Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 6:02 am on October 9, 2013 Permalink  

  So, What’s up with a Blog? 

  So, what’s up with a blog?  For me it’s all about sharing my life’s day-to-day living.  My goal is to put forth a story once a month that takes in times gone by, but still are so fresh in my memory.  Those stories eventually find a home in the navigation bar under “Stories.” It would have been such a treasure if the memories of my Mom and Dad could have been put down for a read today and for many tomorrows. I believe memories have a place in today’s fast-paced world as no one takes the time to get together for the pure enjoyment of sharing.  Shame, shame.

  After this morning I know I will continue sharing my ramblings for my family and friends — old and new — while it comes as easily as it does.  For some reason the track record has been that every seven years I have issues with tears in one or the other of my Retinas.  I was scheduled to see a specialist this morning as yet another tear had been discovered when I went in for my yearly eye exam.  The first such tear was in 1999, the second in 2006 and now in 2013.  If not caught early they can cause lose of vision.  So far I have been extremely fortunate and each eye is sporting the laser treatment to repair what I refer to as crappy luck.  Often a blow to the head or a hard jarring fall can be the cause, but not so for me.  Like I said, crappy luck.

  Last week I shared how my friend Judy is fighting for her eyesight and here today I said a prayer of thanks for my own eyesight.  So, what’s up with a blog?  I would be very sad if I had missed an opportunity to put down thoughts, dreams and memories that my family may enjoy in time to come.  Whether we like to admit it or not those in our lives that have gone before us play such a huge part in who we are today and perhaps my stories and posts may shed some light on questions or puzzles.  My son Kevin set the blog up for me and he keeps his thumb on my pulse, but the surprising thing is that my husband Dennis confesses that he finds a few things out about me that he never knew before.  Priceless.

  Listen with all your heart when an older family member may share their times that have gone by.  I guarantee it, it will enrich your day.

   
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  Noreen 5:27 am on October 8, 2013 Permalink  

  The End 

  

  The End of a Great Run of Projects

  The sun is out with temps back in the 70s and all is right with the world.  I have been going on and on about work here on Stauffer Avenue but I can say that today was “the end.”  I realize that if the weather remains with great fall conditions we may come across a task or two, but by and large Dennis and I are as happy as two peas in a pod.  A pod that has very nicely been spruced up and updated.

  The neighbor’s fire ring gave the last rites to a pallet that brought materials and also extra scrap lumber. We didn’t have marshmallows or hot dogs to roast for a celebration but the satisfaction of the last two weeks will last a lot longer than an outdoor fall roast.

  Hmm — I will need to change gears from outdoors to indoors.  If I remember I do have an incomplete quilting project that will cause me to give myself a refresher course.   I hope I remember where I parked my quilting needle.  Catch ya later.

   
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  Noreen 1:48 am on October 7, 2013 Permalink  

  The Notorious Potting Shed 

  

  The Notorious Potting Shed

  This is our notorious potting shed.  When we had a carpenter build our shed in 1994, it was just to be one more spot to store an extra vehicle. The total cost of it including labor was $2,000.  12 x 24 seemed reasonable for the pickup that Dennis had. Years come and go and our needs have changed.  The current pickup garage is complete with garage door and opener and connected to the garage porch with just one step down. Dennis can be out and about and mobile in a heart beat.  Opening barn doors is just way too confining for someone that needs to keep his finger on the pulse of the community.

  

  The Cavern Within

  As I began to enjoy gardening the gardening tools began to collect and what’s a garden without embellishments?  When we have traveled I have picked up a piece of garden art here and there. Once the fall season is here it all needs to be stored as nothing is sadder than to see my collections torn asunder by strong winter winds and then buried under snow.  As others decorate their homes I tend to favor the gardens as no weekly dusting is required.  Everything has a place and as I store them each season it evokes memories of where the items were obtained from. Priceless.  New shingles were put on the potting shed last week and after this rainy season passes the barn doors are on the schedule to get scrapped, primed and painted for a fresh look. Hmm . . . the bottom of our job jar never seems to see the light of day.  It does keep Dennis and me on our toes.

