words, words, words!!

 and some snow.  kept snowing today but really we have like 4 inches..not a ton but i am thrilled with what we have!!  Blossom even got some snowballs on todays walk out there.  we did some loops in N. Biv.  no moose today.

 yesterday we did Rovers run and a bit more and when we were nearly back to the car we passed a guy who said there were a "bunch of moose on the trail".  there kind of were.  within 1/4 mile there was a mama and her baby and then two young moose on their own. it was getting a wee bit dark so fairly crap pictures.

 these first ones are from Rovers Run.  below is todays.

 i have an injury on my first two fingers of my left hand.  the dangers of weight lifting.  slammed it between the bar and the metal part of a bench.  nice bruise right away....so i have so far reached the minimum goal for this week...week two...!! two swims and 3 trips to gym.

 today was a repeat of my other swim day.  takes me nearly 3 hours but it's worth it.  elliptical, rower, weights then swim.  perhaps i will one day again be a lean, mean fighting machine.

 i also have a lead on the garmin that i found.  ran into a trail friend (friends i know only from all the walking we all must do), anyway, he believes the garmin belongs to a lady who does dog walking.  when i mentioned the dog name in the garmin before the battery died was "annie" he said, yes, that is her.  so hopefully we can get garmin and owner back together.

 back to work tomorrow night.  today i think i finally got a bit better at getting back on schedule. i'll have to just be better next days off to get myself switched around.  the best way i find is to force myself to get up and moving earlier.  that is harder when you don't have any plans for that day.  easy to just roll over and sleep.  if i don't get up moving though i end up napping in the evening and then staying awake til after 3 am...

 just letting Blossom outside, using some monkey duct tape on the toilet and feeding the cat.

 i'm back.  i did plan today well.  got to gym at just after 4 and was home just after 7p.  was out and on the trails before noon!!  if i can get that done 1 hour earlier i'll be good.  i suspect exercise will have it's usual effect of giving me more energy once i'm more fit.  hoping i can drop a few pounds though i know the old muscle weighs more and i don't mind building muscle.

 made it home in time to watch a smidgee of American Idol.  last season..don't shame me.  they have the best judges ever these past few years.  fun, personality, music minded.

 decided to make myself nuts and do a little survey of my brothers facebook page. i mentioned how negative it is and that i have him blocked.  don't think he agreed so i selected 5 random days. i actually as going to do 10 but he posts so dang often that it was taking forever to go back that many days.  he posts 25-50 posts/day.  i'm not sure what counts socially as an "overposter" but i feel i'm posting too much if i get over 5 in one day.

 i'm not one to hide that i have blocked him.  he knows it.  his posts are very political and we do not see eye to eye much on anything political.  going to his page this is evident by all the times he calls people who think like me "idiots" and worse.  i'm not supposed to be offended by this i guess.  best to not go so i'm not offended.  so i generally don't.

 in life, i try to move away from the negative and toxic sorts of things and go towards more positive and uplifting things.  then i come here and express my opinions and vent where it is safe from major lectures and judgement...besides, i can always chose to not post comments made or delete any comments on the facebook post if it is toxic.  really haven't had to do that as a rule but i do have the option. i tend to believe those who are most negative are simply unhappy in life and how their lives turn out.  screaming at people, goverments, ideals on facebook is a safe way to vent all that anger...i mean Obama, the Democrats, the Liberals....none of them can actually respond to defend or refute so it's all really just to express anger and disappointment in a life that makes a person angry and disappointed. you can say whatever hateful thing you wish, freedom of speech and others who also are angry can buoy you on...the circle continues until it's time to go to bed i guess.

 mostly, i just feel bad for anyone who allows themselves to become this angry and toxic. it's really just sad.  when it's a relative that you care about it's even more sad.  i just avoid his posts, his page and in conversations i try to just cut him off.  it has made me avoid making calls to him unless i am mentally prepared to withstand the political rage that may head my way.

 moose tracks above and shrew tracks below...so cute

 moose was the first on the fresh snow.  then Blossom and I...followed by some bikers.

