The Future Home of Iditarod Dreams: Outhouses and Wanderlust

The Future Home of Iditarod Dreams: Outhouses and Wanderlust

Some people sing in the shower. I, on the other hand, tend to think... I know, I know. But hey, what better place to work out the problems of the day or just ask why (?) about things that come up in that gray matter upstairs.

The thought that came to mind today is how in the world, in the civilized world of the Mat-Su Valley, just an hour north of Anchorage, do people get by without indoor plumbing and have to resort to the use of an outhouse?

In the hamlet, city, village, or whatever it is called, of Houston, Alaska--just about nine miles south of here, 40% of the population still uses outhouses and haul water. That is still amazing to me.

It is 2010 and people still handle their business outdoors? I have heard stories of outhouses since my arrival here and some are works of art. In fact, my friend built one for his wife (just because) and it is equipped with the latest Cabela’s catalog and a Costco sized bottle of hand sanitizer (Did you know that Dr. Laura reported that junk only lasts for 6 seconds in its vigilant fight of the germies).

Another friend, Dave, told me a story about how he used to carry the toilet seat inside on in the blizzard cold of an Alaskan winter so his tush didn't freeze to it.

We even have two outhouses on our property, but thankfully we have plenty of water and indoor plumbing.

I remember when Michele and I started looking at property up here almost a decade ago that indoor plumbing was a must (the kids were very young then). I recall one awesome property that was a castle by musher’s standards that was advertised in Mushing magazine, I believe, did not have a “throne”.

Now, I was a Boy Scout and I love those commercials for Charmin. I could handle myself in the woods if I needed to but what I could not do is not take a hot shower.

I am one of those guys, call it my Diva moment, that has to take a looonngg, hot shower every single day. I sometimes run out of hot water on occasions.

How do these people take showers? Much less a bath? It is not the wild west anymore where you heat up water on the stove and soak in the tub? Or do you?

Maybe you use one of those shower in a bag thingys?


How do you guys do it? The 40% of you of the booming populous of Houston and surrounding areas? Inquiring minds want to know...

I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please comment below.

Robert Forto | Team Ineka | Alaska Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works
___________________

Dr. Robert Forto is a musher training for his first Iditarod under the Team Ineka banner and the host of the popular radio shows, Mush! You Huskies and The Dog Doctor Radio Show

Sleeping Under the Same Big Sky

The Future Home of Iditarod Dreams: Sleeping Under the Same Big Sky

The other day my wife sent me a little song lyric on Facebook from a Disney movie: An American Tail. It is about a little mouse named Fievel that goes out on his own to experience an adventure but is forced to leave his family behind. Kinda sounds like what I am doing.

I will admit that this is the hardest thing I have ever done--being apart from those that I care about. They depend on me and I depend on them. They are my strength. Somehow we will get through this, I know, but until then I will sing this song...

Somewhere Out There

Somewhere out there,
beneath the pale moonlight,
someone’s thinking of me and loving me tonight.

Somewhere out there,
someone’s saying a prayer,
that we’ll find one another in that big somewhere out there.

And even though I know how far apart we are,
it helps to think we might be wishing under the same bright star.

And when the night wind begins to sing a lonesome lullaby,
it helps to thing we’re sleeping under the same big sky.

Somewhere out there,
if love can see us through,
then we’ll be together, somewhere out there,
out where our dreams come true.

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/anamericantail/somewhereoutthere.htm


I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please comment below.

Robert Forto | Team Ineka | Alaska Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works
___________________

Dr. Robert Forto is a musher training for his first Iditarod under the Team Ineka banner and the host of the popular radio shows, Mush! You Huskies and The Dog Doctor Radio Show

New Rules for Service Animals and the ADA

New Rules for Service Animals and the ADA

The Department of Justice is muddying the waters of the disabled and the use of service animals in the new definitions for what a service animal must be. In the past people have used animals of all types. Everything from a gerbil to a donkey for a wide range of disabilities including mobility, psychiatric, seizure alert, diabetic and hearing dogs.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

New Service Animal definition injures the disabled

Our current definition for service animal under the ADA is, "Service animal means any guide dog, signal dog, *or other animal* individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items."

The new definition is, "Service animal means any *dog* that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition."
I, for one, agree with the definition that service animals should just be DOGS. I would love to have your thoughts on the subject as I am sure there are many opinions out there.

I welcome your comments and concerns. Please comment below.

Robert Forto | Team Ineka | Alaska Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works
___________________

Dr. Robert Forto the training director for Dog Works Training Centers, is a musher training for his first Iditarod under the Team Ineka banner and the host of the popular radio shows, Mush! You Huskies and The Dog Doctor Radio Show