Category: Random issues

Item #1: Color today
As the sun went low today the Naneum Fan was golden with (mostly) Poplar trees, main image. We imported a few Tamarack (Larch), inset.
They prefer a spot higher, north-facing, and wetter. Nancy used a photo in October of such a place.
This coming Tuesday about mid-day the weather folks think we will get strong gusts. Likely the color will be on the ground by Wednesday morning.

Item #2: A tail tale

This story was much in evidence last Monday. I’ve tracked the location down and have the “Google Earth” view on the right, below. Note the red dot. That’s the location where from the left image was taken.
In a twist of fate, the fortuitously positioned artwork is called “Saved by the Whale’s Tail”. That’s from the link, where more photos and story can be found.
Whale tail meets train

Item #3: Say what?

I would have worded this sign differently.
For example, if it is only one dog why use the plural ‘them’.
I’d say “Clean up after it.”
The rest of the wording can be improved also.
Your job.

Item #4: To poppy or not to poppy

I think this story only involve Canada.
The grocery store named “Whole Foods” (part of Amazon, I think) decided that wearing a Poppy in remembrance of veterans was not to its liking. The Brits and Canadians refer to “remembrance” with the poppy on the left below (generally), that differs from the common form in the USA, shown over a camouflage outfit.
There are 14 Whole Foods stores in Canada. The company reversed this ruling, after a bit of controversy. Link to story
I get a poppy from our local veterans when they show up at the grocery store and raise money. Mine is on a blue “bucket hat”, and I usually wear it enough that the symbol needs replaced once a year.

A famous poem (first lines below)
was written by Canadian John McCrae, in 1915.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Item #5: Slug skills

I’ve been told not to use a photo of slugs, so this is just an image, and you can conjure up a slug image if you like.
It is almost 7 PM on Friday here on the Naneum Fan and the USA still hasn’t figured out who it elected president.
With massive computer skills in this country, the election has been handled with all the skill and intelligence of a slug. Voting is a state responsibility and many of them have failed.
And that seems to be the good news.

And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

Item #1: Rabbits

This from Australia.
Too many

Here is a link for the history buff: beginning in 1859

Apparently rifles are not allowed in AU, so shooting them for food isn’t a solution. Tasty. High quality protein. What’s not to like?

Item #2: Cat, turkey, Flag
Seems there are more cat photos and videos of cats on the web than grains of sand on the World’s beaches.
In this photo a family of 8 or 10 is facing the photographer. Miss Kitty uses the opportunity to have a few bites of turkey (?), I think.
Note, there is an American flag on the left side. This was a family of Asian ancestry.
Do you have Old Glory next to your dining table?

Item #3: Mother would approve

Before there were so many distractions in people’s lives, folks found ways to pass the days of cold and dark, or other induced inactivity, to produce useful things.
Mother crocheted doilies. Use that as a search phrase in images and see the possibilities. They appeared on the arms of the couch, on chairs, and under such things as a vase.
I do not recall a mask. However, just the thing to keep glasses from fogging up. Three cheers.

Item #4: WHAT?

This information appeared in a newspaper when they explicitly promised it would not.
I may have to go into hiding for a year or two.
Perhaps I can sue for millions of dollars.
On the other hand, my aunt that wondered if I was ever going to finish school and get a real job would be satisfied.
.

Item #5: Things not thought about

Not talking about moving to Florida or about Halloween – –

Ten years ago, when Nancy had a walker for a time, I don’t remember considering the height thereof. First use was a borrowed one. Then we bought, and ordered with large wheels. When no longer needed, we gave that to the group that loaned the first one to us. So, I can’t check if the height was adjustable, or just made for an adult.

Cute kids.

And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

10 second video of snow

Monday, Oct 19

Slept in until 8:30 a.m. and so did John! I was actually up a little sooner to feed the hungry cats on the front porch, Woody & Sue.
John’s been out working in front yard, and doing morning chores, but came in for lunch, and missed the 43 mph wind gusts! Our home is still being buffeted in the breeze.

We had to tie a plastic bag to the fence at the lavender farm with packing materials to leave with the folks on the corner of Rader & Fairview. Bridge work on Fairview meant a small detour over a bit of gravel road.

I logged into the KVC medical portal for Nancy’s records and succeeded – found my Immunizations record. Yesterday, it wouldn’t give it to me. Maybe restarting my computer helped.
Unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher. For two people, we surely dirty a lot of dishes; I guess we have to count in the 4 cats and 1 dog.

I sent our current blog from 10-18-20 with the specific Blog entrance to folks whose photos I used in last week’s published one.

We had a gift card so went for ice cream: Figured the best price of Winegar’s ice cream: One pays $6.49 for a quart of their ice cream; 8.99 or a half gallon. Two quarts in a half gallon, so 2 * 6.49= $12.98. A ½ gallon is the way to go.

Brunch: We had a small bowl of soup and two kinds of crackers. I had a Chocolate Ensure shake with Peach yogurt, earlier in the morning.

Supper: after going to the SW side of town tonight to the Pilot station to fill John’s Crosstrek for his trip to Quincy tomorrow, getting it for $2.459/gallon, we went to Safeway for the Monday special dark meat fried chicken for $4.99 -4 thighs and 4 drumsticks. We bought two, and then I grabbed a Just 4 U savings of $5 for a grocery bill of over $5. Such a deal. We paid $5.81 for 16 pieces of chicken, which will go into the freezer for later. With our fried chicken we had a half of a cinnamon pear each, and a half of an apple, each. For dessert, we each had a bowl of Winegar’s special flavor: Kookie Kayla-peanut butter ice cream with a sea salt cookie fudge swirl. Very tasty choice.

Tuesday, Oct 20

Slept in until 9:00 couldn’t get my medicine tablet out of the container. Peeler wouldn’t work. Finally, took the pill. Set up my backup drive. It worked but won’t let me disconnect it. I’ll just turn off the machine later and pull the plug. That worked.
I had set up my backup drive, after taking my Alendronate, and finally finished getting ready to leave @ 10:40 for the first stop of all my errands today, alone, because John left this morning at 7:30 a.m. for bottling Malbec at White Heron Cellars, and then they will have lunch afterward. He carried along a plate of thinly sliced sirloin tip roast he cooked until very tender, and then used his new meat slicer to thinly slice it. We have enjoyed the roast sliced across the grain and thin. We should have bought a slicer years ago.

It took me a long time in town to do all my errands and stops, but I succeeded. I will review those briefly below. We’re using this symbol to indicate stops: ∞∫∞ . Porches of people in free giving sites to me to use for birthday gifts for a young child at a weekend party. I visited 3 locations of givers and received some interesting items. ∞∫∞ I left a package of something at another’s front door. ∞∫∞ Then I drove to Jerrol’s, our bookstore in town. A good friend gave us both a significant gift card at the store, and I utilized it to buy “textbooks”, for Nick Zentner’s livestreams from home, twice a week. They are all Roadside Geology books, of different states, and also Canadian provinces. Today’s stash included Oregon, Montana, N. & Central CA, and the other is of Southern British Columbia, Canada.

John called at 2:00 p.m. to say he was on his way home from bottling, and would be home about 3:15 p.m.
I just had to pick up the cat food dish, because two Magpies came in to take their share. I heard their squawking that alerted me to look and saw one sitting across from it on the rock wall.

Now I must get off this computer and load dishes to soak to be put in the dishwasher. They finally were done in time for supper, so we had dishes and utensils to use.

Two phone calls incoming, one a surprise from Ruth Harrington; it’s already the 4th Friday and we are having a Zoom luncheon again from CWU with Ruth and Peggy Eaton. Unfortunately, Friday came around and I had the wrong link so missed joining.

Supper: Fried chicken (dark meat), half each of Cinnamon pear, and yellow apple, fried onion rings. Dessert: Cherry pie with crumbles on top, with peanut butter chocolate cookie ice cream.

Wednesday, Oct 21

Morning started noisily, early, with Jesse and Rubin on the front landing. Annie (dog) wasn’t thrilled, so barked, and barked some more.
The crew had to remove a piece of rock siding, placed too high, and then frame windows with an engineered wood called “smart board.” Next was cutting a piece of stone siding to fit under the window. Noisy! Above the stone the finish is a cement & fiber panel called HardiePlank – using noisy nail guns.

Meanwhile, this morning @ 9:30 a.m., Kelly Hunter and sidekick Ken showed up to rearrange our water pipes and treatment tanks by making changes to the existing setup, which will make it save wall space in the new utility room. After discussing the job, Kelly left. Ken was very thorough and left it in super excellent condition—one fitting has a tiny leak and may need tightening, if it doesn’t soon heal itself.

