Sunday, Feb 17 Decided against going to the Grange Bluegrass Jam today. I don’t have the stamina and need to recover. I slept in, but then I have spent a lot of time working on my greetings web pages. John made a wonderful omelet with rosemary/olive toast, orange slices, and bacon cooked very crisp, from which he removed most of the fat. It made a nice brunch. Now he is out doing chores in the 48 degree weather with >30 mph winds. He’s alternating tasks: moving rock, digging holes, and cutting brush. A little progress shows on each project. I need to do the same. I promised John I would be done with the greetings web pages project weeks ago, so I could move to taxes. I should just do the same as he, and divide my time. I keep thinking I’m almost done. Then my cuz got back to me with a few vital corrections to the family reunion page. How John and I both missed them is beyond me! Now I have made changes, along with a few more my friend back east found. Hours spent this afternoon and evening on tax receipt organization and filing. I am not done and still have to order and put into my Excel sheet, but good progress is finally recognizable. John made us a nice chocolate cake for more calories and I frosted it.
Monday, Feb 18 The day was not busy, except for time spent on the computer and clean up. The annual greetings are almost ready to be sent. Our friend made it over safely from Montana. She had a yucky drive across I-90’s Lookout Pass (4,710 feet; border of MT and ID), with intermittent snow flurries. Here is the 1950s view. While this webcam says “live” it seems not to be (5 minute update, maybe).
Spending time now again putting tax receipts into an Excel spreadsheet for easier totaling. I still have 1/2/ year of receipts to order into monthly folders.
Tuesday, Feb 19 Worked most of day on chores and going to Yakima with John to pick up the 2 knives he ordered from Cabela’s. While there, we had lunch, got gasoline from Costco, went by a Farm and Garden store that sells fruit trees, to check if they had or expected to get yellow plums. John looked into getting trees from Issaquah when over there near the end of March working for WTA trails, but found out they charge $35/tree, and he needs at least two, probably three. They called to say they only have the yellow one and a few others he isn’t interested in. From Stark Bros he can order three for about $20 each. Not sure how much shipping added would be. We can call back to the Yakima store, March 11 when they expect a shipment and see what they have at what price. We visited several stores for flour and powdered/bulk Sweet & Low, to no avail. Stayed up late working on projects.
Wednesday, Feb 20 Went in for exercise class today, but first by the hospital for my INR blood draw check. Turns out it was high (3.5), so my dosage has been cut back. I have not been drinking alcohol either. Just when I think it has stabilized, I “fail” the test. I will have to go for another check in 2 weeks. More chores: pay bill at dental office and pick up 2012 records for medical expenses for the two of us. On to two different grocery stores for more supplies. The one new one in town has lower priced canned cat food (tuna and mackerel) by 20 cents/can than our normal store. Cats are fine with it. They get dry food available all the time, but canned food every evening. On the way home, I called my neighbor who cuts my hair, to see about an appointment some time soon. She said, well, I could do it right now if you want. Suited me fine, because I have needed a haircut but couldn’t do it for the past several weeks while sick. I stopped off on my way home. What a treat! It was getting long and straggly. She couldn’t have done it the next few days, so it was perfect timing. Am back working on taxes. I still need to finalize the list for sending our 2012 annual greetings, and also need to work on the jobs list-serve I manage and have ignored the past few days. Too much going on in my life, and I’m retired, right? John figured out tonight it was a much better deal to order his plum trees from mail order at Stark Bros (located in Missouri and another state), and ended up getting 5 for just $21 each, with NO TAX and NO SHIPPING costs. It was a no brainer not to order from them. He bought all dwarf trees (won’t go to 20′), named Plum Dandy assortment (clever) of 3 different including the yellow we want, Bubblegum, and Methley plum. A friend locally has had excellent trees from them over the years, so that was a good recommendation she made at the right time in our decision making.
Thursday, Feb 21 Playing music at one of our favorite places, Dry Creek. However, today we were sorely (literally) disappointed. They have disposed of all the chairs without arms. For people playing musical instruments, this is a disaster, and they do not have any folding chairs in the place, or stackable chairs. I had to sit on an uncomfortable piano bench, and didn’t know to bring a pillow. Luckily, only 5 people showed up, or else we’d have been in bad shape. They brought in one padded bench for one player. There are only a couple of players who can use a chair with arms. We told the activities director we would not be back in the future if they didn’t provide usable chairs for us. We’ll see what happens. The removal of the chairs appears to be a safety issue – can’t have anyone falling!
Friday, Feb 22 Today is another scholarship luncheon meeting. I’m missing a movie and free lunch of Potato Soup and apple crisp at the Adult Activity Center. We had pizza (two had many olives which I don’t like, so I had Hawaiian style), salad, and cookies and a sheet cherry thing with oatmeal sprinkled on top (added fiber). Our table decorations were confetti and little chocolate Easter eggs. Two friends had surgery today; one was heart-related and the other, eye. Hopefully, both will be successful. This time last week, another friend had cancer surgery.
Saturday, Feb 23 This morning is messy with snow on the pass, but sunny and very windy here. At the airport 5 miles south, our gusts were recorded up to 37 mph the past hour, during which there were 30 mph sustained winds. The temperature has gone up to 47°. For brunch, John fixed an omelet, bacon, and a piece of his bread/toast. He is now busy shelling Carpathian walnuts from last fall’s harvest, while I finish with this blog writing. I’m working on computer projects, mostly the newsletter. It is almost ready to distribute but I have to create a mailing list so I don’t send it to someone twice, and I have a record of whom I sent to. Keep your eyes open to receive a notice soon. I’m making one last addition to our landscaping earth and rocks link. Then, I can return to recording tax receipts. Will finish this now for distribution tonight, when many of you are used to receiving it.
Hope your week was great.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan