We are at that time of the year when the daylight hours are increasing and the weather is more conducive to being outside – sort of. Last week three days of 45 mph wind didn’t help and now it is cool and slightly wet. I still have 7 Ponderosa Pines to plant and lots of other things to do outside. I mention this because during the winter (when Nancy was in critical care) there wasn’t much I could do, and so I grasped at all the information about her condition and treatment, and using the internet, tried to figure out what was happening, and then shared it with any that cared to read about it here. There was a daily immediacy to the events and I began very unaware of all the medical possibilities and it was a steep learning curve. So, I put lots of details in my winter reports.
There is less now on a daily basis to report and while we are very busy with all sorts of things, many are not exciting, and none are life threatening unless you count driving on narrow roads with right-angled turns every little bit (a consequence of our square survey grid). My (and our) reports now are more abbreviated but I still hope that on the medical issues I provide a good summary and appropriate links and key words that if you want to explore the issues more fully you will find it easy to do so.
I chose not to open this thing up to comments initially knowing it would be difficult for me to deal with personal issues (talking on the phone was an even more wrenching experience). In one respect allowing comments would have made it easier for us to learn about what has been going on in the lives of others had you wished to share publicly but e-mail does work and we are learning a lot. We thank you for updating us and we find it somewhat appalling that we have failed to keep up with all the goings on in your lives. There have been accidents, hip replacements, surgeries, deaths, and new partners, and new grand children and many other things. Wow! [ nancyh@ellensburg.com ]
During last Saturday morning’s swing through the garage sale circuit John bought a pair of work shoes and an 18 inch pipe wrench. Nancy bought a tear-dropped shaped mountain dulcimer (4 strings with C or D fretting). You can look it up – I have no idea.
Nancy writes:
I want to put this next part in, because in this new exercise class I’m in, is a woman who had BOTH hips replaced less than a year ago. She is doing really well in the class. Maybe that will be encouraging to those of you with hip problems or replacements. There are also people in the class who have knee replacements and they are up on their feet doing well. We heard yet another family member just had one of those. I’m still having trouble lifting my own body from a sit to stand without using my hands, but I’m told I will be better and able to do that at the end of three months. I’m ready for that.
The program I joined is called SAIL—not as Sailing with the wind, but is an acronym for Stay Active & Independent for Life. I joined a SAIL class, at the Adult Activity Center in Ellensburg. It is an exercise class, developed by two women in the State of Washington. It meets 3 days / week MWF from 1:30 to 2:30 and costs $3.00 for 3 months. It is low impact aerobic stretching, balance, and strengthening exercises sitting or standing behind your chair, or walking around the room of chairs… to music. We have a certified leader. Today (Monday) there were 21 people in attendance. The oldest is 93 years young, and she “runs” / “walks” circles around most of us.
I’m still sorting through the clothes I bought at an estate sale. Some low cut blouses (because of my heart surgery scar I don’t want to show) I’m giving to my neighbor. My older bigger clothes, I’m portioning out to friends who can wear them. I will never be in 2X again; that I know for sure. I even had a few 3X blouses. Now they swallow me.
One night last week we went to an orchestra presentation at the new music building where the acoustics are lovely; almost perfect from every seat in the house, and the Symphonetti from Rexburg, ID gave a great performance for about 1.5 hrs.
While I went to my normal nursing home music venue on Thursday afternoon with the Kittitas Valley Fiddlers and Friends, (I fiddle and sing), John planted trees, and cut off a matted (too bad to separate) tail of one of the new horses (Cheyenne). I also attended a thesis defense for one of the REM graduate students who was in my class last fall. So while I have retired, I still can find time to support some of the student activities that are meaningful to them and their families.
John reported I bought a dulcimer that I now have to learn to play. A year ago I got mandolin – also used much in old time music. John says when we win the lottery and build a mansion with a great-stone room with a fireplace we can hang all the musical instruments we don’t play on the wall next to a large window looking out on the horses we don’t ride. Until that day, we plan to both play and ride.