Sunday, July 26
For July 25 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 24 min with AHI=1.10 Events: 7 H, 7 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=7 L/min); oximeter on, 5 hrs.
John’s July 25th was a long and tiring trip to Mt. Rainier so his Sunday activities involved only a bit of watering, picking squash, and then together, finishing the blog.
Monday, July 27
For July 26 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 19 min with AHI=2.69 Events: 3 CSR, 17 H. No major mask leaks (max=17 L/min); oximeter on 9 hrs 39 min, AHI = 1.76. I think 2.69 is my highest AHI of record. Must be stress, or clogged airflow from allergies-caused congestion. At least my SpO2 and pulse are where they’re supposed to be. Thank goodness for my supplemental oximeter record; this should be a part of all CPAP machines.
Haircut for me and while away, we got a phone call from west-side WTA friends. She is thinking of CWU in the fall and they were in town visiting with admissions advisers and looking for a place to rent. We drove in and had a nice visit – as usual, near the Super 1 deli in an air-conditioned room. Cool.
Tuesday, July 28
For July 27 CPAP. Reported figures. 5 hrs 16 min with AHI=0.57 Events: 2 H. No major mask leaks (max=19 L/min); oximeter on, 6.5 hrs.
I took data from CPAP & Oximeter, and John watered things and picked more squash. While out he encounter a cattlelady (Mary) about to bring a herd (180 head) down Naneum Road from pasture on the next road north of us. Our gate was closed but next door doesn’t have a workable gate. She said 20 minutes but it was about 40 before the lead rider appeared ¼ mile up the road. John used the time to pick rocks (thrown into a pile for later gathering) and then stood so the cattle would stay away from the open driveway. They used 2 autos, 2 dogs, and 5 riders. As usual the pavement got episodic toppings of cowpee&pies. The latter smell mightily on a hot muffler.
On the way into town, we stopped off to deliver a pair of moccasins that didn’t fit me to a woman on the BuyNothing site; she was thrilled. The rest of the day included a major wearing-out exercise for me at the Jazzercise class. While I was there, John went shopping at the grocery. He spent more time than expected after driving by our dentist’s office to return a write-up on muscle cramps. He got back on time but we went a little over our 45 minutes, so he rested through the cool-downs we were doing. From there we went to get the gasoline for his car we had come to town to get. Price was up to $3.05. Now on Friday, it’s “down” to $2.99/gal.
Stops while still in town, to drop off a Hen & Chicken plant to a gal with 3 little boys. While on that end of town, I picked up my loaned bandanna with crystals to keep cool in hot weather, dropped off some squash to a friend, located another house on the way home to drop off a battery that fit my old Canon camera that broke; there I picked up a computer keyboard for its new owner and we dropped it off, on our way home. I also picked up a pair of jeans to give to another gal I’ll see next Thursday, for her and kids to use with a 4H project of decorating the sheep barn at the fairgrounds. Denim is one of the themes for this year’s request for stable decorations.
Great dinner John fixed from the stuff he bought. First, he cooked a cheeseburger to take for his lunch on the trail work tomorrow, and then with the rest of the ground beef, sour cream, red pepper, and mushrooms, he made Stroganoff. The noodles were Fusilli (corkscrew shaped). We ate more meals from this during the rest of the week, and on Friday, John froze a packet for a future lunch. I must show the results of his endeavors. The only thing we might have added for an extra touch might have been cashews. But, it was scrumptious, with the fresh peaches on the side.
Wednesday, July 29
For July 28 CPAP. Reported figures. 5 hrs 24 min with AHI=0.37 Events: 2 H, 3 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=11 L/min); oximeter on, 6 hrs 36 min, AHI = 0.30.
John was out of here at 5:30 a.m. to work on trail at the Martin Creek Connector Trail, with Evonne Ellis as the Crew Leader. He was a last minute addition because she needed more ACL help (as we heard when we visited with her in Ellensburg two days ago). She was going to have a large group from “O2”, as explained here:
O2: Outdoor Opportunities is a City of Seattle outdoor expedition program designed to expose multi-ethnic teens (ages: 14-19) to environmental education, urban conservation, and stewardship.
Read the above carefully and translate as you will.
I awoke at 4:00, and we both had trouble going back to sleep. After he left, I slept off the CPAP machine until almost 8:30, got up feeling a lot better, and fed the outside cat, Woody. We usually only see her mother at evening feedings, but Woody is here both times. Also fed Rascal, the live-in/out cat, and the doggies. Surprisingly, in recent days the older feral tom we haven’t captured and had fixed, returned. We hadn’t seen him in many months. We had named him Lemon because of the facial expression he has that looks as if he just bit into a lemon.
I left a little earlier than usual and dropped by a place on the way to town, to pick up two gifts from the buy nothing site – one a Panasonic turntable and the other a large foam egg crate pad.
It will be a long day for John. He called me from Stevens Pass Summit at 5:36 p.m. to tell me they worked until 4:30 (much later than usual – it’s an O2 thing), and he would be longer coming home than expected. He was 2 hrs away. He trundled in at 7:40 p.m.
Here are pictures from his day on the trail, with a lead-in thank you from the crew leader, for his presence there: John, thank you so much for coming out on short notice! You not only helped remove massive chunks of wood from the trail, your smile and presence out there helped immensely. Thank you so much for making the trip!
John begins the day explaining the tools and safe use for the day’s work, to a bunch of O2 members from the urban area, most with borrowed boots that hurt their feet. In the middle, John contemplates removing an ancient stump, and on the right works on it with a Pulaski.
This was a long day, because the group is used to working until 4:30, so they can go from the work site to the showers at the local Forest Service compound. Normally, volunteer work crews usually are on the road home by 3:30. These folks were staying in a campground and would have to come back on Thursday.
Thursday, July 30
For July 29 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 0 min with AHI=1.00 Events: 6 H, x CSR. No major mask leaks (max=17 L/min); oximeter on, 6 hrs 33 min, AHI = 0.92
Today was my trip to town alone. On my way to Mt. View Meadows, I stopped to pick up a bag of goodies from a woman who is moving; it was on my way to town without a detour. We had a nice audience turn out and peanuts and popcorn were provided. When I left, without getting any popcorn or peanuts, the activities director gave me a bag of unsalted peanuts. I was amused to see the brand name Kroger on the package. We used to shop at Kroger’s in my hometown, after the A&P closed. I almost never frequent the Fred Meyer’s in town, but John says they are part of the Kroger brand (since 1999). Kroger’s originated in Cincinnati, OH in 1883. John and I lived in Cincy for two years in the mid-’60s and shopped at Kroger’s. The headquarters building was new in 1957 and was a major building in an old neighborhood. See: Kroger Tower
From there, I went by to get nectarines from Wenatchee, via the gal here in town who gave me cherries and peaches last week. I’m going to take the nectarines this Tuesday night to the going away party potluck for the young people from Belarus, who return to Minsk, next week. Seven of our music group will entertain in their backyard.
A Peach of a name.
After getting the nectarines (and she gave me more peaches), I went to the courthouse to pick up another computer keyboard, and to give that person a bottle of aspirin given to me in the first stop of the day for her. And, from there to another two places to share more of our squash. Later, I received a photo of what people had done with their squash for dinner, tonight (and the other from last week) — in the collage below:
Last week’s use and tonight’s use in a quesadilla. The white layer is cheese.
My final stop on my way home was to deliver 3 computer keyboards for a kindergarten teacher’s use in her classroom. One of the three was a vintage one from us, an old KeyTronics one.
Friday, July 31
For July 30 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 22 min with AHI=2.67 Events: 17 H, 3 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=19 L/min); oximeter on, 6 hrs, 33 min, AHI = 2.60
I have NO clue what’s going on. That is very high, one of my higher AHIs, since October 2014. Actually, Monday this week was higher.
Our high today was a scorching 105° at the airport, 5 mi south, but we only saw 99.8° here. John’s morning chores included working 1.5 hrs with our 13-yr. old neighbor on removing brush from up near the road. He moved a few hoses through the day, and sloshed water on squash plants. Otherwise, we stayed inside. John picked a few strawberries and little pear and cherry tomatoes when it cooled down and cooked some chicken breasts which I made into a salad for dinner.
Afternoon treat was a cool rainbow sherbet float, with orange soda, crafted by John. He was inspired about this on his work on the Icicle Creek trail last weekend, when the Forest Service guard station volunteers brought them to the trail workers at the end of the day (two days in a row).
I forgot until almost bedtime to clean/cut up/sugar the strawberries for tomorrow’s use. Our strawberry crop and onions are downsized significantly from last year’s bounty. The squash like the sun and hot temps – but need lots of water.
Saturday, Aug 1
For July 31 CPAP. Reported figures. 6 hrs 16 min with AHI=1.60 Events: 10 H, 2 CSR. No major mask leaks (max=6 L/min); oximeter on, 7 hrs
Another hot day predicted today in 3 digits. John was out early unloading brush before his helpful worker joined him at 8:00 a.m. for another 1.5 hrs. brushing into the back of the old pickup. She plans to use her money to buy a pass that allows riding on all the rides at the Fair, coming to town Labor Day Weekend.
Interruption to look for 36-cup coffee pot to share with a person in town for a 70th birthday for her mom. John helped me lift it from a high place in our garage, I tried to clean the 25 years of dust and bugs, and then walked it to the end of our driveway. She’s already retrieved it and two smaller air pots from the friend who picked up some free stuff for me yesterday on her trip out, and left in place of the coffee pot loan.
The temperature is up to 98° here now at 1:20 p.m. Airport reports higher.
I called our neighbor’s daughter-in-law, who’s visiting, to offer some peaches and squash, but I will not deliver it until later when it cools down. She decided the mom is still in ICU and they will only have the peaches. We can make it a multi-purpose trip to move a hose from the driveway, pick up my deposited gifts, get the mail, and deliver the peaches.
We hit 3 digits an hour ago, at 100.9°, but the airport reported 105° at 2:53 p.m., definitely too hot to be outside.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan