A January Thaw – maybe

Sunday, Jan 4 John’s birthday, you already heard about in last week’s blog.

CPAP report. Reported figures. 7 hrs 56 min with AHI = 0.00

We finished the blog finally tonight just before dinner. I had intended to put some other stuff in on New Year’s eve, but guess I will just add to the end of the year 2014 greetings thing, when it finally does get published. It’s a nice little story about the meaning of the song Auld Lang Syne presented by Roberta Clark, one of the members of our group; in the second link we play it, accompanying her. I forgot to add to our 2014 greetings, so will add the links here:

Roberta Clark explains Auld Lang Syne

If you do not like the song, do not go to the next link.

A Few Playing Auld Lang Syne 12-31-14

We had a couple of telephone and email contacts for John’s birthday. Thanks for the good wishes, and for the postal cards as well.

Today, we received a call mid-day from Jeri Conklin that Daisy took a 4th of 22 in the Open Derby, at the Sahuaro Brittany Club field trial in Sonoita, AZ. That’s nice. Tomorrow is the show for the futurity, and Jeri broke a bone in her wrist, so Robin Tomasi will be showing her instead.

Tonight John made a feast of all leftovers (except for the eggs). He made a thing in the oven, with cheese, potatoes, onions, pork, chicken, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and I added Salsa to mine. Roasted cheese always seems special.

Monday, Jan 5

CPAP report. Reported figures. 7 hrs 39 min with AHI = 0.39

I stayed home today to work on contacting people about bills, computer problems other concerns, such as music for Thursday’s group, making an appointment in Yakima with medical supply place about my CPAP 3-month changes and additions, and for adding John to the toenail trim visit in a couple of months; it’s here in town and covered by Medicare at a foot doctor’s office and he does it, not an assistant (so that’s nice, and good that Medicare covers it).

I wrote a letter of evaluation for a former student for entrance to law school. Time-consuming but happy I’m still around to be able to help.

I worked on finishing the music plans for KV Fiddlers & Friends, and sent a reminder message about playing at Rehab this week (which later was cancelled by them because of illness concerns with the upper respiratory germs in the valley).

I’m working to finish the music repertoire additions for January, February play dates at assisted living and retirement homes: The Quilting Party, Green, Green Grass of Home, Angel Band, Heart of my Heart and Smile Awhile. I must print a master of the lyrics so I can print out copies to get John’s help in adding to the end of a combination of two packets used last year. These booklets, we give to the residents for them to follow along singing.

We had a call from Jeri that Daisy did not place in the show ring at the Futurity. Sad, as she surely looks nice to me. Thank you, Robin Tomasi (from Idaho), for showing her when Jeri’s wrist was not well with a broken bone.

Tuesday, Jan 6

CPAP report. Reported figures. 5 hrs 39 min with AHI = 0.18

Still was working on the law school evaluation letter(s). Late today, I succeeded in getting the letter through the electronic system with my signature and fake letterhead for CWU on it, submitted, and acknowledged. Phew. That was a lot of work. Nice thing is that the main Law School Admission Council in PA will take this one letter for the one applicant and provide it to the four schools where he is applying, relieving me from putting four letters into the mail, and re-writing text and addresses for each one.

I reached my service provider (Jason LaLanne at Complete Computer Services of Ellensburg & Wenatchee), and he’s helping me fix the html coding problem I am having. He will change it on their server, and it should be on line tomorrow, so I can start telling people it is there.

I spent a couple hours redoing paths on images, tidying up the text, uploaded it, and wrote him to remove the code span after around 18351 line to the end to remove the repeating garbage. He will rename the file as 2014Greetings.html, consistent with our convention in the past (see below for link).

Our temps were a heat wave yesterday 55 I think or maybe a little higher. Not so much today, but nice enough John could work outside and feeding horses and letting the dogs run seemed like summer.

The final news is the best of the day, week, month, and year!

Daisy (officially, Cedaridge Kip’s Camelot Shay Tre’ JH), my little dog down in CA won a 2nd place in a field trial that is important to Brittany breeders– the Western Futurity. She probably would have had first if she’d had one more bird. Her brace mate won it but they were neck and neck and both handled, ran, and hunted great. It was a Gun Dog event – judged as if the judges would like to have the dog for their own or use it for breeding because of the evaluation criteria of conformation and hunting abilities. Daisy, at the front at breakaway, started with what looks like all 4 feet off the ground.

Those were the top placing dogs, who just happened to be braced together.

Judge Ron Yospur, Peggy & Paul Doiron, Jeri Conklin, Judge Gil Hopper

American Brittany Club Western Futurity 2015

2- Cedaridge Kip’s Camelot Shay Tre’ JH
AKC: SR77249701, DOB: 4/13/2013
Breeder(s): Jeri Conklin
Sire: Cedaridge Tri-Tip Kip
Dam: KWK Windswept Guinevere Of Camelot JH
Owner(s): Jeri Conklin and Nancy Hultquist

Wednesday, Jan 7

CPAP report. Reported figures. 6 hrs 48 min with AHI = 0.15

Food bank and INR (1.4), SAIL exercise, and pay yearly AAC fee, $35.
A couple hours of time I spent after finding out at 5:30 p.m., the nursing home for tomorrow’s performance is closed because of illness. I was on the phone and on email notifying people.

That’s a low number for my INR that’s supposed to be between 2.0 and 3.0. The nurse asked all the normal questions, but I have not done anything differently – my dosage of Coumadin (blood thinner) was not changed and has correctly been taken for the past month. I have not changed my diet. I have not been on an antibiotic. I don’t know why the number went down, but I do know that if I had known that, I would have had more wine last weekend at the Raclette! Alcohol raises the INR. Hummmmph. I was not a happy person to hear that, nor that I have to go back in 2 weeks to recheck it. It’s bad enough once a month for the rest of my life. I would have loved having more tastes of my favorite White Heron wines… and the new one that is so unique (Amigne) – and tasty with citric overtones. Such is life.

We heard from a long ago friend and neighbor of John’s family in Clarion, PA whom we haven’t seen in 45 years since the reception after our wedding in 1969. She was just 7 or 8 at the time but remembers the reception and that the same week TV reports were airing of the first men on the moon, from Apollo 11. They raise smart kids in Clarion.

Our 2014 greetings finally got stored correctly, and are out there for anyone wishing to catch up. Much was already in the blog but there are some new additions. I have not notified many people yet that it’s there.

Copy and paste this next line into your browser; it should work:

www.ellensburg.com/nancyh/2014Greetings.html

Thursday, Jan 8

CPAP report. Reported figures.6 hrs 25 min with AHI = 0.00

We just spent an enjoyable 55-minute visit on the phone with Peggy, John’s sister, in Ohio, where it went to minus 3 and is continuing cold.

I’m not going to town today. Our play date was cancelled as I mentioned last night. I’m sorry people are ill, but I’m relieved I don’t have to go today. Besides the valleys of WA are thoroughly fogged in – up to about 2,500 feet. We are at 2,240 feet. The imagery from satellite is very interesting, revealing the shape of the valleys at the top of the fog layer. Where there are traffic cameras at the passes, they show sunny weather. Snoqualmie Pass is about 3,000 feet.

I have many projects to complete. One actually happened during our phone call when a call from my Dr.’s office in Yakima came in on my cell phone.

Time needed today on scheduling other things:
set up emeritus meeting (CANCELED) because only two could come.
hope to hear from Howard’s Medical supply about a trip down; heard it will be Jan 13 after my other appointment in Yakima. GOOD! Only took me 2 weeks to reach them to make arrangements.

Needing and obtaining health care isn’t for sissies.

Worked more on music for next week. Realized the version I had published of I’ll Fly Away has the wrong cadence, so I’m recreating that. Darn. I thought I was simply entering it to change one chord, and found it was not in there as printed previously, and I need it in the same timing as the trumpet and flute players – or it will not work. Always something.

This is a cool contact, from Budapest, Hungary —

Gary Lukatch on the left is my friend from high school in Atlanta, GA. He’s been a teacher there for years, now retired. On the right is my friend, Sonja Willitts, I’ve known since 1977, when we were in Idaho and she was 18. They are toasting a Pálinka, one of the national drinks of Hungary, a fruit brandy. I put Sonja and hubby Kevin (remember the burned bear cub’s Vet?) in touch with Gary when they were planning their trip to meet their daughter Casey and a friend to visit several different countries in Europe. Gary was extremely helpful to them on their plans, and then entertained them when they got to Budapest.

Friday, Jan 9

CPAP report. Reported figures. 6 hrs 44 min with AHI = 0.00

Friday was an uneventful day – at home, normal projects. We were going to drive to town for some grocery shopping, but that trip got put off. Thus, I did get the dishes and some of the kitchen cleaned.

Some more photos came in today from Jeri Conklin– I’ll share.

This goes back to Jan 4, and the one on the left back to June 2013, of her at 8 weeks of age. I thought you’d enjoy seeing Tre’ (Daisy) as a young puppy with ears flying on the run, and still showing the same trait, coming in on her finish of the run at the Sahuaro trial where she got a 4th placement. The thing around her neck with an antenna is a tracking collar that is allowed in AKC field trials now. {Click on image for a larger view.}

Saturday, Jan 10

CPAP report. Reported figures. 4 hrs 28 min with AHI = 0.90

Our fog has thinned near ground level and the temp is above freezing, and so the roads are good to go. John went to town for a few things. An Edwards Key Lime pie was on sale so we are having baked ham and potatoes for supper with strawberries on the pie. We tried this Christmas day at the neighbors and everyone liked it.
John is keeping track of temperatures in places where friends and relatives live. Cold is not good. In addition, he watches the live view from a camera on Cleveland’s water intake (crib) – about 3 miles out and looking back to the city. That part of the lake just froze this week but can break up and move around. At night about all you can see is the lit up city. Have a look here:

Cleveland from Lake Erie

By this time next week that part of the country should be experiencing
The January Thaw

Our friends in Marquette, Michigan haven’t had temps much above zero in recent days. It was minus 9 for most of last night, got to +12 today, and is down to 3 (at 8:45 pm – their time). Way down at the south tip of Texas the low tonight is going to be near 38. Here we expect about 28. John wants to move a dozen bales of hay from the shed to an old horse trailer down in the pasture. The ground has been soft but in the morning it will be hard enough to stand up to the tires moving over it. He says he’ll do that and then, like the cat Rascal, sleep the rest of the day.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan