On the road with fire

Week 1 September 2018

Monday, Sept 3
. . . … HAPPY LABOR DAY …

We rested a little, but basically worked on many different projects.
Some of this day was already written up in our previous blog.

John picked squash and tomatoes for me to share on Tuesday, when I leave for town for errands.

Tuesday, Sept 4

John left at 6:00 for the Dingford Creek Trail,
returning tonight after 5:00 p.m.
Only a couple of photos to show from near Pumpkin Seed Falls in the Cascades, east of N. Bend, WA.Top left: Sadie lunching at work site, where teams of 4 over three days raised the stream crossing about five feet and capped it with flat-topped rocks. Top right: Pumpkin Seed Falls (rock) a bit short of water.
Bottom left: 2 of the crew doing a last inspection. Bottom right: 10 feet of trail build up and tread repair – ’cause we were there.

I slept in a little longer but was up by 8:00 a.m. Washed a load of dishes. Then worked on finishing the blog photos. I spent time on the phone with Consumer Cellular checking to see if they had access to tracking the package I sent on Friday. I did not have a tracking number to follow. I have to wait until later in the week to see if it made it there.

I also received a call from Sears that our washer is in, but John cannot pick up until later this week.

I called in the non-delivery of the WSJ, from Saturday, but nothing was published on Labor Day. Now later I realized we did not get a paper delivered today, so I’ll wait to see if we get one tomorrow. Also, requested the missing paper copies be sent [from Chicopee, MA]. Supposed to come in 3-5 business days, but nothing has come yet, and we are out into 2 weeks missed deliveries. It is a normally a 6-day/wk (except holidays) delivery.

I took yellow summer squash and tomatoes to our neighbors to share with their extended family and a caregiver. While there I picked up some Bartlett pears. On to town where I dropped off some more squash. Those folks were not home, but I will see them tomorrow at lunch. From there I went on to Rehab, with a package to leave for Gerald Gordon, in his wife’s room. She was sleeping so I did not interrupt her. I went on back down the west wing to visit Burnie Orcutt, and to tell her our music group would be there this Thursday at 2:00-3:00 in the dining hall. She was happy to see me and we visited. She already heard from her daughter Suzy that we’d shared a steak dinner last Saturday for my birthday. We had a nice visit. From there, I was off to check my number at Bi-Mart. Didn’t win anything. On by the hospital to pick up another care and service report form. By to check the price on gasoline, and to the bank to cash a check (refund from overcharge at the foot doctor’s office, for John’s last visit). I wondered why we were being charged for a Medicare visit so late in the year, and I wasn’t, because our deductible should have long been paid up. From there to Safeway to replace a spoiled piece of white corn-on-the-cob. No questions asked. Then off to get gasoline… at $3.14/gal best price in town—at 7/11. From there, to Jerrol’s to spend a $10 off coupon during my birthday month. I looked around ½ the store and could not find anything I wanted. I was standing looking perplexed and a nice young gal, Beth, asked if she could help me find something. I told her my wishes and she suggested ordering a book of my choice. I had told her I looked at that section and others, but couldn’t find anything I wanted. The closest thing I found to something of interest was the Geology of Grant County. That county is east of us, and I wanted one on the Roadside Geology of Washington (state). I told her that I wanted the latest edition, which they did not have the last time I checked (last fall). She checked her computer and found they had the 2nd edition that I wanted. She told me to wait, and she went searching. She came back with a copy. I guess when I asked for it previously that must have triggered them to get it in the store. But, I had not specifically ordered it at the time. Now I’m the proud owner of a new copy of the book highly recommended by Nick Zentner. Price there was $26.00, so my $10 off coupon got used on something of interest to both of us.

Allen Aronica showed up looking for a cage to fit an Emu. It was being “herded” to a neighbor’s place but it had a different idea. They caught it but we could not help.
While he was here, I gave him a gift (the painting) I picked up free in Kittitas, WA on Friday. Allen is a Native American (our neighbor since 1989 a mile north on Naneum), and a member of the Kittitas Band of the Yakama tribe.Nancy presents painting (1979 by Norma Burnam). Background are Carpathian walnut trees, and our 11 yr. old Brittany, Cedaridge Vintage Roussanne.

Finally published last week’s blog tonight at 11:38 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept 5

John was up early to get ready for the Culligan man to come evaluate our system.
I stayed around until almost 11:00, and left for the Food Bank to play music. I left after 1:00 and came home to help John get ready to go pick up the washer. The Culligan man had only been gone 15 minutes when I got home about 1:30. We still have not heard back from salesman & water tester, Jose’, about our needed purchase, but there’s really no rush. We have a month of cleanup in the garage to make room for a new unit to manage removing the iron and iron-bacteria in our water.

Nice visit over lunch with Karen Johnson and her friend Nancy Edwards (I have pix of both and first met Nancy and boyfriend Craig and the ending BBQ for the Kittitas Audubon Society. Need to get those out to them and the KAS folks. I have to do it before the Sept 20 meeting. See below on Saturday for link to all.
We had a fair number there today for music with 3 singers and 4 instrumentalists. I sat with 4 other musicians and we had lunch, after we had played for ½ hour. John fixed me a hamburger, with cooked onions and a larger one of our tomatoes sliced. I had lost much of my lunch salad when the top opened on my container and filled my carrying bag with Bleu Cheese dressing.

Tonight for supper, we had a nice pizza, with our stuff on it (Ailsa Craig onions, & tomatoes), and from the store, Pepperoni based pizza with mushrooms. Added a bit of sauce, extra cheddar cheese, then topped with Parmesan.

