Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 4:33 pm on August 10, 2018 Permalink  

  It may be hot and humid, but after a full day here on Stauffer Avenue, I still love my ole cowboy and I love our home. Dennis and I work well together. I went with Dennis to a doctor appointment for a few checks and balances in regard to his meds after his system has adjusted to the carotid surgeries. It takes a bit of time for everything to settle in and adjust to increased blood supply throughout the entire body and the brain. Dennis is on track for a good quality of life.

  We could no longer put off mowing and trimming the front yard. It was getting shaggy, complete with several Black Walnut trees that had sprung up since the last mowing. Obviously the squirrels had forgotten where several of their treasures had been buried. Sewer lines and water lines running under the front yard may not be hampered by tree roots this year or next year, but the future needs to be safeguarded. With a good supply of electric cords the entire drive can be blown off with grass clippings. Yup, you all know me well . . . tidy, tidy.

  I was dirty, sweaty and smelly. Might just as well round out the day with some cleaning. With Dennis’ help of moving furniture in the patio porch, it got a full blown cleaning and vacuuming. Kitty baskets were taken out, shook out and freshened up. It was too bad that the ole Tabatha stayed put in her basket until Dennis literally rolled her out onto the patio.

  Super time is here and neither one of us really don’t care what we put in our mouths for nourishment. I do know that there will be a variety that satisfies the established pyramid for balance. Yup . . . there is no place like home.

   
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  Noreen 3:59 pm on August 9, 2018 Permalink  

  Today, it finally feels like home here on Stauffer Avenue. There has been a lots of activity and none of it was focused on the wind damage that is now totally cleaned up.

  Last week it was the visit of Aunt Lorraine. We deposited her at her son Mark’s on Friday.

  Saturday Dennis’ daughter, granddaughter and two of the great grands popped in from Mankato just before noon. Noon! Lunch! A five month old, a three and half live wire named Lux, plus four adults counting Dennis and me to do a lunch. Out came the selection of cold cuts that I had not as yet opened: pickles, veggie sticks, some fresh fruit to cut up and chocolate milk. Everything was on track until Lux opened the refrigerator and spied the boiled eggs that were peeled ready for making some egg salad. The mother determined that Lux could have one of the boiled eggs at her plate at the table. But, she only would eat the whites of the boiled egg. I expected that either the mother or grandmother would cut the egg and give Lux the whites of the egg. No . . . Lux decided she wanted to do it. Seriously! I think I am still finding specks of the yolk when least expected. I am all for allowing children to find their own way, but . . . who is the adult here! I am here to say that I always appreciated how Carrie handled age appropriate activities when delegating what Megan and Nicholas could do on their own and what needed for the adult to step in.

  We were finishing up noon lunch when Dennis’ son Ken surprised us. He popped in just in time to have ice cream cones that Dennis was doing for everyone. He had a lay-over with his Arizona based semi and the load he was carrying. As it turned out he took the load to Mankato and then was off from Saturday until yesterday, which was Wed. It is always good for Dennis to have time with Ken as we don’t have any plans on traveling to Arizona anytime soon. One of the challenges was that he desired wheels to get out and around to visit friends and family. There was no way he wanted to drive around my old lady Lincoln. That left Dennis with his 1968 Cub Cadet to get around with. I doubted that Dennis minded that one bit. From Saturday until yesterday there were numerous people popping in and out catching up with visiting. Several trips to the grocery store were needed for impromptu meals. Our “old people schedules” . . . were out the door.

  Today was the peace that passes all understanding. Our home is quiet. As much as we love company, it does catch us off guard when nothing allows us to gear up emotionally and physically before our sweet domain is going to blow up in our faces. A bit of a warning is always a good thing. Yes, you have it . . . we are spoiled rotten. We like it . . . we like it a whole bunch. As hot as it is today, I am happy I don’t have to be anyone . . . but me. When Dennis visited his recliner after lunch I believe he felt the same way. This is our home sweet home.

   
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  Noreen 4:39 pm on August 8, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Dennis ( 40 )   

  Old Feels New 

  

  Dennis mowed the back 40 today for the first time with his old tractor that feels like a new toy. The 60″ deck made for quick work. Later on we took the two wheel trailer to the tree dump and got rid of all evidence of the wind storm that did a number on the Maple tree as well as the remains of the wild woman next door when Jan used her electric chainsaw on the Lilac. We are tidied up and beans and wieners seems to be the ideal supper. When the heat and humidity spike, fixing food takes on dim appeal. A bit of ice cream with strawberries later on will round out a great day.