I need to wash clothes and towels today to get ready for our foot care appointments tomorrow at the AAC. Got the check written and details in an envelope in my carrier.

Supper: Chicken stir-fry by John, rice with spicy gravy from where the chicken was cooked; side of last of yellow summer squash grown by John, cooked with onions he grew, and pieces of red bell pepper, I think that was all. I skipped dessert to take a shower.

Thursday, Oct 22
Counterclockwise sunrise right with Zoe by Lise McGowan, 7am Badger Pocket; 7:15am Hwy 10, by Charles McIntosh; 8:00am No 6 Rd, by Barb Bailey.

Taking off at 9:20 for foot care at the Center (AAC). First stop was at MidState Coop to buy Salt Pellets claiming to help remove iron; how it doesn’t say, so some research is needed regarding water softener things. Then on to the AAC where we checked in with Katrina for our temperature to be taken and to complete the 4 pages of paperwork required (maybe only the first time in). We had not been there for several years, because the Long Term Aging funding had been cut back and they had to eliminate some of the regulars who could afford getting it done elsewhere. Now our foot doctor has not been available since Panic2020 closures. We were allowed into utility rooms at the AAC, but not into the main space.
That took us until about 11:15. We had a couple more places to stop on the way home, but got home in time to for lunch and feeding several of the cats.

Lunch for John was Pizza. For me was a hot Chicken flavored noodle soup, with cooked chicken breast pieces, I added.

Good gracious—robocallers are working overtime to bug me. Today & yesterday, two; tomorrow, one. Two more Saturday.
Call from Jerrol’s today. My next ordered Roadside Geology made it into their store, so we’ll add it to our to do list for this coming Tuesday, when we’re in Ellensburg next week.

35° at 8:00 p.m. on our front porch and 40° at the airport.

Supper: John made spaghetti with ground beef, onions, diced tomatoes and sauce. Cut up a yellow apple to share.
Hopefully will be in bed by 11:00 p.m.

Friday, Oct 23

I slept in this morning to a wake-up call from a Robocaller. It was a rainy and cold morning, freezing again last night.

Today at Noon is a Zoom luncheon for our Ruth Harrington Scholarship luncheon. I planned to attend, but unfortunately, I had the wrong link address and tried but failed to join the group. I reached the leader by email (not by phone because she uses her phone to control the meeting on her smartphone), and I knew she wouldn’t see it until after it ended. It’s now been postponed until January, when we will resume our Zoom meetings on 4th Fridays of each month until May. At least by the 2nd week of December my Nick Zentner videos at 2:00 p.m. will have ceased.

It rained and was cold all day. John did get some mowing done on the north side of the driveway, during the sunny part of the day.

Nick Zentner returns at 2:00 p.m. today, with a very interesting presentation (1 hr. 32 mins). He reported thank yous at the beginning of the time (during the 17 mins. prior to the start of the lecture). Most exciting to me was that a fellow from Switzerland, sent him the dates his grandfather came from Elm, Switzerland to the US, and the docking place across from Ellis Island at a lower port of entry.

‘Nick from Home’ #86 – Exotic K: Wrangellia

Lunch: John had eggs, fried potato, and bacon, and I had a bowl of chicken soup, with cooked chicken breast added.
Supper: Cinnamon pears and spaghetti, meat, onions, and diced tomatoes in the sauce.
Our dessert was appropriate for Nick’s Exotic Terrane lectures, as it is the related food item for the geological feature. He used a German Chocolate Cake for the Columbia River Basalts. We had Taneum Meadows Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream served over a heated piece of Costco Fruitcake, our last piece this year from our freezer. They have the best and least expensive fruitcake in this area.
Too much time spent soaking dishes, so they’ll have to wait until morning to be cleaned.

Saturday, Oct 24

Awoke to a small amount of overnight snow. Fed the outside cats and went back to bed.

About 7:30 a.m. contractor worker came by to pick up bags of concrete-mix stored here for 4 months. John had just moved them to our barn to get them out of the carport area, so had to redirect Willie to the new spot. No advanced warning.

Running the dishwasher 10:00 a.m.; completely full.
Morning call from Gerald; all is well, but staying inside today. Snow over there too.
Called Jerrol’s and ordered the Roadside Geology of Alaska book, the newest one by Cathy Connor, $26. Alaska is full of accreted exotic terranes, and we will be covering it in weeks to come.

Called Fred Meyer pharmacy about ordering Annie’s medication but only–one bottle not two. The refill needed to be renewed by Dr. Fuller, so the Fax was sent. I called Ellensburg Animal Hospital to be sure they received the request. Their website says they’re open Saturdays until noon. NOT SO. I got a recorded message they were closed this weekend and to go to Valley Vet.

Fixed a blueberry Ensure chocolate shake (hate the blueberries, but have said that before).
Brunch: bacon, eggs over easy
Supper: warmed up fried chicken thighs & drumsticks, mashed potatoes, with a mixed pasta sauce and turkey gravy, with half of a cinnamon pear each (thanks again to Louaine). For dessert, John used a bowl of Winegar’s Taneum Meadows Blueberry Cheesecake flavored ice cream – (cheesecake with blueberry swirl) with cashews and hot chocolate fudge sauce atop.

Sunday, Oct 25

Wake up before 8:00. to follow the pre-show comments.
Nick’s 9:00 a.m. lecture, #87 with Karin Sigloch (an exotic terrane researcher person, not a terrane name)—went very long this morning for ~900 viewers worldwide—2 hrs. 5 mins.

‘Nick from Home’ #87 – Exotic L: Karin Sigloch

Nick announced next Friday’s lecture will be back in WA – the San Juan Islands, so we will be back to Marli Miller & Darrel Cowan for their Roadside Geology of Washington book, we often use as a reference.

Having a hot cup of coffee to warm up, and sipping a Wild Cherry yogurt in chocolate Ensure milk shake.
Brunch: I’ll skip because I know there will be lots of food at the party. John had some leftovers from last night’s supper.
I found my pumpkins-in-love sweatshirt with lighted pumpkin necklace too, which I will wear this evening to the birthday party dinner celebrating Natalie’s 3rd year birthday at Sara & Mike Sandman’s.

We went at 4:00pm to the party, and met many people of the family we’ve known since moving to Idaho in 1974. This family was the Oppie family we met through being Brittany breeders, and competing in field trial pointing dog tests and also AKC shows for conformation. We have been close to the family, their kids, grandkids, and now these are their great grandchildren.

We ate first, pizza, fruit, and visited. Stayed for the opening of presents, and then visited longer with the family left at the end. Got home late.

I took many photos of the evening but they’re still on my camera, and I’ll share a few in next week’s blog. We need to get this published so we can leave for the Yakima Heart Center in the morning for a device check for me, followed by a routine meeting with my cardiologist, and then we will make a Costco run.

Need to work on my paperwork to take to the Yakima Heart Center tomorrow. Finish the request for the Yearly handicapped parking sticker (red) for Dr. Krueger to sign for me to take to motor vehicle department. All is now in an envelope with my medication list and appointments.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

A hard frost Wednesday night caused the Carpathian Walnut leaves to fall. On Tuesday I picked the last of the yellow Summer Squash, and brought the onion harvest inside.

Item #1: murmurations

Birds and fish in group flights
There are many videos of Starling murmurations; massive numbers. Not shown here.
This one shows the birds on the ground. Fun to watch also.

Knots

Item #2: Choices

Found this and it reminded me of the time we took visitors up to Washington’s false Bavarian Village of Leavenworth. Many things there, most of which no one needs. This is about food.
Stocked shelves in grocery store

Item #3: Driver is in the truck

This comes from the Siberian Times without much explanation.

Polar Bears like garbage

Sad thing here is that the little ones miss out on the “food”.

Item #4: People have way too much time

Item #5: Missed us!

About half of Washington State has snow on the ground. We have had a bit of rain. The snow is moving south and may reach us tonight. In the last two hours the wind direction shifted from out of the North to an East Wind. In the image below, imagine air flowing from the distant hills (top) and coming toward you. That air is encountering the air already here (warmer) and we get rain. The red line is our normal wind direction – off the Pacific Ocean, over the mountains. The moisture falls on the west-facing slopes of the Cascade Mountains.
Tonight the wind is shifting and the blue line shows its direction – east to west, and up the gently sloping approach to the Cascade Crest. The air expands and cools. If it cools enough the water vapor therein will chill. That’s what is happening tonight, and we should get snow sometime during the next few hours. The Weather Service estimates a maximum of 2 inches for us, or some rain.
This will be followed by cold air out of the north again – – and 16°F by Sunday morning. Ouch!
The temperature will rebound Tuesday to 47°, and not go to freezing in the next 7-day forecast period.

And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

I don’t know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.
{Will Rogers}

Things Get Better With Age: I’m Approaching Excellent {unknown}

Item #1: Animal stories
Upon first seeing this video, I though it was likely staged with a trained bear. I found the following site with some explanation, so with some hesitation I am willing to believe. It is a neat maneuver, in either case.

Highway helper

Similar: There is a story of a small owl riding on the co-pilot’s seat of a water-dropping helicopter:
Helicopter Owl Just a bit of info and a photo. Maybe a Western Screech Owl.

And from San Francisco, this about Maki, an arthritic Lemur: “Police said Friday they arrested a man suspected of stealing a ring-tailed lemur from the San Francisco Zoo, where officials rewarded a 5-year-old boy who helped recapture the endangered primate with a lifetime membership.”
My first thought was that Maki already had a lifetime membership at the Zoo. I think I’ve figured it out, though.

Story with photo from CNN: Link, so click here.

Item #2: Just trying to help

In this case the helper was well meaning, but not without fault. I’ve worked on numerous hiking trail bridges. Here’s one: a major project near Liberty Lake at Cedar Grove:

Part One . . . . . Part Two

If you glance at the end of the logs in the photos [see #18 in Part Two, and following] you can see we built a rock filled wire enclosure (gabion) with plates under and steel rods extending up. A large wood beam is on top, with the threaded rods sticking through for washers and nuts. Then, iron (rebar) goes through the logs into the wood beam.
In the photo below there is nothing of that sort. The support logs (stringers) going across the “creek” are small and rest on the ground.
I used quote marks because the creek is dry. Not much imagination is required to envision roiling water pummeling this new bridge.A Maine town is trying to identify the person who built a replacement bridge next to a collapsed one along a hiking trail on a popular 308-acre preserve.

Story here

Although its one-person parks and recreation department routinely receives calls about felled trees or animals along the path, Windham town manager Barry Tibbetts said the broken bridge had not been reported to the town, which maintains the preserve with help from partners.
A related problem is that the town, now knowing of the bridge, has a safety and liability issue, and will be “inspected for functionality.”
My guess is, they will have to bring it to modern trail standards, or take it out. Search-up – hiking trail bridges – for ideas.

Item #3: Weird

On August 4th we went to several places to shop. Later, for a reason I’ve forgotten, I realized a credit card was not where I thought it was. We called the card company and placed a “hold” on the number. I expected the card would show up in the car, or a shirt pocket, or under a book or newspaper. It never did.
Finally, this Monday morning we called the card company again and had that card removed from the system and a new one sent. Cased closed? Not quite.
We got a call in late afternoon from a neighbor that works at Fred Meyer. One of his duties is to handle credit cards found in the store. He recognized the name, and brought the card home. I forgot to ask where the card had been for the previous 10 weeks.
The trip to the store was odd too, and might be related, but how, I don’t know. I could have just dropped the card in the parking lot.
When I started unloading the cart at our car, there was a bag in which there were several items we did not purchase. A helpful “bag person” had drifted by and helped load things at the lane we were in. One of the items was a large bottle of whiskey; easily seen sticking up in the small plastic bag. Definitely not ours.
I carried the bag back to the check-out lane and explained the issue to the young lady there. She said the bag was left off to the side so its owner could visit the loo. The floating “bagger” wasn’t aware of that, so he put it in our cart.
That was weird, but doesn’t really explain the missing credit card. The really weird bit was cancelling the card and the neighbor calling within hours, after a 10 week interval.

Item #4: Smartest person in the room

She seemed to have all the facts, and they wondered if she had notes in front of her.

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett holds up her notepad as she speaks during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020. {AP photo]
She was asked: “Is there anything on it?”
“The letterhead that says ‘United States Senate’,” she responded.

Item #5: Eat or nail to wall?

Lochel’s Bakery ‘cookie poll’

Surprisingly, to me at least, is that the place is making and selling these things to the exclusion of everything else one expects to find at a bakery. Operating procedure is to make, sell, and close for the day.

.

.

.

Explanation? Maybe if there are none of these, irate political types would throw a shoe through a window. But what if I want a “Bear Claw” pastry or a loaf of bread? Either is more appetizing than a decorated sugar cookie.
Nail the cookies to the side of an old shed, I say.

And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

Monday, Oct 5

Early morning call from Kelly Hunter; coming at 9:00 a.m., Wed, 21 Oct to reconfigure the water plumbing in utility room. It was jerry-rigged when the new floor was constructed.

Late last night I put out on 3 Free Facebook sites, that I was in search of a Child’s Gate:

This morning, my wishes were fulfilled, when a friend (Eva Frink) in Ellensburg offered us a metal one with a door that opens and swings both directions. Exactly “purrfect” for our needs to keep our cats and dog from entering the new room of the house. It’s between the kitchen door and the washroom, with access to our new livable space room where the old attached 2-car garage was. Now John has moved his computer out there and a radio/CD sound system, among a few other things. We want the access for us to go back and forth, but we want to keep the dog and the cats from going out there.Gate closed vs. Gate opened out—it goes both directions.

John had planned to go to Super 1 for a Deli tray, but ended up buying cheese slices of provolone, some Gallo Salami round slices the size of the top of a can, to accompany the package of crackers he brought home from his tray taken to last week’s Pinot Noir bottling. Tomorrow he leaves at 7:30 a.m. to go to White Heron Cellars, for bottling Arvine wine, with a lunch afterward on the hill above the Mariposa Vineyard. He has come back to meet our contractor Walter, late afternoon.

Supper: John fixed a double pepperoni pizza with added diced tomatoes, and grated cheddar cheese. Dessert: Apple crisp heated and vanilla ice cream.

Nancy spent a lot of time on the web with planning a couple of gigs, and then a bunch of time loading dishes into hot soapy water for putting into the dishwasher for running tomorrow.

Tuesday, Oct 6

John left at 7:30 a.m. for White Heron bottling.
I have to do a bunch of stuff to get ready to go to Ellensburg for things on my to-do list.

It’s Tuesday, so I took my weekly medication tablet on an empty stomach and hooked up the Backup Plus drive for its noon backup protection of all the files on my computer’s hard drive.

I went by Bi-Mart to check the winning numbers, and one with my last number in my membership number being a “1”. It was a set of two soft toothbrushes. We have plenty of them, but I got them anyway. Need to find a home for them?
I went by Super 1 for Reese’s peanut butter cups. Got 37 for 78 cents each (2/pkg), with one pd 98 cents for so next Tuesday when we’re in there for our flu shots, I’ll have to get my 20 cent refund.

Went to my bank & deposited a check written to John H, in our joint checking account.
I walked across the street and climbed the stairs to The Gym for 28 capsules of ABX for November, (will be on antibiotics for my dental teeth cleaning in November, and it’s necessary because antibiotics raises my INR reading). Also bought a bottle of Complete probiotic for October & December – I used my VISA Chase (Amazon.com) card for the medical expense, even though it will not be recognized as a pharmacy for the 2% deduction. I know goes into my medical expenses for taxes.

Went by Safeway to obtain my Just4U coupon, and bought 5, Powerade drinks @ 49₵ each. From there on by Amy’s to leave a jar of Peanut Butter, can of tuna fish, and a bag of individual packets of Doritos flavored chips for Haley’s lunches.

Walter came at 4:30 p.m. to consult about the pouring of the concrete walkway in the morning. Hoping not to waste the delivery (and any extra in the truck), John built a 3.5 x 10 ft. form at the entrance to the shed, and three 2 x 2 ft. non-attached forms.

Supper: Long cooked BBQ Pork chops, with onions, Yukon Gold Potato baked, Red seedless grapes. Dessert: Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.
I washed a huge load of dishes tonight.

Wednesday, Oct 7

4 people here on porch before 7 taking out an old post and setting a new one. 4X4 out; 6×6 in. A 2nd 6×6 will be centered between that new post and the house wall. Walter and son Jesse set the new post in metal bracket and removed old post; concrete will be poured on the floor up to the concrete step seen in the middle bottom of the left photo.
John worked on a forms in front of tall shed. That’s him in the distance. Ellensburg Cement Products truck arrived at 8:05.
The essential item was the slanting ramp under the tall cover. I was the photographer and videographer for all this work. We didn’t get in the house for lunch until 1:00 p.m.

Below is a video I took from the door of the new room where the attached 2-car garage once was, so you’ll need to click on the link to watch the pouring of the concrete for the last few feet to the front entrance door to our house.

Wheelchair Walkway Front Entry Concrete Pour

John went back outside after lunch and then came in for a nap.
He’s back out working again.
Late phone call at 4:00 from friend in Thorp, Gerald, who got his annual physical completed today; earlier in one day than we will. In December we’ll have to drive two round-trips 30 mi each in the winter weather to our PA-C in Cle Elum for two appointments a week apart. I’m still unhappy about that. A “year & a day” between these visits is required, but scheduling always seems to stretch to a year and a couple of weeks.Above taken this evening at 5:49pm facing west from West Ellensburg Park; by photographer, Jennifer Yenter.

Geology today: I researched this past episode from June, to send to the study group with 3 papers sent by Jerome Lesemann from Nanaimo, BC to have for background reading for Friday’s talk.
This was Nick from Home with Jerome Lesemann as a live chatter on British Columbia Geology.

Episode #56 British Columbia Geology? 6/2/20

Supper: Fajita beef, with frozen colorful bell peppers from a package, added one of John’s purple onions, and cheese-its, bowl of red seedless grapes, Apple crisp and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Going to bed late after writing the KV F&F and the study group.

Thursday, Oct 8

Peggy Coble photographed this from her deck about 7 a.m. today and published it as a gift from God to share with all.

Walter came over early before 7:00 a.m. to remove the concrete walkway forms and check out the project. All’s well, and he was out of here by 7:30. He and John are pleased with the results. There was just one glitch — cute Woody foot prints. Woody is the lightest and the most inquisitive of all our cats. She’d examined all the walkway from the start to the front door where the cat feeding station has been. The first part of the ramp was in the sun and was dry on the surface by 7 AM. The part nearer the house was shaded and not quite dry as she made an afternoon visit. That’s where her tiny footprints are. We had managed to keep our heavy dog and ourselves off the concrete as it dried. Woody’s tiny feet to remember her & her eating (Longhair Tabby)
{John says: The camera had trouble with focus on the plain gray surface, so I added the lens cover for scale, and the cardboard for color.}

Another Robocaller from Out of Area, came through at 8:30 a.m. I have blocked them.
Morning call 9:30 from Pharmacist Tuesday Bosch that our flu shot serum is in and marked for us. She will be on duty for the next week (except Sunday), so we shall go by for our shots, and are to carry in our Medicare cards (just in case they’re required). We’ll do it on our one day in Ellensburg, next Tuesday.

10:00 call from Gerald morning hello; had his exercise, and tomorrow morning goes to Dermatologist in Yakima with daughter driving.
Another Robocaller at 2:43 blocked from Colville, WA 690.Beautiful evening sky behind Barn right off the exit at Thorp, taken at 6:45 pm tonight, by photographer EvieMae Schuetz

Supper: We had a stew like (tomatoes, beans, 2 kinds of meat, pork & chicken, covering of spaghetti noodles, with fried carrot sticks on the side, and dessert of vanilla ice cream topped with strawberries and hot chocolate fudge sauce.

Friday, Oct 9

Friday, October 9, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. for AAC Game Day of Duo. I canceled doing this to work on the music in parking lot project and to send information to the study group for Nick Zentner’s afternoon lecture at 2:00 p.m. today.

John was out working this morning mostly separating dirt (to garden) from rocks, and graveling his trench of rocks on the drip line of the new walkway. He spent time putting unsorted dirt into the old Chevy pickup truck and moving it to a low spot, and rocks into buckets to fill a loading ramp for accessing the back of a pickup. Should mention the Naneum Fan has lots of rocks.

I had a 2:00 p.m. viewing of a Nick from Home show today that lasted 116 mins. Note, there will be nothing on Exotics next weekend, Friday & Sunday because Nick is visiting his mom and sister in Wisconsin.
Added two people to the study group members Earth Science Weekly distribution list from the Jobsnancy@gmail.com account and also put on the Earth Science Weekly mailing list for Zentnerds to receive.

‘Nick from Home’ #84 – Exotic I: Stikinia

Supper: French fried onion rings. Cordon Bleu split, some stew-like soup, and small home-grown cherry tomatoes. For dessert, peach pie with butter pecan ice cream.

Saturday, Oct 10

After a long stay up and not getting to bed last night until after midnight, I slept in this morning till 9:30 a.m.
Phone call from Pat Jenkins he’d be coming by around noon to pick up some more discards of the log milling project. John is separating potential rails; side slabs, if they are stout.

We each had all sorts of projects awaiting our attention.
John’s out working in 56.8° temperature with 38 mph gusts measured 5 miles south of us at the airport. He just came in to say he’d had enough. Says, there is a short story he started thinking about – about wind and dust in an “old west” town {by Dorothy Johnson ?}.

I finally got the email off to study group members for Nick from Home series with the information about background materials (scientific papers) for tomorrow morning’s lecture on the next Exotic Terrane being studied, in British Columbia.

Brunch: Bacon, Oven-heated Cinnabon® type Cinnamon Roll on a new layer of brown sugar with chopped pecans.
Supper: Lasagna, Battered Cod, Crispy Fries.

Sunday, Oct 11

Wow, long morning show– almost 2 hrs with Nick Zentner. I began the morning with a cup of coffee and a chocolate milkshake of Ensure and peach yogurt to tide me through until lunch.

John searched for and found a video I wanted to share with the group about Ida Nason, and we previewed parts of it, but it does not have audio with it as the site we obtained it from implies. I need to check with Allen Aronica to find out if one with sound exists. To make it understandable we need sound, or a transcript of what we’re viewing. The video lasts for 41 minutes, plus buffering. It was taken during or after the burial ceremony a mile north of us at the ranch where Ida Nason died (age 103, 1992).

Clear, cold at 42°, sunny, no rain or wind, for Nick’s 9:00 a.m. program outside.
I started at 8:06 a.m. on line to capture comments on starting with pre-show of the lecture. This is a premiere showing by Nick Zentner in ‘Nick from Home’ fall series on Exotic Terranes.
Today’s lecture was long at 116 mins, with a “field trip to his basement” to hear the history of his grandfather, Nikolaus Zentner coming from Elm, Switzerland to America and Wisconsin to the family farm in Civil War times. The family is searching for details of the trip’s destination point (maybe Ellis Island, or Baltimore) and have been unsuccessful. He was seeking advice from his viewers for help tracing the voyage, and showed us the grandfather’s Steamer Truck brought across the Atlantic Ocean. Now to find out the rest of the story.

‘Nick from Home’ #85 – Exotic J: Alexander

Currently, John is mowing some of the high stuff next to the irrigation ditch. He only worked outside a couple of hours because of intermittent rain.

Need to write a note about the music in the parking lot not being held yesterday (for good reason) strong wind gusts to 38 mph, temp 56°. It would have been difficult to tie down the heated tent in the front parking lot (in the grassy spot near the entrance), and uncomfortable for residents to be outside the building.

I had a phone call from a member of the study group from the Tri-Cities, and he and I talked for 23 mins about a project he has coming to me to forward to our group.

Fixed a late chicken noodle soup lunch for me.
Started raining about 2:00 pm and now darkening from cloud cover. We are near the State’s center; the red dot.Yep, that’s a lot of cloud cover all over our region. Rain at low elevations. Stevens Pass got snow; 4,000 ft. and above.

Supper: Chicken breast stir fry, carrots, and more.

Tonight the newly converted room was getting cold. We turned the small wall-inserted heater on and the ceiling fan also came on at its slowest speed. At the moment both have gone off. Nice.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Item #1: Fall arriving

A storm – to reach us about 11:00 tonight – has come ashore on Washington’s coast; the northwestern tip thereof called Cape Flattery. This is the north-western-most point of the contiguous United States. ***From Wikipedia: “Cape Flattery is the oldest permanently named feature in Washington state, being described and named by James Cook on March 22, 1778. Cook wrote: “… there appeared to be a small opening which flattered us with the hopes of finding an harbour … On this account I called the point of land to the north of it Cape Flattery.”
It is nicer on a clear and calm day.
_ _ _ _
***In the phrase “north-western-most”, the key word is “north”, because there is a small place a bit more to the west, called Cape Alava.
See: Land, but not much

Item #2: Not my onions!

I did not plant Walla Walla Onions this year – they do not keep as well as those types I did plant. Still, Walla Walla is a Washington town, and the onions are well known. Thus, I clicked on the story.
The photo here appeared on Facebook for a time, and was removed;
The company wrote: “So we just got notified by Facebook that the photo used for our Walla Walla Onion seed is ‘Overtly Sexual’ and therefore cannot be advertised to be sold on their platform… Can you see it?”
Story here: Onions are roundish