always out chasing rainbows...

 was starting to blog and then a rainbow called.  was talking to a friend when she mentioned there was suddenly a huge rainbow out there. just had to go outside and enjoy it.

 these are more from the road.

 finished my first 3 nights.  tired today and have had a headache much of day so that always bites.

 this week i worked as a sitter up on the floors, then ICU, then CICU.  kept myself fairly busy the last two nights. 

 when you float you don't always know the skill level/work ethics of your co-workers.  lets just say i wasn't all that impressed.  there are a few times where i have just asked the charge to have a look....soon the patient was intubated and lined.  all fine in the end, but some times you just wonder what people are thinking. 

 had a sheath pull the next night.  with all the fancy new cath lab procedures we hardly ever do these anymore.  thankfully it went fine.  cath labs have come a long ways, it's pretty amazing. holding pressure for 20 minutes can really cramp up the hands though.

 i'm in the middle of a sneeze event.  i get those, i can go 20-30 sneezes before it finally abates.

 in between shifts we did a lot of tennis ball/cat toy time.

 today i hit the dog park.  i ended up taking those back trails and after a few side trails i was a bit lost.  amazing how you can get so turned around on those trails in the middle of town.  a few wrong directions, remain calm and eventually i found my way back to familiar territory.  had a vague idea, but on those back trails i was wishing i at least had bear spray on me.  you never know what you will run into out there...more concerning is the two legged predators.  all is well however.

 tested out a new way to wear the old surgical mask, which worked out really well. the area behind my ears was getting sore so i wore a headband i bought with buttons to loop the headband on.  texting with my niece who is a Dr and she is doing the same thing.

 love how enterprising folks are who adapt to the changing world of covid and make such things for sale or donation. 

 our states daily covid counts are still up higher than they should be, mostly because we have a segment of the population who are being defiant trump cult fools. there are even nurses in that category.  i overheard one nurse telling another nurse that someone had just said, "oh you are one of those people".  had to laugh because later my friend said this nurse was saying she never wears a mask outside of work and refused to...to which she had responded/reacted to.  it does seem silly.

 i love that folks say, oh the CDC first said masks were useless. i really do not ever recall hearing this. i know they were trying to keep people from hoarding masks, they were concerned that there wouldn't be enough for healthcare workers. maybe they were down playing the need for regular citizens to wear masks.  they later have said folks should wear them.  funny that so many are hanging on to this one message from months ago.  oddly, they don't seem to have any issue with the changing views from this administration otherwise.  i mean trump said those first few cases would be it, then he said the heat and humidity would end it, now they seem to all be saying it's just being over dramatized by science and the media and it will magically go away after the election...it's all just a plot to take down trump.

 with a new form of this old virus there are bound to be things that change.  why dwell on one thing said months ago?  they would rather listen to reality tv star turned idiotic potus than to science or medicine.

 so many crazy things out there.  those folks absolutely refuse to listen to any form of logic regarding masks and mask wearing anyway.  it's a pointless endeavor.  sadly, that means this will drag on longer.

 i laugh as many of them believe this is a big plot by China, hatched up in a lab...so the funny thing is that if they really believe that, why do they now insist on  helping China destroy us...by not doing the basic things that even China did to protect it's citizens...masking and distancing.

 hate to watch polls but despite trumps talk of how great he is doing, it doesn't look like his numbers are all that great.  they no longer have the hatred of Hillary on their side.  they also now have two groups of GOP members who are actively campaigning against him.  the Lincoln Project and now a another group who used to work in the Bush administration mostly i think. 

 part of me wonders if he will ditch Pence at the last minute in a desperate attempt to recover the covid lost ground. i mean he put pence "in charge" of covid task force so seems fitting he would lay all the blame on pence...i mean he never takes any personal responsibility and always blames everyone else for his failings.  could pence be made the fall guy and he selects one of his beauty queen aides to be his running mate..or Ivanka or Jared?

 i really do feel if this administration gets in again it could be the end of our nation.  they have done severe damage to our government/nation already. he had no respect for this nation or the government created years ago.  he only sees things in how he can use/twist them to his own personal advantage. he does all he can to game the system. 

 i will have to knock out tonight not sure what i will be up to tomorrow.  will look at the weather and tides in various areas and see what i can figure out for a road trip.

 the end of the Matanuska Glacier...i soon headed down to walk it. 

 always love a good drive...the process begins to find a new vehicle....hate that process.  i tend to think at this point i'll try to hang on  to the element for local dog transport.  i'd get next to nothing for it anyway. it is a "classic" car now.  still a great dog car.  not the most comfy car though.  at this point any car would be much more comfortable.  would be good to find one that would get the dogs in the back.

 i am leaning towards truck with eventual slide in camper option.  that could make road trips really great.

 have snacked but haven't really eaten anything real since breakfast.  so me...forgetting to eat. i just get distracted.  after the longer than expected walk...though pleasant my headache was worse and i was tired so i ended up napping a bit. 

 you don't always want to fully get off night shift when you only have a few nights off.

 deep creek.

 do tend to find yourself becoming a bit weak, and then you realize, oh i haven't really eaten anything.

 Covi Kitten is stretched out in the hallway.  he's so cute.  happy he's been hanging fairly close to home. i do worry but i have been leaving the dog door open so he could be anywhere while i'm at work.  do not want anything bad to happen to my sweet kitty cat.

 the number of in patient covid cases has increased  we are still able to do electives at this point and we still have open beds. i haven't done holds in the ER since before this all started to go nuts.  the hall beds have been removed as well and have stayed removed. 

 flowers from my time in Homer.

 i did hit the grocery store the other day.  only one person not with a mask and one lady who had a mask on, but it was only covering her chin...such a rebel.

 one common thing against masks is the virus can get through...these same folks will also tell you that if you wear masks you won't be able to get oxygen and your co2 levels will rise. these things put all together are just silly really.  so the virus can get through but not oxygen and co2?  it's a constant eye roll.

 the mask doesn't protect you 100% but it decreases the risk a great deal.  many say if we could just get folks to wear masks for the next 6-8 weeks we would probably get this under control.

 that same idiot co-worker is planning her move out of Alaska.  she was irritated by all the restrictions put on travel by Canada.  i just said something about the US having so many Covid cases and that Canada has their covid under control at this time it seems.  she used that stupid trump line that we need to stop testing ...we only have positive cases because we are testing.  she stated that Canada isn't doing tests so they don't have as many positives...this person is a nurse!! you can't take the politics out of anything these days and people have lost their minds at this point.

 cute sandhill crane babies in Homer

 just noticed in today's paper, well Sunday's paper..they have pictures from the bike trails that loop around Anchorage, there is a photo of a bike trail sign.  there is a WARIS sticker on there...gosh i wonder how that got there.  hehe.

 the trump administration led by the idiot trump want to take funding away from the CDC.  he really believes that if we don't test anyone we can just pretend this virus doesn't exist and his poll numbers will improve. testing/tracing, these are on the chopping block.  they also have decided that hospitals are to give their numbers on covid to the administration directly, not to the CDC...how many believe they will give us true stats on what is going on...all but those 30% that seem to worship all trump does.

 i have a ton of newspapers to take to the animal shelter. i really should put that on the list for tomorrow.

 love these birds.  watching these babies was really a treat

 the GOP are such jerks.  they refused to allow Obama to fill a supreme court seat because Moscow Mitch said in the last year before an election the voters should decide...a full year before the election.  they were such asses to Obama and yet now they act like the dems are so mean to trump.  the biggest whiners. of course, if RBG were to pass away...and she is back on chemo, they have made it clear they would fill that spot asap before the election.  the right cheers the unfairness of that and how they cheat the system but since they seem to believe that their party is the party God would be in they don't care how they get their agenda through.  lie, cheat, steal...it's all fine as long as it gets them what they want.

 i loves a meme i saw.  it was response to black lives matter. many on the right like to then say all lives matter.  so then the meme reminds us all of all the people that the right don't believe matter.  you know immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ folks, poor....

 this administration is also going after the postal service...is there nothing they won't try to destroy?  it's shocking really how much damage they have done is such a short time. 

 it's been frustrating and depressing watching them dismantle and disrespect science and education. 

 it will take years to recover our nation.  many are dying at this point due to their complete failure in handling this pandemic. the party seems to believe that the punishment for illegal border crossing is loss of children and this is a fair punishment to them.  they seem to be willing to accept and look the other way as this fool refuses to speak out against governments who would entrap, torture, chop up and kill a journalist, put bounties on our soldiers...it's just shocking what so many usually decent people have been willing to look the other way on. 

 i do hope kindness and decency one day return to this land.  we may be in for worse before it gets better...if this 30% get their way and he is re-elected. of course, he's free at this point to accept help from other nations or coerce help from them if needed. 

 that is the republican way.  it's their way no mater the cost. they believe themselves to be so right on everything that they really do not care what is done to get them their agenda.

 i am off to bed.  sleep will feel great. 

thankful for A. getting unlost.  B.  rainbows C. mindless tv

too much sun, bring on the rain.

 sunny days make me feel guilty for being lazy.  rain makes it easy to be lazy, guilt free.

 i did manage a walk.  got my friend LS to join me.  we just did the airstrip. 

 yesterday, post drive, i just did yard time and chilled at home for the most part. 

 i did have a dentist appointment...everything is different in the time of covid.  i suspect it won't be going away really.  we will just have to find ways to adapt to the new strange normal. 

 i felt like the risk was more on their side than mine.  i hear some places are not using the ultrasonic cleaner as it appears like it would potentially be aerosolizing.  my hygenist did use it but with a double headed suction.  she wore a regular cloth mask and a face shield.  she probably should have been using an n95 mask for that. 

 it looks like i will be getting another crown.  whoopie.  one by one the crowns come on.

 i relaxed out on the deck reading this evening after it had cooled a bit.  relaxed is a relative term for me....i was reading as a tennis ball was being dropped for me to throw.  so reading interrupted by tennis ball tosses in to the yard. Ivy will not be denied. 

 these are pics from the last trip, a recent hike, home...

 kind of nice to mix it up. 

 i had pondered a run to costco and/or store.  in these times those runs are often delayed as i figure i don't really need anything quite yet.

 i'd also like to start looking at trucks so i could eventually get a slide in camper to go with it.  would give me more freedom to roam and play

 i don't want a 2020. i'd like to put this year behind and not have to mention it every time i'm asked what year my car/truck is.  still the big debate. 

 the other morning on the Denali Highway i was lucky and noticed a big owl flying right by the car.  i stopped and the owl flew right in front of my car and landed on a tree right next to the car.  i was grabbing the camera as i rolled down the window to get a photo when a certain pup saw the owl and barked, causing the owl to take off.  no photo.  so sad. 

 other than a few swans/eagles and that owl, i saw no wildlife this trek.

 lots of those biting noseeum flies.  those things are a killer.  the bug spray doesn't effect them and i'd forgotten to toss in some nets. 

 that kind of hindered my desire to do walks, that and not the greatest weather at the times i debated walking.

 it was fine.  we got out and moved enough i think.  the dogs and i were both tired. 

 more purple flowers. so pretty.

 i head back to work tomorrow night for three.  can't wait.  our counts have come down a bit the last few days after peaking i hope, post 4th of July. other states are really hitting bad places. the people of our nation can't learn from other places and others experiences i guess so they will all have to hit their own rock bottom, so more sick, more deaths. 

 no respect for our elders, not much respect for each other.  it's all about themselves. the ignorance on the internet is pretty astounding. 

 the SeaLife Center is struggling due to lost funds from less visitors. just sent a donation this evening.  it was on my to do list so i do get a few things done here and there. hoping they can find some corporate donations.  even though many private citizens are struggling, many of the wealthiest are continuing to grow their fortunes.  that is how screwed up our nation is.

 and yet, many will continue to vote against their own interests election after election.  they are willing to look the other way on all the crap as long as the right says the right things about guns, immigration and abortion.

 they also fear healthcare...amazingly during this pandemic many are losing their healthcare as it's tied to their jobs.  seems insane to have a system that dumps people off insurance during a pandemic.  also strange that many have to pay for covid testing or co-pay.  some insurance covers, some doesn't.  that is nuts.  we need people to get tested and many will need to be tested repeatedly.  people will just not get tested if they will end up with big bills for those tests.  i'm guessing if they do get a vaccine that will be a big win for pharmaceutical companies and big loss for regular citizens.

 the governor of Oklahoma has tested positive.  he attended the sparsely attended trump rally in Tulsa...picked it up there.  nice.

 Sessions lost his try to get on the ticket in an attempt to get his senate seat back.  trump has been horrible to him and yet the guy still remains loyal to trump.  fool. 

 trump continues to do everything he can to prevent the American people from seeing his tax returns.  can you imagine if Hillary had done this?  the right would have flipped a lid, now they are all, it doesn't matter, he's being harrassed.  what is he working so hard to hide? 

 he is not going to give up.  his niece just got her book published.  not flattering from what i've heard.  she and her brother were told lies to give them smaller settlements....which is why she was able to finally speak out.  she had reams of financial documents from those settlements which is what the reporters used to write a article about the finances of the trump family and how his dad just kept shoveling him more money each time he blew through money on failed business deals....and yet his followers keep believing he is some brilliant businessman.  he's just had never ended money supplies...until more recently...which is why he doesn't want those more recent tax returns especially getting out. 

 there will be ties to other nations.  he could no longer get US banks to lend him money due to his many bankruptcies. where did he get loans from at that point.  gosh i wonder.  perhaps a certain Russian who is now seeming to get a pass on possibly putting bounties on our soldiers? Saudi got a pass on murder/dismemberment of Kashoggi, now they say nothing about this...the right answer should be that these potential bounties need to be investigated and if this is found to be true then Putin should be punished some how. 

 instead the right media/administration has convinced them it's nothing, no big deal, fake news, a hoax. gosh does anyone else see a pattern here.  nothing to see, blame others, deny....

 Ivy drifting off while sitting down.  poor girl was so sleepy

 trump wore a mask once and everyone made a big deal about it.  i doubt it will be a trend.  cracks me up that his followers rail that this virus is not big deal, overblown, just like the flu...blah, blah, blah and yet the guy they follow is so paranoid about it that he makes sure everyone he comes in contact with is getting tested daily.  so clearly he knows its no big deal. this administration is further trashing the CDC and Fauci. they hate science and facts. 

 this administration is also working to screw over the USPS.  it's amazing how much damage they have done is short order. i suspect it's over for this nation if he gets in again, which is a good possibility sadly.

 Bidens best hope is to not speak much.  let trump keep saying stupid stuff.  Biden can get in trouble talking at times.  not my first choice but a far greater choice than trump again.  in all the various presidents i've seen over my lifetime, even those who made big mistakes or weren't really all that great in the role, this is the only one that i have felt had zero good intentions toward our nation.  he has no respect for the position and only seems to care what the position can do for him. 

 vaccines would be great but already people who have had covid are negative for the antigen within a few months it seems...so the concern is will a vaccine be able to have coverage last long enough to really be effective. 

 many want to get to herd immunity, which even if you attempted this it may not ever happen....in the meantime the math will show you that millions would get the virus and close to a million would die of it. so to flippant about these numbers is either totally ignorant or totally callous.

 some states are really starting to get to the worst of it with Covid right now.  the stress on medical workers is horrible.  i saw a meme that is how i think many in healthcare feel.  while there is talk of healthcare workers being the big heroes, we also feel the knives in our backs.

 the animals are all hanging out upstairs.  the Covid Cat spends more time than the dogs outside. he does keep returning though and generally seems to be fairly close to home or in the yard when i randomly check on him.

 it's getting late and i'm about ready to head to bed

 news is best avoided to some extent.  get the latest and then shut it down.  if you dwell on it all you will make yourself crazy.  there is only so much i can do.  vote, vote, vote.

 in front of the Matanuska Glacier.

 yawning kitten.  he's getting big.  growing into his big fluffy tail i think.

 always love the purple cones.

 somewhere along the Denali Highway

 at Byers. this covid sign cracked me up

 the furs...

thankful for A.  a place to live B. running water, electric, heat C. a job