Me, Myself and Memories

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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.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on June 25, 2026 Permalink  

  A Treat 

  This morning, it felt like a good treat to put things back where things belonged in the studio after yesterday.  I had made sure that sewing items were out of the way for Tom to do the concrete job of filling in the useless drain.  Tom came by this morning and did some vacuuming around the area with his shop vac and then loaded his tools up and bid me a good day.  You could see that the center of the concrete still had some curing to do.  I had no intentions of stepping on it for several days.

  What did throw me for a loop was when several pull-chain lights wouldn’t work.  It then dawned on me that when Tom used his drill with the wire brush while his shop vac being on and picking up particles, the ground fault on a plug-in had tripped.  Little things to think on to keep me being mindful.

  We really need the rain that has skirted around us for the last two weeks.  We by all means do not have a showcase yard, but it does look a bit stressed.

  An oven meal of cubed broasted chicken with pasta has been pulled from the freezer for our supper this evening.  It’s part two of what was a larger batch a bit ago.  It’s been cool enough that heating the kitchen with the oven shouldn’t be as terrible as what is coming for this next week.  Nevertheless, the older ones on Stauffer never go hungry.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:51 pm on June 24, 2026 Permalink  

  Good Stuff 

  Good stuff going on for hump day.

  Spring Touch has sprayed our yard and the perimeter of all structures for ants.  I feel nothing but relieved.  It seemed like once a day a huge black ant would march across the flooring whether in the west end of the house or the east end.  Where one would be . . . where was the nest?  The small sidewalk sized ants have been in the bathroom nonstop.  There will be a total of three treatments each a month apart.  Time will tell.

  Tom came over this morning to do some prep on the floor drain that would eventually be filled in.  With a wire brush on his drill he worked on cleaning the floor around the drain and in and around the ball joint in the drain opening.  The more he worked using the brush, the more there was using his shop vac to clean up the corrosion.  The take on it was that the housing for the floor drain was no longer viable and when water was poured into the drain, it was soaking into the dirt around it.  Who really knows.

  It didn’t take long there were two BKC, Brett Curry’s, white pickups used in the concrete business in the drive.  BKC was pouring sidewalks somewhere in town.  Tom had put the word out and a five gallon pail with concrete in it was carried into the basement.  Tom could take as much as he needed.  Grandson Ryan had followed to check things out.  Amazing.

  The concrete from the pail had small rocks in it and Ryan said with that combination it was less likely to crack compared to pure sack-crite. 

  After a bit Tom came back and troweled it smooth.  That was quick work for sure.  Now when our number comes up on Watson’s list, the toilet will have what it takes for it to be setting flush onto the concrete floor, less the wobble.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:58 pm on June 23, 2026 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 23rd 

  Dennis’ son-in-law met with me in the basement and took a look at the project, filling in a floor drain that we don’t use.  After Tom assured himself that the ball joint that is in place does not hold water, he will be back after the drain area is dry.  He will be back with his shop vac to clean all the corrosive material in and around the area and prep the site, leaving the ball joint in place.  I am leaving the project up to him.

  I had company this afternoon.  Angela Wellnitze is doing the city assessing.  I had received a postcard asking to phone the office and make an appointment.  Angela’s grandmother, Norma, worked for me in the assessor’s office until she retired.  I gave Angela the tour starting in the basement.  She asked questions and I answered them with the dates when we had done certain projects.  Total disclosure . . . just what I had expected when my appraisers had visited homes in times past. 

  New photos were taken to update the records.  A very pleasant visit indeed.  Time will tell what plays out in our value.  I shared with her that the negative in the home was that the beds could not be walked around when changing the bedding.  She took note of that on her computer that also had the diagram of the home with the property’s plot plan.

  Dennis ran the errand of picking up several prescriptions for me.  That included fills of two small gas cans that Tom uses, one per a mowing.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:06 pm on June 22, 2026 Permalink  

  Sounds 

  The sounds of mowers came from all directions in the neighborhood this morning.  Our yard was included in that group.

  I needed to make a call to the Watson boys this morning.  The Mayo Store needed a phone call this morning for Dennis’ CPAP.  By 12:39 all the “Have to” tasks were completed.  What a feeling of self satisfaction that was.

  With that being said, I totally feel like I am on vacation with not a care in the world.  The only stress was what I had put on myself.  There is a lot to be said about thinking on a task and then just doing it and its done.

  When Tom was finished with the mowing this morning, I knew he also did odd jobs.  I went out and asked him if I could hire him.  Some jobs need the licensed service people and some not so much.  Tom will be taking care of a project in the basement.  Tom’s timeline and I know it will be done to our liking.

  Dennis is in his glory.  All of his favorite foods are on hand for leftovers this evening.  I like that as well.  As I said, I feel as if I am on vacation.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:29 pm on June 21, 2026 Permalink  

  A Wonderful Father’s Day 

  The weather played out perfectly.

  Dennis had all his favorite foods and the best part was he will have leftovers for Monday.

  All is well with my soul.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on June 20, 2026 Permalink  

  Got to Love the Weather 

  Today is the 20th of June and this type of weather is what Minnesota weather is all about.

  After I am done bustling about with first floor chores, a cup of breakfast coffee takes me to my bedroom porch.  As I sit facing south with double windows in front of me, the world is my oyster.

  Movement of cars driving by, bikers, walkers . . . I am in a fish bowl, looking out.

  The neighbors directly across the alley, named Stauffer Avenue, are Guatemalan.  I noticed the grill being brought out and a fire soon ensued in the grill.  What then surprised me was two gals each with a dead chicken in their hands.  Head and feet were still on the chickens.  It was a usual thing to hold a dead chicken over a fire to burn off the fine hair of the chicken’s skin before the gutting of the chicken.  It would take seconds to accomplish that.  That’s how Lena had taught us.

  What I wasn’t ready for was to bring out the grill’s top to put over the fire and then lay the two chickens on top of the hot smoking grill and walk off.  They came back after a bit to turn the chickens over and again backed away for a time.

  These were slight chickens to begin with and the skin on a chicken is very thin.  Hmm, a whole new technique that I would not want anything to do with.  Yew!  To each their own.

  I have not done any hand stitching all week.  I miss the quiet comfort and the sound of pulling the thread through the cloth that is stretched tight in the hoop.  A few too many days of the hands being busy in the kitchen for future meal preparations.  An endeavor oh so worth it.

  A window cracked on each end of the house to let the welcoming fresh air in.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:30 pm on June 19, 2026 Permalink  

  Friday Thoughts 

  It seems as if the week was plenty busy with appointments and thoughts going forward.

  I have taken to go with Dennis when he is called in for a visit with a medical doctor.  Two ears to hear and two minds to process.  Dennis tells the doctors that I came to hear what is going on as I take care of him.  Yes, I am Dennis’ care-giver.  Quite the position that I carryout willingly.

  Dennis and I have got it worked out so it works for us.  No one needs to contribute unless help is asked of us.  In the past we have and do ask.  When the help that is offered can make one feel like you are the last on the tail of a kite that is out of control, it feels disrespectful.

  The older I get, the more important I realize that peace is worth more to me than what the outside world may guess at.  Not every misunderstanding needs an explanation.  Not every opinion deserves a response, some cost more than they are worth.  I protect my peace, even if it means I am misunderstood.

  Dennis and I work together and we each do the very best we are able.  What a great colaboration.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:09 pm on June 18, 2026 Permalink  

  Cloudy and Cool 

  Today was the last of the medical appointments for the month.

  We needed to be in Mankato at 9:50 for Dennis’ eye injection for Macular.  All went well with a headache that went with it for Dennis.  I drove home, Dennis sat back with his eyes closed.  I am thrilled that that is not in my medical appointment book.  We were home by 1:00.

  When we got home, Dennis sat in his recliner.  I also sat in my recliner.  We both took a nap.  My alarm had gone off at 6:30 this morning.  We both have our rituals before hitting the highways.  The next eye appointment in Mankato is September 23rd.

  The remainder of the day did indeed feel “done, shot, used up.”

  For myself, I like quiet days.  The true feeling and reality that I have slowed down.  I like my ditties of a bit of housework, laundry, planning suppers . . . and “that’s all folks.”  Bugs Bunny hit the nail on the head.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