Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:20 pm on March 19, 2026 Permalink  

  Get it Done 

  The agenda for the morning took precedence over the first cup of coffee.

  The washing machine buttons were pressed on my way out of the bathroom.  The oven was turned on to 325 degrees.  While it pre-heated that first cup of coffee was poured.

  Several weeks ago, our grocery store had Farmland thick sliced bacon on sale for $5.20.  I checked out the expiration date . . . May 30, 2026.  I took home four packages.  My favorite flat cookie sheet covered with tin foil would be the host for the slices of bacon.  Of course five pieces didn’t fit.  I have saved the cover off of the forbidden aluminum cake pan.  Covered with tin foil it is the perfect size to fill in when cookie sheets just aren’t large enough.

  Coffee tasted really good in between swapping out the washer’s contents to the dryer’s.   I always save junk mail to put down with a few paper towels over it to drain the bacon when it comes out of the oven.  The bacon had been rendered just enough that when we want to enjoy it, a few seconds on the microwave finishes it off.

  The final treat from the kitchen came after the bacon was done.  I covered the same pans with parchment paper.  The last of the frozen chocolate chip cookies that Carrie had brought were popped into the oven.  I made sure to stay close as to not have them over-bake.

  Kitchen duty done, I headed to the studio for some seam stitching, taking a fresh cookie with me.  For every seam sewn, there is a steam iron press to be had.  I call it a good session when I don’t have to take out stitches that went haywire.

  All of my activity was carried out while Dennis had company in the patio porch.  Doug Gappa from Madelia had called me to make sure Dennis was home.  Why call me?  Most people in Dennis’ rehem know he doesn’t carry his phone.

  To my way of thinking, both Dennis and I have had a great Thursday.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on March 18, 2026 Permalink  

  Disappearing Snow 

  The power of the sun is fantastic.  The covering we received last night is allowing our concrete to be bare . . . once again.

  We did have an energetic individual in a powerful pickup see how much he could slide and spin down Stauffer.  Idiot.

  The stitching in the studio went well today.  I thought it was about time, I checked to see what the size was of an average/normal dorm sized bed.  38″ x 85″ is what did come up at various sites.  Length and width to be added for drops.  I am on the correct tract.  

  Dennis’ HP laptop is running smoothly.  I have loaded Klondike card games and Facebook.  Each in the easiest “click away” as possible.  A post-a-note is on the wall right next to him for his pin and password.  Whew!  My sewing Dell is back in the studio.  I have mentioned before how important I think it is for Dennis to have computer access for what he is interested in.  The “market place” and the “reels” give him untold hours of enjoyment.  It beats sleeping his time away. 

  I have a lean pork steak in the oven.  Lawry’s seasoning on top.  Covered and at 325 degree, it should be ready for our 4:45 supper.  Dennis is in charge of what will be going with it.  Spread the joy!

  I have my arm exercises left to do before supper.  I am in it to win it!

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on March 17, 2026 Permalink  

  A Bit More 

  Just a bit more snow coming down this afternoon.

  I had a PT appointment at one this afternoon.  Most of the appointment was done in the gym.  I have arms that have been allowed to become weak after the shoulder replacements of 2013, and 2014.  I had no idea what the arms would or should be capable of as I was released with no PT.

  I do know that after moving snow off of the front deck and the steps, I had no negative reactions.  Over the years, I do know how I can move my shoulders to get the job done.

  A whole new regime here in 2026.  I feel hopeful.  There was some hands on to see where and when the discomfort would set in.  Another amount of exercises came home with me.  I will not disregard.  I will do the reps twice a day.  This having been my second PT appointment, both times I came away feeling dizzy.  The first time I attributed it to getting off of the table too fast and had a slight vertigo.  Today . . . it happened again.  I walk into the appointment up-right and stable, coming away with slight dizziness.  I do know what dizziness feels like.  Oh well.

  This morning as I was having my first cup of coffee, the UPS delivered Dennis’ new laptop.  I may tackle that setup before supper.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:57 pm on March 16, 2026 Permalink  

  Bright Monday 

  The sunshine is so bright it can be blinding.

  Here it is a bit after three in the afternoon.  

  My quest for this day was to work with the snow as much as I could.  The first thing to start the day was to clear the back door.  When my small pink shovel went into the snow I could push and clear concrete presented itself.  The salt that we had put down yesterday after Randy had left, to make a path from the back door to the service door of the garage, had done its work.  There had been drifting but not severe.

  I brought the shovel into the house with me.  My next, was to work on the front deck and its steps.  First thing first was to put a rug down as I would be taking breaks and I would have snow on my boots.  I knew when I could see no delineation where the steps actually were, this was not going to be a quick job.  The front screen door pushed enough snow that I could get myself and the little pink shovel out.  The fierce north wind decided the breaks for me.  Randy and his long green line were working on his yard and I knew in time he would be on our drive as well as the north side of our garage where Dennis’ overhead garage door is for the little red pickup.

  I had nothing to hurry for.  In time, the sun was already letting me know that once I had the majority of the snow off of the black planks, it would take over.  Mission completion.

  My muscles were warmed up, so I headed to the studio.  Any small amount of stitching makes for the path of success.  I listened to KNUJ as the Twins won their game over . . . .hmm.  I don’t know who they were playing against.  A win is a win.  After there were three 14.5″ x 14.5″ completed quilt blocks each made up of seven different fabrics, I called “uncle.”  Twenty one remaining to be constructed.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:20 pm on March 15, 2026 Permalink  

  A Sunday 

  A blowing and going Sunday.  Thew snow was forecast.  The wind was forecast.  We are safe and sound.

  I was going to use the leaf blower to get the back door area cleared.  That was a waste of effort.  I knocked the snow off of our shovel and with a push, clear wet concrete showed.  By that time Randy was here with his long green line.  I pushed snow far enough so he could grab it with his bucket that he had tipped down and take it further.  That was about at eleven.

  I came up from the studio at three thirty and the north wind had been busy, swirling snow around the northeast corner of the house.  I used the shovel again by the back door area, just enough to let Dennis get out the door and onto fresh snow as I thought where Randy had scrapped there could be ice.

  I can’t really tell if it is still snowing or if it is the wind whipping up the snow.  This snow would clearly be called a “heart attack snow.”  it is heavy, heavy.  Hmm.  Years ago, a good man, David Tiegum, died shoveling snow. 

  I called the ophthalmologist’s answering machine in Mankato and left a message that Dennis would be canceling his eye injection for tomorrow and allowing them to call us with a new time and date.   We are not taking any chances, not only on the roads but other drivers.   

  I was in the studio with not much to show within the first hour.  I had stitched in error for a stretch of 44 inches.  Pick, pick it out.  The second effort went better.  About after two and a half hours, I closed down the studio. 

  The wind is howling.  KNUJ did mention that the winds would be picking up. 

  Dennis is getting the hang of using my studio computer for his solitaire and Facebook.  Tuesday his new laptop will be on our front deck.  $499.00 and free shipping.  That amount of money brings me a whole lot of peace of mind . . . oh, I meant Dennis!  Tee Hee!

  To all my peeps, please take it easy during this weather event.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:38 pm on March 14, 2026 Permalink  

  Will It? 

  Will we have a storm or won’t we.  I like the last choice.

  Sometime later in the day yesterday, things seemed to have happened that required all I have to give.  After Dennis had broken his hip, I had gotten him the most inexpensive laptop I could find on Amazon.  The cost was a few dollars over $600.00.  It kept him busy for the month he was in the nursing home and thereafter.  All that was loaded for him was Facebook and Klondike solitaire. 

  As I was getting supper on the stove, I heard . . . “Grammie can you come here for a minute?”  I shut the burners down.  For the next 45 minutes I tried to revive the HP.  No success.  I went down into the studio and brought up my Dell for the interim.  I loaded the free Klondike onto the Dell and that kept him busy while I went back to getting our supper.

  After supper, while Dennis was in the patio porch, I knew I had a window to try again with his HP.  The recovery failed.  I unplugged it and set it aside to create a Facebook on the Dell for Dennis.  If Dennis could have “marketplace” and “Reels” on Facebook he would be happy.  I went so far as to put country music on the Facebook search.  His challenge would be for the sign-on that I have on the Dell.  I was not about to change that.  I gave him a password for his new Facebook account.

  Numerous times during our evening hours, I made tracks as Dennis was flipping back and forth from solitaire to Facebook and had lost his way.

  On this Saturday I have laundry going and helping Dennis with computer time.  All he needs for access into my Dell is on a piece of paper with bold black ink Sharpie clues.  His computer time is worth my time to allow him to traverse back and forth.  This is not our first computer rodeo.  His eye to brain to hand is important for functionality.  He wants this bad enough, we will work through it until it becomes second nature for him.

  Yes, there will be another computer from Amazon.  My Dell has my sewing components on it and that will not have me doing the stairs when I need something.  Just a bit of time and all will be back to normal . . . whatever that may be for the older ones on Stauffer Avenue, the most sought after location in St. James.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on March 13, 2026 Permalink  

  Safe and Sound 

  After the horrific winds during the night, being safe and sound is mighty fine.  I was sure the awning across the west side of our home would be on its way to Fairmont.  Our bins were out on Stauffer waiting to be taken back home.  I will say when an extra strong gust swept across the house, it got my attention.

  Dennis’ daughter, Denise, works the early, early shift as Casey’s on the northwest part of downtown.  She called the police at 3:15 as the dumpster from the liquor store had rolled into the street and tipped over.  She commented there was carboard sailing every which way.

  An older evergreen on what is now A.J.’s lot blew down.  There had been two growing from what could have been the same root ball.  AJ and his dad are taking the second of the two down. 

  If by chance we do have more snow than we can blow away with our Ryobi leaf blower, we decided to visit the grocery store.  A few others had had the same idea.  Groceries, kitty litter and Dennis got his cigarettes while we were out and about.  We are set.  I would not be disappointed if by some chance this weather pattern blew right over us.

  No studio work today.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:23 pm on March 12, 2026 Permalink  

  Getting Prepared 

  If there is such a thing as preparing for a wind storm like no other.  There has been fair warning for what is to come during our night times hours.

  Last night after supper I was fighting sleep.  A full morning of cutting fabric for Nicholas’ college quilt would have been a done and done for a total day.  Dennis had an eye and ear to the weather.  If we were to make a trip to Gibbon to see my cousin, Dennis felt yesterday’s afternoon would be the best.  

  We left home about 1:30 and headed north.  How could I not make that trip.   It had been just two years ago when Wayne’s son, Michael had hit me up for two fireman’s tee shirt quilts.  Wayne and his wife, Jean, came with Michael both times during that project.  At the assisted living unit, Wayne heard my voice long before he saw me and beckoned me into his room.  I did have to blink twice as he had lost over 80 pounds quickly.  Long story short we had a great visit.  A son, Todd, was also with his dad.  We didn’t wear out Wayne with a lengthy visit.  Wayne and Todd both thanked us over and over for the visit.  I knew I would be the only family member of Wayne’s for a visit.  I came home with feelings of gratitude and thankfulness for my family’s health.  Weariness from the emotional visit had set in.

  Today, a new day into the studio.  Yes, Nicholas’ fabric met me at the church tables.  But . . . I spied with my little eye the seven Christmas placemats that were waiting for the prepared snowflakes to be sewn on.  I took it slow and one by one with many twists and turns under the needle to allow the sewing needle to follow the shape of the snowflake . . . mission completion.  It felt so good to finish up what had been started in December.  At two, the studio went dark.  I tucked the placemats under my arm and headed to the first floor for some coffee I had saved for just this event.  You may ask, why the uneven number of seven.  That was what the red fabric allowed.  Using from my stash is what 2026 is all about.

  For the college quilt, I did rustle up half of the fabrics from the stash.  Amazon, via Etsy, delivered the remaining of what I needed.  A little retail therapy does feel good now and then.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:18 pm on March 11, 2026 Permalink  

  A Gibbon Trip 

  Hi guys,  I came up from the studio after getting Nicholas’ quilt fabric cut.  The weather going forward seems to be a possible mix of things going forward, so we decided to make a trip to Gibbon to see my cousin Wayne as he is in hospice there.  We got home at four.

  A quick shoutout.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:30 pm on March 10, 2026 Permalink  

  A Crack 

  I just discovered this morning while at a physical therapy appointment that in 2013 and 2014, I had fallen through a crack, make that two cracks.

  At first I thought my primary had mad a mistake in sending me to a PT appointment for a shoulder ache.  After all, this 81 year young body is bound to have an ache here and there.  This morning, I saw Dan Kern, my usual.  Mike was out.  In 2013 when I had had the first reverse shoulder surgery, I should have had physical therapy as well as the second reverse shoulder in 2014.  Me and my shoulders fell through the cracks.

  I had had no idea that there was more to the story than recovering from the actual surgery.  No one else that I knew then or now could have given me an insight.

  Dan was amazing.  I was amazed.  To make a long story short, Dan feels that there is so much improvement to make for mobility in my shoulders, even the left stroke one.  Wow.  For this first session, I came home sore but thrilled.  Anything out of my ordinary would buck.  I have home exercises two times a day, seven times a week.  I will see Dan once a week for six weeks.  After this long of a time, there have been some tendons and muscles that have gotten quite comfortable enjoying the backseat.  There will be no fast harsh treatments.  Slow and steady, Dan believes will win the race.  Me also.  Whew, what a blast of information to receive.

  This afternoon, Furniture Gallery from Sleepy Eye delivered my recliner.  It fits right in with our motif . . . early attic.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