Hello, October!

Hello there.  I'm supposed to be working on my take-home exam for History 478 The Era of the Civil War, 1850-1870.  But I haven't blogged in a week! So of course blogging is my priority, even though the test is due tomorrow by midnight and I have work from 6am - 1:30pm, then two classes from 2:30-5:15pm tomorrow.  I'll get that done eventually...

I love October.  It is really the start of winter in Alaska, at least in my opinion.  Also, it is my birthday month.  And I just love it.  This October I'm pretty slammed, what with work and school, but I'm going to try and spend as much time out in the crisp, cool air as I can.  I biked to work Monday, but haven't had the time since then.  Plus it's dark now at 6:00am, so I need to get my lighting rigged up on my bike and helmet.  Once that's done, I'm ready to roll.

It's been weird without Pepper around (Pepper was our 80 lbs labradoodle that we had to put down three weeks ago).  She really loved this time of year.  It's been really hard for Steve and I to adjust to life without her.  I got her the summer before my freshman year in high school, and from then on we were inseparable.  And with her and Steve, it was love at first sight.  The morning we put her down was probably the worst in both our lives yet, and we really miss her.  I thought I'd post some of my favorite pictures of her, to try and convey what a great personality and spirit she had...

This is us in Girdwood in October, 2006.  Like I said, she loved this time of year...

Her and Beau loved each other, it's been hard for him too since she's been gone.  We came home from work one day to find them snuggling like this, so cute!

This was just a few months ago, already a year into her illness. She LOVED bones and thought she was clever stealing the entire bag in addition to the other three she had already swiped...

Skiing with her this past winter.  She loved it!

Steve and his girl in Homer, 2005

We miss her dearly but know that it was for the best.  Pets influence and enhance our lives in so many ways, and I hope you all appreciate the time you get with yours.  We sure didn't do that enough during the time she was with us :(