Yes, the light is coming back. And we have four months before it starts getting dark again. No one is happier about this than I am. More daylight means I get to spend more time with the horses. And they get to spend more time with me.

This morning, the temperature was in the mid-thirties and the sun was shining. A good day to take horses for a walk. So I got Raudi and Hrimmi out, took them around the loop. On the first go around I (as I was walking Raudi) noticed that down the street, at what we call Scary Corner, I noticed that half the porch roof of the place that we call Craig’s Place had collapsed. A ton of snow (literally) was on the porch and the ground and that one side of the roof had a major sag.

I considered taking my camera and getting a picture on the second go-round (while walking Hrimmi), but was glad that I did not. Both horses are target trained, and for this reason go and touch vehicles that are parked in driveways. Sometimes I reward them and sometimes I do not. This is intermittent reinforcement. The concept pertains to those who play slot machines. Supposedly, if you win every time, you lose interest.

Also, the horses are very strong and will pull in the direction of the vehicles. So I often let them go, keep walking, then put my hand out. They get a packer pellet if they come to me. This is what I did today with both horses.

The second time I was heading down road and behind me, someone appears in the doorway and yells, “don’t walk your fucking horse behind my vehicle.” I have been known to yell back at people when they say such things, but this time I said, “I’ll be more considerate.” The person said something else and I yelled back (in a very agreeable tone, “okay.”

Nice people around here. I was in a good mood, what with getting a walk in, in the sunshine ‘n all. A good thing because these idiots (and there are few in the hood) drive fast, and I would not put it past them to blast their horn and scare a horse. Once, the person who I suspect was the person that I was thinking about, cursed at me, and when he got home, fired off a few rounds of his gun.

This is how they deal with disputes here in Alaska. The one with the biggest, loudest gun wins.

I’m really surprised that as of yet, there has not been a mass shooting in this state. I suspect that this is going to happen, as I suspect that we will eventually have another major earthquake.

I often wonder where I’ll be when the next earthquake occurs, and which place might be the safest.

The rest of my day went well. And I got home before dark, which is now 6:30 p.m. And every day, we gain a few more minutes.

Next: 51. 2/22/24: Fender Bender