This week started with more morning dehydrating activities of apples (many) and pears (fewer).\u00a0 John has worked on getting the heated horse trough set up and filled almost, and fixed us some lunch, and now is putting on a turkey (breast plus a little) to take to a potluck tonight with my music group; we will \u201cjam\u201d afterwards.\u00a0 We got it fixed and John took some plum sauce we had been given (in return for providing the plums), and he added some cornstarch and simmered, making a lovely sauce to put on the turkey.\u00a0 I also put some on my piece of Bundt cake (Caramel-Apple).\u00a0 We had a nice spread of food.\u00a0 The hosts fixed a huge Rainbow trout they had caught this summer.\u00a0 Someone brought nutritious cookies with oatmeal, walnuts and raisins.\u00a0 Also there was a wonderful potato salad and apple crisp.\u00a0 Oh, and another person brought tamales; another calico beans.\u00a0 We had a good jam session afterwards too.<\/p>\n
Sunday, Nov 13, 2011 \u00a0Awoke to no phone service.\u00a0 The winds have been really high all night and must have caused the lines to go down.\u00a0 Sustained winds have been above 28 mph with the largest gust recorded at 40 mph.\u00a0 John used the old Chevy PU to cart a bale of hay down to the end of the pasture behind the trees to allow the horses to eat.\u00a0 They do not like the wind.\u00a0 Things move and make noise.\u00a0 That makes it hard for them to sort out the sounds of approaching predators.\u00a0 We got our phone service back around 10:00 a.m.\u00a0 \u00a0While the phones are down we also do not have any connection to the Internet.<\/p>\n
We are trying to give away boxes of Black Walnuts to get them off our property.\u00a0 We have found one taker thus far, who is aware they are still in the hard shell.\u00a0 Last night\u2019s winds finished dumping the last that were on our largest tree.\u00a0 The taker is the woman who works in the bakery where I get apple fritters.\u00a0 She called this morning, starting at 8:00 a.m. (when we had no service) to tell me they were the form\/shape (flat) I like.\u00a0 She\u2019s going to put a dozen in the freezer, because we had no reason to drive to town today.\u00a0 At the price of gas, we\u2019ll wait till tomorrow.\u00a0 We can combine trips.\u00a0 We still have to make two trips.\u00a0 I have to have blood tests at the hospital for my doctor\u2019s appointment the next day in Cle Elum.\u00a0 While there for that, we\u2019ll deliver walnuts and pick up fritters.\u00a0 I will skip exercise because there is not enough time to get ready to go to the potluck and be across the valley by 4:00 p.m.<\/p>\n
John worked outside today and I worked inside.\u00a0 Now he is shelling Carpathian (English) walnuts, now dry, from our trees.\u00a0 They are going in a carrot dish we are taking to a potluck with 14 people tomorrow night.<\/p>\n
I just worked on my computer jobs list I maintain and run for almost 500 people.\u00a0 I succeeded today in washing a load of dishes and of clothes.\u00a0 Only problem was that John also filled the horse tank.\u00a0 So, tonight our tap water was running dirty brown.\u00a0 Too rapid withdrawal and thus flow through the rocks down below does that.\u00a0 And also tells us the filters need replaced.<\/p>\n
Monday, Nov 14 \u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Full day, running to hospital for blood draw for a routine doctor\u2019s appt. tomorrow morning.\u00a0\u00a0 Then to deliver black walnuts (two boxes) to a lady mentioned in yesterday\u2019s post.\u00a0 I worked on finalizing the letters received for the memory book, since Nov 6 and printed them up to give to Morris at the potluck.\u00a0 John fixed two bowls of carrots for dinner but we had one bowl left over to bring home.\u00a0 I think he said he cooked 7 pounds of carrots (with walnuts, cinnamon, and brown sugar). \u00a0Other things brought included broccoli, a red, orange, and yellow pepper salad with garnish, shrimp \/ macaroni salad, homemade rolls, and a chicken rice casserole.\u00a0 For dessert, apple pie with ice cream.