Invitations, music, rain, doctors, cars, food, geology, food, awards
Sunday, May 26
The new week started with a little rain. John’s back in after morning yard chores. I’ve been working on things on the computer and in the kitchen. He’s back out in the garden planning to be in for lunch (rest of the last apple from the Honeycrisp purchase awhile back, with the remaining chili). After that, I will be off this computer and dealing with things in the room, needing sorted. {Never got there.} Email from Joel Andress’ son about the planned celebration of life in Quebec this coming Sept 14. I was invited, but don’t expect to make the trip. I would rather see people while they are alive and remember good times together. Party music started up again across the creek. Broke for an hour, perhaps to eat the Luau dinner planned. Installed a program to convert CDA files (from on a CD) to MP3 / WMA. It’s called ConverterLite. Puts track(s) into a folder on my MUSIC site on the hard drive. I moved two bluegrass songs from the Falderal String Band and Mariah Carey to jump drives to move to my car audio system. This is really neat. Party and loud music continues. I may get rocked to sleep with music. Actually it stopped right on the hour of 11:00 p.m. Either the band was only paid for that long, or the police enforced a curfew on the noise.
Monday, May 27
Happy Memorial Day –We did not start, as planned, by putting out flags at the end of the driveway today, because it was raining and still is. I’m very happy I was not scheduled to play music or go to anything at the park, outside, not under a tarp. I have, however, succeeded in spending several hours (really) off the computer going through boxes of stuff. Still haven’t gotten to things on the table yet, because I was making room to put more boxes for recycling items.
I finally wore myself out and sat back down in my recliner for awhile to check email. No one except John seeing the results would imagine the work that has been accomplished, and truly MANY more hours will be required to make a dent. It’s 4:00 and still raining. John’s buckets from the rooftop drip line are almost all full. Back on the computer to figure the route for tomorrow. Now to print out all the stuff from the backroom computer that is connected to our only printer. Now waiting for my bathroom heater to warm it. It’s 55 here outside and the back of the house is cold; no thermometer back there; just as well.
Tuesday, May 28
Started out very early to be in Yakima by 8:55 a.m. for an appointment with my cardiologist, who will be gone the months of June and July, so had to squeeze it in. He’s not really gone most of that time. The doctors take turns in the hospital and appointments are not made for them during that time. Usually another doctor or an assistant can be scheduled and they can be in touch with all concerned. There is a code word for that but we’ve forgotten what it is. Anyway, my next appointment is with a physician’s assistant named Scott. I met with him before (after an experience with one with poor bedside manner) and get to request who I want. Okay, then – back to our doings in Yakima: While there we’ll make 4 other stops for various reasons. Got some more paperwork in the mail today on the new blue Subaru. It is called Marine Blue Pearl. Took it and left it today for its protection to be applied to the paint job and to the upholstery. Pick it up tomorrow about 4:00. Will see my salesman about meeting him for a run through the audio system. NO.. I just realized, I cannot do that. We have to be back for the Yakima Canyon Geology lecture in EBRG no later than 6:30. So, I will put it off until Thursday morning, on a day when I don’t have to be back in EBRG until 1:30 for music.
We left at 7:50 a.m., arrived just 59 minutes later, filled out the required paperwork, had vitals taken, and the doctor got to me about 9:19, and stayed with us until almost 11:00, including an ECG. Interestingly, my doctor wanted an ‘electrocardiogram’ done and we have always heard it as an ‘EKG’ but he called for and ‘ECG’ – it’s cardio with a ‘c’, not a ‘k’ unless you use German. One of his med-school instructors insisted on the ‘C’ – we wonder if that person did not have a fondness for Germans? John and I were both hungry, but first had to drop off my car at the Subaru dealer several miles back down the road toward home, so did that and picked up a loaner car (a 2013 red Outback). That was a good thing, because I drove it the rest of the day, and compared to mine, I do not like the feel, the reach for various buttons, and the options different (and fewer) from the Forester. The salesman thinks some of these subtle changes will also make it into the newer Outbacks but they are not yet available. The Wall Street Journal claims the new Forester is selling as fast as they can make them and send them here. They are made in Ōta city, Gunma Japan, not the plant in Lafayette, IN. From there back to Big 5 (Sporting goods, with our 10% discount card, and John bought a new pair of leather work boots, sticker price of $80 {wink, wink}, but got for $34, which we’d seen in the weekly ad received by email. They seemed to have only one pair in each size. John wonders if a retail outlet ought to have more of some sizes and fewer of small and large extremes. We were hungry from only toast early for breakfast, so stopped a block down the street at a Burger King and got a chicken sandwich halved, fries, drink, and a cheeseburger. It was supposed to be a double cheese burger, but the cost matched what we were served so I let it go. From there to HAPO Credit Union to pay off our loan on the white 2009 Subaru –loan was at 4.5%. Chase Bank (via Subaru) made a 1.9% loan on the Forester so we paid the old one off and enough of the new one so as to not have to buy GAP coverage. Next we went to Costco where we had to follow through on our new upgrade to an executive membership that we paid for and started at the counter a week ago, when in there. We did that paperwork, presented our cards and information, and had our pictures taken plus filled in a new application (free for members) for an American Express card. Benefits from that include a percent cash refund on gasoline and on all purchases at Costco. Also, a cash refund at some restaurants (not the type where we normally eat). Previously, we could use our Costco business card to charge items, grocery and gasoline, but we never got any payback rebates. On through the store getting more dog and cat food, and a few other things. Except for needing dry cat food we could have skipped Costco – well, the sign on the way out suggests having a “very berry” sundae, and we did (it’s frozen yogurt chocked full of big strawberries in a sauce). Returned through EBRG, to stop at Super 1 Pharmacy for my new high test vitamin D pills I have to take for 20 weeks. It’s a weekly pill of 50,000 units!! After that, I go to 3000/day of OTC vitamin D. I wonder what causes Vitamin D to decrease in my body. Apparently, I’m not alone. My pharmacist says they fill a lot of such prescriptions. While there we had planned to get ice cream on sale, some of my Almond Breeze milk, and Red Baron all meat (4) pizzas on sale. The rear storage of the red Outback was packed for the trip home and we had already filled the cooler we took to Costco. We didn’t hit our driveway until 4:00 p.m.
Once home, John went out and worked in his garden (the new one) for several hours, and also ran/exercised the dogs (twice), the first shortened because of running into deer in several places. He’s fed the feral cats, and I fed the inside/outside one. Trying to catch up on emails and chores, but haven’t yet succeeded.
Wednesday, May 29
Another crazy day with Food Bank and SAIL (22 people in that class today!). Once home, I took care of a few things with vehicle registrations, paying the utility bill (we still have to turn in our meter reading each month–within a month or so, they plan to install a meter that will not have to be read and reported by us each month). I took a photo of John making wood-chip walkways in the new garden – this one between future corn patches. Chips came free of charge a few years ago. Click the photo for the large image.
Tonight is Nick Zentner’s talk. It was on the Yakima Canyon. Very fine presentation, as usual. We have been catching up on a few emails (and me on the jobs list), since arriving home. Now it’s time for a late dessert and going to bed.
Thursday, May 30 Today early morning, we drive to the Subaru dealer to pick up my new car from the garage where it got a special treatment on its upholstery and finish. I took along a few things to check out with the salesman about my new audio system. One thing was the USB jump drive, with MP3 files on it. (All went fine, and I have extended my listening abilities for on the road without a connection to a working radio station.) I no longer have to miss my 6 CD system on the old Subaru.
5th Thursday of month — means Mt. View Meadows today for fiddlers & friends. Today was particularly fun. Besides the residents of Mt. View, we were joined by 10-12 preschool students (who sat or reclined on the wood floor in front of us). They had been there drawing pictures to give to the residents. They introduced themselves to us and told us their ages (ranging from 4 to 6). We showed off to them and involved them in the presentation throughout. At Evelyn’s great suggestion, we each explained the instrument we play and explained something about it, and played a couple of notes. I learned something today too. What I had been calling a Tambourine, is actually a Timbrel, played by our oldest member (82), who used to play the Accordion. Then we played a few waltzes and some of the kids kept time to the music and enjoyed rocking back and forth. They were very cute and quite well behaved. They were there for an hour with us, and toward the end, a couple of boys sacked out on the floor. At the end when they had to leave, we asked for a favorite song, one little boy, Malachi, wished for Turkey in the Straw. As a group we don’t really play that, so a couple of us played a few notes of it. We asked if they knew She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain, but they really didn’t. Some sang along with us on simple things as, “I’ll Fly Away”, Oh Susanna, and I’ve Been Working on the Railroad. Their teacher had been singing along with us all the time on most songs. Evelyn suggested, You are my Sunshine, and one little girl on the end of the row who had been smiling throughout, was elated. She sang almost every word of the song, as did many residents and helpers in the room.
Here’s the funny for the day, which is causing us to make another trip to Yakima, tomorrow afternoon. Got a call late afternoon that they found the dog food and cat food in the loaner car, we got Tuesday, and forgot to take out!! So, tomorrow we need to drive back the 55 miles to the Subaru dealer to retrieve our animal food, and fill my car with gas while there, because the prices are 14 cents cheaper per gallon than here.
Friday, May 31
Scholarship luncheon and trip to Yakima, plus by the Leather Shop for a sheepskin cover fitting for my seatbelt, which doesn’t hit me right. Here’s what happened. Trip to town excellent, even finding a parking space in the shade of a tree not too far from the entrance to the new Student Union Recreation Center (SURC). Our scholarship luncheon was in the special boardroom with a huge mahogany table and leather chairs. John came along so we did not have to drive two cars to town – he usually only lunches with us at Christmas when he brings Pecan Pies. Today we had green salads, Focaccia bread with different toppings, and for dessert, some walnut-covered biscotti. We had nice conversations around the table. Only 8 people there today; usually a dozen. We always learn about all sorts of things going on around the campus. It’s still my finger on the pulse, which I used to thrive on from 1988 since I have been a member of this group, meeting for lunch every month, except over the summer. I was always the only faculty member in the group, so I had connections across campus with staff in many different situations, departments, and colleges.
From there we went to the local hospital for my blood draw (INR check for my Coumadin dosage). It was in an acceptable range (2.3) so I do not have to go back again for a month. On to Yakima to the Subaru dealer to retrieve our dog and cat food. From there to Costco, where we filled the new car with 14.9 gallons of gasoline, at $3.69/gallon. It is still $3.83 here in EBRG. Our temporary card couldn’t be recognized. So, we won’t get our 4% off until next time once we get the actual card. The bar code they gave us worked on Tuesday, but not today, for in the store, but never works out at the pumps. Oh well, we have been buying Costco gas for many years with no rebate. This will make up for it in the long run. Into the store where John bought Costco/Kirkland/San Jose beer. Funny how they make the producer put Kirkland (a Seattle suburb) on their stuff. I bought a set of 3 jump drives each 16 gigs, so I can put music on for playing over the audio system (through a USB port), for tripping. Very cool.
On back to the leather shop (our neighbors half mile away), to see about the seat belt sheepskin cover. We all decided that might not be the way to go, but instead to look for adjusters on line. I have found one that I believe will work well. It’s called a Heininger 1027 CommuteMate Seat Belt Strap Adjuster and comes two to a package. Now I just have to find the best price with added shipping or maybe a local source. I found one (new) on EBay for $7.99 with shipping included. I will search farther. Or, have John search, starting with what I have found. He usually is a better on-line searcher than I. He’s busy now making pecan pies for tomorrow. He has followed through and sees how it’s made and says he can create something that will work for nothing.
Those pies got done late, and we spent until after midnight on line with Rebekah who was chasing tornadoes in Oklahoma, and trying to find a place to spend the night after the “evacuation” of people from Oklahoma City with flooded streets (from the tornadoes nearby).
Saturday, June 1
Awakened early (7:00 a.m.) by a call from John’s sister to talk about cameras. She thought we got up early to take care of the animals. Not really, especially after such a long night. Sure, we were up at 5:00 but went back to bed for more rest. Today is the end of year Geography and REM potluck party and John made the Pecan Pies (his mom’s recipe) to take along. It’s not until 4:00 p.m. about 5 miles from our house, out in the country. This afternoon Rebekah sent a map showing where she and all the other chasers were at the time The Weather Channel (TWC) crew got tumbled by the tornado. She wrote: “Hmmm…according to my slightly stale spotter network icon, I was right next to Mike Bettes when they got slammed! In actual fact we never saw TWC and were . . . to the southeast…”
She then adds a graphic showing the surge of chasers to the south just after TWC cars got hit. All “trying to get out of the way” of the tornado.
We should all have such exciting times.
Hope your week was great.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan