Keeping track

Sunday, Apr 22 Earthquake ! on Earth Day morning near us

John found out from people on the field trip that we had a small earthquake (M 2.7) at 5:00 a.m. north of us in the Naneum (actually in the Wilson Creek drainage). He looked up the details Monday and found he had been within 0.2 mi of the epicenter years ago while exploring the region. The closest I have been is on horseback at Walter Flat, ~5 mi E. in the Naneum drainage.

John was gone all day on the field trip, mentioned in last week’s blog, but here is a photo taken by Nick Zentner on the trip, with John present. Most photos he’s not in because he was taking his own of the landscape. The other 3 pictures are diagrams from the trip that were presented in their field notes, and were stops on the trip.In the field (5 stops), Lookout Mt landslide, Yakima River Hwy 10 near EBRG, and current Rattlesnake Ridge, Union Gap.

Monday, Apr 23

I scheduled our annual physicals on the same day (in Cle Elum) for Nov 20.

John took the old ’80 Chevy truck to town today to pick up the new tires (filled with foam) for his garden cart. Maybe this will end our repeating need to repair flats.

I made my own trip to town for stops, to take the plastic-foam packing peanuts by to the Bee Lady, to the pharmacy for two prescriptions (amused at the low cost of one – 45 pills for 82¢) and at other stops, on my way to and from SAIL exercise class.

Tuesday, Apr 24

Morning chores and ate with John before taking off around our long rural block for my haircut at 12:30 with Celia. I did not go to the 2:00 p.m. swing dancing class today.
We both completed many chores (John in the yard; me in the house and on the computer).

Since today (until Saturday) I was unable to access a Google Group (Northwest Geography Jobs) I have co-managed (since 2010). It’s not letting me access the command link, “manage” underneath MY GROUPS. I have tried restarting, logging out of all Gmail accounts, but I cannot get the normal way in by going through googlegroups.com. Therefore I could do nothing with my membership database: add, delete, check to see who’s on the list, or change delivery options. I use this group daily, so this failure was a real problem. I tried GMAIL HELP Forms on line to no avail.

I received a cute photo of our dog in CA with Jeri Conklin:
Daisy an alien flower

Wednesday, Apr 25

John packed asparagus for me to take by two older friends who share their cooking creations with us. We don’t have enough asparagus to share with others, because we have been eating a good serving every evening with our meal and it is usually available for 1 pound of picking every other day. John saw some commercially cut and sold in the Naches area. These usually have a lot of stem that is not edible. He only picks the nice young tender heads. That is the only produce from garden right now.

I got my salad ready to take to the noon lunch at the Food Bank where we play music for ½ hour. I prefer my healthy salad over the pasta.

On my way to SAIL, I stopped off at our insurance office to drop of the paperwork for our payment of our property’s house and buildings insurance, which we now have to cover because the escrow is no longer making the payments from our checking account after we paid off the 30-yr loan in February.

After exercising, I came home to get out the “final” call for count for chairs for tomorrow’s music and sent PDFs of information some can print, and print for those who cannot.

I had a bunch of stuff to attend to with music and with Emeriti meeting plans, chores, emails, and the problems with my jobs list access on Google Groups. That was not resolved until Saturday, 4/28 !!

Thursday, Apr 26

I sent the count to Hearthstone via email for a dozen chairs and printed some songs to take for those without computer printers.

Worked much of the night on the challenging song, Leaving on a Jet Plane. It was not written correctly in the book I had the score from (from the 60s). I had to compare it to my own memory and to different people singing it on YouTube, and get some help from Evie on transcribing the ending which was not in the book.

To cheer myself up, and to get your attention, I grabbed the following pictures off Facebook sent by my friend since the 6th grade in Atlanta, GA. She is a photographer, now living in Michigan. I have posted her photographs in previous blogs over the years, with her permission. Her name is Maude Buszek, but I grew up knowing her as Nancy Johnson, and I was Nancy Brannen, so our nicknames for others were Nancy J and Nancy B. We visited places around town singing duets and playing guitars. Her dad worked for the Southern Bell telephone company, where we were regular entertainers at their luncheons, meetings, or conferences.Viera Wetlands, FL on her trip there this week —- an alligator, taken from 10’ away with her handheld camera.
She took other wetland wildlife too, as viewed in the collage below:Tricolor Heron, in ditch drain; Black Bellied Whistling Duck making a precarious landing; Great Egret & Glossy Ibis flyby; Cattle Egret getting twig for nest.

Friday, Apr 27

I go today to a scholarship luncheon at CWU on the 3rd floor boardroom of the SURC (Student Union Recreation Center). I took my container for a sandwich makings, and also took along Mary’s soup ladle to return to her, from last month’s scholarship luncheon. I had to park 3 long blocks away because all the parking spaces in the CWU lots were taken with a large convocation of music students from all over the state there and also for a rally for first amendment rights. Outside and inside, people were assembling everywhere. “the right to peaceably assemble” – seems fitting.

I carried in some daffodils and tulips for the table. I stayed only until shortly after Noon, said hi to the hostesses and two early arrivals, and took my sandwich insides (described below) on to the Senior Center (AAC) for the Talent Show. I had my fiddle, music to hand out, lunch, and my home purified drinking water.

I was unable to use my CWU parking sticker as well. They sell parking for $5/day and spaces were all taken in three large parking lots. I got there with a few daffodils and a tulip, left my violin wrapped up in the car, and took in my empty carrier for food. I put together sandwich makings (piece of turkey, salami, ham, tomato slice, and cherry tomato, Swiss cheese, and potato chips, no bread, and took with me. I drove on down to the Senior Center and was about 15 minutes late arriving. I was the last person on the program at 1:00 p.m. I took some pictures, and was able to view the ending talent acts.Shari is behind Jessi and shows the woven sashes by Shari, who demonstrated her talent. I knew Shari at CWU when we both were teaching and served on a university-wide committee together about Service Learning Activities for students. She was an Art Education professor and I was in Geography Dept. & the Resource Management program. I later met her dad at a local assisted living home, there with his cat, when our Fiddlers & Friends group went to play songs. He has since passed on. It was later that I met her when she joined our SAIL exercise class at the AAC.I led the audience (& gave them lyrics) singing Jambalaya, and You are My Sunshine. About 36 people participated.

After it was over, I stayed to eat my lunch (described above), which I had brought from CWU and then I stayed for our SAIL exercise class. We didn’t have a lot of people there today, but we had fun. At the end I took a video of 2 people of a trio doing an exercise to Y.M.C.A. music, for their talent which they executed before I arrived. The two I took were Connie and Nicole, and the 3rd (Jessi) left for a late lunch after leading our SAIL class. From there I went to Briarwood to deliver the rest of the daffodils and tulips. They are in the office for people to enjoy, and two friends there (Lee and Betty) each will take a few for their apartments.

I captured two videos during the actual program.

Katrina with her Jazzercise Talent

Judith & Peter Singing & Dancing

After SAIL class I videoed another – Redo by two of the Trio’s Talent
Connie & Nicole Exercise Routine to Y.M.C.A. music after Talent Show, this one without Jessi

I came home and am resting. I’m tired. Probably need to have a snack of mixed nuts, after I get out of these clothes and then I need to remove the photos & videos from my camera.

I removed them, but didn’t process them all yet.

Saturday, Apr 28

John, for a WTA trip, left at 6:35 for Boulder Cave with Lisa Black as the Blue Hat (Crew Leader) and John the orange hat (Assistant Crew Leader). They each had their own teams who worked apart on the projects, finishing at 3:30. John made it home just before 5:00. Boulder cave is noted for its interesting geology, and wintering population of Pacific western big-eared bats. Once there were more and they stayed through the year. They do not tolerate human activity, so the trail is closed during the winter. It is a very popular place for day use picnics, playing in the Naches River, and the short and easy hikes.

Our postal mail was not delivered until 4:33 p.m. I had been expecting him (after Noon) to drive down the driveway with a package too big for our large post box. He was supposed to honk his horn, but didn’t, and luckily, I put Annie in the front yard, figuring she would announce his coming, and that she did.

We each worked on different projects tonight and now I know last night we did as well. This morning, I read John’s column this week, which he wrote last night: (be sure to read it)
This week’s not so nasty news April 27th . . . LINK
It has so many interesting animal stories, I decided to go back and add the wildlife photographs (taken by my friend) to the blog entry on Thursday.

I received a nice 10-minute phone call from John on his way home. He should be here just before 5:00. The mailman has not yet come down the drive with a package (large ‘whole house’ water filters). If he took it back to town, I’m reporting him. Annie and I were here waiting all day for him. He’s safe, it was delivered late.

John got the ingredients together for his mom’s pecan pie I have to deliver tomorrow to the special recognition for Ruth Harrington’s scholarship fund. I have been a lunch-time member of the 4th Friday group for 30 years. I helped him assemble some parts of the pecan pie, and it is cooked and ready to go to the Pie Social tomorrow.

Now John went for some shut eye, as he leaves in the morning by 7:10 a.m. for Edger Rocks Trail work.The area is 25 miles west of EBRG, but 37 miles from Yakima; the dog-leg route John has to travel.

Sunday, Apr 29

The rest of the WTA crew had been directed to Boulder Cave, but the work there was completed on Saturday. John went directly to Edger Rocks trailhead (leaving later) and still had a few minutes before the others arrived at 9 AM. The day was used for trail maintenance, that is grub hoe and shovel work. Not much to see. Next weekend, the crew will go higher. The physical aspects are more interesting and the views better.

I’m home to get ready to leave for the celebration of Ruth Harrington’s pie social commemorating a Million Dollars raised since 1973. The social was for all past participants of the breakfast, lunch, and dinner groups. That was written up in a previous blog. She also requested pies from folks there (including one from John, a pecan pie from his mom’s recipe). I will carry it in before the 2:00 starting time, so it can be cut into “small” pieces. Those that come can have a variety of “small” tastes, from the many pies. Our first Pecan pie contribution was in 1988, when I joined one of her groups my first year here. So, I have been an active member for 30 years! John was still in Troy, Idaho, so it was a long distance delivery via my weekend trip.

I’m including a few comments on the day, with a few pictures. I’m going to send ones I took to the Alumni Office and the Foundation, so they can use them to round out their own photographer’s shots. I talked with two photographers, and one said she was having trouble taking pictures in the darkened room. I had no problem with my camera (and did not have to use a flash).

Here are some of me, pies, and Ruth.They gave everyone a name tag and a nice CWU neck lanyard strap. I tried to wear CWU colors. The pie (bottom right) is ours. I got these photos before people starting coming in that Ruth had to greet. There were 17 tables of 8 each, and some folks sitting on the side. Must have been 150+ pies brought in for the celebration.

I left early so will have to find out what all happened.
There were still people waiting in line for pie and many pies still in the back ready to be brought out. After the eating was completed there was going to be a pie auction with money proceeds to benefit the Scholarship fund.
Here are 3 photos with some of the contributions. There were many more. I saw many people there I have known through the years at CWU. It was a lot of fun. So many pies and many I never have tasted. I made home about 3:30.

John called again from near Yakima to tell me he was an hour away. He arrived home just after 5:00 p.m. Annie was certainly ready for him. I finished loading the dishes, and started them, so now I’m back working on finishing up the blog draft to give him to review and edit, so we can get it published before Monday’s sunrise.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

Garden Gadgets,
Or Nancy’s title . . .
It’s expensive to maintain rural property

Sunday, Apr 8

We published last week’s blog tonight at 11:30 p.m.

Monday, Apr 9

John left for pruning at the Mariposa Vineyard at 7:45 a.m. With average traffic conditions this gives him a 5 minute cushion. Last year because of a highway repair-related detour he need an extra 5 to 10 minutes.

I’m taking care of things about the tiller with Janie and about the Swing Dancing tomorrow at the AAC.

I filled in the IRS 2017 Extension #4868 form today. Now I need to get the stuff that goes with it, a return postcard, a payment check, and take it to the USPS for the certified mailing w/tracking number.

Fixed myself a brunch of bran cereals, banana, and peaches, and I went to SAIL exercise at the AAC.

We think we got the tiller fixed. Recall it would run for about a minute and shut off. Supposedly the oil was low, so it seems obvious that someone screwed up on the setup. Local? We don’t know, but we know it didn’t come from GA with a full tank of gasoline. John had looked at that, but the ‘dip-stick’ is white plastic and the oil, being new, was hard to see. It had oil, but must be quite sensitive to the proper amount in a small engine. Maybe add some blue food color to the oil!

Then there is the mystery of the bolts. One fell out. One did not have a nut. These had very ‘fine’ threads and the dealer, with thousands of bolts and nuts, did not have a matching nut. John’s guess is this was a Honda assembly plant problem – not local. These two bolts are what holds the front wheel mounting-arm to the machine (used in pushing the unit to the garden site).The mounting-arm (appx.=blue in diagram) fits back into a housing under the motor. The wheel is folded up during tilling, and down – as shown – for travel.

Local assembly was required only for the handles, not that wheel. That’s not a good sign, but folks here now know to check.

John showed the sales rep her original notes on the quoted price.  She did not quibble, and gave us $150 refund.
Also, they didn’t charge for anything done today, except for our gasoline costs getting there, and tomorrow he has to go pick up the riding mower they are restoring, unless it is raining. 

Tuesday, Apr 10

After feeding the cats, John left for pruning at the Mariposa Vineyard. I slept in, and had 3 different telemarketer phone calls before 9:00 a.m. I wish I knew how to block them.

Our “new” landline and Internet DSL provider is Consolidated Communication; acquired Fairpoint in July 2017. I submitted a question to come back to our joint email about if one could block incoming certain telephone numbers. They have never answered.

I called the Costco Pharmacy in Union Gap/Yakima to be sure we were set for picking up John’s refill of Tamsulosin and mine of Atorvastatin (both 90 tablets, 3 months worth). We agreed to do it this Friday afternoon. (There is a 10-day shelf limit from when it is filled.)

I stayed home today, working on projects needing attention that have been ignored while I was sick and not feeling up to doing anything but getting well. I made much progress working on things today. Unfortunately, I sadly have much more left to do. I need to take more days off like this.I showed John my problem with the fluoride treatment I have to do on my teeth, last thing before going to bed. It was prescribed by my dentist, requires a prescription, and they sell it there at a lower price ($15) than at any pharmacy. It’s Prevident 5000 toothpaste gel in a 3.4 ounce container.
I have been having difficulty getting the small amount of gel out of the container (which is hard plastic and needs to be pushed on the sides). My hands were not up to the job. John looked at it, and suggested storing it on my bathroom counter, upside down, so all the gel would move “down” to the lid dispenser. That procedure worked fast (so this evening I barely had to squeeze it to get the small amount required on the brush head). Then I must brush for 2 minutes, spitting out during the process (no swallowing allowed). Now I just leave it sitting on its head, rather than the base. Nowhere in the instructions is this suggested, and the dental assistant was also not aware of it. John’s mom, Peg (Marguerite), claimed she raised smart kids. Not exactly how she expressed it, but more politely.

Wednesday, Apr 11

John left for pruning – last row of vines is in sight. He will come home, get the truck, and pick up the riding lawnmower this afternoon.

I was going to call Colgate, to ask about getting a different container of paste, but I called Cheryl, the receptionist, instead and told her John’s finding, so I will just continue buying it from them at the lower price.

I received a call from Mary at Confluence Health (for Dr. Lisa Stone, the endocrinologist who examined my medical issues and suspected thyroid issues last fall) about my recent Thyroid lab tests (just last week). All are fine, and I will follow up in November with my PCP but if I ever want to see her again, I am just to call and request a visit. That beats all the rigmarole of getting a referral through my PCP. She is mailing me my lab results because I was unable to request them to go to my PCP (at the same hospital through which he is registered and uses). I now will have to have them sent to him and to my cardiologist from medical records (at the local hospital where the lab draw was made). This is a glitch in their new computer scheduling system. No longer can they be given to another doctor. That’s not right. We get smarter professionals and dumber systems.

I went to the Food Bank Soup Kitchen for playing music, and took my own crafted salad for lunch. Afterwards, I went on to afternoon SAIL exercise at the AAC with Evelyn leading.

I sent this and a bunch of links to many of our Native American acquaintances and friends. It was in our local newspaper.

Links I sent about Russell Jim are below:

An excellent coverage is in the Yakima Herald at the funeral.  Be sure to watch the ending video, with Dana Miller (my former student) leading off.

Yakama Elder service

The obituary
Russell Jim – Obituary

One more article with a meaningful description.
Russell Jim – Burial Description

Thursday, Apr 12

It rained all night and now is blowing hard.

John left for pruning. Janie, Washington Tractor, is in today and tomorrow expecting John. With the riding mower fixed, we are getting a 15 gallon pull-behind sprayer. This has a 5 foot wide spraying boom and a hose for spot spraying. Weeds are a serious issue on the Naneum Fan.

Called in the count to Meadows Place; we’ll be using almost all of their chairs, but will not need to use the piano bench.

I completed work on Form 4868 Income Tax Extension and sent the check with the form from the USPS certified, after playing music and visiting the AAC to turn in a survey about the use there.

I finished several more chores before leaving after 1:00 for music. Passed John on Naneum Rd on his way home!

John brought 2 bottles of Trinidad Red wine home, which we have to try with dinner this weekend. The “red” in the name is for two reasons. Obviously it is a red wine. Also, while most of the vineyard is yellowish sand (left in the backwater of a gigantic Ice Age flood), this section is the lowest. It is rocky and has a fine red silt among the basalt rocks. Most of this area has no posts or trellis, so plants grow like a small bush. Most pruning is done while kneeling.

The wine is a multi-blend of grapes, and the year he made this was 2014. Cameron only made a small amount, perhaps one barrel with the first year of production, then 5 barrels last year. The vines are young, but this coming year’s harvest will be much larger. Regardless, it is very special. I looked at the back of the bottle to find out the numerous varietals represented in the blend. I was so intrigued by the information on the label, that we shall reproduce it here. We hope it is readable on your screen. Perhaps we won’t have a taste this weekend. We’ll have to wait for the right ambiance and meal ingredients.

John went to pick up the riding lawnmower and the pull-behind sprayer. He’d showed me the sprayer yesterday. They are still in the back of the truck in our hay shed, awaiting John’s planting of the strawberries. Pruning finished at 5 minutes to Noon today. This completed the work, so he will be home a lot more during the day. It’s been a long time pruning, with starting in February this year.

Friday, Apr 13

We were on the way to Yakima, leaving after 12:30 p.m., and dropped a printed copy of the WTA information for trail worker volunteers and upcoming events to Janie at WA Tractor.

We went first by Big Five on Nob Hill with my shoes and receipt from last September. Problem was that my right ankle bone was being severely irritated by the height of the heel piece on my shoestring tied shoes. I checked out models other than Dr. Scholl’s and came away with two new pairs I got today. I turned in a brand new pair of Dr. Scholl’s (black), identical to the old pair from Sept, 2017 for a refund of my purchase price applied to the two new pairs. I got a new pair of walking shoes black with laces, men’s 7.5, brand is Rugged Exposure, and a pair of lighter running shoes black, with good support; brand, Asics Jolt. They gave me the last sale price charged and deducted the refund, leaving me owing $12.96 for the exchange. I feel very satisfied.
John has been buying boots at Big Five for trail work. Along with shovels, picks, Pulaskis, and other tools, boots are one of the most important, as they get used tool-like, and show it.

I also wore my tan walking shoes with 2 Velcro connectors each, and asked about the unraveling that was occurring on the Velcro fasteners, and other seams on the leather shoes. They no longer carry them, and had them only in black. I like having the lighter color, so I kept them. And, they fit me well. Interestingly, they are also the Rugged Exposure brand.

From there we went to Costco. First, stop was for gasoline ($2.899/gal, 10¢ cheaper than EBRG). Once inside the warehouse, I detoured and went to the pharmacy to pick up and pay for John’s prescription and also one for me. I was expecting a reduction in total price from other pharmacies, but his was even better, lower by $6.53 (on the GoodRX price). John proceeded around the store to get stuff we needed and I met up with him later at the meat department. We decided to get a special deli meatloaf dinner with gold Yukon potatoes, to have for supper when we finally got home. John had bought some fresh mushrooms while there, and enhanced our dinner with them, fried.

