Saturday January 31 2009

Wind!

Ranch near Jackson

House Bondurant

Last day of January. Looks like a nice day out very sunny. Yesterday when I went to the clinic there was almost a hint of spring in the air. There is no wind right now. But that hard wind packed the drifts down and the dogs can walk on top of them. Raven tries going out around in the yard and stays on top most of the time, but every once in a while she craters. So there are some big divots out there. Sparky sticks mostly to the deck and their packed down paths.

It's noon now. I got a shower this morning and got my hair washed. Need to do that in the utility sink now instead of the shower because of the picc line getting wet. Not as convenient but o.k. Between the two of us we got the house vacuumed and I've got a load of towels and rugs in the washer. We're going to have to get a new vacuum. I'll look online to check them out. This very old one that was at the ranch when I first came there, just isn't picking up the dog hair. It does have good suction but not on the shag rug. My bedroom is the worst, where the boys sleep the most.

Joe's nephew Kevin called this morning and stopped by this afternoon. He stayed and visited with Joe about an hour. I spaced out that the clinic closed at noon on Saturday and didn't make it there before they closed. So have to flush the line myself. Everything's fine. I'm not feeling very ambitious at the moment, but I do know that's going to get better in another day or so. So pretty routine here.

Friday January 30 2009

Wind

Looking out front

Wind in back neighborhood

Frosty kitchen window

In back again

Deer, Evening

Very quiet day so far. Joe went to his coffee and has been checking his broker statements. He does that a lot. Scott came and plowed the drift in front of the garage door from the wind we've had. The driveway itself stayed blown clear, but there was a drift a couple feet deep up next to the garage. I'm surprised how much has piled up in the back yard, and then the wind has blown spots in the front down to the dirt. I don't know how cold it is out, but I'll go in a short while down to the clinic and the post office. It's still breezy, but not like yesterday and last night. The TV was off a lot with the wind blowing or shaking it enough that the signal wouldn't come in consistently.

I'm sort of like a limp dirty dishcloth today. When I get the pump off I'll be able to have a real shower. Have had nausea ever since the chemo, that should be better soon. We'll have some easy leftovers for dinner.

Gloria called me a while ago and we talked for a few minutes. The family is all together down in Las Vegas, where she flew in yesterday. Debbie picked her up and they all had lunch and dinner together. She is staying with out sister Diana. Gloria's daughter and some of her grand kids are there too. So I hope they all have a good time visiting.

Thursday January 29 2009

Afternoon on the Way Home

Crossing the Snake near Jackson

Trees Coming into Jackson

Snake

Snake River

Where the Bighorns Roam

That "Moose" again

Road Going Up

Whew, more terrible winds today. The drifts are piling up higher now - probably a good four feet deep in the back yard, maybe more in spots. A lot of it is higher than the deck now. It's about 25 degrees this afternoon - which is better than -25, although I imagine with the wind chill it's way below zero out there. Its been sunny all day and softened the icicles some, then the wind threw them against the windows. Kind of spooky. When I first saw the sunshine this morning I thought it might be a good day to take the dogs out on a little walk but then when I looked out the wind was already moving the snow around and it only got worse. They have been denning up all day. The TV dish is vibrating enough that it keeps knocking the signal off. So Joe's listening to the radio instead.

We really lucked out going to Jackson yesterday - sandwiched in between two very windy days. The roads were good, and we encountered very little wind. The visibility wasn't the greatest until we got over the rim. But we went along just fine. Charm's new SUV is an awesome trusty steed - a jet black Durango? Nice driving and nice riding. Couldn't really feel or even sense when there was wind blowing. I was impressed because as big as mine is you still feel the wind. Morning roads were icy and coming home a lot of the ice and snow had melted off, but there was patchy ice especially through the Hoback. They have a lot more snow up north than us.

It was another beautiful drive. The rivers aren't frozen up and that is surprising. I took about 85 pictures on the way up and back, discarded about 25 of those and this afternoon when through them cropping and enhancing. So will show a few of those.

Charm got to my house about 8 a.m. and we got up to Chemo about 10 a.m. and they started right in on me. We asked if we could get through as early as possible so Charm wouldn't be snow machining back home in the dark. They got us out about 2 p.m. so we did made good time. Why can't they do that every time ..... but I have to admit they weren't as busy yesterday as usual. We stopped at Smith's and loaded up mainly on nice vegetables. The dog food I'm giving "the boys" was half the price as at Ridleys so I got two bags of that. I also got BBQ baby back pork ribs from Smith's deli to see how they are and Joe liked them for dinner. Charm usually ends up waiting for me - I'm slow and usually get more. She couldn't get a lot because she didn't bring her cargo sled this time.

James was in the store. He had put Kathy on the plane for Atlanta and picked up his brother, Buzzy and Ann and their son, at the same time. So said hi to them. Buzzy said he was going mountain lion hunting in Utah on this trip. The quota in our area here has been filled for this year. (mountain lion hunting is getting more popular, and we have a lot of them.) I hope they have a nice stay. Kathy may be gone a month or 6 weeks to help her folks. Her dad is having lung surgery today I believe. Sending prayers to all of them.

So ..... just to report, the treatment went well. Last night I had my usual sleepless night. But in general feel so much better since getting the port out. They had a Jack Lemmon marathon on TCM and and after a 20 minute nap, saw every one of them but part of "Luv". They were all great. Then "I Remember Mama" came on and I watched that this morning having my tea and yogurt, just taking it easy. I'm not going to the clinic today, but will get the pump off and have the line flushed tomorrow. My nose was awful all night with awful dryness and a sinus headache and that probably kept me from sleeping too. It may drive me to go to the regular doctor, since this has been going on so long. They don't do that kind of thing in Oncology. It could be a sinus infection so should see if it needs some medicine or learn what to do for relief.

Haven't had time to look at emails for the last two days, so guess that will give me something to do for a while. - quiet time. The moon and venus are very close together tonight after sunset. And very beautiful.

Wednesday January 28 2009

Downtown Yesterday

Charm and I are on our way to Jackson for my chemo treatment. I won't write in the blog today.

From a recent fortune cookie: Only those who dare, truely live.

This is one of the places I read. There are mostly photos of earth from space. This time they brought up the megaflood of ice age Missoula Lake published by NOVA (PBS) It was very interesting. eoannounce@eodomo.gsfc.nasa.gov Then go to it from the Grand Coolee Dam link.

Tuesday January 27 2009

More Photos from Yesterday

This is a strange thing that has been happening for a while. I've been ignoring it, but it's weird. In the place on the blog where it wants me to type the date, which is my title, my fingers just want to keep typing October 4 2004 nearly every day. I'm getting more curious why and even wonder what happened on that day. Like..... is it a haunting or something. Anyway it's hard to realize another month has gone by.

The wind was howling here through the night so we had a ground blizzard going. By maybe 9 or 10 a.m. it settled down to where the wind isn't blowing the snow anyway, but still a good stiff breeze. Very sunny and clear. It was 20 or 25 below zero last night.

I’m glad we didn’t drive up to Jackson today, but tomorrow may be worse because its predicted to snow. I called this morning and told Oncology that we'd be there tomorrow. They said that my medicine still hadn't arrived yet.

Joe went to the ranch to feed the cats and took the dogs with him, as usual. I was still asleep when he left. I worried about him driving out there in this wind, but he was fine. He would freeze to death if he got stuck and was out of the truck digging, if he didn’t give himself a heart attack first. Today is Wayne’s funeral at 2:00 p.m. Joe will go to the funeral this afternoon. The wind has settled down a little since I got up, and hope it stays that way.

I’m anxious to see the uncluttering progress in the art room at Rendezvous Pointe when I go in there next. It looked like all the counters would be totally cleared and stuff they had piled on top of the high cupboards taken off there. Even the mat cutter was going out because no one uses it much. But how could they with it so buried in clutter. I think Mixed Media should make a contribution to Ren. Pt. because we don’t pay anything to use the room for our meetings. I brought it up once and they all agreed but nothing’s been done yet.

Today I'm going to address the Christmas cards I was given by the real estate office for letting them use my painting on the cover of their semi-annual "catalog", and will mail them soon. Better late than never.

Later afternoon: Hope Joe can see to drive home from the funeral. It's in Boulder so he will be out on the highway. The wind has blown like a banshee for hours and Mother Nature is rearranging everything on the landscape. She must be feeling like we do when we feel the need to rearrange the furniture. Been sitting here with one of the largest mugs of hot chocolate. Wind always makes me nervous. I just don't like it. So glad Charm and I aren't out on the road far from home. I just didn't want to go to the clinic so flushed my line myself.

The wind used to blow terrible in Nevada when I was a kid and I thought the roof would be torn off the house. I can remember laying in bed at night listening to the creaks and groans of the house and the wind whistling in the eaves and just having faith that it would stay on.

Still Later: Joe did fine on his trips "out". He came home after going to the ranch and then left again for the funeral about 1:30. He said the wind had not blown at the ranch, hard to believe. But he drove right in again. Although when out there he did try to start his snow machine and it wouldn't start. At least he didn't take it down out of the truck before he tried to start it. He also said there were more people at Wayne's funeral than he had ever seen before. And he didn't know hardly anyone, but blamed some of that on his eyesight. Said there were lots of flowers.

Did you see the very thin fingernail clipping of the crescent moon tonight after sunset? It was beautiful. I probably won't write the blog tomorrow.

It's the birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria.

Monday January 26 2009

The road home

willows and aspens

back street

i'm with him

are you going to let me in or not

Scott came to plow

Joe Clearing the Deck

Last night we had 5 or 6 inches of new snow. The thing was that it had to have snowed hard at times to put that much down, but every time I let the dogs out or looked out the door, there were only tiny flakes floating down. There was some wind that moved it around, but didn't seem to last long either, and no wind to.

Here it is 8:30 p.m. and I'm just getting time to write something in the blog. So it may be pretty sketchy. I am ready to get my pjs on tonight for sure.

This morning read the email and blogs that were done by the early birds. Then had some breakfast and showered. Scott was here to plow pretty early this morning, about the time I was wondering if I'd get stuck. The big road plow had come by this morning too and had left a big berm across our driveway and it was pretty deep, but Scott saved me (actually I'd have probably just busted right through it - I just need something to worry about).

Did some housework and then it was time to meet the friends for lunch. Charm, Gina and I went to the Bottoms Up for lunch for Gina's birthday which is tomorrow. We had a very nice time, and since it took them an hour or more to bring our food, we had an enjoyable visit. It was a lot of fun.

I went to the post office and mailed all the birthday cards I wrote out yesterday - I hadn't done any for three or four months so I went back to about the time we moved and did them all - yes..... they were very belated, but not forgotten. I couldn't remember if I had done cards before that or not, but knew I had not since we moved. It amounted to a pretty good stack of them. February is done too. Then got a few things at the store and went to the clinic. Made a circle around the back road to see if there was anything worth photographing - since I forgot to get a picture of us at lunch like I wanted to for the blog today.

Hadn't been home long and James came over at four to check with us about the list of things the seller needs to fix in the house. I was going to go with him to their realtor later this week, but James says he will get copies of the bills we have so far and take them to the other realtor, so that is very nice of him that I don't need to do anything yet.

Then Carol from Oncology called and said that my chemo medicine wasn't going to be in for my treatment in the morning, and could I come at 1 p.m. .... or on Wednesday instead. She said there is a shortage of it - oh, great, I thought. I balked at the 1 p.m. appointment because we drive four hours and I sit in the chair for the treatment usually almost six hours. And we wanted to check Smith's veggies. Charm would be snowmachining home at 10 p.m. if we did that. So I said I'd call them back in the morning to let them know for sure. Charm and I talked when she got home and she said Wednesday was better for her - so we are going on Wednesday. I have to call Carol back in the morning about 8:15. I think Tuesday is the better travel day weather-wise, but we will be fine.

Decided to make us a pizza with all fresh goodies for dinner, and it didn't turn out so great, as in not worth the effort. After dinner Betty called because she missed our usual Sunday call and we talked for a good while. She has those terrible disgusting rats back in her attic. I told her about the home made trap Gina happened to describe to us today at lunch and it might work for her. A large tin container with a stick on the side they can climb up - they can get in the container but not back out so they die in there. At least it is free, instead of $5 for each rat sized glue trap. So that was the day.

Nighty Night!

Sunday January 25 2009

Drift last year in corral -

not sure I ever showed this one before.

So far we don't have anything like this here.

Joe's Truck at Richie Road

It's gone in the ditch several times.

(Brent sent me this - and it's TRUE. I've been on wild rides like that. One of them was on the Colorado River and Joe actually said - "Here - Hold my beer". He held on to the raft and I was thrown out into the rapids with the beer and the camera.):

winter statistic..... 98% OF AMERICANS SAY 'OH SHIT' BEFORE GOING IN THE DITCH ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. THE OTHER 2% ARE FROM WYOMING AND THEY SAY, "HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS."

I stayed in bed until 10. Was awake in the night - probably saw at least three movies. The Commancheros with John Wayne was on early this morning. Showboat was another one of them and enjoyed that. Its been so long since I've seen it that I didn't remember the story. Loved the singing and music. Anyway just slept in while I felt like it.

Sinus has been bothering me. But yesterday at Ridley's I found a new nose moisturizer and I like it very much so far. Just an accident that, there it was as I was looking for the saline spray. It is Ayr saline gel with aloe. It feels great, as I've had a bad time with my nose, probably the chemo burning the skin in there, as well as mouth, eyes and hands. I mentioned my nose to Dr. Meno said to use Vicks and that has really helped clear it up.

The clinic is closed today and this afternoon I will flush the picc line myself. Doing laundry this morning and I'm going to get some cards written… I think ...... if I don't procrastinate it too long. Very slowly getting things accomplished. Have a couple loads of laundry in - getting those kinds of things done before I go back to Jackson on Tuesday and then won't feel like doing housework for a few days. Last night I fixed us my Italian sausage and zucchini casserole with pilaf. There will be some of that left over for Joe on Tuesday. I hope we can get some nice vegetables at Smiths in Jackson because Ridley's have sure been rotten - and that's not exaggerating either, cauliflower and squash actually moldy and they try to sell it for the price of steak.

Its cloudy here and keeps snowing lightly, and thawing as the snowflakes fall - not amounting to anything much so far. Deck is wet. Its still warmer. Seems to be hanging around the upper twenties. The atmosphere looks very silvery. No wind. There was fog in the night and I thought there would be a heavy frost this morning, but there's not - not here at least. If it had I would go out and photograph the trees covered with frosting. I've been enjoying the deer going back and forth across our landscape from the windows. The dogs watch too, but never bark.

Spring must be on the way - the world making its circle. Daylight is lasting later now. I've been noticing especially in the last week that it is still dusky when we eat dinner. I'm always glad to see the days getting longer and the warmth return. I don't see it so much in the morning. It's still pretty dark when I first wake up.

There's going to be quite a series about Wyoming on PBS the second half of this year. Here is a really great excerpt in a video about Wyoming's wildlife:

http://www.youtube.com/user/EVERGREENwY