\u00a0 Appetizer: Cougar Gold cheese (made at Washington State University, Pullman), served with a number of different crackers.<\/p>\n Tuesday, Nov 15 \u2013 <\/strong>Very Long day.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t think we could top yesterday, but we did.\u00a0 Up at 7:30 \u00a0a.m. and off at 9:50 for Cle Elum to our family physician.\u00a0 John had been taking an antibiotic since last week to get rid of an infection (tooth\/root ?), but I noticed a swelling in his face last night at dinner.\u00a0 It was better this morning, but he called the dentist to see about going in and I was going to drive myself to the doctor (it is 31 miles up the road, toward the pass and bad weather), but today was a gorgeous day.\u00a0\u00a0 However, the secretary answered the phone and said the dentist was not in, had gone to Montana, and wouldn\u2019t be back in the office till after Thanksgiving.\u00a0 John was given another stand-in dentist to see.\u00a0 Well that didn\u2019t make him happy going to a completely new person who doesn\u2019t know us nor we him.\u00a0 We have had our dentist since 1989 and we are very comfortable and trusting of him.\u00a0 So I suggested John go with me and go into our doctor with me and ask him.\u00a0 My appt. was not supposed to be long at all.\u00a0 The wait, however, was.\u00a0 There was a person in earlier with signs of a heart attack they had to take care of and so they were running late.\u00a0 My appt. was 10:45.\u00a0 I no longer remember when I was called in & John went along too.\u00a0 The Dr. looked at John\u2019s swelling and suggested the source was the submandibular saliva gland and, as it was already going down, he thought it best to ignore it \u2013 unless it got worse again. As a medical event this is typically what happens with John.\u00a0 He mentions a pain or whatever, the doctor or nurse shrugs and says something like, \u201cYa, that happens.\u201d\u00a0 Then, \u201cIf it doesn\u2019t get better, let me know.\u201d\u00a0 It always gets better.\u00a0 Go figure!<\/p>\n I did get a prescription for Lipitor, and came back by the grocery to pick it up.\u00a0 It really was only $4.00 with the co-pay card I got from Pfizer (the pharmaceutical company).\u00a0 It was going to cost me $70\/mo, without it.\u00a0 I started it tonight.\u00a0 I really hope it works and that my muscle\/joint pain ceases.\u00a0 Simvastatin supposedly has that as a side effect.<\/p>\n After the doctor, the banker.\u00a0 Same one since arriving in Ebrg in 1988. \u00a0Small town banks where they know you by your first name are really nice.\u00a0 This one is home based in Spokane, WA.\u00a0 Got hugs upon entering and before exiting.<\/p>\n On our way there we stopped at the vet to get Thyroid pills for Shay, a 4- month supply, which costs us $21.60.\u00a0 She\u2019s worth it.\u00a0 She was 11 this year and still going strong.\u00a0 She has not lost her hearing as her grand mom did.\u00a0 A couple of years ago she began tilting her head to the right as she ran through the pasture.\u00a0 She had gained a little weight also but it was the head-tilt that prompted John to have her health investigated.\u00a0 Many older dogs have subtle symptoms of an under active thyroid gland. \u00a0The solution for Shay was easy and cheap.<\/p>\n Then we also ran into two friends at the grocery store and visited.\u00a0 It was really a multi-purpose trip, but it lasted longer than we had anticipated, so there was only an hour for me to be home before I had to run back to town for a massage therapy treatment.\u00a0 It went well.\u00a0 Then I took myself to dinner, and sat in front of a fireplace to warm up, having a large piece of Hawaiian pizza and a pop.\u00a0 I brought a little of the crust and a layer of meat next to it, home to John.\u00a0 After that I trudged over to the nursing home across town (on my way home), and played music for an hour there.\u00a0 So, thus ends a long day.\u00a0 I have been working on the jobs list and emails since getting home.<\/p>\n Wednesday, Nov 16 \u2013<\/strong>Supposed to do more fruit dehydrating, but instead, did other things.\u00a0 I left at 11:30 for the Soup Kitchen music at the food bank, and ran into snow about 5 miles down the road!! \u00a0Drove in it all the rest of the 8 miles to the food bank.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t have my boots on, so had to be careful walking.\u00a0 We played music for \u00bd hour and then ate.\u00a0 There were 48 people there today.\u00a0 The food was excellent.\u00a0 Mashed potatoes with gravy around beef cubes (that were tender and very good), corn,\u00a0 apple\/plum cobbler, and hot spiced apple cider they had made there from apples donated to the Food Bank.\u00a0 It was scrumptious.\u00a0 It was snowing hard when I left, but I went ahead up the street several blocks (to a fellow who plays music with me) to deliver 7 boxes of Black Walnuts (about \u00bd full so I could lift them).\u00a0 Luckily I called before I got there and he had swept the walkway and had a hand dolly to load onto.\u00a0 I loaded them and then walked behind him, and helped lift as he pulled up the steps.\u00a0 Then I went off to exercise class.\u00a0 There were only 10 there today, but we had a good time.\u00a0 After that I drove home by way of my neighbors to pick up some summer sausage (deer) she is giving us, but they were away from the phone working on ground venison from their recent buck.\u00a0 Now I will wait and trade her some of our English walnuts.\u00a0 She wanted some of the black walnuts but I heard too late, after I had already delivered the ones in town.\u00a0 Came on home in the snow and John was working on the cat house.\u00a0 He has two entrance (exit) doors cut out, two shelves, electricity inside, and set up the heater.\u00a0 Put some food and water inside, but the cats don\u2019t yet know it is there, even though there are little walkways, and they have been on a couple of the segments.\u00a0 Okay; time for dinner.\u00a0 It smells really good.\u00a0 I do not know what\u2019s on the menu.\u00a0 John says it is a potato pie.\u00a0 That must be the smell I like of the crust.\u00a0 Wrong, different kind of potato pie.\u00a0 It had turkey, carrots, green beans, cauliflower (a stir fry mix) and the bottom was fried mashed potatoes that were browned first in a non-stick frying pan.\u00a0 Then John topped it with shredded cheese and moved it to a pie pan in the oven to bake everything.\u00a0 Now he\u2019s emptying the dishwasher that I have to go fill up and make room on the counters to dehydrate some pears.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t get to that tonight, instead, he\u2019s been shelling walnuts and I have been on the phone or on the computer, sitting with heat on my left shoulder.<\/p>\n Thursday, Nov 17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Music this afternoon, and John went in with me to shop.\u00a0 Besides the normal grocery purchases, he went to the Dollar Tree store (one of the few national chains found in Ebrg) and got a bunch of waxed paper, a watch (he misplaced his a couple months ago).\u00a0 Wow a watch that works for a buck.\u00a0 Amazing.\u00a0 Also, got some other stuff we needed.\u00a0 We had broken our plastic spatula.\u00a0 \u00a0The same canned cat food we get for Rascal (not for the outside cats) is 18 cents\/can cheaper there.\u00a0 Wow.\u00a0 Also, you know the cost of spices in grocery stores.. pretty high.\u00a0 John got a nice bottle of chili powder for a buck.\u00a0 We also delivered some black walnuts and Carpathian (in shells) to our neighbors (a couple miles around the corner SW), who presented us with 3 summer sausages from their last year\u2019s deer.\u00a0 John roasted turkey hind-quarters for dinner.\u00a0 They were bigger than he realized and took more than twice the cooking time suggested.\u00a0 Best thing of the day was a lead on a cell phone carrier more reasonable than AT&T we have been with since 2005.\u00a0 They really (I think) screwed John two years ago December, when I was in the ICU and he needed a cell phone for himself added to our plan, just then up for renewal.\u00a0 I think it should have only been a $10 or slightly more increase in our rates, but it was over $40. (John: It was a new plan with more minutes, a new phone, and she was on life support.\u00a0 I could not add myself to her plan \u2013 it was expiring in a week.\u00a0 It did, she didn\u2019t.\u00a0 Anyway, I wasn\u2019t comparison shopping!) \u00a0So, I have been searching for an alternative.\u00a0 We found it through a friend of ours with a Portland-based firm, consumercellular.com.\u00a0 Still have to set it up, but it is half the cost. (We\u2019ll see.\u00a0 She hasn\u2019t added up the taxes and fees.)<\/p>\n Been another crazy day; not as much as usual, but enough. \u00a0I didn’t get home till almost 3:30 (in the mail, got a book I was expecting from a friend that I proofed for her; also John\u2019s boots and slippers arrived).\u00a0 I started working on some music transposing I must finish before tomorrow, called Molly\u2019s Waltz.\u00a0 John and I started out the morning by putting pears and apples in the dehydrator.\u00a0 Wow. \u00a0I love the apples, but I REALLY love the dried pears.\u00a0 That is the end of them, sadly they spoil fast and some we didn\u2019t get to; however, we still have more apples to dry.\u00a0 Better keepers \u2013 apples.<\/p>\n Went to a scholarship luncheon at noon and then exercised afterwards.\u00a0 The meal was super great, and I received two recipes for two of the things there in Email this afternoon.\u00a0 The main dish was lasagna (easy to make without cooking noodles, and made with Italian sausage), put overnight in the frig, and then cooked for an hour.\u00a0 We had graham crackers with something called Pumpkin Fluff (made with Cool Whip and vanilla pudding (powder only) & a can of pumpkin.\u00a0 Who thinks these things up?\u00a0 You can also serve the pumpkin fluff with apples.\u00a0 I believe that dried apples are the way to go!!<\/p>\n John found Woody and Rascal on the hay \u201cbed\u201d in the new cat house.\u00a0 GOOD.\u00a0 We figured Rascal would teach them.\u00a0 John is still putting food out on the hay in the shed across the fence from the new house.\u00a0 The water outside froze but the water in the house with the heater, is fine.\u00a0 Obviously the heater is working now.\u00a0 Also, John put an LED night light inside.\u00a0 What a luxury hotel.\u00a0 The younger kitties are getting tamer, and let John within 4 feet of them, although today when he opened the door and saw Woody and Rascal up there, Woody ran out the window\/door access.<\/p>\n It was 38 here when I left today.\u00a0 The next two days, however, it will get REALLY cold, down to 13 maybe.\u00a0 Glad John has the cat house fixed up.\u00a0 It has two doors, so that if Big Sue comes in and chases Rascal, he has an escape route.\u00a0 Any of the cats can use both entrances.\u00a0 He has put pieces of hay up next to the doors to block the wind.\u00a0 Also, has a metal roof overhang over the window openings.<\/p>\n I have a new pair of moccasins.\u00a0 John\u2019s are too small, but with a large pair of socks, they fit me just fine.\u00a0 Nice, now my feet are WARM, finally.<\/p>\n We have to order a larger size for him, however.\u00a0 Turns out I got a good helper at Blair in PA, and she is sending two pairs with free return shipping for John, and a new pair for $5.00 less for John, and mine are priced at $13.33.\u00a0 She gave us free shipping to send back these for him that don\u2019t fit, and suggested she would send two different sizes for him to pick from and send the other back in the same bag with the ones we got today that don\u2019t fit.<\/p>\n John has been busy shelling Carpathian walnuts while I finished the music transposition.\u00a0 I\u2019m done and he is still shelling.\u00a0 Years ago (in Troy, ID) a church sold 50 pound bags.\u00a0 We would buy one each year and John would watch TV and work on shelling.\u00a0 No TV now.\u00a0 He listens to a classic rock station.<\/p>\n Saturday, Nov 19 \u2013 <\/strong>Will be going this afternoon to play music at the Briarwood Community center where they feed us.\u00a0 So I won\u2019t need much if any dinner.\u00a0 It is snowing.\u00a0 He fed the horses and took the dogs for their morning run.\u00a0 I put up the dried fruit but we haven\u2019t finished reloading more apples yet.\u00a0 John just fixed us a great lunch at noon of crackers, cheddar cheese slices, dried pears, and Fritos.\u00a0 That will get me by till 3:00 food.\u00a0 It\u2019s still snowing.\u00a0 We now have about 4 \u2013 5 inches on the ground and John is clearing the car of snow. I\u2019ll leave early and drive slowly.\u00a0 Subaru is AWD.<\/p>\n I\u2019m back and we had a great turn-out.\u00a0 We were very much appreciated, and we all appreciated the food they provided.\u00a0 There was a big bowl of Tortellini soup with carrots, lots of turkey, & celery.\u00a0 There were rolls w\/ butter, salad with two dressings, and many different desserts.\u00a0 There were little cinnamon rolls covered with a sugar sauce, peanut butter cookies, chocolate cake with white frosting, and cherry pie.<\/p>\n I\u00a0 came home and got here before dark, and John met me and took me through the back gate to the backyard to show me the window in our computer room he had winterized.\u00a0 He had cat food in his hand, so we walked over to the cat house, and he said, as we approached, \u201cAre you guys in there?\u201d\u00a0 Out came little Sue, and he opened the front door, to find two more, Woody and Big Sue, who scooted out the top entrance.\u00a0 He filled the food, checked the water, and he had turned up the heat earlier today, so all is well.\u00a0 They have all figured it out.\u00a0 Little Sue went over to the wood pile, and Big Sue and Woody went back up the ladder to the top of the hay shed.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t stay long.\u00a0 I came on in the house and petted Rascal on our bed, and watched out the window as Woody came down the ladder, walked across the chain link fence top, and into the house.\u00a0 Big Sue was still up watching John feed the horses.\u00a0 When he was back in the house, he looked out the window and saw her coming down the paths John built and over to the bridge to enter the house.\u00a0 We assume Little Sue went back too.\u00a0 So, they will be warm and toasty, with food and water, away from the elements.\u00a0 Good night to be snug.\u00a0 It is supposed to drop to 13 tonight.\u00a0 Our friend in Clancy, MT (we never heard of it either) had morning temp of 3.\u00a0 Too cold for my liking.<\/p>\n I won\u2019t need any dinner, but John plans to eat something.\u00a0 When he heard about the soup I had, he said he had been planning to do the same thing with our leftover turkey.\u00a0 We have carrots but no celery.\u00a0 Guess he can add barley and pine needles.\u00a0 (yeah.. John inserted that last one while making this ready to post.)<\/p>\n I do need to throw some chocolate chip cookie dough together, with John\u2019s help, and put it in the frig overnight to chill.\u00a0 Then tomorrow morning I can make cookies to take along to the Bluegrass Jam Session up at the\u00a0 Swauk Teanaway Grange, where we meet tomorrow at 2:00 for a couple hours.\u00a0 [This interesting web site has a picture of the Grange hall and lots of other local stuff \u2013 NW of us about 30 miles:<\/p>\n http:\/\/willworkfordecor.blogspot.com\/2010_02_01_archive.html<\/a><\/p>\n Scroll down about half way for the picture of the building.]<\/p>\n Hope your next week is wonderful.<\/p>\n Nancy & John<\/p>\n on the now white Naneum Fan<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week started with more morning dehydrating activities of apples (many) and pears (fewer).\u00a0 John has worked on getting the heated horse trough set up and filled almost, and fixed us some lunch, and now is putting on a turkey (breast plus a little) to take to a potluck tonight with my music group; we … Continue reading “SATURDAY — snowy & cold”<\/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-893","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-ep","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/893","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=893"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":895,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/893\/revisions\/895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}