ho hum...

Eggs everywhere...mom's gonna be mad.... but they destroyed the peeps...so all is forgiven... and while all this was going on...the dog took a taste of his herritage...should I tell him that "Chow " means dinner...not the Chinese word for dog... oh sorry about the kinked necks to look at the pictures...if you turn your head the other way for a bit...your neck will feel better... love to all

HOW SAD...was it sabatoge?

http://www.adn.com/front/story/360237.html I am so bummed....stupid snow machines...I loved Zorro and hope to get to meet him this summer when my husband takes me to see Santa Clause....

Explain Why?

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/360235.html Googling several other countries also we discovered that only ours can be visually seen from everywhere...but take a virtual GOOGLE of Paris...boy that place makes American cities look small when it comes to roads...bet SUZY would get confused....

Clinton says China holdings threaten US security Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:36pm By Jeff Mason INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., March 29 (Reuters) - The Bush administration has jeopardized national security and the ability to intervene in world crises because of the huge U.S. debt held partly by China, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said on Saturday. The New York senator, who argues she is better prepared to deal with economic and foreign policy problems than rival Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, told a rally in Indiana that the United States' $9 trillion in gross national debt puts it at the mercy of other nations. She said President George W. Bush's policies contributed to rising U.S. debt and also have hamstrung Washington's ability to lead. "That is what George Bush's policies mean in real world terms -- that we have put our nation's security and our leadership of the world at risk because of this indebtedness," Clinton said. Clinton made China the focus of her criticism, which she has repeated throughout Indiana, a state that has suffered from manufacturing job losses that many blame on unfair trade practices and companies outsourcing jobs to China. Clinton hopes to win Indiana's Democratic nominating contest on May 6 in a bid to close the gap with Obama who leads in amassing delegates who determine the party's nominee. In her campaign remarks, she lamented China's hold over the U.S. economy. "We are so dependent upon decisions made in other countries' capitals," Clinton said, singling out China's potential power over U.S. foreign policy decisions because of its financial leverage. Clinton cited a discussion she had with a retired general who raised a "nightmare scenario" in which China threatened Taiwan and the U.S. president wanted to send ships toward the island to ward off Beijing. "He said, 'You know, suppose the Chinese decide that they're going to go after Taiwan the way we see them, you know, with Tibet,'" Clinton said, describing the general's remarks and referring to the recent unrest in Tibet. "'We start to move the fleet, and the Chinese say, 'Fine. You do that, we will dump your dollars. We will flood the market. We will not buy any more of your debt.'" China currently holds about $490 billion in U.S. Treasury securities and has foreign exchanges reserves totaling more than $1.5 trillion dollars. Clinton accused Beijing of manipulating its currency and of not holding its exporters to the same health and environmental standards that U.S. companies must meet. The U.S. trade deficit with China soared last year to a record $252 billion even as the U.S. trade gap with the rest of the world decreased. Many U.S. lawmakers complain that China deliberately undervalues its currency to boost exports and limit imports and have pressed Bush to be more aggressive in addressing the issue. (Additional reporting by Doug Palmer in Washington, editing by Vicki Allen)

SEEING BLACK IN CHINA Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008 3:54 PM Filed Under: Beijing, China By Adrienne Mong, NBC News producer BEIJING, China – Quite possibly one of the busiest people in China right now are the television censors. As international news broadcasters like the BBC World Service Television and CNN International play footage around the clock of the Tibet unrest, viewers with access to satellite TV in Beijing and across cities in China find themselves scratching their heads as reports suddenly go to black whenever the word "Tibet" comes up. Sometimes the screen goes black before a report about Tibet airs. Sometimes the screen goes black right after the report begins airing. Sometimes the screen goes black midway through the report – as though the censor had stepped away to make a cup of tea and returned a little too late. Sometimes the screen doesn't go to black at all, and entire broadcasts go to air without interruption. These include a live transmission by a Hong Kong cable television crew from a Muslim quarter of Lhasa, showing Chinese security forces searching homes the day after the first riots broke out on March 14. Or, today, when some international broadcasters such as the BBC carried dramatic pictures of Tibetan monks bursting onto a small group of foreign press on a government-orchestrated tour of Jokhang Temple and openly condemning the Chinese authorities. I wondered whether this footage was allowed to be broadcast in full because the news presenter read over the video speaking in general terms about the situation in Tibet, and so viewers had no idea what the monks were actually saying unless they went online to read about the story. But if a viewer did get on the Internet in China, Googled "Tibet monks," and tried to click on the Associated Press's article a message saying, "problem loading page," popped up. The same thing happens when you try to click on the reports about the monks' outburst on the websites for BBC News, the New York Times, the Financial Times, and even China's very own state-run news agency, Xinhua. NBC video reports and blogs about Tibet on this site also have been blocked, including the World Blog, which is normally accessible in China. So in order to obtain any current news about Tibet, we – like many foreign media – have to rely on our own company Intranet. For those without access to a company Intranet in China, they have to use a proxy server. Or else they ask journalists. For days now, the most common refrain from my non-media friends has been, "What's happening in Tibet?" "What have you heard?" But for once during this year of newly relaxed press regulations in China, journalists are also stumped. Tibet and the surrounding Tibetan communities in China continue to remain off-limits to the media, except for in highly controlled circumstances.

The easiest blog I ever wrote, but the hardest to post.

The Profit of Abrahams GOD, the ONE TRUE GOD, is speaking on this earth at this moment. Many of us thought we lived a life for GOD, many of us wondered where he went when our lives became tough back in 1994. HE left. HE left us just as he said he would. His CHURCH became scattered into several locations through out the world, until the time for the SEALS. He left us so we would be trained, trained to help those who want to repent and accept the ONE TRUE GOD, the KING OF KINGS, who will govern this entire EARTH. GOD has called me back again. He is showing me now that the Profit of Abraham’s GOD has returned. THE CHURCH OF GOD is now being reassembled, in many places on this earth. I am finding it very hard to believe, but my faith that THE LORD JESUS is telling me this, we are in great times of doom now. We are soon going to be forced to return to growing out own food. We are going to be forced to choose sides. I have chosen mine and I am here to help anyone that wants to know the way to survival into the NEW MILLENIUM. A world governed by one government that will be the same as the ONE GOD has said it would be. It is too late now to “figure it out”. Faith is what will save us, faith is what JESUS taught us, faith in one GOD…the GOD of Abraham that has been ignored for almost 6000 years. The “magic is gone” he will not longer show us his strength this way. We have had many many chances to see. We have been given many many profits to listen too, we have been tainted by “religion” and forgot to “read” the GREAT BOOK ourselves. Of all other History Books why do we ignore the first one ever written? The one that actually tells us where this earth and the people in it began? Why did many pastors and priest stray, greed, selfishness and self need, that is why. Desperation that man may be right and not GOD. I am here to say….GOD is ALWAYS RIGHT…the one GOD…the MAKER of all man kind, the stars, the moon, the earth. http://www.rweinland.com/sermons/download/08/2-16-08_mystery_revealed1.mp3 This is a link to the Profit of GOD…this man can lead us to salvation. He is here as a spokesman of THE ONE TRUE GOD. He will open the hearts of all if they just hear him. Although not many will listen anymore. That is where I come in. I am also being given, through this man, the keys you are all still seeking. I have seen them coming, I doubted them and therefore was left behind when GOD called his true followers back. I do believe that I was left, my own straying from GOD, but to also learn, and be here to help others find the right way, the way to SALVATION. So as I close this Blog for now…I want to ask everyone one thing…If you are willing to “chose” the country to fight for, or support, how do you know it is the right one? GOD says in the BIBLE that false gods will be built, they will be worshipped, and man will even turn to them for salvation. The BIBLE also says that NOT one of these will be the one to follow if you want eternal life someday. GOD will only take those who show that above all else, including them selves and their children, they believe he is the maker, and his KINGDOM will rule again. This day my friends will be here soon….JESUS will take this world unto one government by the end of 1335 days…the count down started in February of 2008. Seek the link I left…listen to the sermons…hear him with your heart, put all else away as the Devil is in control of this world at this very moment…. OUR FATHER, WHO IS IN HEAVEN, SACRED BE YOUR NAME, THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY, OUR DAILY BREAD AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE THAT SIN AGAINST US. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM OF POWER FOREVER AND EVER…. AMEN.

The All Alsakan Sweepstakes

The race began with the honorary bid number 1 leaving (theoretical) Nome at 10 am this morning...Eric is in Nome but states he has seen no musher's...of course not they are racing... It seems the rivalry from the Iditarod may make an appearance this race, with no rules. Jeff King pulled out of Nome running 16 dogs in ninth place at 10:18 this morning....Lance Mackey followed him out with 12 dogs at 10:28... Current standing are...neither is in first...yet! Mackey has moved from 14th at the start to 8th just 4 checkpoints into the race. King is holding his position of ninth...the fastest musher wins this race...and at the moment... Jim Lanier left Nome in third position...he is in first as of now... Conner Thomas left in first position and is in second now... Ramey Brooks is in third...but began in 14th....Nome musher...has ran this trail many times is my guess...and may be the only one who can keep ahead of Lance...and not be caught again... Stay tuned for the next update...or you can follow along yourself...

A Dollar Here...A Dollar There...

With Eric in Nome...possibly for the whole summer, I am trying to figure out what to do about the Yukon...It is sitting at Lithia on the south side of town...they said warranty paid to tow it there...but they wont pay to bring it back even though the mistake was on their end. So my options are this...tie my dogs to the front bumper, cutting holes in the floor like a Flintstone car...or paying almost 300 dollars to tow it back...now I know the meaning of the statement "Highway Robbery". Found a "rear end" that would work at a junk yard...1100 dollars...but I am thinking that a little gal like myself may have some problems tearing out the old and putting in the new...plus I would look awful funny rolling a rear end home from across town...wonder if I need my drivers license for that? Maybe if I attached portable turn signals to my butt people would think I am a Kia. So at the moment I am wheel less....but it is spring so feet work well...pulling the wagon I will be fine here in town...but it may take me awhile to make it to Anchor Point.... Now lets talk phones...how come when we as people sign a contract we are expected to abide by it yet when a major money making business does they are not...is that not defying the contract thing all together?? ATT does NOT want to honor Cell One contracts...ATT does not have the same features as Cell One and they must "pay" another carrier for some of the services that we had on our phones...now they want more money or less features...the more money bugs me...the less features does not...but the fact that they will not honor the contract we had...I do not want their phone service...I am tirred of crooks and have wondered how to get out of the four year contract Eric signed...they took care of it for me and now I am taking care of them...paid...but they can keep their service...I will "rehook" my house phone for 39.99 a month and ATT can take a leap from my life....this will save me about 250 dollars a month...hmmm.... Not sure how anyone else's Easter went...but here it was wonderful...the babies hunted eggs and ate candy....a beautiful dinner served at the table although it was just me and my kids minus Josh and his family....it was wonderful...quiet and organized...not something that usually goes along with a Holiday dinner around here. Eric left Saturday night for Nome so he missed not one but two wonderful big dinners.... Donny invited a friend over for dinner Saturday night...the editor of the paper he works for...this dinner was wonderful, new friends are never a bad thing...a 61 year old man fighting for his life against cancer that infested his lung then his brain. When I walked into my home after taking Eric to the airport I thought Uncle Bill was standing in my dinning room....this man has Harrington linage...but there are many of us...his features are very Harrington as we know them though...I kept wanting to call him grandpa or Bill....hehe...the kids loved him and he enjoyed them immensely...I was glad we could give him a family to play with....I hope he comes back again as smiles and family sure help when you feel no one in the world understands the fear in your heart when ever an ache or pain arises...with no support system in Alaska...he needs one and he has found it from my home. So that is it from the Buffalo Wallow....not much of interest...just living and let living

Happy Easter......

I Hate to say I told you so...

NEW CARS are WORTHLESS. All the "comfort features" make an automobile fragile...like as egg...so I will NEVER pay 20,000 dollars again for an egg...screw that lemon thing...its an EGG. Warranty expired 1000 miles ago...one of the three anyway...and according to Lithia the one we bought. So...the damages are...the entire rear end of a less than 6 year old vehicle needs replaced...the damages possibly caused problems with the transmission also...so the grand total would be close to 6000 to fix it I would guess...after the 2750 quote and them informing me there was no warranty even after telling us the day before there was I informed the General Manager of Lithia where he could put his GMC garbage...informed him I am going back to a FORD. I refuse to pay them another dime...this is the second time Lithia has done this to us...and well this time they can keep their expensive crap as far as I am concerned I do not want to see the thing again...from here on out it will be one expensive problem after another...as the computers age...they will die...I am NOT paying a computer 80 dollars and hour to diagnose my vehicle EVER again.... They also informed us that rigs this new need a 670 dollar service job every 30,000 miles or things like this happen... So thank GOD my dog can pull a wagon...I always wanted to bike to Homer...good thing the trailer is already there I would need a few more dogs to pull it.... On that note...still got that Bronco dad???? Knew the Yukon could not hack the Yukon...and it did not even make it that far North!!

And it all began here.....

Quite the interesting map here...shows who fought for and who has controlled the Middle East from the time of King David to 1972...after the European Colonist took control of the holy lands...and did not stop there...we gained ground...we kept moving...until we occupied every continent on this globe...Unfortunatly to do this...many life styles and societies were "reformed' and are now gone or losing their "ancestral" back ground as the generations grow up and "forget" that they were once another society all together...for some this was improvement for others a loss... Since I am not the one that was effected by this I can not say how any of them felt...but I can empathize on how I would feel if I spent 20 years raising a family with the morals of my society and then was told ALL the rules changed...I would wonder about my "roots". Where I came from and why my way of life is "bad" to others...I would feel displaced from the world if they took my "background" away... So my question is this...It all started with "Holy Wars" people battling for the right to claim the land as "sacred". Is this still a Holy War? Are we still fighting on this soil to keep the past alive? Or are lives being lost and blood being shed to this day because of evil and good battling to the end? My views on life differ from many, but I am going to guess many more feel the same way I do. We realize name calling and vandilism are NOT the answer. We realize death and destruction are NOT the answer...yet we also realize that man can not "talk". Someone has to be "right" all the time in any conversation humans get into. It is my opinion and my faith that good will prevail over evil...in time. For now we are forced to sit and wait...as many of us can not go to battle...many of us would not go to battle. Many of us see human life as precious...even the bad guys. (Except it is hard to tell who they are not.) Living in a country that offers "Freedom and Liberty to All." gives me privileges yes...but do I really want those privileges...the news holds nothing but negative information...the TV programs on today go against any of the morals of yesterday. My biggest problem with this is Freedom and Liberty to All...did not include the natives that occupied this land for centuries before the European colonist got bored over seas and made their way here...It does not include the "right to live", as many life styles of "living off the land" are non existent anymore...deemed a "poverty" way of life therefore "inferior" to the ones that chose to live in expensive 6 bedroom homes with in home theaters and one kid. What would they think if....I chose to live off the land...yet my mattress was stuffed with the "Green God" we worship today...They would label me poor and unproductive...yet maybe I had millions stuffed in that mattress...I like a firm bed. It is my opinion that it takes us all to make it work...and someday...when the "grocery store" on the corner has prices too high...or no merchandise on the shelves...well then those that still know how to live off the land will be in need by the others who take it for granted that money will forever buy them happiness...

Bah Humbug!!!

Now I have heard it all....this world is doomed...doomed because the Easter Bunny has PMS!! Doomed because the media cant identify "tacky" commercials from informational ones.... Doomed because man kind is always looking for the way to "buy" themselves out of actions they caused themselves. Doomed because our lives are based around materialism! Buy,Buy,buy....then those warranties that mean cutting off an arm and mailing it to China for pickling before you package it with the appliance...pay astronomical shipping fees and the "small service fee"....could a bought a new one cheaper...and that is what they want us to do...so we do it!! Why have we allowed our world to come to this...what happened to the days people sat outside and talked in the evening....being friendly with the neighbors and enjoying human companionship... Now for the controversial stuff....Communism...our government is not doing it...that would be wrong...but they are allowing our retail industry to abuse us and use us...all for a buck...or lots of bucks in their case! Why does our world have to revolve around money...power...and control? Why cant our world live and let live. I can not believe I am the only person on this planet that can see a "Utopia"....I just think I am the only one that still has the faith in mankind to do what is right...but that faith is diminishing fast! I would like to challenge EVERYONE that reads my blog...find your BIBLE...Dont have one?....Even Motels have a Bible...every home should. Open that book to the book of Mathews...scan it, gaze at it....but read parts of it...Laws! That is what this book is about...Laws for living in a "Utopia" on earth. These Laws are amazingly just...payment for our actions against our neighbors...My guess is a few people were pissed that they got caught being bad...they did not want to pay for their crime...and thus..."the excuse system" was invented....Democracy. Now I have watched the videos from Obamas religious icon and leader...if he can state on a whim...."Oh yes....jesus is talking to me now...Death to America"...why is he not being tried like the ten year old in Palmer that wrote "I hate boys" on the bathroom wall? I will tell you why...he is using Jesus as a front...America is still afraid, even if they do not believe, that the ultimate power of Christ will retaliate someday...so we do not mess with Church figures who say Jesus talks to them.... Well here goes...think I am crazy...commit me to an institution if you would like...I could use the undisturbed sleep as well as the quite atmosphere... Jesus Christ lives...he has lived on this earth in many forms over the years...he is part of everyone of us. Jesus Christ wants us to live in harmony with the world around us...Through Martin Luther King...he preached freedom and equality...although many of the colored race did not hear the words...they saw the benefits of being "discriminated against" and ran with them...enjoying the fact that they were still different from the Whites....the steps were made...things changed a little....a great man was killed (just like Jesus) before he had the chance to gather a group of followers that would lead this world into good over evil. John Lennon...another...watch him sing...his songs may sound like your average love song...but...in the Beatles music...they take consequences for their own actions...their songs do not blame others for bad relationships and broken marriages...what I find most interesting is they always sing looking up...glancing toward the heavens as if they were singing a gospel....which is where they once began. Again a good man was slandered and killed...to prevent an army of good over evil. Many more come to mind...Michael Landon, Mother Theresa, John Denver, Princess Dia...all working to "better our world" all missing from our world now...and their words are fading into oblivion...just like the words of Jesus Christ... Jesus was a man...a very smart man...a humble man...a person who wandered around trying to get the world to see the truth...LOVE...COMPASSION...HUMBLENESS....this is the way to a Utopia...and yes father that Utopia will be seen on this earth someday....someday when politicians and retail giants crumble...when America sees they are not always right...many times the right thoughts...make the wrong actions...every human in this world is guilty of this...every country in the world is guilty of this...but...with some mind changes...this could change... I just hope it happens while I am alive...I want to see Jesus Christ when he returns in his original form...I want to meet the smartest man that ever walked this earth...the humblest man that ever talked to another human... And in the words of Obamas religious leader..."Jesus talks to me...he tells me to keep smiling...brush the negative thoughts out of my head...he tells me he will make this world better...and it will be sooner not later...our seven years to fix this problem are up in November...we will see a change...but it will not be due to American Politics"...those my friends are the words of Jesus in my heart...and I believe in what he stood for...PEACE ON EARTH as it is in the HEAVENS.........AMEN!!

The Wolf den ,my friends, was covered in snow... The Bear Den, it has, a long ways to go... The Buffalo Wallow, could be dug out, But the Crock Pond, my family, is no where about! Sooo....maybe we wont need ice for the meat and beer....but more than likely we will need snowshoes and mud boots.

Where is Spring?

Sitting here in moms "room" I am having the most enjoyable cup of coffee. Winds blowing outside may prevent father from his fishing plans of the day...but he has his bait out just in case. From the porch you can hear the waves break on the beach just a short mile away. BUT...dont let father delude you....they have SO MUCH snow here we may be using it in coolers for our meat and beer this Memorial Weekend...and everyone will be camping in my trailor as it is THE ONLY one you can still wade too....but we will need some shovells....So came south to find spring...heading home...where I know it is....lol....maybe next month....

A Blog...

Many requests have come for the updated version of Iditarod 2008...I was awaiting the "Red Lantern" to finish this but it appears the trailing sled is still making their way to the coast...could be another three days or so before we see her cross the finish line. We now have 43 musher's in Nome, ending their run in the 2008 Iditarod. William Kleedehn was the first Rookie to cross under the Burl Arches...with Nome's own Melissa Owens soon after. These two finished the race with in the top forty...good job to both of them. Melissa is the daughter of Mike Owens, an Iditarod competitor finishing 37th in 1987, and 23rd in 1990. Racing is in her blood, being raised in Nome with sled dogs all her life...will she go on to be the next generation of famous female mushers? Martin Buser's son, Rohn, also made is debut in the 2008 Iditarod...finishing the race in 37th place and the fourth rookie to make that final leg up Front Street. A race he started with his father but finished on his own...could we see a Buser take the titles from a Mackey some day in the future? I have always been fond of the Iditarod. This year I was obsessed with it. Even if some of the musher's had NOT been carrying GPS...just having the "official" web site to keep up with was fun...the map on my fridge has brought the musher's though the check points and into Nome... What ever will I do with my time until Iditarod 2009? hmmm...maybe volunteer...hmmm...father think about the options here...hmmm.... I did notice one thing while researching this Great Race...Alaska does have a "pro sport" we have many teams and many great people that come from all over the world. Dog mushing is so much more than a means of transportation, and the history of this Great sport is commiserated in the next 400 mile, race from Nome to Candle and back to Nome... The All Alaskan Sweepstakes, was started in 1908. As the winters get long up North the people had to find something to occupy their time in the winter...spring would arrive slowly but even 6 hours of daylight was better than 2. As spring began to appear it was still to frozen to return to the gold mines, hunters and trappers were taking advantage of the still frozen tundra and racing their wares into town, and the ice was breaking in the Berring sea, a time when the boats would return. Messages and supplies were relayed between the various gold mines and towns via dog teams. Musher's began competing...village to village for speed. These miners realized the potential of a dog breed by picking the parents at this time and began "breeding"...the Nome Kennel Club** was established, as well as the base linage of many of the dogs we see mushing that trail today. As time progressed dogs were breed to work by job....some for pulling loads...others for the speed. This race faded in and out of history for years. Resurrected from the history books the Nome Kennel Club once again is sponsoring this race of speed...fastest team gets the purse... A race that has gone unnoticed by many, with only 16 teams registered at the moment...it is for the best of the best...will the Mackey/King rivalry continue for the last race of the season? **Lance Mackey and Martin Buser both own linage from these dogs, acquired through Joe Reddington. Susan Butchers Kennel has a base line from here also...those are just to name a few. (could not find much on Jeff Kings dog linage. ) You can meet his team at that site though...father may note that he names his litters after movies...two of the dogs running the Iditarod are named from characters of the "Lonsome Dove" series. His daughters must help him name the litters as he also has a "Friends" litter.

2008 Iditarod is not over....

First place being taken by Lance Mackey was so deserved. Racing head to head with the "winnigest man" (stated by Mackey in Nome) with all the troubles he had on the trail...he knew he earned this and had to brag himself up a bit...but like last year is main focus was on his dogs, his wife, and his father. (Why I like him) I hope he was proud of himself...he remembered the Governors name this year...and even congratulated her on her "win". As well as apologized for getting her out of bed at 3am. Now his team was a different story...last year these dogs came into Nome and seemed thrilled to be running together...this year it was VERY obvious the troubles with jealousy between an old leader and the up and coming leader. Also quite obvious that even though he did not want to "pick" he would rather see his "new leader" get the nomination for the Golden Harness Award over the last years winner of this title, who was extremely "distant", refused to get on the stage to claim his victory and once there instead of leaning in to Mackey like last year...he pulled away and sent glaring glances at "Handsome". Now I know father is going to prattle on about this race so I will hold it sweet here...the rivalry between Lance Mackey and Jeff King will continue as both musher's will be mushing the Sweepstakes in just a few short days. Now as a foot note...I found it quite funny that breaking from a interview with Mackey twice for a commercial break...Chrysler being a big sponsor of this race...and Jeff King being their spokesperson...the first words we heard after Lance Mackey were...."Hi this is Jeff King...on my way to winning another Iditarod"...woke Eric with the laughter coming from the living room...kinda ironic just five minutes after Lance won...and an hour before King crossed the line... Good race by both these men...now....the race is not over...any minute the third place musher will be crossing that line...here it will be close...but remember...it's not over till the red lantern enters Nome....

Why?

So tell me why all these years have passed and I still believe EVERYTHING my daddy says...at almost forty I do get that little nagging doubt that he is pulling the wool over my eyes...but he is my daddy.... So anyone out there want to place a bet on the finish of the Iditarod...I will give you a choice of three sleds...I will choose one...loser cooks breaky for the winner Memorial Weekend...and 100 dollars? Anyone?

A Gift For My Brother...

Many long years ago...I bought my brother a new toy for Christmas. He saw this on TV and wanted it real bad...babysitting provided me with the opportunity to purchase my siblings gifts with out using my allowance. So big brother this time you will NOT BEAT me every time we play this game...and never will I feel guilty again for tearing the head off of the red guy...you always got red...and you always won...and I have always felt guilt for ruining you toy...So after I am done practicing...be ready big brother...I am gonna box your lights out.

Man in a Box

As a nursing student I chose many of my clinical assignments at the Seattle VA Hospital. As a young child I would dream of being a nurse in the United States Navy. My "Barbies" were always my nurses and my teddy bears went through many many surgeries as I secretly studied the human body in my room. (I am probably the only child in the world that begged the librarian to let me bring home encyclopedias at night if I returned them first thing in the morning...) Things happened in life that prevented me from joining the service so I found another way to play... The Seattle Veterans Hospital is a very large facility near the University of Washington...from all the Southern windows you can see Virginia Mason...Seattle's second largest Hospital and the worlds leading medical facility according to the American Medical Association. Once a dream of mine to work as a flight nurse at that hospital...oh back to the story... If possible I would chose my patients according to them being on the South side of the building...lol...allowed me to dream. On a beautiful sunny day I got lucky and was assigned a "one on one" patient in need of several of the procedures I needed to be graded on perfect for a nursing student. The nurses seemed pleased to assign him to me...but I wondered what was up...I have been the brunt of a good joke most of my life...I knew I was right in the middle of one at that moment...just had to wait for the punch line...and hope it did not embarrass me to bad. Now I am not going to name this man Mr. Smith...that would do an injustice to him. I will call him Bill as that was his name. When Bill first came to America we were in the middle of a war in Korea. To gain citizenship he was asked to join the United States Army. Following boot camp he was allowed to bring his wife over too. They had only been married briefly when he left his home country to beg entry into ours. Upon her arrival they had less than three days together before he was shipped out with his brigade. English as a second language proved to be an issue while he was fighting that war. Seven months before the war ended his brigade was under fire. Most died that day but three did not. These three were taken hostage by the Koreans. For a year Bill lived in a box similar to this but buried in the ground. For a year Bill was removed from the box regularly to be tortured. Doing my nursing evaluation on him I realized I could not understand a word he said...and wondered if it was a language barrier. After a few minutes of soft talk and introductions I began my assessment. A 70 something year old balding male, lie in the bed in front of me. His hair was an unnatural grey color...what there was of it. I soon discovered Bill had no teeth. Looking around the room for dentures I saw none, looking on the chart there was no reference to any being seen. I had however found my language barrier. Ever try talking with out any teeth... Now I could understand part of what Bill said to me. Being a person who was taught to respect my elders I explained to Bill what would happen while I was on shift. I never touched a patient with out explaining and educating them first. Bill nodded in understanding as I pulled the sheet back to reveal that he was in a five point restraint...chest vest, wrists, ankles all tied tight to the bed frame...he could not have weighed more than 80 pounds and most of these nurses had REAL big butts!! Glancing up at his face I noted fear in his eyes...this bothered me so much it made me cry. (later in the bathroom...not in his room). My job at the moment was to assess and prepare him for a catheter placement. I had never placed one in a man...and I was a bit nervous...and the fear in his eyes did not help. Vital signs taken I glanced toward his hands tied on the bed. This is when I made mistake number one...I untied his hands. His fingers were turning blue and they needed loosened...but I left them that way...a "no no" with out the charge nurses approval...I learned that day. As color returned to his finger tips I noted that he had no finger nails at all...glancing to his feet...you guessed it...mistake number two...I untied them too as I noted he had no toenails either and four of his toes were chopped off at the first knuckle on each foot. Feeling the lump rise in my throat I looked out the window and spoke softly to him...trying to ease his fear and my tears. (damn years later he still makes me cry)... Putting a urinary catheter in is a sterile procedure requiring a sterile field. I began placing mine together as I talked to him about what was coming up next. Bill nodded his head and a tear slipped from his eye...but the fear eased away in them. Now remember I needed a grade on this, and it is procedure to have another person in the room with you when you do an invasive procedure like this on the opposite sex. So I left and returned with my teacher. Upon entering the room I realized mistake number three...I forgot to tell him I was bringing back another human and fear returned to his eyes. My instructor was a short little gal with a bob hair cut...make up always perfect and nursed in high heels...but she was compassionate. She committed mistake number four and untied his chest vest while softly reassuring him it would be okay. Fear left his eyes as soon as he was completely untied...I guess after a year in a box, being tied down would scare the shit out of me too....he relaxed. You could understand him better because he slowed down to talk. I only wish he could have warned me of the up coming joke. When a bed ridden patient is put in their bed properly...two sheets are used. The bottom one covers only the lower half of the body for privacy during vitals and chest percussion. This also allows the nurse to pull the sheet from the foot of the bed for lower body inspection keeping the patients upper half warm with the top sheet or blanket. After my sterile field was inspected and the mandatory check list checked off...we began. When I pulled the sheet and finished tucking it...i was in for another shocker...his testicles were there and intact...but the rest of him was gone! Now I knew the joke...and it was not on me...it embarrassed me yes...but not nearly as bad as it did Bill...he was crying so hard I could not stop myself... My instructor pulled the sheet back down patted Bill and retied his vest...explained that we would be back in a moment as we forgot a critical supply...A FEMALE CATH! there is six inches difference in these two caths...one made for a man for a reason. We went into the break room and she let me cry. When I was done she asked me why it was I was crying. It was hard to explain to her, but at that moment I felt all this mans pain...not his physical pain...but his emotional pain...it damn near gave me a heart attack it hurt so bad...the life sacrifice he gave to that war. To be an American. We finished what we started and I sat with him for a very long time. I tried hard to understand him but could only catch every fifth word or so. Nurses had claimed he was senile...I say he was toothless and spoke English as a second language...hello! His wife arrived that afternoon, with the news that their 15 year old dog was going to be put down that afternoon. This was the last of their six "children" to leave this world. Here is where I made mistake number...whatever it is...Remember he is in restraints. A restrained patient can not leave the room with out a security officer and a Charge nurse. So I told her I would distract the nurses left at the desk as most were at lunch or charting...while she smuggled the dog in for a last good bye. OOOPS. Guess what small dogs bark...even hospital doors do not muffle this bark. I could not resist meeting this dog when I discovered the nursing station empty...so I returned to the room. On the bed I saw a dying man holding his dying dog and wished they could lay there and die in peace together...he deserved this. But little Fido was dying of cancer not old age...and little Fido did not like anyone near her daddy...after the third bark...the door flew open slamming against the wall with the racket of an exploding bomb! The dog jumped from the bed and began barking at the HUGE black figure standing there. Bill was clinging to the ceiling...or would have been if he had finger nails... then the screaming began...and let me tell you black ladies can scream....then she noticed the wrist and ankle restraints untied... She ripped both sheets from the bed and tossed them back on him when she realized the vest was still intact. I guess she did not take lightly to having her toes stepped on...this is the only hospital that I worked at that required the charge nurse for restraints...most just need her "nursing orders", and a doctors prescription. Next she shoved me from the room and slammed the door screaming about nursing students and head aches...guess i did a big boo boo.... My nursing instructor was there waiting and once again we returned to the lounge to discuss this situation. I had two choices and the best she saw it...I had a better chance of remaining in the nursing program if I wrote up a patient advocacy petition. This required a lot of chart research and family interviews...but it also gave me 200 extra credit points for doing what was right for my patient. But it also required me to attend a meeting with a bunch of people in decorated uniforms to decide if the charge nurse was out of line and needed disciplined...(she was active duty). That makes twice in my life time I have been involved in the "Court Marshal" procedures. Let me tell you that is scary. She was put on administrative leave and was eventualy demoted and moved to a clinic. Burn out had gotten her. Him? after three days of having him as a patient I discovered many things about marriage and life. His wife did not leave him...according to her they have lived an abstinate marriage minus their wedding night. She married him because she loved him and they dealt with what they had been given...freedom. The chance to settle in one place and grow a garden. The opportunity to walk in the woods and not get shot...lol...guess she never lived in Anchorage. The day Bill left this world he left with a smile his wife holding one hand, and me the other. As I once again sat in the lounge and cried for this patient, a fellow student came in and locked the door. She sat on the floor in front of me, placed her hands on my knees and stated this... "That man died a good man. What he gave gave many an opportunity to live." Then she began telling me the story of how her family came to America...Not Korean but Lucian (think I spelled that wrong)Her family fled when the Viet Kong raided her home village. She was three. She watched her male family members die horrible deaths as her mother raced for the shelter of the forests carrying her children in her arms. They walked over 300 miles through mountains and snow storms...burying her brother and grandmother on the way, to get to the coast in hopes of finding safe passage to America. When I returned to his room to once again get "checked off" (post mortem care in not fun nor is it easy) I discovered several of the "Asian" students had visited his room...there were Korean "icons", name tags, flowers, and cards to his wife from class mates of mine that had or were a part of the Viet Nam war.... So not only have I given many years of my life to dreaming of a Navy career given up to parent...spent a few as a wife of an active duty man...I have worked with the soldiers of the past...and I have been educated by the people they sacrificed so much for...I thank God every day for giving me this experience...sad as it was...it made me feel good to allow this man the chance to hold his baby...and to piss off that big black lady...it also brought me many new friends from all over the world.

12 mile lead out of Cripple...

Lance may not have made it to cripple first...but he left first...according to the GPS site...he is currently 12 miles a head of the pack...and gaining as most are stopped at Ophir....theres your Iditarod update for Thursday March what ever day it is....

Truth...the whole truth is long...so take what you get.

This blog may be taken offensive by some. It was not meant that way. This is a blog of honesty and love...If we lie to ourselves we commit a great crime against our own person. As a mature adult is it not time to put Jr. High gossip and High School games to rest. Over the last several years I have been listening to rumors many about myself. I am appalled that adults still act this way. So I am blogging this to make a few things clear to all. With my class reunion coming up I am looking forward to seeing many old friends and acquaintances...at the same time I am hearing rumors and crap about class mates and myself that are so old dinosaurs have pooped on them...it is time for us all to grow up. So lets start here...yes...I had my first baby at 16. He is now 22 and joining the army...a father and a husband...a boy to be proud of. And yes I did have another at 18...he too is a boy to be proud of...holds down a job and lives his life to help others. Yes both these boys have different dads...thanks to rumors. And yes I did divorce the father of my second child. My fault or his does not matter it is water under the bridge and lessons learned. I did get into another long term relationship and had a beautiful daughter who is almost 16 and a very good student in school. Through the relationship with her father I learned a lot...and furthered my education to assist myself in my own life struggles and to gather information for helping others. Unfortunately Cancer found me and my struggles began again. My relationship which was already unstable was killing me (literally as he now has a record with the courts of Washington). I will admit at this point I lost it...I was a nurse who was told she was dying of cancer...involved in a very bad relationship that I lost hope of saving or getting out of. Coming to terms with dying is not a process many will have to go through in their life times until old age sets in. Until you have been there please don't judge the way others handled the situation. Yes at this time with death hovering near and a relationship that was violent...I wanted to die...and not wait for cancer to do it...the pain my kids were suffering was horrible...my death would have eased it quicker for them allowing them to get on with their lives with out me, is how I saw it then. And yes in 1998 and 1999 I had a problem with drugs. Prescription drugs that doctors used to freely prescribe. Morphine was my drug of choice as it would kill me with out pain. Pain in my heart was way worse than the pain my body was feeling. At that moment...I saw all my failings...which many seem to love to keep shoving in my face...and I regretted that I did not have the time left on this earth to fix them. A trip down the Oregon coast changed my life. Sitting on a bluff one day I realized that maybe modern medicine was killing me. Maybe if I had faith in the words of Jesus Christ I would be saved from this horror that was eating my body away.... I returned to the hospital I worked for...I handed in my license and my time card along with my notice of resignation. I accepted the consequences for my actions which included a potential imprisonment for embezzling narcotics from a medical facility. Lunch with the DEA ended with a hug from him...and him carrying my license to where ever they take them. This DID NOT in any way affect the fact that I did graduate from nursing school at the top of my class...the information i learned will always be with me and I use it daily. I came home to Alaska to die. I brought my kids to meet my family figuring once I was gone their dads would never allow them up here. Faith helped me survive. Faith and love. The unconditional love my sister and her husband gave me at a time when they did not really know me showed me someone in this world does care. Eric taking the chance with a women who has death hanging over her head showed me NOT to give up. Several months after Eric and I started dating a tumor was found in my kidney...again the battle began...this time I lost a rib and a kidney but thanks to a wonderful Ultra Sound Tech at South Pen Hospital and the love of Eric and my family...the tumor was found before it had the chance to rupture and spread that horrible crap through my body again. Even though the outcome was different this time, I fell into a major depression...would I have to deal with this the rest of my life? One organ at a time? Try living with that fear. Every ache and pain in my body made me feel it was back...still does if I let it. Once again I ran to docs for help...mood altering drugs were prescribed...these made me forget...but did not allow me to deal with reality.... Just six months after losing my kidney Eric and I found out we had defied medicine and I was going to have the baby they said I would never conceive again. This was a hard choice for me to make...keeping a baby with the medical issues I had. It also required Eric to leave fishing so he would be home to help me as I was still recovering from a major operation and had many weight restrictions and limitations. This is when we moved to Anchorage....I needed to be close to the specialist. Today Eric and I are the proud parents of two beautiful children...he works very long hours to support us and I keep his home up and his meals cooked while attempting to achieve a career in writing...something that does not require me to break all my medical limitations. So on that note...I have one kidney....I have had cancer three times and I have five children...I am not a drug addict and neither is my husband the alcohol consumer many remember his as. We have worked hard for our children all of them and will continue to do so until the day we can no longer. Faith saved my life. Faith is my drug of choice. Faith that man kind is good and not evil...Faith that somehow someday we will see the paradise on earth we all so desire. It may not be the materialistic one many think they need...but our needs will be met...food will be had by all...and illness will no longer exist. As soon as man realizes that we are all here for the same purpose...to live together in love and harmony. so on that note...."DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERS DO TO YOU....and hakunamatta." ***Thanks Franki and Karen for giving me the motivation to write this...I do not want to hide from the school bullies anymore...it is about time people realize life is not about how we look, or who we live with, life is about appreciating the little things...like the slush puddles in my front yard...so now...the babies and I are going out to play in them....Thanks Franki....your a wonderful woman.

A Brief Intermission....

again?

Wanna know whats happening with the Iditarod...well me too...that is why I am still up. Reading the official Iditarod site news releases I have been informed that if you have two dogs in the basket of your sled...and they are sitting on the GPS tracking device, the signal will be disrupted and lost. It also appears that quite frequently the musher's are out of the satellite area and one must be sure to check the time their signal was last transmitted. So on that note I now know how these mushers cover several miles in minutes...I must remember to check the time. It does appear that Lance raced right through McGrath about twenty minutes ago....Jeff King and Kjetil Backen right behind him...there is a prize award to the first musher to make it to McGrath...wonder who has it? Wish the official web site were a bit faster in their postings... So with the race a third of the way over it does not appear that any of the mushers have taken their mandentory rest...I hear that Ophir is famous for their pies and quite frequently the choice of lay over spots...located just a few miles from McGrath... Wonder what kind of pies...mmmm....I like pie. So it is 40 degrees at 11:30pm here in LA...rain flowing down the icy road in front of my house...maybe it will be pavement in the morning...or maybe it will be snow...Either way...it will be a mess.

Back to our regularly schedualed program...

Iditarod 2008... Now that the below intermission is said and done...we return to the race...I have found several web sites covering this race...the GPS tracking devices that several of the musher's are carrying allows me to keep up with them...but not all the musher's are carrying them...so this is not a deciding factor of who will win this race. The "Official Site of the Iditarod" has several different types of race coverage, many links to the history of the race and the musher's, as well as written and pictorial coverage of the race. This "Current Standings Chart" is not as accurate as the one I found during the Yukon Quest...takes them a bit longer to relay information from the tundra I guess...but it does give a very adequate over view of the most recent current standings in a format that even an graphical idiot like myself can understand. Now according to the GPS Lance Mackey is wearing, he is leading the pack from Finger Lake on his way to Rainy Pass. I am going to guess his ascent up the mountain will be fairly quick as his team has had a nice rest, but according to the Official Iditarod site...he is still resting in Skewtna...hmmm...maybe someone snagged his GPS? Lets move back to the GPS site...according to this new age tracking system the musher line up has Lance slightly in the lead over Cim Smyth and Jessie Royer...the chart on the side states that Lance Mackey in behind them...but the little doggies running say other wise....although yet again the Official Site states an entirely different story. So now I return to the GPS gazing room and watch as Mr Mackey races ahead prparing for a climb high into the mountains of the interior of Alaska...the trail breaker better pick up speed or he too may be passed by the little doggie in the flag... woof, woof, to Nome we go!

and they wonder why kids grow up so fast...

A few days ago Ms. Brittany came into my room requesting some feminine hygiene products. Grabbing a handfull of tampons I handed them to her over Melissa's head. Melissa looking up asked... "Why does Brittany need butt plugs?".... my mouth fell open and I struggled for a minute with how to respond to this verbiage out of the blue... "Where did you figure that out?" I asked her dreading the answer.... "On the box at the store mama...the lady is putting one of those in her butt." Now my box of products does NOT have these pictures on them...so when I was shopping for more product yesterday I could not help but notice....the feminine hygiene isles have all gone X-rated...I will avoid this isle with my children in future shopping trips... Warming oils with erotic images...found on the shelf...(now don't get me wrong...I am all for these type of adult things in the right environment but to have to explain to my small children the facts of life while in the grocery store...not my cup of tea!) Now aside from the oils and lubricants...three out of five packages of feminine products have the instructions on the out side of the box...complete with the lady with her foot up on the toilet inserting a "butt plug"! So thanks to commercials and the retail industry...my four year old daughter knows all about "pills that make men smile"..."butt plugs"...and my favorite... "I have herpes mama and need medicine!" valtrex commercials are numerous and always make having herpes look like fun....she noticed!...No she does not know what herpes are...and yes I tried to change the topic after a quick..."It's for big people not little ones...little ones dont get herpes...." So why is it again we dont see cigarette adds on TV? Why is alcohol is not advertised on TV? Why is it that my children can learn all about herpes meds and ED drugs...but she cant learn about a condom? The prevention theory was proving to work...and now they are changing and advertising sexual drugs on TV...showing kids that if you do not chose abstinence and you get herpes...no big deal...we have valtrex...and one of the side effects of this drug is erectile dysfunction...but thats ok too...we have "Happy Pills!" So we need to bring back the Marlboro man...he was cute and rode a nice horse...this should increase sales on valtrex to women...and that Virginia Slim lady...bet the ED drugs would sell like hot cakes if they advertised them after the commercial of her rolling her head and swinging that long luscious hair while puffing her slim and dainty cigarette!!

Iditarod 2008

One Musher down...95 to go...As bid number one is permanently assigned to a dead musher...it never rides on a musher in this race anymore. So 96 teams ran the first 11 miles of the 2008 Iditarod. A good practice run for many as the "wipe out" rate was numerous on the Tudor end of the track...next year I will watch at the end not the beginning... G.B.Jones, musher number 45 ran the ceremonial start through Anchorage then announced his retirement and with drew from the race. He has ran five races, scratched three, finished two his best in 2002 finishing in 57th. G.B. Jones has written and published a book called "Winning the Iditarod"... Now my prediction for this race is 23 scratches...this keeps with the average of past races...the top five are going to be close...Jeff King has his "Eye of the Tiger" playing on his Ipod to remind him that Lance Mackey in no easy rival...Lance has plotted and planned and with his numerous dogs and years of mushing as well as having his little brothers coming in behind him...he has a lot riding on this race...now the other three in the top running are not the picks of the pack for me.... Rick Swenson has been sliding back wards in the past several years...but with the challange between Mackey and King...he may just make a come back and finish again in the top five...Not the other two I have no clue who to chose...the guy from Homer...well a home town boy he is not...summers in Homer...winters in Idaho...hmmm....Brittany says Rohn Buser..."he is dreamy"...so my top five picks are in... Lance Mackey, Jeff King Rick Swenson Martin Buser Rohn Buser (this boy being named after a check point...will at least make it to Rohn hehe) GOOD LUCK to all the teams and may the best ipod win!!

Iditarod 2008....Ceromonial Start

This photo was taken for sentimental reasons...Unfortunately the recruiter station is no longer there and the little greasy spoon restaurant was so full a small baby could not have fit in that place let alone six of us for hot chocolate. So we moved along... Everyone takes the iditarod as an opportunity to advertise... Now the free mittens were a wonderful thing for those who forgot theirs (Donny and Anna)...Although the fleece used in the making of these gloves provides better Air conditioning than heat retention...I am told...I had my gloves. but I got my free pair anyway. Now here is an event that is probably losing its audience due to a very poor job as auctioneer. Starting the bid at 100 dollars and attempting to sell two arctic fox's separately but at one time...these fox's gave their lives for 25 dollars apiece. I am thinking a good auctioneer would have started the bid at 25 and worked up. A good auctioneer would have been able to babble endlessly and draw a crowd thus forming a competition. Well....this man had NO CLUE how to run an auction....it was still neat to see the traders and the "truck" full of furs...all non tanned. Britt was a little ill at the site...but...I want the 150 dollar mittens made from beaver fur...and the red fox hat with the ear muffs....yep...warm! All the musher's were wearing them....for the start...then comes GORTEX! And on that note...Notice the Grand Opening Advertisement...found on our free mittens.