busy stretch off...

 

got over the GI bug and headed to Homer with the dogs. it was good low tides. it was pretty sweet since i had an octopus sighting each morning. 

the first morning i went way out there and then started working my way back.  i saw a large octopus and took lots of photo's and video's. i posted on a few pages and the videos and photo's of low tide have gotten a lot of attention.  always fun. i was mostly just excited to get to spend that time enjoying a beautiful creature i don't see all the time. 

the second octopus was a bit smaller the next day. i was looking at some anemones and these tentacles just reached out. not great shots or video as the little guy headed back under the rock into it's hiding spot/den. 

the stars were back. not in as high of numbers as i've seen in the past but plenty to make it super fun. KR was there to enjoy some of the low tide fun. thanks for a great meal as well. 

had a little bit of snow/rain mixed coming up to Summit Lake and then hit a bit of a spring squaller coming back, nothing really until we got to Windy point.  then snow storm.  roads were good the entire way.  

spotted lots of moose on the way to Homer this time as well as several moose in town.  saw a bear near Skilak Lake on the return trip. i was happy that Sunny Boy just watched and didn't bark even. 

they are always completely wiped after a fun trip some place. 

i do have to think more about money with just two shifts. will for sure feel poor a bit this summer.  i do enjoy just working 2 shifts a week.  may add it an extra shift each month just to make it a bit easier financially. i'm feeling a bit better about the work.  just do not want to do 3 in a row. will look more seriously at options come fall. we are getting raises and avoided the strike i guess. 

i also wandered around a bit and saw some cranes.  love the cranes. they are just such cool birds. so they are back in town as well.  the birds are all over really.  so it was another relaxing and fun trek to Homer.  did a little shopping for myself. bought a cute bracelet and earrings, my own little Birthday celebration. 

still trying to get used to what the reality is in some aspects of life. let go of hopes and expectations. it's not always easy. some live more for the next life than this one. it's a strange thing in my mind. that the next life takes precedence over this lifes experiences and relationships. that really is the reality for some though. 

the next day after Homer my friends came over to help with demo of the shed.  two loads of roof parts to the dump.  thanks to MT, GT and SH for being willing to do this for me. MT thinks we may be able to salvage three walls. 

i've done some yard work and planted some spring flowers now that the snowstorm is over and the temps are back up in the 50's again. i planted the rain boots.  always cute on the front deck. the deck needs a plank replaced. 

the cruise for a cause was on Saturday. with the snow it was a bit iffy. it rained most of the boat trip.  we saw a variety of critters, no whales but still a fun day on the water. the girl from REI was there so that was fun to run into her. the people that run Shearwater lodge, the next place over from Orca lodge, was there and ended up eating lunch with us so that was a fun connection to make as well. the silent auction is always fun.  i ended up with a few fun items. 

i've been trying to contact State Farm just to see what the options are. need to make an appointment with my regular doc just for a check in. 

there is always some stuff that needs doing and i know i'm not close to getting stuff done.  i did decide that Monday the little free library would get set back up.  someone had noted that it was down to the little free library app so that was incentive. i got most of it done myself then knocked on a few neighbors doors and found a neighbor who helped secure the library.  i feared doing it alone as i figured it would fall over and bust. 

i've had some free items out front as i clean out and go through the stuff that was in the shed.  i still need to get my mower working.  gotta rig up the handle though.  may need to bother MT again for that.  probably a clip of some sort that i could use on the wire.  not sure. 

i still have tomorrow off.  may head down to Seward again for a low tide. not a crazy tide pool low tide like in Homer but still a lot of beach for the dogs to play on. 

will have to see how i feel about driving.  

tunicate above. didn't see as many of these out there this trip to Homer

i listened to the new poets society album by swift. many good a few eh.  she clearly wants to get married.  does seem like every guy she dates is the one.  my prediction is she will marry this football player as she is in her 30's and he seems willing.  who knows.  some girls like that big football/frat boy guy.  maybe he is fun and makes her feel safe. who knows. someone had done a tiktok about how she did the shake it off song but then seems to never shake anything off.  

when you write though you work through many things.  poems, lyrics, blogs, diaries, journals...that is the point.  it's cathartic. just because she sings the songs she wrote in the throws of a break up doesn't mean she is in the same place.  it just means those songs became popular and she keeps singing them. i was never that into analysis of stuff.  i was always frustrated in literature classes when the instructor wanted us to know what the author was thinking when they wrote this or that. seems kind of nuts to me.  how would i know what they meant by this or that. felt a bit bull shitty.  i've written a lot of poems. often it's a mixture of things.  you can't always guess, but her biggest fans really do like to do the analysis and she seems to enjoy interacting with her fans through some of these games and twists. it is above my music/poetry abilities or desires i guess.  there is some of her stuff i really like and other stuff that sounds very similar.  it does feel like the more you listen and really take in the lyrics the more you do end up liking a song. 

it is good driving music.  i listened to a variety of things though. 

the music thing has become so much easier now.  i did road trips with cassettes and later dvd's.  having to keep changing things up.  now you can easily select music or podcasts. i finally dumped the cassettes.  i still have dvd's. not sure what to do with some of the stuff. what do you keep, what to toss. 

it does get easier to toss stuff.  as you get older you get more realistic.  with limited years you realize, i won't read all these books or do the crafts that i once hoped to get to. it just makes that easier i think. i suppose for some it just overwhelms and they can't part with stuff. mostly, i get lazy and just give stuff away.  i know some who do marketplace and that money can really add up. 

battle over the ball. Ivy Rose is back to normal. the healing is complete. the antibiotics really did the best. i allowed her to go without the harness.  she enjoyed not being tethered in the back seat and never attempted to jump up front so that was good. without her harness on she even jumped in unassisted for much of the trip. 

love these pups.  lots of play time.  extra walks.  sometimes a few shorter walks. they do fairly well on leash so that is not too bad. we walked the bog tonight after doing the dunes earlier. 

sunny always looks so funny in the sunset light. his hair.  he still always gets attention wherever we go. he brings smiles. both are just happy dogs. 

they were interacting with a young girl on the trail today. she loved Ivy's name. the Mom was super nice. we walked along and chatted a bit. no moose sightings today. :-) 

traps in Homer.  they were still there. we hunted for otters on the docks but no luck. 

love the rock formations at low tide and that the critters make use of the cracks and crevices.

anemone. 

we stopped a few times coming and going to let the dogs and me stretch. i for sure need more stretching when doing longer drives as i get older. 

there are many places still to explore and some old favorites. 

well, i better get ready to crash. there were some huge solar events with major northern lights. we have a lot more light now so seeing northern lights is less likely also the state was mostly covered in clouds.  seems like only southeast got some views. funny since they are a rain forest. 

grab a few snacks.  my gut feels pretty normal. i bought yogurt as KR mentioned the clean out for the scope probably did a efficient wipe out of my normal flora. i usually do that but hadn't this time.  silly me. probably made me more prone to the gi bug in the first place. 

almost time to do the rqi stuff again.  the education stuff is such a bother. they added a bunch more in.  got several completed when i worked pcu the other night. 

not very exciting blog post. sorry.  the pictures are nice.  my life is calmer.  moments of sadness i think but more acceptance of the realities of what others are capable or of what they desire. i've stopped crossing oceans for people who would probably never cross a puddle for me. covid was the greatest reality check for me. life changing.  stressful, painful but life changing. 

grateful for A. my cool octopus sightings. B. the dogs that share my life C. the good friends and family who do show up and who do cross those oceans for me.