Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:10 pm on September 11, 2023 Permalink  

  Happy Monday 

  A great fall-feeling day.

  After getting the Monday laundry going, my next stop was the little red pickup’s garage where we had a paint station set up.

  I knew there would be spots on the four sets of shutters I painted yesterday that would need to be gone over.  They were looking good.  They were saving us several hundred dollars looking good by not buying new ones from Home Depot.  Of course they would have needed to be ordered.  This way they will be back on the house by this weekend.

  The black paint pail was open and Dennis decided to take the bench apart by our back door and paint those six 2 x 4s.  The 2 x 4s slide into the molded plastic ends.  Great idea.  We have got to say that Behr products really go on well.  What may be left to paint is our foundation of the house that we have kept painted black.  It was a vast improvement over the powder blue that we started out with.

  Neither of us have had a physically heavy day, so a soup and sandwich supper will be the menu.

  The mail brought us our $520 check from the State of Minnesota.  Yippee.

  There is some afternoon left to do a bit of reading while enjoying my cherry red chair.  I need to pass on stitching as my right hand is feeling the use of the paint brush yesterday and a bit of it this morning.  Rest and relaxation is what it needs.  I am very proud of this ole body having gotten my bedroom porch painted as well as the front deck.

  These temps have no need for fans.  I do love the quiet.

   
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  Noreen 1:50 pm on September 10, 2023 Permalink  

  Happy Sunday 

  A Sunday with doable temps.

  Today my Sunday of local effort was to paint four sets of shutters from our home.  We had the paint, I had a brush . . . what was there to not like.  There was no disagreement that it needed doing.  The painting of the plastic shutters may not stand up well.  Time will tell on that.  It sure beat purchasing new ones.  Grandson AJ will put them back on the house this coming weekend.  

  The remainder of this Sunday, I am taking it easy.  Of course I got weary.  I am not ashamed to admit it.  Standing in the garage for four hours took its tole.  I am proud to have gotten the job done.  My right shoulder, right down to my finger tips served me well.  Dennis and I know what tasks each of us can do and do well.  He is my go-to fellow, as in the example of yesterday getting our paint shook at our local store.       

  Yesterday I received photos of a new fur baby to join the Fairfax team.  Sweet.  Kluge now will have Eevee to show the ropes to.  My friend Perry, who I worked with for many years, always said if a dog was to be a family pet, the dog would do better if there were two dogs in the family.  Enough said about that. 

  As much as my wanting a dog for my own, I need to think beyond the good thoughts, the cuddly thoughts.  A dog needs to have exercise no matter the weather.  The last thing I would need is having an excited lovable dog wrap himself around my legs and we would both get hurt.  I will continue thinking good thoughts and am up for occasions when a dog sitter is needed.

  The oven meal of last night will give us a good second meal this evening.  

  Take care . . . my special people.  Perhaps out of sight but never out of loving thoughts.

   
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  Noreen 1:46 pm on September 9, 2023 Permalink  

  Gray Day 

  A gray day with a few drizzle drops.

  We had a funeral this morning here in town.  Dennis’ daughter’s brother-in-law.  We have known the family for years.

  Yesterday there was a commotion on the driveway in the afternoon.  It was the sound of a Harley.  AJ came to town to be here for the funeral and had stopped in.  By the time AJ scooted up the street to see his mom, there were four sets of house shutters in the garage. 

  By this afternoon, Dennis had saw horses and planks ready to set up for painting said shutters in the pickup garage.  I pulled him back.  I would be doing no painting today.  What Dennis could do for me was to take our full, never opened Behr black exterior paint to Fleet Farm and talk one of the fellows into shaking the can for us.  That didn’t seem to be a problem.  Dennis came home with the can shook, some stir sticks and an opener.  Only in a small town where Dennis knows everyone would our locally owned store shake a pail of paint from Home Depot and send home additional items.

  I will do the shutters and they will be done before AJ stops in next weekend.

  I did get an oven dish prepared for this evening’s supper. 

  This ole Grammie doesn’t need to put in a long day everyday.  I do appreciate the need to do this and Dennis making sure, I have a good work setup.

  Catch you tomorrow.

   
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  Noreen 12:41 pm on September 8, 2023 Permalink  

  Short and Sweet 

  The appointment with his pulmonary doctor went well.

  The sleep study of Wednesday night also included an echocardiogram for Dennis.

  All is well.  Dennis’ sleep apnea originates in his brain, not his heart.  That origination may be in part to his age of 87, well not until Oct. 2nd.  That is what all the little sensors were for, all over him.  His pulse has always been in the 53 to 56 range.  His oxygen level was at 96% Wednesday night and at 98% today. 

  Dr. Ziegler read all the information from the sleep study.  She determined to treat the patient and not the graphs of the report.  No changes on the settings of the ResMed machine.  When Dennis told her we had a granddaughter that was a sophomore in college and that she looked about that age, she gave him a bit of a chuckle.  I agreed with Dennis, she did look young.

  We did stop for a meal at Perkins.  It had been a long time since we had.  Our first choice was Culver’s but they don’t open until eleven in the morning.

  Home for the weekend . . . sounds great to me.

  There is a hint of fall in the air.  Some of the corn and bean fields are brown awaiting the harvest, while just as many are grass green.  So many varieties in seed, it’s hard to say if they are 90 day crops or 120 day crops.

  We do have some Monarchs fluttering about.  I noticed they would perch on dandelions that still had a bloom and take a good snack.  I hope they make it to Mexico.

   
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  Noreen 8:24 pm on September 7, 2023 Permalink  

  Shh 

  Shh.  Dennis is catching up on his sleep today.  Last night at eight, Dennis checked himself into the Mayo East Ridge Clinic in the Sleep Study wing.

  It was a usual tri-yearly overnight sleep study to have the CPAP setting checked for changes in patients that use the CPAP machine nightly for sleep apnea.

  Though there is a furnished bedroom provided, Dennis reported that there were more electronic monitors stuck to him that he could have counted.  Limbs, chest and and head monitors give readings for oxygen levels.  Those results allow the doctor that we see tomorrow, to set his CPAP machine for what he now needs.  The CPAP machine sitting beside Dennis’ bed can be set via Mankato.  Last night, the nurse was in and out of the room many times if the face mask was not tight enough and was allowing air to escape around the gasket as well as other checks and balances.  Dennis still had marks on his face from the elastic when he came home this morning at seven.

  For individuals that have atrofibulation, aka: afib, an irregular heart beat, it is not unusual for the patient to stop breathing during their sleep.  The goal is ten times or less per hour.  What sparked this sleep study was that Dennis’ machine reported as high as 30 times per hour.  Not always consistently but higher than healthy.  Interrupted sleep takes a tole on one for the next day’s feeling of wellbeing. The CPAP machine reads those times of not breathing and when there is no breathing it pumps a whoosh of air through the tubing into the face mask to get the heart pumping.  Dennis’ machine also has a humidifier on it for moist air to breath.

  The nurse also shared that there are more women needing CPAP machines than men.  Hmm.

  In years past when someone died in their sleep it may have been assumed that they had a heart attack during the night.  They may very well have had an episode of sleep apnea. 

  I am keeping the house quiet for Dennis to catch a couple of naps today in his recliner.  Actually sitting upright in a recliner does assist in keeping the episodes of not breathing to a minimal.

  Dennis uses his machine religiously. The cost of the machine and the monthly supplies are covered by Medicare and our Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

  Dennis wants Eggo Waffles for supper.  I can get that toaster pulled in with no problems.  We will be in Mankato tomorrow morning by 9:15.

   
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  Noreen 2:48 pm on September 6, 2023 Permalink  

  Big Change 

  The cold front that was mentioned in the weather news yesterday has made a big change.  I would say a huge change.

  We didn’t get enough rain to amount to anything.

  Today, I am back to being the little ole lady reading and stitching from her cherry red chair in her west bedroom porch.  I have taken nothing today for the body’s discomfort.  I have even noticed my left titanium knee is not cracking.  One should never lock one’s knees when bending over at the waist.  It is really hard to keep from doing it, but I did try.

  Dennis is also doing the computer solitaire games today.  For both of us it is a deserved break from the last week where each day time was put in working on the front deck and then washing up the staining brush no later than 10:30 each day before the heat was upon us.

  Dennis’ daughter stopped in this forenoon.  Her shift at Casey’s has ended up in more twelve hours days than not.  They are very short of help . . . what place of business isn’t.

  Beans and wieners went over well for last night’s supper.  Neither one of us have done anything today to warrant anything called a supper.  I won’t be the one to bring it up first and see what happens.

  Happy hump day!

   
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  Noreen 1:39 pm on September 5, 2023 Permalink  

  Tuesday feels like Monday 

  Days of the week can be a conundrum for Stauffer Avenue’s older ones.  That is why our calendar has a spot on the dining room table.

  This morning with stain pail in hand, Dennis did do a walk around the front of the house where our deck is.  Sure enough, there was a spot here and there that needed some stain.  When the brush was put into the pail, it did not have a problem touching the bottom of the pail.  The top of the pail was stepped on and will be set aside until some time later.  There was plenty of stain to do the anchor posts of the deck.

  It was time for a grocery run.  We use a few items that we can’t use up by the sell by date . . . milk.  We generally use it to make instant potatoes.  This evening it is beef wieners and beans for supper.  Yesterday while working on the deck, there were wafts of people in the neighborhood doing grilling.  The aroma of hot dogs sure smelled good.  Thus . . . our fare for supper.

  Dennis’ one request was ice cream.  So be it.  My add-on was butterscotch topping.

  The air is heavy with clouds that look like they might have a shower or two in them.  That would be welcomed.  Over these last days there were several Hosta that just plain gave up.  The leaves are totally burnt.  Oh well.  There is always next year for perennials.

  There may be some 70s in the rest of this week.  Sweet.

  I am heading back to my cherry chair for some stitching.  I finished a book last night and have not yet pulled out another one from my stash.

   
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  Noreen 11:33 am on September 4, 2023 Permalink  

  Labor Day the 4th 

  It is twelve noon.

  Lots of excitement as the last of summer festivities.  I am sure Godahl days are going fast and furious.  Several of our fire trucks made the five mile trip to be on hand.

  Dennis and I are enjoying the full afternoon of this day in peace and quiet.  We finished the deck staining just as the heat hit us.  It truly is a Labor Day finish.  After I had the railings done and a second coat on the deck boards, I handed off the pail of stain to Dennis, so he could go around the outside and hit areas that needed a touch up.  Dennis said he had some black in a spray can to do the anchor posts that are in the ground.

  The last day of this project and I got myself a splatter of stain, right into my hair.  Grr!  That brought to mind the Mother’s day of years ago, when I went to see Kevin and Kersten.  They were in the midst of staining their privacy fence.  Kersten’s hair had gotten the brunt of quite a bit of stain of spray back.  Her beautiful head of red-toned hair was now enjoying highlights of a brunet.

  For the two of us on Stauffer Avenue this was a wonderful job to have gotten done.  Oh . . . the car honking by passer’s by helped not one bit.  The pail still has about an inch left in it and the brush has been cleaned as Dennis is determined to make another check tomorrow of anything missed.

  Me . . . not so much.  Someone a while ago sent me a text after having painted my bedroom as to where I got my energy.  As of today, it has been checked into our local Motel 8.  My body . . . all parts are needing some time off. 

  My cherry red chair is due to have some reading, stitching and traffic watching.

  Last night I came up with French toast for supper.  For today’s supper . . . I’ve got nothing.

  Be sure to take care of each other as summer has got one more kick in the pants left.  Oh!  That’s not summer . . . my butt cheeks are complaining.

   
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  Noreen 2:01 pm on September 3, 2023 Permalink  

  Sunday, Sunday 

  Hello my Sunday peeps.

  This was a good productive day.  The second string of the deck staining project was on board.

  The 18-wheeler, chicken hauler’s strong arms came into play to help stain the deck boards.  We took turns to allow for coffee drinking.  It worked out great and no one was placed in a spot that had it been necessary to jump off of the deck.  We were done by 9:45 this morning.  Take that for the heat of the day yet to come.

  What remains of our project, are the areas . . . the 2 x 4s under the flat board, aka: the place for my coffee cup to sit upon.  Spots clearly show up that need to have some of the slate-colored stain applied that were missed.

  It never sounded like a wham, bam project.  Oh so many areas that needed covering where spindles were built into the project.  The one gallon pail of stain will suffice and my 1.5″ bush will also make it to the end.  The size of the brush was determined by what my hands could grip comfortably.

  Upon completion for the morning, Dennis decided his eyelids needed to be checked for cracks.  I decided to sit upon my cherry red chair and read.  That was followed by some stitching.

  After the nap was over, Dennis fielded the next project.  The black shutters that are on our house windows seem to have faded.  I didn’t realize it until I compared the south facing windows to the north ones.  The north side’s look as black as the day we put them on.  The south’s side look more like a gray from the hot sun over several decades.  Hmm.  I sense another project.  The shutters on the three south windows will need to be taken off of the house as the slats are not solid.  Besides . . . neither of us are up for being on a ladder.

  For now . . . the quiet of the day is now prevailing.  Sweet!

   
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  Noreen 3:36 pm on September 2, 2023 Permalink  

  Here We Are 

  These days are like a seasonal re-run.

  Staining, stitching and reading right here on Stauffer Avenue.  Nothing can be accomplished if I don’t stick with it.  

  Today the stairs and toe kicks of the deck were stained.  Ugh!  Again with the black flies!  Mouth clinched or they would have flossed my teeth.

  Today there were three needles loaded with embroidery floss that were stitched. 

  Thus far, one chapter of my book has been read.

  It is beyond warm outside.

  I am fixing chicken tenderloins for supper with sides of cottage cheese and jellied cranberries.

  Dennis is manning a load of Curry work clothes in the laundry.  Nothing feels better than tugging on clean clothes every morning.  For myself, I must say there is one pair of pants that is laundered over and over that will take me through this staining process.  The pants are showing the slate black stain, but my shirts . . . not.

  Here is to this three-day-long weekend.