Actually, it is moose and lice, I believe. We have seen both in the last few days, which explains where I’ve been. First, the moose:
This lovely cow hung out by us, and then her boyfriend showed up and it was very exciting– especially the running away (okay walking away fast) after we confirmed he wasn’t legal, and that they were the same pair we’d seen before. All in all it was a very successful hunt (Tuesday was the last day) even if there’s no meat in the stew pot.
Then there was a municipal election, and a sort of changing of the guard– two former mayors are back, one on the assembly, Mike Case, and one is mayor again, Jan Hill, and retired forester Ron Jackson was elected, so good luck to all, and a big thank you to out-going mayor Stephanie Scott, who was no doubt among the hardest working mayors we’ve ever had (if not the hardest.) Right in the middle of all this Pearl began scratching, and being a near-pro at doggy critters thanks to my old dog Forte, may he rest in peace, who picked up everything, checked her carefully and found a tiny, flat, gray, louse. (They hardly move and are right on the skin and really hard to spot unless you know what you are looking for, kind of like moose in thick woods.)I found three more on her neck, and swore and called the vet and then the rescue kennel and now she has been bathed and treated and brushed. The house has been too– but I’m still scratching my head even though dog lice, unlike fleas, cannot live on people or couches or our bedspread. Still. Ick! (They come from dead stuff on the beach, like those moose legs hunters dump off, or fish or, well, who knows? and Pearl loves to roll in anything decomposing and enjoys a social walk, so check your dog, too. The vet said they are common in Haines, right now.) Finally– I’m off to Juneau Friday ( if not sooner) for the birth of the first grandson, as Eliza is due any minute. In the meantime– there is the radio show tomorrow 1-3, and the planning commission meets tomorrow night at 6:30, and in between at 5:30-7 is the annual meeting of Friends of Recycling at the Senior Center, choir at 6-7 (the women sing at the museum, the men are at the senior village lobby, and could use more voices, especially a bass, and more women are always welcome, especially sopranos), and there’s an RFP for art installations at Fort Seward informational meeting at 5:00 in the Chilkat Center lobby. Call 303-0222 for more on that. I will miss the annual Hospice “Light the Night” Friday, 6:30-8:00, it’s an illuminated remembrance walk down at Lookout Park by the Fishermen’s Memorial, and a really nice, holy thing to do– and hopefully the weather won’t be too bad. I have added a new obituary section to the site here, click on the obituary tab up on the top if you want to read some. I will be adding more as time allows, some of the most recent ones are there now. It’s beautiful today so I’ve got to run and get the garden to bed in case Eliza calls… and it snows before I return. I will keep you posted.
