September 2016

September 2016

Thursday 01- 108 degrees

I did my stretches, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog. I did try punching the heavy bag for a little bit but it hurts my right arm that I believe has tennis elbow or some such, so I’ll just discontinue boxing for the two weeks I am giving my right arm time to heal.

I swept the bedroom and bathroom floors.

I went over to Sherry’s house with Cassie to do a poop patrol and helpout.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Friday 02- 104 degrees; nights are finally cooling down some at 71 degrees.

I did my stretches, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog. We found a bunch of nails again on the road of Borland Pass. This is the fourth time in the past two months. I picked them all up.

Needing some fresh fruits I went to Stater Bros again. I found out this morning that Monday is Labor Day and wanted to beat the holiday crowds that usually show up.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Saturday 03- 106 degrees.

I did my stretches, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

I got a call from Sherry’s friend Kathy telling me that Sherry was taken to the hospital after Kathy called the paramedics when she found her in respiratory distress. Sherry told Kathy to have me pick up a bag of dog food and ten 25 pound bags of cat litter. Kathy also told me there was no rush, that there was already enough to last over a week and she would be feeding the dogs. I told her I’d pick some up on Wednesday and do the poop patrol and change the water for the dogs.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Sunday 04- 101 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench without the weights... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

I tried to call Sherry’s cell phone and it went right to message. Kathy told me later Sherry had turned it off because she had a very hard time talking on it.

I started writing a new book called “Upon Ashen Roads”; I do this when I am stressed.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Monday 05- 96 degrees!

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Tuesday 06- 95 to 69 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

On our jog we met a man driving by and he stopped to chat for a spell. His name is Brett and he is staying at the first house on Winters Rd about a mile east of me. Brett told me that the previous owner, John, had been in the hospital and passed a few months ago. Brett’s friend had bought the place, but he couldn’t take the heat and asked Brett to stay there and fix it up. I kinda knew something was up a six or so months ago when I drove by and saw two women cleaning out the place.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Wednesday 07-

I did my stretches, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

I went to Sherry’s house to take care of the dogs. I went out and bought 50LBS of dog food and nine bags of 25LBS each of cat litter (found out I was shorted one bag and went back and got a refund for it). I did the poop patrol, changed the water and fed the dogs.

Kathy called telling me that Sherry may not be coming back home for a long time. The hospital is going to move her to a skilled nursing home with rehab this Saturday. I will wait until they get her all settled in at the nursing home and then go down there for a visit.

Thursday 08-

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

Medical canceled Kelly’s benefits because the paperwork she was supposed to fill out was never delivered. Her car is in the shop being fixed and she needed a ride to the Welfare office in Twentynine Palms. We stopped off afterwards to get falafels at Palm Kabob House on Adobe Rd. Very filling and tasted great!

Friday 09- 100 to 74 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.  

Kathy called to give me an update on Sherry and it doesn’t look good, but we can only hope for the best and see if Sherry how she does in the skilled nursing home and rehab. Kathy said she wouldn’t be able to take care of Sherry’s critters for two weeks after the 21st. I told Kathy I’d come by every other day to feed the critters as she already had a friend who said the same. We will coordinate the days in the coming weeks.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Saturday 10- 103 to 75 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

Kathy called to tell me Sherry, my best friend up here in the desert, had passed away in her sleep around 2:30PM. I told her I will call her friends to let them know. I feel very very broken....

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

I wrote a poem for Sherry and posted it to FaceBook: The dreaded news came much sooner, my shock unexpected, the die has been cast, phone calls to be made. The day drew weary, the sky has dimmed, there was so much to say, fond memories to share, of friends who we knew and places we’ve been, but not a word to be heard from the other side of darkness.

I took Cassie for a night run up the hill and back. This seemed to calm my mind along with the writing.

Sunday 11- 101 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

On our jog Cassie saw a white truck parked up at the top of the hill that looked like the county truck Sherry drove and Cassie dragged me over to it. Finding out it wasn’t Sherry’s Cassie laid down in the shade of it while I talked to the driver. His name was Jeff and lived down east of me. He’d stopped to get cell reception as he can’t from his property.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Monday 12- 100 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

Worked around the yard throwing crap I don’t need into the dumpster.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

I put my phones to record messages only... just don’t feel like talking to anyone right now.

Tuesday 13- 110 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Wednesday 14- 104 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog.

I tinkered and got my Honda generator running again.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Thursday 15- 96 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench... situps and leg curls, stuff like that, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog, but had to cut it short because there was a black but more bluish in color Toyota Tacoma like Sherry’s personal truck parked across from our jogging path on Borland Pass; kinda freaked me out and Cassie was dragging me to it. I decided to walk Cassie back home in the opposite direction.

I did my stretches, and went for my one mile evening jog with Cassie.

Friday 16- 98 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a short walk.

I had to go to town to get supplies.

I asked about AEDs (Automated Electronic Defibrillator) at WalMart, no one knew what I was talking about not even the assistant manager. One salesperson asked if it was the thing you stick in your thigh; an EpiPen. I explained what the were and the assistant manager said management would get back to me by phone with an answer. I thought it was strange that a store the size of WalMart wouldn’t have a AED.

Saturday 17- 100 degrees and Sunday 18- 103 degrees

I did my stretches and took Cassie for her morning and evening walks.

Monday 19- 101 degrees with lots of humidity.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a mile jog.

I went to mail off birthday cards. On the way back I talked to David, Jeff, Mike, and Dawn about Sherry. Our little community flew the US flag at half staff today in remembrance to Sherry Rotruck and her volunteer work she did at the USDA food distribution and helping out local residents in need. I thought that was mighty nice of them and took a picture of the flag.

I went for an evening mile job with Cassie.

Tuesday 20- rained and drizzled all day long.

I did my stretches, yoga, and took Cassie for a one mile jog. It had just began drizzling when we started our jog.

I just got word that services for Sherry Rotruck will be held on Saturday October 15th at the Yucca Valley Community Center from 1 to 3pm in the Yucca Room.
Address: 57090 Twentynine Palms Highway, Yucca Valley, CA 92284
Please pass this on to all of Sherry's Friends

Wednesday 21- rained all day

I did my stretches. It stopped raining for a few hours and the ground was firm so me and Cassie went for a one mile jog. I heard the electricity has been out for several here and there beginning sometime yesterday when a power pole was struck by lightning somewheres in Landers and got a call earlier today telling me their electric is still out.
Well we needed the rain and there hasn't been any heavy showers that I know of.

Thursday 22- sunny 85 to 56 degrees and windy, lots of wind.

I did my stretches and Cassie and me went for a one mile jog.

Friday 23-

I did my stretches and Cassie and me went for a one mile jog.

It is cooler outside and I was able to work in the yard all day.

Saturday 24-

I did my stretches and Cassie and me went for a one mile jog.

I went to Potluck.

Sunday 25-

I did my stretches and Cassie and me went for a one mile jog.

I worked more in the yard

Me and Cassie went for an evening mile jog.

Monday 26-

I did my stretches and Cassie and me went for a one mile jog.

Yard moved trailer with only a few dents made along the way.

I went for an evening jog with Cassie and I twisted my right foot and limped back home. Now I can’t lift weights or jog! I think my right arm is slowly healing and getting stronger though.

Tuesday 27- 80 to 69 degrees... partly cloudy.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk... right foot still hurts.

Kelly car is in the shop getting fixed and asked me for a ride to her Doctor’s appointment at 2:45pm in Rancho Mirage. I didn’t get back home until 8pm after shopping at WalMart.

Wednesday 28- 87 to 67 with some evening clouds.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk. My foot still hurts but is feeling better than it did yesterday.

I did some more work out in the yard throwing stuff away. The cleanup is finally coming along quite nicely. While I was cleaning up the yard I was reinstalling Windows 7 on my HP laptop that didn’t like the new Win 10 special upgrade they just released.

Took cassie for an evening walk.

Thursday 29- 92 to 69 degrees.

I did my stretches, lifted light weights, yoga, took Cassie for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for one minute. (trying to get back into lifting weights slowly as not to hurt my right arm as it heals)

I did my stretches, lifted 5lb dumbbells and went for my evening one mile jog with Cassie.

Friday 30- 91 to 71 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a mile jog.

Kelly frantically call me to say Edison disconnected her landlord’s bootleg electric setup and now has no power. She called around and found a friend who happen to have a generator she could borrow. I drove her over there to pick it up. I also got a five gallon can of gas from my house and an extension cord to plug into her refrigerator until I can get a male to male cord and plug it into a wall socket and power the whole house.

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Gosh how I'm gonna miss Sherry... We've been friends since I moved up here. The past few years we would get together twice a month or more so Cassie could play with Barney, Willy and Abby while we went shopping and had linder (lunch and dinner) as Sherry would call it, usually at the Sizzler.
She would always stop by on Saturdays in her County Truck doing her rounds. She would give Cassie treats and we would talk for a spell. One Saturday in July when I was still taking my EMR class Sherry showed me her right leg was swollen. We had studied up on this in the class and told her to go see her doctor right away. She got a second opinion and finally saw her doctor who gave her Lasix to reduce the water she was retaining and she seem alright after that for a while.
Towards the end I took her to her doctor and the ER down at Desert Regional a couple of times when both legs were swollen; Kathy and Jan Bonner also took her on her many trips down the hill to her doctor and ER. All the ER did was stabilize her and send her back home which kinda pissed me off (there's more to that story). September 03rd Kathy found her in respiratory distress and called the paramedics. They finally admitted her to a hospital room at Desert Regional that evening. I took care of Sherry's critters when Kathy couldn't. Kathy also told me Sherry had turned off her cell phone because she couldn't talk and mostly slept and didn't want visitors. Later in the week, Wednesday it was, Kathy called telling me that Sherry may not be coming back home for a long time and the hospital is going to move her the a skilled nursing home on Saturday 10. I was thinking that once she had gotten settled in I'd go down there for a visit at the nursing home, but that dreadful call came at 3pm on Saturday 10th telling me Sherry had passed around 2:30PM...

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***** Stuff I Wrote this Month******

The dreaded news came much sooner, my shock unexpected, the die has been cast, phone calls to be made. The day drew weary, the sky has dimmed, there was so much to say, fond memories to share, of friends who we knew and places we’ve been, but not a word to be heard from the other side of darkness.

~RD

Art can be just a few lines drawn here and there, but it's really how our minds perceive them. If we just take our time to ponder and imagine, these little lines drawn on a piece of scrap, can tell us wondrous stories... and a peek into the mind of the artist.
~RD

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August 2016

August 2016

Monday 01- 112 degrees.

I did my stretches, lifted the 20lb weights, took Cassie for a one mile jog.

Cassie and me out for a ride this evening on my new Sondors Ebike

Tuesday 02- 109 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench, yoga, took Cassie for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Wednesday 03- 112 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk.

We went to Sherry’s so she and I could go shopping while Cassie played with her friends. We did shopping and had linder (lunch/dinner) at the Sizzler.

Thursday 04- 109 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench, took Cassie for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Friday 05- 104 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for her morning and evening walk.

Saturday 06- 105 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench, took Cassie for short walk, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Sunday 07- 108 degrees.

I did my stretches and yoga. Took Cassie for her walks.

Tonight I sat in my camping chair under a beautiful starry night. I was looking through my Celestron 15X70 Skymaster binoculars watching as the waxing crescent Moon sank behind and beneath the San Bernardino Mountains near to the west revealing pine trees and boulders on the ridges. I then turned to see Mars in Scorpio where it outshines Antares which is sometimes mistaken for Mars; it’s a good time to compare the two.

I alway find it hard to find the constellation Hercules, but I then recall it is between Corona Borealis and Vega; here you will find M13 the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules. In my 15X70 binoculars it appears as a tiny dust ball. In a decent telescope you will see somewhere around 300 thousand stars. M13 is 25 thousand light years away.

Later, I was looking for the coathanger asterism in the constellation Vulpecula when a meteor flashed across my binocular lens and it was the only meteor I saw tonight. The coat hanger asterism lies about four fingers at arm's length from the Constellation Aquila towards the bright star Vega. I like the coathanger asterism because it’s sometimes hard to find.

Monday 08- My Birthday! 105 degrees.

I did my stretches and lifted the 20lbs dumbbells and took Cassie for a walk.

I spent some time on FaceBook replying to all the birthday wishes my friends posted there.

I’ve been recently looking for a travel trailer and maybe do some traveling. I went to Yucca Valley to see one, but it wasn’t what I expected. We talked for a spell about the trailer and other things and I told them it is my birthday today. The lady who was selling the trailer, and her Mom and Dad sang happy birthday to me! I taken by their kindness I gave the lady a signed copy of “Azure Sea of Dreams”.

I then went to WalMart to get my haircut and a roasted chicken to share with Cassie.

Tonight was hazy with the smoke from the Pilot Fire in the San Bernardino Mountains. I smelled it last night around 1am and went outside to see if it was a nearby house on fire, but didn’t see any signs of a fire at all. Also the Moon seemed brighter tonight as it shined on the suspended smoke particulates, so the seeing wasn’t all that good. I did see three satellites; one was a tumbling piece of space debris.
I noticed that Cassiopeia was up way to the northeast. By following a string of stars, about a fist length from the brightest pointy tip of the sideways “M” southeast (at this time). And as you follow these stars you have to drop down a bit till you find three stars in a straight row that almost lead right to the Andromeda Galaxy. I always use this method when seeing is poor to find the galaxy, but I am sure there are other better ways of finding it. You can actually see the Andromeda Galaxy on a clear night with the naked eye if you don’t look straight at it and use the rods of your eyes instead of the cones. This technique is called Averted Vision. The Andromeda Galaxy being 2.4 million light years away is the farthest object you can see with the unaided eye.
I was about to go back inside when a very bright orange yellow meteor zipped out of the southwest almost making its way to Cygnus before it vaporized leaving behind a very nice translucent tail to rapidly fade into the darkness.

The winds have shifted and I can smell the fire again. I am wondering if my CERT team will be activated.

Tuesday 09- 106 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for her walks.

Wednesday 10- 104 degrees.

I did my stretches, yoga, and took Cassie for a mile jog.

Thursday 11- 105 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk and then went to my Doctor’s appointment. The Doc is setting me up for all the test and shots I need for the EMT class I may take next spring semester.

I stopped at the Health Club and registered for their Silver Sneaker program that my new health insurance covers.

We actually had a cloud burst a little after 2pm and it rained for about fifteen minutes. Pretty cool to go out there and dance in the rain.

Cassie and I sat outside and watched the Perseid Meteor shower. I couldn’t stay up late because I had an appointment to go purchase a cargo trailer in Redlands and had to be there before 1pm.

Friday 12- 108 degrees.

I woke up early, took Cassie for a walk, and then drove down to Redlands 80 miles away to pick up a 6X10 cargo trailer that I will convert into a travel trailer. I was worried that I’d have trouble driving up the 62 hwy grade, but with one eye on the temp gauge and going a bit slower up the hill than I usually do I didn’t have any problems. It looks much bigger in person than it did online.

I took Cassie for a nice long evening walk.

Saturday 13- 109 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench, took Cassie for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Sherry dropped by to say hi to Cassie and while we were yapping Roger Smith stopped by and we yapped some more in the heat blistering Sun beating down upon us.

Sunday 14- 111 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench, yoga, took Cassie short walk (it was 101 degrees by 10am), core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Monday 15- 113 degrees.

I did my stretches, worked out with the 20lb dumbbells and took Cassie for a walk.

Did some cleaning around the house; even with the swamp cooler pumping away it was still too hot to do much of anything.

Tuesday 16- 109 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a short walk, too hot already this morning when we got started.

I drove to the college to check out the textbook for the Medical Terminology class. I decided right then and there that it would be too much added on to what I want to do to get my already written book “Desolation” edited and published.

Went to Stater Bros while I was out and picked up some chicken for me and Cassie.

Wednesday 17- 108 degrees.

I did my stretches, weight bench, went for a one mile jog alone; just too hot (103 degrees) for Cassie to come along and I don’t think she minded one bit, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Thursday 18- 103 degrees.

I did my stretches.

Got a call from my Stepmother’s friend Smita telling me my Stepmother had passed away. I called to inform my Sisters of her passing. I wrote a poem for my Stepmother Aki who we all loved. She had made the decision to discontinue her chemo and went into hospice, so her passing was expected but still saddening.

Friday 19- 109 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk.

I then went down to Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage to have lunch with my sister Leeanne and our very good friend Robin. I found out after a few miles from my home that the air conditioner on the Cougar was not working and I was cooking all the way down to Rancho Mirage where it reached 114 degrees that day. I made it okay but felt a little off. We ate at the buffet and yammered on and on about this and that... getting up to date on things. We stayed there yakking for almost two hours until I started feeling out of sorts and decided it was time to say our goodbyes. I got out to the car, opened the door where a blast of hot air hit me and the insides were like a oven and I was the turkey needing basting. The steering wheel was hot to the touch all the way back home. I had to drive with the windows open, which wasn’t much help seeing it was over 110 outside. I had planned to do a little shopping when I got to Yucca Valley, but only got gas and drove on home. I was still sweating and that’s a good sign, but once home and out of the car I ran water from the garden hose all over my body to get me cooled off.

Only after the sun went down did I take Cassie for a walk.

Saturday 20- 107 degrees.

I did my exercises and took Cassie for a walk.

Later in the evening when it was cooler we went for a mile run.

Sunday 21- 93 degrees and cloudy; a few sprinkles in the morning!

I did nothing except take Cassie for her walks.

Monday 22- 101 degrees.

I did my stretches, core trainer, weight bench, and punched the heavybag for three minutes. Too hot for a walk or a run for Cassie and I decided not to go myself.

Tuesday 23- 99 degrees in 29Palms and 114 in Palm Springs.

I got up early and did my stretches.

I took Cassie over to Sherry’s to be among her own kind for a few days. I spent the day taking Sherry to the doctors and then to the ER at Desert Regional and didn’t get back home until 10:30pm. I left Cassie there for a ‘stay over’ and will pick her back up on Friday.

Wednesday 24- 101 degrees with haze.

I did my stretches, weight bench, yoga, went for a mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

In the evening I rode the Sondors electric bike 6 miles!

Thursday 25- 103 degrees and hazy.

I did my stretches, yoga, went for a mile jog, exercised with the 10lbs dumbbells, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Friday 26- 100 degrees with clouds here and there.

I did my stretches, went for a mile jog and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I went to Yucca Valley to have some lab work done for the EMT class in spring semester. This is just in case I want to take the class I have to have it done.

I then went to WalMart to get a few supplies.

Cassie was staying at Sherry’s and I went to pick her up and have spaghetti that Sherry cooked up for me and Kathy that was mighty good.

Saturday 27- 93 degrees.

I did my stretches and me and Cassie went for a mile jog.

I went to Potluck and got pretty stuffed on the mighty fine grub there.

Venus Jupiter conjunction... I've been watching these two grow closer every night and thought I'd take a few pictures.

Sunday 28- 99 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a morning and evening walk.

Monday 29- 106 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a morning and evening walk.

Tuesday 30- 107 degrees.

Went to Sherry’s and dropped Cassie off there so I can go to the lab in Yucca Valley to have some blood work done for the EMT registration requirements. I did some shopping at WalMart and then back to Sherry’s to help clean-up her yard (poop patrol)... I bought two California burgers at Carl’s Jr and some ice cream from Stater Bros to share with Sherry.

Wednesday 31- 103 degrees.

I did my stretches and took Cassie for a short walk before I had to go to town in Twentynine Palms: Post office to pick up two packages, Stater Bros. to get a few things I missed yesterday and then on to the ER at hospital for a chest X-Ray; another EMT registration requirement.

***** Stuff I Wrote this Month******

Passive are the shallow waters, which runs beneath the realms of mortals, a sea without sympathy that observe our plight, as we silently slip beneath a shroud of darkness and into an abyss of eternal light.

~RD

They say if one door closes another opens... sometimes we may linger a little longer than we should... in a memory of what once was and seemed to always be, but now recognizing it never really was. Feeling not abandoned, but alone, yet smiling at your good fortune. I am comfortable with my solitude, but I still find myself standing in some damp darken corridor of my mind wishing this sealed door in front of me just might open a crack... allowing a small ray to bleed through, a bit of that sunshine of bliss I used to bathe in with thee, to shine upon my soul, to brighten these darken corridors of my mind once again...
~RD

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