Still no ash falling

and for those of you who wonder how close we really are. I'm adding a bit of a map for you. Has been interesting to follow this volcano in the working. Have had patients who talked about the last one and living with the ash.

Although it was about a 5 hour trip by car last summer to the Clam Gulch side of the mountain, it isn't that far as the crow flies.

I also had some incredibly fascinating patients this week who shared stories of the '64 earthquake here. What surprised me was that all of them talked about their amazment at what was happening, but no one was afraid. We really don't need to have that one happen again. Last week there was a 5.2 quake in Anchorage.

I got one of my chuckles this week while reading a History & Physical on a patient. The surgeon had written that "last summer while on a trip to America" ..... Where are we? I am used to hearing "lower 48" and other things. A first for me was this America thing. Altho', talking (and chuckling) with other nurses, I found that it was often referred to that way. And to give the writer credit ... he is nearing retirement.

We tried buying a heating stove this week on ebay. "Free shipping in the United States" was very clearly in their ad. Jari checked ... because we now know better. Not free to Alaska. Maybe we really aren't in the United States of America.

Does that mean I won't have to pay the IRS in April?

I cheated for dinner ... the pizza is here! Gotta run!

Mt Redoubt as seen last June

Our view of the mountain last June when we went to Clam Gulch and then on to Homer. We're all waiting to see what happens.

Kids have been getting hints and tips at school .... and THE plan.
Tip of the day from one of Tia's teachers: buy extra car filters now. Should the volcano blow, there may not be any.
Mom just called to see if we had bought any masks yet. We haven't. I figure we have an abundant supply at the hospital ... I'll just bring home a few. Wonder what Duke will do when we mask him so he can go outside to pee. I may have to follow .... just to watch!

This could be interesting!

I can't really feel earthquakes at this house like I could at the rental house. Jari has felt a few, I must be otherwise mentally occupied and not paying attention. I just notice when the pictures are hanging crooked on the wall yet again.

A Year in Alaska

I started scrapbooking long before it was a trendy thing. Long before cute rub ons and doodads. Instead I liked to doodle ... and tell little stories along the way.
The only problem with the scrapping stuff is all the STUFF! And I don't have one of those cute little nooks that holds my stuff. To be perfectly honest ... I stole half the kitchen pantry for storage of STUFF. As much as I enjoy playing with paper, glue and cutter ... this digital scrapping is really handy.
Turn the computer on, file photos in findable places .... and hit SAVE when you're done!
I've been working on a book that I am calling "A Year in Alaska". Most of the year has been done for quite a while. This is the part that hasn't been. The leaving. And then the drive. My photos may be filed in appropriately named files, but they aren't in order. I need to figure out if a picture of a road with mountains (it isn't like we didn't see a few of those!) is in the Yukon Territory, Alaska or podunk nowhere! Those pages may take a bit more time.

I also have page 2 ... am saving it for you ... maybe tomorrow!

My wish has come true. It is snowing!! Nice big, fluffy flakes. As fast as Jari can sweep the snow off the steps, it is back again. Now that the sun is up a bit longer everyday ... perhaps I'll get to snap a picture for you when I get home.
I see snow activity filling the weekend.
I'm ready for some. :)

No snow at my house

The weatherman has a problem with the truth.
We've been waiting, waiting, waiting for more snow.
I did scoop dog poop last Saturday. That was great.
Give it a good kick and it flies loose from the frozen ground.
We've had a bit too much of this brown and "see everything you don't want to see" world.

Last night we were suppose to have snow after midnight. It isn't suppose to stop until Friday. It hasn't started yet. I'm still waiting.

Our yard, and many others, are still ice rinks. The end of the driveway is a bit sketchy. Makes you wonder if you're going to hit the trees.
Last Saturday Demetra decided to go visit the neighbors. Up the hill behind the house and then up their driveway. TWICE I tried to get her down from there. My knees are bruised. Should have worn my skates.

I just want some snow!!! I'm whining again ... I know. Maybe today will be the lucky day.

Taxes, Tesoro, Toasted

'Tis that time of year again. For the most part, every receipt I have is entered into some sort of money program on my marvelous computer. I probably waste a lot of time doing this, but it makes me feel like I'm halfway on top of things.

On top of things doesn't help anything!

At least I can, with the click of several buttons, tell you that these vehicles sucked a lot of gas in the past year. It would have been cheaper to drive cross country several times than drive around here.

Mind you ... I know that we had the highest gas prices in the nation in the past year ... our diesel is still at about $3.39 a gallon ... a buck higher than unleaded.

I've heard plenty about grocery bills that equal house payments. We seem to have nearly made it there as well. I haven't bought meat, with the exception of chicken, in quite a while. Our freezer is nicely stocked, thanks to some wonderful folks.

But, when the price of gas and diesel have you at nearly house payment levels ...

$10,887.57 is mighty close to real numbers. Might be missing some cash I put into Alyx's gas tank and whatnot.

Yikes!

Saturday Fun

Saturdays are the only day of the week that pulla baking occurs around this house. Today I used powdered milk instead of regular 2% milk. I have plenty of the powdered stuff sitting in the pantry ... and regular milk ... the cereal bowls would prefer it! I think I gained several pounds after eating today! A big accomplishment today included this quilt! When the girls were little ones, I did a fair amount of sewing. With sewing comes the piles of left over fabric. I also took things apart to use fabric. The waste not want not thing. I wish I could remember how many years ago it was that I finally decided I had to do something with all those scraps or pitch them. I put together my first quilt ... and then stashed it in a closet. It stayed there for MANY years. In the past several years I took it out again. I used it for a cover over a couch which made those nasty seams start fraying. Ugh! Before we moved up here I decided that it had to be finished. And did I try. Without accomplishing my mission. This past week it came out again ... took over the dining room table .. Oreo the cat took over the blanket .... and my fingers are nearly raw!

Every knot is tied ... the binding is on ... and I added it to the pile of blankets we grab from when there is a chill in the house! I should have had Anna show me how to put the binding on ... her quilt looks much better than mine. :) Will see what I can find to do next!