Warmth & Love

Yesterday I received a picture of Browntone Lupin doing what Chinooks do best. Walden bred the Chinooks to pull lodge guests on the dog sleds all day and rest with them by the fire in the evening. Lupin was never a big sled puller but she does enjoy the rest part. 

 I love this picture. My great niece Cadence is introducing her newborn brother Keegan to her Aunt Natalie
.

Birthday and Muku

For my birthday two days ago,  I got to leave the house for the first time in 12 days. I went to town to buy 2 pieces of the best chocolate cake in Eugene for our quiet celebration. Besides the best present: my wonderful husband continuing to heal, I received fun cards from friends; skin firming lotion from my now-much-younger sister; and an update with several pictures of Cedar's daughter, BrownStone Iditarod Takotna - known as Muku. She and her wonderful family live in beautiful BC, Canada. The pictures of her on the snow were taken that day. 

"Hi Kay Lee,

Here are some more pics of Muku and Deavah trail running at Mt. Baker this fall.. Muku has developed into quite the trail runner. She even carries her own water. She has been a great running buddy for Deavah. Although as much as she likes running in the trails, her favorite activity is anything that involves snow.

 Brad"

Frosty Hike

The temperature has been between 20 and 30 degrees for several days. Persistent fog left a fairyland of frosty boughs. Kyouk and I took a photo walk to see if I could capture the magic even in less than ideal light.

My new favorite picture of Koyuk.

We then turned out sights on the frozen pond.

 I tried waterfalls with their icy spraycicles but need to learn more about camera settings.
Cedar and McKenzie chose to stay in the warm house until we got back.

My new favorite picture of McKenzie.

Note to Self...

The dogs and I have been in the house at Dave's beck and call for 8 days now. He is doing great but we needed to get out desperately enough that I decided to take the rig for a mail/paper run. I waited until the temperature warmed to the high for the day - 26 degrees. The rig had been out in the rain. Note to self...brakes full of ice and frozen solid do not work. Axles are hard to turn and tires are just plain hard. We now have a record slow mile run behind us. No pictures, it was too cold for the camera.

A blog without a picture just won't do. This one of Lupin with Anna was sent to me this evening to complete the post.

Gift From Ma Nature

We can't take Dave to the snow but Ma Nature brought it to him. The apple tree is once again ornamental.

The as yet to be undecorated, Christmas tree again it in it's glory.

Cedar checking out the Christmas tree.Koyuk

Chinook tag.

McKenzie is "it".

Chasing the youngsters is hard on an old girl. The snow covered fire table affords an easy drink.

The youngsters opt for ground snow.

McKenzie

Cedar

Koyuk

"Come on Dad. There's snow outside!"

Dave 10 days after surgery...

showing off zipper.

Fortunately...

Fortunately - I was still up at midnight and heard the splat, splat, splat fairly soon after the toilet tank developed a rim to bottom crack. The toilet already had a valve problem and would have kept trying to refill the tank until the inevitable, middle of the night, barefoot, splat in the flooded bathroom. I turned off the water, mopped with several towels, found a heater to dry the floor/wall joint and went to bed. Normally waiting until we could get a plumber would not be that much of problem but, Dave is taking "water pills" as part of his post-op cardiac surgery treatment.

Fortunately - we have really good friends! Especially one who after remarking "be sure to let me know if there is anything I can do for you" came right over to fix our toilet. I went to the hardware store thinking all I needed was a new tank. Seems in the 49 years since ours was installed, they have changed some of the parameters. We now have a new toilet and Lowes has a cracked tank in their dumpster. (I wish I had taken the whole thing with me).

Matt, who changed out the toilets in a very crowded bathroom complete with three curious Chinooks, left Dave this card:

Fortunately - really good friends come with a good sense of humor.

He's Baaaaack!

If anyone doubts diet and exercise work, an echocardiogram last week showed Dave's heart had amazingly improved since his heart attack two years ago when his only option was a heart transplant or change his ways. An angio done a couple days later still showed pretty much total blockage on all his coronary arteries. They could not open or stint them but the cardiologist and surgeon felt his much improved heart would finally benefit from by-pass surgery. He ended 2012 on the operating table.

Prior to surgery all hair from the neck down had to be removed. I had a great laugh and tried to take a picture when the nurse was shaving his skinny butt but they said I could not because of HIPA privacy laws. So, I took a picture of the bed after the shave instead.

Good friends, Sarah and Cyndy, met us in admitting at 0500 with the pink flamingo. The pink flamingo started with Dave's first heart attack and has been passed on to several other ski patrollers during their hospitalizations. Recipients must create an appropriate saying that fits the acronym: (P.F.U.C.C.H. T.H.I.S.) when they pass it on. Dave's said: The Pink Flamingo Understands Coronary Circumnavigation Helps Transform Hero Into Superhero!

Dave let everyone in the coronary unit and surgery know before he went under that he was going to make it home for the Oregon Bowl game. Less than 72 hours from surgery to recliner did not seem obtainable when he came out of surgery with 8 IV drips and 9 tubes coming out of him.

He called me this morning before I had finished my coffee to let me know he was dressed and ready to go home - now! 

Dave watching Oregon win the BCS bowl.

He is a superhero! Thank you to everyone for your healing thoughts and support.