Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from August, 2019 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 5:10 pm on August 2, 2019 Permalink  

  Finishing Up A Purchase 

  Last spring when I had last visited Bird Island to have Amanda and Kelly do their great Bernina customer service on my machine . . . it was a bit of a struggle.  I have no idea what my sewing machine weighs.  It is heavy.  It is bulky and . . . where on earth is the best place to grab hold of without harming something.   For me it always helped by taking it up the steps standing in front of it and lifting up one step at a time.  Bringing it back in the house, I stood in front of the machine and lifting the machine one step at a time going down as I was backing down.

  The Bernina couple ordered a carrying case for me.  One thing lead to another and I didn’t get to pick it up in a timely fashion.  That was the agenda for today.  It also gave me a chance to check my stabilizer that I had on hand and make a purchase from Amanda.  Carrie and Megan do have the 80 skate towels purchased, laundered and dried ready for a delivery to St. James before school begins.  Each towel will have the clubs logo embroidered on it.  A utility towel with a flair.  The skates need to be wiped off each time a skater leaves the ice.  They will be given out next June at their year end banquet.  I have had the clubs logo digitized.  After today, I am ready.

  I now have a case on rollers with a retractable handle.  It will be able to do steps via pulling the machine up the steps backwards.  It has side handles on the sides of the case to lift it into the back of the car.  There are more zippered compartments that I can attest to right now.  Dennis checked it out and thought it would work even as a bag if he and I run away from home . . . together.  What a forward thinking fellow!

  I know right now Kelly and Amanda’s family is enjoying the water park adjacent to the Mall of America.  They have been selling sweetcorn since the early season began.  They sold the bulk of the sweetcorn that the Olivia’s Corn Days needed as one of the growers had a crop failure.  How early did that family have to get up every morning to pick enough ears to sell over 100 dozen ears of sweetcorn a day?  Today was the last day of selling.  Hip. Hip. Hurrah.  I really appreciate this young family and I do not mind the 60 minute drive to get to their store front.

  Today also gave me the opportunity to hand deliver some of the peanut butter and molasses cookies to the Fairfax team that we cranked out yesterday.  Today was Kersten’s birthday.  How special to have a birthday on a Friday to allow the good feelings to last all weekend.  

   
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  Noreen 3:55 pm on July 30, 2019 Permalink  

  How Could I Not 

  With such a beautiful start to the day, how could I not hit the flower beds.  The dew point was 52 and it was a go.  I had not been out into the flower beds since we had gotten hail earlier in the month.  Yup, there was damage control that was needed.  There were lengths of branches that were hiding in the Hosta plants.  Blossom stems on the Hosta needed to be cut off.  Snuggles hung tight until this mid afternoon and then he crapped out and slept under the lilies.

  Neighbor Bob’s fire ring was well fed today.  There can not possibly be any loose branches left on high.  The flower beds look like someone still cares about them.

  While I had my butt up in the air among the flowers today pulling weeds and picking up branches, Dennis was busy on the patio.  The chainsaw carved Eagle that stands about four feet tall got a good cleaning.  Getting the dust out of the crevices via water, suds and a brush made for a good work out.  Tomorrow after it is totally dried out, Dennis has several cans of Rustoleum in various degrees of being full of the clear spray that he will use to give the Eagle a look of a shiny luster.

  It’s a good thing we have leftovers for supper.  Neither one of us will be too perky after we shower up for the night.  It was a great day.  We can both see that we got something done today.

   
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  Noreen 4:14 pm on July 28, 2019 Permalink  

  Gray and Damp 

  The rain began at eight this morning and we have been spared storms.  We are enjoying a day of . . . rest.  I am doing some reading and Dennis is catching up on rodeos and tractor auctions.

  This next week promises to be mild as we say goodbye to July.  July is the tipping point of summer.  Hmm.

   
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  Noreen 3:45 pm on May 17, 2019 Permalink  

  Four Seasons 

  Four seasons within 24 hours.  This has been quite the spring.  Today it is downright chilly outside.  Yesterday at 80 degrees brought out a fan to move the humid air.  As it turns out, I really have not been bothered by the weather.  Since Wednesday my first priority was remaining comfortable and quiet.  Dang it!  I am getting good at it.  Dennis assures me that with the  cleaning of the facial wound with Hydrogen Peroxide and then covering it with Vaseline, we are on track for a good healing process.

  Dennis made a trip for me up to the library.  I had ordered several books from them.  The wonderful thing about a library is that their inventory reaches far and wide.  If you want it, they will track it down and notify you when it can be picked up. 

  Life is good here on Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 3:51 pm on May 8, 2019 Permalink  

  Duck Day 

  I think as cool as it is even the ducks would be snuggled into shelter with their feathers all fluffed up for more heat.  At three this afternoon Dennis said we had 1.5 inches.  It started raining sometime in the early hours.  Nether Dennis nor I bounced out of bed real early.  By the sound of the traffic on the cement street, we knew it was a duck day.

