Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from August, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:53 pm on August 31, 2023 Permalink  

  We are Home 

  We are home from the big town of Mankato.

  The staining of the spindles on the deck steps went well.  The breeze was hard to leave.  I did have an extra cup of coffee before gathering up the phone and the grocery list to head out.

  Dennis now has a product that should work on all sorts of nuisance vegetation that usual weed killing sprays can’t take out.  Before we came home, Dennis gave me a tour of the blue barn acre.  It is showing definite signs that someone is on board in the tidy, tidy.  When I have finished the deck project, I will be on board to lend a hand.

  The traffic going to and from Mankato was a good indication that this is the last summer holiday.  We will be tucked in here on Stauffer Avenue and leave the last of the summer festivities to others.

  My studio does get a brief visit now and then.  Plans have been in place for projects and will be on hold for a bit.  After taking care of that which is needed to maintain our property, there will be many chilly to cold days to stitch to my heart’s content.  Dennis is always on the same page with me.  If repairs are put off, where do you start when it all falls down around you! 

  Nothing more is going to be started for today.  Before we left Mankato, we stopped at Hy-Vee.  There is a rib, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn meal to heat up.  A $6.00 meal that beats a fast food option.

  Perhaps some reading or stitching will close down this Thursday.

   
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  Noreen 1:25 pm on August 29, 2023 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 29th 

  It is Tuesday and all is well on Stauffer Avenue.

  My stint at staining went well this morning.  The ground level of the spindles has been stained on the north side of our front deck.  Not quite enough of a breeze to keep the black flies at bay.  Ignore, ignore is all that could be done.  If all goes according to plan, I will do the west ground level of the step spindles tomorrow.  Doing only the amount of staining until my known level of discomfort tells me to get that brush cleaned up.

  Dennis came around to show the ground wasp he had taken out.  Its mistake was getting into the patio porch.  They are nasty looking things even when they are dead.

  After sharing a cup of coffee with Dennis, we headed to the blue barn acre for the next quest.  The lot line to the south has been nothing but a dumping site over decades.  Don’t know whose crap it is and we don’t care.  There has been plenty of activity on the lot to allow those on the other side of the lot line to realize . . . no more.  Today my job was to drive the little red pickup along side the south line as close as I could to the point of today’s quest.  Dennis used his fork to snag foam mattresses and drag them out of the weeds.  Sitting on the end-gate of the little red pickup he could then get them drug to the pile that will eventually be hauled away while I was driving.

  Leave it to Dennis and me to stay busy while being safe.

  It is mid afternoon and I plan on doing some stitching and reading until supper time, which we have decided will be Subway.

   
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  Noreen 1:48 pm on August 28, 2023 Permalink  

  Bright Sun 

  The sun being bright this morning had me washing up my brush for staining by 10:30.  I did get the spindles done on the west side of the front deck.  It may have been a bit of a reach standing on the grass, but any additional height would not have allowed for me to get under the top railing.  Tomorrow I may do the north side of the spindles.  Lots of shade with no glare of the rising sun.

  I spent some time stitching after calling the deck work done for the day.  I could not believe my eyes.  I had never seen such a small ant crawling along my fabric.  My bedroom porch has just had a thorough going over and no bugs were seen.  The cloth I am stitching on is sixteen stitches per inch.  You can see the squares of the fabric in the photo.  You really have to look closely to see anything on the fabric.  But . . . the ant is there, barely the size over one of the squares.  Even kitchen grease ants are larger this this one.  I looked the entire cloth over and found only one more.  What a mystery. 

  The afternoon feels warm with that bright sun.  That doggone dewpoint really makes the difference.

  I will check on you tomorrow to see how your Tuesday is going.

   
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  Noreen 1:36 pm on August 27, 2023 Permalink  

  Another One 

  It is Sunday the 27th of August and we are having another great day.  Back to back . . . can’t beat it.

  Another session of staining deck spindles is under my hat.  Everything of the side spindles via my roll away old office chair has been completed.  My bristle 1.5″ brush is cleaning up well.  When I was about to sit on the front deck and cool down . . . yes, my internal furnace heats up fast, real fast, I decided to walk down and around the deck. I was interested in seeing what the reach would be to do the staining on the north and west sides.  The reach is doable for me to stand on the ground and get the staining done.  All I will need is that trusty kitchen stool for the gallon can of stain to sit on.  Sweet.  My plan is to do the west side of the deck first before the sun rises over the house roof.  All is going well.

  As I was finishing my stint of staining, Dennis left with the little red pickup in search of someone with a chainsaw.  A tree on the east lot line on the blue barn acre was tipped over at the root and it had fallen to the west.  Who’s tree is it actually?  Who cares.  It was impossible for Dennis to mow in that area.  Wham, bam.  Dennis returned with son-in-law Tom as they headed for the blue barn acre.  Before I could pour some breakfast coffee into my cup, Dennis was back home alone.  The tree had already been cut up and Tom was back home.

  Dennis checked on my staining of the morning and man . . . can I read that man.  I put my socks and garden shoes on and Dennis and I headed to the blue barn acre.  Tom, with his chainsaw, cuts up minimally and he then he is done.  We are back home and I am cooling down for the second time today.  The nasty tree and cut up limbs that were all over the place have been pulled over to the huge pile that Brett had made when he came over with his skid loader earlier.  Tree hauler, Ryan, already has us on his list to take care of the huge pile.  It did make sense to add one more tree.

  Dennis appreciates the fact that I can do duty with my legs and the bending over.  Dennis doesn’t do the bending without getting dizzy.  There was a trade off.  The sandburs that got onto my pant legs, need to be cleaned off by the time I need those pants tomorrow morning for painting.  I have dedicated only one pair of pants for all things that need painting.  I took care of cleaning the sandburs off that got onto my socks and the Velcro of my garden shoe closures and the Velcro of my walking cane.

  With the area we got cleaned up today on the blue barn acre, Dennis will be able to take another wider swath with the lawnmower.  What follows then is another wider swath with the weed killer.  Slow but sure there is headways being made.

  I don’t mind helping Dennis one bit.  I am not going to see what the temps tomorrow are going to be.  All I know is that our home needs tending even if there is more of it now.  We are in all things together.

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on August 26, 2023 Permalink  

  Nice 

  This morning was not even questionable of naughty or nice.  We have been good weathering the heat and are deemed . . . nice.

  It did not take me very long to begin trundling out my supplies to our front deck.  Gallon pail of latex stain plus opener . . . check.  Brush and damp cloth . . . check.  Telephone and cup of coffee . . . check.

  To begin, the breeze did feel a bit cool.  60 degrees to welcome the day was a whole lot better then the several mornings when 80 degrees was the welcome.

  I had my agenda and Dennis was heading east with his Snapper mower to tidy up the blue barn acre.

  As it were, we both checked in at twelve noon.  Dennis was done mowing and had headed for home to change the oil in the mower.  Myself . . . I was in the midst of cleaning my brush.  Cleaning the brush is the least favorite part of any painting project.

  The opaque stain for the deck was much thicker than the stain used as a transparent stain.  This stain was easy to put on.  As I would have an adequate amount of stain on my brush after doing a dip into the pail, it gave me a chance to reach my target without dripping.  As the sun began rising above the gable of the house, the sun was plenty warm and the black flies had found me.

  I am not in a rush to reach this finish line.  Painting the spindles from the deck side, leaves the challenge of being on the opposite side where I will need to have some added height to get that done.  I will do the easy sides first.  I think as thick as this Behr latex stain is, spraying the stain on could present problems in keeping the nozzle clean.  I have a wonderful small brush that will serve me well for some time. 

  Enjoy this wonderful weekend . . . it is well deserved.

   
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  Noreen 2:08 pm on August 25, 2023 Permalink  

  Light Shower 

  Surprisingly we had a shower of rain last night after supper.

  My plan today was to get a load of laundry going first thing.  Yesterday at the grocer’s I brought home a pork steak.  That hit the crock pot as laundry was spinning.  I have a bottle of bold marinade in the refrigerator that covered the surface of the steak.

  I was counting on that shower of rain making the surface of the garden dirt moist enough to pull some unwanted greenery from the area next to the patio porch.  When Dennis came out after a nap, he mixed up some weed spray to catch a path of weeds that was running right next to the patio.  He also hit the weeds coming up in the cracks of the driveway.

  It didn’t take long and both of us were sweating through our clothing.  We had not checked any weather info before heading out.  At noon the tale was told as we had KEYC news on.  Dewpoint and air quality were both pushing the needle of discomfort. 

  The afternoon was mine for reading, stitching and folding that load of laundry.  Dennis has decided to do some mowing, telling me he would take breaks and try and stay out of the areas in the bright sun, aka: direct heat.

  I have a bag of the salad kits in the Tupperware lettuce keeper.  This bag has two types of lettuce, red and white cabbage, bits of green onions and carrot slivers.  In a little bag there were roasted pumpkin seeds.  The bag of dressing was a poppy seeds blend.  I added some finely diced white onion.  Tumbling this mixture together, it should be tasty for supper.  If Dennis wants instant mashed potatoes, that would be in the realm of possibilities.

  This weekend promises nice weather.

   
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  Noreen 1:48 pm on August 21, 2023 Permalink  

  Action 

  For every action, there is a reaction.

  This Grammie today is feeling the reaction of being the self proclaimed interior designer, aka: a painter.

  What I am feeling is not unknown discomfort in the ole body.  It is just reminding me that perhaps painting my bedroom porch should pretty much fill the bill to do painting for 2023.  I cannot fail, if I do not try.  Each of the days it took me to open that quart can of paint took resolve.  I had unlimited amount of moral support from Dennis.  I needed every bit of it. 

  I am now on to taking a few days of sitting back and letting my gluts get back some feelings to them from being in the bent over position.

  I am not the only one in this household to push it to the limit.  Each day Dennis does good local effort at the blue barn acre.  Though the lopper we bought at Harbor Freight was not expense, the key is that . . . it is sharp.  Being able to mow beneath trees and not have them slap you in the face . . . priceless.  The huge pile of brush that nephew Brett pushed together, has now had Ryan the hauler look at and give Dennis a price for it to go away.  Sweet.  After that, any small pile of brush we pull together can be burned.  Brett’s pile is too close to homes that are to the south of us.

  We remain in a heat advisory.  Not just for us older folks.  It can sneak up onto anyone like a bad thug.

  Hello Kersten . . . welcome home.  Kluge would have been all over you like a bee wanting to sting you.

  Right back at you tomorrow.

   
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  Noreen 1:54 pm on August 10, 2023 Permalink  

  No Deed 

  No good deed goes unpunished.  Dennis had done such a good job of taking the sandburs off of his pants last week.  Yesterday when he was mowing the blue barn acre, he took the weed whip along to take out some of the weeds that might harm the mower if he went after them.  You never know what is hiding in and on a lot that has not been tended in a decade.  Once the weeds have been gone through, the mower can take an extra swathe.  The nastiest area is close to the south lot line.

  After a couple of hours, I heard Dennis and the mower pull up to the garage.  I assumed the mower needed gas.  Dennis usually pops in for a glass of water . . . no Dennis.  About the time I was going to look him up in the garage, I looked out the bathroom window to see Dennis pinning his pants up onto the clothesline.  Dennis walked the patio and came on into the house in his Fruit of the Looms.  The mowing had gone great.  The weed whipping was making headways until he realized the inseams of his pant legs were sticking together.  Yup!  Sandburs.  Dennis is so determined to make a difference on that lot, not realizing where the stuff flies when weed whipped off.  No good deed goes unpunished.  He has decided when he is going over to the blue barn lot to weed whip again, those same pants will be tugged on.  All I could do was smile and snicker.  Dennis did clean off his socks of the burs before putting them in the laundry.

  Last night after supper there were a few large rain drops that ended in a flash of rain blowing sideways for quite some time.  When it thundered the whole house shook.

  The saving grace today is that it is sprinkling off and on and Dennis and the porch kitties are watching television in the patio porch.

