Wednesday first day of November starts with a mid-morning visit
of our dog Bella to one of the very few vets that specializes in pets with eye
problems. Not a major issue but we need
to try medication on her left eye to see if the issue can be treated. That afternoon we lose power for short time;
no big deal but frig is flashing 5 E when restarted. Never happened before and owner’s manual and
Samsung website have no info on what 5 E means.
Search of the web search reveals that error code occurs sometimes after
power loss & gives remedy (problem solved).
Friday. 03NOV, better weather; Corrie runs errands and later Dan
takes Toad into car dealer for maintenance.
After dinner daughter Rebecca arrives with grandsons Jaxson & Mason. They are all spending night here in
preparation for the boys’ soccer games tomorrow. Both games are close to us and being here saves
Rebecca driving and a ferry ride tomorrow early, early AM.
Saturday morning breakfast and off to first soccer game, which was Mason in south Bellevue. During first half torrential downpour occurs for several minutes, off/on rain throughout rest of game. Immediately after game Dan heads back to house to take care of the three dogs; everyone else stays in local area and finds place for lunch.
Early afternoon Dan heads to Marymoor Park in Redmond for Jaxson’s game; thankfully no rain. NOTE - Jaxson's team short players and Mason is allowed to sub. So at times Jaxson & Mason both on the field playing together on same team:) Again immediately after game Dan heads back to house for dogs. Little later everyone else shows up at house for quick meal, pack their stuff in car, load up, and head home.
Sunday not much done, light chores and recovery from yesterday. Monday, 06NOV, Dan starts day by spending two
hours at dentist to Silverdale for crown replacement; not much else done. Tuesday not much done; Wednesday Corrie has
shoulder looked at, PT/rehab not going well - so another MRI scheduled and may
mean surgery is needed☹
Thursday 09NOV Corrie runs errands, and late morning Dan heads
to Pacific NW 74 Class luncheon at Buffalo Wild Wings in Lynnwood (last
gathering was 22JUN2023.
The
Ryan RV Express: 01-30JUN23 Sultan, WA (what happened to junuary?)
Before the luncheon can even get started telling lies, Corrie calls Dan to say our jack Russell terrier, Rocket, is having significant problems and needs to be taken to emergency vet care. Dan drives home picks up Rocket and spends next six hours at Pilchuck Vet Hospital, before leaving Rocket there for overnight observation.
Friday almost whole day devoted to Rocket’s condition and what
can be done (if anything)? Won’t recount all the details and emotions. Turns out the latest issues are a continuation
of the stones that blocked his blocked urinary tract couple of months ago. The stones and this issue are as a result of
some sort of blocked blood flow thru his liver (called shunts). This is not an uncommon thing for small dogs and
often they are born with it. Usually the
effects are not noticeable, progressing slowly over time.
Rocket’s progression has been fast and it appears his liver has
been degrading significantly, and the stones and recent issues are the result. Now tests show that his blood bile level is
off the charts, and allowing the contaminated blood to effect the brain and
impact his cognitive abilities. The
function of the liver cannot be reversed and will further decline over time. Decision is to take him home and see if medicine
and special dog food can stabilize his current cognitive abilities.
Saturday was a day of recovering from the emotional roller coaster
of yesterday. Day was spent observing
Rocket to see if any improvement; thankfully things look very good and he is no
longer a zombie dog. Spends most of his
time sleeping but pretty normal when awake (of course pretty normal for Jack Russells’,
compared to other breeds is not the same)😊
Sunday, 12NOV, Dan gets RV & Toad ready for trip to RVrepair
facility tomorrow. Early Monday AM Dan
heads to RV repair shop; we have used this ship once before when it was located
in Monroe. They do good work but now
they are located twenty miles further out in Lake Stevens. We had tried to have our repairs done by
Dynamax/Isata dealer but Everett dealer said maybe xmas? And Tukwila dealer said day before turkey
day? This small shop said next week! Dan thought two of our items would need parts
and/or significant amount of time; shop owner thought easy/peasy.
While disconnecting the Toad from the RV, Dan noted that the Tow
Bar was completely worn and ready to separate from the Tow hitch and RV☹ So he threw it in the
back of the Toad to repair if possible at home.
RV
shop owner was right and called Dan in three hours, & RV was ready😊 Now Corrie had to drive Dan back to shop so
he could pay the bill; and Corrie could drive herself back home in Toad and Dan
drives home later in RV.
Thursday, 16NOV, early AM we take Rocket to vet hospital for follow-up. Lab result on his blood sample are much
improved from when we brought him in. Slight
change in his meds hoping to stabilize his liver function at present level.
Friday weather is cold and clear sky; last sunny day
for a while. Dan tried to use rid-em mower
to cut some of the lawn before rain but mower blades would not engage? Dan spent couple hours to insure drive belts
properly aligned (they were). But now transmission
will not work. So Dan spent another two
hours getting mower into back of truck using come-alongs that kept jamming☹
Saturday AM Dan runs ride-em mower to one of few businesses remaining after covid that deals solely with gas powered lawn equipment of all manufacturers (except stihl). Then back home before Dan hits road to meet Rebecca in Seattle for Jaxson’s soccer game. Great brisk weather, perfect for soccer, then home to Corrie, dogs and dinner.
Sunday,
19NOV, not much, mostly getting ready for turkey day at daughter Rebecca &
husband Raymond’s. Monday Corrie has
med appointments for upcoming shoulder surgery. Dan runs to Costco for turkey day stuff. Even though store just opened the doors, it
was already a zoo and complete chaos. Dan
left after 45 minutes in line – nothing bought.
Rest of day preparing pre-cooked items for Thursday. Dan mows and preps truck for tomorrow drive.
Tuesday
slightly late start to Rebecca & Raymond’s; we decide to drive around via
Tacoma rather than worry about early turkey day traffic on unreliable WA ferry
system. Unload truck and wait for
everyone to get home from work and school; after dinner few games of cribbage. Wednesday Corrie & Rebecca work mostly on
prepping and cooking for tomorrow; pizza for dinner.
Turkey Day Corrie & Rebecca continuous final preps/cooking for Thanksgiving meal. This year Rebecca & Raymond have invited Andrew, Ariel & their three kids (their son Micheal is on Jaxson’s soccer team); and also invited their friends Johnny & Sebastia. Ariel & Andrew bring another turkey, more dressing and mash potatoes. So now we not only have too much food but double too much food🙃 Everyone sits down for dinner at 4PM, but Johnny & Sebastian show-up little late☹
After deserts most of the adults stay around the table to play various “adult games?” Dan and Sebastion sit off to the side shooting the shit. Kids move on to video games or watching you tube. Around 11PM everyone calls it a night.
Friday, 24NOV, lazy day recovering from yesterday’s food overdose. Corrie. Rebecca, Jaxson, & Mason off to the nearby Naval Base recreational pond for some fishing. Then leftovers for dinner. Maybe the first Black Friday without any xmas shopping?
Saturday Dan meets with a former Coast Guard Academy classmate/friend from 1974, Rusty Burke, for coffee. Great three hours reminiscing/lying and then a walkabout the harbor of Port Orchard. Amazingly one of the moored vessels was the LADY WASHINGTON, a replica of a 1700s wooden sailing vessel, that Dan reviewed the construction and stability plans for back in the late 1980s as part of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety technical staff.
Historical Sailing Ship Adventures on the Lady Washington | Grays Harbor Historical Seaport
Then Dan takes grandsons, Jaxson & Mason to Insight Climb. Then back home for chicken wings prepared by Corrie; family fire outside; and cribbage.
Sunday drive
around Tacoma to house, reopen house and just relax for rest of day. Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday very cold and clear
days. Not much done – some chores, take
care of dogs, and prep for Corrie’s rotator cuff shoulder surgery on Thursday.
Thursday AM (last day of November) AM arrive on time for Corrie’s surgery. Then wait and wait; eight hours later, finally home for long and supposedly painful recovery.
