and once again...the dogs are off!

 

some of these are from Sunny Boy was finally learning how to use the dog door.  he is a pro now.  so cute! 

he sometimes takes a few times to pick up on stuff but once he gets it, he's good. well, except potty training. we've still had some piddles on the piddle pad. second puppy class last night.  he had a melt down as we headed out.  i suspect he is more attached to Ivy than i realize.  he didn't want to be in the back of the CR-V without her last night and kept jumping out.  it was a struggle that i lost eventually.  i tossed him in the front seat and when we got there he snuggled in my lap for a bit before being calm enough to go join class...a little puppy tantrum with a puppy style time out

he did find in class.  our weak areas are the leash walking and the stay command at this point...he simply doesn't want to be left behind.  trying to get him back in again after class was the same.  he kept jumping out the back.  in the end i pretty much stuffed him in the side door so he was in the back.  he was exhausted and chilled back there. as soon as he got home he and Ivy Rose were all snuggly with each other and headed outside to play.  it is super sweet to see how well they have bonded.  thinking next week i'll have to get the Element ready for driving.  i've been starting it and running it but it has one tire that is low and needs an oil change so i need to get it over to get that done. i would have filled the tire here but i can't get the cap off...frozen? not sure.  on womans day it frustrates me when i can't do seemingly simple tasks. 

not sure what happened there.  may have lost a picture. oh well. otherwise, enjoying warmer weather and longer days. nice walks with the dogs. 

we hit traffic heading out to Willow on Sunday. in the end we arrived on the lake just as the first team was passing.  it was beautiful out and we all had a great day. many friends and it did feel like normal, which i think we all needed. 

of course as the stress of covid fades the stress of this probable world war begins.  that damn putin invades a nation totally unprovoked simply because he has decided he wants that land...he could care less about the humans that live there and seems like he would be perfectly happy killing all of the humans just to possess the land. he doesn't care about his own people so why would anyone think he would show any compassion. he also doesn't care how many war crimes he commits to get to his goal

i guess he said he'd stop if he gets everything he wishes.  short of that, he will just continue to blast those poor people.  who is next? i doubt it will stop..unless he is killed from the inside.  he is very isolated and has made it pretty impossible for anyone to get to him.  the life as a paranoid narcissist with access to incredibly dangerous fire power. my fear is that the nuclear option will be used.  i don't think it's a matter of if it will be used by putin...it's a matter of when and where?  will he hit Ukraine at the heart in order to take out their President. will he hit somewhere in the US? europe? it all sickens me.  watching those poor people trying to escape Ukraine with their kids, pets and elderly. 

for what? there is no sense to it.  i still believe that him being able to win over trump empowered him even more.  Ukraine is putting up a great fight and honestly on the ground,  his own people do not have the will to fight a battle they have no actual fight in...especially once they realize they were misinformed and that Ukraine didn't actually want to be saved from itself. he has limited the access of information to his own citizens that many have no clue what is going on.  misinformation is everywhere. 

for those who protest in russia, prison and possibly being sent to the front lines.  he's jailed the protesters, even children and very elderly and refused to allow the word war to be used. he's cut off all social media in russia and banned media that isn't russian. 

Ukraine needs power in the air and sea to have a chance. i guess Poland is now willing to give up old russian migs to them in exchange for newer old US models of planes.  the fear is the entire world will get sucked in to this war...which we are already in truth.  sanctions only go so far.  Putin is so isolated and protected from all that.  his oligarchs may be impacted but it's not likely they will take him out.  he could care less how badly his own people have it due to the sanctions

people here, especially those on the right, are bitching about the increased price of gas at the pumps.  blaming biden...he doesn't control the price. we are still paying less than what the people in europe have paid for years. many complaining own huge gas guzzling trucks. also many who complain are the same who have been denying global warming/climate change for generations now and have refused to move us forward and away from dependence on others for our gas/oil. 

these same people seem to believe that the halted keystone pipeline would have solved their issues.  never mind that it was halted before biden took office essentially, was only an extension of an existing pipeline and most of that was meant to be exported, not for domestic use. there was a guy from texas that headed over to fight with russians...so the misinformation is impacting some of the trump fools...fine go fight in russia.  they shoot you if you are injured so they don't have to bother with field hospitals and burn your body if you are killed so they don't have to bother with making accounting of your death. 

so many said they would rather have putin than biden...really?  such fools really.  no clue.  i think there are many i just can't speak to at this time. over these past 5+ years i have called and hoped that this event or that event would be the thing that wakes people up but now i can't bear to know the truth of where many view these events in Ukraine.  to hear them regurgitate the lies and misinformation.  it was too much with covid and now with Ukraine it's just incomprehensible. 

got up early to join a friend who is up from Ketchikan for a walk but she volunteered all night with the Iditarod so she is wiped out.  perhaps we will walk later this afternoon.  so i am awake and figured i'd write.  i made an omelet, which the way i make them doesn't always make my guts happy...so now i had even more reason to stay close to home for a bit. 

the puppies are getting restless though. i may have to get off the computer and get them playing. or work on stay again. will have to do it from really close at first. just heard the dog door so it sounds like they are headed outside to play.

i think nearly 2 million have left Ukraine..the largest and fastest exit in Europes history i think, at least since ww2. putin has targeted neighborhoods, hospitals, escaping civilians.  not sure how much actually communication is happening with those on the grounds. it does appear that much of the equipment at least at first has been older stuff.  breaking down.  no access to fuel. 

need to set up the new box as cable is over now i guess.  it's on me...that could be a disaster. haha. 

now we get into the ceremonial start photos

as you can see it was snowing big heavy flakes out there, all day really.

eventually my camera was damp and those digital camera's are not happy wet.  the ability to focus rapidly stopped when i was out watching the teams by the dog park later.

still fun to go downtown and see the animals. they skipped this last year due to covid so it was nice to have it back. i think they did encourage the mushers to not do as much chit chatting closely with fans as they usually do. 

they even put up extra fencing on the inside to keep some distance. 

still a party atmosphere, downtown and along the route. many came out.  there were a lot out at the restart as well.  no russian teams and not that many international teams...still probably 10 out of 50 i guess so quite a few. actually 49 teams. the lowest number i've seen.  Dallas has said this will be it for a bit. he's no doubt hoping for his 6th historic win on this, the 50th run of the Iditarod. his Dad is also running

King is running but only because Petit came down with the covid and had to back out...so he asked King to take his team to Nome. why should they miss out on the fun. so as he's not really run these dogs it won't be a competitive run for sure, but a more fun one. he was joking he wanted to take his little poodle along as it's the only dog he would know the name of.  

a team of standard poodles did attempt the race one year.  they did not get too far i don't believe, for sure did not finish. took the dogs walking after the ceremonial start and that poor Sunny Boy was loaded on all legs with huge snow balls....not really a great way to travel to Nome.  fine for a jaunt in the park though. 

yesterday i was able to get the clippers and use them a bit on Sunny.  we work on grooming daily.  i still need to set up a grooming appointment for his ears and feet especially. need to find a good groomer though. one that will make his experience good and not traumatic.  these things matter a lot. 

still have a long to do list it seems.  today i need to add, put the cube together to that list. should get the Element in as well. 

those should be todays goals. so maybe dog park and element to start.  gotta get in that shower first and get the day officially started.

look how cute this little guy is

sled set up is very different on the two days.  this is a quick fun run through the city and sunday was the start of a long journey with bags packed. they do have dropped bags along the route for food and supplies. 

i am always an over packer so i know i'd be hitting it hard...

you can see history unfolding. not the good history..the scary awful history. i know i have lived a life safe from any of this drama and i have been very happy to have that peace and freedom in my life. none of us look forward to what may come. 

i try to live like the animals do.  they live each day, they do not worry about what may happen or even what has happened.  they aren't aware of what is happening in other places.  they only know what is right in front of them.  we are all just pawns for those who have money and power....that is the sad reality.  we don't see it all the time, but when stuff like this happens it's way too clear. 

i am no different, no better, no worse than those who are now thrust into this hell.  it's just a matter of where you land in this world.  where you are born. to whom you are born. for the moment i am fortunate to not be in the center of the hell that those in Ukraine are living with...but that doesn't mean my time won't come. 

it for sure doesn't mean that some God deemed me more valuable. i do not believe, if God exists, that that God really has that much impact on our lives. it's just what we tell ourselves because we can't control the putins and hitlers of this earth so we have to hope that there is something more powerful than us that will eventually take care of the inequalities we live with. 

i certainly do not believe a God would ignore pleas from Ukraine and Syria and other places that are and have been decimated by horrific men or natural events and yet would listen to my petty prayers and answer those. it's silly to think really...and yet, like so many others i put those prayers out there with my petty hopes.  i add in Ukraine these days of course, but i look at history and history does not really seem to be on the side of an intervening god. 

these much larger dogs are from the Denali National Park dog teams.  they were invited to be the ceremonial sled #1 in the festivities of Saturday.  they are the only dog teams utilized in any national park and they are used mostly in the winter patrols.  in the summer they do runs but they also spend much time entertaining tourists. as it was the 50th anniversary of the Iditarod it was super fun to have them there. was a great surprise

so i leave you with the dogs of Denali.  

i do hope and i do pray for Ukraine.  i am agnostic.  that is where i landed.  i do not know the answers and i'm okay not knowing them.  they are answers we can't know anyway...so i feel like those who claim to know them are just fooling themselves really...they don't know.  we always had testimony meetings growing up and people knew everything..it was mostly lies.  was always annoyed by the kids getting up on fast and testimony meeting and at age two regurgitating their parents testimonies. that is programing. i'm okay with not knowing things. i do not think we were meant to have all the answers. 

we were meant to learn and grow and experience and figure out the best way to spend our short time here on earth.  we were meant to help and support each other.  

i do not believe it was meant to be some battle over who picked the right building to worship in. i do not really believe God abides in churches.  i feel God more in nature.  churches are just places to gather and support..sadly, they have mostly become corporations filled with greed and corruption. the parishioners deserve better. 

well, starting day i guess. fingers crossed i get a few things accomplished. 

grateful for A. peace B. those who fight despite the odds for what is true and what is right.  C. all those who are stepping up to help the refugees and Ukraine any way they can, it's truly inspiring.