Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:19 pm on September 29, 2022 Permalink  

  Great Feeling 

  There is no greater feeling than coming from seeing your family doctor and all things are copasetic.  I had mentioned earlier that I had some concern over my right knee.  After all, eighteen years of use, does not guarantee that many more.

  The last CAT scan I had of my spine was n 2004.  Now eighteen years later, the news is not a surprise.  The degenerative arthritis of then has significantly increased.  My knees are fine.  Am I complaining?  No.  If my ole bones could talk, it would fill volumes.  I was a diligent farmer’s daughter and never backed away from the chores on the end of a pitchfork or how many bales needed moving up in the hay barn.

  When my babies were small, I worked side by side with Orlin on our farm.  I recall, Orlin and I went to a neighborhood party.  Johnny Munnes had a band and lived not too far away.  He told me he hardly recognized me as he said I cleaned up pretty good.  Too funny.

  Arthritis may well be in the genes.  I am not sure of that.  I do know that I pray my two children work smarter rather than harder in their endeavors.

  I did come away today with some strengthening exercises that I can do sitting in a chair.  The walking and the bike peddling are good, but the spine and pelvic bones will serve my legs better than anything and in the long run.  It’s all about those lovely ham strings and what they command. 

  I came home feeling great as there had been that niggling in the back of my brain about the titanium knees wanting to give out.  I will say our family doctor stays on top of . . . everything.  I feel very fortunate. 

  By the way, the brussel sprouts in the chicken oven meal went great.  We talked about the tuna dish that Dennis makes.  It really is bland.  It was Dennis’ idea that the brussel sprouts would work in that oven meal as well.  That’s all I needed to hear.  This morning when the house was chilly, I set the oven at 350 degrees and roasted off the remaining sprouts.  I  put a freezer bag of them in the freezer for use at another time.  I think we have a convert.

  There is still time in the day, so I am going to tackle a bit of stitching.

   
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  Noreen 2:10 pm on September 28, 2022 Permalink  

  A Full Day 

  It might have been chilly this morning, but we were on the move.

  Yesterday we stopped at Sam’s Club in Mankato.  Kitty litter and Meow Mix is more reasonable than anywhere else.  One of the wives of the Korean Veteran’s luncheon had told me how much they like the rotisserie chicken from Sam’s.  Yesterday, I plopped one in a bag.  Down the aisle I purchased a 1.3 lb. tray of brussel sprouts.  They were not in the cooked state.  They were marinated in soy oil, basil, garlic, balsamic wine vinegar and grape mustard.  I did have a plan going forward for those goodies.  Dennis likes something with his breakfast coffee.  He is currently hooked on muffins from Sam’s.  Not that the cost is the determining factor, but the flavor whether, blueberry, cinnamon or banana.  By the way they are $.74 each.  Dennis’ daughter thinks they would be better if half the size.  The muffin works for Dennis and there is something in his stomach with the meds.

  This morning, it was monthly haircut time at the Curry Comb.  We don’t see Dennis’ niece in between time and as the snip, snip ensued the two of us were caught up in news, brushed clean of hair and we were on our way.

  When we got home, each of the 1 1/2 dozen muffins were put in a sandwich bag and popped into the freezer.  Breakfast done for some time to come.

  Dennis had told me early on he was going to make an oven dish.  Hmm.  My goal was to debone the 3 lb. chicken and make ready for use in an oven meal for supper.  Needless to say there was enough cut up and diced chicken for our oven meal plus two freezer bags ready to use another time.  Two cups per oven meal is my measure.  I diced up two cups of the fragrant brussel sprouts and nuked them in the microwave for two minutes.  It smelled so good.  By the time Dennis came in to make the oven dish, I had the chicken and brussel sprouts co-mingling in our little round blue enamel roaster.  A sprinkle of soy sauce over the mixture before Dennis came in worked.  I turned the kitchen over to Dennis.  It was his choice of the two cups of pasta and the sauce.  The sauce was determined to be the Alfredo.  Given a single brussel sprout to eat, Dennis would not eat it.  Diced and chopped hiding in the chicken and pasta, drowning in sauce, Dennis thought it was a good idea.  I like a bit more flavor than what canned chicken gives.  The rotisserie chicken has great flavor.  My sister Elvera always made a cold chicken salad using the rotisserie chicken, adding red and green grapes among a few other ingredients.  I stand a better chance with Dennis using the brussel sprouts.  Too funny. 

  While Dennis was in charge of the kitchen and the follow up with the dishes, I wrangled two loads of laundry.  Putting away the summer weight sheets means contending with the fitted sheets.  I prefer getting them to a point where I can roll them up like a small sleeping bag.  Hey, it works and it fits in the cupboard.  For those that can actually get them folded into a tidy little square . . . hats off. 

  It has been a full, satisfying day.  I need to pre-heat the oven at 4:30.  I am not starting anything in the studio, but rather sit in the sun in my bedroom porch and read a bit.

  Happy hump day.

   
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  Noreen 3:30 pm on September 27, 2022 Permalink  

  Thanks Be 

  Thanks be to God.  We are home safe and sound from a Mankato trip.  The traffic was nuts.  Where are all these people going at such a high rate of speed!

  Dennis has been fit for an orthotic for his left foot.  The orthotic to fit into the shoe will have a big toe and metatarsal built into it so as no sliding of the foot in the shoe is possible.  Dennis’ new shoes, Velcro closures, will be here in a month or so.  No worries . . . the plan is underway.

  The harvest is full bore.  Harvest dust will be in the air for some time.  

  I am getting soft.  One trip to Mankato in the last two weeks, I feel wiped out.  It’s a good thing the three a week is no longer.  Fingers crossed, the next appointment is mid October.

  This post is not very newsie . . . jut a thankful one.

   
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  Noreen 2:14 pm on September 26, 2022 Permalink  

  Local Effort Day 

  The studio is taking a back seat today from what I call, local effort day.

  Both beds needed fresh bedding.  Once the beds are stripped, out come the Swiffers.  It is my joy to do the floors with the dust collectors, aka:  Swiffers. 

  Years ago we did have carpeting in the bedrooms and living and dining rooms.  What a pain.  I knew there was more to the story than what the vacuum caught.  Heavy furniture stayed in place and the areas around them were vacuumed.  When the carpeting went by the wayside and the laminate was installed, it made all the difference in the world.  Felt pads went under all the heavy items in the house. 

  Dennis went for coffee with the fellows today.  Once the washing machine was going, it didn’t take me long to move some of the furnishings with very little muscle.  I do recall someone mentioning that Swiffers were not used in their home as they did have a bit of oil in the wipes.  Hello!  I remember Lena using an oil for her wool dust mop from the Fuller Brush salesman.  It was a deep red color and only a drop or two was needed to help pick up the dust bunnies.  I can use all the help I can get for a day such as was needed here on Stauffer Avenue today.  

  The lightweight sheets were done away with today and the flannel sheets are here for the duration of the cooler months.  As I was doing Dennis’ bed, I did check to see if the electric mattress pad was still working.  All systems go.

  I choose to sleep a bit on the cooler side of the thermostat.  Thus, no electric mattress pad for me.  My bedroom porch has three exterior walls with eight windows and no basement underneath.  My bedroom porch cannot help but be a bit cooler compared to Dennis’ bedroom having one exterior wall and a heated basement underneath.

  By Twelve noon, Dennis was home and I had the local effort done for the day.  Truth to tell, today’s local effort is all that I could handle.  I take my time with multiple coffee breaks and knock off a chapter or two in a book I am reading.  The satisfaction I get from a day such as I have had today . . . there are not enough words.  Isn’t that the wonder of living a balanced life?

  Tomorrow we find out what type of orthotic Dennis will need for his left foot to fill out a proper shoe.  We have come a long way.

   
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  Noreen 2:34 pm on September 25, 2022 Permalink  

  Fierce Winds 

  If anything would be loose outside, it would now be in someone else’s yard.  Days such as these being out in the backyard would not be safe.  We have had too many limbs take sail over the years.

  Dennis in his recliner and me in the kitchen.  I wrangled a beautiful acorn squash getting it ready for the afternoon’s oven . . . in time for supper.  Baked out squash is one of my favorites.  I did take out some extra butter.  Butter, pepper and some scant salt could make squash a total meal.  I do have two hamburger patties to add to it.

  Via the KNUJ’s radio station, I dug around in my stashes for complementary fabrics with which to add borders to the log cabin pieced quilt top.  Two out of the three is not too bad.  More seeking and searching tomorrow.  The third one pictured the farthest from the finished top, next to the green in the photo is not going to cut it.  Short by 1/4 yard.  Over night, a plan may make itself known.  Perhaps a creative bug will hit over night.

  I checked in with Megan this afternoon.  Her and her roommate had slept in a bit this morning and were heading down to the cafeteria for noon lunch.  Lunch here on Stauffer Avenue was a bit scant as the oven roasted squash will be worth the wait.

   
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  Noreen 1:57 pm on September 24, 2022 Permalink  

  Saturday the 24th 

  A breezy cloudy day.  I do know that we had rain last night.  I saw puddles when I got up.

  Today there would have been a funeral in my home church: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Stewart, Minnesota.  A classmate of mine, Ronald Penk, lost his battle.  It now makes three fellows, all from the Stewart area and from the class of 1962.  I opted to stay home as we expected company.

  Dennis’ daughter, Sandy, drove out from Mankato.  Sandy is an RN and works for the clinic in New Ulm.  Sandy wanted to check on her dad and most importantly, his foot and how he was progressing in the healing department.  Thumbs up!  Good news from a professional.  Sandy shared that wound care is a huge part of what she experiences at work.  The healing process is a slow one.  Sandy moves from doctor to doctor in her work week and never knows what her day many bring.

  Sandy helped me move a hanging lamp that was above my bed.  Before cataract surgery, I could easily read in bed without my glasses.  Now the glasses are the last thing I take off before getting into bed and the first that I reach for when getting out of bed.  Reading is now done sitting up to a table.

  The hanging lamp is now over the area where I read in my bedroom porch.  Soon the days will be shorter to the point that the daylight I now read by will be a memory.   

  I also had a wall hanging that needed to be swapped out in the living room.  Amid the patchwork the words, “But those who hope in the Lord, will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like Eagles; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not feel faint.”  Isaiah 40:31. 

  Dennis is taking a nap this afternoon and I have just shut off the lights in the studio.  I had stitched on the last row of the purple log cabin quilt top when Sandy arrived.  I have not even paged ahead to see what kind of border I will be doing.  The mystery that will wait until another day.

   
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  Noreen 1:21 pm on September 23, 2022 Permalink  

  First Day of Fall 2022 

  It is the first day of fall and the leaves are falling as they are heavy with the rain that has been falling since I got up.  The temps were told to stay in the 50s today and they are spot on.

  Dennis was home from the VA appointment by nine this morning.  When he did come home there was one single of the three porch kitties that wanted out.  With all doors kept shut over the night time hours, it does stay snuggly from the sun of yesterday that was taken in.

  No walking for me today.  I needed to be content doing the bicycle peddling.  The studio lights were on by ten this morning.  As of this afternoon, I have five of the purple log cabin rows stitched.  A break from standing over the church tables as well as bending over the sewing machine was needed.  My body does not tell fibs on me. 

  I am keeping track of my right knee.  The total knee replacements are now eighteen years old.  I was told at that time that they were possibly not for the long haul.  Hmm.  I am being mindful of when I feel a need to take it easy and just what I was doing at that time.  Clues are important.

  Megan was in a communications class.  She reached out for us to answer a question that the professor had posed to them to reach out to grandparents.  It was a response as to what we valued and deemed important at our age.  My answer to her was simple.  I texted her that we want to stay in our own home for as long as we can.  With good medical care it is important to adhere to what we are advised of.  Megan texted back as she thought that was a very good answer.  Our sweet college student.

  The UPS truck made a stop today for Dennis’ three month supply for his CPAP machine.  It is an automatic renewal and the best part is, it knocks out the need for us to make a stop at the Mayo Store in Mankato.

  We are having a Stauffer Avenue smorgasbord supper this evening.  It amounts to Jimmy Dean precooked sausages, heated and chopped up.  Several eggs broken and beaten, added to some leftover Betty Crocker scalloped box potatoes we had last night.  Well blended in a skillet . . . it is called a high protein supper.

  May the weekend bring all into your lives and hearts that bring you contentment.

   
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  Noreen 2:15 pm on September 22, 2022 Permalink  

  A Nowhere Day 

  Today is Thursday the 22nd and we needed to be nowhere for the entire day.

  Yesterday our agenda was to take a load of limbs to the tree dump at four in the afternoon.  I was prepared with my old garden shoes, gloves and a jacket in case a branch came my way to leave a huge gouge in an arm.  On the trail we were behind a huge dump truck loaded with limbs.  I had never seen anything like a truck that had a ladder on the back of it with a fairly comfortable looking chair attached.  We paid our $2.00 and got in line.  When the fellow driving the truck got out, he was fast on his feet and he scaled the ladder in a few seconds.  Then I saw the controls.  There was a huge jaws attachment on a bucket that the truck driver could control.  It took only three nips with jaws and his load was empty.

  The truck driver came over and told us to pull up next to his truck and he would empty our trailer.  Wow.  Talk about making fast work of our load.  We would have been tugging on the limbs for quite some time to get them to pull off easily.  Of course, Dennis had to chit chat with the driver.  The rig was from Sleepy Eye doing a job in St. James.  Dennis’ niece had been his teacher when he was in school.  Small world.  Within a short while we were home, had the trailer parked at the east end of the lot, vowing to each other . . . no more tree work this year.

  Dennis did have coffee and cookie guests in the patio porch this morning.  Doug, from Madelia was over for a VA appointment and stopped afterwards to share his Alaska fishing trip news.

  After my walk, I had local effort to do in the bathroom, laundry and kitchen.  Tidy, tidy.  There was success in the studio.  Of the six total rows in the purple log cabin pattern, I have three rows looking smart.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring.  Tomorrow Dennis will be making the five minute trip to the VA for his INR (blood clotting test).  I will be enjoying the entire day at home.  

  I did need to change Dennis’ dressing on his left foot after lunch.  We are down to a 3″ x 3″ band aid after applying a solution of Iodasorb.  Iodasorb kills bacteria better than Betadine and heals from the inside of the wound out.  It pulls out any seepage that could slow down the healing.  It is not covered by our insurance and was $78.00 at the Mayo Store.  BTW, the only item not covered for Dennis throughout these last ten months. Well worth our cost to get this great headway in that left foot project.  The fact that he can wear a shoe on that foot . . . sweet.  We did get an appointment yesterday from the prosthetic and limb store in the old Madison Mall in Mankato.  It is a medical prescription from the VA.  We will be traveling to Mankato next Tuesday.  Dennis will be fitted for shoes and a prosthetic insert for the left foot as it has a diminished size compared to October of 2021.  One more item to get done during these fall months.

   
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  Noreen 1:55 pm on September 21, 2022 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  While Dennis is at DR. Pinke’s eye clinic for the specialist from Mankato to do an eye injection, I am going to pop out a post.

  Son Ken needed to find an alternative driver to take him to the Sioux Falls airport for his 3:15 flight back to Arizona.  These injections that Dennis needs in his right eye do not take a back seat.

  I was up early this morning.  There are times after the bladder has gotten me up for a bathroom call, I am wide awake.  This was one of those times.  Neighbor Jan works at the school and leaves home by 7:20.  Jan came over to the picket fence and commented that it was a bit early for me to be gardening.  That it was.  I was up, the temps were nice and cool . . . why not.

  Dennis and I had achieved our goal of getting the dead lilac cut out and now it was time for some landscaping 101 to make the most of the area that looked . . . naked.  We have always had a love of old metal wheels.  Last year Dennis painted them.  For the immediate future the wheels placed here and there will suffice.  As we placed the wheels against the posts of the fence, Dennis was very careful around the antlers of the concrete deer.  Now wouldn’t that be a home accident waiting to happen! The Autumn Joy plants around the deer took a beating, but they will come back next year with perhaps a few more of them added.  They love the sun and the Monarchs and bees like them as well.

  The lights in the studio were turned on today after a period of darkness.  When the weekend had brought quite a bit of company, it was easier to kick back and take the days the way they came.  Hmm.  The first thing I noticed was that there were some stitches that needed to be removed.  In fact two rows of 60″ each that needed to be taken out.  Concentration was not at its best when done.  I now have all of it taken care of and the next time . . . let the stitching begin. 

  When Dennis gets home from the eye clinic I will have his eye patch ready to wear under his glasses for protection.  The tree dump opens at four this afternoon and the trailer with the dead lilacs is already behind the little red pickup.  The branches are loaded as such that by me taking ahold of their bases and Dennis driving forward slowly, the bulk of them will come off easily.  Yup . . . we have been there and done this before.

  When we get home I have two stuffed green peppers to pop in the oven.  Supper will be a little later than usual but we have no where that we need to be tomorrow.

   
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  Noreen 12:16 pm on September 20, 2022 Permalink  

  The Day After 

  Yesterday the remaining dead lilacs were cut out and loaded.  I remained quiet and watched from afar.

  Knowing Ken would be visiting, I had asked Dennis’ son the trucker to take care of cutting down the lilacs that were marked.  Ken visits once a year and always asks his dad to pick him up at the airport then asks for the use of Dennis’ little red pickup.  I thought turn around would be fair play.  He said he would take care of it, have the saw barrowed and he would be at our home by ten yesterday morning.  By three in the afternoon, I began to wonder.

  Lo and behold, Ken had shoved the job off to Grandson Ryan.  After Ryan had been ramrodding concrete all day, he would be at our home after six.  I think that took guts.  That is when Dennis said I should be on the patio in case there were some questions.  Ryan went after the job like no one’s business.  Ryan threw the cut ones onto the patio for Ken to take to the trailer Dennis had on the drive ready to take what was cut.  After two trips from the patio to the drive Ken was looking for a lawn chair.  Oh my gosh!  Talk about a softy that has a lot more hanging over the front of the belt than Ryan, Dennis and myself combined.  Then we got to hear about a bad back!   Yup . . . ready to sit on the bar stool when he visits and go out to eat and talk smart.

  When Dennis and I were alone last night, Grandpa Dennis said he would remember Ryan when Ryan would least expect it as we had really appreciated him and the job he did after working all day.

  Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  

  Ryan did such a good job of cleaning up.  The end of this week is going to be cooler and I will take my six inch rake and make tidy, tidy in the lilac area.  It won’t take much.  We needed to let Ryan get home for his supper and resting to make ready for what Wednesday had on the cement docket.