Sunday, Apr 19
For Apr 18 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 49 min with AHI = 0.26 Events: 2H. No major mask leaks (max=15 L/min).
I ended last week with the offer of hens & chickens to the Buy Nothing group. We had 5 requesters until I cut off accepting “orders.” My first idea to carry each container to one person to separate further and share with others, did not “pan” out. So, I found that my friend on the other side of the valley, from whom we got our starts several years ago, would give a pot to the person living closest to his end of the valley (SW). We are NE of Ellensburg. Then I had 4 people to cover. John and I parceled the larger pot into three and I was able to share with 4 happy people, and meet them in town to deliver from the back of my car. Therefore, that good deed is done.
We actually worked on last week’s blog until late into the night (early morning). It was not published until near noon (this Sunday’s will be after noon). We ate lunch and went about 20 miles away to the NW for picking up a give-away item from the Buy Nothing site.
On our way, we slowly traveled a long rocky road (driveway) to pick up the freebie. I was the passenger until we got to the first gate, which John had to open and close, and I became the driver. [Seasoned rural travelers either drive or sit in the middle and let the ‘shotgun’ rider do the gate thing.] Before that exchange, I took the photo below of Arrow Leaf Balsamroot, Lupine, Columbia Desert-parsley (dark purple bunches middle bottom), the white – not identified, and rocks.
We visited for ½ hour. The freebie was a truck toolbox, seen below, loaded behind the cab of the Ford. Previous occupants of the place just left it, and the current occupant wanted it gone. There are no keys but it is in very good condition. Haven’t found a date. We came home slowly, talking to John’s sister, Peggy, in OH, most of the way back. The photo below shows it and the trees blooming in our orchard (cherry left, plum right).
Dinner tonight was Copper River Salmon, baked potato with cheese, mushrooms, and asparagus (now from the garden), and a side of tomatoes (from glass-houses in British Columbia).
Monday, Apr 20
For Apr 19 CPAP. Reported figures. 8 hrs 15 min with AHI = 0.00 Events: none. No major mask leaks (max=12 L/min).
Called Nelle Brannen for 91st birthday today, but had to leave a message, so I sang her Happy Birthday!
Nothing much else to report today. John worked outside on many different projects (one today was planting more onion starts you saw in last week’s blog), and I worked inside, getting ready for the big trip tomorrow, to Yakima, early.
Tuesday, Apr 21
For Apr 20 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 47 min with AHI = 0.15 Events: 1H. No major mask leaks (max=11 L/min).
To YAK: I drove on the trip down, and John drove home. We went by the Medical Supply place and got my 3-month replacements on filters, tubing, mask, and parts for my CPAP machine. I cannot believe the amount of money they charge Medicare. I do not plan to spend that much every 3 months, $358.33, when my 13 months of free supplies is over. I can find filters and such a lot cheaper on line and with free shipping. I should have been initially set up with a medical supply place in Ellensburg (there is one, but I didn’t know and was assigned to one in Yakima, where my doctor is). Knowing after the fact is not good. I thought I was on top of things, but obviously, I was not. At least I can share information with those needing supplies but living here.
We went next for a laser treatment on my right foot’s toenails. It is finally doing some better, and my next appt is 3 months away instead of one. On to Costco for gasoline (a dime a gallon cheaper than Ellensburg; we get another dime/gal. off using our AMEX card with 4% payback), and while there we picked up a few things and ate lunch. We drove back through Selah to check out a Pella door (very nice) to replace our old patio door, badly in need after 34 years of use, and probably it was not a decent door to begin with. This house was shoddily built in 1981, with inexpensive materials by a construction company who did not have a good reputation. (We didn’t know any of this until we bought it and moved in, in 1989.) One of the first things we realized was the towel racks in both bathrooms, main and guest (smaller), were put through the dry wall but not into the 2×4 support. It has gone downhill from there. Don’t get us started.
Here are a few photos of the Pella Patio Door in their shop in Selah, combined to a collage.
