Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Good Customer Service
Does everyone know about Zappos?
Last night I ordered a new pair of Chacos, because I needed more.
I received the confirmation email at 7:55 pm Pacific time. Zappos is located in Kentucky.
I opted for the free shipping, which was standard 4-5 days delivery time.
Then, at 8:58 pm I received an email saying they had been shipped, and the following message:
"Although you originally ordered Standard (4 to 5 business days) shipping
and handling, we have given your order special priority processing in
our warehouse and are upgrading the shipping and delivery time frame for your order.
Your order will ship out today and be given a special priority shipping status so that
you can receive your order even faster than we originally promised!"
At 11:44 PM last night I received the email with the UPS tracking number.
When Rich got home from work today about 4:00 pm, the UPS truck was right behind him, delivering my new shoes!
Plus, I paid $18 less than what they cost in the shoe stores.
Exciting times in Newberg, I guess!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The Way the Wind is Blowing...
We have lived in Yamhill County for 22 years, except for about 10 months when we lived in Tualatin. Every election year I have been frustrated to always very early see Republican campaign signs and rarely any Democrat campaign signs. We have worked on election campaigns and it is always a somewhat futile effort, as no matter how incompetant or bigoted or otherwise ridiculous the Republican candidate is, they always win. In the final tabulation for statewide offices, even though the Democrat wins statewide, the Republican always wins in Yamhill County.
This year, driving through the backroads of Yamhill County, I have seen LOTS of Obama signs in front of farms, and NO McCain signs. (Except now, there is actually one on our street, which might be the subject of a later blog...).
And then this morning I was looking at the Yamhill County Democrats website, and saw this little bit of AMAZING news:
This year, driving through the backroads of Yamhill County, I have seen LOTS of Obama signs in front of farms, and NO McCain signs. (Except now, there is actually one on our street, which might be the subject of a later blog...).
And then this morning I was looking at the Yamhill County Democrats website, and saw this little bit of AMAZING news:
Obama outraises McCain by 2X in Yamhill County
A recent tabulation shows that Obama has 4 times as many contributors (440) as McCain (99) in Yamhill County, who collectively have given 2 times as much, for a total of $48,168, to Obama.
Looking at Voter Registration data for Oregon, there are still more new Republicans registered in Yamhill County than Democrats, but I think the money thing is pretty significant.
Here's the voter registration stats through August for Oregon, county by county. (You have to go to this site, then click on the link for August, because I don't know how to just make a link to the PDF file.)
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Shame in Newberg
Some of those good little Christian students who attend George Fox aren't so very Christian, I guess. Is this the influence Sarah Palin is having on the country?
The good thing is that the University administration had an immediate, strong, very appropriate response. I was going to call them up and yell at them, but they said all the things I would have said:
The good thing is that the University administration had an immediate, strong, very appropriate response. I was going to call them up and yell at them, but they said all the things I would have said:
Baker, the college president, denounced the incident in the strongest possible terms and reiterated his vision of a campus that "more broadly represents the Kingdom of God."
"We absolutely cannot hate those around us and say we love God," he told the crowd. "It is not possible."
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Lots of News about Newberg
News of Newberg's Future - an interesting little newsletter to keep you updated
And, we finally went to the Crush Wine Lounge that has been here for a year or so. Very nice. We tried going once before on a first friday and it was hopelessly crowded. This time, we went later in the evening on friday after a walk, and it was nice. We were able to sit outside on the lawn - they bring out couches and chairs and tables and it's quite nice.
We ordered their "flight of wines" - 3 big tastes of different wines, and a brownie. Very nice. And we had a nice conversation with the couple who owns a little winery called Utopia. They planted in 2002, and moved here from Napa Valley in 2006.
I know, I know. We don't get out much. So this was fun! It is really nice now to be able to walk somewhere for a nice evening, instead of having to drive a long ways!
And, we finally went to the Crush Wine Lounge that has been here for a year or so. Very nice. We tried going once before on a first friday and it was hopelessly crowded. This time, we went later in the evening on friday after a walk, and it was nice. We were able to sit outside on the lawn - they bring out couches and chairs and tables and it's quite nice.
We ordered their "flight of wines" - 3 big tastes of different wines, and a brownie. Very nice. And we had a nice conversation with the couple who owns a little winery called Utopia. They planted in 2002, and moved here from Napa Valley in 2006.
I know, I know. We don't get out much. So this was fun! It is really nice now to be able to walk somewhere for a nice evening, instead of having to drive a long ways!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Happy Birthday to Danny
It's Danny's 27th birthday. Happy Birthday to Danny!
When I was 27 I too was hanging out at Portland State... contemplating a move to Alaska.
Also it is Bastille Day in France.
And in Oregon, there is more local news about really smart people.
When I was 27 I too was hanging out at Portland State... contemplating a move to Alaska.
Also it is Bastille Day in France.
And in Oregon, there is more local news about really smart people.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
New Babies
Yesterday we drove to Woodinville, Washington to pick up our new little sheep. They are Miniature Cheviots, a hardy breed originating in the Cheviot Hills between Northumberland in England and The Scottish Borders. They had a good time in the back of the truck on the way home. They got really excited one time when we were following a cattle truck. The smell?
When we got home we had to quickly build a little corral for them. They have not been on pasture so they have to transition slowly over about 10 days so they don't get bloat. So each day we'll give them a little more room.
So this is Grizel, the white female, and Percy, the black wethered male. They are named after famous people from the Cheviot area. They are half siblings - same father, different mothers. Eddie is the father. Mabel and Dot are the mothers.
They made lots of noise through the night last night, calling for their mommies. Our neighbors have a herd of Shetland sheep. They recently sold several of their spring lambs. So our lambs were calling for their mommies, and those sad mommies next door were answering. All night.
They settled down somewhat today, but got excited toward evening when they could see the other sheep moving around next door.
Evidently, this breed is a little wild and adventuresome. They might be fence jumpers. We'll see. We are in the midst of remodeling the goat/sheep house. Good thing we're having such nice weather. No worries about them getting rained on in the next several days.
Goats like them too. Here's George saying hello:
More to follow as we get to know them.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Clamming Was Successful!
We couldn't take the camera out there with us because we had to wade through a lot of water. It was only about up to our hips though, so wasn't too bad!
The instructor was a little strange and annoying. We had the option of meeting in Beaverton at 7:15 am, or getting ourselves to Tillamook and meeting the group there. We chose Tillamook. He told us to be there at 8:30. He came from Beaverton as a carpooler riding with one of the class attendees. Only one or two other cars came from Beaverton. They arrived in Tillamook about 9:00. Then he lectured all the rest of US for about a half-hour as if we were middle-schoolers, and kept telling us not to be lollygaggers.?...
Finally we left Tillamook in a caravan of about 15 cars and went to our clamming destination, Netarts Bay. There were a zillion people there digging clams, but plenty of room for all, as the area is huge. It was a -1.7 tide, which is very low for the Oregon coast, apparently.
This was all much more elaborate and difficult than digging clams in Alaska ever was. There, we would decide to have clams for dinner, grab a bucket and walk over to the good spot on the beach and pull out enough for dinner from one hole.
The clam limit here is 20 per person, which is quite a lot. Rich easily got his 20. I got about 15 or so before I quit, deciding that was plenty. Eloise and Phil each got their full limit.
This picture shows where we were. Rich took it when we were done. That's Eloise in the turquoise jacket climbing up the rocky bank to the road.
And here's the jubilant Phil. He planned and managed this entire event for the 4 of us, quite successfully. I think he has a pretty damn good management style!
We got mostly butter clams with a few cockles and a few very small horse clams in the mix. Ours are on the back porch now cleaning themselves in a bucket of salt water with a sprinkle of corn meal. We'll probably cook them tomorrow night.
And, in the news from Oregon:
Successful Lawn Chair Flight
Man Discovers Mammoth Tusk in Umpqua River
The instructor was a little strange and annoying. We had the option of meeting in Beaverton at 7:15 am, or getting ourselves to Tillamook and meeting the group there. We chose Tillamook. He told us to be there at 8:30. He came from Beaverton as a carpooler riding with one of the class attendees. Only one or two other cars came from Beaverton. They arrived in Tillamook about 9:00. Then he lectured all the rest of US for about a half-hour as if we were middle-schoolers, and kept telling us not to be lollygaggers.?...
Finally we left Tillamook in a caravan of about 15 cars and went to our clamming destination, Netarts Bay. There were a zillion people there digging clams, but plenty of room for all, as the area is huge. It was a -1.7 tide, which is very low for the Oregon coast, apparently.
This was all much more elaborate and difficult than digging clams in Alaska ever was. There, we would decide to have clams for dinner, grab a bucket and walk over to the good spot on the beach and pull out enough for dinner from one hole.
The clam limit here is 20 per person, which is quite a lot. Rich easily got his 20. I got about 15 or so before I quit, deciding that was plenty. Eloise and Phil each got their full limit.
This picture shows where we were. Rich took it when we were done. That's Eloise in the turquoise jacket climbing up the rocky bank to the road.
And here's the jubilant Phil. He planned and managed this entire event for the 4 of us, quite successfully. I think he has a pretty damn good management style!
We got mostly butter clams with a few cockles and a few very small horse clams in the mix. Ours are on the back porch now cleaning themselves in a bucket of salt water with a sprinkle of corn meal. We'll probably cook them tomorrow night.
And, in the news from Oregon:
Successful Lawn Chair Flight
Man Discovers Mammoth Tusk in Umpqua River
Thursday, July 03, 2008
What We Are Doing on Saturday
with the Syllas.....
Gaper Clam, Butter Clam, and Steamer Clam Dig
$25+
(Plus a car pooling contribution ($2-3 to the driver) - if you carpool)
Saturday, July 5, 2008: Leave Beaverton at 7:15am, return around 2:30pm.
Location: Tillamook, OR.
Sponsor: Wild Food Adventures
Description: Learn how to find, dig, transport, clean, and prepare gaper, butter and steamer clams during one of the lowest tides in 2008. Learn gathering regulations and limits. Learn how Native Americans gathered these same clams.
What to Bring: A 2008 Oregon Shellfish Collecting License. See "All about Licenses" below. A collecting pail and mesh or white plastic bag to hang on your belt, old wettable tennis shoes, very warm layered wool clothing (you will get wet), a towel, a change of cloths, a garden shovel, a backpack to carry all your stuff, water, a sac lunch, and plenty to snack on. For what we are doing, a square bladed garden shovel works best, A regular taper-bladed garden shovel works better than a narrow clamming shovel. Prepare for variable coastal weather! While we hope to go through water at only knee level, depending on Mother Nature, you may have to wade through chest high water, slog through muck up to your knees, and climb over large boulders. It is all in a day's adventure!
We'll take pictures!
Gaper Clam, Butter Clam, and Steamer Clam Dig
$25+(Plus a car pooling contribution ($2-3 to the driver) - if you carpool)
Saturday, July 5, 2008: Leave Beaverton at 7:15am, return around 2:30pm.
Location: Tillamook, OR.
Sponsor: Wild Food Adventures
Description: Learn how to find, dig, transport, clean, and prepare gaper, butter and steamer clams during one of the lowest tides in 2008. Learn gathering regulations and limits. Learn how Native Americans gathered these same clams.
What to Bring: A 2008 Oregon Shellfish Collecting License. See "All about Licenses" below. A collecting pail and mesh or white plastic bag to hang on your belt, old wettable tennis shoes, very warm layered wool clothing (you will get wet), a towel, a change of cloths, a garden shovel, a backpack to carry all your stuff, water, a sac lunch, and plenty to snack on. For what we are doing, a square bladed garden shovel works best, A regular taper-bladed garden shovel works better than a narrow clamming shovel. Prepare for variable coastal weather! While we hope to go through water at only knee level, depending on Mother Nature, you may have to wade through chest high water, slog through muck up to your knees, and climb over large boulders. It is all in a day's adventure!
We'll take pictures!
Friday, June 27, 2008
A Miracle
It is the beginning of a weekend, and....
HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SATURDAY TO 11 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHWEST OREGON...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SATURDAY TO 11 PM PDT SUNDAY.
Friday, June 13, 2008
More about Creek Street
Teddy Two Shoes, in earlier days known as Terrible Ted, sent me this link. Evidently, at some point in his Ketchikan days, he also lived at #5. I never knew that. Or more likely, I did know that, and I forgot it.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Visiting our Past
It's hard to believe we've been to Alaska and back again, and now we're back to the daily routine in Newberg. Time and space are different there. Days are not only longer physically with more daylight, but they take longer. Time passes more slowly. In the evening, memories of the morning's activities seem ages ago. I wonder if it's connected to the tides and the latitude and the moon and sun and all that.
Ketchikan. Memories everywhere - houses we lived in, restaurants and bars and businesses not there anymore. We couldn't even quite figure out where the Ben Franklin store used to be. It was Oliver's favorite store when he was 2 - 3 years old. And we had a wonderful visit with our old friends Heather and Eric.
The town is sad now. We realized how lucky we were to have lived there when we did - the age that we were and the time in history. When we lived there it was bustling and booming and kind of wild and crazy and always something happening. There were 50 bars in town, some with live music every night. Dancing until 5:00 am. Now there are about 3 or 4 bars and there are 50 jewelry stores staffed by cruise ship company employees from the Caribbean. Wearing suits and ties.
Setting the record straight on #5 Creek Street - Star House:
If you read this sign that is inside the Star House building, #5 Creek Street, you will see that it says that Thelma converted it to apartments after the Creek Street brothels were shut down in 1954. Then it says there was a fire in 1972 in which Thelma and her dog died. And then it was empty and boarded up until 1991. NOT TRUE!
When I moved to Ketchikan in September 1975 with Jose, to work at the Children's Home, we rented a small apartment on the second floor of #5 Creek Street. In the building at that time was a two bedroom apartment on the south end, our 2 room apartment on the back side, a one room apartment on the front north side, and the downstairs apartment on the south side, where the star is inlaid in the floor. Sometime in the spring of 1976, when Jose and I separated, I moved into the two bedroom apartment upstairs, shared with Jamie Bushnell. I lived there until the fall of 1976 when I moved to 648 Main Street with Rich, Phyllis, and Jude. Jamie continued to live at #5 for quite awhile, and it's possible that other people lived there after her. It certainly wasn't boarded up! When we lived there, it was the center of Ketchikan's social life. Because we were right across the street from the post office, all our friends would check their mail, then come visit. Always a party going on in our living room! Hard to do in a boarded up building. But we managed!
Anyway, now Ketchikan is sad. Economy dependent on cruise ships. Not much going on. Still beautiful country.
Then we went to Petersburg. The Alaska Marine Highway is still there for the benefit of the employees of the Alaska Marine Highway. Customers are incidental.
Petersburg is almost exactly as it was 2o some years ago.
We celebrated Little Norway Festival. We got to kayak up Petersburg Creek and saw two bears. (Didn't have the camera along but hopefully Diane will have gotten some good photos.)
Our photos of Ketchikan and Petersburg and the ferry trip are posted on Picasa
Ketchikan. Memories everywhere - houses we lived in, restaurants and bars and businesses not there anymore. We couldn't even quite figure out where the Ben Franklin store used to be. It was Oliver's favorite store when he was 2 - 3 years old. And we had a wonderful visit with our old friends Heather and Eric.
The town is sad now. We realized how lucky we were to have lived there when we did - the age that we were and the time in history. When we lived there it was bustling and booming and kind of wild and crazy and always something happening. There were 50 bars in town, some with live music every night. Dancing until 5:00 am. Now there are about 3 or 4 bars and there are 50 jewelry stores staffed by cruise ship company employees from the Caribbean. Wearing suits and ties.
Setting the record straight on #5 Creek Street - Star House:
If you read this sign that is inside the Star House building, #5 Creek Street, you will see that it says that Thelma converted it to apartments after the Creek Street brothels were shut down in 1954. Then it says there was a fire in 1972 in which Thelma and her dog died. And then it was empty and boarded up until 1991. NOT TRUE!
When I moved to Ketchikan in September 1975 with Jose, to work at the Children's Home, we rented a small apartment on the second floor of #5 Creek Street. In the building at that time was a two bedroom apartment on the south end, our 2 room apartment on the back side, a one room apartment on the front north side, and the downstairs apartment on the south side, where the star is inlaid in the floor. Sometime in the spring of 1976, when Jose and I separated, I moved into the two bedroom apartment upstairs, shared with Jamie Bushnell. I lived there until the fall of 1976 when I moved to 648 Main Street with Rich, Phyllis, and Jude. Jamie continued to live at #5 for quite awhile, and it's possible that other people lived there after her. It certainly wasn't boarded up! When we lived there, it was the center of Ketchikan's social life. Because we were right across the street from the post office, all our friends would check their mail, then come visit. Always a party going on in our living room! Hard to do in a boarded up building. But we managed!
Anyway, now Ketchikan is sad. Economy dependent on cruise ships. Not much going on. Still beautiful country.Then we went to Petersburg. The Alaska Marine Highway is still there for the benefit of the employees of the Alaska Marine Highway. Customers are incidental.
Petersburg is almost exactly as it was 2o some years ago.
We celebrated Little Norway Festival. We got to kayak up Petersburg Creek and saw two bears. (Didn't have the camera along but hopefully Diane will have gotten some good photos.)
Our photos of Ketchikan and Petersburg and the ferry trip are posted on Picasa
Sunday, May 11, 2008
I Finished Hippie Chick!
They still don't have the results posted, but keep checking - they were supposed to be posted by now. They said something yesterday about having some trouble. They used chips that we wore around our ankle, and they were supposed to register our start and end time. I know I did the full half marathon in under 15 minutes per mile. The time when I crossed the finish line said 3 hours and 12 minutes, and it may have been less if they were timing that starting at 9:00, because I held back and let runners go first, so my start time was a couple minutes after 9:00. I was going to be pleased if I made 16 minutes per mile, and I did way better than that! My hidden competitive spirit emerged!
Anyway, it was great! Perfect cool cloudy weather and my feet didn't even get too sore. I had extra shoes with me in case I needed to change, but I didn't use them. I wore my new Chaco Multisport shoes and they worked great! The only injuries I have is a bruised big toenail on my left foot and plantar fasciitis flaring up on the right foot. Not bad though. Lots of acupuncture and chiropractic and exercising and ice helped keep it from acting up too bad. At least I can still walk, and muscles aren't sore anywhere. I felt really good afterwards and was able to eat a bunch of chocolate!
Someone has to do this with me next year! A bunch of people in my weight training class either signed up and then pooped out between November and now, or didn't sign up in time, so I was all by myself.
Next weekend it's the Lop the Loop in Petersburg. I think that's only 5 miles. It will probably be raining though. But it's the old loop we used to do when we lived there out between the beach and the garbage dump.
P.S. Results are posted. My official time was 3 hours 11 minutes 41 seconds. 14:40 per mile. I was number 435 out of 508.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Excitement in Dundee Last Night
I was in Ashland when this happened. Pretty strange though. I heard that it is a bunch of red necks from the hills that hang out at Lumpy's. Probably like that freaky old guy that chased me off his property when I was canvassing for Kerry in 2004.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Training for the Hippie Chick Half
For the past couple months I have been training for the Hippie Chick Half Marathon, which will be at Champoeg Park on May 10. The half marathon is 13 miles. In March I walked a total of a little over 60 miles. At some point in there, I think after I did a 9 mile walk, my foot started hurting and I had to take it easy for awhile. I learned a couple simple exercises from Patty (weight class instructor) and my foot got better.
So far this month I have walked almost 57 miles, including 10 miles last Saturday and 12 miles today. It took me 3 hours and 11 minutes to do 12.06 miles, and that includes stopping at McDonalds's to pee. I started out going out Old Yamhill Rd and then Tangen Rd. to North Valley Rd., then down Cullen Rd over to Chehalem. Cullen Rd. is a gravel road with big orchards. I came to this one house and these 2 enormous great danes came running out. I started turning around and yelled at them to go home, which they did. Then I didn't know if it was safe to walk past their house or not. So I picked up a bunch of rocks, just in case, since I had forgotten to bring my pepper spray, and decided to brave it. They came out again, but didn't seem menacing. So I just yelled at them some more, and then someone stuck their head out the window and called to them. So I didn't get mauled by giant dogs, which was nice.
Then, a little further on, on Chehalem Drive, I got a migraine, so Rich had to bring me my migraine medicine. He brought my pepper spray too, but I didn't need it at all the rest of the walk.
Feeling good! Feet a tiny bit sore but not bad, and now I know I can do the half marathon! The 12 miles today was easier than the 10 miles last Saturday. Next weekend I'll do 13 miles, then for the 2 weeks until the marathon I am only supposed to do short walks to rest I guess.
Just got hailed on for a couple seconds today, and rained on another little bit. Decided to go today and get it out of the way because the weather is supposed to be crappy all weekend. We have the quilt sale at Baba's house on Saturday and we're going to Eugene on Sunday.
So far this month I have walked almost 57 miles, including 10 miles last Saturday and 12 miles today. It took me 3 hours and 11 minutes to do 12.06 miles, and that includes stopping at McDonalds's to pee. I started out going out Old Yamhill Rd and then Tangen Rd. to North Valley Rd., then down Cullen Rd over to Chehalem. Cullen Rd. is a gravel road with big orchards. I came to this one house and these 2 enormous great danes came running out. I started turning around and yelled at them to go home, which they did. Then I didn't know if it was safe to walk past their house or not. So I picked up a bunch of rocks, just in case, since I had forgotten to bring my pepper spray, and decided to brave it. They came out again, but didn't seem menacing. So I just yelled at them some more, and then someone stuck their head out the window and called to them. So I didn't get mauled by giant dogs, which was nice.
Then, a little further on, on Chehalem Drive, I got a migraine, so Rich had to bring me my migraine medicine. He brought my pepper spray too, but I didn't need it at all the rest of the walk.
Feeling good! Feet a tiny bit sore but not bad, and now I know I can do the half marathon! The 12 miles today was easier than the 10 miles last Saturday. Next weekend I'll do 13 miles, then for the 2 weeks until the marathon I am only supposed to do short walks to rest I guess.
Just got hailed on for a couple seconds today, and rained on another little bit. Decided to go today and get it out of the way because the weather is supposed to be crappy all weekend. We have the quilt sale at Baba's house on Saturday and we're going to Eugene on Sunday.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Goats, Goats, and More Goats!
Since Plato the sheep passed away in November, poor little George has been so lonely. Pretty much he hung out by the fence in the corner, next to the sheep next door. I thought about finding a new home for him. Then I had a better thought. More goats. Lots of goats are a good thing, right? I mean, look how well behaved George has been. Nothing like those old Bill and Hillary goats we had once. They were bad goats.So, I decided to get cashmere goats. Nice soft wool to blend with some of the sheep wool I have sitting around and make nice blended yarns. We found some nearby for not too much. We wanted to get two, but ended up with three. On March 23 we went to pick them up. We brought them home in the pick-up, backed it up into the back field, opened it up and let them out. Within minutes they found George and made friends. He was so-o-o happy - doing his happy dance all over the place, and running around crazy. For a short while George was the head guy, as demonstrated by the highest position on the board pile, but within a few days the big new guy, Capricorn, became the leader. Capricorn is a wether male, about 4 years old. He is 3/4 cashmere and 1/4 angora. In the photos he is shedding, but we were finally able to catch him the other day and comb him, so he looks much better now.
Then there are the two little girls. The little white one is Eos. She is just about a year old I think, pure cashmere. We missed out on combing her - she was losing her wool when we got her and we haven't really been able to catch her yet, but it's all off. She is pretty brave though - she has eaten out of my hand a couple times. Then the other one is another little girl, also about a year old. She is dark - black and beige-ish. She is EXTREMELY shy. She will take some work to catch. I think she still has some good wool on her. Her name is Nyx. She has a little white star on her forehead. She's the one hiding behind the tree in the picture above.
You can see her better in the feeding photos. I have to give each one of them their own dish, or it just turns into a butt-head party and only the big guy would get anything to eat.
So I think we're in for some fun times!
Here's some more photos...
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Evee Knievee's Ordeal
She's all better now. Last Wednesday night she had her stitches out. These photos are taken a couple days before that. I was too worried about her to write about it while it was going on. And even though the thought crossed my mind to take a picture of her as a fat kitty on the day it happened, I just couldn't do it.
What happened, briefly, was this. On Monday March 3 she went to the vet for dental work. But Dr. Holveck was out of town and had a friend filling in for him. I picked her up at 1:00 or so, brought her home and noticed she was twice her usual size. Bad substitute vet misdiagnosed and said it was a vaccine reaction. Took her to another vet and they said it was subcutaneous emphysema, caused by a torn trachea, from the tube they put down the throat during anasthesia. Evidently the air leaks into the chest cavity and then finds it's way under the skin. A very strange condition that feels crackly when you touch it. The danger is that the air would press in on the heart, which makes it somewhat of an emergency. They referred us to Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, where we promptly took her. They are the best of the best, I think. Amazing attention and care.
So she spent 4 nights there, and had surgery on Thursday, March 6. The tear in her trachea was 2.5 cm, and the incision in her throat, which you can sort of see in these photos, was 10 cm. And Holveck, when I went back to discuss it with him and ask him to pay, insisted that the surgery had not been necessary and she would have healed on her own. Pretty weird reaction from him! Not what I expected! Fortunately, his insurance company is more reasonable.
So, puddy tat is healing nicely now, and seems to be back to her normal self. Her fur is growing back and all the air seems to have cleared out. It is amazing what a presence this little kitty has in our home - for 4 days and nights this house felt very empty and quiet. In this house, one is always aware of her presence, even when she is sleeping under a sleeping bag on one of the upstairs beds! We are so happy she is recovered!
What happened, briefly, was this. On Monday March 3 she went to the vet for dental work. But Dr. Holveck was out of town and had a friend filling in for him. I picked her up at 1:00 or so, brought her home and noticed she was twice her usual size. Bad substitute vet misdiagnosed and said it was a vaccine reaction. Took her to another vet and they said it was subcutaneous emphysema, caused by a torn trachea, from the tube they put down the throat during anasthesia. Evidently the air leaks into the chest cavity and then finds it's way under the skin. A very strange condition that feels crackly when you touch it. The danger is that the air would press in on the heart, which makes it somewhat of an emergency. They referred us to Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, where we promptly took her. They are the best of the best, I think. Amazing attention and care.So she spent 4 nights there, and had surgery on Thursday, March 6. The tear in her trachea was 2.5 cm, and the incision in her throat, which you can sort of see in these photos, was 10 cm. And Holveck, when I went back to discuss it with him and ask him to pay, insisted that the surgery had not been necessary and she would have healed on her own. Pretty weird reaction from him! Not what I expected! Fortunately, his insurance company is more reasonable.
So, puddy tat is healing nicely now, and seems to be back to her normal self. Her fur is growing back and all the air seems to have cleared out. It is amazing what a presence this little kitty has in our home - for 4 days and nights this house felt very empty and quiet. In this house, one is always aware of her presence, even when she is sleeping under a sleeping bag on one of the upstairs beds! We are so happy she is recovered!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Day of Destiny
I have to admit that until today I was undecided about who to support for president. Part of that was because it will probably all be decided before I get a chance to vote in a primary so I hadn’t really felt pressured to make a decision. Partly because we have the luxury this year of all the Democratic candidates being acceptable to varying degrees. If Kucinich had stayed in the race I would have voted for him, because I really wanted him to at least have a lot of say in the platform issues. So I was kind of just being an observer. An interested observer. But pretty impartial.
This morning when I got up and looked at my email, I noticed that Amber's Google status message said "Day of Destiny." I knew she was supporting Obama, and I started thinking about it. The excitement. The way he is inspiring young people. The passion.
And then they were talking about just the same thing on the radio. Thom Hartman, Carl & Heidi. Talking about how over and over it is young people telling their parents it has to be Obama. And the parents listening!
These children of my generation have grown up with Ronald Reagan, George Bush senior who took them into high school, a stressful but prosperous weird time with Clinton, and the 8 years of Bush. How completely pathetic. My generation on the other hand grew up with Eisenhower and Kennedy and idealism and the creation of the Peace Corps. We were in middle and high school with Kennedy as president. It was amazing. And then the devastation hit with the assassinations of John and Bobby and Martin Luther King and we ended up with LBJ and then Nixon. Our idealism was bashed. And then we briefly had Jimmy Carter, who was bashed by everyone.
And for whatever reason, our generation was unable to make good on the promises of the love and peace years. We couldn’t organize and energize. We were baffled by what happened to us. How did Ronald Reagan get to be president? How could that have happened?? And ultimately, our generation gave the world George W. Bush. Our generation has more children in jail than any other country. And we continue to be baffled by it all.
So maybe we can redeem ourselves just a tiny bit by giving our children Barack Obama. It is just time. The thing we used to say about how you can't trust anyone over 30 was maybe right. Maybe a little older than 30. But however old someone is, they have to still have the idealism that we had when we were in our 20's in the early 70's. Our children deserve to fall in love, to experience what we felt for the Kennedys and the Beatles. And it is so much more than just good speeches and inspiring people. It is the good work and the good works. The thoughtful intelligence. The real concern and caring. The bold action to move things forward. Ideas, positive change.
So let’s do it!
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