   
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  Noreen 3:24 am on October 6, 2013 Permalink  

  Dennis and I are giving thanks today for… 

  Dennis and I are giving thanks today for the 1/2 inch of rain we got last night.  Even more thankful it was not the six plus inches that some received in the south east part of the state.  I do believe the high for the day will be the 50 degrees we have this afternoon.  Far too cool to paint on our garage project.

  It did present the perfect opportunity to put the last of the lawn and garden art away.  As we were winding down we both realized that we were sniffing from having cold noses.  Dennis is always wise and has a pair of gloves on – me not so much. I have never become accustomed to handling items with gloves on and consequently my hands enjoyed holding a cup of hot coffee when we finished up.

  Enjoy the weekend and all it brings.  Life is good here on Stauffer.

   
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  Noreen 5:29 am on October 5, 2013 Permalink  

  I know when to throw in the towel… 

  

  Tricked out Pickup Garage.

  I know when to throw in the towel.  Well, not so much a throw as a regretful fling.  Several of the flower gardens are now stripped of their garden art.  Dennis encouraged it as he knows how much my arthritic hands hurt when the days are cold and I am making trip after trip from the gardens into the potting shed.  Every spring I vow that I am not going to do the decorating of the gardens and before I know it one after another item has dribbled out of the potting shed and it has found its way to just the perfect spot.  Just as there are perfect spots for each of the items to be placed, there are certain places in the potting shed where each needs to rest during the winter months.  I know when everything has been taken in it will not be nearly as painful to begin cutting down the perennials.

  It was a wet day today and after realizing how wet my feet had gotten and were soaked through I called it a day and decided to join Dennis in the garage porch for a cup of hot coffee.  Dennis is feeling quite smug right about now as his garage porch and his pickup garage have had a lot of TLC.  As he sat there sipping coffee I knew he was contemplating framing out the windows in his pickup garage for a finished look.  Will he hit me up for curtains?  It wouldn’t surprise me.  What a guy.

   
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  Noreen 5:34 am on October 4, 2013 Permalink  

  What a great inch of rain we received… 

  

  The New East Garage Wall

  What a great inch of rain we received and as much thunder and lightening we had I am surprised we didn’t have more.  But according to the forecast it is coming as well as some risk of storms and a tornado.

  

  Street Side of West Wall

  We were feeling quite smart about our projects being done.  Yes, we had a list and the items on the list were totally crossed off.  That is until Dennis being a little idle watching the rain showers come today had to go and began picking at the paint on the west gable of our garage.  Oh come on Dennis did you have to start?   So there you are.  The scrapping got done today and as soon as the weather stabilizes the brushes, the ladder, the primer and the paint will all be dug out again as we sure as heck cannot leave the street side of the garage looking this sad.  I have some extra bricks in the back garden and I think I know just where to put them to weigh and slow this fellow down.   Of course I am thrilled that we care enough to send the every best message possible about our home.  I am also happy that we recover as fast as we do physically to make it all happen.  Have we really recovered or are we rolling on adrenalin?  Dennis will be sitting in the doorway for the first sign of clear weather and we will find out the answer to that question.  In the mean time happy husband: happy life.

   
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  Noreen 7:05 am on October 3, 2013 Permalink  

  What a lightening show complete with thunder boomers… 

  What a lightening show complete with thunder boomers.  I hope there is rain that will follow.  Today was a red letter day on Stauffer.  The end of our entire list of repairs came into fruition today.  With the low humidity and a great breeze it started with the last of the ridge row going on the potting shed.  While Dennis and his son Jeff headed out with the trailer of old shingles and building materials I began pulling together paint scrappers, paint brushes and ladders.

  Over the course of these seven work days I usually have been fixing a noon lunch but today I looked in the refrigerator and it was not good.   It was settled that peanut butter and jelly was the fare of the day.  There was no way I was in any condition to head to a grocery store without cleaning up – so consequently we slathered up the bread and called it good.

  Jeff hit the ladder for the high spots with primer and I went only as high as my kitchen stool would allow.  Dennis was handing off materials right and left for Jeff and me.  By four this afternoon the paint was drying, brushes were washed and ladders put away.  Priceless.

  This evening Dennis and I went out for a bite and when we came home I had to do a walk around the property.  A new sliding patio door in the garage porch is a wonder compared to the used French doors we had used ten years ago.  The potting shed that used 16 squares of shingles should last us for as long as I pot.  The pickup garage has a new sill to the east complete with wonderful siding and windows both of which sport the perfect finishing touches.  The high gables of the garages are scrapped, primed and painted.  Not the least is that Dennis will be able to enjoy his garage porch with our garage kitty Honey Bunny without a worry in the world as the porch has new shingles.  I mentioned I did walk around the property but not with a bounce in my step.  Both Dennis and I feel the last seven days and may for a few more to come.

  The end to this perfect day would be a great shower of rain to celebrate Dennis’ October 2nd birthday.  May all your errands turn out as sweet as those on Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 4:19 am on October 2, 2013 Permalink  

  I made a quick visit today to the… 

  I made a quick visit today to the Hallowed Halls of the Watonwan County Courthouse to pay the second half of our real estate taxes for 2013.  Walking past the offices everyone within was hunched over their desks peering into computer screens under an enormousness amount of fluorescent lighting.  I did not stay long as I wanted to escape back into the glorious fall day.  I do now understand the quote “relationships either grow or they die.”   My real time no longer has any similarity to those that remain behind working in the Hallowed Halls.  For the forty five plus years I worked for the W-2 Form I never gave it a thought as that was required to put food on the table and pay bills.  Let’s hear it for the W-2 Form worker.  I love my life as being retired.

   
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  Noreen 5:18 am on October 1, 2013 Permalink  

  Several times a year it's time to put… 

  Several times a year it’s time to put the job jar down and honor the date on the calender that was set weeks prior.  Yes indeed.  It’s time to get together with friends.  The three of us all have grandchildren, we love to garden, we live in our own homes complete with husbands that have tolerated a lot from us over the course of decades.  Our work careers ran parallel.  We were representatives of the Minnesota Department of Revenue known as county assessors.  It really isn’t fair to use the word ‘were’ as Doreen Pherson is still slugging it out day after day at Nicollet County.  Judy Friesen reigned in Brown County and retired a year after I did. Of course Watonwan County has never been the same since I retired in 2010. OK, a bit of humor there.

  

  Judy, Doreen and Noreen

  We did spend a bit of time on shop talk, but by and large it was about family, health, fun and love of life.  Our friend Judy has been fighting macular degeneration and most recently cataracts on both eyes.  Today was part of the recovery time in between the previous surgery and the second surgery this coming Monday. I was her chauffeur for the day. It was heartwarming to hear that Judy is taking things in stride but getting bored as she can’t drive, can’t see to read, can’t see the television, and most disappointing for Judy, she cannot see to sew.  We were due to get her to a doctor’s appointment later in our luncheon day to allow Judy to get some answers for her questions.  She felt it just wasn’t going the way the doctors had indicated.

  We left lunch a bit early as Judy needed to pick up groceries and not being able to hop in the car and make a trip to the store this was a prime opportunity.  I read labels while she began filling her cart.  For her it was a treat to get out and be able to pick and choose what would be in her kitchen cupboards rather than depending on someone else to make choices.

  I came away thoroughly enjoying the drive home taking in the landscape of harvest that is in full swing.  I could see what was going on.  Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 6:49 am on September 30, 2013 Permalink  

  They have made it real  The grass that… 

  

  Flights of Fall

  They have made it real.  The grass that produces the whisper of a plume tells all.  Fall is here.  When the grandkids come they see the grass as corn that they see from the car windows on their way to our home.  It does have the tall greens that wave in the breeze and to my little metro people it is easily mistaken.

  These stalks that bear the plumes can be cut and used in dried floral arrangement, but I have always just enjoyed them in the yard.  As the sun shines early in the morning the plumes glisten like silk.  The simplest of wonders give so much delight to our home on Stauffer.  It truly is the most sought after place in St. James.