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Sunday, July 2

For July 1 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.29. Events: 2 H, 12 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 56 min with (max = 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 90, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.4%. Pulse avg. 51.6, low 49. Spurious at beginning lowered the average.

I cancelled the Emeritus meeting next week, Tuesday, 7/11. Everyone has responded.

I finished and sent the rest of July music pdfs for use this week, Thurs.

Monday, July 3

For July 2 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.80. Events: 1 CSR, 5H, 2 PP, 7 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 15 min with (max = 17 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.3%. Pulse avg. 52.1, low 50.

John worked a lot outside and I worked inside.

For lunch, we had the rest of the omelet from yesterday and I had banana & pineapple.

For dinner, John made a casserole with leftover chicken, salmon, cod, our own yellow squash & onion, yams, mushrooms over brown rice.

I cut John’s hair late afternoon. It was a long process because his hair was so long it heated up my clippers 3 times, causing me to pause for it to cool. We need to do it more often. I have marked 3 weeks away on my calendar (July 24) for a check to cut John’s hair.

Tuesday, July 4th CELEBRATION

For July 3 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.85. Events: 6 H, 1 PP, 18 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 6 min with (max = 9 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 92, no events <88% with overall avg., 94.2%. Pulse avg. 51.5, low 50.

First, I worked on my needs for medical vs. dietary intakes. That took all day. Sent off my final copy tonight to Audra.

I finally finished processing photographs and videos taken at the Early Stars and Stripes party, June 30. I’m currently at 7:20 sending it to the weTransfer site to go to the AAC staff. It was 77 mG and took <20 minutes to upload. Will be faster coming down. You previously saw 2 photos taken of our group performing. Those were the only ones published in the blog. Fireworks upset our dog. A neighbor started fireworks tonight at 9:20. It is not allowed in our county - Banned because of winds and fire danger. John fixed us a late dinner of leftovers, fish, asparagus, brown rice, and chicken.

Wednesday, July 5

For July 4 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.59. Events: 4 H, 15 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 45 min with (max = 9 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 92, NO events <88% with overall avg., 93.2%. Pulse avg. 51.5, low 49.

I just found rash under my skin top of legs. I have big welt-type things UNDER my skin at the top of my legs. The rash is definitely under my skin, and not exposed on the surface.

I found out after a week of way too much pineapple, that I am allergic to it.  I have researched it and found that those on blood thinner and/or some antibiotics cause that interaction with adding a lot of Pineapple.  I’m not on any antibiotics now. I quit eating any of it. It was packaged fresh cleaned and sliced, from Costco.  No more for me.  The “rash” place does not itch or burn.  Very weird.

I made tuna fish salad for taking to the food bank music & lunch, but I added tomatoes because I’m not eating any more pineapple. I have had a few fresh chunks with every meal for a week. See the photo below and read the caption:Collage of rash – left without flash —– right with flash

Here’s what John found on the web about possible interactions with Coumadin, the blood thinner I’m on. I have been on that drug since 2010, without any such signs, so I narrowed it to pineapple and several sites report a possible rash.

I’m not allowed to send this image via NextMD site, to Lacey & Cody, Triage nurses, about excessive pineapple intake interactions with meds. I have printed the photo of my “rash” and will send it with this explanation. I talked twice with Cody and Lacey, who are nurses at the Kittitas Valley Hospital, Cle Elum, WA clinic, where my PCP is. They did find this particular report online, after I reported it by phone. I will mail a separate copy to my cardiologist for my file.

Interactions between Coumadin & Pineapple (best information we could find online):
The bromelain in pineapple could potentially interact with certain medications. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends consulting your physician before eating pineapple or taking bromelain supplements if you are currently taking antibiotics, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, blood thinners, insomnia drugs, and tricyclic antidepressants. Alcohol and certain herbs, such as valerian root or kava, might also interact with bromelain.

I stopped eating pineapple when I saw the rash.

Food bank and SAIL. I picked up Gloria today, we went to sing at the food bank, and after eating and visiting, we went to SAIL.
I’m finishing printing Gerald’s and my songs for July to take tomorrow to Rehab. I created one more for an extra for non-note readers.

Thursday, July 6

For July 5 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.56. Events: 1 CSR, 3 H, 2 PP, 20 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 22 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.8%. Pulse avg. 51.5, low 49.

Alarming message about a business closing that we have used for 17 years for our computer needs. They even built John’s current computer, when the new HP he ordered and was delivered several years ago, did not work. The best thing is our blog location will not change, and will still be at rocknponderosa.com . However, at the end of the year we lose the email connection, associated with the business at nancyh@ellensburg.com, we have used since 1995. That email is our only contact for medical emergencies and many businesses, and the only email John reads daily. In fact, he read the message at 5:05 a.m. this morning, as he was getting ready to leave at 5:30 a.m. to pick up our friend, Kristin, who is signed up for the WTA trail party today way west of Leavenworth, at Heybrook Lookout Trail, off Hwy 2 about 30 miles west of Stevens Pass. That announcement necessitated starting to make arrangements to change the address there. The biggest thing to do is figure an address for people to use to mail important messages (as all our medical notification, and tons of business announcements such as insurance, banks, list serves, and many others who use the old one to be assured John will see the email. I’m working on making a new account so that I can send a message to all people in the address book for nancyh@ellensburg.com and inform them to change to an another NEW ACCOUNT (as yet not determined).

I got a WeTransfer site set up for the pictures and videos from June 23, at AAC, the Senior Prom I reported in here, already. It was a long time coming, because of all the work needed after that Friday. The staff had taken many other photos and videos on my camera that I needed to transfer to the staff members; finally, that chore was done today.

Playing at the Rehab today. I’m sorry to say the temperature high today will be 99°. The best part of the day there was getting to meet the two girls, Maryna and Nastya, who are staying with Charlie and Helga for 5 weeks (from Belarus) to participate in the Children of Chernobyl support program.

Text below and photo above is in a Daily Record News article in 2008.

The local home stays have been ongoing since 1995 when the Ellensburg chapter of the nonprofit Children of Chernobyl began. Since then, 150 youngsters and their chaperones have come to the valley. The local families say the Belarusian children, usually students aged in their teens, go back to their eastern European country with much more than better health; they leave having made lasting friendships and memories of the American people.
“We treat the students like they are family and shower them with love, hugs, a bed, food and anything necessary for a happy home,” said Charles and Helga Firkins, a local family that’s hosted >20 Belarusian kids since 2000. “We have had the opportunity to go to Belarus once to meet with their families; it was as if we had known them all of our lives,” the Firkins said. “There is no language or social barrier. These students are such good ambassadors of their beloved Belarus.”

Lingering effects
The world’s worst The nuclear reactor accident in 1986 in the neighboring republic of Ukraine spread radioactivity into parts of Belarus and throughout Eastern and Western Europe. Although the children coming to the United States through the Children of Chernobyl (CofC) program were born after the accident, lingering effects of the disaster continue to affect some of the living environment in Belarus and can depress residents’ health and youngsters’ development. Cecelia “Cec” Calhoun, head of the Ellensburg CofC chapter and president of the national CofC U.S. Alliance, said giving the kids a healthy respite in the Ellensburg area to strengthen their bodies in an environment of clean air, land, and food continues to be the group’s primary goal.

Yet the local chapter in 2000 added educational and cultural enrichment activities to the kids’ visit. Calhoun founded the national alliance organization in 1997. She believes the local program has been successful because of wide, continuing community support and local families having a heart to meet the mission of CofC: To offer care, compassion, relief and hope to those in the Chernobyl region, especially the children.

Medical help
Local health-care professionals annually give the CofC kids free checkups to assess any medical-related concerns from living in Belarusian territories affected by the accident, Calhoun said. Older CofC youth also are invited to participate in an enrichment program that showcases local government, business, educational and cultural activities and practices. They also take part in Business Week at Central Washington University and learn about U.S. free enterprise. The CofC kids also learn about the values behind volunteering to better one’s community and the wide-range of charity work in the Kittitas Valley. Example, Charlie brought this year’s pair to our music playing at the Rehab today.

After Rehab I went for medications for John and me, and by Kittitas Medical Supply for my “free” CPAP supplies, including a new mask, tubing, filters, every 4 months, but also this time they added a new receptacle for the water to control humidity in the machine. That’s the first time since 2014 that tank was offered. I also dropped off the borrowed “velvet” pants from Joanie, which I wore to attend the Senior Prom (written up in last week’s blog).
Anne missed tambourine playing today to paint a picture at a class offered free at the senior center. She chose her subject, the Lighthouse on Fire Island (NY), where she visits every year. Rendition of lighthouse on Fire Island, New York, painted 7/5/17 by Anne Engels.

The Lighthouse is on the south side of the peninsula east of New York City, where Anne’s friend loans her and her son, Glenn (my friend and former student), the use of a cabin for a week. She used to have the light shining into and around her bedroom window as a child.

Friday, July 6

For July 5 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.00. Events: only 13 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 20 min with (max = 10 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 91, no events <88% with overall avg., 94.3%. Pulse avg. 52.5, low 46.

I wrote a progress report to nutritionist, Audra.

Ate early breakfast John fixed: yams, ham leftovers with omelet.

I transcribed all BP stored pm the unit since 6/27 off my BP’s history, before I lose it. I need to stay current with recording daily updates.

I wrote a note to send Megan and Lauren while they’re still reading their emails at the AAC. I charged my camera’s battery to take photos of today’s event.  I took along my tuna fish salad for lunch to go with what they had for lunch.

The AAC event was held today in honor of the gals, and saying goodbye to our AmeriCorps crew at the senior center for the past year: Megan Willwerth from Pennsylvania and Lauren Healey from New Jersey.Megan, Nancy, LaurenMy lunch (above photo taken before I added the fruit pieces from the dessert table) was meatless burritos ( I skipped the dough encasing, but had a lot of lettuce and sides of niblet corn, guacamole, black beans, yellow & red pepper slices (I think I read I’m supposed to avoid those (maybe because they are nightshades?); I ate a small serving of the peppers.  The peppers were cooked with onions.  Nice complement to my tuna fish.  I did not have the dessert cake and chocolate fondue, ate none of the pineapple chucks meant for dunking in the fondue, but on my plate, I put bananas, apple pieces, and salsa on my green salad. NO sour cream !  I also skipped the Quinoa. 

We had a guest choir, called “Black and Silver.”  I photographed them and made short videos of parts of their song presentation.

First, is their picture:

Collage left side of group & right side of music group, Black Silver

Then, the links to 3 of their singing are given: I have more that I videod, but did not send to YouTube, if someone gives me the email address for the group leader I can send those, but it will take me awhile to upload them.

Black & Silver Singers: The Lord’s Prayer, July 6, 2017 Ellensburg Adult Activity Center

Following is a link to Fred Newschwander, DVM solo, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with Black & Silver Singers, July 6, 2017 Ellensburg Adult Activity Center

And finally, a small part (first verse) of the song, Take My Hand Precious Lord by the Black & Silver Singers.

Next is a collage photo of the certificates given to each of the AmeriCorps folks:

Collage of awards given to each of the AmeriCorps volunteers

I stayed around the AAC to take more pictures of people with the 2 gals.

Before leaving home this morning, I had put together a master for the tail end of the playlist July after 1-14 and a master for making copies of the full list for a few players.

After the party ended, I went and Xeroxed 24 more copies of the music (for our other music group on Thursdays and 3rd Saturdays)), the Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends, and for our audiences.  

Saturday, July 8

For July 7 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.63. Events: 4 H, 2 PP, 16 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 21 min with (max = 19 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, no events <88% with overall avg., 94.7%. Pulse avg. 51.7, low 50.

John fixed brunch (a leftover omelet piece, fruit cocktail, and ham). He left for town about 12:45 for bananas for me and gasoline for his trip to Mt. Rainier tomorrow. When he returned, he picked some cherries to be cooled for us.

Tonight dinner: BBQ chicken, yams, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes.

John moved this text and photos to the WordPress site for me to proof while he is away, Sunday.

He went to bed early to get up at 4:00 to leave by 5:00 a.m.

Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Sunday, June 25

For June 24 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.00. Events: 1 PP, no H, 7 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 12 min with (max = 11 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88 (spurious 71% SpO2, lowers avg. calc), no events <88% with overall avg., 92.7%. Pulse avg. 54.1, low 49.

John left for Mt. Rainier at 5:40 a.m. for Mt. Rainier National Park at the White River Entrance. The day’s work was to provide access to the Emmons Moraine Trail. This is a side trail off Glacier Basin Trail.Work Site – bottom center . . . . ramp, crew, trail on moraine

The work was to build ramps to a log bridge across the Inter Fork. Two other teams had different projects: 1) cutting a path up the side of the moraine, and 2) placing stepping stones across a shallow channel.
It’s scheduled to be 99° high here today. Thank heavens for our fixed a/c. It only made it to 97°.

Spent over an hour on cleanup computer things…until the Internet shut down and stopped me.

I spent a lot of time on the music for this coming Thursday and Friday.

The furnace starting ticking and I turned it off for awhile, in case it had reheated. Hindsite says that’s what happened, but I had a/c for most of the rest of the day, after turning it back on after walking.
Walked up the drive with Annie and called Peggy. Temp on the front porch was 92.5°, but at the airport, it was 90. I continued in the shady parts of the driveway as long as I could while Annie ran around, into the pasture, and got in the cool irrigation ditch.

John just called at 5:35 from Naches and is 1¼ hrs away. He only ate his two pieces of pizza on the way home. It was way too hot there, and they all got exhausted and spent time rehydrating at a picnic table before coming home. He won’t need any supper, so I’m to go get a cream pie to have with the strawberries we fixed last night. I ate a few for lunch, but there’ll be plenty for us both tonight. John arrived sooner than expected, at 6:31. Temp is still > 90°. He came in hot and turned the cooling “down” but the fan did not come on. It worked all day until the last 2 hrs, maybe. Phooey, but I’m very happy I had it during the hottest days of the weekend. I have put in a call for the technician to return tomorrow, if possible. At least we can cool the house down tonight, but it’s up to 80 now after being 77 all day. Temperatures are supposed to decrease over the next few days, so, if we have to wait, we won’t die from the heat.

Monday, June 26

For June 25 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.16. Events: 1 CSR, 1 H, 1 PP, 15 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 25 min with (max = 13 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.1%. Pulse avg. 51.8, low 50.

Last evening I reported the non-working fan on our furnace to the place and person who came to our house last Friday morning. He showed up with a Thermostat in our drive, about 11:30 as I was getting ready to leave for my first appointment in EBRG. I’m happy John was here. No one called before coming. (Not a good business practice in all cases, I’m sure).

