01-31MAR26 - Sultan, WA

Sunday first day of March.  Great weather for outdoor chores.  Dan starts to find out what is left of west fence on the property line.  Most of it has been over taken by vegetation and/or has fallen over.  Task is not helped by middle section is through a wetland☹

Monday more great weather, Dan continues working west fence/property line; then shifts to south fence/property line.  Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday keeps working on south property line.  On Wednesday/Thursday also starts sorting thru his extensive Record/LP collection to sell.

Friday, 06MAR, we pack up truck and head to Pitre’s for weekend.  Saturday early Corrie, Rebecca and Jaxson off to area Middle School Wrestling Championship for the school district (Raymond to join them later).  Dan and grandson Mason off to Mason soccer game.

After game Dan drops Mason off at wrestling tournament and Dan heads back to house to dog sit.  Jaxson earns a third place metal at wrestling tournament.

Family dinner at Sumo Sushi & Grill. (Washington chain restaurant with six locations on west side of Cascades).  Everyone will be charged one set price per person at end of meal.  You go to table and use your cell phones and scan QR disc glued to table and start ordering.  You order 15 items per session; food comes to table via robot.  After food arrives you can order 15 more items; and so on and so on.  After 90 minutes (if you last that long) you pay your bill (which is per person, not on how much you ate).  Then back to house to recover.

SUMO SUSHI & GRILL | ORDER NOW | ALL YOU CAN EAT SUSHI, JAPANESE GRILL, HAND ROLLS | TACOMA, WA

Sunday AM off to Kingston ferry to drive home; major construction project on SR 522, our main road home.  So after ferry we take alternate route, drive north on I-5 to Everett and take US-2 east to Sultan and home.  Added five minutes to drive, but no delays. Entire drive in rain or heavy drizzle – welcome home🙃

Monday rain stops but off and on various snow flurries, sometimes small hail that immediately melts; sometimes wet show that blankets deck and then melts instantly.  And at nightfall dry, fluffy flakes that also melt.  Be interesting to see what we wake up to tomorrow?

Tuesday, 10FEB, wake up to barely one inch of snow on deck and yard.  Temps above freezing so disappears by mid-morning.  Dan finishes inventorying album record collections and contacts internet firm to buy them.

Wednesday rain return, forecast is very high winds and tons of snow this evening in the passes.  Thursday wake up to no evidence of high winds or snow?  Corrie has medical appointments all day.  A Wesco Septic shows up to inspect septic system and pump tanks.

Friday AM after almost three days of local news broadcasting Weather Warnings about significant snow fall, high winds, and impending doom at the mountain passes, it arrives.  To us who have lived in places like Manitoba, Montana, Michigan, no big deal.  But to those who chose to drive over the passes when they probably shouldn’t, it has caused major problems and complete blockages!🙃  Also bought Wile-E Coyote looking for food – had to tell him no Roadrunners in this area – BEEP! BEEP!

Snow definitely causes problems with DISH satellite reception.  But because DISH receiver is connected to internet, it automatically switches to streaming the show.  But you still lose the local stations.

Saturday (Pi Day) snow stopped overnight and temps above freezing.  So no ice forming.  Both of us under the weather, not much done; temps warm and bright sunshine after lunch.  Dan clears small and large deck of some snow, and decides to let nature take care of the rest.

Sunday wake up to above freezing and sunshine, so decks have cleared themselves.  Both of us still not 100%, so not much done again.  Rain returns after dinner.  Monday AM, Dan meets a FB user to sell him “extra “RV power cord” we had.  Then heads to Chevy dealer for routine maintenance on our Colorado pick-up.  Both of us feeling better, but not 100%.

17MAR, Tuesday, frig we had major repair done on back JAN2024 acting up again.  So we run what is called a “forced defrost”.  Then we had to empty out entire freezer drawer, just to move the beast out from wall.  Get the vacuum and clean the compressor and cooling coils.  Plug it back in and no joy.  Call previous repair firm and they will put us on their calendar.

Wednesday discover water on floor of the house garage.  Garage ceiling above has water spot in ceiling drywall.  With help of neighbor Todd cuts out drywall ceiling to get access.  Looks like small roof leak.  Dan places garbage bag over suspected leak.  Runs Fiesta to Ford dealer for routine maintenance (but he is one day early☹️  Leaves the car there for appointment on Friday.

