snow and ice

 last pics from the Manitoba trip.

 small amount of snow last night, so just an inch or two over ice. today we just walked up and down the tank trail.

 just two of us today.

 been lazy this week.  so much to do, but i am totally in lazy mode.  hopefully, i get my crap together.

 i think it's post kitchen remodel..probably why i got sick as well. my body just opted out for a bit. 

 not much to take photo's of the past few walks.  we did get some miles in and the dogs always enjoy chasing the tennis ball no matter what the weather is like.  they are clearly not aware of whether a day is beautiful or cloudy...which i must say is good in a way...they are happy no matter what the day is like.

 watched this show on these identical triplets last night.  i do recall seeing some pictures of these guys in the 80's.  i think two of them just ran into each other and as they looked exactly the same they must have gotten to talking.  i think i missed the first part of the show which went over how they ended up getting back together.

 in the end it was pretty sad and weird.  apparently, the place that they were adopted from was working with some unscrupulous researchers.  they had been placed in a study by the adoption agency.  several sets of identical twins and this set of identical triplets were placed in different families to study how different parental styles impacted them.  the adoptive parents were told this group just wanted to follow up on the kids to see how being adopted impacted them...not telling them what they were really after.

 with the boys they made sure that they were each placed in a family that had already adopted a child so the researchers could have some idea of their parenting styles before putting these kids in there.  so they came to see all three boys without ever letting on that they had just seen their identical siblings and photo/video'd them as well. they showed another set of identical twins who had also been used in this way by this research team through this adoption agency...but there are several others who apparently still have no idea that they may have a twin out there.  the research data was placed in Yale University and have strict rules to not be opened until after 2066...the original researcher is dead.

 so a much more nefarious story than i had expected.  these babies were born in the 1960's...amazing what people are willing to do to other humans.  one of the triplets has committed suicide. 

 the shutdown is over.  it was not good for the economy...threats already being made by this administration to shut down again if they don't get their way.  it's all pretty ridiculous. they had 2 years to get done whatever they wanted.  thankfully, they are mostly incompetent and in chaos or they would have certainly done more damage to our nation.

 was reading that drones are being used to just pick up and drop drugs over whatever fences are out there.  doesn't seem like much of a stretch that soon they will have drone like contraptions that can just hoist humans over whatever wall they want built. there are areas where fencing does help, but by and large, fences/walls are not the end all answer to immigration issues.  currently more folks are trying to get caught so they can seek asylum.  drugs are a large issue, but those mostly are brought in at actual border crossings/ trucks, trains...and apparently via drones.  tunnels have been found.  for as much as some like to make claims about the wall in Israel, there is known to be an elaborate tunnel/black market system that has developed along there wall.  the bottom line is there are better ways...a less archaic system to protect the borders is needed, but shouting out build the wall is perfect for the average folk at a trump rally. 

 another iitoo buddy has been arrested.  he loves the spot light so seems to be enjoying the increased media attention.  he has a picture of Nixon tattooed on his body...which is strange enough.  his current charges are mostly for lying as well.  so many lies in this administration and those close to it. 

 the rest of these are from a day in August.  saw this huge cargo plane.  looked like a beluga whale.  after i watched planes i took the dogs to a dog park at this end of town, Conners Bog. 

 cruised Lake Hood as well.  always fun to just watch planes come and go.  we all seem to enjoy that,not sure why.  just a common fascination i guess.

 this administration opted to remove sanctions from the company of a Russian oligarch close to Manafort....there was an attempt to prevent these sanctions from being removed.  a few GOP members crossed but not enough to stop it.  now a few are already expressing regrets now that they are realizing how much this benefits this oligarch...of course, this information was out there.  they blame the dems for everything and believe nothing.  it's so bizarre.

 Venezuala is in a state of dysfunction with two men claiming to be the newly elected Presidents.  i really do not know much about this situation.  apparently, our administration is talking about sanctions against the one that Rus has sided with.  these sanctions would be on the oil...which of course, is no doubt the only reason anyone cares about what happens there at all. 

 of course, they have said they would do things and then not followed through.  Saudi has not been punished for their apparent role in the death of Kashoggi.  Rus has not been held to account for the poisoning of UK citizens.  so will this be all talk as well or will they actually act.  many only pay attention to what they threaten and don't bother looking to see if they follow through...they don't. 

 those meetings between the iitoo and Put are still a total unknown.  he even seized the notes from his interpreter and requested that they not discuss what was said even to his own staff.  that alone should make everyone sit up and take notice....what was said?  what was promised?  what does Put have on him at this point. 

