Taylor Bridge is 17 miles west of us, on Highway 10.
Monday, July 4
For July 3 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 7 hrs 25 min with AHI=0.27. Events: 0 CSR, 2 H, 13 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 15 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 down for a couple minutes to 87%.
Day of work around the place… mostly picking cherries (John) and sorting (Nancy). Work on the computer (Nancy) and a few household tasks. Late afternoon I was not feeling well and went to sleep for 1.5 hours. I think I pushed exercising my left shoulder too much.
Tuesday, July 5
For July 4 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 6 hrs 36 min with AHI=0.91. Events: 3 CSR, 6 H, 12 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 18 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 never below 88, mostly in the 90s. Pulse mostly 50s and 60s.
Nancy took an early morning trip to town, and John stayed to pick cherries, feed horses, and cats. I was going for a Physical Therapy appointment changed so I could go with John this afternoon to Cle Elum to the doctor about his medical issues. I was there for an 8:45 appointment, and left a little after 9:45. I received moist heat to start (10 minutes), and then a new physical therapist, Mandie, worked on my left shoulder for 30 minutes or so, and then I did some exercises, with her advising and leading. At the end, she set me up with ice for the cool down (15 min). On my way home I went to Bi-Mart and bought an ace bandage ($4.99) to tie on an ice pack for doing the same at home after exercise. I needed to go to Bi-Mart today, anyway, to check their “win this” numbers {match with one’s membership #}. I called Rite Aid, where often medical supplies are cheaper, and they wanted $8.99.
I also talked with my pharmacist, and found out the difference between my Oxycodone (5mg) received last week, and that which I was taking for the Oral Surgery (5 mg of Oxycodone with 325mg of Acetaminophen), called Percoset. She said it would be okay to take the pills I had with one Acetaminophen. From there I went by Grocery Outlet to pick up some more tomatoes, and Almond Breeze milk on sale (but also nearing its use by date).
John and I had leftovers from yesterday’s breakfast, for lunch with a bunch of cherries added to the plate. He probably picked another 6 boxes of cherries today, weighing 4-5 pounds each.
Folks from Ellensburg came out to pick up (borrow) a very large cooler and a 5-gallon drink dispenser for their family reunion this July 15-18. We visited until John had to get ready for going to the doctor.
We left just after 3:00 to get there by 4:15. (it’s in Cle Elum). While there I checked with my Coumadin adviser, Lacey, and we discussed my INR of 3.1 and my need to check again in 2 weeks, on the 19th. We were there in plenty of time, but they were running late. That’s common when an appointment is near the end of the day. We didn’t get out of the building until after the front desk personnel had left for the day. I imagine it was close to 6:00. John met with a PA about his hernia and ear wax. She was very attentive, understanding, and informative. She made recommendations, and then removed wax from his right ear. We had been softening it up with drops, but the left ear needs the same treatment so we can go back for a 15-minute appointment to have that removed from the other ear. We need to start working on that. He came home and ordered a wide elastic belt to see if pressure in the right spot (just below belt level and left of center) can keep the intestine from escaping through the abdominal wall. For many years it was happy living in there but last November it developed a desire for freedom.
We stopped for a few minutes on the way home to take photos of the area where the fire was last weekend, on Hwy 10 starting at noon, July 2, Saturday. I had a request from a neighbor in the line of the old Taylor Bridge fire a few years ago asking about access to the first responder county emergency scanner. This fire began at the bridge, by a blowout in a tire on a boat trailer being pulled, that created sparks, igniting the fire. District #7 Fire Dept a little over 5 miles away in Cle Elum responded, and worked with 3 helicopters grabbing water from the Yakima River to help douse the flames, which were approaching 3 houses. The fire was stopped at 45 acres.
I received an email from friends who have moved to Hayward Hill, about 9 miles away, a spot in the path of the Taylor Bridge fire in 2012, started at the same location. They wanted to know the location of the scanner I listened to during the fires in 2012 and 2014. They were away from home, and so I listened for a couple hours and reported to them by cell phone until they could return home and get it on their own computer to listen.
The first set of photos was posted on the Facebook page of #7 Fire District in Cle Elum, the day it happened.
This collage above was on their site. Right is along Hwy 10, firefighters, and in the rear on the hill is the middle house on Hart Road. See it below in the right photo and ones to follow.
<- before from the Daily Record 7/2 . . . . . . after by Nancy 7/5/16 ->
The Yakima River is visible in both before and after photos above and is from where the helicopters scooped the water dropped on the fire.
These are some other pix I took on the way home.
Note the house in all three; in the line of fire. It is also seen in the first two collages. That house is on Hart Rd. Look on Google Earth if you want its situation. I have tried below with 3 snips from Google Earth. 
There are 3 images kluged together. Left (and separated) is the location along Hwy 10, Taylor Road connecting to Hart Rd, and the Taylor Bridge, then the middle shows the Yakima River and the 3 houses on the hill. The right snip has two images merging Hart Road with Durango, and showing the houses on both roads that were evacuated July 2.
A follow-up story is interesting. These are taken the same day July 2 as the fire. This orphaned elk thinks she’s a horse and came from the old Taylor Bridge fire. The locals call her Buttons. She was getting very friendly with the firefighters.
Ironically, this was ironically just sent to me by my friend in New Jersey.
Wednesday, July 6
For July 5 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 6 hrs 45 min with AHI=1.04. Events: 4 CSR, 7 H, 15 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 13 L/min). Oximetry: okay all night.
At 6:00 a.m. this morning, I grabbed these photos of the doe and her two fawns, and took some video too. I saw them from my back room window and ran to get my camera.
John went out early to pick cherries. He kept bringing in boxes, most mixed 1/2 with Bing and Royal Anne/Rainier. He brought in one flat with sticky ones, which he’s going to wash before leaving Friday morning and taking to the crew at Icicle Creek. He will be driving up with Bill Weir (who lives in Ellensburg).
I left just before 11:00, with 4 pounds for Gloria Swanson and her sister Shirley to have (they had some last week too), and this week they will share with Shirley’s son and daughter who are up Saturday for a visit and lunch. They are living in Ecuador but back working in Toppenish for a few weeks, and visiting family on the west side and here.
John kept picking after I left. When I returned he was sitting on wood pallets in the back of our ’80 Chev PU farm truck. He used it to access a very large branch, and was sitting there picking in the shade of the large Walnut tree next to the Rainier tree.
I had picked up Gloria and Shirley and gone to the Food Bank, where we played music for 1/2 hour with a bunch of players/singers leading the crowd, which was smaller today, but very good at participating, enjoying, and applauding. That always makes us happy. We had singers (Lowell, also sometimes playing a recorder), Peggy, Brooke, Richard, Bob (guitar), Kyle (baritone ukulele), Evelyn (banjo), Evie (violin), Nancy (violin), Reta and Yvonne, singers.
Our meal presented today was good. Choice of two pastas — I had the white sauce and it had steak and red peppers, a large green mixed salad with all sorts of things. I chose Bleu Cheese dressing and garlic bread. We had red/white/blue frosted cake for dessert. We had three drink choices: iced tea, milk, and chocolate milk. All this is free as thanks for entertaining the guests for the day.
We left there, stopped off at the bank for me, and went on to SAIL exercise class at the AAC. Fifteen participants were present. One of the largest groups recently. One fellow normally goes to the 8:00 a.m. class.
We came on home. I called a neighbor who raises pigs and we invited her over within the next hour to take away some cherries for them to cull out the bruised for the pigs. She stayed about 20 minutes eating and picking the rest of the cherries from the branches John had in the back of the PU. I sat in a chair to pick into my own box, John, Krista, picked. We exchanged stories. Then we dumped my box into theirs and she went away with 10 dozen empty egg cartons, and probably 10 pounds of cherries.
In the video below, at the 2:10 mark the right side fawn picks up a branch with cherries on it. The deer eat all the leaves and some of the cherries they find. July 6th.
Fawns get an easy meal at the Cherry Tree
Thursday, July 7
For July 6 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 7 hrs 28 min with AHI=0.27. Events: 1 CSR, 2 H, 21 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 14 L/min). Oximetry: all right.
John and I went part-way out the driveway into a native plants area looking for Mariposa Lilies. Only 4 are in bloom this morning, with more coming. He’d sent me this link on Tuesday night to remind me they were back (it is a July occurrence).
Info on Mariposa Lilies
Until several years ago the horses could get to this spot. Now they cannot. However, we disturbed a lot of the ground where the lilies had been in the past by putting in a new drive to the barns and to have an access driveway to the west side (back) of our house.
Mariposa photo combo has John’s and my photography combined.
The left photo has an unopened flower while the opened on there shows the green stripe on the outside of the petal.
John went with me to run errands while I set up and played music with 11 people at the Rehab. He got himself some colas at Safeway. Went by the Goodwill looking for a rain jacket because they’re expecting rain at the work site tomorrow at Icicle Creek, and he came out with some real buys for me and for him. He found a Carhartt Coverall (~$100) for $10. It is only slightly used. I had one given at our Buy Nothing clothing share, but it had a broken zipper that needed to be replaced. We had his worn out pair with a good zipper, but the cost was probably going to be much over $10 to take out the one and replace in the other. He found a set of three screwdrivers, 2 normal slot ones (horizontal, jokingly called a ‘minus’) and a Phillips head (jokingly called a ‘plus’). He found me a “Soothing Body Wrap” – a piece of cloth containing something such as flax seed or rice that can be heated or cooled and used as a compress. I think this contains some sort of artificial chemical to mimic the other grains. I put it on tonight after leaving it in the freezer for 3 hours. It works perfectly. What a good buy that was!!! On the web it’s $15. He paid $4.
