Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 10:31 am on July 5, 2026 Permalink  

  An Event 

  This afternoon we are traveling to Mankato for a surprise birthday party.  Dennis’ youngest, a set of twins, have had a 60th this last week.  Sadie is going to try and pull off the surprise.  The girls and their partners have spent the last two week in an RV in the black hills.  My thought . . . four people in an RV for that length might not really feel like a surprise, but it’s not my plan.

  The shrimp were really good for supper last night.  I peeled them and the sauté was perfect.  We enjoyed every last one of them.  True to form, the brownies were fudgier, just like the package said.

  With the thunder and rain of last night we should be out of the stormy weather for a bit. 

  Very few home firecrackers last night.  That tells the story of the age among us.  The puppies in our neighborhood didn’t have endure too much.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:06 pm on July 4, 2026 Permalink  

  Well, Well! 

  It’s a great day for a 250th celebration.  I have notably been celebrating the 4th of July for 58 years.  Memories can not be taken away.

  I knew when I got up this morning, I was going to act on my plans.  At the end of this day two kitchen items will have come into fruition:  we would have Dennis’ favorite supper of sautéed shrimp and have brownies for a nine o’clock dessert.

  Dennis has had a bit of the “there are consequences with choices.”  Thursday night he fell in his bedroom.  After cleaning a head wound the night was normal.  Friday, using the leaf blower, he fell on the back patio.  A warm cloth for cleaning and a band aid and the rest of the day was normal.

  Life happens and incidents happen quicker than a blink of the eye.  We all have “free will.”  In Dennis’ case he needs to be able to feel the purpose of time.  He has lived his life honoring the use of time.  What will happen to Dennis, me, you, cannot be orchestrated.  Life cannot be lived that way.  After less than good incidents, we pick up the pieces and carry on.

  Back to supper.  The grocery store had a special on the jumbo deveined shrimp.  Something different for us.  I bought a box of brownie mix.  Diced strawberries on brownies, again something different.  

  With that I will take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 2:29 pm on July 3, 2026 Permalink  

  One More 

  We had been in another storm’s grip last night.  Some wind as per several branches down in the backyard.  There is one more possible storm for this evening.   

  This afternoon, Tom came to mow the yards.  We snagged him off the mower so we could settle a debt with him.  The chainsaw work, here as well at the acre,  I lost count of the numerous trips I saw his pickup full of tree stuff head out to the tree dump.  Gratitude, appreciation and sheer thankfulness . . . there are not enough words to convey that our home can reflect that care is given to maintain the “109.”  Hmm. “humble” that is how Dennis and I live. 

  We were once physically strong, never walking away from what was needed.  Today we feel that we are still capable.  We take a step to get right up and personal to the challenges.  By the grace of God Dennis and I realize that we take two steps back and let those that can . . . do.   Tomorrows are not ours to plan, but to be wise enough to stop and think before acting.

  Life is good.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:24 pm on July 2, 2026 Permalink  

  Quite the Day 

  For the Grammie on Stauffer Avenue, the day was busy.

  Mark Wendlandt called this morning.  He had the long weekend to use vacation time.  The call was 40 minutes.  Mark had to let me know how it went when he delivered the quilt he and I had done to Arizona.  He gave me a run-down on how his 95-year-old mother was doing.  

  I went to visit Karen at the Country Collage that she is closing.  Fixtures and all.  She had dressed the store up with odds and ends and she had always collected antiques.  We visited for a long time as people came in and looked, if they bought something, I strolled the store and waited. 

  Dennis had been in his recliner when I left.

  Who knew the day was at mid-point by the time I got home!

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:51 pm on July 1, 2026 Permalink  

  Early Morning 

  The early morning was very pleasant outside . . . not so much right now.

  Our yard looks much better at this juncture than yesterday at this time.  One large limb on the acre is yet to be taken care of.  Waiting until another snap of good air, I will give our backyard some time tomorrow morning continuing to pick up small twigs that would make the lawnmower bark.

  Yesterday, late afternoon, Dennis took me for a drive around town.  There wasn’t a street that didn’t have evidence of wind damage.  Dennis’ son-in-law, Tom, had several dozen shingles blown off.  AJ came out from Mankato and as luck would have it, Tom had a portion of a bundle in his garage.  It was fixed by the time we had .64 inches of rain during the night.

  Dennis, not feeling up to par this morning, spent time in his recliner.  His Eagle poops on the first of each month.  He decided to go to the bank tomorrow.  I just looked up from my keyboard and the little red pickup caught my eye leaving Stauffer Avenue.  Dennis is definitely feeling better.  Too funny.   

  The street passed our home is still a continuous parade with every type of vehicle touting wind damage to the tree dump that will be open again until 9:3o this evening.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:56 pm on June 30, 2026 Permalink  

  Tuesday Morning Winds 

  There was no way I could sleep through the storm that hit after one this morning.  I don’t think we had a huge amount of rain but it was pelting the windows from every direction.  The flag on the end of our sidewalk was flying nonstop from the north wind.

  A huge limb came off of the maple tree that in on the north lot line of ours.  The strange thing is the limb that came off of the tree was on the south lot line with the end of the branches where it came off of the tree lying on Stauffer Avenue.

  Dennis went to pick up a prescription at Lewis Drug and took a drive around the town.  Memorial Park is on the south side of the lake.  It seemed as though every tree in the park took a hit.

  Cleanup won’t be a one day job.  Both of Dennis’ PVC flag poles were pulled apart with bits and pieces of them with the flags still attached were in the area under the ilacs.

  I took two swats at raking small branches with a break between them.  Just a bit at a time.

  Son-in-law Tom came with his Huskavarna chain saw.  I am sure it will not be done in one day.

  The tree dump is staying open until 9:30 this evening with no charge to anyone bring stuff out.

  Life in the fast lane that slows all of us down. 

  It will be interesting gets the KEYC news on at five from Mankato.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:33 pm on June 29, 2026 Permalink  

  A Mishap 

  Mishaps can happen so easily and quickly, it takes your breathe away.

  Egg salad was a perfect dish to prepare for supper.  Nothing needed to be heated on a very steamy evening meal.  Dennis and I both enjoy it.  Pair that with bread and butter pickle chips and it’s a win, win.  The eggs peeled easily.  Half of a red onion diced up to perfection.  Never can get enough onion in a dish.  The eggs were minced, the onion added.  What was next was grinding in pepper.  Our favorite pepper grinder filled with peppercorns.  A few swift motions back and forth . . . and the pepper grinder flew apart.  Peppercorns on the floor, in the sink and in the egg and onion mixture.

  It was a no-brainer.  Cleaning up the floor before stepping on peppercorns and slipping on them.  The next task took more fortitude.  Standing over the egg and onion mixture and hand picking out peppercorns, a whole bunch of them one by one by not disturbing the egg and onion mixture for them to be buried.  Throwing out the baby with the bathwater was never even contemplated.

  Tonight when we are about to make our supper sandwiches, slathering the egg salad onto the buttered bread . . . it will be cautiously checked over once, twice and then once more. 

  Miraculously, I spied where the little silver washer of the grinder had landed right off the bat in the egg and onion mixture.  Can the grinder be fixed?  I have no idea at this point.  I do know where to order another one.  Ours was green in color and had ground more refills of peppercorns than I could count.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:23 pm on June 28, 2026 Permalink  

  Thunder 

  The thunder really rolled early this morning.  It actually shook the house.  There were puddles on Stauffer Avenue when I got up but they soon had soaked away.  No matter what the rain amounted to, the grass needed a bit of a perk up.

  Many small city celebrations needed to take stock this morning of what could be salvaged and what would be scrapped. 

  The older ones on Stauffer had no plans for today.  Dennis came in from his morning breakfast routine in the patio porch and decided his recliner needed his attention.

  I decided to give the studio a second try while listening to the Gaylord’s church service.  The stitching went well.  No do-overs.

  After having the yard and perimeter of the buildings sprayed for ants this last week, there has been only one huge black ant that has dared to make an appearance in the kitchen.  It was larger than any black ant I had ever seen outside.  There will be multiple treatments a month apart and I am being hopeful to have seen ants of any size . . . no more.

  When I am in my bedroom porch at my HP facing south, it reminds me of Raymond and Lena sitting at their kitchen table, facing north.  They could take in traffic across the section from them and soon know the comings and goings of neighbors.  I, like them, have an inquisitive mind.  Having a curiosity in life is a good thing to overcome complacency.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on June 27, 2026 Permalink  

  A First 

  A first for us was going to the grocery store after supper.  The store was quiet and I scored a cart that tracked well.  Milk and distilled water were high on the list.  The new face mask for Dennis’ CPAP must be working well as his water tank is empty by morning, telling me his mask is staying on all night.  Fruit is always on the list.  As Dennis has decided to eat strawberries this year, I had two packs in the cart.

  Yesterday I had decided to keep my hand in the embroidery aspect of the sewing machine.  The hands were working, but not so much the mind.  I had a small hand towel as the project.  Totally kitted and hooped up to only realize it on the wrong end of the towel.  Try again.  It was an applique design.  First thing is to sew down the cloth fabric that the design will be stitched.  The outline was stitched as well as trimmed with my duck bill type scissor.  Two rounds of stitching to begin with.  I looked but had not seen the design needed to be flipped 90 degrees for it to be correct and not upside down.

  The hoop came off of the machine.  The machine was shut off as well as all studio lights.  Night, night for that project.

  This morning, I plucked off the strawberry tops and mashed them ready for having berries and a bit of ice cream this evening.  I went down into the studio and spent time plucking out all of the embroidery stitching off of the hand towel.  Machine embroidery makes for many many stitches.  The towel needed to be made ready for try, try, try again.  Hours later . . . success.  My tip for the day: one needs to keep the head out of one’s butt.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:06 pm on June 26, 2026 Permalink  

  Joke 

  A Joke of all time.  I agreed to take part in a zoom call for yesterday from my primary doctor.  New thoughts on arthritis and foods interaction.  The 3:45 took until the 4:05 before the host signed in.  On the screen were pages that were read to the twelve of us that had agreed.  It was straight from the free pamphlets available at the clinic.  Prior a questionnaire was given off of the Mayo portal.  When someone asked about the questionnaire being a portion of it, it was more for each of us to ponder as we had filled it in.  So much for delaying my afternoon’s supper prep.

  Also, when I had agreed to meet with a dietitian at the clinic, it was “health class 101.”  She was 20 and Twiggy could have been her sister.  I do play by what is suggested.  A 1/4 cup of cottage cheese is not worth dirtying up a spoon let alone a dish.

  I find solace in my blood work telling me all is copasetic and with a blood pressure reading of 110/20.  It is similar to PT telling me I can regain the total use of my left arm and hand if I use it enough.  I, as the patient, do as suggested, smile and go on to continue my life without fail, fearing being labeled as uncooperative may diminish the care I appreciate from my primary.   My regular PT guy, Mike, knows what has been going on with the ole body for the last 25 years.  Medicare can and does have guidelines that must be followed.

  On to leading the good life here on Stauffer Avenue with Dennis.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