snow machine ride

This adventure happened 2 weeks ago, was a nice sunny afternoon so about 3p I decided to walk the dogs, but the dogs got to walk and I got to ride one of the old skidoo elans. So told the mechanic we were going to the eagle watering hole. When I got to the watering hole I ran into a trapper so we chatted for a couple minutes he called that cool spot the "bird bath:. Said the eagles will get totally wet and then they can't fly until they dry off. Even in the winter they get totally wet in the open water. So I decided that since it was so nice out we would go a bit farther down the trail and do a loop and end up back home. So down the trail we went, well I missed the turn off and ended up going a long ways down the trail. About the time the sun was going down, I figured I better let the mechanic know where I was, so I stopped looked at my cel phone which is zipped up in my coveralls right, it's 430p, well I got to pee so I';; call him after I pee. Some how the cel phone fell out of my coveralls (could have been the unzipped pocket ha) I couldn't find the cel phone in the snow anywhere, it's getting dark and I got to keep moving. We went a few more miles down the trail and I realize that this isn't right I must turn back. Meanwhile the dogs are still running with me, the ole hound had caught up with us when were at the bird bath, I thought she had stayed home, so I have to let her ride with me on the snogo but it's hard to ride that old machine with a dog so I kept falling off it or the trail, make her run a while and then give her a ride. Well the 2 trappers had told me that day, they had lots of traps out, so then I worry about the labs getting caught in traps, if we keep moving then they won't be poking their noses or foot in a trap. Good think I had my headlamp with me because the elan has no headlight, so we are heading back home finally in the dark, and the elan quits running about 3/4 of a mile from home. So I start walking home. I hear a snow machine running and stops and someone is hollering well it's the mechanic, he has been out looking for me for the last 2 hours. He isn't very happy with me cuz I'm not where I said I would be and I didn't call. Well we went back and got the elan and drug it home, got it running again and sno go's in the garage, when I went in the house it was 8p. The mechanic went to look for the cel phone the next day but didn't find it so I got a new cel phone. The hardest thing about no cel phone, I don't know any phone number and no way to tell time.

lab vs moose

The mechanic has been home for the last 12 days and he does keep me busy. I do have stories to tell though...

The lab has a thing about moose they can't be in her yard, they can't be on her trail, they can't be where she is walking on the roadway or even by the road, she has to go bark at them. If the moose runs she will follow for awhile, figure she has did her job and then come back to me. If the moose decides that it can tolerate the barking dog and just stands there eating, she will continue to bark at it for who knows how long. So I go for a walk with the 2 dogs and there is a moose that decides it doesn't care if that dumb dog is barking. Of course the moose is out in the open and so I give it lots of room in case Mr Moose decides to run my direction. So the dog wouldn't come to me when I called, I walked away hoping she would follow and she doesn't, the dog barked at the moose for 1/2 hour. Well by this time it's getting late and darkness isn't to far away and I know the trappers will be coming out of the woods on their snogo's so I need to get the dog off the moose so they don't shoot the dog. I have walked about and extra 1/2 mile with the dog still barking at the moose, so by this time I am so mad I am going to get that dog, moose there or not. So I walk toward the dog and moose the moose runs off into the wood with the dog behind, once the moose is in the woods the dog comes back to me and here comes the trappers, at least the moose is gone, so I finally get up to the dog and hit her (gently of course). We'll that would be a lesson learned the shock collar is now on her for our walks and it works great a shock when she chases the moose and she comes right back to me without the moose. The moose count is up by my house 6 in a mile or less.

quilt

Not a very good picture but this is the quilt I made for my granddaughter for Christmas. It is a twin size quilt and made of flannel so nice and soft. She had picked out a princess patch while we were shopping at JoAnns and I sewed that on the back. The longarm really is nice, once I get going on the quilt but the starting part isn't going very well yet. I guess one good thing about a bad picture is you can't see all the mistakes.

Merry Christmas

I spent the last 4 days in ANC, visiting, hanging out, shopping, making stuff, wrapping presents, sewing, eating, staying up late and sleeping in. My daughter had to work until 8p on Christmas eve, so I stayed in town we had dinner at her house and opened presents, then I hit the road about 930pm for my 3 hour drive home. Stopped at the top of Turnagain pass to give the dogs a break, the moon was bright and gave the mountains shadows, the stars were out it was very beautiful. As I drove through town just before I got home the time/temp at the bank said it was 1230p -17. Got the jeep unloaded, dogs taken care of and hit the hay, not sure if it was from listening to so much Christmas music or being very tired but I heard Sleigh bells as I was falling asleep.

ole hound

The dog house has made me chuckle last few days. It has been cold out so the ole hound dog doesn't leave her house except for a morning snack and evening dinner. She is kind of like the car "20 or below plug it in" 20 or above is OK with her, below she is staying inside. Just so nobody thinks we are mean for letting the dogs sleep out side, the dog house is insulated and filled with straw, so it's really warm in there. The night I felt really bad was when she had to sleep in the straw in front of the dog house because she had kicked all the straw outside. She still did OK, she had a high calorie dinner and straw wrapped around her, she wasn't even shaking when I woke her up in the morning.

my weekend

Went to ANC on my weekend, daughter has bought a new house, I was going to help move but they have already got most of there thing moved. I helped pick out some curtains and going to size them for the windows next days off. Did a little Christmas shopping got the mechanics mom a NOOK, that thing is so cool, and she will now be able to read books again. I have the NOOK to set it up and download books on it. I'll give it to her next week. She usually wants nothing for Christmas but this year found something she can use.

This picture is on the drive home it was so beautiful out, the pictures just don't look as good as the real thing. I pulled over on the road to get this shot, it's right after the pass and just before some lakes. I was a little tired after my drive no more than usual, but a little nap seemed in order because there was a hockey game to play at 9p. So I layed down for a nap, woke up at 915p went back to sleep called in sick for work the next morning and got out of bed at 3p. I can't think of a time when I have done that there must have been a little flu bug also. Working on a quilt for my granddaughter for Christmas, but that longarm machine is kicking my butt, I spend more time riping out stitches than sewing them in.

word of wisdom

there was a e-mail going around that had much advice

so I thought of some of my own that are important in my life.

1. Pray before going to sleep
2. Family is important
3. Walk every day, take the dog
4. Look at the sky
5. Read books, magazines are the best but sometimes it maybe anything with words
6. Stitch, art or craft some type of creativity
7. Get out on the water
8. Sports, playing is more fun than watching but both are worth the time