Thursday not much done.  Afternoon frig repair man from Appliance Mechanics shows up.  Determines freezer drawer fan is kaput (frig has three fans).  Parts ordered – hopefully arrive next week.

Friday AM Dan off to yearly skin cancer check (all ok).  Then home to get Corrie to go and pick up Fiesta from Ford dealer.  Back to house to pack and head to Rebecca and Raymonds to spend the nite and see grandson’s Jaxson two indoor soccer games on tomorrow (Saturday).  After second of two games we head back to their house.  Grab Rocket and say goodbye; unfortunately two hour wait get on ferry to get home at 830PM.

Sunday nice sunny cold day, before lunch we head to Redmond to see grandson Mason’s soccer game (Raymond also there); then home; Dan mows backyard.

Monday AM Dan makes another FB sell; we both have annual Medicare Wellness Checks at primary care; afternoon Dan mows front yard.  Tuesday rain returns; Dan gets blood tests done and then gets tetanus booster shot.  Turns out now the booster is part of TDaP shot – Tetanus, Diphtheriae, Pertussis (whooping cough).  Not much else done.

Thursday Dan working on gravel patio and then starts prep for tomorrows medical procedures – endoscopy (or esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy - both done at same time.  Prep started two days ago by stopping some of the meds Dan is already on; then starting an all clear liquid diet.

Friday 27MAR, 4AM has to get up and finish “preps” for the two procedures; at 7AM no more liquid intake until after exams.  11AM check-in, put on the gown and wait.  Then slapped on a gurney, go to procedure room.  Get knocked out, wake-up hour later; get in wheel chair to be transported to wife and car and home.  Not much done after all that (except eat lots of solid food)!!!

Saturday great weather; Corrie works on flower beds around the front of the house.  Dan gets a ton of 5/8ths, clean rock to “finish” the gravel patio of the bonus room.  Rest of day spent using wheelbarrow to get rock from trailer to work area (14 wheelbarrow loads before calling it a day).

Sunday 29MAR, Corrie not 100%; Dan finishes most of the gravel patio (10 more wheelbarrow loads).  Monday great weather; Corrie runs errands and medical; Dan deals with frig repair man.  Now all three fans/defrosters replaced.

Tuesday (last day of March) more good weather.  Unfortunately Corrie wakes-up under the weather.  Dan heads to Stevens Pass Ski.  Reasonable weather and so/so snow, gets good 2-1/2 hours on the slopes.  Dan makes two new ski buddies - Brooks & Daisy.  Almost no one there; most parking lots near empty, and ten people was the longest lift line🙃

01-28FEB26 - Sultan, WA

Tuesday, 03FEB,  Dan takes RV to Mercedes in Lynnwood; but mechanic didn’t show up for work.  Drive RV back home and get back to cleaning barn after stopping working on it last September.

Wednesday Dan hook’s up Fiesta to RV and heads back to Mercedes dealer in Lynnwood.  He is towing the Toad because if Mercedes needs the RV overnight, then Dan will disconnect the Toad and leave RV at dealership.  That way he can catch Edmonds ferry and drive to daughter Rebecca’s house and be there for grandson Jaxson’s wrestling match that afternoon.  Jaxson is doing quite well on the Middle School “varsity” team.  He has won four matches already and is team Captain (in fact he received recognition from school as athlete of the month).

In this modern cell phone age, with everything streamed live; the award was presented on the school’s website and broadcast live at 0730.  But you could log on any time later and watch the tape.  Unfortunately Jaxson lost his match (because IMO the ref instantly said he was pinned before he could attempt to make an escape☹ Back to the house to eat, and then everyone but Jaxson played UNO.

Thursday mid-morning Dan heads to Kingston Ferry and the drive home.  Around 2PM Dan loads our two leather armchairs (both have cheap leather that has split and flaked off)) onto truck to give them away to someone in Gold Bar.  Although very solid chairs; no one will take them as donations if they need any work.  We have offered them for free for six months on facebook.

Friday, 06FEB, Dan mows our big front lawn for the first time of the new year (sunshine today, rain to return tomorrow).  Saturday wake up to steady rain, right before lunch we head to Everett to see Mason’s soccer game.  Meet Rebecca there and endure strong rain and winds throughout the game (probably worse weather to watch soccer we have experienced in past two years).  Mason team wins and we head home to dry out.

Sunday (Super Bowl) not much done just stay inside out of the rain and watch Sea Hawks destroy Patriots.  While eating healthy (wings, charcuterie, cheeses, chips/crackers/dips, etc).  Monday rain stops.  Run to Mercedes in Lynnwood.  They can’t figure out what the issue with tranny is.  Next option is drop transmission and disassemble (we will pass for now); take RV home.

Tuesday, 10FEB, great weather; Dan continues work on cleaning out old barn; then mows back acreage in way of septic field.  Wednesday great weather; Corrie works on garden/landscaping; Dan works on indoor RV parking space and then on old barn clearing debris.

Thursday, 12FEB, another great day.  Corrie works on outdoor chores.  Dan finally finishes clearing all the debris that has accumulated over fifteen years in the old barn.  He has sorted out everything into trash, donation, and keeping.  One mistake he has made over the years is that any scrap lumber left over from our many past projects has been haphazardly thrown into one of the stalls and never touched.  Now he has divided into three categories – not usable but can be burned safely in fire circle; not usable and cannot be burned; and usable and needs a new home.  Last part of project was safely removing (can you say N-95 masks?) all the vermin feces, vermin nests, cobwebs, and fifteen years dust/dirt.

Friday AM (daughter Rebecca’s b-day) we catch a morning Edmonds ferry to Kingston and then on to Rebecca, Raymond and grandson’s house to celebrate.  First thing we notice is a tree fort Jaxson has been building with Mason and a neighbor boy.  Certainly an interesting design🙃?

  

That evening we all (except grandson Mason who is under the weather) head to Captain Crab restaurant for b-day dinner.  Cajun style boiled seafood; very messy.  Then back to the house for 3 games of UNO.

Saturday (valentines day) off to Costco to take advantage of their new early entrance hour for executive members.  So NICE to get fuel, shop and out of there in less than hour😊  Then we tried Bean Hill Bakery for coffee and pastry.  New business in small strip mall, highly recommended.  Back to house and off to Jaxson’s indoor soccer game.  Then back to their home to do various things before playing UNO.

Sunday AM, 15FEB, pack up truck and catch Kingston ferry and drive home, just in time for lunch.  Good weather, so do some outdoor chores.  Monday and Tuesday, cold dreary days; Dan moves scrap wood that had accumulated in RV garage over years to old barn to have all our leftover lumber in one location.  Corrie works in yard.

19FEB, Thursday early morning snow flurries, but immediately melts on the ground.  Snow flurries continue throughout morning to noon, but nothing stays on the ground.  Corrie runs errands, Dan starts taking pictures of “stuff” in shop/RV garage to sell or donate.  Friday Corrie does major shopping while Dan continues taking photos of tools no longer needed.  If tool needed in future, he’ll rent.  Rocket gets groomed.

Tuesday 24FEB, Corrie has girl’s day out with Jan Formisano.  Dan goes to Steven Pass Ski Area.  First time back on the slopes in two years.  Dan was out of shape, rusty and snow was terrible.  Three runs and done, back to the house.  Then posts “stuff” on facebook to sell as we downsize.

Wednesday mostly errands and Dan mows front lawn for second time.  Ships half his engineering books off to internet business to be resold.  Several hundred dollars in books, sold for $16, and free shipping.

Thursday AM Dan catches ferry to Kingston, WA, to go to grandson Jaxson’s afternoon wrestling match.  After match everyone but Jaxson goes to Skipper’s Seafood and Chowder House for dinner (only five left in the USA).  Why Skippers?  Because Dan was driving the grand boys around Silverdale and noted that he hadn’t seen a Skippers in decades.  Mason then told parents – that the family should take OPA to Skippers, on one of Dan’s many visits.  Rebecca, Raymond, and Mason were the youngest customers.  Everyone else was as old as Dan🙃

Friday, 27FEB, AM Dan packs car and heads to Kingston ferry and home.  Not much done the rest of the month.