A Sense of Doubt blog post #4217 - Letter to Dad #51 - Pressure Washing on Your Day and Puppies

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4217 - Letter to Dad #51 - Pressure Washing on Your Day and Puppies

Hey Big Guy,

I am actually writing this post two days late because of work. I have started my counseling practicum and am driving to Salem, OR twice a week. First week in the books, and it went really well. Not doing individual sessions yet and still learning the ropes. But I liked the people and the experiences I had this week. I am going to learn A LOT and already have been learning a lot. Challenging population, people experiencing substance use disorder.

I had my first faculty supervision class, two hours, Wednesday mornings. I like my instructor a lot, and my classmates are a very diverse group, which I love!

The week wasn't all that exhausting although I did a lot. However, I am kind of exhausted. Maybe changing my sleep schedule to get up an hour earlier has something to do with it.

I did get some writing done this week, though not as much the previous weeks.

Lots of rain so no porch time, but now, two days later, I hope to get some porch time.

I miss you, Big Guy.

I channeled you as I did pressure washing, more on that below as I curate a series of photos.

ABOVE: Satchel on August 25th on the floor near the kitchen.

I like to take pictures when the puppies spend time together. Essel loves her sisters, but she especially loves her sister Ellory as shown above from August 25th.

Because Satchel has congestive heart failure, she should not walk up hills or stairs. I cannot always stop her in time to carry her up the stairs in our home, especially when I am not home.

I can stop her from going up hills. So we are back to using the stroller we bought after her second knee surgery. I walk her down the hill and then push her back up. She always tries to walk up the hill, but once I force her to turn around, she often jumps into the stroller before I can help her.

It's not as if she DOES NOT like her ride. She likes it. Pictures of her in the stroller follow.

All taken August 28th.

Here's that picture again that I made the topper image. I really like it.

Here's the very clean driveway I washed after the back patio. Both were filthy. My friend's pressure washer also blasted weeds that were growing through the drain grate midway. The driveway is now cleaner than my car. August 28th.

Here's the pressure washer and some of the patio in its filthy condition.

I used a lot of water, but here I still had to go close over all the cement.

The nozzle oscillates the water, and I was warned to take care as it could cut my foot or shred 2x4.

FINISHED! SO CLEAN. AUGUST 28TH.

Different angle on these puppies, August 25th.

Thanks for tuning in.

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2609.03 - 13:40

Letters to Dad will now be published at 13:40 if I can remember.

- Days ago: MOM = 4081 days ago & DAD = 735 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4196 - Letter to Dad #48 - Hiking Coldwater Lake on 2608.08

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4196 - Letter to Dad #48 - Hiking Coldwater Lake on 2608.08

Hey Big Guy, I went on a hike on Saturday the 8th of August at Coldwater Lake where I took you when you visited in 2022, though, obviously, we didn't even go on the trail let alone hike it.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2688 - Mt. St. Helens and Coldwater Lake with Dad

My friend Paul and his dog Jasper went with me.

Here's the map.

We did the lakes trail that is supposedly nine miles round trip but Paul's app recorded eleven miles of walking.

Here's more photos and details in someone else's hike report:

https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2023-07-21.4340285743

I want to do the entire loop, even with the 1800 foot ascent, but that's for another day when we can start earlier in the morning.

So, we didn’t get going as early as I wanted. Close to 10:30. On the trail by 11:52.

I realized nearing the last mile, as my hip started to hurt, that I had forgotten to stretch that morning. I brought more food than I needed: three PB&J&banana sandwiches, two pringles containers (though left one on the car), four beef sticks, and a big bag of trail mix. He told me to bring a GALLON of water. My new camel pack supposedly holds two litters, but I am not sure I filled it all the way. Only my old bottles for my bike fit in the side pockets. I DID NOT run out of water, but it was close.

We did the Lakes trail, which is allegedly 5+ miles, so 11 round trip after we turned around.

I timed it. Took us two hours out, and two hours back, which included the breaks.

I go out there for quality time with my friend, whom I do like a lot despite my criticisms, and to commune with nature. I feel like I hear you and Mom, sense you, am in tune with you in the woods. Not sure why. Not like we were a big nature family. But it’s like church. I feel the presence out there.

Anyway, about a mile from the end, I announced that I had almost twisted my ankle but if he needed to press on (he is about 20 years younger than me) to get back to the car faster, because if water, that’s cool. I am slowing down. But also enjoying the walk, which was the whole point of it. Touching trees. Pausing in beautiful spots. So he gave me Jasper who pulled me the last mile. Not like I couldn’t walk it on my own. But Jasper helped, especially on a few little hills.

All in all, great hike. Paul and I agree on most things and have lots to talk about. He has masters in microbiology, so we talk some about disease and public health, as that’s his job. He’s also nerdy, so we share similar tastes in comics, movies, books, games, and so on. 

I wore dad’s sunglasses all day. I wear these now walking the dogs. I still haven’t worn most of his clothes, shoes, or the Michigan stocking cap.

Some notes with the photos below.

First, three videos. I uploaded them to You Tube but it made them SHORTS, which I cannot embed (FU You Tube), so here they are in the Blogger uploader, which I never use.

These are just samples from the hike, usually with water:

Compared to the picture above from June 28 2022, here in August 2026, the mountain is pretty much snow free.

From the boat launch near the trailhead.

Not our boat. See the people in the upper left. Might not be their boat either.

Paul and Jasper.

I should have got some up close pics of Jasper.

Paul knew what this flower was called -- "DON'T EAT IT" (not like I would) -- I just like purple.

I don't think Paul knew I took this picture.

Photo below does not really capture how high above the lake we are, but you can kind of see the lake through the trees and get an idea.

Trying to capture how beautiful the water looked in the sunlight. Photo doesn't really fully capture it.

And the next day, I rested, ALL DAY! This little puppy helped me first inside and then outside in the hammock.

In other news, I am getting the house ready for a guest.

Went to Salem, OR yesterday to visit the site of my internship. Good visit, good talk with the site supervisor. East drive down on I5, 90 minutes as the map indicated, chose to take the "scenic route," not I5, but through back roads to get on the 205 at Oregon City, took TWO hours. I do think the 205 is better for the return, but next time, I may take I5 out of Salem and get on the 205 at Tualitin.

More next week.

Love you, BG!

~ christopher

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2608.13 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 4060 days ago & DAD = 714 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.