back to digging out snow again...welcome winter

 

got my Element jumped so we shall see if it starts again today. of course, right after i got it jumped i left it running for a bit while i shoveled the fresh snow...and proceeded to lock the keys in the car with the engine running.  the downside to not having a functional fob. luckily i do have a spare key.  it's a different key to unlock and to start engine since that key stopped working. so hoping once i dig out of the deep snow from last night the Element will start and i can take that out on the dog walk today.  

these are a combo of Byers Lake and Homer mostly. 

my days off are quickly coming to an end.  drat! 

i have been fairly productive though.  i have the Christmas cards done and most of the out of state Christmas shopping completed as well.  need to mail the calendars out today perhaps. 

hoping for short lines...perhaps nobody else wants to shovel out their driveways.

Covid Kitty was not happy.  he did make a run for under the deck...which i believe is his cat litter box...i shoveled the back deck already so that he could more easily return back inside.  he quickly did so. so cat unhappy with the weather, the dogs thrilled.  they love fresh snow

my to do list is still there...looming.  

really nice to get the Christmas list pared down a bit though. 

done some relaxing painting of rocks as well.  i'm happy with my improving skills though most of it is copied from other artists.  my skills only go so far. i do put my own spin on them though 

these little bugs apparently have been going totally wild in that area these past few years...i mean people and their stuff get totally covered with them in short order. ick!

hit costco last night as my current vacuum was on it's last leg and a house with multi pets cannot go without a vacuum. 

yet another school shooting yesterday.  the kids are getting better at dealing with the constant threat of their fellow classmates getting ahold of high powered weapons and coming after them.  the response time was very fast and still 4 are dead and many others injured.  when will things change? when will the clueless finally get clued in that these weapons have no business being in regular households. i hope the parents, who bought the AR-15 a few days before this happened are held accountable. 

the officer at the press conference was clearly on the side of guns rights as he went on about how we already have plenty of laws on the books but that offenders get off to easily.  we need less high powered weapons in houses. 

we snacked on fresh blue berries along the way.  we took a walk around part of the lake...i think the trail was out or the bridge was out? can't recall

we did have amazing weather as you can see. 

heart rock...always a fun sighting

so todays goals...shovel, walk dogs, mail calendars 

my friends opted to go out in the lake.  i stayed on dry land. 

it was that hot...well hot for Alaska. 

the dogs were thrilled to have company in the lake

i still have some local gifts to put together. that is how i try to do it.  get the out of state stuff done early and then i can relax, decorate, focus on local stuff and just enjoy. 

look at all those bugs below.

you are never alone in Alaska!

hopefully i do more painting tonight as well.  it is relaxing. put on music or something on netflix and just paint. 

this flamingo is usually just chilling with the Skelly crew in the summer so it got a road trip this summer. 

my friend, SH, was very proactive this summer and got us some good cabin rentals.  they were taken up super fast but she scored them from the fb group where folks put cabins they had rented but can't use. some modern stuff is very helpful...

my social media pages are pretty cleared out of politics at this point.  we all have the opportunity to own our social media. mine is now friends, painted rocks, kitties, puppies and animals/nature in general. you just have to keep deleting the negative and the positive will win out. 

lots of walking with friends this stretch off.  always perfect.  finally got with my friend JH and her husband yesterday.  so happy she has moved north again. this place really gets in your blood. i've had several friends move south only to move back north again. 

chatted with friends on the phone this week as well. 

so fun to catch up.  

sunday night i couldn't sleep.  saw that someone had messaged me on the walrus page on fb.  i messaged back...so at 4 am i was messaging with a producer from BBC.  they are trying to get out to Round Island this summer to film.  that would be great for the island...they heard rumors the funding is not there for staff this year.  so i have a message in to JM to see what is going on.  may need to step up and start doing stuff again in hopes of encouraging them to find funding.  the jerk DVL is back in power since the state elected a trumpy governor back in power.  so frustrating. 

no word back yet

i need to get on and start looking at potential cabin rentals for next summer.  perhaps tonight i'll get the calendar set up so i can start planning.  you gotta start early. 

there is still a family reunion...pondering this.  

mostly at this point i feel like an obligation to most of them.  i am also obligated to them as well. some aren't vaccinated and won't be...so that is another thing to consider.  

where will we all be on covid?  there is yet another new strain.  it was found in South Africa but didn't necessarily start there. it seems to already be all over so it's doubtful it did, they are probably just farther ahead on the testing process.  we have so many nuts here.

love how they blame Biden and the Democrats when it's their own constituents that they have convinced to not follow the science. 

that is the current GOP...always blaming others, never taking any responsibility.  doing absolutely nothing but be jerks and defend insanity. many are openly racist and just nasty and it has become a badge of honor.  there is no shame and no decency in the GOP "leadership". 

i do need to hit the pet store as well today.  a friend just lost her dog to dietary cardiomyopathy.  so sad.  hope my pets diet over the years has not been responsible for shortened lives.  Butch had cardiomyopathy but he was over 100 pounds and passed at age 11.  large dogs often do not live long lives. often people spend extra money on diets that turn out to not be as good for their dogs as they hoped, which makes it even more sad.  Purina Pro Plan is what she switched too.  not known for being highest quality but proven better for dogs.  i feed a combo of science diet and iams. 

little old cabin....obviously no longer inhabited

it's 1 and i haven't even showered yet.  better get moving

Tusker swims out to visit SH

the tennis ball shows how tiny this sea star is

flowers and sea creatures...that was this summer

with a little Denali tossed in

okay...jumping off the computer and starting the day. 

something good about myself....i speak out for those who need to be spoken out for.  it can be seen as a minus but used correctly it makes me a good advocate for others.  thankful for A. beautiful snow B. a variety of distractions that help alleviate stress C. the ability to pay my bills.