Snow, food, fun, folly

Monday, Dec 12

For Dec 11 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 1.67. Events: 1 CSR, 14 H, 4 PP, 14 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 24 min with major leakage. Oximetry: SpO2 low 85, 9 events <88% with avg., 90.8%. Pulse avg. 56.1, low 50. I sent an announcement to our music group for this Thursday and Saturday. Put my meds for the week into the pill case and added my name on my computer carrier case.pill-caseI delivered the computer to Monica’s office in Geography for getting Microsoft Office Suite software put on and went by the bread room for some sweets that I planned to take to the Retired Geographers’ meeting Tuesday morning.

I was on my way to the hospital to have my Pulmonary Function Test, at at 2:00 p.m. I have to have it done every year because of Amiodarone, a med I take to help control atrial fibrillation (a-fib). It can have a reaction with people’s lungs and scarring them. I have been fortunate since 2010 in not having the potential interaction but most importantly, also not having any atrial fibs. I have it assessed each year and trust that it will continue to work for me. I do not want to have to switch to the alternative medication that is a lot more trouble to get the dosage right, and requires a 3-night stay in the hospital. I prefer to stay away from such encounters. I have an appointment coming up with Dr. Kim, my cardiologist, where he will review the findings and make decisions. I will be concerned until I hear his comments January 3, 2017.

The rest of the evening we worked on photos of our FireWise & Fuel Reduction work around our place the last 2 weeks of November, so we could add to the discussion at the geography meeting in the morning. We made two pages of before, after shots, and in progress work at our place, and printed four copies for people to share around the table.

Here are a few collages of the scenes described, before and after:1-collage-follyf-w-b-aLeft (taken from the very right side of the other) goes back to October behind the shed; over the “Jay’s folly” depression – camera at a utility pole. Note all the green-yellowish vegetation. Right photo taken Nov 30 is from the opposite direction, showing the reduction of brush and trees (fuel). The center of the depression is 75 feet from the back (wood siding) of our house. 2-collage-hultquistfw-bef-aftFor these two, note the utility pole (at corner of shed). The slightly brownish brush in the center (left photo) is Elderberry with a brush pile in front of it. The “after” photo on the right has had enough material removed that the big trunk of a Ponderosa Pine is now visible. It is on the neighbor’s property. The stumps of the Aspen trees have been left long so leverage can be gotten if we want to remove them. These are likely clones and all part of one large organism. For context, see Pando
3-collage-right-bef-aft-left-follyLeft photo is the entrance to the north side of the folly before, and the right photo is the last day’s clearing on the left (south) side, directly behind our house. All the limbs and trunks under 8 inches diameter went through the chipper. What a time saver that is. They also piled logs for John to use later for firewood.

Finally, the sun just came out December 17, 2016 when we are finalizing this blog, and I got this collage from our back patio over the scene seen in parts above. [John says: In my spare time I should look for a merge to panorama program].

4-collage-hultquist-12-17-16backyardYou can see the two Ponderosas that are in both photos, and the one on the right centers on the “folly” hole, which had filled with brush. Some of that (very entangled) is still there, waiting for John to pull it out and get into a brush pile they can come back in the spring to put through the chipper. The FireWise crew had promised an upper-County landowner to do a small job before they quit for winter. Plan is for John to use the truck and a chain to get the stuff out to a better place.

Tuesday, Dec 13

For Dec 12 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.25. Events: 2 H, 11 RERA. Time on 8 hrs 3 min with (max = 20 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with avg., 92.5%. Pulse avg. 56.9, low 51.

2nd Tuesday each month is gathering day of the old folks from the Geography Department and often some visitors, less old.5-retiredgeographers12-13-16Left to right: Dee Eberhart, Jo & Ken Hammond, George Macinko, Diane & Jim Huckabay, John behind, Urban Eberhart, John Bowen, Sterling Quinn, James & Lillian Brooks, Rose Shriner.

We were gathered for our monthly meeting of the Emeritus Geographers and friends. Rose Shriner was our speaker I invited to our meeting. She is a graduate (2009) of our department and now is the GIS Analyst & head of the FireWise & Fuel Reduction Program at the Kittitas County Conservation District. We had worked with her to get our FireWise work started the end of November. John Bowen is the chair of Geography and brought Sterling Quinn, our most recent Geography professor who just arrived this year, and is who teaching GIS courses and Maps & Cartography, and also will teach Latin America next year with more GIS courses. All his courses (except Latin America), I taught while there over the many years.

I was in charge of refreshments for the meeting. As players for the Food Bank’s Soup Kitchen, we are encouraged to come get things from the bread room. That is from where I got the huge several-layered Christmas chocolate cake with mint and white frosting. It was a mess cutting up, but I took our colorful glass platter for presentation. Then I went around as the server.

Funny story. I collected the bow tie and ribbons on top of the cake, and, thinking they were plastic (because they were unable to be cut), so I carried them home to clean up to give to my friend who bakes desserts for friends and relatives. When I soaked them, they dissolved. Molded sugar does that, plastic not so much. What the folks did not eat we gave to the neighbors. John isn’t fond of mint and neither of us like so much thick frosting – unless it is good chocolate! 6-collage-dessertgoodiesfor12-13-16Jazzercise was today at 2:00 p.m. at the senior center. It was quite a workout today, and we all felt it the next day. I felt before then by having to play fiddle tonight, when I went back to Hearthstone for Christmas music. That was with “The Connections.” Because of all the different keys changes that thankfully I can do (by ear) because I know the songs, I was the only other instrument besides the piano. There we saw a bunch of our followers who love the music. As a kid in elementary school, I learned the descant on several songs, and so with the four singers, I played it on 4 songs: “Oh, Come All You Faithful,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “It Came upon a Midnight Clear,” and “Silent Night.”

Wednesday, Dec 14

For Dec 13 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.65. Events: 1 OA, 1 PP, 4 H, 21 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 42 min with (max = 17 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 I think a spurious low 82 when I moved, I think the true low was 85; 9 events <88% with avg., 90.6%. Pulse avg. 57.0, low 53.

John drove himself to his own 10:15 check-in with Dr. Paul Schmitt, in Cle Elum, taking both blood pressure instruments with our created book of BP numbers, and his ECG/EKG from before his surgery. Dr. Paul suggests, at this time, not changing the dosage from the 30mg Lisinopril. He reviewed the ECG and said it was fine. They made an appointment to recheck 5/1 so they can dance around the Maypole, just before Paul officially retires.

I stayed home to get ready to leave for music at the Food Bank. Gloria drove herself because she needed to go to a hair appointment at 1:00 p.m. for an hour, and I needed to go to SAIL class, from 1:30 to 2:30.

For the photo that follows, before SAIL class, I set up this scenario. I fooled these gals who thought I was just going to take their picture with the donated Christmas gifts (I got FREE from a person in town, picked up, and donated to the senior center). Instead, I took the video, and later sent them some stills, so they could send back home. These are AmeriCorps staff at our senior center, Ellensburg Adult Activity Center; one is from NJ and the other from PA. Each teaches an exercise class in SAIL. Megan teaches the morning class, and Lauren teaches the afternoon class I attend. SAIL is offered M-W-F. 7-aac-megan-lauren-1Megan Willwerth is on the left and Lauren Healey is on the right.

Rocking & Jagging Christmas with Megan & Lauren at AAC

I participated in SAIL and on the way home, I stopped by Hospice Friends to thank Janel for the lovely porcelain ornament and picked up a case of Ensure. I intended to get my Telmisartan from the Safeway pharmacy, but I was traveling without my pocketbook and did not have my credit card with me. Oops.

Thursday, Dec 15

For Dec 14 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.32. Events: 2 H, 3 PP, 8 RERA. Time on 6 hrs 15 min with (max = 13 L/min). Oximetry: SpO2 low 84, 6 events <88% with avg., 90.9%. Pulse avg. 56.7, low 51.

I worked more on Jingle-Bell Rock and could not get it onto 1 page, but changed the key to G, and put on 2 pages. I have a couple of notes that need changed but that only affected the flute and violins, so we corrected it and they played nicely. The chords were fine for the rest of the string band. I will set up my master correctly before I store for future use, or before sending a pdf to anyone.

We had a huge group (lucky 13) playing at Pacifica Senior Living/ Brookdale/ Dry Creek today. We used all 12 Coca-Cola chairs and others too. Our group included Fiddlers (Nancy, Evie, Laina, & Laura); guitars (Gerald, Charlie, Manord, Maury, Roberta); mandolin (Tim); tambourine (Anne); flute (Amy) playing first fiddle melody and daughter, Haley (3.5 yrs old), dancing; and singer, Rita. In addition, we had many bells and noise-making shakers in the audience keeping time. Haley carries a stick with bells and keeps time perfectly to the music. I need to capture her in a video. We only have one more chance this year. I don’t know if I can pull it off or not.

I went by Safeway to pick up Telemisartan (135 tablets), for $98. That covers 3 months of pills for me for the most expensive medication I take for my heart. Next expensive pill I have to arrange for is Phenobarbital, for our dog, Annie. We give her a half a pill a day.

I was rather worn out and my shoulder was aching from all the music and exercise this week: Tuesday (both), Wed (both), and today (no exercise except for carrying heavy weight into the place from the end of a snow-covered parking lot). At least I have a day’s rest until we play music again Saturday afternoon.

Friday, Dec 16

For Dec 15 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.13. Events: 1 H, 12 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 25 min with (max = 14 L/min). Oximetry: (only recorded 4 hrs, battery died). SpO2 low 88, 0 events <88% with avg., 91.8%. Pulse avg. 59.1, low 53.

We both were on the phone talking with Peggy in Ohio for 48 minutes !! We solved all the big problems of the world. Now we have to solve all the little ones.

John did all outside chores, and I helped with a few inside, feeding kitties, cleaning dishes, but the biggest thing I did was not intentional. I tried using the microwave egg cooker I got as a white elephant gift (and you have seen previously in the blog, 12/2), but I failed spectacularly – and blew up three eggs and 2 cups of water. An incredible mess in a small space. I started the cleaning, and John finished, reaching to the back and ceiling of the microwave. We will have to research more on-line about such devices. This one came with no instructions.

The rest of the day was spent taking care of paying bills, music things, taking a photo of John and the deer walking up to feed them their deer block and some apples. It was late in the day when they appeared at the front gate. Maybe earlier, they were down the street eating from a neighbor’s front yard.8-twinfawsfollowingjohnapplesdeerblock
10 second video of John and the deer

In the short video, you see the 3 resident deer, mom and two fawns (doe & buck) who come in every morning and evening for a handout. Now that we are out of Mt. Ash berries and will be running out of apples, John is starting them on a deer block, of which we bought two.
He is bringing it in every night to preserve from an onslaught of 15+ deer in the neighborhood.

The morning feed was late until they showed up at the front gate. John went and carried the deer block in the Gorilla Cart™ and the cut apples in a plastic bucket. First, the twins followed him and then mamma joined.

Saturday, Dec 17

For Dec 16 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 0.78. Events: 1 CSR, 6 H, 17 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 43 min with small leakage. Oximetry: SpO2 low 87, 3 events <88% with avg., 91.4%. Pulse avg. 55.4, low 50.

We did our morning chores in the house and yard.

I left about 1:00 to drive to Briarwood for our music appearance and a good crowd of people to sing Christmas songs.

We normally end with several in the group singing and playing the song, A’ Soalin’, accompanied and led by Manord Rucker.
Song meaning

The audience also has the words and joins in with the group. I haven’t videotaped us playing but here is a version by the group who made it famous – and significantly, it was recorded in the year John and I met in Cincinnati, OH.

Peter, Paul and Mary – A Soalin’ (live in France, 1965)
We did today as well, but were followed by Evie Schuetz and Manord doing a duet of another special Christmas song —

Christmas in the Trenches
(when the fighting stopped)9-eviemanordbegin-2zoomYou may wish to hear it on You tube with photographs of the time in WWI – 1915.

Song & Photos

Maybe you’d like to follow the story of the song here:

About the song

And, for other places on the web, check for the history; just search on Christmas in the Trenches.

The people at Briarwood treat us to mid-afternoon dinner at the end of our performance. Today was no different. We had hot split pea soup, cornbread muffins, several salads, two types of sandwiches, and a large amount of cookies and a tray of Christmas cookies brought by our flute player, Amy, whose daughter is our sweet dancing mascot – photos 10-collage12-17-16briarwoodHaley on the front row of the audience and the beginnings of our table of food. Haley’s mom, Amy is at the end of the table with the red shirt with white Christmas tree. We also had cheese cake and raspberry sherbet punch.

Sunday, Dec 18

For Dec 17 CPAP. Reported figures. AHI= 1.42. Events: 1 CSR, 10 H, 1 PP, 11 RERA. Time on 7 hrs 2 min with major leakage). Oximetry: SpO2 low 86, 2 events <88% with avg., 92.0%. Pulse avg. 56.0, low 48.

Most of the day spent on blog, feeding, showing the deer block to the youngsters, doing dishes, and email chores.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan