i haven't wanted to add to traffic plus last night the wind was gusting a bit so now roads are ice.  some talk of snow tomorrow, which we'd all be good with.  below is a crack at the park, not on ice.

 very grateful to my handyman who made it over on Friday.  he helped fix my water heater that was leaking after the quake and i think his being there helped me feel safe enough to brave a nap while he worked downstairs. 

 when i came down the main kitchen lights were turned on for the first time.  kind of odd as so many were without power that day and i had lights for the first time.  he had just connected the wires while he worked on the side panels for the attached island and by the fridge.  he's trying to get that all ready for them to measure. hoping i can get that rescheduled tomorrow. perhaps he also wanted to make sure there was no damage...there wasn't. 

 probably saved a lot of mess having my kitchen in boxes for this.  also much of my native art pieces were packed away as well since i had been painting the mantel.

 pups sniffing cool stuff through the cracks in the earth

 broken ice.

 no deaths, not really tons of damage. the running joke in the area is thank the left leaners...we are the ones that push for regulations and codes which is what saved our arses in this big quake.  haha. this city has clearly done a great job ensuring buildings are built to a certain standard.  lots of tiles down, some pipes i think as well as water damage from fire sprinklers going off.  schools will be closed a bit.

 the UAA craft fair was either cancelled or date changed i think.  the native craft fair went on...i made a purchase without going...my friend GT saw something she was sure I'd like and texted me while i was at the dog park. 

 just walked the airstrip today.  it was easy.  ice though.  come on snow.

 apparently Dec 2-8 is Walrus Appreciation Week...love your walrus !

 the rest are from a trek to the beach before the quake. will avoid that area for a bit...until the earth settles a bit...it's like quicksand out there so i have always had that in the back of my mind when i walk there...how terrible it would be to be walking here in the event of a quake.

 it was pretty this day though.

 with these i will finish the November photo's.  still pictures from other months to pop in when there is a dearth of recent shots.

 few things on my mind...first a post about police being killed and a comment that if people would follow Christ or something this would fix society.  I've always thought it odd that so many officers are against gun control, especially those high powered weapons that seem to be killing more of our citizens and our officers. 

 also, looking at history, a great many of humans have been killed in the name of religion.  bringing more people to various religions often seems to just cause more fighting over who has the right God or religion.  can't say religion kills more than it saves, but it certainly has caused a great deal of death and mayhem in our world.

 also, people on the left do not support or condone the killing of officers.  for the most part I'd say all Americans respect and appreciate the work done by the police.  there is always room for improvement...this is not a condemnation of all police officers though.

 another thought I've had since a text exchange...i left the Mormon religion.  there is no way to bridge that really when it comes to family.  they choose to stay while i chose to leave.  i left because i read all the same books they did and i did not find it to be true.  that in no way means they are not allowed to continue to believe, but the fact that i walked away from what they believed is a no win for me really...my leaving is offensive in that my denouncing their truth for myself means i am always somehow denouncing them for believing. i also did extensive reading on other religions and other Christian denominations.  my own study led me to believe that none of them are all true or all false.  that they can all offer you positive words and help you improve yourself in this world.  leaving did not mean i forgot all i read and as far as i know, no new texts have come to light so acting like i know nothing because i walked away is a bit offensive as well.

 i suppose that is easier though...to see me as a void spiritually.  i was stuck in a never ending circle in the church.  if you don't come up with the answer of i believe the church is true your only acceptable option is to return to the scriptures, read, fast, pray and wait to receive personal revelation that the church is indeed true...if you again do not get such a revelation, well the answer absolutely cannot be that the church isn't true because the only answer you are allowed is that the church is true...so as long as you don't get that answer it is you who is at fault, who has failed, and you must once again return to scriptures, fasting and praying until you get the "correct" answer of the church is true.  i never did...staying would make me a hypocrite, staying would be unfair to a partner if i had found one, staying would bring me more unhappiness, staying would make me feel as though i was a continuous imposter. 

 i feel if your religion brings you happiness and the guidance and peace you desire than no matter which religion it is be at peace. if your religion encourages hate towards others and encourages you to force your beliefs on your fellow man, especially through violence, i will not have much respect for it or for you sticking with it. i have never denounced Christianity and it's quite presumptuous to assume as much.  i just find my peace with God from all that  God created.  i believe God is in nature more than in a man made building with predominantly males running and dictating how to believe.

 i believe the message across many religions in the simplest form is all we need to follow. as in Christ, do unto others, Love one another, do not judge.  i do not feel any of us need to be right or that any religion needs to be the one right one for us to return to a place called heaven.  i believe in general many humans want to believe they are right, believe they know better or more than others...i simply believe that religion was never supposed to be so complicated for the common person, which is one of the reasons Jesus message was so simple.  we are commanded to be good and decent to all the humans we share this earth with.  we are also charged with doing the best we can to spare the earth and the creations of this earth.  we do not have to be right, we do have to be kind.  churches are supposed to just help people be better people, they should not become political lobby's.

 i pray, i am not bound by any one set of rules.  i have studied many and have come up with what works for me.  i often find that those who have the strongest faith have the easiest time allowing me to live my life how i wish without having it be offensive to their own beliefs.  I'm sure my Dad was sad that i left the Mormon faith.  he saw my scriptures when he was visiting me in South Dakota i think.  he saw that i had read every passage in every book many times over in my search for the truth that i was supposed to find.  he respected that i searched and he accepted that i didn't find.  he had great faith i believe.  it worked for him.  it brought him the peace that it could not bring me.

 that church made me feel like a failure many times over. 

 peace and good will to all...not sure how festive my season will be.  i have received a pretty prezzie from someone..anyone buy me something from uncommon goods...perhaps there is a card inside.  I'll wait til Christmas and see.  i haven't opened it yet.  thanks to whoever...thinking i may buy a tree for the deck and deck out Skelly.  no point getting tree for inside as the remodel continues. 

thankful for: A.  no structural damage found  B.  decrease in intensity of aftershocks and number  C. calming nerves and clearing brain