  The furnace kicked in often enough that I did spend several hours in the sewing studio today.  The heat vent is right above the sewing machine and it felt good.  

  We are having beef tips on noodles for supper.  I have two small salads ready to go in addition.  For some reason the lettuce salads have been going over here on Stauffer Avenue.  Dennis likes an egg chopped on his plus shredded cheese and some onion.  I favor the crumbled Feta cheese with chopped walnuts added.  The salad bar is alive and well on Stauffer.

   
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  Noreen 7:26 pm on April 21, 2019 Permalink  

  Wonderful 

  Holy Week has been wonderful.  Dennis and I are thankful for all we have and for all we are.  We are healthy and safe.  We are working on wise and wealthy.  God speed.

   
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  Noreen 5:31 pm on April 16, 2019 Permalink  

  My Mindset 

  I have so many wonderful hymns that are going through my mind this week.  It is Holy Week.  I pray that I can take the grace that my Lord has waiting for me and live it each and every day, each and every week.  I don’t have all the answers.  It’s not my job to have the answers but to be open to what each day brings to me and not judge.  How Great Thou Art!

   
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  Noreen 5:15 pm on April 13, 2019 Permalink  

  Finally 

  After missing my walk for the three days of the snow situation, this morning I finally got to suit up and head out on the Hammond Hwy for my two miles.  It was chilly, I grant you that.  The north wind made sure I knew that walking against it on the way home would make my nose run.

  Dennis had had his oatmeal by the time I got home.  I needed to catch my breath first.  I did wind down by stripping a bed and starting the laundry.  Oh yes, my oatmeal was much appreciated when I sat down with the steaming bowl that wafted the cinnamon aroma.

  When I reflect on a day such as this one, I am thankful that my Lord has given to His children strong hearts.  He has made sure that our heart within us is the strongest muscle that he created.  The heart can withstand a barrage of physical challenges, and emotional heartache that could rock us to our core.  It continues to beat for us to carry on with the life that He has set out for us.  It is an amazing one-ness of the our heart and our soul.  He raises us up.  With His hand on our shoulder . . . we endure.  We seek the path that leads us to Him.  We thrive to leave the earthly pain in His hands so we may put it in perspective as we lay our head down in rest to greet the next day.    

   
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  Noreen 3:11 pm on April 10, 2019 Permalink  

  Apricot Orange to Winter White 

  

  Yup . . . there is all that nitrogen laden snow for the grass seed that was put down yesterday. The Koi pond is up and already making bubbles.

  This morning when I awoke and toddled off to the bathroom, I stopped dead in my tracks.  Looking out the east bathroom window was the most glorious apricot orange in the east horizon.  The trees stood as black silhouettes standing guard over the morning.  It was about 6:20 a.m.  I had no more than gotten a glass of water drank and then went for my slippers.  The floor is always quite cold as the furnace thermostat is turned down to 60 degrees during the night. 

  The next time I looked up, the roof of the patio porch was totally white.  It was now 6:45 a.m.  Talk about a fast turn around in my morning.  It never did quit snowing.  Sometimes it was pellets, sometimes it was huge flakes, didn’t matter.  It kept on piling up.  Dennis was not a happy camper when he opened his eyes to welcome the morning.   Everything . . . and I mean everything was covered with snow.

  Life must go on and that included Dennis giving me a ride to my chiropractor appointment at 10:30.  The city streets were slippery and the windshield wipers had had a good workout.  That appointment was the most pressing thing we had on our agenda for the day and we slipped and slided home.

  I had not started anything in the sewing studio for some time and I knew the dust bunnies were just waiting for someone to come down and scatter a bit of fuzz and threads.  Starting a project . . . I take that back . . . planning what project to start is always the most difficult.  Dennis high tailed it out to the patio porch to watch a rodeo on the RFD rural television channel.   

  At some point I walked up the steps to peek out to see what was going on with the weather.  As I looked towards the patio porch, all I could see through the windows was the tail of a cat waving back and forth as it stood on the table.  I then realized that Honey Bunny was getting a good brushing from Dennis and quite enjoying it.  This time of the year, that winter coat has got to be thinned out.

  These next several days will allow everyone to realize, God and Mother Nature still are at the helm.  Us mere creatures just need to remain optimistic.

   
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  Noreen 5:21 pm on March 22, 2019 Permalink  

  Word Play 

  As I walked today I could feel my knees.  Where is that oil can when you need it!  I have an affliction and am disposed to not taking my knees for granted.  Some of my activity is needed to be checked as my affection for being active doesn’t seem to diminish.  Affliction and affection . . . so far apart in meanings but both are such a real part of my life. It’s totally up to me to make the best of balancing these two for a good run at self-care, a balanced life and a happy life.