Shirleyn, good to see you back with us.  So sorry you hurt your back.

Joan, I can not imagine that kind of temp.  we had a couple days of 90 and that did it for me.

Larry, I could not sleep last night either. i went to bed at 1, woke up and hour later.  Finally got up and watch a movie, went to bed at 6:30 and got up at 8:30

MaryAnn, that is nice you are all gong to Jan's for lunch. To morrow is my Red Hat  luncheon , but I am not going.  Do not feel up to it, also when you have the visiting nurse, you are not suppose to go out to lunch. They give you a list of places you can go Church, doctors etc. One of the ladies will bring my lunch home, as it is paid for.

Good morning from another rainy Interior, 58 degrees here officially and 60 on my northwest facing balcony. I noticed last Wednesday that the some of the leaves are turning that ugly yellow mottled color or lack there of and the darkness has returned in the night after ten PM or so. It is a bit sad to see these signs almost three months early but the almost constant rain could be an effect. The weather report, perhaps tongue in cheek, says to expect the occasional rain to last all day.     It also says that it will be significantly cooler today than it was the past few days. Well, not that we would have noted...   

Farrah has been nagging me for more treats which I am refusing. I picked her up and held her by the windows as some young birds were nestling in the birch trees outside our window. I noticed she was purring as I held her up and she had a good view of the quick little birds. But when I deposited her on the table, she actually growled at me and reared up twice to tap my arm and shoulder. I guess she preferred the added height for the viewing area. She is getting demanding....

Larry, Joan, this might be of particular interest per past subjects.   https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/08/02/first-human-embryo-editing-experiment-in-u-s-corrects-gene-for-heart-condition/?pushid=598205b9c2adab1d00000005&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.e83bd6bf4b3a

I also loved the idea of finding out that Amazon warrior women actually existed even if the Greeks changed it far out of reality and into myths. I guess there is a kernel of truth in many stories, myths, and legends. So many folks today are up in arms about the truth coming out about so many things and complain about changing history to some PC version. I am often altho I shouldn't be, so surprised that they would rather remain in ignorance or perhaps accept some sanitized version when the truth is so much better and leads us to a better understanding of our lives, ancestors and countries as well as the world.

Shirleyn, I'm glad to see you posting here and so sorry to read about your fall. I hope you are beginning to feel some relief now. My arthritis has gotten so bad with this almost constant rain along with my sinus that I finally broke down and called for a complete physical. I hope to have some answers after that visit.

Gloria, we don't have any chipmunks here but a number of smaller animals and rodents have made their way north in the past five or six years and we do have prairie dogs now so chipmunks are probably not far behind. We do have a small reddish brown healthy squirrel population and have had nocturnal flying squirrels always.

I am sorry you  are unable to go for lunch.

We enjoyed our lunch at Jan's.  Her folks live with her and their health is not good and Jan is at the point where she doesn't feel safe leaving them alone at night when she is at work.  I don't know yet what she will do; I'm not sure she knows. 

In April, Jan and Terry flew out to California to meet their new grandson, born in March.  Jan took a picture of Terry holding the baby, Isaiah, and their son, Geoff, was sitting across the room, but very visible.  Geoff sent a copy of the picture to me and I realized it was a 3-generation picture of the three of them.  Within a couple of days, Terry was in the hospital out there and after he got out, he and Jan flew home.  Terry died a month later.  Tom sent the picture to Walgreen's to be blown up, then he framed it and today we gave the picture to Jan.  She was very touched by it.  It is the only 3-generation picture on our side of the family, although when the baby is here, Jan's family can have a 4-generation picture.  I am so glad we did that for Jan.

Mary Ann

A Fairbanks Farmer's Market from 2012. It is much larger in some areas now and not so much in other areas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4hffKlaG8s

How much does it cost to live in Alaska? From someone who grew up there. This was posted in 2014. An average one bedroom is now around 1850. and you can Google for more info if you wish. Add 10 t0 15% in her prices given. She runs a home daycare and she is a military dependent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWlkLYJhobY

Mary Ann - Sounds like you had a nice luncheon today.  I'd like to see the three generation picture if you have a way to post it here?  I hope that Jan finds a good caretaker to help her with her parents.  Is there any possibility that they might move to an assisted living senior complex?

Gloria de - that's exactly what I do almost every night . . . go to sleep quickly at around 11:00, and then wake up in one or two hours, and feel like I've had a full nights sleep!  I usually get up and watch TV or read or sit here at the computer, and can't fall back to sleep until about 5:00.  Then up and wide awake at 7:00!  I've never been a good sleeper, so I don't let it bother me.  I don't ever take naps either.

Hi everyone. We are expecting to have a somewhat cooler overcast day today getting up to only about 85 degrees.  I had a very good nights sleep last night and feel refreshed this morning.  I am looking forward to going to coffee and then after taking my friend back to his assisted living facility returning downtown to attend the Wisdom Class at the Church.  We had a nice evening with Scott and Jennifer last evening. 

I am going to try to hold back a bit on comments today as seem to have been writing chapters of a book the last few days.

Joan, hope you got back inside before it got too hot yesterday.  Pat is going for a haircut this afternoon. 

Shirley, glad you had a nice visit to Buffalo but sure sorry to learn of your fall and hurting your back. 

Marilyne, 101 is pretty hot in my book. Your sleep patterns sound very much like my wife's as she seldom sleeps more than 5 or 6 hours a night.  Of course, now she often takes naps in her easy chair.   

Mary Ann, it sounds like Jan is being pulled from all sides dealing with her parents and trying to work.

deAngel, sorry you had to miss your Red Hat meeting but you did what was best for you and that is what is important.  Glad they brought you a meal.  Those nights of not sleeping well are usually few and far between for me but those hours sure drag.  I wonder why eating out is not on the list they gave you of places you could go?

Patricia, it sounds like an earlier than usual Fall season for you all.  Glad you will be getting a checkup and hope that provides some relief for you.  Farrah is going to consider you a mean lady for withholding the treats.  I will read the article you linked to a little later today.  When we lived in Alaska during the late 60's we received a 25% cost of living increase due to the high prices.  I am not sure what the Federal Government allows now for Alaskan assignments. 

Marilyn, moving Jan's parents to an Assisted Living place would defeat the purpose of them having bought the house they now live in.  Terry and Jan and her parents bought a large house, walkout, two BR and bath up and two BR and bath down, with the idea Jan and Terry could care for her folks.  Of course, no one realized that her folks minds would deteriorate as soon as they did.  And even though we knew Terry was not well, we did not expect him to die so soon.  So everything turned upside down.  Jan works nights in Hospice and is the only breadwinner in the family.  Both of her parents get SS but she's lost Terry's SSI.  Terry was a big help and he would be home overnight.  He could drive either parent to medical appointments.  Jan has had the help occasionally of nephews, but they have jobs and family.  We do understand her problems and accommodate Jan when we have lunches by going to her home where she can include her parents.  Who said life is fair? 

I keep hearing a strange noise around here and it isn't the lawn mowers.  It's THUNDER!  We do need rain.  Funny, last week the Weather Channel showed one day there was a 40% chance of rain.  The next time around it showed 30% chance of rain.  The next time 0%.  And we had no rain.  Yesterday we were to expect 80% chance, the next time around it was 90% and finally 100% (they didn't go any higher).  I haven't looked to see if it is raining, but we do have some thunder.  According to the radar, rain is coming.

Larry, please don't stop writing your books because I need company.  Oops - lightning!  I look forward to certain posts because they'll be long and newsy. 

Marilyn, I don't know how to post pictures, but if I can find it, I may e-mail it to you.  Jan took the picture and almost missed Terry.  He kind of looks like Santa in the picture and the main feature was the baby.  It turned out Geoff was visible and in focus so it is the only 3-generation picture on the Tock side of that family. 

I did take a picture of Tom, James and the twin girls for a 3-generation picture of that family, but the picture is so unflattering to Tom that I will not post it, but only send it to Tom, James and Annie.  Tom doesn't take a good picture at best - and this was "at worst".

Mary Ann

Good afternoon,warmer to day, then yesterday, but cloudy.

Larry, to have the nurse, you have to be housebound. She just left. I have to go to the cardiologist to morrow, as my plus is only 40 and I am very tired, also my BP was low.

Marilyn, the last two night I have got about 3 hours sleep. I have always had insomnia

UPDATE:  Candy is now in CA on her way to her sisters in Santa Cruz.

joan - I thought Candy went straight from Tonapah to Santa Cruz.   I guess she took a side trip somewhere else?

Mary Ann - Thunder or lightning is a rare occurrence in California.  I don't remember the last time I heard or saw either one - maybe three or four years ago?  However, I did see on the news last night that lightning strikes were responsible for some of the wildfires recently started in the mountains.  This would be in the high elevations in or near the Sierra Nevada mountain range.  Never along the coast or inland valleys.   I'll look forward to see the Three Generation picture, and hope you can either post it or mail it to me.

Patricia - I've been meaning to ask you about your arthritis: do you have RA or osteo?  My osteo hands are a mess, and prevent me from grasping or holding on to most objects.  One reason why I don't cook much anymore . . . preparing a meal from scratch is just too difficult and frustrating.

Marilyne, she Went to NevaDA TO WHERE HER STORAGE IS.  She wanted to sell some stuff and  get a smaller one.

Hi everyone. We have another overcast day with a 40% chance of some rain later.  It is suppose to get up to only around 85 degrees this afternoon. 

The main activity for today is that the chair lift tech is coming again as the batteries in the chair are not charging.  This is pretty discouraging as they were just here on Monday to do some repairs, put in new batteries and do maintenance on the lift.  They think maybe the charger has failed and will put in a new one this morning.  I am convinced we got the lemon in this lift.  This was suppose to be the best lift on the market but we have had a lot of problems with it.  I plan on staying home all day.

Yesterday was a good day for me but turned out to be a very painful day for Pat as her back started spasming and wouldn't stop.  We have a massager like the chriopractor uses and I had to use it probably 5 or 6 times on her back to give her only momentary relief.  Finally after taking another pain pill and muscle relaxant and applying Aspercream to her back she was able to lay down and go to sleep and so far this morning is OK.  She plans to take it very easy today. 

Mary Ann, I certainly feel for Jan in trying to care for her parents and work to provide the money to live on.  At the time my parents needed our help, I was retired so we were able to go and stay with them and be there when my Dad had the heart attack that resulted in him having to spend the rest of his life in the nursing home and for Mother when she went into the care home for dementia care.  We were away from our own home for nine months and would have stayed longer except we were able to relocate them to Northern Iowa, where my sister lives, and she could check in on them everyday and be sure they were being well cared for.  I hope you got some rain yesterday.  We must have had a little rain during the night as the street and driveway haven't completely dried off yet. 

deAngel, I had forgotten the restrictions that exist when a nurse is coming to visit you.  I think Stacey had the same experience. No wonder you are so tired with such a slow pulse and low BP.  I sure hope today finds you feeling a little better. 

Joan, I am sure you will be relieved to know that Candy has reached her destination in Santa Cruz. 

Marilyne, I think lightning strikes are responsible for a lot of fires in forests but serve a useful purpose in a restoration of a healthy forest.  It is a part of natures cycle. 

Larry, I told Hal in another folder that he must have sent his rain pattern up here because radar had shown we were due for a bad storm, in fact, Tom had an alert on his phone about a bad storm on the way.  Nary a drop!  We did have rain earlier in the day and I think my gauge registered 2/10 of an inch.  Tom was at lunch with a cousin and said they had a downpour.  Today looks nice. 

I've been procrastinating in getting dressed and at 10:15 am, I think I should head in that direction.  I have nothing planned especially for today, except the trash is out for pickup, and I'll just take what comes.

Mary Ann

PS - Grand Haven shows lots of whitecaps and at times the pier is not visible.  I'd say no work will be done today.

Candy spent the night in Santa Cruz and is on her way to Klamath Falls, OT this morning.

Patricia, last night Lucy and I watched a clip from August 1 at Brooks Falls. We missed the live feed. I counted 14 bears and, of course, there was a confrontation. We were riveted. Previously, i had counted six at most. How long does the Salmon run last?

After watching the farmers market video you posted, I watched a few more video clips of Alaska, including one on supermarket prices. The apples weren't too far off what we are paying here, and the pineapples didn't seem too high, but the bananas were almost twice the price we pay here.

MarsGal, Katami area:  http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingsportfishinginforuntiming.main  For comparison, my area:  http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingsportfishinginforuntiming.main

I checked and all cams are live now. Sometimes the camera will shift and you will see a long gray fenced walkway spanning an area behind the falls area. That is where the Rangers park the tourists and their cameras for an allotted time at different periods throughout the day. Some times the cams have issues and one or more will be off.    http://explore.org/live-cams/player/river-watch-brown-bear-salmon-cams

The supermarket is I believe in the southeast which is close to 2000 miles from Seattle. We are three thousand miles from Seattle but our prices may be similar. This ad is from where I shop at Fred Meyers, a subsidiary of Krogers because it is cheaper than Safeway and prices are on a par with the local Walmart but service is better.
https://wklyads.fredmeyer.com/flyers/fredmeyer?chrome=broadsheet&locale=en-US&store_code=00017&type=2#!/flyers/fredmeyer-weekly?flyer_run_id=257712


A mix of videos featuring Fairbanks tourist spots. The Tanana is full of the glacial silt and changes routes often. The Discovery now has three paddle wheelers from one deck to three.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT7L9QDcfU0&index=2&list=RDDUPm8dLAW20

Some videos of drones over Fairbanks. I tried finding current ones which have been hard but I have some in the 2015 range that gives you an idea,

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fairbanks+drone+flight

Patricia, I enjoyed two or three trips through Fairbanks and I saw some of what I saw on my one actual trip to Alaska.  It's hard to believe it is 11 years since Jim and I made the trip - or tour.  One thing that interested me in the bear videos was the temperature was very close to ours - Alaska was 61 and ours now is 64. 

No cat stories today; he's been behaving himself.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, the southeast portion of Alaska is part of the rainforest climate of Washington and Oregon. Ketchikan, AK. has the record for the highest rainfall in N. America. We are dryer and hotter altho today is very similar. I used to say we were similar to parts of Colorado, primarily the Montrose, Ouray, Grand Junction part. But I am no longer sure of climate or weather ratios. There are four separate climate and geographical areas in this state. Today we peak in the mid-sixties while tomorrow thru next Wednesday, we are forecast to be back in the 80s. We used to have highs of 108 and lows of minus seventies but not as much the last three years.

Farrah is testing my patience as she is not eating her regular food and she knows there are treats in the house I am not giving her. She constantly stretches against me, pats me with a paw. goes to the entry closet where her treats are and tells me, "Win-Win" in a demanding voice. Meanwhile, her regular food isn't touched. She will eventually eat her food and then I will re-evaluate. She is nine pounds and 7-9 pounds is good for her size according to her vet.
Her vet also agrees with me that she knows where her regular food is and won't starve.

I am so glad you enjoyed your Alaskan trip and remember the plants and veggies.

These charts don't go past 2014. Also, the temperature records are listed for the north slope. If the permafrost melts, everything slides....

"Alaska’s climate is changing
The annual average temperature in Alaska has increased 3.5°F from 1949 to 2005. Temperatures have changed more in Alaska over the past 30 years than they have anywhere else on Earth: winters have warmed by a startling 5-6°F, compared with a global average of 1°F. That’s guaranteed to have dramatic effects in an Arctic landscape, where even small temperature changes can make the difference between freezing and melting. In Fairbanks, a city built on permafrost, the annual mean temperature is just 28°F. If it pops above zero, residents can say goodbye to the frozen ground beneath their feet, along with the free iceboxes in their basements. The impacts on wildlife, and the people who depend on it for their livelihoods, will be huge." 

"Extremes
The highest and lowest recorded temperatures in Alaska are both in the Interior. The highest is 100 °F (37.8 °C) in Fort Yukon on June 27, 1915.[5][6][7][8] The lowest Alaska temperature is âˆ'80 °F (âˆ'62.2 °C) in Prospect Creek on January 23, 1971,[5][6] 1 °F (0.6 °C) above the lowest temperature recorded in continental North America (in Snag, Yukon, Canada).[9] Alaska also holds the extreme US record low temperatures for every month except July and August."

"Alaska is heating up at twice the rate of the rest of the countryâ€"a canary in our climate coal mine. A new report shows that warming in Alaska, along with the rest of the Arctic, is accelerating as the loss of snow and ice cover begins to set off a feedback loop of further warming. Warming in wintertime has been the most dramaticâ€"more than 6 degrees in the past 50 years. And this is just a fraction of the warming that’s expected to come over just the next few decades."

Past weather--July 2017

Average high temperature:   29.1°F (normal: 73°F)
Average low temperature:   21.6°F (normal: 52°F)
Average temperature:   25.35°F (normal: 63°F)
Total Precipitation:   1.4 inch (normal: 2.17 inch)
Total snowfall:   0 inch
   
Highest max temperature:   86.0°F
Lowest max temperature:   Â°F
   
Highest min temperature:   60.1°F
Lowest min temperature:   Â°F



http://alaskatrekker.com/alaska-weather/alaska-temperatures/

Larry - I’m so sorry to read that Pat is having back spasms again.  I know how terribly painful they are, and there is nothing you can do but try not to move and not to cry. You just stay frozen in place until it finally subsides.   I was getting them on a regular basis about 18 months ago, and finally went to an orthopedic spine specialist.  Unfortunately, nothing much a doctor can do except for meds and therapy.  He gave me a muscle relaxant, and encouraged me to go to water therapy.  I did go, and it was helpful.  Very relaxing in the warm therapy pool, and the water exercises are gentle and slow.  I hope she begins to feel better soon.

This is ridiculous - it's August 5 and our outside temperature was 50 degrees at 6:30 am.  And it was only 70 degrees inside so I turned on the heat!  IN AUGUST!!!

I've showered and washed my hair.  Tom is out driving and I expect him home soon.  I don't know if he'll bring my breakfast or not so I'll wait until he gets back before I have mine.  Other than that, I have no plans that I know of. 

Mary Ann

Hi everyone. Just came back from the mailbox and wow is it ever humid this morning and we will probably see the low 90's this afternoon.  We did get just a short rain yesterday evening although there were severe thunderstorm warning for our county.  There is a 20% chance of showers this afternoon. 

I have a light schedule planned for today.  I want to attend a meeting at 10:30 this morning and then hope to watch the golf match later this afternoon.  Our dinner tonight will be some delicious chicken enchiladas from the last batch that Pat made.  This is always a favorite meal for us.   

Yesterday the tech was here for two hours working on the chair lift.  He brought another set of new batteries with him so that he could do further checking.  He put in a new charger for the batteries and apparently made other adjustments.  Since he had just been here on Monday there was no additional charge for his visit yesterday as apparently the charger was something still under the three year warranty.  I think every moving part of the chair has now been replaced.  Pat had a good day yesterday and didn't suffer a recurrence of the severe pain of Thursday.

Mary Ann, I know what you mean about getting the storm or rain warning only to have them go around your area.  It seems we often experience the same thing.  This is a very large County and we are on the Western edge and other places in our County get the rain and we don't. 

Joan, is Klamath Falls close to where you live?  I know you will be happy to see her again after her adventures of the past few months. 

MarsGal, I just checked the Brooks Falls webcam and they were showing highlights rather than a live cam.  There were four bears just being lazy. 

Patricia, thanks for sharing the interesting information on Alaska. I looked at a few pages of the Fred Meyers grocery ad and many of the prices appear about what we are paying here in South Carolina.  I watched some of the other video links also such as the drone flight over Fairbanks this last Spring.  I sure would have liked these type of resources when we moved to Alaska in the late 60's as we had no idea what to expect.  However, we were pleasantly surprised when we got to Anchorage.  The information on the changes in temperatures is quite interesting. 

Marilyne, it sounds like you know well the type and severity of the pain that Pat had.  I was so thankful for her that it was a one day affair although it likely won't be the last with the shape her back is in.  I wish Pat would go to water therapy but she refuses to put on a bathing suit anymore.   

Larry, if you actually JUST checked the Alaska bear cam, and it was 9 am in SC, it was 5 am in Alaska.  I don't know how the daylight is now as we're a month and a half past the longest day.  Maybe another hour will bring more daylight. 

Our outside temperature this morning was 50 degrees and inside it was 70 degrees, too warm for comfort, so on August 5, I turned on the heat!  Hard to believe.

Mary Ann

Larry, Klamath Falls is down  at the beginning of OR..  She decided to stay in Santa Cruz for one more day.  She lived there a few years ago and has friends there.  Imagine she will be on her way to OR this morning.  There is no time frame for her so she is just  cruising along.    LOL

We are still dealing with the 100 plus up here.  So hot, do not like the hot weather.

joan - Santa Cruz is cool and sunny today. Candy will enjoy her short stay.  I'll bet you would like to spend a few days there, to escape your never-ending heat wave?

Mary Ann -  Looks like you're getting an early start on Fall, with 5 degree mornings.  Instead of our usual dry air, we've had what they're calling, "Monsoonal Moisture", (high humidity and gray skies), thanks to the monsoon season in Arizona. This year the winds are moving the moisture from AZ, and into NV and California. I never remember this happening before, and I've lived in CA my whole life.   

Anyone who happened to be watching The Weather Channel, and saw the pouring rain and flooding in Southern CA . . . the story was very misleading!  It happened, but it was in the small desert communities near the AZ and NV borders.  Definitely not in what we think of as Southern California.  Some areas got a few showers, but nothing measurable in inches.  It's still hot and muggy here today, but nice along the coast.  I wish that ocean breeze would kick up and blow in this direction.

Marilyne, haven't been to Santa Cruz since I was in High School.  The boyfriend and I went there and to the pools in Marin during the Summer months.

Candy stayed at her sisters last night  as the campground was full. She  was in Redding when called me this morning.  She should be at Klamath Falls right about now.

Three cam shots from Katami with times listed.

https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?topic=11.msg95477#msg95477

Hi everyone. It will be another day like yesterday weather wise getting into the low 90's and mostly cloudy this afternoon with a low chance of rain. I anticipate this will be my normal Sunday with Sunday School and Church this morning, rest this afternoon and then watching the finish of the golf tournament.  There are pros from many countries now qualified to play in the PGA tournaments at the top level.

Joan, it sounds like Candy is a lady who doesn't necessarily live by her planned schedule.  My wife doesn't care for much of a routine while I am just the opposite.  Hope you are staying cool.

Marilyne, it sounds like the weather patterns are changing a lot of California like they are in Alaska.  August is usually a very hot month here in the South but so far we have stayed pretty much in the upper 80's or low 90's.  We have had no more than one or two 100 degree days this summer.  We often get a distorted view from the news as they seem to talk in broad terms when sometimes are isolated to smaller areas.  Do you get the ocean breezes?

Good morning to all!

To those inquiring, my back was doing so good that I went line dancing this week.  Big mistake.  Back to the beginning of healing.  You would think that at this age one would know better?  Ha!

Marilyne, we did have a good time in Buffalo, in spite of the fall.  Went to a ballgame, then to a WWII ship museum.  One of the ships named after the Sullivan boys.  Don’t know if anyone remembers them?  You talked about arthritis, I have the RA, but take pills to offset the pain.  I guess we caught it before it got too bad.

Gloria de, I have a tough time sleeping at nights, too.  Usually in 2 or 3 hour naps, starting at 9 PM thru 6 AM.

Angelface, I am still enjoying your stories about Farrah.  Also, very interesting about the Amazon women.  You always have very interesting subjects.

MaryAnn, I am so glad that Tom came to live with you.  It has given you so much more to think about.  Also the kitty cat.

Joan, good to hear that Candy is getting closer to seeing you.  Perhaps she is there already?

Well Larry, talk about writing a book, this is turning out to be one.  Sorry bout that.  I can empathize with Pat and her back.  Been there, even before my fall.  I had been to physical therapy and that helped a lot.

Okay, I have reached my limit (and yours I am sure) of writing, so will say to all â€" have a good day!  ~_~

shirleyn.