Well, here it is Monday night, and I have my computer laptop back all cleaned up of the virus that blasted the .ini file to keep me from doing anything at all. We didn’t pick it up until almost 5:30 p.m. Charge to reconstruct it to run was $178. They had to reload the operating system, and back up and clean up the hard drive.
Sunday was pretty interesting, but I stayed home, and John went again to work on the Gold Creek Trail. He had to walk in 2 miles to the site, and then had to work in the sun all day, and then walk out the 2 miles. He did that two days in a row, and finally today he is feeling the sore muscles. The reason they were working in bright sun and not under the shade of trees, was that there was an avalanche (2007) that took out all the trees and the trail, while downstream damage (high water flow) restricted access to the slide area.
See this but imagine much larger trees and ½ mile wide:
http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1990/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1990-33179.jpg
This is in a wilderness area so the work, even on the large trees, has to be done with crosscut saws. Here is what it looks like:
http://www.crystallake.name/twork/25jun07/cs7.jpg
On the lower part of the trail two bridges were needed. One was like this, but smaller:
http://www.sahale.com/Baker%20Timber-single%20log%20with%20rail.jpg
Another was made with three side-by-side flat-topped logs about 12 feet long – like this:
http://images.travelpod.co.uk/users/foothills_bears/2.1250064640.celine-crossing-a-log-bridge.jpg
Other parts of the trail were repaired over several summers. Meanwhile, with the area freshly cleared of vegetation and open to the sun, pioneer species (colonizers) of small shrubs, along with Salmonberry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonberry
and Devil’s Club (note photos 3 and 4):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_club
. . . filled the area and the “less than a trail”- foot path hikers were using to get across the slide. This year, with the big issues taken care of, the WTA volunteers concentrated on cleaning out the brush with loppers, small saws, weed whips, grub hoes, and McLeods (last 2 shown here):
http://www.americantrails.org/resources/info/tools5.html
[End of trail part]
Monday. We decided to go ahead of time to Cle Elum for my 3:00 appointment for Acupuncture, at the office there because no times were available this week in EBRG, and I needed to get in this week.
We had some coupons from Burger King and decided to use them. We ended up getting a Jr. Whopper and a Whopper, fries and drink. Sat out in the car in the shade of the building to eat. With the windows down and a breeze blowing through, it was not unbearable.
Went to the Cle Elum office for my first Acupuncture. In the Ellensburg office, I had previously met the person who would give me the treatment, when I was in for my first massage therapy. We had to climb up many steep stairs with good railings to get to the office. I made it, thank goodness. Absolutely, could not have last year. They had an elevator in the back of the building, but when we decided to use it to leave, it would not go down. It would close the door, I’d press 1 (we were on 2), and it would open the door again. After 3 times, we walked down the stairs.
John sat outside the office and read a book. My appt. lasted for 1.5 hrs. We didn’t know how I would be, so he was my driver. Cle Elum is 30 miles from Ellensburg. They started with reviewing my medical history, meds I’m on, procedures I have had done, and what artificial things are in my body. For example, because my ICD has an integrated pacemaker, they cannot use electrical stimulation. Then the first assessment was done by feeling my pulse in both wrists. Finally I got up on the table, and was on my stomach, with a head rest, and two protective cushions under my chest and left arm. The middle one was to protect me from leaning on my ICD, which sort of sticks out. Needles were inserted (I don’t know the total and have to ask next time, and request a picture with my camera). They use a straw to guide them in, (I’m sure that I’m not using the correct terminology). It is a very small needle and it doesn’t go in very far. There was no blood. I think I only felt 3 of them. There was also a lot of massage involved, and there was a heat lamp. Except for one maneuver under my left arm pit, to access the rotator cuff muscles that are troubling me most of all, there was no pain. He warned me that it would be painful and I would hate him. And, that it might bruise. It did hurt, I did bruise, but I didn’t hate him. I figured it is something that had to be done to reach the tense/tight/scar-tissue damaged muscles.
Came home all right, and I took off for my neighbor’s house 1.5 miles around the corner. She is the one who cuts my hair and has since 1988. She no longer has a shop in town, having closed it when she got breast cancer, but now cuts hair of some old clients, in her home. I was delivering a small box of the last of the plums off our tree. Well, on my way there, about a mile into the trip, a doe deer jumped from the bushes into my car (our newer white 2009 Subaru). It hit along the front fender and front part of the light assembly. It did not deploy my air bag, and it didn’t veer me off the road. I slowed down to be sure the deer got up and walked off. Then I continued on to my friend’s house and got out to look at the damage. There was nothing bent into the tire, and the light was not broken.
Tuesday. Getting ready and showering, etc., to go to the doctor’s in Yakima. We did feed the kitties before leaving. Only two were there this morning but tonight all 3 are. They ate all the food and drank all the water, so John replaced it again tonight. Yellow kitty (Sue/Sioux) is more skittish than Woody (new name for Bronco). Now Woody is coming into the backyard and playing with Rascal, and Rascal also joins the two of them outside the fence and in the wood pile.
Today was my trip to my cardiologist in Yakima. He was late getting to my 11:00 appt, but his assistant took care of giving me a chest X-ray, and an EKG. At first I was worried that something had shown up on my Echocardiogram to prompt him to request them. I mentioned that to the assistant, Jolene (made me think of the song), who said–oh no, this is normal. We do this once a year for all patients.
He came in about an hour late, but spent an hour plus with us. He is so thorough and explains everything about all the tests, and about what my heart and other organs are showing. My heart showed improvement on many counts. He was happy. My kidneys show a questionable condition, but he has ordered some tests to check that out. My liver is in good shape and not being compromised by the meds I’m taking.
I asked him about switching off the Coumadin for a newer drug, which didn’t require blood tests every few weeks. He said I was not a candidate, and talked about the “agent” in the med, and that he has used it on some of his patients, but he wouldn’t want to try me on it. Information here:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=127184342076&topic=18562
My source about this has A-fib but not the internal hardware and other issues I have. He switched last spring and is happy with the new drug.
My hemoglobin was really high (above 14) and that is good. Last August, when I collapsed, it was way down to 7.5 and they had to give me several units of blood.
Also, my Doctor is an EKG guru and one look at the charts suggested to him that my heart might do better (producing a normal rhythm) . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinus_rhythm
. . . if my pacer base was set lower so my heart could function more naturally. He had the device check lady re-program my device, not to start pacing till I drop to 50 beats / minute. It was set for kicking in at 60, but he noticed my heart had some sinus rhythm in the mid-50 range but was being interrupted by the pacer. He says I will be better off with my heart doing its own thing – all else being within bounds. We’ll see if this works.
So, it was a long day at the doctor’s but pretty much with good results. We followed the exam with lunch (meeting local friends) at the near-by hospital’s cafeteria. I was the only one with a certain salad and the only one that got an intestinal upset. Oops! Took until Thursday to shake that. More below.
Wednesday. We went to EBRG for Nancy to play music and we both ate at the food bank. On arrival we were greeted with the aroma of a covered barrel grill (real wood) smoking away outside cooking pork. With the well blackened ribs they had corn-on-the-cob, beans (a couple of different types in a bbq sauce), a squash casserole and watermelon. Wow! This was the best meal I have had there. John and I had taken some yellow delicious apples and yellow summer squash to one of the people playing with me. Afterwards, we took the Subaru to the repair shop for an estimate on the front end/side damage. He looked at it, took pictures, and we left to come back later for the details because he had to write the estimate, send it to Safeco (Insurance company), to get it approved. Meanwhile, John took me and my fiddle and himself and a book to the Sr. Center. I exercised. He read. It was cool inside.
We went back and got the news on the estimate. They will have to replace the right-front headlight assembly, and the right fender, but because of the “pearl” of the “tricoat” paint job (it’s only white!), there are three coats to cover the fender and, also, to blend in the “look” with all adjacent parts.
