Sunday, Mar 8
John and Chantelle took off early to work on the Poo Poo Point Trail, on Tiger Mountain, near Issaquah, WA. (218 mile round-trip for John).
Remember recent blog discussion of the history of the name of the Poo Poo Point Trail? It was related to the sound of the whistle on the (steam-powered) Donkey engine.
Historical Digression:
John says:
The linked-to article mentions wire rope, also called a cable. You can read about that at this wire-rope page. Lots of history can be learned by following the wire-rope story. Being from Pennsylvania we learned of the cross-State canal and Allegheny Portage Railroad. John Roebling of suspension bridge fame was involved. For those interested, here is a starting link.
Map and drawings are here.
Many years ago I (John) stopped along the route of the inclined rail section. There wasn’t much to see but I was impressed by the native grape vines climbing high into the trees. We did not have wild grapes in the part of PA where I was raised, on the west slopes of the Alleghenies, often called the Allegheny Plateau. (Calling it a plateau makes no sense. But they didn’t ask me.)
~~~~~~
Back to Nancy:
I accidentally found this link, a Steam Whistle On Compressed Air. I looked further and found 3 minutes of actual Yarder logging with 2 steam whistles being used, the loudest from the log uphill puller. View Yarder Logging
We now have before and after photos of the wet spot on the trail where WTA volunteers have been working. Unfortunately they are from opposite directions. Thus, note the tree just behind the blue-vest on the left photo. To the right of the tree and the man’s feet you can see puddles, rocks, and branches – all in a mixture of wet clay and decayed vegetation. In the right side photo: that same tree is on the right, opposite Chantelle whose right foot is in the ditch dug to drain the seepage away from the trail. After all the muck was removed the space was filled with rocks with large ones along the edges. Buckets of mineral material were “zip-lined” to the site and packed as the tread. Ferns were brought from the forest and planted along the sides of the path. This is a high rainfall area and plants grow thickly. By summer’s end the trail’s sides will have lush growth covering the disturbed soil.
John worked at this spot for 2 Sundays with others. He was up-trail for this day working with 3 others. Chantelle worked with the crew putting the rock base in, then the mineral top tread, and revegetating the sides. These stories always seem unfinished – it would be nice to have a photo of the site in a couple of years, but the probability of that is real close to zero.
Monday, Mar 9
For Mar 8, CPAP report. Reported figures. 6 hrs 41 min with AHI = 1.20 Events: 8 H, 1 CSR, No major mask leaks (max=13 L/min), after the SpO2 was added, 8 hrs 39 min, with AHI= 0.93 I’m still unclear on the calculations for AHI.
More medical stuff for us and some merriment too — we both went to the foot doctor for toenail care (covered by Medicare every 3 months). From there for my Protime blood test; INR=2.9, with no required changes in dosage. On to a surprise happy 89th birthday party for Lorene Swedberg. Son Ken picked her up at Royal Vista (rehab, where she is recuperating), telling her he was taking her for a Reuben sandwich (her favorite). She was surprised to find 10 long-time friends and relatives from the valley there to celebrate. Pretty neat.
Tomorrow we take off for another medical issue in Yakima. John will go along to be my trusted assistant to discuss my “condition” with the cardiologist. This one is my “other” cardiologist, the one who will do the upcoming surgery on me. He’s the one who replaced my previous doctor who retired in 2012. My ICD unit will be 5 years old June 1, and will be needing a new battery inserted before the end of the year (maybe a bit later). My regular cardiologist has been pushing for some time to have an additional one or two wire leads inserted into my heart. He feels it will make my heart pump more synchronously on the right and left sides, and that my “weaker” heart parts (as displayed on the numbers of different tests), will be improved and cause my heart to function at a better efficiency to get blood to my vital organs. Mind you, I feel fine and do not experience any of the symptoms associated with a “bad” heart (shortness of breath, pain, atrial fibrillations, etc.), but if they have to replace the unit, then that’s the time to have it all done. I realize I have an artificial pig valve replaced for one of my own, but my cholesterol, blood pressure, and pulse are all okay too. I do know my regular cardiologist wishes to raise my pulse into the sixties all the time. During sleeping it does drop into the 50s. That doesn’t sound real low except that it isn’t as efficient as an average healthy heart.
If I have the extra wire(s) added, it will be more of an operation, requiring an overnight stay. Of course, my preference is just to replace the battery and not have to have the surgeon mess with finding a way through veins (one for each lead) to reach both left and right chambers of my heart.
Tuesday, Mar 10
For Mar 9, CPAP report. Reported figures. 8 hrs 3 min with AHI = 0.12 Events: 1 H, 1.5 CSR, No major mask leaks (max=7 L/min), when SpO2 added, 8 hrs 43 min, with AHI= 0.11
We left very early (8:15 a.m.) for town. First, I drove to Carl’s JR for 2 special sausage-egg-cheese biscuits), which we carried to our CWU-retirees meeting at Hearthstone. On the way there we stopped for gasoline at a better price than in Yakima ($2.36). All prices are up now. Then off to the meeting of most of the Emeritus Geography profs from CWU. We had a brief tour before others arrived of the two-bedroom apartment of our friends Jim & Lillian Brooks. Another couple of geographers, Mary Ann & George Macinko, have the only other 2-bedroom apartment in the complex. Jim & Lillian have assisted living help there too, but still have their home with the possibility of returning to it when they are better. John and I walked back to the meeting room to eat our breakfasts, awaiting the others. We had a good visit with 7 folks attending, until almost 11:00 a.m., when our room was being given over to a bible study group.
John (driving) and I left for Yakima, taking the canyon road (rather than the Interstate). Your choice of Canyon images here.
The green is beginning to show, and it was a lovely sunny day for the drive at 45 mph, so we got 41 mph/gal on the trip down. Looked for, but did not see, any Big Horn sheep on the hills, as often one can. We stopped at Fred Meyer to use two $6.99 coupons to buy some Almond Roca of that exact price. We were both surprised there was no tax.
On to the Yakima Heart Center a few minutes early for my 12:40 appt. Without a wait, we were ushered back to the office for vitals. My blood pressure was good 120/70 with a 60 pulse. I’m sure driving the canyon road as a passenger was helpful. Shortly, the doctor (Dr. Dao Pham) came in, and we met for over an hour. John and I had a bit of trouble following him and understanding things today. It was a little confusing. I think the essence was that he did not know if my ICD would provide any help to me by adding another wire (or two). If my Metoprolol dosage is to be increased, it would require an upper wire in the chamber above where the current one is. He was uncertain about the benefits of the additional wire to the other side of the heart as well. We were under the impression my ICD would be replaced with a new unit, but his advice was only to replace the battery and not the whole unit. It’s been working well as is. My heart does not require it to provide pacing and has been doing its own thing at 60 bpm.
We received a copy of his comments on our visit intended to go to my main cardiologist, Dr. Kim, who asked for the consultation regarding additional wire(s). We hope the two doctors will get together in person to review the situation instead of depending on email messages. They are there in the same hallway of the Yakima Heart Center.
Here’s what Dr. Dao Pham wrote: [click image to enlarge]
See below (Wednesday) for my follow-up communication with my primary cardiologist after the consultation with the cardiac surgeon for devices.
Then about 2:00 p.m. we left and went to Costco. Bought some stuff and came home talking to John’s sister Peggy the whole way. I drove home, but dialed Peggy from the parking lot while John was still loading the groceries. Nice conversation, only interrupted a couple of times when passing through basalt cliffs on either side of the Interstate. We got home about 3:30, and I tried doing a little catch up work, such as calling my family physician to see why they never contacted me yesterday (or today) about the INR reading from yesterday noon. In the past 5 years they always have called and at least left a message. Oddly, they claimed they had mailed it. But I got the results anyway, and the mailed one took 2 days to arrive. There is a newly hired someone up there – I think.
The Connections (music) was tonight at Hearthstone and I participated. Nice appreciative crowd.
Wednesday, Mar 11
For Mar 10, CPAP report. Reported figures. 7 hrs 38 min with AHI = 0.00 Events: 0 H No major mask leaks (max=10 L/min), no oximetry, my oximeter’s battery ran out.
Busy with emails to Cardiologist about yesterday’s visit with the surgeon to review my case and consult over the upcoming battery replacement in my ICD. Basically, I requested through email via my cardiologist’s nurse, that the two doctors meet in person to discuss my situation, rather than communicating digitally. I want to be sure they are on the same wavelength (pun intended).
Then took off for the food bank, where I got a few apples (old not desirable for people) for the horses, and some bread. We sang mostly Irish songs today. The meal was a large chef salad, with an excellent piece of coconut-cream frosted white cake for dessert. I left early to get to a Jazzercise building to meet a gal getting out of class there at 1:00 p.m. It was to deliver two sets of raspberry starts (one of reds and one of yellow Anne raspberries). From there to my SAIL exercise class, but I was not feeling great today. Came on home and rested a little before going back to town to Nick Zentner’s lecture on Gold Mining in Liberty, WA. It was fantastic as usual. I took my tripod tonight, and thought I had a newly charged battery in but it didn’t last very long. Luckily, I did have my extra battery along that I charged this morning. I need to take the videos off my camera, but it is late, and now I must go to bed… and worry about it in the morning. But now we know why there is gold in them-there hills – and where it is too!
Thursday, Mar 12
Began taking videos from my camera of last night’s lecture on Liberty – Gold, and my Internet connection went down. Bad timing. I’m troubleshooting it now. If that doesn’t work, I’ll reset my router. Finally, that worked. I have part two up currently; working on part one.
Part three will be Rob Repin, a gold miner in Liberty, WA, answering questions from the audience. This link was sent before we attended the lecture, to interest us in attending last night.
Watch [bad words] Corbley’s potato patch mine. Part 1 (5:00 mark is the moment!) to see a large gold nugget find (recently), and to enjoy the excitement and expletives.
Below are the video links I made from last night’s evening lecture at Hal Holmes center in Ellensburg. This week I took my tripod and took a little less shaky version of the evening, than last week’s videos. For this week, there will be a professionally done video available later, but meanwhile, here’s mine (pun intended).
Finally, below is a combined shot of a Liberty Gold mine tunnel into the gravels and a photo of Rob Repin, with one of his larger gold nugget finds. He is in the right of each photograph.
Now that those are posted, I’ll stop and upload my CPAP and Oximetry data for last night.
?? For Mar 11, CPAP report. Reported figures. 1 hrs 16 min with AHI = 0.00 Events: 0 H No major mask leaks (max=4 L/min), after the SpO2 was added, 7 hrs 3 min, with AHI= 0.00, but something happened, and I don’t know what. I had the CPAP mask on all night, and the oximeter too. I do not know how it could have been turned off after an hour. We did not have an electrical failure to my knowledge; at least none of the clocks were reset. I have to make a decided and purposeful reach to turn it off. This remains a mystery.
Today at 1:00 I leave for music at the Rehab facility, newly added to the prestige care network, giving us two such facilities in town.
We had a good turn-out and an appreciative audience. Our dancer, Helen, was not up to snuff today, but she did get up and dance one waltz.
Friday, Mar 13
For Mar 12, CPAP report. Reported figures. 7 hrs 19 min with AHI = 0.41 Events: 3 H No major mask leaks (max=16 L/min), after the SpO2 was added, 8 hrs 58 min, with AHI= 0.33
Off to AAC, then to CWU Dean Hall to deliver Honeycrisp apples (from Quincy), and home by Water Street, for old apples for the horses.
We had an early St. Patrick’s Day Potluck at the Adult Activity Center in town (Senior Center, but I guess that’s not PC). The center provided corned beef stew (with carrots & potatoes) and cabbage; people were supposed to bring side dishes. I took a pretty green bowl of spiced sweet pickles, canned by Phyllis Fries of White Heron Cellars (winery) over on the Columbia River. That’s where John was pruning wine grapevines today (in their Mariposa Vineyard) and couldn’t attend the party, as he has in years past.
While we ate, Dave Lundy played Irish songs and sang other cool songs from the past. Here are some videos of him and his music.
First, was with a member of the audience, who played, You Are My Sunshine.
Jim Cummings on Harmonica & Dave Lundy
Dave Lundy singing Danny Boy (only a little part, 1 minute)-’cause I had to go be served.
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
Next, we have a special rendition of a Sneaky Snake song (by Tom T. Hall) that Dave usually does for entertaining the kids of the valley, in their schools. As you can see from the video the senior kids had a good time with it. It’s Friday night, and I am sending it to You tube. I only have 9 minutes for it to finish processing, and then I can go to bed at 11:25. Phew.. didn’t finish until midnight.
Sneaky Snake’s Interaction with the AAC Audience, with Dave singing in the background.
After lunch, we teamed up at the tables and played a fun St. Patrick’s game (similar to Jeopardy), with WHO, WHAT, WHERE questions. I was sitting at Team 2’s table with fewer people than the other two tables, and our team won the match points of the day. Many people had left by the time we had a door prize drawing at the end, only for those still present. Three nice gifts and I won the last — a fancy water bottle with a pair of Irish knee socks inside.
Above is Olivia Estill, the leader of the game who is our SAIL exercise teacher and our YOGA instructor. She’s from Louisville, KY, here for a year on an AmeriCorps community service appointment. I’m holding the water bottle with the Irish socks inside. Before we started our exercise class, I put them on and rolled up my pants such that it looked as if I had on knickers. I went through >1/2 hour of exercises with them up, causing many chuckles and comments, before I finally released the pants from the socks’ hold. Below are some photos to entertain you more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Well, if you SMILE, I’m Irish ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Saturday, Mar 14
For Mar 13, CPAP report. Reported figures. 7 hrs 36 min with AHI = 0.13 Events: 1 H No major mask leaks (max=8 L/min), after the SpO2 was added, 8 hrs 40 min, with AHI= 0.12
Goodness — a beautiful sunny day, with rain expected this afternoon through next Tuesday. Well, we are in a spot the National Weather Service seems to know little about but, somewhere, in their multi-county forecast area, they think it will rain. Here? Not likely. We have been hearing our friendly frog out front and I heard him again this morning. I went out to see if I could find him, but I could not. He must be hiding beneath the planks of the wooden porch. John’s up by the road moving old woven-wire fence into the place of the one torn down. The dogs finally realized the fence was gone and apparently decided their yard had expanded.
We had partially cooked bacon in the refrigerator, from a couple days ago, so I cooked it, and John made a large blueberry pancake, which we shared and had a side of canned pears. I am inside setting up stuff for future musical events with a deadline approaching, and now coming back to work on the blog. Oh, darn, I just remembered to take my diuretic, so will be walking back and forth to the bathroom the rest of the day. One way to get exercise. Part of my process for blog creation is to make side-by-side “pair” shots to submit as one, because with Word Press, it only accepts one picture at a time, and causes lengthy posts, not allowing before and after shots adjacently placed.
Meanwhile, John is moving hay out of the shelter we call the hay mow – kitty loft above – and that is the last of the old hay; about 1 ton. It will go into an old horse trailer that is now backed up to the fence wherein the horses are. Some of the hay is 2 seasons old – soon to be gone and replaced with 2014 hay.
I just took a walking trip out (with John and the 3 dogs) to see the work he did on the fence-moving project. He took the large woven wire fence from the posts along the driveway, and repositioned it where the old leveled fence was. Now we have a way to keep the dogs (or horses) from going down the hill where he fence was removed. He has made a make-shift gate of fencing, too, to keep any cows out (from the road as they are moved from one pasture to another), and the horses in, if they should find a way out of where they are supposed to be.
Here is an overview of what you’ll see in a total of less than a minute below–John’s crafty creativeness at work:
From the left panel comes the fencing from now standing fence posts only. The middle shot of the temporary fence is along the front part of our land where the logs rolled in and over, and the right one is the temporary gate pull from along the fence (top right middle), to close the driveway entrance.
Here’s 25 seconds of a demo of the temporary gate & fence. (Note the now mostly dismantled rock-cribs.)
. . . and John replaces temp gate on temp fence.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan