the long and winding road...

 yes a  Beatles song.  seemed to go with the tracks.  nobody joined me for the monday walk...these holidays are killing me...or really nobody likes me.  of course those are the only possibly options.  haha.  it is a day to get nostalgic and ponder life.  haven't spent too much time pondering life today.  mostly i just live it.

 we did have this creature join us on the monday walk.  she was kind enough to let us walk past her without any drama.  walking past is not that easy at times, not because of the moose but because of the blind dog that wants to meet the interesting smelling creature.  so far i have managed to prevent this encounter.  rio is 120 pounds and can get pretty determined when something interests her.  i do wish i could say she outweighs me, but sadly that would be untrue.

 again, warm weather and more meltage.  stumphenge is a puddle on top of ice.  it's a mess.  we skirted around it...well we being rio and i.  blossom was happy to plow through it and get her water time in.

 here she is happily laying down on the ice in a puddle of water.  my guess is the water is cold, but blossom enjoys it.  who could say no to this cute pup?

 still looks pretty in it's own way.  always dramatic. i can say that for alaska.  the scenery is ever changing.  if you don't like the look today, come back tomorrow.  they say that about the weather. if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes.  i'd say the same about the scenery.

 blue skies anyway and clouds...love clouds.

 new years resolutions.  don't really make promises to myself that i may not keep.  but it is a good time to reflect on the past years successes and failures.  can't complain.  it was a good year for me.  i eat too much and spend too much money, but that is probably true of most of us.  i am flawed and there is always room for improvement.  patience is not always my best thing.  as i drive to work each night i pray for patience with patients, families and co-workers.  a friend loved that i had added patience with co-workers to that as it's easy to get annoyed with those we work very closely with.  i try to just think of it as 12 hours and you can do anything for 12 hours, right?  mostly i like my co-workers though.  there is no job that i know of that has no annoying people at times. those angry people, the gossipers.  i had to laugh as a gossiper told me she had tried not to listen in at all to the row the other day.  another person told me she was a few feet away trying to catch every word.  i'm not quiet about my words obviously.  if i have an opinion you will hear it, it's just funny to me.  i mean why bother, just admit you heard every word.  i think if she could have taped it she would have been thrilled. i've no doubt everyone has heard all the details.  i've been the subject of gossip before.  i got caught many years ago as the gossip and i learned my lesson.  there is gossip and venting.  gossip is no respecter of boundaries or feelings, it does not benefit the person spoken of. i think we all need to vent from time to time, but it's best to vent only to a trusted person....but can one always trust people.  many gossipers are very adept at getting information from people and prey on those who need a good listener to vent to.  be wise...vent in a blog...haha!! nobody will see it.

 you do have to be careful venting in blogs.  it's not like the diary's i kept as a kid.  hidden forever.  this can be used against you.  did you say too much, did you give away too much information.  hipa violations and defamation of character.  there is no total freedom of speech it seems.

 it's frightening to think of shaking up everything. 2013 could be a year of some change.  whatever happens will happen.  i still tend to listen to that voice inside me.  i've always felt like i've never really had to make any big decisions.  i ponder and ponder and ruminate about something and then suddenly the answer just is there and all i have to do is follow my heart.  i know that will happen in this current situation.  the pro and con list is forming and that which should happen will.  walking is my best pondering time.  i'm sure i would look a complete fool in the woods as i'm sure i am found talking out loud to myself at times.  partly i must be slightly nuts and partly out of habit.  you walk in woods that have big bears enough you learn to make noise.  talking is noise.  the bear doesn't necessarily know you are talking to yourself and defenseless.  perhaps that is why i've not been attacked yet.  it could be pure luck.  lord  knows i've had more than my fair share of bear encounters on trails.  you never get pictures of those bears...too freaking scared!!  have been within 15-20 feet of several of them. i talk to myself in the car as well, of course, now i figure people will just assume i have some touch free phone...you can't tell who is crazy anymore.

 rio was sore after todays walk.  poor girl.  it's hard enough walking as a blind dog, but this ice stuff is really tough on her.  will give her some pain meds in breakfast.

 i drove out to turnigan after the walk.  it was actually pretty cloudy and windy out there so not much for photo ops.  there were a few ice climbers, but they were finishing up...probably because the weather was worsening.

 i soon gave up and met my friend amy for a late lunch.  then off to the hockey game.

 ran into gillian and her doodles out there today.  she's a lady i know from the trails.  i always am impressed by her.  i have no idea of her age, but i know her fitness level is impressive.  people like that are always my idols. she's just super nice.

 here are the skies.  not crazy impressive but not bad.  love clouds, they just make everything more spectacular.

 so what would be things to work on this year....?  that book needs to get written, i should try to get into a program to get my bachelors degree finally.  should get back to the pool minimum of 2x/week again as i've been a slacker.  should get out more with friends.  should do more for others...random acts of kindness and senseless beauty...have always liked that quote.

 should...from chocolat..."you shouldn't worry about should so much".

 hockey game for new years was a good idea.  always fun. the aces beat colorado 4-2.  didn't see scotty gomez out there so maybe he took the night off to play.  not sure what sort of deal the 3 nhl players on our team currently have worked out. i always enjoy a good game though.  we were in the cheap seats.  they gave us new years tiarra's to wear...so festive. when midnight actually arrived i was home on this computer.  mostly it was loud and still is some.  fireworks are illegal in town, but that was hard to believe tonight.  they were everywhere.  lucky for me, my dogs aren't unnerved by them.  my last dog, huey...he went nuts with noises like that.

 loved how this goaltender seems able to show his feminine side.

 the faceoff.

 and it was boomers birthday. wasn't really sure if that was the mascot or the person inside the mascot who's birthday it was.  hmm...

 the scoreboard.

 and of course, my favorite...those goaltenders are flexible.  i know, i know, i'm a dirty old lady.  you gotta let me have something.

 well, nothing too inspirational in here, just the passing of another day, another year.  time created by man.  as always i will try to be better, kinder, more patient, less slovenly, less judgemental, more accepting and to not screw up or hurt anyone.  i will roll with what life brings me and find the good in it all, the lessons that are gifted us.  i will also try to find the good in others and accept them and myself for who we all are...fallible, freaky, quirky and idiotic at times. we say things we didn't mean, and mean things we don't say.

so Happy New Year to all and to all a good night...