Yikes. The total time to do this is 20 hrs, and so we have to leave it all week. The parts cost is $550. And the total cost will be $2135.21, of which we pay $100.
Thursday. Craziness continues. John left at 6:05 for Pancake Inn at Snoqualmie Summit and breakfast with the old trail crew leaders and assistants, and I went back to bed. I had been sick with Montezuma’s revenge since late yesterday afternoon, and all through the night, every 1.5 hours. Finally, I’m better this morning, and will go for my music venue this afternoon.
Have no idea where I picked up the bug, but it might have been bacteria on a lettuce, walnut, with grated pepper jack cheese salad I had after my cardiologist’s Tuesday’s appt. We ate in the Memorial Hospital Cafeteria, which one would think would be more cleanly than other places. I didn’t have anything different from John for other meals, so it almost had to be that.
Helicopters are flying again, so there must be a fire in the nearby hills or canyons. We are 5.5 miles NE of their base.
Other news last night–another kitty (older yellow one) has appeared at the feeding station out back. We think it is probably the mother of the two kittens and also of our lost Sunshine. So now we go from zero to 4. Yikes. We need to get the older one tamed so we can keep her from having yet another litter, with yet another vet expense. And there are the younger two who also will need “fixed” and their shots. Amazing the cost of veterinary care– just the basics.
Musically, today was a small participant day, as there were only two fiddles (and only me when the other played his mandolin). We had one guitar, one banjo, one clarinet, and a singer, but we had a VERY appreciative group and that really helps. Two got up and danced. Cool. The one out in front of us, leading the pack, was the gal who was the Geography Dept. Secretary for 27 years and much of my time there at CWU. She is a delightful friend, and now resides in the assisted living home.
I have an appt. for a Renal Vascular Ultrasound to check my kidney functions. Of all the recent tests, this is the only thing to show up questionable and requiring further research. It is not a test I can have in the hospital in EBRG. I can have two others I have to have every year, as a precaution (Pulmonary test in a chamber and a Holter Heart Monitor put on for 24 hours). While I was there they did that adjustment on my ICD to change the pacemaker’s takeover and also ran the check normally done every 3 months. I would have been due in Oct., but now not till 3 months out. Sadly, I have to travel to Yakima for those readings and appts.
John has been gone working on wilderness trails for 2 days each of the past weekends, and today (Thurs.) he went up for a day, leaving at 6:05 and had breakfast with other “old timers” at the Pancake House at Snoqualmie Pass. He had a waffle. On the trip home, he got slowed to 2mph about 4:00 on the Interstate for construction, and called me from his cell phone, saying he didn’t know when he would arrive home. He finally arrived home at 5:40 after being detained for 45 minutes. The crew leader already made it home to Seattle, and sent out an email report on today’s work, which arrived while John was still on the road home.
Guess we both are tired and ready to go to bed earlier than usual, after dessert.
Friday. This is an easy day for me. I decided against going to town till tonight for our jam session potluck. I will get plenty of exercise and a lot of good food. We took Chicken Alfredo with cashews added; the person hosting the event cooked one of his large Rainbow trout (with salmon-colored meat) that his wife caught on a fishing trip they made on the Columbia River this summer.
I’ve been doing chores, just finished dishes, and have been working on emails, and notes to sick people (my cousin in Atlanta), and a friend in Illinois. There is always something.
John is staying home today, as this weekend’s weather is predicted to be rainy, and he does not wish to work in the rain. Yesterday, they got rained on and his shirts got wet. He had a rain jacket along but spread it out over his backpack, to protect it. The coat did its job and he rolled it inside-out and stuffed it into the backpack for the return hike. [They get wet from the work –perspiration- so a little sprinkle is of no consequence.]
I really had trouble yesterday and this morning, not being able to get speed on the Internet through any portal. It finally cleared up and I could access things on line (after several hours).
John currently is outside fixing up the “wood pile” vicinity for the cats. He is taking over a dog house with a nice roof, to put their food and water in to protect them form the elements. He will have to figure out something to put over the wood pile to keep it dry beneath, where they are living. He also is nailing together the “cable table” (previously used for telephone wire) as it is deteriorating. It’s part of the stuff next to the fence and little shed (inside the backyard), on which the cats go back and forth to the fenced yard.
I need to go out and see how he is doing. Just did. Wow—he cut out brush and grass near the fence, so now we can see the kitties and their feeding and play area near the wood pile. John also moved the cable table over further, and cut out a Nanking Cherry tree that was interrupting the backyard area. He has various wooden pathways for the kittens with boards and pallets propped up so they can move across the fence where he’s been feeding them, behind the hay shed and near the wood pile. The dog house was the one we used for the last litter of Brittany puppies.
When I went out to admire John’s work, Woody came out from under the wood pile and over to the new water bowl and feed bowl in front of the dog house. He even explored the dog house with the straw inside. Rascal was chasing bugs on this side of the fence in the backyard while all this was going on. I stayed there watching and John went into the house. Woody continued and so did Rascal. Rascal was investigating the new set up with the table and the access to his “ladder” up to the top of the hay shed (where he sleeps in the day, when not in the house). Meanwhile, Woody went up the pallet that is slanted on end, to the top of the fence post nest to the ladder, and then he stepped up on the ladder! I have never seen him there, but Rascal goes there a lot.
Shortly, Rascal found his way to the fence post and went down the pallet to check out the new dog house and new feeding bowls. Then Woody joined him. They both had a drink and both explored the dog house, so, we think this will be successful. Now with the brush down, we can look out the doggie door window and see most everything.
Wind is howling again at 10:00 p.m. We are back and ready to hit the hay. Attended the jam session potluck tonight and filled up with a lot of good food. We had the huge trout, alfredo, plus beans, garlic bread, congealed fruit salad with whipped cream, watermelon (none for me), and strawberry cream cheese Bundt cake. It was all very yummy. Came home and found Rascal had put himself to bed on our bed. John went out and added food and water for the outside kitties. Woody was up on the top of a leaning wood ramp John built for them. He let John walk right by him, stop and talk, and refill the water and food. This time a few days ago he would have run and hidden beneath the wood pile. So, we have progress. Woody is a mackerel tabby just as Rascal, but with long hair, and no white bib or white feet as Rascal has. Rascal is a short-haired cat.
Saturday. We slept in, including Rascal. It was cold outside, below 50. So much for ripening tomatoes. John has been out taking care of cleaning out the old pickup and fixing the back shattered window (broken by a vagrant piece of firewood), and getting the old truck ready to load some recyclable paper and magazines in to take to the shop near the airport tomorrow that is near where he is going to help a friend move stuff from his storage locker to his new rental house. Today, John is staying home to do various chores, and I’m going to town to play music at a retirement community, where individuals have their own apartments in a complex. This is the place that feeds us when we are done. Today’s meal was a winner. We had make-your-own tacos, with cooked hamburger seasoned with taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, & guacamole. There was cut cantaloupe and blackberries, raspberries, and blue berries, and several types of desserts: chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and nuts, carrot cake, cookies, and brownies (the latter two homemade).
We played and the group sang along with us for slightly over an hour. It was really nice. I stopped at two yard sales (in the rain) on the way to play, and got a huge metal bowl for using to mix bread dough or put salad in for a large group. Paid 50 cents. Also at another one, I got a very nice hand knitted colorful hat with a brim for another 50 cents. Went to the grocery store for kitten food and chocolate milk for my meds, to Bi-Mart for some large envelopes to store tax receipts (by month) in.
So, it was a productive trip to town.
Now, I’m giving this to John to put on the blog this week.
Oh, first I have to make a web page you can get to, to see a photograph of the dragonfly John took a couple of days ago — evening, on an apple tree, using flash:
http://www.elixant.com/~nancyh/BlueDragonfly.html
Nancy and John
still on the Naneum Fan