Meeting with my (voluntary) nutritional adviser at 12:30 on my way to SAIL class. She measured my body fat and calculated my water retention. Indications are that I’m dehydrated, and my dry skin reflects it as well. She gave me a bunch of inspiring and positive comments and suggestions about eating the correct foods for my best health, and why, while considering all my needs and medical background restrictions. The measurements she took are going to be made every 2-3 weeks. I must eat something every 3 hours (I find that frequency difficult). Main “diet” is limited to proteins, fruit, veggies, and good carbs.

After that I got to SAIL a little late, but still did most of the exercise. Then home to check out the working a/c, fixed this morning. Nice to have it back.

Meals –
a.m.: banana, pineapple, pear, strawberries, w/dry toast. Now I know that bread was a bad addition (ate before our talk).
afternoon: banana and nuts
p.m.: small ground beef patty, mushrooms, yams, tomato slices

Tuesday, June 27

For June 26 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.00. Events 2 PP, 19 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 45 min with (max = 12 L/min). Forgot to do Oximetry

Horses were in the wrong place for the day. Had to be moved.
John called them and they went where we wanted them, and trotted off to the lower end of our pasture. We would both be gone and now they had 3 fences between them and the road.

We had time for breakfast. We left for a 10:30 appt in Yakima at Subaru service for oil and lube scheduled (paid for at purchase of car) on John’s Crosstrek. We had to pay extra for a tire rotation. We weren’t thinking and should have said no and gone for free rotation at Les Schwab. Live and learn. Still, that negated the special trip to another place just for a rotation. That’s worth something.

A.M. – piece of omelet, strawberries, and 3 chunks of pineapple.
lunch – nuts and fruit
supper – cod, tuna, pineapple, tomato, pear

Rest of the day was taken with necessary chores for events the end of the week.

Wednesday, June 28

For June 27 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.16. Events: 1 H, 22 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 24 min with (max = 15 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 92, no events <88% with overall avg., 95.0%. Pulse avg. 51.0, low 49.

Food bank for lunch (I took my fruit – pineapple, tomato, and tuna fish), added some mixed salad from the buffet for eating after playing music. I had picked up Gloria on the way in, and then we went to SAIL exercise at the AAC.

Supper: small beef burger with guacamole (I made with a mix added to 2 avocados), piece of grilled chicken, mushrooms, fresh pieces of tomatoes, pineapple, and small piece of raw cauliflower.

Working on music for tomorrow and Friday.

Thursday, June 29

For June 28 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.01. Events: 1 CSR, 6 H, 2 PP, 19 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 58 min with (max = 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 91, no events <88% with overall avg., 52.0%. Pulse avg. 52.0, low 43.

Lost everything I had written here yesterday with Word crashing last night.
So, in summary:
We had a practice session for the music for Friday, that we shared with people at Hearthstone. We chose them for our practice because Amy & Haley cannot be with us at the AAC, at tomorrow’s celebration, because Hearthstone has a special Luau that includes her dancing at noon, just when we will be playing.

John will be gone on a Friday and a Saturday trip, and is making preparations.

Friday, June 30

For June 29 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.19. Events: 1 H, 2 PP, 16 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 22 min with (max = 6 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 91, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.5%. Pulse avg. 52.5, low 50.

John left early for trail work on the Snow Lake Trail (to The Pass and north). He detoured into Ellensburg to pick up Kristin Ashley, who went along as a WTA worker. At a dry stream, a step was placed – the flat rock, then “rocked” into place. Kristin uses rocks from a stockpile to her left. Note where her right foot is.Lunch; mostly a Goldman-Sachs group.
The right photo shows the step at the edge of the water crossing, orange mineral soil on the trail leading to it, and a moss-covered rock where Kristin’s right foot was – a finishing touch.

I left at 10:00 for the AAC, presentation of our music at the Stars & Stripes Early Celebration for July 4. We do that gig every year, and have forever for well over a decade.

We had lunch prior to playing all “America the Beautiful” type music. On the left shows the group playing & audience singing along. Right shows the National Anthem with everyone standing, singing acapella. Our Bass Player, Dave, played the background tempo.

I ate tuna fish salad & banana, I’d taken, adding a bite of burger and baked beans from the AAC. The staff served our table first and then carried plates, serving to almost 65 people. We had a good group of 9 players, minus two who planned to come but were sick. Food served included burgers, hot dogs, watermelon, potato salad, baked beans with an ice cream bar for dessert. At the end, I was given an orange popsicle in lieu of the ice cream sandwich the others got.

Players included: Sharon (bass guitar), David (Bass Fiddle), Evie (fiddle), Anne (tambourine), Manord (guitar), Kevin (banjo), Dean (harmonica), Janet (fiddle), Nancy (fiddle), and Karen Eslinger (Accordion). Spouses, Joy & Jack, came along to assist.

I went by Petsen$e for cat food, but they had only a case of the few I wanted, and I needed 3 cases to get my coupon. They generated another $5.00 coupon that goes from July 5 – 17. So, I should be able to return for the rest to get $5.00 off my total. Mine expired July 2 and they wouldn’t have it delivered by then.

Once home, I worked on the deciding the rest of the music (after 13 we did today) to send so they have it next Thursday (7/6) to play. I’m adding ones that are on an old playlist for which I have audience copies. I create the pdf files and they who have a computer and printer add the copies. I need to finish that project, print them, and scan pdfs to send.

Saturday, July 1

For June 30 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.63. Events: 1 CSR, 3 H, 2 PP, 13 RERA. Time on 4 hrs 47 min with (max = 7 L/min). No oximetry to report.

John left for WTA trail work on the West Fork of the Foss River at 5:45 a.m. and I went back to bed for another couple hours. I was really beat from yesterday.

The Foss River enters the Skykomish River where the turn for the trail happens from Hwy. #2. From that point west a few miles there are 3 sets of falls and cascades. There is mist, cool air, white water, slick rocks, and near freezing cold water. What could go wrong?
Sky Valley newsBlue Hat Evonne with a Forest Service person; local color.Note the bridge has steel I-beams. After repeated destruction of log bridges, concrete abutments were poured and a helicopter brought the beams and lowered them. Left: man in red (Tom) was the leader of a group of Duke University students. The 2 standing are WA folks. Middle: John cuts Maples. Right: The Duke folks signed out and went up to Trout Lake. The 6 locals had to carry out all the tools and all the green hats. Some fun!

I started with sending links of previous Mt. Rainier photos from June 2017 to Kristin Ashley, the gal that went on trail work yesterday to Snow Lake, with John. I am collecting those in a file in folder WTA 2017 on my Dell laptop.

I finished dishes, and ate lunch (tuna fish salad, pineapple slices, a full tomato, and prune slices). I spent too much time taking off pix from my Nikon, yesterday. Biggest time sink was trying to clip the video taken down to a size under the 2 gigabyte limit to transfer freely over the weTransfer site.

I should have ignored trying to send the video I did not realize it was recording for our entire time. One of the staff set it up to record 3 minutes ahead of our actual start. I had to learn how to clip. Am still working on it. I think late tonight I got a copy to move over and see if it is small enough. I haven’t yet taken the time to check the clipped version.

I fixed strawberries John picked last night to eat with my nuts snack in the afternoon. I’m supposed to intake food every 3 hours (that’s difficult). I need to report to my nutritionist ASAP on progress.

I spent an inordinate amount of time attempting to lower the size of the transfer file. Then I have to transfer to the SD card and put it back in the camera for clipping. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Saturday, June 17

For June 16 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.46. Events: 3 H, 2 PP, 17 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 30 min with (max = 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.5%. Pulse avg. 52.9, low 49.

Because of John’s early 5:20 a.m. departure for Mt. Rainier to a WTA work party at White River, we put out the blog last night, so it is shorter than usual, and I am remembering this morning things that I left out.

Yesterday’s mail brought a report of my blood type, as B positive.

John was able to go to Costco Thursday to pick up his new glasses, and while there bought some Alaska cod, a lot of fruit, beans, and animal food. We already have had some nutritious dinners. The other thing I forgot was his trip to Big 5 Sporting Goods with a 20% off coupon, where he bought a neat pair of waterproof work boots (Magnum) with a side zipper. He wore them today and they worked fine. I guess they don’t need “broken in” as regular work boots with hard sole and leather.

After sleeping in for 3 hours, I fed cats, arranged for a player today at Briarwood, and for an eventual pick up of more pallets just around the block a mile away, worked on dishes, ate the beginning of brunch, and set up an upload of the videos of our music we are planning that I took last week: Send Me Back Home, and Pass Me By. They will only be there for people to download for 7 days, so I won’t give you the link. They’re just for Evie and me to work with on the preparation.
I put one song from my old camera (only a 9-minute upload) on YouTube. It records at a much lower resolution than my newer Nikon.

Apologies for the ending. I was double recording, Nikon in left hand and Casio Exilim in right. This one in my right hand I missed getting the camera turned off in time.

Charlie and Gerald singing Send Me Back Home

Today we had several people playing music at Briarwood. Gerald and I were the first to arrive, and our newest member, Rhonda was next. She plays the Cello. We have never had a cello in our group, and it has a nice sound to complement our sound. A person in the audience came up afterwards to say how the cello sound she added was “mellow.”

We helped take down the tables and move the chairs into lines and set up folding chairs for the players. Others who joined us to play today included Amy, Joanie, Charlie, Dean, Sharon, and Anne. After we played 25 songs, we visited with each other and the residents, having cookies, cupcakes, and punch. One of the residents gave me a songbook with 114 old-time songs like the type we play. The group today comprised a very good choir. We had a lot of fun with them.

I left just before 4:00 p.m. and went to within 6 miles of my home, out in a field to a double-double Hunt Test, sponsored by the WA Brittany Club and the WA German Shorthair club. I knew that my friend (since 2000) in Brittanys was to be there with 4 of her dogs. Her name is Karen Barrows. Her lines go back to our lines. We visited in her trailer. Just as I was getting ready to come home, she introduced me to two families who have dogs with our Cedaridge lines behind them. That was nice. Almost like being at a family reunion. I did not previously know either one of the families, the Thompsons and the Pollacks.

John got home before I did from Mt. Rainier, and when he realized it, he called my cell phone and found me there at the hunt test grounds.
I came home to a message from Jeri Conklin about our Brittany, Daisy’s surgery today.

Below is a picture of what they removed today. The doc thinks it may actually be a reaction to the rattlesnake vaccine as there was a pocket of liquid at the end. The removal was sent in for histology report, because she hasn’t seen anything like it. It will be 5-7 days to get the report back.

The report arrived Saturday, 6/23, and I have a copy, but the verdict is that it was a reaction to the vaccination, and most likely the shot was administered in the wrong place by another vet. Currently, the diagnosis is it was a reaction to the vaccine, yet they are planning to consider further analyses with more due diligence in doing special stains to rule out the possibility of any infectious causes. Those data will be presented in an addendum to the first report, which I will report in next week’s blog.I don’t know the scale of the above photo. Guessing only it might have been 3″ ? The lump was the size of a quail or maybe a Chukar egg.

.

Then later, John showed me the photos he took on the work party today. We’ll try to put in a few explanatory ones after tomorrow’s work is added. I enjoy “going on the trips” this way. He also described the day’s work and that he thinks he didn’t eat enough calories yesterday because his BP was low enough to give him a funny feeling in his head (?) while lifting and carrying heavy rocks. He took a break, got a candy bar and a drink mid-morning, and was better the rest of the day.

Sunday, June 18

For June 17 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.30. Events: 1 CSR, 2 H, 19 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 40 min with (max = 9 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 90, no events <88% with overall avg., 92.8%. Pulse avg. 54.2, low 50. From about 1:15 a.m. to 2:45, I must have been restless while sleeping and knocked off my oximeter. Hence, there's a gap in my recorded parameters on the CPAP, when comparing the SpO2 and pulse. The CPAP does not measure SpO2, which is my only reason for being on the CPAP, to keep it over 88%. It does work.

John left at 5:35 for Bill Weir’s house to catch a ride with him to White River work spot in Mt. Rainier Park. I took John’s BP, my own pills, my own BP, fed the cats, and went back to bed for a couple hours.

It started raining this morning, which was not predicted. It is not showing on the imagery. Diuretic is working overtime. I’m receiving lots of exercise going up and down the hall.

Report from Jeri that Daisy is some better from her surgery. Apparently, the sedation (gas) hit her pretty hard.

I’ve been reading about healthy snacks. For lunch, I had dried apples and dry toast.

Tried working on Freddy Fender’s, “Before the Last Teardrop Falls” music score input, but ran into problems. I need to videotape Charlie & Gerald doing that one. I finally got all the music in, but I’m sure it doesn’t match up with the way he sings it. For the note-readers in the group, we will have to change a few notes in some phrases. This tailoring takes too much of two people’s time (Evie’s and mine).

Here are a few collages from John & Bill’s work party at White River.John – and then at the end of the day, entire crew on their completed bridge over the smaller of the two braided channels of the White River – downstream 2.5 miles from the ice, over John’s right shoulder in the left photo.
Bill is on the far end of the bridge next to John, the little girl in the middle is with her father. She’s 12 yrs old, and on her 2nd WTA work party. It was the first for her dad to her right. Short guy in the middle is part of the Mt. Rainier trail crew. Photo by Crew leader, Hannah.Filling buckets of dirt and John & Bill leading rock hauling with Mira and her dad behind Bill. WTA crews refer to rocks as 1, 2, … to 8 or so person rocks. This was a 4-person rock.

Monday, June 19

For June 18 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.26. Events: 2 H, 16 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 45 min with (max = 6 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, no events <88% with overall avg., 92.5%. Pulse avg. 52.9, low 50.

Transferred BP data and then scanned and sent to my cardiologist’s nurse for her to see the weekend number readings.

I’m still working on filling in the paperwork for Audra, who will be my nutritional adviser, at her offer. She’s had 30 years of experience as a certified nutritionist.

Getting the internet to reconnect has been a pain today.

For lunch I ate some tuna salad, a pear, and Cheez-It®s

I went to SAIL class.

After SAIL I went by and delivered my 3/4 size violin to a 12-yr old to be restrung for a viola. That will save them $20/month rental. I’m just loaning it.

Sent request for attendance so I can properly tell the chair count before Thursday for our Fiddlers and Friends, who are going this week to Hearthstone.

Our furnace (AC and heat) quit working today. At least we have decent cooler weather for the next few days. I called in at 4:37, and they only work from 8:00 to 4:30! So, I left a message to call in the morning. The compressors are working (in the outside unit), but the fans in the house are not.

