October 15, 2018 Lynxes, Guests & Germs

A look at the Columbia River
from our north ridge.

Friday 10/12. My vacuum actually worked this morning, and thank goodness our guests were a bit later than planned.  JB left for Yakima at 8:30 am, and I met his niece and family where our road turns off from the pavement at a little after noon.

Going down to meet them, about 1/4 mile down our road, I saw a lynx and two kittens!  The kittens scrambled up the side of the mountain, but mama didn't go up very far at all.  She just stood and looked at me.  I looked right back and was in awe.  She was so beautiful.

This was our guests' first time Up Here, so there were lots of "oohs" and "aahs".  They were sufficiently impressed and it sounds like they want to come back often.  It was the perfect day for a visit with a cloudless sky and an high of 66.  Looks like we will be having an Indian Summer for another week.

JB made it back with our repaired generator in time to say "hello" to everyone, then I drove them down to my brother's place.  We even saw some wild turkeys on our way.  They loved it!  But then it was time to get them back to their car that we parked at the Gridder's.  Lots of goodbye hugs and promises of many future visits.

JB said that all day he felt like he was coming down with something, and it hit him hard this evening with congestion, sore throat and coughing.  He was in bed by 7:30 pm.  I followed soon after.

Saturday 10/13. It is 40 and clear this morning.  The weather is great, but we sure aren't.  JB coughed a lot during the night and can't talk without coughing more.  I don't feel so great myself.  So it's a day for doing absolutely nothing but drinking clear liquids and concentrating on getting well.

By evening we were both feeling a little better, but had not been able to get out and enjoy the beautiful day with a high of 55.

Sunday 10/14. It is 37 with clear skies this morning, well into our Indian Summer, although our days are a bit nippy.

I feel much better this morning and JB isn't coughing as much, so things are looking up.  I forced myself to take it easy again today, but did get some things done around the house.  Am going to go Down There tomorrow to do some laundry, buy some screening to lay under the propane generator before we put it back in place (to try to keep out the little critters), and run a few other errands.

Randy called this morning.  He certainly is having problems with a lot of his neighbors.  Not at all like our canyon community.

I took the dogs on an afternoon walk.  So nice to get out of the house for something other than chores.  Poor Blackie never moved out of her little nest.

Another Indian Summer day with a high of 57.  My nose didn't run at all today until the end of the movie we watched - Nights In Rodanthe with Richard Gere and Diane Lane. . .

Monday 10/15. On this, the 23rd anniversary of my Mother's passing, it is 42 with mostly clear skies.  We are both feeling much better this morning and I hope to be on my way down there by 9:00 am.

Thought for the day: There are men in government who shouldn't be allowed to play with matches.  Will Rogers