sick day

After a wonderful trip to New Mexico and Arizona, I returned to work and a fairly stressful week, wondering how many people would be working Monday following budget talks and discussion of a government shutdown. Fortunately for a lot of people, everyone was at work yesterday.

Saturday was relaxed and fun, with a birthday lunch for my friend Mae. We enjoyed lunch at the Thai House, had a little fun running around town and talked about how good it is to see signs of snow melting and the onset of breakup.

Sunday I woke up with a sore throat and low-grade fever. Figuring it was sinuses draining, I took some sinus medicine. It didn't help at all. Monday it seemed a little better, but a cough set in. Knowing I have to fly out again soon, I decided to see a doctor to knock it out before getting on the plane. I couldn't get in to see my doctor, so I went to the urgent-care center. I hate going there, for several reasons, but I knew I needed to see someone that day. This place was packed too and I've heard several folks had to leave work today to get sick kids from school. The nurse told me there seems to be a lot of people with similar symptoms all over town.

After two hours, the doctor told me I have a sinus infection. But in addition I have minor infections in the respiratory system (not bronchitis yet, thank heaven) and ear and I have strep throat. A regimen of Predinisone and antibiotics is already working and my throat no longer hurts. The cough, however, is another matter. I can't lie down or even recline a little in my recliner without cough spasms that seem to last forever. My asthma is acting up and I've had to use the nebulizer several times a day. The fever is still here, but not as frequently. I stayed home today, but will return to work tomorrow.

Since I'm upright, either sitting or standing, I tried to be productive. I made a waldorf salad, which I've been craving, and some gravy for the pot roast I made Sunday. I felt too sick to make the gravy then, but now have supper for tonight (hot roast beef sandwich sounds good).

While we were in El Paso, Las Cruces and Phoenix we did some power shopping. I bought a fair amount of new clothes and in Phoenix I found a netbook. I'd been pricing them locally and online, but didn't want to pay the prices they wanted. I got it in Phoenix for several hundred dollars than here or online (can you say "shipping costs?") I didn't do much with it on our trip, other than check e-mail and the Fairbanks paper. So, on my sick day, I downloaded Microsoft Office first. Microsoft has determined that a new purchase of the full version, which I bought last summer when I upgraded my desktop computer, may now be put on both a desktop and one laptop. That saves me the cost of a license fee for multiple computers or the cost of a new full disk. I also set up several other programs and my Favorites on the Internet.

I've been avoiding taking the cough syrup the doctor prescribed because I really don't like taking codeine, but finally gave in and took a half-dose of the noxious-tasting stuff because I'm nearly desperate for some sleep. I got about 3 hours last night and no naps today. If I'm going to work tomorrow I really need to rest.

Hopefully by tomorrow the meds will have done even more magic and I'll be feeling better.

I am glad, however, I was able to get something done today. I'll take the netbook with me on my trip. The hotel has free wi-fi and I can keep up with Fairbanks news.

I hope you all are doing well. More on the Southwest trip next time.

baseball and more

My friend Mae and I have returned from visiting friends Bonnie and Junior in Las Cruces, NM. It was a great trip, if whirlwind.

Bonnie and Junior are doing well and it was wonderful to see them and spend some time with them. It went by far too fast.

We flew into El Paso, Texas and landed to a beautiful sunny day with a nice breeze that helped with the 70+ temperatures and hot sun.

On the way to Las Cruces we stopped at an outlet mall where we hit our favorite stores and stocked up on some much-needed clothing items not available in Fairbanks. That night we had oryx (a species of antelope) for dinner along with green bean casserole and more. The oryx was delicious - mild, lean and not gamey at all.

The next day we hit the road early for the six-hour drive to Phoenix. We watched the sun come up over the mountains and light the desert and pulled into Phoenix in time to stop for lunch. From there it was on to the ballparks. We had scheduled six games of Spring Training into three days. We ensured we would see all three new parks in the Phoenix area as well as a couple of our older favorites.

Our first game was Tempe Diablo Stadium where the Los Angeles Angels train. Although this park has been a favorite of mine since 2000, I was disappointed this year. We had good seats for the game, but the park had replaced its seats since our last visit and we felt like we were in the center seat in an airplane's coach cabin. The new configuration really crammed us in. I'm very short and my knees nearly touched the seat in front of me.

That evening we were at Goodyear Ballpark where the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians play. This was one of the new parks, and although we were near the top row of seats and not behind home plate, I still liked the park. The seats were comfortable and we were under a canopy so were shaded from the early evening sun.

We also visited Surprise Stadium, another old favorite, and Camelback Ranch and Salt River Fields, the other two new parks. We noted everything from seats, ballpark configuration and scoreboards to team shops, hot dogs and field views from various areas of the park. We heard a couple of horrendous renditions of the National Anthem. Camelback Ranch featured a fireworks show after the game, but that's for a later post. And we thoroughly enjoyed some major league baseball, complete with home runs, double plays, pick-offs and broken bats.

Although the games involved some serious driving from one side of Phoenix to the other, in one case a distance of some 30 miles in traffic nothing like Fairbanks, we still had time to stop for dinner at a seafood place and a barbecue restaurant. Both had exceptional food and service.

After three days and nights in Phoenix, we hit the road again to return to Las Cruces. After the last game we drove to Tucson to spend the night and give us a little less driving time Sunday morning.

Although we were tired, we all agreed it was a great trip. I could easily spend every March in Phoenix just going from one ballgame to another. I prefer the Spring Training parks to the big city ones. The crowds are much smaller, the tickets and concessions cost less and the ballparks are much more intimate. We can sit closer to the field and even the seats in the top rows are good ones offering views of the playing field without the need for binoculars.

That's all for this post. I'll put up more photos of the trip next time.

Holy Cow! Snow!

It's Monday, Presidents' Day, Feb. 20. We had a little snow late last week, but it was manageable. When I got up (very early - 3:30 a.m.) this morning I could tell it was snowing, but didn't think much of it. I don't normally pay much attention to forecasts, aside from the expected temperatures, so didn't expect what I saw at 9 when I decided to brush off the car so I could go to the doctor.

I was flabbergasted when I realized the snow on my handicapped access ramp was knee-high. I shoved the storm door open and got my shovel out so I could at least get out the door. I managed to shovel a path down the ramp to the sidewalk, but by then my back started to protest, so I stopped. That's what I pay someone to do for me.

The little path I'd shoveled at least gave Buddy a little space to do his business, and he enjoyed sniffing the air and checking out the snow.

His beard and muzzle always come up white with snow when there's a fresh snowfall. He looks so funny. However, he refuses to leave his booties on, so his feet get cold. Even in the summer when the lawn is wet from rain his feet get cold. So we don't stay out too long.

The chickadees and redpolls have been gluttons at the feeders, and I had planned to fill them today. Here's what they look like right now. I will go out and knock the snow off later and bring them to fill them.










However, I am now truly tired of this. Since I don't have a garage, every little dusting of snow means I have to brush off the car. This particular dropping means it will take longer and I'll have to break trail around the car to get to the roof on all sides. I am truly ready for my vacation in the Southwest.

Just looking at these helps me get through the long last couple of months of winter. I've been online looking at various places we might visit while we're in Phoenix and Las Cruces. I've bought new summer clothes and am more than ready. Fortunately, there's in increasing amount of daylight and today the sun is shining. That helps.








It really hasn't been a horrible winter this year, but I am ready for breakup and summer. We're nearly to March - it won't be too far off.

anxiety, elation, snow

January ended with a lot of apprehension and anxiety, followed by a feeling of total relief.

A medical test uncovered what the doctor called "an abnormality." That was followed up by an ultrasound test, which revealed a cluster of "suspicious spots." There was a week between these two tests and they told me at the ultrasound I would need a biopsy - another week to wait, stew and imagine the worst.

On the day of the biopsy I found I needed to lie on a table and "try not to move." The high-tech biopsy machine was connected to a computer so the techs and the doctor could see where the lumps were and where the needles were. It took a little while to line everything up, then they discovered the cluster of spots were closer to the surface of the skin and they had to change the needle they were using.

While it wasn't painful, it was extremely uncomfortable not being able to move. As soon as they started, the hair on my neck started to tickle my ear. Then my nose began to itch. Pretty soon my arms and legs started to lock in place. And the entire procedure took more than 2 hours. I was so happy to be able to sit up and loosen my muscles.

Following that one, we went to another room where the lumps on the opposite side were biopsied. That part was fairly easy and took less than 30 minutes.

After that, I had to have another digital exam and get the compression bandage (so it would help control any bleeding inside the biopsy sites). By the time I got home, I had been there for more than 4 hours.

Then it was two days of waiting for results. When they came back benign, it was such a relief. There was no bruising and very little pain following the procedures. I'm so grateful the doctors here are quick to respond to results, even benign ones. They take the patient's feelings into consideration; they explain everything in advance and they tell you what they're doing as the procedure progresses. That helped ease my anxiety a great deal.

For nearly 3 weeks I was obsessing about this: What if? Will I have to have chemo or radiation? How will that affect me? Will I need surgery? How will this affect my trip to New Mexico and Arizona? (I know, that's pretty small in the overall scheme, but I'm really looking forward to this vacation and to seeing my friends down there.)

So now that ordeal is over, I'm getting back to normal. We've been enjoying some relatively warm weather and getting a little more snow. Though I've reached the point in winter when I really want it to fly by, the fresh snow is gorgeous.



 These leaves are clinging to the branches, adding a bright spot as we drove by.

The sun on the snow and the blue sky in the background really appealed to me.

The Yukon Quest started yesterday in Whitehorse. Although I don't have a favorite in the race, I'll be following it and looking forward to maybe seeing a few of the teams arrive at the finish line downtown on the Chena River. I love watching those dogs. They're so enthusiastic and want to run so badly.

I bought some new luggage with the spinner wheels, some new summer clothes and a 16 GB memory stick for my camera in preparation for our trip. The forecast is calling for some temperatures near 20 below (for the lows) toward the end of next week, but I'm focusing on the Southwest and warm!

Quiet times

The past two weeks have been relatively quiet and productive.

I'm back into the regular routine at work after taking lots of time off at the end of the year. It's nice to see the sun up longer after work, as the daylight hours lengthen. We've had some sunny days here and I love seeing the golden glow on the snow-covered trees.

I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready to go. By 7 a.m.I had a pot of chili cooked and packaged for the refrigerator. By 7:30 I had a stir fry of ham, veggies and Asian noodles also in the fridge. Now (at 8:10) I'm boiling eggs for breakfasts and a ham salad spread for sandwiches. So that means I have lunches and quick suppers if I don't feel like cooking. And . . . I have the rest of this weekend free - sort of.

We're taking our friend Cindy to lunch today to celebrate her birthday. Tomorrow morning I have to go for a diagnostic exam, but will hopefully be done by 10:30. Since I had an exam Friday, with anesthesia, I was pretty much out of it all day. Saturday we shopped and ran errands. I think I need some down time.

I haven't been out much with the camera. My favorite - the one with the longer zoom - hasn't been outdoors a lot lately. The smaller one, which fits easily into a pocket, is always in my purse. It's got a 10X optical zoom and a panoramic feature, so isn't too bad. I've shot a few photos with it, but nothing at all exciting. I'm so ready for spring. I don't go out for long periods in the winter because of my arthritic back and the fear of falling on ice. I did shoot this from my front door a couple of weeks ago. The sky was soft blue, and the flash highlighted the snow on the lilac bush right by the door.

I'm looking forward to following the progress of mushers in the Yukon Quest in February. The race starts in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and ends in Fairbanks. I love watching the dogs run - it's very evident they are having a good time, doing what they love.

In March we have Ice Art, and we'll probably go out to see the ice sculptures again. They are so beautiful, intricately carved.

And, of course, Mae and I will be heading to El Paso, Las Cruces and Phoenix to visit our friends Bonnie and Junior.

All in all, the end of winter is looking pretty good. And with spring come the return of the birds to Creamer's Field, green-up and warmer weather. Lots to look forward to.

Happy days everyone.

Looking forward . . .

Happy New Year everyone. On the 2nd day of January, I woke to see the temperature at a surprising 37 degrees above zero. It's now (at almost 10 a.m.) 30 degrees, but that's still well above what we can expect to see.

I didn't ring in the new year, as I am not a night owl. However, Buddy was disturbed by people nearby who set off fireworks. He started to growl low about 12:15 a.m. and by 12:30 a.m. was frantic. He really does not like out-of-the-ordinary noises. By 1 a.m. I was up, drinking coffee, watching television and deciding when to put on the roast. I always cook pork, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes for New Year's Day in deference to my German heritage and my family tradition. I got that into the crockpot and threw in a load of wash.

I had company for an early dinner as several folks had to work, and got the kitchen cleaned up - all before noon. That left me the rest of the day to relax. Unfortunately, a sinus headache kicked in and I really didn't enjoy much of the rest of the day.

I am not unhappy to see the end of the holiday season. As much as I love it - the music, the goodwill that seems to envelope the season and everyone around me, the food, the kids - I am always glad to see an end to it. The end brings with it lengthening daylight, a return to my normal routine and lots to look forward to with the new year.

The biggest event on the horizon is our trip to the Southwest in March. My friend Mae and I will visit our friends Bonnie and Junior, who live in Las Cruces, N.M. We have our reservations, will fly into El Paso, Texas, then drive about an hour to Las Cruces. The next day we will drive to Phoenix, AZ, for some baseball. There is nothing better than sitting in a ballpark with my friends at the end of a long Alaskan winter. We know there's still snow on the ground here, and we're watching games and enjoying the warm caress of the sun. To help me remember that this is around the corner, I look at some of these from earlier visits:

If you look closely, you can see the ball just going into the catcher's mitt.

This stadium is in Surprise, AZ. We will be back here for a game or two and will also visit three new ballparks we haven't seen before. I loved the architectural style and bright white of this one when we visited it in 2005, its second year.

Junior is a wildlife biologist and he pointed out to us the different varieties of cactus in Saguaro National Park.

The San Albino Church on the plaza at Old Mesilla, just south of Las Cruces. I thought this old church was beautiful.

(From the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau website):  Mesilla is a small town by today's standards but, 150 years ago it was the major stop for travelers going between San Antonio and San Diego. Mesilla hasn't changed much over the years, allowing visitors to see what an 1800’s border town looked like. Western Legend Billy the Kid once stood trial for murder in a Mesilla courtroom, and the Mesilla Plaza was once a major stop for the Butterfield Stagecoach. Originally, Mesilla was part of Mexico, but with the signing of the Gadsden Purchase in 1854, the village became part of the United States. Today, Mesilla offers a wide range of historical and cultural events, shopping and dining on the town's plaza.

So with friends, baseball and warm weather coming up, I'm looking forward to 2011. Happy New Year to you all.

Much like our Alaskaland (Pioneer Park), Mesilla's historic buildings house gift shops and eateries on both sides of the mall.

Winter solstice - musings on 2010

It's almost noon on the shortest day of the year. The sun is shining on the snow-covered birch tree across the street and the thermometer at the front of the house reads 10 below zero. I'm always happy to see this day come, and happier still to see it go, because it means we'll start gaining daylight. It may be less than a minute for a day or so, but to me every second counts! I am really looking forward to seeing patches of light in the sky again before midmorning.

All of my Christmas shopping is done, cards and gifts mailed. All I need to do is make sticky buns for Christmas morning and that will wait until Friday. My family will visit in the morning and I can relax the rest of the day.

I'll take the tree down either Christmas night or the next day - it blocks the window and I want all those short minutes of gained daylight that I can get! Besides, it's been up since the day after Thanksgiving and it's time to start looking toward spring.

As always, this time of year I find myself thinking back on the past year. Healthwise, it was pretty good, with no major illness or problems. I spent time with my daughter and granddaughter, talked with the Spokane family on the phone and kept in close touch with my parents and sisters.

I only took one major trip this year, to San Antonio, Texas, in March. I went down for a conference and was able to spend some time with my good friend Paula while there. She drove down for a day and took me to see the Alamo and the Riverwalk. We had a terrific day, catching up on news in our respective lives and enjoying each other's company. Thses bluebonnets along the roadside were the first ones I had ever seen.

We made our annual visit to the Georgeson Botanical Garden this summer and the flowers there did not disappoint us. As always, they were spectacular. The folks at the University of Alaska Fairbanks do a terrific job planting and maintaining that garden every year.

This flower was gorgeous. I took several photos of it, this one and another in macro. It's just one of many varieties there.

In September my friend Mae and I made our annual trip to Denali National Park on the Alaska Railroad. I think I prefer the park in the fall rather than the spring. The colors are vibrant and we generally see more wildlife. We go for just one night, a relaxing getaway from the office, telephones and bustle of our daily lives.

2011 is looking promising. Our good friend Bonnie is retiring this spring and she and Junior, her husband, have invited Mae and me to visit them in Las Cruces. We are going down in March and will drive to Phoenix to see some baseball games during Spring Training. When we return to Las Cruces we will play tourist, visiting the local area and spending catching up with Bonnie and Junior. March is a perfect time to go down. I love baseball, and prefer the smaller Spring Training parks to the big city arenas. After a long winter, the temperatures in New Mexico and Arizona are so very welcome. I look forward to getting some good baseball photos and hopefully some really nice photos of the New Mexico and Arizona scenery. We will likely visit El Paso, Texas, for a day as well.

After that, I'm not sure what the new year will bring - still talking about an Amtrak trip from Seattle to PA, possibly in the fall when the leaves are changing. We'll probably do our usual summer treks to the botanical gardens and around the local area. I'll go to the Midnight Sun Game and enjoy the summer in other ways.

To all of you, merry Christmas, happy holidays and the happiest, healthiest new year.