We ended last week\u2019s blog with the wonderful news of a found kitty.\u00a0\u00a0 Now we are back on a Sunday night to mention the day that started after midnight, about 12:30 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0 We had been in bed for a couple of hours, and our youngest and oldest dog began barking in the house.\u00a0 I awoke and heard a dog barking in our pasture, so I asked John to please check on it.\u00a0 We kept our dogs in because we knew they would just go out and bark at the situation.\u00a0 John went to the back window and determined it was the dog barking in our pasture at our horses.\u00a0 We had been forewarned earlier the day before by a neighbor that a dog from another neighbor was barking at our horses.\u00a0 Someone was yelling at the dog to come back; John thought the episode was over and went back to bed.\u00a0 Tne minutes later it started again so he got up dressed, and went to investigate.\u00a0 He found the dog chasing the horses and the horses running down to the other end of our property.\u00a0 Our pasture is about 7 acres.\u00a0 John went and cornered the dog and yelled at him to get out.\u00a0 He seemed to go back through the fence to his \u201chome\u201d.\u00a0 John stayed out in the moonlight to check the horses and to put some hay out for them to nibble on up closer to the barn and house, and to calm them down.\u00a0 The dog came back and John shooed it off again.\u00a0 He then stayed up till 3:30 at the computer in the back of the house where he could listen to be sure all was well.\u00a0 Later he heard the dog barking at another neighbor\u2019s house next to us, who has pigs and a cow.<\/p>\n
We were all ready to call the police in the morning to have them talk to the neighbors with the dog, because another neighbor had already gone to complain about the dog coming to her property and chasing baby deer.\u00a0 Nothing was done about the dog.\u00a0 Before we called the police, we called the neighbor with the pigs and cow and asked if they had heard the ruckus in the middle of the night and if their pigs and cow were bothered.<\/p>\n
Turns out we had a soap opera happening, and the dog chasing our horses was a minor part.\u00a0 There was an altercation in the house which has the dog.\u00a0 The young woman, owner of the dog, tried to break up a fight between two young males. She got pushed about and bruised up herself and shoved out of the house.\u00a0 She climbed back in the window to get back to her daughter. The fisticuffs resulted in a large plate glass window a major casuality.\u00a0 That caused the males to head back to whereever, leaving the young mother and daughter alone and scared in a house with a gaping hole in its front.\u00a0 She then headed to the nearest neighbors (they with the piglets and cow) looking for a safe haven. They took her in, but already knew there had been a ruckus because they had been out feeding an orphaned piglet and calming down their pigs and cow from the barking dog.\u00a0 The two guests stayed till 3:30 a.m. when an older brother came to escort them \u2013 someplace?\u00a0 At our place \u2013 the dog did not return, the horses settled into a mid-night snack, and peace reigned supreme.<\/p>\n
We do not know the end of the story, yet, and we may never.\u00a0\u00a0 Supposedly, the brother and sister were going to report it to the police, particularly because of the damage they hoped not to have to pay for.\u00a0 Daylight may have calmed all and discussion changed plans.<\/p>\n
The rest of our day was spent on household chores, playing with kitty, feeding the animals, and looking at the sunshine.\u00a0 This evening I went in for playing music at the Taize\u2019 service, and we were served homemade chicken and dumplings, biscuits, apples, and cake (two types, choc & carrot) for dessert.\u00a0 YUMMY.\u00a0 John stayed home and had leftovers for his dinner.\u00a0 I must say there was also a Vegan dish at dinner and I made the mistake of taking a piece of \u201cartificial meat\u201d that I guess was made from soy protein.\u00a0 It was God-awful tasting.\u00a0 Never again for me.\u00a0 Even if I were a vegetarian, I could never stomach something so bad, not only the taste, but the texture as well.\u00a0 We\u2019re big on being able to recognize our food.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t get home till after 8:00 p.m. and still had some proofing of some GIS material to do for a friend.\u00a0 Now I\u2019m able to go to bed, and I should sleep well tonight, hopefully without any interruptions by the kitty or the dogs.<\/p>\n
Monday.\u00a0 Started with a phone call from the bank.\u00a0 It will not be helpful to refinance our house loan for a lesser interest rate \u2013 our current rate is quite low and our payoff year not far in the future.\u00a0 Next phone call from CWU to explain why my ending paid date was Mar 5, 2010 instead of the end of the quarter as I thought, when I thought I retired on Mar 31st<\/sup>.\u00a0 And to find out why when I\u2019m still being asked to write letters of reference I no longer can have access to student and past class records.\u00a0 I requested it so I could better write letters of recommendation for jobs and grad school for my former students.\u00a0 Being no longer on the payroll it is against the FERPA law<\/p>\n http:\/\/www2.ed.gov\/policy\/gen\/guid\/fpco\/ferpa\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n to allow me to view the data I have had access to for the past 40 years.\u00a0 Very interesting.\u00a0 There are good concepts in the law (protecting students) and some crummy consequences, as noted.<\/p>\n John made the best dinner.\u00a0 It was stir fried chicken in a soy type sauce, onions, mushrooms, celery, and butternut squash on the side.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a play on numbers for you, for this year, 2011.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This year we will experience 4 unusual dates….1\/1\/11, 1\/11\/11, 11\/1\/11, 11\/11\/11 \u00a0NOW go figure this out–take the last 2 digits of the year you were born plus the age you will be this year and it WILL EQUAL 111.\u00a0 Check it out.\u00a0 It works.<\/p>\n Tuesday… lazy day at home, but I spent a lot on the phone trying to sort out things such as getting my Group Health to pay for the mouth wash to destroy bacteria in my mouth before they get into my blood stream.\u00a0 Calling about seeing if I can find a visual enhancer (one is a closed circuit television; CCTV) in town for parents of a friend to try out.\u00a0 The father has macular degeneration and hasn\u2019t been able to read anything for over 2 years.\u00a0 They cannot afford a machine to assist for $3000, so I\u2019m looking for community or other resources to help them.\u00a0 John found there are Lions Chapters that might assist with half the cost.<\/p>\n I also am considering serving (applying for) a position on the Board of Commissioners for the Hospital District here to complete an unused term.\u00a0 Then it would be renewable in the next election.\u00a0 I\u2019m collecting information trying to figure if it is something I want to do and could do well.\u00a0 If I apply, and I think I will, it would only last till Dec 2011, and by then I would know if I am interested in continuing, and if I have the support of the Board to continue.<\/p>\n John fixed some great stew for lunch today, but I don\u2019t know what\u2019s up for dinner.\u00a0 Dinner was the same good stuff (leftovers) from last night.\u00a0 Rest of the night I spent on creating a current resume\u2019 for the hospital board application.<\/p>\n Wednesday.\u00a0 Most of the day was spent on the application letter and resume for me, and calling more about the CCTV.\u00a0 Also, we washed dishes and clothes, only to find out our dryer has lost its heating element.\u00a0 So before we could go to bed John had to string rope for hanging clothes on the line.\u00a0 A few blouses and pants I could put on hangars in various door jams and shower bars.\u00a0 But now, we need to call a Sears repairman to come fix the dryer.\u00a0 While here he might as well fix the oven\/range door that is held shut with a bungee cord, and the dishwasher that is falling out of the frame.\u00a0 Oh fun.\u00a0 We have been putting this off, but going to the Laundromat to dry clothes is not our cup of tea.<\/p>\n Thursday.\u00a0\u00a0 Morning started with a phone call from a low vision specialist responding to questions I had given her yesterday.\u00a0 Then I called Sears repair and found out perhaps one of our two circuit breakers on the dryer had flipped.\u00a0 Indeed that was the case.\u00a0 As the tumbling action worked we did not think of a second electron source for the blower-heater combo.\u00a0 Amazing.\u00a0 (or amazingly stupid \u2013 says John)<\/p>\n Then it was time for breakfast.\u00a0 I spent the next bunch of time finalizing my application for the Hospital Board position, and got it sent off, just in time to eat lunch and go to town for a busy afternoon\u2026 that finally ended with my coming home at 6:00 p.m.\u00a0 The fog was SO bad I had to drive 20 mph with my lights on low beam.\u00a0 I wish I had the old yellow fog light that was on my old \u201935 Ford.\u00a0 I even tried my yellow flashing blinkers, but they did not help.\u00a0 Tonight I have been answering emails, and now it is time to go to bed.\u00a0 Where did the time go?<\/p>\n Friday was a really busy day.\u00a0 Started early in the middle of the night with kitty Sunny pushing a phone off its perch.\u00a0 It awoke us all, including 4 dogs, John and me.\u00a0 Back to bed and then up at the regular time.\u00a0 I had to rush around and wash my hair for a trip to town for my first therapeutic massage on my \u201cbad\u201d left shoulder, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Senior Center.\u00a0\u00a0 (It\u2019s a free service donated by the woman who performs them.)\u00a0 That was a great experience.\u00a0 I was quite surprised to realize the person was my student in 1997!\u00a0 After that I went to campus for a scholarship luncheon in Barge Hall, the oldest building on campus \u2013 built when Central was established as a \u201cnormal\u201d school.\u00a0 \u201cNormal\u201d was the term for teacher-training.<\/p>\n http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Normal_school<\/a><\/p>\n And this usage seems to relate way back to the term\u2019s use in ancient mathematics.<\/p>\n http:\/\/ref.subwiki.org\/wiki\/Normal_(mathematics)<\/a><\/p>\n And if that\u2019s too boring for you, try this: (dress and a word may offend some):<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kk_qldSDgUw<\/a><\/p>\n Lunch at the Normal School was super fun and good; tacos with all the fixings, and a valentine theme, plus Rice Crispies bars and molasses cookies for dessert.\u00a0 Then back to the Senior Center for my SAIL exercise class.\u00a0 After that I went to school to participate in the telephone interviews for my replacement (just listened).\u00a0 At 5:00 p.m. I left quickly and drove home to pick up John, my violin, and leave the chocolate milk I had bought, and we got back in the car with the Pork Loin that John had cooked for the music group potluck and jam session.\u00a0\u00a0 This time he cooked it with plums and apricots.\u00a0 Double yum.\u00a0 Other food included green salad with crabmeat, chili, Hawaiian pizza, chicken and rice, potato salad, and a veggie plate.\u00a0 Cookies for dessert.\u00a0\u00a0 We had a blast there and didn\u2019t get back until 9:20 p.m.\u00a0 Now we have almost caught up on email for the day, and we are headed to bed.\u00a0 Oh, I have sat for 15 minutes on and 15 off and 15 on again of ice on my shoulder, as was suggested to help generate movement of the fluids in my sour shoulder muscles.<\/p>\n Saturday, to town after calling John\u2019s sister to wish her a happy birthday.\u00a0\u00a0 We drove through a well known speed trap on our way in, and I was slowed (I always do, to the 25 mph limit there).\u00a0 We mentioned how good it was we weren\u2019t breaking the law.\u00a0 Went on down the hill toward town, past the University, and in the rear view mirror was a flashing light on a police car.\u00a0 I pulled over, wondering what I had done wrong.\u00a0\u00a0 Turns out my license tabs (on John\u2019s car) had expired Oct 2, 2010.\u00a0 We do not know how we missed knowing that and renewing, but we did.\u00a0\u00a0 The policeman asked to see my driver\u2019s license, but I had to get out of the car to get in the backseat where I had put my \u201cpurse\u201d holding my wallet and Driver\u2019s License.\u00a0 He asked my birth date and then went back to his car, lights still flashing, and must have checked our license plate on-line to see the car ownership (which he had also asked).\u00a0 He did not ask to see our registration or insurance.\u00a0 We found out when we got home, the registration was NOT in the vehicle glove compartment.\u00a0 I have a feeling I brought it in after the last trip to Yakima, when I took all the information and receipts out of the glove compartment to file for tax purposes.\u00a0 I probably brought it in (tag registration) because it expired\u00a0 Oct 2, 2010.\u00a0 I likely assumed the other was still there for this year.\u00a0 The insurance paperwork was there.\u00a0 He eventually came back to the car and told me he would give me a warning, if that was all right, because the other option would have been a $210 fine.\u00a0 I thanked him and told him I would really appreciate the warning.\u00a0 He suggested we go home and get the registration as soon as possible, and if we got it on line, to print out the paid note from on the web, to carry with us, until the tabs arrive (in a couple of days).\u00a0 I came home and figured out how to do it on line, paid for it, and requested mail delivery.\u00a0 Meanwhile, I printed the transaction and that it was paid now till Oct 2, 2011.\u00a0 We guess the paperwork reminding us must have come in before the deadline, and we laughed to realize the deadline coincided with my retirement celebration.\u00a0 We have been driving John\u2019s Subaru almost 4 months with expired plates (tags).<\/p>\n After the excitement of being pulled over by a policeman, we went for a small lunch at Jack in the Box, and then on down to the City Library meeting room (large conference room), where there was an Ecology\/Environment fair.\u00a0 Several of my former students were there with poster boards and displays describing work and volunteer interests. [Example: Comparative tasting of bottled and tap waters.\u00a0 Can\u2019t tell the difference?\u00a0 That\u2019s the point, so why not drink the tap water and not use plastic bottles.]\u00a0 There were representatives of the local Audubon Society, conservation folks, local food growers and more.]\u00a0 We saw several people from the community whom we know.\u00a0 After that, a short trip for groceries, and on home, into the fog again.<\/p>\n Oh, the other excitement on the web was paying for and downloading a version of Finale Songwriter, for $50.\u00a0 I only had one more day of usage on my 30-day evaluation copy for writing and transposing music.\u00a0\u00a0 I only need to do one more song for my friend with the clarinet for tomorrow night\u2019s service, and then I can branch out or up to new things.\u00a0 There are still plenty of songs we play in our Fiddlers & Friends group that need to be transposed for the B-flat clarinet.<\/p>\n I will end this now, and pass along to John to put on the blog.<\/p>\n As usual, we wish you a good and healthy week, and we\u2019ll be back same time same place to report to you on the latest in our lives.<\/p>\n Nancy & John and all the critters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We ended last week\u2019s blog with the wonderful news of a found kitty.\u00a0\u00a0 Now we are back on a Sunday night to mention the day that started after midnight, about 12:30 a.m.\u00a0\u00a0 We had been in bed for a couple of hours, and our youngest and oldest dog began barking in the house.\u00a0 I awoke … Continue reading “SATURDAY — Night sounds, music, food”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-random-issues"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p72iNf-bH","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=725"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":727,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725\/revisions\/727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}