Friday, July 31, 2009

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Thursday, July 30, 2009
Clear and sunny this morning, but still cooler than usual. There aren’t any clouds visible and the sun is warming things up (75 at noon), so I am hoping that this coming weekend will be a productive weekend for outside work.
I have my annual eye examination this afternoon, so Zack and I will head into town and probably won’t get much done around the cabin today.
Zack and I didn’t leave the cabin until almost 1:00, so went straight to the appointment. I found a shady spot to park and made sure Zack had fresh water, as the temperature was 74 degrees. I checked in and waited for about 5 minutes before being taken in and having all my personal data updated. The nurse then put me through all of the basic checks and tests, like reading the charts and checking to see if the prescription for my glasses had changed and checked my eye pressure then dilated my pupils in preparation for the doctor to check them.
I then sat in a waiting room while my eyes fully dilated, which was only about 5 minutes, and was called by the doctor to an examination room. We chatted briefly and then he checked each eye carefully. He told me that he had never ran across a case like mine where the floater moved and actually got smaller, but his exam revealed that it had. Both are good as the blood floating inside my eye is no longer directly in front of my pupil, and it is now smaller. For those of you that may not be aware, three years ago this summer (6-18-06), I had experienced a tear in the vitreous layer of my left eye, and that had caused some bleeding inside the eye, causing the spider web-like floater.
After the appointment, Zack and I drove to Safeway, did some shopping, and then picked up the mail and stop at Murrdoch’s to buy some dry dog food and more sunflower seeds for the birds and chipmunks. We arrived back home at 6 PM, where I played with Zack, fed him and Zoey, unloaded the car and put things away, made a drink and sat down to read my mail.
After finishing my mail, I showered and fixed myself dinner, relaxing for the remainder of the evening.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wednesday, July 29, 2009
There are quite a few clouds in the sky this morning, but the sun is shining for now. NWS is predicting no rain and my barometer is showing rain, plus it is cold this morning. Cold enough that after about 45 minutes of thinking the sunroom would warm up, I broke down and built a small fire. It was 62 inside and 50 outside, so the fire was nice to have. The forecast for the week, according to the newspaper I read while waiting on Monday, predicted it warming back up to the high 80s by this afternoon, but then that was for the valley and not at my altitude.
I spent the morning going through the 39 email I had, having ignored the past couple of days worth, and viewing more videos on the state of our country. Zack and I played and because the weather became warmer with the sun shining more often than not, I changed into my work clothes and went out to mow my front acreage. With all of this rain, and then the sunshine inbetween storms, the area has not only stayed green, but grown like . . . well, weeds, or as I should said, meadow grass and wildflowers.
Well, I tried. I got side tracked a few times, but finally got outside and started up the trail mower and Argo and off I went to slay the many tall green stocks, no matter they weed or wildflower. I made one sweep of the area and the bolt that adjusts the height of the mower broke. The front dropped all of the way to the ground and I came to a stop. I got out of the Argo and assessed the situation, backing the mower up to find the offending hardware, trying to reach up under the mower deck (it was already shut off) to see if I could reattach the nut.
I walked back to the shed and gathered some tools and then back at the mower I was able to tread the washer and nut back onto the threaded adjustment rod and tighten it. I then attempted to adjust it so the front of the deck was off the ground, but found that the adjustment rod would only go so far and it wasn’t enough to clear the ground. After fussing with it for some time, I gave up and drove it, or more like dragged it, back to the shed and shut the Argo off. I will need to disassemble the entire system and jack the mower deck up so I can see what is going on under the unit. It was getting dark and cold so I quit.
I grabbed the spray tank and sprayed numerous thistle that I had spotted in my short trip, but one led to another, and another, and another . . . I am sure you get the picture. I sprayed until the tank was empty and then went in to shower and relax.
It is now 8:30, so I will fix myself some dinner, having already fed Zack and Zoey before going out to mow, and watch television until bedtime.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I woke up at 6 AM, and had trouble going back to sleep, knowing I needed more sleep to survive the day. It was sunny but with some small high clouds blowing through.
I have a sore throat, way in the back, and have a slight heartburn with some swallowing difficulty. They told me that I may, but all three symptoms seemed like I took a step backwards after the procedure. I still have the air swallowing and belching to deal with and hope I can find a permanent solution, and soon.
Because of my sore throat and feeling like I can’t swallow, I hesitated to have breakfast, so nursed my coffee until noon and then played with Zack. I decided I had to eat something as my stomach was making more noise than the TV. I finally made waffles and had “lunch” at 2 PM to satisfy my need for food. I played with Zack and then like clock work, a thunderstorm moved in and it rained another half plus worth of water in less than two hours.
I am really glad for the rain, not only because of the reduced fire danger, but because it makes everything continue to be green and the smell after a thunderstorm in the forest is wonderful. This storm was the burp let out the back door, as there was no lightning and only one clap of thunder from afar.
It is now 8 PM, and the rain has stopped, Zack has gone upstairs to nap on my bed, and Zoey is sleeping in her chair next to me. The sun has disappeared and the light is fading, but it will continue to be light for a couple of more hours. I will fix myself some dinner, shower, and then relax in front of the boob tube until bedtime.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Monday, July 27, 2009
Rainfall from 3 PM yesterday, until this morning was just a little under 2 inches, and most of that fell in under an hour. I was up at 6:30 to finish drinking the prep and then went back to bed and tried to sleep until my alarm went off at 8:30.
Knowing I couldn’t have anything by mouth, meant no coffee, so I only needed to get dressed and go, so I did. Zack wasn’t at all happy to see me leave without him, and whined until I was in the car and leaving.
The road was a mess and slippery from all the rain, but I didn’t have any problems getting to Cowboy Harry’s by 9:45. We visited while he finished his coffee and then he drove me to the hospital. I checked in and then waited in for the prep nurse to take me in.
I was put in a room with instructions to remove all my clothes and put on a gown, opening to the back, duh. I then laid in bed and waited another 15 minutes until another nurse came in to take all my vital statistics. Due to not having taken my medications, my blood pressure was 176/106. An IV was inserted and I waited in bed for another 20 minutes. I was finally wheeled in to the procedure room at 12:25 for my 11:45 scheduled time. I only mention the wait because this doctor does these all day long and I am sure some take longer than other.
They hooked me up to a monitor and had me turn onto my left side. A different nurse put a plastic mouthpiece, to protect my teeth from the instruments, and told me to gently bite down. I mumbled that I’d seen those on television and didn’t swing that way. That was the last thing I remember. I watched a movie and then woke up to a nurse removing my IV and telling me I was done. I couldn’t believe her, but I was done and don’t remember a single thing, except the movie was a really good action thriller, that I dreamed and may have been triggered by music that was piped into the room.
I was disconnected from all the monitors and wheeled back into my recovery room, served my choice of drinks - coffee - and then told I could get dressed and leave when I felt ready. I got dressed and Harry was coming down the hall looking for me. He was concerned that I hadn’t called him and thought maybe something had gone wrong. The nurse had me sign a release form and Harry had to sign that he was the designated driver. It was only then that Harry told me he had actually forgot about me and was half way home before he remembered he needed to pick me up.
I offered to take him out to lunch, even though it was approaching two O’clock, but he had already eaten, so we drove straight back to Marysville and I drove home. I was a bit foggy and light headed, but attribute it to a lack of food. I played with Zack to help him calm down and get over his separation anxiety, and then fixed myself something to eat. My stomach had shrunk and I was told to have something soft and light for my first meal. I don’t know why, but biscuits and honey sounded good, so I baked some and enjoyed my coffee and some orange juice.
I spent the rest of the day just relaxing and trying to get back into my daily routine. By the time I was feeling half way back to normal, it was 5 O’clock. I never got to a real dinner, and just nibbled until an early bedtime.
Now, back to the results of my examine (guess what? They give you photos of your insides, but I ain’t going to show them, as they are X rated). I have an esophageal web that forms a ring at the opening to my stomach. This is what has been causing some of my swallowing problems. The doctor dilated it and took a biopsy, telling me that it should stay expanded and give me some relief, but not from my acid reflux, or air swallowing, but I shouldn’t be gagging when I swallow food. As for my lower extremities, I have diverticulitis, still, and they gave me reading material on diet and eating more fibers. Other than that, he wants to see me again in ten years and do it again.
Now that I have experienced the procedure with the new drug, propofol, I wouldn’t mind going through it on a regular basis, except for the prep part of it. If they could make that quick and painless, I am sure more people would have it done annually, but wait, under Obama’s new Health Care Plan, us older people probably wouldn’t qualify for it.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Sunday, July 26, 2009


Sunday, July 26, 2009
It is a beautiful warm and sunny morning, with clear calm skies. Knowing that I can’t have anything solid after breakfast, I thought about having a huge brunch, but my stomach is still acting up and I can only conclude that one of my new medications is causing it. I read the possible side affects and none of them match what I am feeling, so after my endoscopy and colonoscopy, I will be starting with a “clean” system, so maybe I can figure out what is going on.
I spent some of the morning writing, while doing a load of wash, and more research on FEMA’s roll in our government. It becomes really complicated, as more and more responsibilities, or authority, is given to it through Presidential Executive Orders. All of them seem to protect us, upon first glance, and of course individually they are. The majority of the Executive Orders (EO) were signed during the cold war, when a nuclear attack was looming over our heads, so it made sense to give an agency power to continue running the country in absence of a normal government.
Now, with today’s world situations and the rapid demise of America as a republic governed by our constitution, FEMA has, with the authorization of the President, or his successor, the power to take over every aspect of our lives. It may be just the conspiracy nuts that are bring all of this up, but when you find out all of the facts, I can see why they might be concerned. If I finish my research and the paper on FEMA, I will attach it for you to review.
Well, noon came before I felt like eating, so I haven’t had anything to eat since last nights dinner. I can have clear fluids, and even broth and Jell-O, except red Jell-O, but for some reason, I didn’t think about it when I was in town, so don’t have anything but the liquids, so I have been drinking a lot of apple juice. It is odd that I have been known to go for more than 20 hours with eating anything, but because I CAN’T have it, I want it even more. Noon marked the time to swallow three laxatives and wait. Next, I get to mix and drink a half-gallon of Nu-Lytely, which sounds like some sports drink, but I’m betting it’s not.
And oh yeah, I get to drink it before going to bed! Anyone see a problem with that? But wait, that’s not the best part. I have to drink the other half-gallon 5 hours before my appointment, which means at 6:45 tomorrow morning! Anyone that knows me knows I don’t do mornings, so this is a huge one for me.
I have to be at Cowboy Harry’s at 10 O’clock for the ride to town, and Zack isn’t going to like it, but he has to stay home with Zoey for a change. I should be home by 2 or 3 O’clock at the latest, and I know he’ll be fine, but he is seldom more than a few yards from me at any given time since he was five weeks old.
Why are there so many food commercials on television today? I get to fast-forward through them, but then the program I am watching shows them . . . doing what you ask . . . cooking food. Food is all around me and I can’t have any.
By 3 PM the sky looked like my lower body was feeling, and then it too let loose with lightning all around me and the thunder shaking the entire cabin, sending Zack and Zoey into hiding. It hailed so much in a short time that it was shooting off the roof horizontally. I filmed 5 minutes of it and then the batteries started to fade. I’ll attach the video to the update and hope it is worth viewing.
I showered and played with Zack, as the storm had passed, and then fed him. It is now 6 PM and he and Zoey are taking their after dinner naps while I finish this and think about dinner. Oh wait, I can’t have any! I’ll send the updates and watch my television programs before drinking the poison and going to bed.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Saturday, July 25, 2009
It is clear and the wind is calm this morning, with the sun shining brightly and no sign of the predicted thunderstorm. Most of the storms come in the late afternoon, so I will have to wait and see if I am surprised by one.
I have been busy making up a new card to carry that updates all of my current medications. I can never remember, little lone pronounce, most of the medication I take, even though it is far less than some of my age. Every time I visit a doctor, dentist, chiropractor or other health giver, I am asked to repeat all the medications I am on, including over the counter (OTC) drugs and supplements. Carrying a card in my wallet that lists all of them is a time saver, not to mention saving a brain cell or two.
After finishing my card, I opened the laptop and delved into my emails (25), I became wrapped up in watching some videos and researching some additional information about the supposed FEMA concentration camps for American citizens. I found some interesting information, which I will pass on as a Word attachment for those interested in educating themselves.
Revisiting the forecast of a thunderstorm, NWS was correct in their prediction. By 4 PM, it was too dark to read without having a light turned on, and by 4:40, the sky opened up and it began to water the forest. This was a noisier thunderstorm than yesterday afternoons, sending Zack upstairs to my bed of safety and Zoey coming in from outside. Yesterday’s storm only brought .04 inches of rain, and I’d be willing to bet that it was doubled in the first 2 minutes of today’s storm. The wind rushed in like a dam had burst, causing the tarps over my stored wood to pop and snap with the sound of gunfire. Thunder rolled in without any pause, but I didn’t see many flashes of the lightning. Rip Van Winkle was having a rousing game of ninepins, to say the least.
I spent the remainder of the day researching and writing until past 7 PM. I played and fed Zack, showered, finished a load of wash and then had dinner. I felt that I should have my “last supper” as enjoyable as possibly, so I fixed steak, shrimp, and a green salad, washing it down with a very good red wine. Unfortunately, I am still suffering from a mild upset stomach and couldn’t even finish the last few bites, as I was afraid I’d have it all reappear. What a waste of a really good meal.
I watched a couple of prerecorded television programs, one being a new Discovery Channel program called The Colony (Tuesday nights). It is a social experiment of what it might be like if a small group of strangers had to come together and survive in a post-apocalyptic world. It is more realistic than one might think, and shows what must be done to accomplish survival. These shows usually repeat and are often shown back-to-back, so watch for it and see what you might be up against in the event something like this happened.
It got cold enough that I had to start a fire to be comfortable, and Zack thought it was such a good idea; he laid directly in front of it and fell asleep. I finally went to bed at midnight, knowing that tomorrow, I had to start the prep for my colonoscopy on Monday.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Friday, July 24, 2009


Friday, July 24, 2009
It is cool and breezy this morning, with a few puffy clouds floating high and moving southeast. It hailed and then rained briefly last night, but only enough to wet things down and didn’t even record on my rain gauge. My weather station says I received .4 inches of rain in the past 24 hours.
My stomach is still feeling a bit queasy and just as I was getting ready for bed last night, I got the dry heaves, so I am not sure what is going on. The only thing that has changed in the past week is that I have had more fresh fruit than usual, and I ran out of my allergy medication as of yesterday. I also haven’t taken any Prilosec for my acid reflux since yesterday, as it hasn’t seemed to help. I guess if I had to make an assumption, I would say the missing Prilosec could be the cause, but really don’t know. I am out of the medication, so I will try a Pepcid AC and see if it gives me any relief.
I have my stress echocardiography test this afternoon, and am not looking forward to it if my stomach is still unsettled. I don’t think I’ll do as well as in the past, as I just don’t have the stamina and strength to do any physical activity for more than a few minutes. We shall see.
I tried to have my usual morning routine, but find that my stomach isn’t going to let me. I have been drinking a lot of water this morning and hope it will flush out my system, but it is now noon and hasn’t seemed to help. Because I will be going to town for my 3 O’clock appointment, I am not going to even try to work outside today. I will have something to eat and then head into town, stopping at the dump to empty the stuff in the truck, and then pick up my mail and make it to my appointment. I will attempt to finish this tonight, but won’t promise as the test usually leaves me with little strength or ambition to do anything.
Well, I survived the day, and feel stronger for it. We headed to Marysville and stopped at Mary and Guy’s to drop off my extra melons and some magazines. I was still feeling queasy, but knew I had to go through with the stress test, so headed into town. I stopped at the transfer station and dumped all of the refuse in the back of the truck, and then picked up my mail. I drove to Safeway and picked up my now approved reflux medicine, which is just the heavier dose of Prilosec, and I hope it will help my air swallowing and burping.
While in Safeway, a huge and loud thunderstorm passed over and flooded the streets, sending a shock wave of the thunder through everything. I drove through a foot or more of water that the drains couldn’t deal with, and reached my cardiologist office in time for my appointment. After the usual signing of consent and agreeing to pay documents, I was weighed and my blood pressure taken. I updated my medication list and then was taken into the dungeon to have my chest shaved, snaps glued to my skin and leads attached for the test. Baselines were taken, including sonic photos of my heart as it beat.
Richard, the cardiologist, enters and looks at all the data and then has me step onto the treadmill to run like a bear is chasing me, until I reach my target heart rate. We exchange jokes and comments; with me telling him I crammed for the test but it doesn’t seemed to have helped. I run for nine minutes, which is a minute less than the past two tests, but I having reached my target heart rate, so Richard stops the test and has me move to the table to lay down and have additional pictures taken, showing the condition of my heart.
I am pronounced “healthy as a horse,” but I probably shouldn’t try to pull a wagon, and the test is over. He pronounces me good until the next test and sent on my way.
Zack and I headed straight home and arrived at about 6 PM. We played until he stopped and then I fixed dinner for Zoey, and then Zack, waiting until Zack recovered and then let him eat. As I did, a thunderstorm past through and peals of thunder rolled through, causing Zack to run upstairs and take refuse on my bed. It rained, hailed, and blew through my area with much fanfare, dropping more moisture to my drying landscape.
It is now 7:30, and the storm is passing, allowing me time to take a shower and think about my dinner. I shall enjoy both and then relax until my bedtime.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thursday, July 23, 2009
The sky has a few high clouds and the air is still, making the humidity felt. NWS is saying there is a 20% chance of a thundershower tonight, increasing to 30% for the next couple of days. By afternoon, it became overcast but even with the clouds blocking out the sun, it is 86 degrees and without my usual breeze, I had to turn on the box fan to help cool off.
I woke up this morning with a queasy stomach and it has persisted all day, so I didn’t go out to work, but just stayed inside doing computer work. I promised to print out my research on tankless water heaters for Bonnie, who works in the Safeway Pharmacy. I also looked up and printed my research on my road and the fact that I do not need a permit to simply maintain the existing road, just in case someone questions me.
I have played with Zack a few times, and went over to photograph the cattle guard so I could send it with yesterday’s update. Other than that, I haven’t done much and it is now 4:30. I have an appointment at my cardiologist for my stress test tomorrow, so thought I should study for it today, hence all the rest and relaxation.
I will finish my computer work and printing, play with Zack, feed him and Zoey, shower, and then relax in front of the television until bedtime.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Wednesday, July 22, 2009


Wednesday, July 22, 2009
It feels cooler this morning, but then I left one of the sliding doors open all night to help the upstairs cool down, so I could sleep better. NWS is predicting weather in the high 70 to low 80s, so I expect it to stay warm today.
After my coffee and computer time, I put on the work clothes, played with Zack and then went out to finish the road work so I can install the cattle guard.
I wanted to work the road to make digging the trench for the guard a bit easier, but also because I had two humps in that area that allowed water to collect between them during runoff and after rainstorms. It took three bottles of Gator Aide and two of water, plus three energy bars to finish it. I parked the dozer and walked back to the cabin to load the guard and tools necessary to install it.
It took me until 7:30 to dig the trench, place the pieces and attach all of them. As I was digging, Zack let out with several loud barks, but didn’t move from standing by the dozer. When I finally looked up, I heard something shoot by me in the creek bed, and caught a glimpse of a furry black butt headed up the other side before I could even think about grabbing my gun. Zack had warned me and then scared off the black bear that has been in the area. I gave him several rewarding words, but he stayed next to the dozer at the end of the road. It is good to see that the bear was more afraid of Zack, than interested it doing either of us harm. Because he has been in the area, I now carry and keep a gun near by, hopefully more to scare it away than harm it.
It may not be the prettiest cattle guard, but after I install some fencing to keep them from getting around it, I think it will work just fine. Zack wouldn’t even try to get across it, so it should stop the cows. I loaded up the tools and drug myself into the truck for the short ride home. After parking in the garage, I made it back to the cabin and washed my face and arms. Boy, that felt really good.
I managed to feed Zack; Zoey had food left from this morning, so I didn’t give her any more, and then drank another Gator Aide while cooling down. A nice cool shower and then a drink before making dinner, took me to 10 O’clock. I watched a prerecorded television show and then went to bed.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009



Tuesday, July 21, 2009
It is clear, sunny, and warm with a light breeze. The perfect weather for working outside. I cut up the melons and mixed in the grapes that I purchased at Costco yesterday. I don't get enough fresh fruit in my diet, other than an orange every morning, so froze some of it for future use. Boy, it was about the sweetest, best tasting melons I can remember having.
Just as I was about to finish my morning routine, a Raven started carrying on like I haven't heard before. When I looked out to investigate, I just caught a glimpse of the Raven chasing a Bald Eagle into the trees. The eagle was at least four times larger than the Raven, and the Raven was alone, so it caught me off guard. I grabbed my camera in hopes that I could get a photo if they left the trees, but the batteries on the camera started to go, so I could only film for a short while before giving up. I kept watching, but evidently the eagle left the other side of the ridge as I never saw it emerge and the Raven quieted down after about 20 minutes of screaming. I have attached the video, but it is just the sound of the Raven. You may need to turn up your volume to hear it well.
After my usual morning routine, I put on my work clothes and after playing with Zack, sprayed the noxious weeds that I either missed before, or were newly emerging. I have noticed that the Canadian Thistle is down to about 1/10 of what it was last year, so I feel that I am making headway. There are only about four along the road by the creek, where last year it was a thick blanket of them.
I unloaded the 2 x 4s from the truck and then used the dozer to rework the road going through the front of my property. Evidently, there was a snowdrift at the corner and one or more trucks tried to drive around it, becoming stuck in the grassy area at the far corner. It took much longer than I expected but I finally got it all smoothed out and back to the way it had been. When I finished that part, I used the box blade to drag the rest of the road down to the creek crossing, as it too had several bad ruts that needed smoothing out.
By the time I finished and put the dozer in the garage, it was 6 PM, so I played with Zack and fed him and Zoey before stripping off my boots and dusty clothes, and then sat down with a drink to cool off before taking my shower. This weather has been great for the land, but it has also been great for insect reproduction. I have never had so many flies, flying bugs, beetles, and mosquitoes since living here. There are so many that they don’t seek you out, you just pass through them. My Deep Woods Off does a good job, but the damn things have to buzz your face or land on you before they decide they don’t like what you are wearing. The bright yellow paint job on the dozer probably doesn’t help a lot either.
Even though I usually wait until I stop sweating before I shower, the Off had dripped into my eyes, so I had to shower before I could even take a sip of my newly made drink. It felt so good to get the dust and bug spray off, that I really enjoyed my drink and some relax time before having dinner and watching television.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Monday, July 20, 2009
This morning is clear and warm, with a nice breeze to keep things from feeling too hot. I have a doctor appointment in town this morning, so had to set my alarm and get up at 8 AM. No time for my usual morning routine, so I took my coffee with me.
We took the truck as I want to get rid of the old batteries and some trash. I went straight to my appointment, which was for a colonoscopy preparation at 10 AM. The appointment was made by my doctor for me and while I knew it was at St. Peter’s Hospital, I wasn’t sure where. St. Peter’s, my least favorite hospital, has expanded and built three new wings, being unchallenged by any other medical facilities, and now sprawls over three acres. I went to the main entrance and inquired at the desk as to where my appointment might be. After several staff and volunteer members tried to locate the number(s) for the correct department, getting phone recordings stating that the numbers were no longer in service, they finally concluded that I should go to the East Wing entrance and inquire at that desk.
It is now 10 minutes after 10 O’clock and I still haven’t been told where I need to go. The desk person at the East Wing told me to go to the second floor, suite 200, and see if my appointment was at that office. I did and it was, so they gave me papers to fill out, telling me that they had called and left a message on Friday, directing me to suite 200. I once again explained that I don’t get phone service until I arrive in town and won’t retrieve messages while I am driving. This seemed to irritate the clerk and she just ignored me.
Soon, another person called me in and did the usual weight, height, temperature and blood pressure (mine was normal for a change), and then finished filling out the form for me while she ask me questions. I was then asked to watch a DVD video explaining the procedure and she left. The video started and then proceeded to explain all about an endoscopy, which is an upper GI, not an colonoscopy, being a lower GI. Because of my acid reflux and involuntary air swallowing, I watched the procedure in anticipation of having that done at the same time.
When yet another woman came in, I explained that my doctor wanted me to have both, but the clerk had obviously screwed up and didn’t check to see if the correct DVD was in the player. This woman called and added the endoscope to my colonoscopy so I will indeed have both procedures done at the same time. She explained the necessary prep and time periods to take the medicines, telling me that I had to have someone drive me home. I told her it wasn’t possible and she said that I would have to cancel the appointment as it was hospital policy. They won’t start the procedure until they can physically see a driver available to drive me home.
I explained my circumstances and she suggested a taxi, yeah, like that would happen. I told her I would try to find someone or cancel the appointment later. They administer a twilight drug so although you are not necessarily asleep, you don’t give a crap (no pun intended) about what is going on, and feel no pain. I’ll let you know how that goes later. I have had both a spinal block and the twilight drug when they did my 6-hour heel reconstruction, so I know what it should be like.
Zack was in the shade, so the 80 degrees didn’t both him, but he was panting, but had water if it was due to thirst.
We drove to Northern Electric as I needed a longer battery cable made up for my new battery configuration. While there, I asked about the old batteries and he told me that no one paid for the scrap value as the price was way down for lead. I decided to give them to him rather than take them back to the Interstate Battery shop, where I originally purchased them. After unloading them, I drove to Costco and bought some of the groceries that I needed, but not all as I just don’t have the storage space for the larger quantities they sell.
I took time to have a bit of lunch while there, and then drove to Home Depot for some additional treated 2 x 4s and other items. Once that was loaded, I went to Safeway for the remainder of the groceries and to get the prescription for my prep. I filled up the truck and two gas cans, and then headed to the transfer station to dump the trash. When I checked my time, I realized that it was 4:40 PM and had just enough time to make it before they close at 5 PM. I pulled in and the truck in front of me was trying to turn around to leave when I noticed the cable across the drive at the check station. The sign next to it said they close at 4:45, checking my phone for the time, it was 4:47. I had just missed it and now had to haul my trash all of the way home again.
We stopped at Mary and Guy’s to meet all of their family and visit for a while. Both of their sons and their families, as well as their daughter, Jill, and her family were there. I had met Jill, Carl, Alex, Marek, and Scott before, but not their newest addition, a daughter, Katy. I introduced myself to the others as Mary was on the phone and Guy was laying down.
Guy is in the middle of being treated for gall stones and will be getting an operation this week, after they installed stents and tried to remove them a week ago. For whatever reasons, they can’t deal with them normally and will have to cut them out. Guy said although he wasn’t in pain now, he would be glad to have it over with.
I said my goodbyes, and drove over to Cowboy Harry’s to ask if he could take me to the hospital on Monday for my procedure. Mary and Guy have to take one of their sons and his wife to the airport in Billings to fly home on Monday, so they couldn’t give me a ride. Harry said he would be glad to do it, so we made a plan to met at his house at 10 O’clock on Monday.
We drove home and I unloaded all of the groceries and other items before playing with Zack and then feeding him and Zoey. It was already after 7 PM and I sat down with a drink to relax before my shower and fixing my own dinner.
One more play period with Zack and then I showered and ate dinner, relaxing in front of the television before bedtime.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Sunday, July 19, 2009



Sunday, July 19, 2009
This morning is a bit overcast, with some of the clouds looking like they may have some rain, but NWS is only predicting a 20% chance of a thunderstorm today. The sun is shining through enough to warm things up, but it is cooler than the past few days.
I had my usual morning and then went out to get some work done. I pulled out the push mower and got it started so I could mow close to the cabin, where I couldn’t go with the Argo and trail mower. This is the first time I have used it since storing it last September, and it started right up on the first pull. I mowed around the cabin and then the shed, stopping to rest for a while. With the stiff breeze, I don’t feel that I am getting overheated, but I am tired and needed to drink some water and rest a bit.
My next task was to build my home version of a cattle guard. I want to keep the cows from following the road to my cabin and making themselves at home in my yard. I used treated 2 x 4’s and cut one up into 5” lengths to space the boards far enough apart to keep the cattle from crossing it. I didn’t buy enough 2 x 4’s to make the entire length I want, but I’ll buy more tomorrow when I have to be in town. I didn’t fasten all of the sections together as it would be too heavy and unwieldy to handle. I will finish assembling it on site, after doing some roadwork and digging a trench to place it in.
When I had finished that, and put my tools away, I fired up the dozer and worked the driveway until I had filled in the tire ruts from when it was muddy. By the time I was satisfied with the work, it was 7:30, so I quit for the day. I had fed Zack and Zoey earlier, on one of my rest breaks, so I shaved and jumped in the shower to wash off the insecticide and dust.
I just sat down to relax and finish this, along with thinking about what I want for dinner. I’ll send this, with photos, and then fix myself a bite to eat and watch some television before retiring.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Saturday, July 18, 2009
It is another beautiful day and the temperature was 79 degrees in the sun by 10 AM. A nice breeze has played about all day, so it has been very nice.
I spent almost the entire day inside doing research on the Obama-Biden health plan, or should I say the senate’s latest version of it. I read all 615 pages of the bill and gleaned some interesting information. First of all, the bill wasn’t in its final form as they rushed to get it presented because it has to have been on the floor for five days before a vote can be called on it. Several amendments (788) have already been added, but not made public, but most of it is intact. I love one amendment . . . “many of the GOP amendments on this incomplete list do seem pretty substantive. For example, one amendment offered by Oklahoma's Tom Coburn requires members of Congress and their staff to enroll in the government-run health insurance program.”
But like most bureaucratic documents, it has its fair share of legalese and gibberish, like:
1 SEC. 132. APPLICABILITY.
2 (a) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN PLANS.—Section 2721
3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-21)
4 is amended—
5 (1) by striking subsection (a);
6 (2) in subsection (b)—
7 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘1
8 through 3’’ and inserting ‘‘1 and 2’’; and
9 (B) in paragraph (2)—
10 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking
11 ‘‘subparagraph (D)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub12
paragraph (D) or (E)’’;
13 (ii) by striking ‘‘1 through 3’’ and in14
serting ‘‘1 and 2’’; and
15 (iii) by adding at the end the fol16
lowing:
17 ‘‘(E) ELECTION NOT APPLICABLE.—The
18 election described in subparagraph (A) shall not
19 be available with respect to the provisions of
20 subpart 1.’’;
21 (3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘1 through 3
22 shall not apply to any group’’ and inserting ‘‘1 and
23 2 shall not apply to any individual coverage or any
24 group’’; and
25 (4) in subsection (d)—

Ad nauseam. But if anyone tries to tell you that this health plan is a “job killer” you can assure them that I’ve done the research and there are no fewer than 22 new agencies, councils, committees, commissions, Corps, services, departments and offices created for more bureaucrats to fill, enlarging our already too big government.
I have been preaching for people to educate themselves about what is going on and the only way to do that is to actually read the crap they are trying to force down our throats. My eyes are crossed and I have a headache, but I read all of it, and will pass the gist of it on to you, my readers. Of course, it is just my opinion, so if you wish to read it yourself, I have attached it. It is a PDF and you’ll need Adobe (free) to view it.
First, here are a few news items you might wish to read. Kennedy’s health care reform bill from Huffington Post (the bill in its entirety is attached at the bottom). It is a $1.5 Trillion bill. But the government will collect at least $544 Billion over the next ten years in tax increases. Of course, they will add to that with penalties charged to hard working businesses for not buying their plan. But that shouldn’t eliminate any jobs, or make any businesses go bankrupt.
If you’ve heard about Great Britain, Canada and Australia’s health plans, and like what you’ve heard, you’ll love this health plan. First, the new agencies are going to collect every piece of personal data on you that they can. They will compile this into America’s largest information bank and make it available to all government agencies, insurance companies, businesses, and anyone else that wants it. Download the bill (below) and use Search, type in HIT and read it for yourself.
Second, they will dictate who gets medical treatment and doesn’t. There isn’t a mention of any citizens above the age of 65, except they won’t have to pay premium increases.
Looking at the BIG PICTURE, it all looks and sounds really good . . . for the people that are poor and uninsured (look out for the stampede at the Mexican board if it passes), but it is just the government getting into businesses it has no legal right to be in. It will now have more control over individual states that go along with it, and is yet another way to control the people and allow The New World Order to progress.
You will have to drive a government-produced car to a government controlled medical facility, and hope that your government controlled medical records will allow you to get treatment. But, if you are over 65, retired and not considered a productive citizen, forget it. As the government takes over more and more things, the sheep will be led to slaughter.
Please, don’t take it just from me, educate yourself and make up your own mind.

Health Bill

Friday, July 17, 2009

Friday, July 17, 2009
This morning is warm and sunny, with clear blue skies. By 11 O’clock, it was 78 degrees, with a light breeze keeping it from feeling too hot.
I followed my usual routine of putting out raw peanuts in the shell, hiding some in the woodpile for the chipmunks to find, sunflower and birdseed for the birds, and checked the feeders to make sure they have enough to keep everyone happy. I do this every morning when I let Zack out and turn on the stove to heat my water for coffee. I then do those things most of us do every morning, take my medications, brush my teeth (all 32 original), wash the sleep from my eyes and face, comb my hair and clean my glasses.
By the time I finish, my teakettle is whistling and I make my coffee, turn on my modem and sit down to check my emails and do whatever needs to be done on the computer. In between that, I watch the chipmunks find the nuts and chase each other around, the birds argue whether or not the sunflower seeds are for them or the chipmunks, as they try to steal them, and generally enjoy nature all around me.
It doesn’t take long before noon is upon me and I make myself a brunch. Usually a muffin, sometimes with peanut butter, fresh pealed orange and wash it down with a glass of orange juice. By now, Zack has come to me three or four times, asking if it is time to play, so I’ll clean up my dishes and play with him until he is tired and wants to nap. That is my opportunity to change into my work clothes and get some things done.
Today, I am going to tackle the creek, as I have been meaning to all week long. This involves grabbing a shovel and my Pulaski and hiking down to the creek and clear the debris and weeds from the channel diverting the main flow into my pond, which feeds the water pickup to the cabin.
It is now Saturday, and I have recovered from a near heat stroke and can finish this. I took my bottle of water, shovel, Pulaski and hiked down to the pond to restore the water flow. I found the channel I had dug last year was badly clogged with creek gravel and mud. I began digging it out but had to stop after just a few shovel loads. I was already exhausted and had to rest before digging a couple of more times. I repeated this process several times over the next hour and finally restored the flow.
I couldn’t believe how tired I became and after dragging myself back up the hill and replacing the tools, I went to the cabin and ran cold water over my head and then laid down until I regained my strength. I have never felt so unfit in my life and must be affected by my blood pressure medication. I felt very much like the time I almost had a heat stroke, but it wasn’t that hot and I didn’t exert myself that much. I decided to stay indoors rather than tackle another outside job.
I relaxed the rest of the evening and had my shower and a delicious meal before watching some television and retiring.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Thursday, July 16, 2009
Aside from still having a breeze, the morning is completely clear of any clouds and sunny. It is 76 degrees in the sun at 11 AM, so I am looking for another nice day, allowing me to work outside.
I need to clear the silt and weeds from my creek tributary feeding my pond. My house water pick-up is pulling too much silt into the system and while the filters take it out and the ultra violet light removes all the bacteria, the smell is that of muddy water.
I did two loads of wash while having my morning coffee and before I could start working outdoors, a couple of visitors came and distracted me. It was a “neighbor” and her son. I had met the husband and a younger son last week. They bought the placer mining claim on Dog Creek; about three miles from me near the beaver ponds, and moved in a prebuilt log cabin about two years ago. I had originally looked at that piece of property when I was investigating this area, but decided against it as a county road passes through it. I felt that it was too open and would be exposed to a lot of passersby.
After they bought the property and moved the cabin in, they fenced the entire area off, including the county road, with barbed wire. The county made them remove that part that prevented the roads right of way, but they left the rest up. That caused a lot of bad feelings among the folks that have been using the area to camp in for all their lives, so I wasn’t surprised to find out that all the cabin windows had been shot out and someone broke in and stole all their guns. You don’t make friends by coming in and fencing off commonly used land, even if you now own it.
His defense was that the trucks were causing damage by tearing up the area. I tried to explain to him that any vehicle traveling through during rainy season is going to do that. It probably wasn’t intentional, but there are kids with big trucks that like to “mud bog” and try to get through some bogs without getting stuck just for the fun of it. He then tells me that he has called the sheriff and the Federal marshal on several occasions for people camping near his property and shooting guns. I tried to be polite and not call him an asshole, but it was difficult.
He lives in Helena, so is from the area and should know better than to piss off locals the way he has. He asked me if I have ever had any problems with vandalism, what with my open garage and leaving things out. I told him no, I had met and become acquainted with just about everyone that frequented the area and got to know the cattlemen that grazed here, as well as the National Forest law enforcement. I explained that I hadn’t moved here to change the way locals used the area and that was why I don’t fence off the road that people have been using most of their life. I had hoped he would get the idea, but I doubt that he did.
They only use their cabin during the summer and not for extended periods, so when they are gone, they are subject to the ire of people they piss off. I visited with the wife and oldest boy for a while and then excused myself so I could get back to work. They left of their four-wheelers and I tackled a leak under my kitchen sink. I had noticed that the flange, where the drain attaches to the sink, was loose, but didn’t realize how much water it was allowing to drip into the cabinet below. The pressboard was soaked and it was beginning to get moldy and smell. I cleaned and sprayed the area with a bleach and water solution and then tightened the flange to stop the flow.
In the course of cleaning everything out from under the sink, I had to clean and rearrange things to put it back. This led to me cleaning the cabinets and kitchen from top to bottom and before I knew it, it was 6 O’clock. I finally stopped, played with Zack, fed him and Zoey, and then sat down with a drink to relax.
I finished the day with my usual, a shower, some dinner, watching television and then going to bed.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Wednesday, July 15, 2009






Wednesday, July 15, 2009
This morning looks promising and the bright sunny sky seems to be showing a much different day from yesterday. By 10:00 O’clock, it is 67 degrees in the direct sun, but feeling cooler in the wind that has been blowing at a constant10 mph.
I spent the morning doing my usual research and answering emails while enjoying my coffee and then a light brunch of an egg on a large biscuit with orange juice. As noon approached, I played with Zack and then changed into my work clothes to go outside and take advantage of the nice weather. I had spotted several thistles that were either missed when I sprayed before, or newly emerged. Even though the wind was still blowing, it had calmed down enough that I could treat the weeds. I contact spray, rather than spraying the weed and area, meaning I only put the solution on the weed and not the surrounding area and therefore don’t worry about overspray or having it blown onto myself.
Lugging the 5-gallon sprayer around, I pulled a muscle in my back, even though I only fill the container with 2 ½ gallons at a time. I managed to spray every weed I could find and put the rig away. I noticed that one of my propane bottles was empty, so I switched it out for a full one. While doing that, I took a good look at the wind damage to the door hinges and determined that I will have to remove all of the log exterior to get to hinges, and then replace them on both doors.
Meanwhile, I decided to finish insulating the battery box and put it back together. I had to remove the log siding and front panel to remove and replace the house batteries, and because I wasn’t sure I was completely done moving the batteries around, hadn’t put it back together. I added the blue board insulation and then refastened the panel and siding, re-securing the lid hinges and finally finishing by 7 PM.
It is taking me much longer to do jobs like this, and I am not sure if I am just out of shape, or the new blood pressure medicine has something to do with it. I could barely lift the full 100-pound propane bottle into the shed, whereas last year, I could lift it in without much strain. Maybe it’s just me getting older, but I feel like I have no strength or stamina.
I gave Zack one last play period for the day and then feed him. I needed to shower to get any spray and all of the Deep Woods Off washed from my skin. After the shower, I had a drink and relaxed before having a crab salad for my dinner. Some television and rest filled out the remainder of the evening.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
This morning is cool and overcast, with light rain. Between last night and this morning, I have received another ¼ of an inch. It is cold enough (50 degrees) to have a fire and Zack is happy to stay inside and lay by the fire, while I continue to work on the computer.
This is the wettest summer in several years, but closer to normal before the drought hit, so I guess we should be grateful instead of complaining.
I spent most of the day cleaning and organizing the sunroom, plus working on the computer. I am narrowing down which solar panels I should purchase through my online research. All of them are still more expensive than you would think, after this many years of research and manufacturing, but it is what it is. To think that the solar chips they are currently producing are only about 6% efficient, leaves me thinking that monies to produce and use solar power, to lessen our need for fossil fuels, is either misspent or doesn’t even make it to the producers. The prices have come down since last year, as the demand is up because of the energy rebate offered by the government.
The day continued as it began until about 4:30, when the clouds parted long enough to let some sunshine in. Zack and I played and enjoyed the warmth as a change from the colder morning. By 6 PM, the clouds closed in and it began sprinkling again.
Some dinner for Zack and Zoey made them sleepy and they napped while I showered and then fixed myself dinner, relaxing for the rest of the evening.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Monday, July 13, 2009



Monday, July 13, 2009

This morning started off like last night ended . . . in rain, hail, and lots of lightning and thunder. I received more than a ½ an inch in less than an hour. It occurred between 8:30 and 9:20 AM, and other than the noise of the thunder and hail hitting the tin roof, I was awakened by Zack and Zoey jumping in bed with me due to the thunder.

We all huddled together in the warmth of our covers while the storm passed and by the time I got up, it had passed. I had my coffee and then got ready to go into town for my chiropractor and dentist appointment.

I gave Greg a call to see if he’d like to join me for dinner, but he was out, so I stopped at The Mother Lode and had their soup and sandwich. Another sign of the times, as the bread and tomatoes were sliced so thin that my fingers went through both. I finished and then picked up my mail before heading to my chiropractor appointment.

After my adjustment, I went to Safeway, picked up some groceries, filled two cans and the Jeep with gas, and headed to my dentist appointment. I arrived 15 minutes early and waited until they finished another patient. I had the new crown cemented on and was on my way.

I decided to take the back way home and then decided to try to find my way to my cabin through the back way, which I had never tied before. As I traveled the road, I saw Ron, which I had met at the air show a couple of weeks ago. I stopped and he invited me up for a beer and visit.

After a couple of beers and finding out the road no longer goes through, I back tracked and took Skelly Gulch back and went home by way of the Marysville Road.

Once at home, I unloaded the car and played with Zack before feeding him and Zoey, and then showering before starting a small fire and relaxing with a microwave dinner and some television.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Sunday, July 12, 2009
This morning started off like most mornings, my coffee, read and answer my emails, a couple of You Tube videos, enjoying some sunshine and antics of my chipmunks, when the day turned to night and peals of thunder raced across the mountains.
I love a good summer storm and this was a good one. The rain laden black clouds rolled in from the west and the sky opened up. The gusts of wind slammed doors, knocked things off the tables and hit the cabin in waves. It rolled over my cabin moving east, but there were more clouds following it. It lasted about 3 hours and then began to clear, leaving open blue sky behind it.
While the storm was passing, I boiled some eggs and cut cubes of cheese for a special breakfast treat for Zack. After he cleaned his bowl, I expected him to bug me to play, but the thunder was more than he wanted and he went straight upstairs and jumped into my bed.
I hope that the rain didn’t undo my hard work of spraying those weeds yesterday. I don’t think it rained enough and the spray was dry by now, so it had a chance to do its business. I am glad for the little amount of moisture to help keep things green a little bit longer.
In the late afternoon, I gave Zack a bath, trimming his way too long nails, and bushing his teeth. We played as his reward and it helped dry him. Because of his earlier treat, I just gave him some dry food for his dinner, and he turned his nose up at it. I cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes in preparation of fixing my dinner.
The remainder of the evening was taken up with resting and watching some television. After I thought this was finished, a new thunderstorm moved in and pounded the area with rain, wind, and hail, leaving almost a quarter of an inch.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Saturday, July 11, 2009
It is clear and sunny this morning, with temperatures in the mid 60s and no wind. Today is the annual Marysville Picnic and we will drive down and see what there is to see.
After my morning coffee and other activities, Zack and I hopped in the Jeep and headed for Marysville just a little past noon. Marysville has been having an annual picnic for a number of years, and I always make an appearance just to see who’s there and what venders and entertainment they have.
As we approached the meadow area, about a mile from the cabin, we happened across a cow moose with her baby, which couldn’t have been more than a few days old. We stared at each other as Zack made a fuss about not being able to get out and investigate. I reached for my camera, only to discover that I had forgotten it on the kitchen island. Another missed opportunity at a nature photo.
This is the second year that they posted “No Dogs” at the Marysville Picnic, as they had a problem with so many local and strange dogs being turned lose to chase and play, along with stealing hot dogs and hamburgers from small children. I found a parking space in the shade and Zack napped while I visited and had a cheeseburger for lunch. The money they make from the concession stand and auction (one pie sold for $165.00) goes to help restore and maintain some of the public buildings and the museum.
After visiting with several acquaintances, I decided that there wasn’t much else there for me, plus I didn’t want to leave Zack in the car as it was hot, even in the shade. I missed seeing Dan, the fire chief, and his family, who just returned from a trip to Flagstaff and Grand Canyon. He had emailed me while I was in that area, asking how far they would have to travel south for his son, Levi to see a saguaros cactus, as he had learned about them in school and really wanted to see one. I had given him directions to Black Canyon City, which is the furthest north they seem to grow, and he emailed me today to let me know their trip was a great success and they even found a park in Black Canyon City with a trail that takes you in and around the cactus.
Mary wasn’t to be found either, but I know that she is busy taking care of her grandchildren while Guy drives Jill to Chicago. I was going to stop by their home on my way back to the cabin, but decided not to as I had things at the cabin that I needed to attend to.
We got back home by 3:30, and I changed into work clothes and went out to spray more noxious weeds, which took the rest of the day. For those that don’t know, I am contracted by the BLM to spray along the road all of the way to the Divide, and all the equipment and materials are furnished by them. I am paid $45.00 a week, but haven’t seen a cent of it from last season yet. Such is our government. I finally quit at 6 PM, showered to get any overspray off myself, fed Zack and then sat down to cool off and relax before having some dinner and watching television until bedtime.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Friday, July 10, 2009


Friday, July 10, 2009
The day’s weather started out just like yesterday, except the winds were mild and there are fewer clouds. It looks like I may have enough rainless warm days to actually do my roadwork. Of course, that being said, I’ll probably be complaining about how hot and dry it is within a week or two.
I worked on the computer most of the morning and into the early afternoon, and then forced myself to stop and do some of the things outside that needed to be done. Unfortunately, I chose to do one of the items on my list of “want to do” instead of those “need to do,” and ended up spending almost three hours climbing a mountain. I have always wondered what might be up Greenhorn Mountain and today I discovered what. Nothing.
This was NOT Fred asking if we want to take a little walk, which is an inside joke for; let’s hike until we can’t stand up. Zack and I headed straight up the mountain and about 50 minutes later, found the apex and stacked some rocks to show we’d been there. Now, some of you may be asking why we did this, and I would have to say, “Because it was there.” In all the time I have lived here, I have never gone up that side of the property, and I wanted to see exactly what was up there. I had hoped to see signs of a spring, or any human activity, or just find the game trails, but none of those things existed.
It would have been great to find a long lost and forgotten old rifle leaning against a tree, or the shed antlers of an elk or deer, or signs of a long forgotten cabin, but we found nothing, not even a well worn game trail, which surprised me. I wish I had taken my GPS with me, so I would know how far we traveled and the difference in altitude.
From the apex, the mountain drops down a short distance to a ravine and then rises again to another mountaintop that isn’t as tall. Because of the forest, I couldn’t tell for sure what was beyond that, but I do know that somewhere in that direction is the ridge road I’ve taken before in my Argo.
We headed back down, taking a different route, as I hoped to come out in the creek bed that I believe my resident moose frequent. It is much steeper on that side and we descended quickly, finding patches of Bear Grass and thickets of willow brush, but still no game trails. I guess the animals are smart enough to follow the creek beds and not have to climb away from their food supply. The forest on the mountain is thick, so not much grows in their shade, and almost no grasses or berries were present on the northwest side. I did find a few trees that had been cut by a hand saw, but no signs of any cabins or other man-made structures.
Once back at the cabin, Zack and I both needed to rest and drink more water. After that, I went out, cut the heads of the thistles off, and sprayed the remainder to kill the roots. This took me until almost 7 PM, so I fixed Zack’s dinner and cooled down before taking my shower and having dinner. Zack and I both over did it and were limping around, me with sore feet and him with what I think is a sprained front leg. We both rested the remainder of the evening and then went to bed.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Thursday, July 9, 2009
It looks like another beautiful morning in paradise, with the sun shining brightly and only a few clouds on the horizon. The temperature is a bit cool, in the mid to high 50s, with hope of it becoming warmer as the day wears on.
The winds are still blowing and keeping the wind-chill factor active, but local weather reports are saying that summer is back with temperatures in the low to mid 80s this coming weekend.
Today is a town day, so after my morning coffee and a short amount of time to check and respond to my emails, I will get ready and leave so I can meet my friend Greg for lunch in town.
We made it to town and I had lunch with Greg and a nice visit, and then ran a couple of errands and picked up my mail. My appointment is with an allergist and is at 3 O’clock, but they phoned and asked if I could come in earlier as they finished early with a patient. Because this is my first visit, he wanted more time to gather my history and discuss possible solutions to my Rhinorrhea, which is a constant running nose, or to put it bluntly, diarrhea of the nose.
I drove to the office and checked in, and was then led to a room and waited for the doctor. He arrived and introduced himself, Dr. Richard Buswell, and began asking me questions, referring to the letter of referral from my doctor. As we talked, the discussion of where I live came up and come to find out he is a well known professional photographer of old cabins and historical spots. We spent more time talking socially than about my allergies, but finished up with possible remedies for my Rhinorrhea, as well as asthma.
He prescribed a couple of different medications for my Rhinorrhea and one for my asthma, giving me several samples of them to try. Because of my high blood pressure, he doesn’t want me to use anything with a decongestant and due to my past problem with WPW (Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome); he doesn’t want me to use inhalers with stimulants in them.
Before leaving, he shared the three books of his photographs currently in publication, and told me that another was being compiled for publication. He shared that his home has a complete dark room and processing lab and that he does all of his own developing. He shoots 35 mm black and white and coats the film with gold, on top of the silver, to make them long lasting. He also has a climate-controlled room to keep all of the original negatives and invited me to come see it some time.
He said that he has been torn between being a doctor and professional photographer all of his adult life. He has specialized as an allergist for over 30 years and done photography for more than that.
I am very impressed with his photographs and we exchanged contact information so he can come up and see some of the places I have found that he may not be aware of, such as the mine and miner’s cabin hidden in the gulch near me. He grew up in this area (my location) and his father recently sold their old homestead, which isn’t far from me. I have digital photographs of many of the pictures in his book and offered to let him go through and see if there are any he was unaware of. He told me that I was now officially one of his information contacts for places to go check out. I invited him to come up and we could use the Argo to get some of the sites that you can’t drive to. He assured me he would.
Other than stopping at Safeway for some items and to pick up a prescription, we headed for home. Once the Jeep was unloaded, I played with Zack until he gave up. I fed him and Zoey, showered, fixed myself some dinner and then relaxed for the remainder of the evening.
This morning’s low was 30.1 and the high for the day was 74 degrees, with wind gusts to 24 mph. No rain for a change, and if things dry out, I may be able to get some work outside done.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 -
It is sunny but cool this morning, with a low this morning of 34.8 at 3:28 AM. The temperature is dropping as some storm clouds close in over the sun. When I got up this morning, the sky over my little valley was completely clear and deep blue, but within 30 minutes, the storm clouds that had surrounded me, closed in and it began to lightly rain.
In the years I’ve lived here, I haven’t experienced a spring and beginning of summer with so much moisture. I hear that this is more the norm than in the past, when they had a drought for several years. This past winter, while I was away playing in the sunny south, we had more snow that in the past 7 years.
I am personally glad for the daily showers as there are so many beetle killed dead trees in the forest, it will help keep the danger of fires low. I am glad that my cabin sits in such a large open area and my creek can furnish water to my fire pump if there were a fire. I believe that I could easily defend the cabin, but for safety sake, I’d grab Zack and Zoey, the valuables and head out of the area. If time permitted, the Forest Service and my volunteer department from Marysville could get here to assist in knocking a fire down.
Have you ever given any thought to what you would do if a fire broke out in the middle of the night? I have made a list of things, besides the obvious living things, and keep them in a location where I can easily grab them. They are just material objects, but if time permitted, and it didn’t pose a danger, I would try to save them. Pictures are always one of the first things people try to save, and with the advent of digital pictures, grabbing my computer and back up drive would save the largest majority. Other than my strong box, with some important documents, I could leave my safe and the contents would survive with a fire rating of two hours at 2100 degrees.
I don’t own much in the way of irreplaceable things, so wouldn’t miss those things I couldn’t save. I think everyone should have an emergency plan that covers all possible catastrophes. I carry an emergency box in each of my vehicles that would help me survive for several days (this site calls it a Bug Out Bag http://www.survivalistbooks.com/faq/bugbags.htm). I have a written emergency plan for fire, flood (unlikely here, but who knows), earthquake, and invasion. I don’t feel the need for a plan if Yellowstone, the largest volcano ever, were to blow, as I am close enough that I’d probably be a goner. I don’t worry about a landslide, tsunami, tornado, or hurricane, but some of you might.
The Boy Scout motto of always being prepared is a good one, and we should think about the possibilities of something happening, but not dwell on them. I remember reading a story about a father that lost his life, because he returned to his burning home to find his children. They had safely escaped out the back and because the family didn’t have a planned meeting place, he needlessly lost his life.
Whoa, how did I get off on all of that? Let’s move on to something else, shall we? I love how green everything is right now, and as the storms abate, the meadows and hillsides will turn a golden brown. Friends often ask me, “Why on earth did you move to Montana, where it snows and is below zero in the winter time?” My answer is, “because I love the changes in the seasons, and if you prepare for the weather, it isn’t a problem.” This past winter, while I was in Arizona and southern California, my mind was fooled into thinking it was summer. The temperature was consistently in the mid 70s to 90s, while back home there was little doubt it was winter with 30 below and 10’ of snow.
Everyone has their “ideal” location and weather, mine just happens to be here where I can feel each season to its fullest. Many people are born, raised, work and die, all in the same location, and there isn’t anything wrong with that, but I am not one of them. I love to travel and have experienced so many wonderful places that I wanted to choose my place to retire.
I may not live the rest of my life right here, but for now it is my little piece of heaven on earth, and I’ll stay. As I got older, my idea of the perfect place to live changed. I had long thought that living on an island in the tropics would be the ideal place, but after a trip to Costa Rica a few years ago, I changed my mind. It was a beautiful place but humidity and bugs got to me quickly. I guess the ideal thing would to be able to experience all of the possible places before choosing one. I did that to an extent, by traveling to experience places with different climates and conditions. Another factor was financial and political. Having been a fifth generation Californian, I loved it and all the differing climates, but the tax system and politics weren’t for me.
I guess the most important thing is to be happy. Not selfish happy, but just happy with your life and surroundings. I have met so many people that are unhappy with their jobs, marriage, location, etc., that it is sad. I think that there are actually people in this world that are happy to be unhappy. If they didn’t have things to complain about, they wouldn’t be happy.
Hold it. I just had war break out next to me. The four chipmunks that are at the seed dish outside my window are starting a war over who gets all of it. Some times they look like they are really hurting each other, while other times it appears to be more of a game. There seems to be a fine line between the two and I guess the young ones learn about defending their family, food and territory by playing at fighting.
Since the sun disappeared, the temperature has dropped 7 degrees and it became uncomfortable enough that I have built a small fire to take the chill off. I am sure it seems odd that it is cool enough to have a fire in July, but it is here. Even though the rain is discouraging me from working outside, I am enjoying it. It becomes my excuse to stay indoors and work on less physical things.
As it approaches noon, I have enjoyed watching the massive thunder clouds moving through the sky, the wind blowing the willow bushes in the creek bed, a light rain, the chipmunk and bird’s antics at the feeders, the dancing flames of my fire, and the beautiful green mountains around me. Give me this over a city or even small town any day. No human made noise, other than those I make myself, and the still peacefulness of being in the wilderness.
As the afternoon moved on, I did research on emergency preparedness and found several interesting sites. One such site has several pages of information that I thought some of you may be interested in. It is http://www.captaindaves.com/guide/ and has links to other sites on like subjects.
I finally quit at 8 O’clock, showered, ate dinner and watched a bit of television before going to bed. The days rain equaled a quarter of an inch on my rain gauge, which was emptied this morning.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Tuesday, July 7, 2009 -
National Weather Service (NWS) is predicting more thunderstorms possible, but my barometer is saying the pressure is rising and showing a sun for the prediction. I have to say that my weather station is frequently predicting the future, not the present, while the NWS is predicting . . . wait, I don’t know what they are predicting. Often they are wrong, at least for my location, while the other half are at least partially correct. All in all, they do a pretty good job, but if you read the Farmer’s Almanac, you will probably come to the same conclusion as NWS.
I can see some thunderheads to the northeast of me and they seem to be moving my way, but who knows? It’s hard to plan your days outside activities when you don’t know if it will storm or not.
I spent my morning as usual, coffee, computer, brunch, more computer and then on with the day. As I did my work, the clouds moved in and it got cold. By one O’clock it was raining, but not thunder and lightning like yesterday. A glance at my outside temperature is indicating it is 69 degrees outside at 2 PM, but it doesn’t feel like it.
Due to the weather . . . AGAIN . . . I will be working inside and try to finish several projects that I haven’t taken the time to work on. One is cutting and pasting a writer’s newsletter that I get each month, into a Word document, separating the different topics so it will be easy to refer to when I want to. That should take a bit of time as I have 6 months of newsletters to deal with, and 6 different topics to separate.
At the rate the weather is producing rain, I may not get the road repaired until August. I can’t work until it is dry or I’ll just be pushing mud around, with most of it sticking to the bulldozer.
It took about 45 minutes to cut and paste all of the Writer’s Newsletters, and with that done, I need to turn my attention to organizing and cleaning the cabin. I’ll play with Zack and then get busy.
Well, it is now 8 PM and I have managed to avoid all work. I found one thing after another to do on the computer, it has consumed my eyesight, which is now blurry, and I am unable to focus on anything close up. I have played with Zack two more times and fed him, so now I’ll put the computer down, fix myself some dinner and then relax for the rest of the night.

Monday, July 6, 2009



Monday, July 6, 2009 -
It is overcast this morning, but it looks rather thin and I am not sure if it will produce much in the way of rain. I was feeling lazy this morning, so took my time having my coffee and doing my usual computer stuff.
I had mentally planned to work on the road today, leaving the cleaning until the afternoon or even tomorrow, but it didn’t work out. By the time I had washed and dried two loads of clothes, the day turned to night and the sky opened up. I had never seen it turn so dark and by 2:00 O’clock I had to turn on lights to see what I was doing. Because of the weather, Zack didn’t even ask to go out and play, and just stayed in bed.
The temperature dropped quickly and before I knew it, it was hailing so hard I couldn’t hear myself think. It came down so hard and fast that I thought it might break my weather station. The hail was the size of marbles and it was sliding off the upper roof and crashing onto the sunroom’s metal roof. The lightning and thunder had Zack back upstairs in my bed, as it seems to be the only place he feels safe.
One strike of lightning was so close that before I could even think about counting to see how close it was, the thunder ripped through the cabin shaking everything including my teeth. I didn’t see where it hit, but it was too close for comfort.
The turn of the weather obviously changed my plans and I spent the entire afternoon working on the computer, viewing You Tube videos and researching different things. By 4:30, the sun broke through the clouds and heated up the sunroom. I had built a small fire as the drop in temperature made it uncomfortable, but now it was too hot.
Zack and I went out to play and then the sun disappeared again, making the sunroom cool down quickly. I folded and put the clothes away, made my bed and played one more time with Zack before feeding him. It is 8:30 and I will now shower and fix myself some dinner before watching some television and going to bed.

Sunday, July 5, 2009



Sunday, July 5, 2009 -
It was clear and promising to be a nice day this morning, so we planned on doing some more target practice and just relaxing all day long.
Just before noon, I prepared deli sausage, hash browns, eggs, toast and OJ. We had a leisurely brunch and then laid around relaxing. By afternoon, we did some more target shooting and although the afternoon thundershowers appeared on schedule, we got out the rifles and gave Michele a chance to try her hand.
It turned out she was better than both of us with my pump .22 at 50 yards, hitting more consistently than either of us. We started shooting the metal swinging targets, which are about 70 yards out, and once again Michele proved to be the best at nailing the little targets that are not much bigger than silver dollars.
It rained a little bit most of the afternoon, but we were under the roof on the deck and it didn’t spoil our fun. We finally took a break and played 5 rounds of Yahtzee, with Michele winning 4 of them. It was a good weekend for her.
There were additional steaks from last night, so I barbequed them and cooked some artichokes that I had purchased Thursday. Artichokes are more of a California food, as many people here have no idea how to fix or eat them. I gave Joe and Michele a quick lesson and we had soon devoured them to the heart, dipping them in butter. It being a new food for them, I don’t think they were sure the effort was worth it, but I certainly enjoyed mine. Any time I have artichokes, I think of the Little Rascals episode where Stymie is given one and he carefully peels off each leaf and throws it away, not knowing what it is. When he gets to the heart, he throws it away and says, “It may have choked Artie, but it ain’t going to choke me.”
Soon after clearing the table, they needed to load their things into the car and head back to town. They have to been in Great Falls to open the store in the morning, so had to get back.
I watched some television and looked at the mess I need to clean up, knowing it will be there tomorrow. I need to clean the weapons, put them in their place, as well as vacuum and straighten things up. I went to bed around 11:15 for a good nights sleep.

Saturday, July 4, 2009 - Happy 4th of July

Saturday, July 4, 2009 - Happy 4th of July
The morning weather was looking good and I actually got up at 8 O’clock. Joe had already been up and Michele followed.
We visited and then by noon I fixed us bacon, hash browns, eggs, toast and orange juice. After “breakunch” (breakfast/brunch/lunch), we visited and then set up targets to have our own little fireworks display. We started by firing the new crossbow and taking turns, doing pretty well with it. None of us had ever fired one before, but there are very much like shooting a rifle, so it wasn’t too difficult. Michele had never fired a rifle before, so it was a new experience for her, and wouldn’t you know it, she out shot both Joe and myself.
This crossbow has a 175 lb. Pull and it was really hard to cock it without straining a bit. The bolts passed half way through the target at 50 yards, so it has some power. The target is a self-healing archery target that I have had for several years. I bought it to use while learning how to throw knives and it was with the things that I had in storage.
We moved on to trying to sight the scope on the Mini-14 at 100 yards. After about a hundred rounds, it started to rain and I never did get it sighted correctly. When it stopped raining, we moved on to other weapons and took turns shooting to practice our skills.
Although it rained off and on most of the afternoon, we were on the deck and protected by the overhang of the roof, so it didn’t bother us. As the day was ending and the intermittent sun had gone behind the mountain, I fixed the steaks that Joe and Michele had brought up, along with baked potatoes and a green salad. We all sat down and enjoyed a 4th of July dinner.
More visiting and a little television and we were all ready for bed by about 10 O’clock.

Friday, July 2, 2009

Friday, July 2, 2009 -
It was raining when I woke up this morning and then stopped for about an hour before sprinkling for another couple of hours. It is supposed to clear this afternoon and be nice all weekend, so I am hoping it will be.
I did a lot of last minute cleaning and then decided I needed to mop the tile floors before Joe and Michele showed up. I managed to get everything done, shower and relax before they showed up at 8:45.
We visited until after one O’clock in the morning and then retired.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Thursday, July 2, 2009 -
The sky looks uncertain this morning, but I don’t expect much, if any, rain from an afternoon thunderstorm. I’ll be in town this afternoon, so I’ll have to see what happens when I return.
I have been tracking another delivery and UPS says it was delivered to my mail drop, so I’ll make the trip to town and pick it up. It is a couple of extra, stainless steel magazines for my Mini-14 and some shot gun shells. I also need to fill up the gas cans and Jeep, pick up a couple of prescriptions and one or two items for this weekend.
While in town, I collected my phone messages and had one from my doctor letting me know that the labs came back on the spot she removed from my arm. It was cancerous but she had removed enough of it that the margins were clear, meaning she got all of it. It is at the itching stage and healing just fine.
We made it back from town, after completing all of the errands, and as we climbed to the Divide, Zack and I stopped to watch a mother deer licking her newly born fawn clean, having just given birth. They weren’t more than 15 feet off the road and evidently didn’t see us as a threat, because they stayed right there. And wouldn’t you know that I didn’t have my camera with me. We drove on and found that it had rained at the cabin. Everything was really wet and the depressions in the road had filled with water. I unloaded the car and then played with Zack before feeding him dinner. I showered and then fixed myself some dinner before relaxing in front of the television, going through my mail and the items that were delivered. Bedtime followed early tonight as I was still catching up after running out of sleep the night before.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 -
It is a warm sunny morning and there are two deer munching on my newly mowed grass in the front yard. Zack is out and per my commands he is just watching them. He moseyed over to the front porch to lay down, without taking his eyes off them. They continued to forage and slowly moved off towards the creek and disappeared. Zack never acted like he was going to chase them and just kept his eyes on them.
The high temperature for yesterday occurred at 4:14 PM, reaching 86.1, and at 6:30 this morning, the lowest temperature was 34.3 degrees. The wind was variable most of the afternoon, with the highest gust being 17 mph. The barometer is indicating rain, while NWS is giving a 20% chance this afternoon and 30% chance this evening. I am glad I mowed yesterday and got it done before any rain. I would welcome rain this week to keep things green and lower the fire danger.
I went out and rewired the batteries into a different configuration, but it doesn’t seem to make much difference, at least as far as dropping the generator out of the charging cycle. It seems to be correct now, but the generator still loads down and kicks out when the charge is at 25.8. It should charge to 26.8 and hold it for two hours, but it isn’t and I have no idea why. The type of battery (AGM in stead of flooded acid) and number, 4-12 volts versus 8-6 volts, are the only thing that changed. I have adjusted the settings on the inverter to compensate for the battery type and size, so it should work fine.
I’ll do some more research to see if I missed something, but I doubt it as I have been over the information four or five times now, and made some adjustments without it making a difference.
I will spend the afternoon cleaning the cabin and then in the early evening, work on the road with the bulldozer.
My intentions were good, but I didn’t get out to work on the road, but did do more research on the batteries, inverter and generator. I thought I had found the problem as when I wired the generator upon my return home, I accidental wired it incorrectly. I have two 30-amp circuit breakers on the generator, so there are five wires, two for each breaker and one for the ground. I had wired one for one breaker and the other for breaker number two. Because only one breaker was on, I thought that maybe it affected the amp output, but after rewiring it and trying it again, it still kicks out the charger before reaching 26.8 volts.
After playing with Zack in the early evening, I fixed him dinner and then showered and by 9 O’clock, I fixed myself a bite to eat. I relaxed for the rest of the evening.