Monday, December 9, 2024

Oregon Living 2024 – Blog #49 – A Busy Week!

 


Sunday, December 1st., 2024……  Since we didn’t get home until 11:45 last night, we slept in a bit this morning. In fact, I was up and showered and going and walked and fed the dogs before Cathye even got out of bed! She really needs her sleep! Cathye had planned on going to church today so we would not be going back up to Salem this afternoon to support our new class at their first beginner’s level dance today. But she woke up feeling jittery and just wanted to veg for the day. But later, she was up and dressed and began working on putting up Christmas decorations. I worked in the garage a while, getting the Thanksgiving boxes put back and saw some other Christmas boxes and bags that I missed before. My job today was to get the lights and the stuffies up in the alcove. This year they are in a tote but I think that since we have a lot of room in that alcove space, we will just bag them and store them up there out of sight. Anyway, we got all of them up and the lights going,

then rested for a bit. Later, it was time to leave to meet up with the class after their day dance. I heard they had a fun time and got to experience what a dance is like. I remember Cat, Lynn, and Judy when they went to their first dance! Afterward, we went with the group to the bowling alley for snacks and drinks before heading back home after a long day! 

Monday, December 2nd., 2024…… Today is Cat’s pulmonary appointment. We went over to Albany and met with the Dr.  He reviewed her chart and said that her breathing tests showed nothing to be concerned about and that her issues were most likely from lack of sleep. So, we will discuss that further when we meet with her sleep study doctor tomorrow. He did, however, mention that he saw in her chart that the cardiologist’s report showed some level of leakage in one of her valves. We did not know that and since her cardiologist has pretty much released her, there is no further action. The pulmonologist scheduled another echo for January.

We have another New Year’s Committee meeting tonight, so we needed to get more work done on the Christmas decorations and straighten up the place and add seating to get ready. It took most of the day but we got it done. Cat even managed to make a peach cobbler for dessert for the group. We covered a lot and had a good meeting. Since we are chairmen, I am able to contribute some fun skits and dances from our old days with the Rustlers in SoCal. We will have father time and baby new year as well as a no hands tip during the night. I still have to figure out a clever way for a ‘ball drop’ from our hall. We have to be careful though. The Senior Center doesn’t allow us to do too many things in the way of decorations that use tape, etc. And no helium balloons are allowed. But there is some nice ducting that runs above the room and I have it in my head that I can throw a ball, attached to fishing line over it to then tie on the ‘ball’ and bring up on the line to hang there until the ball drop. I even went online and found 32” silver mirror inflatable balloons (no helium), which will be perfect.

Tuesday, December 3rd., 2024…… Today we both have appointments. We left for Albany for Cat’s sleep study appointment. Her Dr. (she calls him Dr. Gorgeous!) said that her sleep issues are not in any way related to her lack of energy and shortness of breath. So, we are going to try to get the echo moved up sooner so they can check that to compare. Not the best thing to hear, but at least we think we know her issue because that valve most certainly can be causing her shortness of breath and exhaustion.  After leaving the sleep clinic (and Cathye’s heartrate returning to normal after seeing her sexy dr.!) we went over to Wisecracks for breakfast before returning home. We went to the square dance workshop and then I took Cathye home before I left for my appointment. Today it was a follow up meeting with my cardiologist. I had had one earlier but that one was for my ablation and was with the ‘electrician’. Today it was with the ‘plumber’. The meeting went well. I have been doing well and there is no further action. Just a follow up again in a year.  

Wednesday, December 4th., 2024…… A quiet day for us. No appointments and nothing on the agenda for today. So, we rested and relaxed and only did a few chores. I needed to go find a number stencil kit so I could paint 2024 on my father time sash. Cathye went to the store and picked up stuff for dinner and also for her annual ‘girl’s Christmas party’ next week. I did some checks on the irrigation system, making sure the lines were shut down and the spigots were covered. The temps these past few days have been below 32°, so we want to be proactive. Tv, spa and bed.  

Thursday, December 5th., 2024…… The plan this morning was to go to the gym and then to breakfast. BUT – we were startled by the doorbell at 7:15am!  It was our neighbor to the west (up on So. Main). She wanted to tell us that we have a water leak at the well pump (which is in the upper corner close to her property).  We thanked her and I immediately got dressed and went out to check. Yep, it was definitely broken - Again!   I looked back on my phone and found pics when Russ and I repaired it in July of last year. It held for 17 months! Cathye called her plumber friend and left a message. He didn’t call back so I went online and went searching. After a few calls, I found a company who could send someone out in a couple of hours. I had already shut off the pump which meant we wouldn’t have water until it was fixed. The guy came out and I took him out to see where the leak was. He said he would go get some schedule 80 pipe (we had used the same as before which was schedule 40) and that should fix it. It took a few hours for him to leave and get back but when I went out a little after that, he already had it repaired. We would need to wait until 4:30pm so the glue sets up before turning it back on. At 4:30 I had Cat standing by the panel while I watched the pump. She turned it on and we are good to go! He recommended that we get some kind of heater on the pipes and suggested that an electrician can add a light or an outlet for a heated cord to plug into, to help with freeze and thaw. I plan to build a doghouse for there and I am looking into that. So far, I haven’t received a bill but he said he would be billing for 2 hours (@ $200. per hour) plus parts so I’m looking at probably $450.00 for the work today. Too bad but I’m glad to have it fixed and water running again! This will be the 4th time I have repaired that same pipe since I have lived here! Didn’t think I would need to heat the pipes but if that’s what’s needed…



Later, we went out to eat. I chose Bigfoot Grill and we split a large ribeye. Yummy!  While we were eating, we had a visit from the big guy!...

 

Tv and bed. We skipped the spa tonight.

Friday, December 6th., 2024……  The weather is still pretty cold. Today it was 34° when we walked the dogs. Nothing else going today. I went out to paint the sash. I taped up everything and sprayed the first coat. I went out later and added more paint. Long story short – the material absorbed the paint and spread and smeared so that one was ruined. Good thing I have 5 extra!  Plan B is to get stick-on numbers which I ordered today.  The weather is supposed to be a bit warmer these next few days. Rain is coming. Later in the evening, Cathye logged into her sleep watch device and set it up for her overnight sleep study. I had done this a year or so ago so it was easy to set up. She went to sleep with the monitor recording her. 

Saturday, December 7th., 2024……  A sad day. We had a memorial service to go to this afternoon. I mentioned this in a past blog, but we lost one of our little square dance buddies. Our beginners class this year has some youngsters. And 12-year-old Jaren was one of those kids. He was the son of our friends Shawn and Sarah. They lost Jaren to a mysterious issue from getting hurt while playing in the school yard, which turned out to be a blood clot which was not diagnosed. After many trips to the er, they ended up losing him. It was hard to see the family and especially Sarah, who was so distraught. It upset Cathye, so we left as soon as the service was over.  Later, we went over to Grace’s house to pick  up clothes for the vintage clothes sale tomorrow at the beginner’s dance. We are going early to set up the racks and the clothes, then working the door, so we will have a busy day. So far, the rain is light. Hopefully tomorrow we will have a window to get things in and set up. Tv and spa and then bed.    

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