Sunday, May 24
For May 23 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 29 min with AHI = 0.80 Events: 6H, 1CSR. No major mask leaks (max=20 L/min).
Took pictures of our Iris and managed to get all my data downloaded. Got the dishes in the dishwasher, and we posted the blog, BUT, I did not manage to change the A and D strings (violin); strangs on my fiddle. Actually, I replaced the worst one, A, that was unraveling and cutting my finger. The D has had a separation for a year, but it seemed appropriate to do them at the same time before it turned into the dangerous mess as the other. I failed. The end on the string did not want to stay on the fine-tuner at the bottom, even though I had it threaded through and around the peg to tighten it.
Wrote an email to Bryce van Parys with Hammond Ashley, and he called me from Sunnyside, and told me he would meet me at Bar 14 parking lot (I-90 and Main St) at 6:20. I got there, (12 miles away from home), and only had to wait 10 minutes. Using workspace in the back of his van, he checked my work, adjusted the fine tuners, and rapidly made them work. What a nice guy. He would not take anything for the help. Said it was right on his way home (he has moved to Ronald, to be between Seattle and Ellensburg, where he does business besides traveling around the state. Today he was in the Tri Cities. He’s the one from whom I bought my nice violin bow. He “services” the students in CWU’s music building, and has a store here in town he frequents usually once a week.
Monday, May 25 Happy Memorial Day
For May 24 CPAP. Reported figures.7 hrs 41 min with AHI = 0.00 Events: 0 H. No major mask leaks (max=7 L/min).
We went for the canopy today, leaving a little after 8:00 am. John got directions while I was in town, and then altered with his own knowledge to the truck route around Moses Lake. We had a nice trip over and came back a different way. Four people managed to get the canopy loaded onto the truck (I watched). Here’s a collage of the capture and the final delivery to our driveway.
Note both side windows lock and open, just as the rear. The fellow with the blue shirt is from whom we bought it, and John is in view looking in the back window (opened). The windows are backed with a sturdy metal grid to protect theft by breaking the windows. We need to get some help wiring the electric lights inside, and making the brake lights show too. There are special clamps to hold truck-caps to pickup beds but we don’t have any. We used C-clamps such as would be used with wood things (glue A to B), as a temporary fix. Another thing for the to-do list.
Above top is the cemetery on the east side of Soap Lake, …
History of Soap Lake, WA
… with a lovely display of large U.S. flags around the entire edge of the property. I took that picture coming east on Cty. Road 20 which was about 250 yards away. The contours are hay and the spigot sticking down on the top right is from a center pivot irrigation system. The wind turbines are along I-90, on our way home. There were interesting clouds all around and northeast of where we got the canopy storms were reported near the small community of Odessa. We had lunch in Ephrata.
Tuesday, May 26
For May 25 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 41 min with AHI = 0.44 Events: 3H, 1CSR. No major mask leaks (max=20 L/min). After SpO2 oximetry data added, AHI=0.41 and my oximeter was on for 7 hrs 19 min.
While we were gone yesterday, our neighbor came for some of the Iris “flags” and sent an email thank-you note today. He did not take them all, so John is picking a bunch I will take to the AAC (Senior Center), when there for my exercise class. I carried a large 5-gallon bucket about 1/2 full. One person in my class took 4 home with her. The bunch was lovely, and there are still a few left to share with my neighbor.
Got some bills paid, copied, and put into the correct folder on my computer receipts.
John went to our neighbor’s Automotive Electric business to try to get help with the canopy’s wiring, but was referred to an RV dealer where they are set to deal with such problems and have the needed equipment and supplies. That’s yet to happen.
We both worked on in house and yard projects today – me less so on the yard stuff. It rained very hard for 1/2 hour this afternoon, making John’s evening chores messy. Still rain, in the shrub/steppe, is good.
Wednesday, May 27
For May 26 CPAP. Reported figures. 7 hrs 17 min with AHI = 0.41 Events: 3 H. No major mask leaks (max=9 L/min). After SpO2 oximetry data added, AHI=0.38 and my oximeter recorded for 7 hrs 55 min.
Went by and picked up car-less Joanie and went to the Food Bank Soup Kitchen for music and the meal following. Ken got their car from the repair shop and joined us, so he drove her home. I went by the bank and the courthouse to pick up a Pyrex baking dish (see below) from my friend to whom we delivered the metal roofing and refrigerator. Then to the AAC for SAIL class. Neat that the director put out four large vases of Iris that John picked. They were beautiful. Came on home to work on music.
Sorry I didn’t have my camera with me to take photos of the flowers, but they were spread all over the room, in 4 different vases, so I don’t know how I could have photographed them all.
When I drove in, I knew I needed to be sure my windows were closed. The cottonwood trees are sending snow-like seeds all over the area. Below is a collage of a female tree near our house.
Note the image on the left is the entire tree, and the one on the right is a zoomed-in view of the top left of the tree’s hanging seedpods.
Next is evidence of the wind-blown snow-like dispersal.
Photo on the left above shows pieces of wind-deposited seeds on the top of a 55-gallon rusty barrel that collects rainwater near our front entrance. The skinny picture on the right, shows the “cotton” shaped like a pair of sunglasses. This is on a spider web attached to the roof that has captured the seeds, and was blowing in the wind (while I was taking the photo). The green background is the Mountain Ash tree in our front yard.
Thursday, May 28
For May 27 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 36 min with AHI = 0.15 Events: 1 H. No major mask leaks (max=15 L/min). Oximeter came off my finger between 3:00 and 5:00, then at 7:00 I left and came back to sleep without either on, and the record is scanty.
John spent much of the morning trying to get the chimney separated from the wood stove. First, he climbed into the attic to pull from there, but that did not work. Then he got up on the roof and pulled the cap and 2 sections of the double-walled flue. The parts above the roof are seriously weathered after 35 years.
On my way to town, I stopped and picked up two more free 5-gallon buckets. They are nice with good lids. The free part is good too. We can store a few in case someone needs one. Otherwise, they apparently will go into the trash.
Today, we are at Hearthstone for entertaining, and at the end, I delivered a jet stream oven to a friend. She has no kitchen and only a hot plate and Crock pot. We don’t use this (it’s neat, but requires a lot of counter space and time). This will be a nice gift to the gal that gave us the toolbox for our truck – which now is off while the canopy top is on. So another project is a rack with a pulley or some other rigging to make them changeable – with ease.
We got the Jet Stream Oven a few years ago at a clearance sale at REI in Seattle. It works but seems like a lot of bother for us when we have a complete kitchen.
While playing today (with many players: Bass fiddle, viola, violin, maracas, tambourine, banjo, 5 guitars, and a resonator), we found more errors needing fixed in the music. This is getting old, because I’m the one in charge of putting out the song sheets. I thought we had one all fixed yesterday, but today there were more complaints and chord change requests. I even had to change the key on one song and the timing on another from 4/4 to 3/4. Thank goodness for my SongWriter software to assist me.
Came home and found John had moved out the old (1980s) wood stove. He got it on to a piece of plywood and then used rollers from an old broom handle. Amazing … truly. At the moment it is on pallets – soon, but not real soon, it will get rolled into the back of the pickup.
Worked on music and clean-up around the patio door the wood stove came out through. He put the horses in the backyard to thin the tall grass before mowing. I got a picture of the stove and 3 horses in the same photo, but the best one was the youngest horse, Breeze. He is the one most intent on finding weak places in the temporary fence, but looks quite happy.
Here was part of dinner tonight cooked in the tall-sided antique’ie Pyrex dish, gifted to us.
Friday, May 29
For May 28CPAP. Reported figures. 4 hrs 34 min with AHI = 0.00 Events: 0 H. No major mask leaks (max=10 L/min). The oximeter was on for 7 hrs 37 min.
We cancelled the trip for the cinder blocks, and I went to CWU, but on the way, I saw a moving sale and stopped. I found a shirt for John, a western one for me (but it is too small, so I’m sending it with John to the trail tomorrow for our friend the crew leader). In addition, I’m sending some boots for working in wet areas, or walking in streams, to share with someone who might want them. They just do not fit my feet comfortably. The boots were given to me. Today, I also got a fleece*** vest, which may be a little large for me, but will fit John, and I only paid $2.50 total for the 3 pieces of clothing.
On to the last Ruth Harrington scholarship luncheon of this school year, held in the oldest building on campus, Barge Hall. We start the luncheons again in September. We learned today that 15 scholarships are being given this year. They go to single moms and those in need, to current students, and to incoming high school students. Some are for 4 years, but I don’t know how they determine the amount to each one. Today’s menu was a large quiche type casserole, with eggs, cheese, ham, mushrooms, and olives. I wish I had had my fresh salsa to put on it. We had a green salad, wheat roll, and cookies for dessert. From there I went by the bank to sign a form, but it was not ready, so on to SAIL exercise, and back by the bank on my way home. Class was full today (surprise, considering the 80s outside). On my way back, I stopped and finished the paperwork for which I have now gone to the bank several times to complete. I guess the 4th time was the charm. They do have donut holes (fancy ones) on their coffee bar on Fridays; I had some chocolate ones. I had a short wait so enjoyed a half a cup of coffee and the “holes,” while sitting in a very comfortable chair in the middle of the lobby.
Saturday, May 30
For May 29 CPAP. Reported figures. 5 hrs 44 min with AHI = 0.17 Events: 1 H. No major mask leaks (max=6 L/min). After SpO2 oximetry data added, AHI=0.13, and oximeter was on for 7 hrs 59 min.
John went to the Martin Creek Connector Trail in the Skykomish Ranger District, NW of Leavenworth. He’s been there a couple times before and is working with a friend as crew leader known for her banana dance warm-ups. A couple years ago, we gave her my large stuffed Banana from a bowling tournament in Lewiston, ID that I won 30 yrs ago. She’s the one I’m offering the western shirt to – it is a plaid blue/pink/green, with white pearl snap “buttons.” The group John’s assisting with is made up of members of the Boeing Employees Alpine Society (climbers). The trip over Stevens Pass is just over 2 hours and he expects to get there just after 8 AM.
Yay, I read and published my CPAP and Oximeter recordings from last night. I washed a load of dishes, found the lost top to a big clear plastic storage box, put all my meds in their little plastic container for the whole week, and ordered one med I would be out of the next time I load on the weekend. Oh, also ate a lunch of leftovers, and am ready to tackle another box of things by my chair.
Have you seen this full-circle rainbow? Link is here.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan