Happy New Years!!

 so i woke up on the right side of the bed, got up watched most of the Rose Parade cause that is where i grew up then i went back to bed and woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  so i started my year a wee bit cranky.  cranky passes though and thankfully, the dogs are tolerant of my more cranky moments.  thank heaven for little dogs (or big dogs as the case may be).

 will have to weed these out a bit as i have too many. i have a personal rule of 50 photo's..so that is like 2 rolls of film in the old days.  many days that is tough to do.  i like them all.  that is  me though and i'm sure many are just too much alike to include.

 rio was going to come and then she wasn't going to come and then at the last second with peanut butter in front of her and football on, she decided to come after all.  so the peanut butter remains uneaten.  i have 2 tired dogs.

 as you can see the beach was beautiful.  after the parade i set my alarm clock but forgot to turn the damn thing on so when i woke up i was behind my little schedule.

 then blossom tried to alert me that she wanted to go outside, but she had just been out a few hours before and i needed to get cracking and hop in that shower.

 when i got out of the shower i discovered that she'd pooped in the office, which is where she goes on those rare occasions that she goes inside.  thankfully this is rare.  i mean when you gotta go, you gotta go.  i totally get that....but as a human it really does put you in a bit of a foul mood.  it wasn't her fault though so i just cleaned it up and moved on.  poor girl. i know she felt badly.  first i cleaned the cat litter out thinking that was the smell...so no poop in my place!!

 quickly read the paper.  that poor brain dead child is still being kept on a ventilator.the court has extended the date.  she's had a stay of death as it were.  crazy people are sending money to fly her corpse from California to New York where a place says it will take the body.  my hospital is happening. it's a gold mine i tell you!!  soon crazy people will sue to keep their dead loved ones on ventilators across the country.  health care costs will soar more than they already are.  life is precious, even dead life!!  the current hospital seems to have put their foot down and absolutely refused to allow anyone to perform the trach/g-tube placement at their hospital.  sounds like several long term facilities have opted out of taking this dead child.

 of course, the family insists that this child is responding to them and breathing on her own.  i have seen this many times, hope can make all things seem possible.  it has gotten to a point of ridiculous in my opinion though, but we live in a ridiculous world now.  i know i sound crass but i am just saddened and shocked that this will be how we deal with death. this really is a landmark case.  the general public just doesn't comprehend what is brain death.  3 different neurologists and a slew of other doctors have determined this girl has a brain that is no longer getting oxygenated and is therefore dead.  i  do have empathy for this family's loss, but this is not the way to deal with the loss of a loved one.  in truth i see it as very disrespectful to not allow this poor child to be given the peaceful death she deserves. that we all deserve.  life isn't fair and it's sad, but no matter how tragic it can seem, this child has passed away and keeping the breath going in and out of her lungs won't change that.

 saw this moose as i was headed to beach and when i returned.  he looked pretty happy resting there.

 sledding was quite popular today.  the hill was packed.  lots of families out there.

 don't know this kid, but she doesn't look very old and is clearly a professional sledder.  that sled looked bigger than she is, didn't stop her!

 another little tyke out there.

 gail and mac brought this big army sled out which was a favorite in our crew.  i'm a chicken and was quickly relegated out of front seat position due to my getting nervous and putting my feet out in front of me, thus spraying myself with snow.

 this is as close to rush hour traffic as it gets on a sledding hill.

 lots of falls, spills and thrills...and screams

 gail, sandra and mac make a run.

 i sledded down with my zoom for a few minutes just to see what i could see.  not enough bumps on this side, i guess there are moguls on the other section of the hill was there were actual waiting lines so we stuck to the smooth, less exciting side.

 a few from yesterdays walk.  i just cruised around north bivouac a bit as it was cloudy.  rio had opted to come yesterday as well.

 it's been nice and warm, which means close to 30F so she likes that.

 found the baubles that i had collected last spring and brought back . we'd put them on our bird tree and i think the original placers snagged them and returned them to this tree, which the exact same tree they had decorated last year.  hopefully, they take them down themselves this spring, not sure they were happy that i did.  who knows.

 it was sunny and warm in Pasadena.  70's i think.  the bands were just getting started on the over 5 mile march and were sweating.

