Horrible Week Last Week
I think I last wrote on the 6th. My symptoms got worse and worse. I almost passed out in the middle of the night early Friday morning. Max got me up at 3am to feed him. I stood up and went out to the kitchen and became cold, clammy, nauseated, dizzy, it was horrible. I layed down on the couch as fast as I could. It took quite a while before I felt like moving.
Monday, the 10th, I finally felt better. Tuesday wasn't as good, but it was still a lot better than last week. Today, I'm nauseated and a little fatigued, but still better than last week.
My left heel has been bothering me for a couple of weeks up to the point where I'm just miserable to even put my skate on or any shoe that touches my heel. I finally called a podiatrist yesterday; and wouldn't you know it, they got me in today!
I have two things going on. First, I have "Plantar Fasciitis". That is an inflammation of the ligament running from my heel to the ball of my foot. This inflammation has led to another diagnosis called, "Plantar Nerve Entrapment". My foot is wrapped up and a large pad put just below the ball of my foot. (It feels like I'm walking on a big wadded up sock) Anyway, this process is called, "strapping". I have to wear this bandage for three days straight, I cannot take it off for any reason, not even to shower....YUCK! No shower until Saturday night!
After I wear this bandage for three days, then I have one that slips on and off that I will wear all the time except to shower and sleep. If I get up in the middle of the night, I must put the splint on, etc, etc. This will help the doctor to determine if wearing an orthotic device will improve my symptoms. If it is helpful, then he will prescribe some inserts for me. I didn't ask what happens if this doesn't work.
I go back to see him in one week. So, that's what I will be doing next Wednesday!
Now, the real problem is, how on earth am I going to get my foot into my skate for two lessons on Friday?! I can't even get it into my loose fitting clog!
It's always an adventure!
Weather: The wind is blowing full force today. Forgot to pull my hair back so I got hair whipped in the face. The weather channel said we are having high wind warnings with gusts up to 75 plus mph.
Max: The bald area around his eye no longer has sores on it, but it is still bald and the bald area is growing. It is now circling under his eye and heading back below his ear. Not sure what to do about it.
Coffee Pot: That is ongoing saga that I've never written about, but will when I have more time. It's actually more like Dan versus the coffee pots. Incidentally, the coffee pots are winning.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Entry for December 06, 2006
Although the wind has died down, my fatigue symptoms are still present, but not as severe. I'm able to set up for longer periods of time and get somethings done.
Animal news:
Max-above his left eye he has lost hair in a patch about the size of a quarter. This is the area where I had written earlier in the week that he was bleeding. Now, instead of scabs being present, there are two small boil looking things. He is also swollen in that area. Not sure what is going on with him. His appetite is good though, loves the rotisseri chicken from Walmart.
Bandit-It was four years ago today that we had to put Bandit to sleep. We can't believe that it has been so long!
Although the wind has died down, my fatigue symptoms are still present, but not as severe. I'm able to set up for longer periods of time and get somethings done.
Animal news:
Max-above his left eye he has lost hair in a patch about the size of a quarter. This is the area where I had written earlier in the week that he was bleeding. Now, instead of scabs being present, there are two small boil looking things. He is also swollen in that area. Not sure what is going on with him. His appetite is good though, loves the rotisseri chicken from Walmart.
Bandit-It was four years ago today that we had to put Bandit to sleep. We can't believe that it has been so long!
Monday, December 04, 2006
Entry for December 04, 2006
It's definately winter in Wyoming. The wind is here in full force. Once again I'm reminded that my symptoms definately flare up in the winds. The fatigue is the worse and my orthostatic symptoms flare up as well. But definately the fatigue.
With the cold snap, 20 degrees and lower, Max is not doing well. He does this every winter. The cold is just not good for him. He looks absolutely miserable. He hit his head on something today and it was bleeding above his left eye. Just scuffed up a bit nothing major. But, I felt really bad for him.
Last week Dan was traveling all over the country. He was in Buffalo, WY; Spearfish, SD; Gillette, Wy; and Denver, CO. Other than the Denver trip, he made it back home everynight. What a road warrior!
Since my fatigue is back it is extremely difficult to make myself do anything, because I'm so exhausted all of the time. It is very frustrating to feel this way. I guess I'm alot like Max in that I just don't do as well in the winter.
That's enough for today.
It's definately winter in Wyoming. The wind is here in full force. Once again I'm reminded that my symptoms definately flare up in the winds. The fatigue is the worse and my orthostatic symptoms flare up as well. But definately the fatigue.
With the cold snap, 20 degrees and lower, Max is not doing well. He does this every winter. The cold is just not good for him. He looks absolutely miserable. He hit his head on something today and it was bleeding above his left eye. Just scuffed up a bit nothing major. But, I felt really bad for him.
Last week Dan was traveling all over the country. He was in Buffalo, WY; Spearfish, SD; Gillette, Wy; and Denver, CO. Other than the Denver trip, he made it back home everynight. What a road warrior!
Since my fatigue is back it is extremely difficult to make myself do anything, because I'm so exhausted all of the time. It is very frustrating to feel this way. I guess I'm alot like Max in that I just don't do as well in the winter.
That's enough for today.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Getting back to "normal"
Well, it's Friday now and I'm finally feeling like my flare-up is gone. This entire week was a much, much better week than last week. Finally, last night I was able to sleep in bed all night long. I had a terrible time most of this week with sleep. Even with my natural sleep pills, things were not working out that I was able to fall asleep and stay asleep. Plus, I've been having a terrible time with my eating again. I just have not been able to lie that flat in the bed, even with my usual two pillows.
So, I am hoping that tonight I will sleep as well as I did last night!
Thanksgiving meant, no classes on Thursday to teach and there are no classes tomorrow either, but there is open skate, so I still might have a couple of lessons to give. I'm not sure yet, I haven't heard back from them yet.
Well, that's all for now.
Well, it's Friday now and I'm finally feeling like my flare-up is gone. This entire week was a much, much better week than last week. Finally, last night I was able to sleep in bed all night long. I had a terrible time most of this week with sleep. Even with my natural sleep pills, things were not working out that I was able to fall asleep and stay asleep. Plus, I've been having a terrible time with my eating again. I just have not been able to lie that flat in the bed, even with my usual two pillows.
So, I am hoping that tonight I will sleep as well as I did last night!
Thanksgiving meant, no classes on Thursday to teach and there are no classes tomorrow either, but there is open skate, so I still might have a couple of lessons to give. I'm not sure yet, I haven't heard back from them yet.
Well, that's all for now.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Time to catch up---This is a long one folks!
Wednesday, Nov 8th we headed down the road for Valentine, NE. Dan's Dad was having an auction as he was moving into town.
Our trip over was going fine until we hit Ft. Robinson where the cruise control suddenly stopped working and the speedometer started spinning around like it was possessed. No, big deal just a little irritating and something that we would eventually need to get looked at. We stopped in Chadron for lunch (our usual 1/2 way point thing to do). Much to our surprise this horrible noise came from under the truck when Dan pulled out from getting our sandwiches. We thought hmmm, wonder what that was. It stopped so we headed on toward the town park where we were going to eat. As we got closer to the park the truck started jerking and bucking and he would intermittantly loose the brakes. So, we looked at each other and Dan said, Let's just head for the Ford Dealer.
Three hours later and about 100.00 bucks we were back on the road and everything was working great. But, that did get is into Valentine much later than what we wanted to be, but oh well, at least we made it!
We stayed at a motel in Valentine so I could try and have an area to go to for quiet and rest periods if needed. I did really well on Thursday with packing up boxes and hauling them up the basement stairs, something I'm not supposed to do but we were short on time and help, so we all had to do what we could do. As usual when climbing stairs, especially with carrying boxes I lost my wind and would need to catch my breath before the next trip. But, I had no chest pain at all that day. Usually after too many stairs or carrying too much I get chest pain and have to stop everything to get it to stop, but not so on Thursday.
Friday I was moving a little slower, but thought I was doing good to be up and out by 8am my time. Three days in a row, quite unheard of for me. But, I could feel myself slowly loosing my pep and the fatigue began to creep in.
A huge blessing to Dan and I was the hot tub. Every single night we stayed there we sat in the hot tub for 10-15 minutes everynight. It really helped with sore muscles and the sore muscles under those muscles.
Saturday was the day of the sale and Dan wanted to get there really early to finish up sorting things and putting things out on tables. So, I got up with Dan, and dropped him off at his Dad's and I went back to the motel and slept for another couple of hours. That morning I began to really feel the fatigue and other symptoms creeping up on me. Just like before I started taking my aldomet I was starting to have difficulty standing in place, my blood pressure was dropping again just like it use to. Sale day also proved to be cold and windy. Two things that I don't do well in. I ventured out of the house a few times, but for the most part I was forced to stay in the house, sitting, again.
Sunday morning I was wiped out, no blood pressure, my heart rate was high and my fatigue was back. I felt like I had a cinder block tied to each of my limbs. So, Dan headed out to his Dad's to load somethings up to move to his new place in town. I really needed that down time, after getting ready, packing, and eating breakfast I found myself dragging so took a nap. Dan called at noon to tell me that they had just gotten the two trailers loaded and there was no way we were going to be able to head home today. On their way through town to Bob's new place, Dan stopped and picked me up and I was back in the moving business again. I unloaded things for about an hour, but going up and down the basement stairs pretty much trashed my heart rate and blood pressure in no time. It was so disappointing to feel myself going down hill with so much left to do. I was so light headed and off balance - It's been several months since I had felt that bad.
Monday morning we headed back home to Wyoming after saying good-bye to Nancy, Jim, Bob and Ginny. Dan was catching a cold and my symptoms continued to get worse. We had to stop at Fort Robinson and sleep as Dan couldn't stay awake and he was starting to feel worse.
We made it home and I think I slept off and on almost the whole way. I was just so tired. We stopped on our way through town and picked up Max from his vet and Ozzie from his vet. (Yes, the cats go to one vet and the dog goes to another vet...) Max, who is supposed to be at death's door, looked awesome! The girls at the vets played with him and he had a ball. His fur looked great and he was happy to see us. Ozzie, of course, always does well.
We unloaded the truck and Dan and I both crashed. Dan was full blown sick with a high fever and chills and I was in the middle of a full-blown flare up. I felt like I wasn't even taking my meds.
Tuesday we took Dan to the doctor as he couldn't stop vomiting. He was officially diagnosed with gastroenteritis. He has a nasty cough as well and has a prescription for antiobiotics to fill if it goes into his lungs.
Well, today is Sunday and it has been a long miserable week for both of us. Dan is spending less time in the bathroom and is taking more cough medicine. He is up for longer periods of time and we did make it to Sunday School, AM Church, Christmas Cantata Practice and PM Service. (Neither one of us made it to church on Wednesday night).
I'm slowly getting over this flare up. I've decided that this little flare up was a good reminder to me of how much better my quality of life is with my new medicines that I started back in March. This week my flare up had my couch bound again. I went and taught a 1/2 hour class on Tuesday and it was all that I could do to drive home. I was back to morning napping, afternoon napping and evening resting. Cooking was not an option and sitting up in a chair, painful. I couldn't stand in place at all. Showering was exhausting, and eating/digesting food was just plain miserable. My heart was back to racing for no reason and that nagging daily chest pain was back.
So, we did learn that while my meds have improved my quality of life I can still over-do-it with too much physical activity, too much stress, and not enough rest periods. The meds can be over-ridden!
So, the answer that I've been struggling with for these last few months is that while I am much better on my new med, I'm not cured. But, my quality of life is extremely liveable. On my meds I get to do things, not everything that I use to do, but I am off of the couch.
On my meds I am able to spend 3-4 hours in town and safely drive home. Off my meds just getting ready to go to town (getting dressed, make-up, hair, etc) is exhausting and one activity in town is already too much and driving home is not safe.
On my meds I am able to take a rest period in the afternoons/evenings without needing 3-4 hours of extra sleep during the day.
On my meds I can shop AND stand in line to buy what I shopped for. Off of my meds I cannot shop let alone stand in line to buy an item.
On my meds I can sit up in a chair and have the brains to type on my blog. Off of my meds, I can't sit up in a chair to type and my brain is foggy and feels like I'm stuck in wet cement.
It's also important to note that while on my meds I may be able to do all of the above, but it is also important to note that I still am unable to do 6 hour days back to back. I've built in days where I don't have to go anywhere to rest up from the previous busier day.
On days where I do have planned activities I limit how many activities I do, so that I can feel good and enjoy what I'm doing and don't have to worry about how I am going to drive home.
If I'm not feeling so good, I call and reschedule appointments for later in the week.
So, I make a lot of adjustments to have the quality of life that I do have on my new meds. Time and again I have proven, that even on the meds, if I don't take care of myself, and balance my activities with rest, I will end up back on the couch.
Why did I go into all of this? Maybe to prove to myself that I have developed a lot of the tricks to maintain some form of normalcy in my life. That even though I do have a chronic illness, it doesn't have to control me. With the help of my new drug and balancing what life throws at me, I am in control, not my disease!
I laugh at myself as I'm just getting over a solid week of nearly living from couch to bed...
One must also have a great sense of humor to live like this!
Wednesday, Nov 8th we headed down the road for Valentine, NE. Dan's Dad was having an auction as he was moving into town.
Our trip over was going fine until we hit Ft. Robinson where the cruise control suddenly stopped working and the speedometer started spinning around like it was possessed. No, big deal just a little irritating and something that we would eventually need to get looked at. We stopped in Chadron for lunch (our usual 1/2 way point thing to do). Much to our surprise this horrible noise came from under the truck when Dan pulled out from getting our sandwiches. We thought hmmm, wonder what that was. It stopped so we headed on toward the town park where we were going to eat. As we got closer to the park the truck started jerking and bucking and he would intermittantly loose the brakes. So, we looked at each other and Dan said, Let's just head for the Ford Dealer.
Three hours later and about 100.00 bucks we were back on the road and everything was working great. But, that did get is into Valentine much later than what we wanted to be, but oh well, at least we made it!
We stayed at a motel in Valentine so I could try and have an area to go to for quiet and rest periods if needed. I did really well on Thursday with packing up boxes and hauling them up the basement stairs, something I'm not supposed to do but we were short on time and help, so we all had to do what we could do. As usual when climbing stairs, especially with carrying boxes I lost my wind and would need to catch my breath before the next trip. But, I had no chest pain at all that day. Usually after too many stairs or carrying too much I get chest pain and have to stop everything to get it to stop, but not so on Thursday.
Friday I was moving a little slower, but thought I was doing good to be up and out by 8am my time. Three days in a row, quite unheard of for me. But, I could feel myself slowly loosing my pep and the fatigue began to creep in.
A huge blessing to Dan and I was the hot tub. Every single night we stayed there we sat in the hot tub for 10-15 minutes everynight. It really helped with sore muscles and the sore muscles under those muscles.
Saturday was the day of the sale and Dan wanted to get there really early to finish up sorting things and putting things out on tables. So, I got up with Dan, and dropped him off at his Dad's and I went back to the motel and slept for another couple of hours. That morning I began to really feel the fatigue and other symptoms creeping up on me. Just like before I started taking my aldomet I was starting to have difficulty standing in place, my blood pressure was dropping again just like it use to. Sale day also proved to be cold and windy. Two things that I don't do well in. I ventured out of the house a few times, but for the most part I was forced to stay in the house, sitting, again.
Sunday morning I was wiped out, no blood pressure, my heart rate was high and my fatigue was back. I felt like I had a cinder block tied to each of my limbs. So, Dan headed out to his Dad's to load somethings up to move to his new place in town. I really needed that down time, after getting ready, packing, and eating breakfast I found myself dragging so took a nap. Dan called at noon to tell me that they had just gotten the two trailers loaded and there was no way we were going to be able to head home today. On their way through town to Bob's new place, Dan stopped and picked me up and I was back in the moving business again. I unloaded things for about an hour, but going up and down the basement stairs pretty much trashed my heart rate and blood pressure in no time. It was so disappointing to feel myself going down hill with so much left to do. I was so light headed and off balance - It's been several months since I had felt that bad.
Monday morning we headed back home to Wyoming after saying good-bye to Nancy, Jim, Bob and Ginny. Dan was catching a cold and my symptoms continued to get worse. We had to stop at Fort Robinson and sleep as Dan couldn't stay awake and he was starting to feel worse.
We made it home and I think I slept off and on almost the whole way. I was just so tired. We stopped on our way through town and picked up Max from his vet and Ozzie from his vet. (Yes, the cats go to one vet and the dog goes to another vet...) Max, who is supposed to be at death's door, looked awesome! The girls at the vets played with him and he had a ball. His fur looked great and he was happy to see us. Ozzie, of course, always does well.
We unloaded the truck and Dan and I both crashed. Dan was full blown sick with a high fever and chills and I was in the middle of a full-blown flare up. I felt like I wasn't even taking my meds.
Tuesday we took Dan to the doctor as he couldn't stop vomiting. He was officially diagnosed with gastroenteritis. He has a nasty cough as well and has a prescription for antiobiotics to fill if it goes into his lungs.
Well, today is Sunday and it has been a long miserable week for both of us. Dan is spending less time in the bathroom and is taking more cough medicine. He is up for longer periods of time and we did make it to Sunday School, AM Church, Christmas Cantata Practice and PM Service. (Neither one of us made it to church on Wednesday night).
I'm slowly getting over this flare up. I've decided that this little flare up was a good reminder to me of how much better my quality of life is with my new medicines that I started back in March. This week my flare up had my couch bound again. I went and taught a 1/2 hour class on Tuesday and it was all that I could do to drive home. I was back to morning napping, afternoon napping and evening resting. Cooking was not an option and sitting up in a chair, painful. I couldn't stand in place at all. Showering was exhausting, and eating/digesting food was just plain miserable. My heart was back to racing for no reason and that nagging daily chest pain was back.
So, we did learn that while my meds have improved my quality of life I can still over-do-it with too much physical activity, too much stress, and not enough rest periods. The meds can be over-ridden!
So, the answer that I've been struggling with for these last few months is that while I am much better on my new med, I'm not cured. But, my quality of life is extremely liveable. On my meds I get to do things, not everything that I use to do, but I am off of the couch.
On my meds I am able to spend 3-4 hours in town and safely drive home. Off my meds just getting ready to go to town (getting dressed, make-up, hair, etc) is exhausting and one activity in town is already too much and driving home is not safe.
On my meds I am able to take a rest period in the afternoons/evenings without needing 3-4 hours of extra sleep during the day.
On my meds I can shop AND stand in line to buy what I shopped for. Off of my meds I cannot shop let alone stand in line to buy an item.
On my meds I can sit up in a chair and have the brains to type on my blog. Off of my meds, I can't sit up in a chair to type and my brain is foggy and feels like I'm stuck in wet cement.
It's also important to note that while on my meds I may be able to do all of the above, but it is also important to note that I still am unable to do 6 hour days back to back. I've built in days where I don't have to go anywhere to rest up from the previous busier day.
On days where I do have planned activities I limit how many activities I do, so that I can feel good and enjoy what I'm doing and don't have to worry about how I am going to drive home.
If I'm not feeling so good, I call and reschedule appointments for later in the week.
So, I make a lot of adjustments to have the quality of life that I do have on my new meds. Time and again I have proven, that even on the meds, if I don't take care of myself, and balance my activities with rest, I will end up back on the couch.
Why did I go into all of this? Maybe to prove to myself that I have developed a lot of the tricks to maintain some form of normalcy in my life. That even though I do have a chronic illness, it doesn't have to control me. With the help of my new drug and balancing what life throws at me, I am in control, not my disease!
I laugh at myself as I'm just getting over a solid week of nearly living from couch to bed...
One must also have a great sense of humor to live like this!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
We took the cats in today to the vet. Max was due for a couple of shots and Shi, the dreaded weigh in.
Shi remains tubby and without weight loss at 12 lbs. Max on the other hand, who cannot afford to loose weight is now down to 9 lbs.
The vet also decided not to give Max his immunizations due to his poor health. He is probably in renal failure or has diabetes from being on long term Prednisone. In most cases they would immediately stop the prednisone and do blood work to determine which problem he has. But, because of the severity of Max's arthritis and his chronic constipation, stopping the prednisone is not an option. So, we all decided not to do the blood test as no matter what the results, we won't be treating him anyway.
The Vet said it is very unlikely that Max would just go to sleep and not wake up again. We will need to make a decision as he gets worse. I'm upset about that. After having to make that decision for Bandit and Boomer we were just hoping to have one of our animals go to sleep and not wake up again. Only time will tell.
In the mean time, he is still eating and drinking, so that's good.
We have to get Shi's weight down or she is at a very high risk of developing diabetes. So, the Vet and I had a little talk with Dan about not feeling sorry for her and give her more than her 1/3 of cup a food per day!
So, not quite the results I had hoped for, for either of our kitty's.
Shi remains tubby and without weight loss at 12 lbs. Max on the other hand, who cannot afford to loose weight is now down to 9 lbs.
The vet also decided not to give Max his immunizations due to his poor health. He is probably in renal failure or has diabetes from being on long term Prednisone. In most cases they would immediately stop the prednisone and do blood work to determine which problem he has. But, because of the severity of Max's arthritis and his chronic constipation, stopping the prednisone is not an option. So, we all decided not to do the blood test as no matter what the results, we won't be treating him anyway.
The Vet said it is very unlikely that Max would just go to sleep and not wake up again. We will need to make a decision as he gets worse. I'm upset about that. After having to make that decision for Bandit and Boomer we were just hoping to have one of our animals go to sleep and not wake up again. Only time will tell.
In the mean time, he is still eating and drinking, so that's good.
We have to get Shi's weight down or she is at a very high risk of developing diabetes. So, the Vet and I had a little talk with Dan about not feeling sorry for her and give her more than her 1/3 of cup a food per day!
So, not quite the results I had hoped for, for either of our kitty's.
Monday, October 30, 2006
It's been 5 Years!
Well, five years ago tonight at 7:30 pm I had my heart attack and developed my autonomic disorder. I can't believe it has been so long and I've been like this for so long.
Today the ice rink called to ask if I could come in and cover a class tonight, but Dan was just adamant that I say, "no". Which is definately not like him at all. It wasn't until we sat down for supper that he mentioned the five year anniversary and how he never forgets this date and there was no way that I was skating tonight!
I'm always surprised at the impact that night has had on Dan.
So, we stayed home together today and I did laundry, cleaned, napped, etc.
I increased my methyldopa (aldomet) today. My pressures were so low for so long that I couldn't increase it, but now that they have, for the most part, been up it's time to try another increase. It didn't seem to make me too drowsy. I took it at 6am and was able to wake up with just a little drowsiness around 9am. So, it's not as bad as some of my other increases were.
Ozzie is getting a bordatella shot tomorrow and then Dan has a doctor appointment for his left knee. We're hoping it will be his last follow-up visit.
Well, that's enough for now.
Well, five years ago tonight at 7:30 pm I had my heart attack and developed my autonomic disorder. I can't believe it has been so long and I've been like this for so long.
Today the ice rink called to ask if I could come in and cover a class tonight, but Dan was just adamant that I say, "no". Which is definately not like him at all. It wasn't until we sat down for supper that he mentioned the five year anniversary and how he never forgets this date and there was no way that I was skating tonight!
I'm always surprised at the impact that night has had on Dan.
So, we stayed home together today and I did laundry, cleaned, napped, etc.
I increased my methyldopa (aldomet) today. My pressures were so low for so long that I couldn't increase it, but now that they have, for the most part, been up it's time to try another increase. It didn't seem to make me too drowsy. I took it at 6am and was able to wake up with just a little drowsiness around 9am. So, it's not as bad as some of my other increases were.
Ozzie is getting a bordatella shot tomorrow and then Dan has a doctor appointment for his left knee. We're hoping it will be his last follow-up visit.
Well, that's enough for now.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Inspite of being on the diuretics I have been maintaining my blood pressure really well. But, for some reason last night it just went away. At 6pm it was 75/50. So, I didn't make it to church. I think I know when it started to go down... At about 1:30pm I said I've got to lay down I'm just toasted (very tired). I didn't wake up until just a few minutes before 6pm!! I was so shocked to have slept that long. I was really out too! The phone rang several times and I never heard it once.
Tuesday I crashed big time skating. I wish I could tell you that I was doing something wonderful, like a jump or a spin. But, no...I just forgot to take my guards off. My legs flew off to my right and I landed clean onto my left hip (my bad hip). I have a bruise on my butt! (No, I'm not posting a picture of it! I've got to draw the line somewhere.) Messed up left knee and somehow pulled my right side stomach muscle. (I know this because it hurts when I laugh, cough or sneeze!)
There is snow on the mountain again. Just a few flurries down here last night, but nothing to stick on the ground.
Dan is in Gillette tonight for a meeting. He is doing really well with his new business. Things are looking good.
No nap for me today, kind of hard to believe after the marathon I had yesterday!
Well, it's getting late and I haven't taken a break since getting home. The bulletins are folded, but not stuffed. I can finish that in the morning.
Tuesday I crashed big time skating. I wish I could tell you that I was doing something wonderful, like a jump or a spin. But, no...I just forgot to take my guards off. My legs flew off to my right and I landed clean onto my left hip (my bad hip). I have a bruise on my butt! (No, I'm not posting a picture of it! I've got to draw the line somewhere.) Messed up left knee and somehow pulled my right side stomach muscle. (I know this because it hurts when I laugh, cough or sneeze!)
There is snow on the mountain again. Just a few flurries down here last night, but nothing to stick on the ground.
Dan is in Gillette tonight for a meeting. He is doing really well with his new business. Things are looking good.
No nap for me today, kind of hard to believe after the marathon I had yesterday!
Well, it's getting late and I haven't taken a break since getting home. The bulletins are folded, but not stuffed. I can finish that in the morning.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
I finally called the doctor
Well, I finally called the doctor's office today and let them know how bad my legs and feet are swelling, also mentioned my joint and muscle pain and the awful chest pain that I've been having. My blood pressure has been doing well up until today (89/70).
I feel kind of feverish and tired. Oh, well. I'm not sure what the doctor can do for me. They probably won't get me called back until tomorrow.
We got quite a snow overnight. Most of it is melting off for now. The mountain won't melt off, it looks so pretty all white.
I'm going to lay down before I take my shower.
Well, I finally called the doctor's office today and let them know how bad my legs and feet are swelling, also mentioned my joint and muscle pain and the awful chest pain that I've been having. My blood pressure has been doing well up until today (89/70).
I feel kind of feverish and tired. Oh, well. I'm not sure what the doctor can do for me. They probably won't get me called back until tomorrow.
We got quite a snow overnight. Most of it is melting off for now. The mountain won't melt off, it looks so pretty all white.
I'm going to lay down before I take my shower.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Puffy Legs
I had one really bad day this week , a couch day. But other than that I have been doing pretty well. I still need to pace myself but at least I am able to do some things.
My biggest problem is that my legs are swelling, badly. They are swelling so much that it is affecting my skating. I'm not able to properly lace up my skates and it is throwing off the way my foot is sitting in the boot. They hurt when they get really swollen too.
I guess I am going to have to call the doctor tomorrow. I can't have legs so big that they won't fit into my skates and the pain is awful. I've not been sleeping well even with the natural sleep pills that I take.
Well, it's late and I need to put my lovely legs up.
I had one really bad day this week , a couch day. But other than that I have been doing pretty well. I still need to pace myself but at least I am able to do some things.
My biggest problem is that my legs are swelling, badly. They are swelling so much that it is affecting my skating. I'm not able to properly lace up my skates and it is throwing off the way my foot is sitting in the boot. They hurt when they get really swollen too.
I guess I am going to have to call the doctor tomorrow. I can't have legs so big that they won't fit into my skates and the pain is awful. I've not been sleeping well even with the natural sleep pills that I take.
Well, it's late and I need to put my lovely legs up.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Entry for October 05, 2006
Dan had a very long day traveling yesterday. He left about 9:30 am to drive down to Denver to catch his 3:30 pm flight. That all seemed to go well. He was to change planes in Memphis with a one hour overlay. Well, that one hour turned into hours. So, the airlines re-routed him to Houston. Then from Houston he went into New Orleans. That was around Midnight my time so, after 1 am central time. The only problem with that is that the airlines in their, infinite wisdom, forgot to reroute his luggage to Houston with him. So, he still had to set in the airport in New Orleans, waiting for his original plane from Memphis to arrive so he could get his luggage. So, like 3 am sometime he called me from his room to say that he had finally made it and was exhausted and was going to bed.
I haven't gotten to talk to him much, but for some reason he only was able to sleep for a couple of hours. I talked to him around 10 am his time. So, hopefully I will find out more details later.
Tonight he gets to walk across the stage and get recognized!!!
I'm doing well today. A little chest pain, but the energy level is good!
Dan had a very long day traveling yesterday. He left about 9:30 am to drive down to Denver to catch his 3:30 pm flight. That all seemed to go well. He was to change planes in Memphis with a one hour overlay. Well, that one hour turned into hours. So, the airlines re-routed him to Houston. Then from Houston he went into New Orleans. That was around Midnight my time so, after 1 am central time. The only problem with that is that the airlines in their, infinite wisdom, forgot to reroute his luggage to Houston with him. So, he still had to set in the airport in New Orleans, waiting for his original plane from Memphis to arrive so he could get his luggage. So, like 3 am sometime he called me from his room to say that he had finally made it and was exhausted and was going to bed.
I haven't gotten to talk to him much, but for some reason he only was able to sleep for a couple of hours. I talked to him around 10 am his time. So, hopefully I will find out more details later.
Tonight he gets to walk across the stage and get recognized!!!
I'm doing well today. A little chest pain, but the energy level is good!
Entry for October 03, 2006
I'm doing okay, I just seem to be so very tired. My blood pressure has been much better last week and so far this week.
Dan will be gone for 6 days starting tomorrow as he is going to New Orleans. He is a little bummed to be going without me but I know that he'll be fine.
I hope that this tired phase passes quickly.
I'm doing okay, I just seem to be so very tired. My blood pressure has been much better last week and so far this week.
Dan will be gone for 6 days starting tomorrow as he is going to New Orleans. He is a little bummed to be going without me but I know that he'll be fine.
I hope that this tired phase passes quickly.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Wow, I'm glad that this week is over. I feel better tonight, but the fatigue this week has been a little much. Plus, within a 24 hour period two "helpful" people thought they needed to tell me that since with my new drug I am feeling so much better I should be able to work at least part-time... I love people. That was the last thing I needed to hear this week.
Things like that really upset me. If I could work, I would. And I do work as much as I can between skating and auditing charts.
Dan reminded me that we already set a threshold for returning to work, when I am able to feel good for one month, keep all commitments for that month, drive myself everywhere in that same month and be able to work 20 hours per week for one month, then we will talk about the trial work program that my disability has. Until then, no dice.
It still drives me crazy when people say that to me! Oh, let me add one to Dan's list, when I can clean my house in one day, and not pay for it the two following days!!!!
When I can work for four hours straight and not have to come home and sleep for three hours straight and then get up and go to bed and sleep for 8 more hours straight!
Well, now I feel a little bit better. Thanks for letting me vent!!
Things like that really upset me. If I could work, I would. And I do work as much as I can between skating and auditing charts.
Dan reminded me that we already set a threshold for returning to work, when I am able to feel good for one month, keep all commitments for that month, drive myself everywhere in that same month and be able to work 20 hours per week for one month, then we will talk about the trial work program that my disability has. Until then, no dice.
It still drives me crazy when people say that to me! Oh, let me add one to Dan's list, when I can clean my house in one day, and not pay for it the two following days!!!!
When I can work for four hours straight and not have to come home and sleep for three hours straight and then get up and go to bed and sleep for 8 more hours straight!
Well, now I feel a little bit better. Thanks for letting me vent!!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Overwelming Day
Too many things going on and too many things pulling me in too many different directions. Definately a stop the world I want to get off day.
Somebody forgot to turn off my treadmill. I'm sitting still but my brain is still feeling behind...
Hopefully tomorrow will give me a chance to catch up on my rest and relaxation. I don't have to be any where until 7 pm!
I'm going to bed now. So glad that this day is over.
Too many things going on and too many things pulling me in too many different directions. Definately a stop the world I want to get off day.
Somebody forgot to turn off my treadmill. I'm sitting still but my brain is still feeling behind...
Hopefully tomorrow will give me a chance to catch up on my rest and relaxation. I don't have to be any where until 7 pm!
I'm going to bed now. So glad that this day is over.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Snow on the mountain yesterday morning!
We woke up to snow on the mountain Sunday morning. It really highlighted the areas that had burned. It looks like a blanket of white with burnt sticks sticking up through the white.
Today I worked on the laundry: sheets, towels and clothes. I also worked on the pink bedroom. It's getting closer to be being done, but I still have a long way to go.
I'm kinda feeling down in the dumps today. Not sure why, but I just feel a little blue today.
Dan was supposed to go to Denver this week, but now he doesn't have to, so I'm relieved that he'll be close to home for me.
I'm cooking supper again for the discipleship class. Dan is going to take it in for me as I have to leave for town about 3pm for skating. So, Dan will bring the food in to the church for me a little after 6pm. I'll meet him at the church when I get done with skating and then I'll set up the food.
I hope I feel better tomorrow...
We woke up to snow on the mountain Sunday morning. It really highlighted the areas that had burned. It looks like a blanket of white with burnt sticks sticking up through the white.
Today I worked on the laundry: sheets, towels and clothes. I also worked on the pink bedroom. It's getting closer to be being done, but I still have a long way to go.
I'm kinda feeling down in the dumps today. Not sure why, but I just feel a little blue today.
Dan was supposed to go to Denver this week, but now he doesn't have to, so I'm relieved that he'll be close to home for me.
I'm cooking supper again for the discipleship class. Dan is going to take it in for me as I have to leave for town about 3pm for skating. So, Dan will bring the food in to the church for me a little after 6pm. I'll meet him at the church when I get done with skating and then I'll set up the food.
I hope I feel better tomorrow...
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Fall Weather is closing in on us!
It is chilly outside. The heat even came on this morning so I had to run around closing windows and taking out window fans. Now, if I can just get Dan to find time to take the swamp cooler out!
This week is still hectic. Church was great last night. I have skating today and then I can come home for a little rest. Dan was gone first things this morning for a Men's breakfast at 7:30 am.
I'm getting ready to leave shortly to head for the rink. The house is a mess, I hope when things settle down I feel well enough to finish some cleaning projects and get some started.
Dan's sister, Nancy, found me some of my caffeine free coco and sent it to me, so now with this cold weather I am sittin' pretty and toasty warm!
The hornets appear to be totally gone. If I think about I will take a picture of that impressive hole. I never even new hornets would go in the ground and build nests!
I've been so amazed at the sudden rapid growth of businesses and housing and traffic to go along with it. Casper isn't the quiet little town anymore. Good Grief, I find myself planning alternate routes going home at 5pm so I'm not stuck in traffic, never use to happen!
Just in the last few months we have gotten or in the process of building: Petco, Staples, Office Depot (we've had an Office Max for years), Fire Rock Grill, Johnny J's Diner, Starbuck's, our second Walmart, possibly a Menards (they want to build next to our Home Depot), and several new banks and credit unions. (I'm always joking that Casper now has more banks/credit unions than it has bars.) They are building new roads, larger roads and adding more and more traffic lights. At this rate we'll not have any traffic flow as Casper is notorious for not synchronizing their traffic lights. I always liked that about Bloomington and Pekin, once you hit a green light, you could generally flow through each block as the lights would continue to change to green, hence you have traffic flow.
This week a Missionary to Alaska, that our church supports, was here visiting for our Missions Conference. One of his goals is to add a boat ministry. There are so many small fishing towns, logging towns and etc that are only accessable by plane or boat. Dan and I thought that was soooo cool. The guy did mention that one had to be careful when visiting those logging camps and other camp communities as often people are in those out-of-the-way places for only one reason, they are hiding out from the law...
Time to go skate!
It is chilly outside. The heat even came on this morning so I had to run around closing windows and taking out window fans. Now, if I can just get Dan to find time to take the swamp cooler out!
This week is still hectic. Church was great last night. I have skating today and then I can come home for a little rest. Dan was gone first things this morning for a Men's breakfast at 7:30 am.
I'm getting ready to leave shortly to head for the rink. The house is a mess, I hope when things settle down I feel well enough to finish some cleaning projects and get some started.
Dan's sister, Nancy, found me some of my caffeine free coco and sent it to me, so now with this cold weather I am sittin' pretty and toasty warm!
The hornets appear to be totally gone. If I think about I will take a picture of that impressive hole. I never even new hornets would go in the ground and build nests!
I've been so amazed at the sudden rapid growth of businesses and housing and traffic to go along with it. Casper isn't the quiet little town anymore. Good Grief, I find myself planning alternate routes going home at 5pm so I'm not stuck in traffic, never use to happen!
Just in the last few months we have gotten or in the process of building: Petco, Staples, Office Depot (we've had an Office Max for years), Fire Rock Grill, Johnny J's Diner, Starbuck's, our second Walmart, possibly a Menards (they want to build next to our Home Depot), and several new banks and credit unions. (I'm always joking that Casper now has more banks/credit unions than it has bars.) They are building new roads, larger roads and adding more and more traffic lights. At this rate we'll not have any traffic flow as Casper is notorious for not synchronizing their traffic lights. I always liked that about Bloomington and Pekin, once you hit a green light, you could generally flow through each block as the lights would continue to change to green, hence you have traffic flow.
This week a Missionary to Alaska, that our church supports, was here visiting for our Missions Conference. One of his goals is to add a boat ministry. There are so many small fishing towns, logging towns and etc that are only accessable by plane or boat. Dan and I thought that was soooo cool. The guy did mention that one had to be careful when visiting those logging camps and other camp communities as often people are in those out-of-the-way places for only one reason, they are hiding out from the law...
Time to go skate!
Friday, September 15, 2006
Hornet Update!
Well after having Ozzie get stung two more times, I finally convinced Dan that his raid hornet spray was not working (he had went through almost the whole bottle). He would sit on the porch and watch the entrance with his spotting scope and he said it was a really, really busy hole.
Finally, would you just know it, Dan admitted that a friend of his was a Terminex guy. So, he gave him a call and explained the situation. The bug guy figured that the hornets had made a huge paper nest under the ground and no amount of raid could possibly get down to the "queen". He said he would be out at 7 AM to catch the hornets before they started moving around. (That was yesterday)
After the guy got out here and took a look at the size of hole that we had, he said there were probably 2-3 of those huge paper nests with at least two queens. He had this big long wand attached to a back pack of bug spray and just jammed it down and around inside the hole. He really saturated them. Said if there were any flying around still tonight that he would come back.
The upside is that he didn't even charge us for his services! Isn't God good!
I went out last night to check things out and nothing was flying in or out. There were dead hornets laying all over the ground and when you look down that big hole there are a whole bunch of dead one's just filling it up.
So, once again, it is safe to go outdoors!
Dan and I had a busy day yesterday. I had a skating class, Adults and then I went and worked at Interim for a couple of hours and then went back home to feed everybody and then turned around and headed back to town for church. We are having our Missions Conference, so we have two extra services this week.
Dan had a meeting in Gillette, WY so he was gone before I got home from Interim. He got home around 1230-1:00 am.
Neither one of us wanted to get up this morning. All of the kids were on the bed pawing at us to get up and feed them.
Well, I have to run into town to teach another skating class and then will work at Interim for as long as I am up to it. Then it is back to church tonight.
Not sure when I'll get a chance to rest up. Saturday classes and private lessons start tomorrow. Whew!
Well after having Ozzie get stung two more times, I finally convinced Dan that his raid hornet spray was not working (he had went through almost the whole bottle). He would sit on the porch and watch the entrance with his spotting scope and he said it was a really, really busy hole.
Finally, would you just know it, Dan admitted that a friend of his was a Terminex guy. So, he gave him a call and explained the situation. The bug guy figured that the hornets had made a huge paper nest under the ground and no amount of raid could possibly get down to the "queen". He said he would be out at 7 AM to catch the hornets before they started moving around. (That was yesterday)
After the guy got out here and took a look at the size of hole that we had, he said there were probably 2-3 of those huge paper nests with at least two queens. He had this big long wand attached to a back pack of bug spray and just jammed it down and around inside the hole. He really saturated them. Said if there were any flying around still tonight that he would come back.
The upside is that he didn't even charge us for his services! Isn't God good!
I went out last night to check things out and nothing was flying in or out. There were dead hornets laying all over the ground and when you look down that big hole there are a whole bunch of dead one's just filling it up.
So, once again, it is safe to go outdoors!
Dan and I had a busy day yesterday. I had a skating class, Adults and then I went and worked at Interim for a couple of hours and then went back home to feed everybody and then turned around and headed back to town for church. We are having our Missions Conference, so we have two extra services this week.
Dan had a meeting in Gillette, WY so he was gone before I got home from Interim. He got home around 1230-1:00 am.
Neither one of us wanted to get up this morning. All of the kids were on the bed pawing at us to get up and feed them.
Well, I have to run into town to teach another skating class and then will work at Interim for as long as I am up to it. Then it is back to church tonight.
Not sure when I'll get a chance to rest up. Saturday classes and private lessons start tomorrow. Whew!
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Busy Day Today and a run in with Hornets yesterday!
Yesterday was my home day. I usually do washing and cleaning. I vacuumed and mopped the floors and did the laundry, but I did not get all the laundry folded-not a big surprise.
Ozzie and I went outside to play some ball. I threw the ball one more time straight out back just past the mulberry tree. Ozzie ran and got it and was pushing it around with his nose when all of the sudden he abandoned the ball and ran away from it. He finally made it back to the patio and kept stopping to lick his leg. He would not go get his ball. I walked out to get his ball and was reaching down to pick it up when, I noticed several bee looking things swarming around his ball, just inches from my hand. Soon, I noticed they were swarming around me as well. I forgot about the ball and ran back to the house. Ozzie and I got in the house and sure enough, he had been stung on the inside of his back leg-there was a huge welt. Dan was home and I told him what happened. He told me to get some ice on Ozzie's leg.
Bless Ozzies little heart, we layed on the floor and he let me hold an ice bag on the inside of his back leg for 20 minutes. As we were laying there I noticed his left eye was runny and starting to swell above the eye. He had been stung on the face too! Poor baby.
Dan went outside to check on the situation. He couldn't even get close to the ball as it was swarming with Yellow Jacket Hornets. Some how the hornets have managed to build a nest in the ground and Ozzie's ball rolled right over the opening.
I don't know how I didn't get stung. It was truly a miracle.
Ozzie is doing well. He didn't even yelp when the hornets stung him.
Today was the day the official skating season started. I had to leave the house at 9:30AM in order to get to the rink in time for my class. There was only one signed up, so they will probably cancel the class. So, I finished up at the rink at 11 and then headed back home.
I volunteered to bring a meal into the kick off of the the discipleship class at church tonight. So, I had to get started on that when I came home. I had to take a nap about 1/2 way through the process.
At 4:30 it was time to head back into town for my 5:00 Power Skating Class. There are now a whopping 4 people in the class, so I guess they will probably run it.
After class I ran to the grocery store to pick up some salad stuff and then went to church to set up and warm up the supper.
So, now I'm finally back home and tired.
I don't have the church bulletin done yet. I usually try to have the proof ready for Pastor by Wednesday night service. I don't skate on Wednesday's so, I'll get it finished up tomorrow during the day.
Well, it is off to bed.
Yesterday was my home day. I usually do washing and cleaning. I vacuumed and mopped the floors and did the laundry, but I did not get all the laundry folded-not a big surprise.
Ozzie and I went outside to play some ball. I threw the ball one more time straight out back just past the mulberry tree. Ozzie ran and got it and was pushing it around with his nose when all of the sudden he abandoned the ball and ran away from it. He finally made it back to the patio and kept stopping to lick his leg. He would not go get his ball. I walked out to get his ball and was reaching down to pick it up when, I noticed several bee looking things swarming around his ball, just inches from my hand. Soon, I noticed they were swarming around me as well. I forgot about the ball and ran back to the house. Ozzie and I got in the house and sure enough, he had been stung on the inside of his back leg-there was a huge welt. Dan was home and I told him what happened. He told me to get some ice on Ozzie's leg.
Bless Ozzies little heart, we layed on the floor and he let me hold an ice bag on the inside of his back leg for 20 minutes. As we were laying there I noticed his left eye was runny and starting to swell above the eye. He had been stung on the face too! Poor baby.
Dan went outside to check on the situation. He couldn't even get close to the ball as it was swarming with Yellow Jacket Hornets. Some how the hornets have managed to build a nest in the ground and Ozzie's ball rolled right over the opening.
I don't know how I didn't get stung. It was truly a miracle.
Ozzie is doing well. He didn't even yelp when the hornets stung him.
Today was the day the official skating season started. I had to leave the house at 9:30AM in order to get to the rink in time for my class. There was only one signed up, so they will probably cancel the class. So, I finished up at the rink at 11 and then headed back home.
I volunteered to bring a meal into the kick off of the the discipleship class at church tonight. So, I had to get started on that when I came home. I had to take a nap about 1/2 way through the process.
At 4:30 it was time to head back into town for my 5:00 Power Skating Class. There are now a whopping 4 people in the class, so I guess they will probably run it.
After class I ran to the grocery store to pick up some salad stuff and then went to church to set up and warm up the supper.
So, now I'm finally back home and tired.
I don't have the church bulletin done yet. I usually try to have the proof ready for Pastor by Wednesday night service. I don't skate on Wednesday's so, I'll get it finished up tomorrow during the day.
Well, it is off to bed.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Fighting a flare up this week.
Keeping busy, but not feeling so hot. While I've been able to keep my blood pressure at a pretty good spot, overall I'm feeling that underlying fatigue and yesterday afternoon I started having some of that old chest pain. I didn't make it to church last night because of it. When Dan got home my face was all flushed. Bizarre.
I did make it to Interim today and managed to get some work done before heading home.
Tonight I ran out of black ink and needed to finish up the bulletins for church. So, I headed off to the new Walmart. It was very exciting to just be able to run up the road instead of 30 minutes across town. I checked the mileage, and I live just 2.5 miles from our new Walmart. It's all very exciting. I was actually home and back in less than 20 minutes!!
We are still a little smokey here, but the smell isn't so bad. Dan is doing much, much better. We had a couple of nice rains last week so that really helped.
I'm so shocked and sad that the Crocadile Hunter, Steve Irwin died so suddenly from the Sting Ray. I was touched at the many different tv programs and snippets that have been going on. It is very heart wrenching. It just doesn't seem possible. At least he died doing what he loved.
Keeping busy, but not feeling so hot. While I've been able to keep my blood pressure at a pretty good spot, overall I'm feeling that underlying fatigue and yesterday afternoon I started having some of that old chest pain. I didn't make it to church last night because of it. When Dan got home my face was all flushed. Bizarre.
I did make it to Interim today and managed to get some work done before heading home.
Tonight I ran out of black ink and needed to finish up the bulletins for church. So, I headed off to the new Walmart. It was very exciting to just be able to run up the road instead of 30 minutes across town. I checked the mileage, and I live just 2.5 miles from our new Walmart. It's all very exciting. I was actually home and back in less than 20 minutes!!
We are still a little smokey here, but the smell isn't so bad. Dan is doing much, much better. We had a couple of nice rains last week so that really helped.
I'm so shocked and sad that the Crocadile Hunter, Steve Irwin died so suddenly from the Sting Ray. I was touched at the many different tv programs and snippets that have been going on. It is very heart wrenching. It just doesn't seem possible. At least he died doing what he loved.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
It really cooled off here on Wednesday and got even cooler last night. Dipping into the 30's. I'm not sure if I'm ready for winter yet. The cats aren't either. They were both on the bed last night. Max under the covers and Shi up against my feet. Very unusual for me to have both cats. But, since Dan is out-of-town, I guess they felt I would have to do.
While I'm feeling better I'm still so tired underneath everything. I don't know how to explain it, other than maybe my fatigue is back but on a smaller scale. It just seems like I have to force myself to do everything because I'm tired. I'm dragging and it's very frustrating.
The fog is really rolling in this morning. Feels like London! It will burn off when the sun comes up.
I don't have skating today, but I still need to go into town and pick up some brochures at Copy Max (Office Max) and then I really need a couple of dresses or skirts. Somehow, in the process of getting rid of clothes that no longer fit or that I no longer wear, I have left myself with a small handful of skirts and no shirts to go with them or shirts with no skirts to go with them. Oh well.
The problem is, I could care less about shopping right now. I'm so tired. But, I know come Sunday morning I'm gonna wish I had something to wear.
While I'm feeling better I'm still so tired underneath everything. I don't know how to explain it, other than maybe my fatigue is back but on a smaller scale. It just seems like I have to force myself to do everything because I'm tired. I'm dragging and it's very frustrating.
The fog is really rolling in this morning. Feels like London! It will burn off when the sun comes up.
I don't have skating today, but I still need to go into town and pick up some brochures at Copy Max (Office Max) and then I really need a couple of dresses or skirts. Somehow, in the process of getting rid of clothes that no longer fit or that I no longer wear, I have left myself with a small handful of skirts and no shirts to go with them or shirts with no skirts to go with them. Oh well.
The problem is, I could care less about shopping right now. I'm so tired. But, I know come Sunday morning I'm gonna wish I had something to wear.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Well, it has been a rough couple of weeks. My blood pressure has been soooo low both in the morning and at night. It is very unusual for me to have low blood pressure at night. My blood pressure yesterday and today has been much, much better. I'm even going to try and go into work today.
I have been really, really busy with a new project that I'm working on for the church. Starting with this Sunday, I am taking over doing the Bulletins. We are totally changing the format, paper, etc. So, I basically started from scratch as far as designs, clip art, fonts, etc, etc.
It also looks like I will be doing any special flyers, handouts, etc. for special events. We have a big Missions Conference coming up and the Pastor wanted a flyer describing the event, listing the schedule and with pictures of all the current missionaries that we support. That has been interesting to design! I'm almost done with that. I just need to buy the glossy paper today!
BIG NEWS BIG NEWS! Our new Walmart opened yesterday! I can't believe, groceries are so close to us. Now we don't have to drive 1/2 an hour to the other side of town for groceries and cat/dog food. The only bad thing is that now they have added an extra traffic light on the highway and it's not even a block from a main intersection that already has a traffic light. DUH!
Other big news is that Dan's Son, Jim accepted the Lord this morning! It is something that we have really been praying about. Dan went down for a big regional business meeting in Monument Colorado where Jim met him and then he followed Jim back to his house last night where he spent the night. They have so many appointments set up that Dan won't be back until Friday night. Which, I had planned on that, but Dan always thinks he can squeeze more hours out of the day than anyone else!
Well, I've got a list of things to do in town today, so I better hit the shower so my hair can be drying. (Not living in a humid climate I can actually air dry my hair, plus blow drying makes my hair 3-4 times it's size and that is NOT a pretty sight.)
Tomorrow I will be busy printing up the church bulletins.
I have been really, really busy with a new project that I'm working on for the church. Starting with this Sunday, I am taking over doing the Bulletins. We are totally changing the format, paper, etc. So, I basically started from scratch as far as designs, clip art, fonts, etc, etc.
It also looks like I will be doing any special flyers, handouts, etc. for special events. We have a big Missions Conference coming up and the Pastor wanted a flyer describing the event, listing the schedule and with pictures of all the current missionaries that we support. That has been interesting to design! I'm almost done with that. I just need to buy the glossy paper today!
BIG NEWS BIG NEWS! Our new Walmart opened yesterday! I can't believe, groceries are so close to us. Now we don't have to drive 1/2 an hour to the other side of town for groceries and cat/dog food. The only bad thing is that now they have added an extra traffic light on the highway and it's not even a block from a main intersection that already has a traffic light. DUH!
Other big news is that Dan's Son, Jim accepted the Lord this morning! It is something that we have really been praying about. Dan went down for a big regional business meeting in Monument Colorado where Jim met him and then he followed Jim back to his house last night where he spent the night. They have so many appointments set up that Dan won't be back until Friday night. Which, I had planned on that, but Dan always thinks he can squeeze more hours out of the day than anyone else!
Well, I've got a list of things to do in town today, so I better hit the shower so my hair can be drying. (Not living in a humid climate I can actually air dry my hair, plus blow drying makes my hair 3-4 times it's size and that is NOT a pretty sight.)
Tomorrow I will be busy printing up the church bulletins.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Monday means trying to get back to normal
Yesterday we had Hawaiian Day at church complete with a barbeque at Washington Park. It was fun, yet exhausting. I didn't make it back for evening church as I was sound asleep.
Today I've been busy with washing sheets, towels, clothes, and starting to clean this house. We have fire ash on everything. So, I'm just going slowly but steadily. I fixed home made vegetable chowder for lunch and now I'm tired out. So, much to do. But, I'm going to rest up a little bit and then tackle it again.
Hopefully, we can start getting somethings back to normal this week, but the house is still pretty messy from the hurry and pack routine that we did. Now we are just trying to get everything put back together. Only, my idea is to put it back nicer than how it was, so that does take a little more time.
Yesterday we had Hawaiian Day at church complete with a barbeque at Washington Park. It was fun, yet exhausting. I didn't make it back for evening church as I was sound asleep.
Today I've been busy with washing sheets, towels, clothes, and starting to clean this house. We have fire ash on everything. So, I'm just going slowly but steadily. I fixed home made vegetable chowder for lunch and now I'm tired out. So, much to do. But, I'm going to rest up a little bit and then tackle it again.
Hopefully, we can start getting somethings back to normal this week, but the house is still pretty messy from the hurry and pack routine that we did. Now we are just trying to get everything put back together. Only, my idea is to put it back nicer than how it was, so that does take a little more time.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
How we are doing.
What a relief to have all evacuations cancelled and everyone can return to their homes. Other than a black charred mountain, we are pretty much back to normal. Most of the smoke odor is gone except for an occasional wiff when the wind changes.
It is pretty devastating to look at how much of our beautiful mountain is burned. The skyline is changed dramatically. In our life time we will never see the mountain as it once was. It takes forrests 50-75 years to regrow.
Dan and I are still quite tired. The smoke and the stress didn't help either one of us. Ozzie seems better today, but he too is catching "cat naps" every chance he gets.
I've been requiring long nights of sleep and long naps every afternoon, but that's okay. I know that it is just temporary. While my new medicine has made a huge improvement, it still gets "over-ridden" by stressful situations and over busy schedules. But, when I behave myself and life stays under control (ha ha). The medicine works great.
What a relief to have all evacuations cancelled and everyone can return to their homes. Other than a black charred mountain, we are pretty much back to normal. Most of the smoke odor is gone except for an occasional wiff when the wind changes.
It is pretty devastating to look at how much of our beautiful mountain is burned. The skyline is changed dramatically. In our life time we will never see the mountain as it once was. It takes forrests 50-75 years to regrow.
Dan and I are still quite tired. The smoke and the stress didn't help either one of us. Ozzie seems better today, but he too is catching "cat naps" every chance he gets.
I've been requiring long nights of sleep and long naps every afternoon, but that's okay. I know that it is just temporary. While my new medicine has made a huge improvement, it still gets "over-ridden" by stressful situations and over busy schedules. But, when I behave myself and life stays under control (ha ha). The medicine works great.
All Evacuations have now been lifted!! Yeah!
Sunday Evening Update:
All Evacuations have now been lifted!! All residents can now return to thier homes.
Non-residents are asked to stay out of these areas for the time being.
When you are traveling home, please drive carefully. There will be heavy traffic on these roads, both from returning residents, fire fighting vehicles, and firefighters who are traveling on foot. Please pull over and give the right of way to fire fighting vehicles, regardless of whether they are traveling with lights and sirens on.
What you should do upon returning to your home:
Inspect the outside of your home for damage. Look for burned areas, and make sure that the structural integrity of your home is intact before entering.
Check propane tanks for fire damage. If a propane tank appears damaged, have it inspected before using it.
Check electrical boxes for fire damage, and look for damaged wires and plugs. If the breaker switch is off, go ahead and turn it on, but if it shuts itself off again, have it inspected by an electrician.
Check well heads. If they are damaged, have the water tested before drinking it.
People who are returning to their homes should watch out for several major hazards:
Hot spots. The fire can still be burning even when there are no flames to be seen. Forests have deep mats of pine needles that are often mistaken for dirt. Flames can smolder in these pockets for weeks afterward, occasionally igniting logs, trees, and bushes on the surface. Fire crews will continue to look for these hot spots with thermal imagery equipment. Once found, they can be dug up and extinguished, but it is unlikely that these hotspots will be fully extinguished until after the first heavy snowfall.
Ash Pits. Stumps can burn into large ash pits. What looks like a small patch of ash might be a soft pit that is several feet deep. These pits remain hot for days after the fire is out, and they are especially dangerous for children and animals.
Watch for dust, loose soil, and rocks. The fire and the water drops will have dislodged a great deal soil. Be wary while walking or driving.
Sharp stabs (pongee stakes). The fire can leave sharp, jagged branches and stumps. People who walk in this area should wear sturdy shoes and gloves.
Partially burned trees. Many partially burned trees will fall in the coming days.
Law enforcement will still be patroling the fire areas. Non-residents are discouraged from entering the fire areas.
General Fire Information:
The fire is now 95% contained. The fire has not grown in size for several days. The Federal Interagency Team has started to demob and release resources. They will keep as many fire fighters and as much equipment as is needed to continue the scaled down operation.
Fire crews will be working toward full containment in the coming days while other fire crews will be eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days.
Due to hotspots and residual heat, trees and surface fuels will continue to ignite in the coming weeks, especially when the wind blows. Residents in the affected areas will likely see smoke and flame for weeks to come. If you spot flames or smoke on the edge of the fire zone, contact the Natrona County Fire Protection District immediately. But if you see flames or smoke in the interior of the the fire zone, please take note of it,and keep an eye on it. This sort of occurence is normal. If you are concerned about any fire activity call the fire department and they will investigate it.
Sunday Evening Update:
All Evacuations have now been lifted!! All residents can now return to thier homes.
Non-residents are asked to stay out of these areas for the time being.
When you are traveling home, please drive carefully. There will be heavy traffic on these roads, both from returning residents, fire fighting vehicles, and firefighters who are traveling on foot. Please pull over and give the right of way to fire fighting vehicles, regardless of whether they are traveling with lights and sirens on.
What you should do upon returning to your home:
Inspect the outside of your home for damage. Look for burned areas, and make sure that the structural integrity of your home is intact before entering.
Check propane tanks for fire damage. If a propane tank appears damaged, have it inspected before using it.
Check electrical boxes for fire damage, and look for damaged wires and plugs. If the breaker switch is off, go ahead and turn it on, but if it shuts itself off again, have it inspected by an electrician.
Check well heads. If they are damaged, have the water tested before drinking it.
People who are returning to their homes should watch out for several major hazards:
Hot spots. The fire can still be burning even when there are no flames to be seen. Forests have deep mats of pine needles that are often mistaken for dirt. Flames can smolder in these pockets for weeks afterward, occasionally igniting logs, trees, and bushes on the surface. Fire crews will continue to look for these hot spots with thermal imagery equipment. Once found, they can be dug up and extinguished, but it is unlikely that these hotspots will be fully extinguished until after the first heavy snowfall.
Ash Pits. Stumps can burn into large ash pits. What looks like a small patch of ash might be a soft pit that is several feet deep. These pits remain hot for days after the fire is out, and they are especially dangerous for children and animals.
Watch for dust, loose soil, and rocks. The fire and the water drops will have dislodged a great deal soil. Be wary while walking or driving.
Sharp stabs (pongee stakes). The fire can leave sharp, jagged branches and stumps. People who walk in this area should wear sturdy shoes and gloves.
Partially burned trees. Many partially burned trees will fall in the coming days.
Law enforcement will still be patroling the fire areas. Non-residents are discouraged from entering the fire areas.
General Fire Information:
The fire is now 95% contained. The fire has not grown in size for several days. The Federal Interagency Team has started to demob and release resources. They will keep as many fire fighters and as much equipment as is needed to continue the scaled down operation.
Fire crews will be working toward full containment in the coming days while other fire crews will be eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days.
Due to hotspots and residual heat, trees and surface fuels will continue to ignite in the coming weeks, especially when the wind blows. Residents in the affected areas will likely see smoke and flame for weeks to come. If you spot flames or smoke on the edge of the fire zone, contact the Natrona County Fire Protection District immediately. But if you see flames or smoke in the interior of the the fire zone, please take note of it,and keep an eye on it. This sort of occurence is normal. If you are concerned about any fire activity call the fire department and they will investigate it.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Good News on the Fire Front!
Saturday Evening Update:
Evacuations have now been lifted for:
Garden Creek
Casper Mountain Road up to but not including Hogadon Road
The only roadblocks now in place are on Casper Mountain Road, just the north of its juncture with Hogadon Road.
The aftermath of forest fires can be very dangerous, so people returning to their homes are advised to use extreme caution. Several major hazards should be looked for.
Hot spots. The fire can still be burning even when there are no flames to be seen. Forests have deep mats of pine needles that are often mistaken for dirt. Flames can smolder in these pockets for weeks afterward, occasionally igniting logs trees and bushes on the surface. Fire crews will continue to look for these hot spots with thermal imagery equipment. Once found, they can be dug up and extinguished, but it is unlikely that these hotspots will be fully extinguished until after the first heavy snowfall.
Ash Pits.
Check propane tanks and electrical boxes.
Check well heads. If they are damaged, have the water inspected before drinking it.
Watch for sharp sticks, dust, and loose soil and rocks.
The fire is now 85% contained. No significant setbacks have been reported. Fire crews have been focusing on the southeastern end of the fire today, which remains hot and active. Other fire crews are eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days.
Saturday Evening Update:
Evacuations have now been lifted for:
Garden Creek
Casper Mountain Road up to but not including Hogadon Road
The only roadblocks now in place are on Casper Mountain Road, just the north of its juncture with Hogadon Road.
The aftermath of forest fires can be very dangerous, so people returning to their homes are advised to use extreme caution. Several major hazards should be looked for.
Hot spots. The fire can still be burning even when there are no flames to be seen. Forests have deep mats of pine needles that are often mistaken for dirt. Flames can smolder in these pockets for weeks afterward, occasionally igniting logs trees and bushes on the surface. Fire crews will continue to look for these hot spots with thermal imagery equipment. Once found, they can be dug up and extinguished, but it is unlikely that these hotspots will be fully extinguished until after the first heavy snowfall.
Ash Pits.
Check propane tanks and electrical boxes.
Check well heads. If they are damaged, have the water inspected before drinking it.
Watch for sharp sticks, dust, and loose soil and rocks.
The fire is now 85% contained. No significant setbacks have been reported. Fire crews have been focusing on the southeastern end of the fire today, which remains hot and active. Other fire crews are eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days.
August 19, 2006 Noon Fire Update
Saturday Noon Update:
Significant, steady progress is being made. No significant setbacks have been reported. Fire crews have been focusing on the southeastern end of the fire today, which remains hot and active. Other fire crews are eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days.
Fire crews made great progress on the fire yesterday. The fire is now 70% contained and did not grow in size yesterday. Fire fighting efforts consisted of line construction and reenforcement of existing fire lines. Additional fire engines arrived yesterday allowing local fire companies to return to their stations for much needed rest.
The evacuation order for the Elkhorn Subdivision was recinded last night, but the evacuation orders for Casper Mountain Road and Garden Creek remain in place at this time. The Elkhorn Subdivision can be roughly described as the houses along the West Fork Road, a small road that runs east from Casper Mountain Road along the base of the mountain. Non-residents are asked to stay out of this area for the time being.
Goose Egg Road, the Elkhorn Subdivision, and the subdivisions that line the southern edge of Highway 220 have been re-opened to residents only. Residents may return to their homes, but all non-essential people are asked to remain out of the area for the time being.
Current List of Structures Burned:
A total of ten structures have now been confirmed lost by the fire. They are:
Five cabins on Casper Mountain
Two cabins in the Goose Egg area
Two outbuildings on Casper Mountain
One barn on Coates Road.
All owners of the structures involved in the fire have been notified.
General Fire Information:
Fire fighters were able to hold the fire to the fire lines yesterday, resulting in no expansion of the fire zone. The high humidity on the mountain has been helping immensely with the fire fighting effort. Only one injury (a twisted knee) has been reported thus far.
The additional resources have allowed the release of local fire crews. 566 firefighters were on site as of yesterday.
Fire crews plan to continue focusing on the southeastern end of the fire today, which remains very active. Other fire crews will be eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days
Saturday Noon Update:
Significant, steady progress is being made. No significant setbacks have been reported. Fire crews have been focusing on the southeastern end of the fire today, which remains hot and active. Other fire crews are eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days.
Fire crews made great progress on the fire yesterday. The fire is now 70% contained and did not grow in size yesterday. Fire fighting efforts consisted of line construction and reenforcement of existing fire lines. Additional fire engines arrived yesterday allowing local fire companies to return to their stations for much needed rest.
The evacuation order for the Elkhorn Subdivision was recinded last night, but the evacuation orders for Casper Mountain Road and Garden Creek remain in place at this time. The Elkhorn Subdivision can be roughly described as the houses along the West Fork Road, a small road that runs east from Casper Mountain Road along the base of the mountain. Non-residents are asked to stay out of this area for the time being.
Goose Egg Road, the Elkhorn Subdivision, and the subdivisions that line the southern edge of Highway 220 have been re-opened to residents only. Residents may return to their homes, but all non-essential people are asked to remain out of the area for the time being.
Current List of Structures Burned:
A total of ten structures have now been confirmed lost by the fire. They are:
Five cabins on Casper Mountain
Two cabins in the Goose Egg area
Two outbuildings on Casper Mountain
One barn on Coates Road.
All owners of the structures involved in the fire have been notified.
General Fire Information:
Fire fighters were able to hold the fire to the fire lines yesterday, resulting in no expansion of the fire zone. The high humidity on the mountain has been helping immensely with the fire fighting effort. Only one injury (a twisted knee) has been reported thus far.
The additional resources have allowed the release of local fire crews. 566 firefighters were on site as of yesterday.
Fire crews plan to continue focusing on the southeastern end of the fire today, which remains very active. Other fire crews will be eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days
Friday, August 18, 2006
Links to Fire Photos Taken by Fire Fighters
Today has not been too bad. Helicopters continue to fly over and we are only getting an occassional wiff of smoke. We have been unpacking and reorganizing our lives.
Jackson Canyon Fire Update
Friday, August 18, 2006
updated 2:45 PM
Fire Photos
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5
Photo 6
Photo 7
Photo 8
Photo 9
Friday Afternoon Update:
Updated List of Structures Burned:
A total of ten structures have now been confirmed lost by the fire. They are:
Five cabins on Casper Mountain
Two cabins in the Goose Egg area
Two outbuildings on Casper Mountain
One barn on Coates Road.
Most of the owners have been notified by Fire Cheif Mark Young, but some of the owners have not yet been contacted.
The latest figures remain 11,765 acres and 50% containment. The fire remains active, especially on its eastern fronts. 435 firefighters were fighting the fire yesterday, and an estimated 600 firefighters should be on the scene today.
General Fire Information:
Fire fighters were able to hold the fire to the fire lines yesterday, resulting in only a very minor expansion of the fire zone. The high humidity on the mountain has been helping immensely with the fire fighting effort. Only one injury (a twisted knee) has been reported thus far.
Additional personnel and equipment continues to arrive on site. 435 firefighters were on site as of yesterday, and that number is expected to rise to 600 by the end of today.
Today has not been too bad. Helicopters continue to fly over and we are only getting an occassional wiff of smoke. We have been unpacking and reorganizing our lives.
Jackson Canyon Fire Update
Friday, August 18, 2006
updated 2:45 PM
Fire Photos
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5
Photo 6
Photo 7
Photo 8
Photo 9
Friday Afternoon Update:
Updated List of Structures Burned:
A total of ten structures have now been confirmed lost by the fire. They are:
Five cabins on Casper Mountain
Two cabins in the Goose Egg area
Two outbuildings on Casper Mountain
One barn on Coates Road.
Most of the owners have been notified by Fire Cheif Mark Young, but some of the owners have not yet been contacted.
The latest figures remain 11,765 acres and 50% containment. The fire remains active, especially on its eastern fronts. 435 firefighters were fighting the fire yesterday, and an estimated 600 firefighters should be on the scene today.
General Fire Information:
Fire fighters were able to hold the fire to the fire lines yesterday, resulting in only a very minor expansion of the fire zone. The high humidity on the mountain has been helping immensely with the fire fighting effort. Only one injury (a twisted knee) has been reported thus far.
Additional personnel and equipment continues to arrive on site. 435 firefighters were on site as of yesterday, and that number is expected to rise to 600 by the end of today.
Fire Updates For Friday and What we did on Thursday
Yesterday we were so very tired. We went on the ridge behind our subdivision to check things out. There is a lot of smoke to the East of us and some whisps of smoke to the West of us on the mountain face. The fire looks pretty well out behind us.
We headed west on past our house on the Hwy to check out the remnants of the Goose Egg Fire and to see where it had jumped the road. It was incredible to see the huge stretch of highway that the fire had just jumped over and started burning on the other side of the road. It burned about 5-10 acres before they got it out. There were homes in that canyon area with no way out as there only road out was engulfed in flame. Another house on the side of the highway you can see where the fireman had fought hard to save the house. The lines of the fire went right up to their Propane Gas Tank. and on around the house. Incredible things these fireman are pulling off to save these homes!!
Another friend of mine who lives two roads to the East of us had the fire encircle her house. She has a split rail fence that leans up against garage and the fire burned the split rail fence but not the garage. Amazing those fire fighters are willing to do to save these houses!
Dan and I drove on around to the backside of Cole Mountain to see the fire burning on the back side of Casper Mountain. There is quite a bit of fire back there and they were busy working it with helicopters and a big ol' slurry bomber. It is really interesting watching how the slurry bomber works. He has a much smaller spotter plane that flies through and around the fire area, then he calls in the route for the big bomber to fly into. Quite an operation.
Yesterday while our west end had quieted down they were fighting the fire furiously to save the homes on Garden Creek. One of our ice skating instructors lives in that area. She evacuated their belongings and them except for her husband. He was staying behind to wet the home down and try to save it. The fire was about 600 yards from their home when she left.
One of the most ironic stories of our fire has been the fact that Motel 6 who always advertises that they'll leave the light on has refused to accept Red Cross vouchers for the evacuees. They are turning away evacuees unless they want to pay up front. Apparently the Red Cross on the national level owes the National Motel 6 chain money. Bad for the evacuees.
Ozzie and I went to bed early last night we were just exhausted from no sleep on Wednesday night. Last night also brought us a break from the smoke, especially after 3AM. Wednesday night, by far, was the worst night for all of us. While we safe from immediate danger, the fire raging on Goose Egg and a change in the wind brought the smoke right down on our subdivision and just hung there. We were so miserable and even Ozzie started acting sick. So, it was long on night and smoke yet short on sleep.
Today, Friday morning is almost pleasant. While there is still a definate haze of smoke in the air our immediate area is clear to breath.
Here is an excerpt from the daily fire updates by the City of Casper: (Oh, the official name for this fire by the feds is the Jackson Canyon Fire -All of us call it the Casper Mountain Fire)
Jackson Canyon Fire Update
Friday, August 18, 2006
updated 8:30 AM
Friday Morning Update:
As of 7:30 AM, Friday, several evacuations have been recinded. The only areas that remain evacuated at this time are:
Casper Mountain Road
Garden Creek
Elkhorn Subdivision
Although significant progress has been made against the fire, all residents are advised to continue looking for updates from the media.
Goose Egg Road and the subdivisions that line the southern edge of Highway 220 have been re-opened to residents only. Residents may return to their homes, but all non-essential people are asked to remain out of the area for the time being.
Firefighters were able to hold the line despite the high winds that were generated by yesterday's storm. The humidity on the mountain is now very high, and this has been helping the firefighting efforts. Fire crews expect to make significant progress against the fire throughout the day.
The latest figures remain 11,765 acres and 50% containment. The fire remains active, especially on its eastern fronts. 435 firefighters were fighting the fire yesterday, and an estimated 600 firefighters should be on the scene today.
Updated List of Structures Burned:
Four cabins and two small outbuildings were lost in the area of Rigal Road, west of Micro Road. The owners of these structures have been contacted by the Casper Fire Chief.
Two small structures were lost in the Goose Egg subdivision.
A barn was lost in the area of Coates Road.
The United States Post Office will be attempting to deliver mail to all evacuated areas. In those areas where delivery is not possible, the mail will be taken to the Forest Drive post office. Residents can get their mail at that location with a picture ID. Please call 237-8556 for more information on postal service.
Many families have been placed in hotels, but there is now a shortage of available hotel rooms. If more evacuated families come forward for assistance, they will be lodged at the Casper College Administration Building. Please note that the Red Cross will only provide hotel vouchers for individuals who have properly checked in and identified themselves as evacuees.
Additional police patrols are being made in evacuated areas to protect against property damage. No significant criminal activity has been reported at this time.
General Fire Information:
Fire fighters were able to hold the fire to the fire lines yesterday, resulting in only a very minor expansion of the fire zone. The high humidity on the mountain is helping immensely with the fire fighting effort.
Additional personnel and equipment continues to arrive on site. 435 firefighters were on site as of yesterday, and that number is expected to rise to 600 by the end of today.
Governor Freudenthal formally proclaimed a state of emergency within the City of Casper and Natrona County on Tuesday, August 15th. This formal designation has facilitated assistance from various state and federal agencies, including FEMA. Situational control of the fire was taken over by a FEMA Incident Management Team late Monday, and a command center has been established at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. Crews from many jurisdictions, including the City of Casper, are contributing their efforts.
The City of Casper is currently contributing firefighters on site, and public service employees are working to assist with the creation of fire breaks, along with other support as necessary. Citizens are advised to stay away from the affected areas. This fire is still very dangerous and fast moving.
Travelers are advised to stay out of the evacuation areas if at all possible. As an evacuation route and a route for all kinds of emergency personell, it is extemely important that this road remain as free as possible. Motorists who stop for sightseeing or to take photographs will be ticketed by the Highway Patrol.
Yesterday we were so very tired. We went on the ridge behind our subdivision to check things out. There is a lot of smoke to the East of us and some whisps of smoke to the West of us on the mountain face. The fire looks pretty well out behind us.
We headed west on past our house on the Hwy to check out the remnants of the Goose Egg Fire and to see where it had jumped the road. It was incredible to see the huge stretch of highway that the fire had just jumped over and started burning on the other side of the road. It burned about 5-10 acres before they got it out. There were homes in that canyon area with no way out as there only road out was engulfed in flame. Another house on the side of the highway you can see where the fireman had fought hard to save the house. The lines of the fire went right up to their Propane Gas Tank. and on around the house. Incredible things these fireman are pulling off to save these homes!!
Another friend of mine who lives two roads to the East of us had the fire encircle her house. She has a split rail fence that leans up against garage and the fire burned the split rail fence but not the garage. Amazing those fire fighters are willing to do to save these houses!
Dan and I drove on around to the backside of Cole Mountain to see the fire burning on the back side of Casper Mountain. There is quite a bit of fire back there and they were busy working it with helicopters and a big ol' slurry bomber. It is really interesting watching how the slurry bomber works. He has a much smaller spotter plane that flies through and around the fire area, then he calls in the route for the big bomber to fly into. Quite an operation.
Yesterday while our west end had quieted down they were fighting the fire furiously to save the homes on Garden Creek. One of our ice skating instructors lives in that area. She evacuated their belongings and them except for her husband. He was staying behind to wet the home down and try to save it. The fire was about 600 yards from their home when she left.
One of the most ironic stories of our fire has been the fact that Motel 6 who always advertises that they'll leave the light on has refused to accept Red Cross vouchers for the evacuees. They are turning away evacuees unless they want to pay up front. Apparently the Red Cross on the national level owes the National Motel 6 chain money. Bad for the evacuees.
Ozzie and I went to bed early last night we were just exhausted from no sleep on Wednesday night. Last night also brought us a break from the smoke, especially after 3AM. Wednesday night, by far, was the worst night for all of us. While we safe from immediate danger, the fire raging on Goose Egg and a change in the wind brought the smoke right down on our subdivision and just hung there. We were so miserable and even Ozzie started acting sick. So, it was long on night and smoke yet short on sleep.
Today, Friday morning is almost pleasant. While there is still a definate haze of smoke in the air our immediate area is clear to breath.
Here is an excerpt from the daily fire updates by the City of Casper: (Oh, the official name for this fire by the feds is the Jackson Canyon Fire -All of us call it the Casper Mountain Fire)
Jackson Canyon Fire Update
Friday, August 18, 2006
updated 8:30 AM
Friday Morning Update:
As of 7:30 AM, Friday, several evacuations have been recinded. The only areas that remain evacuated at this time are:
Casper Mountain Road
Garden Creek
Elkhorn Subdivision
Although significant progress has been made against the fire, all residents are advised to continue looking for updates from the media.
Goose Egg Road and the subdivisions that line the southern edge of Highway 220 have been re-opened to residents only. Residents may return to their homes, but all non-essential people are asked to remain out of the area for the time being.
Firefighters were able to hold the line despite the high winds that were generated by yesterday's storm. The humidity on the mountain is now very high, and this has been helping the firefighting efforts. Fire crews expect to make significant progress against the fire throughout the day.
The latest figures remain 11,765 acres and 50% containment. The fire remains active, especially on its eastern fronts. 435 firefighters were fighting the fire yesterday, and an estimated 600 firefighters should be on the scene today.
Updated List of Structures Burned:
Four cabins and two small outbuildings were lost in the area of Rigal Road, west of Micro Road. The owners of these structures have been contacted by the Casper Fire Chief.
Two small structures were lost in the Goose Egg subdivision.
A barn was lost in the area of Coates Road.
The United States Post Office will be attempting to deliver mail to all evacuated areas. In those areas where delivery is not possible, the mail will be taken to the Forest Drive post office. Residents can get their mail at that location with a picture ID. Please call 237-8556 for more information on postal service.
Many families have been placed in hotels, but there is now a shortage of available hotel rooms. If more evacuated families come forward for assistance, they will be lodged at the Casper College Administration Building. Please note that the Red Cross will only provide hotel vouchers for individuals who have properly checked in and identified themselves as evacuees.
Additional police patrols are being made in evacuated areas to protect against property damage. No significant criminal activity has been reported at this time.
General Fire Information:
Fire fighters were able to hold the fire to the fire lines yesterday, resulting in only a very minor expansion of the fire zone. The high humidity on the mountain is helping immensely with the fire fighting effort.
Additional personnel and equipment continues to arrive on site. 435 firefighters were on site as of yesterday, and that number is expected to rise to 600 by the end of today.
Governor Freudenthal formally proclaimed a state of emergency within the City of Casper and Natrona County on Tuesday, August 15th. This formal designation has facilitated assistance from various state and federal agencies, including FEMA. Situational control of the fire was taken over by a FEMA Incident Management Team late Monday, and a command center has been established at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. Crews from many jurisdictions, including the City of Casper, are contributing their efforts.
The City of Casper is currently contributing firefighters on site, and public service employees are working to assist with the creation of fire breaks, along with other support as necessary. Citizens are advised to stay away from the affected areas. This fire is still very dangerous and fast moving.
Travelers are advised to stay out of the evacuation areas if at all possible. As an evacuation route and a route for all kinds of emergency personell, it is extemely important that this road remain as free as possible. Motorists who stop for sightseeing or to take photographs will be ticketed by the Highway Patrol.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
News 13 KCWY Update
News 13 KCWY update:
Casper Mountain Fire Update August 16, 2006
Reported by Associated Press
Shifting winds continue to drive flames through heavy timber on Casper Mountain south of Casper. But firefighters have prevented the loss of homes in several subdivisions there so far. The Jackson Canyon Fire is burning on Casper Mountain, about five miles south of Casper. It spread from a reported eight-thousand acres Wednesday morning (August 16th) up to 96-hundred acres by noon. That's about 15 square miles. A top-level federal fire management team took over control of firefighting efforts Wednesday morning. More fire teams and resources are pouring into the area to help fight the fire. Governor Freudenthal Tuesday declared a state of emergency as the flames moved toward subdivisions that lie in heavy forest. An estimated 300 homes have been evacuated. Wyoming state forester Bill Crapser said shortly after 3 p-m Wednesday that shifting winds were driving the fire and forcing crews to retreat.
Thursday August 17, 2006 - 12:03am (MDT
News 13 KCWY update:
Casper Mountain Fire Update August 16, 2006
Reported by Associated Press
Shifting winds continue to drive flames through heavy timber on Casper Mountain south of Casper. But firefighters have prevented the loss of homes in several subdivisions there so far. The Jackson Canyon Fire is burning on Casper Mountain, about five miles south of Casper. It spread from a reported eight-thousand acres Wednesday morning (August 16th) up to 96-hundred acres by noon. That's about 15 square miles. A top-level federal fire management team took over control of firefighting efforts Wednesday morning. More fire teams and resources are pouring into the area to help fight the fire. Governor Freudenthal Tuesday declared a state of emergency as the flames moved toward subdivisions that lie in heavy forest. An estimated 300 homes have been evacuated. Wyoming state forester Bill Crapser said shortly after 3 p-m Wednesday that shifting winds were driving the fire and forcing crews to retreat.
Thursday August 17, 2006 - 12:03am (MDT
Our fire is listed on the National Fire Information Website and is updated daily. It told me more infor than I have been able to find out from all of our local websites! Short, sweet and to the point. I had been wondering about the Girl Scout Camp too!
JACKSON CANYON: This fire is located six miles south of Casper in Natrona county. Five hundred homes are threatened by this lightning caused fire that started on Aug. 14. Mandatory evacuations of 1,000 buildings has occurred, as well as a Girl Scout Camp. A T-1 team (Muir) has been ordered. Two helicopters, 32 engines, 13 bulldozers and one water tender is at the fire. In addition, heavy air tankers worked the fire yesterday. A total of 119 personnel are assigned: 9,630 acres; 0 % contained
Thursday August 17, 2006 - 01:02am
We are still up and Smokey!
Well, it's midnight and we are all up. Dan is trying to rest but the smoke is really getting to him, even Ozzie is acting strange. My eyes are burning and throat dry. I'm going to try and go to bed shortly. The wind is really blowing everything at us.
Since it is so smokey we can't see that much of the mountain, but we are seeing some glowing to our left and to the right of us.
Apparently after we left our friends house some time not too long after that the fire jumped the Hwy. But, they were able to get it put out. We are not sure if the fire jumped the hwy near their property or not.
It is up to 9600 acres. Only one cabin has been lost, it's a miracle considering how many close calls they have had.
The evacuation map still shows us as being under evacuation and they are still having a police car assigned to our subdivision. (All evacuated subdivisions have a squad car assigned to help prevent looting and vandalism.) The officer we talked to this evening said they are workign 12 hour shifts and there are NO days off until this over with. He was very kind to us and said he was in the neighborhood to protect those of us who live here and to keep everyone else out. We have had some problem with non-Westland Park residents trying to get up to our look out ridge area. One group of kids was up there drinking and partying last night. That officer said to just let them know and people like that would be taken care of immediately. It's nice to know that officers are close just in case.
We are so tired.
Well, it's midnight and we are all up. Dan is trying to rest but the smoke is really getting to him, even Ozzie is acting strange. My eyes are burning and throat dry. I'm going to try and go to bed shortly. The wind is really blowing everything at us.
Since it is so smokey we can't see that much of the mountain, but we are seeing some glowing to our left and to the right of us.
Apparently after we left our friends house some time not too long after that the fire jumped the Hwy. But, they were able to get it put out. We are not sure if the fire jumped the hwy near their property or not.
It is up to 9600 acres. Only one cabin has been lost, it's a miracle considering how many close calls they have had.
The evacuation map still shows us as being under evacuation and they are still having a police car assigned to our subdivision. (All evacuated subdivisions have a squad car assigned to help prevent looting and vandalism.) The officer we talked to this evening said they are workign 12 hour shifts and there are NO days off until this over with. He was very kind to us and said he was in the neighborhood to protect those of us who live here and to keep everyone else out. We have had some problem with non-Westland Park residents trying to get up to our look out ridge area. One group of kids was up there drinking and partying last night. That officer said to just let them know and people like that would be taken care of immediately. It's nice to know that officers are close just in case.
We are so tired.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Excerpt from CST's "BLAZE Blog"
This entry is from the Casper Star Tribune's "Blaze Blog." It is covering a special evacuee meeting that they held tonight:
Lot of info to pass on from the meeting tonight, which featured a Q&A with federal, state, county and nonprofit officials. I’ll start with the two questions I’ve received so far here.
The first, from Mike Hopkins: “I heard the eastern end of the fire is stable, but does that mean containment with breaks and backfires (on the eastern end)?”
Short question, long answer.
The Type 1 Incident Management Team — Type 1 is the highest priority — is now in charge of the fire, and their top man said Wednesday that the fire is divided into four sections. There’s a supervisor on each one, and resources are doled out to them based on priorities. Divisions A is on the north, and Rowdy Muir, the commander, said it’s burning itself out on that side. The west side falls in Division A, and received the most attention today as Blackhawk helicopters dropped buckets over the afternoon flareup that made that side of the mountain look volcanic. Though the fire roared down into the valley and jumped Highway 220, Muir said that crews contained it, and its descent actually will help extinguish it sooner. Division V, on the south side, is reaching low fuel areas and burning itself out. Divisions B and C are the ones nearest the east and west sides of the mountain, and they are receiving highest priorty. Muir said he’s “stolen” helicopters and crews off of other fires throughout the nation to help in Casper. On the east side, near Micro Road, he said that area’s been contained. Residential areas such as Beartrap Road are still several miles away from harm. Hogadon is secure as of this writing. But winds are expected to get strong tonight — he said he’s heard reports of 50 mph — so there’s still concern until the fire’s been 100 percent contained.
The second question, from Linsdsey, is “Have they been able to contain any of the fire yet.”
Yes. Muir said about 30 percent, up from zero Wednesday morning, had been contained. He said about 9,600 acres have burned so far.
(This is part two of the meeting notes:)
At the City Hall meeting tonight, the audience, containing mostly evacuees, had many of them for the officials in charge. There’ll be a story in the paper tomorrow, but no way could I address all the topics on deadline. I’ll delve into some here.
Q: What percent of the fire should be contained before residents can get back on the mountain? From Rowdy Muir, a national respondent in charge of fighting the Jackson Canyon Fire: Let me assure you, that every fire I went on went out. (Laughter, applause.) My best guess, is, and don’t come after like ‘You said.’ If we get the resources that we ordered (that’s additional crews), and they get here, then six days for containment.
He said the fire must be contained not just around the ring it creates, but from the inside as well. He later said 10 days was more reasonable.
Q: When can people get back on the mountain? Muir: We have to secure that Division B and Division C (see “Empty Notebook for explanation of Divisions). That can honestly take a bit.
Q: How is FEMA involved with this fire? From Bill Crasper, Wyoming State Forester: The role of FEMA on fire suppression efforts, is they have a program called a Fire Mitigation Grant. The theory behnd it is to prevent a disaster from happening, so they help financially with suppression efforts with counties and states, so we can call resources, the heavy helicopters the real expensive resources that the county fire distric or state couldn’t afford to do. That’s what mode we’re in now.
Crasper said FEMA will reimburse the state and county 75 percent of elligible costs for fighting the fire.
This entry is from the Casper Star Tribune's "Blaze Blog." It is covering a special evacuee meeting that they held tonight:
Lot of info to pass on from the meeting tonight, which featured a Q&A with federal, state, county and nonprofit officials. I’ll start with the two questions I’ve received so far here.
The first, from Mike Hopkins: “I heard the eastern end of the fire is stable, but does that mean containment with breaks and backfires (on the eastern end)?”
Short question, long answer.
The Type 1 Incident Management Team — Type 1 is the highest priority — is now in charge of the fire, and their top man said Wednesday that the fire is divided into four sections. There’s a supervisor on each one, and resources are doled out to them based on priorities. Divisions A is on the north, and Rowdy Muir, the commander, said it’s burning itself out on that side. The west side falls in Division A, and received the most attention today as Blackhawk helicopters dropped buckets over the afternoon flareup that made that side of the mountain look volcanic. Though the fire roared down into the valley and jumped Highway 220, Muir said that crews contained it, and its descent actually will help extinguish it sooner. Division V, on the south side, is reaching low fuel areas and burning itself out. Divisions B and C are the ones nearest the east and west sides of the mountain, and they are receiving highest priorty. Muir said he’s “stolen” helicopters and crews off of other fires throughout the nation to help in Casper. On the east side, near Micro Road, he said that area’s been contained. Residential areas such as Beartrap Road are still several miles away from harm. Hogadon is secure as of this writing. But winds are expected to get strong tonight — he said he’s heard reports of 50 mph — so there’s still concern until the fire’s been 100 percent contained.
The second question, from Linsdsey, is “Have they been able to contain any of the fire yet.”
Yes. Muir said about 30 percent, up from zero Wednesday morning, had been contained. He said about 9,600 acres have burned so far.
(This is part two of the meeting notes:)
At the City Hall meeting tonight, the audience, containing mostly evacuees, had many of them for the officials in charge. There’ll be a story in the paper tomorrow, but no way could I address all the topics on deadline. I’ll delve into some here.
Q: What percent of the fire should be contained before residents can get back on the mountain? From Rowdy Muir, a national respondent in charge of fighting the Jackson Canyon Fire: Let me assure you, that every fire I went on went out. (Laughter, applause.) My best guess, is, and don’t come after like ‘You said.’ If we get the resources that we ordered (that’s additional crews), and they get here, then six days for containment.
He said the fire must be contained not just around the ring it creates, but from the inside as well. He later said 10 days was more reasonable.
Q: When can people get back on the mountain? Muir: We have to secure that Division B and Division C (see “Empty Notebook for explanation of Divisions). That can honestly take a bit.
Q: How is FEMA involved with this fire? From Bill Crasper, Wyoming State Forester: The role of FEMA on fire suppression efforts, is they have a program called a Fire Mitigation Grant. The theory behnd it is to prevent a disaster from happening, so they help financially with suppression efforts with counties and states, so we can call resources, the heavy helicopters the real expensive resources that the county fire distric or state couldn’t afford to do. That’s what mode we’re in now.
Crasper said FEMA will reimburse the state and county 75 percent of elligible costs for fighting the fire.
WEB CAM Links of Casper
Here are two Casper Web-cam links that I scarfed from another blog.
There are two web cams available. One hosted by Wyoming Medical Center, the other is located on I25 and it is hosted by WyDOT. (The medical center’s camera gives you a better view.)
WMC: https://home.wmcnet.org/services/webcam/ WyDOT: http://www.wyoroad.info/highway/webcameras/Casper.html
Here are two Casper Web-cam links that I scarfed from another blog.
There are two web cams available. One hosted by Wyoming Medical Center, the other is located on I25 and it is hosted by WyDOT. (The medical center’s camera gives you a better view.)
WMC: https://home.wmcnet.org/services/webcam/ WyDOT: http://www.wyoroad.info/highway/webcameras/Casper.html
Better Fire Pictures Than Mine!!
Here is a link to an awesome slide show by the Casper Star Tribune: http://www.casperstartribune.net/slideshow/slideshow_fire_wed/
Here is a link to an awesome slide show by the Casper Star Tribune: http://www.casperstartribune.net/slideshow/slideshow_fire_wed/
We went to the ridge this afternoon and watched a funny looking helicopter with a tube hanging from it suck water from the ponds. It looked pretty cool and I did get some pictures. While we were up there the fire took off running to the west and went around the corner of the mountain and started to run down over to Goose Egg road. Fire trucks were flying up and out of our area and racing down the highway to get to Goose Egg road. They evacuated everybody. We have friends that live just across the highway from the wall of fire. We headed that way right as she called us on the phone. From the front yard of her house you could just see the wall of fire and rolling smoke coming down the end of the mountain. It was unbelievable and scary. I took pictures and will add some to this blog, but most of them I will put in the photo album on yahoo. Please see previous posts for the link.
It was nice to get away from the house for a little bit and get out of the direct line of smoke. Now we are back and the smoke is so heavy that we are both short of breath. Dan pulled his T-shirt up over his nose and it really helped, so he said, I think I have some dust masks. Sure enough, he had two and we put them on. They made such a huge difference. They are even filtering out the smell of the smoke. We know this because we took them off for a second and the smoke was so strong and acrid we didn't know how we had stood to breathe it. The wind has really kicked up.
I've attached the latest news update from the City of Casper. I am also in the process of organizing the pictures, so there will some postings and updates to the album within the hour.
Our neighbor just called and supposedly with the wind coming up the fire directly behind us is flaring up again. Isn't there a country song titled, "It looks like it's gonna be a sleepless night?" (You've got to have a since humor when everything around you is covered in smoke and flames and there are little pieces of 1/2 burnt aspen leaves floating down around you!)
Casper Mountain Fire Update
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
updated 6:55 PM
Evacuation Update :
The Wolf Creek Subdivision has been removed from the evacuation area. Emergency officials have chosen to allow people to re-enter homes in the Wolf Creek Subdivision. Residents of Wolf Creek who choose to return to their homes are still advised to use extreme caution, however, as this remains an area that could be threatened if fire conditions change.
The Goose Egg subdivision south of Highway 220 has been evacuated. The westward progression of the fire has continued throughout the day, and it is now threatening homes in the area of Goose Egg Road. Goose Egg Road has been closed to incoming traffic.
Absolutely no one will be allowed on Garden Creek Road, Goose Egg Road, or on Casper Mountain. These areas are still extremely dangerous.
Other traffic related information:
Wolf Creek Road has been re-opened.
Highway 220 had been reduced to one lane, but has now been re-opened.
Coates Road had been closed due to increased fire activity in that area, but it has now been re-opened. Coates Road is still within the evacuation area, however, and it is strongly recommended that no one travel here unless it is absolutely necessary.
It was nice to get away from the house for a little bit and get out of the direct line of smoke. Now we are back and the smoke is so heavy that we are both short of breath. Dan pulled his T-shirt up over his nose and it really helped, so he said, I think I have some dust masks. Sure enough, he had two and we put them on. They made such a huge difference. They are even filtering out the smell of the smoke. We know this because we took them off for a second and the smoke was so strong and acrid we didn't know how we had stood to breathe it. The wind has really kicked up.
I've attached the latest news update from the City of Casper. I am also in the process of organizing the pictures, so there will some postings and updates to the album within the hour.
Our neighbor just called and supposedly with the wind coming up the fire directly behind us is flaring up again. Isn't there a country song titled, "It looks like it's gonna be a sleepless night?" (You've got to have a since humor when everything around you is covered in smoke and flames and there are little pieces of 1/2 burnt aspen leaves floating down around you!)
Casper Mountain Fire Update
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
updated 6:55 PM
Evacuation Update :
The Wolf Creek Subdivision has been removed from the evacuation area. Emergency officials have chosen to allow people to re-enter homes in the Wolf Creek Subdivision. Residents of Wolf Creek who choose to return to their homes are still advised to use extreme caution, however, as this remains an area that could be threatened if fire conditions change.
The Goose Egg subdivision south of Highway 220 has been evacuated. The westward progression of the fire has continued throughout the day, and it is now threatening homes in the area of Goose Egg Road. Goose Egg Road has been closed to incoming traffic.
Absolutely no one will be allowed on Garden Creek Road, Goose Egg Road, or on Casper Mountain. These areas are still extremely dangerous.
Other traffic related information:
Wolf Creek Road has been re-opened.
Highway 220 had been reduced to one lane, but has now been re-opened.
Coates Road had been closed due to increased fire activity in that area, but it has now been re-opened. Coates Road is still within the evacuation area, however, and it is strongly recommended that no one travel here unless it is absolutely necessary.
This is a news story link about the Gov, Fema, Our fire being declared a level one emergency:
http://www.kcwy13.com/story.php?id=1714
http://www.kcwy13.com/story.php?id=1714
They explained on the news why they have reached 0% containtment of the fire. They are fighting the fire in "defensive mode" meaning, they are focused on saving structures (homes, etc) and not containment. They are anticipating two blackhawk helicopters to come in to help fight the fire.
There have been a lot of helicopters flying back and forth over our house all morning.
We have been so tired this morning that I haven't even made it outside to take pictures from the back porch.
We really appreciate everyone's prayers, thoughts, concerns and the many, many phone calls.
It is nice to know that we have places to store our things, our pets and us if worst comes to worst.
This is the most recent update from the City of Casper's Website:
Current Update:
As of 11:25 AM, the eastern end of the fire that had been growing has been stable. The west end of the fire is advancing toward Goose Egg Road.
No additional evacuations have been called
No injuries have been reported
No additional structures have been burned
Important information for evacuated families:
FEMA will host a meeting for evacuated families tonight (Wednesday, August 16) in City of Casper Council Chamber at 8:15 PM. FEMA officials will be on hand to give information.
Mail service has been suspended in the evacuated areas and other areas considered dangerous by the Postal Service. Mail can be collected at the Post Office located on Forest Drive.
Identification will be required to collect the mail.
There have been a lot of helicopters flying back and forth over our house all morning.
We have been so tired this morning that I haven't even made it outside to take pictures from the back porch.
We really appreciate everyone's prayers, thoughts, concerns and the many, many phone calls.
It is nice to know that we have places to store our things, our pets and us if worst comes to worst.
This is the most recent update from the City of Casper's Website:
Current Update:
As of 11:25 AM, the eastern end of the fire that had been growing has been stable. The west end of the fire is advancing toward Goose Egg Road.
No additional evacuations have been called
No injuries have been reported
No additional structures have been burned
Important information for evacuated families:
FEMA will host a meeting for evacuated families tonight (Wednesday, August 16) in City of Casper Council Chamber at 8:15 PM. FEMA officials will be on hand to give information.
Mail service has been suspended in the evacuated areas and other areas considered dangerous by the Postal Service. Mail can be collected at the Post Office located on Forest Drive.
Identification will be required to collect the mail.
We are still here. Still packed, but still here. Dan was checking the fire line on and off all night. It is difficult to sleep with all of the smoke in the air.
Last night after dark I went out on the back porch and was shocked at what I saw. The whole mountain from left to right was glowing with red. It certainly makes one feel very small. Dan did take some pictures of the fire last night. I'm not sure how they turned out. But, I will get them added to my yahoo photo album.
We will probably start unpacking some things today.
Here is the current fire update from the City of Casper Website:
Morning Updates:
The fire burned actively through the night. Strong winds and low humidity are contributing to it. However, as of 7:00 AM this morning (Wednesday, August 16), there have been no confirmed reports of additional structures burned. The only burned structure thus far was a cabin on Rigal Road that burned early on Tuesday. Other important facts:
No additional evacuations have been called since yesterday afternoon.
No injuries have been reported.
Situational control of the fire was taken over by a federal Incident Management Team late yesterday, and a command center has been established at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. Crews from many jurisdictions, including the City of Casper, are contributing their efforts.
Fire crews will continue to focus on protecting structures that are threatened by the fire's leading eastern edge. Bulldozers have been building a line of protection south of the city at the northern base of Casper Mountain, and at this hour, that line is mostly complete.
Evacuation Areas:
To view a city map of the evacuated areas in PDF format, please click on the following link:
Evacuation Map
Residents in the grey area of the map do not need to evacuate at this time, but homeowners in the white and colored areas should evacuate immediately if they have not already done so .
Additional police patrols will be made of evacuated areas to protect against property damage. The patrols will continue throughout the night and for as long as necessary.
The evacuation area boundries can be roughly described as the area south of Highway 220 to Wyoming Blvd., south of WY Blvd. east to Casper Mountain Road, and the Elkhorn Subdivision that is just to the east of Casper Mountain Road. The only areas that are not being evacuated south of Wyoming Boulevard are the Sunrise and Stone Ridge developments, but residents of those areas are advised to watch closely for futher updates.
Current areas that are under evacuation include:
Upper Ridgecrest
South Wolf Creek
Garden Creek Road
Casper Mountain
Gothberg
Webb Creek
Hidden Valley
Coates Road
Squaw Creek
Wolf Creek
Instructions for Evacuated Families:
People from evacuated neighborhoods are asked to call the Red Cross at 268-3658. They will then be asked to register their evacuee status by visiting the Red Cross station that has been set up at the Casper College Administration Building. As of this time, all evacuated families have been placed in hotels, but plans are in place to house evacuees at Casper College if all hotel rooms are filled.
General Fire Information:
The fire continues to travel east toward the Hogadon Ski Area. It is being fought by approximately 250 firefighters from various jurisdictions, including many from the surrounding states. The fire currently covers approximately 8,000 acres.
At this time, only one cabin on Rigal Road (along with its outhouse and a nearby vehicle) have been confirmed destroyed by the fire thus far. Firefighters have been taking proactive measures to protect structures that appear to be in line with the fire's eastward progression.
Governor Freudenthal has formally proclaimed a state of emergency within the City of Casper and Natrona County. This formal designation should facilitate assistance from various state and federal agencies.
The City of Casper is currently contributing firefighters on site, and public service employees are working to assist with the creation of fire breaks, along with other support as necessary. Citizens seeking information on evacuation and for other fire information are urged keep checking the this website or to call the fire hotline, 235-9555. Citizens are advised to stay away from the affected areas. This fire is still very dangerous and fast moving.
Everyone is advised to minimize their contact with smoke, which may begin to affect asthmatics, seniors, young children, and people with other breathing problems. Such people are encouraged to take precautions such as staying indoors.
Travelers are advised to stay away from the routes up Casper Mountain if at all possible. As an evacuation route and a route for all kinds of emergency personell, it is extemely important that this road remain as free as possible. Motorists who stop for sightseeing or to take photographs will be ticketed by the Highway Patrol.
Last night after dark I went out on the back porch and was shocked at what I saw. The whole mountain from left to right was glowing with red. It certainly makes one feel very small. Dan did take some pictures of the fire last night. I'm not sure how they turned out. But, I will get them added to my yahoo photo album.
We will probably start unpacking some things today.
Here is the current fire update from the City of Casper Website:
Morning Updates:
The fire burned actively through the night. Strong winds and low humidity are contributing to it. However, as of 7:00 AM this morning (Wednesday, August 16), there have been no confirmed reports of additional structures burned. The only burned structure thus far was a cabin on Rigal Road that burned early on Tuesday. Other important facts:
No additional evacuations have been called since yesterday afternoon.
No injuries have been reported.
Situational control of the fire was taken over by a federal Incident Management Team late yesterday, and a command center has been established at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. Crews from many jurisdictions, including the City of Casper, are contributing their efforts.
Fire crews will continue to focus on protecting structures that are threatened by the fire's leading eastern edge. Bulldozers have been building a line of protection south of the city at the northern base of Casper Mountain, and at this hour, that line is mostly complete.
Evacuation Areas:
To view a city map of the evacuated areas in PDF format, please click on the following link:
Evacuation Map
Residents in the grey area of the map do not need to evacuate at this time, but homeowners in the white and colored areas should evacuate immediately if they have not already done so .
Additional police patrols will be made of evacuated areas to protect against property damage. The patrols will continue throughout the night and for as long as necessary.
The evacuation area boundries can be roughly described as the area south of Highway 220 to Wyoming Blvd., south of WY Blvd. east to Casper Mountain Road, and the Elkhorn Subdivision that is just to the east of Casper Mountain Road. The only areas that are not being evacuated south of Wyoming Boulevard are the Sunrise and Stone Ridge developments, but residents of those areas are advised to watch closely for futher updates.
Current areas that are under evacuation include:
Upper Ridgecrest
South Wolf Creek
Garden Creek Road
Casper Mountain
Gothberg
Webb Creek
Hidden Valley
Coates Road
Squaw Creek
Wolf Creek
Instructions for Evacuated Families:
People from evacuated neighborhoods are asked to call the Red Cross at 268-3658. They will then be asked to register their evacuee status by visiting the Red Cross station that has been set up at the Casper College Administration Building. As of this time, all evacuated families have been placed in hotels, but plans are in place to house evacuees at Casper College if all hotel rooms are filled.
General Fire Information:
The fire continues to travel east toward the Hogadon Ski Area. It is being fought by approximately 250 firefighters from various jurisdictions, including many from the surrounding states. The fire currently covers approximately 8,000 acres.
At this time, only one cabin on Rigal Road (along with its outhouse and a nearby vehicle) have been confirmed destroyed by the fire thus far. Firefighters have been taking proactive measures to protect structures that appear to be in line with the fire's eastward progression.
Governor Freudenthal has formally proclaimed a state of emergency within the City of Casper and Natrona County. This formal designation should facilitate assistance from various state and federal agencies.
The City of Casper is currently contributing firefighters on site, and public service employees are working to assist with the creation of fire breaks, along with other support as necessary. Citizens seeking information on evacuation and for other fire information are urged keep checking the this website or to call the fire hotline, 235-9555. Citizens are advised to stay away from the affected areas. This fire is still very dangerous and fast moving.
Everyone is advised to minimize their contact with smoke, which may begin to affect asthmatics, seniors, young children, and people with other breathing problems. Such people are encouraged to take precautions such as staying indoors.
Travelers are advised to stay away from the routes up Casper Mountain if at all possible. As an evacuation route and a route for all kinds of emergency personell, it is extemely important that this road remain as free as possible. Motorists who stop for sightseeing or to take photographs will be ticketed by the Highway Patrol.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
We both got a nap in. Then we started hearing a lot of noise from behind the house so we jumped in the truck and headed back up the ridge to check out what was going on. Two helicopters were filling from a pond just below the ridgeline where we were. It is an awesome sight to see.
Unfortunately the fire is moving north again and there are three homes that we can see which are in the path. It still has a long way to go before reaching us, but it is moving slowly in our direction and the wind is significantly stronger than when we were up there before.
I'm adding more pictures to the yahoo photo album.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jodyhalferty/album?.dir=c05dscd&.src=ph&store=&...
Unfortunately the fire is moving north again and there are three homes that we can see which are in the path. It still has a long way to go before reaching us, but it is moving slowly in our direction and the wind is significantly stronger than when we were up there before.
I'm adding more pictures to the yahoo photo album.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jodyhalferty/album?.dir=c05dscd&.src=ph&store=&...
The cars are packed, but I don't think we will need to leave. We went to the back of our subdivision and drove up one of the back road hills and saw where the fire was at first hand. It has burned down to the tree line of the mountain and a little bit into the grass area, but it has a long way to go before it gets near our house.
We talked to a lot of people in our area and while everyone has packed up things, most of us are just waiting it out. There have been rumors that once you leave a mandatory evacuation area you can't go back. We are not prepared for that, so we are sitting tight.
It's funny to drive through the neighborhood and see all the people sitting on their roofs to get a better look at the fire. I did take some more pictures while we were up there. I'll try and get them added as soon as I can.
The packing and anxious moments are taking their toll on me and I really need to rest. Neither Dan or I got breakfast or lunch yet, so we are taking some time out to do that. We had to reschedule our stove delivery. Seemed silly to have a brand new stove delivered to an area under evacuation.
We are pretty sure that we are safe, but with the wind in Wyoming one can never assume. But, at least we have a road that we can run up to see the fires progress first hand.
Sitting tight in Casper :)
We talked to a lot of people in our area and while everyone has packed up things, most of us are just waiting it out. There have been rumors that once you leave a mandatory evacuation area you can't go back. We are not prepared for that, so we are sitting tight.
It's funny to drive through the neighborhood and see all the people sitting on their roofs to get a better look at the fire. I did take some more pictures while we were up there. I'll try and get them added as soon as I can.
The packing and anxious moments are taking their toll on me and I really need to rest. Neither Dan or I got breakfast or lunch yet, so we are taking some time out to do that. We had to reschedule our stove delivery. Seemed silly to have a brand new stove delivered to an area under evacuation.
We are pretty sure that we are safe, but with the wind in Wyoming one can never assume. But, at least we have a road that we can run up to see the fires progress first hand.
Sitting tight in Casper :)
This is a link to the Casper Mountain Fire photo album.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jodyhalferty/album?.dir=c05dscd&.src=ph&store=&...
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jodyhalferty/album?.dir=c05dscd&.src=ph&store=&...
It's after 9am now. The helicopters and slurry bombers are making regular passes over our house and the ash continues to fall like light snow. We have made a decision to pack up some things and have them ready in our vehicles. We are more concerned at this point if the ash becomes hot as our yard and the land around us is dry and brown.
I've taken some pictures around 8 this morning. I will post them. Then it will be a while before I post again as I need to pack somethings up.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct they paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
I've taken some pictures around 8 this morning. I will post them. Then it will be a while before I post again as I need to pack somethings up.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct they paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Well, they think at this time the evacuation does not include us. It includes subdivisions to the left of us and behind us and on east. Dan finally called the Sheriff's department because of the conflicting reports. They said we aren't included in this evacuation but it could still change at a moments notice.
We have a lot of ash in our yard and in the air at this time.
The scary thing is that we have no wind at this time and it has still spread so fast. Today, the wind is expected to pick up to approx 40mph. We will just keep a watchful eye and hope the extra support personnel arrive in a timely manner.
We are supposed to have two helicopters and two slurry bombers fighting the fire this morning, but they are not in the air yet.
They have evacuation centers set up at the College in the gym. Not sure if that is where we will be going if if comes down to that.
Dan is really leaning toward packing some things up, just in case. The problem is, where in the world do you start? I guess pictures always come to mind.
We will keep everyone posted. The Casper community is a very giving community and everyone is banding together to find places for horses, cattle, goats, etc, etc.
We have a lot of ash in our yard and in the air at this time.
The scary thing is that we have no wind at this time and it has still spread so fast. Today, the wind is expected to pick up to approx 40mph. We will just keep a watchful eye and hope the extra support personnel arrive in a timely manner.
We are supposed to have two helicopters and two slurry bombers fighting the fire this morning, but they are not in the air yet.
They have evacuation centers set up at the College in the gym. Not sure if that is where we will be going if if comes down to that.
Dan is really leaning toward packing some things up, just in case. The problem is, where in the world do you start? I guess pictures always come to mind.
We will keep everyone posted. The Casper community is a very giving community and everyone is banding together to find places for horses, cattle, goats, etc, etc.
Fire update; Overnight the fire has grown to 2500 acres. It was burning along the top of the mountain heading west. (The mountain runs from east to west). Now it is not only burning on top but it is now burning down the front of the mountain and people just west of our subdivision are being evacuated. They are saying that everything from Gothberg Rd (just to the west of us) and all the way back to Casper Mountain rd is to be evacuated. Folks, that includes US! Things are a little confusing now and we are not sure if this does include us. They are saying on the radio that there is no man power to go door to door. The only warning we will get is if the fire is coming down on us and they drive through saying get out now.
So, it seems a little surreal and we are not sure what we will do. Our neighbor behind us called and she is packing things.
If any of you are praying people, please pray and pray for all of us. Resources for fighting the fire are limited and not all of the help is here yet. Pray for our protection and that we have wisdom to make the right decisions.
So, it seems a little surreal and we are not sure what we will do. Our neighbor behind us called and she is packing things.
If any of you are praying people, please pray and pray for all of us. Resources for fighting the fire are limited and not all of the help is here yet. Pray for our protection and that we have wisdom to make the right decisions.
Monday, August 14, 2006
This picture was taken at about Noon. Just 1/2 an hour after the fire was first reported. Dan took this from our back patio.
The big news for today is that there is a big fire on Casper Mountain. It started about 1130am and has burned about 200 acres. There are several homes on Casper Mountain and they are all being evacuated and have closed Casper Mountain Road.
The smoke is unbelievable. On the 6:00 pm news they said it was at 200 acres and there were 100 fire fighters working the fire along with two helicopters doing water drops.
I will attach some pictures. Dan took some pictures at Noon around when the fire first started, then at 2pm and just again at 8pm. It has really grown. It's kind of unnerving seeing it so close to our house, but it has a long way to go. The smoke plume is just so big.
Dan figures at night we will be able to see some flames or at least the glow of the fire. I hope no one's home burns. There is also a lot of livestock up there, mostly horses.
On another note, my blood pressure is way up today and I'm feeling pretty good. Dan goes into therapy tomorrow to get his new knee brace. The one he has now is neoprene and is black, it is very hot and also pushes his knee the wrong way. So, he is getting a new one.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
Not a good day today. My morning blood pressure was very, very low at 76/40. My mind was very foggy and I was so cold. I went back to bed and crawled under the covers with the electric blanket turned on high.
Dan had me call the doctor. They called back while I was sleeping and confirmed that I was having a reaction to the novocaine and need to not take it anymore. They just recommended that I really start pushing the fluids. It is very difficult to push fluids when you are a sleeping zombie. But, Dan was very persistent.
I started feeling much better later this evening, like 7pm ish. Dan said he hadn't seen that shade of grey on me for a long time.
I think the novocaine is pretty much out of my system at this point in the day. Whew!
Dan had me call the doctor. They called back while I was sleeping and confirmed that I was having a reaction to the novocaine and need to not take it anymore. They just recommended that I really start pushing the fluids. It is very difficult to push fluids when you are a sleeping zombie. But, Dan was very persistent.
I started feeling much better later this evening, like 7pm ish. Dan said he hadn't seen that shade of grey on me for a long time.
I think the novocaine is pretty much out of my system at this point in the day. Whew!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
I'm a little better today. My systolic blood pressure is only 86 this morning. I drank plenty of fluid and was able to go to an appointment/meeting that I had rescheduled from yesterday.
I came home and took a nap and then went back into town to teach my power class.
My face is still really sore and a little swollen. I still don't feel myself.
I came home and took a nap and then went back into town to teach my power class.
My face is still really sore and a little swollen. I still don't feel myself.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Bad reaction to the novocaine. It's the first time I've had novocaine since becoming sick. I felt really strange after he injected it (I received two syringes of it). I should have called for Dan to come get me, but then my car would have been left in town. I came home and went to bed. My color was bad (grey), I felt very, very bad. Dan said my left cheek was swollen up to twice it's size.
My left side of my face felt like I had been punched in the cheek bone. I put ice on my face and eye. Needless to say, I didn't go to church.
My left side of my face felt like I had been punched in the cheek bone. I put ice on my face and eye. Needless to say, I didn't go to church.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Dan had a cortisone injection into his left knee. The doctor and the therapist were hoping it would help calm things down inside of it. I know it is very frustrating to Dan to have this not healing up very quickly.
I had a haircut appointment and brow ripping (that's eyebrow waxing) today at 1pm.
I headed home for a quick nap after my haircut and before my skating class.
This month I am teaching a power skating class twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:15 to 5:45. Then when the regular skating season starts the class will only be once a week on Tuesdays.
After the class I had to rush home to fix Dan some supper.
Well, that's all for now. Tomorrow I have a Dentist appointment - yuck, I'm having a filling revised-not my fault...
I had a haircut appointment and brow ripping (that's eyebrow waxing) today at 1pm.
I headed home for a quick nap after my haircut and before my skating class.
This month I am teaching a power skating class twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:15 to 5:45. Then when the regular skating season starts the class will only be once a week on Tuesdays.
After the class I had to rush home to fix Dan some supper.
Well, that's all for now. Tomorrow I have a Dentist appointment - yuck, I'm having a filling revised-not my fault...
Monday, August 07, 2006
Today Sears is coming out to take a look at our stove. The white enamel has been chipping off around the stove. We bought it brand new from Sears two years ago, so I didn't think they would do anything about it. When the tech got here he said, no I can't do anything about it. He called the service manager while he was there and the gentleman asked to speak to Dan. Dan got on the phone with him and they visited a bit. Then Dan came into the house and said where is the receipt for the stove? Well, apparently, with a receipt, they will totally replace our stove with a brand new one! I thought yeah, right.
So, Dan headed off to town with the stove receipt. He called me from the store and asked if I would be home on Tuesday the 15th. I said until 4:30. He said great, they'll be delivering a new stove. I said, just like the one I already have? He said, yep.
Apparently that service manager had looked up our records and new that we had purchased all of our appliances from them over the past few years and wanted to keep us as customers, so he is replacing our stove for free, no catch.
So, it looks like next week I'll be getting a new stove, again.
So, Dan headed off to town with the stove receipt. He called me from the store and asked if I would be home on Tuesday the 15th. I said until 4:30. He said great, they'll be delivering a new stove. I said, just like the one I already have? He said, yep.
Apparently that service manager had looked up our records and new that we had purchased all of our appliances from them over the past few years and wanted to keep us as customers, so he is replacing our stove for free, no catch.
So, it looks like next week I'll be getting a new stove, again.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Dan had Physical Therapy on his knee this morning at 9am. Then we met at Dr. Li's at 1pm for my cardiac appointment. Dr. Li was running three hours behind. So, we went to Subway after we got out of there as we were both starving.
Dr. Li is very pleased with my progress on the aldomet. My blood pressure is running a little low over the last couple of weeks, so he would really like to see me increase my fluid intake without starting the florinef. Then, when we have my blood pressure stabalized again I can increase my morning dose of aldomet to a full tablet. Not sure when that will be.
It seems like all I do is drink and pee, drink and pee. Now, I need to drink even more.
The good news is he doesn't want to see me again until around November.
Dr. Li is very pleased with my progress on the aldomet. My blood pressure is running a little low over the last couple of weeks, so he would really like to see me increase my fluid intake without starting the florinef. Then, when we have my blood pressure stabalized again I can increase my morning dose of aldomet to a full tablet. Not sure when that will be.
It seems like all I do is drink and pee, drink and pee. Now, I need to drink even more.
The good news is he doesn't want to see me again until around November.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Hello August! It's funny August is supposed to be really hot, but with that major break in our weather July has proved to be the hottest month for us.
I had my CPR class today from 8:30am to Noon. The instructor was an off duty fireman who seemed to keep forgetting that we were nurses (old nurses at that) who knew the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and strokes and he really didn't need to review it page by page. But, he still spent an hour on those two things.
We all passed though without any problems. So, that is done for another two years!
I had my CPR class today from 8:30am to Noon. The instructor was an off duty fireman who seemed to keep forgetting that we were nurses (old nurses at that) who knew the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and strokes and he really didn't need to review it page by page. But, he still spent an hour on those two things.
We all passed though without any problems. So, that is done for another two years!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Finally, I huge break in the weather! We went to bed last night in sweltering heat and even had to leave the swamp cooler on when we went to bed. But at some point during the night, the heat wave broke and our cool mountain air was back. We were back in the 50's this morning and it stayed cool all day, high 70's.
This evening, it is even raining a little and is nice and cool at 72 degrees. I felt so much better without that oven of heat hitting me.
Dan and I were both able to take naps this afternoon. Dan had Physical Therapy this morning, so he is really sore tonight, but I think it is helping. I have a busy day tomorrow with a CPR class starting at 8:30 am (what was I thinking!?) and a doctor appointment.
We are having a special church service tomorrow for a gospel group that is coming into town, so we won't be having our regular service on Wednesday.
Time to go rest some more.
This evening, it is even raining a little and is nice and cool at 72 degrees. I felt so much better without that oven of heat hitting me.
Dan and I were both able to take naps this afternoon. Dan had Physical Therapy this morning, so he is really sore tonight, but I think it is helping. I have a busy day tomorrow with a CPR class starting at 8:30 am (what was I thinking!?) and a doctor appointment.
We are having a special church service tomorrow for a gospel group that is coming into town, so we won't be having our regular service on Wednesday.
Time to go rest some more.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
I went back to bed today after I got up to take my 6am pills. I got back up around 7:30 am and Oz and I went outside to feed the birds and do some watering before it got too hot.
Since I sorted so many pictures yesterday I was able to start working on scrapbooking our photos from our New Jersey/Atlantic City/Manhattan October 2001 trip. This time I sat at the table instead of the floor. (I'm not as young as I used to be I guess). I knew I was going to run out of a couple things so I ran to the scrapbooking store. It is so nice that they moved to our side of town.
I was still working on the scrapbook when Dan arrived home at 10pm.
I was miserable as I had not rested all day. But once I get to working on a project I have this nasty habit of becoming obsessed with it. But, I did stop once Dan got home.
Dan was so excited. He had a wonderful trip, learned a lot, and had fun. He is looking forward to going to the National Convention in October, it is being held in New Orleans. If you are wondering what we are involved with here is Dan's website: www.bign.com/dhalferty
Well, church is tomorrow and we are both dog tired.
Since I sorted so many pictures yesterday I was able to start working on scrapbooking our photos from our New Jersey/Atlantic City/Manhattan October 2001 trip. This time I sat at the table instead of the floor. (I'm not as young as I used to be I guess). I knew I was going to run out of a couple things so I ran to the scrapbooking store. It is so nice that they moved to our side of town.
I was still working on the scrapbook when Dan arrived home at 10pm.
I was miserable as I had not rested all day. But once I get to working on a project I have this nasty habit of becoming obsessed with it. But, I did stop once Dan got home.
Dan was so excited. He had a wonderful trip, learned a lot, and had fun. He is looking forward to going to the National Convention in October, it is being held in New Orleans. If you are wondering what we are involved with here is Dan's website: www.bign.com/dhalferty
Well, church is tomorrow and we are both dog tired.
Friday, July 28, 2006
I got up at 6am today, as usual to take my pills. But instead of going back to bed, I stayed up and watered the yard, fed the birds, cleaned the house up, ate some breakfast and started attacking my junk room.
I rested like a bum from about 11am to 3ish and then started sorting photos and sorted photos and sorted photos........Finally around 11pm I had had enough of sorting photos. My butt and back were sore (I was sitting on the floor sorting-the animals thought it was great). I headed off for bed totally tired.
I rested like a bum from about 11am to 3ish and then started sorting photos and sorted photos and sorted photos........Finally around 11pm I had had enough of sorting photos. My butt and back were sore (I was sitting on the floor sorting-the animals thought it was great). I headed off for bed totally tired.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Today we got up early and saw Mom and her husband off. We had breakfast with them and then watched how they fold down their "A-liner". It was very easy. They are heading for North Dakota now. And yes, Mom and I got the kitchen done!
I went to my first ever dermatologist appointment. He burned off several spots on my arms and hands just in case they were a pre-cancer lesion. I didn't really enjoy it and my spots itch terribly. (yes, I'm whining)
I rested the rest of the afternoon. Dan is getting ready to go to a regional conference in Denver for Team National. He is very excited as he is going to meet the CEO of the company, who is also a Saved Christian and makes sure that everyone knows it. Very cool guy. So, Dan will be leaving like 4:30am and will be back on Saturday around 10pm. That will give me a chance to rest-up while he is gone.
I went to my first ever dermatologist appointment. He burned off several spots on my arms and hands just in case they were a pre-cancer lesion. I didn't really enjoy it and my spots itch terribly. (yes, I'm whining)
I rested the rest of the afternoon. Dan is getting ready to go to a regional conference in Denver for Team National. He is very excited as he is going to meet the CEO of the company, who is also a Saved Christian and makes sure that everyone knows it. Very cool guy. So, Dan will be leaving like 4:30am and will be back on Saturday around 10pm. That will give me a chance to rest-up while he is gone.
Monday, July 24, 2006
I'm starting to get run down. With having Mom here, going to the airshow for two days and going to church yesterday before and after the airshow, I'm starting to get really tired. My blood pressure is slowly dropping. It has been going to the 80's and 90's almost every morning.
But, the important thing to remember is that not only was I able to go to the entire airshow on Saturday, but I also made it to church the next morning and went back to the airshow and then back to church.
Before I started my new pill, we would have never even considered going to the airshow.
We did have to plan ahead. I took my camelback (a water back pack with a spigot hanging over my shoulder) I wore a huge straw hat, two gel neck coolers (neck ties with special cooling crystals in them) brought ice soaked wrist bands, Sunscreen with SPF 50, an umbrella, a long sleeve shirt and I bought a special shirt that wicked the sweat away and kept the shirt dry (it worked really, really well.) I know I would have gotten way to overheated without all of those above measures.
But, the important thing to remember is that not only was I able to go to the entire airshow on Saturday, but I also made it to church the next morning and went back to the airshow and then back to church.
Before I started my new pill, we would have never even considered going to the airshow.
We did have to plan ahead. I took my camelback (a water back pack with a spigot hanging over my shoulder) I wore a huge straw hat, two gel neck coolers (neck ties with special cooling crystals in them) brought ice soaked wrist bands, Sunscreen with SPF 50, an umbrella, a long sleeve shirt and I bought a special shirt that wicked the sweat away and kept the shirt dry (it worked really, really well.) I know I would have gotten way to overheated without all of those above measures.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Wings Over Wyoming Air Show, Day 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Air Force Thunderbirds rock!!!! What a rush to see so many jets in the sky, flying so close to the ground. Definately an earplug day. They do some of the most incredible formations, tricks and the sounds of those big jet engines are incredible.
We saw a lot of the same demonstrations as yesterday with the addition of the Thunderbirds and instead of the P51 demo, we saw a AD-4N Fury demo.
The weather wasn't near as good today and they even had to stop the show for awhile to let a front pass through. Then they were back up again, but it got really windy.
The traffic getting into the airport was incredible, it was backed up for miles. They were so backed up that they stopped charging for parking just to get people in faster. The attendance count for Sunday alone was 15,000! There were cars from 5 different states and from counties all over Wyoming.
I sure hope they have another one next year. Dan has already said he wants to be a volunteer! The volunteers had the coolest T-shirts!
I already had it bad for WW II planes, now I've just got it bad for planes. Poor Dan. Well, I guess it's better than having pictures up of 1/2 naked men!
The Air Force Thunderbirds rock!!!! What a rush to see so many jets in the sky, flying so close to the ground. Definately an earplug day. They do some of the most incredible formations, tricks and the sounds of those big jet engines are incredible.
We saw a lot of the same demonstrations as yesterday with the addition of the Thunderbirds and instead of the P51 demo, we saw a AD-4N Fury demo.
The weather wasn't near as good today and they even had to stop the show for awhile to let a front pass through. Then they were back up again, but it got really windy.
The traffic getting into the airport was incredible, it was backed up for miles. They were so backed up that they stopped charging for parking just to get people in faster. The attendance count for Sunday alone was 15,000! There were cars from 5 different states and from counties all over Wyoming.
I sure hope they have another one next year. Dan has already said he wants to be a volunteer! The volunteers had the coolest T-shirts!
I already had it bad for WW II planes, now I've just got it bad for planes. Poor Dan. Well, I guess it's better than having pictures up of 1/2 naked men!
Saturday, July 22, 2006
WOW!!! We went to the airshow today! It is called, Wings over Wyoming and was it ever awesome. My batteries died on my camera so I didn't get very many pictures. I'm so glad that we are coming tomorrow.
Today we saw:
The U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team,
The Firebirds Aerobatic Team-it was a two ship show, and I really, really enjoyed them
We saw a USN Legacy flight where they had three planes from different eras all flying together in the skies (an f-18 Hornet, a FJ4 (that is a Fury fighter that was specifically designed to fight the MiG 15 & 17's) and an AD4N Douglas Skyraider----very cool formations to see all together.
The P51D Mustang Demonstration was totally awesome, the sound of the engine as it went by just brought chills down the spine. I think I did manage to get some on the ground pictures of it.
The Wyoming Air National Guard's C-130 did a water drop demonstration, I had never seen a drop done up close. It was so hot out on the tarmac that we all wished they would have missed the runway and dropped it on us!
One of my favorite demonstrations was a mock dog-fight between the FJ4 Fury fighter and the the MiG 15 & MiG 17. It was soooo very cooollllll!!! They had really cool narration to go along with it, like a play-by-play, described the maneuvers, tactics being used, etc.
Another huge favorite of mine was the USAF F-15E Strike Eagle Demo team. Holy Smokes the coolest thing about watching all of the jets, is that they are so quiet and then boom, they pass you and those jets and the noise just blows your hair back, what a total rush!
The USAF, not to be out done by the USN, conducted their own version the legacy flight done by the USN, only they call it the USAF Heritage flight. Now, this one really got Dan. An F-15 Strike Eagle flying side by side with a P-51. I was quite impressed myself.
Then came another favorite of mine. The US Navy F/A-F18F Super Hornet Demonstration. GET OUT THE EAR PLUGS and tie your hair down tight, cause these boys can really kick it!
I loved the airshow and was so excited that I was able to stay for all of it. The attendance for today was about 6000.
Tomorrow, the USAF Thunderbirds are the show headliners. WHEW WEE! I'm so excited to see them.
Today we saw:
The U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team,
The Firebirds Aerobatic Team-it was a two ship show, and I really, really enjoyed them
We saw a USN Legacy flight where they had three planes from different eras all flying together in the skies (an f-18 Hornet, a FJ4 (that is a Fury fighter that was specifically designed to fight the MiG 15 & 17's) and an AD4N Douglas Skyraider----very cool formations to see all together.
The P51D Mustang Demonstration was totally awesome, the sound of the engine as it went by just brought chills down the spine. I think I did manage to get some on the ground pictures of it.
The Wyoming Air National Guard's C-130 did a water drop demonstration, I had never seen a drop done up close. It was so hot out on the tarmac that we all wished they would have missed the runway and dropped it on us!
One of my favorite demonstrations was a mock dog-fight between the FJ4 Fury fighter and the the MiG 15 & MiG 17. It was soooo very cooollllll!!! They had really cool narration to go along with it, like a play-by-play, described the maneuvers, tactics being used, etc.
Another huge favorite of mine was the USAF F-15E Strike Eagle Demo team. Holy Smokes the coolest thing about watching all of the jets, is that they are so quiet and then boom, they pass you and those jets and the noise just blows your hair back, what a total rush!
The USAF, not to be out done by the USN, conducted their own version the legacy flight done by the USN, only they call it the USAF Heritage flight. Now, this one really got Dan. An F-15 Strike Eagle flying side by side with a P-51. I was quite impressed myself.
Then came another favorite of mine. The US Navy F/A-F18F Super Hornet Demonstration. GET OUT THE EAR PLUGS and tie your hair down tight, cause these boys can really kick it!
I loved the airshow and was so excited that I was able to stay for all of it. The attendance for today was about 6000.
Tomorrow, the USAF Thunderbirds are the show headliners. WHEW WEE! I'm so excited to see them.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
My Mom and her husband were planning to leave today but we are having a big airshow this weekend so they decided to stay and we are all going on both days!
Plus, Mom said she can't leave as we hadn't finished up spring cleaning the kitchen yet...
My dentist appointment went well yesterday, no cavities!
Plus, Mom said she can't leave as we hadn't finished up spring cleaning the kitchen yet...
My dentist appointment went well yesterday, no cavities!
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Very hot here. We are used to it cooling down at night being at a higher altitude and all. But, that hasn't happened so much the last couple of days.
I'm having a terrible time with the heat. I had another episode at the rodeo and then another one on Sunday afternoon when we were having a cookout. The thing about the cookout is that I stayed in the shade the whole time and still I over-heated.
I've not been feeling so well this week, really dragging. I'm still busy doing things but I'm so tired. It's probably the heat and the very hot winds.
Dan said I was pale all day today.
He is doing okay. He does his physical therapy exercises in the morning and continues to ice his knee 2-3 times a day.
I have a dentist appointment tomorrow. Just a routine check up.
Well, it's been a long day. Stay cool everyone, if you can!
I'm having a terrible time with the heat. I had another episode at the rodeo and then another one on Sunday afternoon when we were having a cookout. The thing about the cookout is that I stayed in the shade the whole time and still I over-heated.
I've not been feeling so well this week, really dragging. I'm still busy doing things but I'm so tired. It's probably the heat and the very hot winds.
Dan said I was pale all day today.
He is doing okay. He does his physical therapy exercises in the morning and continues to ice his knee 2-3 times a day.
I have a dentist appointment tomorrow. Just a routine check up.
Well, it's been a long day. Stay cool everyone, if you can!
Friday, July 14, 2006
I made it to my eye doctor appointment yesterday and was met with good news. It seems that the new drug I'm on is making a difference in the eye problems I had been having. My accomadation is now working again and I don't need to wear my bifocals (I had progressive lenses). My overall vision has also improved, I still need glasses for driving at night and seeing far off. This is so cool. So, I'll try not to loose my new glasses. I should get them in 7-10 days.
I was able to go in and audit some charts for a little over two hours yesterday.
My Mom arrived yesterday. They are staying at the Ft. Casper Campground.
Tonight we are going to the Fair and Rodeo. Yummy! I just love fair food! It is so very bad for you, and so very good for my taste buds! We get to watch Clint again in the Saddlebronc event tonight. I sure hope he does better than what he did in the CNFR.
I was able to go in and audit some charts for a little over two hours yesterday.
My Mom arrived yesterday. They are staying at the Ft. Casper Campground.
Tonight we are going to the Fair and Rodeo. Yummy! I just love fair food! It is so very bad for you, and so very good for my taste buds! We get to watch Clint again in the Saddlebronc event tonight. I sure hope he does better than what he did in the CNFR.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Saturday we went to see the new film, Pirates of the Caribean. It was good. Sunday we made it to Sunday School and Church. We went out to the Chinese Buffet for lunch. I was so tired and so was Dan.
After lunch we headed home and both took naps. We went into town for the evening service and then we headed out for supper with a couple from church, we had a good time and didn't get home until almost 10pm. What a long day, but a good one.
Monday I vacuumed the house, changed the sheets, watered the plants and did several loads of laundry. I was feeling good. I friend of mine was in town for a short visit and was staying at her daughters, so they invited us over for supper. I brought my oven roasted vegetables, they had halibut that George had caught in Alaska. It was so very good. We had a wonderful time, but another late night :) I know, I'm setting records for myself left and right.
Tuesday morning Dan had his follow-up appointment with his orthopedic surgeon. He has not been doing so well. Even had his knee go out once and has had to start icing it again because of pain and swelling. The doctor started him on Celebrex qd, Physical Therapy, and a hinged knee brace. He will get the knee brace and start PT on Friday.
After Dan's Dr. appt we headed downtown to find a place to view the parade. You see, the first official day of the Fair and Rodeo is kicked off by a Parade through downtown. This tradition has been going on long before I moved here. It is simply called, "Parade Day". Business usually close until noon, even some banks. People skip out from work both with and without permission from their bosses :) It truly is a city wide event. Each year I have been able to stay a little longer. This year, I was able to stay for all about a 1/2 hour of it. (It is usually a 2 hour parade, that is not counting the extra hour you get there to set up your lawn chairs.) I would have stayed longer but I got way too hot. My clothes were totally drenched and Dan wasn't hot at all! Oh, well. But, I did make it to Parade Day!
We are definately going to the rodeo on Friday as a friend of ours is entered in the Saddle Bronc event. Our favorite rodeo announcer, Hadley Barrett, will be here all week along with our favorite rodeo clown, Leon Coffey. They are both regulars at the NFR and Leon was just in town to help with the CNFR. So, it should be a good time had by all.
My mom should arrive on Thursday, so they will be going with us to the rodeo, if they want to.
Today I started out great, but then as soon as I ate I was running to the bathroom. Hopefully, it will be all over with in one day and not go on for two weeks like the last time.
Tomorrow I have an eye doctor appointment. For the first time in my life I have totally lost/misplaced a pair of glasses! I can't find them anywhere. So, I'm wearing my glasses with a three year old prescription. Not a big difference, but it is the principle behind it. I can't believe they are gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dan keeps saying they will turn up, but it doesn't help me now.
After lunch we headed home and both took naps. We went into town for the evening service and then we headed out for supper with a couple from church, we had a good time and didn't get home until almost 10pm. What a long day, but a good one.
Monday I vacuumed the house, changed the sheets, watered the plants and did several loads of laundry. I was feeling good. I friend of mine was in town for a short visit and was staying at her daughters, so they invited us over for supper. I brought my oven roasted vegetables, they had halibut that George had caught in Alaska. It was so very good. We had a wonderful time, but another late night :) I know, I'm setting records for myself left and right.
Tuesday morning Dan had his follow-up appointment with his orthopedic surgeon. He has not been doing so well. Even had his knee go out once and has had to start icing it again because of pain and swelling. The doctor started him on Celebrex qd, Physical Therapy, and a hinged knee brace. He will get the knee brace and start PT on Friday.
After Dan's Dr. appt we headed downtown to find a place to view the parade. You see, the first official day of the Fair and Rodeo is kicked off by a Parade through downtown. This tradition has been going on long before I moved here. It is simply called, "Parade Day". Business usually close until noon, even some banks. People skip out from work both with and without permission from their bosses :) It truly is a city wide event. Each year I have been able to stay a little longer. This year, I was able to stay for all about a 1/2 hour of it. (It is usually a 2 hour parade, that is not counting the extra hour you get there to set up your lawn chairs.) I would have stayed longer but I got way too hot. My clothes were totally drenched and Dan wasn't hot at all! Oh, well. But, I did make it to Parade Day!
We are definately going to the rodeo on Friday as a friend of ours is entered in the Saddle Bronc event. Our favorite rodeo announcer, Hadley Barrett, will be here all week along with our favorite rodeo clown, Leon Coffey. They are both regulars at the NFR and Leon was just in town to help with the CNFR. So, it should be a good time had by all.
My mom should arrive on Thursday, so they will be going with us to the rodeo, if they want to.
Today I started out great, but then as soon as I ate I was running to the bathroom. Hopefully, it will be all over with in one day and not go on for two weeks like the last time.
Tomorrow I have an eye doctor appointment. For the first time in my life I have totally lost/misplaced a pair of glasses! I can't find them anywhere. So, I'm wearing my glasses with a three year old prescription. Not a big difference, but it is the principle behind it. I can't believe they are gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dan keeps saying they will turn up, but it doesn't help me now.
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