Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:25 am on March 6, 2014 Permalink  

  I Choose to See the Beauty 

  

  Snow Perfectly Placed

  One more time we had a huge dumping of snow.  At first it was said it would be three inches.  How about nine and a half? When I looked out the bathroom window at three a.m. it was beautiful.  It looked as if someone took a huge blanket of white and draped the entire backyard.  There wasn’t a hint of wind to disturb the glistening snow showing off billowing hills and valleys of white.

  This morning when I looked out at seven there were rabbit tracks and clumps of snow that had fallen off of a tree and marred the backyard. The perfect picture became reality.  Dennis already had his snow boots on and was headed for the back door to get the snow blower going.  The full depth of the snow was revealed as he trudged to the garage.  Of course I followed shortly behind if nothing else to give moral support.

  After the deed was done and the snow blower was parked in the garage I had to snap a few images.   I was hopeful that this would be the last of winter snowfalls –  especially of this amount.  Pictures were snapped and Dennis and I headed indoors for a well-deserved breakfast of oatmeal.

   
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  Noreen 2:26 am on March 5, 2014 Permalink  

  Fleeting Thoughts: 

  

  March 4th 2014 – This pencil thin ice cycle is the only one on our buildings. You know its been a long cold spell with no warm days in between when even the ice cycles have thrown in the towel. 

   
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  Noreen 3:39 am on March 4, 2014 Permalink  

  Five Years and They Have Flown 

  How time flies when you are having fun.  It was five years ago that I retired as the Watonwan County Assessor (actually on February 28th of 2009). After doing a grocery run today I stopped in at the courthouse for a brief visit.  Many friends are still working the W-2 Forms and those friends are precious and priceless.  Just like the rest of the world time has slipped away from us getting together to stay connected.  Today I made myself a promise to make it happen oftener in the near future.

  Did I have huge plans for retirement? Not really.  I never let myself plan that far ahead as the job kept me busy right to the end.  I knew I wanted to spend more time with my children and grandchildren, no longer having to use vacation days from work to be on hand for the time I could help out or just enjoy them with my full attention.  It was easier to spend time with my Mom that next year.   I was so thankful for that year as she passed away in April of 2010.

  Some days during these five years I would never have anticipated or dreamt could be real – but then life is a day by day experience with no preview or rehearsal and for sure no do-overs.  I am thankful for each day and always hope for best. My Grandmother Laura Wendlandt was also my Christian Sponsor.   At the age of 93 she lived her days in a mobile home especially equipped for her in her wheelchair with an attitude that was second to none.   She told me repeatedly, “You have to make each day to the good and have something to show for each day.”  I have my daily work cut out for me.

   
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  Noreen 12:27 am on March 3, 2014 Permalink  

  Frozen Tundra – Stauffer Avenue 

  

  Through the Frozen Backyard the Four Footed Come for Food

   

  

  Clearing the Snow on March 1, 2014.
  Sure Hope It’s the Last Time

   
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  Noreen 11:24 pm on March 1, 2014 Permalink  

  March 1st in 1968 

  My Mom was an avid note taker on her calender pages and that in turn enthused me to keep a journal the late winter of 1968.  March 1st of 1968 it was 45 degrees and I was pregnant with Kevin.  I wasn’t as diligent as Mom was with my journals but I did have entries here and there.

  Today it is -2 degrees and snowing with the wind blowing strongly from the north.  On the 45-degree day in 1968 I went and helped my Dad do their household laundry as Mom had restrictions.  Mom had fallen from the hayloft on February 2nd as she was going to put hay in the mangers for their dairy cows.  This happened while my Dad and Michael had gone to a spring farm auction.

  Mom called me from their home phone telling me she needed help.  My daughter Carrie, at the age of 2½, and I went immediately after also calling my sister Elvera.  Elvera and I were both only a few miles away on our own farms.  Mom had broken her back in the that fall.  How she ever made it to the house to call for help is unbelievable.  Recovery took time, but determination took my mom to the age of 93.

  Memories are priceless.  Every once in awhile they need to be revisited to keep us grounded. On a snowy, windy day it is time well spent.  Maybe tomorrow will be better sunny weather to make new memories.

   
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  Noreen 2:10 am on March 1, 2014 Permalink  

  Fleeting Thoughts: 

  “Be sure you plant your feet in the right place and then stand firm.”

  —Abraham Lincoln

   
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  Noreen 4:11 am on February 28, 2014 Permalink  

  Small town benefits include Dennis being able to use a slid loader for several hours to widen our driveway. The backyard was the perfect place to relocate it. Dennis was amazed how he could see layers of snow followed with layers of ice, etc. A testament of a winter that has brought snow, sleet, and rain intermittently to make for hard banks of snow. Thawing will be interesting.

   
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  Noreen 2:14 am on February 27, 2014 Permalink  

  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 2:57 am on February 26, 2014 Permalink  

  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 2:44 am on February 25, 2014 Permalink  

  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.