They're back!

Yes!!!!!!!!! The whitecrowned sparrows are back!!!!!!!!!!!
Saw a mixed flock of sparrows under the oak. Checked with the binocs. For sure some adult whitecrowns, maybe some immatures, and a fox sparrow.
The spotted wing drosophila are back too. First noticed them about Sept 19, but I'm less excited about them. Saw some "immatures" in a strawberry and confirmed their presence by setting out the traps again. And btw, apple cider vinegar does not work. Use the yeast sugar water mixture.

Camaraderie of the hill

Having a regular exercise route, if not a regular time, we often see the same people, if only at somewhat irregular intervals. One person who has stood out in my mind is a small slender blond woman. The first time I saw her was last winter. She was in a red shirt (maybe flannel) with the tails out, jeans, tennis shoes, and had a long blond ponytail. I passed her at the cattle gate.
"Woman you aren't going to ride that bike up the hill are you?"

(This from someone who was running down the hill!!!! Anyone who can run up or down that hill is truly remarkable).
As time went on I would see her occasionally. Usually I was riding up and she was running down. I eventually decided she must be about my age, which makes the fact that she was running really crazy. She must not have arthritis.
And whenever we would pass she would say something like "Good Job!", or "Awesome!". I always would respond in kind. I asked Ted if she ever said anything to him, and he indicated he got the same greetings.
Now riding up that hill is hard work. Even walking takes a lot of effort. And a lot of the people I see on that hill are not in great shape. So getting told you are "Awesome!" when you are breathing hard and wondering if you can make it, really gives you a little boost. So after thinking about it for a while, I decided that maybe instead of my usual "Howdy" I should switch my greeting to the people I pass to "Good Job!".
So I've done that. Having become my default greeting on the ride down, I say it to everyone. I'm not sure if the strong 20-somethings who are tearing up the hill on their bikes really appreciate it, but maybe they do.

Over and gone

Remember the refrain from Charlotte's Web? The crickets singing "summer is over and gone, over and gone." ?
Well that's the way it is around here. I've already had my 5 minutes of depression associated with the sinking feeling that comes from recognizing that the days are getting shorter. Now I'm looking forward to all the good things about fall, winter, and spring. The large orb spinner in my garden crept away before I could snap a photo of it, but I love to see them, a sure sign that summer is over. Even if warm temperatures linger, the season is changing.
The shadows are getting long, and the sun is again shining in our windows in the morning and late afternoon.
Today we cooked up a big batch of quinces. And we had our first rain since May 27. It was just a sprinkle really. The warblers and fly catchers are passing through. Haven't seen any white crowned sparrows yet. I am eagerly awaiting them.

The pictures are from recent bike rides. The first one is from last Wednesday. I biked alone since Ted was in So Cal on the rubber chicken circuit.
After all these months of cloudless skies, today's clouds were a novel and welcome sight.

My Pfaff In Style model 1524

F came home last weekend because she needed contacts and her prescription had expired. She also wanted to use my sewing machine.
She was happily sewing along until the $*&#* machine slipped out of time. So she took it into the shop and went back to Sacramento. I picked it up later in the week. Repair cost $10 for a part and $50 for labor!
I find this sewing machine to be very irritating. I paid $650 for it in January 2005. At that time I was in the middle of making new covers for my couch cushions, and my old 1950's era second hand Singer was just too frustrating to use. The bobbin thread would catch constantly.
So I went down to ABS and bought this Pfaff pretty much as an impulse purchase. In many ways this is a really nice machine, and it sews like a dream, but it falls out of timing way too often. I think this is at least the fifth time I've had to bring it into the shop to get the timing repaired, although this is the first time he's replaced a part. So yes, I'm really disappointed in this machine. If I ever buy another machine you can be sure it will not be a Pfaff!
Update Dec 21 2011
Well I lied.  I have bought another Pfaff!!! Mine has been working well since the last repair, even w/ my daughter using it.  And since she had sewing machine on her list....
I looked around at some other models and tried some out and didn't see anything I liked as well as my Pfaff.  Recently I have come to realize I don't actually know yet all the tricks my Pfaff will do.  I need to study up more and play around with it's capabilities.
Anyway, I ended up back at the Sew and Vac and bought an Ambition 1.0.  I might have bought a lower range model, but they didn't have one. Maybe I was influenced by the name. It is a very nice model, much fancier than mine!  I sort of hated to buy an electronic one, but since this is such a nifty machine, I bought it anyway.  I'm looking forward to learning how to use it. ah hem.  I mean, her learning how to use it. Saving this post till after Christmas since she follows my blog.
Update Jan 23 2012
Happily sewing along at a high rate of speed and my bobbin jammed. Back to the Sew and Vac and $40 spent on repair.  When I picked up my machine I was given a lecture on how to oil my machine.  At least once a month.  Talked to F about this, and she told me her machine has torque control!  She had somehow miss-threaded her machine and it stopped automatically and scolded her.  She got rid of the knot, rethreaded the machine and happily resumed sewing.  Don't know what sort of oiling her new machine requires, it didn't come with any oil.  I encouraged her to study the manual for any info on that.   Also I set my pressure foot so I can't sew that fast any more.

Labor Day Weekend Hike

Since we couldn't coordinate Pam and F into the same hike, we went hiking with them seperately. The Brokeoff Mtn hike was already blogged about. Sunday of Labor Day weekend we drove up to the trailhead for the Loch Levan Lake system. We finally left here about 9.30 am and it only took us two hours to get there, even with a quick stop in Loomis at the Raley's.
There were lots of cars at the trailhead, but nonetheless, it didn't really seem that crowded on the trail. Because we got a late start we were passed by a number of people hiking back out. Compared to the hike up Brokeoff Mtn, the trail was much rougher, with lots of rocks and roots to make the the path underfoot more treacherous. We shared our 2 sets of hiking poles among the three of us and I was glad I was not too proud to take two poles and leave Pam and Ted to take one pole each.
We found a nice spot for a late lunch and a snooze at lower Loch Levan Lake, and then hiked up to upper Loch Levan Lake. We passed this silly dog on the trail, it is wearing only three shoes because it has lost the other shoe. We all went swimming when we reached the upper lake. The water was a good temperature for a dip. Ted went way out, but the water was really shallow, at least in the end of the lake that we were on. Started back down the trail at 5 pm and got back to the car about 7.35 pm. We did a quick clothes change and a few stretches and then headed down the mountains. We reached Auburn at about 8.50 pm. Luckily there is a brew house in Old Town Auburn that is open late, so we were able to get dinner. The food was unremarkable, but at that point we weren't complaining. Got home around 11 pm.

A long week for us all

My truly remarkable parents turned 85 in February and March. This past Monday they visited the Dr about intermittent stomach pain my mother had been having. Tests the doc ordered showed she was extremely anemic- hematocrit of 7 (is this really possible?, must be hemoglobin) and extremely low B-12 and I don't know what else re blood chemistry. Also weight loss of 14 pounds since she began taking Aggrenox last March.
Abdominal ultrasound Wednesday found a swollen or inflamed bile duct part of the gall bladder without any obvious stones as a cause. Thursday night found them in the ER Mom having severe abdominal pain. This began a stay in the hospital as docs tried to alleviate Mom's pain, figure out why she was so anemic, and if they should /could operate for gall bladder.
Long story short, they gave her 2 units blood on Friday, which brought her hematocrit? level up to 11.4. The hematologist, whom they were scheduled to talk to on Friday anyway, came by and told them she should stop taking the Aggrenox. Turns out she was taking 3 different NSAIDS.
Barb M spent the night with her both Friday and Sat nights so Dad could go home and sleep more easily. Sat seems to have been spent trying to get her stable.
Iron count had dropped to 9.7 by Sun morning. Sue got there Sun morning. They gave her another unit of blood Sunday. Hemoglobin 11.5. Found occult blood in her stool. But she was feeling much better and they ordered Chinese for dinner. She had two eggrolls and some fried rice. I guess they weren't thinking about how a clogged gall bladder was going to allow her to process all that fat.
Sue spent the night with her in the hospital. Mom was sick as a dog from 2-5 am. Found blood in her vomitus (coffee grounds), so know she is bleeding in stomach. Hemoglobin 10.5 Monday morning. Monday evening she is feeling better again, but back on the liquid diet.
She is delighted as she has been untethered from all hospital equipment. Docs plan upper GI scope for Tues morning and then Dad hopes they can go home. I do too. It has been an emotional week for all of us. Mother is wild to get out of the hospital.
Addendum Tues 9-7.
Upper GI scope showed ulcer in duodenum. Also a bacterial infection from the bleeding.
So... She will go on antibiotics and maybe special diet. Also she is to stop taking her 3 NSAID's for now.
Did procedure at 10 am. Will repeat in 8 weeks. However, her hemoglobin had dropped down to 8.1 today. Plan is to give her another two units of blood and looks like she will not get sprung from hospital today. She is NOT going to like that.
Now the thought is the ulcer accounts for all her pain and the gallbladder is not culprit. Barb will spend the night with her again tonight.
Addendum 2 Sept 8
She managed to bust out of the hospital and got home at 9 pm. Basically the bleeding seems to have stopped. Her hemoglobin levels have been constant since the transfusion. She is so happy to be home, and so is Dad. The meds cultured H. pylori from the ulcer, so they at least have a cuase and plan of treatment. She is on the mend and that is a wonderful thing!