We did the real Alaskan experience last night, pulled an all-nighter in -13° temps quartering a salvage moose. (I posted pics previously.)
Alaska is serious about not wasting game meat. Even salvage moose still has useful meat left after an impact, these animals are just so big. But this poor girls torso was too far gone.
The truck that hit her did not fare well. I hope the occupants are okay.
The best we can do for these animals is make sure they don’t go to waste. The ultimate environmentally friendly action
Today will be busy, to say the least. But I’ll take a moment to express my gratitude for those special people in my life. There are many, many people I could name but for brevity’s sake I’ll keep it to two groups!
My kids top the list of course. We have our challenges but each of them brings their own special something to our home. Their creativity, their wit, their uniqueness. I love them so.
Then there’s my bestest friends, my solstice sisters. They make everything right when we’re together. I can’t thank them enough for all the things.
There are others of course, many, which I hold dear. Today will be spent focusing on these blessings and the other 29 days worth of posts that bring joy and meaning to my life.
Today was supposed to be pre-cooking prep and working on kitchen organization. Instead we spent the day rearranging, cleaning and decorating the living room. We made a dent.
Lil Bit did get the cornbread made. Lil Mister was working on prepping his pumpkin, but he gave up so Lil Bit took charge. Thing 1 is working on pie crusts tonight. The rest will be done tomorrow.
Festive window.
Lil Bit was very helpful today. She stayed with me all afternoon and we got it done. So thankful for a helpful child.
This number is one I share with my mom. It’s our special day. Although it’s not today, I’ll go ahead and post about it early, since I’ll be done with my 30 days of Thankfulness series before it arrives!
Around the fire pit with the fam. March 2019
She lives 3,825 miles away from me, give or take a few. Which means we don’t get to see each other frequently. So when we do get to see each other it’s a special event. We haven’t been together for our special day since 2012, the last one before I moved to Alaska.
Red beans & rice. One of the home cooked meals we had.
Last time I saw her was in 2019. We went for a family visit, both mine and Dean’s. Which took us from sea to shining sea. Little mister got to play in the Atlantic Ocean.
That same year I made a solo trip back in August, since Rickerd (my stepdad) was ill. I stayed at her house and it was just me and her for most of the time. My siblings came for visits of various lengths but mostly me and her, her dogs and the spiders.
Roscoe & Lilly
Brown Recluse Spiders had taken up residency in the spare room. I used DE like a priest uses holy water, it was everywhere, to keep those little demons away.
Mom had been keeping Rickerd company in his long hospital stay and was just in need of a respite, and some help with housework.
She had a crazy accident the morning I arrived, so thankful that she nor my sister Mert we’re harmed as a result. It really messed up her vehicle tho.
Where her vehicle left the road.
Consequently we were able to spend a lot of time together. 💗
I’m forever grateful that my Rickerd recovered and we still have his unparalleled wit and wisdom to illuminate our lives. I’m so very thankful to have been able to spend this time with my Mama. Grateful to my brother for fixing her vehicle.And blessed that we share a special day.
#grateful #thankful #blessed
P.S. update on Bergie, the Bergster, old man cat. He’s been doing well enough. Eating a little more now, still hates taking his meds. He’s strong enough to fight like the Dickens not to swallow his pill. Lol He rests most of the day, but usually picks a human to be near. He occasionally hides to be alone.
Today is the anniversary of my grandfather’s birthday, of blessed memory.
He loved pecans so his birthday treat usually contained pecans. Either in the form of a raisin pecan pie, his favorite, or a chocolate cake topped with pecans.
He loved John Wayne movies and I remember watching so many of them that I was surprised to learn there were some I hadn’t seen.
He collected firearms. All types and sorts. I remember watching him disassemble and clean them with fascination. He was so focused and serious. He enjoyed collecting them and target practice. He taught me to say “44 Magnum”, an early addition to my vocabulary.
He tinkered out in his man cave, otherwise known as the carport/garage. I helped him many a time smelt lead for making bullets. I still remember the smell that little crucible put off when it heated the lead.
I used to sit on the steps and just watch him do whatever he was doing. Often it involved WD-40. That smell still takes me back to those wooden steps, sitting with Grandpa.
He always kept a big bottle of Tabasco on his side table. He put it on everything he ate. Therefore, so must I! He also would let an aspirin dissolve in his mouth instead of swallowing it. So I had to as well. One time I saw him drinking apple cider vinegar and, you guessed it, I needed a glass for myself.
He and grandma loved their pets. Over the years there were many. Hinerich, Hinnie for short, the wiener dog was before my time but I heard so many stories of him I thought I knew him. There was Pierre the poodle, the Siamese cats: Sam Ying and Koko Ping, then the birds. They had cockatiels. Three of them. Susie and Toby and the third escapes me. I’m sure my mother or sister will remind me. These birds were so spoiled. I remember Toby sitting on my Grandpa’s fork as he ate. Toby would lean down and nibble a little bite on the way up from the plate! Crazy!
He was a purple heart veteran of WWII. He was opinionated and stubborn. He was my Beanpa, my mentor, my roll model. I loved him so. I remember only twice being in trouble with him. I was crushed. I never wanted to upset him again.
In my mind he was amazing. I know, of course, he was far from perfect. Grandma used to say “don’t speak I’ll of the dead” so I remember the good things and let love cover the other things.
I’m thankful for my experiences with the “Old Codger” (as he called himself). I can still here him call my grandma “Chicken”. He also taught my baby sister Emma to call him “Nicky Baby”. He thought this comic genius.
He held two of my babies before his passing. I’m thankful for the knowledge and wisdom he passed down to me. And for the lessons I learned from him, even the ones not to do. May he continue to rest in peace. CEW.
“Thank You, G-d, for restoring my soul to me. Thank You for giving me another day of life. Thank You for eyes to see, for legs to walk, for clothes to wear.”
Alaska on my mind... 