forget me not...

 so today after sleeping in and eating a fairly normal breakfast then waiting a fair bit to really get the day started...just in case...i headed out to Portage.  well first i did a loop in the dog park.  it's easy and i figured it would be good for the dogs...a pre-walk.

 as i drove the Nixel pinged off.  a text pinged off and a few paramedic trucks went past, sirens blaring.

 i stopped in Girdwood for gas and checked the phone.  the road close to the turn off to Portage was closed due to an accident. it was a bad accident.  my friend and i both texted to each other that no doubt someone was in a hurry...that is way too often the case.  people passing on the Seward Highway often leads to death. 

 from later posts on facebook it appears this is exactly the case.  someone passed and didn't make it back before the double yellow started...and they went head first into another car.   a family was in that car...now that family is broken.  sounds like the father and a 4 year old died at the scene.  the mother and the other child were taken to the hospital with injuries...all because someone was in a hurry. 

 that area is a road construction zone too...no point hurrying as you will just get stuck in the construction area anyway.  no hurry anyway.  i mean look above...it's beautiful.  enjoy the views and just slow down.

 so i ended up just spending a little time in Girdwood before heading back to Anchorage. 

 i was out looking for wild flowers anyway.  it's that time of year. i saw enough to satisfy me.  there were clumps of forget me nots in the culvert areas along the Alyeska road.

 i have always heard of the virgin creek falls trail so i stopped to check that out.  it's so short it's hardly a trail really.  they said a total of .5 miles...i think that may be generous.  no matter, super short walk to a beautiful waterfall.

 met others there who had turned around due to the accident. others got stuck on the other side.  the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is right there on the other side of the accident.  they stayed open for those who were trapped on that side of the accident.  they offered up their place as a refuge and a restroom for those trapped.  i thought that was super cool of them.  i'm actually tearing up thinking of the good people that are out there. 

 it's so easy to see all the trolls and ass hats on the internet and forget the good ones. so many good folks out there.  "look for the helpers"...quote by Mr Rogers...or his mother actually.  she told him when bad things are happening, look for the helpers. they are always out there.

 a guy posted that he had been there at the accident scene.  that he'd been holding the little 4 year old on the shoulder of the road after the accident when she died.  i can't imagine how heartbreaking that must have been. slow down....

 this is the falls.

 the daisies are doing well on the sides of the roads. the lupine, just a low lupine year i think.

 i'm sure i looked a bit nuts stopping and looking at the flowers in the ditches.  they are pretty though

 the dogs had a good day.  the pets just make life worthwhile.  it has been a bit lonely i think these past few months.  i feel safer not going too crazy socially right now.  would hate to get or give this bug.  it just is what it is.  much of my isolation is my choice at this time. thankful for things like phones and texting as a means to check in with each other...for those who choose to use it.  it does make things more clear.  who is important in your life.  who is there, who sees you as being worthy of being in their lives.

 the hairdo...popular at work these days.  not sure i wear it well.  it was easy this week with all my gut issues.  the guy is getting back to a normal state.  i ate a real breakfast today.  still eating my yogurt and taking the probiotic. 

 i'm not one of the cool ones.  i never was, never will be.  i'm always on the outside of any social circle.  i am accepted by some cool people but never part of the cool crowd.  i was in Girdwood and it's a town of cool...i don't think i could live there....i'm just not cool enough. 

 i never really fit into any groups.  i'm always just the person moving in and out of others groups.  never really feeling like i belong anywhere but not totally on the outside.  welcome but always just a bit on the outside. social just looks so easy to others.  i'm in awe of how others just do the social stuff, fluid, natural...for me it's hit and miss.  i feel a failure most of the time at it.  i'm just grateful that there are enough folks out there who tolerate me in all my social lapses. 

 being accepted in a church was the easy path as a kid.  you were always invited no matter how failed your social skills were.  leaving was a bit eye opening.  in the big real world if you have no social skills it's tougher.  people don't invite you or include you automatically.  i can see the allure of cults and very organized religions where you are a part...it was always a struggle for me though.  i felt like an imposter. for me, i just have to be all in or all out.  i couldn't do the, "one and only true church" half assed.  i either believed it or i didn't.  i didn't. 

 so the social battle is a bit harder when you are out.  i've tried other social groups but this life is just one big competition and i'm not competitive enough for it.  it's always the internal battle.  being alone vs being with others and never really feeling like i fit in.

 finally was able to make a second order with Northface.  they have a 50% off deal for healthcare workers, which is totally cool of them.  their stuff is expensive but also high quality so i figure it's a good time to just pick up some basic layers.  one guy at work bitched that the discount didn't work for the big ticket items. he's one of those competitive sorts that feels the need to impress you with his outdoor skills.  everyone can beat me...everyone can best me...so i get bored of those who always seem to want to impress.  i mean the guy wears underwear too...buy layers. it's a nice thing they have done, very generous. i totally get that they aren't giving 50% off $500 gear.  that doesn't mean it's not generous.  it is frustrating to me that people feel the need to bitch about everything...even stuff that is basically kind and generous. nothing is good enough for some.

 watched a movie tonight. "Juliet, Naked".  enjoyed it. no matter how broken a life is, how screwed up...people can still redeem themselves.  they can still find love and happiness.  that was a message of the movie i thought. 

 one of the guys that was at the waterfall when i was there offered to take some pics with the dogs...the dogs are not always the most cooperative. i didn't have the tennis ball out...it was super short and not place to really toss a tennis ball anyway.  they could fly off a bit of a drop off.  so not really safe either.

 they seemed happy to get in the water.

 found this little patch of lupine.

 Sir Cool Covid Cat...he is pretty cool. 

 not a huge fan of rain..it started to rain again.  he wasn't too keen on a little quake we had the other morning.  i was outside playing with him and tossing the tennis ball...a morning routine.  a little quake it.  i think it was a 4.3 or so, definitely felt it. he jumped.

 don't think the dogs noticed it.

 more flowers on the side of the road. 

 i have some pictures i the big camera of a moose that was out there today and the swans in potters who have opted to stay at Potters and raise their little babies there...so cute!!

 liked the tree clinging to the rock.  this is pretty typical in the rain forest.  trees are not rooted deeply into the ground but instead wrap around rocks. 

 amazing how big he is getting.  he's taller than my other cat, long.  not fat, but he's always requesting extra food. 

 our covid cases seem to be sticking close to 10-20's each day so at least it's not spiking higher at this time.  other states in the lower 48 are getting big spikes.

 always enjoy the flowers. i'd hoped today to walk Byron Glacier trail and then head up the road towards Seward as the wild flowers up there should be getting pretty by now.

 the rainforest was a nice break though.  there is always something beautiful to see even if your plans change.

 just have to be open to it. 

 enjoying the flowers.

 Boltons book will be released i guess.  too bad he didn't have the guts to speak under oath about the ineptness of this potus.  instead he hopes to cash in.  of course, the trump GOP is trying to prevent it from getting out and also threatening legal action.  Barr has far overstepped his role and is basically a personal lawyer for trump at this point.  our legal system has been damaged by this administration and the GOP. 

 trumps rally was a disaster for him.  despite their bragging of crowds...the crowds did not appear...now his fools are out there doing the damage control/blame game routine.  it's so old.  i'd think those on the right would have figured it out by now and been totally over it but they seem to just keep falling in line with the rhetoric/propaganda crap.

 love the roots.

 the happy pair.  they have been doing more play fights...at least i think it's play...the dogs tend to break it up whatever it is.

 waking up to a family sleep fest.

 love that they are all getting along as well as they are.  i've been pretty lucky with how easily Covi Kitten has made his way in to the fur family.

 the waterfall, who doesn't love a pretty waterfall.

 another attempt at a shot.  haha.

 need to do some shredding and pulling up of carpet and looking for remnants to use for my bathroom counters and do prep on that.  i have stuff to do i just need to get doing it.

 it's been easy to be lazy. 

 Tusker chills with Covid Cat.

 back to work tomorrow. i shouldn't have any issues returning at this point.  hopefully, i can now put all this gut stuff behind me.

 that handsome cat!!

thankful for: a.  that i wasn't on the highway any earlier or any later.  b. the kindness of strangers to each other.  the good far outweighs the bad, it's hard to remember that some days though.  c. shortbread cookie dough...so nummy!!  the cookies aren't bad either.