Sunday, Dec 21 (Solstice)
CPAP report. Reported figures. 8 hrs 13 min with AHI = 0.12
SpO2 all in the nineties.
First, pictures of the initial use of the converted-from-pallets truck racks.
Right, shows some pieces unloaded and the driver’s side panel removed. Left, the uprights by the tailgate are removed and 3 unloaders (see John’s arm) are tossing wood from the truck into a shed. Delivered 5 miles away. Megan, in the green jacket, is a geographer at CWU, and an expert on pre-history fires and environments by the study of ash and debris in lake sediments. Where will the ash from the burning of this wood be in a thousand years?
What a great dinner John put together. We had marinated Copper River Salmon, probably 6 ounces each, baked to perfection, with fried mushrooms, sliced butternut squash, and pineapple slices.
Monday, Dec 22
CPAP report. Reported figures. 8 hrs 5 min with AHI = 0.00
Good night’s sleep, no events whatsoever. SpO2 in nineties, pulse fine.
We had an interesting brunch today. Baked potato with cheese, mushrooms, and pepperoni. We’ve been using a few things that have been in the freezer since ol’ Shep was a pup.
I went to the SAIL exercise class and while there, I delivered a box of Bingo cards I received free from the Buy Nothing site and knew the activity center would use them. They were thrilled.
I’ve even played a few times at the center, and the photo below was my winning card for the first game. This was a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research — with prizes for people dressed in purple, the color associated with it, as pink is for breast cancer:
From the class I came home with a half dozen eggs, a little summer sausage, a large potato, Science Diet carrier bag, with Science Diet doggie treats, provided by one of the members for everyone there. I went by the house of a friend to take some other things, and she returned a whole bag full of dessert items for Christmas. That was a huge surprise. Lovely sunny day – no White Christmas here, except in song.
Tuesday, Dec 23
CPAP report. Reported figures. 8 hrs 5 min with AHI = 0.00.
I found my tripod to clean and set up for photographing tomorrow at two music events. I’ve been working on a newsletter to get out before St. Patrick’s day as we did in 2013 for 2012. We skipped 2013 last year.
Wednesday, Dec 24 Christmas Eve
CPAP report. Reported figures. 5 hrs 17 min with AHI = 0.00.
At the Noon F.I.S.H. Food Bank lunch in the temporary facility, we had a good turnout; three of us played Christmas songs for the crowd, and then joined them for lunch afterwards. We had nice thinly cut roast beef, corn, potatoes (gone by the time I went through), salad, and a choice of two cakes. One was shaped as a Christmas tree. I wish I had taken a picture of it. I had my camera there too, on the tripod from where I filmed a few songs. John found a tiered cake on the web, but it’s not the same.
First, below, is a medley ending with Jingle Bells. The 17-minute video is on You Tube but you may wish to flip through to the last song, Jingle Bells that starts 14:15 minutes. Our group is missing our male singer who makes us sound fuller on the melody.
Winter Wonderland is taken at Food Bank 12-24-14. If you really want only one song, try this one:
http://youtu.be/Iq_s301XJ2Y
Winter Wonderland
From there on to Hearthstone to set up my tripod and camera again; I should have changed the battery, because the battery ran down before we finished. The best song of the day was Jingle Bells with all the audience on bells, and one of our players on tambourine, but it did not get recorded.
http://youtu.be/nQQmpI3VCgY
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The five links below are there for your choice. Click on the name of the song to take you to You Tube for our group, Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends.
Came home to a lot of stuff to do on the web, and still need to work on my 2014 seasons’ greetings letter. Tomorrow is Christmas and we are going two places to different old-timer families in the valley.
Thursday, Dec 25 Merry Christmas
CPAP report. Reported figures. 7 hrs 9 min with AHI = 0.14.
Went to Swedbergs (200 yards east) for ham, biscuits, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, and we took a Key Lime pie with our strawberries. Only a handful of people were there because of sickness. We left there directly for Orcutts (SE; 8 mi. by crow; 11.5 by road) and joined their large family for a dinner of turkey, dressing, gravy, many different casseroles, sweet potato soufflé, stuffed mushrooms, a lot more than I can list, and desserts. We ate some cookies and specialty items, and skipped the pie to come home at dark to feed the horses and kitties. John likes to get the patriarch to tell stories of early times, especially about working on the big dams – such as the Kerr Dam at Polson, Montana.
Above shows a major release of water following a big snow melt event.
John thought my music group might like to play, and the old timers listen to, a song that he knew a few words of from 60 years ago. When, how, or why he learned these lines is a complete mystery, but nevertheless he knew enough. John was searching on the web and found the real deal. Meanwhile, nephew Rod answered immediately with a performance by a dude with a guitar – and that family didn’t know about the song, but they did know it. Anyway, here you are: The Homecoming Waltz,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eMFof5Zupw
Rod supplied this one, title based on a grandfather:
Now I’ve contacted some old fiddlers to see if they have the music (notes & chords), and thus far the search has proved futile. Favorite Waltzes for Fiddle by Mel Bay supposedly has Homecoming Waltz, but it is the wrong one. This one below is the correct one played by the Wendinger Band:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmXvUNFInII
My musical abilities are not good enough to listen and write out the score, so I shall keep searching my favorite people with large music collections.
John says if the weather gets really crappy or very cold (he has dropped a few trees and is cutting firewood lengths for stacking), he can go to the City or University library and have a look in old song books.
Friday, Dec 26
CPAP report. Reported figures. 7 hrs 40 min with AHI = 0.26.
We went to LaBar’s home this afternoon, 4:00 p.m. for a visit with Rebekah, who was here the past two weeks from Wellington, NZ, where she is a meteorologist. Her sister Caitlin came over from Longview, WA, to spend time with the family. Rebekah invited Tony Abbott and his wife, Barbara Bredis. They were in town visiting her daughter and grandchildren. Tony taught in CWU Geography for a few years, before leaving for a job in Florida. He was also her professor as I was. We traded many stories and had a lovely visit.
Mom, Robin, made a great stew/soup from the beef father, John, raised, Barb brought a great dish of roasted veggies (carrots, parsnips, with walnuts), and a plate of Muenster cheese. There were two types of bread on the table. We took sweets: fruitcake, chocolate truffles, and some of Santa’s candy (made from cereal, cake mix, crushed peppermint pieces, and almond bark).
Saturday, Dec 27
CPAP report. Reported figures. 5 hrs 50 min with AHI = 0.51.
Up late until 12:40 a.m., awoke at 6:30 a.m. and went back to sleep without CPAP until 9:00 a.m., but kept oximetry recording, as I always do while sleeping.
John chased deer out of the way and then took the dogs around. The oldest one neither hears nor sees well but still wants to go. Dan, the male we brought up from our Oregon friends, is starting to have both his vision and hearing deteriorate, and if he fails to follow around a turn can swing through the “swamp” where there are dozens of smells – each requiring extensive investigation. During the afternoon (John outside), the sky had a tiny bit of rain and a tinier bit of snow. Between 8 and 9 tonight the ground got dusted and is 98% white. The Cascades are getting about a foot of snow tonight – not serious unless one intends to travel over them. We intend to stay home. The local weather folks are looking for single digit cold this coming week, and as far east as the Ohio River Valley some below zero. Stay warm.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan