Holiday Sounds in Washington

Cough, Cough. Hack, Hack. Sneeze. Ugh. Unmentional noise. Hack, Cough. Wheeze. I'm not hungry. Yawn, hack, cough, sneeze. Crash.

Translation: Kerry and I got this terrible flu and cold bug. I got it first the day after Christmas. He followed quickly. What followed all that are some lost days of sleeping and more sleeping. He developed a temperature of 102.8 so went to urgent care and is now on antibiotics. When we left yesterday his sister was making all the same noises. Her husband, Gary, is probably not far behind.

The crash was the sound of Mark's Amtrak train to Seattle hitting a car at a crossing grade. No one was hurt but he had to be resourceful to make sure he got to the airport in time for his flight back to Albuquerque. Being the resourceful sort, he made it.

Once again Kerry and I have slept most of the day. We just ate his homemade macaroni and cheese. There is nothing like comfort food when you are sick. "Sleepless in Seattle" is on. Sounds like a good movie to sleep through. Good night and Happy New Year to you all.

Almost forgot. The photo is the kitchen table at Susan and Gary's house in Washington. It's covered with all the Christmas sweets that have tempted me in the past. Susan replenishes it whenever dishes get low. When you are sick, even chocolate doesn't look good. The one dish I didn't photograph was the one holding her homemade carmels that are individually wrapped in waxed paper. We will save those for later.

Merry Christmas To All

 
We didn't get a big tree this year. Just decorated a small one and the fireplace mantel. Very nice at night with all the lights. I want to wish all who read this a very Merry Christmas. And for those who don't celebrate Christmas, may you have a wonderful holiday season. We are flying to Seattle around noon today and then drive north to Burlington, WA where Kerry's family lives. Mark joins us tomorrow for four days. This is his first time with Kerry's family in Washington. Everyone is very excited about his visit. I really appreciate the fact that he's coming there. Instead of bowling on New Year's Eve we will bowl on Wednesday night so Mark gets to experience the Hoop family bowling tournament. There will be 13 of us this year. That's a record number of bowlers. The only rule is that you can't practice between holiday games. We only know of two people who broke the rule. It didn't help their games. We are back late Friday night. 

More Refrigerator Magnets

 
I experimented a bit with a new idea for a refrigerator magnet. The results are in the photo. I glued a variety of beads to the rounded surface and glued colored paper to the back. It's fun. 

More Socks

 
These pink beauties are my latest creation. I'm wearing them right now. The best part about knitting your own socks is you can make them the exact size you need. I have big feet so that is wonderful. I've already started my next pair. The colors are lime green, purple and yellow. 

Here's How I Give My Platelets Away

 
I had the phlebotomist (they draw blood for a living) take this picture today when I was donating platelets. The needle in my left arm delivers blood to the machine on the left. It filters out the platelets and plasma which are in the plastic bags hanging about the machine. Then the machine sends the blood back to my arm. The blood feels cool when it returns because it's been out of my body for a while. It took 70 minutes to fill those three bags. I read. You can also watch movies. This would be a great gift to give to someone. And I think it's the kind of gift that will make you feel good. They feed you afterward and give you all kinds of gifts when you reach certain milestones. In the summer we get coupons for free Baskin Robins ice cream. Give it a try. Platelets are only good for five days. They are in such demand that none is ever thrown away. I'll get off my soapbox now. 

Some Christmas Humor

 
 

Spudding The New Well

 
The drilling rig pictured here arrived this afternoon. So far they are down 100 feet and have about 3-4 gallons of water per minute. They hit granite and will drill through it tomorrow to get a much better rate. The dowser was right. Amazing. Spudding does not refer to potatoes. It's a term used in the drilling business to denote the start of a new well. 

All Roads Point To Yum Yum In Calexico

 
The sign on the corner leads you to Yum Yum. Very unassuming looking, but don't let looks fool you. There's a lot going on inside besides just eating. The Thunderbird parked in front belongs to Hildy. 

Here's Hildy and Eddie at Yum Yum

 
Hildy Carrillo-Rivera, shown on the right, is the only reason I know about Yum Yum. She has been a wonderful friend and colleague. Eddie Rivera, her ex-husband who is pictured on the left, loves good red wine, especially La Creme. A trip to Imperial County means a trip to Yum Yum. Wonderful people. 

Yum Yum's Owners

Louie and Christina Wong are the owners of Yum Yum. Wonderful people who give back constantly to the community. Louis usually stays late at the restaurant and Christina heads home to watch her Chinese soap operas. Louie has even been known to open the restaurant for us after Calexico events. Great couple

The Road to Yum Yum

 
Here's the Yum Yum sign on Imperial Avenue. The contrast between the Spanish sign and Yum Yum is one part I really like. The restaurant itself is back and to the right. That will be the next picture. If you are confused by this just read my earlier blog entry. 

Yum Yum: An Institution Not Just A Restaurant

For the past few months I've been telling family and friends about a Chinese restaurant in Calexico, which is right on the Mexican border in Imperial County east of San Diego about two hours.

I finally decided that some pictures might best tell the story. The restaurant is Yum Yum. The owners are Louie and Christina Wong. If you sit in their restaurant almost any day of the week all the people you need to know in the area will wander through.

Yum Yum is more than a restaurant, it is an institution. I was introduced to Yum Yum by Hildy Carrillo-Rivera, executive director of the Calexico Chamber of Commerce. Dining there is wonderful for many reasons. First, the food and second the great red wines that diners bring to enjoy. Louie doesn't charge a corkage fee, which makes it even better. Hildy's ex-husband, Eddie Rivera (attorney and school board member) is a regular there too. He especially likes La Crema wines. I'm going to post a bunch of photos with captions so you can get to know Yum Yum and the people there too.

It's Official, We Are Going To China

On March 2nd we leave on China Air from San Francisco Airport for 8 days and 7 nights in China. We will see the tip of the iceberg, but you have to start somehwere. Our first stop is Beijing and our last stop is Shanghai. The two cities in between I can't pronounce or spell. The cost is $1299 per person double occupancy. It includes round trip air fare, all hotels, two meals a day, sightseeing in busses with guides all eight days, and an in-country flight from Beijing to Shanghai. We are going with two other couples. We all are part of a tour planned by the Roseville Chamber of Commerce. $25 per person handles all the tips for the trip. One funny note, the trip coordinators advertise that we will stay in five star hotels in all but one city. In that city we stay at a Howard Johnson. I can't remember the last time I stayed at a Hojos. Any tips on China travel will be appreciated.

I'm off to Southern California for business for the next four days. Not the good part of Southern California. I'll be in Imperial County right on the Mexican border.

Meet Comet

 
She's 14 years old and has outlived two Golden Retrievers, Molly and Emily. She is very cuddly and skinny, which is unusual for cats. She only weighs 7.2 pounds. Most of my other cats have weighed in somewhere in the mid-teens. During the day she sleeps on top of my computer monitor. At night she sleeps with us. Usually in the morning she has more of my pillow than I do. She sits in the window of my office and watches the bird feeders. Her little jaw quietly snapping as she lusts after the birds. During the summer she chases and catches lizards. I've met quite a few of them in my office. She is a sweetheart. 

Platelets...I Give Mine Away

For the twelfth time this year I donated platelets at the blood bank. Here's why. During my Enron days I was flush with cash and used it to support my favorite cause, a woman's right to choose, AKA Planned Parenthood. Those days came to an end rather abruptly and my monetary donations dwindled.

Then Kerry was diagnosed with a platelet disorder. His body sees them as the enemy and destroys them. Not good if you get cut or need surgery. Platelets stop you from bleeding to death. No it's not hemophilia. That's a genetic disorder. His is an auto-immune disorder. Don't know when it started but he has it, and the odds of it going away are not good. Once a quarter he is tested. His platelet count runs around 40,000-50,000. Normal is 250,000 to 400,00.

So combine the two things: my lack of money and his disease, and you come up with a way for me to make donations from my body without spending a dime. You can write off the mileage to the blood bank on your taxes. It's better for women to donate platelets than whole blood. When women donate whole blood it takes long time for our hematocrit (ratio of red blood cells to blood volume) to get back to 38. After I had donated blood a couple of times the blood bank suggested donating platelets as a way to be a regular donor. Platelets are used for people like Kerry, for burn victims and cancer patients.

Each time I go in I do a double, 2 pints. It take about 80 minutes. The machine that does it is very cool. First it takes some blood out, runs it through a filter and captures the platelets, then the blood is returned to my body. This goes on the entire time. When the blood goes back into your body it's been cooled just by being out of your body.

So far I've donated 6 gallons and 3 pints. They make a big deal out of the 6 gallons, but 10 gallons is even a bigger deal. The people at the blood bank are incredibly nice. You can watch a movie or read or whatever. Today I fell asleep, which is not good. You have to squeeze a rubber ball to keep the blood flowing. They watch you closely when you are doing this. All of a sudden today someone touched my hand containing the rubber ball. She then spent the next 30 minutes talking to me to make sure I didn't fall asleep again. I swear I was squeezing the ball. She seemed to know better. Once you finish donating then you go to the snack bar and have two cups of juice and a snack. Rehydrating is very important.

So, if you want to really help a lot of people, go to your nearest blood bank and be tested for your platelet level. If you have a lot, then start giving them away. My level is 350,000. Kerry had a platelet infusion when he first got his disorder. The cost was $48,000. So you can see that platelets are very valuable. You can give every three days as long as your hematocrit level stays above 38. I go in every two weeks.

Try it, you might feel really good afterward. I know I do. Plus you get to see what platelets look like.

All He Wants For Xmas Is A Big Screen TV

 
Kerry is very worried that Santa won't bring him the big screen TV he wants. The one he's standing next to is at Dennis and Carole's in Naples. He really likes it. 

Thanksgiving By The Pool In Naples

Yes, we had Thanksgiving dinner on the lanai right next to the pool in Naples where my cousin Dennis and his wife, Carole, have a winter home. We spent some lazy days reading and knitting by the pool, swimming in the pool and watching television by the pool. Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.

Thanksgiving Greetings To You All

Here are the things I'm thankful for this day.

1. I'm in sunny Florida celebrating the day with my cousin Dennis and his wife Carole and Kerry.
2. My brother has a new job, a wonderful wife, great kids and stepkids and a spectacular house in the mountains outside Denver.
3. Mark was able to buy a house in Albuquerque.
4. The health of everyone in the family.
5. The birth of Grandbaby Max Cheng Christie on March 30, 2005.
6. My sister Vicky's new job in the Treasury Department
7. Celebrating my 60th birthday in Albuquerque with family and friends
8. Finally getting to see a performance by the Santa Fe Opera Company
9. The many trips I was able to make to visit my family in Minneapolis this year
10. The love and friendship of Kerry's family in Washington State: Susan and Gary, Marshall and Mary Susan, David and Summer and Joanne.
11. Emily, our beloved Golden Retriever, is no longer suffering with epilepsy. I do miss her terribly.
12. My business is thriving.
13. Kerry loves his art classes and is exploring his creative side by creating many beautiful things
14. Adopting Beverly and George (our friends in Albuquerque) into the family. They were at my birthday party and the Santa Fe Opera performance.
15. Living in the country where it's beautiful and quiet.
16. Most of all I'm thankful for the fact that I have Kerry in my life. In January we will celebrate 5 years together.

A Winter Hat For Max

 
I finally mailed the hat to Max last week. When you live in Minneapolis you need a good way to keep your head warm. It didn't take long to knit. It's the first thing like this that I've done. 

The Aroma of the Holidays

For me the smells of Christmas are as important as the people and the gifts. When the tree is in the house the scent is pine. It's subtle but it's there, especially when you come in from out of doors. Then there is the baking: rosettes fried in oil and dusted with powdered sugar, sugar cookies baking in the oven and the smell of lefse when you first open the package.

And of course you can't forget the smell of Thanksgiving. Those aromas start the night before with the browning of the onions and sausage. And Grandma Coakley's sweet potatoes have a heavenly scent. Three ingredients: sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter. Her cooking was simple but delicious.

This year, however, I won't be able to smell these things, because last spring I lost my sense of smell. I had a bad cold that lasted forever. At some point I realized that I wasn't smelling things. I put my sniffer to the ultimate test and opened a bottle of nail polish remover. I couldn't smell a thing. For all I knew it could have been a chardonnay.

Now there are some upsides to this condition. I can't tell when the litter box needs emptying nor can I smell dead skunks on the road. The flip side is that I can't smell leaking gas or gasoline or smoke.

I thought about inquiring about a handicapped parking place but soon realized that my hampered sniffer didn't keep me from getting in and out of the car.

Food has lost some of its appeal. Taste comes from a combination of your taste buds and your sense of smell. Sometimes I forget and try to inhale the aroma of a wonderful zinfandel. That's a bummer. Doctor says it may or may not come back. I don't think about it much until someone around me says, "doesn't that smell good". Then I know I'm missing something. But in the grand scheme of things, a malfunctioning sniffer is not a big deal. Luckily I live with a wonderful man whose sniffer works just fine.

So don't take yours for granted. Spend a few more bucks and buy it the soft tissue.