 we all make choices in life.  you can choose to focus on the good in life or you can choose to focus on the bad.  negative will eat away at your soul though.

 line removed to protect others feelings....

 so on this snow covered pond i decided to counter all the negative of his posts by writing happy stuff!!

 dogs are good at bringing a smile to your face.  they say just being around them lowers your blood pressure.

 at the gym, i listened to music, rock.  didn't recognize any of the stuff i was hearing but oh well.  sadly, Fox news is right by the rower.  i can't hear any of it so that's fine..i just read the ticker tape messages below which are really more news than the crap they speak about.

 some US Military guys wandered into Iran waters and got taken into custody.  thankfully, they were all released.  could see some controversy was being attempted to be made of the event.  dealing with anyone in the Middle East is tricky so happy that it was handled quietly and quickly.  the less attention you give any of those crazies the better i think.

 i happened to get home to watch the State of the Union.  not that i plan my life around these things but it is the final one of this POTUS.  within seconds the analysis began.  just is so nuts how there are people whose job it is to watch a speech with the intention of ripping every line and gesture to bits.

 i keep feeling like we are watching a party totally implode.  history is being made...the Republicans will implode in my opinion, sooner than later.  if they don't get control of themselves and those in their party there is little hope for them.  it's not like i'm thrilled with all the Democrat options out there, but some of those Republicans are downright terrifying.

 my attempt at a walrus in the snow.

 not sure what Sean Penn is doing interviewing Mexican drug lord, "El Chappo".  some of these Hollywood folks just get so full of themselves...too many award ceremonies where they think those awards mean they are above and beyond.  he's not even a journalist..of course, imho most journalists these days aren't journalists.  they spout opinions more than facts.  they don't bother checking facts before spouting opinions and then rarely bother to correct misinformation as they've simply moved onto the next story that is blown out of proportion and "reported" to death.

 there is news going on all across the globe and yet these 24 hour news stations cover the same news stories for hours and hours...expressing opinions and warping conversations  and video's to make their case. truth...is lost on most mainstream journalists...

 these are from yet another stop in CA headed north.  another beach i don't recall...right before you turn in to San Luis Obispo and after Pismo.

 just completely different plants down there...so fun to check them out.

 rail bridge running along the beaches.  probably a pretty rail trip.  takes too much time though.

 did have to giggle the other day.  one of my nieces, who is a bit naive i think, posted something about Trump. it was a joke about his wives all being immigrants...i'm going to mess it up, but the end line was that they were willing to do jobs that Americans wouldn't do.  she's pretty conservative and i can't help but wonder if she doesn't get what the JOB is they are willing to do?

 attempted to call the number about the fila's that were available.  figured i'd make the call...you get a feeling for stuff.  the number didn't work and i'd seen some mastiff pups advertised on Craigslist (which you aren't supposed to do) but they were born the same day these were and were mixed pups. not sure what the deal is...but i'll take it as a sign.  when the right dog/situation turns up, i'll know.

 i find most times in life, you ponder your options, do research on stuff but eventually you will just have to be quiet and wait for the answer to come to you.  if you  do this...the answer will come to you and i've found it to be the right answer by and large.

 i'm really not understanding why these idiots in Oregon refuge takeover have access to internet and are making coffee.  all of that should have been cut off, electric, heat, internet, water.

 Alaska prisons seem to have a pretty bad reputation for deaths of inmates.  seems like that should be a good reason for folks to avoid going to prison here.  it's pretty bad, not sure why that is.
super long beak on this sand piper.  love those birds, love watching them run back and forth as the waves come and go.

 reality stars were accused of getting PFD checks illegally.  they are pretty strict about these here and they will take you down if you defraud them on this.  i just put in for mine.  i'm amazed at how many folks make the try and risk getting caught over what in reality is a fairly small sum of money to risk the consequences of fraud.  30 days jail not much but they must all pay back all the amount of the dividends they have recieved illegally plus an additional $10,000.

grateful for: A.  new restrictions of sale of elephant ivory and retirement of the circus elephants!!  B. SNOW C.  snuggle time with my sweet Pogi!! good night