Category: Weekly report by day

In last week’s blog, I promised a link to the photos and leftover videos of Allen Aronica’s Fundraiser. I have them below. But first, another interesting statement from Amy Davison, the baker of the Native American Cake I pictured in the blog that drew everyone’s attention at the fundraiser. It was made to include in the dessert auction to help add funds to the fundraiser.

These were our questions: How did she make the “beads” on the cake, how did she produced the feathers of the head piece, and how long did the design creation take. She answered, “I used pastry bags with tiny tips to squeeze out each bead onto the cake. The feathers were a butter cream flavored fondant that I pressed into a mold, chilled, popped out, and then brushed with liquid food color. I baked the cake in the afternoon, but then decorated it in the evening. I would say maybe 5 hours total? Maybe a bit longer as I wasn’t hurrying through and had to mix all the colors.” Folks reading this now will have to look back to last week’s blog, Stories & Photos to see the photos of the cake; near the end of that post.

Go to Sept 29, here:

Stories and photos

Below are two short videos from the dessert auction, not in last week’s report:

Pan of Kahlua Fudge

Surprise Cake $21 Donated for Dessert to Dinner Goers

The next link is to a few photos I took that evening as stills, mostly of the silent auction (selected items), a few of the crowd, and the dinner buffet. The other videos were published in last week’s blog on 9/29 (link above)

This photo is of the buffet line at the Spaghetti Dinner held at the Fundraiser.The next link takes you to still photos taken that evening.

Link to Still Photos at the Allen Aronica Fundraiser

Monday, Sept 30

I started my week, by going to the hospital lab for a blood draw check on my high INR last week. It went from INR=4.4 last Tuesday, after changed dosage, to today, when it was back in a decent range, INR=2.7.

Normally, I’m a little lower. Will check it again next Tuesday, 10/8, before my 1:00 meeting at the AAC.

While in town, we went by the Co-op and bought 2 more bags of Senior Equine for Myst and a large bag of Black Oil Sunflower seeds. On our way to the lab, we stopped at Burger King for the special on crispy chicken sandwiches, cooked fresh. On for the blood draw, and then, we went to the parking lot of Grocery Outlet to try to “pair” John’s new DORO 7050 cell phone with the Bluetooth on his car.

This was a busy Monday and I stayed in the car waiting on the phone connection for over 15 minutes to talk to an agent from Consumer Cellular. John went on in to buy the intended groceries, plus added some more. He got the needed gallon of ice cream and Griddle syrup (aka liquid sugar) for pancakes, plus added a frozen package of lasagna and two nice-looking ears of corn (which turned out to be overly ripened).

He got back just in time to be there for the phone pairing. We had to do it in town while close to a cell tower, because at our house, we do not get reception on our cell phones. It took a long wait and at least 3 times through the process to pair them. I was talking on my cell phone and John and I both were following the instructions with him on his phone and me using the screen on the car. We finally succeeded after the agent went and got a phone just like John’s and followed along with us on his end.

We thought we had it paired, finally, so we headed off for a neighbor’s.
On the way home, we found that we cannot download the phone numbers from the phone, and all calls must be done from the phone itself and not through the screen on the Bluetooth. That’s not a good thing. However, I am able to call and reach John through the Bluetooth when he is driving.
There is a number pad on the car screen on which finger touch will take a number. Then it can be called. Afterward that number appears in contacts. There is no name identifier, but at the moment John has just our home phone there. More to do.

We will likely have to go to our friend at Subaru in Yakima to figure how to make it work as he needs it to, so he can dial through the screen on his dash, just pressing two buttons. Or, the next time we are together in town (this coming Monday), we’ll try again going through Consumer Cellular, now that we have the phone paired. Perhaps they can tell us a different way to update the phone book. It should not be this difficult (especially for a flip phone).

Once home I checked emails and the phone messages.

I sent a planning document to the music group for this Thursday at the Rehab, and most importantly to notify them we will be doing the patriotic music at the senior center for the Nov 8 celebration before Nov 11, Veterans’ Day. We do this every year, and have since the 1990s. We have a number of veterans in our music group; all military branches are recognized each year and asked to come to the front of the room to be introduced, interviewed, and honored.

Need to contact someone about Chris (Dr. Krueger’s nurse). I thought I had his email, but now cannot find it. I need to search through the stuff by my phone (copper wire one needed for the defibrillator monitor) on chair-side table.

Supper: lasagna, tomatoes, fried yellow squash, onions, mushrooms, dessert: chocolate cake with almond buttercream icing.

Tuesday, Oct 1

John went to Bi-Mart to check numbers, and to Fred Meyer for drink needs and get 10% of purchases today, Senior discount, 1st Tuesday of month. (It’s only on Kroger brand – store brands and not on other commercial brands. So John got it on his colas, but not on my PoweradeZero, a Coca-Cola Co. product.)

I worked on taxes and clothes for tomorrow Food bank (cancer clothes donation) and some clothes for others who attend the food bank bunch.

Tomorrow I will give a bag of clothes to a friend to take to American Cancer Society’s Yakima Discovery Shop (Thrift Store). More about that in a future blog.

I’m publishing the following with permission from Allen Aronica.

Ida Nason (Allen Aronica’s mother)Allen Aronica’s mother posted by granddaughter, Sia Aronica.

This video is a story told by Ida Nason, and well worth viewing:

Everything Change: Recollections of Ida Nason, an American Indian Elder

This film was made in 1986, 6 years before she died.

I want to add another video to this story, which is of a special person in my life too, Morris Uebelacker (see below for this connection).

This video I found that Allen published previously through Facebook, so only someone with a Facebook account can view it: (I’m not sure where Morris is speaking or when it occurred, and I telephoned Allen to see if he knew and he did not.)
I contacted Emily Washines on Facebook messenger, and she just returned the answer:
It was this summer 2019 at Hanford Journey, co-sponsored by Yakama Nation & Columbia Riverkeeper. Partial funding via the Dept. of Ecology. Emily was sitting next to Morris in the audience, and someone noted his presence, and they called him up to speak (all impromptu)! Wonderful job storytelling in his inimitable manner of speaking.

Emily Washines filmed this below. What a classic moment!

Morris Uebelacker – Importance of the Columbia River

Morris met with Ida Nason, visiting her many times before her death. She lived to be 103. The funeral was in 1992 at the Naneum home place with burial in the family cemetery, in the traditional way.

My connection to Morris goes to the time after he was hired at CWU in the Geography Department (in 1988) to be a professor. I was hired the same year, and we shared a phone for the first year we were here. We had separate offices, however, in the Old Science building, Lind Hall. We also shared many of the same students.

Wednesday, Oct 2

John started with feeding Myst: feed pellets, flaked corn, and 2 apples. The other 3 are not getting supplements, so while Myst is eating John spread hay around for them. Then Myst gets turned back into the area with the others. There is no grass this time of year, although with the recent rain, a little is showing.

I worked on things to carry with me today, making a protein drink in case nothing was on the buffet I could eat. Had bags to get to the car of clothing for 3 different destinations. Also had a garbage bag of plastic bottles to deliver to a fellow who uses them for art-work organization, and meets me Wednesdays at the Food Bank Soup Kitchen. We also had a nice conversation after the music, while I ate.
I had a small serving of spaghetti today, a little salad, half of the top of a buttered roll, and brought home a minuscule piece of brownie cake for John and me to share tonight.

I did not make my normal salad to take today, because when I opened the bowl, with iceberg lettuce, it was past the edible stage.

Crazy busy morning, after sleeping in. I left at 10:50 a.m. for FISH food bank music at the annex of the Calvary Baptist Church at Liberty (the now gone Liberty Theater – 1938 to Aug. ’09).

Nice visit with 4 people over and after lunch, but came on home.

Need to write a letter to the editor about thumbs up on the change on county rural roads in approach to stop signs. This summer a deep rippled surface about 10’ long with 3 such squares taking up the right lane of traffic before a stop sign. This week county crews were out “softening” them. Squares were spaced about 25’ apart. They were carved out of the existing pavement and severely bounced the car to warn of the stop ahead. There already are signs notifying drivers of a STOP sign. Something much gentler might have been okay. People, including we, have been going into the left lane to avoid the ripple-dips.

Transverse rumble strips

What it encouraged drivers to do, was drive around them in the opposite direction of traffic and risk running into cars coming the other way. John and I have complained (to each other) about this since their installation this summer. The rumble strips are not present at all stop sign approaches in the county, but seem to be limited to the more rural areas, yet not consistently on all of them either. The only three we have had to contend with are on Brickmill Rd as it approaches Fairview Rd., on Naneum approaching Brickmill, and on Wilson Creek Rd., approaching Alford Rd.

This morning, on my trip in, I went from home on Naneum, then Thomas to Wilson Creek, to Alford, but before Alford had to slow to one lane to pass a county road crew rolling down the height of the rumble strips. I almost got out of my car to hug the workers, observing.

Thursday, Oct 3

Off for music at Rehab this afternoon; after which I went by Fred Meyer for PoweradeZero for 58₵ each after just paying 89₵ cents Tuesday. The sale started Wednesday.

After loading up, I called Burger King and asked them to throw in two crispy chicken pieces so they would be freshly cooked when I arrived, (6 minutes after they’re in the grease). Drove on down, paid for them, visited some, with a new cashier trainee, and a long-time cashier there training her, packed up and left for home.

John met me to carry in my violin and I fixed my sandwich. We ate them while they were hot, and then worked on a few things until we left for CWU and the lecture tonight. I took all my cameras to record the proceedings. We got our front row seats, and I put one camera on a tripod and had the others on the counter in front to use.

. . . . .Tonight off to IAF
7:00 pm.  CWU’s Discovery Hall room 103  
Free and open to all.
____________________________
EVENING LECTURE: 
Revealing the Geology and Natural Hazards of Washington with Lidar

Daniel Coe, Washington Geological SurveyNick and Dan setting up – title slide of his lecture

My videos are below: (be sure to pull the viewer back to the beginning of the video)

Geology & Natural Hazards of WA via Lidar

Daniel Coe: Questions & Answers about Lidar

Friday, Oct 4

We stayed home today.
I unloaded and reloaded a full load of dishes. I uploaded videos from last night, which took a large part of the day. Our DSL bandwidth isn’t great enough for John to get downloads when I am sending the videos to the web. His breaks from outside things are shorter, because he can’t catch up on the news. Sunny days are good, rain-wind-cold, not so good.

Saturday, Oct 5

John took care of outside morning chores, and I joined him to sort out nice pine cones for a person to use to scent for Christmas projects. Fred Meyer has small bags of such for sale, but John did not see a price. When she might come is unknown, but we have a 5-gallon bucket full of Ponderosa cones. Seems this was a very good year for our trees – John has picked up hundreds.

Supper was out of the freezer: two kinds of pasta dishes (Swedish meatballs and noodles in gravy; Chicken Parmigiana with a slice of Havarti melted on top), carrots for me and carrots & broccoli for John, with PoweradeZero for me & cola for John.

Sunday, Oct 6

I put in all my medications for the week, and called in two for refills from Kaiser Permanente Mail Order. Surprised to find them there on a Sunday. Must call in the rest tomorrow after 9:00 a.m. in town.

John, Annie (dog), and Czar (cat) left for morning chores.

I’m working on computer and filing chores, and ready to load some software, once I connect an external CD drive. I just finished my list of things to do in town tomorrow with John.

John fixed us a lunch of a grilled sandwich with Havarti cheese slice and smoked turkey, which we ate with potato chips.

John has been digging dirt and rocks from around a young Pine tree up the drive from the house.

Dirt, sand, and horse doo will fill the area, then recently purchased Tulips will circle the tree. These are “peach” color. The spot is across the drive from a prior planting of fancy Daffodils and Tulips. Anticipate spring.

Last week, when Montana had a big snowfall, we nearly got snow too. This past week has been typically fall. The coming week will be cool to cold for us, but it is unlikely to produce snow here. The mountains of WA, ID, and NE Oregon, however, have snow in the forecast. Stevens Pass, 4,000 feet and 50 miles NW of us, may get 6 inches. Last week’s snow there has melted at pass level.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

I’m beginning this week with a peachy keen photo by my friend, EvieMae Schuetz, her close-up of a delightful ladybug, named Daphne, now residing on her dahlias, checking out peach fuzz on their tree.Meet Daphne inspecting peach in Kittitas, by EvieMae Scheutz

Followed by another few photos from another friend I have known almost since I arrived in Ellensburg at Lind Hall (David Covert)-another extraordinary photographer. He took these pictures of Canada Geese Migration at Carie Lake at Irene Rinehart park in Ellensburg (posted 9/20). I made a collage from parts of the photo at the top over two below to share the whole experience. Canada Geese Migration Stopover Carie Lake by David Covert

Monday, Sept 23

Finally published the blog late tonight at 11:10 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept 24

We were busy this morning continuing to get back on track.
We went to town for my standing order INR blood draw, and things went downhill from there on that score. Reading was way high. Reason unknown.

After that we went to Bi-Mart where John went in to check our numbers and buy a few things, and left me making phone calls, to arrange for medical appointments (I got a date to see my Cardiologist in Ellensburg Nov 5), and found out the location, plus went by the medical complex to find out the suite number and location on the second floor of a building I already know. Their information only was the address (100 Jackson St, and its being on the second floor). I will report back to Deschelle tomorrow (she’s a scheduler in Yakima, as she had no directions or idea at all. My doctor is only scheduled in Ellensburg one day/month (the first Tuesday of the month).

My research revealed this information: the building has just been purchased by the KVH (Kittitas Valley Healthcare), and is named, thusly: Kittitas Valley Healthcare Medical Arts Center. The office is on the 2nd floor (there is an elevator across from the front entrance on the north side of the building), and to the right of the elevator is a bulletin board type menu with all the offices found in the building (currently under reconstruction and renovation). The opposite side upstairs used to be the DSHS office (the WA State Department of Social and Health Services). It has moved completely away to past the China Inn on University Way. Certainly, is no longer close to the downtown of EBRG. Similar location (and Statewide?) in Yakima, so perhaps saving money for taxpayers.

We filled up John’s gas tank on the Crosstrek. Drove by to check out what I thought was the new location of the FISH Food Bank bread room, out by the airport, only to find out they are doing away with that, and keeping all the bread only in the food distribution area. As volunteers for music, etc., we were encouraged to use the bread room for our family’s needs, and I used to share things with others (such as a young woman and her daughter), who is visually impaired and cannot drive. That link died out. Likely those on the “needs” list will now get more than they can consume – it will spoil and get thrown out. {John says he was starting to make bread at home just before the Food Bank started passing off the extra to community members. He will start up again, and not have to inspect for mold.}

I sent a late call for music attendance Thursday, with the Oct/Nov PDFs attached.

Supper tonight was spaghetti (wheat as thin string or twine; click on this link, sapago. The sauce was a concoction (by John) of canned tomatoes, & tomato sauce with two cheeses, ground beef, and various taste enhancers. Fried yellow summer squash accompanied. It was excellent! Missed the red wine, but that last INR reading is unexplained, so did not go there.

Wednesday, Sept 25

I left at 10:45 a.m. for the FISH Food Bank music, which had fewer instruments than last week, but all the singers. Our audience was smaller than last week, but still very much involved with singing and applause, and comments afterwards. I got a kick out of our doing, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Everyone in the place was singing and counting, ONE-TWO-THREE strikes you’re out, …. Even the servers were keeping time to the music and singing along, because everyone had been served by the time we got to that song.

We started early and ended early, by a ½ hour, so I was able to leave soon after playing and packing up the music, chairs, and stands. I had a date at the Yakima Heart Center with Angie for an echocardiogram. Her daughter plays violin so we always chat about that. I ran into construction and a slowed-way-down 3-4 miles of the first section of I-82 by a closed repaving lane, and an extremely narrow lane to pass slowly on the left. The side had very close markers to make you stay in the lane. It was close for me, and I wonder how the big trucks managed. That was a stressful experience and time sink.

I made good time on the rest of the trip, but was surprised to get to the Redmond Bridge down by Selah, and find the left lane of the bridge being repaved in the direction I was headed. We all went on down the hill, and passed two police cars checking speeds. Everyone around me was still in a lower speed mode from slowing down on the bridge. I made it to my cut-off to get over to 16th Avenue for the rest of my trip to Tieton and the Yakima Memorial Hospital complex, near where the Yakima Heart Center and several other medical offices are located. They are now part of Virginia Mason (Seattle based hospital). I was actually heading to the Imaging side of the heart center. But, fortunately, both sides can check you in to either the cardiologists or the imaging technicians. It’s a nice entry set up that proceeds rapidly.

I was there and checked in before my appointment time of 2:00 p.m. after finding a shady spot at the very far end of the parking lot. Shade is difficult to find there, and I had my violin in the back of the car. I wrapped it up in a coat to protect it more, but the shade stayed for the hour+ I was inside the building.

My echocardiogram was the best I have ever had. Angie tried it in more of a sitting position, rather than laying me on my left side (which is my bad shoulder side with no range of motion). We talked throughout the test (it does not bother her at all). All was completed in good order, I redressed, and said my goodbyes.

From there I went by the scheduler with 3 copies of my printed instructions for them to have to tell patients how to find the office in Ellensburg. They were very grateful. They certainly had minimal information until I provided it. I knew it was needed when I had called yesterday from town to ask what building I was scheduled in for my upcoming appointment in Ellensburg (that story is mentioned above), and found out they knew very little.

I need to work on the jobs-list, but mostly on taxes, when I stay home long enough. That did not happen today. I promised John tonight I would cut down on the length of these blogs.

Thursday, Sept 26 From Allen: Morning Sunrise in Naneum bringing a weather change. Heater is kicking on.

Thanks, Allen Aronica, for taking and posting that. We have noticed the same cold and heater needs. Glad to see your perspective on morning sunrises. It’s amazing your view from your ranch, only a mile up the road, which we do not have from our place on the Naneum Fan, because of the hill on Swedberg’s place. The hill ends, but our view from our house in the easterly direction is blocked by trees. Send more sunrises, please, in the future, and tag me on future sunrise sends, via Facebook.

I paid Myst’s bill from the vet for checking her out: $174.48 and they are mailing me the receipt of the VISA payment. Vet Dan (a neighbor) didn’t find anything wrong. John gave her some worm medicine. Dan thinks she may have slowed down on her eating so that the other horses get her share. For the time-being, she is getting supplements while separated from the others.

I called and talked with Kelly at Brad & Burke about winterizing our Heat Pump. We are scheduled for Darren to come out on October 8. We’ve got 3 other things to do that day.

Check this-published Sept 26 afternoon. Allen Aronica sent it to his Facebook account:

Snow Moves into Cascades, as ‘Arctic Express’ arrives in Western Washington

Going to a presentation tonight. Prior to – we picked up several garbage bags full of clothing from a friend to redistribute some if we can, the rest to clothing banks in Ellensburg. She can’t go at the times they receive donations.

We attended the first in the lecture presentation series this year of the Kittitas County Historical Museum. It was by a once TV Weather forecaster for KIRO-5 News, Feliks Banel, entitled, “Storm Warning: Historic Weather in the Evergreen State. It was very interesting. The discussion went back to the mid-1800s; quite fascinating.

After the talk, we went to Safeway to get John’s medications through GoodRX there. Saved over $6 on two meds for him, paying a total of $25.70, without having to apply our insurance co-pay. The niceness of that is that paying with a CHASE Visa credit card we received a 2% cashback reward on our prescription medications. Our normal pharmacy (Super 1) does not provide that payback because the pharmacy receipt says Super 1 Groceries and the Chase bank card only applies the discount to a Pharmacy. Even though the Pharmacy is in the Safeway store, the receipt lists the Pharmacy separately, so the reward applies. I am not sure if that is the same case at the Fred Meyer Pharmacy or not. That remains to be seen. Everything in EBRG is close together, so multiple stops is not an issue.

Below is our presentation at an assisted living facility, earlier this afternoon:

Music at Hearthstone, 6 of Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends

Friday, Sept 27

Morning sunrise in the Kittitas Valley from the other side of the valley, in Badger Pocket, comes this photograph from my newest friend, Vicki Lennox, from Kittitas, WA.From 2015:This day 9/27 in 2015 –“Super Moon”-“Lunar Eclipse”, Kittitas Valley, WA by Lise McGowan

At the time she noted in introducing her photograph, “It was a grand view of the “super Lunar Eclipse” tonight. Watched it with Tanner (her dog) from the back of our barn to stay out of the wind. Scout and Dakota (horses) were curious as to what all the excitement was about. Not that this wasn’t enough to be in awe of…an extra treat was watching a long tail meteor pass by. We were blessed this evening to experience such a rare occasion.”
We are blessed she makes an effort to get out at unusual hours to capture the many skyscapes she photographs and then freely shares with her friends. This is one of the upsides of Facebook communication.

I attended a scholarship luncheon today in Bouillon Hall (where my office was from 1997 to 2008), and drove by Gallery One to pick up Amy Davison to take her, because I have an Emeritus parking permit and it saves me $6 to park on campus, anytime, anywhere! (Better than a gold watch for a retirement gift). I also still have library privileges. Surprisingly, we were first to arrive and had lunch of White Chicken Chili (with a roll, if wanted; I passed on the roll, but took a veggie turkey wrap, and desserts of Apple Crisp and Frosted Pumpkin (I guess) cookies. Amy and I signed up for the 3rd Friday of March 2020 to be the hostesses, (the end of spring break week at CWU), and we requested the large conference room we were in for lunch today. I took my check donation for the year ($60). The program started and still maintained by Ruth Harrington (in its 45th year) crossed the $1 million donation total last year. I have been in this group since 1988, and not missed a year (only a few Fridays when I was unable to attend). The donations go to students who are single parents, for help with their finances.

Today, we learned from Christine Tufts (one of our 4th Friday luncheon members) about her brother, Luke Tufts, a “volunteer” archaeologist at the Burke Museum, who teamed with his friend, Jason Love, working to free the 2,500# T Rex dinosaur skull in Montana. They extracted from the matrix holding it, gently tied it onto a flatbed pickup truck, and brought it to Seattle, WA. It is being reassembled with the rest of the body at the Burke Museum. I think she said it was only the second one found intact. I have yet to listen to all the videos myself. I have watched excerpts and I encourage you to take the time to study them.
If you google “Tufts Love T Rex” you will gain access to several videos. I had not heard of this previously.

When I got home, I finished processing the video of our music from yesterday, and began trying to respond to a volume of emails. It’s been an afternoon chore, never making time to extract the clothing from John’s car and getting it to mine. It will be time-consuming to take the contents of each bag, which are too heavy for me to lift, and separate into smaller garbage bags I can handle. They are full of a lady’s (grandmother) clothing who died and left all her clothing and shoes behind for the family to handle. Now I have it – and tons of my stuff that needs donated. I have had an offer from Sandy Meier to help, and use her house. I’m going to try to find people who can wear things before going the donation route. There is also a big bag of hangers! I’m not free to think about this until November, however. Too much on my agenda. But the Crosstrek is completely full – until Monday. Then what? (moving to my Forester)

Today on Facebook (which I seldom get to for a more than a few items a day), this appeared from my friend (and former student), Tony Bynum in Montana. People are being warned.

Historic Snowstorm: Up to 50” in Montana’s Mountains

Here are a couple of stills I took off the web that appeared with the story above, which will give you a video (and written) report of weather forecasters explaining the problem expected.

Tonight for supper, John fixed chicken thighs, French fried potatoes (baked in the oven), I cut myself a tomato, and we will have a walnut-brownie (he made this afternoon) for dessert.

Saturday, Sept 28

John took care of outside morning chores.
I unloaded and reloaded a full load of dishes.
We had our brunch: eggs, toast, tomatoes, and bacon.
I’ve been handling plans for the month of October for our music group, because we start a new month next Thursday.

Also, I’ve been communicating with a fellow (Jason) from Kittitas,
WA who wants to come take away some already downed cottonwood from our land. Some has been cut into rounds, needing to be split, and others are still logs of fallen (or felled by John) trees.
About 11:00 John watched the blue skies NE turn to storm clouds, and we had a deluge of rainfall. He came in and looked at the radar imagery on line and found a huge storm cell circulating counterclockwise bringing the rain from Quincy (to our NE).
The fellow planned to go to the Taneum Canyon (west of EBRG) to cut and load firewood, but only got ½ cord before rain interrupted, and so he drove home, and planned to come over to our place in the afternoon, when it cleared up.
It did, and we met him at the end of our driveway and showed him stacks of cut cottonwood, a pickup full of pieces John loaded this morning, which he could take away. With the old 4×4 pickup, John pulled several logs over to make accessible for Jason. He has a friend or two and a pickup with a trailer. Today he only had a mini-van. John showed him a couple of other stacks he could take. I walked around with them, and I have a feeling this will be a connection, as a source of wood for his family for a while.

This afternoon we had a snack of brownies.

Tonight we had fried cauliflower with a covering of pancake mix, cheese, and egg, along with homemade beef stew, and chicken nuggets.

We are going to bed early because we cannot stay awake.

Sunday, Sept 29

We need to finish making our Pecan pies to donate to the dessert auction for the fundraiser dinner at the American Legion. The event is being handled by Allen Aronica’s 1966 high school classmates. We’ve know Allen since we moved to the Naneum Fan in 1989. He is the one severely burned in a gasoline flashfire that burned >28% of his body. He spent 20 days in Harborview in the burn trauma center, with several skin grafting surgeries. He is back home on the ranch but has to stay away from people to prevent secondary infections. His wound bandages must be change several times a day and he still has to travel to Seattle for doctors visits. His first time back over was last week, and they were pleased at his progress. A lot of his friends and relatives have been praying for him, and the family feels the power, and thanks everyone for their concern.

The fundraiser is from 3:00 to 6:00 with $10 each for the meal, a dessert (live) auction, and a “silent” auction for donated items. We have to arrive a bit early to deliver the Pecan pies. They’re made using a recipe John’s mom wrote many years ago. It is very much like some others he has found. She (with her kid’s help) had been making such things from memory; as did all her many sisters.

Videos captured by Nancy:
First is a recap on the accident and a health update, which also includes at the end, about 2 minutes of the dessert auction, by Jeff Whitman:

Nephew Arnold Cleveland

Next: One of our music players made a special cake using the image of Allen (above) in Yakama Nation native dress. She delivered it early and went on to a different event.

Here is the auction:

Amy Davison’s Native American Cake

And finally, what will someone give for a pie?

Pecan pie bids

Next week I’ll include a couple of photos from the event.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, Sept 16

Worked all day playing catch up and finally published the blog late tonight at 10:28 p.m.
John mowed the backyard grass, shooed a deer over the fence that came over to eat raspberry plants. I wish I had gotten a video of her clearing the 6’ fence.

Tuesday, Sept 17

I need to get out a late call for music attendance to the KV Fiddlers & Friends, for organizing our chair counts for this Thursday (Pacifica Senior Living) and Saturday (Briarwood Commons Retirement Apts.), where they feed us afterwards.

John and I are going to Joanie’s and Ken’s for tuna melts a little before noon, to take the English Muffin bread for their creation with Ken’s awesome recipe. This is an annual invite which we very much enjoy. Normally, it falls on my birthday, but they were out camping this year on 9/1. We shared a few of John’s garden veggies with them today. One of the onions previously given them was used in the tuna mixture.

While in town, we checked our Bi-Mart numbers and did not win, but John also was going to look for a rain jacket for his trail work upcoming. His “Frogg Togg” light rain jacket has gotten misplaced (pant’s whereabouts is known) and he’s scheduled for ACL duty on the wet side of the Cascades in the next few weeks, having already experienced one very wet experience last Sunday. He scored on a 25% off clearing sale and got a nice rain jacket for $25. Then he didn’t have to wear it on the trail work day. The rain was not sufficient to require its use as he has a lined jacket that he has sprayed with “Camp Dry–silicone base” spray.

I stayed in the car in the shade and made a few phone calls to members of our music group (long distance had I called from home; better free on cell phone), to help with planning the count to be at the two events this week.

Wednesday, Sept 18

I worked a little on the jobs-list after being off for over a week. Posted 4 jobs this morning, but have more to do. I have some personal work to do with recent additions to our list (telling them about other opportunities according to their academic and personal interests).

I drove myself to town for music at the FISH food bank, where we played for ½ hour, and we had a lot of folks singing and participating. Singers: Robert, Peggy, Reta, Bob, Richard, Dean (Harmonica), Evelyn (Banjo), Richard drums (drum sticks on cardboard box), Nancy (violin), Joanie (violin), and Rob (Guitar). Our audience was the largest in quite a while, and full of people singing, dancing, and applauding us. That’s always rewarding.

Afterward we are fed – the main dishes being donated from the Ellensburg Pasta Company. Today I did not take my own salad, but had a piece of chicken breast with Fettuccini (only a little because I’m not that fond of pasta), a ½ roll buttered, plums, and dessert (apple cake). I gave my dessert away to a friend. I did not have the mixed green salad because it had greens in it I’m not allowed to have, being on the blood thinner Coumadin. (That’s why I usually take my own Iceberg lettuce salad). For a beverage, I had pink lemonade. I was also able to enjoy a good lunch conversation with a friend from CWU, and others in our music group. I also took tops to several people, and am continuing to sort and keep fashionable clothing for Karen Johnson to take to the Cancer Gift Store in Yakima (for people to buy there; to fund Cancer Research).

I stopped at the bread room on the way home and got two loaves of 3-cheese bread, sliced, for me and a long loaf of sour dough bread for John. FISH will be moving from the area behind the Mercer Creek Church to the new Elmview site out at the Airport, north of town. Luckily, the free bus has extended service out there for Ellensburg residents.

The Senior Nutrition lunch program and lunch for non-seniors will continue Monday through Thursday at the Liberty Theater annex (downtown). It’s being provided on a memorandum of understanding with the Calvary Baptist Church, to use the kitchen and dining room for up to 2 years until the kitchen and facilities are constructed out at Elmview. We are all being spoiled on having china plates, stainless steel utensils, to eat from, and plastic glasses for cool drinks, instead of paper plates, cups, and plastic.

I continued my sorting clothes for the LDS swap sale drop off tomorrow afternoon after music at Pacifica. I am accumulating a lot of donations from several people. It is all free, no limit, and no need to donate to receive. I have published the flyer below.

Not sure how many hours I spent sorting but it was quite a few, and the wonderful thing is I now will have the room back in my car that has been taken by garbage bags full of clothing waiting to be sorted (given by several people). Now it will all be gone, after I drop off at the LDS church on Radio Hill (Brick Rd). All will go to people in the community and all leftovers will go to the Church of Christ clothing giveaway and other free distribution clothing centers, such as Apoyo. I have one more stack to check in the back room, and then I will be done. Currently, I have 6 bags for John to load in my car before he leaves for bottling Mariposa Red. The crew has another 500-gallons to process, bottle, and label. They will break at noon for lunch. John’s contributing sliced salami and cherry tomatoes; pretty much the end of our crop this year.

I marked Sept 29 on our calendar for the Fundraiser Dinner at the Legion to help defray some of the medical costs of Allen Aronica (a veteran of the Vietnam war) to help cover his stay for 20 days in Harborview for repairing serious burns from a gasoline flash fire. He is back home at his Naneum Ranch after several sessions of skin grafting, learning physical therapy to prepare for the healing process to work better keeping the new skin stretched, and for the staff to teach his wife Gerri Miller to prepare the wound bandage dressings, which have to be changed a couple times daily. They will need to return for periodic burn recovery checkups at Harborview hospital in Seattle. Today (Monday, 9/23) was the first visit back for a check-up. I know because I went up the road to put plums on the front porch and saw his relatives around back, so I went over, met them (Arnold & Gail), visited a little, and then left. They have been caring for the house and animals while Allen and Gerri are away.

Some of the plums have now fallen and we are expecting strong gusts (Mon. to 22 mph and Tues. to 36).John picked all that were still on the tree, and gathered the rest – sorting out the bad ones. He wants to dry those without apparent damage.

Tonight John fixed a dinner with a seasoned all-day long slowly cooked beef roast, served with deep-fried onion rings in beer batter, prepared in a cast-iron pot, corn-on-the-cob, and a baked potato with cheese and butter.

Thursday, Sept 19

John left for bottling at White Heron Cellars early to be there by 9:00 start and won’t return until late, just before we have to leave for the KAS meeting.
Here are a few photos taken during the bottling process, taken by Audrey, one of the workers.Pike Place Red Wine for Seattle NW Tasting Room; White Heron John, Phil, Erik – Cameron, John, Garrett, Mark, Rory. Photos by Audrey Seaberg, also on the bottling line.

John loaded 6 garbage bags of clothing to my car for me to drop off at a LDS church clothes swap, this weekend. The leftovers will be given to other community free clothing banks at the end. I’m dropping them off today after playing music at Pacifica.I went to Pacifica today and back home, stopping at my neighbor’s Joanie, 4 houses down Naneum to pick up bags from in front of the gate at her house left for me. (Note: this is neighbor Joanie; the other Joanie is a music group member.)

I called the lady planning the Legion fundraiser for Allen Aronica and introduced myself. Her name is Penny. She was in the high school class of ’66 with Allen. They would love to have 2 Pecan pies donated. We can write a check to Allen Aronica directly for our monetary donation. We are marked down (RSVP) for 2 dinner reservations.

Packed another bag to take to LDS church, use the entrance on the other side of the church from the (unrelated) cemetery. They’ll have 20 people to help me unload.

I walked by a hanger on the door to our guest bedroom and knocked everything on the floor; only starting to replace. I should recycle some of those on hangers on the doors around the room. I’ll probably knock off the one entering my bathroom too. All our closet space is taken. Yeah, that’s the next thing to purge.

We attended the Kittitas Audubon Meeting tonight, and I videoed the presentation by two women resource scientists employed by Puget Sound Energy (PSE), at the Wild Horse Wind & Solar facility. Bios below.

Jennifer Diaz & Haley Olson—on right are maintaining bluebird houses.

Our presenters Jennifer Diaz, Senior Wind Resource Advisor (other job title, Environmental & Communications Manager) and Haley Olson, Senior Resource Scientist, shared the stage, discussing, PSE & Avian Conservation—Our Electrical Grid and Birds.  

Video of their presentation:

Click on the link and pull the start backwards to left, from 30 to zero, to the beginning to view a whole hour and 14 minutes with questions & answers inserted in the video.

Wild Horse Wind Facility – Wildlife Conservation

History: PSE initiated its official Avian Protection Program company wide in 2000, in response to collaborative talks with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but had taken avian conservation actions starting as early as 1979 with relocation of osprey nests. Program Biologists strive to reduce the interactions of birds with PSE’s electrical equipment throughout PSE’s service area to improve reliability and protect birds from electrocution and collisions with power lines. This is accomplished through partnerships with State and Federal Wildlife Agencies and Wildlife Rehabilitators, proactive efforts to make PSE’s system avian-safe, best management practices to minimize the effects of construction and vegetation management on nesting birds and habitat, and training throughout the company to educate employees about the importance of protecting avian species. We will learn more about the Avian Protection program, its successes and future challenges, from Haley Olson, the Senior Resource Scientist who is responsible for implementing it.

Jennifer Diaz, Sr. Wind Resource Advisor, is responsible for managing all aspects of the environment and natural resources across 10,000 acres of rangeland and shrub-steppe habitat at the Wild Horse wind farm, and will share details about wildlife conservation there. When constructing the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) voluntarily added a conservation easement to safeguard 7,000 acres of shrub-steppe habitat and in partnership with the Trust for Public Lands and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), PSE also preserved 18,000 acres of undeveloped open space, helping to maintain enough wild lands to support elk, mule deer, bobcats, badgers, hawks, sage-grouse, and now wolves!

Rocky Mountain Elk & Mule Deer

Wolves present on the landscape – Two wolves named, the Naneum Pack, had 2 pups born this year. The far right photo was taken through binoculars.

Top photo…The most number of Avian deaths occur nationwide caused by windows. The visitor center’s windows were causing a problem being on both sides of the building, as the birds thought they could fly through. They treated the windows to keep the birds away, yet people can still see through the window with human eyes. Birds are deferred by what they see.
Bottom is the study of the corridor existing between two leks of Sage Grouse: here (red arrow), and south on the Yakima Training Grounds.

Top photo shows the removal of noxious cheatgrass, completed by PSE, with a before and after example 12 years apart on the same piece of road up to the visitor’s center. Bottom photo shows the cactus rescue project conducted to remove the barrel cactus during the construction of the wind turbines, to a safe growing area, and replanting them after construction was completed. The snake habitat was enhanced around the visitor’s center, as seen on the walkway entrance from the parking lot to the building.

This paragraph is my assessment of the offerings inside the visitor’s center. That building houses a wonderful resource of exhibits, books, and educational projects & displays, completed by local students from Ellensburg, and enhanced by PSE with guidebooks and comfy chairs to sit and read. Beautiful atlases and picture books of shrub steppe vegetation, wildflowers, and birds are shelved for use there. Tours occur twice daily and on special occasions. It’s a tremendous community resource.

Friday, Sept 20

John left for WTA trail work at the Commonwealth Basin PCT at 7:45 a.m. (the Pacific Crest Trail, going north from Snoqualmie Pass; this is called WA – PCT Section J)

I’m staying home today to take care of things, except I will in run the several bags of dried baby, teen, and adult clothes to town to the LDS church donated from Joanie Lee, and another two bags of adult clothes from me. Joanie had cleared them out of her house (because floors were being replaced while she was out of town for a week), and she put in the back of her truck in plastic garbage bags. Unfortunately, we had a rainstorm and all the bags had wet clothing. I told Joanie I would dry them out – and I did.

Saturday, Sept 21

John left at 6:45 a.m. for his WTA work party on the PCT. He got home after 4:30 p.m. but had to stop in Ellensburg for a bag of horse feed for Myst.

On my drive to town, I passed Allen Aronica and Gerri coming back from town. I had read this morning on YOU’RE PROBABLY FROM ELLENSBURG… Facebook site, that he had gone to his first-time-back meeting of the morning coffee klatch since his incident. He was so happy. Here was his morning comment:

It has been a good morning so far. Wound care was a little later because that was because I was visiting with some of the coffee crew I haven’t seen since the accident and neighbors. Always good to see everyone. It’s a Good Day.

I made it to the clothes swap at noon at the LDS church on Radio hill for a walk-around search for a couple of long-sleeved shirts for John (I found several nice ones in new condition), absolutely no clothing for me, and I searched for 3 nice white blouses I knew would fit Amy (that were in one of the 12 bags I had donated). I found them, plus a black one, and carried them by her house before going to fill my car with gasoline, on my way to Briarwood for music.

She will be at Briarwood but cannot make it to the morning swap because of being at Paint Ellensburg with her baked & decorated cake. I will donate another bag to the swap. I’ll see Amy and Haley at our play-date at Briarwood, and the ladies will be feeding us two kinds of soups: Tortellini with cabbage by Lee & Bean soup by Jo Ellen. They also plan to have a dessert table. I’m taking in a large container of red seedless grapes all washed, a package of fruit bars, and a box of Hazelnut individual creamers for their coffee. Bean soup & Tortellini soup with rolls, and a dessert table.

Here is the lemon & lavender cake Amy made for the Gallery One Fundraiser today for a dessert auction. This cake won a $225 bid donation to the Gallery in Paint Ellensburg. Pretty neat and beautiful piece of artwork! And she still managed to come play with us at Briarwood, and bring Haley along, who danced to Irish Washerwoman and sang T for Texas with us at the end, especially leading the group in the yodeling part. I wish I had her on video doing both.

Before dark, John did a few outside things, and I brought in 4 pairs of shoes I was drying in the sun, before they get rained on tomorrow. He’s likely to experience another muddy wet day on the WTA work party as last Sunday.

We had a supper tonight of our tomatoes, bowl of soup with smoked turkey added, and some asparagus John grew – cooked with cheese.

Sunday, Sept 22

John goes out on the trail again today – a storm is moving from south to north across western WA. If it mostly stays there, the crew might luck out and get damp rather than wet. And that is what happened. John only went a total of just over 2 miles. LeeAnne (crew leader) went up higher with sub-crews. She goes up and down keeping an eye on things and passing out treats – like small candies, nuts, and fruit leather. They think she did 7 miles today (John = 2), and yesterday she did 9, John did 3.

From Caitlin LaBar: Success!!! A lovely lady emerged this morning! It is one of the Hemileuca hera (Hera buckmoth) I reared this year, those caterpillars that took forever and resulted in me driving all over the place to get sagebrush. Some populations have a two-year life cycle, overwintering as eggs and pupae, but some will complete the cycle in a year. This late into September I had all but written them off as going to overwinter as pupae, but maybe a few will emerge and the rest will overwinter.

Monday, Sept 23

Still here on the first day of fall, having not yet published our weekly blog. This beautiful photo awaited me today, taken early this morning by my photographer friend in the valley.

Another magnificent picture by Lise McGowan, capturing the lovely landscape view from the Kittitas Valley dominated by Mt. Rainier {about 65 miles}, with enough snow at Paradise for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.

John started his day picking plums, and I delivered a few pounds up the Naneum Fan to the Allen Aronica household.

I returned home to a great brunch provided by John. All I had to do was crisp the bacon, sit down, and enjoy – a blueberry/pecan pancake topped with peaches, with a side of coffee.

I’ve been responding to emails, and now switched back to finishing my draft of the blog, late going out this week, again.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Sunday, Sept 8

Leftovers from a week ago at the BBQ at Meadows Place.

Meadows Place 9-8-19 Music & Circus BBQ for Community

Selected—Videos of The Last Rider Out Trio Musicians, Sunday, Sept 8, 2019, at Meadows Place with other activities shown:

The Last Rider Out Trio musicians (intro by Jack Jenson)

Boy Visits with Horse

Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?

Circus Tour—Ending with Heart of my Heart

Darktown Strutters’ Ball—with dancers

Hey! Good Lookin’—with dancers again

Ragtime Cowboy Joe

Monday, Sept 9

John did not go on his planned hike today because of the weather forecast of storms in the hills.

We left about 5:00 p.m. for town to go to The Palace for my birthday dinner that has to be used before the end of the month. Considering I did not get the card until 9/7 and that we have to be in town tonight, this was a good option. We made it to dinner, and met a woman there at the adjacent booth for two, whom we had known in our past through working with the Children of Chernobyl program in the U.S., here in Ellensburg. We shared a conversation with nice memories of the program that has ceased.

We left there to be at Hal Holmes center and set up my video camera on a tripod before the 7:00 p.m. meeting of the Kittitas Field & Stream club. We are not members, but we know the speaker, Jim Huckabay, and wanted to hear his presentation, “African Adventure—IV.” He has traveled there three times, previously. I believe they consider him family. Jim fields questions after his presentation (below); poses with two kinds of African Antelope—a Klipspringer & Reedbuck, and Boomer (his rifle).

Once you click on this next link, pull the start back to zero. It is starting 13 minutes into the show.

African Adventure – IV by Jim Huckabay

Huckabay’s presentation was followed by a thank you from Trip (& Beckett) Landon’s family who received a scholarship from this chapter to attend the Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, held at Summit Bechtel Reserve, with over 10,000 acres of space. This year’s attendance was 50,000 scouts from 153 countries. It is held worldwide, but this year was in the U.S., and this was the last year both brothers could attend. If you want to learn more about the location, visit here:

Website Summit Bechtel Reserve in W. Virginia

Immediately below is the link to Trip’s report on their trip this summer.

Trip Landon ~ His & Beckett’s BSA Jamboree from Field & Stream

We know the Landon family, so I contacted Laura, the boys’ mom, about the Boy Scout Jamboree of 2019. The details are that they both (Trip as a leader and Beck as a scout) needed to raise a large sum of money to go on the trip. They approached the Field & Stream club and asked if they would contribute toward supporting their trip. The club donated $1000. A lady on the Board of Field & Stream (F&S), was aware of the associated sustainability tree-house and asked the boys to mention the F&S club on the etching they would hang there; hence the activity pictured on their thank you card. Below are the photos making up their thank you “card,” which Trip presented tonight to the President of the Field & Stream Club:Beckett, Trip, Beck hanging their plaque, pictured on the bottom.Trip Landon presents thank you card to Bill Essman.

Tuesday, Sept 10

This morning I need to review the agenda, the minutes of the last meeting, and the budget pages before attending my 1:00 meeting today in my first official capacity as serving on the Senior Advisory Commission for the City of Ellensburg Adult Activity Center. I had to be there by 12:55 p.m. because their clocks are 2 minutes ahead of the actual time. They have tried to sync their two wall clocks and it won’t work.

I went by the hospital lab for my INR check on last week’s low reading. It was up to 2.1, but still have to have it rechecked in 2 weeks to be sure my dosage is properly adjusted. I checked numbers at Bi-Mart and we did not win anything.

I went by Safeway for my Atorvastatin ($14); lowest price in town via GoodRx (cash transaction, not using insurance), and to Super 1 for a few tablets of Hydrocodone (10mg) for shoulder pain used sparingly and also for a 90-day supply of John’s Levothyroxine 88 mcg. The cost on John’s Levothyroxine was much higher than I expected. I checked with my insurance (Kaiser Permanente) and found they have raised the co-pay charge from $5/month to $20/month. See tomorrow’s comments on that.

Wednesday, Sept 11

We are going to the Food bank for music, and while I play, John will go to Fred Meyer for a super price on his canned soft drinks, getting them for 20₵/ can. He came back to retrieve me, and we left directly from there for Costco for essentials and some things for our neighbor.

In the morning, I began researching the pricing of our medications. Steve (from Customer Service Kaiser Permanente medical insurance) helped me sort out prices of meds and where the best price was. I have that information now stored in a Medical information folder on my computer.

Because of yesterday’s price shock, I checked with GoodRx for their price of Levothyroxine 88mcg tablets for 3 months. I moved our prescription for John’s Levothyroxine from Super 1 to Fred Meyer Pharmacy to be able to take advantage of a decrease in price for 90-day supply by ½, from $40.39 to $20.13. That will save us $80/year on that one medication. Amazing. One really needs to keep up on these things, but it’s a full-time job. We now deal with 4 pharmacies to get the best prices on our meds: Super 1, Safeway (through GoodRx), Kaiser Permanente mail order which gives one month free when the order is for 3 months, and now Fred Meyer Pharmacy (GoodRx). This inconsistency bothers us both and we don’t understand the reason it happens; but we will play the game and figure the least expensive place to buy every 3 months, before refilling.

Thursday, Sept 12

We had a morning visit from Doss Roberts about our neighbor, Allen Aronica currently in Harborview with severe burns, from a gasoline explosion fire. There is a need for a fund raising dinner for Allen and Gerri. Plans for that are, as yet, unknown.

I took a nice shirt to Amy (one of our musicians) that is too big for me. I hope it works for her as I really like it. We were both at Meadows Place today and we had 7 folks (Gerald, me, Dean, Amy, Sharon, Charlotte, and Minerva) present with a nice appreciative audience.

I planned to record our performance but unfortunately I didn’t have a full battery charge and it only recorded a few songs, without the one I most wanted. Oh well, here is a smaller version of our group than usual doing most of the first 6 songs. I’ll try again Thursday this week at Pacifica.

Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends, Meadows, 9-12-19, intro only

Friday, Sept 13

John left at 6:40 a.m. for his WTA work party on the Talapus Lake trail. He says the work is actually on a short connector trail between Olallie Lake and Pratt Lake trails, a bit over 3 miles from the nearest Trailhead that is called Talapus Lake that they will pass at the 2-mile mark.

We had been invited to an early Thanksgiving dinner at friends in Ellensburg, because by then, they will have traveled to their winter home in Quartzite, AZ.

I went early at 4:00 p.m. with my violin to Joanie and Ken’s for English Country Garden and dance music with Joanie (violin) and Andrew (piano). We played until 6:00 p.m. John arrived at 6:00 for dinner after returning from his WTA trip, and feeding the livestock. We are taking two bottles of White Heron wine (Roussanne and a Merlot/Cabernet blend). Our dinner included, roasted turkey with potatoes, dressing, corn, green beans, salad, tomatoes, roll, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and 12 people around the table with interesting conversations all evening.

On John’s trip home, he saw a collared Mountain Goat on a rock cliff along the side of the road, 4 miles east of the multi-million dollar crossover near the I-90 wildlife crossover. The animal may have been on of those removed from Olympia National Park – thus the collar. She/he was about 15 feet up on the cliff, seemingly watching the west-bound flow of autos and trucks.

We have an email request in for info from a CWU friend’s wife who actively is involved in the research associated with those wildlife crossings, but they must be out of town, so more details wait for a future blog, when we find out. I asked Tony Bynum if he had any photos in his collection. He sent me a ton. I picked these below for effect. Mountain goats, Tony Bynum, friend and wildlife photographer

The one in the center is priceless. It has to be a good feeling to click the shutter on that, after making the effort to get into the goat’s rocky environment.

Saturday, Sept 14

John left at 6:45 a.m. for his WTA work party on the Talapus Lake & Olallie Trail. I don’t really have any details to report for this day. John says: Friday and Saturday work accomplished much in a muddy section. Sunday does not look good, weather wise.

Sunday, Sept 15

John left with nice weather here, but where he is headed rain is expected. He had my flip cell phone along, which I had queued to his Bluetooth to allow him access to an emergency phone. His “Smart” phone quit working – saying it has no Sim Card. We have yet to figure that out, without reception at home.

Got my Discover NEW card’s Number written into my Discover Card statement on the Credit Card Info folder in Documents.
Need to change my auto-pay accounts to the new number. Discover Card had to be cancelled and a new one issued. Our electricity with the Public Utility District (PUD), being local, ought to be the easiest. I will call that in Monday morning and Consolidated Communication (our landline & Internet DSL service). That literally took an hour to change, and had to be done on-line on their website, without being able to have an agent take the card change over the phone. That’s a lousy policy they instituted last August a year ago. I already sent an email note to Culligan, and they called this morning and it was fixed in short order over the phone (to Spokane, WA) on their dime.

It started raining earlier here, but now it’s coming down in buckets. Our normal line of 5-gallon buckets on the drip line in front of the garage are not all set up. John’s off on WTA trail maintenance and probably in a worse situation, with mud and flowing water as they try to fix drainage issues.

I am expected at a retirement party this afternoon for Susan Donahoe, from the College of Education at CWU. She is also our neighbor on Naneum. John cannot make it back in time, so I’m going alone, but with my camera to visit and take photos. It’s being held in the Clymer Art Gallery, so I’m going to attend in my Wearable Art top over a yellow silk blouse that Susan brought back to me from her six months away on a sabbatical leave in Japan. I met old friends and new there tonight. I was able to see her daughters and grandchildren who have reached 21 (the twins) and also in height with her daughter, Simone, who is quite tall. I probably haven’t seen the twins in over a decade. You can follow a link with a few photos and see Simone in the photos.

Meanwhile, here is a photo of Susan and me tonight at the gallery, right after I arrived, taken by her grandson, Clayton.Nancy and Susan at the John Clymer Museum & Gallery

Clymer Museum & Gallery, Ellensburg, WA

My Jacket is a Bob Mackie Wearable Art Designer Blazer

I got it freely given from an estate sale of a woman in Ellensburg who died. I received one other fancy flowered white blazer/jacket. The one above in the retirement party photo I specifically wore for the location, an Art Gallery.

Here is the link to all the photos taken on my camera at the retirement party.

Susan Donahoe’s Retirement Party, 9-15-19, at Clymer Museum & Gallery

As expected, John and the entire crew got wet, muddy, and cold today. Miraculously, after a ‘standing lunch’, the rain slowed, then stopped. They did come off the mountain an hour early, had cookies and drinks, visited some, and changed to dry clothes.

Some were changed before John and LeeAnne and a couple of others made it to the parking area.

A tree, about 10 inches through at its base, fell across the trail between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. That was just 20 minutes from the trailhead, so the fresh crew took care of that – hardly slowing them down.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Monday, Sept 2 Labor Day

Staying home today again, tying up loose ends of many projects.

Tuesday, Sept 3

We need to take me by for a blood draw INR; heard this afternoon’s results were lower than ever (1.4). I finally figured out I had not put the Coumadin in my medicine container for the week, and missed noticing that until today, so we have adjusted my dosage and I will go back next Tuesday for a recheck.

This morning we went to the Ellensburg Community Clothing Center (ECCC) for long-sleeved shirts for John. We found him two white shirts, and ended up finding some other bargains. I got another pair of almost new Brooks Addiction walking shoes that fit. Found a couple of embroidered flower jackets to wear to cheer people at music events. Also, two pair of socks.
From ECCC, I went next door to the Dentist and traded a toothbrush I don’t like (still in the package) for a smaller one I prefer.

We went to Bi-Mart to check numbers but did not win today.
John went to Super 1 for cocktail sauce for him to take with boiled shrimp (for their lunch break at White Heron bottling). While there, he got a lot more stuff, including some strawberry yogurt for me. I stayed in the car and talked on my cell phone to a bunch of folks whom I needed to contact (by long distance). It doesn’t cost to use my cell phone, but from home, the long distance calls are pricey by the minute, and we have no cell phone reception from home.

John also stopped at Grocery Outlet for their best price on a 1.25 gallon container of vanilla ice cream. The store has a stack of empty wine boxes that work nice for short term carrying of frozen things. This time John got one from an Oregon winery. More on that later.

Once home, I completed watching the video of the Open Government Training presented by the Attorney General’s office in Olympia, and I wrote my requested note to Katrina, the AAC Director. Now I have passed all the tests for becoming a Senior Advisory Commission member at the Ellensburg Adult Activity Center. Our first official meeting with me on board is next week.

Wednesday, Sept 4

John left for bottling Roussanne at 7:35 a.m. Didn’t get home until very late, after 6:30 p.m. Long day. He only brought home one bottle of wine, but it was a special one, bottled just for sale at Pike’s Place Market in their NW Tastings room over there on the 5th floor, overlooking the harbor. It should be a winner for tourists to take away as a souvenir. I particularly like the label.
[John says: the label machine did not like the label. For reasons unknown these are a fraction larger than the regular (old) ones. After bottling over 1,200 standard wine bottles (250 gallons), we switched to this Pike Place label and, with great frustration, managed to do 3 cases (36 bottles).
The machine is, in principle, adjustable. More in 2 weeks on this issue.]
The wine is a white, Roussanne. For the Market it is called Pike Place White Wine.
That makes things a bit simpler insofar as label regulations are concerned. The Market folks provided the photo; a standard motif. Cameron took a nice photo of vendors and activities inside, but that was turned down.

John took the empty Oregon wine box into the winery. His phone, wallet, and car keys – with only the keys showing – sat on cases of wine. Near the end of lunch one of the vine pruners [Mark & wife Margaret] came to get a case of wine. Cameron – not knowing of the box’s contents – moved the keys and proceeded to put bottles, upside down, in the case. With only moments to spare before this case would have been carried out, John walked in and noticed what was happening. The folks live 45 miles from the winery. No harm, no foul – as some say. Whew!

I slept until 8:45, gave food to cat-Sue and called Cle Elum PCP’s office with message for Lacey, Triage nurse. I did forget to put in my Coumadin last week, starting Thursday or Friday to Monday, so Tuesday night I took 2.5 mg and will take 5 mg tomorrow night and return to 2.5 the rest of the week. I skipped 4 or 5 pills and that would have caused the decrease in INR. I had reviewed every other food or drink option, so I checked the medicine dispenser, and found the problem.

Got a note from WTA about the ‘thank you’ card I received and wrote a note back copying to Kara.
FISH Food Bank music (Evelyn is back). We had a large turnout and a lot of fun. I visited with a gal and her friend I had never met. Turns out he was a new CWU geography major who had just requested being on the Job announcement list serve I manage through Google Groups. Such an amazing coincidence!

Then off to Super 1 to buy more Pepsi Colas at the .25/can price as John got yesterday, only to find out the last day of the sale was yesterday.

Thursday, Sept 5

I went to the Rehab today for music. May have 8 players after all.

John went to Surplus Sale at CWU & bid low on several items. If no one else bids higher and he gets one or more, he’ll need the truck to pick them up. Over the coming weekend he has to find a place to store the wood we brought home a month or more ago. We’ll hear Monday if we “won” any of his bids. These awesome photos are in Yellowstone, taken by Tony Bynum

I’ve known Tony Bynum for a long time, since I met him as a student at CWU in the Geography Land & Studies department for his undergraduate degree and after in our CWU graduate program in Resource Management, where he earned a Master’s Degree, culminating with his thesis defense with adviser, Kenneth Hammond: “Bynum, Anthony (Tony). 1997. Learning from management failures: The Taneum Watershed Restoration Project.” LD5771.321 .B93 1997

A Personal Look at Tony Bynum

To see his professional photography, visit this site: Tony Bynum Photography–Galleries, Conservation Projects, More

Called in my refill of Hydrocodone, 10mg/Acep today. Hope it gets through properly. Will check before leaving the pharmacy, because last time they filled for 5 mg Hydrocodone, not 10 mg.

I just spent a long time in the back computer room, removing a whole filing drawer full of stuff left over from my years of teaching (back to 1999) of tests, some lecture notes and overheads, and other final projects, all graded. We used to have to keep all that stuff in case someone complained about their grade (as definitely happened). My view always was that I graded fairly and they earned the grade they received. It will all go to recycling (i.e., now the dump). Some geography books were in there, which I can take to CWU and put on the “free for the taking” table for people to grab.

John will need to move the stuff I extracted and put in a chair. Boxed, it is too heavy for me. Then I unloaded two plastic boxes that held hanging file folders to house by month of the year, all receipts for a year. Then I can put those years into the newly cleaned out filing cabinet drawer for safe keeping, in case we are ever audited.

Now I can use the cleaned out plastic ones for the current year’s receipts and previous year. I have only two such organizing boxes, but they are quite handy. I found them both at a yard sale for only a couple dollars several years ago. I had never seen them before, and I haven’t since, either. My next step was loading the empty boxes with hanging folders and a file folder for each hanging file. Now I’m set for reorganizing this year and into the future.

Friday, Sept 6

This is a selfie John took on a time-lapse exposure. That is: set the camera on a log, run for 9 seconds, turn around, look composed.

John left at 8:00 a.m. for his hike to Talapus Lake and Olallie Lake and will return about 4:00 p.m. He’ll only be hiking in about 3 miles – apparently an “easy” hike (guess that means not a lot of elevation gain)? Next weekend WTA volunteers will be tackling wet areas on the way to a recently rebuilt log bridge across the outflow from Olallie Lake. They will be making “turnpikes” such as shown in this photo. He should get photos of that bridge on his hike today and he plans to go within view of Olallie Lake, but not to go down to the lake. I’m looking forward to his photographic tour of the trail today.

Google Photos of John’s Hike 9-6-19 to Olallie Lake
.
.
Change locations:
Above: Three butterflies and a dragonfly by Elise Schlosser, NJJohn’s butterflies & rabbit brush on Naneum Fan and chicory plant

Also began the day by loading the dishwasher, shoeing Collared Doves away, letting in the house cats, and retrieving the food bowl. The weather outside is overcast and threatening, with possible thunderstorms happening this morning. Then before 1:00 p.m., I reversed and put the cats back out again.

The blocked calls have started today with my first call from Sears. Yesterday, we received 3 phone calls early morning, afternoon, and late evening. They won’t give up, trying to extend the service warranty on our couple year old chest freezer. They won’t back off, so I blocked the number. I still am curious what happens on their end with the call arrives and is blocked.

Been on the phone with Cle Elum nurses off and on all morning, and was unable to get through the phones again until 1:25 p.m.
First was a call from Chelsea’s nurse Amy, with the message Chelsea had approved my Hydrocodone 10 mg, but while she had me, she said we needed to schedule our wellness visits (a week apart) in December. I was surprised because I thought we were already scheduled in November. She said not according to their records. So she was going to transfer me to the front desk to scheduling. She could not get through the phone system, so I started trying, and I couldn’t either. I first pressed 1 for scheduling and received the message, “no one is available at this number to accept your call, please call back later.” So, I dialed again because it usually allows a person to leave a message. Same problem. So then I pressed 8 to talk to an operator. Someone answered and said she would have Laura return my call.

Once I finally had my phone call returned, we were scheduled for our first appointment on Nov. 22 and the next week was not available because of being the day after Thanksgiving, and they’re closed. So it was put off until Tues, Dec 3. Now we are finally scheduled for our wellness visit and our annual physical. It gets later and later every year. Thus, the change of bad weather increases.

Saturday, Sept 7

Get my video camera’s SD card cleaned up and charged batteries in both cameras.
I had a salad for lunch.
Worked on organizing, filing receipts, and paying bills.

Supper was shrimp and Progresso beef pot roast & veggies soup with added veggies from garden and freezer.
Just started raining hard. Hope it is over by mid-day tomorrow or we are in trouble.

Thunder. Need to get to bed, before the electricity goes off. It never did here, but Seattle area had storm issues. The football game was delayed and finished with Washington losing by one point.

Sunday, Sept 8

Today is a BBQ and music by The Last Rider Out Trio (Sharon, Charlotte, and Griff) at Meadows Place. John’s going too and is my chauffeur and supply carrier. My cushioned chair, card table, cooler with our drinks). Left at 12:25 to be there by before 1:00 start to set up under the tree on the hill above where they will be playing (I’ll hopefully be in the shade there). The temperature is only 68 and the wind gusts are 35 mph. When we got there the group was already playing music, and the parking was filling up fast. We parked at the end of the parking lot out front, and stayed until about 2:30.

I took photos and videos but I did not have enough time to process them, so will put all in next week’s blog.

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

Monday, August 26

John picked some plums for about 45 minutes before leaving for his hike. Cool morning temps = no yellow jackets. I slept through that harvest. John picked Yellow Shiro Plums (3 boxes-one layer) before leaving for Hansen Ridge Trail Hiking Trip at 9:30 a.m. Expected John home at 6:30, but he got here at 5:00 p.m.!

My favorites from his day on the trail (not shown in his Not So Nasty News column) are here:Top: Hydaspe Fritillary butterfly on a Pearly Everlasting plant butterflies love for late-season nectar. Bottom, the Old Milwaukee Railroad above the exit road from the Hansen Ridge Trailhead and the one of Mt. Rainier was taken at ~4,000’; 3 miles up the trail. Top right shows a cedar branch with its distinct structure and color, with Alder in front.

We want to thank our Lepidopterist friend, Caitlin LaBar, for the rapid reply today of the information mentioned above. In full she said, after we guessed Fritillary:

It looks like a Hydaspe Fritillary to be specific, probably the most common species in the Cascades right now, very few other butterflies flying up there this time of year. If John saw any that were smaller and more of a yellow-orange, that would likely be a Mormon Fritillary.
Oh, and it’s on Pearly Everlasting, butterflies love it for late-season nectar.

Below is the Google Photos link to the photos from John’s Hike 8-20-19 to Hansen Ridge, and also a few photos from LeeAnne Jensen (crew leader) for the 8-30-19 WTA work party there, on which John was an ACL (Assistant Crew Leader).

John’s Hansen Ridge Hike

I changed shoes to my Brooks Addiction and the support is much more helpful than the slippers, for in-house activity.
John made it home sooner than expected, at 5:00 p.m.
Supper: Grilled chicken with onions, baked beans, tomatoes, red grapes.

Tuesday, August 27

Need to work today on taxes, sorting and filing, so I can submit a form.

John went to town for me to check out Bi-Mart number for free gifts (none), by the AAC to deliver some Shiro plums, and pick up feed bags left for us by a lady who regularly gives us empty bags, and to pick up Sharon’s guitar stand from Hearthstone, where she forgot and left it last Thursday. All accomplished; thanks, John.

Called Sirius XM – took too long on the phone, but now have access in car and online as well.

Wednesday, August 28

I have to honcho FISH Food Bank music today. Arrive by 11:15. John drove me (in my car) and we left early, at 10:35. Dropped off some yellow plums to Louaine. Then on to Amy’s to leave some, and by the rodeo grounds on Chestnut to Meadows Place and Briarwood to deliver some for the residents.

From there John drove us to the Liberty Theater Annex and came inside with all the load, including another box of plums for the players/singers, of which we had a few, mostly singers: Robert (from the audience), Reta, Bob, Richard, Dean (Harmonica), me (fiddle), Richard (drummer on cardboard box), Rebecca (audience). We did all the songs in Book IV except two (Whispering & Sweet Rosie O’Grady).

John toted my violin, box of plums, and my red lunch bag) into the building for me. Then Robert (who’d already set up the chairs) retrieved the music books and music stands from the back closest, and John helped me unload Evelyn’s music she left behind for the group. We started a little early and went for > 1/2 hr. Our wheelchair dancing caregiver wheeled Mary Ann forward in front of us and danced for You Are My Sunshine, and one other song. Everyone in the audience (including us) enjoy their contribution. They were both smiling and singing the whole time.

John left, planning to return at 12:35 to pick me up to go home. From there he went to CWU to Dean Hall to look for a topographic map of the area where, on Friday, he will be working with WTA (Hansen Ridge), the place he hiked Monday. Monica was kind to make colored copies of parts of it for him. On his way back, he stopped and filled my tank with gasoline. I’m very grateful!

We came home and John fixed us a bowl of Progresso Lasagna soup. Not bad; our first taste of their new soup just put on the market. We normally eat their Chicken and Wild Rice (with veggies) soup. He had to buy 8 cans to get the 99¢ price.

Our temperatures today started cool with clouds but it’s rapidly increased to 88° now at our house at 2:35 and 91° at the airport.
A/C just came on at 3:06 p.m., outside home, is now 89.1°.

We worked this afternoon on projects, and had a nice supper: meatloaf, tomatoes (tiny Cherry ones), yellow squash from our garden as well, cooked with onions (also our garden), and hash browns; interesting combo.

Figured out tonight how to put a grave accent on a letter in a friend’s name: é so I could properly spell his last name in an email address.

Tomorrow thank goodness is a BYE day for our music group (5th Thursdays we do not have an assisted living home left to go to). Small town sort of thing. Only happens 3 times/year.

Thursday, August 29

Finished up the Income Tax form with signatures and attachments and got it to the Kittitas, WA USPS office, (only 10 miles away) for certified delivery, receipt requested, which includes tracking on both, and the postage for sending (total $7.60). All done, receipt in my wallet with tracking numbers for both. After Labor Day, I need to start tracking.

While there I went an extra 0.6 mi to check by Gibson Produce for corn (nice, 50₵/ear). They sell WA wines there, so I inquired for Cameron Fries, if White Heron might be added. They love to have local wines, so I got her information and email and gave both to Cameron. I imagine it’s worth a stop and if it sells, great; if not, we can pick up and bring back over when we visit White Heron.
Kathy has had a produce place for a long time. This is the 3rd location we know of. She is in an old gas station that has lots of parking and the space she needs. They still have drive-up pumps out front.

Local Kittitas Valley livestock follow:My views coming and going to Kittitas, WA – Llamas, Fairview Rd

John requested my looking up a digital version of a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article, published, Monday, Aug 26, “Snapping Southern Gothic.” He was off his computer and wondering whether more pictures were stored with the article on the website (often they are). When I accessed from my laptop, it did not recognize me, and would not connect me to the entire article until I subscribed. My subscription is current.
I called and found out a new way of getting access to previous editions, and to verify indeed that my subscription was up-to-date. I access it by going to wsj.com and down to the very bottom of the page, click on News Archive and select the date of the paper. Then search for and find the article by name.

Friday, August 30

Welcome to the Ellensburg Rodeo, 2019Destiny H. Buck, in Yakama Dress, photo by Jeff Hocker.
{John says: Destiny may be a member of the Wanapum Band of Native Americans, from along the Columbia River. The Yakama Nation is headquartered west of the Yakima River. At the moment we don’t have a contact to confirm either idea.}

John left for Hansen Ridge WTA Work party at 6:35 a.m., at least 10 minutes early – for the distance. The road in is a 5-mile nightmare of potholes and rocks.

I slept in 2 more hours.

The only thing I have from John are two Google Earth maps of the area where they worked and had lunch. They were not high enough to see Mt. Rainier, but John saw it on his hike Monday. However, he needed a filter to be able to see the mountain better in his photos.This gives a perspective of where John and the WTA crew worked today. Many of the crew worked close to the trail head on brushing, and then joined the rest of the crew farther up the trail for lunch.

If you go to the Google Photos above (Monday) of John’s hike 5 miles into Hansen Ridge, at the end are a few photos of work sites on the trail tread getting rid of the rocks in the bed of the trail, completed today.

I unloaded and am loading the dishwasher; went on all day.

The next video I found on a friend’s Facebook site from my elementary school days at Garden Hills, in Atlanta, GA. Her name is Beth (Lindsay) Boozer. It’s definitely worth a view, even though it has some birds pictured we do not have in the West. I remember many of them from living in the south.

Amazing Planet Video on Birds (Need Facebook account to see)

I spent time tonight trying on and packing a garbage bag full of clothes that don’t fit to take to the Clothing Center as a donation. I heard that the Ellensburg Community Clothing Center has too many clothes, and so I’m going to donate these instead to the Church of Christ Clothing Center (also freely given to anyone).

Saturday, August 31

We planned to go to the Ellensburg Community Clothing Center to look for some light long-sleeved shirts for John. Did not go because Gayl Curtiss responded to my late night inquiry that they were closed for the Labor Day Weekend.

Brunch today was a pecan-filled pancake with strawberries on top, tomatoes, and crispy bacon.

I guess we both worked on the computer the rest of the day and not much else, along with washing dishes, and John watering plants, trees, and garden.

Tonight we experienced the Northern Lights in our valley and there are reports on line from the Seattle area as well. This photo was taken by an Ellensburg resident north of our valley.Northern Lights by Lia Simcox over the area burned by the Taylor Bridge fire of 2012 (hence the dead trees in this photo).

Sunday, Sept 1 * * * MY BIRTHDAY! * * *

My early birthday celebration was calling our 101 yr. old cousin in PA, Ethel Reynolds, visiting for Sunday lunch at her daughter, Pat & Ken Berlin’s home in Brookville. Sunrise in the Kittitas Valley by Lise McGowan, 8-30-19
Lise describes: These great morning sunrises just last a couple of seconds! “Morning Spotlight”. Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Afternoon, 2:40, we are each having a piece of chocolate frosted birthday cake with strawberries for an afternoon snack. That will make Pat Berlin and her mom Ethel very happy to hear.

We stayed home today; answered the phone and emails wishing me Happy Birthday, inside with the a/c on. It was hot outside. I am getting a ton of birthday wishes on my Facebook account, but I’m going to wait until later to thank everyone at once. I don’t have time to respond individually to all the wishes. Facebook has my birth date, and they started off in the middle of the morning (about the time I was born, at 1:00 a.m.) by sending a balloon filled animated message with my profile picture (me in my flag vest):

A few people sent pictures for their “birthday” wish for me. I didn’t include most of them because they were basically pictures on birthday cards.

The next was from David Covert, his photo of the old barn up on Hwy 97, south of the Lauderdale junction. Barn scene photographed by my friend, David Covert, Ellensburg. Each birthday, he sends me a different photograph of our area.
In sepia, it looks quite vintage, to go with my love for the landmark, and my age, now 76. So, I’m dancing and singing to Seventy-Six Trombones Seventy six trombones led the big parade
With a hundred and ten cornets close at hand.

The second line brings back memories of my father, Thomas H. Brannen, who played the Cornet in a Military Band. I still have his Cornet, and carried it to football games through my high school years. I was able to play a few notes … dah dah dah dah ta dah with clarity.

Supper tonight was carrot, lentils, ground beef, casserole with mushroom soup, and French-fried onions baked on top. I had mine with a tomato and 2 yellow plums.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Did you have a map with symbols to alert you to a thing that would remind you of that area? Georgia had cotton or peanuts. Iowa – hogs. Pennsylvania had the Liberty Bell. Washington State had a fir tree. Kittitas County (center) has 15. John found this ‘very busy’ map while looking for 2019 information about the State’s agricultural harvest. Looks to be a great year.

Meanwhile, our yellow plums need picked and the red with yellow blush type are not far behind. We started with 5 types, now 4, and they ripen about 2 weeks apart.Our side yard, photographed today (8-25-19)

I meant to include photos-while-hiking. John hiked the Denny Creek Trail and took an early morning image of Keekwulee Falls {Chinook word meaning “to fall down”}. At Melakwa Lake {“mosquito”} John met Jay Schram, a WTA Orange Hat with whom he frequently works. So right side photo is of John by Jay at the 4,500 ft. alpine lake. There’s a link below to the Google photos of John’s hike Aug 13 last week, as promised. There are ~40 photos.

John’s August 13th hike from the Denny Creek Trail to Melakwa Lake

Please view the link above before moving on to view the next link, which has some of the photos from the WTA work parties on Aug 16-18th at Denny Creek, taken mostly by the crew leader (Blue Hat) LeeAnne Jensen, with a few others from Assistant Crew Leader [ACL] (Orange Hat) John Swiggert. The Green Hats are volunteers, some on their first day of trail work. John H. is an ACL but wasn’t taking any photos.

Below is the link to John’s Friday column in this blog, “Not So Nasty News, Aug 23rd,” with story about 3 WTA work days, which we couldn’t report last week because no pictures had yet arrived.
John provided a description of a project tackled on the trail. Numerous folks cut brush on all 3 days, but we’ll skip photos. The trail starts in an area where logging took place a hundred years ago. His explanation starts with that and links to a video (newer) and many photographs (historic). After all that, he gets to the trail repair project.

Refer to John’s, Not So Nasty News – August 23rd

Something else from last week:

Kittitas Audubon Annual Potluck Thursday, 8/15, 5:00 – 7:00. Here John is visiting with Kristin Ashley also her sidekicks, behind them, Teri Anderson from Audubon (Seattle), and Emma Lemert, helping Kristin with promotion of the Shrub-Steppe Celebration, Sept 14, at the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility and Renewable Energy Center.

Photos at Aug 15 Meeting KAS Annual Picnic

If anyone else took photos that night you would like to share with others in the KAS, this link is shareable, so you can upload your photos. Or, you can send to me and I will add them.

Sunday, August 18

John went again (3rd day in a row) to Denny Creek WTA trail work crew, leaving at 6:53 a.m. I slept in until 9:00 a.m.

My goals today were to finish washing dishes, spend a couple hours finishing the blog, and put receipts into the TurboTax software.

I didn’t get very far, and it’s almost time for brunch. Several interruptions included an email from Bob & Suzy West that Suzy’s mom, Burniece Orcutt died yesterday at 2:30 p.m. I’m glad we got to visit our last time playing music at the Rehab center, 3 weeks ago. She wasn’t feeling well then but came down at my request, to listen to the music. She and her husband Lee (deceased now), I met at the Senior Center in the early 1990s, when our group went on Friday afternoons to play music for the ballroom dancing group of seniors. Interesting, because it wasn’t until the late 1990s that I met Bob West as my student at CWU. He is married to one of the Orcutt clan, Suzy.
Suzy is one of 12 children. They adopted us into their family for all major holiday events or any celebrations at their house in a rural area north of Kittitas, WA on Fox Rd. We were also invited to other family members’ houses for special things.

Today, I learned of errors in Jacquie Lawson database & received emails from there (the United Kingdom) this morning. While fixing one, I found another item from our Idaho past, about Jack Hemingway’s death, and took time to research that (story below).

I had sent an anniversary card to friends from long ago, who now have moved to Boise, ID and are teaching there, Dawn (Tjemsland) & Victor Estrella. Dawn was my CWU student long ago, and we have worked on projects together about San Leandro, CA, where she checked out my remotely sensed imagery on the ground and took photographs for me. They used to live in the Bay Area, and when I went to an AAG (American Association of Geographers) conference there one year, I stayed in their house, and road the BART metropolitan rail system to get back and forth. They occasionally come to Ellensburg for a visit, and when they do, they time it to stop for lunch (our treat), on a Thursday, and we borrow an Accordion for Victor to join us at our assisted-living home that week. It’s always fun to have him play with our group.

I got on Facebook to see what they were doing for their anniversary and found they were in Hailey, ID and the Sun Valley, ID area celebrating. They posted photos with this lead in: “Road our bikes from Ernest Hemingway memorial in Sun Valley to downtown Hailey.”

This is a great example of a Rails to Trails project to conserve the scenic beauty of the forest and rivers, building walking & biking trails on old railroad right-of-ways. The Big Wood River was important in the Hemingway family’s lives near Ketchum, ID. Below are on a few photos taken on their bicycle ride. Top photos show the river crossing; bottom photos show the eulogy at the base of the Memorial, beside a nearby stream.

The Memorial Statue was created in 1966, by Jack, for the family. This quote was a 1939 eulogy Ernest Hemingway wrote for a friend killed in a hunting mishap: “Best of all he loved the fall, the leaves yellow on the cottonwoods, leaves floating on the trout streams and above the hills, the high blue windless skies; Now he will be part of them forever.”Memorial with Ernest’s sculptured bust atop monument;
photos by Melissa W, and Kristi (obtained on-line)

This research reminded me of our connection to the Hemingway family. We once sold a Brittany pup from our house in Troy, ID to Jack Hemingway. I’m not sure how he originally found out we were Brittany breeders, but it may have been while John was managing a bookstore at the Moscow Mall (in Moscow, ID), where we had been teaching at the Univ. of Idaho since 1974. They used ½ of our position to hire a new Assistant Dean and department head in the Geography Department there. It was John’s choice to have them keep me on half time teaching, and for him to step out and get another job (hence, being the manager of a bookstore). There, he invited book authors in for signing parties, to autograph their books, sell books, and gave the opportunity for fans to meet the authors. John invited Jack to come to the Idaho panhandle.
{The book was: Misadventures of a Fly Fisherman: My Life with and without Papa } They must have talked hunting dogs while he was there.

He loved his Brittany from us, and kept in excellent touch about all his antics and hunting trips, plus they visited us every time he was in the region. One thing he taught his dog was to go down the long driveway at his house in south-central Idaho, and retrieve the morning paper to his hand. It was delivered (thrown out) at the end of the driveway.

I knew that Jack was older than us, but not that he had died, until while searching for his name I found his obituary with this information: John (Jack) Hadley Nicanor Hemingway, angler and conservationist, born October 10, 1923; died December 1, 2000. He died with complications from open heart surgery in New York City.

The year we met would have been in the mid 1980s.

Gave Annie her ½ pill Rimadyl at 1:00 p.m. Fixed brunch finally finishing late at 1:45.

Change of topic to our temperature examinations. Morning sun causes the house front to warm.

At 10:53 a.m., house is 70° & outside is 77.5°; at KELN is 75°.

At 11:53 a.m., house is 70° & outside is 79.9°; at KELN is 78°.

I missed any more temp reportings. We are keeping track of this because a climatologist at UW Atmospheric Sciences Department is in contact with us about the Ellensburg airport (KELN) weather station reports. Many weather reporting sites are at airports and look like this:The temperature sensors will “read high” at times and need attention (fans replaced?). Our airport (KELN) is 175 miles from the Pendleton office of the NWS. They don’t appear to be in a hurry to come north to check on this.

You may see a similar set of instruments at your favorite airport. Image below shows where to look at Atlanta’s Hartsfield:At 2:53 p.m., house is 76° & outside is 83.1°; at KELN is 86°.

At 4:20 p.m. at airport 86 via Hungry Junction Road in John’s car. KELN was 87° at 3:53.

Now here at 4:23 outside is 83.5° and the a/c in house is at 77°.

John got home at 5:00 p.m., pretty tired. They were 1.5 miles in from the trailhead. A lot of rocks and dirt got moved. You may have already looked at his report, which I noted at the beginning of this blog, but if not, … go for it. His report explains, with photos.
a click here will take you there

He put a pizza in the oven for us with our cherry tomatoes, grated pineapple, ham, and whatever was on the pizza to begin with. He probably added onion as well – we have many.

We didn’t have any dessert, but worked on finishing up the blog, and got it published at 11:00 p.m.

Monday, August 19

I called Jennifer at The Law Office, about onions delivery by John today. Done – John delivered in the bucket she had brought us large apricots earlier.
Much work on projects the rest of the day.

Tuesday, August 20

I worked all day on taxes, sorting and filing. John would have done all his normal chores.
Our friends checked our Bi-Mart numbers and we won nothing, but they won a 44-ounce bag of Trail Mix. John would have loved that gift!

Wednesday, August 21

I needed to know my costs for Medic Alert database, for the bracelet I wear 24/7 for my medical details (allergies, and contact to my medical records), if ever needed by an EMT. It took me a large amount of time on the phone, trying to find out the simple thing I called for. So much security for no apparent reason. I did not have details and needed them.
It costs me $119.99 for 3 years ($40/yr), next to need renewal is 3/20/2020. Finally found out I was getting it in 2013 for one year (higher price), but in 2014 switched to 3 yrs, and renewed last in 2017 for 3 yrs, hence the ending and time for the next renewal is March, 2020.
My password had expired (for unknown reasons). Juanita finally changed the password back to what it should be. No one knows why it expired because I used it last year. I now know my username is my ID number (which is engraved on my metal part of the bracelet. My password is now set to what it was (which both John I will know without doubt or looking anywhere). When my life calms down and I submit my TurboTax form, I will get on to update my medical record.

I just figured out my timing for FISH music today. Arrive by 11:35. Leave home at 11:00 – load the 2 bags of containers, violin, red bag with ID and drink. Hope my head stops aching.
It did and the day went perfectly. I drove my car to the food place at the back of the Liberty Theater, John went with me, and helped unload. He then drove my car to other necessary stops to deliver and pick up stuff, coming back to pick me up after 12:30 p.m.

We had unloaded two bags of bottles for C.M. Bechard, and a bag holding a plastic container with 64 ounces of cherry tomatoes John had picked, 7 brown lunch bags to pack them in to give away, my Ensure/Yogurt drink, violin, and red bag with my entry card for Senior Nutrition (a federal program the Food Bank gets money from to fix the community free lunches (Mon -Thur). They had finally set up the computer screen to accept our FISH ID number for our time playing music (counts our time there volunteering), but I forgot my number to enter; my time was recorded by Lindsay. I need to remember to take that next week. It’s been 8 months since we had to check in that way when we were at the FISH Food Bank behind Mercer Creek Church. I couldn’t pull it from my memory bank, but I have it written down, and will use the proper screen login next week. It stores the time entered and the time of checkout, name, and reason (playing music on Wednesdays).

I am completely in charge next week because Evelyn Heflen is going away for next week to Lake Tahoe on a volunteer work “mission” for the Sierra Club. I don’t know all the details, but it’s a nice vacation opportunity for her and mutual friend, Karen Johnson, to experience. I suggested some memories I have of my visits there, and encouraged them to do the scenic drive around the lake, stopping at all the view points and interpretative centers from the hills above to the wetlands below. They have one day off for their own pursuits.

Back to today’s happenings. I was the first to arrive, and found that Robert (from the audience), had already set up our chairs. He then went down and brought down the metal music stand and then retrieved the cart filled with our music and folding music stands. Evelyn brought in the rest of the books, in a separate wheeled container, which she is going to leave for the rest of the group to use, next week. When I got the carrier that belongs to me, I found that in the past 3 weeks while I was away, after having my foot injured, someone had unraveled the tie for tightening the top of the carrier bag. It was completely out of the holder around the top of the bag, and had been thrown into the bottom of the bag. I couldn’t thread it back in, but when Ken & Joanie arrived, I showed Ken (Mr. Fix-It) the problem. He worked on it quite a while, but succeeded fixing it better than when I bought it at a yard sale several years ago. It is from Hawaii. It’s a cloth bag with top, zippered pocket in the rear, and comfortable large handle to pull it behind (on wheels). We store it at the other end of the building in a closet off the main social room (near the Kitchen and place for hanging folding chairs).

I called the eye doctor after finding that tax medical deductions for eyes, are covered when itemizing medical deductions on income tax. I have been unaware of this, because somewhere on the web I read it was only for out-of-pocket costs not covered by insurance for dental needs and medical (services, medications). However, very recently, while inputting information into TurboTax computer software, I found it does allow and ask for all things associated with the costs for eye care, including glasses, exams, surgery, etc. Once home today, I called Valley Vision, and talked with Gillian to see if she had access to past records for us. She is mailing all our summaries by year to me going out in Thursday morning’s mail. I should have it by Friday or Saturday at the latest. (It arrived in Saturday’s mail).

Our temperatures today have mostly been cool (clouded over) in the 70s. Very nice. One high at the airport was 81, but their sensors have been reading high for days; on hot windless days mostly.

Thursday, August 22

Started the morning with several calls for yearly tax records from Sullivan Dental (received), Yakima Heart Center (no out of pocket; all covered by insurance), Darrell Tew Oral Surgery (received – paid over $2000), Canyon View Physical Therapy (all covered by insurance), Cascade Foot & Ankle (received totals; tallying totals now), KVH Cle Elum Clinic (all covered by insurance), Orthopedics Northwest (is postal mailing them); only charge was for CD of Shoulder X-ray, $16. Rest was covered by insurance.

Today was the play date for the Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends. We had a small player turn-out, but a noble one, at Hearthstone, and everyone in the audience very much appreciated our being there. We had guitars, Charlotte, Sharon, Manord, & Gerald, Harmonica, Dean, Fiddlers, Nancy & Joanie, and Tim on his Cittern, a special type of Mandolin. We enjoyed having a large audience, with lots of singers.

Friday, August 23

We both worked on projects all day.

At 7:11 p.m. we heard 3 or 4 gunshots tonight from across the creek. We have no clue. {Skunks? Coyotes? Cougars?}

Saturday, August 24

I slept in until 8:00 a.m.

I worked some on dishes and many other chores, but I intended to work all day on taxes (haven’t really gotten there until almost 3:00).

John and critters went out for morning chores. Until 12:45 today, it was clouded over and relatively cool.
Temperature data from KELN today was:
11:53 a.m. 74° w/ NW Wind 23 / Gusts 33
12:53 p.m. 77° w/ WNW Wind 23 / Gusts 32; home 74.8°
1:53 p.m. 78° w/ W Wind 26 / Gusts 35; home 75.4°

I wrote the Sept 8th at Meadows BBQ on the calendar (Sunday, 1:00-3:00). Sharon’s group of three is playing music. It’s being held outside in the parking lot. Be sure to take my comfortable padded chair for finding shade in the parking lot under a tree. I’ll get there early for the best spot for me and my car.

We had brunch of eggs, sausage, cantaloupe, and English Muffin bread toast (my favorite).
Back to taxes. I got my new Microsoft Suite Excel spreadsheet working for calculating a column (or row) of totals. I had not tried any of the new version which has changed from the old 2003 version I once had on my computer. That was a milestone.

We continued working much of the evening. Had a nice supper of a loaded salad. Mine included Iceberg lettuce, smoked turkey cubes, cantaloupe, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, pistachios, small red grapes, blue cheese dressing, with Cheez-its for croutons.

Sunday, August 25

Check on Sirius XM soon.

Find out if Medical Insurance Premiums are deductible as an expense. If Long Term Care is, they should be, and I have that data on my monthly bank statements!! YES!! The $400 something dollars we pay Kaiser Permanente is our out of pocket cost, paid out of our checking account withdrawal monthly.
Also, all medical mileage can be deducted, which I knew.

Backed up (at John’s great suggestion), my current TurboTax form on a separate flash drive to store away from the house. I am also backing it up on my external hard drive always connected to my laptop.

John fixed a nice supper tonight; fried onions with fried breast of chicken, red grapes, tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli.

He went to bed early to get up and go tomorrow a.m. on a hike.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Sunday, August 11 Starting photo was taken at sunrise today, but I didn’t have it yet when we published the blog tonight. This lovely photograph by Evie Schuetz was captured on Killmore Rd, to the southwest of the Kittitas Valley. Our Farrier lives on this road, so I imagine he has a beautiful view leaving or coming home. The road appears to be less than 2 miles, so if the field is in the first .93 mi, he’ll see it. Otherwise, he’d have to drive another ½ mile to see it.

After a lot of issues with the Internet this evening, we published the blog at 11:45 p.m. I turned over my draft to John at 2:11 p.m. today, but he had too many other pressing projects needing attention during daylight. Then we had problems with our transferring data to the Internet. Seems like it’s always something, but John has more problems with accessing the Internet from his computer than I do, for unknown reasons.

Monday, August 12

The picture for today was photographed by my friend in Michigan, whom I’ve known since meeting her in the 6th grade at Garden Hills Elementary School in Atlanta, GA.
I’ll put it in with her name and the clever caption she puts on most of her pictures (on Facebook). This seems appropriate for the week we were attending the Kittitas Audubon Annual Picnic.I knew her as Nancy Johnson and she knew me as Nancy Brannen. We sang duets all around town (mostly folksongs) with our guitars. People knew us as Nancy “J” and Nancy “B”. We also both played the violin in an orchestra through high school.

I paid and mailed the payment to Department of Ecology, Olympia, for our Water Rights Titling. Long time coming; cost $155.40, which included $50 to the Kittitas Auditor’s office.

Stayed home to rest foot and work with receipts, filling, and paying bills. My BP is high this morning, but I am not having any symptoms. John took his with the same wrist monitor. It was on the high side but his pulse was lower than usual. My pulse is fine. Will keep resting and check it through the day.
My only plan tomorrow is to go to a one-hour meeting (sitting) and will come home, by way of the vet to pick up some meds for Annie (dog) with arthritis pain.

This morning through midday my BP was way high for me for unknown reasons. It finally got down after 2:00 to 118/68 pulse 63 and later to 108/66 pulse 62. I’m okay now. No clue why.

I worked on filing and answering several emails. John did chores outside and then came in and fixed a supper of Chicken Stir-Fry with onions, mushrooms, red peppers, and I had cherry tomatoes with mine.

John cut me cubes of turkey and apple for my lunch salad tomorrow before I have to be at a meeting at the AAC at 1:00 o’clock. He went to bed before me because he is going to get up and go on a hike tomorrow.

Sent out the call for musicians for Thursday and Saturday; attendance is down for Thursday, but much worse on Saturday.

Tuesday, August 13

John left for hike at 6:25 a.m. & I went back to sleep until 8:40.

Remember I had ordered pills from Fred Meyer on 8/8, but they were not due to arrive until 8/18. I figured out the remaining pills and need to have 5 more pills to make the deadline. Early this morning, I called the vet and ordered what I needed to tide Annie through that gap. I was to pick up this afternoon on my way home, after checking my numbers at Bi-Mart.

10:24 Fixed my lettuce head in its bowl and loaded some dishes.
11:17 Took blood pressure before my Entresto: (med needed to lower BP): BP 146/77 pulse 64

I put in the rest of meds for the week, called Super 1 Pharmacy to refill one, talked to the pharmacist (Tuesday), who is my friend on duty today. My first concern was to refill my Amiodarone but change it from a 200 mg pill to a 100 mg pill so it can be halved to reach the needed dosage, and not quartered (which is a pita), with the smallness of the pill. That was her suggestion 3 months ago.
I spent much time with her, first about the Amiodarone. After her searching the price at 6 different suppliers for the 100mg, and finding it in the $ hundred dollar range, we decided to stick with a 3-month supply of 200 mg Amiodarone at $18.58. They are willing to do the quartering for me, and will continue (no cost). We have no clue why the price is so inflated (even after insurance).
While I was taking her time, I had her search for any of the drugs I’m on, negative interactions with a new probiotic I’m on, named SACCHAROMYCES BOULARDII, by Klaire, the same manufacturer of the one I have been on successfully for several years. There are no conflicts with it. I thanked her for all the time spent dealing with me this morning.

Now waiting to eat my salad, clean up, and leave for AAC.

12:25 p.m., I got a call just as I was walking out the door to go to my meeting at the AAC to get there by 1:00 p.m. It was from Fred Meyer Pharmacy that it had been delivered early, today, and was there for our pick-up. I rapidly called Lila, at Ellensburg Animal Hospital to cancel my order for the 5 tablets.

I went by Bi-Mart and picked up a package of Blueberry Fig Newtons for the number “1” of our membership number’s ending. I gave them away to a friend who likes them, because while John and I eat original Fig Newtons, we prefer other types of cookies. I went by Safeway for a medical report summary for 2018, after attending the AAC Senior Advisory Commission as an observer.

Just home at 3:30 p.m., I took my BP 109/66 p 68 and called John as planned; however, his phone rang in the room I was calling from, so that means he doesn’t have it along and that is our only communication via Bluetooth in his car. I had to wait and fret for his return.

It’s now almost 5:00 p.m. and I have not seen him yet. Normally, he would be home by now.
At 6:00 p.m. I received a call from a phone number in Cle Elum. I answered it thinking it might be from someone else’s phone. It was and it was John. He’d pulled over to the side of the exit ramp at Elk Heights, to stretch out a cramp in his leg. A fellow from Roslyn, WA named Mason, stopped to ask if he needed assistance. John borrowed his cell phone to alert me to where he was and how he would be coming home off I-90 on the Thorp Prairie Rd.

It was good timing, because I had seriously been thinking of calling friends in Search & Rescue to ask how long I should wait to ask for assistance in finding him. He left me detailed topographic maps and distances of the trail he intended to hike today. The hike was longer and harder than he had expected from reading reports. He thinks, now, that only good fast hikers bother to write reports on-line. Not-so-good hikers need time to recover and move on to something else when they do.
He didn’t make it off the trail until 4:30 p.m., and made it home okay. I was happy to see him.

Once here, he only wanted to rest and keep from getting cramps. After he fed the horses, he sat down, and I told him I needed to drive to town before 9:00 p.m. to pick up Annie’s medication. I knew he didn’t feel like cooking supper, so I agreed to bring home something for dinner, and got his choices of what he wanted.

I drove back to town to pick up Annie’s prescription of Rimadyl from Fred Meyer. I went on Naneum, and Thomas, to Wilson Cr., but on the first leg (Naneum / Thomas), I saw 3 does, all three with a set of twins !! I figure that’s some sort of record achievement.

Went on down to Look Rd., and by the KELN (airport) weather station at 7:53 p.m. when the temperature gauge on my Subaru Forester registered 72°. When I got home, I checked and the temperature reported at the exact same time at KELN was 79°.

I made it to Fred Meyer in time to have a nice visit with Chadlyn, and I was able to thank her for all her hard work finding me the good price for a 2-month supply of Annie’s medication. I’ll return there again. I also was able to get John some of his Cola drinks for 79 ₵ each.

From there I went to Burger King for our supper, because John was in no shape to fix anything for us. His legs are still subject to cramping, and he hopes he can lie down without them cramping and get some much needed rest. He was on the trail from 7:40 a.m. to ~ 4:30 p.m.
John has pictures to share – I need to process them and put on a Google Photos link to share in the blog, next week.

Wednesday, August 14

I ran the clothes washer, mostly full of John’s WTA work clothes and one holder with my underpants. I got waylaid and forgot to package up my other nylon bag of socks to wash. I got the bag of underpants cleaned, and that is more important.

I filled 5 more months of records and organized them: Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec. Now need to start entering them into my computer.

Did the final mailing for tomorrow at Pacifica, and updated plans for Saturday at Briarwood. It’s looking to be low in number.
We had our brunch: eggs, sourdough toast (apricot jam for me), bacon, and smoked turkey.
I contacted Vikram Bisht about sending him links to the blog and google photos for WTA work at Manastash Ridge, where he took a lot of very nice photos.
We confirmed attendance at the annual picnic of the KAS, in EBRG’s Mountain View Park.

I’m staying home to rest my foot, making this the 3rd week home since hurting my foot there a month ago.
I wrote C M Bechard on Facebook messenger that I would not be there, but I have 2 more bags of empty bottles to give him when I see him next. I’m hoping for next week.

I looked up in my documents, the number and what to say to renew my Sirius XM Satellite Radio for a year, before 9/1. Otherwise, it renews for some exorbitant price / year of $232. I will not pay that but ask for the current promotion and if it doesn’t suit me, I will cancel my membership.

I took my BP at 2:55 p.m. today and it is much improved over the BP this morning (very high).
From last night (low) – 93/64 Pulse 66
Morning about 9:00 a.m. – 157/87 p 68
Later (no time recorded) – 135/80 p 65
Now at 2:55 p.m., Okay – 105/65 p 70
before at 122/69 p 76
BEFORE AT 135/80 p 65
MORN 157/87 p 68
LAST NIGHT 93/64 p 66 low, so I only took ½ pill Entresto

Thursday, August 15

I’ll start off today with tonight’s moon captured by our friend. Moon over the Kittitas Valley tonight (8/16 a.m.) by Evie Schuetz

We received an early a.m message from The Law Office that Jennifer won’t be back in until Monday. We knew her schedule normally did not include Thursdays, but just called to check in case she might have been there. John needed to go to town today for gasoline for his CrossTrek, and wanted to refill a bucket with onions to return to her, as thanks for her filling it with apricots she picked for us and our neighbor.

I went to Pacifica today; as did Charlotte, Sharon, Manord, Gerald, Joanie, Dean, Amy. Terri came to the door and took from my trunk, all my heavy weighted materials: violin in case, music for the audience, music books for two of the players. It’s quite a load. I pulled up to the front door, she unloaded, and then I drove and parked under a tree for shade. I took a beanie bag shaped as a pink, blue, & white fuzzy sheep to give to Haley, and she really appeared to enjoy toting it all over the big room.

At the end of our playing, Joanie called Ken over to take my car keys and retrieve my car to the front door. Then she loaded up my heaviest bag and took it out to meet him at the car. She came back in and retrieved the rest (my violin case and the audience music). I was most appreciative for their help, and for Terri’s earlier coming in.

I went by Super 1 Pharmacy and picked up my Amiodarone, which they had quartered for me. The price of 100mg was incredibly higher than the 200mg, $237! So we will stay with the quartering. I thought it would be easier to halve the 100.

Tonight we went to the Kittitas Audubon Annual Potluck Picnic, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Mountain View/Lions Park, first time here. We had good burgers grilled with fried onions. Burger, bun, and all the toppings paid for by the club. Members brought appetizers, salad, or dessert, and there were good choices.
We took Chocolate Chip Cookies with Almonds, our plates, utensils, beverages, and chairs. No wine allowed in a city park.

We arrived and greeted those there, and I took a few photos. I’ll have to share a few photos with the group later, and will put them into a Google Photos link, which I may include in next week’s blog.
Then we enjoyed our supper. The grilled burgers were nice, and I especially liked the fried onions to put on with my tomato slices, mustard, and avocado mayonnaise. Also, I had a little of some other dishes that people brought. All very good. I enjoyed the fruit salad and a couple other sides. There was a dessert table as well.
We stayed around until the end visiting with several people we have known from our past, and friends they brought.

Friday, August 16

John left at 6:45 for Denny Creek just west of the I-90 crest at Snoqualmie Summit. This is the first of 3 days.

Morning computer wake-up was this from my friend Evie.Sunrise at corner of No. 81 & Lyons Rd – by Evie Schuetz – her caption was Grassy Sunrise Buffet.

We have been talking about this corner for some time and wanting to know the history of the buildings (looks like an old homestead and an outbuilding). I went out today before 2:00 p.m. and took photos of the buildings, but all the cows were over in the shade beneath the faraway trees in the upper left.

Here are my photos, a little closer up on the buildings, but the afternoon lighting is not as nearly as good as morning sunrise. The two at the top are viewed from Lyons Road; bottom is the view from No 81 Road in Ellensburg, north of Kittitas WA. I hope to learn the history of the place.

Saturday, August 17

John left at 6:50 – he tries to get to the trail by 8:00 along with the other crew leaders. Other volunteers are supposed by arrive by 8:30.
I went back to bed, now up for coffee and starting the day.

At 9:15 I l let Czar out the front door, and Rascal out the back door. He came back in the doggie door with a dead critter, and I followed him down the hall. Annie was ahead of him. He went under the guest bed from by bathroom side, she went around the other, and I followed her to get her out of the room, because he was growling. Went back to front to give Czar food, but he wasn’t out there. So I sat down. Czar came into the den, got petted, and now is gone again. Haven’t checked; am trying to ignore it and hope they don’t find each other. They did, and were both under the bed, but now are both out (guess John will have to look for remains. Now Rascal is out back again and Czar is on the rug at the door. It’s now 10:00. They were actually back out 15 minutes ago. Within minutes, Czar was asleep on his blanket in the den. I assume Rascal will return to his house bed as well, but I haven’t checked. John found when he returned home that it was a rabbit, not a Douglas Squirrel as I had hoped.

I spent time on the phone with Jim Huckabay in South Africa where he is visiting friends. I had been trying to reach him regarding a book he is trying to publish. A former student has inquired. He wanted to get a copy of a book that is advertised on the publisher’s web site, but sadly, all of the information is not there to say it is not yet published, but pending. So, now everyone knows and the web designer will be instructed to put better information in the Titles section.

I have misplaced my cell phone. Maybe I left it on the front seat of my car when I packed up to bring stuff in yesterday. (I didn’t and still haven’t located it). I’m sorry I didn’t find it and call Jim earlier today so he wouldn’t have had to use his to call me. He pays $1.35/minute to call back, and would not have to pay if I had called him. His phone call came in as an international OUT OF AREA call which I normally do not answer but wait for a message. (Caller ID number was 011-xxx-xxxx). I was poised to block it, as I had one OUT OF AREA call yesterday that came multiple times, even after blocked. But, with a slight delay, understandable, Jim started talking, so I listened, and wrote down his number(s), and at his request, returned the phone call. We had a nice conversation (it was night time over there, nine hours ahead of us). It was 11:00 a.m. here.

We played at Briarwood today and afterwards, they fed us an array of salads (fruit, Caesar, pasta salad, herb muffins, and Calico Cowboy Cold Salad. I left my camera at home, so cannot check for other things offered. Desserts, Chocolate Chip cookies, sugar cookies, Rhubarb / strawberry cake with Cool Whip. I got home at 4:15; John had called at 3:38 from the Pass and was entering I-90 East. By the time I called from home (I had to wait because I have lost my cell phone and didn’t have it with me. I have not a clue where it is. I think I last had it with me yesterday, so I don’t know. I tried dialing and leaving a message but it likely won’t ding when it is turned off, which was the last thing I remember doing in my car (turning it off).

Just took off my walking shoes, turned on the a/c and will go load some dishes to soak. That’s all done.

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

Sunday, August 4

After a lot of issues with WordPress, we published the blog at 11:06 p.m. It was “ready to go we expected” by 10:20 p.m., but problems intervened.

Monday, August 5

I’m going to begin this week with a sunny smiling face photo. I took my own today on my trip to the garden as we left out the back patio door, and went by volunteer seeded Sunflowers from the adjacent bird feeder we have stocked all year with Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. We have the same plants around our front yard bird feeder setup.Imagine my surprise, when I saw a post on Facebook from our friend Evie of her trip at morning sunrise to a large field of sunflowers only 7 miles from our house.

She has given me permission to use any of her works of art in our blog, so this will cheer you further. It did me. The top photo show much of the field of sunflowers at the intersection of Brickmill and Lester Rds., only 7 miles SE of us. Photographed by Evie Schuetz.

This morning I got involved making a report of my ER visit to share with my foot doctor. The report has the history, and the X-Ray findings that yesterday finally made it into my KVH portal. They are written beyond my medical comprehension. I need his evaluation of the X-Ray analyst’s findings and impressions. It’s written in language only a medical doctor could completely decipher. He’s spoken with me before about an earlier injury, and regularly sees us every 3 months. I sent it to his private email and called his receptionist to let him know it was there. I have not heard back from him, sadly, so I shared with a couple of nurses and another medical doctor friend. My interpretation of the report was that I had fractured one of the bones, yet was discharged from ER, with the “conclusion” that it was likely not fractured.

No biggie really, because there is nothing that can be done, except wait for time to heal and to get the fluid from the bruises out of my system. Having patience, staying off my feet, and resting are the hardest parts of the healing process – which I already realized would be longer in my case because of my being on a blood thinner.

For example, this was the hard-to-decipher information:

Notes: (XR Foot Comp Min 3 Views Rt) Reason for Exam: pain and swelling REPORT EXAM: XR Foot Comp Min 3 Views Rt, 8/2/2019 11:16 AM

History: Pain and swelling with prior injury 2 weeks ago.
Technique: Frontal, lateral and oblique
Comparison: none

Findings: Small area of focal subcortical demineralization anteromedially of the first metatarsal head. There is question of a cortical disruption. No dislocation is identified. There is mild osteopenic bone density with second-fifth digit hammertoe deformities. Joint spaces reveal mild narrowing and periarticular eburnation changes at the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Also degenerative change of the metatarsal head sesamoid bones. Mild hallux valgus changes present. Mild degenerative changes of the IP joints. Accumulation. Soft tissues are normal.

IMPRESSION: Question cortical fracture anterolateral (probably a miss-type); should be as above, anteromedially) of the first metatarsal head with bone reabsorption/healing change.
***** Final *****
Signed (Electronic Signature): Andersen, C. Zeno MD 08/02/19 11:38 a Technologist: WT

John invited me to visit his “newer” garden with our new camera to see the start of the onion harvest. On our way, we went out the back patio door and around by the Japanese plum tree, plus others, he planted for me. I walked (as gingerly as possible) to the garden for photos of flowers, veggies, fruits, onions, and filming the onion harvest. John will follow this with photos of his storage of his onions in the barn to dry, and plans to give me a link to Dixondale Farms where they originated, explaining the needed drying process.

Before the harvesting, here is a fast glance at the walk. Photo is of Damson Plums of Central and Eastern Europe. There is much fruit but it is small and flesh and seed cling tightly. Maybe that is why it seems to be mostly used for Slivovitz, Plum Brandy. The kernels are ground up along with the flesh. This one is from Serbia. We can do jelly a lot easier and just buy a bottle of the brandy.
Damson Purple plum views; we also have yellow ones (Shiro), especially for me. They are still hard.

Variegated (& not so) Dahlias, keeping with the purple theme.John displays the variegated one; Rt. View from a different angle.

Czar supervises – cherry tomatoes are in the mix as well

Finally, the onions story.Onions and Strawberries – Sour and Sweet –

The strawberries are missing in this garden, but doing all right in the other which has a better fence. The deer got into this one and ate most of the strawberries, including the leaves. So sad, after all John’s effort in building the beds. I’m not sure what his plans are, but he has given up on these. {Plants will be moved to a better place until I get a real fence built.}

Now for the videos of the onion harvest beginning, for white first, and then “purple” reds.

Harvesting Walla Walla Sweet Onions, 8-5-19

Harvesting Redwing Onions, 8-5-19

John’s out digging again; photos on Saturday.

I have to continue loading dishes, but most importantly put my meds in the container for the week, so I have something to take after I eat. We’re having leftovers (cold meat) from Saturday’s birthday party for friend Joy.

He returned and we had cold chicken, a tiny bit of smoked brisket, pistachios, and tomatoes.

I called the city’s executive assistant about the time expectations and procedure for the 7:00 meeting tonight. I must attend the City Commissioner’s meeting at City Hall, in order to give my statement of introduction for filling a vacancy on the Ellensburg Adult Activity Senior Advisory Commission. I knew about it because of a friend we have known since coming to town, who had been serving on the commission. She is leaving town for a new residence and vacating an open spot. It’s not a large time commitment, but the purpose is essential to the continued successful operation of our senior center.

The commissioner’s meeting was videotaped, and played back on Ellensburg Community TV, Channel 1. The link below is to the entire session. I’m putting this in primarily to show our local access to events in our town that are available for people to send in action (via a scheduled program for the day’s viewing), which includes current and previous events. It’s a nice opportunity.

Ellensburg Community TV, Channel 1

I got on there later this week, viewed the meeting, and captured the first part on my new camera (as a video). That’s the camera that I need to use Fiber Optic Cable at the University to upload to YouTube, but I wasn’t going to town that day, so used DSL that lengthened my time exceedingly. My 17-min version of the meeting’s start through our interviews is here, with timing of the two applicant’s statements. Each of us spoke ~ 7 minutes and then we were excused from the meeting. Here are the specifics: Start Dean’s at 3:23; end of Dean’s is 9:13 where my name is called and I’m asked to step forward to the podium and microphone.

County Commission’s Meeting, August 5, 2019

After the meeting, we visited the grocery store for some on-sale items and by the Courthouse to deposit our voter ballots** at the collection facility outside. All went well, and we came home and ate a late supper. [**Washington does voting by mail, but deposit boxes are common and saves the State the cost of mail.]

Tuesday, August 6

Called Ellensburg Animal Hospital about Rimadyl access and the cost for 30 tablets of 100 mg chewable tabs. At our last appointment, the vet gave us a bottle with 12 to try with Annie for her pain from arthritis. It appears to work. Their cost is quite high, 30 tablets for $69. I began looking for cheaper alternatives, realizing I needed a prescription to be sent to a pharmacy. I found the best price at Fred Meyer Pharmacy (more details in tomorrow’s report).

I went for my monthly blood draw, and the INR=2.4 (good, same as last month). I filled in other things on the calendar for the next standing order K test (used to be monthly, but has been changed to 4 times/year). While at the hospital, I spoke to the person to request a copy of the X-rays on my foot to be left for me in Imaging. Estimated pickup time was 8/9.

Wednesday, August 7

John left this morning at almost 6:45 a.m. for Snow Lake Trail, WTA Work crew. I stayed up – things to do. My first decision was that I could not participate in the Food Bank lunch music bunch, because my foot was still in too much pain. I must rest it. I contacted 2 people who would be there.

Now at 11:45, Annie has had her pill and settled down. I am sure she was in pain.

Lila at Ellensburg Animal Hospital sent Annie’s prescription for 30 tabs of 100 mg Rimadyl to Fred Meyer Pharmacy. They will let me know the actual price so Pharmacist Chadlyn can check, when they have the script in hand. She thought it would be around $47, from a previous purchase for another client’s dog. This is not sold as a human drug. We’ve been giving just ¼ tablet in morning and evening. For now that seems to work.

She found and will leave instructions for the Pharmacist tomorrow morning to put the order in, as she will not be back until next week. A bottle with 30 chewable tablets of 100mg will cost $26.99 + tax. I believe our tax here is 8.2%, so the cost will be $29.20. Humans are not charged tax on medications, but canines are. She returned my call and I needed to accept ordering 2-month supply because her Fred Meyer distributor has a minimum order she had to reach, and she added as much as she could but couldn’t find $27 more. I told her to go ahead and put in the order for 2 bottles for me.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
RE: local temperature reports

Reading 94.8 at 2:24 home and 99 at KELN

Reading 94.6 at 2:53 home and 101 at KELN

John came by at 3:53, car gave a 92 when it was 98 at KELN

We cleaned and cut mushrooms, and cut an onion to sauté to put in crockpot beef he put on early this morning before he left.

Thursday, August 8

John left at 6:45 a.m. for Snow Lake Trail, WTA Work crew.

I checked the ECTV for an 8:00 a.m. show of Aug 5, 2019 commission meeting but it wasn’t being aired until Aug 11 & 13. However, I fiddled around and figured how to get to the copy and play it off air. Got my camera and tried to see if I could reset the resolution so as not to spend so much bandwidth recording.

I re-recorded the first part of the evening, starting with the lead in Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, agenda amendments, and then continued with the first applicant (alphabetically), Dean Allen for his introductory remarks. We were both vying for only vacant slot on the Ellensburg Adult Activity Center’s Senior Advisory Commission. Then I followed. It was a bit awkward having us only realize as we arrived that evening that we both had applied. Dean Allen and I are friends, and it was not fun to be in competition in public. Obviously, we both followed through, and it was obvious we were friends (we play music together two days/week).

While it downloads from my camera to my computer, so I can transfer to YouTube, I’m continuing with projects. It’s now almost time to fix my salad for lunch, and get ready to leave for music. Got my mic all charged up for today’s announcing at Meadows Place.

I got the call from Fred Meyer Pharmacist (guy) that he would send the order in if I still wanted it, if it took a while. Glad I got the call as I was walking out the door, or we’d been another day away from receiving the medication.

Tonight, John helped me by using his computer to take the 3 images of X-Rays off the CD I picked up this afternoon. His tower has slots; mine has to be done externally and is a lot more hassle.

These are the frontal, lateral, and oblique views taken.

I zoomed into each image individually, but I still am not completely sure what I’m seeing. I need someone to interpret the marks the technologist mentions, and I need to look at the image of the names of the bones in the foot again, while re-reading the report and viewing the X-Rays.

I have since studied it more, while looking at the bone parts and names in the foot, and receiving input from friends. If there are doctors or nurses in our viewing land, and you want to see the individual ones so you can enlarge them, I can email them to you, separately. I personally prefer analyzing the first X-Ray. Just let me know.

Called Janet Fulton-Perkins to sing Happy Birthday. She will call me back later. She’s visiting with her cousin.

Our music at the Meadows Place went fine, and I returned home, after a fairly long visit with a resident I have known for years, about her grandson’s traumatic accident.

John made it home eventually, and we finished off the evening, going to bed a little earlier than usual. My foot was bothering me. I actually left Meadows for the hospital imaging department to pick up my CD of the X-Ray scans and they were there a day before expected. Good, because I did not have to go to EBRG Fri.

Friday, August 9

Last night, going to sleep with the windows all opened trying to cool down the house, we heard all sorts of sounds. The coyotes were howling. Three o’clock brought the sound of 6 shots from our neighbor’s house. At 3:30 a.m. came thunder from the sky and bouncing off the hills.

John left 6:45 a.m. for Snow Lake Trail, WTA Work crew. I intended to do some stuff today, including driving out to check out the Sunflower field at Lester & Brickmill, but my foot is hurting too much. Even with the rest I did this week, I must have not rested it enough and walked on it too much. {John says, WTA friend George is resting his aches by working more at the Volunteer Vacations Logistics shed in North Bend – packing food and gear.} Last night and this morning it has been especially painful. I will do better today taking care of it and staying off as much as possible.

Am uploading the video I took yesterday on my new camera. It’s a much better copy of the Monday County Commissioner’s meeting than I received on my older camera (with less bandwidth to transfer). It will take a couple hours to upload, but no one will need to be on the Internet. I’m on to paperwork sorting and filing and John’s gone to the Cascades. He actually tossed my old hooded rain jacket in the car because they likely will have rain. If there is thunder they will get the work sites safe and leave the work. Normally, the time is 2:30 back to the parking lot, which might be a mile (20 minutes) by now. I’ll call him at 3:30 to reach him through Bluetooth in his car.

I reviewed the pictures sent for 3 different days of WTA work on that trail last week, but the most illustrative one is a before and after of a set of stairs some of the crew built. We shall present that story, with John’s help documenting. In addition, I picked other photos of John’s crew working to have him explain them to me. He has done this in 2 small posts that come before this one. You can go backwards, if you are interested, at the end of this post.

Or, the links are:

Snow Lake Trail – One

#One shows replacement of steps; not what John was doing.

#Two shows an improvement project about a mile up trail.

Snow Lake Trail – Two

I find it fascinating, and I believe you will too. It’s my only way of visiting the work the WTA crews do.

This morning, I changed from having the pressure on my foot’s top from bedroom shoes to two pairs of socks, using John’s hospital socks (given as slippers) with the “tread” on the outside bottom. I can walk flatfooted with no pressure for the few steps in the house I must take today. I’m staying home for a few days to rest it, completely. The walking shoes (leather) are okay for short periods required outside the house, but they hurt too after a while of use.  Any of my trips away to Ellensburg require 2-3 hours, 4 max, and that is too much usage.  

Update on breakfast and pills at 11:00 a.m. – took BP, and Entresto and had my warmed ¼ blueberry/pecan pancake. Gave Annie her ½ pill, and will give another when pain is evident. As necessary, I’ll up the dosage back to what it was – 50mg twice a day, up from 25mg twice, hoping I can get a few more tablets from the vet this coming week when I run out in 5 days, to tide her over until my order is returned to Fred Meyer Pharmacy in 10 days.

Another SSA Scam call 1:15 today: (they left this message)
“Hello, this is Officer Marie Gomez from the Social Security Administration. This is to inform you that your social security number has been suspended due to some reasons. We request you to call us back on 301-264-8279. I repeat it three zero one 264-8279. Thank you, and have a nice day.”

As I wait for the upload to finish, our electricity just blinked off and on at 1:26 p.m. Now the clocks will need reset. Glad my computer was on a battery, but my WiFi and Internet is not retrievable even with a restart of the “modem.” So I didn’t know how long I had to get it going again, without losing everything.

Finally, I contacted Consolidated Communication (CC), Technical Support, in Texas and with a lot of effort I was connected again and did not lose the information I had already uploaded.

After that scare, I called Customer Service to ask if they could connect us to a nearby Fiber Optic cable I thought was down the road. We watched it being buried last year, but it changed directions and turned off Naneum west onto Thomas Road. I have no clue what that cable supports. Consolidated Communication, our provider, claims there is “No fiber optic cable available out here by any provider; only DSL.” Further research needed.

Tonight I decided the idea of two pair of socks was not working as I thought. So, I went back to wearing a newer pair of bedroom shoes, and one pair of socks, but taking the slippers off when sitting.

Saturday, August 10

Primary plans today include three things: make progress on the blog, alternate with organizing and filing receipts where I left off yesterday, and take care of resting and caring for my foot.

We had a brunch consisting of two different assortments of food. Mine was leftover blueberry-pecan pancake, 2 eggs, orange slices, and pressed ham. John’s was toast, 2 eggs, French fries, ham & orange.

John finally left for outside chores. Companion Dog & Cat (Annie and Czar) accompanied him.

On his agenda is rearranging and moving the drying onions and taking photos. Left side: Redwings – Ringmaster.
Others are Walla Walla, Sterling, Red River, and Red Zeppelin. The copper ones are Walla Walla, and they are the shortest keepers.

From his adventure with the onions, he brought back a couple of each kind and then fixed beer-battered French fried Walla Walla onion rings to accompany the fried yellow baby summer squash he also grew, with Fried Chicken from the store. The onions were sweet and quite tasty. Great dinner we didn’t finish until 9:00 p.m. I did have a much-needed hour nap this afternoon.

After my nap I called Gerald in Thorp, and heard he had a big storm with ½ inch hail, much water, and his electricity went off for a bit. His satellite dish filled with hail and he had no TV reception. We had only sprinkles here, but east of us, a funnel cloud came into view in the valley with many captures of it published on the Facebook site: Community Connect Kittitas Valley.

John took the left-most photo of clouds over Thorp (west) from our hay shed; Funnel cloud east of us by two other photographers were published on Facebook. Photos by Patti-Haines-Christmann and Kim Corey-Hendrickson. The first two funnel clouds ones were taken from a place only ~5.5 miles from us to the SE.

Late tonight I had a WSDOT alert that a landslide had occurred in the Yakima Canyon south of Ellensburg, closing Hwy 821 both directions until cleaned up. It was finally opened Sunday morning.

Sunday, August 11

Blocked several phone calls I received the past 2 days from Robocallers.
For brunch we had the remaining beef stew/soup. John cut some weeds and cleaned a few other things up, but made an easy day of it. Supper consisted of chicken breast stir-fry with mixed veggies, plums & pears, and now for dessert a chocolate sundae with strawberries.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

This is a ‘sad’ day, August 1, 2019 as I write this. I brought up my copy of the information meant for this week’s blog, with notes written throughout the week, and it had been replaced (without a backup) by information of only one contact I needed, and it apparently stored it in the wrong place, in place of my blog complete draft and reminders. I have no idea how that happened, and so now I will have very brief entries for the first part of this week. That will make John, my co-editor, happy.

One thing promised from last week, goes back to February, so I will finish that to start off this week. It was the presentation from the Ice Age Floods Institute on February 7, 2019, which happened at a time in my medical life, when I was not up to submitting weekly blogs. Here is the story everyone missed, and I will also send late to my email list for the IAF–Geology Lectures that I have collected there from folks in the audiences at CWU and from the downtown Nick Zentner lectures.

Our speaker for the evening was John Stimberis. He is the Avalanche Forecaster Supervisor, for the WA State Dept. of Transportation, in charge of avalanche projects on Interstate 90 and Chinook Pass. Here he is in the field:His lecture subject title was: Avalanches and the Annual Snowpack in a Maritime Snow Climate.

Karl Lillquist, CWU Geographer, introduced him in the first video. John’s talk, with PowerPoint illustration combined with videos is next. As a surprise, there are separate videos in the field of three different examples of avalanche control, turn up your volume so you can hear his commentary. It is a powerful display you won’t want to miss.
The ending video wrap-up of his talk is his Question and Answer (Q&A) session.

Video links for John Stimberis, Feb 7, 2019, IAF talk

Karl Lillquist Introduces John Stimberis, 2-7-19

John Stimberis, 2-7-19, Avalanche Control – PowerPoint

Before you open the next one, realize you need to click pause (two parallel bars) right away, and first read the description about timing. Until I correct it, it will say start at 17 second at the end of the blue screen. That should be 15 seconds or you’ll miss seeing the firing (in yellow). For the ending, when you get to 1:10 you will see a blue screen. Just stop there and go to the next video.

Bike Tram Release Device for Avalanche Control

The next one you need to do the same way… starting with a pause, turn the volume up on to be sure to hear John’s commentary, and also it you will have to move to 23 seconds to start viewing.

Stimberis-Chinook Pass Avalanche Control

Stimberis-Chinook Pass CA View Different Season

Questions & Answers after John Stimberis’ Presentation, 2-7-19

Sunday, July 28

We published the blog at 10:13 p.m.

Monday, July 29

I stayed home today because I’m still nursing my injured foot from 7/17, when the heavy metal folding chair was accidentally dropped on my right foot right above the toes. I had on fabric shoes and not my usual leather walkers which might have cushioned the impact some. Being on a blood thinner does not help with such hits. It immediately swelled and bruised and will be difficult to walk on for a couple more weeks.

John used the day to drive to Costco for items we needed badly, and I did not feel up to going along. I stayed home to alternately ice it for the swelling, and stay off it as much as possible, while elevating it as well.

Tuesday, July 30

Another day home for me in the morning, but we planned to go early evening for our reduced fare anniversary dinner at The Palace, because it has to used only during the month of July. John drove because driving a car actually aggravates my foot pain. On our way there, John went into Bi-Mart and checked our numbers and we won nothing. From there by the AAC to pick up two feed bags full of more feed bags. A local gal with much livestock recycles them to us for use as garbage bags to load and take to the transfer station (aka, dump). From there, to our dinner.

We had a nice meal. We took the option with our one allowed free entre, not to take the Chicken-fried Angus Steak platter John usually gets. I encouraged him to find something special he wanted to deduct the allowed $10 from.
He chose a special steak: Flat Iron Steak, with baked potato, and steamed vegetables. It’s a piece of very tender shoulder. I had a Santa Fe Salad with Bleu Cheese dressing, made with Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado, nice slices of green and red bell peppers, marinated chicken breast, and corn tortilla strips. Might have been something else I don’t remember and now I cannot find it listed on their on-line menu anywhere. I had with it a bowl of Taco Soup. The soup came with extra sour cream, more olive pieces than I preferred, so I picked them out and shared some with John. The soup was quite tasty. I brought home ½ of each of my choices, along with a roll. We each had a roll with dinner there. Only drank water.

I made 2 more meals with the left overs, lunch of Taco Soup and supper of the salad with added lettuce, pistachio nuts, smoked turkey cubes, and blue cheese dressing.

Wednesday, July 31

I’ll begin today with a fantastic photograph taken by my star-gazing friend.Evie Schuetz captured this on the Thorp Highway at a friend’s house. The image is a time exposure to get the best rendition of the stars. The foreground illumination of the gazebo is the result of a light painting technique which involves a flashlight and a bit of trial and error. Meanwhile, we viewers get to enjoy a piece of artwork.

Today was another day I stayed home to rest my foot and did not go to the food bank music, or to the SAIL exercise class after. I still await the foot’s healing before I return to exercise.

Thursday, August 1

Well, this morning I started by sleeping in, and then getting up and washing a load of dishes. I intended to pay some bills and put them in the mailbox for pickup, but too much other stuff kept stealing my time. I managed to get all the music ready for playing today. And tried responding to the necessary emails on several accounts, not to mention private messages on Facebook.

One thing I saw early in the morning was a post of a photo taken of a favorite historic building of mine in Ellensburg, the Old Boise Cascade Lumber Company. I have driven by it many times, wishing I had my camera with me at the right time of day. This morning, Ken Lewis took this photo on his early morning walk, and it’s great, so I thought I would share.Old Boise Cascade Lumber Mill in Ellensburg, WA by Ken Lewis.
{Boise Cascade Corporation was formed in 1957 through the merger of Cascade Lumber Company of Yakima, Washington, and Boise Payette Lumber Company of Boise.}

I got dressed and went in earlier than usual, but the time disappeared fast. I had spent a lot of time this morning with ice on my sore foot.
I drove to the shadiest place in the west parking lot I could find, and had a little more of a walk than I wished on my sore foot, and carrying a lot of weight.

We had a good turnout of 9 folks, and played our new set of music very well. Some of it we had not done in a year. I was gone for 4 hours, and when I returned, my foot was very ready for rest and ice. It was pretty hot today; I was happy for the partial shade to park in at Rehab, and a/c for my trip in, around town, and home.

John surprised me and walked in at 4:30 p.m.

We had Cordon Bleu for supper with fries, our own cherry tomatoes (first this year) that John picked when he got home, and peaches from the freezer.

Tonight we’re heading to bed early.

Friday, August 2

The middle of the night was not good for me. Pain in my foot awakened me at 1:00 a.m. after 2+ hours sleep. I tried elevating my feet in a recliner with them on a large foam wedge, but it was stretching my quads too much and not helping. That lasted 1-½ hours before I ditched the wedge and returned to my normal heavy large sofa-type pillow beneath my legs. It does not elevate my feet above my heart, so I will have to use an alternate way my friend told me from a PT friend of hers to massage the leg while raised lying down to move the fluid out of the injured area. I did get back to sleep and get some rest, but it got my attention, so I decided to check on whether it might be a bone fracture on the top of my foot.

WARNING: this next section report on my time in ER is lengthy – Aug 2, 2019, Ellensburg, WA: Kittitas Valley Healthcare facility (Hospital)

I wrote this to share with concerned folks in our music group, but decided to put it in our weekly blog. John started this blog originally on Dec 4, 2009, when I was in ICU and he was juggling home issues and coming twice a day to Yakima Regional Hospital checking with the doctors on my deteriorating condition. He did not have time to talk with friends and relatives about me, so posted it all here on the then daily (not weekly) blog.

Several of you saw the photograph of my foot’s continued bruised and swelled condition in the past couple days. I finally took that photo on Tuesday, 7/30 almost 2 weeks after the original impact on the top of my right foot, by a heavy metal folding chair (date occurred: 7/17). It was totally an accidental drop that I didn’t see coming to be able to jump out of the way. Being on a blood thinner complicates and lengthens the healing time. Normally, our helpers (from the audience) bring the folded chairs from the opposite end of the room, down front where we play, and open them and set them on the rock floor. I then move them into the desired formation for the organization of instrumental players next to singers. That is in an adjacent carpeted area. I go to the opposite end of the room, behind the chairs, to pull down a rolling cart with small folding music stands and my music book.

I will not post the graphic photo here, however. I did share with a few folks, and many of them have been concerned that I had not been more proactive and gone in for an X-Ray. I had talked with my cardiologist’s nurse, this week, when he called about lab results taken 6/9, while my doctor was in the hospital himself with a torn muscle repair job. I also planned to visit my foot doctor this coming Monday, when he would be in Ellensburg from Yakima. He and I had had a conversation about another injury I had involving both feet June 1 (from wearing ill-fitting hiking boots) for two hours. He explained what happened, and because of the circulation in my feet and the connection with my heart issues, it would take longer to heal. Then, I quit going to exercise classes in any format. Those injuries took 5 weeks to heal. I was allowing this right foot more time.

At least one former nurse told me Thursday at Rehab I needed to have the imaging done. I certainly was ready after the overnight problems with the continued pain keeping me from sleeping. So, this morning, I first called my PCP’s nurse, who turned me over to the Triage nurse whom I know better from my many years of Coumadin clinic involvement. I had looked on line and found the location of the upper foot bones and their names, especially over the area the metal hit and from where the pain is still coming. Also, I learned that X-Rays don’t always “reveal” a fracture until a couple weeks into the injury, and for immediate detection a CT Scan is required. So, perhaps this timing was okay. Nurse John in the ER confirmed that is the case, and had just recently happened here when they didn’t see the fracture immediately but it showed up 2 weeks later. (Why they didn’t do a CT for the patient, I don’t know).

I knew my PCP’s office had X-Ray equipment, but not CT scanning. So, as I discussed this with the Triage nurse, and I suggested it would be better for me to visit the ER in EBRG. She agreed. I left this morning for KVH. The doctor in charge was Andrew Peet, a concerned and kind older gentleman, who examined the foot and listened to my story. He called a radiology technician (Wally), who wheeled me down to imaging. He took 3 views of the foot: Frontal, lateral, and oblique checking to be sure they were properly placed and imaged. He submitted them to the radiology analyst, while I was still in the filming room, resting on a “gurney.” It might take ½ hour or more to be reviewed here. After it is reviewed and analyzed within the hospital, it is sent to Yakima for a re-evaluation. I will have both reports returned to me, as well as to my PCP. I forgot to request its being sent to my cardiologist. I’ll do that after I see all the results have been posted on the KVH portal. They are now there 8/4. I’m seriously thinking about sending the description of the analyst with respect to the bones in my foot, to my foot doctor to interpret.

After I was approved for discharge, Dr. Peet came back and talked with me. He said he had reviewed the internal review, saw the X-Rays, and I did not have a fracture. He was comfortable with discharging me. He encouraged me to continue with heat for better healing now that the swelling is down. I thanked him again for his evaluation of my situation. Nurse John took me out (I was walking), and we stopped off at the front desk for my Medical Cards (Medicare and Kaiser Permanente). I had to sign a couple of the normal forms, when any procedure is done (even a blood draw requires signatures any more). The paperwork for medical care seems to be increasing. I guess the purpose is to prevent fraud. I’m very happy I went into ER for the examination.

John called about 3:00 but is in a traffic jam. Now closer home and should be here after getting gasoline at the lowest place in town where I stopped with my car this morning. He didn’t walk in the door until 5:00 p.m. Long day for him.

John started the FORD Pickup when he got home, and drove it up to the house to plug into the tender. The battery needs replacing.

Saturday, August 3

This morning’s Daily Record finally posted John’s Thumbs Down comment:We were headed this afternoon to a surprise 60th birthday party for Joy Rucker, put on by her husband, Manord, at his neighbor’s house on Hidden Valley Road in Cle Elum across Hwy 970 from the Swauk-Teanaway Grange (which is on Ballard Hill to the north). He had it catered by Smokey’s BBQ of S. Cle Elum. They have a restaurant in the Old Milwaukee Road Depot. We have experienced a smoked pig they roasted for a Scholarship Event at the Grange earlier this year. Smokey’s BBQ restaurant, in old Cle Elum Depot

We took chairs in the car, but they expect they will have enough. We can pull right up to the house and they plan to have a canopy for shade. This will be set up next door for an outside BD surprise party. We got there right at 1:00.

The honoree was off in the mountains hiking with her daughter, and they were scheduled back at 1:30 p.m. They did not return until almost 3:00 p.m. All the folks there visited. I met several people I knew from the Grange; others I knew from the Geology lectures in Ellensburg (this party was held in Cle Elum). Relatives were there from Moses Lake, the Tri Cities, and farther. Joy’s mom Babs was there and we visited briefly. I had a nice visit with her husband’s parents. Several of our music group were there. We had access to water and cold drinks, and a fair amount of increasingly available shade. I stayed in the shade the entire time. The meal was catered by Smokey’s BBQ. It was incredible with several courses: appetizers, grilled chicken, potatoes, salads, dips, and sides. The second course was smoked brisket, served with macaroni & cheese, and something else hot. At that point, we only had a small piece of the brisket, and brought home the rest of the piece. Lastly, we had various desserts, including a high-layered strawberry birthday cake. I’m not sure I have ever had such a cake before. We finally left ~ 4:30 pm.

Coming home by the airport at 5:15 p.m., the temperature was 83° directly north and 82° at the corner of Hungry Junction & Look roads, but the airport sensor said 87°. We know the sensors at the airport have been reporting elevated temperatures.

Sunday, August 4

Brunch today of a pancake with pecans, topped by strawberries, and 2 eggs for me.

Finally, we arranged our scheduled to go at 1:30 p.m. to pick up free planks of wood in town. Some of it is cedar, with other stuff thrown in.

I sat in the shade while John loaded the pickup. Here’s a photograph I took once we arrived home. That trip took about 2-½ hours out of our day.At 4:30 p.m., our home outside temperature is 77.2°; at KELN (airport), its sensor registered 92 at 3:53
Checking at 4:56 home it is 77.5 at KELN still 92 at 4:53

John made some soup for supper, and tonight we filled in our ballots for the Aug 6 election box I can deliver tomorrow when in town.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan