Sunday, Sept 28
John left this morning at 6:40, stopping for gasoline at the I-90 exit at the Love’s Travel Stop, for $3.69/gal (still commonly called Pilot’s in EBRG). He was gone all day working on trail at Franklin Falls.
This is a lovely short trail close to Seattle and frequented by many people. Our friends from 1988, Alli and Paul Martin, sent John this photo of their two daughters, Georgia and Liz at the end of the trail. John has been working at the beginning of the trail, near the parking lot, not within view of the falls, but he has walked up there in the past. The last couple of hundred feet is a scramble along a rock face. Then there is a nice gravel bar and the plunge pool. Fixing this short section is at the talking stage – likely to be done by a contractor. (click to make big)
Georgia and Liz Martin at Franklin Falls
Just west of the parking lot for the Franklin Falls trail, a new trail to the camp ground is being carved out of the forested hill side. This is John removing a root.
Behind him, in a dug-trench, large rocks are being placed – making a rock wall – behind that smaller rocks topped with gravel will make the tread.
Rascal was gone a lot one night and morning and finally came back limping on his back right foot. It was swollen and appeared to be an injury that had scabbed over, but then possibly abscessed. It was the weekend so I didn’t want to have an after-hrs vet call. I tried putting an ointment on it, and it seemed to make it soften and drain, after he kept licking it. Today, it was not as swelled. It had a slight discharge, but I put a Kleenex on it, and it appeared to be clear liquid, not pus. He’s not limping as much. I didn’t have any small antibiotic pills and no triple antibiotic cream. He’s eating and sleeping a lot, and only going outside a little (probably only to potty, because he returns soon after leaving through the doggie door).
Now, to update you all, as we know more results from this weekend. Photos thanks to Alice Benoit and Karen Barrows. Daisy (in the photo), is my co-owned (with Jeri Conklin) female named Cedaridge Kip’s Camelot Shay Tre’ (Daisy, call name). The Tre’ in her name is associated with her being the 3rd Shay in our lines following our female, DC/AFC Sirius Sashay, and Cedaridge Legacy of Shay. With Roy Stockton handling Saturday, Daisy won 1st place (1 amateur point) in the Amateur Walking Derby at the NCBC trial in Corning, CA. Sunday, Paul Doiron handled her to a 2nd placement in Open Derby. We haven’t yet heard about that run and bird work.
Enjoying attention on the stakeout chain.
Displaying her Cedaridge smirk, but it can become a wider grin (of happiness).
Daisy on point of a bird under the bush in her winning race.
Daisy from my birthday 9-1, running at the Oregon Brittany Club in Madras.
On a roll this weekend, her brother, Cedaridge Kip’s Tug Toy (Tug, call name), was at a show in Carson City, NV with his owner, Sonja Willitts, who also owns his father, Cedaridge Tri-tip Kip, out of our breeding. The mom of these pups is Jeri’s female, KWK Windswept Guinevere of Camelot (Ginny, call name). We’re happy to report Tug was awarded Best of Winners (5 pt major), 9/27; on Sunday 9/28, Tug won another 5 pt major (BOW). Yes, it was a fantastic weekend for all of us. Thanks to all people involved.
Sonja had a professional photograph taken yesterday for his first 5 pt major, but we won’t see that for a couple weeks. This was taken by Kevin Willitts (note below on Thursday, Oct 2 for two links to see Kevin in action as a veterinarian working on Cinder, the bear badly burned in WA). When Sonja got home from the last show, at my request she displayed his ribbons and sat his dad, Kip, beside her. NOTICE, the Digital Photo Display on the table at center-left. That is Sonja in a show photo with the judge and ribbon for a 3 pt major on Tug’s great, great, great, great, Uncle (Whispering Tic) in 1979 with from our 1977 breeding in Idaho. That’s when I first met Sonja, and we have been good friends for 37 years now.
Monday, Sept 29
Decided to follow-up on a continued billing from 2 different publishers for a renewal (at a higher price), and a special rate for welcoming us back. We never left getting the Smithsonian magazine, which we have enjoyed for over 40 years. I made a phone call to the place we always got it for $12 for students and faculty members and found out our last subscription through them was in 2009. They apparently lost their contract for a time, but got it back when customers started complaining about the higher charge from a Publisher’s place in VA, who keep calling and bugging us. Last time they renewed us when the $12 one was not available was at $16. Now it is up to $29.95. I had called a year ago and found out the $12 was now available from our old place, so I knew I would renew through them. When I said that recently to the VA based firm, they lied to me again and said they were not carrying it. The name of the organization we prefer has changed their name to College Subscription Service, but it is in the exact same location with the same phone number. I have a direct line to a person who has served us for years. It is now subscribed at $12 and we will be notified next week on our email. The VA place called again, when I was gone in town, and John told them they would have to talk with me. When I was sick this service started their subscriptions through them, after calling John. Now we are finally out from under their painful marketing practice, I think, with the next phone call I get from them.
The rest of our day included inside and outside chores.
Tuesday, Sept 30
We went to Howard’s Medical Supply in Selah (wrong, it was the one in Yakima that no one told me was the location), so I was a little late for my appointment. We left our house at 9:00 a.m. for an appt 9:45 with Arleen Lommers (in the business for 20 years advising CPAP users on equipment setup). I took some tomatoes to Starla the receptionist there, who is from Ellensburg. In addition, I took along my freely given Respironics CPAP machine (which had originally been bought from them), and they gave me a new smart card with the proper air pressure (8) to use as a backup unit for travel. John and I went through the introduction to the machine and mask prescribed by my sleep doctor, Dr. Kumar, from the results of my two sleep studies. Through Medicare, this machine will be rented for 13 months to keep track of my progress every 3 months, and get new parts during the contract. Philips Respironics also make the newer machine, but it is a model that’s lighter, quieter, & better in some ways.
Finally, we left for Selah for the 9:45 appt. Got there right on time, but it was the WRONG place. They have two medical supply stores, and we guess this was the original one, but they expanded to a larger facility on 16th Ave in Yakima (north end of town). We got back in the car and took off. My appointment lasted about an hour and we were showed aspects of the machine and mask. The respiratory therapist programmed its settings to the doctor’s specifications for me. She explained everything to us (except how to make those settings), demonstrated, and answered all my questions. It is a Respironics REMSTAR Auto A-Flex, with a small SD card for the data collection. That will be good for my using free software, SleepyHead, and putting the SD card in my laptop, for viewing graphs and charts in color of the measurements made during my use. Every 3 months, I have to take that SD card to my sleep doctor’s office for them to see the results. The old CPAP machine’s card is larger and different, more the size of a credit card, and would not be accepted by my laptop. It has a heated humidifier (as does the old one). Both units have a Ramp feature; the new one is set for 20 minutes, starting at a pressure of 5. It has a System One humidifier that surprisingly costs more than the CPAP, maybe because I’m only renting the CPAP part. The machine is mine at the end of the rental (I believe). We did not hang around Yakima to go to Costco, but came on back to take care of things in the valley.
The rest of our day was full of going to the hospital in Ellensburg for a blood draw for my INR (3.0), then over across the valley for a couple hours to our friends’ orchard, where during heavy wind gusts, we picked a couple hundred # of apples — Gala, Jonagold, and Honeycrisp. They are mostly for us to freeze, make applesauce, and eat raw. We have given a few away, and likely will give some more to close friends. We did not pick as many as last year and will not deliver to the Food Bank or the Adult Activity Center.
On the way home, we delivered 6 macramé hangers to a family in Kittitas. She was thrilled, and it gives us a few less things to worry with getting rid of because of not having the room to use. If we had an enclosed porch we could hang them, but outside with exposure to sun and rain, the rope deteriorates. In 45 mph wind they move a lot.
Wednesday, Oct 1
Each week, Wednesday is Food Bank music and SAIL exercise class. I carried some tomatoes to a few folks. At the Food Bank, we checked the replaced chords on Froggy Went a Courtin’, and it was just fine. Our two sing along fellows absolutely love that song and harmonize enjoyably. This new sheet should be good for the larger group; Thursday’s Fiddlers and Friends.
Just home and beginning to check mail. We’re driving back to CWU tonight for a lecture and wanted to try to fix up my CPAP to use. Last night we didn’t bother trying to figure out where to put it and get it started properly and me fitted to its use. I was having trouble in the office undoing the left part of the nosepiece and had trouble resetting it back on as well. That concerns me when I have to get up during the night and reset in the dark, by myself. I know I will learn more as I use it. Since worrying about that, my friend suggested just leaving the headgear on and disconnecting the air hose. Why didn’t I think of that?
We went to IAF lecture to hear Paul Blanton, on the topic: “Arroyos in the Foster Creek Watershed.” The issue was rapid erosion of steep walled gullies after early settlers altered the land cover. His study site was to our NE, and just south of the Grand Coulee Dam. It was interesting and well done, but took a lot of time, and put us home late for dinner.
John tried a couple of things gleaned from the web to make our scanner work. What he tried didn’t work, but it will make copies. That will be okay for the changed music I need tomorrow. I don’t understand why it doesn’t use the scanner when copying, but that’s okay. It is late so he will search for a solution tomorrow.
Thursday, Oct 2
Music at Royal Vista. I took copies for all of Froggy Went a Courtin’ now completed, with corrected chords. Pretty good turnout of players. John was the produce man at the end and we shared small tomatoes, larger ones, and some blemished (won’t keep long type) apples, which several people just ate in the parking lot. The blemished we are giving freely for people wishing to make applesauce, freeze for apple desserts, or dry some.
I need to see if I can get my CPAP machine ready to go tonight. I was unable to accomplish it, again tonight. It needs to be lower than my sleeping position (according to the user manual I had to read through before using the machine). The Respiration Therapist never mentioned that to me.
Instead, for the last blog entry tonight, I will share a report from my friend Sonja Willitts about the female bear from Washington’s Methow valley wildfire this summer. Her hubby Kevin is the vet in charge of the bear, Cinder.
Click the following to see: Cinder – link One
She sent that link yesterday and this link today. Both are worth the watch. Today’s is a slightly different link to another story about Cinder. Cinder — link Two
Friday, Oct 3
When John came in last night from his yard work in the pasture, he neglected to close the gate again. We received an early morning call from our neighbor that our horses were in the road. He managed to get by them and turn around to herd them back toward our driveway. He called on his cell phone, and John went right out with a pan of grain. He shook it and the younger horses came in the driveway, thinking they would be rewarded. Ebony, the oldest horse, was a little slower coming but it was for her anyway. So, John closed the gate and came on back down the drive. All the horses returned to their pasture. That botched up our morning plans, but we were extremely grateful to our neighbor for his notification and assistance.
Worked all day on chores, including trying to unload stuff near where I sleep to put up my CPAP unit. Maybe tomorrow. I think I will work to get it set up and try it during the day, in the daylight when I can see the dials and figure how to connect and disconnect my mask.
For dinner tonight, we had fall-apart all day Crockpot-cooked large beef roast, with fried mushrooms, our cherry tomatoes, and golden deep-friend onion rings, made from our Ailsa Craig large sweet onions–better than any Walla Walla or Vidalia onions, I assure you.
John found new ideas for fixing our scanner problem on our Epson all-in-one printer. YIPPEE. Replacing a thing called TWAIN (communications protocol that regulates communication between software and digital imaging devices) worked. The word TWAIN is a backronym used in the early 1990s to reflect the difficulty, at the time, of connecting scanners and personal computers. The official website notes that “the word TWAIN is from Kipling’s The Ballad of East and West — ‘…and never the twain shall meet…’ [The backronym is: Technology Without an Interesting Name.] I wanted the scanner for the music preparation I have to do, and other record keeping paperwork for bills and medical records. Last night he spent an hour downloading new drivers and installing them, but it did not work. Tonight he researched more on line and found some more suggestions to incorporate, but it required the long time of downloading again and the re-installation. This time it worked and we both can access the scanner (on our shared printer) through a wireless connection to both our computers.
Saturday, Oct 4
Excitement this morning the first 45 minutes up — with 12 wild (Merriam) turkeys in our front yard on the cement slab. I photographed and captured some interesting footage, first from inside the house, and then I actually walked out the front door and took more. Will have more evidence later when I process the pix and the videos. The two large males along last year are not with this group. Perhaps these are the offspring of last year’s 13 turkeys. This photo is of the ones mostly inside the fence to show the pretty vegetation colors. Red berries are on a Mountain Ash tree inside the fence, the edge planter has Marigolds, and the yellow tree in the distance is a Black Walnut.
Here is the link to see my video of the visiting turkeys heading over the fence. It is 12 seconds long.
Managed to wash the muddy work pants for John’s trip tomorrow to Franklin Falls, put up blackberries he picked a day or so ago, (4 small bags), added to a freezer bag and frozen. Emptied the double sink of dirty dishes from yesterday’s activities, and all this before my first cup of coffee! John made sure the turkeys had gone away and then took the dogs for morning exercise.
Today John packaged up several garbage bags of tin (aka steel) cans and aluminum ones. He also moved out many boxes of recyclable paper and trash from near our Culligan units, to allow access for a yearly maintenance visit Monday morning. I went to visit a neighbor and take her the last of our yellow squash and a few tomatoes. She is the one I mentioned last week as having started a pineapple plant, and I asked her to call me when this one bloomed out. I took my camera down and captured this for the record.
We managed to get the CPAP machine ready to blow for tonight. I have practiced with it in the daylight such that I hope once the lights are out I will be all right. Here’s my description sent to a friend with the same CPAP machine & mask type, who has been advising me about mine. I sent this at 11:11 p.m. tonight:
I said: I liked your advice about doing it in the daylight. I have my CPAP sitting beside me and it is hooked up but is making air sounds (intake and exhale) I don’t like when I breathe. John says I will get used to it, but I find it aggravating. I don’t know if music in the background would help or not. My ears are very good, maybe to my disadvantage with the CPAP. We’ll see if I can sleep. I need to clear my throat and cough, and it won’t let me. I need to blow my nose and can’t. The sound seems more to be coming from the machine but the other squeak is not as regular it seems to be coming from the right side of my nosepiece.
I just re-ramped it to lower the pressure. I had tried earlier typing on my laptop and it didn’t work well because it’s difficult to see around the nosepiece and head straps. I’m glad I don’t wear glasses. Before I go to bed I usually put gel or drops in my eyes because they dry out (with my intraocular lens replacements for cataracts–successfully in since 1997). Such “liquid” input to my eyes causes me to have either to blow my nose or clear my throat. My other complaint is the constriction of my forehead. I truly don’t like the fact I cannot wipe my eyes or access them, with all the facial nosepiece headgear on.
Okay, here I go to set up for the night. I will give it the best try I can.
Sunday, Oct 5
John left at 6:40 for another Franklin Falls WTA trip.
I stayed in bed, trying to get some sleep after an absolutely horrible first night’s experience on the CPAP machine.
Here’s the story. I finally last looked at the clock at 11:32 p.m. I don’t know how long it took me to fall asleep. Perhaps my SD card will tell me. I had difficulty getting pillow support under my head with the mask on. I felt it was too tight, but didn’t want to try to adjust in the dark, after it had been fitted by the technician. The other problem I had was the back heavy felt-like cloth piece getting in the way of my comfort pillow (under my neck for support). I had interrupted “sleep” for the next 3 hours, and finally took the head apparatus off at 3:30 a.m. and got up to go potty. I had severe neck muscle pain on my right side, pressure points on my forehead, and pain on the lower back part of my both sides of my skull. My discomfort level was high, and my head ached probably from lack of decent sleep. I was cold and had to put on a sweatshirt. Once to the bathroom I noticed a red splotch and indentation in my forehead, so I got my camera and took a “selfie” to show to my sleep doctor and my CPAP technician. I hope you can see the red spot (and indentation) I’m pointing to on my forehead.
I believe I will try resetting the Velcro “pressure” on the top headpiece and try again tonight. Meanwhile, early this morning, I shut off the machine, and went back to bed to attempt to get rested. I was not feeling well at all. Last glance at the clock was after 4:00 a.m. At 6:10 I awoke with John’s alarm and stayed awake to see him off and then went back to sleep. I cannot believe how long I slept–until 10:55 a.m. That is very unusual for me, so I must not have gotten good sleep from 11:30 to 3:30 last night, and caught up with my normal 7 hours of sleep.
After readjustment tonight, if the mask gives me problems, I will switch to the different mask that came on the free CPAP machine given to me. That mask seems less intrusive and I saw an example on the demo shelf in the Medical Supply place next to the one I was fitted with. I also have heard from John’s brother and several others that sometimes a person must go through different style or sized masks to find one that works well. Makes sense – we have different faces, don’t we?
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan