Keeping track

I do not yet have the Google Photos from the Aloha going away party for Jessi from the AAC (our senior center). I also have a few videos to share, but I’m not yet through processing them. They will have to be in next week’s blog, except for one that I’m the lead in our doing as what I will remember about Jessi forever.

Monday, Aug 13

Nothing got written down today until a day late. Hmmm, how’s my memory?

I spent a bunch of time finalizing music plans for two days this week. John watered plants and fed the horses. He’s doing a rescheduled WTA Tuesday, so had to get lunch and drinks ready. Squash need lots of water these hot sunny days. Plums are getting ripe.

I left for town for SAIL exercise class and to return the package of wrongly bought items from Amazon, at the USPS.

When I arrived home, John had done 4 more peaches, but we had a bunch on the bottom layer of the box, to complete. Didn’t finish those until late.

Tuesday, Aug 14

I started by getting up too early 5:00 a.m., feeding the cats hard food, and watching John get ready to leave before 6:00 a.m. for Surprise Lake, north off Hwy 2.
His one photo of the day is here:Blueberries and John’s Orange Hard Hat
Last Friday a “group” cancelled after the crew cached tools over a mile up the trail. A late scheduling garnered a half-dozen folks to work Tuesday and then bring the tools out. A Thursday trip is at a different place.

He will be calling me from Leavenworth on his trip home, probably about 4:30 p.m. Then he is a little over an hour away from home there.

I intended to go back to sleep, after John left, after I fed the cats their canned food, but it did not work that way. I got on the computer and took care of some planned correspondence with others about several venues, and I didn’t stop.

Finally, I got too hungry to rest, so I made some brunch. Then worked on dishes, and more computer correspondence. Now at 2:13, I’m going to take a nap. Temp on front porch is 82.5°, 86° at airport at 1:53 with 2.5 mi visibility. Smoke.

I lay down at 2:22; John called at 3:57. I slept most of that time.

It’s hot here. Was 88 where he was just turning onto Hwy 97, north of here.

John gave a rough approximation for the work crew’s far-point today on the trail as 2.6 miles. It is another 2 miles to the first alpine lake – he won’t ever see it. Day trips max-out at about 2 miles. WTA has other (overnight) trips to go deeper into the wilderness.

Wednesday, Aug 15

Called in John’s Levothyroxin refill request and I picked it up while in town today.

I printed copies of It is No Secret to sing as a tribute to Bill Bolman who was a volunteer at the food bank, and also a fan club member of our music group, at the food bank and at Briarwood, where he resided. This coming Saturday is our scheduled visit there (3rd week of the month), and we will sing and play there as well. That actually turned into a much more of a tribute memorial, which you will experience if you look at Saturday’s post.

Right before my leaving, we contacted by phone, Consolidated Communication to report our problems with losing our DSL (sometimes three times a day). The tech support (in Tennessee) listened and decided to call for a technician to come to our house. We gave him the phone number, and expected the tech to call before showing up. He did not call, but John was here, and the technician supposedly fixed it. I came home while he was still here, but leaving. John told him if he had come tomorrow, neither one of us would have been here. Our land line was clearly on the work order and we were told he would call first. It’s nice to have it back working again, and I hope it continues. (It did not, so I guess something else is wrong.)
I worked on several projects before leaving at 10:55.

One thing I did this morning was to change from wearing my FitBit to a watch to wear in the shower, because the FitBit is only supposed to be splashed, not to experience running water. I was rushing to leave, and neglected to change back to my FitBit, so the specifics of my exercising today, steps, aerobic time, were not recorded.

After music at the food bank, I went by the hospital for my monthly required INR & potassium blood draw. I called ahead to the AAC to let them know I was coming but would be late, and why. Turns out I wasn’t that late arriving. When I was called with my test results (INR 2.1 and K 4.5), I asked about when John’s test was scheduled in Sept after 2 months of increasing the dosage to 88mcg. Cody looked it up for me and I put it on the planning calendar in the kitchen.

Thursday, Aug 16

John left at 5:40 a.m. to stop off in Ellensburg for gasoline on his way to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) at Stevens Pass. Starting elevation is 4,085 feet.

I slept in, needing the rest very much.

I think I’m packed to take utensils, plates, napkins, & cups to the Audubon picnic. We’re carrying 3 bottles of White Heron wine.

Today is my day to play music at Pacifica Senior Living.

John will be home at 4:15 p.m.; he called from Leavenworth.

Call from Deschelle at Yakima Heart Center about setting up an appointment with my cardiologist for a 6-month checkup. No blood draws are requested, but they haven’t received my INR / Potassium draws since April. So, I have to arrange for that to be sent down.

Here is a neat video of our musical string band group playing a gospel song, before our regular Aug/Sept program of 22 songs:

“Just A Little Talk with Jesus”, KV F&F, 8-16-18

I came home from playing music at Pacifica, and John called from the Lauderdale junction. Big surprise because I thought he would be very late and we would be late arriving at the Audubon summer picnic, but in fact, we got there ahead of many people.
I had packed our utensils, places, cups, napkins and forks to take along with our 3 bottles of White Heron wine as our “food offering. They always have too much food. John picked them out last night and they were refrigerated then: Roussanne, Malbec, and Rose’ of Syrah. We brought home a smidgeon of the Roussanne, a little of the Rose’, and more of the Malbec. A lot of folks drank beer.

We filled our tummies with grilled hamburgers and all the fixings, several salads, and great desserts.Karen Johnson with her meal, and my favorite, the dessert tableJohn filling a plate and the wine.Gia, Gary, and his mom, Helen Cummisk, my AAC friend Our hostess, Gloria and others
We enjoyed our evening having good conversations with many people.

Friday, Aug 17

John left early for his WTA work trip on trail at the PCT near Stevens Pass. He did not want to do 2 days in a row but he is trying to get a few extra in this month.

Contacted AAA for my annual payment that bounced. It was likely on the scammed card, VISA (Costco) in my name.

Today I was really swamped. Gone today at Senior Center volunteering time as photographer for going away party for AmeriCorps gal (local with horses); home to more demands on my time getting organized for us to go play music at the Kick-off Rodeo Breakfast (Pearl St. across from the Rotary Pavilion we’re on the stage at 8:00 a.m.).

After the end of passing around the mic to people to share their memories, I took the mic and described my memories of a song (“I Feel Good”) she used to show us her technique of Good Punches to the music. We decided that a number of people from our SAIL class were there and we would demo to the group. Here are the results. I handed my camera to Katrina to take a video.

Aug 17, 2018 AAC at Jessi Broderius’ Aloha Going Away Party

My SAIL class “punch exercise” demo to song, “I Feel Good”

Saturday, Aug 18

I was awake first and flipped the alarm off set for 6:00 a.m. I got stuff ready to leave for town to play music at the kickoff Rodeo breakfast. John went with me to help carry things and also took his camera..

We had the stage crowded with all who would fit (we were likely over fire code for exiting). We did not have room for all our group. Thirteen included today were (left to right, Manord, Marilyn, Maury, Kevin, Gerald, Dean, Evie, Charlie, Nancy, Joanie, Rita, Sharon, Amy) in the photo below.Only photo John took where all baker’s dozen of us are showing.

Evie (the standing violinist in the middle) brought her friend Gene who sat out in the street, at a table (very noisy, with Evie’s camera on a tripod, and took video of our playing). She then edited out all the interruptions and created 38 minutes of our songs.

Here is that creation, which has a lot of competition for our sound to the audience eating pancakes and sausage and visiting. The cooks used small chocolate chips instead of blueberries on the pancakes. The cost was $5 for $1.25 meal. It was a fundraiser, but we skipped it and went home. Musicians could eat free.
Note, you’ll have to pull the viewer back to the start to view from the beginning. The video comes up at 24 minutes into the music.

Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends, Kick-off Rodeo Breakfast, 8-18-18, at 8:00 a.m.

I will create a link to all the photos John took.
(it will have to wait till next week’s blog) — LINK to John’s photos at 2018 Kick-off Rodeo Breakfast

In the afternoon, we went to Briarwood. We had the most players we have ever had today – 13 of us, plus Haley, who dances and yodels with us.

I have decided to put this video in about the way we started our time at Briarwood.

Tribute Memorial to Bill Bolman

Good thing I stayed up tonight. At 32 minutes to go, the DSL shut down. I restarted the router, and it picked back up when the DSL returned. Phew. Now with 28 minutes left, I can click done and go to bed and not worry that I lost several hours of upload.

I needed to work some more on the blog anyhow. I made through until after midnight, so I did not have to let my laptop run on its own. Once I restarted the router, thank goodness it returned to sending to YouTube and I didn’t lose the 2.5-hour upload. (It was on my higher resolution camera (Nikon), and only was for 10.26 minutes of video, because I do not have the ability to have the software to change the upload time to be more efficient.) The time is significantly lower on my very old Exilim camera to transfer files. The “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” on Thursday, was on that old camera. I need to send that to people who were there at Pacifica.

Sunday, Aug 12

We have peaches to finish; we never did.

Plums to pick and distribute. John picked a bunch probably close to 25 pounds this afternoon. I contacted two neighbors and packed up some for each, and one carried the share to the other, to save me the trip. Tomorrow, I’m taking a bunch to Briarwood, and to the Senior Center.

The haze returned yesterday afternoon and remains this morning. Last night at 6:00 p.m. it was down to 1.75 mi visibility at the airport, and yesterday’s high was 90°. Today at 7:00 a.m., the visibility is 3 miles and the temp is 55°.

John plans to move hay from the pole barn to the horse trailer down in the middle of the pasture. Yesterday he moved a few bales to the roofed place next to the corral nearer the house. Temp on front porch at 11:00 is 72. Airport is 70, visibility 3 miles, and no wind.

John came in and fixed a nice brunch. I continued working on projects that were created by my activities the end of this week.

For some unknown reason, my computer stopped with a black screen, and it was still plugged in, so I know not the reason. I turned it back on, and it came up without anything saved. I wish I knew what caused that.

Also this afternoon our DSL has been off and on several times, but it was on when this stoppage occurred. I have no clue. I do know I must finish this blog and process other data waiting for my attention, before tomorrow morning.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

First, we’ll catch up with information that didn’t get posted last week..
Back from Friday, Aug. 3, here are two links to the camera work I did that day.

Link to many photos, AAC_8-3-18, A Fair to Remember

Link to 3 short videos, AAC_8-3-18, A Fair to Remember
Below left: one of 3 spotted fawns we have regularly around our house this year. This is just over the fence in our front yard of the house.Bambi, then with Czar on crossover and Woody too. The cats pay attention to the deer, but don’t get involved.

Monday, Aug 6

I’m still working on photos from Aug 3 AAC event. Above you have access to the results of all photography in two links, but here is my favorite video, which occurred outside the building at a petting “zoo,” at the event, A Fair to Remember. Emily with Peep (2 yr. Leghorn) & the back of her shirt

Emily introduces Peep during the Buckles & Belts 4H showing outside the AAC

John went with me to town for my 1:30 – 2:30 SAIL class, with the prime reason to use the senior center’s Wi-Fi access to activate our new cell phone. Plus, we have access to the staff there who own and understand Smart Phones. We cannot do it from home because of only a local in-house Wi-Fi, and no cell reception. A huge disappointment of the new phones, because the company “suggested” we might.

We took our voting ballots to drop by the courthouse, and John picked and carried in some yellow squash for the EBRG seniors. Someone else brought in zucchini so many folks took both. Once class was done, the director Katrina helped us initiate our “Smart” phone. We went through the startup settings and then called our service provider to activate, but we only activated one phone (John’s). Apparently, on the way into registering it, we ended up putting all our Gmail account contacts (e-mail) and not the ability to enter contacts with their telephone numbers.

I called Consumer Cellular on our landline this evening for help, but it was slow coming. The representative did not know how, and was going to check to find out how to delete my contacts list from John’s phone (our joint Gmail account), and then get phone numbers. She never returned the call, and they closed before we had an answer, so I will call tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, Aug 7

I started by contacting Consumer Cellular to see if someone would help us reset (delete e-mail contacts). We managed to find someone who knew the answer, which we did not have last night. Today, we had to make a trip to a Target store in Yakima to get help from a fellow in Electronics there who will eventually be able to transfer all the contact phone numbers from my Flip phone to the Smart Phone, when I decide to activate it (after I learn how to use John’s for things I need). We bought the same exact type of phone, but mine is gold and his is black.
His soft cover is red and mine is gray. Both of us received our tempered glass cover to protect from scratching and breaking. The first ones we ordered were delivered but did not fit our phones. We can return those, sadly for a cost of $6.00 shipping. We package them up and send by way of the USPS. We also bought the wrong cover for my phone, so we can return it at the same time. John has already re-ordered the correct parts, and they were delivered later this week.
By the end of the week, we have succeeded in learning the things he mostly wants to know for immediate use, namely call from the car and take photos. Also, important and not something a lot of folks do (apparently), is he wants to download photos to his computer. He often enhances photos via color manipulation, change size and resolution, add text, lines, arrows, and overlays.
We needed to know how to add contacts, and he only really cares about having a few people on for his needs. Most important was to have our home phone (landline) for Nancy; second was Nancy’s cell phone #, and third was his (our) sister Peggy. There are to be a few more, including several of WTA contacts.

Our main reason for going to Target today, was to buy a micro SD (Secure Digital) card for storage of photos, and to have it installed in the SIM card slot. I took my laptop computer and the transfer cable along to test putting photos on the new storage card, and then transferring them from the phone to my laptop. Once we got home, we tried the technique on his computer, but we had forgotten the steps. (I watched the “agent” do it, but we did not write down the actual steps, and it is not well explained (or to find) on the web.
I remembered, however, what we wanted to do, and a day later, John found the “button” to change the smart phone from charging the battery, that is the default when plugged into the computer. Once charging is stopped the computer’s File Explorer will recognize the SD storage and find the photo files for retrieval. Now we are 2 or 3 or 4 steps up the learning curve.

I’m keeping my flip phone for now until we figure out the things needed. John has learned enough for all he needs to use it for. He now has the 3 numbers mentioned above, plus on Saturday, we added his 100-yr old cousin, Ethel, but we did not manage to connect with her while in town, because we called during her nap time.

We didn’t arrive home until 4:30 p.m. and I needed to go to Evie’s house in Kittitas, WA and be there by 6:30 p.m. with folding chair, music for me and 2 other players, violin, stand, & pencil.

We had a productive practice session, learning and agreeing on intro lead-ins to establish the correct beat of the song, so we can get the proper “count in” for the song and all start at the right note. I did not get home until 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug 8

We took off at 8:25 a.m. for the sometimes monthly meeting of the Emeritus Geography group (retired geographers). We warmed and carried along the food treat, which was a raw apple cake (glazed) that my neighbor made for us from his mom’s special recipe. John cut it into small brownie size pieces, and I packed plastic forks, napkins, plates, to set up once there. The Activities Director at Hearthstone (where we meet) set up coffee, tea, and ice water for us. One of our members (Lillian) lives there and brought her Irish Cream creamer to add to the coffee. We had 9 people show up. We started at 9:00 and a few of us stayed until almost 11:00.

I also took my camera to record information for reporting to those not there. I have only one conversation to share that occurred by Dee Eberhart talking about a T. E. Lawrence book, of which he has finished reading all 700 pages. His presentation was well worth hearing and I’m happy I had my camera there.
Dee Eberhart on T. E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926)

Then we had some reports on good things and sad things. The saddest was the loss of a colleague’s son, to a cancerous brain tumor, at only 55. One of our own told us the story at the meeting. Then I gave a report from our current chair who planned to come to our meeting, but had another called at the last minute by the Dean’s office. I also gave a report from another member about her planned trip to Tuscany, Italy. We will meet again in a month.

John and I drove separately because he left for home, and I stayed in town to go to two other events – music at the Food Bank lunch and SAIL exercise class in the afternoon.
I went from that meeting to the Food Bank Lunch and played music for the audience for a half hour. Then we get to eat. Everyone enjoys our presence, and they do a good job singing along and provide applause to keep us happy.
From there I went to the senior center for my SAIL exercise class.
Once home, there are chores.

Thurs, Aug 9

John left a little after 6:00 a.m. for a WTA work party at Surprise Lake south off Hwy 2. I stayed up, even though I was operating on only 4-5 hrs. sleep.

I washed dishes. He tried the camera phone.Left is a dead tree outlined by a white sky (thin clouds and smoke). The crew did lots of brushing and drainage cleaning.
Middle and right photos shows a log (flattened top) bridge crossing. This is a natural fallen tree with a big root clump on the near end. Enough roots have been cut and a ramp of rocks built.
On the east side of Surprise Creek, Dan cuts back the brush – including blueberries, but mostly other things.

I am working on videos from the Aug 3 party at the AAC, and now I have to add one from the Aug 8 morning meeting.

I put my pills in the distribution box for a week, ordered Metoprolol and Entresto, and halved the remaining Entresto pills.

I called in a count of 9 (for armless chairs) to Roberta (the Activities Director for Meadows Place), where we play music today. We actually had 11 there (but two stand).

The weather is scheduled to be very hot. Five miles from us, the airport reported 107°F. However, there is evidence that when it hits about 95° it loses contact with reality. A concerned person (not us) has asked the National Weather Service to investigate. At home we got to about 97°.

I talked with Reece at Critter Care. The first available appt. is Monday, Aug 27, and we will take Annie in early – to be back for our farrier David to do Myst’s foot trim at 10:00 a.m. We’ll then get Annie in the afternoon when she comes out of the effects of anesthesia. They will evaluate her need for Phenobarbital, anesthetize, do blood work, trim nails, shave, and call when she is ready to be picked up. I will have to leave both phone numbers to be sure I’m not already on the road to SAIL exercise class.

Talked to John Bowen. The Hultquist Award is distributed at the start of every quarter, Fall/Win/Spr, at $333. For 2018 awards, they will be distributed for both students, Caleb Valko and Mallory Tripplet through all 3 quarters.

This morning on Facebook, my friend, Joanie Taylor forwarded me a video, which included a geographically incredible journey along the U.S./Mexico border, viewing the potential “Wall” being proposed for building along the border. This report shows the topography confronting the goal.

Knowing many of our readers do not have Facebook accessibility, I searched, found, and created this link:

2,000-mile Border Journey

For brunch: sausage, 2 eggs, 1-½ piece toast with jam.

I finally got out with all my load of weight for the Meadows Place, and put off my musical stuff at the door, found a parking space, and went inside to help set up the chairs.

We had a good turnout, but problems with hearing each other for the intros especially after our bass guitar player’s sound died. It was a disaster for trying to hear the lead in, which went so well Tuesday night in the practice session, so we could and all start on the same beat and keep it throughout the song. The audience didn’t care that we were practicing and restarting when things went awry. They appreciate us when we are there, regardless of the sound. They also love watching Haley bounce around the room, dance to Irish Washerwoman, and yodel with us.

I came on home and John called about 4:30 p.m. from Leavenworth, but he still planned to stop at a fruit stand, and then would be out of range for his phone. I was exhausted from short sleep, so I lay down and went to sleep. I was still sleeping when he came in the front door. I guess I needed it.

He brought 16 beautiful peaches (he’d bought 10# for $12.) He also bought some excellent corn-on-the-cob. Not from up there, though. It is from over east, near Quincy where White Heron Winery is. I think I already mentioned that, somewhere in the blog, maybe later.

Friday, Aug 10

From the Yakima Herald report: This photo is along Rim Rock Lake on White Pass, showing smoke from the Miriam Fire.

The Cougar Creek Fire near Chelan and the Gilbert-Crescent Mountain Fire near Winthrop are producing smoke in the region.
There are other fires in the region, but none near us – at the moment. John has read that 84% of wildfires are related to humans. Not arson, but humans and human actions.

An air quality alert has been extended until 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. “A windy and cooler weekend is likely in Eastern Washington, reducing smoke accumulation in most areas but also worsening fire spread,” the interagency Washington Smoke Information blog said.

I watched an awesome video of Jennifer Lipton’s son, Miles (only about 6 yrs old, singing and strumming his dad’s ukulele to his original song, “Steam Train Through the Woodland Forest” – It is an epic saga of a steam train. November 2017. I’m sorry, I cannot give you the Facebook link, because unless you are her FB friend, you won’t have permission to view it.

Saturday, Aug 11

John went to open the gate, with Anne along. Some things needed water out that way, especially the “new” rose bushes.
He also brought around the Chevy “farm” truck to drive about 7.7 mi. round-trip to pick up five plastic 55-gallon containers, a couple with 10″ of dirt, and weeds. What? Cannot imagine how that got in them through the two little holes in the top. I drove behind John to be sure he didn’t break down and have no way home. The truck is 38 years old.
At home we switched to a car for a trip to town.
We went in John’s car, first to Safeway for colas, but the price was up on 2-liter bottles to 99₵ each. They have been 10 cents (and even 20) lower. We went on to Super 1 Pharmacy for my two prescriptions, and checked the cola prices there, and found they were $1.28. Then back north to the Farmers’ Market for peaches from Royal City and for corn from Wapato (south of Yakima). We got 24# of peaches for $35 and 6 ears of corn for $3.00.

Sunday, Aug 12

John started earlier than I, but he then went out and got a hose fixed to fill buckets and barrels, and to water veggies. Now we are ready to process peaches, and get around to brunch. We have processed and frozen one layer of the large box we bought, and eaten brunch (eggs, sausage, a peach, and I had toast with apricot preserves).

I have called and notified Dee Eberhart about follow-ons to the Emeriti meeting.
We still have peaches to finish.Here is my photo coming home late up Naneum of the red sun sunset because of the haze from smoke in our valley.

Our ending was just filmed tonight before dark. It’s a video of 3 yr old twins with new Bambi, sharing Mt. Ash branches.

3 yr old twins with new Bambi, still spotted, sharing Mt. Ash branches, 8-12-18

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Item #0: the Weather
Our high temperature on Thursday was 100°F. Tomorrow, Saturday, the high is expected to be 76°F. That’s good news.

Item #1: New phones
My new phone has now replaced the old one.
It works in the car and takes pictures.
Being of Android/Google linage, it prods me to do things to enhance their bottom line. It also has a mess of an introduction every time it is turned on. I’m at the beginning of the learning curve.
However, our provider is Consumer Cellular and they buy tower space from ATT. We do not have a connection in the house and barely outside. Booster kits are available, but cost more than the phone.

Item #2: Good things to eat
My chance of getting to Australia is slim to none. However, you might.
If you do, look for the confections of a company called Darrel Lea. At one time the company sold only out of its own 60 stores. That business plan started to fail and now they are in 3,000 outlets. Ice cream will be available, such as Rocklea Road, peppermint nougat and peanut brittle. So, a nice story from OZ.
Darrel Lea

Item #3: Man rescued
A man in Germany called police. Why?
You have seen this story – right?
Saved from a tiny squirrel

The link has photos of the actually chaser, but not the chasee. I could not find a nicely presented story. The one linked to is okay, but could be better. I wanted to see a picture of the chase.

Item #4: Stargazers – heads up
There is to be a multitude of meteors this weekend.
One story is here: Kat Kelly says

Really, that’s her name. Here is a video: H.R. Macmillan Space Centre Astronomer Kat Kelly

Kat K. urges folks to go to a dark place, take a blanket, and your favorite beverage, and several people to talk to. There are lots of breaks in the action.
{Actually, she did not quite say that, but close.}

If you are not going to watch, there are nice photos here, with some tips on how to take such photos.
Tips from NASA

.
Item #5: Be more active

Just about everyone needs to turn the TV off, turn you cell phone off, and close the refrigerator door.
If you want to get some exercise, folks in Western Canada can introduce you to Axe throwing.

Ales Soloducha

You can travel to “Lumberjax Axe Throwing” in downtown Regina and Winnipeg. Or you can find a place closer to your home.
Try Philadelphia, PA.

From the City of Brotherly Love

And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John

We recently got the “report” from a WTA trip of 7/19 to Mica Peak. {There was fire on the return, so late.}
John went over past Spokane for a WTA work party, driving his Ford truck and carrying his commercial Stihl brusher with a metal blade. He left that over there for crews to use during subsequent workdays.

John was not in any of the photos of the crew because he with two others were downhill about 3-4 miles working on brushing the road. Others were working on a new trail, toward the summit. This one photo grabbed my attention. It is a Trapdoor spider on a person’s glove.

I have never known of them, but here is an interesting video describing their behavior.

Trapdoor Spiders Are Masters Of Surprise

Sunday, July 29 (addition)

Another late entry. John went to the South Puyallup River Trail at Mt. Rainier. This is a short trail that connects the old Westside Road (now no vehicles except NPS) that connects with the Wonderland Trail. After the drive over, National Park trucks and drivers carried the crew to the trail over the otherwise closed road.Top: John gives the morning tool safety talk and demo. Workers sitting on an interestingly crafted bicycle stand for bikers to leave their bikes to hike to a view. Bottom: the crew at lunch.
The South Puyallup River has been carving up the trail, so WTA is currently doing some re-routing to higher elevations. New trail begins with streamers tied to trees through the forest. Below.
Note red letters: A = small tree; B = old log; C = another small tree; and higher is D = larger tree.
Only a half dozen folks have walked along this route.
On the right side “After” photo, note trees A & C have been cut; Log “B” has been slid downhill; small brush along the corridor has been removed; and tree “D” is more visible.
It is a start.On a nearby hillside the work is a bit further along. Below.
The “Before” image is actually near the end of 2 days of cutting new trail. It is rough, narrow, and has a steep shoulder on the uphill side. That steep shoulder is ‘leaned back’ in the “After” photo, the trail is smoother, and wider. This is very passable and safe, but not finished. Some roots and larger trees have to go or they will soon fall and rip up the trail. A Park saw crew can now go in and cut larger things with a chain saw. More work will follow.

Monday, July 30

Morning of another hot day when temperatures are supposed to climb to 103°.

John left to take his car, Jessica, Crosstrek 2016, to the dealer for a pre-paid regular oil change / lube / and check over. (They ended up finding his car was out of alignment because he had hit a deep pothole pretty hard on the Rainier trip. It took them longer to get that done than the scheduled items, and he was charged (not included in the prepaid service).

He went to Costco while there, and is taking an evaluation of a Smart Phone (Motorola Moto G4 Plus to ask Mat if my 2014 Forester will support it with its Bluetooth). They claim it will.

It’s expected to be a very hot day.

Ordered John’s Hydrochlorothaizide and Lisinopril. Whoopie, the cost (insurance co-pay) for 90 will only be ~$7.54 for each and there’s no need to have it rewritten for more tablets. Last was only for 30, I prefer getting 90 at a time. It is supposed to be in our records at the doctor’s office, but somehow, last time, 30 slipped through.

I canceled going to SAIL today, because of the high temperatures.

Tried on my clown suit from Marcia Hedrick, and it will work for Friday’s, A Fair to Remember.

Okay, I called Mat Bland & Subaru to get a message to John that he left his phone at home, and I wanted him to get Friskies cat food at Costco today.

Check the A/C and measure the glasses for ordering my new grey clip-ons. They should be shipped Monday and to me within the week.

Wrote note to KV F&F for this week and sent Julie’s pictures.
A/C just turned on to 76° in the house
at 12:59, out front the temperature is 97.7°; airport it is 98°.
1:59, 97.6° here; at the airport it is 101°
2:59, 97.5° at the airport it is 102°
3:59, 96.6° at the airport it is 102°
4:59, 95.4° at the airport it is 102°
9:00, 80.0° on our front porch still

At 2:00 p.m., I ordered two Smart Phones (G4) from Consumer Cellular and talked Stephanie down $10.00 on my purchase, because I have complained for 3 yrs about no reception on my cell phones at home (flip phones, G3 technology), but supposedly the new phones have a higher technology but work off the same towers, and we will have reception (we’ll see). I got $5.00 credit on my current July invoice for service, lowering it to $33.92. When next month’s statement comes, I am to call Consumer Cellular and request my $5 credit adjustment for August.

For Internet access on the Smart Phones, we will need 1 Gb $10/mo or 3 Gb for $20/mo; Normal $20 for unlimited minutes and $10 for John’s + $10 for 1Gb data; $40 billed monthly, plus taxes, after our Smart phones are activated.
I changed the password on my Computer Cellular account when I ordered two new Smart Phones. Question now is, when the Smart Phones are activated, will our charges increase for usage of phone, accessing the web, or texting. I found out the answer. Because we already have an unlimited minutes account for $20/mo., it continues, and John’s on it also continues on his phone for $10/mo. The only extra is for data and I chose 1 Gb for $10/mo. Both our Smart Phones will use off the same account. So, our price after taxes are added is $39.80, and that will go up by $10 probably with another 8.0% added.

I checked briefly on Facebook and found this link, which was sent to me by a few local friends:

Video of the day… I-90 Cle Elum River Fire

For those without Facebook: check this video taken from a car headed east on I-90, that started when a pickup truck caught fire, and instead of leaving the truck on the roadway, the driver pulled over to the dry grass and the fire rapidly moved south into the trees. The pickup was destroyed.

Original Video of the closure of I-90 at MP 81 for the Cle Elum River Fire

Jump ahead to Saturday, Aug 4, when another car fire stayed in the right lane, on the pavement, and closed westbound lanes of I-90 at MP 67, near Easton, but the driver did not pull off onto the grass along the side of the road. The WSP and Fire Crew responded and handled the issue.

Tuesday, July 31

I realized the link for the Nick Zentner video from last week I sent was replaced by another, so I re-sent the corrected version.

Calling for 103° temps again today; got to 104° at the airport. It was very hot when I was in town today.

I went for my haircut, and took a pair of jeans to Celia for her to use on making carrying bags, which she sells. She made one for me with extra-long straps to have to carry my audience music to play on Thursdays. Also, I took her a 20# box of 5 different onions John has grown. She and Bobby eat a lot of onions, and she always appreciates them.

I went to Bi*Mart (for Friskies) but skipped going to the senior center for Jazzercise at 2:00. Last week was too much. I guess I pushed myself too hard, trying to keep up with the leader. Next week the time switches to 11:00 a.m. for the month of August and I don’t think that is going to work for me.

Wednesday, Aug 1

Food bank soup kitchen music, with SAIL exercise afterwards.
Picked up John’s prescriptions.

Thurs, Aug 2

I started a little earlier for town today, because I had to deliver a 5-gallon bucket of Dahlias to the AAC for tomorrow’s event. I left it for them and went back afterwards to retrieve the bucket. They had made a nice arrangement, which I’ll take a photo of tomorrow when I’m in for the event.

I dropped by Bi-Mart on my way from AAC to Rehab and got 2 more cans of Friskies Pate to enter my receipt for prizes. Done!

I played music today at the Rehab, and the winds were blowing for my whole trip in and back home. I was blown around walking from my car at several stops. On the way home, winds were rocking my car as I drove north. No wonder – winds gusted to 47 mph during that hour.

Our phones and protectors arrived today. We found out Sunday the tempered glass protectors do not fit our phones, so we have to return them ($6.00 postage) and will be returned $14.51 on an E card (whatever that is). Their advertising was not clear on the original purchase. We realized we also bought the wrong case for my phone, so John added the case to the return request. Then he purchased the correct stuff.

Friday, Aug 3

Today, my father would have been 120.
John is going to the West Fork of the Foss River, northwest from here for a WTA work party, leaving about 6:30. Four people on the crew canceled at the last minute last night. He says a couple of others not on the list showed.

Here is a view from that trail with two photos received from Nate (the crew leader). More pix are expected from others on the trip.Left: The outlet from Heart Lake on the West Foss River Trail; part of the trail on 8/5, with the crew from WTA Fireside members – more than small $$ donations. John and another are not yet to the bridge. An assistant crew leader always walks ‘sweep’ or ‘drag’.

Before I left home, I received a call from my optometrist, saying my glasses lenses arrived and I need to come by to have them put into my frames today. I said, oh my, I know on Friday you close at 1:00 and I am going to still be at the Senior Center. But, depending on how long it takes, and if you don’t mind my coming in a clown costume, I’ll come by on my way there. They didn’t mind and he said it would only take 5 minutes. It worked!

I was on my way to an event – A Fair to Remember at the AAC, as a requested volunteer photographer. We have lunch before and fun before, during, and afterward. I dressed in a clown costume loaned to me by a fellow member there. We did have cooler weather than earlier in the week, but my carrot top wig was made from rug wool and was extremely hot, even inside in the a/c, but I survived.

Lunch included: corn dogs, kettle corn, veggies with dip, and cotton candy. I took my own salad (with apple, cherry tomatoes, smoked turkey, and iceberg lettuce, just in case I couldn’t eat the veggies or salad. I ended up bringing home 2 corn dogs, and 2 bags of Kettle popcorn. I did not eat a corn dog there or have any popcorn. The balloon sculpture maker in Ellensburg (Hugh Wilder) made a bag of “things” and donated them to our AAC for today’s event. I brought a flower home to John to thank him for the large vase of Dahlias he grew, cut, and gave me to take in yesterday for the staff (our neighbor, Gabriella Bacon, a volunteer at the AAC arranged them). She did a beautiful job. Photos included below.

All other AAC events are canceled all day for this big one. We will have games to play and tickets to enter. Outside, 4H kids and parents are bringing farm animals for us to enjoy. We got to visit with a miniature horse named Bravo, a goat, a sheep, a white leghorn 2-year old chicken named Peep, two different rabbits (one pretty white one with red eyes), and a little doggie.

Photos are below, and I will add the links to Google Photos/Videos in next week’s blog.There I am in the clown suit holding the vase of Dahlias. Ellensburg 2018 Rodeo Queen, Erin, Rodeo Clown, Nancy, & Rodeo Princess, Mikaila, with us all holding balloon sculptures made and donated by Hugh Wilder, from Ellensburg.

