Shhhh, don't tell my husband, but I made a huge mess!

The previous owners of our house had an infinity for adhesive backed carpet titles, I am not so fond of them. After I realized the entry had ceramic title under the indoor/outdoor maroon squares, I decided to get rid of them. That adhesive is strong stuff and now I have single handily created a big mess. Yes, the adhesive will come off, kind of. The areas that I used Goo Off did okay, but are still sticky and it took a lot of work with a wire brush. The areas that I used MEK(methyl ethyl ketone) bad stuff, took a little less work, but are still sticky and the entry reeks. I am now researching for something less hazardous to the air we breathe.
I am not a very good do it yourselfer. I prefer to hire someone or add the project to my husband's ever lengthening honey do list. This does not bode well with fishing season just around the corner. Oh, but how I dislike that maroon carpet.

It could be worse.

I took this in Pompeii, it is one of the many castings of people that perished in AD 79. I had tears in my eyes when I shot this. It was a very somber sight. Some delayed flights and a little ash on the ground, we don't have it so bad.

One Ipod Touch + Little Boys = YouTube surfing

Jack and Brodie love my wife's Ipod Touch. When she got it for Christmas she put a few audio books on it and they love to hear the stories over and over. Then three or four weeks ago she put a bumble bee learning game on the Ipod... the boys went crazy for that. Now 6 times a day they want to use the Ipod to look at the bees and listen to Mike Mulliagn and his Steam Shovel. Jump foreword to last week. Jack took the Ipod off the charger and begged to use it. Mom said "yes" and into the living room they went. My wife and I where cooking dinner when I heard some laughing and someone speaking Spanish in the living room. I head in to check it out and I find this:



Two little boys laying on the couch watching videos on YouTube, in Spanish no less. I was amazed that a 4.5 year old could find and use the YouTube app on a Ipod and even more amazed that he managed to find one of maybe a dozen videos that might be acceptable for a 4.5 year old boy and his little brother.

Murkowskis need to Buck UP!

In the 2009 Muni of Anchorage Notice of Foreclosure pamplet there is a company, Garcia Investments Group LLC/Nancy Murkowski 25% that owes back taxes in the amount of $22,826.00 Muni property records show that our pal Frank the Bank also owns 25% of this company and is listed as a property owner on this parcel.
This property 313 E. Street, a property that was once held by New Frontiers Ventures, LLC, which was co-owned by Lisa Murkowski, her husband and her parents, Gov. Frank and Nancy Murkowski. The property was sold to Garcia Investment Group, LLC in 2003 ie Frank and Nancy.
This property is valued at over 1.4 million dollars.
Why can't these shiesty millionaires pay up on their taxes? We pay our taxes on time and with little, but some complaint. Where is the civic mindedness of the Murkowski clan? Why are we paying our share and they aren't?
Come on Murkowskis, buck up and pony up the money.

New Addition to the Family

Ladies and Gentlemen I proudly introduce the newest member of the Rathert Family....



Our new puppy.... One half German Sheppard, one half Alaskan Malamute Husky and looking at the pictures, one large 14 week old puppy. Look at those feet. We are still working on a name, but the front runner right now is Sasha. More pictures will follow I am sure.

Is it time to go fishing yet?

While sitting on the slope watching the wind blow my mind drifted toward my favorite summer activity of fishing in the rivers of the Kenai Peninsula. I was wondering just how many more days of winter I had to suffer thought before I get to go fishing again. That is when I remembered that my wife had put a handy "count down" clock here on the blog (look down the on the right hand side). Low and behold I only have 83 days and some extra hours until Deep Creek opens for kings... woo woo we are under 100 days.

Then I decided to dig up one of my favorite old photo of my Grandpa Orvil with his big King. I can't say exactly what year it was taken but I look to be about 12 years old in the picture and I am 40 now (yikes I am 40). Fond memories like this are why I still love to go fishing and still forsake my summer duties of lawn mowing and home improvement to go.
(sorry the photo is a little tilted and quite spotty, its an old photo. I actually just had another copy made by a professional that is much better, but not with me on the computer)