We arrived for our appointment at Subaru Service for fixing my Bluetooth to allow me to call again on my cell phone (hands free). Until recently, it has worked fine for the entire time I have had the car, and with this particular phone (flip Doro) for almost 2 years. First, when we checked in at 3:30, they had a ton of people needing serviced, but I had carried along my computer, so I went to the waiting room and worked on a few emails. John went to visit with our car guy, Mat in the Hat.

The service happenings become a very involved story, which I’ll try to simplify for this posting. The first thing to determine was if the service was covered on my extended warranty. Yes, it would be, and with no deductible. That was a good sign.
The rest of the visit is not as great. Supposedly, 2014 Foresters only support two phone types over Bluetooth, and these are: LG, Nexus 5X (H790) and Huawei, Nexus 6P (H1511). These are both Smart Phones.

NO ONE at the dealership knows why I have successfully used it previously. The only alternative the service department had was, “You’ll have to change cell phone provider or buy a new “approved” phone through them.” Neither solution is satisfactory to me.

I complained to our sales rep, “Mat in the Hat,” who has sold us 4 vehicles there, 3 Subaru cars over the years and our Ford truck. He decided to get in my car and try his hand at it. He figured out a work-around, by using the voice recognition feature, which I detest, but I can do. The real drawback is I will have to reset the settings every time I turn off the engine. However, for road travel, it is better than nothing at all. I either need a new car – John’s is 2 years newer and works – or a new phone. That’s John, the sales rep, and the service person speaking. I’m perfectly happy with my car, and just spent a ton of money on its 30,000 mile service. Plus, it is paid for!

Saturday, Apr 15

I called Ruth Harrington, about plans for getting the pecan pie to her by April 29th for the ice cream/pie social appreciation to all members of Scholarship luncheon groups, past and present. I have been a member of the 4th Friday group since 1988. I found out she wants me just to bring the pie early (1:45) to Lombard Hall, and in a pan I can leave. I also told her John would not be coming (because he anticipates being on a WTA trip that day). She was disappointed because he has been a supporter since the first. When he was still in Idaho, and I was in Ellensburg, teaching my first year before he moved over with the rest of the family, he made his mom’s pecan pies to share at scholarship luncheons, when I was the hostess, or at the Christmas potluck. She knows all about his volunteer work for WTA on trail maintenance and understands his commitment.

John took me on a tour of his newly created strawberry beds in the newer garden you saw being tilled last week. He finished leveling and supporting them today, and tomorrow, assuming no or light rain, he will have a chance to plant.Part of the fence has been taken down and internal partitions, stakes and so on have been cleaned out. Then this little area was tilled. Photos above and below (left) show the part that will need a fence, several of the beds, filled with the newly tilled material – silt, sand, leaves, horse apples, pine needles, and more. The wood for construction came from a friend (the 2 x 4s); they were her porch – the crosspieces are slats from pallets. Our house and shed are in the background. John is leveling the boxes, and filling with soil and more sand. Tomatoes and squash will also be in this garden that gets full sun, but it is still too cold for those. After I took these photos, he sprayed the weeds there.

I came inside to work on dishes and clothes washing, and John came in before noon to fix brunch. I also continued working on the blog and on music duties for the upcoming May & June play list for our weekly dates.

Meanwhile I was sending off the collared doves and red-winged blackbirds who steal food from the quail, but mostly from the finches, juncos, and other smaller birds.

John came in to tell me the skunk was back, and he had to repair more of the front fence to keep him out. He folds chicken wire on the ground outside the fence about 2’ and secures it up outside the 4” woven wire fence. Now he has returned to the strawberry beds construction.

Sunday, Apr 8

I was awakened too early, before light, with batteries warning beeping in another room on an inside outside digital temperature gauge. Finally, figured out and took it outside, where it still was bothering me. While up, I looked out the kitchen window and saw the horses in part of the yard where we did not want them overnight. John went and moved them back into the pasture, and secured the gate. I tried going back to sleep, but it didn’t work. I will have to have an afternoon nap for sure.

Now John has just returned and will be fixing brunch, before returning to plant strawberries.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan

We had wind. China’s space station provided the fire. (OK, it was April)

Sunday, Mar 25

We published the blog tonight at 10:00 p.m.
After that, I finished the letter for a scholarship reference and submitted it on the web to Indigenous Education, Inc. in New Mexico.

I wrote a note to my co-hostess about co-hosting the scholarship luncheon this Friday.

Monday, Mar 26

John left a little early for pruning, because of road construction near Quincy requiring him to go around an extra loop.

I called Stewart Subaru Service and scheduled John’s 2016 Crosstrek in for its 30,000 service visit; it will be Thurs. at 2:30 p.m. We will drive separate cars so we can use the 2+ hours they require to work on the car to do our shopping at Walmart and Costco, so we can get back in time for an early evening lecture.

Yesterday, I wrote a note to my co-hostess about co-hosting the scholarship luncheon this Friday. Today, I emailed all the possible attendants to see if they are planning to be there for Friday’s luncheon. We need the count for fixing our food fare and for the number of place settings.

John made more good progress outside on things needing done in the yard. I made progress by staying home to take care of several of the many things I have ignored for a couple months. I still have more tasks awaiting attention. It all takes time.

Tuesday, Mar 20

John left for pruning at the Mariposa Vineyard, after 7:35, and had to stop at George (I-90 Exit) for gasoline because he didn’t think he had enough. A cheaper place in Quincy is out of his way. Prices in Ellensburg went higher today.

We now have 14 people planning to be at the Friday Scholarship luncheon (one of the largest attendances I remember). I’ve been a member of this group for 30 years!

I filled my container of meds for the week and loaded dishes; still more to go. Ate a small salad and got to town about 1:00 p.m. The wind has been blowing ferociously all day, making being outside a challenge (even driving a car). I stopped at Dollar Tree, for something for the centerpiece of the table and the place settings. I found some Easter bunny napkins, plastic colored eggs, and little decorated malt chocolate eggs to put in each plastic one for people to take home or eat there. On from there to Bi-Mart to check my number, but I did not win anything. For the last digit of our membership #, they were giving away a nice pot of flowers. Then on to the AAC for Jazzercise, with only three participants. Others must have been out working in their gardens.

I carried in my Nikon camera to get help from Nicole Jones (the AmeriCorps staff member), who was so helpful last week with teaching me how to get my photographs properly onto Google Photos. Today’s quest was to reset my camera’s storing date on pictures taken. I had the instructions from the user manual which I was unable to follow to reset the date on my camera, from storing as Jan 1, 2013. She is so sharp, she took the camera and had the settings changed within seconds. Now it is good as new. I’m very appreciative and any time I thank her, she always says, “My pleasure – it’s my job.”
Jazzercise was a little tough today. I couldn’t keep up on everything with the class, but I kept moving and made it for 45 minutes. I’m still regaining stamina from my lost time with Pneumonia for 3.5 weeks.

I drove by Amy Davison’s house to pick up salad servers and wooden bowl to borrow for Friday’s luncheon.

Of all things, I had another long nap late afternoon. A 20-minute power nap went to 1.5 hrs. Guess I needed it. John says I start naps too late in the afternoon. I actually seldom take naps, so he is only talking the last two weeks.

Wednesday, Mar 21

John left for pruning later than usual.

I have to get all the music for soup kitchen time delivered to the Food Bank, because our leader is out of town, and she left them with me last week. I finished my salad to take for my lunch and set up my red bag for SAIL exercise that follows at the AAC.

We had a good turnout for music with lots of singing and applause at the soup kitchen for FISH, and on my way to SAIL I stopped by Safeway to get the lettuce I need to clean and crisp up for Friday. While there I checked on medication for our Brittany Annie (a controlled substance to prevent seizures – Phenobarbital). Lowest price is through GoodRx, but while the drug is cheaper through Costco Pharmacy, the local vet will not send a refill to a non-local pharmacy. The pharmacist at Costco said that is not a state law.

We had a good class and Jessi (our teacher) gave us all a cute Easter present. We had a large class of 15 today.

Thursday, Mar 29

John came past an accident on the way to the vineyard. People were out of the cars, talking on phones, but the police had not yet shown up. John followed a pickup down a gentle grade to a service road and proceeded. Lots of stuff on the road and air bags had inflated. It was all cleaned up by Noon when he came back through. No news about it have we found.

I have much stuff to accomplish toward the luncheon tomorrow, started by making a list of things to fix and to pack to carry in.

Call from Sonja my long time friend now in S. Lake Tahoe, with an invite May 4 night for a Saturday family gathering at Diamond Lake (NE WA). Once a couple years ago, I visited them there for a family reunion. I guess I’m considered family after all these years. We met through Brittanys in 1977 in Idaho, by selling her a Brittany puppy. She’s had several out of our lines since, and still has a pup (whose sister I co-own in CA), so I will get to see hers again. He’s a beautiful and sweet liver & white Brittany.

Off with John to Yakima, in separate cars. His Crosstrek was due for its 30,000 mi. service. We left it and got in my car and went first to Walmart for different types of bran cereals and some other stuff. Then off to Costco. We got our call there on my cell, and went back to pick up the little blue car John calls “Jessica” – when he thinks to do so. She is a very complicated thing, but fit as a fiddle.

We both drove to Ellensburg. He went to Super 1 for smoked turkey and I picked up fast-food chicken sandwiches. We met at the Kittitas County Historical Museum for a lecture by Nick Zentner. The audience was larger than the number of chairs in the small room. It was an extraordinary lecture, as usual.

Nick Zentner: Kittitas County Historical Museum, Is Mt. Stuart from Mexico?

Friday, Mar 30

First here is a photo introduction to The Musical Mountaineers, Anastasia Allison (darker hair) & Rose Freeman (lighter hair):The young ladies travel to well known places, mostly hiking in the mountains, carrying in their instruments in backpacks, set up, and play. Sometimes they start their hike in the dark. Below is a video of early morning music from Manastash Ridge – above the Kittitas Valley, in Ellensburg, WA – opposite side of the Valley from our Naneum Fan location.

Facebook link for a better image of all three songs:

Facebook link to The Musical Mountaineers on Manastash Ridge
This video was shared to me on my Facebook timeline, and from there I shared it. The original share to me happened early on the same day it occurred (today), and as of Sunday night, there have been ~ 20,000 views!!

The second below is my attempt at capturing their Facebook link, which cannot be reached by many reading our blog (without Facebook accounts). This is my capture from videotaping my laptop screen. Apologies for the image focus, but the sound is there for all three songs and I’m zoomed in a little more on The Mountaineer Musicians, Anastasia Allison (violin) and Rose Freeman (76-key keyboard). They backpack their instruments into a number of mountainous terrains in our state.

Manastash Ridge Concert – Anastasia Allison & Rose Freeman, Violin-Piano, 3-30-18. The three songs they played were (1) Hallelujah (2) Simple Gifts and (3) “Circle of Life” from the Lion King.

Manastash Ridge Concert

The next video is the best quality, from Anastasia Allison (the violinist): taken the same day (3rd song played in their concert)

“Circle of Life”
That one is from the Lion King.

More about the Simple Gifts song and a link to it with lyrics:

Simple Gifts – Yo-Yo Ma & Alison Krauss
Some research onto their sites brought forth many more videos of their superb musical (& hiking) talents.

This one is a must visit:

The Musical Mountaineers
That is from “Evening Story” on Seattle’s King 5 (NBC affiliate TV).

A link that reaches a number of their videos is below:
Performances in Nature

Our morning started by getting ready to prepare the rest of the food and all the stuff to take to CWU for the scholarship luncheon. I am so grateful for John’s help with this. Originally, I thought he would be gone, but Cameron had a wine seminar to attend, and they decided against pruning today. John was willing to help make ready and to drive to school with me, help me carry in two large boxes of materials, for the setup. He then drove my car for two other stops in town, and returned to pick me and the leftovers up. Did I say how grateful I was? While I cleaned and packed, he ate salad and cake.

There was a lot of work by both of us this morning on the scholarship luncheon food. John cut up 98% of it (smoked turkey into cubes) & Honeycrisp apple cubes, I boiled eggs and cut them, putting into two packages so I could assemble there into two bowls, and waited until the last minute before serving to add the Bleu Cheese dressing. I also packaged salted pistachio kernels to put in the mix (then left them in my fridge), and torn up Iceberg lettuce to bite size pieces. I was also in charge of the beverages (used only lemonade, Crystal Light), in two 2-liter bottles, but only one bottle was drunk. In afterthought I should have provided some two different flavors of Powerade Zero – I have orange and strawberry on hand. I also took the cake, a special Tres Leches, from Costco. I borrowed an Easter tablecloth, added the center piece, and at everyone’s setting, we put a plastic egg filled with a malted milk decorated egg (edible), along with a cute Easter bunny napkin. I had assembled those this morning too.

John sliced the Zucchini/pecan/pineapple bread loaf and the Como Italian bread to go with the soup, and repackaged them.

We were expecting 14 but one got sick at the last minute, another did not show, and one that came did not eat anything. We only had 11 eating. I didn’t have the soup and the other one not eating did have soup, but not salad. John and I ended up getting 4 salad meals out of the leftovers. Actually 5, counting what John ate at CWU.

My co-hostess, Mary Aho (also retired) provided a special Italian soup served at the Olive Garden restaurant: Zuppa Toscana Soup. It was full of things I cannot have – Kale, Basil, and Italian sausage (I could have had that). It also has potatoes, onion, and other ingredients. She also had quite a bit of leftover soup.

John helped me carry all the utensils (except soup & soup bowls) to the 2nd floor (good there is an elevator). And he loaded two large boxes on an old luggage crate I have had for years.

After we ate lunch, Ruth Harrington announced her good news, about the fund she originally established at CWU. Ruth Announced the Total Reached $1 million in the Scholarship Fund and there’s a Celebration, April 29, 2018, for past and present members. She then passed around a book to sign up for making a pie for the first Pie Sharing Party, which will be then. She wants John to make Pecan – he has done so for several Christmas-time and other dates.

I grabbed my camera and asked her to start over again so I could record her.

Ruth Harrington
I need to get this on our desktop size calendar that hangs on our kitchen wall: Invitation to the 4-29-18 Celebration at the Sue Lombard Hall – Sunday 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Here is an article in the Yakima Herald about Ruth’s involvement (since 1973).

Yakima Herald Interview with Ruth, 12-22-17

Here is a collage of pictures from today’s luncheon:Top: Amy, Mary, Monica, Kristina, Christine, Peggy, Tina
Bottom: Mary, Vicki, Nancy, Bobbi, Ruth, Courtney, KristinaFood served today at the Scholarship Luncheon: Salad (Lettuce, Smoked Turkey, Honeycrisp Apples, Hard-boiled eggs, Spicy Baguette Croutons, with Bleu Cheese dressing; Zucchini bread w/pineapple & pecans, Como Italian bread, Zuppa Toscana Soup, and Tres Leches cake.

Yesterday, late afternoon, I had a call from the financial accountant at the CWU Foundation about our own scholarship. John and I contribute money for two, a graduate student in Cultural & Environmental Resource Management and an undergraduate student in Geography. The title of the scholarship is the Hultquist Distinguished Service award. Right now the cwu.edu web page for Geography is down, so I won’t put a link to it. I was following up on an incorrect statement of what I thought our balance was in the account. They are going to look into it further on Monday and clarify details. I was sure I had more than $100 in the account, considering I contribute something each month directly from my checking account.

In the evening we had a nice long conversation with our sister, Peggy, hearing about her trip back last weekend to PA (from OH) to the 100th birthday party we mentioned in last week’s blog for their cousin Ethel. She asked if I had not gotten the pictures she sent. I missed them at the time, because John had opened them and didn’t tell me, and once they are opened in email, the bolded subject line turns to unbolded and is easily lost. She wondered why I had not acknowledged the pictures. I only mentioned the one in last week’s blog that her daughter Pat sent us. So, I will put a few below. Thanks !! Peggy for sending them.

For her 99th the family had asked what she thought her 100th should include. Peggy gave me the run-down on the story. Ethel’s answer was the Chippendale Dancers, fireworks, and Vince Gill to sing. We’d seen all the dancers on one of her cakes and one in a cardboard statue, which people posed with.

The little kids there had a marching band with trombone and bongo drums. They marched in playing Happy Birthday and other kids had little “poppers” that make firecracker noise, but someone had one loud one that shot confetti all over. Someone else gave her a Vince Gill tee shirt.

Previously unseen photo review, Ethel’s 100th birthday party: Chippendale appearance, Peggy with cardboard, Ethel, Pat (daughter), and her hubby Ken. Ethel with another cake, with confetti, and with Vince GillRod, Peggy, Ethel, Barb – our Hultquist family blog readers.
Rod and Barb are John’s brother Ken’s kids; Peggy is his sister.

Saturday, Mar 31

Happy Joyous Easter (Garden) from Jacquie Lawson animated cards from the UK (on this eve of Easter): If you didn’t get this sent directly to you, then please go look now; just follow the link.

Floral Awakening

This next one I especially made for a few youngsters in my current life (we don’t have any grandchildren):

A Splash of Spring

John has been out working in both gardens and other places on our property, getting garden plots ready for tilling and planting onions today too in our original garden. Yes, he has two garden spaces. A break includes a snack and drink, and taking Annie for a short prowl. She finds garden time boring.

I have been doing kitchen clean-up to make the dishwasher ready to accept our electro-static furnace filters which have to be washed, and John will come in about 4:00 p.m. to load them. It’s ready for his arrival. I have been working on many parts of the blog, uploading videos from last week, photos, and numerous other computer things.

He got the filters cleaned and installed. It’s running a lot quieter than it has been. We’ll have to clean and replace all filters (metal and paper) sooner. It was 39 days run time, and the timer is set for 45 – a bit of a test, as we have had it set for 30 days.

Before retiring, I sent a few people a Happy Easter card that I really liked (described above). One was more fun for little kids in families (didn’t send many of those) – with an Easter basket, decorated eggs after the colorful chicks hatched to create flowers, and bunny in the scene appearing. Pretty clever and with an ending animated puzzle. You have both links above.

Sunday, Apr 1 HAPPY EASTER

Beautiful Easter cake designed by my friend, Amy Davison.

Also, Happy April Fool’s day! This was the day 4/1/2010, I officially retired from CWU. No fooling. How time flies! My last actual day would have been as Thanksgiving vacation started, 2009.

We have a chilly but sunny and windy day here today, probably will blow off a few Easter bonnets. Two local (apparently resident) Canada geese flew over this morning, noisily honking. Explanations on the web leave a lot to be desired. We wonder why they do that. John sees them flyover (low) every day and if I am home, I hear them. A large flock went north on Sunday – quite high. The ridge to our north is over 6,000 feet.
Our resident deer were in for their morning visit out front, and earlier out the back door near the creek, we saw a bunch of deer with one having apparently lighter colored hair (or maybe a thin spot) on her sides we haven’t seen before.

He’s fed the horses, taken Annie for a morning walk, brought back one cat (Woody) for me to feed, and now is back in the 28 mph gusts in sunshine, planting onions in our garden.
We got 5 bunches, about 75 baby plants each, of Ailsa Craig (very large & mild), Copra, Ringmaster, and Sterling – all white. The 5th one is a red called Redwing. Redwing is more pungent than the others and keeps longer than the others, except Copra, that may last 8-10 months. You can learn more than you need to know about onions, here: Texas source

John will be back in later for brunch of ham and eggs. I’m continuing working on the blog, and responding to Easter greetings from around the world. Oh, John’s been following the location of the satellite space station that will likely crash to Earth this afternoon between 43° N and 43° S Latitude – hopefully in the ocean: Update: Reentry time was 5:16 p.m. our time zone. It fell in the Pacific Ocean east of America Samoa.

Hope your week was fine.

Nancy and John
Still on the Naneum Fan