Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:44 pm on July 16, 2018 Permalink  

  It Happens 

  

  It does happen when a good project catches a hiccup. No wonder this Bird of Paradise squawked at one point in the stitching. I had the edge of the towel caught under the hoop during the stitching. We don’t throw the towel out any more than we would throw the baby out with the bath water. The portion of the stitching where the hem of the towel was caught is just a bit on the hefty order and the hem had surgery. If there has to be a boo-boo fixed . . . just do it and own it. After the surgery this piece of stitching will go into the water bowl to have the stabilizer washed off of the backing. The surgery came first so as to not fry out the area of cloth that was cut out. The towel will be dried and pressed and from my reckoning . . . as good as new. On the topic of what was to be a yard workout day . . . we got the acre done and trimmed. I did comment to Dennis that there may be some checking out of a new replacement trimmer. The Black and Decker trimmer is great. The problem is that it is old enough that new batteries for the configuration that is needed can no longer be purchased. The battery that it has doesn’t hold a charge long enough to get the entire acre trimmed where it needs it. Of course the battery takes a fair amount of time to recharge. Checking out new trimmers will take some doing. Since the time that this current trimmer was purchased, I have had both of my shoulders replaced and my hands have become more fragile . . . both items have had arthritis as the culprit. I will be taking a few trimmers out on a test in regard to the weight of it and the mechanics of what it takes to keep the trimmer engaged. This will not be a quick choice.

   
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  Noreen 6:29 pm on July 15, 2018 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  If I still had my shoes on, I would click the heels together and do the “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.” It was a lot of miles, a tank of gas and we gave our support for family. Dennis and I are so happy to be home and we are ready for whatever the week will bring. On second thought, grass mowing is on the schedule for sure.

   
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  Noreen 5:31 pm on July 14, 2018 Permalink  

  The end of the week and there were many positives here on Stauffer.

  The neighbor next door with the dog that I called the police about is okay. He has been out and about with the dog and has not been aggressive about the dog’s activities. Maybe he did realize the difference between abuse and discipline.

  Dennis is on the last day of antibiotics. I did not go into any detail previously. Dennis was in the hospital over the 4th of July. There had been a stone (made mostly of calcium) plugging his saliva gland on the right side of his mouth. Infections in the mouth travel fast throughout the system. Two days in the hospital here and then on Thursday we were in Mankato to have the stone surgically removed via the inside of his cheek. Not common to us but the medical world was well aware of such a situation. My ole cowboy is on the mend.

  The heat seems to be lessening and we would so enjoy a lesser humidity and dew point. Not much fun being outside. With the swarm of mosquitoes there is no such thing to spending a little time outside and then going in, and back and forth. It’s either wearing a heavy spray of repellent and staying out in the heat or coming in and out of house and feeling oily sticky with the repellent. We chose to spend the day either in the patio porch or in the house. This too shall pass.

  Tomorrow we are heading to Monticello for a baby shower. My sister’s oldest grandchild is having her first baby. Her father is Tim, Elvera’s oldest child. When we had my sister’s committal service at the Stewart cemetery, Alexxis came and asked if I would come to her mother’s home for the baby shower. How could I not do that. I should say how could WE not. Dennis is riding shotgun for the three hour trip. We have done it for my brother’s children and after all . . . family is family. Dennis and I step up. It will be a long day and when Monday comes . . . we can take it easy right here on Stauffer Avenue. Sweet!

   
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  Noreen 5:28 pm on July 13, 2018 Permalink  

  More sifting and sorting and I have met my target. My sewing studio no longer looks as if it is getting tricked out for a garage sale. I love “tidy.” The cistern closets have been put back together. It makes sense that two older folks such as Dennis and me wouldn’t need to put anything on the floor for storage . . . for now. In part there was no way I wanted to take a chance of just in case there may be a spot that would like to cure a bit more. I had socks on when I put the shelves back on the wall brackets and there were no indications of socks wanting to stick to the floors. At supper Dennis commented how good it felt to be able to navigate the basement and not wiggle through isles of stuff. Yes, Dennis . . . our basement is back to normal . . . again. Dennis’ comment alluded to the fact that we have thought that many, many times. Hey, if we don’t try to keep our little homestead up to snuff one item at a time, it could be overwhelming. I don’t do overwhelming well.

   
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  Noreen 5:59 pm on July 12, 2018 Permalink  

  I think Dennis could sell ice to Eskimos. Upon cleaning out our cistern closets to get the floors painted, there were 10 viable fluorescent light tubes that we had been storing. Some small round, some larger round and two grow light tubes. Dennis and I have learned our lesson when it comes to our hands and fingers and the dexterity they do not have in putting those tubes correctly into the lamps.

  Dennis was gone for 15 minutes up and down Stauffer Avenue and came back empty handed . . . the bundles of tubes are no longer in need of our storage. Gotta love that schmooze that the ole cowboy can spin.

  We found out going to Lowe’s that it is very cost effective to purchase the LED lights in one complete lamp. Hand it up, plug it in and there you have it. The LED is wonderful in the sewing studio.

  As warm as it was today, that was the entire list of things to do today. Right now at seven in the evening, it is dark. Yes, we are in a storm watch. All down spouts are on, complete with a few extensions on the spouts of the patio porch. Why take a chance!

  We are gaining on the epoxy order. We knew that with two closets with no air circulation of their own, it would take awhile. The Culligan man was here today with salt for our softner and he commented that we must have been doing some painting. Yup, we are gaining and the fans are doing their part. This too will pass.

   
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  Noreen 5:20 pm on July 11, 2018 Permalink  

  Last night before I went to bed, I did something I have never ever done before. I put a call in to our city police department. As I had been closing down for the night, I looked out the south window and there was our neighbor who had let his dog out for evening. As the dog was at the full length of the chain, our neighbor was kicking the dog multiple times. The dog couldn’t get away. The neighbor then drug the dog by the chain around its neck into the house. It was 10:30 when I called and spoke to the dispatcher and allowed her to know that this was not an isolated instance. By the time I went to the west end of the house for bed, there was a police car at our neighbor’s home.

  I have spoken to him several times when he was out in the yard, kicking at the dog for digging a hole in the grass or chewing on the bark of a tree. He always gave frustrated answers like he couldn’t understand why the dog didn’t know better. How about working with the dog and training it and then rewarding good behavior.
  There are some people who should not have pets. That dog has no idea what it is like to run . . . only as far as the chain allows.

  I did call the police department this afternoon and allowed them to know I was making an inquiry. The officer who had been at the house said he gave the neighbor a warning. Any further complaints would have the dog removed. The officer said the neighbor said he was teaching the dog discipline . . . yup, right at the end of a steel toed boot. The neighbor was warned about discipline compared to abuse.

  This afternoon the dog had been outside for most of the afternoon. Dennis put a pail of water at the edge of Stauffer Avenue so the dog and his chain could reach it for a drink.

  I won’t hesitate to keep an eye on the dog. I have been neighbors to his man for 22 years, but I won’t look the other way when he feels the only authority he has is to hurt an innocent animal. The neighbor picked up the puppy at a truck stop where the puppies were being given away. Six months ago, I am sure he thought that tiny little puppy would always stay that way. Now the dog is 70 to 80 lbs, looking like a bit of pit bull in him. If there is retaliation, I will deal with it then. People can be such animals.

   
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  Noreen 4:32 pm on July 10, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Michael ( 11 )   

  I have often mentioned before that when my heart and spirit are aching it is best for me to remain busy. What might you say would cause my heart and spirit to ache? That would be my younger brother Michael.

  The esophageal cancer reared its ugly head for a second time for Michael this early spring. The plans for radiation and chemo were on track and had begun. I stopped to see Michael and JoAnn on Saturday. They were scheduled to travel back to Rochester on Monday for the 3:00 p.m. treatment and remain for the full four days and return to the farm on the weekend. It was just great seeing him, hugging him and wishing him all the good I could.

  Sunday afternoon they were on their way to the Rochester ER as Michael was not doing well. JoAnn texted a message with “more when I know more.” I received a text this forenoon. Michael has pneumonia in his left lung. The stint that they inserted in his esophagus as they were preparing for the radiation and chemo treatment had created a fistula, a leak. All that was taken via his mouth had been allowing some drainage into the middle of his chest . . . called mediastinum. They don’t how the fistula came about. No more drinking or eating anything, no more treatment of the cancer until the mediastinum situation is cleared up. It may take two weeks. Michael will have a feeding tube in his stomach for nutrition and IV antibiotics. Not much good news in that text. JoAnn retired as a surgical nurse. She knows the skinny. She is my brother’s saving grace as a lay person would not have made that trip to the ER on Saturday, but perhaps waited until their appointment time on Monday.

  I needed to stay busy and lighten my heavy heart. I decided to use up the last of the epoxy paint mixture and give my closet floors a second coat. It had been 48 hours and the recoat was listed as 8 hours. It’s not like it was not warranted as the rough troweled pitted floors took it right in. Let the fans run and get this done.

  Prayers are not sent only at the end of my days when the day is dark. I am sending some ALL day long.

   
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  Noreen 5:01 pm on July 9, 2018 Permalink  

  My oh my, I am having a lazy day. It wasn’t until this mid afternoon that I wandered down into the basement and peered into the two closets that are sporting a new clean surface. Of course! I bent down and gingerly put my index finger on the surface to check on whether the epoxy had dried . . . or not. The index finger came back as clean as before. I am not venturing into these closets today or for perhaps the rest of the week. The arms, shoulders and hands are resting. There were many pits in the concrete of the cistern floor that needed to have the paint mixture worked into for full coverage. This was a floor that was roughed in most likely with hand mixed concrete. It was meant to hold water and never intended that some day it would be an important part of the home as a pantry.

  There was a time when an apartment house was being torn down in my brother’s area. Dennis and I went and purchased four of the top units of the kitchen cabinets. Two were set on top of each other for the cistern closet and the remaining two were set on top of each other in the garage. Great storage. Anyway . . . it would not surprise me if there would remain some spots on the cistern floor that would feel as it all was set up and dry, but due to the amount that I spread on, needs to be totally left alone. Better to be safe than sorry. Both Dennis and I were surprised the odor was not stronger than it was. Today I confessed to Dennis that this was one job I dreaded to start for fear I would mess it up. Cross this project off of our list.

   
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  Noreen 4:37 pm on July 8, 2018 Permalink  

  Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained – 

  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  For me working with two-part epoxy paint was just as much of a challenge as a man walking on the moon.  I was fearful.  The two wonderful closets in the basement have always had carpeting on them.  The rough cement floor invariably shuffle off concrete dust.  The last of the heavy rains also made the last of me dragging out pieces of carpeting from the two closets.

  I took counseling from Kevin.  That pointed me to Sherwin Williams Paint Store in Mankato.  The fellow eyed me up after I had made my request, as if I really didn’t understand what I was asking to buy.  At that time I didn’t.  I took my two pails home and began reading online and watching YouTube videos.  I ask you . . . when is the best time to be mixing a two part epoxy job?  I already had the floors prepared several weeks ago.  The cans have been in the basement for almost two weeks.  There never is a best time for a project such as my closets, but by gum . . . today was the day.  Dennis rode shotgun, staying in the basement in case I had an issue with the fumes.  Neither closet has circulation.  It was a matter of having as many fans going in the sewing studio as we had.  The only negative was a blister on my index finger of my right hand.  Pushing down on the roller to fill all the pits took its tole. 

  The project is done and it can take as long as it wants to dry . . .  or does epoxy cure?  No matter.  I have all the time in the world.  I can stand in the doorways and know that I ventured forth and gained a floor surface that can withstand water in the event that Moses sends out a decree.   The closets aren’t fancy but they sure come in handy with a small home.

   
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  Noreen 5:54 pm on July 7, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Janet ( 3 )   

  This was quite a day for me. A solo road trip north and beyond. Of course a stop at Fairfax is always on the top of the list for a “Kevin” fix. Traveling on to Glencoe for my cousin’s daughter’s funeral was huge and sad. A loss of someone so young . . . sad.

  Aunt Janet asked me back to her home in Brownton after the funeral luncheon. Sometimes when one has lost a close person as Aunt Janet has in the death of Shelly, they need to talk. I willingly drank a lot of coffee and let Janet talk until she was spent. When I left she was changed into her robe and planning on putting her feet up in her recliner. The best medicine for rejuvenation.

  Down Highway 212, Michael was my next stop. Michael will be in Rochester this next week for his next round of radiation and chemo. I needed to see him, hug him and spend a few minutes with him and JoAnn. It saddens me to see him fragile . . . the twinkle in his eyes remains and I hang onto that as a sure positive.

  Coming home to Dennis was just what I needed. His ole cowboy logic . . . you can’t beat it. He was enjoying Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup and toast. If I had not wanted out of my shoes so badly, I would have clicked my heels together and chanted “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.” Tomorrow is Sunday and no firm fast plans for Stauffer Avenue. I love that.