Thursday, Sept 6

We received delivery of our first WSJ in two weeks. Maybe they finally got it straightened out. Funny thing, we also missed receiving the last 3 editions of our local newspaper, the Daily Record, and received all three last night with a letter of apology from the Daily Record Circulation Manager that the carrier had dumped all the copies rather than delivered them.

We heard from Allen Aronica that they caught the Emu and got him home to his new place up the road from us and over Naneum Creek north of Charlton Rd. Allen’s neighbor tries to “rescue” animals but she hasn’t the resources to do so. Years ago, John helped get a donkey to her, using our horse trailer.

I ran off a new song for us to practice at the Rehab today, called “Meeting in the Air.” This is our first Thursday of the month when we go to the place where I was “incarcerated” for 7 weeks in 2010 out of the ICU, needing to regain the use of all my muscles that atrophied after no activity from November 28 through my valve replacement the end of December 2009.

A resident there now is a wonderful lady Burniece Orcutt. For a number of years we would go to her home for part of Christmas Day. She is now in rehab for physical therapy to regain balance. Daughter Suzy West will be joining her today to come to our performance. I went by on Tuesday to visit with Burnie, and to remind her we would be there, and not to schedule a PT appointment during the 2 – 3:00 p.m. hour. She and her husband used to dance (with our group playing) at the Friday afternoon ballroom dances at the senior center in the early 1990s. Sad thing – our accordion player for many years is now there as a resident with Dementia, and unable to do most things. She still sits in her wheelchair with the group, smiling occasionally, and keeps time to the music with her hands.

John went to Sears in the truck to have them load our washer. Ellensburg Sears is very small and locally owned, but handles sales of appliances and garden/lawn equipment. Sears, as a major company, is headed down the toilet bowl of history. The local store will have new arrangements if it wishes to stay in business.

Friday, Sept 7

John left at 6:00 a.m. and I slept in past 6:30. I found the tracking number for my package I sent to return my smart phone, after I learned today by email it had been received in Portland, by Consumer Cellular and they have credited my account for $135.

I talked to a fellow I know at the Daily Record (DR), who told me the rest of the story about non-delivery of our local newspaper over a 3-day period. He said they went to the delivery person’s home and she had some papers bundled in the back of her car. Then someone checked at Super 1 grocery dumpsters and found the rest. Wow. I thanked him for our delivery, told him of my problems with WSJ delivery and that I didn’t even realize I wasn’t getting the DR. I asked him how they figured it out, and he said their phone was ringing off the hook, so they began the search.

I wrote White Heron’s Cameron & Phyllis we would be coming Sunday at 1:30 and we were being joined by friends from Cle Elum.

I had brunch at noonish. Large tomato, 2 eggs over easy with cheese, cut ham, and toast with apricot jam. Ready to take meds and get busy.
I loaded more into the dishwasher. Fed Party Mix to Rascal.
No other cats in sight at the time.

I did remember to thank the 3 folks who mailed me birthday cards via USPS—Peggy, Pat, and Ethel.

I spent from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. sorting stacks of mail receipts, music, and other things we print off in 2 years, and recycled almost a box of paper. Have not yet filed them by month. Still working on things found to correct, update emails, and addresses. When we never stay home, things accumulate.

John called at 4:00 from N. Bend**. Expected home at 5:30; he arrived a few minutes after without calling. He is finding the new phone as confusing as quantum physics.
**Edgewick exit, actually, a truck stop, motel, & restaurant. Between 1912 & 1919 there was a small community with a post office. Then came the Boxley Burst {link}.

Annie spent a lot of time in the backyard on the concrete in the sun and in the shade.

Tonight we had a late supper.

Saturday, Sept 8

I emptied the dishwasher and worked on stacks in the den. We had brunch and John picked produce: blackberries and tomatoes.
I wrote to the Emeriti Geographers, postponing our meeting for a month or two.

This is the link to photos from the Kittitas Audubon’s Summer Picnic

KAS Annual Picnic, 8-16-18

Sunday, Sept 9

Going to White Heron: I got some plates, napkins, clear plastic cups, and stainless steel flatware ready to take for the 4 of us, and put my camera in.
We were preparing for the Chef’s Extravaganza, in conjunction each year with Quincy Farmer Consumer Awareness Day. We attend this event at White Heron Cellars (& Mariposa Vineyard) every year to celebrate my birthday (a week late).

On our trip over via I-90, we drove by at the very beginning of a fire in the median.Our first photo at Renslow Trestle [old RR, abandoned], later fire shown in median and across westbound lanes, closer, and no WSP or firetrucks had yet arrived. We slowed slightly but went on before traffic began to back-up.

Brush fire off I-90 near Kittitas burned 100 acres

We made it by and got over to White Heron about 12:45.
Visited with the owners and some of the pruners, and with the cooks. I spent about 20 minutes with my cell phone and John’s new ‘smart’ phone, talking to Portland to the provider to download the newest version of the operating system. It finally got done before our friends arrived. John was inside tasting with others.

I ran around with my camera documenting the day. Those photos have not been completely processed, just enough to end this blog and I’ll give you a link to follow, next week, to all I took. Pre-partying in the winery. Nancy & John & current selections.My staked out table with view, and later in use with food.Our table’s food, smoked pork ribs, w/ blueberry-peach garnish Our friends: Jack & Sharon ^^^^^^^^^ Nancy, Altesse, Sharon
Columbia River and basalt cliffs in the background. Closest behind Sharon and Jack is the Mariposa Vineyard, wherefrom all the grapes come in the White Heron wines (as on the table). With our dinner we had a bottle of Trinidad Red.Cameron Fries, Nancy, Sharon^^^^^^John, Phyllis Fries, Nancy
And yes, Cameron really is quite large – used to be 6′ 7″

We’ll end there (even on this Tuesday, September 11, 2018) and begin next week with Monday of this week, when we hope to publish, again.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan