What the heck?

I Couldn't Make This Up...

OK, I can be clever and imaginative and all that, but even I couldn't make this up. One of the maintenance workers just came out to my guard shack to perform some work that was requested last May. True fact - it is November, the temperature is near 20-below (F), and he came out to repair the freakin' air conditioner. Since the cooling unit is covered in ice and snow he decided to defer the work until break-up.

A Husky Teacher

I couldn't make this one up, either. According to an Associated Press story on the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner website, an 11 month old Siberian husky named Kenai roams the hallways of McKinley Alternative School in Kokomo, Indiana daily, looking for snacks and playmates. Students have taught him sled dog commands such as "hike" to start moving and "whoa" to stop. They've also built a dog sled, which they hope to try once snow arrives.

Kenai became part of Donita Walters' eighth-grade class this fall, after she taught a unit on the Iditarod sled race and got the idea to bring a dog to school. She adopted Kenai, named after the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, from a rescue organization.

Read the story - it is cute and it is predictable. Of course kids do better when they have a dog around to help. Heck, everybody knows that.

What the Heck is That?

So, here's the story. Charles Maasak Brower of Barrow was heading out to do some seal and caribou hunting with his sons when they stumbled upon a beach find that has nearly everyone stumped. It takes a lot to stump people who make their living hunting and fishing in the most harsh climate of North America, but this one also had the biologists stumped. They sent descriptions and photos (similar to the one below) to other biologists and to schools througout Alaska, Canada and even Washington state.

Can you identify this critter?

Progress on the Handler Cabin Scheme

Allen Moore crunched the numbers and Aliy Zirkle sent them to me in an Email. The cost of building a handler's cabin on my property is not at all unreasonable, especially when I compare it to the cost of boarding my dogs half of the time. I'm probably going to proceed with the project as soon as the ground is thawed enough to allow us to pour a foundation. If you know of a reliable person interested in trading a bit of labor for rent in a nice little cabin, please keep me in mind. I may be able to offer someone a sweet little deal in just a few months.

Need a Freight Dog?

An acquaintance sent me an Email today, seeking a home for a 4 year old, 70 pound male from Forsberg lines. He has worked as a leader on a trap-line team, but he's a bit too large and enthusiastic for his current owner to handle. He is a bit of a line chewer, so he has to be hooked up last. I already have several dogs that have to be hooked up last, so I have to pass on this offer. If you need a strong, young, larger dog for a freighting or touring team send a message by clicking on my profile or leave a comment and I'll provide you with contact information. My Hedlund Gray Husky twins and my Lucky/Torus pups are all from a Forsberg bitch, and they are all awesome sled dogs. There is no reason to believe this fellow would be any less. He is the kind of dog who needs to run frequently, though, so he needs to go to an active WORKING home.

Almost Short Timing at my Place of Employment

OK, I've been at my place of employment more than long enough. I only have two more days plus a wake-up before I head home for a couple of weeks. I have no travel plans for this R&R at all - in fact my only plan is to run dogs as often as I can. I'm very much looking forward to it.

Back to The Critter

The unidentified critter from Barrow was identified - it's a wolffish.