Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:30 pm on May 10, 2025 Permalink  

  End of a Good Week 

  This morning at ten we turned ourselves in for pedicures and haircuts.  Maria’s shop is on our Main Street.  Today Dennis and I got our exercise getting to Maria’s.  The city is tearing up the two blocks that still had the brickwork on for the street’s surface.  Those two blocks may be closed for some time.

  It felt so good to get my hair cut.  I requested a fairly short cut.  I demonstrated the mobility of each arm.  She agreed shorter hair and less of it.  That meant she thinned it out good.  What helped in the determination was I had showered last night and our water softener must have kicked in the night before. Today my “hair do” was like a bushel basket of white that had had a mix-master go through it.  Like I said, it was a good example of what my hair looks like as we get towards our spa day.

  Today was city clean-up day.  The street past us looked like the gypsies were either moving in or out of town.  Amazing how high items can be piled in a pickup or on a car.  They used to do curb-side pickup.  Those that sifted through what was put out . . . you can imagine the mess.  Now everyone takes the items to the Meadow Lark tree dump and city workers sort each vehicle’s items and collect accordingly.

  Dennis waited until two this afternoon before he took his implement trailer heaped with branches out to Meadow Lark.  Those four girls that we hired to pick up branches last night on our 1.3 acre did a great job.  It did mist once or twice but I could not believe Dennis was back home in just a bit over an hour with the trailer heaped and the girls had their stipends.  Dennis thanked them and said he would keep them in mind if we ever needed more help.

  I had been outside most mornings during this last week being a gardener.  After I got home from the spa date, I needed to spend some time in the kitchen on the cooking surfaces and the counters.  Ya . . . you know how that can get.  Right now it sparkles.  Too bad it won’t stay that way, as we do kind of like to eat.  I am taking one job away from Dennis.  Dennis has been getting the coffee maker ready to go off each morning at six for a long, long time.  Hmm.  Too many way-word coffee grounds here, there and even . . . everywhere.  It will take me longer to fill it to the twelve cup level as it it a bit of a reach.  Where am I going!  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:26 pm on May 9, 2025 Permalink  

  Warm 

  As forecasted it is warm today.

  Dennis had to make an unexpected trip to the Mayo Store in Mankato today.  During the night his CPAP machine quit.  Nothing to do but get the little red pickup up and going down the detour to Mankato.

  After Dennis left, I worked in the area off to the side of the patio porch.  Standing in one spot, I could take out eight of the lovely blooming idiots, aka: dandelions.  Many more are feeling the effects of my spray.  I worked outside until Dennis got home.  It was high noon.  His machine was deemed to have been fixed.  After hooking everything up, it seemed to be working.

  It never ceases to amaze me that Dennis can back up to his implement trailer one time and get it hooked up.  The pickup and trailer are now parked in our drive.  At six Dennis and trailer will be in the backyard, the 1.3 acre.  Great granddaughter Addison and three of her friends will meet up with said grandpa.  The girls will be picking up all the branches from the winter’s winds and getting them on the trailer.  Rakes are included if needed.  I had texted Addison and made her and her friends an offer they obviously couldn’t refuse.  Let’s hear it for logistics and money has its own language.

  I am planning on an early supper for us.  Dennis is in and taking the afternoon a bit easy.

  When we came in it was noon.  It didn’t take long and I could feel the effects of the sun and its warmth.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:00 pm on May 8, 2025 Permalink  

  Full Day 

  It felt cool out this morning.  My fingers felt it when I took command of my new dandelion poker.  The old one turned within the metal shaft of the wooden handle.  I took quite a few of them out.  A few more tomorrow is on the docket.  By noon I had spent my gardening energy.

  At one, I had a front row seat at Megan’s graduation commencement ceremony in Lynchburg, Virginia’s Liberty College.  How sweet was that.  She completed her four year degree in three years.  At Easter she said she needed to work for awhile to save some money for her Master’s education.  I can so understand that.  I did get several good photos of Megan as she made her way across the stage for grandpa to see.  When he looked at them, all he did was put his hand out, knee high, referencing how fast time has gone.  I so agreed.

  The mail brought the bill for the installation of the new electric water heater, $269.00.  I really thought it would have been more.

