Icewind's Ramblings

* Warning rant ahead, bifocals optional. I’ve been out of town lately so I have been somewhat lacking in the news department for the last month so when I started to catch up on a few things I was blown away about a few things. Probably many of you were too. Turns out AIG again took millions of dollars of the bail out money the Government gave them and paid more executive bonuses. Now this is the second set of bonuses paid since the financial collapse started. One guy received six million dollars. I read that over fifty others got more than a million. All right, it is an outrage. But wouldn’t you want to work at a company that rewards failure on a historic level with million dollar bonuses? I don’t know about you but I have never screwed something up on a job to the point where we had to go beg the Government for financial help three times and then the boss sat down with me to write a giant check. I wonder what you get for doing your job really well...

I was out of town during the start of this year’s Iditarod, the first time I have missed the race since I moved to Alaska . It was strange looking for information about the start in newspapers or on the news in the Lower 48 but little if anything was found there. I did have a brief glimpse of the starting lineup from the internet while in Florida but I have to admit the usual excitement I have felt in past years was missing. In terms of great athletic ability the dog teams too me are the most superb in the world. Dogs and their human teammates, both man and woman, train hard to endure the many known and unknown circumstances found along the 1,100 mile trail from Anchorage to Nome Alaska . AP Photo In case you missed it living “Outside” of Alaska , Lance Mackey won the Iditarod Sled Dog Race today in a time of a little over 9 days and 20 hours. "The Last Great Race" as it is called and he did so in a grand fashion over...

All trips probably have those elements of surprise, wonder, and joy. On the flip side there is also the aggravation of dealing with children who cannot be reasoned with at various times over a long period. Part One of these next couple of Posts will be “The Good” . There were moments even though I probably sounded like it was one total disaster after another that were truly awesome; here are a few of them. The ‘Happy’ Kids – playing before bed. Diane & Deb at the wedding. Kelly, Ron, & Nathan – On the beach after the wedding Zachary “Ring Bearer” on the way in, Flower Man on the way out Taylor swinging in Jacksonville Beach , Florida Family Picture D., Mom, Lori Ann, Ron, Diane, Deb, Taylor, & Zachary Ice