I did get a walk in this morning. While at it I had my snow pusher out ahead taking out the snow we had over the night. Walking the 90′ of the driveway back and forth several times isn’t the ultimate. but it feels good to get fresh air. Soon I will be able to stretch my legs a bit farther and not worry about frost bite. We need to be careful for what we wish for. Taking it one day at a time and being thankful for it works for me. What do people in Minnesota think! It’s winter, get over it.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Day Two of 2018
Yesterday I began peeking in closets and storage areas. This Friday our recycling bin will be filled and awaiting the truck. Not so much that I pitched items, it was all about getting rid of cardboard that may have held groceries that we had bought in case lots from Sam’s Club. Some items from our bedroom closet needed to be taken downstairs and put in storage totes that were less than full. On day two of 2018 there are empty spots in our bedroom closet and I see bare shelving in our storage area in the basement. It’s a good thing.
In between time I was thinking through a project that I have started. This is a project that I experimented with fabric that had been left over from a prom dress in times past. Not enough gold buttons on the button tree to get the job done, I used brass washers and beads to make my own buttons. Today as I was organizing storage areas, I hit on an idea with which to quilt within the nine inch squares of the project.
There are so many options with fancy running stitches on the sewing machine. Why use the running option of
a stitch but rather start and stop the stitch and let it look like snowflakes! Time out to turn on the sewing machine and seek and search options. I have a “what if” cloth that I have used often to try out stitches or patterns. Sure enough. Taking the time to start and stop and figure out when to start and stop, I could use this stitch to quilt the nine inch block rather than using meandering or hand quilting. A step up from using embroidery floss to tie a quilting project. Tomorrow I will choose a light blue thread and see how many snowflakes it will take to do the quilting to hold the block in place with the batting and backing as often times, if laundered, you don’t want to take a chance of anything shifting. Stay tuned on how it all shakes out. It was a very good day even if it was too cold to run any errands. I left that to the ole cowboy and his little red pickup. -
Noreen
It is now 2018 and by all accounts it promises to be a year when more positive things occur than negative here on Stauffer Avenue. Our Christmas tree is back in the attic as well as all things Christmas that were here, there and everywhere. It’s a good thing. We have been safe and sound during the arctic weather. That also can only get better. In 2017 I began my daily walking in March. March doesn’t seem all that far away. It is after all, not the altitude that we fly at but the attitude.
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Noreen
One last Time
Today was the day to doing everything one last time and calling it “done in 2017 .” Where did the 2017 year go? Just a bit ago I went outside for a few minutes and pushed the light covering of snow off of the driveway. Sometime during the night it flurried. The full sun made the snow crystals shine as if they were diamonds. Yes, I realize that they encouraged senior citizens to remain indoors as there was a report of -40 degrees wind chill. Zippered from head to toe, it took me longer to suit up than what I stayed outdoors. I feel better if I get outside and take in all that has been given for a new day.
Mid year the Stauffer Avenue homestead began to have some challenges. Dennis was having mini strokes, sometimes twice a day. Every test imaginable and . . . each time nothing. Every test but one . . . carotid neck arteries. I could not believe that such a simple ultrasound had not been thought of by the doctors. During the time that Dennis was having problems, his days were spent either sleeping or trying to get from one chair to another, many times needing help if he had slipped to the floor.
As my adult life had been spent working with numbers, appointments and legal issues during my time at the courthouse it was easy for me to take care of some of our needs since I have retired. I was not prepared that Dennis had checked out of all sense of what was needed each day. Our little home became a full time assisted living unit. One day at a time, one seizure at a time.
These are the smiles that Dennis and I want to continue enjoying the entire 2018 year. Happy New Year!
I thank the good Lord that Dennis didn’t put off a routine six month eye check up. That is when the eye doctor suggested the carotids to be checked. That in itself was a challenge as there needed to be an order for the ultrasound and it wasn’t coming from a M.D. October 17th Dennis had the left carotid that was blocked 94% surgery. The right carotid at 74% blockage would have to wait. After October 17th, his brain had not had that much blood supply in some time. It has been a path back to some semblance of normality. There are signs that the right artery needs to be taken care of. It’s not quite as frightening as we now know what and where the problem is. Checking with the surgeons, February of 2018 will have Dennis back in the OR in the Mankato Hospital facility. It’s not that far off. Is it easy for him knowing what he has ahead of him . . . no. It is a wonderful thing knowing that it is his decision and we are not left with what might be if it is not followed up on. What would follow up is a stroke that may leave this ole cowboy not being able to enjoy his patio porch or his little red pickup and God forbid his cats.
Yes, this last day of 2017 is a good thing for Stauffer Avenue.
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Noreen
What a great day for burrowing in and finding busy work with a glance outside once in awhile. Yup . . . it’s still cold and windy. I was surprised that with the wind that I heard all during the night from the north that the snow had not drifted over the driveway to any great degree.
Dennis ran away from home for a short time this afternoon. I was surprised he didn’t have a pickup full of cats with him as I am sure they are experiencing a bit of cabin fever also.
I worked at the dining room table with my beads and brass washers on a project. Even with a heat vent for the sewing studio being open there was a chill in the air. Several more days of cold and then it will be different. Each day of winter in Minnesota can bring different. For me, I am prepared and have contentment. Preparing for such glitches in weather is the key.
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Noreen
As I did the snow pusher today, in my mind’s eye it was as if I was going out for a walk just as I had been doing during the year. The good thing was that I wasn’t a mile from home when I realized it was time to go in and warm up. Several different short walks and the driveway is clear of the snow we had today. I wasn’t alone in the cold. I could look up into the neighbor’s Walnut tree and see the woodpecker that was making his share of noise. I wondered if he was able to peck deep enough to find some bugs that were hiding for the season.
It is forecast to be bitter cold until the second day of the New Year. There will be no reason for us to venture out that I can think of. Right now as supper time is approaching the house smells wonderful. At noon I put in a pork roast with seasoning and some Habanero flavored mustard. It was an oops in purchasing it but makes a very flavorful addition to the roasting process. The oven at 275 degrees will have pork roast totally falling apart. It’s a good thing.
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Noreen
New Snow and Cold
When new snow comes and needs to be moved and it is one above zero, it is quite the combination. The snow was dry and light. Dennis and I used the pushers and we now have clear concrete. Once tires meet snow on concrete . . . it is ice and will take forever to get it cleared. I do remember a time when I was going to step into the car and my remaining foot slipped on the ice pulling my foot and leg to slam against the rocker panel of the car. Owee, owee.
It is not the type of weather that a road trip is a good idea for sewing notions. I turned my button tree around
and around and could not find what I needed for a project. That had me at a total stand still. Turning in circles, I surveyed the sewing studio. I spied beads and man they were little. When I got to the area where the office supplies were, I did see something I hoped would work. Pairing up brass office supplies and beads may be just the ticket to continue with. It will be quite time consuming . . . where do I think I am going in such a hurry.Dennis just came in and mentioned there were more snowflakes in the air. We may be in for a bit more snow pushing tomorrow. Slow and steady will get the job done.
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Noreen
Today we had errands to run. Dennis was my driver and he did a great job. As cold as it was, it felt good to get into a warm car after each of our stops. One of the stops was at the Shopko pharmacy for Dennis’ meds. They weren’t that busy so I took a bit of the gal’s time and asked some question in regard to prescriptions. One of my questions was in regard to one of my grand puppies. It is quite usual for there to exist canine seizures which Sophie does suffer from. It seemed exorbitantly expensive when Kersten and Kevin told me about the price of the prescription. It made me curious if canine phenobarbital was more expensive that people phenobarbital. I took some time to search the web. At this point I do not know if people versus dog prices come into play. The pharmacy gal did also tell me that with health care issues, there is no longer a benefit for purchasing prescriptions for pets whether the family has health coverage or not. That is too bad, as we had had that benefit in times past when one of Dennis’ cats needed a prescription of antibiotics. I think I will blame Obama for that . . . why not.
I did find out that canine seizures are not helped with dog foods that are high in carbohydrates. They do better with a fattier diet and with a diet that has Omega 3 in quite good amounts. Who is going to feed a dog smoked salmon! Then I realized that our fish oil pills that we take are taken for the Omega 3 benefit. But . . . Omega 3 pills are the ones that you don’t want to step on if they drop on the floor. They have oily, messy innards.
My oh my. I read a lot. Didn’t find anything concrete out, but it did take a bite out of my curiosity and I was content working on some fuzz and thread this afternoon.
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Noreen
One Project Waiting
This scrappy quilt has been to Old Alley and is now ready to bind. I have promised myself to take it a bit easy after Christmas, but it is reassuring that I always do have options. I am also striving to remember the steps it takes to allow my thumbprints to be opened in a new window. Very gratifying to see that “hand” when I hover over the image. Whew! It is a challenge sometimes for this ole gal to remember what my blog mentor tries to instill in me.
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Noreen
What a Great Christmas
These two people had a great Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a good New Year.