After John picked me up at the Rehab, we visited Bi-Mart looking through their 25% off garden chemicals, a rain jacket, and to return the ace bandage I bought yesterday, after realizing John had ordered 10 of them in a package that arrives tomorrow in the mail. While there, we found a rain suit he bought, a Frogg Toggs, Ultra Lite Rain Suit 2 with a jacket and pants for $18.99. Ever since we fed the cats and horses, it has been raining, so that was a good purchase for his trip to the mountains tomorrow to work on trail (probably in the rain).
Friday, July 8
For July 7 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 6 hrs 38 min with AHI=0.91. Events: 0 CSR, 6 H, 13 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 21 L/min). Oximetry: Never turned on until 3:40 in the morning, and then up with John and feeding cats. Back for an hour. Night was weird awaking at 2:00 a.m. with people chasing John and me with guns. ?? wonder what caused that nightmare.
I drove by Charlie’s and Helga’s to leave something for Arina and pick up Acetaminophen from Helga to tide me over until we get to Costco. This week a Costco tractor/trailer driver managed to tip off an interstate from the top level to the one below. The trailer split open and spread items all over the road and beyond (John’s addition).
I was on my way to Canyon View Physical Therapy, stopped off at a yard sale, buying some very interesting food tongs for 50¢. They are black plastic and have a closure/opener that is unique (pull out the end of the handle). I went to PT with a cute stuffed animal appropriate for Natalie’s PT business – a little monkey with a stick he pulls above his head to shinny up on. I told her I had a gift of a mascot for her place. This represents one of the overhead exercises I do to gain a range of motion above my head. She liked it, but said when her 5 yr. old daughter saw it, she would likely want it.
John’s first-aid things (via Amazon) in a multi-item package arrived today with an extra item – a hockey puck-sized thing of turtle food. Their robotic picker must have gotten a stray electron or some such. We have neither a turtle or a hockey stick so the item is of no use.
Saturday, July 9
For July 8 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 6 hrs 31 min with AHI=0.15. Events: 1 H, 2 PP, 13 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 7 L/min). Oximetry: okay.
Had some English muffin bread; only two pieces left. Ate lunch.
Got another call from the 963 number and recorded it on my camera.
May need to grab another wink. My eyes are hurting. I waited until 5:00 and got a little rest before John called.
Changed my CPAP filter, finally.
Washed and dried clothes washed for John, mostly, with blankets.
John called, being late getting home, and arrived just before 7:00 p.m. He took Annie for her evening walk and came back to say we should go in town for our anniversary dinner, and fill up his car with gasoline. He rode with Bill on Friday and Saturday but will go alone Sunday to Icicle Creek (~160 miles, round trip). We went to the Palace Cafe, in business since 1892. We receive a free meal (choice of Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken Alfredo) for our birthdays and for our anniversary to be used in the month of occurrence. We got there and had a CWU student as waitress. Beth is in a Physical Education/Sports degree program but with her looks and personality might make a better living moving up in the world of high end waitressing.
Returning home we still had some chores to do and John had some prep to do for his early morning departure. His stuff got spread around some because he was riding in Bill’s truck.
Sunday, July 10
For July 9 CPAP. Reported figures. Time on 6 hrs 25 min with AHI=0.00. Events: 2 CSR, 1 PP, 0 H, 12 RERA. No major mask leaks (max= 19 L/min). Oximetry: okay.
I was extremely tired and slept in until after 9:00 a.m., after not being able to get back to sleep when John left at 6:30. I was up with him to send him off and feed one of the kitties (Sue).
Been working on returning the wrongly delivered Amazon purchase filing a return and printing the UPS delivery slips to attach inside and outside the package to return an Aquatic Turtle Banquet Block Food & Calcium Supplement Treat, Giant Zoo Med Turtle Feed Pellet that came via Amazon. I first tried giving it away on the Buy Nothing site, but no one has a pet turtle.
I also have been working on getting ready to meet a former CWU Geography student and her husband coming from Boise Thursday, on their way to the west side for a wedding. They entertained me long ago for an AAG (Assoc. of American Geographers) conference in San Francisco, when they lived in San Leandro. They’ll join us for lunch, and then come hear us play music, possibly joining on an accordion, or perhaps a bass fiddle.
Washed dishes and fed another cat (Woody). Only one not back is Lemon. He’ll be back for a large supper.
I called Dee Eberhart and wished him a Happy 92nd Birthday!! Dee (WWII vet in Europe) retired from CWU as I arrived and is the patriarch of the orchard from which we glean about 1,000 pounds of apples each fall.
Need to work on the blog, but first eat leftovers from last night, and do my shoulder exercises.
Crazy things (telephone calls and emails) happened this afternoon to alter my schedule significantly.
John made it home, calling me from WA’s (Pseudo) Bavarian village of Leavenworth, a little over an hour away, at 5:00 p.m.
He was exhausted and went to bed early. He and the Crew Leader, Alan, did 3 days; Bill 2, and others just one each. He did post a short note yesterday, so check that out: “We’ll be a day late, again.”
I tried to stay up to finish the blog, yet after putting in a lot of time and information, I decided to leave things out to put in for next week. I still didn’t hit the hay until 12:30 a.m.
Hope your week was fine.
Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan