Since I last wrote, we had a nice shift in weather, and the highs climbed into the low - mid 30s for a couple of days. This made it perfect to attend the ADMA Challenge Race #3 on Sunday.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the number of people who came out to watch the dogs run. I attended alone, as it was a big football day, and Steve was not willing to leave the television. I took Sedona with me, although I left her in the car. I was worried she'd tried to take off after the other dogs. As it was, she was quite excited by the sounds of barking.

What I really love about the timing of the races, is that the sun rises soon after the race start. On overcast days, there's not much change except for in the lighting, but on clearer days, the sun creates a stripe of orange or pink along the horizon and turns the sky pink. Sunday was one of those days.

Steve flew to Anchorage on Tuesday. He had a barrage of tests he had to undergo for the VA as part of his disability claim/rating. He spent the night down there and flew home on Wednesday evening. I took the photo at left early that morning, as he was leaving for the airport. The light in the sky is from the moon.

He should find out the results of his tests in a week or so. Being a soldier for 23 years sure can beat a person up. Steve's got a laundry list of aches, pains, and conditions that have manifested themselves over the years that he served.

I haven't been out taking photos, but I have enjoyed watching the birds on the back deck. Since it was so warm, I had a squirrel visit as well. I haven't seen squirrels (or voles) in several weeks. But this past week, I saw two squirrels and a vole. The cat has also enjoyed having activity to watch out the sliding glass door too.

	"A squirrel leaping from bough to bough, and making the wood but one wide tree for his pleasure, fills the eye not less than a lion, is beautiful, self-sufficing, and stands then and there for nature." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The state of AK is talking about paying each person who qualifies for the PFD an Energy Rebate which could be between $500 and $1000.

The idea is to help Alaskans offset the high cost of gasoline and other fuel, although people could use the money for whatever they wanted. Every Alaskan who was eligible in 2007 for a Permanent Fund dividend would receive what is being called the "energy rebate."

"If you don't use it for that and you get drunk with it that's your fault. But don't put it to us if you don't have money to get through the winter," said Haines Republican Rep. Bill Thomas, who is talking up the idea around the state capitol.

Like many other folks I know, who own their own home, we'll be putting it towards what it is intended for - filling our oil tank. With heating oil prices topping $3.25/gallon on average, a 500 gallon tank will cost $1625 to fill (if near empty). We're down to 200 gallons, so we're looking at a $1000 delivery bill in the very near future. If February and March aren't too cold, this next fill up should carry us through to September. *fingers crossed* Last year, in March, is when our septic tank froze. I really don't want to see a repeat of that.