Frustrated

I am still determining my thoughts many times.  Last night, I called back to Minnesota to ensure Shelley would be OK, assuming she was at home working due to the impending snowstorm.  With her broken ankle still a concern, I was worried.  She did not answer, even with four tires and three texts between 3:45 PM and 4:30 PM Central time.  When I looked at Finy My for her phone, it had her in the office, but by 4:15 PM, it was pinging in front of or in the Lyons Pub. 

I decided to call it a night early, as the worry was taking its toll on me.  When I woke this morning, I had a voicemail from her at 8:37 central time, almost five hours after I called concerned.  She said:

"Hi there I saw that you called three times before I headed out ... I had a meeting from noon until six today and so I didn't have my phone with me didn't have any phone with me ..."

Why am I having concerning thoughts about her lying to me? First, she went from the office to the bar when I tried to reach her. Then she said she had a meeting from noon to 6:00 PM (she has never had a meeting that long since I have known her), yet the first contact was well after 6:00 PM. I have had suspicions that she has not been telling me the truth about many things for a while now.  

So today, I went off-grid.  I turned my phone off and only had my computer connected. Figured no contact would be better than me saying something I would regret.  But then she has not tried to contact me either.  I am still determining what is going on, and I will enjoy my time away and address my issues when I return.

So today, I drove to Historic Oak View County Park, my second visit. The park's nineteenth-century farmstead tells the story of America's agricultural and rural heritage, featuring a 19th-century farmhouse, history interpretive center, cotton field, chickens, goats, fruit orchard, Cotton Museum, pecan grove, and several walking/hiking trails.

The Wake County Beekeepers Association maintains beehives at the cotton field edge. The resident bees help pollinate the cotton crop.

Job P. Wyatt planted the pecan grove in the early 20th century to supplement the farm’s income following the Boll Weevil devastation. Today, the park retains a little less than 10 acres of a formerly much larger 170-acre pecan grove. The beltline cuts through what was once part of Oak View’s property. Eighty trees in the pecan grove were blown down during Hurricane Fran in 1996 but replaced the following year. Each year, November is a public pecan-picking season. 

Farmstead

Pecan Grove

Old farmhouse	Front porch chair
Old farmhouse	Wagon with cotton

An air-conditioned visitor’s center is filled with exhibits for older kids and adults who want to learn more about the farm's history and agricultural practices. There is also a small but charming, fenced-in play area with a bit of a farmstand, a pretend vendor booth, a play kitchen, and gardening toys such as a wheelbarrow.

This is an outstanding half-day excursion. I suggest visiting if you are in the area.

Carry on my friends!

 

Hiraeth

Have you ever felt a connection with a place you’ve never been?  In my dreams, I often find myself in an unfamiliar place, yet it is generally set in the exact location.  When I wake, I feel a strange sense of familiarity and a deep connection to the dream location.  How is that possible?  Hiraeth, perfectly captures that feeling. It’s like a deep, aching longing for something that’s lost, never found, or just out of reach. It’s this mixed-up feeling of pain and joy that’s so close together you can’t really tell them apart. It’s more than just missing something; it’s this super powerful, hard-to-shake yearning for something that’s gone forever.

I’ve been away for almost half a year and will be back in 12 days! I’ve been wondering, what exactly is home? When I was little, my family moved around a lot, so I attended at least seven different schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. I lived in several cities and seven other places during my first decade as an adult. I never really felt that special connection that most people have to a “home.” I find comfort wherever I am in the world. Am I missing something? Some people say you can only feel fulfilled with a place called home. I’ll never know, because I’ve never really come to cherish material locations in all these years. Standing on the soil is home, meaning I’m alive, not just covered in it.

Today, I walked with the dog, followed by an hour-long Zwift ride.  I thought I would go outside, but it was rainy.  It is a good day to clean and do the laundry.

I feel better, yet I still have trouble breathing.  The throat is closing up; it all seems to function below the neck.  I will use the nebulizer a few times daily to see if it improves my lungs.  I was surprised at the nutrition report for yesterday.  I am tracking intake in detail using Cronometer and found the following:

• Choline at 244.6 mg, 44% of the recommended intake

• Vitamin E at 8.3mg, 55% of the recommended intake

• Protein at 115.8 g, 57% of the recommended intake

• Magnesium at 12.8 mg, 61% of the recommended intake

• Potassium at 2,313mg, 68% of the recommended intake

• Calcium at 2,301.7, 230% of the recommended intake

• Sodium at 3,843.5mg, 256% of the recommended intake

Since this is just one day, I will not focus on any changes. I prefer a fuller week of data before I commence changes.

Carry on my friends!

Stomach still an issue

I was up at 5:45 AM with stomach pain and couldn't get back to sleep. In the past, Nexium typically resolved the issue within four or five days; this is the third day. Since I'm not feeling well and experiencing stomach pain, I will carefully track my intake using a Cronometer for the week. I want to ensure everything remains balanced.

By 9:00 a.m., I was bored and went for a walk at Lake Crabtree Park. The trails should be open now, and I was right. This time, I brought my 70-200mm lens in case I saw the bird again. Luckily, a Grey Heron was spotted, but it was far from the area during my last visit. I was really happy with the focus capabilities of my new camera, Nikon Z7ii.  While I am curious about the Nikon Z8, I couldn’t afford to spend an extra $1700 with my retirement budget. I planned to replace it next year, and I got my Z7ii within my planned budget at $1,999, which was originally $ 3,000.  I also opted for the Z7ii, as I could use all my Nikon 810 lenses, which are more expensive than the camera.

After our walk, we headed back to the car, and Lulu drank some water before regurgitating all over my passenger seat. It was a huge mess and took a considerable amount of time to clean up. I hope I got everything. Thank goodness for the WeatherTech floor mats, which kept it all off the carpet. Once we got home, it was a lazy day. Lulu seems worn out and has slept quite a bit. She may have been starving, too, losing her entire breakfast!

Carry on my friends!

Ill

On Saturday morning, I woke up feeling terrible. My stomach was in knots, I had a persistent headache, and I felt drained and light-headed. Lulu, usually a playful dog, slept a lot. I made it through the Bison game, but fell asleep during the Kansas State night game. The Bison won 52-21, a pretty dull game.

At 4:30 AM on Sunday, Lulu acted up again, likely wanting to see wildlife. I took her out with her leash, just in case. Around 5:00 a.m., she calmed down, and I fell asleep. I felt unwell, so I took it easy. I did a 55-minute Zwift ride and a mile-long walk with Lulu. The rest of the evening was about resting, relaxing, and caring for my stomach.

Shelly did send an image from the backyard. A very large visitor!

Carry on my friends, carry on!

Trails closed

I was up at 7:45 AM, but I was still tired. For some reason, I am not sleeping well and do not want to take sleep aids if Lulu has an issue.  I took Lulu for a short walk and then worked on some spreadsheets until about 11:00 AM.  I decided to visit Lake Crabtree County Park to go hiking and take pictures. When I arrived, all the trails were closed due to the rain.  I took Lulu to the lakefront to walk as much as possible and took a few photos.

This was the short trip of the day except for two walks in the neighborhood. It seems we both tried and enjoyed the time of rest!

Carry on my friends, carry on!

So much rain

Early this morning, Lulu whimpered from around 3:30 to 5:00 a.m., which usually signaled she needed to relieve herself outside. I let her out into the fenced backyard, but she was sniffing around for rabbit droppings. I dressed up and took her on a couple of short walks, but she still didn’t go. It's been really frustrating! This is the first night she’s had this issue.

Yesterday morning, I added another coat to the upper railing of the deck. The last time I did that, unexpected rain ruined the final coat, so I had to sand and reapply. I hope 24 hours were enough for the stain to dry, given that it rained again this morning. Frustrating. At worst, I'll sand it down and redo it. As I've said for years, it’s best to be a weatherman, sports official, or a permanent judge – you can always be wrong, never get fired, and still get paid.

With the rain, I chose a Zwift ride, but it was more challenging than expected, with brutal climbs. Most people would find it easy. I’m having trouble breathing frequently, possibly due to ongoing iron issues (anemia) or acid reflux. I plan to take iron supplements and over-the-counter acid reflux meds again. Sometimes, I have trouble breathing in bed unless I elevate my head and chest.

After reviewing past photos, I put together a now-or-never building photo calendar as a Christmas gift for Shelley. She's always loved these calendars and has been suggesting I do something with the collection of building images I've taken. Here are two examples: one from my 2017 trip to Wyoming and one from my 2019 return to North Dakota.

I am hoping we finally get back to decent weather tomorrow. I want to get the dog out and take some fall pictures.

Carry on my friends, carry on!

A little tired

So, yesterday morning, I was up bright and early at 7:15 a.m. Jordan texted me that he’d signed me up for a Zwift event at 10:00 a.m. my time. I was all set and ready to ride by 9:50 a.m. But guess what? The event never started! So, I decided to start another ride instead.

After about 45 minutes, the event I was supposed to ride in suddenly appeared. When he mentioned your time, he meant my local time (Central) and not Eastern, where I was watching his puppy. So, I paused, grabbed some fluids, and then kept riding. Later that day, he said I did stage 4 instead of stage 5, but then he realized he was a day ahead and stage 5 hadn’t started yet, so it automatically assigned me stage 4. As a result, I was exhausted! My legs were sore, my stomach hurt, and I felt dehydrated. I spent the rest of the day cleaning up computer files and working on songs.

Upon waking this morning, I resolved to complete the staining of the deck. A single additional coat would suffice, rendering the project complete. Subsequently, I prepared a batch of pretzel buns, which I will elaborate upon in a later post. I embarked on a three-mile walk with Lulu around Shelley Lake. It had been some time since I had walked over two miles. The walk was exceptionally enjoyable, and Lulu took her time, savoring the opportunity to explore every nook and cranny along the way. I did experience a slight concern, as I had inadvertently forgotten to bring water. Fortunately, a water fountain was available for both humans and dogs.

This lake in Raleigh, North Carolina, is renowned for its abundant avian population throughout the year. I saw little avian activity today, but there were some photo opportunities.

The day felt protracted. I had attempted to prepare fresh pretzel buns before visiting the park, but they failed to rise, necessitating a repeat attempt. Despite warming the water, the yeast proved ineffective. After conducting an internet search, I discerned that this was the second instance of this occurrence within three attempts while residing in North Carolina. Consequently, I discarded the dough and commenced a new batch upon returning from the park. The resulting buns were exceptional. This marks my seventh attempt, and each iteration has yielded improved results.

Over the past few nights, I have experienced difficulties in getting a restful sleep on the air mattress in the office. Consequently, I relocated it to the floor in front of the couch, enabling me to prop myself up and utilize one side as a makeshift bed. I am hopeful that this adjustment will alleviate my sleep issues. It remains preferable to ascend and descend the stairs repeatedly whenever the dog requires assistance.

Carry on my friends, carry on!

Two nights complete

Over the past two nights, I utilized the air mattress on the office floor to monitor the dog’s well-being and avoid the inconvenience of ascending the stairs repeatedly. While the mattress provided a degree of comfort, approximately at 4:30 AM on Sunday, a deer unexpectedly traversed the street in front of the residence. The dog, upon perceiving the deer through the window, exhibited an intense reaction. It transpired that the dog required over an hour to regain composure. The reason behind Lulu’s heightened sensitivity to other animals remains unclear, particularly considering her indifference towards the dog residing across the street.

On Sunday, I engaged in football viewing and participated in a 25K Zwift ride under the account of Jordan, who is currently residing in New Zealand. His intention is to sustain his streak, and I have agreed to ride for him while away, albeit at a reduced pace. Despite this, I remain somewhat apprehensive, as Lulu has experienced two instances of vomiting—once on Saturday morning and again this morning. To address this issue, I intend to gradually reduce her food intake by approximately 25% of her usual amount every three hours for a period of several days. I anticipate this intervention will yield positive results.

Currently, I am diligently reviewing my master image files and implementing an updated file naming system. Each filename now incorporates the camera’s name, location, and the date the photograph was captured, thereby facilitating the identification of specific details. Additionally, I am actively reviewing and eliminating duplicates or images that lack significant memorability. This proactive approach ensures that my photo library remains organized and manageable. For instance, following my recent excursion to the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, I accumulated over 600 images. However, I successfully narrowed down the collection to 451, which remains substantial but within a manageable range.

Following the conclusion of the election, I have come to a sense of acceptance. Nevertheless, I harbor optimism that a sufficient number of rational Republicans will exert influence over Trump’s actions. If he is not restrained, he poses a significant risk of inciting chaos. Notably, the stock market experienced a remarkable 7% increase over two days and has maintained its upward trajectory since then. This positive development is particularly advantageous for retirement savings. Personally, I am not overly concerned about my own well-being under this administration. My primary concern lies in the potential impact of my absence on the lives of others.

Consequently, Lulu and I have 17 additional nights before their return. It is challenging to discern whether she is experiencing an improvement in her condition or remains subdued without their presence. She has been dedicating a considerable amount of time to napping.

Carry on my friends!