One of the games on the arcade was balloon dart throwing. I enjoyed it the most, watching others, and participating. Here I am below, and next blog, you’ll have a chance to see several others, including happy 4H kids. Other games were spinning a wheel, ring toss, lawn darts, dropping pennies into jars in a tank, and awards for canning or growing fresh vegetables. The tour of the animals was a delightful part of the day. Clown Nancy, Ready, Aim, Fire! I hit one out of 3.

Saturday, Aug 4

This morning I have been working on the plans for our music group to have a practice session.

After breakfast, John went out to water veggies and trees.

We are meeting folks at 1:30 p.m. for lunch at The Palace.

John had a BBQ something or other slices of beef with a ton of French fries and I had a Hawaiian burger, with a half a plate of salad.

We had a nice visit with a couple seriously considering a move from Tonasket, several hours north – to Ellensburg. We visited about a number of topics. John and I left to fill my gasoline tank, to go to the grocery, and then by Bi-Mart to get a new watchband for him. It broke yesterday while he was sawing limbs overhanging the trail.

John stopped for peaches on his way home. He bought them south of Leavenworth, near the intersection where Blewett Pass road takes off. He also got 6 ears of corn (3/$1.00), and we had one last night that was the best we’ve had this year.

Sunday, Aug 5

We cleaned, cut, and froze peaches this morning.

I called in our RSVP to the local Audubon picnic for Aug 16.

Did so many things today, I don’t remember them all, but we stayed busy the entire day, and are continuing tonight.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

I’m starting with things left out of last week’s blog: our trip to Moses Lake (Wed), John’s trip home with the wildfire blocking west and eastbound I-90 from Vantage to Kittitas (Thurs).

We went over Wednesday, July 18 to Moses Lake to visit with my violin teacher, Roberta (Bobbie) Pearce, from Nampa, ID, who taught the class I was in, in Kittitas, for 22 years, and then I took another year at the WOTFA Summer Workshop, when it was moved to Moses Lake. I only did it that one year, because the weather all week was way too hot for me. Her daughter, Katrina, came too, as she is teaching the Hot Shots class (Advanced young fiddlers), at the workshop. We also had a gift (along with dinner), that I got from an Ellensburg resident, and gave to Bobbie for her collection of porcelain dolls. This one was newer, from the 1990s, but she is a pretty little thing. She sat on the side of our table and watched us eat. We also got to enjoy the sunset over the lake.Top- John, Katrina, Bobbie, Nancy; Below- Doll & Lake Sunset

On John’s way east early in the morning following our dinner at Michael’s on the Lake, he drove again by the town on his way past Spokane to Mika Peak for a Work Party, carrying his new Stihl brusher in the back of his canopied truck. His trip home was another delay of over an hour, by the closure of I-90 in both directions because of a grass/brush fire started near the highway.

I mentioned that in last week’s blog, but didn’t included any of the pictures I had found or that John took on the last long leg of his trip.
First, a map of the 3 fires in our area, influencing John’s trip home. Boylston was the one I saw the smoke plumes from, on my way home about 3:30 p.m. from Ellensburg.Left from I-90 Ryegrass Rest stop; Rt., Boylston fire from Yakima.

I’ve combined 4 of the images John got on his camera from the east side of the Vantage Bridge on I-90. Top row: Plane heading back for a refill of retardant at an airport in Moses Lake, from rest area looking toward Vantage and smoke from the fires on Yakima Training Center lands.
Bottom row: Line of traffic westbound waiting for 50 cars coming in from the old Vantage Hwy bypass I-90 to get onto the entrance going east. Then 50 cars were let through the west exit of the bridge at Vantage onto the old Vantage highway.

Monday, July 23

Morning of another hot day when temperatures are supposed to climb to 96°. They got to 98° between 3 & 4:00 p.m.

I sent this to all the AAC folks: Links to both photos & Videos:

Link to 70 Photos, 7/13/18 AAC, Nicole Jones Going Away Party

Link to 5 Videos, 7/13/18 AAC for Nicole Jones Going Away Party
Click on each video to start and view; they will repeat so click on it to stop it and go to the next video (to the right is a forward arrow) to click on.

I worked on various projects this morning, and I made it to my SAIL class by 1:20 p.m. I carried in a vase of Yellow Star and Tahitian Sunrise dahlias that John raised and picked. Everyone loved them. You saw them still growing in photos in last week’s blog.

Afterwards, I made it for my INR blood draw check, and got the results when home, of 2.7 (good) so don’t have to check again until a month. Potassium was 4.5, also fine.

John did a lot of watering today, and also came in to fix a casserole for supper. He had cooked rice in the outside garage in a steamer earlier in the day, and cut up ham, onions, mushrooms, and put in the rice and mushroom soup. Picked some of our yellow summer squash, and fried it for supper. Then he fixed a piece of his lemon/blueberry cake with strawberries and ice cream for dessert.

Tuesday, July 17

We are setting up a regular service of inspections, oil change & lube for Monday a.m. next week, for John’s Crosstrek.

Today, I went first to town to drop off at Airport Storage a bunch of Wall St. Journals and magazines for a business student. Then by the Food Bank bread room for bread for a seeing-impaired gal and her child who need bread and she cannot drive. Also got a roasted garlic bread loaf for a neighbor. From there to the Family Eye Clinic to discuss my non-darkening progressive darkening glasses. Today, about 1:05, I reached the optometrist for checking eyeglasses for sunshine. It turns out they lighten up when one is inside the car driving.

Yet, I found this on line: As light conditions change, the lenses adjust quickly to provide the appropriate level of tint. They block 100% of UVA and UVB rays, providing convenient protection from UV radiation. However, Transitions® XTRActive® lenses react to visible light so they do moderately darken behind the windshield.

Made it to Bi-Mart and missed the winning number by 213; closest I have been in a long while. I got my number when I moved to town in 1988. I got back to the Senior Center by 1:30 in time for Jazzercise by 2:00.

Came home after, and washed dishes plus did a lot of emailing for various projects.

Wednesday, July 25

Food bank soup kitchen music, but did not go to SAIL today, because of going by the optometrist about my new glasses… and the need to come back to town tonight early for Nick Zentner’s geology presentation at the Library.
John fixed some of his Ailsa Craig onions (named after an island in the Firth of Clyde west of Scotland), for dinner and hushpuppies tonight. They are a mild onion, big & white.

I showed one photo of our garden’s Ailsa Craig last blog, but here are some close-ups from the web. One very large one – we have never had one larger than a softball, but we have had a 2 pound onion.The top right is our onion patch, in our old garden, and the other 3 are from the web.

I helped John load empty wine boxes into his car to take over tomorrow for the bottling. Cameron was in need of boxes to store his wine. These are mostly white boxes, John emptied from our White Heron ones or we got from Grocery Outlet. Last week, I went in once and brought home three.

We went tonight to Nick Zentner’s talk at Hal Holmes (the auditorium adjacent to the Ellensburg Library. Below is my video, with the link to it, but it was not completed until Thursday midday.

Nick Zentner, 7-25-18, Ginkgo Petrified Forest

Over 50 species are found petrified at the site, including sweetgum, redwood, Douglas fir, walnut, spruce, elm, maple, horse chestnut, cottonwood, magnolia, madrone, sassafras, yew, witch hazel, – – and ginkgo.
Nick reports that, despite the name, most of trees are not Ginkgos, no one is sure where they came from, or how they got there. There seems to be a large mysterious lake involved. It will be a neat story if it ever gets figured out.

Thurs, July 26

John left at 7:40 a.m. to be at White Heron by 9:00 a.m. this morning for bottling Late Harvest Roussanne. He brought home 3 bottles (in tall skinny bottles), which hold ½ of a regular bottle of wine. Regular bottles of wine are 750 milliliters.
[A fifth of booze, or wine, was equal to one-fifth of a gallon. Even though people colloquially refer to liquor bottles as “fifths,” since 1980, they have actually been 750 milliliters or 25.36 ounces, which is slightly less than exactly one-fifth of a gallon.]
John brought home 3 of those also, 1 white and 2 reds.

I worked on Nick’s new upload, to redo completely what I tried to upload last night (and through the night), which failed. I did not complete sending it to YouTube until 11:50 a.m., and I had to leave soon after that for afternoon music. It was a crazy day.

After playing at Hearthstone (where we had a fun and interesting time), I went by my optometrist to ask a question. It was a successful visit. He is going to send a request in to change my glasses (no additional cost), and trying for a darker color.

We got the new music into packets and stapled.

Friday, July 27

I talked to Jim (optometrist) this morning, after visiting with him yesterday afternoon. I asked him if he could raise the gradient region so I don’t have to tilt my neck so much to get the effect. This was already in his thoughts, and the order goes out this morning to produce new glasses with the new Amber color. I tried hard to use the first attempt with my music, but could not get happy with them.. I’m sure this adjustment will help me.

Saturday, July 28

John harvested Ailsa Craig and Redwing onions. The Redwings are smaller and more pungent, but have the storage potential of 8 to 10 months. A few are shown to the upper left of the Craigs, that may only last a month or two in storage.
There are 3 more types to harvest: Copra (white-long keepers), Ringmaster (sweet, mild, 4 months), and Sterling** (mildly pungent, 6 months).
**For Sterling they use a cute kid in the picture.Now we are getting ready to dress and leave for a 70th birthday party, near the Teanaway River 20 miles west of us. Sharon (her birthday bash) plays the bass guitar with our group. She and husband, Jack have a place suitable for horses on this side of the Cascades, but usually reside on the wet side – going back and forth at least once a week. We planned to eat at 4:30, with our group playing at 5:30, but it didn’t happen that way. We played first at five and went for an hour, not eating until the end.

John drove separately because he has to leave the house tomorrow morning at 4:30 a.m., for Mt. Rainier WTA work time and needs to get ready to go. He left the party before we played and went to EBRG for gasoline.

I had my camera along, but didn’t give it to anyone in the audience. Tonight, I received 5 photos of our group, Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends, from the wife of a member of our group, Julie Gibb. Hubby Kevin is our banjo player, in the photo below, sitting behind me in a blue shirt. I have on a straw hat. The birthday girl is Sharon Jenson, to my left in the white blouse, playing a bass guitar. The photos of other musical groups below were taken by our flute, fiddler, washboard, penny whistle player, along with her daughter Haley, who is our mascot and yodeled the last song with us.Top: Sharon’s solo with flute, Sharon with another group
Bottom: Hubby Jack presents Sharon a BD cake to make one wish with Barb looking on, and Haley stands at the Teanaway River which flows by their property. Haley (5 yrs old) enjoyed swimming there and finding caddisflies. She loves insects.

Sunday, July 29

John left very early (4:20 a.m.) for the South Puyallup River Trail on the southwest side of Mt. Rainier. Several years ago a major rainfall trashed a section of this short trail. WTA volunteers will spend (Fri, Sat & Sun) until October doing a reroute of the damaged sections. They worked in shade at 4,000 feet, so the hot weather was not a big issue. He got back at 7 PM.

Today is Arlane Nesmith’s birthday, and I just called her, sang Happy Birthday, and wished her well.
Worked on the blog and a bunch of chores all day.

Now 98.6° on front porch at 2:30 p.m.
It was “down” to 95.5° at 4:13 p.m
Almost 6:00 p.m. down to 91.1°.
High at the airport in Ellensburg today was 101.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan