Physical and Mental

It has been another quiet week, save Ken's encounter with a tree branch which resulted in a visit to the Madigan triage to learn that there is a long scratch on his eye. But the good news is that it is just that, a scratch, and should heal just fine. He told the attending physician that he didn't think gardening was a contact sport.

It was a five-hour process for the doctor to see Ken for a few minutes. As this area continues to bring in more and more troops, the load at Madigan increases, and I'm not so sure they have increased the staff equally. But we have received good care over the years, so I'll keep the faith.

I have been through a huge learning curve about mental illness over the past few weeks. One of my relatives has struggled with some depression, and hit bottom with a visit to her psychologist saying that she had suicidal thoughts. She has been hospitalized ever since and should be released today; a much healthier person. I'm sharing this because she has undergone a series of elctroconvulsive therapy treatments that have made a huge difference; something medications have not been able to do. And even if medications were to work, it is usually at least six weeks before they have an effect which is time that can not be afforded when one is suicidal.

The first thought everyone has is "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" when this treatment is discussed. But I have learned lots lately. This treatment in essence, delivers a one-to-two-second electrical impulse to the brain which induces a seizure. This while the patient is lightly anesthetized. This therapy is very commonplace in the east, and is coming to be used extensively here. After the first treatment, she awoke to say the sucidal thoughts were gone! And she has continued to improve with each successive treatment of which she will have had six. I found it absolutely amazing that a one-second electrical stimulus could so readily alter the brain's activity.

It is unfortunate that our society so often carries such a stigma about mental illness, when it is just that - an illness. But I guess part of the reason is that we can't see anything physical. If you have a minute, do some searching on line which can offer better explanations than I. Doctors are now saying they are very close to implanting a chip in the brain that would allow very specific treatments for various mental maladies.

I'm not naming names even though the family is very open about all of this, but I want them to tell you, not me. And we are so grateful for the continued progress.

I am off to IKEA with my friend Elisabeth. By the time we get there, usually around noon, the first order of business is to fortify ourselves in the cafeteria before we start our marathon shopping. I can't think of anything I need, but I doubt that will stop me from finding something that I will decide I DO need. I'm glad I looked at the site on line, because it appears that our IKEA has been remodeling and expanding, again, and even the parking has been altered.

We will be staying home for the coming three-day week end. For us, every day is like a week end, so no need to take up space on a holiday week end. Besides, we are pretty much without a dog sitter since Craig is living in Olympia, so we are grounded until we get that resolved. We love Cooper, but he is too much dog with too much fur to share our space in the motor home. I tell myself he is happier at home, and I know I am happier when in the motor home without him.

Sarah moved home from college last week end. I can't believe she has finished her freshman year. In June, she is going to take one of her core classes at a junior college near home and then the family is going to Montana to visit Janet's family and to visit their property at Little Bitterroot Lake. And Rachel had her first 'date' last week end. Neither one is old enough to drive, so parents chauffeured to and from the movie.

Have a safe week end, and take a moment to stop and think about all those veterans who have died. They all contributed to the freedoms we enjoy.

Ciao

Sun, Friends, and Mother's Day

Oh that interminable sun!! We have had eastern Washington-like-weather for the past few days. I have been sitting outside this morning enjoying my coffee and the sunshine. It is going to gradually cool over the next few days, but it is glorious for the moment.

I received a call this morning from Kathleen Montez who was the bookkeeper for Al Hauer when I worked for him. I really like her, but her life has read like a soap opera for the entire 45 years of her life. And much of it is of her own doing. She is now in the process of moving to eastern Washington, Benton City, to be near her mother who has had cancer for the past two years.

I had a most enjoyable Mother’s day complete with flowers, candy, gifts, phone calls and the all-important KFC which Craig delivered at dinnertime. He also provided a lovely bottle of wine, and we shared the candy for dessert. Who could ask for more?

I so have itchy feet to go somewhere – until I look at the price of gasoline. I suppose we will all adjust and get used to the idea as have our Canadian friends and Europeans, but it is still a big pill to swallow. At least the Jetta gets about 30 miles to the gallon, but I’m afraid the motor home will be sitting still for a while at 7 miles to the gallon.

To add insult to injury we received the insurance and licenses renewals for the motor home. Yes, the basic license fee here in Washington is only about $35, closer to $60 for the motor home, but then there is an additional $300 for rapid transit tax!!!! As if we will ever see any benefits from it!

Colleen is sweltering in Phoenix where the daily norm is 100+. She gets up early in the morning so she can walk Skyla before it gets too unbearable. There is a pool in her backyard and Toby, the landlord’s dog loves it, but Skyla hasn’t had the nerve to try it yet. I know one does acclimate after a while, and I do love sunshine, but Phoenix in the summer (spring?) is too much for me.

I skipped my free sewing class last night, but there will be another one next month. I’m off to the sewing machine to work on one of several projects that are underway. I guess I should think about finishing some of them.

Ciao

Is it Monday again? Already?

Last week was pretty quiet. Ken arrived home on Friday with a cooler full of fish. He does love fishing. While at the Jaynes, there was much discussion about the upcoming 50th high school reunion for Ken and Bob and the other 35+ classmates. The annual reunions are held in July, in Davenport, in conjunction with Pioneer Days. All good small-town stuff. We have not attended since this last innovation, but I believe the fifty-year classmates ride in a parade on Saturday and then a town-wide dinner at the Memorial Hall on Saturday night. Bob and Sharon have been told they will host a function on Friday night at Liberty Lake. There is always one bossy one in every group!

I attended a garden show on Fox Island on Saturday. Elisabeth's garden club helped with hosting, and she invited me. Now touring gardens is probably toward the bottom of my list of favorite things to do, but she is such a good sport to go and do whatever I want, that I had to reciprocate. The gardens we visited (private residences) were lovely, but everywhere I looked I saw work, work, work and money, money, money. I want a yard/garden to look presentable, but I don't want to be the one to do it.

I am looking forward to Mother's Day since my only request (always honored by Ken and Craig)is KFC for dinner. I love that stuff!! In years past, when I was still working, my only other request was to spend the day doing just what I wanted to do, but now that is pretty much every day for me.

Karen called to alert me to a two-day quiltmaking class that is coming up in November in Coeur d'Alene. Judy Niemeyer is a Montana girl who has created a reputation for her beautiful and intricate paper-pieced patterns. This is all new for me, and a bit intimidating, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Since it is two days, we will stay overnight in Coeur d'Alene instead of driving back to Karen's.

And then there is the Quilt Shop Hop for western Washington the end of June. There are shops from the Canadian border to Vancouver that are participating, so Elisabeth and I are going to start up north and see how many we can visit. We will stay overnight at least one night, if not two, as we make our way south. The shops offer all kinds of promotions and fun so we think it will be a good time. I intend to contact another friend of ours (we three went into real estate together and were known as the Three Muskateers) to see if she is interested in joining us.

My hair stylist will be here in fifteen minutes (she comes to my house, isn't that great?)so I had better get going. Have a good week.

Ciao

The court didn't want me

I was one of 30 prospective jurors with 9 to be seated, so I was not one of them. Since it was a corporate situation involving a failed product, I suspect my background in business, sales, and marketing did not appeal to the defendents. I was up before six this morning, but home again by one.

Ken is at the Jaynes for the annual opening of fishing season. They fished Waitts Lake today and came home with about ten between them. Ken said the weather was miserable.

Cooper and I are keeping our own schedule, and tonight it will be early to bed. I have my sewing machine back so I have been puttering away at some projects. I need to quit starting projects and finish some of them.

Craig stopped by for about an hour yesterday and had some warm apple pie and coffee with me. He is working for his long-time friend, Mark, who has a contractor's license, with most of the work being slabs and skirting for manufactured homes.

I have no plans for the rest of the week, but I suspect I will come up with something. My problem is that I am perfectly content to stay home!!

Ciao