Well, back home once again. Was quite hectic up on the slope this time. Found out BP made $12.1 billion in profit last year. The general conclusion is that oil production must increase with the lowering of prices, as volume now must make up for margin loss to keep profits up. The CEO is under pressure to keep making money for the stockholders, so there will be no cutbacks up on the slope. In fact, they are pressing hard for increased production, despite a mandate being handed down to intensify control of work processes. They may be cutting back in other locations, but up on slope, it is business as usual, and I was swamped the moment I got off the plane 3 weeks ago. It does make the hitch seem to go by quicker, and I am happy to have a break. However the pace destroyed my motivation to exercise, so that is a set back for preparing for my spring bear hunt coming up in May.

I did acquire yet another take down bow. I found a really good deal on a Samick Phoenix 2 from Lancaster Archery (no affiliation). This is a higher end "custom made" as they advertise it takedown, with superior fit and finish to the ever popular Samick Sage. The limb attachment is different, and in my opinion superior. I haven't shot it yet, so I will have to take it to the range, tune it in, and see how it does. I practiced quite a bit while up on slope and was surprised that my precision began to degrade. I decided to reset my shot sequence by forsaking aiming at anything and just focusing on my technique. I found that I have been getting quite sloppy by shifting my focus from the process of performing each step up to and through the release and on to the result of where the arrow is hitting the target. It seems counter-intuitive, but technique is really the key to consistent, accurate archery, with aiming really only a small part of the whole process. Once I started deliberately checking each step in my process, my shot groups improved quite a bit. I need to spend the better part of another month focusing on technique and not just on aiming for the bull's eye. That should reprogram my bad habits out and consistency back in. Instinctive shooting is a lot more work than shooting with sights. But it is far more rewarding for me.

After living in the same place for two years here in Anchorage, we are ready to move out of town. So we have been searching for places that suit our needs and budget. Looks like we should find something suitable in the next three weeks while I am home. It is so warm here now, it is mid 40s today, at least 50 to 80 degrees warmer than what I've been in. Wind chill had us down to -80 a couple days. Without a good ruff on the brim of your hood, you get an ice cream headache in about 30 seconds I found out. But wind chill is different from when the temp drops below -30 or so. Once that happens, my eyelashes start to freeze together and my nose fills with ice quick. I still prefer the cold to the hot, so other than being a novel experience, it is not such a big deal as long as I dress for it. I actually like bundling up for the cold more than having to don shorts and a tee and still sweating all the time. Just a weirdo I guess.

So I need to go get some more bulk foods for my supplies. I think I will be getting some more wheat and some navy beans and maybe more lentils, preferably red ones this time. I have to resist the urge to buy more rice. It is always an attractive purchase to me, but I have more than I should now relative to my other supplies. I should probably consider getting some garbanzos and some barley, and definitely more Crisco. For me, that stuff is a miracle fat. I have yet to see it go rancid, unlike my olive oil. It is also priced cheaper. I like coconut oil, except it adds coconut flavor to whatever I use it in. Sometimes that doesn't work. I can't use canola oil anymore. I will also need to pick up some beef fat from the butcher to render down for another batch of pemmican. I prefer tallow to lard, as it sets up firmer and seems to have a better taste.

That's pretty much it for now. I'll post again before I leave to update how things went on my preps.