Accounting - a Cure for Insomnia

            I started two new classes on Labor Day - well, new to me.  The classes themselves aren't new.  One is in financing and the other is accounting.  Oh, joy.  It hasn't been a full week, and already I've gotten them mixed up.

            The instructor who teaches finance is one I've already had before.  My accounting instructor is the most enthusiastic one yet.  She talks quicker than I can take notes.  She doesn't spend much time on the assignment but does seem to cover a lot of ground.  It is still overwhelming.

            Now, I'm a visual person, which I think I have mentioned.  I love finding videos on YouTube that will help me understand whatever subject.  CrashCourse was great for economics and history, but it doesn't appear that there are have been any CrashCourse made with the subject of accounting.  Too bad.  Meanwhile, I have been searching for something that doesn't sound or read like Ben Stein.

            You see the reaction of the students?  I actually have a more attentive face learning the depression and economics and so forth than studying accounting. I have not come across yet that makes me go, "OH . . . I get it now!"  Ben Stein also done commercials for "Clear Eyes" and while the commercials themselves seem to have some eye amusement, his voice does not

            Accounting reads like double talk.  The language is seriously over my head.  And of course, everything is written in third person.  I guess that's one reason I prefer reading material in first person as opposed to third person.  Third person is too textbooky and impersonal.  There is nothing personal about accounting.  The higher up the class is, the more foreign it sounds.  Although I do seem to be getting some of what I  hear or read.

            Though the majority of my instructors have put more enthusiasm into their voices and have brought in their passion toward the subject, I haven't run across that on YouTube.  Most of it has been monotone and robotic.

            When addressing the question, "What would you recommend for falling asleep?" I have always suggested watching "the English Patient" - how can you seriously stay awake for the entire movie?  If that doesn't work, pull up YouTube and type in accounting.  That should do it.  

Smoked Peaches . . . . it's a Wonder I Didn't Cut Myself

                We ended up NOT going to McMinnville.  Air quality has shifted.  Yesterday we were at a Very Unhealthy and McMinnville was moderate.  Now we're at Moderate and McMinnville as at an Unhealthy level worse than Roseburg - which seemed more breathable the last time I was there.  And forget Eugene.  As there is no direct line from Myrtle Creek to McMinnville, we'd have to take I5 and through Eugene - which may have been worse off than South Umpqua all along.

                This morning I read that I84 was/is closed due to the smoke (here).  That's crazy.  We are stuck . . . fires north of us (Washington and Canada) fires east of us (Idaho) fires south of us (California) fires to our West (Oregon) Schools have closed or are on delay due to the smoke.  Jenna had school.  That floors me.  I mean, yeah, the air quality is better today than yesterday.  Still can't see the sky or mountains though (I may be seeing more trees) Our state is on FIRE! (here) 

                There has been concern about the crops - particularly those that have been growing grapes in vineyards.  They wonder how the wine will be effected if smoky grapes are used.  That is just one of many crops.  I remember the air quality in Medford was not so great when our family joined others with a pear picking project.  I wondered then how the smoke would/does effect the produce.

                The family next door gave us three buckets of fruit this weekend.  We left them on the back porch and so they have been exposed to the smoke, but I don't taste it.  There are more peaches than we can eat before they start to spoil. We decided to freeze what we can and pull it out as we need it.  Using this video to help guide us, Roland and I decided to start on the peaches this morning.  I say start as there is a lack of trays and freezer room.  So we have decided that we will work on eight peaches per day until we have them all.  We have also bagged frozen apple slices and will continue with apples before moving on to pears. 

                So there is your update for today.  BTW THANK YOU to Better Homes and Gardens for that Tutorial.  Very helpful!

Dust Maks

I remember the smell of smoke or stale air many times when I was in Utah.  It was usually cold outside.  We could shut the doors and stay warm and the smell would stay on the outside.  I've never had smoke follow me inside the house before.  I can't see it indoors, but I know that it is there.  We've been running the fans and airconditioners to discourage the smoke.  It has helped cut down the strength, but I still have a headache.

True Value has sold out all dust masks:

        Roland said he purchased the last bag less than 30 minutes ago.  The next supply won't be in until Friday.  The air is definitely cleaner with this on.  It is also very hot. We also have dust masks in our evacuation bags.  I had forgotten about that until just now.  We really need to go through our bags again.  Perhaps we will do that for family home evening.

         If school should get cancelled tomorrow due to the poor air quality, we will head up to McMinnville to stay with Beth and Graham for a while.  The air quality up there is just moderate.  That beats very unhealthy though. 

           I tried taking pictures of the red sun (the only evidence we've had of there still being a sky) but my camera can't capture what's really there.

         Meanwhile Jenna has decorated her mask. 

Gotta add some humor to this pathetic situation, right?

Harvey is Not the Nation's Only Disaster

          Every time I sign onto facebook, I have been invited to donate to the relief fund for Harvey - as I'm sure all facebook users have.  I have never dealt with the aftermath of a hurricane or earthquake or tornado and hope I will never have to.  I don't know what it's like - but it sounds horrible.  It looks horrible.  I know that there are many who are suffering.  I'm certain that the current situation in Houston Texas is worse than my own in Myrtle Creek. 

