Mowing the lawn in the pouring rain...

 that could be a country western song, right?  or else i was just trying to get everything done on the pre-trip to do list.  nary a sprinkle when i started up the engine..that quickly changed and i was mowing in a driving rain.  loved this plane out in willow with all the fireweed.

 worked the last two nights.  ER and then adult ICU.  my patients overall were loving me and giving me compliments.  there is so much that happens at work that i can not discuss here, but when you watch tv shows about what nurses do...they don't even come close to covering it.  the emotional toll it can take on you some days....

 hadn't worked adult ICU for a bit.  do love jumping all over. no way i would have done this in my first decade of nursing but now it's pretty sweet.  i have always admired the nurses that could do well no matter where you put them.  now i feel i've become one of those nurses.

 one of my patients last night said i was the best nurse he'd ever had...that he could tell i enjoyed what i did and did it well.  i always love when i hear that families and patients can relax because they know they or their loved ones are in good hands, or on the rare occasion now when i have the same patients more than one night, they are happy and comforted that i have returned.

 did make it out for a walk today. it's almost 1 am....i have lots to do still i'm sure before i catch a plane to Barrow tomorrow afternoon.  i'm never fully in vacation mode until i am on the plane..then i can just relax and enjoy because nothing is in my control anymore.

 Rio and Blossom will both stay with Shell.  that makes me feel more secure. the kid next door just has always been a wee bit flaky and i would be worried all weekend.

 notes are written out for pet sitters.  snacks bought.  bought a cheap kids roll on suitcase with disney all over it...figured i'd carry snacks in that for the hotel. may just leave it up there...i'm sure someone who works there will have kids or know someone with a kid that will enjoy it.  i don't really need a kids suitcase but i'm guessing foot prices will be spendy so snacks brought up will save cash.

 beach, moose in kincaid, walking with TO on Powerline and Eagle River Nature Center to follow.

 lots of selfies as i enjoy my short hair...hasn't made me nuts yet and some have said i look younger.  has not helped me be less invisible to the opposite sex but oh well...haha.  invisibility is sometimes preferred over some of the advances i have had on me over the years

 most in my age bracket seem to have issues with drugs, alcohol, are pedephiles and/or way too many baggage issues.  you only need one and if i ever find someone who accepts me as i am and actually likes me and whom i have mutual admiration for and can laugh with and feel safe with...well i try to keep an open mind.  no point making yourself nuts over how life goes.

 we all have our paths. so much of what i've been able to do and enjoy would never have happened if my life had gone other more "sensible" directions.  my life is strange but i do enjoy it.  we all have days/weeks/moments i think no matter what path our lives take.

 sadly i think it's really easy these days for people to look at the others lives and believe that what they post on facebook or twitter or what have you, is exactly how every second of their day goes.

 social media is just a snap shot of any life.  most of us have boring moments sitting around doing menial tasks or errands.  hard to keep things in perspective for some i think.  i sometimes find myself getting sucked in as well....everyone else looks like they are happy all the time, have perfect lives...what about me, what about my life?  then you just have to remind yourself it's a snap shot, people don't want to see a facebook post of us on our toilets or trimming our nails or cleaning the cat litter box, right? the bulk of each of our days is not shown on social media.

 if anyone is that happy and active 24 hours a day..well they will explode eventually. we need sleep, we need downtime and we need to take a shit!

 this trip is very much unplanned....we have one "tour" planned, otherwise we shall wing it.  wander around town.  maybe rent a car...and constantly keep our eyes peeled for polar bears.  if one does wander in town...well they do see humans as a possible food source.

 i won't be  in a tundra buggy when i see one this time if i do.

 these are at Thunderbird Falls.

 another selfie!!

 want to write a note to the President of USA.  he is planning a visit up here end of August.  would like to put in a few words for WARIS and Walrus.  that is the one thing on my to do list today that hasn't gotten to done.  drat!!

 i'm sure i will run out of time tomorrow.  still gotta finish packing a bit.

 oh did i mention the earthquake.  we had a nice long one as i was giving the dogs their snacks and heading out the door.  it turned out to be 6.3 i guess.  good sized.  nice shimmy going.  was watching everything shimmy back and forth.  i was standing and holding a wall but i could feel my brain equilibrium being totally off. strange feeling.

 these are at Summit Lakes up in Hatchers Pass.

 that is the trail up to the tarns

 it gains a bit of elevations fast for some great views

 yet another selfie...are you sick of me yet!

 stopped by fred meyers, the grocery store, and while i was gone.  the dog/s got into some flat bagels that i had previously purchased to make sandwiches in Barrow...so hopefully no ill comes of that.  i suspect it was Blossom.  so far everyone seems fine.  brats!!

 lovely views!!

 a dentist who likes to trophy "hunt" killed a beloved male lion in Africa.  the people he hired to help him get this lion, apparently used a killed deer of some sort to lure the lion out of the protected park.  i use "hunt" loosely because how brave is it really to stand by a vehicle wait for a baited and tricked animal to wander over and then shoot it.  that seems to be how many of these trophy hunts go...all so that you can have chopped off animal heads on your wall.

 i know, the  money for these "hunts" often goes back into environmental causes and often i hear as well that the meat does not end up wasted as it gets donated to locals for consumption.  for me though the idea of wanting to kill anything so that you can sit in your living room and look at it's head is rather distasteful.  though...i also doubt anyone is eating lion meat.

 it's been pretty clear how a good deal of the folks that have been on the internet feel about this "hunt" and this lions death.  the lion was named "Cecil" and was a favorite in the game reserve...probably photographed thousands of times.  that "hunter" is now the hunted.  people are pissed.

 saw another sad animal news bit. only 4 white rhino's remain in the world as one just passed away in a zoo.  with such small numbers it's just a matter of time before they do not exist at all.  my fear is that we are going to watch this repeat over and over.  species and after species will cease to be except in photo's...makes me so very sad.  the idea that one day my beloved walrus and polar bears may also meet the same fate really saddens me.

 rainbow near Willow on my way back from Hatchers Pass. i took the back roads.

 a before on the roof project

 during

 and nearly completed. i better turn in and start again on the to do list tomorrow.  finish packing and clean the cat litter.  would also like to work on that letter.  perhaps i can take paper and work on it on the plane?  depends on who is sitting beside me i guess.  i think Val is on the same flight to so that will be nice.  brought cards/pamphlets and stickers along.

thankful for: A.  the new roof.  hope it holds up...of course, more big quakes like the other days and it's strength may not matter...entire houses can be destroyed in a matter of minutes B.  kindness and compassion, may i survive this work as long as possible without getting too jaded and negative,may i continue to try and see the good, to treat all with respect and kindness and to go about doing good work C.  the furs...i know i say that one all the time.  they do give me that something that needs me at home which can be really grounding.  i will miss them while i am away...may they stay safe and may i stay safe and return to them with tales to share with them and fun pictures to share with you!! night