Canine Birthday Celebrations....

 their real birthday was yesterday i think, but as i was working and they are dogs.  give or take a few days is no matter.  dogs seem to have a poor sense of time and days.  not sure if my going away will seem like forever or just like when i leave them for the grocery store...I'm missed anytime i am away.  still is hard to leave these guys for even a few days.  it's pretty rare.  so being gone for over a week will seem like forever to me.  i just have to remind myself that they will be fine.

 as you can see they donned cute birthday hats.  no they did not leave them on...just long enough for some fun photo ops

 took them down to the beach at Kincaid.  they did leave their Birthday ribbons on.  with all the wrestling and tennis ball chasing in the deep snow I'm pretty surprised they did

 can't believe they are already 3! they have been both a challenge and a joy.  I'm pretty proud of them and myself for the training and skill level.  they got several compliments today as they sat and stayed in wait for walkers to pass us by...apparently it impresses the hell out of folks.

 i have been looking at some of their puppy pictures this week...so cute.

 bought some steaks and cooked them up for all of us for dinner tonight.  rib eye.  they seemed to enjoy having cut up rib eye steak in their kibble tonight. they are pretty easy to please though.

 i finished up 3 nights of work. ICU, ICU and then PICU. steady but not crazy. PICU is busy.  they went easy on me.  felt like i was the lazy one...figured i did help keep the DR laughing and calmish.  that has to help...

 cadbury eggs have totally ruined me for M&M's....those are now a waste of money for me.

 tweaked the knee the other day while i was sleeping?  not sure what happened.  half awake, just felt some pain. seems fine as long as i don't keep it bent up...if i do then it stiffens and really starts to hurt. 

 Fur Rondy festivities started today so I'll hit some of them with a friend tomorrow.  invited the demo crew over for dinner Sunday so they can see the kitchen.  should be fun.

 strange diets out there.  thankfully, i have fairly flexible friends.  feel much of the dinner parties of years past are a thing of the past.  everyone has such wonky diet needs between health, allergies, lifestyles, yoyo diets...seems it would be tough to really plan regular dinner gatherings unless they are more pot luck style these days. bring what you can eat, will eat or must eat and we will all hang out together and eat what we brought.

 one co-worker apparently eats a meat only diet...of course, i questioned the meat only-ness since he was also drinking some milk...so i guess a animal based diet only?  no fruits or veggies.  another co-worker another day told me the guy only craps once a week though.  i joked that i see hemorrhoids and perforated bowels in his future.

 there are a few females who left their countries to go fight with ISIs...now they want to return to their native nations.  UK said nope, i think Obama has said nope and now the current has also said nope. not sure what the legalities are, but i have little sympathy for these folks.  we make choices in life and sometimes those choices are foolish and stupid.  you watch people behead a journalist and burn other captives alive in little cages in public..and you think it's a good idea to join them.  the American girl doesn't seem to be putting them down either, just wants to get back in. 

 so i am capable of agreeing with the iitoo on occasion.  not much he does pleases me...and now we have iitoo JR in AK to deal with.  our new Governor is totally trumpy.  he is protected the rich while taking a hatchet to the budget on all things that don't seem to impact gas and oil and mining.  nice.

 been reading James Comey's book.  figure he deserves to be heard.  he's had some bonehead moves, but by and large his intentions have been good.  I'm all about the intent behind acts.  when i look at the iitoo and his band of fools. i see little good intention.  selfish, greedy, attention seeking...but not good or well intentioned.

 fool stone posted inappropriate photo of the judge in his case....now his gag order has been extended and if he pulls that crap again he'll just go to jail to await trial. speak of being entitled.  the common citizen isn't entitled to health care of a decent education, but the wealthy have a different set of rules when it comes to legal.  if stone wasn't as wealthy and connected as he is he'd just be locked up.

 a current cabinet member was involved in getting a child molester free'd.  nice.  the current administration and company seems filled with folks who seem to have totally selfish intentions in every aspect of their lives.

 he's a decent writer.  clearly not a big fan of Cheney.  seemed surprised to be hired by Obama but then also seemed surprised by much about Obama...i think in a good way overall.  the current occupant gives many who have been in fbi/cia much concern to worry.  he's off to visit his new pal in N.K. soon.  probably 1:1 having secret conversations, taking the interpreters notes and swearing the interpreter to silence.  who knows what he will give up this trip.  NK has done nothing to decrease their nuclear weapons and instead continues to amp up...but the iitoo last time cancelled the training between US and SK and others in the area...yeah, our iitoo really told him.  you give me nothing and I'll give you what you want.  Put has the same deal with the iitoo.

 we have a date for our talk over at REI. not sure about the speaker yet.  Ryan took a different job so he won't be back on the island.  so it sounds like Margaret will have a new work mate out on Round Island...not sure yet. so April 23 rd at 6pm.

 one of the techs that is currently in nurses school was asking if i could speak to a bunch of student nurses...of course they meet on Thursdays and i always work Thursdays...she said like an hour though...that is a long time to talk. I'm not a big public speaker enthusiast.

 had fun getting the pups to chase the tennis ball into the deep snow...good at wearing them out a bit more too.

 they look pretty happy...I'd say their Birthday celebrations were a success!!

 need to get down and do some serious spring cleaning.  too much crap and it's too disorganized.  i feel a big purge coming on. 

 someone stole a 400 year old bonsai in Japan...what is wrong with people? it's been in this family for generations....400 years of meticulous trimming and care, wow.

 looks like I'll be working for the Iditarod start this year.  may try to catch some of the fur rondy sprint race action out there this weekend.  always fun.

 idiot actor apparently basically hired guys to attack him for his race and for being gay.  this doesn't help anyone and he will no doubt be fired from his job on a show I've never watched. i have no idea who he is.  not sure how he came up with the idea that this would advance his career. 

 he is not the only idiot running around in our nation.  a coast guard lieutenant was apparently stock piling guns, ammo and steroids with a plan to kill as many as possible...especially left leaning.  he had a list i believe with left leaning politicians and journalists. he of course, is a white nationalist...so many on the right worry about the wall and immigrants when it's usually white middle aged guys with guns and hate that are the larger concern. this guy wanted to follow the path of right wing Norway terrorist who took steroids to get amp'd up to kill. in 2011 that nut killed 77 people in two attacks.

 lots of crazy news this week

 the temps were a bit lower these past 24 hours.  i was going to go do some work in the garage, but it was cold!!  so in a came

 lots of moose activity by the hospital this week.  as the snow deepens and winter drags on the moose tend to hang out more in town.  easier for them i guess...probably what they did before humans encroached anyway

 pups by my favorite Kincaid tree.

 lots of photo ops on this beautiful day.  was hoping to get to some good ice but it was too jumbled and then the snow too deep.  tide was going out and it was so pretty out. 

 Tusker covered in snow. 

 what a face

 this one is pretty adorable too though.

 they have such different personalities.  both are super sweet in their own way.

 these are what our beach looks like.  the ice abuts up and is covered with snow.  there can be gaps so i wasn't wanting to be surprised by a gap

 not keen on breaking a leg out there.

 these are some sand dunes.  the pups always love running up and down them....even more exciting with the snow

 love all the action shots

 one guy commented on how fluffy Ivy was...still has some post bath fluff left.

 well, i guess i should head to bed here soon. lots of fun fur rondy activities..want to try and do a walk with these guys and head down town for some fun

 need to charge up the camera battery

 a few shots of the ice on the beach

 pups are already sleeping.

 have a good day

thankful for: A.  fun activities mid winter to keep us all going  B.  these silly and sweet pups who bring much joy to my life C.  cool co-workers!!