          I do know what it's like to be surrounded by cold winds and how heavy snow can get.  I have had a small taste of a heat-wave.  I can deal with mold better than some.  I can actually better deal with strong and unpleasant odors as I have lost my sense of smell - although I can smell the smoke as it lingers through any air holes it may find - the opening and closing of the door.  It is awful. I do know what it's like to struggle to breathe in smoke-filled or polluted air.  I feel for the asthmatic.

          I called Biff's mother-in-law who has already lost three  children to health issues.  Two boys have survived - one in Texas, one in Washington.  The one in Texas had been evacuated before Harvey came.  They returned to debris outside of their home.  Miraculously the inside remained unharmed.  She thinks the other is alright as well and has plans for talking with him later this afternoon.  I don't know if the air quality his family is breathing compares to ours. 

          There have been countless news stories about specific fires and many with several fires.  You can read just a few here, here, here and here.  Or you can Google your own search.  Fires have been burning most of the summer (if not all of it)

          I have been hearing the helicopters, but not seeing them.  I wonder how they are able to see.  Or perhaps I'm not really hearing them.  It just became a common sight and so I just think I hear them.

           I came to Oregon for the clean moist air.  It has disappeared along with the mountains and sky.  But I'm sure I would have headaches and coughing in Salt Lake as well.  The boys have a cousin who is unable to breathe due to asthma and fire/smoke combination in another county.  I have a brother-in-law who has probably been affected by the smoke from the same fire as he also works in an area the smoke has lingered.  It was worse at Church than it is in the house. Good testimony meeting though.

         These are various pictures I have taken of the same mountain that can't be seen at this time:

          I had an instructor post: Assignments due; if you have been affected by Harvey, arrangements can be made!  Please let us know.  That is very thoughtful to consider those who may have been evacuated, for those cleaning up, for those who possibly aren't able to sign on and see the message because of the situation. 

Harvey isn't the only natural disaster that has taken place. 

         

Do You Think We’ll Have To Evacuate?

          We saw deer all the time after we first moved to Oregon.  They had wandered into the city to escape the fires that were burning their homes in the forest.  I don’t recall having seen as many deer in the last two years combined.  The fires seem greater this year than in 2015.

          Shortly after our move to Oregon, I made up three evacuation bags. We kept them in the closet door right next to the front door. I felt quite fortunate that we’ve never had to use them.

          When we moved again, Roland added to the evacuation bags making them three times as heavy. Because of their weight and a extremely small closet, they no longer seem as convenience to get to.  We found five can openers among our garage sale treasures.  I figured we had enough that we could put one in each bag (as all three bags contain canned goods) but haven’t had the desire for moving the heavy bags.  Currently they are sitting on top of the vacuum cleaner which has also been stuffed into the closet.

          Tri City lies between Riddle and Myrtle Creek.  Riddle was at a number two evacuation when I first created this post - now they're at a number three - at least nine houses in Riddle - but apparently not the entire city of Riddle as they are currently using the elementary school as refuge.  I wonder how long that will last.

          Yesterday was the our day at the pool until next year.  We went to Winston today and then to Roseburg. The sky was gone - or that is how it appeared anyway.  Like God had erased the sky and we were looking at a blank whitish-grey canvas. I remember thick fogs in winter that settled over houses in Salt Lake City.  It was always cold.  It looks like it should be cold outside, but it's not.  It's hot and it is smoky.  On the return back to Myrtle Creek, it appeared that more of the scenery was slowly being erased away.  I took these pictures:

          It is highly possible that Tri City could evacuate if the rest of the entire city of Riddle is asked to leave.  The temperature forecast says it may get to 108 today.  108?!?! September should never be this hot. Planet Earth should never be this hot!  Why can’t we sent some heat down to Houston to dry up the floods and have them send us their rain to put out the fires?  Why can’t we have a happy balance?  I came to Oregon in order to breathe better.  Not happening right now.  We need moisture to clean out our gunky air.

Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer

Bless the inventor of this product.  

This is SOOOOOO cool!  I Love it!

The Fires are Closer than I had Thought

    Miss Jenna is off for the next four days after having gone to school for three.  Why not just start school on the 5th? 
   
    I left the window open last night.  Big mistake.  It is not yet three in the morning and my eyes and nose are going ballistic.  I should have known better. 

    I found this map earlier last month. 

     It maps out 17 different fires that have been burning throughout Washington and Oregon.  Since then I have counted over 25 in Oregon alone.

     The map shows a cycling path - an event that takes place each year and includes cyclists from all over the world - who come from different states and even other nations to participate. We live approximately where the purple dot is.

    I have read that the Horse Creek fire is just twelve miles outside of Riddle.  That is not that far. 

    What ever possessed me to sleep with the windows open?  I must be a glutton for punishment.