  The mail was brought by our postmaster introducing us to our new carrier.  Oh my gosh.  Michael Nett, out of the Air Force coming back to St. James.  His mom, Renee, had worked for and with me for years.  Small world.

  Dennis took Watson’s check to the mail box and will be returning with a Tuna Sub for supper.  

  As I said, it was a great full day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:15 pm on May 7, 2025 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  The first hump day of May.  

  The sun is bright but where there are dandelions, their bloom is brighter yet.  If I take a few of them out each day, I will make progress.  With my mighty clipper in hand, I cut off the dried stalks of 2024’s Autumn Joy plants.  Those sweet plants come up year after year.  As the summer season lengthens, they will be ready to put out blossoms that butterflies are attracted to.  Each day that I do a bit, I am finding more and more Hosta plants making themselves known.  It is difficult as the Star of David plants are thick, and . . . everywhere.  Their greenery looks much like fine onion greenery.  Out from the center of each plant will be a lone blossom stalk that comes up with the most delicate white star, thus the Star of David.  After the bloom is done, the entire plant dies off and you would be hard pressed over time to know that it was there.  I have tried to thin them by digging them up and out.  They grow from a little white bulb that does look like an onion.  I have given up.  I let them do their thing . . . they win.

  Last fall when I was poking around under the white lilac bush, there was a single tall stalk that looked very much like an asparagus plant that had seeded out.  I put a special little rock by it.  Last week, I had two beautiful asparagus stalks about six inches tall.  I didn’t cut them, though munching on them was tempting.  I will let them seed out and perhaps these two will continue to feed the root ball for more coming up next year.  Bless the bird for doing his business and dropping a seed within it.

  The Jack-in the Pulpits are doing well.  Many years ago, Calvin and Lois brought me a plant when they came through from Iowa.  A very special plant indeed.

  Dennis finished mowing our original lot today.  After that, he changed oil in both mowers.  Ready for the next time.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:10 pm on May 6, 2025 Permalink  

  Sunny Tuesday 

  There are things that come about automatically.  It was guaranteed that this was garbage pickup day.  Today after the stroke of 12 a.m., Blue Cross and Blue Shield would take our monthly premium out of our checking account.  This Tuesday morning being at PT at 8:30, I would come home feeling quite a bit of discomfort from Mike.  So be it all.

  We had a good day in Mankato yesterday.  The little red pickup got TLC from Jiffy Lube.  The transmission fluid was changed out, the worn serpentine belt was replaced, the tires were rotated and the usual oil and grease job.  It is road ready for sometime to come.

  Dennis need not check in with the hip surgeon for six months.  The x-ray showed no problems.  The only item that was stressed was to stay upright for a moment or two before taking off walking.  That’s good advice is for both of us.  Give the bodies a chance to react.

  We got home at five.  It was agreed to have a sandwich for supper and call it good.  The groceries stayed in the bags until this morning.  As it got warm yesterday we had agreed that nothing that needed to be kept cool would be bought.

  Dennis took the zero-turn and mowed the 1.3 acre for the first time this year.  I commandeered the house with groceries that needed to be put in place as well as several loads of laundry.  Dennis is going to do our original lot tomorrow.  His back was in need of a break and what better break than doing it with an A&W soda.

  I have a new exercise to do before I see Mike next week.  It is one to keep the knots in the calf of the legs to release rather than make Charlie-horses. 

  A good day was had and tomorrow will be another and then another and then another.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:27 pm on May 4, 2025 Permalink  

  Summer Sunday 

  Going from a spring day into a summer day.  Welcome to Minnesota.

  The success I had yesterday in the yard gave me a very sound deep sleep last night.  When I don’t need a bathroom break during the night, when morning comes I am on a beat-feet mission.

  Dennis had my small gallon sprayer that we had gotten at Harbor Freight loaded and ready for me this forenoon.  It was sneaking up to the huge dandelions and giving them a good shot right into the heart of their greenery.  It was a lot of bending from the waist.  North of the patio sidewalk, there are Hosta slowly making it out of the soil.  I didn’t want any overspray.  I have an empty five gallon pail to strip over individual Hosta to spray the area around them.   In some areas there is greenery coming up as thick as the hair on a dog.  It looks like someone had an abundance of green sprinkles that were scattered.  Time will tell if the stuff I hit today will have tell-tale evidence of dying.

  When I came in at noon, the first thing I did was change into something cotton for a shirt.  I felt very warm.  Two hours is about all I can take with yard work in this day and age.  The shoulders and arms start to buck.  Dammit!  I tried doing some hand stitching after coming in, and taking out more stitches in error than good ones, told me a lot.

  It’s a good thing we have leftovers for supper. 

  Tomorrow at ten Dennis has a VA appointment here in town.  At 1:45, the ortho surgeon wants to check on Dennis’ hip replacement and Dennis’ mobility.  The x-ray was done here at our clinic last Friday.  There will be checks and balances with Dr. Stuart up and until the one-year mark. 

  I believe, that a blog post for Monday will not take place.  After the ortho appointment, I do want to stop for several items on my grocery list.  Not to worry . . . I’ll be back on Tuesday.

  With that I will take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 3:12 pm on May 3, 2025 Permalink  

  Saturday 

  What a great spring day.

  This morning, the studio found me deciding on the fabric for the binding of the purple quilt.  It will take 260 inches for the binding.  I cut enough three inch wide strips to equal that.  The strips are sewn together.  I checked the temps outside and the studio went dark.

  I got in some gardening this morning.  Twenty plus years ago, I had bricks outlining a flower bed off of the concrete patio.  It was time to realize that those perennials had not made it through this last winter.  Too many warm days, followed by cold rains that left a layer of ice.  We have the sweetest three tined fork.  It was perfect for me to use the fork to flip out the bricks that were in the dirt.  It will allow the mower to get closer as grass is spreading.  The bricks are on the west end of the patio.  I do have a barter system going with Dennis’ granddaughter Sadie.  When she visits and brings her tee-shirts for a quilt, grandpa Dennis will know by that time where he wants the bricks put.

  I have not kept up with the public school’s calendar.  Today is prom day.  I give Dennis’ daughter from Silver Bay credit for coming to St. James for Addison’s prom.  It has given the opportunity for visiting and catching up with her siblings and for Dennis and me.   

  Dennis has his two-gallon gas cans filled.  Batteries in the Sears rider and the zero-turn have been checked.  I have an inclination that tomorrow the 1.30 acre is going to be mowed.  We drove past it this last week and I would say it has greened up nicely.

  Last night as I was winding down snuggled in my bed, I ran through ingredients I had for a Saturday night supper.  Sure enough.  I now have my blue speckled round roaster ready for the oven.  A bag of refrigerated shredded hashbrowns, a diced onion, 8oz of sour cream, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, two cups of shredded cheese and some bacon bits tossed in for good measure.  I had two different types of the shredded cheese.  350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  I know there will be a container to put in the freezer for another day.

  We do enjoy pan seared raw, deveined shrimp.  I took a batch out of the freezer this morning.  Enough butter in a fry pan to coat the bottom.  The shrimp get tossed about until their gray appearance turns pink . . . and they are done.   Five o’clock supper coming on.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:24 pm on May 2, 2025 Permalink  

  Quite the Day 

  Actually, yesterday was quite the day.  When I had gone down into the studio, it had the scent much like a smell that could have resembled Spring Touch spraying our yard for weeds or spreading liquid fertilizer.  I passed it off.

  Last night, I was going to wash up some dishes and the water was barely warm.  When Dennis went to wash up for bed, there was again barely warm water.  I went down to the basement and the circuit breaker was tripped for the hot-water heater.  No hot water, a circuit breaker tripped, and a bad smell.  Too late in the day to call the Watson boys.

  This morning, first thing Dennis called.  They were here within thirty minutes.  The bottom element of the electric water heater had burned out.  There was the rest of the story.  With an hour’s time the boys had the old unit drained, had it out of the house and a new one in place.  Brandon said there would be hot water after an hour or so.  On the old unit I had written 11/06/2020.  The unit that went out of the house was still under warranty, so we will be getting a bill for the installation.  If I remember correctly, this new one’s warranty will pick up what the previous one had been warrantied for.  Kind of like a round robin.  We thanked the fellows for the quick service.

  Dennis had inquired about the water heaters that heat on demand.  That would be ideal for new construction.  An old home like ours would need extra items for it to be installed and not be cost-effective in labor or parts.

  This was a gray cool day.  I had made up my mind to not work in the studio, to give my shoulders, hands, and back a break.  I had wanted to check out some sites on YouTube and the day has passed.  Amazing what can be gleaned in new knowledge if I just seek and search.

  On a sad note.  Some time back I had shared that our neighbors across from us on Stauffer Avenue would not be able to live in their home any longer due to Chuck’s health.  Today several vans have been at their home.  The signage on the vans referred to a company that would clear out a home for estate purposes.  As I said . . . sad.  New neighbors sometime in the coming weeks or months.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:42 pm on May 1, 2025 Permalink  

  A Duck Day 

  As damp and wet as it is today, the ducks would have had a great time in the puddles.

  An intense day was had in the studio.  And . . . it all happened before twelve noon.  All of the channel quilting and the stitch-in-the ditch has been completed on my purple wonder of a quilt.  In all honesty, this is the first time I have used flannel for the backing.  But this was perhaps the one and only time that everything would fall into place to use this beautiful purple plaid.  For it being approximately 52″ x 72″, it’s not even the prescribed size for a twin sized bed.  Perhaps I was just weary, but it sure feels heavy to wrangle under the needle.

  I did put a few pieces of fabric on the quilt to see which would work best for the binding.  That decision will be for another day.  I have not decided what to stitch in the plain purple blocks.  I feel more comfortable getting the binding on to cover all the raw edges now that I have the quilt trimmed of excess batting and backing.  I did manage to get a 45mm replacement blade into one of my rotary cutters after nicking myself on both hands for a total of four times.  It was a package of five blades.  To prevent rusting, they have oil on them.  I had tried to slide one blade off of the five.  Man, were they stuck together.  No serious injury was caused by this endeavor.  I do have a cutter ready to be put into service.  

  When I came up at noon, Dennis and I shared a bite of lunch.  We had planned on doing some tidy tidy in the potting shed this afternoon.  With the rain showers and it being chilly, that got postponed.

  With the rain, I do see some perennials coming up north of the patio porch.  I’m not in any hurry to rake out some of the leaves and such until I see what made it through the winter.  I do know my Fern Peonies, two plants, don’t have as many stalks coming from the tubers as in other years.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 11:34 am on April 30, 2025 Permalink  

  Whew! 

  Whew!  I have had a great session in the studio.  Sometimes when I tackle a step in the quilting process and take it slow, miraculously the next step comes to mind.  I had no idea how to quilt down the two borders.  The center of the quilt is busy enough to carry the entire quilt.  I already had the walking foot on the sewing machine with the seam guide already attached.  I decided to channel quilt the two borders at two inches apart.  I do not have any definite plans on the center blocks.  They are large enough that there will need to be something done.  Sometimes, less is more.  I had already free-motion quilted them prior to deciding to make this quilt.  The original plan was to make pillows.  Seriously . . . making and stuffing eight pillows!  I have more to channel quilt but the shoulders gave it up.

  

  

  When Megan was visiting, she wanted to make something for Nicholas.  She finished it off by using the guide on the walking foot and did a lot of hatch quilting on it.  Her hatch design was about two inches apart at the intersections.  Sweet! With that coming to mind today, it was a huge surprise when she texted me with an attached photo.  Megan interned at a girl’s shelter during early spring.  Someone had donated a really nice Singer portable sewing machine.  No one knew how to use it.  Megan took it home to her apartment and cleaned it, and checked it out.  She even bought a small amount of fabric and took it back to the shelter.  When Carrie’s were here for Easter, Megan shared that the girls at the shelter were thrilled to actually sew some squares of the fabric together.  Megan gave me kudos for having taught her enough to pull it all together for others. 

  Today all of the dead lilac trimmings from last Saturday made it to the tree dump.  There was even a cedar bush that got cut down.  Years ago a birdie popped a seed and the trunk of the bush was now as big as my closed fist.  Time flies and some things grow faster than others.  Had we tried to buy a small shrub and get it started . . . the rest of the story.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