John Mayer, owner, in front of a Pella door as seen from the inside of the house. The display door in this photo is knotty alder, but we will be getting unfinished pine; but there are several options. Note, there is a screen on the inside. There will be blinds as well, in the glass, but not pictured here. Because the blinds are inside two layers of glass, there isn’t a cord hanging nor do they gather dust. The middle photo is of the outside. The photo on the right is from the outside (the white), looking toward the sliding door wood frame, and past to a Pella sign over another Pella window. Our current door’s handle is dark metal, inside and out, and when receiving full sun, I need a glove or potholder when touching the handle. {John says: Why didn’t I spray paint it white after the 1st summer?}
We were late returning home, but I had to turn around and head back to town, stopping off at friends to deliver Tylenol and pick up eggs. On to Royal Vista and to the room of a 92-yr old friend who was transferred there from the hospital to recuperate and get back on his feet. He is in our exercise class at the senior center, so we all anxiously await his return. I went to play religious music with The Connections (a monthly offering). I had told his wife we started at 6:30, and she planned to be there. I went to his room, and wheeled him down to the dining room. Shortly, she arrived, and then a bit later their daughter and her husband arrived. It was a nice family affair. He was particularly happy to be singing the anthems, because he was moved in there on Sunday, and they missed going to church.
I came home for a late dinner; John had heated chicken Alfredo – Costco style with several additions, because theirs is quite plain.
Wednesday, Apr 22
For Apr 21 CPAP. Reported figures. 8 hrs 53 min with AHI = 0.45 Events: 4H,1CSR. No major mask leaks (max=10 L/min).
I left home before the excitement of the day with the road across the street from our driveway entrance. Our neighbor, Ken, saw the ditch (irrigation canal) was eroding the gravel beside the road. [This use of road-sides for carrying irrigation water is historical but now causes headaches for the county road folks.] He came and told John, and John went to retrieve a shovel and rake. The two of them cleared out the obstructions (mostly cattails) and sent the water on down until the county can come fix it. Stay tuned.
On my way to the Food Bank, I drive near the house of someone who had a pair of black jeans to give to John. I called when a block away to see if the timing was good for him. I stopped and got them, thanking him very much.
Next stop was the Food Bank to provide music. There we have an appreciative and participatory audience. The photo below shows the main leaders having a blast. I do not know the song we were singing when this photo was taken, but we obviously were whooping it up.
Above we have Peg, Bob, Kyle (a high school student on ukulele), Evelyn (banjo), Nancy (fiddle), and Joanie (viola). The table in front of us fills up with our fan club after they are served. We start playing before folks go through the line for food. They are given packets of music with the lyrics, so they can sing along (and many do).
Food today was chicken Alfredo (funny my having it twice in two days), salad, and nice green beans. Dessert was peach cobbler.
Today was the scheduled delivery of Hens and Chicks to different people and picking up another gift from a gal on the Buy Nothing site. You have already seen the photo of the pots of hens and chickens we shared (last week’s blog, Saturday). Today, I met a gal who lives out on Hwy 97, but she met me at the center where I was going for my exercise class. Once inside, I met the other person, for receiving her gifted inflatable travel pillow that she did not realized leaked until after she posted it. I took it anyway, in case I could fill it otherwise and use it. Below is the photo she posted on line.
The black thing on the bottom is the valve to blow it full of air. The black label at the top is the maker of this Sandman travel pillow, from a company in CA called Eagle Creek. Note the top has a pocket. Turns out that is the way to fold it into a smaller item to transport it when deflated. Look further down this blog to learn the rest of the story.
After class, I drove a few blocks north and stopped to drop off another pot of hens & chicks. Then I stopped by another place to pick up several pairs of jeans for John. Thus far, he has tried on only one pair, and they are 6” too long, so we will have to hem them. Meanwhile, Saturday this week, he put them on in the morning and worked in them all day with rolled up cuffs. The others are marked 38/32 and should fit just fine.
While I was at that place in town, I called about my next delivery person to let them know I was on my way. She answered her phone and said, “Oh, I forgot you were coming by, and I’m down at Ace Hardware, but getting ready to leave.” I told her where I was, and she said she would be there in 5 minutes. We had a nice visit and exchanged the plants. That saved me an out-of-the-way trip to her home.
Once home I worked with the travel pillow and decided it truly was broken, so I looked on line to see if I could find it perhaps to buy a repair part. Look what I found!! It is sold with a lifetime warranty, assuming normal wear. This one is in new condition (except for the valve on the bladder not working). They now cost $24.00 and do not come in the fuchsia color. This link will provide a description of its use. I want it to support my neck while using the CPAP machine, because I never can make a regular pillow work. In certain situations, I had used a small pillow given on airplanes, but this seemed better. We’ll see.
I continued searching on their site and found the closest repair shop to me was in Portland, OR. I found their phone # and decided I needed to call to be sure they were still providing the service. The person I talked with said they did, but he thought I was talking about a piece of luggage, so he checked and found out they could work with the pillow too. The bladders cost $7.99 (I had found from the main site), so I suspect they can just replace the bladder and send the pillow back to me. I must pay the postage to get it there, but they cover the return. Stay tuned.
Thursday, Apr 23
For Apr 22 CPAP. Reported figures. 8 hrs 12 min with AHI = 0.49 Events: 4H,1CSR,1PP. No major mask leaks (max=10 L/min).
More medical appointments needed made this morning at heart center regarding a time to check the battery on my ICD. That will happen May 18, 11:00 a.m. (in honor of Mt St Helens’ 1980 eruption). I hope my battery still has lots of life left in it, so I do not have to be “opened” to have it changed. New ones last 8 years; mine has been in for 5 years.
I also called around and found a person to notify at the county about our eroding road situation. She is at the Kittitas County Public Works. She gave me her email address so that John can write a report description and add to the pictures to send her. She will then forward it all to the director to make the work order – if warranted. Stay tuned. Here is the photo that John sent along with the description. He had to outline where the erosion was happening because he did not think to take a “before” photo. If this gets cleaned out, we may get the material (soil and plants) deposited on our land and can then use it on the landscaping scars created earlier in the month.
Today, we entertained with old time music at Hearthstone and had a good turnout of audience and players. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Volunteers always serve the residents tea, coffee, and cookies while we play and then offer some to us at the end. Our diabetic player was not there today, but they always provide sugar-free cookies for her. Pretty thoughtful.
Dinner is at the Moose Hall tonight, for Volunteer Appreciation to all folks throughout the community who provide free services around town. John and I are both invited, as are the rest of our group. We only had 6 of the musicians there. We had a nice dinner of spiral ham, scalloped potatoes, salad, and a roll. Desserts were numerous, but our favorite was fruit (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries) on our cake pieces. We both chose the same things independently, an Oreo cheesecake and a lemon coconut cake, topped with the fruit combo. I also got a large cream puff later that I shared with John, and he got two other pieces-chocolate peanut butter and carrot cake. We picked up our friends from Hearthstone and took them with us. Because of illness, it was their first time out in public with a bunch of (non-family) people in almost 9 months, but they did well and were happy to be seen. That’s a line I used to use when people saw me after I was in the hospital, and said, it’s so nice to see you. I’d return with, “Yes, it’s good to be seen.” We got home before dark and John was able to feed the outside critters.
Friday, Apr 24
For Apr 23 CPAP. Reported figures. 8 hrs 48 min with AHI = 0.57 Events: 5H, 1CSR, all at the end of my session with phone call interruption, John’s leaving, and mask needing adjustment.
No major mask leaks (max=12 L/min).
John was up early and left at 6:45 for working on trail maintenance at Asahel Curtis, on the other side of Snoqualmie Pass. He ran into light-wet snow on the pass, but only had to work in mist for most of the day. There was snow at an elevation above them. He got his clothes rather muddy, but luckily had overalls on so could strip them off for the trip home. He did not have his camera along, but saw many yellow blossoms on a Skunk Cabbage. The plant is common in these wet areas on the west-facing slopes of the Cascades. His crew dug a trench across the trail and installed a plastic culvert, like this:
. . . then covered it with rock and sandy material, the latter gathered from the pit where a large tree had toppled over that pulled the roots out. Hikers do not see the culvert while hiking. What they see is a rocked-in trail over a wet spot, as this:
I spent time this morning filling out the paperwork to send with my travel pillow for repair. John had found me a nice heavy-duty box, just the right size, but I had to black out the labels I could not remove. The one side was completely white so I made nice readable labels for the return address and the address, taping them on with clear strapping tape. Here is a photo of the pillow folded into itself, and then I packed it into a Ziploc bag, wrapping the instructions around it. 
I needed to leave about 11:25 to get to CWU for a scholarship (donation) luncheon. I lucked out and found a spot in a parking lot near the oldest building on campus (Barge Hall), where our lunch was. I’m certainly glad my retirement gold watch was a free permanent campus parking sticker. We had a very nice full chef’s salad (fix your own), with lettuce, carrots, sunflower seeds, shrimp, ham, tomatoes, and 3 different dressings, with garlic bread on the side. For dessert was angel food cake with whipped cream/strawberries layering. We had two fruit drinks to pick from.
After that, I drove to the post office to mail my package with the pillow. That was an experience. I had researched the day before and found nothing about parcel post, only priority package mail. I called and talked with the postmaster at the university mail services and he told me to ask for parcel post. When I did, the postmaster at the Ellensburg P.O., said they no longer offer that, and it would have to be sent Priority. It weighed less than a pound, and did not exceed 12″ in any direction, but the cheapest price was $5.75. I get automatic tracking on it, insurance to $50, and it is due to be delivered Monday. We’ll see about that. Yes, another stay tuned.
Before I went to my SAIL exercise class, I stopped to pick up my meds from Super 1. As I rounded the curve off Main St., I saw a sign for free trees at a local realtor. I got my meds and still had time to drop by and pick up a Ponderosa Pine in honor of Arbor Day. John planted it in a plastic pot – when he got home.
Also, on the way home, I stopped at the Grocery Outlet, to take advantage of two “WOW!” offers. I got a bag of navel oranges, some creamy peanut butter, which we spread on cookies from Hearthstone, plus I got some canned food for the kitties and the doggies.
Saturday, Apr 25
For Apr 24 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 45 min with AHI = 0.39 Events: 3H. No major mask leaks (max=4 L/min).
I spent time today downloading the last video on the heart course, as well as the quizzes. Had to do that before it disappeared from the web.
John was pulling a garden hose across the driveway and a large mud-encrusted pickup approached. The driver, Bret Daugherty (with Keaton, his daughter), is the timber contractor harvesting the fire-killed trees up in Naneum Canyon. I had asked Bret (via e-mail) about a load of smaller logs that we could use for firewood. He has to make his bid for the entire parcel, but mills don’t want trees under a size that can be used for a 2 x 4. Large damaged trees are not wanted, so there are those too. He has a load with about 15 chords ready to bring down – next week. I went out to say hello (John had Bret call me).
Keaton had picked flowers for her mother. She had 3 varieties but a tiny red one isn’t showing in this picture. She is almost 6 years old and knows how the timber harvest machines work but needs to grow some to reach all the pedals and levers.
It’s cooler today, and the wind is blowing again. It was only 58 F at 2:00 with gusts up to 31 mph. The wind increased, finally sent John in after 4:00 p.m. — blowing the fine grit into his face. The gusting to 38 mph, lasted for two hours.
I washed and dried a tub full of clothes, but John still has heavy work clothes on the front porch, wet and muddy from yesterday’s trail work. We’ll get to them tomorrow.
We have had a very large lemon on the counter for weeks. It is a wonder it didn’t spoil. Recipes for lemon bars and other such things seem complicated and want things we do not have. Thus, it just sat there. But today we are also out of anything that qualifies as dessert. When John came in he decided to fix something. He started with a boxed chocolate cake, added the lemon (juice, pulp, & zest {colorful outer layer}), and a bunch of blueberries. While that baked, he started supper. We had spiced chicken thighs with mushrooms and onions, and toast with melted Havarti cheese, and I cut a tomato. About the name of the cheese (and 7 others): see this: Famous Cheeses
Sunday, Apr 26
For Apr 25 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 7 min with AHI = 0.70 Events: 6CSR,5H. No major mask leaks (max=14L/min). All the activity happened in the 45 min, so I suspect it was mask related.
Sadly, John just came in and said it was cold enough to freeze all 8 of his tomato plants. We weren’t on top of the weather, and thought it was not going below freezing, but went to 28 F at the airport 5 miles south.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan