Apropos of Nothing v.7

My practice is inside because AK is too risky to row my sail dingy in SE waters. But spring and summer will have me rowing with whales!

I can never keep track of you. When/how often are you in Alaska/Montana?

I live in Montana and work in AK. 2 + weeks at work and 2 to 4 wkd home.

Huh? 2 to 4 what in Montana? You fly back & forth that frequently?

Yes I do a unique thing for the last 8+ years. Having had my own practice for 22 years in Seattle I can adjust what is needed in the unique setting of remote AK . It requires an ability to 'guess' the situations without all of the medical tests that are unavailable here in the bush.

Ah, I see. 2-4 weeks at home, not wkds.

That's quite a success story, as far as I'm concerned. Trying to talk Jack into pursuing something similar, but it's probably a tough sell to the New York Stock Exchange, emphasis on New York.

Yes you have to love change in life and want to see the world. New York is big enough for many. I tooenjoyed it, for about 3 weeks! LOL

Oh, he absolutely despises it, since he lives in Chicago & his heart is in Rose Lodge, Ore.

Those golden handcuffs, you know.

I gave up a very successful practice I had in Totem Lake to live in Montana. I had no job or intent and have never looked back. After seeing all of Montana I moved on to AK and love it here. I too love NW Montana. Nice to live in both places when ever I want. We all can have a full life as soon as we step out into adventure. I feel failure is an attitude of choosing not to pursue your heart's direction.

Hmmm ... I know someone onto whom I might pass that little bit of wisdom ...

I love our vet. He has a very busy private practice, but still manages to give personal service and will even come out to our home if we have to have an animal put down and we know in advance. I think he's a rare breed himself nowadays. He's in practice with only himself, although I think there is another vet who comes in when he is on vacation.

Laurie, I heard an interview with the grand daughter of the founder of Cadbury Chocolate before the stockholders voted on the Kraft offer. Frankly, I'm disgusted by the whole thing. I'm disgusted by Kraft and I'm disgusted by the Cadbury stockholders, who have no one but themselves to blame if the candy turns sour. You can't put a price on the kind of history that company had, but they sure did. Blaming Kraft for gobbling up Cadbury Chocolate is like blaming my dog for gobbling up a chicken left on the floor. It's just what they do. They don't have a conscience, they just do it because it's there and they CAN! It would not surprise me at all if the business did not turn much of a profit for giant Kraft because they are sure to change the way the chocolate is made, making the quality decline, trying to cut costs, etc. The whole business is very sad, if you ask me. In terms of Mr. Tr$$p-... as long as history and beauty is for sale at any price, people like him will take advantage of it. Again, it's just what people like that do. What's too bad is that he is allowed to do so in other countries. They should protect their own better. I wish we protected our own better as well. And from our own citizens no less. When his life is over, he will not be missed in my opinion. He represents the very worst our country has to offer on practically every level.

Beautiful photos as always, Soferdig. Very soothing to look at. I better go back up and look at them again.

There is an interest thread up now for a Hellebore Co op.
Heidi, do you have enough to supply the co op? I know yours are great. If not, is this a good price for them? They are open to a different vendor.
I wasn't going to buy any more plants, well that thought didn't last long.

I am in the same boat. I worked for a man who spent 30yrs building up his company. Some investors came in and kicked him out as soon as they could. A few of us refused to work for them and left with our boss. Now we start over.

Yep,, isn't that always the way? I know it would be a better country if that kind of thing were the exception rather than the rule.
Lynn, I'll check out the hellebore coop. I've been in many of them.

Edited to give my opinion about the hellebore coop: 3.00 for the two inch pot is not too bad if you can choose which ones you will be getting and be guaranteed that they will bloom true. If you are not too particular about color, I have some hellebore seedlings I can share with you. Some are from last year and I dug them and put them in with the lilies in the pots. Some are coming up this year.

This message was edited Jan 25, 2010 12:51 PM

Steve, thanks for the photos - my goodness they are beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. The size of those trees!!!! Extraordinary - what would the girth measure at people height? Fab Fab Fab. Thank you.

Thank yo for the empathic rant, Pix.

Lynn's dog is named Koda, what is Portland's dog's name - isn't he also Koda?

There are yellow Cedars with average girths of 5'. Then Fir then Spruce. AK feeds it's trees with lots of nutrients and water.

Laurie, I wish he was my dog. He belongs to my grandson, and I borrowed him for a month. I didn't want to give him back. He is a Golden Doodle (Golden Retriever and Standard Poodle). He is so good natured, doesn't chew on anything, doesn't shed, doesn't beg or eat people food. My daughter in law bought him online from back east 7 yrs ago. He was the last of the litter, and was getting "too old" to sell, so she bought him cheap. Otherwise, they were going to put him down. That just makes me sick to think about it. When I was sick, he laid by my side of the bed and wouldn't leave. I miss him. I now have tears, I am so silly.

I would love to have some more Hellebores. I had to move mine last year when we put in the water/elec to the barn and GH. It was so hot then, so a couple of them didn't make it.

I would love to go to Alaska for a visit. My sons inherited a piece of property on the Kenai River when their dad died 2 years ago. Wally had bought some property with 2 friends, and they were in the process of building a small cabin on it when he died. He never got to enjoy his retirement dream. That sure made me change my thinking and way of life. Money is not so important anymore!

LIFE BECONS!

Laurie, my dog is Kokapelli, named by the Black Foot Indian (he calls himself an Indian, not a native American) breeder I got her from. I call her Koka. Oh - clarification - the breeder breeds American Indian dogs, not Black Foot Indians. And Lynn, why do you not have a dog friend of your own? It is not silly to love a dog!

Joey does not want a dog, and that really makes me sad. But it is his house. He did enjoy the love and companionship from Koda, even though he complained about his presence. But I will not give up! I will just borrow Koda again.

My husband has forever stated that the only good pet is a cow (one of your more stupid animals in my opinion), but I know he secretly likes the dog, the cat, and even misses the now-defunct ancient butt-ugly pot-bellied pig we somehow inherited.

Here's Dukey.

Aw, I wish I had a Dukey.

The only thing that keeps me from filling the yard with goats, chickens & rabbits is how much they tie one down.

There is that. We are pretty pet-independent at the moment. The cat is free-range, and we either take the dog with us or drop her off with Aunt Betty - my sister-in-law who spoils her rotten. No worries.

Duke was a truly ugly animal, but very useful as a garbage disposal.

Bonehead, Dukey is so ugly he is adorable! I have grown up watching my Mom want to tend this or that animal (ducks, chickens, swans, cats, dogs, quail, koi..... the list is incredible. Dad always raised a fuss, but loved her enough to let her do what she wanted. And very soon, the ducks, chickens, swans, cats, dogs, quail, koi..... all were "his". Funny how that happens. All of my dogs are "mine" because they take so much attention and the pup (Phoenix) is in the terribly chewy phase, but DH talks so proudly about them as long as I am not in hearing distance, and if I happen to walk quietly into the shop when he doesn't know I am there, he is loving them and spoiling them rotten!

Portland, I agree.... Lynn really needs a dog. She was so happy having Koda to keep her company, despite having blond curly fur that collected everything when they were playing outside. Just to have a friend to protect her when she is out in the garden alone (mine bring me so much comfort in that respect) as they have seen cougar in their yard.... a must in my mind.

Lynn, Joey has a big enough heart....and you so need a furry canine in your world. Maybe one will just happen to have to be rescued from a bad situation and you just couldn't leave it to suffer.....

Would sobbing help?

Summer and Bonehead.... cross posted with you both. I am in the same boat... I would fill my world with critters (farming and ranching background runs deep) if I could. Too afraid of the natural predators as well as my own dogs who patrol our woods to keep me safe harming anything else. Always on my "to do" list though. Maybe some day when I have enough $$ to build a secure housing area!

Once I'm more settled here & have backup housesitters, a cleaning person & whatnot, then I might consider some smaller livestock.

The sad truth is that I simply don't travel all over the world as in the past anyway.

Between running, chopping wood, stretching, doing sit-ups & lifting weights, I have officially made every muscle in my body sore sore sore.

I'm flying to Chicago on Wednesday; probably will be good to just sit around with friends & family for a few days.

I would love to have a little Dukey, too! And chickens and ducks, but I will give that one up. We have too many critters around here that would love to have fresh poultry for dinner.

Julie - would you be needing a Dogloo? It's for a large dog & I don't need it anymore.
Let me know - it's yours if you want it.

Have fun in Chicago, Summer.

Well, I'm not really expecting to, Lynn. I don't wanna go. But I'll get to see Jack & my old neighbors, a few other friends, and most important, my brother & his 5 kids.

I also think this will be The Conversation with Jack, for better or for worse. Not that I'm dreading it or anything, quite the contrary, but it will be of import.

OH MY!!! I wish you luck. Would he move here?

Welllllllll .... he's had a horrendous week at work, holed up in a hotel room in NYC & getting flack from all sides, thinking back on how much fun he had while out here ....

So I don't know. But it's the first time since I moved that he has seemed so discouraged that he might actually junk that Wall Street job ...

He's cute, isn't he?

Hmmm. He looks like he lives here already. He has that PNW look. Holed up in a hotel in NYC? Sounds like He$% on earth to me.

Lynn, Joey needs to let you have a dog. He's a great guy, but you do a lot for him, you know. I hope you can have one someday.

Yeah, he flew there on Wednesday, had to stay & work all weekend & won't fly back to Chicago until day after tomorrow (I scheduled my flight to land just before his).

He's lived all over the world -- Amsterdam, Greece, Bangkok, Manila, Ecuador, Johannesburg -- and when I left Kankakee, kept saying that he never wanted to leave home again, especially while his sad sack of a mother is alive. I'm somewhat pleased to say that "home" must not look the same without me.

He definitely loves this coast. He says Cannon Beach is the most beautiful stretch of ocean he's ever seen.

Never triangulate between a man and his mother. Word to the wise.
At least he knows a good ocean when he sees it. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

But never underestimate a steel-headed woman who can also be Sherman's march through Georgia. I've run into many a mother who feels possessive of her son, and I think Betty already regrets ever setting herself against me.

Where the truth lies in what you're saying is that a man seldom is MUCH different from his family, so if you don't like his family, beware.

I've always maintained that if a man treats his mother well, but does not dote on her, speaks well of her but does not put her on a pedestal, and has a well balanced view of her as a person, he's probably a mature human being. I'd rather be chosen than win by duking it out, but that's just me. I love my mother in law. I feel sorry for her though, because my DH left home when he left with me and he never went back to live. I know she has really missed him badly all these years, especially since he's the only functional child she has. But she has never once tried to interfere in our marriage or acted anything other than kind and gracious to me. I have a lot of admiration for her. Probably it's been best that she lives 'there' and we live 'here'. But that's only because my DH must have hatched from a cuckoo's egg. He's nothing like his family. Probably that's why he was okay leaving. I think the family ties were already stretching pretty tight.

Aw, I feel sorry for your mother-in-law too, but she must take some comfort in her loving relationship with you.

I agree with you about being chosen, but at this age, no matter who you date, you are walking into family dynamics that stretch back 50-plus years.

Since my departure, Jack has certainly been presented with a choice. I would characterize it as: Does he want to remain the revered-but-lonely Master of the Universe in the closed suburban society of his birth, kowtowing to his family traditions & expectations in the way that a perennial bachelor does, or does he want to cut the apron strings & pursue full-time commitment with a woman who provides the stimulation, companionship & citizen-of-the-world community that he craves?

We shall see. I love him deeply & would never want to see him unhappy, which he is right now. Either way, I just march on through Georgia.

Gosh, you guys probably wish my fingers hurt as much as everything else in my body.