another trip to Homer in the works

 

wasn't planning on it. so easy though. i've been seeing lots of good fireweed photos. i may be too late to catch the good fireweed but it's a low tide so why not. so that will be mon/tues i think. 

also have much of the trip to Haines locked down. gotta check on our second night in Tok. the email just showed the one night. as i was looking through stuff i realized that CR and i will be in Tok on Sept 11...the last time that happened was right at Sept 11, 2001. though now that i think of it we stayed there Sept 12 since we spent Sept 11 in Whitehorse. still kind of strange to think about. 

my last stretch off we did get a sunny day so i had booked the train.  did not make it all the way to Grandview as there was too much oil on the tracks and despite several efforts and sand, we were having a difficult time getting up the hill. so they brought us back down to Spencer and i did a speed walking trek to the glacier lake front.  beautiful day.

lots of walks in the rain.  Abbott Loop trail once again has a big pond.  it was nearly gone the last time we went.  lots of dog park action.  i keep doing my usual mushroom hunts.  the mushrooms do enjoy the rain.  the lake had a small oil containment issue with the raised water levels from all the rain. it's over by the other parking lot so i have just avoided that and the lake. in the end it was like 10 gallons.  i think it also is related to construction work. 

i braved North Bivouac. there's been a moose kill closer to Campbell Airstrip on the opposite side of trail the sign came down...which really just means the large bear is nearly finished with that meal and will be looking for another soon. i do not want to meet up with a bear large enough to take out a moose.  ran into a guy i've seen on those trails for years.  he said a friend had seen the grizzly and guessed it at nearly 1000 pounds. i walked much faster back to the car. 

the sandhill crane family has been hanging out in the neighborhood.  almost daily sightings.  they are so fun to watch. the dogs enjoy watching them as well. 

woke up early one morning.  i suspect there may have been some disturbance in the house.  i opted to use the restroom and what i found was shocking and disturbing. a dead ermine.  it's in the weasel family and about maybe half the size of a ferret. big really...big for my cat to drag in.  not the best smelling creature either. luckily the scent was contained to the bathroom.  wee morning cleaning and vent helped. 

this week work i got an on call one night and never got called in. got put as overstaff by 0300.  the next night was in the adult icu. not bad but just steady.  off to MRI with one patient early, transfer out right before shift change. 

the week before i did a  night in PICU and a night in PCU.  picu was a lot of patient shifting as they got a few admissions. i've been trying to avoid the sickest kids.  they seem to be good with that.  

pcu i started with 2 patients, which meant i'd get 2 more.  i got busy making sure i was in a good place so i wouldn't be behind all night. the other nurse had the split assignment.  so she came and went as she had patients down the other end of the hall. she liked to tell stories and honestly, they were kind of long and i just didn't really have time to not do anything but listen to her.  she spent much of her time on the other side. i just figured they were her busier patients. 

at some point she came back over and started saying things like "i'm getting a vibe" and "i dont want to be that person".  i felt bad for half a second.  later, i realized that she just really wants to talk and talk and doesn't really want to listen anyway....so i probably was giving her a vibe. 

found out last night they hired a fairly new nurse to the job i interviewed for. i'm sure he is much more willing to do extra shifts.  i was annoyed this morning for a minute. i still use my mantra, "you are being ridiculous" to just let shit go because in general i am being ridiculous. my brain can create silly scenarios if i allow it. you win some you lose some...or it is what it is. that is how life is. it wasn't really the job for me.  in the end. it would probably have been a pay cut without union protections. 

my plan is to start looking for  secondary job some place less stressful to add some cash in and just change it up.  will anyone hire me? who knows. it won't be the same pay....which is why probably good to hang with these two shifts/week. benefits, the schedule i want generally, good pay. 

when you don't change your situation, you can always change your vantage point. 

these are a variety of photos from this summer. Valdez, the boat trip. walks with the dogs. 

i'll crash soon with some snacks.  getting hungry.  ate early. 

loved the many wildflowers.  still some out there, not as much, quickly turning to fall up here. 

you have to get out there and enjoy every moment of summer since it all changes so fast. 

of course, i also find i feel more relaxed as the darkness and cold return, knowing i can chill more and not feel guilty.  

the handyman stopped by this morning to do measurements. hopefully, he can get the deck/siding done this weekend. 

i'll try and do a few day trips and then get ready for Homer 

the olympics finished. so we are done with that for a bit.  winter ones will be next. 

doing a bit more rock painting.  it does relax me.  good to try and get off scroll mode and do some of those things that always make me happy

life has a way of sorting itself out. 

last week i did manage to get through this box of papers. amazing how rapidly paper piles can build up.  got some shredding to do.  i love shredding. 

it was sunny yesterday so i had to get the lawn mowed before it got too out of control  that will start to slow down again soon.  will winter come before the shed can get rebuilt? 

the pipe line above and lions head below.  the pipeline can be a great place to take a break and walk the dogs. wide open for walking and tennis ball tossing. 

fireweed

guess it's time for snacks and bed. 

grateful for a. coworkers that don't find me to have a vibe.  b. tennis balls, my hip pain is helped by sitting on them. my ass needs a massage! c.  these cute sandhill cranes chilling in the neighborhood. also loving the baby walrus at the Sealife Center. not on display yet. fingers crossed i get to see her