  With such a driving rain, I knew the window screens had a good wash.  Screens hold so much grime and dirt.  I got two of the eight bedroom porch windows cleaned.  All the cleaning is done from inside . . . sweet.  Dennis helped me do the bathroom window.  I loaded one of my chamois window towels onto the floor Swiffer’s head.  It worked great for Dennis to spray the vinegar window wash onto the bottom window while standing on the ground and drying the window via the Swiffer mop.  I opened the bottom window from the bathroom as far as I could and reached out with my right arm and hand to spray the outside of the top window with the vinegar wash so Dennis could work his magic.  Slick.

  If anyone ever needs to be entertained, sit back and watch the older ones on Stauffer Avenue.  I will say, we are resourceful.

  With some good local effort today we have decided to have pancakes and sausages for supper.

   
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  Noreen 1:42 pm on August 8, 2023 Permalink  

  So . . . Do Tell! 

  It is official from two sources, one on each end of town, that we got three plus inches of rain in a slow and steady all-day rain.

  The rain is all it took to hear the hum that had not been heard for some time, lawnmowers.  Dennis was right in there with them.  The weeds had continued to grow and they needed to be trimmed back right along with whatever else was green.  Dennis has learned to take two days to get the acreage done as the back and arms sent him a strong message. 

  Today Amazon delivered the last item for my bedroom porch’s reading and stitching corner.  Years back most shops had a clamp-on light fixture that could be angled via springs on the main hub.  My clamp-on unit that was delivered is similar but different.  There is no light fixture at the end, but a clamp to hold my hoop for stitching.  Sweet.  Until it has been used for a time, the clamp is really tight . . . enter stage right . . . Dennis.  My left hand is really going to enjoy not having to hold the hoop.  For the sum of $24.99 it does the job of the expensive wooden standalone hoop holders. 

  For several days this week, Carrie and Megan are in Las Vegas at the largest USA marketing event for 2024’s merchandise.  What a sweet event for them to share.  Later on this month, Kersten will be flying to New York for her endeavor.  My special people do get around.  When Dennis and I talked about it, he was thrilled for them, as he and I couldn’t take it.  

  I did take in some stitching this morning in the studio for my next scrappy quilt.  I realize it. I am admitting to it. I am overanalyzing the scrappiness of it.  Good grief.  It did take my repair man, Dennis, to replace the batteries in the radio for KNUJ to be enjoyed.

  Our oven meal of last night was a hit.  There will be a re-run of it this evening.

  Take care everyone!

   
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  Noreen 1:38 pm on August 4, 2023 Permalink  

  Not Nice 

  It does not feel nice out.  The dewpoint and humidity are very high and neck and neck.

  Tomorrow we leave home at nine in the morning heading north.  My mom’s family, Riebe, are very good at getting together once a year.  Surprisingly, many of the families have stayed close to the Litchfield, Darwin and Dassel area.  We are getting together at the city hall of Darwin, home of the giant twine ball.

  Dennis and I talked over what we should bring for the pot luck noon meal.  It is too far to have a hot dish prepared and stay hot for the trip.  The same could be said about a cold dish.  We decided on three dozen frosted cupcakes.  I did post that on the Riebe Facebook site earlier this week.

  I have remembered the weed that Dennis got onto his clothes earlier this week.  The weed got on and stuck on.  The sandbur is a nasty weed.  The t-shirt has been plucked clean.  As I type, Dennis is working on his pants while in the patio porch watching his favorite television shows.  Bless his heart.  It may mean doing this clean-up job in shifts.

  My hoop for stitching came in the post.  Someone made a fortune using the same PVC tubing as there are so many other uses.  The four sides push together.  Having had a 6″ x 6″ and now an 11″ x 11″, a variety of sizes can be made depending on what you need as parts are interchangeable.  It does work well.  With a push the partial circular add-on clamps the fabric.  The work area is nice and taut.  It takes a bit to get the straight push-on edges used often enough for them to be somewhat relaxed so you don’t loose your fingernails getting them off. 

  Take care my special people as cooler weather is said to be coming. Know that Dennis and I will travel safely.  My next post will be Sunday, the 6th of August.