Need to go harvest strawberries when it cools down some.
We did, and shared the bad ones with the two “little” grown fawns. The buck has spikes that are beginning to separate on one side.

I fixed the strawberries for dessert.

Tuesday, June 20

For June 19 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.17. Events: 1 H, 17 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 49 min with (max = 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 1 event <88% with overall avg., 91.5%. Pulse avg. 56.3, low 53.

Not going to town today. Been cleaning some but mostly working mostly on taxes.

The next video starts with the bridge John walked across on Nick’s field trip (photo in the blog last week)

FAST timing on WA views in the Wild

Best way to watch that video is pressing/clicking on and off (pause) at the start.. otherwise it is too fast to see the neat photos of outdoor landscape view of places all over WA.

John’s comment on the WTA site: (where the many photos were published). Dry Side John commenting RE: opening photo of the cables and steel decked bridge. Last Sunday 11th, I crossed that bridge – it was stop #3 on a geology field trip to Rimrock Lake. Otherwise, I would have been on a WTA work party. I was at Mt. Rainier on the 8th, 17th, and 18th with Hannah and crews. Come on out.

Today, on Facebook, I received the good news from Jeri Conklin in CA of her her winning photo of our dog Daisy zenning in a Poppy field. I learning a new word today. Had to look up zenning. Maybe you will too.Wednesday, June 21

For June 20 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.12. Events: 1 CSR, 1 H, 17 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 10 min with (max = 15 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 92, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.6%. Pulse avg. 52.4, low xx.

Today was my normal Wednesday pickup of my friend Gloria to attend music and lunch at the F.I.S.H. Food Bank and go on to SAIL exercise at the AAC. We had a good time at both.

From Elise in New Jersey:

“Look how big this turtle is. I put a 3×5 card down for scale. She must be really old! I have never seen a slider this big, usually 1/2 that size!”
I never heard of a slider turtle before, but John found their range includes GA.
See distribution map

Chester Poole (from Massachusetts) published this 6/13/17
>>> (He says:) As most of you know I rarely post items about my life for all to see; however, I am making an exception in this case as I feel it’s very important. On Sunday evening upon eating a hamburger from our grill I felt something abnormal in my burger. I tried to spit it out and tried to cough up anything that may be there. Upon eating my second bite I felt a needle-like pain in my throat. I spent 5 hours in outpatients and after some X-rays, they determined that I had a foreign like straight object in my throat. After an IV I was sent home and they were going to try to get a surgeon in Yarmouth to extract it. Monday morning the out patients doctor called and said that I would need to go to Halifax as no one in Yarmouth had the equipment or expertise to remove. Arrived in Hfx at 12:00. The doctors were great. The young ENT doctor on call told us that he was going to be brutally honest and that he sees this all the time and that there was a one in one hundred chance of finding it. He scoped me through my nose for five minutes and was able to see it. Normally he said he would have scheduled me for surgery last night after finding it but wanted to try to remove in the exam room. Let’s just say the procedure is not a fun one and would not wish it on anyone. He used a second scope and was able to extract. He told me that i was a very lucky man and that i should buy a lotto ticket. The piece he extracted was from our barbecue brush and about one inch long. Our brush is in good shape and i hardly use it. He says he gave up his brushes 10 yrs ago because he sees this sort of thing a lot. The thing that was concerning was that he said a lot of times they cannot be found because they imbed themselves in the soft tissue of your throat and that you end up doing more damage by poking around trying to find it to remove. They end up leaving them there and you live with the discomfort. Every time I was swallowing it felt like a needle was in there. Not fun. The thing that bothered me was that if we had provided burgers to anyone else, especially our grandchildren, it would have been the worst. I do not believe a small child would have been able to go through the procedure to remove very easily at all. We went to Costco and bought wooden scrapers for each of our kids. Here is a picture the surgeon took of my throat with the bristle. It is blown up several times of course. All this to say to my Facebook friends, please consider very seriously of getting rid of your wire brushes.This is of Chester’s throat with a wire brush thistle embedded.

John says: Use a piece of wood and a crumpled piece of aluminum foil – or broil inside, it is easier.

I found this while getting on to a private message from my friend about some information she had on an aquafitness class she is taking. I’m going to meet her at the Ellensburg Memorial Pool next Tuesday, to see what it involves, and consider joining. The class meets 7 times a week (Mon-Thurs) at 10:40 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. No way can I make the evening classes, and I cannot make the Wednesday morning one either.

Thursday, June 22

For June 21 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.75. Events: 1 CSR, 5 H, 1 PP, 18 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 40 min with (max = 16 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, no events <88% with overall avg., 92.9%. Pulse avg. 51.9, low 48.

Playing connection games with the Internet again.

We played at Hearthstone with KV Fiddlers & Friends.

John went to town for gasoline, dropping me off for music. While there he shopped several places for a new chest freezer, because of losing the freezer space in the 37 year old (extra) refrigerator that quit, and not having enough space for all the frozen stuff we like to have here in the country. When the old one quite we had plenty of space for the regular stuff, just not the frozen stuff. He rearranged and tossed a few old things – nothing costly. He bought and arranged for a Kenmore 12512 15.6 cu. ft Chest freezer, which will arrive at our house next Thursday.

We stopped by Safeway for groceries, but mainly for me to get a $25 gift card, from transferring a new prescription to there. I had already arranged for it, because the price is about half half the cost there for cash rather than at my usual pharmacy using my insurance co-pay.

I received very sad news tonight from my friend (since 1977) in S. Lake Tahoe. She has owned 3 of our Brittanys through the years since we met her when we were in Troy, Idaho. She tragically lost her 12-yr old male, Cedaridge Tri-Tip Kip. Kip is the father of our Daisy that you have seen pictures of a lot in this blog. Kip was a Tri-Color Brittany and the full brother to our dog, Ch Cedaridge Vintage Cork (who likewise met a tragic ending 6 yrs ago). Sonja Willitts still has his son, Tug, brother to our Daisy.

Friday, June 23

For June 22 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=3.71. Events: 3 CSR, 2 CA, 21 H, 1 OA, 7 PP, 13 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 12 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 90, no events <88% with overall avg., 52.5%. Pulse avg. 52.5, low 49. The AHI might be very high, but the things pertaining to my need for the machine (SpO2) was fine.

Darren (From Brad & Burke Heating and Air Conditioning) came at 8:25. I met him outside and he wanted to start with the unit in the backyard. He found some bees inside so he went out and got spray from his car and I stepped out of the way while he went. He took off the panel on the left and found a nest in the bottom. He said he upset them, but then he sprayed them. He listened to some of our symptoms and asked questions, and decided to look at the capacitor. Turns out the Company’s vehicle stock has capacitors. He replaced the first because it was shot and had oil leaked out of the top of it. Then he found the second one, and it was in the same condition. He said those weren’t that expensive and that the call for him to come out this far would cost more than the parts. It was a #25. He had them both in his rig, so could go out, get them, and replace. I talked with him, watched, and asked questions the whole time. He had turned off the electricity to the unit manually at the outside box, but still checked to be sure it was off, before proceeding. So, once they were installed he was able to turn the electricity back on and manually test running the fans outside. I had gone back in to turn on the fan. His test indicated there were still problems in the house unit because I could not start the fan from the thermostat. He dismantled the left side and checked the electric motor, saying he hoped it wasn’t that because that would be a $1,000 cost for the part and he’d have to order it. He went from checking motor to checking the computer board. They both appeared to be working. But the noise I heard was the unit being heated up, and that’s what can ruin the capacitors and also burn up the motor. He insisted that we should check all the filters monthly, just to be sure. We don’t have to wash and clean or replace the big one unless they are dirty, but it is crucial to check them monthly. Then, he went to the hallway thermostat and took off the bottom, revealing some buttons he blew dust off of, and did something with one of the left ones. Then, he blew more dust off the top. He said we need to keep up with that cleaning regularly too. Ha!

He did some stuff and turned on the fan, but it did not start. He adjusted some more stuff, and then tried again. It came on. He was going to manually turn on the fan to run all the time to give him time to get us a new thermostat, (about $240), but decided to make some more adjustments, and then we had to wait 5 minutes between the start and the response. This happened twice. First time we were in the den where the motor and computer board are, reassembling it, so the 5 minutes went quickly. Second time we were just standing in the hallway waiting. But, it worked. He told me to report back in case the fan stopped again. He was not going to order any more parts. The thermostat was the culprit, but thankfully, it was not the motor that quit – at the replacement price required. He is going to write up all the details on the invoice report, which we will get in 5-7 days. I thanked him for going through all the details with me and responding to my questions. He doesn’t handle any money. It’s all done through the main office, so his report will come with the invoice next week.

The AAC (senior center) had a healthy lunch today preceding the dancing at the Senior Prom dance. Carol Cummings is a dance instructor, and she led a couple of line dances I participated in.

I took a number of videos, before I decided to have a dance with a member of the AAC (Pat Carney). We had our photo taken and it is displayed below, but I don’t have any videos of my dancing.
I danced a few times, and went back to photographing. After one of her partners (Wolfgang Franz, a retired professor of Economics at CWU), saw me taking some pictures of his dancing with her, he came over and asked me for a dance when a waltz was played. We didn’t realize it was the last dance of the day, but he talked through it about the time of music, and the steps to take. I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to try our luck at a dance.

I took photos and videos, using the old camera for videos, and the new one for photographs. Here are a couple of collages of the day: Curtis, Nancy, Marilyn =========== Nancy & PatMy lunch table, Lynn, Ann & Pat ========= Buffet lineConnie Bright & Pat Carney ==== Marilyn & Curtis Rost ==== Mary AnnVarious dancersWomen from back and front having fun

On my way to the lunch and Senior Prom, I stopped by Hearthstone and retrieved one of our music notebooks left there yesterday. I went by Super 1 to return a dated item for a refund. And by Les Schwab. Dashboard message came on when starting car, to check tires, but it still is coming on after a nice fellow found 3 of my tires low. He agreed with me that my tires look worn. I asked him if they had a sale upcoming, and he laughed and said, we always have “something” on sale.

Internet down 5 times tonight and down again as I go to bed.
I was able to take off all the photos and videos on my cameras from today. But, I’m unable to do anything with them yet because of an unreliable connection to upload.

Here, I got 8 minutes of the best uploaded Saturday afternoon, and luckily, when the connection broke, it didn’t lose the upload, and finished.

Two minutes of various dancing interpretations today at AAC.

Connie Bright and Wolfgang Franz Dancing a Fast one (at the end)

Saturday, June 24

For June 23 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.14. Events: 1 H, 1 PP, 23 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 15 min with (max = 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 91, no events <88% with overall avg., 92.6%. Pulse avg. 51.7, low 49.

John is staying home today and watering – getting strawberries, veggies, flowers, the small (newish) Plum trees and a few other small trees watered. Temps will be above 90 today and just under 100 on Sunday, when he will be gone.

Morning trying to finish things, and responding to email with important dated information, that arrived last night when I was off the computer. I’m also doing clean-up of the old broken refrigerator so that John can get it out of the house. He’s already moved all the stuff from the freezer and stuff that essentially needs cooled. All that remains to be moved are things I can toss, put away without water (water bottles), and move anything needed, elsewhere.

I receive from Jeri Conklin Daisy’s histology report from her surgery. It was from the Rattlesnake Vaccine which she had on June 6th. She says her vet is a little concerned about giving future vaccines but never again on the rattlesnake, for sure.

John went to town for gas his trip to Mt. Rainier tomorrow. I need to notify neighbors about our irrigation needs he found out from a neighbor while up near the end of the road working on watering. These mountain fed streams fill up with rocks and want to change directions. Look up alluvial fan.

When shade came to the patch and it cooled down, he harvested enough strawberries to use tonight, which we jointly cleaned.

Sunday, June 25

For June 24 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.00. Events: 1 PP, no H, 7 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 12 min with (max = 11 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88 (spurious 71, messes avg. calc), no events <88% with overall avg., 92.7%. Pulse avg. 54.1, low 49.

John left for Mt. Rainier at 5:40 a.m. Scheduled to be 99° high today. Thank heavens for our a/c. It only made it to 97°.

Spent over an hour on cleanup computer things…until the Internet shut down and stopped me.

Found the 4th July music bag in the back room for this Thursday and Friday. Need to sort out the old stuff. And take some music from last year if needed by players for the old stuff… Dixie is on the Oct/Nov 2016 list as number 4. We might use it, if time.

Walked up the drive with Annie and called Peggy, John’s sister.
Temp on the front porch was 92.5°, but at the airport, it was 90.
I continued in the shady parts of the driveway as long as I could.
I talked ~13 minutes to Peggy, while Annie ran around, into the pasture, and got in the irrigation ditch to cool off.

John just called at 5:35 from Naches, and is an hour & 15-20 min away. He only ate his two pieces of pizza in the few miles before he called me. It was way too hot there, and they all got exhausted and spent time re-hydrating at a picnic table before coming home. He won’t need any supper, so I’m to go get a (freezer) cream pie to have with the strawberries we fixed last night. I ate a few for lunch, but there will be plenty for us both tonight. John arrived sooner than expected, at 6:31.

Annie awaited him in the shade in the front yard. Temp is still > 90°. He came in hot and turned the cooling “down” but the fan did not come on. It has worked all day until the last 2 hrs, maybe. Phooey, but very happy I had it during the hottest days of the weekend. I have put in a call for the technician to return tomorrow, if possible. At least we can cool the house down tonight with outside air going to 65. Monday will be 10 degrees cooler, and still lower the rest of the week. We won’t die from the heat and it never went over 80 in the house today.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, June 12

For June 11 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.26. Events: 2 H, 20 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 35 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, no events <88% with overall avg., 92.2%. Pulse avg. 55.2, low 50.

John picked weed flower heads, and watered the plum trees. The wind is terrible today. Gusts today started at 26 mph at 6:00 a.m. and reached a high at 6:00 p.m. of 54 mph. It’s supposed to blow like this until TOMORROW MIDNIGHT.

We had a brunch of eggs, ham, and peaches. I am ready to go for haircut at 1:00 around the rural block – 3 miles total, so not bad.

We fixed up the goodies to take to Hearthstone Emeritus meeting in the morning. We are taking some of our own homemade chocolate chip cookies with walnuts and some halved Pistachio muffins.

I had problems from last night through today with low BPs and contacted my cardiologist only to find out he is on vacation for 2 weeks. I was increased to 1.5 tablets Entresto twice a day from 1. It lowers BP. His nurse is going to contact another provider and show them my BP records since the end of May through today.

John took photos for me on the yesterday’s Zentner Field trip into the Tieton Valley to reverse-follow a rock formation that came from an ancient volcano about 50 miles west of Yakima. The rock is called Tieton Andesite. Andesite usually makes steep cone-shaped structures, but not this one. At 1.64 million years and 1.39 million years years ago the volcano – now gone – erupted.
It left evidence and a very pretty landscape. I, Nancy, could not go along because of the length of the hikes required. It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to share several photos, even though I was unable to attend. One hundred twenty people attended, using a lead van (John rode in), and 40 vehicles.At the 3rd stop the group had to cross the Tieton River on metal pieces held up by long cables. The columnar basalt is of the Grand Ronde flow from way eastern Washington* and 10 times older then the andesite in the background beyond the swaying bridge. Note: On the upper-right there is a climber in a white shirt and brown pants. About 5 were climbing but that one is the only visible one in this image.
[* Nick says it is from DNI – damn near Idaho.]
Next collage is of a stop at Rim Rock Lake.I merged these two photos to show the scenery. Most of the explanation is in videos for me, and I have not uploaded any to share. Of the left photo think , “the andesite came from way over there”, and on the right “that’s a hard place to build a highway.” But see below.

Next is a collage of a tunnel on Hwy-12, White Pass Road, that neither one of us remember from past trips across there.This is a short (1/10 mile) and easy tunnel at Google Earth:
46.657175, -121.130323

Tuesday, June 13

For June 12 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.59. Events: 5 H, 1 PP, 14 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 25 min with (max = 12 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 1 event <88% with overall avg., 92.6%. Pulse avg. 54.2, low 50.

We went to Hearthstone for an Emeritus Geographers meeting. We had a great speaking team, led by Casey Cranston who works at the Wanapum Dam Visitor’s Center on weekends, and his friend Kristin Ashley, who just was graduated from CWU in Recreation and Tourism and the Wine program. Casey was in the CWU Geography program and was graduated in 2015. I knew them both from a chance meeting in 2014 at White Heron Cellars Chef’s Extravaganza, and subsequently through the Jobs List I moderate.
His talk was well presented with pamphlets and interesting information about the hydropower and fish issues at Wanapum Dam (primarily), but also with discussion about other regional dams.

Received pix from Crystal Lakes Trail boardwalk project on the very eastern edge of Mt. Rainier N. P., where John worked last Saturday; the WTA crew on Sunday finished it. On the day John was there, only a small crew was present, and Hannah the crew leader only found time to get a couple of photos. So, most of what she took came from the 2 days John was not there.

Below on the left is a National Park trail crew member looking at the old board-walk. What’s he thinking? On the right is the same place 3 days later. The front part – with dirt – is called a “turnpike” while the planked-over part is called a puncheon.Below is work in progress – get rid of most of the old, clean out underneath, insert lots of rocks as a base for the turnpike and the puncheon needs a few big rocks and long logs carried to the site, and put it all together. Lots of pounding of 10 inch nails (spikes).
All the new planks across the top were cut and split just downhill from the structure. A very old, dead, and big Western Cedar.

Wednesday, June 14

For June 13 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.08. Events: 2 CSR, 9 H, 19 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 19 min with (max = 15 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.9%. Pulse avg. 53.1, low 50.

I picked up Gloria, went to the Food Bank for music and lunch, and delivered on way to AAC two packages of wheat grandma rolls to a gal. We participated in the SAIL exercise class. Wind gusts continued with highest 51 mph.

Thursday, June 15

For June 14 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=2.01. Events: 2 CSR, 1 CA, 1 OA, 2 PP, 13 H, 18 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 27 min with (max = 13 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, no events <88% with overall avg., 93.4%. Pulse avg. 53.3, low 49.

For a lot of reasons, I spent too much time on the phone and didn’t accomplish much.

Today, I went for music at Pacifica. We had a large and responsive / appreciative audience, and a good number of players.

Friday, June 16

For June 15 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.51. Events: 1 CSR, 4 H, 2 PP, 21 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 50 min with (max = 11 L/ min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, no events <88% with overall avg., 92.6%. Pulse avg. 53.1, low 50.

We created notices of ownership for putting into my 3/4 violin case for a loan to Beck Landon to change strings on and use as a restrung viola.

We went to town in the truck. John loaded 5 wood pallets from behind the Rehab, bought gasoline, and dropped me off for SAIL exercise. Afterwards, we went to Petsen$e and to Safeway Pharmacy.

John leaves at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow for Mt. Rainier, for WTA trail work. He’ll find out what they will be doing when he gets there, but it will be near the White River – or maybe helping with a log bridge over it. There are usually 3 logs to get across and almost every year one or more washes away.
He will go with Bill Weir again on Sunday with Bill driving.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, June 5

For June 4 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.64. Events: 2 CSR, 8 H, 1 PP, 14 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 6 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events<88% with overall avg., 93.3%. Pulse avg. 54.4, low 48.

I’m going to start out this week with photos of my dog, Cedaridge Kip’s Camelot Shay Tre’ (call name Daisy), in California. These photos are from the past couple weeks, but I left them out of last week’s blog because of lack of space. Now you get to see them. Some of you with Facebook accounts already saw them when my co-owner, Jeri Conklin, shared there. Some of the photos were taken by Daisy’s trainer’s wife, Deanna Beals-Azevedo, and the others were taken by Jeri.

First are from Deanna, taken 5-30-17 So cool the point with the bird (white Coturnix quail) in the foreground, and another point on the right.

The next few were taken by Jeri, June 3, while out in the field training.Nice point These droplets in mid air photos always make me smile.

My chore every day is dish washing, and it’s the best thing I can do to thank John for doing all the cooking. I can take care of my breakfast and lunch when he’s not around.

I sent photos and videos to the AAC from last Friday’s program.

I went and picked up 4 pieces of music from Dave & Janet, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” “Golden Star Polka,” “Wednesday Night’s Waltz” (which we are having trouble with matching notes to the way Gerald & Charlie do it), and Nancy’s Waltz, which Janet threw in for me. Now we have to put all into the SongWriter 2012 version. Dave & Janet did not have “Pass Me By” in their collection (except as a DVD), so our musical guru, Evie, plans to transcribe it from the Johnny Rodriguez video on line.

Tuesday, June 6

For June 5 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.12. Events: 2 CSR, 1 H, 11 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 9 min with (max = 15 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.3%. Pulse avg. 54.2, low 48.

I worked on my records report to give to my cardiologist, Dr. Kim, at tomorrow’s appointment. It will include my daily blood pressure readings log book, my Pulmonary Function Test, with a Trend Report calculated for the past two visits. I have printed results (graphs) from my CPAP and Oximetry devices (particularly for SpO2 and my pulse), throughout the night, and my last INR & Potassium labs, because I forgot to request copies sent to them. I have made a summary table of the important parameters from the blood draws, since the start of the year, so he has it right in front of him and doesn’t have to search the records. I put these things in it: INR, potassium, BNP, magnesium, BUN, Creatinin, and Uric Acid, for all 8 blood draws I had from 1/3/17 – 5/25-27.

I completed printing the cello music scores (in the base clef) that Evie kindly created for me using SongWriter 2012 to give our new player (who can only attend on Saturdays now because of having a full time job). I’ll drop them off when in town later this week, so she can play with us on the 17 Sept.

I checked the cost of meds for Annie and for me – I recently picked up my 90 tablets of Coumadin that cost $31.62. I knew that was higher than previously, so I found the best price of $15.58 is at Safeway; I changed my pharmacy on that one.
I had just recently changed my dog Annie’s Phenobarbital to there from RiteAid, to save another bunch of money. The other neat thing is I can use my Chase Amazon.com card there at Safeway Pharmacy, and save an additional 2%. On a $137.95 purchase (180 tablets), that is a savings of $2.76 ! The reason my normal Pharmacy, Super 1, doesn’t give me the 2% discount, is that the total is titled as Super 1 Grocery, not Super 1 Pharmacy. The credit card company will not give a bonus for groceries, as they will for pharmacies.

Wednesday, June 7

Tuesday, June 6 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.36. Events: 3 H, 1 PP, 10 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 15 min with (max = 12 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 90, no events <88% with overall avg., 92.1%. Pulse avg. 56.9, low 50.

Today was the doctor’s appointment. I drove my car, and we stopped in Yakima for lunch. We ingested a lot of calories at Burger King at a lower price with coupons. We went to Costco, picked out frames, and paid for John’s new glasses. He will get them in 5-7 business days. There, in the optical department, we saw our good friends (Suzy & Bob West) from west of Yakima. We grabbed a few things we needed and some sale items, and left. The double package of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) was on sale for $2.00 off the normal $8.49 price (before tax), which isn’t bad. We also got some pears, nuts, plums, and mushrooms. We did not buy gasoline at Costco as usual because for some unknown reason, the price/gallon is $.36 less in EBRG!

John and I went to see Dr. Kim, arriving at 2:55 for check-in. I had an ECG and we spent ~ 1.5 hours with him. He upped my dosage of Entresto, so I have to watch my BP carefully for 2 weeks after the switch. I’m being scheduled for a couple of new tests, and an echocardiogram, because I haven’t had one since 2015. I requested a person there at the Yakima Heart Center, named Angie. She did my exam in 2014, and I found out her daughter plays the violin, so I shared some music. I need to remember to send her the July music, because of all the patriotic songs included. I’m not sure yet when my appointment will be. The scheduler’s first suggestion was July 12, but that’s a Wednesday, and normally I have two things to do on Wednesday and our anniversary, so I requested another date. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays are supposed to be my scheduling days for appointments in Yakima.

Today, I had to miss playing music at the Food Bank, and going to SAIL exercise, because my Dr. was not available on the pre-arranged day, Monday this week. I was happy that my friend Gloria, went ahead and drove with her sister, attended both the Food Bank music and lunch, and then they went on to the SAIL exercise class.

Thursday, June 8

For June 7 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.46. Events: 1 CSR, 1 H, 4 RERA. Time on 2 hrs 10 min with (max = 17 L/min). I misread the time and turned off the CPAP at 1:15; I thought it was 7:15. Once the machine is off and unplugged, it cannot be re-started. Oximetry: I did not calculate it.

John left about 7:30 for bottling at White Heron, where they bottled Malbec. John brought home 3 bottles. After bottling, they stick around and share some wine with things brought by the participants. John’s contribution today were apples and Dry Salami. Others brought cheeses, breads, Pistachios, and two kinds of deviled eggs.

I went to play music at Meadows Place, and we had a good number of folks: Amy & Haley, Sharon, Anne, Gerald, Charlie, Maury, Kevin, Dean, and me. We expected two others, but they must have been rained out. We had some heavy rain before the gathering, and once inside, another downpour occurred. A dry spot allowed us to leave without rain, but I went for gasoline, and the bottom dropped out right after I left. I was pleased to get gasoline for $2.249/gal, and John also did the same on his trip back, because he must leave early tomorrow for Mt. Rainier and needed gasoline. I had stopped by my pharmacy to write a check for 20 days worth of my increased dosage of Entresto, so they would feel okay with opening the bottle to halve the pills so I can take 1.5 pills twice a day. I tried myself this morning, and with my pill splitter, it is a tough job to get an even split. There is no mark indentation on the pill in the middle, as is common with other similarly shaped meds. Then, if scored, I can break the pill in half with my hands.

I’m able to get 20 days worth of Entresto tablets for $10 (limit is 60 pills). Previously, I was only taking two/day, so 60 lasted a month. The $10 is a special co-pay I applied for through the pharmaceutical company for a drug that can cost up to $400/ month. We believe they will end that offer Dec. 31, 2017, so whether I can reapply is debatable. They probably want to get people hooked and then raise the price. I will have 300 left on the refill after this time. At least my insurance’s normal co-pay for 60 pills is $40, so that’s not excessive, but as long as I can get the same amount I need for $10, I shall.

Today’s photo on bing:© Karsten Schneider/Science Photo Library
Satellite-based graphic showing ocean currents off the Americas
It’s easy to think of satellites as technology for observing the realms beyond our planet. But many satellites turn their data-gathering instruments back toward home. That’s how this ocean-currents map was created. The purple and pink swirls represent warmer ocean currents, while the blue and green are cooler currents. Maps as this aid in weather forecasting, determining the temperature of our oceans, and long-term analysis of the oceans’ health.

I wish I had had this last week to combine with the write-up about the lecture on the Global Ocean. Knowledge of this came from Elise, my friend in New Jersey.

I put a request out on 3 Facebook sites for help with a low-calorie diet cook book. See my success below.

I had Glucerna & Yogurt for lunch, 190 + 90 calories.

Today, the crew leader LeeAnne Jensen from Jan 3 Saturday’s Franklin Falls and Wagon Trail work party sent photographs of the day’s work on National Trails Day.

First, here is her thank-you note to the crew:

Thank you so much for coming out on National Trails Day to lend a hand on the Franklin Falls and Wagon Road trails! It was a very beautiful day and we saw a lot of hikers out there! Trail work is just one of the many ways WTA works to promote and protect Washington’s trails, and we very much appreciate your being a part of that effort! Even though there were crowds of hikers we still accomplished a lot for both trails. Grady, Tracey, Debbie, and Diane made an awesome team moving gravel from the trailhead down to the turnpike project, where Kim, Toni, Kannan, and Dick did a lot of smoothing and tamping of the gravel to complete that section. Linda and Joe tackled a big rock, which they flipped out of the drainage and placed it to extend the rock water bar. Jay, John, Anthony, Susan, Fish, and John spent their time on the trail installing a culvert on the Wagon Road trail as well as clearing drainage and removing a down tree from the side of the trail. All in all, a lot was done to help the trails get ready for the summer hiking crowds. A heartfelt thank you to the assistant crew leaders for sharing their trail knowledge and for helping to keep everyone safe out there. See you on the trails again soon! – LeeAnne

Here’s John’s addition to a few of the photos from his crew’s project:John circled the ends of a small culvert that wasn’t doing the job, and the right is the new one Jay and John’s crew put in. Jay is the other orange hat in the photos.Left shows rocks added over the culvert, middle shows a side view with the fill over the rocks and culvert, and right shows the two orange hat assistant crew leaders on either side of the rest of the crew (green hats) for this project. Another dozen people worked nearby.

Friday, June 9

For June 8 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.18. Events: 1 H, 13 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 25 min with (max = 10 L/min). Slept an additional 2.5 hrs. Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 3 events <88% with overall avg., 91.9%. Pulse avg. 53.3, low 50.

John goes to Mt. Rainier for trail work. home 6:00 ish ? He called from Naches at 4:40 … heading home but still just over an hour away. Highlights were mud and carrying big logs, oh, and it was cool. He saw a young bull elk on the way. Went via White Pass and came back Chinook Pass to avoid snow melt on the higher one in the morning.

Today, Gloria and I went to town. First, we went for lunch at the Food Bank, because we wanted to visit with mutual friends who provide the main dish on Fridays. They are twins, Marilyn and Carolyn. John and I know them from our past association with the Kittitas Valley Trail Riders. They have horses, and live near mutual friends, George & Julie. We had a good meal with Enchilada Casserole [the ground beef had the fat poured off], Mixed Green salad, and I skipped dessert.

From there we went by and dropped off the Cello music I had printed for our new player.

Then we went on and went through SAIL exercise class with Erica leading, and visited with many of our friends we don’t see on Wednesdays when we’re there.

I drove Gloria home, by way of two stops. First, was in west Ellensburg to pick up 3 books on weight loss from Maggie Manthel on the Facebook site, The Free Box. Check to Saturday to see the collage of hers and another set I picked up that afternoon.

On the way back to town to Super 1 Pharmacy to pay a $10 co-pay, I gave Gloria a tour of the west side, down Anderson road and by Anderson Hay & Grain, telling her about the covered bales of hay, the containers bound for Seattle, and about the different sizes of bales going different places in the world, from our valley.

Once, back home, I sent pdfs for July 29 and 30 music, to our fiddlers and friends Thursday group, with more to come. Those who can run their own will save me the effort of making copies. This packet only had 15 songs, plus the playlist order.

Saturday, June 10

For June 9 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.15. Events: 1 H, 13 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 38 min with (max = 12 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, no events <88% with overall avg., 91.6%. Pulse avg. 54.5, low 50.

We arrived at the start of the noon party graduation for Andrew Lamb at 4th Parallel Road at mom, Tanya Myer’s, house. They had quite a nice setup, and the weather held out with storms all around but not on us. At times, it was quite windy.Grandparents in left foreground, 2017 balloons that didn’t want to stay. Food, soft drinks, and various waters were under the tent.

My views from under the tent:

Michael playing with balloonFood still covered. Pot of Pulled Pork, Rolls, Watermelon, Strawberries, Sandwich Wraps, Veggie Tray, Cheese & Salami, pineapple, grapes, Chips & Dips, Mixed Salad, and an awesome dip by Tanya’s Dad, Bruce.

The cake: (we missed getting a piece to know what the inside was). Cupcakes were for the kids, and those who preferred. The cakes were made by a friend, Bradleigh Best. She did a nice job.Family collage as we were leaving the party for Andrew Lamb, 2017 graduate of Kittitas High School.Tanya, Andrew, Jessica, and Michael hugging a friend.

We left and drove 20 miles across the valley to our next graduation party for Isabel Hackett, 2017 graduate of Ellensburg High School.

They had a Croquet game in process, and the smell of BBQ chicken permeated the scene. We were already full, so we just had a piece of carrot cake.

Here’s a collage of the last stop. We had a nice visit with Jennifer Hackett’s parents from Boulder, with others there, including Rex Wirth and Stephanie Wickstrom from CWU.Croquet game and the half-eaten carrot cake.

On our way home, we drove by Jody Reed Davey’s place 4 miles out Reecer Creek Road to pick up low calorie books and Weight Watcher materials (for the entire class experience). That last bit is in the right photo below, in a black container at the bottom, below the hard back low-calorie cookbooks.

This collage goes back to yesterday and shows the free items I received this week. Thanks to those folks.Maggie’s bunch on the left and Jody’s on the right. Much info.

Sunday, June 11

For June 10 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.59. Events: 1 CA, 2 H, 2 PP, 10 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 5 min with (max = 9 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 2 events <88% with overall avg., 92.6%. Pulse avg. 53.8, low 50.

John went on Nick Zentner’s Tieton Andesite (volcanic) Field Trip. Too much hiking for me to be able to attend. He left about 9:15, the trip leaves at 10:00, and will be back about 6:00. I expect him home after 6:30.

I had brunch at noon and nut snacks in the afternoon.

Much of the day I spent on finishing the blog.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Sunday, May 28

For May 27 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.71. Events: 4 H, 13 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 40 min with (max = 15 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 1 event <88% with overall avg., 91.9%. Pulse avg. 53.2, low 50.

John managed to get a placeholder on the blog site, stating the computer issues we were having last night, and being unable to post this week’s blog, which was otherwise ready to go.

He left at 6:30 a.m. today to go work on a WTA project at Ira Springs, about an hour and 20 minutes from home, across Snoqualmie Pass and north of I-90. Sadly, he left his lunch behind, so I hope they have drinks and snacks for him to get by John Clark (another Orange Hat) donated a banana, and the crew leader had water and multiple mini-bars of candy. He could have received more but did not need more.

Here are some of the photos from the day’s work:Before and after turnpike work – 10 years of wear, fixed.The middle photo is John giving the tool use & safety instruction at the beginning of the workday. Either side of that are photos of his team of 3, plus him. Tina left, Katerina & son Samuel, right.Whole crew with finished project; John & Katerina, & Bill.

Finally, the funny shot of the day:After lunch, Travis, Evonne (the crew leader), John and Bill – both from Ellensburg (Orange hats – Assistant Crew Leaders).
I worked on sending videos up on “WeTransfer” to share with the CWU Recreation & Tourism folks and their professor, David Rolfe. I also worked on doing all the other needed things on my computer, particularly the July music prep to get off to Evie (my cohort music score checker).

I spent time on the phone with friends, sending birthday and anniversary wishes via Jacque Lawson’s UK card site, washing dishes, and eating lunch. Mostly, I worked on music the rest of the afternoon until John got home. We ate supper, and then tried to post the blog. WordPress was choking. It is out there now, but only partially proofed. At first, not all the photographs would “go in,” and then we kept timing out. I tried fixing a few things, and with prayers and his help, we got most of it in, we think. Now I just finished going through the whole thing, and it will remain as posted. I think we got the major problems fixed.

I have been working on the July music, on both laptop computers, and will continue tomorrow.

Monday, May 29 HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

For May 28 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.13. Events: 1 CSR, 1 H, 1 PP, 17 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 25 min with (max = 11 L/min). Oximetry: no report.

Thanks to all our military personnel who have protected our freedom throughout the years.
Sadly, this morning, our dear friend, Paul Swanson, passed over the rainbow bridge. His birthday was the same as John’s, but many years earlier. He was a veteran and a schoolteacher. I got to know him in our exercise class at the senior center, when I met him and his wife, Gloria, in 2010. She is still my sidekick every Wednesday, when she accompanies me to the Food Bank Soup Kitchen for music, and then afterwards, we go to SAIL exercise class.

John spent the morning before it got to 90° watering our garden, plants, and trees. I alternated between music prep for July, washing dishes, and killing flies (they’re coming in through the doggie door).

Tuesday, May 30

For May 29 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.00. Events: 13 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 54 min with (max 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.5%. Pulse avg. 59.8, low 50.

I sent the AAC Wild West BBQ dancing videos to the WeTransfer site. They went up while I was in town. When I got home, I sent the download site to the people at CWU and will send to the AAC.
Changed my nancyh@cwu.edu password. Yes, I still have an email there that I have had since 1988. I am one of the few in the University ever to have such a short “name.” My reason was interesting, but multi-nice. The names used to be the first 7 letters of your last name and first initial if less than 8, so mine would have been hultquis@cwu.edu. Luckily, I had to transfer across BITNET (precursor of the INTERNET) my data from the University of Idaho, where I was for 15 years. BITNET limited me to a username of only 6 characters – hence, nancyh. I was not the only Nancy “H” at CWU, and many times I got emails intended for Nancy Howard, whose username was howardn, not nancyh. She was never happy about that, but it amused me, with her being on the administrative side. Now the system has advanced, and while the same old usernames still exist, I can now be reached at nancy.hultquist@cwu.edu (and everyone in the university has access to their full name, 1st and last, connected with a “dot.”)

We plan to go to the south side of town to pick up rubber bands from a friend, and boxes for another friend. The RBs are to give to our newspaper delivery person to put on the papers, particularly when wrapping with plastic during rainy or snowy weather. We ended up with 11 unfolded boxes piled in the back of John’s car for our friends moving to Eugene.

We checked our number at Bi-Mart. Checked and nothing, bought some eye moisture drops, and looked for dye for doing John’s orange shirt, but they did not have the color in stock. We have decided against trying to dye the shirt. It is sun-bleached and likely would not look any better for the effort.

We were scheduled at our eye doctor for an annual exam at 2:15 and 2:30 at Valley Vision on Dolarway Rd. We got there ahead, in time to fill out a lot of paperwork, but we were still late getting into the testing. I was first. We have known my left eye would require after-surgery work, but now we are nearing the time to schedule it. My surgery was 20 years ago, and I now have clouding showing in my left eye’s vision and my eyesight is down to 20/30 in that eye. The Optimap screening shows a floater, but it is out of my vision. My capillaries are in good health. I will use the Internet to try to explain below what is necessary. The “operation” is simple, requires no sedation, and is a permanent fix to restore the sight in that left eye. The longest part of the procedure is the dilation (with drops) before laser beaming. It is an in-office procedure using laser beams to break up the membrane, while eye is dilated. The actual “beaming” only takes about 15 minutes. It is covered by insurance and apparently an easy fix. No restrictions on lifting after; maybe only a day or two of administering eye drops.

I looked on line and found the following information. I have rewritten parts and copied others, without notation. I’m practicing, “omit needless words.”

Why is laser treatment sometimes needed following cataract surgery?
Developing posterior lens capsule opacification (PCO) following a cataract surgery is common. Opacification means, “becoming opaque.” PCO is a complication that causes the back of the lens capsule (holding the artificial intraocular lens in place) to thicken and creates cloudy vision. Laser treatment is the fix.

The PCO procedure makes a hole in part of the back of the lens capsule such that the light can once again pass directly to the retina. This procedure is called Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy. The type of laser used for this treatment is an Nd:YAG; sometimes it is just referred to as just ‘YAG’.

How does the laser work?
Lasers are beams of energy that are very accurately targeted. The Nd:YAG laser uses very low energy levels and can delicately cut the lens capsule without any risk of damage to other parts of the eye.

What are the risks of laser treatment?
The laser procedure is considered very safe. Although there are some risks, serious side effects are very rare.

For some people, laser treatment for PCO can cause eye pressure to rise (mine is currently 18). Rarely, laser can cause a retinal detachment that can happen days, weeks, or months after the treatment. These risks are extremely rare complications. The vast majority of people get an excellent improvement in their vision following laser without experiencing any issues.

What happens during laser treatment?
In most cases the doctor will use an eye drop to dilate (widen) the pupil before laser treatment. This usually makes vision more blurry. Once the pupil is dilated, one’s head is placed on the headrest of the laser machine to keep the head and eye still while the doctor uses the laser to remove part of the capsule. The doctor focuses the laser exactly onto the back of the lens capsule in order to cut away a small circle shaped area. This leaves some of the capsule to keep the artificial lens in place (as a cuff around the lens), but it removes enough in the middle to allow light to pass directly through to the retina.

The very small part of the lens capsule cut away falls to the bottom of the inside of the eye where it eventually breaks down. The laser uses a wavelength of light that cannot be seen, but one may notice a red light that helps the doctor focus the laser beam. Each laser pulse is over in a fraction of a second and one should not feel any pain or discomfort. A person may notice a few flashing lights or hear some faint clicks coming from the machine as the laser works.

What happens after laser treatment?
It may take a few days for sight to become clear again, and ‘floaters’ may occur after the laser treatment. Floaters are harmless clumps of cells that move around inside the vitreous (a jelly-like substance that fills the inside of the eye). Because the laser treatment does not require any incisions or stitches, returning to daily activities is normal.

What about my sight?
After this treatment, sight should be restored to the level existing after the original cataract surgery, provided no other problems have developed in the eye.

Changing subjects to an inanimate one: The Handle Saga

The top part of a 2-piece lawn mower handle broke where it bolted on to the bottom section. Sears stores do not stock such things. It had to be ordered and shipped. It was shipped from a Sears facility in southern Idaho. The town was not one I, or John, knew. That’s why I say “southern,” ’cause I know the towns in the north. It was shipped via Sears – but the web site did not explain, and now, it no longer shows the town name. (Or maybe not – no one seems to know.)

It went to Salt Lake City – that is the wrong direction, but next, it went to Colorado – Denver area. Still wrong!

Next it went to Dallas, TX and on to a suburb called Mesquite. Sears transferred the package to a UPS truck. It is now 1,600 miles from its destination.

Now the “backtrack” – It went back to Dallas, and on to Vernon, TX. That is 175 miles northwest of Big D. Then through NE New Mexico, I think, but that’s a guess. Englewood, CO is the next stop, just south of Denver. On to Commerce City, CO. , just north of Denver. Now back to Salt Lake City. And on to Heyburn Idaho, south-center of ID, and then to Nampa, 24 miles from Oregon. Next stop was Hermiston, OR. {Cantaloupe country} This is about 125 miles SE of Ellensburg via Interstate 82. But, the next stop was Spokane, WA – 170 miles northeast of EBRG.
Finally, to Ellensburg. Then out to the Naneum Fan, 11 miles northeast of the UPS facility. It took 8 days to get here: ordered May 22; arrived May 30. GUESS WHAT ! It was the wrong part.
John reordered, but the replacement part, while it came faster, is also wrong. I had taken the first part and shipped it back from the UPS store (at Sears cost). John has printed the label to return it. [While the Sear’s site showed it going on a return trip, it might not have. It could be the initial posting was the reverse of the expected trip, starting in Dallas. Odd.]

Thankfully, we were given another lawnmower by friends who are moving to Eugene when their house sells (see that story below). John has been able to continue mowing, but he is many days behind.

Wednesday, May 31

Tuesday, May 30 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.34. Events: 1 CSR, 2 H, 10 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 48 min with (max = 15 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.8%. Pulse avg. 53.5, low 49.

I spent time on the phone with several people but the last was the longest and most frustrating, trying to get Satellite Radio on John’s car. Turns out the Crosstrek model he has is not equipped with the possibility to receive it. We now have to find an XM Radio Kit for an affordable price. I did talk the person down to $25 for a 6-month subscription, but currently we have no way to receive it.

I picked up Gloria and went to the Food Bank Soup Kitchen, for music and food, and on to SAIL class. I left class early to meet friends in the parking lot to deliver 11 boxes for their moving needs. As we were moving the boxes, Phil offered me their self-propelled push lawnmower. At Gloria’s house I visited a bit with a mutual friend who had come by to express her sympathies and to bring some goodies for her to give other visitors. The celebration of life will be in Kittitas, at the New Life Assembly Church Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
I came home by my neighbors and had a short visit with folks there.

Came in and tried to relax after a restless night’s sleep. John spent a lot of time in the yard today, planting, cutting, watering, and trying to fix the broken handle on the mower via a splint. That worked, but not well. The one Sears sent did not fit, so he talked to the repair people and they will pay the postage to return the wrong part they sent (took 8 days) and hopefully send the correct part. We now know they again sent the wrong part.

Meanwhile, I told John about the offer of the lawnmower and he accepted – so I called to set up a possible pickup tonight. We did. It’s an older but very nice machine. See below on Sunday.

Thursday, June 1

For May 31 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.50. Events: 1 CSR, 4 H, 10 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 56 min with (max = 9 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.7%. Pulse avg. 54.4, low 49.

I went to the UPS store, sent the box back to Sears, and got a receipt of proof.

I went to the Rehab for music. We had a great turnout of players and audience, with 6 folks participating singing in the audience, and several without lyrics, from memory. I don’t always take a lot of copies there because most residents are not able to be very involved. We even had a visitor, who walked over from next door at Meadows, where we will be next week. She is Mary Lou Gilmour (whose family used to own Mr. G’s grocery store) kitty-cornered from Lind Hall where I had my office for 9 years until moving to Bouillon.

I went by AAC to see Erica and deliver a package.
We went to a great presentation tonight by an Oceanographer:
John Delaney, University of Washington.Here is a summary. The well being of all life on earth depends on our planetary ocean. The ocean also plays a key role the health of our global economic framework. Yet, most citizens of the world do not appreciate the ocean’s interactive complexity, the diversity of its utility, and its underlying influence on past, present, and potential future, cultural-societal changes. The powerful roles the ocean plays in terms of human history, trade, commerce, resources, hazards, science, education, warfare, defense, the arts, entertainment, modulation of our climate, and the search for life beyond earth, are largely unrecognized by most members of our global society.
Since Herodotus (440 BC), humans have looked at history as an ensemble of stories about city states and nations vying with one another for dominance, using warfare and trade to punctuate the signal events viewed as turning points over the millennia. With few exceptions, human history focuses on unfolding events on continents, yet as far back as the origin of life on earth, the ocean has profoundly influenced the evolution of life, as well as culture, on our home planet.
This presentation explores and expands on these and related themes with the goal of developing an integrated awareness of the central, interconnected functions that our global ocean basin plays in our planetary society of nations and individuals.
If you want to download the videos, you only have 7 days, until June 8th from this link. It won’t cost you anything but time and an Internet connection. It has taken my computer over 4 hours to transfer the data, but it will not take that long to download it to your computer. I’m doing the upload while I sleep.

Download:
Link-DO THIS DOWNLOAD BY JUNE 8 when they’ll disappear
There are 5 files there, almost 3 gigs, and the last two are missing a tiny bit because my battery ran out and I had to replace. It will take about 50 minutes to download unless you are on a faster connection than I am.

Friday, June 2

For June 1 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.65. Events: 11 H, 1 PP, 10 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 39 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.6%. Pulse avg. 51.9, low 47.

11:30 Father’s Day lunch at AAC. We had a baked casserole of French toast with blueberries (warm) compote, fresh strawberries, peeled hard-boiled eggs, granola, and yogurt. A storyteller and her son joined us for the program afterwards.

A collage of the food: Granola, Yogurt, Strawberries, grapes, Cream Cheese on mini-bagels, Baked French Toast, with warm Blueberry Compote.

Elaine Bleggi Storytelling about a Beautiful Cockroach
Link

Before my SAIL class, I went down to deliver and pickup some stuff from a friend. After exercise, I dropped by the front desk at the hospital to get my recent medical records of the blood draw to take to my cardiologist next week.

I took some stuff by to Gloria’s, and ended up staying awhile to help her get on her email and also onto Facebook to check for things from her niece, who started an account for her on Facebook. She hasn’t been able to access her email recently. I sent myself a photo sent to her and printed off to take to her tomorrow at the celebration of life, along with my other sympathy letter.

Saturday, June 3

For June 2 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.28. Events: 2 H, 7 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 8 min with (max = 20 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 2 events <88% with overall avg., 92.6%. Pulse avg. 59.7, low 49.

11:00 celebration of life, Paul Swanson, New Life Assembly Kittitas Church, 210 Main St., Kittitas, WA. Clearly, this was the best Celebration of Life service, I have ever attended.

It started with driving to Kittitas and looking at the clouds on the horizon. I saw some wave clouds and tried stopping for a photo, but did not succeed in getting the view I wanted. I proceeded into town, and when I got to the church, there were the wave clouds above the church ! Wave clouds (bottom left) and above the church (right), 6-3-17.

Compare this to a photo I put in my sympathy letter to Gloria & family and what I wrote beneath it.December 22, 2007 from the Naneum Fan of the Kittitas Valley _ Special Waves

Love, hugs, and sympathies from Nancy & John Hultquist in Ellensburg, WA – please remember the good times, as that’s what he would want! Great memories shall abide with you and us all, forever, with his spirit always close by. There are many hours you shared over the years, with fun travels, stories and family events, and many other happy memories, reflections, experiences, and especially laughs and smiles shared through your lives with him. Those happy memories and recollections will help tide you all over the rough waves, although it will be difficult. He will be with you always in spirit and in your memories, and he will have reunions with those relatives and friends whom he loved and have preceded him to heaven. He will be there to greet us all, when we arrive, and will show us around the clouds, as the angel he is. Much love and wishes for happy memories.

I have noted Links numbered below 1-3, which are my picks for people who only want highlights of the service, but the whole list is for family members.

Link 1: Intro to Service

Slides, Paul’s Life with music

John Strong, Gloria’s sister Shirli’s son

Mary Ann Walling’s memories of Paul

Paul’s Niece about his Thinking Outside the Box

Thanksgiving Wars in the Southern California Desert

Rita Fadel’s and Dave’s Memory

Woman, blue blouse, family member

Shirli Strong, Gloria’s Sister with Paul’s Pyro Story

Woman about Anniv. Pix Viewing

Grandson: Daniel Coffey

Play BINGO with Paul

Sean Hamilton’s Devotional

Relative’s napping story about Paul

Link 2: Gloria about Paul, her hubby of 67 yrs

Deanna Hamilton-Another girlfriend

Link 3: Gary Bye – Awesome Eulogy

Sunday, June 4

For Jun 3 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.98. Events: 2 CSR, 8 H, 1 PP, 14 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 15 min with (max = 16 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.9%. Pulse avg. 52.9, low 50.

New this week: Evening Grosbeaks at the feeder.Just after taking that, I went out with John for him to lift the canopy so I could take a photo of the wood we picked up last night from Evie in Kittitas. They tore down an old deck and wanted to get rid of the lumber, mostly 2x4s. Filled the back of our truck.

Later in the day, John mowed in the wind. We had gusts to 40 mph.On the left is out front in our orchard, where you can see not all has yet been mowed. The middle and right are behind the house, with the right showing the entire cutting back toward the creek (over the hill), and around Jay’s Folly. John wishes he had some youngsters (not really; androids maybe) to help with the chores around here.

We have to defer our Brittany report to next week. We are out of time and energy and space, but we have had some wonderful training shots of our Brittany, Daisy, in CA. Those of you on Facebook have been able to enjoy all week, so next week here will be a review.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

We are having serious problems with getting things into WordPress, including photographs. Some John tried 6 times.

Monday, May 22

For May 21 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.46. Events: 2 CSR, 8 H, 15 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 29 min with (max = 13 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 1 events <88% with overall avg., 92.4%. Pulse avg. 53.9, low 50.

Today was our 3-month regular trip to our foot doctor for toenail inspection, maintenance, and repair. I’ve had no sign of fungus for many months. It is a benefit of Medicare that we appreciate having. From there we went for beans and beef to make a nice addition tomorrow for our end of year CWU Geography Awards ceremony and potluck with CWU Food Service burgers and hotdogs (wieners, frankfurter, frank or whatever you call them).

This afternoon we left for CWU to attend the Recognition Ceremony & Reception to celebrate promotion, tenure, senior lecturers, and distinguished faculty members (in teaching and research), where several of my colleagues received awards. It was a wonderful event. I am so proud of my friend since 1994, Elaine Glenn, who teaches Geography, as a Senior Lecturer. She received the Distinguished Non-tenure Teaching Award. I wrote a recommendation for her 3 years ago and again this year. She has deserved it for a long while. John and I enjoyed sitting with her family, sharing the award ceremony, and dinner afterwards. Do watch her acceptance speech below. Others from Geography honored we knew there were John Bowen and Elvin Delgado. As well, Patrick Lubinski (Anthropology) won the Distinguished Teaching award for tenured professors. Be sure to watch his acceptance speech below. One other person I know, David Douglas, was promoted to Senior Lecturer. In addition, Clay Arango, formerly our student, was promoted to Associate Professor of Biological Sciences.Stage for presentations – the Glenn family, Eliza, Elaine, & Dana

Elaine Glenn, CWU Distinguished Teaching Award, 5-22-17
EG Link

Pat Lubinski, CWU Distinguished Teaching Award, 5-22-17
PL Link

Elvin Delgado, CWU Awarded Stole for Promotion to Associate Professor of Geography, 5-22-16
ED Link

John Bowen, CWU Awarded Stole for Promotion to Professor of Geography, 5-22-17
JB Link

Clay Arango, CWU Awarded Stole for Promotion to Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, 5-22-17
CA Link

The geography faculty members had several people there supporting them. I don’t have photos of everyone there, but I recall seeing, the Bowen family, the Glenn family, Diane & Jim Huckabay, John & Nancy Hultquist, Karl Lillquist, Craig Revels, and Monica Bruya. The promotion and tenure awards are recognized and presented a lot differently from when Morris Uebelacker and I received our tenure and promotion to Professor, and that was in this century!

Here is a collage photo of the Geography honorees, with and without, their scholarly hats.
Elvin Delgado, Elaine Glenn, and John Bowen in Regalia

Tuesday, May 23

For May 22 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.13. Events: 1 H, 1 PP, 13 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 59 min with (max = 6 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.1%. Pulse avg. 56.1, low 49.

Today we did chores in the yard and house, and very early morning, John put beef in the slow cooker with tomatoes and BBQ sauce to cook. Later, he added onions, black beans, corn, and other beans with the cut up tender beef. It was a great addition to the table to go with burgers and dogs. People brought salads, cheese, dips, crackers, beans, asparagus, and there was a nice cake the department provided, with chocolate and carrot cake, covered with white and raspberry icing.Our offering on the left, middle cookies & salads, salsa, and right, mixed green salad, asparagus & eggs, and another veggie dish.

We ate first and then had the scholarship awards. $7000 worth of scholarships was awarded, and five students received their GIS Certificates.

I took some photos, but ran out of memory part way through and needed to delete some from last night (that already were on my computer).

The Macinko Award
Link

The Brooks-Shaw Award
Link

I am sorry this was the one I was taping when I ran out of memory on my SD card. I only got the first awardee’s descriptive comments on the video. My apologies to Madison Smith. Recipients of this award are Madison and Emma Leonard. Here they are afterwards displaying their awards, with the donor.Emma Leonard, Lillian Brooks, Madison Smith

Finally, our award was presented to two students, one a Cultural & Natural Resource Management graduate student, Savannah Bommarito, and the other, an undergraduate Geography major, Emma Leonard, from New Zealand.

The Hultquist Distinguished Service Award
Link

John and I fund this award for two students each year, preferably a graduate student and an undergraduate, who have demonstrated excellent service to the Geography department, to CWU, and/or to the broader Ellensburg community.Emma Leonard, Nancy, Savannah Bommarito

Two more awards occurred while my camera was not working, the Stoltman award and the Kaatz award. I did not get a video of either of those, but I did get a photo of Megan presenting to the Kaatz award winner, Savannah Hutchins. Carla Kaatz was there, but had left before I got her picture at the end with the winner.Savannah Hutchins – winner of Kaatz Award, with Megan Walsh

One more video for you:

This is Jennifer Lipton and John Bowen announcing the Geography faculty awards this week.

Link

Finally, the 2017 graduating Geography class:
Left is the photo of the graduates; here trying to display, C W U

Ending with our future Biogeographer, Lyndie, there with her mom, Megan, who presented all the awards.Megan (mom) and Lyndie – Future Biogeographer

Wednesday, May 24

Tuesday, May 23 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.65. Events: 1 CSR, 5 H, 16 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 43 min with (max = 10 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 86, 2 events <88% with overall avg., 92.0%. Pulse avg. 55.5, low 47.

Today was music and food at the F.I.S.H. Food bank and SAIL exercise afterwards.

Thursday, May 25

For May 24 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=2.53. Events: 7 CSR, 18 H, 1 OA, 19 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 31 min with (max = 13 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 1 event <88% with overall avg., 92.7%. Pulse avg. 52.2, low 49. Although the AHI is high, the SpO2 is excellent; my only concern.

I’ve been working on photos and videos taken Monday night and Tuesday nights, and still have to finish some made last Friday to send to the participants of the CWU Recreation & Tourism program.

I went for my blood draw today and lucked out getting my favorite phlebotomist, Kim. My results were reported to me before I got home by a message on my cell phone, while I was playing music. My INR was right on at 2.5, so no dosage change and will come back in a month; my potassium was okay too at 4.9. Good to have this in time for my June 7 appointment in Yakima with my principal cardiologist, Dr. Kim.

Hearthstone today in the front room was cozy and nice, with good acoustics, room, and comfortable over-stuffed chairs for the audience. We enjoyed ourselves too, and had a nice program, with many people singing along and giving us a bunch of thanks at the end. We had the following players there: tambourine, flute/penny whistle/washboard, bass guitar, mandolin, fiddle, 12-string guitar, 6-string guitar, fiddle, banjo, Dobro, guitar, harmonica, and our young 4 yr old singer/dancer, Haley. Wow, a Baker’s Dozen! The residents absolutely love Haley, as she is outgoing, participates in the music, and is helpful with handing out and picking up music.

I received a gift from Peru from my friend Anne Engels, and brought it home to share opening with John. Then I left it in my music bag in the car. So will have to retrieve tomorrow and see what it is.

Friday, May 26

For May 25 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.32. Events: 1 CSR, 2 H, 16 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 15 min with (max = 15 L/min). Slept another 2 hrs w/o CPAP & Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.0%. Pulse avg. 53.0, low 49.

Received a call from John’s sister, Peggy, that their brother Richard (Dick), in California, was not doing well, and after a brief stay in the hospital, is in a rehabilitation center to have professional help with physical therapy. His wife, Kit, called Peggy and asked her to inform family members. Their four kids are close by and can help with visiting him, so all the stress is not placed on Kit. He’s 11 years older than John, but his health has been complicated by Parkinson’s.

Otherwise, today was a banner day, as Jeri Conklin’s photos made it to the banner of the Lancaster Photography Association’s web page. You saw her winning pictures, and the one of our Brittany, Daisy, in a field of poppies, in last week’s blog.

Nothing planned here today, except household and yard projects. We have plenty of those, and need to take days like this to stay home to accomplish them. I worked on dishes, medications for the week, organizing bills, and John watered plants, planted some, and kept busy with Annie helping. He came in and fixed a grilled ham & cheese sandwich, which we had with a Honeycrisp apple. While he was in the house, I went out to the car to get my gift from Anne. What a beautiful surprise! As you can see below, it is a lovely colorful woven winter hat, complete with ear muff-like covers. It was in a cool-wrapped package I waited to show John before opening. THANK YOU! Anne and Glenn for the memory of your Peruvian trip.The package had an interesting ribbon on it, and inside was a Peruvian knitted hat made with fine wool from an Alpaca, with designs including birds (Condor probably) and Alpacas. Come next winter, I will be the hit of EBRG.

I am continuing daily tasks with creating my CPAP and Oximetry data reports, and working on the blog, which we have to publish tomorrow night, because John will be gone all day Saturday and Sunday working on trails. Actually, I need to finish working on the photos I took this week at two CWU events.

If you have a Facebook account, you can visit an interesting educational video about Wine grapevine “Shoot Thinning” by Paul Vandenberg at Paradisos del Sol in Zillah, WA located in the AVA, Rattlesnake Hills. Paul’s wife, Barbara Sherman, posted the video this morning.

Shoot

Saturday, May 27

For May 26 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.54. Events: 1 CSR, 3 H, 15 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 34 min with (max = 11 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 2 events <88% with overall avg., 92.3%. Pulse avg. 53.7, low 49.

John left very early to be in Ellensburg to meet at 5:45 with a WTA friend, Bill, to travel to Dorothy Lake. Bill drives a comfy Chevy truck. The trip off the highway to the trail head is 13 miles in on a potholed gravel road. They’ll probably be early, but not likely get home until after 6:00 p.m.

John did not expect to see Dorothy Lake, but they did get to view it. The area near the Lake is still much snow covered with meltwater covering many of the open spots. They found a sunny dry place at the top of a knoll for lunch. I pulled this off the web last night. Apparently, the trail is very rough and wet and has a lot of high steps, making it hard going uphill and downhill. John’s legs wanted to cramp at the end of the long drive home.
Dorothy Lake in the Alpine Wilderness, ~3,060 ft. elevation

I slept in and have started the day with washing clothes.

I also have to work in time this weekend on music for July that I must have ready the end of June so we can play at the Adult Activity Center for their annual 4th of July celebration we have done for over a decade. This year it is on June 30.

I meant to put the following links in last week’s blog (goes back to April 1, but I just received it last week).

Music:
KV Fiddlers (&) Friends 2017
Link

You can get to that anytime on your computer (or smart phone) ,

Dancers: Blue Agate Round & Square Dance Club

Link

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, May 15

For May 14 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.77. Events: 5 H, 1 PP, 20 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 31 min with (max = 12 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 90, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.2%. Pulse avg. 55.2, low 47.
Look back to last week for better photos. Correction to the bird ID in last week’s blog. It is a Black-headed Grosbeak. Thanks to Caitlin LaBar for correctly naming the new bird on the block. This is a male – check below for a photo of the female, which we have seen as well, but not photographed.

Audubon field guide

Here is a nice link to their “song.”

Sing a song

This link starts with a female and switches to the male at 1:05 minutes into the tape. They are both feeding, not singing. The viewing is backed by an interesting instrumental. This is named Fat Lips (Black-headed Grosbeak). I have no clue what the reference to “fat lips” is, except it might refer to the stronger bill shape of seed eaters when compared with insect eaters.

Another bird link

John sprayed Weed B Gone, mowed, and continued working in the yard on various projects.

I worked on dishes, the blog, and other stuff.

Tuesday, May 16

For May 15 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.90. Events: 1 CSR, 6 H, 15 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 40 min with (max = 19 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.2%. Pulse avg. 54.4, low 49.

I went to copy part of 10 more sets of the audience music, the last 3 pages that I neglected to run the first time.

Not much going on today, just the normal Tuesday stops.

Wednesday, May 17

For May 16 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.10. Events: 1 CSR, 7 H, 1 PP, 12 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 23 min with (max = 12 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 94.2%. Pulse avg. 55.8, low 50.

I picked up Gloria and we went to the Food bank for music and lunch after, but there was no SAIL exercise at AAC today. Just as well for me, because I needed to get home to leave for Cle Elum.

We drove my car to a reception for our retiring doctor, Paul Schmitt. We had nice visit with him and several others, including the new doctor we will be transferred to. We shared pieces of each type of cake there (lemon with white frosting and chocolate cake with cherries and chocolate frosting). The new doctor is Norman Wood. He is going to have a complete shoulder replacement in 2 weeks, and that is good so he should be healed by the time we have our annual physicals at the end of this year.

Our Brittany, Daisy, in CA hit the airwaves again on Facebook. Jeri Conklin entered two photos in the Lancaster Photography Association club competition – Desert Wildflowers and Desert Scenes, and she received two Awards of Excellence in Intermediate Novice Print Division. The title of the Daisy print was “When All is Right in Life.” Jeri used Photoshop to process the print of the cactus flower. She had fun and was happy to hear the judge comment on the positive things she had done with the photos. Congrats, Jeri. I have always loved all the photos of Daisy in the Poppy field.

Thursday, May 18

For May 17 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.10 Events: 1 CSR, 7 H, 23 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 20 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.7%. Pulse avg. 53.6, low 47.

John finished packing the truck canopy with stuff needing taken to the transfer station (aka dump) and went today. He managed to get rid of 200 pounds of stuff (with a lot of stuff that did not weigh much, but was bulky and filled the space).

I got my donation in the mail to help with the cleanup of the Wilkins family cemetery in Guyton, GA (my mom’s side). I visited there back in 2012 when I went to the family reunion.

We played today at Pacifica. Had a good turnout of players with a large and appreciative audience.

Friday, May 19

For May 18 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.00. Events: 18 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 35 min with (max = 16 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.2%. Pulse avg. 54.8%, low 50.

Horse (just one, Jazz) was in the yard again this morning. He apparently just stepped over a fence as John’s other horse, Drifter, often did. The others missed seeing how he got out, so they were still in the pasture. They are completely removed from that section until John has time to tighten the wires.

Our farrier came to trim Myst.

I dropped off my computer for service, and went to the last Scholarship luncheon of the year. We had a nice green salad, with chicken, strawberries, cashews, and onions, if wanted. For desert was a create-your-own sundae with two types of ice cream, caramel syrup, chocolate fudge spread, strawberry syrup, & grated nuts (plus the other sides left from the salad bar (strawberries & cashews). It was quite delightful. I finished there, bid adieus, and made it to the AAC, for BBQ & Dancing (line type), and there were four raffle tickets given to everyone there. Other early arrivals had lunch including BBQ chicken. The activities were organized and supervised by students from CWU in the Recreation and Tourism program. Some of the guys conducted two horseshoe games outside. The gals led the dancing inside, and some of the fellows also danced. I took photos and videos. One woman asked that I take her picture in front of the pool table with a great centerpiece – large cowboy boots and small bales of hay adorned above with large horseshoes. She wants to put it on her Christmas cards this year. I will show a few photos here so you can appreciate the efforts the CWU students went to, for the day of entertainment for the senior center group. It was a lot of fun. Three of the students are with the rodeo princess from Roslyn. The one on the left is Jenna whose family owns cherry and apple orchards in Quincy; she and her family donated a large box of large Honeycrisp apples to the raffle. Top right is the potential Christmas card photo, and the bottom right is one of the line-dance lessons. I took some videos too, but have not taken the time to upload them. The left is the sideboard with many gifts from the community collected by the students, and given by raffle ticket drawings to the participants. First on the left is the $50 Chamber of Commerce gift certificate (I won), the third one back are two baseball hats from Ellensburg Rodeo (I won them too). I’m excited about the hat I have on, because our music group, Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends, plays each year for the Ellensburg Rodeo Breakfast in September. In addition, there were chocolates, decks of cards, and free dinners at several local restaurants. You can see about 7 down, the large Honeycrisp apple. With that luck, I should have gone and bought a lotto ticket! (But, I didn’t). I am going to use my $50 coupon in July, to take our visitors from Michigan (friends, Ann & Fred Joyal we have known since graduate school in Iowa, in the 70s), to lunch and to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I believe we will go to The Porch or maybe to Rodeo City BBQ.

I picked up two cases of cat food at Pet$ense, but did not get a $5.00 discount. I hope they print that offer again soon in their flyer, and I will try to obtain an extra copy of the newspaper ad. Lowers the price per can to .41 instead of .49, but at the local grocery store we frequent, the price is .68. We should own stock in pet food.I stopped by Hospice Friends on the way home to pick up some supplies for another, and myself, and while there (wearing my fancy musical shirt), the coordinator mentioned it and asked if I knew of a local orchestra. I told her about our group. She plays the Cello. Only once in the past (for Christmas carols in Cle Elum), have we had a cellist. He has since died. She works daily, so cannot join us on Thursdays, but she is very interested in joining us on the 3rd Saturday of the month at Briarwood. I’m sure that group will be delighted. She couldn’t come this week because she had to return to Seattle for a funeral. Only a small number of our group make those Saturdays.

We went to the Swedbergs’ house to watch their home and answer the phone while the family is in town at the funeral place for a 2-hour greet and viewing.

I took my computer and working on some things, mostly music, because I did not have access to the web from their house. John sat and read the old history of the Kittitas Valley. Those are classic books. He learns something new every time he visits and has time to read them. Niece Sally arrived back with a load of groceries a little over an hour after we got there. John talked with Sally a short time, then left for EBRG in the Crosstrek to fill its tank for his trip tomorrow. I stayed and visited awhile and helped boil eggs for the planned deviled eggs for tomorrow’s reception after the funeral and graveside services.

Saturday, May 20

For May 19 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.16. Events: 1 H, 12 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 7 min with (max = 11 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 81 (off CPAP), 19 events <88% with overall avg., 91.3%. Pulse avg. 55.9, low 50.

John left for Talapus Lake WTA duties at 6:00 a.m., because of concern about I-90 construction delays. After he left I fed two cats and the birds, and slept some more. He should make it home by 6:00 p.m. He ended up getting their early because there was no traffic stoppage and very little traffic at that hour. His trip home was more rapid than expected too, arriving after 5:00 p.m. He took the back roads from just east of Easton just to “check it out” because this coming Friday he’ll be over the Pass and heading home when I-90 traffic is heavy.
Our Brittany Annie was very happy to see him. She obviously felt abandoned today.

I went to Briarwood today for music, where we dedicated the program to the memory of Lorene Mellergaard Swedberg. [Mellergaards are a large historic family in the Valley.]
This Saturday timing conflicted with the Funeral at 1:00 p.m. and the graveside ceremonies after at the IOOF cemetery. The rest of the group stayed for a meal, but I left after our music and went to the reception at the Methodist Church. I missed a heavy rainstorm at the place we played. I had taken a page of the memories I constructed for the memory book, with Lorene’s photos and the music with the 1st verse of “You Are My Sunshine,” to Briarwood, and had it there for people to sign (as a sympathy card). Lorene used to attend our 3rd Saturdays of the month play dates there over the past decade or more, so people recognized her in the photos. At least one family relation was there whom I knew from dinners long ago with the Swedbergs. I carried the signed page back to the reception at the Methodist Church, had some food, and visited with a bunch of friends, relatives, and others in the family I have known since 1989. Here is the card I took for the family.Happy beginnings today at Alek’s 5th Birthday celebration in Kittitas using the Ponderosa rounds John made for mom Jennifer. A dozen kids were to craft decorations on the smaller rounds (see last week’s blog), and the larger diameter pieces were used under the main dishes. Cake and cupcakes on top of the larger rounds and the table of all the other goodies served to the 12 kids and their moms.

While the kids did not get to paint the smaller rounds, they did come inside to paint birdhouses. What a neat idea !Below is Jenni’s thank you note she sent to us with the photos:

The kids didn’t get to make their collages 🙁 (with the small rounds) as it started down pouring in the middle of the party. Decorations were fun!
We will have more friends over to decorate the rounds at a later time and I’ll send you those pictures after I take them 😉
Thank you and John again SO very much. These really made our party look great.

Sunday, May 21

For May 20 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.60. Events: 5 H, 1 PP, 11 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 21 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 92.8%. Pulse avg. 57.8, low 47.

Amy and Dustin Davison are back from their trip “North to Alaska.” Here’s the happy departure – we, and especially the audiences, missed Amy and Haley at our two musical gigs this week, at Pacifica and Briarwood.Dustin & Amy, happily boarding a ship, bound for adventures to see glaciers and small towns along the route. The right top photo shows the Sawyer Glacier, complete with lateral moraines, and look carefully at the one on the bottom right, at the black spots on the lower iceberg. Those black spots are seals.

After our brunch today, we plan to go to town to pick up some planter pots given to us by Suzanne Wade and hubby Randy. They plan a move in a few months and are cleaning out a few things. We will put them to good use in our garden and nursery.
Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

THANKS TO: Caitlin LaBar, we have an …
UPDATE: birds are Black-headed Grosbeak
LINK BHG

Sunday, May 7

For May 6 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=2.51. Events: 1 CSR, 12 H, 9 RERA. Time on 4 hrs 47 min with (max = 16 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 1 event <88% with overall avg., 92.2%. Pulse avg. 52.6, low 48.

John left 5:45 for meeting Bill Weir to travel to N. Bend, WA for a WTA Crew Leader College class in First Aid. I had taken his BP (great at 112/63 pulse, 68) but he got to the end of the driveway, turned around, and came back. 2 of 4 horses were in the yard, rather than the pasture (better grass). They had leaned over a temporary gate and pushed it open.
I called Bill to tell him John would be delayed.
John opened a real gate and told the 2 to get home. They first went to a different gate, turned and came back down the driveway where I waited. I closed the gate after they went through, and John was quickly off toward town.

I contacted Cameron about John’s helping with bottling on Wednesday. I thought the event was on Thursday, but 5 folks are needed and someone could not come then. Next I started washing dishes, and stopped for a Yogurt and Ensure shake. I continued doing some birthday & anniversary animated cards.
I called around about the best prices on products at the two places John plans to stop today on his way home.
He made it home and, thankfully, the horses stayed in the pasture all day. The gate at Naneum Road was closed, so even had they come out again they couldn’t have left.

We are saddened with grief at the unexpected loss of our neighbor, Lorene Swedberg. She apparently had complications after what was thought to be a successful operation, and passed over the rainbow bridge early the morning of May 6, at age 91. Her family, many close neighbors, and friends and relatives in the valley will miss her caring personality and her pretty smile. Lorene took us in as family in 1989 when we moved in across the street on Naneum Road. We have always been included in all family events and have been the recipients of her canned goods, birthday cakes, homemade fudge, jam, her hugs, and shared her children, grandchildren, and now her great grandchildren.
These folks were adults when travel across Washington State involved a buggy ride, a train, and a ferry across the Columbia River. Pullman, home of the Ag. School was a day away. Now it is 3 hours.

Monday, May 8

For May 7 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.11. Events: 3 CSR, 7H, 23 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 18 min with (max = 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.1%. Pulse avg. 55.9, low 49.

A lovely start to the day, out in the orchard viewing the start of the cherry blossoms. The Rainier cherry tree is ahead of the others just a little bit. Left are the Rainier cherry blossoms; right are yellow plum ones.

I found out the correct email address for the new activities director at Hearthstone, with whom I have to work on planning two events there each month.

I took my Amoxicillin at 2:00 p.m. prior to my dental appointment at 3:00 for a build-up on my top back tooth. Sorry I don’t have a before and after of the decay, but this X-ray below was to check to be sure it was all removed from under the gum and crown. It was.Number 14 tooth is where the decay was, on the backside of the bridge (right top), and over the lower back implant. I had seen the X-ray when I had my teeth cleaned a couple of weeks ago, but failed to ask for a copy of the digital X-ray.

Afterwards, I went by my bank to get a Cashier’s check so I could pay off the last payment on my 2014 Subaru Forester’s car loan. Now it is mine! The payments had automatically been coming out of our checking account, but the last one cannot and must be paid with cash or a check. There is a Chase bank here in town, so I could take care of it, and they stay open after 5:00 p.m. We are also just into single digits (months) until the house mortgage is gone. Maybe that will have to be done in the same manner.

Tuesday, May 9

For May 8 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=1.11. Events: 2 CSR, 7 H, 23 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 19 min with (max = 8 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 89, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.1%. Pulse avg. 55.9, low 49.

We needed to get some stuff at Super One and pick up one of my prescription meds, and we were on our way to water the plants at Anne’s house, thinking she wasn’t going to be home yet, and we planned to clean the mud (now dried) off her rug we had tracked in a couple Sunday’s ago. However, we saw her at Super One, and gave her the mail and her keys and apologized for misunderstanding when she was returning.

We went by Bi-Mart for canned diced tomatoes with no salt. With us both there, we could each get 10 the maximum allowed (a good price at .59/can). It is odd – the little box holds 12 and holds together when carried. Take 2 out of the package and the result is a juggling act. Go figure!
While there, we also added sale priced cans of pineapple, and regular priced sliced peaches.

I sent out an invite to all music friends about a Bluegrass Concert at the Grange this Saturday night, and Kathleen and Phil decided to go and will drive me up with them. I’m 9 miles away from their house, so I will drive to them and park in their driveway. I thought it was too far out of their way to come pick me up, but actually the way he drove took them close to our road. So, it would only have been a few miles out of their way to stop at my house. From the intersection of Naneum and Brickmill, where they came by, we are only 4.3 miles north on Naneum. Oh, well.

Wednesday, May 10

For May 9 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.92. Events: 6 H, 17 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 33 min with (max = 23 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 3 events <88% with overall avg., 91.6%. Pulse avg. 56.8, low 50.

John left at 7:30 to go help with the bottling of Rose’, made entirely from Syrah grapes. Eric, Tom, and John (3 also pruners) helped the Vigneron (Cameron Fries) and Dylan (son). [Their son is named after the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas: “Do not go gentle into that good night”]. Afterwards, two of the crew joined the winemaker for a small lunch and a glass of the Rose’. John came home with a case of Rose’ and a case of Roussanne.

I picked up Gloria and we went to the Food Bank for singing, playing, and lunch. She found a loaf of bread she wanted, and I got some peach turnovers (with barely any fruit showing, so we are going to add strawberry jam to the inside. We had a good bunch of folks and a happy audience. The food was good, but the chocolate layer cake was the best part of the meal. I took a planter of Hens & Chicks to Evelyn.

John visited an apple orchard on his way home and took some photos.The left photo and the right bottom photo show the very close spacing that increases the density of trees in newer orchards. Small trees spaced in rows allows for efficient maintenance, harvest, and reduced labor. This orchard, named, “Prospector Orchard”, is located on # 9 Road off White Trail Rd, owned by McDougall & Sons, as part of the Pair A’ Dice Orchards, L.L.C. Check out the pretty blossoms in the upper right.
{Photos, looking north, were taken at this spot:
47.21837, -119.943032}, if you want to check on Google Earth.

John came home to a bunch of experimentation with cutting rounds from (fire killed) Ponderosa pine trees to help a gal in Kittitas prepare for a birthday party with a rustic theme for her son’s 5th birthday on May 17.

I went out to see what he was doing with the larger ones after he’d brought the smaller ones into the house for me to photograph to consult with the person needing them. It was difficult to make them all completely flat. I counted them and we had 19 of the big ones and 17 of the smaller.

Here is a collage photo of the rounds.The larger ones are 11″ in diameter and the smaller are 7.5″.

The height is not to exceed 1.5″. My favorite is the smaller one on the bottom right, which shows a cross-section with (3 branches). It’s unfortunate about the cracks, but she is going to fill them with wood glue, if necessary. The wide cracks are from near the end of the log – so John cut 3 feet off the end and started new cuts there. She still got all he cut. She plans to sandpaper them as well, because we do not have access to a band saw; only a chainsaw. I took the left shot over our backyard fence of John touching the log for the smaller ones. They started at 7.5″ and went up a little bit, but the bigger ones came from the log to the far right, second log up. The photo on the right is my contribution of packing the rounds into 4 boxes, which I delivered to Kittitas the next day, after playing music in Ellensburg.

She has plans to use the smaller ones to paint on for the 12 kids coming to the party. And, she has promised to send pictures of the party so we can see the final product of John’s efforts.

Today, for the first time, we saw a new bird on our feeders. It appears by its coloration to be a Baltimore Oriole, but ours have thicker beaks than some photos on the web. I captured two sides below.Their coloration is interesting.

The range of the Baltimore Oriole is shown here: Baltimore Oriole
This does not include Washington State. Out here, the native oriole is Bullock’s Oriole: Bullock’s Oriole

The Cornell site “All about Birds” claims these do not eat from seed feeders. Ours appear to have the beak of a seed eater, so perhaps we are seeing a hybrid. One of life’s little mysteries. We’ll check with the bird-geeks of our local Audubon club (of which we are members). Search using Images for “oriole nest” to see the hanging nest of the orioles. John did take a picture of one of these a few years ago. The nest included strands of orange plastic from a locally sold “tarp” used to make dams in the irrigation ditches. The nests hang on ends of limbs and seem never to be still. Getting a sharp image is hard with the camera we have.

We finished the day by driving the truck back in a rainstorm to pick up a used lawnmower from a student of long ago, Alex. This is a nice to have to cut the high grass in our yards. Our mower has severe issues and old enough it doesn’t justify a repair bill – even if possible.
Since we started using it, John has removed the bag, because with our high grass, it needed emptied too often. It’s a Craftsman made in 2009, with a 6.25 hp engine.

Thursday, May 11

For May 10 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.00. Events: 12 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 34 min with (max = 11 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 2 events <88% with overall avg., 91.9%. Pulse avg. 59.3, low 49.

Time to replace sheets in the music packets. John took out the staples and I assembled, only to realize I did not make enough copies of the added 3 pages of songs. I had to go with fewer complete copies today for our audience.

I heard back from my call last week to the CWU Foundation about the money in my account from which we fund two student Scholarship awards in our name in the Geography Department and in the graduate program, CERM (Cultural and Environmental Resource Management). I needed to check the balance to be sure it would cover this year’s awards ($1,000). It will, but I will need to increase my monthly payments to pay for next year’s scholarships, so I don’t have to make a lump-sum payment at the end of May 2018.
I titled my awards The Hultquist Distinguished Service Award. The award is given to students who also go out of their way to serve others in the Geography Department, Central Washington University, or the broader Ellensburg Community.

I left for music and we had ten players performing and Haley dancing and singing on several songs.

Today we photographed the Orioles. We’ve seen Roufous-Sided Towhees here, and they are cute. None recently, though. Here is the closest feeder, with orioles and a redwing blackbird.

Several Birds Feeding at 2 Naneum Feeders

Friday, May 12

For May 11 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.59. Events: 4 H, 12 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 44 min with (max = 7 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 87.5, 2 events <88% with overall avg., 92.2%. Pulse avg. 54.9, low 50.

Stayed home to take care of many things needing done and have only accomplished a few – such as paying bills, washing dishes, arranging various things, just finished evaluating the applicants for our two scholarships. Earlier this week, I set up the account to get the money available for the checks to be written to the student recipients (one graduate and one undergraduate).

Cheered up by a picture of CA Brittany Daisy and her buddy, sent today by his mom, Deanna. What is cool is that she loves him and for him to play with her, but also obeys him as he takes the leash for handling in his mom’s obedience class for the dogs in training with them in Los Banos, CA. She and her husband, Scott Azevedo are special people, to send photos of her training, and gave me permission to print this in our blog. Leo loves training with his dad. Daisy with Leo, who will be 2 years old May 17.

Saturday, May 13

For May 12 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=0.52. Events: 3 H, 1PP, 9 RERA. Time on 5 hrs 46 min with (max = 21 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 86, 4 events <88% with overall avg., 92.4%. Pulse avg. 54.2, low 50.

Took more photos and another video of the fancy birds this morning. John did more reading about them on the web.

Swauk-Teanaway Grange presents our annual Bluegrass Concert on Saturday, May 13, with an outstanding young band from the greater Seattle area, “North Country Bluegrass.” North Country consists of young but experienced musicians – Norm Olsen (guitar), Kent Powell (bass fiddle), Will McSeveney (banjo) and Zach Top (Mandolin) with Michael from Canada on Dobro & Fiddle. Their website is: North Country Bluegrass
Their Facebook presence is: NCBB facebook
and a video of them doing Fox on the Run is here:
Fox on the Run at Shelton, WA in 2016 Run Fox Run
Their concert was wonderful, and I will go again next year. This was their 7th year coming to the Grange, and it is the first of their performing season. Their comments were cute and their expressions funnier when they goofed on a pickup or something in the lyrics. Their solo instrumentals are awesome. On their Facebook site one can follow them, their schedule (they’ll be at Wenatchee soon), and they are planning a new CD. The Banjo player and the Mandolin player team together writing songs, and we heard several tonight.

Sunday, May 14 Happy Mother’s Day !

For May 13 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI=4.56. Events: 2 CSR, 28 H, 1 PP, 1 OA, 13 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 21 min with (max = 12 L/min). Sounds bad, but my Oximetry was excellent: SpO2 low 87, 0 events <88% with overall avg., 93.3%. Pulse avg. 52.4, low 49. Keeping my SpO2 high is the only reason I'm on the CPAP overnight.

After noon today, we are going to town in the truck to pick up more sidewalk pieces and carry my viola to see if their son Beck can use it. He is small at 12 years, needs a 13″ one, and this one is a little longer. It won’t work – his is a 3/4 size, but when I saw it, I asked if they could restring my 3/4 size violin to make it into a viola, by adding a C string for the G, and pushing the others up one, leaving off the E. (Highest on a viola is an A). Laura (mom) is going to ask his orchestra leader.

Here’s a brief glimpse of the sidewalk removal and pick-up story.
The largest chunk was too much weight for 4 people to lift, so Johnny got his diamond blade to cut it on both sides, and then used an awl to separate the blocks.Neighbor Joe came over to help Johnny and John load the heavy pieces. The last right photo above are the 3 pieces in the truck.

In case you’ve never seen concrete sawed, here’s a very short video.
Johnny Sawing the Largest Piece

We went by Safeway for their inexpensive house-brand (Refreshe) colas and 18 ct eggs for .98 cents, and got some fried chicken for a very late lunch and part of a late dinner.
Both stops today took much longer than anticipated. Then, on the way home I got a cell phone call. John pulled over for 10 minutes or so, because when we make a turn the signal drops and a re-dial is necessary. This was a sad news call, so did not want the hassle of a dropped signal.
The call, from Atlanta, GA was about a friend from childhood, who had died 3 months ago; Joyce Davis Fisher. Her husband had been in the hospital himself after her 3 surgeries and death, and was just finally able to call me to tell me. His name is David Fisher.

That was followed by bad luck with my Facebook ID being stolen and someone using my profile picture and cover picture to solicit money from my friends to help me out in some way. It’s called “hacking” and it is a sad commentary on the activity on the web of people trying to scam others out of money. It was definitely not a nice thing to happen on Mother’s Day!

Here’s a cute Mother’s Day comment from a dog trainer we know (Dan Hoke) in WA that he sent to the NWFTC list. (That the NW Field Trial Council, for all pointing dogs organization in the PNW.)

Dan said, “Anyway, with Mother’s Day coming Sunday, I figured Ol’ Marsh, deserved some Flowers or something. I guess I was too late for Flowers. So the Lady offered up that I could get Mom some Balloons. ……… “Sure sounds great”. “Get me a dozen, various colors”. Holy Crap, $63!!!!!! Geeeesh, To say the least, I was shocked by the price! I asked the Balloon Blower upper Gal why they were so expensive, She let out a sigh………..and said, “Inflation.”

Another sweet comment on Facebook from Nevada, from a former student, wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day…

“Awesome! Happy Mother’s Day to a mama of thousands of students!!!!! We love you!”

Hope your week was fine. Apologies for the late arrival of this week’s blog post.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan