Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:24 pm on May 9, 2024 Permalink  

  Made It 

  Made it from the last of Dennis’ radiology appointments until 2025.

  I am thankful for medical expertise.  I am more thankful when it will be once a year, God allowing.

  Later on today, I will be able to read the clinical notes of today’s visit for Dennis on the Mayo Portal.

  We did get the little red pickup in at Jiffy Lube.  Dennis is getting it serviced right around every 2,000 miles due to the age of it.  Jiffy Lube has put in a hoist and pit for tire rotation.  Yup, do it up!  I watched the process of how carefully they put the lifters on under the pickup frame.  Front tires to the back and back tire to the front.

  My get up and go for this day is gone.  When I got home, I punched the coffee pot so it is reheating the breakfast coffee.

  Tomorrow is Friday!  I am planning on being in the studio.  I have three oven mitts to put back together after embroidering on the face of them.  When Kevin and Kersten took home some items on Easter, low and behold a pant and shirt set that was embellished with hand embroidery from his elementary school days.  Bless his heart, he wore them proudly.  Would that go over in 2024 wearables for kids?  Yesterday children’s clothing . . . today oven mitts and potholders.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥ 

   
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  Noreen 2:16 pm on May 8, 2024 Permalink  

  Dressed For It 

  I knew when I got up this morning, I was going to spend time in the studio.  I dressed for it.  Long sleeve shirt, heavy socks and heavy shoes.

  I came up at twelve noon to have lunch with Dennis and then returned to the studio.  It is now three in the afternoon and I have called it a day in the  studio.  I had turned the thermostat up knowing the studio air would be cool.  I was moving around from table to table with my projects, but my fingers got chilled.  Tomorrow is another day.  No deadlines.  It makes a body feel good to get back to the point of having choices with threads and fuzz.  I am thankful I have made a nest for myself in my bedroom porch for reading and doing the hand stitching of counted cross stitch.

  Tomorrow Dennis has ultrasounds in Mankato’s radiology department.  It is nothing more than a follow up to see how the stints are holding up in his leg.

  The KNUJ radio station had quite a bit of static.  The air-waves might have been picking up thunder showers.  The southeast wind is hanging on to less than warm temps.

  Supper is going to be smorgasbord:  leftover boiled potatoes with several eggs scrambled in also with some breakfast sausages.  Mix it all up and call it a hot evening meal.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on May 7, 2024 Permalink  

  Rain 

  The thunder and lightning during the night was noticed but not enough to keep me awake.  It is rare, but I didn’t need to make a bathroom visit last night.  At seven this morning it wasn’t up for debate. 

  My agenda for this morning, was to make a total first floor vacuum project.  Swiffer’s can get a lot, but when the sun shines across the laminate flooring, not so much.  Our small shop vac comes in oh so handy.  A thorough cleaning of the clothes dryer vents gives assurance of avoiding a clothes dryer fire.  It is amazing how hot the clothes is when taking it out of dryer immediately when it shuts off. 

  The hot BBQ sandwiches were good for supper last night, but a lb. of ground beef makes a huge batch for just the two of us.  We even scooped some up with potato chips.  This afternoon, a few white Russet potatoes got peeled and the remaining BBQ will be ladled over the boiled potatoes.  Boiled potatoes never get old for me.

  Today Dennis and friend Dwayne messed around with Dwayne’s international tractor that Dwayne has stored in our back garage for more years than I can remember.  Dennis has had a trickle charger on it, getting it ready for a day such as this.  It started right out.  The two fellows wore themselves out for today.  It is sitting in our drive with plans for tomorrow to wash it off.  Slow and steady it is for these life-long friends.

  Megan and I texted back and forth this morning.  She is finished with her four year college time that she accomplished in three years.  Wow.  This Thursday she will fly to Minnesota.  Carrie is having surgery in Rochester on May 20th.  I am sure Megan will be helping out in Carrie’s store.  Megan, her dad and a U-Haul will be leaving June 1st to move Megan to her new home in Virginia.  Hmm :(.   I assured her we would see her before June 1st.

  This afternoon, I have thread colors picked out for Megan’s remaining pot holders.  That is my agenda for tomorrow, Wednesday.  Along with the thread, I oiled the machine and put a new needle in.  The prep is done.

  I am having a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.  When last we were in Menards we bought a rather large bag of individually wrapped Life Savers.  Some left-over breakfast coffee and a banana flavored Life Saver.  Come on energy!

  It sounds as if we could get more rain in the next several days.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 12:04 pm on May 6, 2024 Permalink  

  Ahh, Yes 

  It is Monday and that means laundry day.  It pretty much goes just as it did for Lena.  She was a steadfast user of Mrs. Stewart’s Bluing Rinse for the light colored and white pieces as well water could yellow them.  It also came in handy to put just a tad in the rinse water of shampooing the hair.  I believe that is where the species of the “Blue Hair” came about.  Too funny.

  Wind.  Yup, gusts of 45 MPH west of Mankato.  I think it blew the sun away.

  This last crazy winter, cold then warm, has done a number on my Fern Peonies.  Only one or two blooms to open.

  It is always very reassuring for logic to be on the back burner.  Dennis does a good job of picking out the wet laundry and putting it up into the dryer.  This noon the dryer handle came off in his hand.  It was plastic with four little clips holding it to the door.  Did I mention logic?  Our DIY may catch on for the homes having the modern chick look.  Just a gentle tug will do it.  Ahh, yes.  What’s next!

  Supper this evening is a chopped salad kit with B-B-Qs.  Have not had hot sandwiches in quite a long time.  BTW, I am so waiting to get a call from my dentist.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:57 pm on May 5, 2024 Permalink  

  Sunday, May 5th 

  This afternoon the ole cowboy and the Cub drove up to the BP to fill the fuel tank.  It was a good site.  Yesterday both garages got the floors washed down.  Having adequate garden hose makes it easier.  I will say, Dennis has been on a role.  After we had a light noon lunch, he is on the zero-turn.  I have no idea how much of the 2.2 acre will get mowed.  I will say he has been sleeping good.

  As for me, I am moving from one spot to another here on the first floor.  It’s a matter of arthritis in the lower back that is persistent in bucking.  It began yesterday.  A haircut and a pedicure can’t be accomplished for me without sitting in the chairs designed for such services.  It’s nothing new, it just needs to be respected for a day or so.  The good thing is, is that it doesn’t prevent me from getting a good night’s rest.

  The mail did bring the sticky stabilizer yesterday.  Sometime later this week, I will work on the remaining oven mitts and pot holders for Megan.  I really enjoy the scope of things that I can become enmeshed in.  It makes for a balanced day.

  Tasty left-overs for supper.  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:49 pm on May 4, 2024 Permalink  

  Spa Day 

  When the hair get cut after a month long of it growing, it feels oh so good.  Couple that with a pedicure, truly sweet.

  Yesterday there was some updating for Word Press that was needed.  Kevin set up this blog quite a few years ago so my kids could keep track of what I have been doing and what I am up to in my daily life.  Other than a short hiatus after my stroke, I have been fairly consistent.  When Dennis and I are out and about and I will not put out a blog, I text Kevin so he knows there is nothing wrong that would have prevented me from having the written word published.  I have no idea what setting up this blog entailed.  I just remember what the admin of it, Kevin, has told me to do to be able to take photos, load photos, down-size photos and hopefully label them.

  When we came home from our spa day, the kitchen’s aroma was welcoming.  When I had had a doctor visit in Mankato last week, I purposely went to Wal-Mart to visit their meat department.  I picked up a complete meal for our crockpot.  Kevin’s had brought us a beef meal for Christmas and it blew my Betty Crocker apron right off of me.  How handy to have veggies and meat contained ready to go.  Today we are having a pork roast meal in the pot. 

  Yesterday’s mail brought me a new hand stitching hoop.  The ones I had been using were from . . . a lot of times gone by.  Stitching always goes smoother if the fabric is taut and the next hole that needs thread is easier to see.  Good grief.  I struggled to hoop up my fabric.  Talk about a tight spring with which to hold the fabric.  I walked away from it once and then by golly, try, try again.  The fact that the new hoop was bright blue helped the determination.  The old one is the pink one.  I positioned it so I will have a fairly good area to stitch before I need to set the hoop again.  I know we have a small pipe plier that I may find for continued success.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:14 pm on May 2, 2024 Permalink  

  Thunder Boomers 

  We have had a fair amount of rain, but this early morning was a first for thunder.

  What I would call remodeling of our home has been accomplished.  We had four new blinds put up at Easter and a lightening of the load in the attic.  Sweet. 

  What Dennis and I accomplished yesterday was the frosting on the cake.  Dennis’ recliner was of a imitation leather-look.  It was shedding more than his three patio kitties.  It had had help covering up the worst and that help held, but there was more surface to be tended.  As of this early afternoon, the chair has been refreshed.  Amazon to the recue.  It did take the both of us to achieve success in working with and against tough elastic.  Dennis commented how it brightened up the room.  Yes, it did.

  Onto an update of the studio.  I have sticky stabilizer coming in the snail mail to complete a few more potholders for Megan’s kitchen in Virginia.  How fun for her and her three friends.  Actually, as cool as it is, the studio is a bit chilly as well.

  Our chicken oven meal will be doing a repeat performance this evening.  There are some potato chips from the bottom of the bag that will be crushed and added to the top for an additional taste.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:05 pm on May 1, 2024 Permalink  

  The Rest 

  Today is the rest of the story of yesterday’s Mankato visit to Dr. Saraff.  There was a general discussion of activities on my home-front.  No, I have no pain in my day-to-days.  With my mind and body moving from the time I get up, I shared that weariness took over about 9-10 in the evening, I would be ready to call it a day.  No, I do not have heart beating fluctuations.  No, there was no need for help in our home as Dennis fills that bill.  I have no restrictions on my activities, except . . . heart-raising activities no longer than five minutes in duration.  Saraff suggested multiple short quiet times in my days to rest the mind and body . . . I didn’t comment, but that is easily done in my bedroom porch perched on my cherry red chair.  I was very pleased for the time he had for me.  His philosophy is that being self-reliant is a good way while you can do it.

  That was what yesterday held and what a great feeling it brought.  Caution each day still is on me to stay in a good place.

  The meal for the day is a chicken oven dish.  Diced boiled carrots, diced green beans, sautéed chopped onions, pasta, chicken and Alfredo.  The kitchen with the sautéed onions has been wafting great aromas that will only get better when the oven works its magic.  Good eating with enough boned-out chicken to plop into a freezer-bag for another time.  Dennis worked his magic by covering the surface of the oven dish before it goes in at 350 degrees for 1.5 hours with ground pepper. 

  The grain elevator must be calling in contracted corn.  The semis have been coming and going for most of the day.  

  Thanks be to God for a time of peaceful reflections on this gray and chilly day.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 4:03 pm on April 30, 2024 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  Home after an appointment with my cardiac doctor.  It was a one stop in Mankato and heading straight home after.

  My doctor was impressed with the result of the lab work I had had done here several weeks ago.  He commented that for someone my age, 80, it was unusual for the total lab package to read so well.

  I will be seeing him in six months, but only after I have had the Echocardiogram here in our clinic.  The TEE, swallowing the camera, will be decided after I see him.  He stressed the aortic bears watching.  I am all for doing whatever is needed.

  That is all I have to report.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:57 pm on April 29, 2024 Permalink  

  Much Gray 

  It sounds like we are going to have gray skies for the majority of this week.

  Once a year Dr. Gio in radiology wants to see Dennis and his legs and feet.  Today was the day at 9:30 this morning in Mankato.  The foot, less the toes, has healed well.  Dennis does have a stint in one of the arteries below the knee in the left leg.  Dennis was asked if he would do an ultra-sound at our convenience to see how well the stint held up.  Last year at this time it was a newer product.  May 9th the ultra-sound will be done.  Regardless what the ultra-sound indicates, no further surgery would be planned.  Last year the process went from the foot up the leg to place the inflatable stint in.  The groin area where it is usually done had too many occlusions, blockage.  The wire is tricky in that a perforation of a artery would be followed by a bleed-out.  Dennis is very content as things are.  Today, again, they mentioned the miracle of healing.  Dennis didn’t know it at the time, but the next treatment would have been an amputation.  Thank the Lord. 

  With the addition of the hospital and clinic in Mankato, there is more walking to get to where you need to go.  We are blessed that 45 miles to Mankato is medical expertise.  Tomorrow I see my cardiac doctor.  Every six months is doable and I wouldn’t want it any other way.  I will keep you all posted.  My appointment is in the mid-afternoon.  The post on this site may be a bit late.

  Of course while we were in the big town, I had a list for Sam’s.  The price of 152 Tide pods was the same as the 45 pods I had bought here in town.  The lightweight 19lb. of kitty litter that equals 42 lb. is usually on the list.  There was a run on rotisserie chicken.  Three pound chickens for $4.99.  We will have one supper of chicken, potatoes and green beans and then save the rest of the boned-out chicken in the freezer for an oven dish sometime later on.  I have Dennis eating a Cutie orange every evening.  Literally sweet.  That and unsweetened apple sauce is about the limit of fruit that he will do.  There also . . .  5lb. of Cuties for the price locally of 3lb.

  Last night, Dennis came home with a pizza from Casey’s.  That indeed was a treat as Dennis doesn’t do pizza.  He knew I would enjoy it and by golly he did also.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