Sick Raven....

This is little Raven. I'm just leaving for the vet and couldn't resist snapping some pics. Ain't she sweet?

Logs on the blog....

We got the logs for our cabin today!!! About 70 logs, that's $9000 worth, plus an $800 delivery fee...ouch! We had some friends come and help unload them...the guy sitting down is the truck driver who was quite old so understandably couldn't help much. Construction begins Monday. We ordered windows and flooring and I might go look at cabinets later if I have time. On my way to the job site this morning I got a disturbing call from Ken, the musher I've handled for for the past couple of summers. He said that one of the dogs I just bought from them but haven't picked up yet, a four-year-old girl named Raven, had some sort of stroke overnight and is paralyzed in her back end. Ken brought Raven into town where I picked her up and brought her to just about every vet's office here. No one was available to look at her, so I'm waiting until later today to take her to a well-known sled-dog vet out in North Pole. She's here at our cabin right now and seems to be in good spirits considering she can't walk. My dog Bull tried to play with her a little but she snarled at him and scared him, so he's keeping his distance. I phoned a few musher friends and they said they've never heard of a dog becoming paralyzed like that overnight. We'll see what the doc says. I hope she's okay. I bought her and her brother Strider, both proven racers. And because Ken and Gwen gave me such a good deal they asked that I take their mother Ruffles, who is retired and another retired dog named Axel. I love Ruffles and Axel a lot and even though they don't run anymore, I think they'll add some personality to my kennel. I still haven't decided on a name for the kennel yet. I would like something Finnish maybe but I don't know.

Fun in Finland. This winter I worked as a wilderness guide in Lappland. These were some of my dogs. I spent five months getting battered and bruised behind the sled but I got pretty good at the German and Finnish curse words.

Playing in the surf in Ninilchik on the way to Homer.

Sam and I in Homer this fall.

Chainsaw wielding mama! Look out! Clearing trees is a neverending chore on the new property. We start building the cabin on July 3. The dogs will arrive shortly after that. That is, after MORE CLEARING!

Fun stories and photos to come! I'm starting a kennel of my own this summer...I already have eight dogs waiting (gulp).