journal

A View From the Field

August, 2020

(Note: lost 2 days)

August 29

Oh, I did it again last night. I fell into the game trap and I was ridiculously late getting to bed. I slept well, of course, but I didn't get enough sleep, so I must go to bed soon. When I got up, I knitted and listened to the lake. As usual in the summer, we haven't had much wind, but we're beginning to transition to fall now, so we had a blow today.

I was late enough and tired enough that I didn't do anything.

The wind rose rather abruptly between 4:00 and 5:00 AM and topped out at 29 mph sustained with 44 mph gusts from the north between 10:00 and 11:00 AM (too many clauses there. Sorry). It's been slowly dying down since, but it's still breezy. The temperature was nearly steady at 63º. It was cloudy and dull in the morning, but it began to clear up around 3:00 PM, and it was completely clear at sunset. The gibbous moon is shining brightly in the south windows. I was able to determine that the sun has moved into the camera picture, but it's behind the end of Lighthouse Point. It has been so humid and hazy lately that the flare was so bright that I couldn't see exactly where the actual sunset was. Geez, I'm having clause problems tonight, aren't I?

The guys slept. Grayson slept on me for a very long time and even Louie came down tot he studio briefly to see what we were doing before he went back to the north end.

So that was a very quiet day. Now that the Schubert is over, I can go to bed. I don't like the Ravel they're going to play, so I have no reason to stay here. It's a clear, breezy night in the field.

August 28

I wasn't nearly as late last night, and I slept well. When I got up, I knitted four rows on the shawl and then fell into the game trap for a while.

As soon as I got to the studio, I called the IRS. After listening to almost three minutes of recorded stuff, they told me to get lost. Sheesh. Couldn't they have done that first? Anyway, I called back a couple of hours later and after I sat on hold for a long time - I didn't time it - I finally got a person and after answering a lot of questions - gosh, do they really know all that about me? - the report was submitted and it may take 9 weeks (!) to process my return.

The only real problem I had was that about halfway through my initial hold, I had to go to the bathroom really bad, so I finally gathered up all my printed documents (this year's tax return isn't printed - it's a pdf) and my phone and ran off to the powder room. Of course, I didn't make it. So I did my thing and of course, I was sitting there when they answered my call. I needed my latest tax return to answer the questions, so during the first hold, I picked everything up and came back to the studio with nothing on below the waist. Good thing I live alone, huh? The cats don't mind. Also a good thing I live where there's nobody to peer in my windows. I wouldn't want to look at my bare bottom.

So that is out of the way and I guess I must have answered all the questions properly. I did ask why me, and they said it was random process to try to prevent fraud. I know about the fraud - several years ago, when I still had an accountant, she said that a whole bunch of people from Tech had had fraudulent tax returns filed. So even here. Sometimes I think having a nearly anonymous name is a good thing.

The weather was horrible again. The high temperature was 67º, but that was this morning, and it dropped slowly all day. Around 1:00 PM it started raining and it rained pretty steadily until 5:00 PM, although I think it drizzled for a couple more hours. We had 0.16" of rain. the lowest the humidity got was 81% before the rain. Oh, I hurt. Of course, it was cloudy and dull. There was a ray of sunshine around 8:00, and I think when I wasn't looking - or couldn't see it - the sun has been setting inside the camera picture for a while now. It has a way to go before the equinox, but then, there's a way to go before the equinox. It's getting to be time to modify the start-stop times of the camera, too.

The guys don't like this weather any better than I do. They did get something they like for breakfast. Then Louie went back to the north end. Grayson wanted to be with me. I had yogurt for breakfast, and Grayson has discovered how yummy that is, so he badgered me until I gave him some on the end of a spoon. Then when I finished eating, he sat down on my lap and went to sleep. I guess it was cool enough that I was a nice warm pad.

It was cool enough that I've closed up the house. I hated to do it, but it was getting cold in here, and now the temperature is under 60º outside. I doubt I'll have anything open again. The window in my bedroom is still open a crack, but that's all right. I sleep better when it's a little cooler there.

So that was my day and now it's a cold, cloudy night in the field.

August 27

I was very late last night. I never did get to complete my IRS thing - I'm going to have to call them. Talk about a screwed up system...

Anyway, about the time I was going to upload last night's journal, I discovered that PastyNet had a serious problem. I was listening to music and I could get to the weather, but I could not get to PastyNet - including my own website. Evidently there was some sort of problem over in Marquette, which is where their servers are So I sat around and waited until around 2:00 AM, and I was just about to give up when they came back online, so I had to do that. By that time I was so tired that I didn't want to move, so I didn't.

Anyway, eventually I got to bed and I slept well, except not long enough. When I got up, I finished the first repeat of the border on the shawl. The motif I couldn't visualize came out very nice, but no way could I have figured out how it would look from the graph. the last two or three rows were very easy and didn't take me too long to do. So now I can start the second repeat. Of course, I have the other end to do and then the edging, but I'm making progress. This is going to be another very large project. It's not actually a shawl - it's a wide, long stole, which might be even more useful.

That was about all I did. I had my hamburger tonight - oh, it tasted good, even though I overcooked it a bit - and I put four more in the freezer. So now everything i bought on Tuesday is put away.

The weather turned out fairly good, but it's still too humid. The high temperature was 74º, but the dew point was steady around 63º, so the lowest the humidity got was about 70%, which is too damp. The wind shifted around to the north, but it wasn't strong. It was cloudy until around 10:00, when it cleared up, although there were some clouds this afternoon. They mostly went away by the time it got dark, and the half moon is shining brightly in the south windows. I really wish it would stop being so damp.

The guys slept and again, I didn't see much of them. When I came out of the kitchen with my breakfast, Louie was laid full out right in front of the door, in the sun, and I had to nudge him with the cart before he would move and let me pass. I still don't know why he does that.

So that was my quiet day and now it's a clear, sort of cool night in the field and I need to go to bed.

August 26

No matter how I try, I can't seem to get to bed before 2:00 AM. Once I did, I slept well, although I was up several times, and i didn't get up until noon. I knitted and I'm nearly finished with the first repeat of the border. At least three of the four rows were very easy, though. I'm going to be interested to see what this last row of motifs look like, since it's hard to visualize from the chart.

I didn't get too caught up in the game trap this time. Two of the games I play regularly have gotten to a point where I have to try a level 15 or 20 times before I can win it. That annoys me, because it doesn't have to be that hard in a game that is supposed to be relaxing. And I really don't believe that the way the pieces fall on the boards are random at all. But oh, well. They're free.

The task of the day was the bulletin and I got that out, although it wasn't easy. I had to ply my shoehorn to get the most important parts of the service information in. Next Sunday's service is Divine Service 5, which is the one with the liturgy sung as hymns. I don't like it very well and I really don't like trying to create a bulletin from it. It looks like this is the first time this year that we've used it, though, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much.

I decided to try the IRS website to verify my ID and I'm waiting now for an email - or two or three - to get logged in. I guess it will be tomorrow before I can do anything. At least their one-time code is good for 24 hours, so maybe I can do it tomorrow. What a pain!

The weather was awful again. It didn't start to rain until after 7:00, and before it stopped at 2:00 PM, we had had 0.38" of rain. I was up at least once while it was raining and it poured for a while. The high temperature was 74º and the humidity was over 90% all day. Yuck. It was cloudy and dull, although the camera hung up this morning, so I don't know what it looked like between 8:30 AM and 3:00 PM. Probably no different from what the camera saw.

The guys were very sleepy and I didn't see much of them.

So that was another quiet day and now it's a cool, humid night in the field.

August 25

Oh, sigh. I was reading, so I was much later than I wanted to be. I slept well for about 6 hours, but after I was up the second time, I didn't get into a deep sleep, and I got up right about the time I would like to have gone back to bed and slept until noon. Sigh.

Anyway, I did get up and I did my thing. I didn't read every single email today - they're mostly the same every day anyway - but I read the interesting ones and I read my funnies. I had to call a halt around noon, because I finally had to clean up the avalanche from last week. I still don't know why it did that, but I was able to get rid of some more trash. I normally unpack my boxes in the breezeway, which means there is a lot of packing material and other stuff to throw out.

All the traffic seemed to be going in the other direction. There was a whole lot of it, but not too much in my direction. There was only one stop for road work, so I got to the hospital quite early. That turned out to work in my favor. Audrea and I had a nice conversation about some of my ongoing problems. My potassium is holding in the normal range, which is good. There are a couple of other things in that test report that concern me, but they are things I will have to discuss with the NP when I see her again. Most of it looked good.

Then it was off to Pat's, where I didn't do as much damage as I feared. The only problem is, as I discovered quite a long time ago, I spend just about the same amount every time I shop, whether it's every week, every two weeks or every month. I did need a few things, like salad, and i have gotten a real yen for a burger. The only problem with that is that they didn't have any onion rolls, so I will be eating my burgers on focaccia rolls. That's a good combination, too, but I have to eat them in a hurry or the buns get tough. That will be later this week, and I got enough ground beef that I can stock the freezer. There were a few things I forgot, of course, but I'll be back on September 10 and I can get them then. Mostly it was potatoes, so after I eat what I have, I'll just have to eat rice. Aw, too bad.

Anyway, I got home a little after 5:00 PM and I had to sit a while before I put everything away. Grayson scooted out while I was bringing stuff in, and after I put everything away and went to sit down, I forgot about him until Louie started talking to me. He was glad to get in, the little snot. He hasn't gotten out since we cleaned up the breezeway, so I guess he had to check out whether we did a good job or not (we did).

The weather was nice. The high temperature, 74º was just after midnight and it slid down slowly after that, but it was in the upper 60s all day. The dew point was nearly steady around 57º, so it was humid, and I hurt. The wind was very light and from all over. It was partly cloudy all day, but there was a lot of sunshine.

So that was my day and I really must go to bed, after I finish my JD. It's a cloudy night in the field and it's going to rain tomorrow. And I don't have to get up.

August 24

I was late again, mostly because I was reading. I got several hours of good sleep, but the last time I was up, when I got back in bed, my left hip was like a boil and besides, I had sciatica in my left leg. I suppose they were related. Anyway, I was in such pain that I couldn't get back to sleep, so I didn't get as much as I wanted. I will go as soon as I finish this. I need to be up at a reasonable hour tomorrow to get to the clinic.

Today was a me-day, more than usual. I took a bath and cut my fingernails and I finally filled all the pill dispensers. That isn't a bad job, but I just didn't feel like doing anything yesterday. However, getting all those pills together every day is such a pain that I didn't want to do it for more than one day.

The weather was terrible again. What fog we had was gone by 8:00 AM, but the humidity has been horrible. The high temperature was 77º, and the dew point was just about steady at 66º until around 8:00 PM, when it finally - finally! - started to drop. That means that the relative humidity was over 90% all night and over 70% for the rest of the day. It was cloudy until around 3:00 PM, when it started to clear up, and it was clear when it got dark, but I haven't seen the moon tonight.

Oh, and my internet connection was down for a good part of the afternoon. They are evidently upgrading some of their equipment and they had a power problem. Fortunately, most of what I do can be done without that, but I did miss having my music after 8:00 PM.

The guys were sleepy and I didn't see a lot of them, although I had to kick Louie out of the bathroom. First he wanted to lie on the rug in front of the shower and then he wanted to lie on the rug in front of the sink. Sheesh.

So that was my day and now it's a clear (I think) warm, humid night in the field.

August 23

I think the problem last night was that I was reading, although I probably played games, too. Anyway, I was ridiculously late again. I slept well for about six hours, with one wake-up, but then i couldn't get back to sleep again, so I'm really tired now.

In fact, I was so tired all day that I didn't do anything. It was partly the weather, which was awful again. The high temperature was 79º and the lowest the humidity got was 71%. There was thick fog on the harbor from before it got light until around 2;30 PM, although it was beginning to lift after around 1:00 PM. There wasn't any wind. I hate this. I sweat like a horse and my knees are so sore i have trouble moving.

The guys don't like it either, I think, but they just slept. Louie got some loving before I got dressed and Grayson got to sit on my lap for a while. We would all like this humidity to go away, I think.

So that's all there was and it's a cloudy, damp night in the field.

August 22

So I got caught in the game trap last night and I was very late getting to bed, so I was very late getting up and I didn't do anything.

The weather was about the same as it has been. The high temperature was 75º and the lowest the humidity got was 71%. There wasn't any wind. It was cloudy all day. Blah.

The guys slept mostly. Grayson slept on the cart for most of the day and he got to sit on my lap for a bit. I was at the computer when I began to hear rustling around behind me that I didn't understand, and when I finally looked over toward the sliding doors, Louie was in the ugly chair taking a bath with enough gusto that he was rocking the chair. Since he must weigh 25 pounds, it wasn't surprising.

And that was all there was. Now it's a cool, cloudy night in the field.

August 21

Yesterday after I unpacked my boxes, I was sitting in the powder room when I heard a crash, but I couldn't determine where it was. It wasn't until much later that I looked out into the breezeway and discovered that a whole pile of stuff had avalanched onto the floor. Actually, I was relieved. At first I thought it was something upstairs. At least I can fix this, although I didn't get to it today.

I was late getting to bed, of course, but not as late as lately. I had slept so poorly the night before that I decided it might be because I was cold, so I pulled up the comforter, and that was it. I slept well, although I was up four times in ten hours. In between, I slept well.

I took my time about getting dressed and i knitted two rows. I'm making good progress on the shawl. I wanted to be ready when the Schwan's guy came, but I got sidetracked and had an accident just as he came to the door, so he had to walk over the avalanche. Then I changed my bottoms before I put my stuff away and chipped the ice out of the bottom of the freezer - again. I hope the floor dries out before it starts leaking out again, but it's so humid I doubt it will.

My lovely friend the retired accountant set my mind at rest about the IRS letter I got, so I will either try the website or call them. It has to be because I corrected my address on my 2019 return, but it's an annoyance. They didn't do anything like that when I moved up here, but then, that was 20 years ago and things have changed.

I have to say, when things like this happen and it's because of fraud, or I hear the news, I can't help wonder if things were so much better when I was a kid or it was just that in those days we never heard about what was going on. People don't ever really change very much.

The weather was the kind I don't like. The temperature got up to 74º briefly, but the dew point was just about steady around 60º, so it was very humid. There was almost no wind. There were some clouds early and some more right before sunset, but in between, it was almost clear.

The guys slept, of course. When I went up to the bedroom last night, I heard something strange going on, until I realized it was a cat snoring, and when I went to go to be, Louie was all comfy at the end of the bed. While I was knitting this morning, he came and curled up at my feet, using my foot for a pillow, and snored some more. He's so fat, I'm not surprised that he snores, and sometimes I wonder if maybe he has sleep apnea, too - if cats are susceptible to that. Grayson snores occasionally, too, but not as much or as loudly. Well, so do I these days, so I'm sure sometimes we have a good trio going.

So that was my day and now it's a partly cloudy - I think - night in the field.

August 20

My mishaps didn't end when I went up to the north end. I just made it to the bathroom and then I ran off at the bottom for the next three hours or more, so while I started at a reasonable hour, it wasn't when I finally got to bed. I made up for it by sleeping for 10 hours, so I was late getting up.

The task of the day was to get to the post office and get my mail as well as my packages and I did manage to do that. I opened my packages in the car, so there are now some more boxes, but I flattened them.

Among the mail was something from the IRS saying they have to verify my identity. Since this is the first time in 30 years or more that I've had to file my own taxes (although I did it through a website that does that for low income people), I don't know if that's normal or if this is some kind of scam to trick me into giving up my SSN. I will look at it tomorrow. Anybody know about that?

There was also a donation from my anonymous friend in Traverse City, which I appreciate than I can say. The next month is going to be grim, and since my internet bill comes due in September, I can put it toward that. Sheesh. I just realized it was 20 years ago September that I got my internet connection here and prepared to start the website. How times flies...

The weather wasn't very good. As I walked into the bathroom last night, somebody turned a bucket upside down over the house. The total rain wasn't very much, but it all came down in about five minutes. There was some fog this morning and it was cloudy and dull until late in the afternoon, when it cleared up. The high temperature was 68º, but it was this morning and it was in the middle 60s for the rest of the day. So was the dew point, so it was very humid. I was surprised that I could perambulate as well as I did, but I kept dropping things and having to bend over to pick them up. Ugh.

The guys were sleepy, of course. I discovered, when I finally went to bed last night, that the wet spot I found in my bed the night before wasn't mine. There were two more, not wet anymore, one on the end of my pillowcase. So somebody (ahem!) was in my bed when he barfed. One of these days I'll have to break down and wash the sheepskin pad, but it's so big and heavy and it takes so long to dry that I keep putting it off. And with this last stuff, I'm glad I didn't wash it before, because I'd just have to do it again.

So that was my day, and now all I have to decide is whether or not to stay up until midnight to hear the Schubert (Wander Fantasy). We'll see. It's clear (I think) but very humid night in the field.

August 19

I had a couple of mishaps today. I got to bed very late to start with. It was late when I started to go, and Beethoven's Fifth began, all unscheduled, so of course, I had to listen to that, and then I was reading. Anyway, I slept so hard that by the time I woke up, I had apparently leaked a bit on my bed - and not pee. I sopped up a lot of it, but it was right where I lie. I went back to sleep for another four hours or so before I got up.

I decided to have a small breakfast and big dinner and I was trying to stab the pit of my avocado when I missed with my knife and stabbed right through the rind into the palm of my left hand. Ouch! Of course, it bled like crazy and even after the bleeding stopped it was sore. I have one of those advanced care bandages on it now and it feels better. Anyway, from now on, when I stab my pit, my avocado will be on the cutting board. I haven't had avocado toast for a while, though, and it tasted good, especially with a little Penzey's seasoned salt on it.

I washed the load of bottoms that I soaked yesterday and they are ready to put in the dryer. That was all I did, but after I do this, I will do the bulletin, which I keep forgetting.

The weather was unsettled. We had a little rain between 9:00 and 10:00 AM, a little more between 3:00 and 4:00 PM and a quarter inch between 8:00 and 9:00 PM. That last was a nice thunderstorm with one bolt just south of here that made Grayson sit up and take notice, and I suppose Louie is in the basement. The high temperature was 72º and there wasn't much wind except during the storms. Of course it was extremely humid, which my joints didn't like at all.

Mostly the guys slept, I guess. Louie got a little loving this morning and Grayson got to sit on my lap for a while tonight. He thought he wanted some of my dinner, but I know he would only taste it, so he didn't get any. I don't think Louie feels very good, although I haven't heard any more coughing. He seems to have spent the day - except when I put down the canned food - on a box under the window to the porch. It's a good place for him, out of the way, but he's been grumpy, too.

So it was another very quiet day and I'm tired. I might have to stay up till 11:00 because I think there's some more Beethoven, but i hope to get to bed early tonight. It's a dark and stormy night in the field.

August 18

Oops. I wrote a few words last night, but I forgot to upload it. Sorry. It wasn't much but the weather anyway.

I was late, but not as late as the nights before, and I slept well. I don't remember exactly when I got up. I knitted and played games and took a bath, so I was late eating both my meals.

And that was all I did except to put the next load of dirty bottoms to soak. I've been having a bad problem with my gut for the past several days. Today seems to be better, but I'm not through yet. I think that part of the problem is that with the temperature being cool for summer and the humidity being rather high, it's such a chore to stand up that I try to put it off as long as possible. I must do better.

The weather today was quite cool. The high temperature was 68º, but for most of the day it was in the low to middle 60s. There was some wind overnight, but very little today. The day started out lovely and clear, but around 4:00 very abruptly, a cloud mass came over and it was cloudy and dull by the time the sun set.

Speaking of sunset, days are just about 14 hours long now, so we've lost 2 hours since June. I hate to seek that happen! I've reset the start and stop times of the camera, but since we're losing a bit over 3 minutes a day, we're entering the part of the fall when I have to do it weekly and I have to stick a postit on the screen with the times, so I know when I can turn on the lights.

The guys were sleepy, of course. Grayson spent most of the day on the cart, and he got some lap time. Late in the afternoon, Louie came down here and had a coughing fit, although I can't see that he brought up anything. Now, why would he come all the way from the bedroom just to hack and then go back? Cats are funny critters.

So that was my day. Even though I chipped the ice out of the freezer just a couple of days ago, it's leaking on the floor again. All I can hope is that it stops when it cools off, like it did last year, and if not, I can scare up a few dollars to get it fixed. Oh, and when I listed the things I have to pay, I forgot that I will have to have the septic tank pumped and get the heating people out here. I can't do that until October, but at least for the heat, I want to wait until it comes on again. Both my bathroom and the studio need attention. Sigh. It never ends.

Now it's a cool, cloudy night in the field.

August 17

So down late, up late, didn't do anything. i did get a call from the nurse but what she said didn't make sense, so she's going to check on it.

The weather was cool. The high temperature was 71º and there was a bit of north wind, in the 10-15 mph range. The humidity was rather high - around 70%, but I wasn't around much to notice it. It was partly cloudy in the morning, cleared up for most of the day and then got a bit cloudy around sunset.

The guys slept, mostly. Grayson is sitting on the cart now, hoping I'll pet him. Louie was going after him while I was washing my face, so I threw drops of water at him, which he did not like. I don't know what's going on, but he's been going after Grayson more than usual lately. I hope he's not sick.

So it was another lost day and now it's a cool, mostly clear night in the field. I won't be up long.

August 16

I was late again, but not as late as the night before, so i got up at a more reasonable hour and I knitted before I played games. These days, it's mostly Candy Crush. Frustrating, but addictive.

I actually did something today. Woo-hoo! The leak in the freezer has gotten so bad that even after only a week, there was so much ice in the bottom that the water was leaking out onto the floor, so I took my mallet and screw driver and chipped out the ice in front of the basket. There is still water on the floor, but I think - i hope - it's there because it hasn't had a chance to evaporate. I had an ulterior motive. There is a bag of beef and broccoli in the back of the basket and I hoped I I could get it out and have it for dinner. No such luck. There is so much ice under and behind the basket that the bag is frozen in and I can't get it out. Ah, well. I'll just have to buy more, because I like that stuff and it's been a while since I've had any. At least I got enough ice out of the bottom of the freezer that it should last until Friday, when my next Schwan's order comes.

It's frustrating. For a long time I couldn't get any repair people out here because the kitchen was so gross I couldn't have anybody in the house, but now that that's solved, I don't have any money. September is a horrible month - besides my regular bills, my summer taxes and my internet bill are due in September. I think the last gas payment of the cycle is due, too, and it's going to be a hefty one. Oh, yes, and my house and car insurance payments are at the end of the month...Yie!

The weather was nice, but it was a bit too humid, so I hurt. The high temperature was 76º and there was a north wind in the 10-15 mph range for most of the day. The dew point was nearly steady, although it's going down a bit, so the lowest the humidity got was 57% and it was up to 84% at midnight, which is not good for my joints. It was partly cloudy, with a lot of sunshine.

the guys slept. They were happy because they got some of their favorite canned food Grayson was on and off the cart and he got to sit on me, although it was right about when I thought I might go and get some dinner, so he contributed to an accident.

So it was another quiet day. I'm happy to say I was not confused about what day of the week it was this time. Now it's a clear - I think - cool night in the field.

August 15

So I inverted last night and I didn't get up until after 3:00 PM so I didn't do anything.

The rain fizzled out before it got here last night, but it was a whole lot cooler today. The high was 74º but the temperature was nearly steady. There was a north wind in the 15-25 mph range. The dew point was down in the middle 50s, so the humidity was tolerable. There were some clouds, but there was a lot of sunshine. I like weather like this.

The guys slept, mostly. They both got some loving, and Grayson got to sit on me for a while, and he is right now sitting on the cart, moving around a little so I know he's there.

And that's all there was and it's a partly cloudy night in the field.

August 14

I was late again, but I didn't get up until nearly noon, I think, so I got enough sleep. I was sitting and knitting when Debbie called, but after some problems with phones - the cordless phone at the north end isn't working very well all of a sudden - she called on the cell phone and we had a nice conversation until my phone battery died. That meant it was after 3:00, so I didn't get to the post office and I had a very small first meal. So it will be Monday before I can get my mail and my Amazon packages, which UPS is leaving there.

I was so late that I didn't do anything else.

The weather was warm but quite nice. The high temperature was 82º, but the dew point was nearly steady around 63º, so the humidity was quite tolerable, and besides, there was a southwest wind with gusts up to 30 mph. The rain is coming, though.

The guys just slept, although Louie tried his darnedest to tell me he wanted his canned food, mostly by trying to eat all the cat hair and lint in the bathroom. Then he went out into the bedroom and went to sleep. Grayson never did wake up until I got dressed. They are so funny.

So that was another day and now it's a warmish night that is about to turn rainy.

August 13

Today would have been my mother's 103rd birthday. She has been gone 27 years and I still miss her.

I was late last night, but I got my bath, so I was clean to go to the hospital for my blood test. I didn't get enough sleep, but I decided not to go back to sleep at 11:00, so I got up and knitted and played games a bit. It was quite late when I left, but there was no one parked at the Emergency entrance and almost no one inside, so once I got there, I was in and out in about 20 minutes. Then I had to get gas, which has not gone up in price here, thankfully. I got home around 5:00, I think.

I did get hung up both going and coming in the road work they are doing right where Lac LaBelle Road meets US-41, but it looked to me like they were just finishing up the intersection and it should be done in a couple of days. They're repaving part of US-41 around where the gas station is, too, but nobody was working when I went by. I guess that's why there was such a mess the last time I was down there, and I still do not know why they were doing anything at 3:00 in the afternoon. I was through there around 4:15 today and there was nothing. I've never been able to figure out road work.

By the time I got back to the computer, the results of my test were back. My potassium is down a bit from the last test - why, I do not know - but it's still in the normal range, so while I hope to hear from the nurse tomorrow, I guess I'll just keep up the current dose. I'll be getting more blood work on the 25th, so we can check it again then.

The weather turned out rather nice. It was quite humid this morning, but as the temperature went up, the dew point didn't, so while the high temperature was 81º, it wasn't uncomfortable. I would like to have had the air conditioning in the car while I followed a camper all the way to the Fort, but oh, well. It was partly cloudy all day, and this time, there was a cloud hanging over Keweenaw County and it was nearly clear in Calumet.

I think the guys probably slept, but Grayson got right on my lap as soon as I sat down at the computer. Louie is more laid back about those things; I think Grayson worries any time I leave in the car.

So that was my day and now it's time to go to bed. I think it's fairly clear tonight in the field.

August 12

I wasn't early last night, and I had to arrange myself around cats, but I slept fairly well. Not long enough, but well. There was a phone call around 8:30 that I ignored, and I didn't get up until around 11:00.

My plan was to take a bath before I got dressed, but the phone call was from the employee of Johanna who said he would help get the garage cleared out. Before I could get dressed, he called back, so I only had about an hour and a half to get some breakfast before they came.

My garage is now clear. The floor needs sweeping, but otherwise, all the stuff is gone. It took them three trips, two for the recyclables, but they got everything that was out there. I think I'm going to have him back to help me get the fridge back into its cabinet. It still drives me crazy that it's out in the middle of the floor, and he has offered both to cut the weeds around the house and to come back once or twice a month to get the trash out. I don't know how long this may last, but if it even goes through the fall, it will be great.

The weather was cooler but more humid than yesterday, The high temperature did get up to 80º briefly, but for most of the day it was in the low 70s, as was the humidity. I hurt a lot more today than I did yesterday. The wind has shifted around to the southwest again, which means warm and humid, and there is rain in the forecast. i have to get another blood test tomorrow, so I will be out in it anyway, whatever.

I think the guys slept. I didn't see much of them. I suppose Louie beat it downstairs when he heard Dave's truck, and the noise bothered Grayson the first time, although after that he ignored it.

So that was another very quiet day and now it's a cloudy - I think - warm night in the field.

August 11

I wasn't much earlier last night, but I did sleep well and I didn't get up until 11:00, surrounded by cats. I knitted again and played again, but I misread the clock, so I wasn't as late getting to the computer as I thought I'd be. I washed a load of socks, but that was all I did.

I did get a call from the clinic, finally, and there was not very much change in my echocardiogram. I have valve issues and some other issues - not surprising, considering my age and family history - but there hasn't been much changes in them in the past two years. Good news, I'd say.

The weather was beautiful, my kind of weather. The high temperature was 86º, but the humidity got as low as 27% - my towels and bedding are all dried up, finally - and for most of the day there was a strong northwest wind, with gusts as high as 40 mph. I can handle the warmer temps if the humidity is low and the wind just makes it better.

The guys slept. They got a little loving, but nobody sat on me.

So now I have to go to bed. I haven't been up very long, so I don't know why I'm so tired, but I'll try not to fight it. It's a clear, warm night in the field.

August 10

So I was an hour earlier getting to bed than the night before. If I can keep this up, maybe I can get back on a reasonable schedule. It was late, but not that late, and I slept well. The thunderstorms they were predicting never materialized, so it was a nice, quiet, if damp, night.

I knitted and played games and washed the load of bottoms in the washer and that was it. There are some things I need to do, but even though I got what should have been enough sleep, I was tired all day.

The weather was lovely - just my kind. That line of thunderstorms that came through between 8:00 PM and 2:00 AM last night dumped 1.4" of rain on us. I thought it was raining pretty hard for a while. Today, the high temperature was 77º and the humidity got as low as 42%. It was a relief, although after the kind of weather we had over the weekend, it takes me a couple of days to feel better. My knees and my left shoulder are still bad. I thought it was clearer than the camera shows, because there was a lot of sunshine, but I'd call it partly cloudy. Nice. I could do with lots of this.

The guys were sleepy, of course. They got some loving, although Louie was sort of bugging me. Grayson sat on my lap for a while. He had a coughing fit this morning, but it didn't look like he gave up much of anything. Somehow, it seems like they only cough up hairballs in the middle of the night.

So that was it, and now it's a clear, dark night in the field.

August 9

Ugh. I had a horrible night last night and even though I eventually got enough sleep, I'm tired again. I was late going to bed - it's been about an hour earlier each night since I inverted - and about an hour and a half later I woke up with extremely strong stomach and abdominal cramps, bad enough that I got the barf bucket out of the closet. Thankfully, I didn't have to use it, although I had the dry heaves for a bit, but it was more than an hour before it all calmed down enough that I could go back to bed. Then I slept for nearly five hours, peed, and slept for four or five hours more. I still don't feel all that robust, and maybe - just maybe - I can get to bed at a sort of normal time tonight.

Maybe not, too, because we are having thunderstorms right now and it looks like we will have them all night.

So I got up late and didn't do anything much, but I did make a pot of rice, for the first time in a while. I've been having such problems with my gut that I'm hoping a few days of eating rice and barley will help.

The weather was unsettled all day. The high temperature was 81º and it was extremely humid. The fog rolled in around 8:30 AM and didn't leave until after 3:30 PM, and the humidity was over 80% all day - mostly over 90%, It was cloudy and dull. The first thunderstorm rolled in around 7:00 PM, but it was mostly south of us. The latest front started through around 9:00 PM and it is all around us. It's raining nicely, but so far the thunder is mostly to the east of us. There is another wave behind this one, so I suspect it will be a noisy night. I love to watch thunderstorms at night, but not when I'm so tired.

The guys were sleepy. Grayson spent most of the day on the cart, although he did get some lap time. Louie did whatever Louie does during the day, but when the thunder started, he apparently beat it down to the basement, because I found him sitting in front of the basement door when I went to get my dinner. I suppose he's down there again. Poor Louie. He is just a very timid guy. I don't think Grayson likes all that noise very well, either, but he's a bit braver and he usually seems to believe I will protect him. I guess Louie doesn't.

So that was another very quiet day in the field. Johanna called while I was still in bed to say that a guy who works for the resort is thinking about coming by this week to see if he can get some of the stuff out of my garage. While I asked for it, and I'll be glad to get it out, it's a bit of a problem. I am extremely short this month, and it's only the 10th. Well, I guess I'll figure out a way. Hopefully, he won't ask too much, and I really want to get that stuff out of here.

So now it's a dark and stormy night in the field and maybe I can go to bed.

August 8

Oh, I have to go to bed tonight! I didn't last night, although I didn't quite invert. I was awfully late. I got about 8 hours' sleep, but on top of the past couple of nights, it wasn't enough. Since I won't be going to church tomorrow (too late now) I can wash my hair tomorrow

It was another day when I didn't do much of anything, although I did get the dishwasher unloaded, finally, and Tomorrow I will be able to start reloading it. I'm getting down to mom's Corelle, so it's time. Mine is Old Town Blue, and hers is just white, and I like mine better. I use two medium plates every time I have eggs for breakfast, which uses them up quickly. Maybe this time I can do the backup-backup cat dishes and get everything out of the sink?

Anyway, i was late enough that that was all I did.

The weather was unsettled. It rained lightly from 7:00 AM until 1:00 PM, and we had 0.33" of rain. The high temperature was 72º, but mostly it was in the high 60s. There wasn't much wind. It was cloudy this morning, although we had a bit of sunshine this afternoon. It was - and still is - horribly humid. The lowest the humidity got was 81%. No wonder I hurt.

The guys slept, but they both got some loving.

So that's all there is, and now it's a partly cloudy, very humid night in the field.

August 7

So I inverted last night. I was reading one of my favorite stories and I didn't want to stop. I slept hard for about four hours - so hard that I messed up my shoulder - but after I got up to pee, I couldn't get back to anything but dozing, so I'm really tired now. Still reading, though.

I didn't do anything much. I got a Schwan's order, and even though it wasn't a very big one, the freezer is pretty packed, so I have to draw down what's there. While I had it open, I chipped out the ice in the bottom. I do that every two weeks, but this time, it was an inch thick in spots. I should get the repair people out here, but I paid my monthly bills yesterday and today and I don't have any money again - with a large tax bill and a large gas bill coming up. Sigh. It never seems to end.

THe weather was nice. There were a few clouds this morning and a few more late in the day, but mostly it was clear and lovely. The high temperature was 80º, but there was a nice southwest breeze, around 7 mph. The humidity was around 50%, which is nice for me. As usual, it's going to rain over the weekend.

The guys slept and nobody wanted to sit on me, although they both got petted.

So it was another very quiet day and now it's a warm, dark night in the field.

August 6

It was another day when I didn't do anything. I caught up on my sleep, although I was late getting to bed - and even later getting up.

The weather started out sort of cloudy, but it cleared up in the afternoon. The NWS page says the temperature spiked at 77º this morning - although I can't see when - but it was in the low 70s for most of the day. There was a bit of north wind - in the 15 mph range - and for most of the day the humidity was down around 65%, although it's gotten much wetter lately.

The guys slept. Grayson got some lap time and Louie got some loving this morning.

And that's all there was. It's a clear night in the field.

August 5

Oopsie! I just plain forgot about the journal last night and it went through my mind and disappeared this morning. If It wasn't for Phil, I might have forgotten tonight, too. Thanks, Phil.

Nothing happened yesterday anyway, except that I finally talked to the nurse and got that straight. Taking all that potassium at once was upsetting my stomach, so now I'm taking two in the morning and two at dinner. I go back for another blood test on the 13th - my mother's birthday.

So I got to bed late but clean and I got up around 9:30 - not nearly enough sleep. I'm tired. I had time to have a nice breakfast and do some of my surfing before it was off to the hospital. There was only one road crew, at least until after I got there. A friend who had been laid off was there today. She's working part-time, and I was glad to see it.

My echocardiogram went well. This is only the second time I've laid on my left side for one, but this technician - my first man - is left-handed. Maybe that was true of the other one, too, I don't know, because that was my first echo, back in 1998 when I was prepping for my first chemo. I didn't know enough about it then.

Then i was off to Pat's. I didn't need a lot, but I will be running out of JD soon and I was nearly out of salad greens. I was able to get a few things they didn't have the last time, but there were some other things they did have the last time that they didn't have today. So I guess I'll have to go back the next time I'm in town that isn't a Sunday.

I left Pat's about 3:00 and I wanted to get gas. When I got to the corner with the stop light, there was a lineup on US-41 that was long enough that I was the last guy before the corner. There was no traffic in either direction and they were setting up warning signs. At 3:00, no less! So dumb. Eventually they let northbound traffic through, but it looked like there was going to be a long wait for the other way, so I pulled out of line, turned around in a parking lot and came home. I didn't need gas that bad. Later I realized I could have gone around the whole thing, but I wasn't desperate. By the time I went through the intersection in the other direction, it was a mess, because everyone who wanted to go south on US-41 was just sitting. I was glad to be away from it. Since road crews seem to stop work at 4:00 PM, I don't know what the heck they thought they were doing. So dumb.

I was glad to get home, but almost everything I bought needed to go in the fridge, so I had a lot more walking to do.

I had called Mary Ann a day or two ago and she called back just about the time I was thinking about dinner, but that was all right. We talked for two hours. I hope I help her. Bill has another raging urinary tract infection, which has really beaten him down and is going to keep them from pursuing his other problems. He apparently has a bug that is related to Lyme Disease but isn't, and those things are so political that they are having a hard time getting any treatment. She is persistent and stubborn, though, and she'll do her best, but they will have to cancel a couple of appointments because they are down in Wisconsin and Bill can't drive with his urinary tract thing. i hope I gave her some encouragement, or at least some support.

Oh, the weather. It's been cool and pleasant. Yesterday the high temperature was 62º, with light north winds, but the humidity got down to 60%, which was nice. Today, the high was 73º, the wind was around 15 mph from the north and the humidity was a tad higher. It was clear both days. It was a nice day to be driving.

The guys slept. Right now, Grayson is asleep on the cart and I think Louie is asleep on one of the scratching pads in the great room. They don't like it when I go away, so they will be happier tomorrow.

So that's been the last two days and now it's a cool, dark night in the field.

August 3

It's been an upside down day and tomorrow (well, today - it's after midnight) will be, too. I got to bed late, got up late and played games until the phone died. I wasn't hungry, so I only had a little breakfast, and I wasn't hungry even when i decided I'd better eat. I don't know why. However, I had to eat and I had to make something - not like last night, when I had avocado toast for dinner - so now it's really late. I must get back on schedule. I have an appointment at 1:00 PM on Wednesday.

Anyway, I didn't do anything except the bulletin, and it seems like that came out all right. At least my main proofreader seems to think so.

The weather was marginally better than yesterday. The high temperature was 63º and the humidity was around 60% - much better, if not good. There was a light breeze from the north. It was cloudy in the morning and partly cloudy in the afternoon, but a while ago, the full moon was shining in the windows. It's neat when it shines in the upper windows in the great room.

The guys did their thing. They both got some loving. I've made up with Louie, but he behaved himself today.. Grayson got to sleep on me for quite a while, until I had to move. He thought my dinner smelled good, but I know he wouldn't eat any.

So that was a strange, truncated day and I really must go to bed. It's a clear - or maybe partly cloudy - night in the field.

August 2

This has been a crazy, mixed-up day and it still is. I woke up this morning thinking it was Monday, August 3 and I could do the things I have to do on a weekday. Well, it wasn't, but it took me half the day to get my head around it. It wasn't until I looked at my email and saw The Lutheran Hour's emails for August 2 that I finally began to get it straight.

I don't know why i was so confused, but I was late getting to bed - will be tonight, too - and it was a restless night. I also don't know why I didn't take a good look at the iPhone, which would have told me I was wrong. Oh, well. I finally got my head around it, but I didn't do anything and I just sat and read for most of the afternoon.

Part of my problem has to have been the weather, which was miserable. We had 0.82" of rain overnight, and when I got up, the humidity was still 90% and the temperature was 56º. Geez, this is August, already! There was a strong north wind in the morning, with gusts up to 39 mph. So we had a wind chill, even though they don't report it. I had to close up the house, because it was cold in here. It did finally get to 61º, briefly, and the wind has died down, but it's still cold. And last weekend it was in the 80s. Got to love it. Anyway, the humidity was mostly the reason I didn't sleep as well as I should have. I hurt after I spent more than a couple of hours on one side or the other. And I didn't want to move, once I got to the studio.

The guys didn't want to move either, although I was awake around 7:30 when Louie went after Grayson. I haven't had much to do with Louie today. He broke the peace, so I am not pleased with him. Grayson slept on my lap for a long time. It was cool enough that he was comfortable.

So that was my day. I should have worked on next week's bulletin today, but I will do that tomorrow after I make my phone calls. I didn't feel like doing anything today, so I didn't.

It was cloudy all day, but it seemed to be clearing up at sunset. Only when I went looking for the moon, which is just about full and is extremely low in the sky - about where the sun is in the winter - and there were clouds moving in front of it, so I guess it's a cold, cloudy night in the field.

August 1

I was late last night. It seems like when I've been with other people, even just one, I have to decompress before I can sleep. Once I got to bed, I slept well. I was awake around 9:00 - I was in the bathroom when I got a spam phone call - but I decided to go back to bed just for a couple of hours. It turned out to be three.

I didn't do any knitting. I didn't feel like dealing with the goof I made, especially when the crochet hook I put in the dropped stitch came out, but I did play games for a while. And one of the games I enjoy playing has been broken and I will only be able to play the daily puzzles, at least until they fix it. I wish people would be more careful, even if they're just games. I liked that one. Two others that I've been playing have gotten to a point where the level I'm trying to play is impossible without some kind of trick I haven't figured out yet. So I'll go on and probably end up playing solitaire again.

Anyway, I fiddled around long enough that I was late eating breakfast. I will have to call the nurse on Monday, both to discuss the test results, and because the amount of potassium I'm taking is affecting my tummy and I don't like it. I think it's too much anyway.

So i didn't do anything much else. I did my surfing and I've been reading. I had the rest of last night's dinner and while it wasn't quite as good as it was last night, it was still better than what I normally eat. How I love Harbor Haus's food!

The weather was nice, although it's been humid and it will probably start raining in a while. The high temperature was 80º, but it was around noon, and it cooled off a bit after that. It's quite cool and quite humid now. It started out clear and lovely, but by sunset it had clouded up and it was dull and gray again. i reset the wake and sleep times of the camera by an hour in the morning and 45 minutes at night. I've been waiting until the end of July, but it's time to start adjusting it. So we've lost about 2 hours of day length since June. Sigh. It was nice while It lasted.

The guys were sleepy. Louie got a little loving, but he's still going after Grayson, so I'm not very pleased with him. Grayson got on my lap for a little while, but I think it was a bit too warm for him. They're happy as long as I don't go away.

It's too late now, so I won't be going to church tomorrow and I've decided to postpone the bath until tomorrow. I thought I got enough sleep, but I'm tired again now.

So it's a cool, moist, cloudy night in the field and the rain is coming...the rain is coming. And it's August. Sigh.

Last updated 09/02/20 01:49 AM