Sunday, Jun 30
Finished the blog quite late for last week.
Monday, Jul 1
Started with 70s temperatures on their way to 97 today, and a morning rain. Helicopters have been flying over. John found a dead muskrat in the backyard, while mowing the weeds. I wish the cats would kill the Douglas squirrel that keeps squirreling away nuts in our insulation in the shed, and even in our truck engines. Maybe they did. We haven’t seen one lately on our bird feeder packing in the expensive black oil sunflower seeds. Then it rained, and then it started warming on my way to town. Yikes, just keeps going up. Now up to 100° at the airport just before 5:00. Not a good time to go outside yet to pick strawberries, or do anything else. John did put our new printer out of the package onto a bookcase near the counter and new computer. The bookcase is full of odd glassware, covered with a layer of grey dust because the front glass door was open a couple of inches for over 5 years, probably, even longer. Now 94° on our front porch (in the shade), John just left with the dogs for a “run.” Back fast; too hot; they only went up the driveway for the mail and paper. It went up eventually to 101 for the high of the day. Thank God for A/C.
We put up some of the strawberries and did a taste test between the Jewels and the Cavendish. No noticeable difference in flavor although the largest Cavendish are bigger than the largest Jewels.
Tuesday, Jul 2
I decided to stay home all Tuesday to try to catch up on things here. John will try to unload the gray horse trailer (we have two); it is larger, but has implement/attachments in it from the tractor. We need to drive across the valley for 2 tons of hay before the end of the month. We lost our hay source from 2 miles down the road, brought by Harobed, because the elderly owners sold and moved to town. They sold to a guy who co-owns the Ranch & Home store in town, and he just transferred all the hay there, where they can get twice as much selling it singly or a few bales at a time as they would have from 4-tons at a time customers.
I wrote that first paragraph last night. Now it is a new HOT day. Maybe John won’t feel up to emptying the horse trailer of heavy equipment. The temperature is already up to 85° at 9:00 on its way to another 101° today. However, the good news is that it is forecast to be cooling for July 4. I surely hope so. John took the dogs for their morning exercise, and while he was out, Rascal came in through the doggie door carrying on a long conversation — on and on, more than his usual announcement of entry — he was truly trying to tell me something. I followed him to the kitchen feeding station and showed him the melted lump of ice cream we’d left for him last night. Then he wanted fed canned cat food. Finally, he put himself to bed for the day. That’s been his plan, cat around at night, and sleep in a/c comfort during the heat of the day. Shortly, John returned from exercising the dogs. I told him about the conversation with Rascal, and he invited me into the backyard. At the edge of the patio in the newly cut grass, not too far from the dead muskrat deposited yesterday, was the body of the dead Douglas Tree Squirrel. This has made me very concerned about my powers of suggestion. I should put it to productive positive work to wish for health and happiness for my friends. (Note yesterday’s wish I made in the blog above, in case you missed it the first time through). I told another friend who said he was going to stay on my good side, for fear of my getting angry with him!
Glad I decided to stay home today. It’s up to 98 already before the hottest part of the day!
John came past the inside display of the outside sensor and saw it was 100.0o F. At 2:16 this area is shaded but it gets sun all AM onto dark wood and concrete. Also, note the (dry) 16%, relative humidity.
Thinking of cutting his hair, but had to rest from loading dishwasher and getting ready for the cutting. Just figured my volunteer hours (and mileage) for June. I’m down this month, and John has not done any WTA work yet this year. My June miles are 312.5 and 37.5 hours required. Last month was 44 hours and 354 mi., and April was much higher! 383.2 miles and 50.5 hrs. I have to keep track of each month and send my totals to the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) office here in town before the 5th of the following month. Just found out I cannot report the SAIL activity unless I’m a certified instructor, just helping with the music and assisting fellow classmates does not count as volunteer service. However, I can count all the hours for my music service around the community (but not for special in-house visits to shut-ins or others of that nature).
Received five more photos of the June 29 storm taken from the Wildhorse Wind farm west of town up near Whiskey Dick mountain. If you haven’t already received this link from me on email, then go check this out.
Interesting dinner tonight. Somehow through raging winds, John managed to grill a selection of meats: chicken, pork, salmon, and steak. We had a large amount, and leftovers for lunch for him tomorrow while I’m away. He uses regular charcoal and small pieces cut from branches of an apple tree. The apple wood smoke makes him think of a small fire at the front of a cave and makes him believe he grew up near the crest of the Tian Shan range in Kazakhstan.
Wednesday, Jul 3
Long day, but slightly cooler than yesterday. Down to 82 at 7:00 p.m. Went to a high of 89 today. I spent a lot of time working this morning on music, but got away in time to make it to the Food Bank before noon. It was very hot in there today, and even though I had on a short sleeve shirt, I got too warm. We played 1/2 hr and then had a fairly good lunch, made with pork chops and a southern battered recipe, rice, yellow squash, and cornbread, with lemon meringue pie for dessert. I ate too much for then going to exercise. I need to take a power nap, so believe I will do that while John searches for a missing wiring cable for our truck/horse trailer connection. It has been hooked into the truck for 15 years but was removed last year when we bought the old camper trailer. It was, of course, safely stashed where we could easily find it when required.
That above was written late afternoon.
Some of you heard my story about having a (self-diagnosed) mild heatstroke, but I will review it shortly here. I came back home late afternoon and was feeling lousy; finally decided I should try to rest and take a 20 min. power nap. I didn’t finally lay down until maybe just after 6:00, and then I slept, after telling John I didn’t feel like eating chili. I slept for almost 3 hours.
Wow… I think I got way too hot today at the Food Bank, (it was almost unbearable, and we also sit to play music in front of the freezers, which push out much hot air!) I rode in my hot car over to the AAC, parked across the street and down to get into the shade of a big tree. Once into the Senior Center I was tired and non-energetic almost the entire time. At one point I sort of stepped out of the circle to sit down, and Sandra (our leader) asked if I was okay because it looked as if I stumbled. I told her I just tripped over my imagination, but .. I guess I wasn’t all there.
Stopped by to pay a dental bill on the way home, and was out again in the sun for a short time. Came down the road by the Univ. and the wind was blowing hard. I was under big trees, and something hit the top of my car. I looked to see if there was a branch in the street behind me. Nothing. Continued on up to a Univ. parking lot and parked under the shade of a tree to check the top of my car. I cannot see the top of my car from the ground, so I climbed up on the driver’s side, grabbing the luggage rack, and looked. I saw nothing. My sun roof was still in one piece.
Upon reflection (when I awoke), I think I had experienced a “mini” heatstroke. Have to be more careful in this heat. For the record, if it is that hot in the Food Bank Soup Kitchen next Wednesday, I will not be able to stay and play. I hope they will consider setting up a fan to blow on me.
I hope with the 4 July party tomorrow on the 5th at the Adult Activity Center where we also are playing music, with all the people coming and heat from the kitchen while making food, that the staff at the AAC will turn the air-conditioning to cold.
I was drinking (water) the whole time. I had a glass in front of me at the Food Bank, and I had my own along to carry around 20 ounces in an insulated carrier with a strap, for the exercise class. I know all about not getting dehydrated!! I put the strap around the back of my chair and take a swig often. I have always been susceptible to heatstroke since I was a kid and had two (one at the beach eating watermelon), so until this day I’m averted to the stuff, and another time diving from a high dive at the Oglethorpe Hotel on the road to Savannah Beach, swimming pool. No joke. Guess the water has to be ingested, not just on the outside of your body. I think once a heatstroke, there’s always the possibility for a re-occurrence. In addition, there are all the medications I’m on, which request me not to be in direct sunlight for very long. John has read also that people with heart problems are more susceptible.
Two interesting stories in our local paper tonight, the Daily Record.
KITTITAS COUNTY Hiker found on Manastash Ridge
Kittitas County Sheriff’s deputies along with emergency medical personnel and civilian ground crews found a hiker who went missing after leaving a trail to get her dog Wednesday, according to the sheriff’s office.
The search began at 9 p.m. on the Manastash Ridge Westberg Trail after the hiker, 19-year old Melanie Swanson of Ellensburg, was reported missing by fellow hikers. Rescuers eventually found Swanson, who was in and out of consciousness after apparently falling down an embankment. Crews packed her out and she was transported by ambulance to KVCH Hospital for treatment.
Update: the dog is still missing. Our friend Ken, who lives at the base of the trail saw the dog this morning, but it ran away back to the hill, probably looking for its owner. He called the number of the person to contact, and several people came looking for the dog, to no avail. The girl who fell is still in Intensive Care. No update reports on her condition or if the dog was located.
STORY TWO: from the Daily Record.
Woman rescued from the river – found unconscious by people in a passing canoe
A woman may have drowned in the Yakima River Sunday afternoon if not for two people who found her unconscious while they were canoeing, according to a news release from the Kittitas County Sheriff ’s Office. Amy Thorpe and Patrick Gonseth of Yakima were canoeing downstream from Big Pines Campground in the Yakima River Canyon when they found an unconscious woman, Brandi Leingang, 27, of Yakima, with no life jacket lying in the water and hung up on a patch of rocks.
Leingang’s feet were pointing downstream and her head was propped up on the rocks just enough to keep her mouth and nose out of the water. The woman started to show signs of consciousness after they pulled her into their canoe. They then paddled upstream for about 20 minutes to get back to the boat launch, where they asked someone to dial 911. A Bureau of Land Management employee arrived on scene, followed by a Kittitas County Sheriff’s deputy and EMTs from Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue.
Lucky to be alive
Friends floating the river with Leingang could not say how or when she fell into the river due to their level of intoxication. In the release, Kittitas County Sheriff Gene Dana said Leingang was lucky to be alive. “Thorpe and Gonseth are both lifeguards and Thorpe is the coach of a Yakima area swim team,” he said. “Too much alcohol and no life jackets is a classic recipe for a tragedy.” [John says word has gone out on the internet recently that women are smarter than men. Really! Search for it.]
Thursday, Jul 4
Decided after my “mild” heatstroke yesterday, not to go do anything today that might expose me to heat, so we cancelled the planned trip to George, WA for the annual 4 July concert in the park, with free cherry pie. We told you about that last year, and meeting our friends there. This is an interesting comment from Celia, my neighbor, who cuts my hair, shared this via Facebook. She lives only a mile around the long rural block. She says:
So we went camping because our air conditioner was broke & had to wait on part. Turn on the gas refrigerator in the trailer & it started smoking!! Come to find out part is on the recall list. Well that’s ok, we have a generator. This morning pull rope assembly broke. They say things happen in 3s. Ok I’m done now, I hope!!
Today has been filled with non-exhaustive, but some very frustrating, chores. A few clean dishes unloaded and a stack of rinsed ones set by to reload the dishwasher. We cleaned up about 2.5 pounds of strawberries, and froze most of them, except what we will eat tonight. We have worked for a while unpacking the new printer (required un-sticking an amazing amount of little blue plastic tape strips), starting the beginning process of loading ink cartridges, paper, and then installing the drivers. It took a long time, probably a couple of hours, and we have it recognized on John’s computer, but not yet on mine. Oh–I think I know why. His probably has to be turned on for me to access the printer. No, that was not it. I had to reload again from the CD, and do it differently. Third time was a charm, but didn’t happen until 10:00 p.m. after we’d had dinner.
Also, a couple hours ago, one of our neighbors (not sure which), began celebrating that sound like cannon ball explosions. Huge booms, no popping or whistling. It was still light, so no idea if there were displays in the sky or not. This could be a long night, with noises such as this and usual fireworks, for we have two dogs that intensely dislike them. Makes no sense, considering they are bird dogs – except we haven’t been working them that way recently. Now we wonder if we can eat dessert and go to bed, or if we need to wait until midnight to calm the dogs. Right now things are quiet, but we had about 6 of the loud cannon blasts go off before dark.
The good news is I can print wirelessly through the new printer, as can John. This is really cool. Only thing I have to do is turn it on before I can use it. I hibernates itself when left for a while (haven’t found out how long yet).
Friday, Jul 5
Began my day trying to locate the phone number of the transfer station here in town. It took calls all over the US, to find out I could have looked under Kittitas County for the local number in our phone book, and not “waste management” or “transfer station” (Ellensburg, WA) on the Internet. Jeez. They are open today until 4:00 p.m. (Tues-Saturday, 8 to 4), so we will worry tomorrow with the recycle stuff and the dump stuff). John unearthed more boxes of junk while looking for the missing part to the trailer brakes, which has not yet been found.
Today, we go to town to start eating at a July 4 celebration on the fifth! at the Adult Activity Center, where we begin eating hamburgers, hot dogs, and all the fixings at 11:30, and then have trumpet music at noon for 20 minutes, followed by some of our Kittitas Valley Fiddlers and Friends group. Last night we only expected a few guitars, one fiddle (mine), clarinet, and timbrel, plus singers. I put together a master copy of the lyrics printed in large print, and run off (by the Sr. Ctr) for the audience to sing along on our songs, which included: America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee), America the Beautiful (Oh beautiful for spacious skies), Battle Hymn of the Republic, God Bless America, In the Good Old Summertime, Home on the Range, Oh! Susanna!, Yankee Doodle Boy (I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy), You Are My Sunshine, Red River Valley, There’s a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere, This Land is Your Land, ending with the Star Spangled Banner sung acapella. There will be many flags around to stand up and salute. There’s even one on the hat I’m going to wear, and my blouse looks like part of a flag, with stars and stripes. A couple of years ago, I wore it, and an old veteran I have known for a decade came up to me, saying, “I don’t know whether to salute you or raise you up the flag pole.”
I was very surprised to see the turnout of people to play in the group. We ended up with 2 fiddles, 4 guitars, 1 mandolin, 1 viola, 1 bass fiddle, 1 clarinet, 1 timbrel, and singers. We had an audience of 106 people, and they participated, singing with every one of our songs. It was very neat and many good voices made it inspiring. The last song was the Star-Spangled Banner and was sung Acapella. I gave the beginning note, and our bass fiddle kept the beat. No one else played an instrument. We got home mid-afternoon from a successful party. The food was hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, and all the fixings. Burgers prepared for public places have to be cooked until they are “safe” – meaning they are tough and dry. These were. It helps to toast the bun, have cheese melted on the bun, and have a nice ripe tomato slice. None of that happened. Oh well. Several people brought additions (salads, fruits), because it was held at the same time as the usual first Friday of the month potluck. Ice cream bars for dessert. All’s well that ends well.
Everyone in the room stood up, saluted the flag, and sang. They all knew the words (we had not put them in the packet). Some folks thanked us and said the last brought tears to their eyes. I am happy the music was a success. We don’t have any pictures as we have in the past, and we were scrunched at one end of the building, on the floor, and not on a stage as in the building where we have performed in previous years.
Saturday, Jul 6
Day of the junk removal did not happen. Instead, John picked raspberries early, and they still have to be prepared. Then he picked strawberries, which we have put away. Did some house cleaning and other chores on the web. We may get this posted tonight. One last report. In recent blog reports, I neglected to put in pictures about our “new” puppy. I did mention her name, however. Here’s a little more of the story: We now have her registered with the AKC as Cedaridge Kip’s Camelot Shay Tre’. She was the only orange and white one in the litter. She will be staying in California, with Jeri Conklin, the breeder and co-owner. Jeri is a great friend to make this offer. We cannot bring another Brittany into our household now, and she is able and willing to campaign her in show and field (hunt test) events in her area. Physically, I’m not yet able to do such work (and maybe never will be). She bred her dog, Ginny, to Kip, a tri Brittany from our breeding, and a full brother to Cork, who we lost to a heatstroke in 2011, while finishing up his Dual Championship with a field trainer in PA. His name was Ch. Cedaridge Vintage Cork. Then, his sister (Cedaridge Vintage Rousanne) two years younger, had one litter in 2010, when I came out of the ICU. We lost her ability to carry on our lines, by mammary tumors in 2011, which required her to be spayed. We started our lines in 1977, and hated to see them eliminated so close in proximity.
The new pup’s father is Cedaridge Tri-tip Kip and he lives with our friend Sonja Willitts in South Lake Tahoe. Sonja’s experience with our Brittanys goes back to 1977 (the first litter we bred). She was only 18, and got a nice liver dog from us that she named Whispering Tic. We became fast friends in Idaho, going all over the Pacific NW to shows and field trials, with Tic, and his sister I kept, Jigsaw. Sonja is keeping one of the liver males (Tug), and Jeri is keeping another liver male (Jessie). Here are some photos for you:
Hope your week was great.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan