sunshine and warm weather...

 

although in truth i need the clouds.  it gets too hot and bums me out when there are no clouds...so today the clouds are back. 

a few from last May and then the rest are from the visit with nieces. 

i was just doing my bills and realized i have a revolving bill for a dating service. haven't used a dating service for years and years sooo...how much money have I wasted paying this bill over the years. so much of that stuff that you just don't notice. i guess especially until you have the bill paid off and keep getting new charges when you know you haven't used the card. so that is annoying.  put in a dispute...we will see what they do with that. doubt i'll get money back but hopefully i can get it stopped. 

modern day issues. 

got the lawn mowed yesterday and a few things done...then i lay on the couch and that little nap turned into a deep and long sleep.  guess i needed the sleep. 

at least i have the privilege of being able to sleep when i need to most of the time. 

i did make the boat out of Seward the other day. it was a bit of a rush and i was debating going up until i tossed treats at the dogs and took off. i got there, bought a ticket and boarded.  just a few minutes to spare. 

it really was a perfect day. so happy i went with my gut and just took off. minimal wind, sunshine/clouds.  the ocean was teeming with wildlife.  we saw so much, photos will never bring to life all the wildlife we saw.  

both humpbacks and orca's...i lost count on both of them. i finally saw several episodes of bubble net or cooperative feeding.  they were at a little distance.  got decent shots of one of them. just cool to see all the whales. it was absolutely crazy. one of the best days i have ever had out on the water. plumes all over the place.  fin flaps, tails.  the orca's we chased out into the open ocean..the water was just that calm.  you could see them all over.  then the porpoises were swimming around at the same time. who would have thought they would be near orca's...guess there is just so much out there to eat they didn't need  to worry really.  crazy. 

there was a spout in the far distance that was thought to have been a fin whale. 

we also saw the usual birds, even a bald eagle nest with baby eagles. we also saw otters, seals, sea lions...all the usual wild life but just on steroids really. 

we were hesitant to leave all the whales to get in time with Aialik Glacier. i'd rather see whales...but then even the glacier got the memo to be explosive and we got some major calvings out there as well.  

it was overload really.  

just a  beautiful end to a week of spectacular. 

probably still recovering from guests.  laundry is caught up.  just clean up in a few area's left. 

got in the those two nights of work and happily have this stretch off. i return again to work on Thursday. 

the mushrooms are starting to pop out.  went with friends out to powerline pass yesterday to walk, laugh and enjoy the wildflowers.  they were hitting max.  may try to head out to Hatchers tomorrow. haven't been there all season.  the weekends are getting too nuts at most trailheads. 

we got parking yesterday but as we left we saw that the cars were parked up the road. 

great to get a few paddles in even if my back and body in general aren't as capable.  aging bites, but i do remind myself that i have had far more adventures than most and have many more to come.  you just have to alter your adventures to fit the life you grow into. need to hit the pool soon as well.  swimming is the best thing i've found for my joints. 

it is great to be on the water though.  i wasn't sore from the paddles really.  just my back, getting in /out. nursing takes its toll on you. 

i'm always at my max sick day wise.  at this point i don't stress too much, as i told management. i'd just retire if they decided to really punish me. so far it's all warnings. the revolving fmla thing...well, the reason's i'm out are varied.  can't really blame it on one thing. they have a large pile of others with the same issue, which means it's less of a deal.  i don't call out to go camping...so i think that puts me ahead of the others. haha. 

really need to just look into an urgent care job that will cover my health care for a few more years, retire from prov. night shifts and patient care have taken the toll on me, it's really just okay to admit that and make other plans. hopefully a fall thing to do. nobody likes change really but after you adjust it's usually just fine. 

will head out to walk dogs and do some errands here in a bit.  

pay for WARIS post office box.  put in a few small WARIS checks. pet store. mostly the big errands is the dog walk.  

they are very patient with me and have had to be more these past few weeks with guests and the boat trip. 

this is from a drive we took in Whittier. more to explore there. 

we also chased the train a bit.  

i saw the bore tide the other day after the boat trip. a few paddle boarders out there.

always so much to see in this place. it is sensory overload at times. then we will drift back into darkness and winter and we can relax and refresh. 

still have a lot of photos to look through on the big camera.  my friend KR is out there right now. hopefully they get some good sightings.  tomorrow and Wednesday are both looking good. i'm not sure i can top the other day.  love those whales though. 

harbor in Whittier.

it's been a few years since i was out on a ocean kayak.  i have my little boat and i really should get that out again.  it's in the car...

Ivy is in here sleeping and Sunny Boy just came over to say hello

love these pups and we've gotten lots of snuggles in this week.  

noticed a new cat in the yard i've never seen before. looks big!  beautiful cat, very fluffy.  just don't want poor Covi Cat to get beaten up. he's been doing more lounging inside this year.  starting to get older.  less adventurous i hope. 

CB enjoys some zen time on the water. would have loved to get them all out there on the water. perhaps another trip.  

always fun to get visitors.  it is a major shift in my usual day to day.  a great shift though.  we all need that.  it was a memory that will live on in my heart.  how family should always be i think. 

just laughing at her footwear compared to mine.  

hanging glacier. 

for sure we had a glacier theme this week. 

more zen yoga posing. this was Portage Pass trail. 

getting ready to go. 

i best get the day moving along.  still in my pj's. shower, walk, errands...

thankful for A. wonderful memories B. a whale of a day on the water!  C. snuggle time

beautiful day...relaxing

 started out sunny, met with friends out at Kincaid, Little Campbell Lake, for a lovely walk.  i really didn't stress about too much training.  i mean i always do the loose come around the house (in/out) and sits and downs, leave its...so i guess i always do some training, but really i just enjoyed the walk today.  they do fine on leash overall.  still have to fine tune it but nice to be out with humans.

 Ivy has discovered she can get on the couch.  she is a little smarty.  love her personality and bravery.  i had the sprinklers on and she was the brave pup to go check that out.  a nice breeze that turned into some stronger wind in the afternoon.  we were still able to enjoy the yard.  i'm doing better overall at keeping the play less drama filled.  have 2 of these treat dispensing toys that they can roll around with the food they didn't finish at meals in it.  seems to calm them and all three dogs work together on these so that is great.

 the little pool has a leak so i bought a slightly bigger cheap pool.

 they enjoy the water. some clean up required after play time.

 this reminded me of being in a kayak with a seal in front of me...except it's Ivy.

 had some thoughts of going to Seward today, even packed dogs a dinner...i was due for a chill day though.

 i know, overall i live a fairly chill/lazy life....but i'm very used to my chill/lazy life and so i like chill/lazy days.

 these are at Byron.  haven' t looked at todays pics yet.

 i did actually watch a movie this evening.  i've avoided movies of late....who had 2 hours all at once to spend watching a movie?  i watched, "Cake" with Jennifer Aniston.  interesting flick.  i've been wanting to watch "Suffergettes" but silly me bought a blue ray version and i have no idea how to watch a movie on my real dvd/blue ray machine on the main tv and i tend to watch movies on a small dvd player that won't do blue ray i guess.  tonights flick was on Netflix.

 night two of pups in individual crates. i slept until 0700 today. are these pups trying to make me a day shifter?

 see all that snow...melting fast

 was laughing as Blossom has been started on Rimadyl...now i have 3 puppies!!  haha

 still want to help them learn fetch as i can wear them out easier if i can teach them to fetch.

 this is where i began to feel i had erred in taking the little pups off leash.  lots of snow to climb up and up and up.

 generally, even if you have a not so great recall if you act crazy and loud and go the opposite direction they will come to you...it really just depends on how willing you are to act the fool...what have i got to lose, right. i have been acting a fool my whole life!!

 they did have fun...can't wait til this next winter.  they will be so excited  when their yard is filled with snow.

 queen of the hill

 the glacier has receded back to far!!  crazy.  we will be a holgate this summer, will be interesting to see how far that has receded.

 ears flapping in the wind

 and you notice the dog is back on her leash.

 safety first

 always beat after a good walk...just as a dog should be

 got someone to take a picture of all of us. not easy to do.  may need one of those big selfie sticks...hehe.

 happily Tusker and Ivy didn't wander too far up..a few humans did, which probably isn't the smartest.  thankfully for most humans, we survive a good percentage of our stupid choices.

 the water was perfect for wading in .  the pups are getting braver and braver with the wading.  nobody has taken the plunge yet though.

 i'd guess it will be Ivy first...she is always the first at the adventures.

 dogs on snow

 headed back

 lone chunk of ice on Portage Lake.

 thought they did a nice job on the design of their boat..i was waiting in line to go to Whittier.

 headed into the mountain.

Thankful for:  A.  a lovely and relaxing day.  B.  cute puppies that make me laugh.  C.  breezy days and sunshine