That's a lot of moose; train rolling; red pistol; train rolling; Abby at the Grotto with close family

This was not the worst day I ever lived - nobody I loved died, broke their neck, or anything like that. But it was
Running Dog Publications
This was not the worst day I ever lived - nobody I loved died, broke their neck, or anything like that. But it was
I took this from my bicycle as I pedaled by a little after 10:30 PM, under heavy
I had to go to town to pick Margie up from the airport. I had not yet had a chance to see Charlie's raven show, so, an hour before Margie's flight was scheduled to arrive, I picked Charlie and Melanie up and we headed over to the Midnight Sun Brewery to take a look and have dinner.
I remain amazed at what Charlie has done with his raven photos. Everybody who reads this blog regularly knows that I photograph ravens when I happen upon them, but Charlie has gone beyond that. Some time ago, he gave himself a mission: to photograph a raven and a stranger every day.
He has done good.
Charlie had a little placard up and in it he gave me the credit for inspiring him to take up a camera and do what he has done. That was nice. He and Melanie should now be driving south, towards Homer, where they are going to join Rex and Cortney on a boat ride to Halibut Cove and then camp out in a cabin for the rest of the week. I hope they catch lots of fish and share with us.
Rex made a kayak and they are taking it, too.
I have written a few times before about how desperate Margie gets for Arizona during the winter, how badly she wants to go back. As always, when I picked her up at the airport, she was happy - no, thrilled - to be back in Alaska.
Of course, winter is over. The sun shines. She would soon greet her grandsons.
Big Thomas was on the go.
The sun does shine - today. But not yesterday, not when I drove to town to see Charlie's ravens and pick Margie up.
Yesterday, it rained.
Dad, top row, third from left, who died on Memorial Day five years ago. May you, your fellow B-24 crew and all the others who fought alongside you for this nation, in this war and others, so many to die in the fight, never be forgotten.
This afternoon, I pedaled my bicycle to Metro Cafe, ordered an Americano and sat at a table to drink it. A dog appeared on the TV screen and barked at me.
About 9:30 PM, I decided I needed a small Dairy Queen ice cream cone, dipped in chocolate. I asked Margie if she wanted to come and get one, too. "No," she said, "we can't afford it. But you go get one." It's true. We can't afford ice cream cones right now, but sometimes when you can't afford an ice cream cone, that's when you should go get one. Your creditors are going to have to wait, anyway. I thought we would be able afford ice cream cones right now, but sometimes businesss deals come together slower than they are supposed too. Hopefully, next week, we will be able to afford ice cream cones.
I did go to get an ice cream cone by myself, anyway, and on my way to the car I saw these two bunny rabbits in the driveway.
I found myself in line behind this lady at Dairy Queen. She didn't order an ice cream cone, but she did order soda pop. At least, it looks like soda pop. I didn't inspect the contents of the cup. I really don't know what is in it.
It is now late Friday night. I do not plan to put up a post Saturday night and maybe not Sunday night, either. I want to finish this other project I am working on, the project that involves the World War II B-24 bomber. I have been working on it steady for two weeks now and if it succeeds, it will have a $500 payoff, but that's beside the point. It is a story I must tell. This tiny story is only the beginning. I must make it into a book, and soon.
So, until the story is done, I do not want to think about this blog any further. I know I won't have the story done by Saturday night, but if I complete it and submit it early enough on Sunday, I will still blog that night.
I back up two nights ago, to when I dropped Margie off to babysit the grandsons through Thursday. We had tried to go to the 6:00 PM showing of The Avengers at Tikatnu Theatres, but it was sold out, so we went over to the new Olive Garden about two blocks away, but there was a huge waiting line and the lady told us we would have to wait 45 minutes to be seated. We said to hell with that and ate at PHO Saigon instead.
PHO Saigon is good, so I was not disappointed.
Then we went back to Jake and Lavina's at about 7:30 PM. Lavina and two boys greeted us as we got out of the car.
We will see The Avengers another time.
Inside, I discovered that the love affair between Kalib, Thomas and His Friends and all things train still rages.
Pretty soon, I was on the highway, headed home. About 8:30 PM, I came upon a train. When I saw where it was, I was hopeful that I might catch the engines crossing the train trestle - a very rare and blessed sight to catch when driving randomly back and forth between Anchorage and Wasilla.
Oh, hallejuah! Praises be!
I caught the train on the trestle, crossing Knik River! But, damnit, I had my shutter speed set at 1/125, doing 70. I could have caught this rare and blessed moment in a bit crisper detail had I have bumped it up to 1/800 or something, but, oh well.
I don't really care. I'm not shooting for a tourist brochure. I'm shooting to the catch the moment, and this was it and it was glorious. To me, anyway.
Had Kalib been with me, he would have been thrilled, too.
He would have seen details in the train that I did not see.
Then I was in Wasilla, on the final stretch to the house. A yellow moose came driving in the opposite direction. I was so amazed I almost forgot to take the picture.
Come morning I took a walk. As I came home through the marsh, I spooked a moose. I apologized to the moose. I really didn't mean to spook it at all. I tried to be quiet. I tried to be stealthy. I think it heard the click of my camera. I think that is what spooked it.