 i am cooking in the kitchen.  all seems to be going smoothly. it has not improved my cooking skills..sadly, haha.  but it is fun to cook/eat in my new kitchen. 

 want to get some storage things for the garage so i can organize that and hopefully start parking in there soon...would be nice before i head out on the cruise.  that should be my goal i guess. have to hunt for my garage door opener i guess. pretty sure i know where it is.  probably needs new batteries. 

 still hunt for stuff in the kitchen.  not sure where the strainer is...hmm.  I've looked a few times.  tonight it took a few minutes to figure out where i put the dry onion soup so i could just make some dip for my chips.

 got my PFD filled out for the year.  the new Governor is talking about giving back the funds we didn't get the past few years when the last Governor put a cap on it and spent it for state needs. pissed off a lot of folks.  not sure how this will work out. 

 mostly i am not excited about this governor.  he is a mini trump or trump wanna be...he has the same views of destroy the established government with no real plan to improve or alter it...just about destruction.  i think we all would agree some improvements are always needed.  cut waste...blah, blah, but the current GOP plan is just to destroy what exists.  they do not seem to believe that the government needs to do anything by build walls and military. 

 our tax dollars do need to go to other things...like making sure our citizens are cared for, basic medical, good educations so we don't keep falling behind other nations in science, math, technology and even the arts and literature.  a society is much more than just a military and walls.  our nation is dependent on immigration to continue to infuse us with the best the world has to offer.  we need to be a place the best want to come to.

 many of our own citizens are not able to give back to society.  this means we do need to bring folks in from other places. we do not have enough MD's. we do not have enough caregivers for those with chronic disease. we have a bad drug problem in this nation.  those folks are mostly not able to function to improve society...you want to solve the border issue you need to spend the money to help clean up all the drug addiction in this nation.  the drugs will continue to come across the border along with the crime that is related to the drugs as long as there is a demand for the drugs. 

 people want simple answers to extremely complex issues.  that is just not how the world works.  complicated issues require answers that come at them from multiple vantage points.  this is difficult to scream out from a rally though.

 not sure what is going on with the walrus and Round Island.  need to try and get a hold of REI, they just opened the new store.  need to set up a date and look for a speaker for our annual event. i hope they still have a room available.  need to also try to get a hold of my contacts at Fish and Game just to see if there is anything new or changed.  hoping the current new director...which was the old director doesn't just put his foot down and end any hope of continued staff out on Round Island.  haven't heard anything yet.  not really sure what my next move should be.  write another article about Round Island and going there?  may be good.  just a you should go there article...see if i can get ADN to publish it.

 it was a pretty fall day out there at Lake Hood. 

 never know what you will see out there.  i haven't explored much of late.  south has had several rock slides post earthquake along the Seward Highway.  have no desire to walk along those trails of late...just seems too unstable to me right now.  will probably be even more unstable when the thaw happens in spring.

 the tides haven't worked out this week either but with the thaw we had last week, i wasn't too interested in the beach anyway. 

 love these views though.

 the floats are all put away for the season. 

 some just put their planes away until summer again.  i think winter flying can come with it's own risks.

 two schools in Eagle River will remain closed for the rest of the year due to earthquake damage.

 i have noticed a few small cracks in my dry wall but so far all looks pretty good. 

 strange AK news...another sea lion bit a fisherman out in Sand Point. the large mammal came out of the water and bit the guy on the thigh i guess...this is the third bite by a sea lion in  the past two years.

 a goshawk flew through a kids bedroom window in Valdez.  i guess it was after another smaller bird and didn't see the glass...it didn't survive the crash.

 as i was driving to the dog park the big cargo plane I'd seen was taking off

 so as i was at a red light i snapped a few shots of it

 just a cool looking plane

 the rest are at Conners Bog.

 sad case in a long term care facility in Phoenix.  a woman who was incapacitated delivered a baby...an LPN has been arrested for rape...or at least for abuse of a vulnerable adult and assault?  pretty disgusting.  nobody noticed she was pregnant as I'm sure they didn't even consider it a possibility.  that would be a tough call to make to the family.

 these are dogs playing in the water at the bog.  need to call tomorrow and see about getting a pool day.  they would love that.  would also be good to get them a good bath as well.

 lots of shaking and splashing...

 Ivy romps in the lake. i shall head off the computer.  a few errands to run tomorrow. 

thankful for: A.  no slippage on the ice.  B. mellow pups  C.  a Sunday Roast...it's been a long time and was much enjoyed!!