March 26, 2026 - Salem

Title: March  26, 2026 - Salem

Description:

Today may be more of a Sherri recovery day after yesterday’s fall. I got up at 7:30. Andrea got up close to the same time. Lawrence leaves for work shortly afterwards. Then Sherri gets up. She is definitely feeling yesterday’s fall. Her appearance is not as bad as I feared, but there is scrapped skin which did not show up yesterday. Also some bumps which have developed.

After breakfast Andrea convinces Sherri to seek advice from Kaiser. A video appointment is set up for 11:50. This gives Andrea and I enough time to unload the dirt which is still in back of the Highlander into her helical planter. This just about fills it up. We also talked about running the irrigation system over to the planter. This means going under a 2’ sidewalk. We start on that before Sherri gets on the phone with Kaiser.

Sherri’s doctor thinks that there is nothing broken, but she may have some bruising and pain for a couple of days. They leave it at that when we get back to Fresno next week, she can seek an appointment.

By this time, it is approaching 1 and we decide to go out to lunch at a place called Word of Mouth. We have been here before when in Salem. It is a converted house with food pretty much made in a more homey way. I have the Chicken Fried Steak which comes with potatoes, biscuits and gravey-a whole two plates. I finished about a third of it. Lawrence later this evening continues working on the chicken. Sherri has a burrito and Andrea a Rubeun sandwich. I am stuffed and do not need dinner that evening.

When we come home, I gain a truer knowledge of working with clay soil. Andrea had finished driving the ½” pipe under the sidewalk. We realized that we needed a longer piece. Also decided that it might not be bad to put a bigger pipe under the sidewalk. It took us a lot of muscle and about half an hour to remove it. The clay had adhered itself to the pipe and refused to let it go. Finally by twisting it we were able to .

Then it was time to rest time for 40 minutes. After that, Andrea and I went to Lowes to pick up pipe and other stuff. When we get back, it is almost 5:00. Andrea and Lawrence get ready to go and meet their new foster dog, RipTide. I work on driving the new pipe through. That takes longer than expected-clay again. About the time I finish up, Lawrence and Andrea come back.

Lawrence goes off to his climbing gym. Andrea, Sherri and I go to Costco and pick up an umbrella. When we come back, they eat. I am still full from lunch. As 10:00 approaches, it is my bed time.