Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from June, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:00 pm on June 10, 2024 Permalink  

  New Week 

  Stauffer Avenue is off to a new week . . . a good week.

  My check-in with the dentist made a world of difference in how my new bottom plate feels.  As Steve said, you can always take a bit more off of a new plate . . . you just can’t put any back on.

  When I visited with neighbor Jan this morning, she mentioned that Dennis had been busy loading up some iron work.  As I can do longer do the amount of flower gardening as several years ago, it makes me sad to see it ignored.  

  My brother Calvin could make scrolled iron work look like welded child’s play.  He also happened to be Kevin’s Christian sponsor.  Today, the Fairfax team can apply it, work with it in their backyard to their heart’s content. 

  From Fairfax we whipped over to Menard’s in New Ulm.  Dennis is now equipped with several gallons of “Total Vegetation Killer.”

  It will be several days before the ole cowboy tackles vegetation as he needs to heal up from a stumble on our concreter drive last Thursday after a successful day of mowing.  His face is healing well, but the goose egg on his left knee needs a few more days of R&R.

  I am not done sifting and sorting my garden items.  Carrie had bought me a huge iron pot stand for the open area of the petals to hold a flower pot.  I had found a huge heavy glass globe in the store in Mankato called Harpie’s Bizarre.  I didn’t purchase it until the store’s going out of business sale.  The globe and stand are a perfect pair to perhaps grace Carrie’s garden.  I will wait until she is stronger on her feet before broaching the topic.

  When we came home from the day’s road trip we had a late noon lunch.  For the first time since June 3rd, I enjoyed some solid food.  Yes!

  We may do a slower start of the week, but no doubt nothing will go a-miss.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:18 pm on June 7, 2024 Permalink  

  Oh Happy Day 

  It may be gray with mosquitoes galore, but Dennis doesn’t care.

  On a whim Dennis drove out to the building site of Ryan the tree hauler.  The trip was to just let Ryan know that anytime, Ryan had time, Dennis had more work for him on the blue barn acre.  After supper, the phone rings and the job had for today, Friday, canceled out on him.  Ryan and his crew would meet Dennis at 7:30 this morning with his crew.  I am surprised Dennis got any sleep, he was almost giddy.

  Here we are at mid afternoon.  Ryan’s crew needs to load up some equipment.  All, and I mean all, of the old railroad ties lining the east and south of that acre are gone.  The ties actually lined the east of the acre and the ties on the south had been pushed into a mess of sometimes four and five high at various degrees.  Two loads of ties headed to Brown County landfill.  One load of wood went to our tree dump.

  My ole cowboy has had quite the summer of getting his job-jar taken care of.  Next on his list is to go back to Home Depot for several more gallons of the Brush killer.  What he used last year had a great carryover into this year.  Now that the railroad ties to the south are gone, he can tackle more brush that had been growing among them.  I got a tour of the latest work via the little red pickup.  We can now see the residential lots to the south of the blue barn acre.

  Me . . . I am still on the mend from Monday’s dental visit.  I supply a good lunch and orange juice breaks to Dennis while he ram-rods.  Sweet.

  Sister-in-law sent a photo of our Koi in her pond.  They have had many bright orange babies.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on June 6, 2024 Permalink  

  Under Attack 

  The strong gusts of wind are lobbing pine cones right and left onto our west awning.  It does make quite the bong.

  There was one run to Lewis Drug today.  Dennis and I are quite content to spend time right here on Stauffer Avenue.  Dennis had a huge day of mowing yesterday, I encouraged a nap in his recliner. 

  Last night for supper I enjoyed a soft egg on butter bread.  Very tasty.  Vanilla ice cream later on wasn’t shabby either.

  Neighbor Jan popped over this forenoon to see how I was doing.  She was surprised in the over-all process.  I assured her it all went according to expectations and skill set of the dentist.  Dr. Pitcher, at the on-set, said he could and would refer me to Oral Surgery Of Mankato as extractions of roots could be a challenge.  I immediately told him, I would do just fine under his care.  All that referral would have done is added mileage and extra expense as they would have put me to sleep, with possible stitches.

  I checked in with daughter Carrie as she is two weeks out of her cancer lung surgery. 

  Text messages . . . where would we be without them!  I do very little on Facebook.  Very little brings news via emails.  I do have a smart-phone with no internet connection, neither does Dennis’.  We seem to get along just fine.   

  I would have thought once school was out, the traffic passed our home would have lessened.  Not a snowball in hell chance of that.

  Right now there are leaf tips, flower pots and litter flying south down our street.

  JoAnn’s Fabric has apparently solved their filing of bankruptcy.  That was proven today as the box containing two bags of pillow stuffing at a hugely reduced price and a $1.27 shipping fee was delivered by FedEx.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:43 pm on June 5, 2024 Permalink  

  No Deck Sitting 

  The high pitched hum of mosquitos sent me right back inside this morning.  No morning deck sitting for me.

  Dennis did some garage/shop work this morning as the dew was quite heavy.  Long about eleven, he was off to get a mower out of the back garage.  I don’t say anything, as he needs to be his own person.  I was relieved when that person was finished with all the lots at three this afternoon.

  I do keep an ear out as to where he is at at any given time.

  Over my years, I have known discomfort from various surgeries.  Man oh man!  The inside of my lower lip is sore and raw.  I knew the dentist was seeking somewhere to get the leverage to remove the two roots that were flush with the gum.  That area was the inside  of my lower lip.  Nothing can pass into the mouth without passing over the interior of that dang lip.  With my chin swollen and having two deep colored bruises down each side of my chin, I could pass for a wooden marionette.  It is surprising how little the amount of salt may be in food to set off the fire of the lip.  Actually what worked well today was peanut butter on a spoon to be licked off.  I am saving my pureed apple sauce for supper’s dessert.  Aren’t I the big wimpy person!!  This also shall pass in due time.

  The middle of the week already.  May your days treat you kindly.

  With that I take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 3:01 pm on June 4, 2024 Permalink  

  Gray Skies 

  With fairly strong winds you would think the gray skies would be blown away . . . not.  It looks like rain.  The winds are bringing the cotton tree’s fluff down.  They make a mess on window screens and also air filters on the lawn mowers.

  I went in for my 24 hour check up with Dr. Steve Pitcher.  He was very happy with how the bottom gum looked and surprised my speech was so clear.  When he did the litmus test on the bite:  first the right side, then the left, and once in the middle. He said he would see me next Monday.  When the swelling goes down, things can be different.  He did say my black and blue chin may become a darker bruise yet.  I paid my bill and got the discount for it.  Sweet.  No bill coming in the mail.

  July 1st, Steve and Kris will have their daughter Morgen join the dentistry family team.  She will be moving here from Salt Lake where she attended college.  Wonderful to know that our community will continue with great medical professional caregivers.

  I made Dennis a hot meatloaf sandwich for noon.  I got a piece of butter bread down.  For breakfast I had had an individual cup of apple sauce.  Both tasted good.  After lunch I sat in my rocking chair and dosed off.  Not my usual thing to do, but I can’t say it felt bad.

  I am working on a counted cross stitch.  Monogamous white on mottled blue.  I have three items that I can switch off and on to.  Having a book going is also a good thing.

  I think soon Dennis will let me get on the zero-turn to help.  I would welcome it.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:54 pm on May 29, 2024 Permalink  

  Wednesday 

  —-And a wonderful balmy Wednesday it is.  Low 70s seem to be the perfect temps for mowing yards.  Dennis waited until after twelve as the grass had had a lot of dew.

  Dennis checked his eyelids for cracks this forenoon while I decided some cookies would be nice.  I had picked up a box of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix.  Hey . . . if it looks like a cookie and smells like a cookie and tastes like a cookie, I don’t care as long as I can handle the process of getting it from the powder form to the oven.  I have saved the dastardly aluminum cake pan to use with baking paper.  The one tray could have used a few less for baking, but all went well.

  It is now the afternoon.  My dishes have been washed, a load of laundry has been washed and dried . . . and how sweet that I have one last cup of breakfast coffee to enjoy.

  After three lots have been mowed, complete with a water break, Dennis is on to the far southeast acre, also known as the blue barn acre.

  The blackbirds are kicking the babies out of the nests.  What a commotion of noise as the babies are hunched up wondering what has happened to the food truck.

  Tomorrow afternoon we have an appointment with the Limb Lab in Mankato.  Dennis has prescriptions for new shoes every 8-12 months due to the fact that orthotics do wear down.  He is thinking that the next time, tie shoes might be better than Velcro as Velcro has a limit how snug the shoe can be adjusted.  Tie shoes do not know those same limits.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:47 pm on May 17, 2024 Permalink  

  Slipping Away 

  The merry month of May is slipping away from right under my fingers.

  With that being said, I can’t think of anything that should have gotten done here on the home front that didn’t.  The calendar is free of appointments until August . . . sweet.  Both vehicles have gas in them.  I may venture to our local grocer’s.  Dennis checks out the town every day.  Our pantry is not wanting for supplies.  With our quiet lifestyle, we are content.  Oh . . . it doesn’t hurt that Dennis’s garage porch has two televisions.  One for viewing with Samsung Plus and the other for the options from the Godahl tower.  My porch allows for me to have a 270 degree view of the neighborhood and street traffic.  Stitching and reading round out my options.

  The days for Dennis and me are planed one day at a time.  I have taken to sleeping until 7:30 each morning.  Dennis is up by 6:30.  All seems to work out fine.

  My mornings are for local effort within our home.  Dennis keeps a handle on the patio porch cats and vacuuming said porch.  He has also been cleaning in the far garage where the mowers and a few other miscellaneous items are parked.  Dennis can’t figure out why some of our age bracket have nothing to do.

  With my Pump-N-Go Roundup, I tackled whatever I could hit with one pump-up.  Tomorrow is another day.  Being the first use, it is heavy to manipulate the sprayer and my cane.  I know what needs its leaves dampened with a squirt of Roundup and what is a perennial.

  The temp has climbed to 86 with overcast.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:39 pm on May 16, 2024 Permalink  

  Birds 

  This spring the birds are happy to be around us.  We have had enough rain that the sump pump on the north side of our home provides the perfect pond for the birds to bathe in.  Last year was so terribly dry, the sump pump never ran . . . not once.

  By the way, that also speaks as to why the studio was so comfortable to be in the early part of 2023.

  We have a pair of Cardinals that flit among the lilacs.  The Blue Jays have not been plentiful.  The Thrush have nests in the evergreen on the northwest corner of our home.  Sitting very still on our front deck is rewarding for bird watching.  Mrs. Robin is busy feeding her babies in the nest built on the brackets of our awning on the west side of the house.  Neighbor Jan mentioned there is also a pair of Red Birds that she has noticed.  The sump pump pond welcomes them all.  I have noticed no one in the neighborhood has a Martin house up.

  My dad built some great Martin houses that looked more like a Martin hotel.  Martins were notorious for enjoying biting bugs as a snack.

  Some of the birds and maybe it is all of the birds, begin singing by 4:30 in the morning.  

  Don’t worry, sometime in each day the three porch kitties check out the watering hole as well.  Birds . . . beware.

  Dennis announced this noon he has spent more money these early months of 2024 on the gas for the mowers than all of last year.  The .32″ of rain from last night will keep the yards lush.

  The highway #4 going south out of St. James is detoured to Sherburn.  The traffic with side-dump trucks hauling fill begins past our home as early as the birds waking for the day.  Deadlines for that type of work gets crazy.  Prevailing wages for a MN Dot project is huge per hour.  For the truck drivers it gets to be a short night for rest.

  We are doing Jimmy Dean pre-cooked sausage patties and Bisquick pancakes for supper. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on May 15, 2024 Permalink  

  Mowers 

  The hum of lawnmowers is more like a multi-directional roar.  Dennis did contribute to it.  I say nothing in regard to where or how often he mows.  I do know he needs to be busy and mowing is not confrontational with me.  Have at it.  I put in my stint with getting some weeds out of the flower bed.  I put them where Dennis mulched them with the Sear’s rider.

  Yesterday, a box was delivered to Dennis.  The return address was just Reliable Shipping.  As I was in the backyard, I don’t know if it was UPS or Fed-X.  The cardboard box was really dirty dusty.  It’s not unusual for those trucks to have their doors open and this time of year, there is dust everywhere.

  The contents of the box was from my aunt in Arizona.  One large heavy quilt, one lap quilt and one table runner.  I did know her kids were asking her to begin a dispersal of hundreds of such items.  When we went to visit her in 2015, she sent several table runners home with us and she then replicated those items to put back in her stash.  Hmm. 

  This morning, I knew the quilt needed to go out on the clothes line.  I can’t tell you what the scent was, but it wasn’t good.  I am hoping it was from the cardboard box.  The remaining two items went to the wash.  Dennis had to help me get the quilt on the clothes line and even Dennis said it was not good.  In the fresh air it was really noticeable.  For now, I can’t even tell you what size the quilt is.  I do know when Lorraine had the top pieced, she ordered the stitched quilting design for a long arm quilter to follow.  She told me that stitching design package cost her an additional $399.00 over the cost of the pattern with which to piece it.  

  I like my threads and fuzz but tend more to do the basics.  I can tell you why.  I want my quilts to be used and perhaps even be abused in the use of them.  My grandmother Laura used feed sack prints and I am still getting use out of that quilt. The quilts that I have pieced were used with fabrics of a much higher warp and weft count.  Please . . . use them.

  We are having chicken titties and the remainder of my potato salad dish that was left over from last night.

  As people are getting off from their work places, the grass doesn’t stand a chance.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:52 pm on May 14, 2024 Permalink  

  A Balmy Day 

  Me, my laptop, mouse, and telephone were at our friendly bank at 9:30.  Michelle was waiting to help.  I decided to take my equipment so I would have verification all was working before I left the bank.  A very good feeling.

  Dennis and Dwayne had coffee at McDonald’s this morning.  Without taking a break, he stuck his head in the door and said he was going to mow the yards.  So be it.

  I tackled a few more yellow blooms.  I couldn’t help but notice that where the rotted lilacs had been cut down several years ago, none of the new sucker sprouts from the roots were doing well.  The rest of the story came to light when neighbor Jan came out to visit across the white picket fence.  Hmm.  Early in the season when Dennis was setting up his propane brush burner, Jan said he totally did a number on the sucker sprouts and everything else along the picket fence line.  Here I thought it was some kind of shrub disease.  Ya, right!  I am thankful the fence didn’t melt.  Hey, I can’t keep my eyes on him all the time.  I do not plan on saying a word.  What’s the point!

  Several seasons ago, I shared some Fern Peony tubers with Jan.  This year she has three blooms.  I have two separate plants with blooms.  This last up and down winter didn’t do them any favors.  Gardeners win some and lose some.

  We are having the first batch of potato salad for 2024.  Plain butter bread goes well with that offering.  My recipe calls for equal amounts of potatoes, onions and chopped boiled eggs.  Not the usual, but we like it.

  From what I see through the screens of my bedroom porch windows . . . its going to be quite the season of wasps.  Jan has a wasp catcher hanging from her sheppard’s crook.  It will be interesting to see how that turns out.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