   
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  Noreen 4:12 pm on August 7, 2018 Permalink  

  Can’t Take Any More 

  

  The ground just can’t take any more . . . for now. During the evening hours of Saturday and then again Sunday the two inches of rain managed to soak in. This morning there was a brisk thunderstorm and right now the backyard is saying, “Can’t take any more.” By noon the water had soaked in. Squish, squish. I have no reason to venture into the backyard and get muddied up. Dennis commented last week he couldn’t believe that there is moss growing in several large patches in our backyard. On the plus side, moss doesn’t need a lot of tending to look lush and green. Each season is unique. It does look a bit bare in the far back with the huge Hackberry branch that stretched out to the south being gone. If this is all that we have to contend with . . . it’s doable.

   

   
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  Noreen 3:22 pm on August 6, 2018 Permalink  

  Us older ones on Stauffer are finished with trees, shrubs and bushes . . . for now. I had planned on taking the day easy with all things that need to be kept tidy inside the home. Neighbor Jan came over and said she was in the mood to help with a Lilac bush of ours that suffered from the heavy snow and ice of the late winter months. I said “O.K.!”

  Jan was back with her electric chainsaw before I could get my garden shoes on. Older Lilacs branches tend to grow in spirals. By the look of this bush with branches as big a round as a quart fruit jar is, it has seen many seasons. There were some that were gnarled and twisted and just waiting for relief. Jan had the saw dust flying in no time. The project needed to be done and the two wheel trailer that I loaded yesterday was still on site with room to stack these branches on top. Dennis had been gone and was quite surprised by the pile of extras to load. Job well done by two neighbor gals.

  I mentioned yesterday that I had contacted a professional fellow to take down the huge Hackberry branch that had split from the main trunk. He gave us an estimate and said Tuesday would be the day. Today is Monday and the workers were here by one this afternoon. It was amazing to see them tackle the project. Dennis found a comfortable lawn chair and took it all in. It was the very same thing Dad would have done. Two hours later the job was done. As the tips of the branch was cut off of the larger base, the bob cat attachment drug it right over to the shredder and fed it in. The heavy logs were loaded into the truck pulling the shredder. One fellow operated a huge gas blower to wrangle the leaves and small branches into a pile while the second fellow followed behind with a wide broom attachment to sweep the area. Slicker than a baby’s bottom. We had one Evergreen stump in the same area from a time back. The bob cat fellow went up to it and hugged it with the attachment that he had used to feed the branches into the shredder and picked it up out of the ground as if it were a toothpick.

  We are amazed. We are thankful for such great service. We are thankful that we didn’t have to clean this up. It would have taken us several days even if someone with a chainsaw had chunked it up for us. We live in a small town. We know and have “people.” Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 1:23 pm on August 5, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Ken, Thomas   

  Storms of August 

  There haven’t been that many days in August and already we are scratching our heads as to what may be left for Mother Nature to spring on us.  High winds are always a concern when there are mature trees.  Our neighborhood was at one time a pasture on the edge of town.  Yesterday’s Maple limb that came down didn’t damage anything.  Our potting shed and patio were spared by a good 10 feet.

  Dennis’ son trucks for Hartland Trucking.  Though Ken lives in Arizona the dispatching takes him far and wide with him being out on the road for sometimes as long as three weeks.  Yesterday Ken surprised us as he was headed with a load to Owatonna and had been given a layover so he could spend time with family.  This morning Dennis went with his son in the semi to take the load to Owatonna and to also pick up a load somewhere in close proximity.  Ken’s truck was brand new in November and this would be a great time for father and son to revisit their trucking days when Dennis had several trucks on the road.

  I didn’t have anything planned and was enjoying a cup of coffee and looking through some mail.  I couldn’t believe my ears.  There was a chainsaw sawing and it was in our backyard.  News travels fast in a small town.  Dennis’ son-in-law was busy making the sawdust fly.  Thomas loves his chainsaw and takes advantage of using it whenever possible.  The down side . . . when the chainsaw stops, Thomas is done with the job.  He doesn’t help pick up the results of his sawing.  I did ask him to hook up to the two wheel trailer and bring it up to the garage as the tree dump will be the recipient of the cut up limb.  There was no reason for me not to begin loading the branches.  Taking several breaks in between, the trailer is loaded and the area has been raked and no worse for the event.

  As I walked back to the garage to help Thomas hook up the trailer, I could not believe what I had not seen earlier. The large Hackberry had a large limb that had been split from the main trunk.  It was either hit by lightening or the wind tapped into a weak spot.  Oh my gosh!  Thomas looked at it and I told him to not even think about tackling that.  That is a job for a professional.  One that has a bucket and has insurance.  No way am I going to be living with guilt on my hands if Thomas got hurt.  It’s not a one man job.  I have already put in a phone call to a fellow for him to come and take a look and give an estimate.

  With everything handled and under control I came in for a glass of water and to peel off my soaked clothes to begin cooling off.  We had a storm come through at 3:30 this morning.  The wind, lightning and thunder was intimidating.  What it left behind was two inches of rain and high humidly . . . and a splintered Hackberry.  I knew I was getting warm while I loaded the trailer but did not realize just how warm until I was done.   Getting on dry clothes, I looked out and low and behold Ken and Dennis with the semi loaded were parking at our curb.  Ken will be using his dad’s pickup to pop in and see some family and friends before getting back into the semi and taking off for Chicago on Monday.  It has been a full day for this Grammie and I am so thankful to be able to take each day in stride and get it done.   It is a wonderful thing to have help when it is needed and I don’ t take it for granted.  I make it right with doing sewing and quilting when I hear a hint of what is wanted.  Right now I have a bag of t-shirts that Thomas’ daughter would like to have made into a quilt. Working with titanium knees and shoulders I am cautious with whatever I do.  Knowing when to take a break is important.  Some jobs might not get done in one day.     

   
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  Noreen 2:37 pm on August 4, 2018 Permalink  

  Was That Firecrackers? 

  

  Sitting in the patio porch enjoying the day when there began a loud crack followed by several smaller cracks. No, not a firecracker, but a large limb from the top of the Maple Tree that snapped off smaller branches before it hit the ground. What we thought as enjoying as a brisk breeze may have been a bit swifter 75′ in the air. The butt of the broken limb landed on the very edge of the patio. There will be some chain sawing next week.

   
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  Noreen 3:58 pm on August 3, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Aunt Lorraine ( 7 )   

  Today is for pause, reflection and regrouping after we have had company for the greater portion of the week. This morning I looked around and . . . yup, I need to get some order back in Stauffer Avenue.

  When Aunt Lorraine travels she pretty much brings quite a bit of luggage with her. The nesting process begins complete with her own sewing machine. We had a quilt top that was in need of help for her daughter: Christmas 6″ blocks to cut and trim and several other projects in various stages of completion. As she moved in we adjusted our space to allow her to get comfortable. Mind you, when we took her to the motel each evening about nine, her nest in our home remained as she had a second nest at the motel to work at before she went to bed and prior to us picking her up in the morning. She doesn’t require much sleep and is usually up by five a.m. I understand this.

  When the kid’s grandma Esther Schafer went anywhere, her crocheting went with her. Various plastic containers that once held ice cream had projects complete with the correct crochet hook that was needed and always within a hand’s reach. You couldn’t have one without the other. Esther and Aunt Lorraine could be kindred spirits.

  Aunt Lorraine is totally deaf in her right ear and has challenges with the hearing aid in her left ear. She misses a lot of what is going on around her. This, I believe, is where the “all encompassing” sewing and quilting comes in. It’s her own world. Well, by golly . . . Dennis and I invaded her world and had a great time with her. I am a bit hoarse today and am steering clear of the sewing studio to allow for some perspective to return for what I had been working on last week.

  I have no doubt that when we left Aunt Lorraine at her son Mark’s home, she had her sewing machine set up at his home before we got back to our home. Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 7:01 am on August 2, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Aunt Lorraine ( 7 )   

  It is early on this Thursday. I am enjoying my second cup of coffee before our day begins. The lights in the sewing studio will not be put on today. Aunt Lorraine is out at the Super 8 and no doubt stitching up a storm as she never travels without a sewing machine. After Dennis and I have a bit more alone time we will be picking up Lorraine and getting her checked out of the motel. Then . . . it’s on to Mankato where Lorraine has a shopping list. It will be a visit to a quilt shop, JoAnn’s Fabric store and Mills Fleet Farm. Lorraine noted the feed sack dish towels I have been stitching on for Christmas gifts for Dennis’ daughters and granddaughters. Lorraine will be taking some of those wonderful towels from Mills Fleet Farm.

  Somewhere along the line this morning, we will be having lunch and Lorraine made sure we knew lunch would be on her.

  Lorraine’s son Mark’s home is our destination by late afternoon near Hastings. I did ask Lorraine when she will be departing Minnesota and heading back to Arizona. Her airline ticket is for August 25th. I do applaud her for being on the Minnesota visiting trail for five weeks. Lorraine lives with her daughter Carol as the sole relative in Arizona. Lorraine does have a lot of family contacts in Minnesota. Each year it does tug at her heart if moving back to Minnesota would be a good thing for her. I believe in her heart she knows that it would be too much of a transition and it soothes her heart by making plans for next year’s visit.

   
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  Noreen 3:28 pm on August 1, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Aunt Lorraine ( 7 )   

  Second full day of sewing studio work with Aunt Lorraine. I haven’t put in full days such as these since I retired nine years ago. Dennis wants me to find out what she is “taking” as she is 88 years young.