guess i skipped dinner

 that is how it goes some days.  loved this mushroom shot above.  did i say how much i love taking mushroom pictures?

 i had resigned myself to cage rest today...which is what we used to say about the dogs and cats that needed to rest.  it was my day to rest. reminds me i really should pop a few ibuprofen just cause.  i think they are helping.  i just tend to avoid medications so it's easy for me to forget.

 in the end i decided not to worry myself over my knee.  i think i am at my deductible so what the hell.  speedy had recommended a walk in sports clinic.  they were super nice there.  the place is huge, but even as a walk in i got in fast and taken care of.  they took xrays of my knee joint at several angles.  on the plus side, my joint looks good which makes me happy for the rest of my joints.

 minimal changes that look arthritic, nothing surgical going on.  the PA did note a good deal of swelling so it's probably pain related to the swelling.  no doubt a reaction to over doing it one day.  my rebound yesterday was probably again me over doing it.  i do note a pattern here.

 these are at the local float plane lake...very busy place. i cruised past the other day.

 so rest, elevate, brace or ace when up and about or at work, activity as tolerated.

 blossom loves a good roll in the grass.

 bit  of rain today so Rio opted out of todays walk.  these are from yesterday's walk.  we had some sunshine.  it was dry but cloudy today. by the time i was done with my appointment my leg was feeling better so i took Blossom to U-Lake.  she always loves  a good swim  haven't heard of any beaver attacks of late.  there are signs posted all over which say "beware of agressive beavers" which i always seem to have to say out loud to myself with a scottish accent of sorts.  thank you Val.  haha.

 so much WARIS stuff yesterday that i kinda took it easy today.

 kicked my leg up and watched "good will hunting" i'm sure many folks are watching some Robin Williams movies this week.  i think after i finish this i'll close out my night with "dead poets society"  don't think i have bird cage here at the house. may have to netflix that one this week on my big tv downstairs. sadly, i watch most of my movies on a tiny portable dvd player in my room.  more comfy.  Lauren Bacall passed away today so a sad week for movie fans.

 a frenchman was in Alaska exploring on his own and has been missing since early summer i think.  his family is in from France and they believe the guy is still alive.  much of his stuff has been located but they think the stuff that hasn't been found is key.  it's doubtful that he would still be alive though it's a tough thing to really believe as a family member i'm sure.  this state takes it's fair share of adventurers every year.

 i find that many from Europe just don't really get remote and what it means here.  i recall talking to a nurse friend who used to do rescue work on the big mountain, Denali.  he seemed to concur with my hypothesis.  i think that in most parts of Europe you are never really that far from other people or help. that just isn't the case here. survival in the elements, even in good weather isn't easy.

 he was last seen may 26th...by Alaskan standards that is a very long time.  nobody lasts that long in the Alaskan wilderness.  if the bears didn't get him the bugs would have made him mad or hypothermia is a common cause of death.

 a 71 year old from Missouri is also missing. He was last seen fishing early August....these are the tales of summer.

 another guy in his 40's drowned this week on some mega survival race.  he has a great deal of experience and training but the great Alaskan wilderness takes everyone.  you make a mistake you may pay for it...that being said.  nature is pretty forgiving as well and for all the bonehead things people do, many find themselves alive at the other end of it.

 when it's your time it's your time.

 the republican senatorial candidates are looking more and more frightening.  there are some nut cases out there...i've had some spirited chats with a few siblings about this tea party.  you would have to hold a gun to my head to get me to vote for one of them...one day it may happen, they seem just crazy enough.

 that guy was in a packraft.  i've seen those and i would not be in one.

 they've traced the ebola outbreak to a 2 year old back in December.  amazing how they can figure that all out.  sounds like the two year old and many in his family died and the disease spread from a funeral to other villages.

 i've gotten some bad cold bugs at work but overall i've been pretty lucky. i remember one nurse who passed away from hepatitis she'd gotten at work.  she was actually kind of a nut case.  i remember her following me around early on a shift asking me questions about birth control.  it was really strange.  one day i told her i was worried as i thought her skin tone looked yellow ( a sure sign of liver failure) and she got mad at me for noticing.  she didn't live much longer after that.

 drove past one of those white bikes the other day. those are placed out as a tribute when a biker is killed.  the man was 51 who passed away and the girl who hit him was only 17.  she had alcohol i guess and left the scene...so her chargers will be much worse.  another biker was lost from a woman chatting on her cell phone and not seeing a 4 year old i guess it was.

 the sad summer news of the season.

 on the plus side...the mushrooms are out.  :-)

 these last ones are just a few more from my trip to southeast this summer...seems like forever ago.

 most of these are us packed up and waiting for our pick up to arrive and return us to Ketchikan.

 trinkets found on the beach.

 i think Bob and Tanya seek out hearts.

 then Bob came back with an armful of dead dungee's

 this kept us entertained for a bit.

 scott photo bombs me

 crab earrings.

 that is probably enough bad news for the night. i'll go take ibuprofen, grab my ice bag and head to bed to watch another Robin Williams flick.

have a happy day...today's grateful list...1...that i do not have to have surgery on my knee. 2...that i have not had to battle severe depression or addictions 3...that i am able to be entertained easily by dead crabs! being simple minded can be fun.