Respite

Just another nice summer day. The smoke blew away.  The temperature lowered at least for the day about 10 degrees.  This afternoon eldest son and I went down to our favorite 24 hour gym and joined up again.  The 100+ degree weather doesn't inspire me to walk up the lovely path down Mill Creek or anywhere else. He goes after work and before dinner.

I used to go to the gym at one of the two hospitals in a pulmonary rehab program. The other hospital closed down this spring and the reshuffling of staffs and equipment flooded those kind of programs with many, many clients.  Those of us who are in better shape have to find an alternative for now. I've tried exercising at home but it just doesn't really work for me.  I seem to have a some discipline inside a gym that I can't muster at home.

I plan on going early in the morning or in the heat of the day. I'll start out walking on the treadmill.  It will help condition my legs which will be good for my cranky lungs. Right now I really don't walk anywhere. Moving on the treadmill for me produces a kind of a zen frame of mind. It may be the answer to a lot of the annoying, stressful news we have these days. Years ago I took some meditation classes and couldn't quite get the hang of it until my mentor taught me a walking manta that is taught to active children. Just the thing; I was one of those kids that couldn't sit still in class.  I use it in the gym. My mind clears out and I stop worrying and thinking and just move. The treadmills look out a large winow at a grassy bank which is home to some red foxes. At the right time of year you can see the fox pups venturing out and acting like my toddlers did only in a foxy way. If there are no foxes that little hill blocks off the view of town and just shows me grass and sky and sometimes circling hawks. If I wake up at the crack of dawn again tomorrow I'll go early. It will be a slow start, 10 minutes on the treadmill and then 10 minutes of some light weights for the first week.  I'm actually excited about it.

Saturday Morning Lip Sync

Peeked at f-book this morning and saw this West Fargo Police Lip Sync Challenge.  Delightful, I loved it, I have several nieces who live there. The  Pendleton Oregon Lip Sync our neighbor to the south was fun too and has issued a challenge to our Walla Walla PD and Sheriff's. Come on peeps. What a nice break from what's usually on the news.

It was hot yesterday. For Friday the 13th, surprise, 108° downtown.  My family, hardy souls that they are, is camping north of here near Chief Joseph Dam where the temps were a mere 103°. They've been touring the visitor's centers in the area in the hottest part of the day. Cool air and history all rolled into one. They took their boat and lots of sunscreen with them.  Parents, nine kids and two boyfriends. In spite of being in a desert area the camp ground is heavily treed and with the water nearby it is a great place to stay. Our young family camped here too back in the dark ages.

They'll be home today.  Until then I am taking my 40% off coupon to Hobby Lobby which just opened here and is employing my eldest son.  I have some misgivings about shopping there but off I go anyway.  We've been teasing him about having to buy his own contraceptives as they don't cover that with their insurance. Moral issues bumping up against real life. Sigh.

Nice cool morning

Delighted and grateful all the Thai boys made it out of the cave. Praying for the four Thai military rescuers yet to come out.

My primary morning task is watering my patio plants.  They are the lovely first things I see when I open the drapes. It's about 66°right now and I have all the windows open.  A lot nicer than yesterday's 95°. Then our power went out at noon yesterday for about 5 hours.  The power company said it was "animal interference."  The fellow I spoke to didn't know what kind of animal it was or what the "interference" was either.  So I was left imagining squirrels having a little poker party on top of a transformer and and spilling their beer into it.

I purposely bought a condo with a patio that is in the shade all afternoon. It sure paid off yesterday never getting above 77°inside even with no power for the A/C.  It came back on just in time for me to cook dinner.

Last week these two lovelies came to visit and stayed for the 4th of July.  This is my youngest (by 20 years) sister Susan and my niece Sophie who is turning 21 soon and will be a college senior this fall.  ***Brag warning ***  She is a 4.0 honor student.



We watched the fireworks from our favorite spot along the edge of a wheatfield near the airport. My sons and grand kids joined us.  One Horizon Air plane came in for a landing just as the fireworks lit up. That must have been quite a view for the passengers.

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And then here's Susan and I. It's very quiet here since they went home.  So much fun to have them here.