Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 5:14 pm on March 14, 2019 Permalink  

  It’s Worth a Try 

  Here on Stauffer Avenue, we do give it our best.  We try to work with what presents itself.  It’s always worth a try.

  Dennis has a pump sitting on the patio taking out whatever water he can from the rains and thaw.  Is it a loosing battle.  I don’t think so.  It provides Dennis the satisfaction of doing . . . something.  Keeping the water level low enough that the floors of the vehicle garages may remain dry.  Dennis has set up camp in the pickup garage and he has a good attitude.  What more can you ask.Dennis got into his pickup this afternoon and took a drive around town and the area around town.  That was a good idea.  When he came home he could relay that excess water is everywhere.  It centered Dennis.There is much snow to add to the situation.  There is no point in becoming exasperated.  The heavy rains have stopped with high winds setting in.  Dennis thought it would be a good idea if the wind just blew all the water away.  Ya right!

  I am not kidding myself that we will have a road date anytime soon.  Staying close is what is needed of us right now.  It did bring to mind a project I would like to go forward with.  The Santa project stalled after I had the new jacket done.  There was a piece of well worn cardboard within the belly of Good Old Saint Nick.  It was there for a reason.  It was a good reason.  When transporting Santa, there needs to be a place to take hold that is resilient and firm.  How that piece of cardboard held out for the 55 plus years is a wonder.  That replacement has had me stymied . . . for a short while.  I have stashes that go far and beyond threads and fabric.

  Several years ago Kevin brought over some lengths of engineered vinyl that had been used in livestock construction.  Kevin is like me.  Kevin is like his dad.  Kevin is like his grandpa Raymond.  You never know when something might come in handy.  This vinyl product is sturdy.  It might just work.  My wonderful glue and clamps is the first step to see if it would be a possible replacement for the cardboard.  What did the cardboard in was the fact that it needed to be split to get it around the spine of Santa.  As I said.  Taking it slow and doing some “what ifs” is what is in place right now. I have the time and I have enough vinyl is see which process will work the best.  It surely is worth a try.

  This spring will sort itself out in time to come.  What takes the angst out of all this water is that our basement is protected.  The sump pump is open to the northwest of the house and the pump is putting out a nice looking pond when I look out of the north window.  Not to get too comfortable, I still go down into the sewing studio and check.  Two of our closets were not included in the tiling project and rather than wait until the seepage could get deep enough to flow over the thresh-hold and run into the perimeter tile, Dennis brought in the wet vacuum from the garage.  He commented that he wished he had a hydro wet vacuum to take care of the patio.  It surely would be worth a try.

   
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  Noreen 5:09 pm on March 13, 2019 Permalink  

  Quack, Quack 

  I don’t think even the Mallard ducks would appreciate this day.  Rain in March has always been a given.  Rain on top of ice is extremely dangerous and hard on the toes as they are curled, trying to keep me upright.  I watched when the gal came with the mail.  I was out the door to warn her that the area of our driveway may look wet, but it is sheer ice under the water.  I met her on Stauffer Avenue to take our mail.  She headed out to the street to go farther on.  I don’t want to think of someone getting hurt on this crap.

  Dennis’ beloved patio porch has water running through it.  How could it not!  It’s not our first rodeo with water and it may not be our last.  We are not alone with excess water.  A porch is a porch is still just a porch.  Our home is safe and dry.  I must admit, I usually do not let weather affect me . . . I am saying Uncle!  “That’s about all I have to say about that,” quoting Forest Gump.

   
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  Noreen 3:39 pm on March 12, 2019 Permalink  

  Hurry Up and Wait 

  What’s a body to do!  With it being the 12th of March, we are in a “hurry up and wait” mode.  There is three feet of snow on the ground, it is beginning to rain and the feelings are helpless.  

  Dennis decided on his path of action today.  With the patio porch being evacuated, Dennis took all the rag rugs that have been used this winter whether in the house, in the basement or in the patio porch and headed to the laundromat.  One more item that needs to be taken care of.  Rag rugs do not do well in an automatic home washer.  Too much weight that does not shift equally.

  Though the Santa Project is ongoing and Santa is in the sewing studio, there needs to be some supplies gotten for his infrastructure.  Bent and broken pieces of cardboard need to be replaced with something a bit more durable.  Dennis has the idea of what we need to look for and perhaps a place like Hobby Lobby would be the start of the search the next time we go to Mankato.

  In the meantime . . . with snow on the ground I am still able to think of getting some items done for Christmas 2019.  Watching YouTube videos is wonderful.  Making Christmas tree decorations via the embroidery has turned out quite satisfying.  The felt needed was in my stash.  Tracing out the pattern from a printed download was done sitting at the dining room table.

  The project is called Stitching in the Hoop.  Nothing needs to be done for completion after the design is stitched from A to Z.  The key is that once the front of the design is stitched onto the stabilizer and felt, the hoop is taken off of the machine, tipped over, a duplicate piece of felt and ribbon is attached via fabric glue to the underside and then placed right side up, back into the embroidery module.The final satin stitching is done around the entire design, finishing it.  The stabilizer is torn away from the finished project.  No more is needed to be done.  I do enjoy remembering family during Christmastime and this was the perfect way for me to stay busy.  Not many stitching changes on the sewing machine to aggravate the shoulders and neck.  It does feel good to have something to show for the time of the hurry and wait for spring to be enjoyed.

  I am not sure what Dennis is finding to do tomorrow as this rain is going to stick around.  In that regard, I have quite a few of these shapes traced onto felt . . . I am set.

   
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  Noreen 5:16 pm on March 11, 2019 Permalink  

  A day such as this is worse than… 

  A day such as this is worse than a blizzard.  At nine above this morning, the re-frozen slush is treacherous under-foot.  Wherever there has been snow scraped with a blade, it is a shear sheet of smooth ice.  Curling the toes does not help but it makes me feel like I am walking more carefully than not.  I have a mantra: “I will not fall, I will not fall.  My mission today was to get to the chiropractor with a side stop at the grocery store on the way home.  Then . . . home sweet home.

  Dennis was determined to make a trip to the Fleet Farm store this afternoon to check out their inventory.  As of today, Dennis is doing half-cracked corn and half alfalfa pellets for the deer.  It’s labeled as horse feed by the store.  It will be interesting to see if it pleases their fancy.  Our hope is that after our 100 lb. stash of goodies is gone, the deer will be able to forage on their own.  Southeast of our home there is a huge cover of trees, shrubs and the creek that they have used as their hideout.

  Using ice or heat on my neck and upper shoulders, I am taking it slow.  I have a target project, but it may not be tackled with as much gusto as I usually would.  This neck and shoulder issue needs to be taken seriously enough to allow for good range of motion.  It didn’t happen overnight and it’s not going to go away as quickly as I would like.  It all started last fall lugging around a weed whip.  There . . . that’s the rest of the story.  It will take some time before the snow is gone.  I am going to use this time do what is prescribed so I can enjoy all that the spring season has to offer.

   
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  Noreen 2:39 pm on March 10, 2019 Permalink  

  One Last Time? 

  Old Man Winter is going to get a sun burn before you know it, if he keeps this snow crap and cold temperatures up.  The sun has power.  The storm of yesterday had more power.  With so much rain and the experts are saying the frost is four feet down, there was no place for the rain to go.  Oh . . . wait a minute.  It started to snow after several hours of rain and the snow covered all the rain up.  This morning . . . found it!  A fat layer of ice under the snow.  That was at seven this morning.  It was 18 degrees and the wind made it feel like -6 degrees.  Here we are in the late afternoon and the sun is showing us who is the boss.  Slush over ice everywhere.

  One of Dennis’ fellows, Scott, stopped in to chat with Dennis in the patio porch.  I did take notice of the huge red pickup in the driveway.  One thing lead to another.  Before long a second fellow, Dean, stopped in.  He didn’t park in the driveway.  He parked on Stauffer Avenue.  He took up the entire Stauffer Avenue.  It didn’t take long and Dean and his long green line had opened the driveway to our back garage.  Oh my, for the piles of snow we have.   

  While we were having lunch, Dennis made an administrative decision.  After lunch, we were taking the little red pickup and moving the Santa from the backyard garage into the basement.  His reasoning being:  when that snow starts to melt, that yard would be as soft as a sponge, if not a pond.  We had agreed that in order to finish the Santa Project, he would have to be close by and not half a block away for fittings and repairs.  We can check that off of our “need to do” list.  While Dennis had been gone on his road trip, I had moved things around in the sewing studio making room for the visitor.  

  Someone really needs to save us from ourselves at a point.  If . . . I was willing to help, Dennis was ready to evacuate the patio porch.  Hmm.  Had I not had an appointment set up for tomorrow with the chiropractor, for a second treatment on my shoulders and neck, I would have refused him.  What the heck.  Let’s get it done and let the healing begin after the “have tos.” When standing water is seen on the patio, it’s too late to think of the patio porch’s wellbeing.  People buy brand new vehicles and park them outside 24/7.  The little red pickup will be sitting in our driveway until the spring thaw is totally over.   As of today, Dennis’s patio porch is empty and he has set up digs in the pickup garage, complete with cable television.  The carpet has been taken up and let the good Lord do what must be done to put this winter behind us.  

  Stauffer Avenue . . . still the sweetest place on earth for us two old timers.  Hopefully this was the last time for heavy snowfalls.

   
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  Noreen 5:52 pm on March 9, 2019 Permalink  

  Quiet Day 

  It has been a long time since the sound of rain has hit the skylight in the kitchen.  It didn’t take long we heard more than the pitter patter.  Randy and his long green line was in our driveway.  Snowblower on one end of his tractor and a bucket on the other.  Today, Randy stopped to tell Dennis it was playing in the rain.  With the bucket, Randy scrapped off a lot of the packed snow that now showed more slush than snow.  Randy has only gravel on his driveways with no chance of seeing the snow scrapped down to a hard service as he could with our concrete.

  Last night Dennis did a stakeout in the patio porch.  The exterior light was on showing the east patio.  Dennis and the cats sat in the dark in the patio porch.  Dennis was determined to get a photo or two of the deer as they came to the patio for corn.  I think he aced it.  As you can see in the photo, Snuggles was sitting right there taking it all in.  This late afternoon, we had some sleet, some rain and wet snow.  Dennis decided to put out the corn dish, thinking that even if the corn got a bit wet, it would still be eaten.  Sure enough.  Dennis just said he has counted six thus far.  Life is good on Stauffer Avenue for all two legged and four legged creatures.

   
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  Noreen 2:57 pm on March 8, 2019 Permalink  

  The Calm Before the Storm 

  It doesn’t matter what radio or television station I listen to, we are due for a storm that is to take from Saturday to Sunday. 

  Today . . . I enjoyed the calm and went for a walk down Stauffer Avenue to the east.  My friend, June, lives in the last home.  Have not caught site of her since Christmas.  June’s husband has been gone for just two years.  June has two sons that live here in St. James and they look after her for what she may need.  June worked right up until age 70 at the Swift Food processing plant north of us.  June is now 77. She walked to work each morning and again when her shift was over, she walked home.  June has never had a driver’s license.  I admire her to no end.  As we caught up with each other, she thought that perhaps with all the snow that will thaw, she may not put in a garden this spring.  Her home is quite on a hill compared to where her garden spot is.  I also commented that I was happy Kevin had tilled most of our backyard up in the fall, taking away the need to tend a huge flower garden that would be soggy for much of the spring. As I was getting ready to walk back home, we each were thankful for the snow each of us had moved this winter. Our legs were road ready for our walks.  Thinking back, some springs it took a while for our legs to acclimate for the lengthy walks.

  Coming back into the house, it smelled so good.  Using up the last of the roast pork, I had decided to make soup with it.  Mom used to make the best cabbage and potato soup ever.  Our soup consists of the left over pork roast, onions, carrots, potatoes and cut in fourths, brussel sprouts.  The sprouts are as close to cabbage as I had on hand.  Hearty and healthy, coming up for supper.

  The sewing studio is getting a break for several days to let the neck feel better.  Monday, if the weather permits, I am going back for another treatment.  Hey, I have insurance that covers it. I want to be free of the neck pain that does lead to a headache at the base of the skull.  Maybe it had to really hurt that bad for me to perhaps learn my lesson and slack off on that, that does do harm.  The sewing studio did see the stitched out pillow for Carrie’s auction event come into fruition before Dennis had gotten home.  The most difficult part of the project was stitching one side of the pillow closed with needle and thread in hand.  Yup, you would have thought that I was being held up by my fingers and wrists for the challenge it was.  Mobility in that regard is less than good.

  Before coming home yesterday, the last stop was the library.  A good choice of activity for my neck R & R.  We are ready for whatever happens when the calm turns to storm.

   
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  Noreen 5:14 pm on March 7, 2019 Permalink  

  Heath Wellbeing 

  Out of the blue yesterday I got a call from our family doctor’s office.  I was asked to come into the clinic for some lab tests.  I checked in at 8:30 this morning for a blood draw for potassium and for one that is a test for kidney function.  I cannot remember the long name for it.  Who am I to question it.  I had a full panel done in December . . . perhaps these two were omitted.   

  When I got home I called Curt, my chiropractor. I could get in at 10:30 this morning.  I have been a careful snow pusher, but the base of my neck has been stiff and sore.  Curt knows my history of having certain implants in my knees and shoulders.  Today left me leaving his office, knowing he had laid hands on my neck.  I am going back next Monday.  There wasn’t near as much cracking sound when I now move my neck.  He had hit the right spots.  

  A prescription needed to be left off at the temporary pharmacy for Dennis.  Oh my gosh!! I walked into the empty store front that they are using as a temporary Lewis Pharmacy site.  My eyes immediately began watering.  The basement of that store front must be full of mold.  There were fans on all over the place, but there surely was no denying what the air quality was.  Sure not a good thing to have meds dispensed from there.  Hmm.  As it was, Dennis and I still had to drive to Madelia for the prescription to be filled at their official location.  Plans are to build a new facility next to our hospital.  That sure isn’t going to happen in a heartbeat.  We may well take the 15 mile trip to Madelia for future refills until such time the new facility is built.  

  By three this afternoon, I had an email allowing me to know the lab results of the morning lab appointment.  Both draws were right smack dab in the middle of the range.  Good going Grammie.

  Dennis is puttering around in the kitchen.  It’s meal time, and by gum, Dennis is back in the full swing to make sure the process is beginning right on track.  While he was gone, I had all my meals, just not on that hard, fast-paced schedule according to the clock.  Oh well.  Consistency is not all bad . . . right?

   
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  Noreen 5:16 pm on March 6, 2019 Permalink  

  It Was Worth the Wait 

  Being good stewards we took care of moving snow yesterday.  Today the little red pickup was taken out of the garage after a five week rest . . . and off to Mankato we went.  List in hand always helps.  Stick to the list and all will be well.  Great Clips was the first stop.  Both of us were shaggy to the limit.  Checking in we knew we have one a half hours before we would be sitting in their chairs like two hillbillies needing to get smartened up.

  Shopping locally is what we strive for and I have for most of the winter.  Today as I was let loose in Sam’s Club, there were just some items I could not resist.  Two jars of Jiff peanut butter for $6.98.  At Christmas, I had paid that amount for one jar that was less in size than either of these two.  To me, peanut butter is a quick source of protein for the quick snack.  You hear Dennis talk about peanut butter and he is in to putting a peanut butter frosting on a chocolate cake.  It’s all about perspective.  I did keep the shopping in Sam’s Club at just a few dollars over a hundred.

  After checking in at Great Clips, Dennis walked out of there telling me his cap fit better.  For me it felt great not having hair getting caught in my coat collar.  $13.00 for a haircut that makes one feel like a million dollars.  We were on to the next personal treat . . . a pedicure!  Dennis asked them for an estimate as to what a chair as he was sitting in would run him if he wanted to buy one for our home.  The massage in their chairs goes from tailbone to the neck.  When we were finished, we were so mellow, we actually held hands walking out of there.  Feeling good from the bottom of our feet to the tops of our heads . . . it was worth the wait of getting out of St. James and on to Mankato.

  This is what these two oldies think is just the best road trip ever.  Dennis talked all the way to Mankato and all the way home, relaying some of his adventures on his month-long trip.  He had a great time.  I was so pleased that he hadn’t passed it up.  I don’t think there was one highlight more impressive than another . . . well maybe the ride in the Tesla car.  He did say if someone gave us one we couldn’t afford the two batteries that only last four years each at $800.  

  Dennis and I have acclimated to each other after being apart for a month.  For me the time went fast as I was either looking at snow and more often than not, moving it.  Life is pretty darn sweet.

   
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  Noreen 4:59 pm on March 5, 2019 Permalink  

  Dennis came up from the basement a bit… 

  Dennis came up from the basement a bit ago and asked how long it would take for me to get ready to go dancing.  Ya right!

  With the snow raking having been done yesterday, our patio was filled with packed snow.  I took the morning slow, as I knew what would be coming for the afternoon.  Settling on summer sausage sandwiches for our Noon lunch I could feel the tension begin to build.  Dennis had a plan and he knew without saying a word, I would be right beside him to the end.

  Nothing packs snow like pulling it off of a roof and it comes down with a thunk with multiple layers added to it.  There is only so much a small snowblower can do once it slices through packed snow the first time.  The solid wall of packed snow could just as well be concrete.  We have a wonderful red plastic shovel that Dennis got when he was buds with one of the fellows who worked in the cleanup crew at our local meat processing plant.  It’s light as a feather and sturdy.  

  After Dennis had made a initial path through, the shovel and me would follow behind and knock down more snow for him to blow to the west.  Our goal was to free the north side of the garage of snow.  With this patio being on the north side of the garage, it would have taken until the 4th of July to melt, thus leaving very soggy siding on the garage.  Perhaps the melting snow would have found its way underneath the sill and we would have had a mess in the car garage.  

  We know the patio porch may flood this spring.  Today was meant to try and divert having a wet garage, as that is where the entire contents of the patio porch will be moved into when the thawing begins in full swing.  Yes . . . in hindsight!  In times past, it was a wonderful idea to have a slab of concrete off of the north side of the garage.  We enjoyed that patio to no end.  It was shaded most of the day and it always caught a breeze.  Well . . . that was then, this is reality.  We built a porch on that concrete slab and no matter how man times it may or may not flood, it is ours and we enjoy it to no end.  We should have elevated the original patio by a good two feet.

  Just to be clear . . . Dennis and I are not going dancing.  We can barely lift our feet let alone our arms after moving the snow.  It was a great workout.  In a perfect world, Dennis could have come home from his road trip and worked on getting the lawnmowers prepped.  Maybe next month the mowers will be able to be gotten out.  For right now, we are satisfied on having had a productive day of good local effort.  It also helps that I had a slow cooking roast with carrots in the oven while we were outside.  Nobody has to cook supper.  We may very well each take a fork with the roaster between us and call it a meal.  No fuss, no mess, no additional dishes.  Hey . . . we are older retired folks, there are no set rules on Stauffer Avenue.