What a great morning to be outside. The clouds and the cool temps beckoned me to check out the potting shed and yup the garden art was all there waiting and wondering if they would be let out of the shed this spring. This is the first year in many that Megan and Nicholas did not help. Usually when they come on their spring break the weather is doable — not so this year. One light piece at a time (whatever the right arm could do) found a place within the gardens. I had several pieces I knew I couldn’t handle with one arm and sure enough Dennis happened to stick his head into the potting shed to see how I was doing. I didn’t over do it but it least it looks like Grammie still lives here. A light noon lunch and I knew that would be enough for the first day of outside activity. By the sounds of it the temps are going to be in the 90s tomorrow. The potted flowers are still in the garage porch from the threat of frost several nights ago. High winds are coming with the 90-plus temps tomorrow and the plants will appreciate not being whipped to death. We are going to take this spring slow and steady.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Nothing feels better than getting far enough away from the surgical date and getting into the recovery days to the point that I can dress myself. I do remind myself of grand daughter Megan when she was about two and decided she could dress herself. Just like Megan my attire for the day may not match but the important thing is – I did it myself and I couldn’t wait to get the sling back on the arm that was feeling like it weighed a ton. Thank heavens for tops that have zippers. Here I am showered and dressed and ready for a day. When I went out to walk the yards to check on perennials that may have popped out of the soil it didn’t take long my fingers and my nose made me realize how cold it feels. Forty eight degrees is quite mild but the wind is horrific and it’s coming from the north. Dennis assured me that the pots that are nested on the north side of the garage porch will be put inside as Sunday night the temps are really predicted to plummet. Spring is yet again taking a step backwards.
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Noreen
It’s a gloomy cool day but considering what has gone on at Stauffer Ave – it couldn’t be more perfect. We have a wonderful three tier flower planter that is cemented into the southwest corner of the patio and it meets and greets everyone when the plants come into their own. We tried Geraniums for several years but the heat, wind and the fact that they need to be dead headed for continuous blooms was unsatisfactory. We stumbled upon the little wax begonias. They take the weather and will bloom until the frost. The 13 pots have been potted and will be sheltered on the north side of the garage porch as they settle into the Miracle Grow during some cool temperature days and nippy nights. A photo will be posted when they are placed into their show case.
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Noreen
This is what I am talking about – full sunshine with no wind. Just got a phone call from the clinic and tomorrow I will have all the staples removed by my favorite — Dr. Jesse. Everything is progressing just as he predicted and after tomorrow we will find out what the next step is in the shoulder recovery. I must say that keeping the sling on is not a challenge for me. It just gives me that feeling of security and the arm feels like it weighs a ton without the support. I do have a little job to finish up before I get too far away from the surgery date. Oh yes, I had nerves and butterflies on that morning and the only other person more nervous was Dennis. As the IV people were doing their probing a nurse came in and all I could see of her as she was cloaked in scrubs and a hair cover and her face mask were her eyes. I knew those eyes and they were twinkling. It was a gal I had worked with for twenty five years as she was the clerk for one of the townships that our office serviced. From that point on I was ready, willing and able to face the surgery. How fantastic that of all the procedures scheduled for that morning, she was the surgical nurse assigned to me! Rolling down the long corridors from the intake room to the operating room we chatted and caught up with our interests: family and quilting. Today it was my pleasure writing her a “thank you” note for all she had done to start this shoulder procedure down the road to success.
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Noreen
After a huge snowfall yesterday to ring in the first of May, there is little evidence left 24 hours later. The mailman brought a package today and just like a little kid on Christmas morning there was an urgency. The return address was from my cousin Janet at Foley, Minnesota. What will pull you up short is having only one arm with which to open one of the “if it fits – it ships” boxes. With two arms they present a challenge. Dennis and his ever-ready pocketknife made it possible to gain entrance into the treasure hunt. From the inside tumbled out the most amazing set of embroidered dish towels. Now, you would think that surely I needed to set out to send a thank you note, and yet with the towels was a thank you note addressed to “Noreen and Kersten.” A time passed Kersten had shared some sewing supplies with me and I shared some of them forward to Janet. There is truth when finding abundance in paying it forward. Now I need to share this unexpected gift with Kersten to complete the circle.
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Noreen
This will be my last blog for several days as I will take a wait and see attitude on how well I do as a one armed patient. The atmosphere here is brimming with high excitement and swings from that to a bit of nervousness and includes nervous business. I have my alarm clock set for the morning as I know myself well enough that morning routines need to be adhered to prior to Dennis and I leaving for Mankato for the long awaited shoulder surgery with Dr. Jesse. I have had a mantra running as of late “I can do this, I can do this.” Catch the world again when I get home.
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Noreen
Hello World, The sun is out and the birds are liking it a lot. I rummaged around in the freezer and decided to use up some frozen fruit to make Dennis a fruit pie. I just need to use a lot and I mean a lot of corn starch for thickening as fruit and all its juices makes a runnier pie than usual. Well – as long as the oven is hot a pound of bacon baked out would be a nice addition to the refrig for a quick use.
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Noreen
Kevin – The photo of of you from 2007 – I can see you and Sophie both making headways. From the first story I did in 1/2012 (The Voyage) I have parked 33 lbs off somewhere into the great beyond. I had wanted to loose one more pound by the 25th of April but they may not be able to be achieved by the 25th but hopefully somewhere in the near future. Why the one more pound? I so wanted to see a number on the scale that was not in the 200’s – I just wanted to see 199 and then go from there.
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Noreen
I am on the last roundup here on Stauffer Ave. Making a list and checking it twice. 48 hours to a new shoulder and Dennis knows I will be doing last minute items right to the time that we leave for Mankato and the wonders of Doctor Jesse. The items on the list are nothing unusual it is just the order of things as we leave behind snow and winter and transfer into spring. it was only 25 degrees this morning but I had to have the thermostat in the home at a very low setting. My metabolism ramps up my internal thermostat quickly. Will anyone check the sewing area for flailing threads during the next several months? No — but I would know they were there and — now they aren’t. It’s a good thing. I have had to go through surgery several times and knowing that the home front has been tidied – it’s the peace that passes all understanding.
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Noreen
Kevin – what a bright day with some heavy snow. About seven last night we could hardly see across the street. I have no idea how much snow we got but it was for sure measurable.