 i saw my hometown float from South Pasadena, my nursing school band from Pasadena City College, another float from Cal Poly, (i attended Cal Poly, Pomona)  and of course a first, a band from Palmer, Alaska. it looked pretty tiny compared to all the other big bands.

 went with sandra to see "the secret life of walter mitty" last night.  an excellent movie.  it was the first Stiller had directed i think and he also starred in it.  well done.  great story.  quirky, funny.  even the credits and stuff at the beginning were uniquely done.

 after the movie i headed down town to see the ice sculptures.  i guess they don't have all the sculptures out there yet, i think they are still coming?  not sure.  they did have the spinners for the kids and the main stuff.

 a New York theme i guess.  the party went on earlier.  i could for sure hear tons of illegal fireworks all over anchorage into the wee hours and saw many illegal fireworks from my bedroom window.

 they have a few Wyland walls in Anchorage.  he's an artist from Laguna Beach, California.  my gramps had a beach house there so we spent a lot of time down there as kids. always fun to see his walls up here in Alaska for me.

 back to more beach shots from today.

 rio was no doubt questioning her decision to join us coming down this hill today.  last time i came it was like a sheet of ice but today it was nice snow.  still steep but much more doable.

 the best skies of the day were out here on the beach.

 still need to write to ketchikan and get that whole planning business started.  hope i can fit everyone that wants to go in.  always a bit nerve wracking. planning is a bit of a bother.  people say they want to go but then can't get time off or make other plans.  i have like 10 at least who have shown interest so it will  be tight.  not sure the guides will want a group that large.  i am excited to head down to ketchikan this year, it's been way to long.  i for sure want to spend a bit of extra time there myself hiking my trails and visiting friends.  chatted with one today. always great to catch up.  it will be my 50th birthday celebration.  laid back no doubt.

 spent time changing over the calendars.  i've really got to do that drawing before i crash tonight so i can get the leftover calendars delivered.  not a lot of action on the calendars this year.  not that i really pushed it all.  the calendar size is a bit bigger so harder to cram in my backpack and show it around work, plus i never know where i'll be. people tend to by more willing to enter the drawing if they actually see the thing.

 rio made it to the beach.

 back to sledding.  speedy brought this sled they got on Amazon.com.  i suspect the snow was too deep or that it needs a total ice hill...it was a flop though.  she was bummed!!  so  back it goes to Amazon with a bad review to boot.  i think she'll be looking for one of those army sleds.

 you can have an amazing view from this sledding hill.  it wasn't bad, but would have been better with clearer skies. you can see Denali from here.

 here is the hill.  it can acommadate quite a few sledders.

 syd was pretty excited.  she lasted for quite a bit.  gail and mac brought hot cocoa and snacks...i wasn't a good planner today in that i only passed around the word about the hill and the time and didn't plan snacks so i was so happy that they picked up the slack.

 in this life you have to have planner people.  i'm getting used to the idea that i am the planner.  i really need to get cracking on this summers plans.  actually really want to just get a few things planned for this winter as well. i've still never done a winter trip to fairbanks.  northern lights, hot springs, ice sculptures, would love that. plus i want to rent a little cabin up at Hatchers Pass and maybe that Byers lake on too.

 this summer, besides ketchikan, i really want to finally get to kennicott.  it's another place i just have not been.

 my only selfie coming down the hill.

 i rode next to these guys.  sorry kat i can't remember your grandkids names.  they seemed to have a blast.  this girl was very socialble and sweet.  she even dragged syd up as far as she could.  haha.

 another trio heads down the hill, below you get a good view of the army sled.

 the race is getting ready to start!!

 another or kat's sweet grandkids.

 mac surveys the scene.

 on your mark, get set...go!!

 i think they ended up spinning around and going backwards on this run...wipe out!!

 all in all i think everyone had a great time out there, my cranky mood lifted just getting on that beach...i was cranky no more. the dogs tolerated being left in the car while i went sledding.  i checked on them several times and got them treats.

 another new year has begun.

i hope i weaned enough and you are not bored by my many photo's.  Happy New Years to all, may  2014 be  a year of wishes fulfilled and happiness!!