Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 4:38 pm on May 27, 2018 Permalink  

  To acknowledge the temperature today . . . not nice. Today we were asked to Paynesville for a noon picnic. Great nephew Justin was home on leave from the Marines and his family wanted a family get together as it may be some time before he will be home again. My brother, Michael and his wife Joann, and Dennis and I stood in as grandparents for the day as well as the fact that Justin’s dad could not make it. It was a good thing of family support. Michael is a Vietnam veteran and Dennis is a Korean veteran. It was good sharing support from two veterans as Justin travels on in his aviation training. In time to come he and a team would be airborne traveling to wherever they were needed to keep other airborne aircraft abled.

  Was this what Dennis and I would do on a day when we would be welcomed back into our hometown late afternoon with the bank’s flashing temperature at 101? Usually not. What can I say? We do what the heart leads us to and are thankful to be safe at home after a great day.

   
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  Noreen 4:20 pm on May 26, 2018 Permalink  

  Out of the literally blue sky last night we went from blue to purple. At supper time we commented that those north of use would most likely be getting some rain and or storms. Not a half hour later, Dennis was putting down the umbrella and batting down the hatches in the patio porch. The wind whipped the heavy rain in every direction. Every side of the house had lilac and crab tree petals stuck to the siding when all was said and done.

  I was hoping the rain would have cracked the heat that was forecast for today . . . not. I blew off the patio this morning, picked up tree branches and righted the patio chairs. After a storm, no matter how long lasting, I am always thankful there was nothing severe in damage to our home.

  We had forenoon company when Dennis’ niece and her husband from Morris stopped in. It’s always a good thing to catch up with family. When Jean and her husband left, Dennis decided to check his eyelids for cracks and I headed down into the sewing studio.

  Jean is three years younger than I am. She was just recovering from having cataracts done on both eyes. Her vision is still recovering. Jean also made mention of meds to control the shaking in her arm and neck, also known as onset of Parkinson’s disease. Needless to say I said a prayer of thanks for my health as I whiled away the hot afternoon in the sewing studio. Dennis says I am too mean and too suborn to get the chronic stuff. Lord, oh Lord, I hope he is correct. Personally, I think perseverance is a more apt for what I practice than Dennis’ terminology. Tee Hee!

   
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  Noreen 2:49 pm on May 25, 2018 Permalink  

  The Good and The Less Than Good 

  Surprisingly our phone rang at 6:30 this morning.  It took both of us a time to come out of deep slumber.  When we reached the phone it had already gone to messaging and their wasn’t a message left.  What to do but get up and stay up.  It was a good thing for me.  I went for the earliest walk ever.  It was already at 70 degrees with humidity and dewpoint both in the 60s.  I donned my straw hat and a long sleeve shirt.  I don’t need anymore exposer to the sun.  Other than seeing a whole new run of traffic it was a good thing to do it early.

  With the higher heat, Dennis needed to put water in the Koi pond to combat the evaporation before he left for his appointment at the VA Clinic here in town.  The monthly checkup is a good thing.  By 9:30 we were both on the patio having coffee and checking out the traffic going past our home.  There were chainsaws going off to the south and our neighbor to the south, Bob, was mowing his lawn. 

  Bob is a trucker and has only two to three days at home to get things tidy.  In the recent past Bob has acquired a dog.  Peaches was a tiny little thing, only six weeks old, labeled as a Beagle when Bob got her from someone giving puppies away at a truck stop.  Fast forward . . . Peaches is huge and has the look of a pit bull mixed with mutt already 70 lbs. or more.  The less than good to our day is that Bob doesn’t hesitate to beat Peaches when she does what Bob doesn’t think she should do.  Peaches is still a puppy and loves to do puppy things.  This morning was the second time that I have called across the alley and let Bob know how I felt about beating the dog.  It hits me in a place that I really can’t explain . . . Oh yes I can . . . it’s not humane.  If you don’t have the patience to train a dog, you don’t deserve to have a dog.  I am sure Peaches is company in the truck with Bob.  Bob commented back to me that Peaches comes right back to him after a beating.  HELLO!  What choice does a dog that is tethered have?  Perhaps one day when Peaches is full grown she may retaliate against the beatings and the 150 lb. bully posturing as a pet owner won’t stand a chance.  I have lost all respect for Bob, though we have been neighbors for over 20 years.  I don’t need that in my life and I can’t change what is happening across the alley.  Turning him in is an alternative, but it may also mean retaliation to our home sometime to come from him.  It’s no win and I need to let it go.  

  Working hard to put the good back in the day, I checked out some blooms that will have their work cut out for them to remain beautiful with the hot winds. Gardening is satisfying and the short-lived blossoms are part and parcel to it.  The antics of the cats under the lilacs lifted my spirits as well as how tender Dennis is to those four critters.  Priceless. The afternoon has been spent in the sewing studio.  Being in my element has made me feel happy and good.

   
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  Noreen 5:35 pm on May 24, 2018 Permalink  

  Twelve noon is my limit for being outside when it is as humid as it was today. I had ordered some towels for embroidery and they came on Monday. As I loaded a recipe to stitch out on one of the towels for Peppermint Bark I was banking on the cold weather recipe to help with the mindset of today’s level of outside comfort.

  With the embroidering well on its way, I pulled out my ever faithful Filter Queen vacuum. I do try to keep the threads and fuzz under control in the sewing studio. When I notice bits of thread in various colors on the living room floor I know where the shoes drug them up from. It seemed today was time to touch all corners. As we have no carpeting in our home, the Filter Queen has a permanent home in the sewing studio. The main floor of our home is serviced by the Swiffer mop.

  Unfortunately I am hearing on the six o’clock news there may be bad weather to the north of us. Extreme heat brings warnings to be heeded. Time to send up a few petitions for safety for all.

   
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  Noreen 3:15 pm on May 23, 2018 Permalink  

  Proof of Spring 

  

  Color is popping up and there is no way that there is only one color or shade of green. After a workout yesterday . . . my body told me this morning that I would be better off passing on the two mile walk. My hips felt loose in their sockets. By the time I had vacuumed the patio porch, blew off the patio from the night’s rain and had several cups of coffee . . . I felt better. During the night there was thunder and lightning and I hope the last of the tree seeds have fallen that had covered the patio this morning. If the humidity and heat is as predicted, I will take it one day at a time for the walking. Last year on a hot humid day, I had overdone it. I called Dennis’ daughter Sandy to stop on her way home from the clinic. No . . . it wasn’t my heart, it was dehydration to the max. I have spoke of it in the past and it bears repeating . . . I do need to slow down a bit and give myself permission to take a day off once in a while. Hey . . . my sewing studio is the perfect place to take the heat and humidity while still making a contribution to the day the Lord has given me.

   
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  Noreen 4:19 pm on May 22, 2018 Permalink  

  Fantastic day of taking care of the acre. It started out with a whole lot of wet grass. After a good noon lunch of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle soup, I headed out to do the trimming and Dennis took a short nap. Using the rider goes oh so much better if I have the trimming done around trees, utility poles and gardens.

  After Dennis had mowed an area to the east he commented on all the ant hills that have shown up. I dug out a product that we had in the garage cabinets for just such critters. The powder is meant be carried by the ants into their secluded haunts. When I walked the area spreading the goodies I know I will be going out to Fleet and Farm and picking up another bag. There are a whole bunch of areas that need treatment. Several years ago we lost a huge area of nice grass before we got right down and personal for a close peek.

  We have a great gas leaf blower that has a lot of power to tidy up the sidewalk, patio and driveway. One bad thing . . . you can also pull your arm off getting it started. I resorted to the old electric Black and Decker leaf blower. It’s easier for me to work with electric cords than having an arm that feels less than good.

  The afternoon flew. Dennis and I finished our tasks in tandem. Here we are and it’s supper time. Crispy chicken tities and waffles. Sounds good to me.

   
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  Noreen 3:35 pm on May 21, 2018 Permalink  

  It is time to get real. Graduation invites . . . it’s nice to be remembered. Traveling for 82 miles (one way) for a two hour or there about reception is something that may not be realistic for my cousin’s children’s child. The sentiment of keeping track of family is wonderful. Does that child know me . . . no. I have kicked this around since the invites came in the mail. I have decided to use the cards I have purchased and use snail mail while still sending support and acknowledgment of the event.

  It also means that I need to get real in the tool shop. The lawnmower that is self-propelled sounds good. Not really. The stretch that my hands need to make in order for the mower to stay in gear and the bar that makes the mower self-propelled . . . hurts too much to use. To make that stretch not quite so much means that the mower wants to go faster than what my level of comfort is. I pay for that pain in my hands long after the yard is mowed. I’m better off using the power that I have in my legs from walking each day to get the yard mowed. The self-propelled has been given to Dennis’ daughter Sandy for her yard.

  There is a weed whip that is being chunked out. It’s heavy and doesn’t keep a charge. Plugging it into the wall sounds great and away I could go. Not so. What kept it charged was a battery the size that is in Jeremy’s motorcycle and it was heavy. Besides that I had to push a red start button at the same time I had to hold down the bar to keep it going. Too light of a touch on the bar and again the start button needed to be pressed. Again too much pain for the gain. I have an alternate weed whip that has a lighter battery that needs to sit in a cradle for recharging. That will also soon need to be replaced as Black and Decker no longer has the batteries available to be purchased. Out of style. In the future I will be very picky about what I purchase. It might sound like it’s all about me . . . and it is. Dennis is no longer that strong on his legs to walk the acre for the trimming that needs to be done.

  The key is to work smarter than harder. I believe it is similar in regard to travel time in relation to the actual relationship. Tough calls.

   
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  Noreen 4:53 pm on May 20, 2018 Permalink  

  Sunday Fun Time 

  It was a cool Sunday but deemed a good one. Carrie’s family came for the late forenoon and afternoon. Everyone was in good form and hungry as they came in. An early lunch made for full stomachs. Megan and Nicholas were ready to take on Stauffer Avenue. What’s not to like in a Rhubarb pie for dessert?

  Grandpa’s new Daisey B-B gun was loaded and complete with targets. It was a shoot off between Dad and Nicholas. There was a first prize and a second prize in the offering. Dad was the winner fair and square, each using 15 rounds a piece. Nicholas went on to practice well into the afternoon.

  

  The usual hang out when Megan and Nicholas visit.

  The kids have always played well together, and again as in always, the bed in the west porch had those two using their I-Pods and laughing and giggling together. That porch bed has been their hang out for 10 years. Yes . . . hard to believe that Nicholas will be 11 and Megan will be 15 in this calendar year.  It wouldn’t be a visit without the kids being in the huge Maple in our yard.  The first time Nicholas got up into the tree he had to be carried.  It has become a tradition for the play time.

  Late afternoon it was time for the city dwellers to be heading back to Eden Prairie.  Megan had violin time to be put in place and Nicholas had monitoring reading to do.  The day came to a close and as if realizing the weary full feeling Dennis and I had . . . the clouds moved in and the quiet settled in.  What is left to do after a great day but to rest and tuck these moments into the memories.

   
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  Noreen 3:35 pm on May 19, 2018 Permalink  

  Thursday and Friday I was thankful for some shade on my walk. Today with a long sleeve sweater and a polar fleece vest I wished I had taken a pair of gloves with on the walk. All four seasons in one week.

  My cookie jar was raided twice today. Dennis’ son usually has 18 wheeler deliveries around his base which is in Arizona, but happened to score one in Mankato. It’s only 45 miles from Mankato to St. James as he headed out again. Granddaughter Erin was here from Silver Bay and the great grands enjoyed cookies as well. There is always something popping off on Stauffer Avenue and that is a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 2:08 pm on May 18, 2018 Permalink  

  Stars and Stripes + Lilacs 

  

  No words needed.