This week the last of my Mother’s seven siblings passed away. Gertrude was my Mother’s younger sister by 9 years. Gertrude would have been 89 this August of 2014. We all knew her as Gertie. At celebrations you always knew if Gertie was there as her laugh floated above the gathering and then she could easily be found as she loved large colorful flower printed dresses. When my son Kevin was just a toddler he heard “Aunt Birdie” and that stuck within our household when we spoke of her. She will be missed and leave a large hole in Riebe family gatherings.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Dear Grandpups Bell and Sophie,
I sure could have used the two of you today as my coaches. This was my first day back at the Super 8 swimming pool for more rehab of the shoulder. No matter how hard I tried to do the ‘dog paddle’ across the pool I ended up making big circles. Try, try try again.
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Noreen
Yes! – I've Started Physical Therapy
Today I got to see my all time favorite physical therapist Mike T. He has gotten this body through a lot over the years: two knee replacements, ham string insertions that were pulled from the pelvic bone, the left shoulder and now doing the work for recovery of the right shoulder. The wonderful thing is that he has the history that is needed for him to work with me. For me the task is to do as I am told because I believe in his help.
I have no restrictions as per the visit last week with the surgeon for the use of my shoulder and right arm. The rest of the story is that my muscles and tendons don’t listen to the instructions that I give my brain for delegation of movement – so far, that is. I have a lot of work to do at home in between my sessions with Mike T. The strength that I have with my arm while standing at ‘chest high’ pushing down or lifting up or to the side is very desirable. I could push snow off of our driveway for a long time before getting weary. Lifting weight from the floor is very doable. The strength that is needed is to get the arm to hold itself up beyond ‘chest high.’ This is where the hard work begins.
Doing exercises while standing is much different then when sitting. The length of my core helps immensely for the pushing and pulling that the arm is asked to do. Sitting in a car the arm can’t get the the seat belt pushed into the lock on the driver’s side but the arm can reach around to my back to tug on pants while standing. I can stretch my arm out to pull and push the lint filter out of the stackable clothes dryer, but sitting in the car I cannot push the shift lever in the upward motion to put the car into gear.
I am totally at Dennis’ disposal for getting off of Stauffer Avenue — for now, that is. Patience is a great virtue and I am living proof that one is never to old to learn a bit of it. I also know from my previous health history that the time invested after medical procedures is going to be so worth it going forward. It’s been a less than desirable Minnesota winter and even those that have been able bodied have had restrictions. I am still in good company. For me it’s either this or better. Dennis, Mike T and me are voting for the latter.
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Noreen
Fleeting Thoughts:
It’s been a long winter of cold, ice and snow but there is no better place to recuperate with a new shoulder than Stauffer Avenue with Dennis. I cannot wait to be out on the patio with Dennis and coffee taking in a spring breeze.
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Noreen
In God’s Waiting Room
I cannot wait to sit under these trees that tower over our garage porch when they are full of leaves and song birds.
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Noreen
From A Wild Winter Storm to Thawing
The snow and horrific winds had the power to bring down the top of our neighbor’s majestic evergreen tree during the. I would never have thought that this afternoon we are having a beautiful sunny day that is thawing the top layer of the icy snow that we got yesterday. God works in mysterious ways.
Dennis went out this morning and started up the snow blower and I couldn’t help but dress up and pick away with the yellow snow pusher shovel to lend a hand. Though I do have clearance to use my right arm with no restrictions it felt foreign to apply any type of pressure using it and I did use it sparingly. Six weeks into recovery does not mean being a wild woman. Just to be out in the sunshine and fresh air gave a fantastic that feeling I was contributing even in the smallest amount. I felt I needed to give Dennis some moral support as he has handled a lot of snow this winter solo. We usually worked together on it. Next year I will be back in splendid snow removal shape.
We are waiting for Dennis’ grandson to come with a skid loader to open up the end of the driveway before the car can be used. The city crews were on top on the snow fall and made multiple passes piling up hard packed snow on the end of the driveway. As luck would have it the garage door for Dennis’ pickup faces the alley and the city crew is kind enough to plow the alley, throwing the snow in the opposite direction of the garage door. Small town kindness speaks volumes. Some of the banks of snow that have gotten tall from Dennis’ small snow blower will be removed when the skid loader appears and relocate it to the backyard to alleviate some of the thawing mess that is bound to be taking place sooner if not later. With a late winter snow storm thriller behind us, life on Stauffer is still mighty sweet.
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Noreen
Hunker Down
The winter storm today is a tough slap on the back of the head after we just experienced several days of some great warmer temps. I have several lamps turned on trying to brighten up the living room as the gray seemed to just seep into the house. We have a huge evergreen on the northwest corner of our home and today the swaying boughs heavy with snow are the landscape filling some of the west windows.
Dennis put out the Meow-Mix as usual this morning for all his homeless cats that needed to find some nourishment. One after another did come and help themselves and then scurried off to what they have as shelter before the heavy snow started. Honey Bunny the garage kitty never came down from the rafters of the garage. I think she knew there was weather coming that she would have no interest in exploring. Honey Bunny has her nest of a box filled with various pieces of polar fleece sitting on the rafters above Dennis’ pickup.
For a short time the smell of cinnamon rolls filled the house and then Dennis settled in catching up on his reading and I found some hemming on a quilted wall hanging. It is truly a ‘hunker down’ day for all.
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Noreen
41 degrees — time to turn down the thermostat and open a window and enjoy the sweet sounds of birds flitting in the lilac bushes. We may have a true winter day tomorrow as the warnings are already aired. Catch ya later.
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Noreen
Fleeting Thoughts:
We have no carpeting in the house. Our clothing is much like any retired couple — not the latest or the greatest. Where on earth does all the lint accumulate from. Nary a batch can go by without removing a little bunny-sized mass of lint in the dryer screen.
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Noreen
My Box of Unique Treasurers
My Box of Unique Treasurers
With a blog called Me Myself and Memories how could I not have some unique treasurers. Several decades ago I had gone to a trade show with Dennis and I was taken by turquoise jewelry that the Native American Zuni tribe of Pueblo Indians that live along the Little Colorado River hand crafted. The pattern was called Needlepoint. I acquired the belt buckle first and in time found a pair of earrings and then a ring.
When I was still working for Watonwan County, the mail brought a surprise from son Kevin. Working for and then going on to owning Herzog Printing, Kevin had found among old file drawers a pocket calender notebook from the year 1944 — my birth year. Very unusual that these notebooks were saved from one year to the next as new ones were printed and handed out on a yearly basis.
In the recent past Dennis has been going to trade shows solo and coming home letting me know he was thinking of me. First came the 1944 pennies, one of which is a 1944 D — marking the mint it came from. The nickel is a 1944 with 40% silver content. Coming home from the Sioux Fall trade show he could hardly contain himself. For Valentine’s Day he had a 1944 silver quarter and a 1944 silver half dollar. I can only imagine the shoe leather he wore out scoping out table after table of dealers. With me being a World War II war baby there were not a huge amount of silver coins minted. In 1944 there were no silver dollars made.
Once I was given these last two coins by a remarkable romantic cowboy, I knew I had to bring my goodies to one place for safe keeping. Dennis and I are a wealth of items to re-purpose and thus this box became my box of unique treasurers. Perhaps in time to come Dennis will find a 1944 dime. He has already been told “good luck on that.”