Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from Noreen Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 3:59 pm on May 6, 2022 Permalink  

  A Big Fat Kiss 

  Today, I ran away from home solo.

  I have been putting off taking a friend out for lunch for a long time.  At the time I was working there were the three of us gals that had worked our way up to have the license of being county assessors.  Doreen in Nicollet County, Judy on Brown County and myself in Watonwan County.

  In between we shared flower gardening and checking out nurseries to see where the best flowers were sold. 

  I retired in 2009, Judy in 2010 and Doreen in 2011.  Within a year of Judy’s retirement she was blind from macular.  Within a year of Doreen’s retirement, she passed away from cancer.  I had gotten teased about being steadfast with medical appointments.

  I have kept up with Judy over the years traveling to their rural Madelia home . . . when Wayne wasn’t around.  Wayne not being a favorite of mine as I had years to get his number.  Last September Judy and Wayne moved into a rental townhome in Mankato at a time that Wayne needed knee replacement surgery.  Wayne has protested this entire time.  The one story townhome was so much easier for Judy to get around in rather than the old farm home that had steps to . . . everywhere.   

  Today, I did what I thought I couldn’t . . . I managed getting her out of her home complete with her  walker, her white cane and me with my cane.  I had picked up on this for some time, but after today, I know Judy is a victim of spousal abuse.  Wayne goes out of his way to make Judy’s day less than comfortable.  When I came home Dennis got a big fat kiss.  Dennis knows Wayne from the assessor’s conferences that we all attended for decades.

  I can’t do much for Judy other than be there for her.  She has three children with one being a daughter that lives close to her mother in Mankato.  Cindy stays in contact with her mom everyday via the phone.  Cindy and her dad do not get along as Wayne makes sure that he is always present when Cindy comes to visit her mom and he thinks Cindy spoils her mom and takes sides.  Do ya think!  Judy wanted to talk to her doctor about her home life when she was to have a checkup. Wayne insisted and he followed right along in and Judy did not have a minute alone for the visit.  Daughter Cindy called the clinic and read the nurse the riot act about doctor patient privacy.  All I could do for Judy was to let her know if she did get an appointment with her doctor . . . it would be known to Wayne we were going out for coffee.

  It drives the point home that we know so little about the lives others lead.  It only takes a little crack and we feel helpless.  Cracks are not a bad thing.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:01 pm on May 5, 2022 Permalink  

  Surgeon’s Visit 

  Today we met with the surgeon’s second in command for Dennis’ foot.  Jody commented how well the incision of January 21st is coming along.  It is closing up well.  Halleluiah.  I can hardly wait to  have that surgical boot to be off and stored somewhere far, far away.  She cleaned everything and concurred that it has been well taken care of.  Then it was off to x-ray.  Dr. Madsen was determined to make sure that the area of the metatarsal that he removed would not indicate any more bone infection that had gone on after the January surgery.  I can’t wait until I can read the results on the Mayo Portal.

  We drove in rain and by one it had let up.  Again . . . no field work done from here to Mankato.

  I am off the clock today from here until bedtime.  Sweet.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:07 pm on May 4, 2022 Permalink  

  Quiet Morning 

  I awoke to a sunrise with no winds.  Perfect.

  Today was haircut day.  We had not visited the Curry Comb since mid March.  Everything else came first.

  After haircuts we motored north.  We had noon lunch in Sleepy Eye at Hardee’s.  Dennis was right . . . their hamburgers have a great flavor and they are juicy compared to the dry burgers at McDonald’s.

  We caught up with Kersten as she was clocking out of her shift at Casey’s and we went on to join her at Kevin’s garage.  Short sweet visit.  The back of Dennis’ little red pickup is now empty and Kevin will have to sift and sort to put the new, used goodies where he will need them in his shop. 

  It always does my heart good for a quick stop.

  The clouds have taken over this afternoon as we are now enjoying 59 degrees.

  On the 40 plus miles to Fairfax and back, we saw one lone tractor that was hooked to a corn planter but had not made nary ten feet of headway.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:03 pm on May 3, 2022 Permalink  

  Stranger 

  The sun appeared this afternoon after being a stranger for more days than I can recall.

  This morning, Dennis was up, dressed in old blue jeans and was busy packing a lunch.  Dennis’ friend Dwayne has given up hoping his old pickup can be fixed.  Dwayne’s wife had talked him into having the junkyard come and haul it away . . . as is.  Dwayne bucked at that.  He called Dennis and this morning was the date set that the two old classmates were going to empty the bolted on toolbox.  Dennis was equipped with coffee and doughnuts for the project at hand.  What was inside the toolbox, Dennis had no idea.  I made sure Dennis had his telephone with in case a snag was run into.  Dwayne has moved into an apartment and the pickup would need to be worked on outside.

  I took care of the first floor and I headed for the studio, telling Dennis to call if I was needed.  Both of the fellows are 86 and the unexpected can happen with a missed step.  I had KNUJ radio on and the only company I had was the Culligan man as he delivered salt.  All quiet on the home front.

  Dennis came home at noon and the mission had been accomplished.  Dennis recounted that when the hands got cold, they retreated into the little red pickup to drink hot coffee and have their doughnut.  Dennis said he was disappointed that Dwayne’s wife had not been more accommodating with the project and might have come out to see how things were going or offered more coffee.  Dennis said “she sure isn’t like you.”  I will take that compliment to the bank on any day.

  The back of the little red pickup is quite full of goodies.  Dennis already has asked me to go on a road date tomorrow to Fairfax to see if Kevin can make use of anything.  Dewayne was a mechanic all his life and he liked tools.  I said I was in for the jaunt but only after haircuts at ten tomorrow forenoon.  Kevin closes over the noon hour and that will give Dennis a chance to take me to Hardee’s in Sleepy Eye for noon lunch.  Sweet!

  Tonight we are having pan fried Tilapia fish, instant potatoes and green beans followed by a change of dressing on Dennis left foot. Tomorrow will be two weeks since the success of three veins having been opened in his left leg.  As Nurse Racket doing the changing of the dressing every other day, I can see an improvement.  The foot has blood going to it.  He also has feeling in the foot, another rarity.  Hoping that very soon he will be able to wear a normal shoe on his left foot.

  The sun has allowed the temp of 51 degrees.

   
• 

  Noreen 1:40 pm on May 2, 2022 Permalink  

  And the Furnace is Running 

  It still feels good to have the furnacing running off and on to take the chill off of the studio.  With the inch of rain that we got last week, I can hear the water trickling through the tile around the basement perimeter.

  It may be cool outside, but the lawn is getting quite green.  Dennis used the pull behind rake once on Palm Sunday.  With the strong winds of late, Dennis thinks he will need it one more time to pickup the small twigs. 

  The track and field kids run the block after school hours.  I think the goose bumps will out run them in their shorts.  I have a long sleeve sweater on and none too warm in it. 

  I am not up on the news, but according to the political mailers overflowing our mailbox, it looks like someone will win.

  Today I passed on the stitchers meeting in Mankato at nine to head out to a quilt shop towards Rochester that had a 25% off storewide sale.  There is a fine line between need and an urge to run away from home.  I seem to be perfectly content at home right now while getting some stitching done with my stashes.  If I do run short, I will check out my gift certificate at Bird Island from my nephew and his wife.  It’s not burning a hole in my pocket just yet.

  I did come upstairs this afternoon for the last of the coffee.  All has been turned off in the studio and I may crack open a book in the west porch.  Reading is always a sure bet when the chill of the studio brings me upstairs.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:08 pm on May 1, 2022 Permalink  

  He Is On It 

  As I worked in the studio today, I finally asked myself why bending over the church tables to cut fabric had to be so hard on my back!  I beat feet out to the patio porch and put in my request.  There are now sixteen bricks next to the house under the outside water faucet.  Once they are cleaned and dry, there will be two bricks under each of the eight legs of the church tables.  Dennis is on it!

  With Kevin’s suggestion of the Huskie table that can be adjusted in height, the sewing machine is at the perfect low height . . . twenty one inches.  I think by the latest . . . Tuesday, the church tables will have been adjusted.

  I am slowly working on the pineapple log cabin quilt blocks.  For some reason, I find the first four stitching around the center block of the 5.5 inch in total of the block, the hardest to get right.  Today I laid out multiple 5.5 inch blocks with that challenging center stitching done.

  Again, the north cool winds are blowing and swishing the evergreen boughs.  Speaking of evergreens . . . Dennis’ daughter was over this morning and she had quite the tale to tell.  Last year her neighbor cut down a huge evergreen that was right off of their property line.  This spring the robins are trying to make nests up in the soffits of their house.  They have a four inch brick ledge under the picture window and it is full of bird poop.  These robins are letting the world know, their safe heaven of the evergreen is missed.  They have never had so many robins bounce off of the glass of the picture window.  Mother Nature is sounding the alarm. 

  This evening for supper we are having Subway.  This is perfect as the stove top has been cleaned this morning and the sink has no dirty dishes in it.  Sweet.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:13 pm on April 30, 2022 Permalink  

  Gloom on a Saturday 

  I heard it rain during the night.  I awoke to sprinkles.

  I remembered that there was a local venders show at the VFW.  I decided to check it out.  What I didn’t expect was to run into someone that could reminisce about our family’s time in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota.  Scott Baumgart was a student on my school bus route.  Scott has now moved to St. James to be closer to his aging mother.  His mother had set up a table with various wares and Scott was there to lend a hand.  It was an enjoyable visit.  I didn’t come home with purchases but I did come home feeling lighter than what the weather was.

  This afternoon, I hit the studio.  I was determined to stitch out a pineapple log cabin block.  I actually spent a few minutes on the internet seeking tips.  The tip of the day was to use a lighter color with alternating printed fabric.  My first block of earlier this week is for the “ugliest block ever.”  There is nothing that resembles a pineapple.  Try, try, try again.  I hit the stash box and found a lighter color after a YouTube visit.  It did go a lot better and I even ended up with the 5.5 inch square block, rather than the first block that was only 5 inches square.  Dang those seam allowances that must be honored.  I will need to tidy it up a bit.  Gee . . . I only have fifteen more to go.  This finished project of mixing in many old favorite patterns is indeed keeping my mind busy, and also very satisfying when I get the gist of each.  As I look at the colored photo, I realize again that this quilter has really mixed up fabric prints.  I know for my level of comfort, I will stick with a more structured pallet.  In the colored photo there is a grouping of these blocks right off of the middle in the bottom.

  I have to report that Dennis is comfortable with his television viewing either in the patio porch or the living room.  He is navigating the remote well after two weeks of it under his belt.  He comments that he never knew there was that many options.  I also have no complaints as my time to watch anything on television might be the last two hours before I go to bed.  

  Sunday is going to be here with possibly of more showers.  When the sun does make an appearance with some warm temps, the town will be a buzz with lawnmowers.  Sweet.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:44 pm on April 29, 2022 Permalink  

  Drip, Drip 

  So much dripping of rain.  1.3 inches last night.  The lightning and thunder began at suppertime and it was still going at it by bedtime.

  This afternoon we went to a birthday coffee for Dennis’ classmate, Lyle.  Comparatively, Dennis is doing wonderfully.  Lyle lives in an apartment building that has a commons room.  Dennis is a frequent flyer there to visit.  It works great for Lyle as the companionship is worth much.

  As Dennis and I were getting ready to go home, it began raining.  We had best get used to it as the weekend means more of the same.  Drip, drip. 

  The air is heavy with wind gusts of extreme.  It did give pause in making any plans that include being outside.  I am over it.  I will make the best and the most of each day as it comes.  I am so very thankful, I have interests to give me balance in each day.

  I tugged out a frozen oven dish to thaw this morning.  It is tomato sauce with pasta co-mingling with diced meatballs and mixed veggies. 

  I hope everyone keeps their chin up as we are close to closing down April.  I can only hope that we don’t go from needing auxiliary heat to finding the nearest plug in for a fan for cooling. 

  I did get a text yesterday that Megan has brought home her cap and gown for the graduation event in June.  Nothing is more daunting than having time move too fast . . . that being said from someone that is moving a bit slower these days.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:51 pm on April 28, 2022 Permalink  

  April Showers 

  After many months of doctor appointments heading to Mankato, Today Dennis wanted to run an errand . . . to Mankato.  I was invited along for the ride.  I enjoyed watching people as I waited in the pickup outside C&S.

  My stop was Hy-Vee.  Part of my breakfast includes sugar-free applesauce over my flax meal over some cottage cheese.  I top it off with a few blueberries and a few raspberries.  I can no longer handle a large jar of applesauce so the six-pack of individual servings suit me just fine.   Yes, there is a price for convenience.  Here in St. James a pack of six is $3.69.  Today I paid $2.50 per pack.  Needless to say I have enough to last a while.  Seeing as this was a road date, we enjoyed some doughnut balls and a cup of coffee from Hy-Vee on the way home.

  On the way home it rained so hard coming out of Lake Crystal heading west, Dennis had the hazard lights on as well as the headlights.  I don’t think we got all that much here in St. James.  We can usually tell by the sidewalk if there has been garden debris that has washed over.

  I did get a few licks in down in the studio this morning.  I have scraps cut for 19 pineapple log cabins.

  Dennis had a good checkup at the VA Clinic this morning.  We have a new VA Clinic being built across the street from our clinic and hospital.  That will be ready by 2023.  Dennis has commented that St. James VA serves 2,300 veterans from the southern portion of the state and also into Iowa and into South Dakota.  The older veterans aren’t getting any younger and the younger veterans coming back from the Iraq era, need just as much help with possibly more severe situations.  Dennis’ era didn’t have the survival rate due to lack of triage available.   

  We are heading towards a quiet weekend.  Goodie, goodie.

   
• 

  Noreen 11:51 am on April 27, 2022 Permalink  

  Best Shot 

  As I have been working on the next block of my crazy project, I did really take my time in pinning seam allowances.  I gave it my best shot.  I do see some signs of improvements from the finished burgundy block to the brown block.  As it were, I ran out of bobbin thread.  That was also my cue to clean under the hood.  I could not believe the mess of fuzz and lint.  This pattern called for using cotton thread.  What I was using was the cotton thread, the brand Aurafill, the thread that Old Alley sells.  I had heard that cotton thread acts that way and for the most part, I sew with Isacord.  That is the brand that Bernina packages in the sewing machines when purchased.  It is not cotton.

  The project I am working on is not up for any consideration such as Best of Show.  I wound the bobbin with Isacord and threaded the machine with it as well.  The next time the bobbin runs out, it will be interesting to see what is under the hood.

  Back to my two finished blocks.  I can say that these two blocks were the most challenging in regard to the amount of individual fabric pieces.  I have been turning the pages of patterns . . . one at a time.  Won’t I be surprised with what may be ahead.  For me it’s not about the perfect stitch.  This project is to keep my left arm and hand engaged in activity.  During the many days of Dennis’ doctor appointments, by the end of those days my left hand would be a tight fist.  The stroke wanted back what it had dealt me in 2/2021.  There is much to be said for the fact that if you don’t use it, it will be lost.  I do look forward to my own version of PT in my studio . . . a bit every day.  It’s not about the quality nor the quantity . . . it’s about me trying.  The old adage . . . you can’t fail if you don’t try.

  It is so cloudy out the birds have called off their tweeting.