Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from February, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 4:03 pm on February 13, 2023 Permalink  

  Furnace at Rest 

  It sure seems nice not to have the furnace noise.  I know this stage of resting will not last long.  We have a lot of winter left.

  We can’t have what is long past and long gone.  I think of a little house dog we had by the name of Sparky.  Sparky didn’t appreciate being left at home all day long while the rest of us went to our jobs and to school.  Sparky retaliated.  Carrie was so proud of her Nike red and while sport shoes.  She had babysat the Lyndale girls west of South Branch, saving for a pair of Nike sport shoes.

  We came home one weekday afternoon and there was crying and sobbing.  Sparky had chewed off the little thingie on the heel of Carrie’s shoes.  They had not been worn for too many days.  There was nothing to do but continue wearing them.  I can’t remember if Kevin had shoes that were ravages of Sparky as well.

  What makes me think of Sparky is that even with a shoe horn, that I do so need to get my shoes on, I would give anything not to have those thingies on my shoes.  With a shoe horn, the thingies do not want to pop out like they should and then I play heck getting my finger into the already tight shoe to release the thingie so the shoe feels as it should.  Hmm.

  Yesterday evening, Dennis got two large cottontails as they were enjoying some of the deer shell corn.  Today he aced two gray squirrels.  Those two squirrels did not make a dent in what we have.

  I did have a successful day in the studio.  The log cabin quilt top is totally done.  Tomorrow, it gets a press and then folded.  It sure did keep me occupied.  That’s a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on January 23, 2023 Permalink  

  I Missed It 

  The news at noon said the sun had been out for a short time this forenoon, but I missed it.  I had gone into the studio and tidied up after the segment of putting zippers into the pant legs of several pair of Dennis’ pants.  There is a spot for everything and when everything is in its place . . . all goes so much better.  It is comparable to the tools needed in a repair shop.  If put back when finished with it . . . it will always be able to be found.

  My patient is doing well.  Last night when I dressed the incision, the wound was dry to the touch.  No stitches have been pulled out.  When I was done, there was plenty of padding for protection before setting the foot back in the boot and Velcroing it in.  No rubbing of any sort!  Dennis has been very cooperative.  This morning he asked if he could pick up Dwayne for coffee.  Dwayne no longer drives and was tickled to death.  They picked up coffee in the drive through and drove around the community.   No harm, no foul.  There was very little activity, other than stepping into the little red pickup and then stepping out again.

  This morning I checked out the picket fence.  Dennis thinks two bucks got into a tussle with one jumping the fence, getting its hoof caught.  The bucks have shed their antlers at this time of the year, so it was hard to tell who was what.  We are down one picket.  As luck would have it, we have an extra picket in the garage.  Plenty of time for a repair this spring. 

  Happy Monday everyone.

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on January 22, 2023 Permalink  

  Hmm! 

  Yesterday I thought was Sunday.  Hmm.  Basically, I do stay on track 99.9% of the time.

  Yesterday Dennis took my camera to the patio porch and Dennis did score a great photo of a deer feeding just on the other side of the sliding patio door.  I went out for a bit to see if more would be coming to join in for some shell corn.  

  I sent the photo to Megan, Nicholas and Kevin’s.  I received swift replies on all accounts.

  We came in about 4:30 thinking all the traffic on Stauffer Avenue had scared the deer away until after dark.  I was putting supper on at five and I glanced through the bathroom window.  Oh my gosh, talk about a feeding frenzy.  Dennis has decided he would try again this evening to see if a photo could capture a crowd of deer coming for corn.  

  The frost has been on the trees all day.  Though a wonderous sight, it does make me wonder if the frost and the fog has made the roadways a bit slick.

  I took a vacation day and have done squat.  I do have wound dressing to do before supper.  This will be ongoing for some time.  I cannot complain about doing it, as I am thrilled the patient is as good as he is.  I am not sure how many I could vouch for that might have gone through the same thing.

  Perhaps maybe tomorrow I will have a bit of spunk.

  I hope all is well wherever you are.

   
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  Noreen 3:28 pm on January 21, 2023 Permalink  

  Dark Sunday 

  How dark can the clouds make it?

  Dennis is on a mission.  He is sitting in his rocking chair in the patio porch with my cell phone, primed to capture a photo of the deer when they come to eat.  They come within two feet of the sliding patio doors.  Time will tell.

  We needed some protein for noon lunch.  A batch of egg salad sounded good to both of us.  I always make mine with a hefty amount of diced onions.  Good grief.  I had five white eggs and one brown egg to boil.  The white eggs were a pick here, a pick there to get the shells off.  Dastardly job.  The brown egg peeled in a heartbeat.  In the end it was all worth the effort. 

  I had planned on a visit to the studio.  Truth to tell, my hands were weary enough that I scrapped that idea.  For all the effort, it was tempting to go to the store for a container of herring, also good protein.

  We will be doing an encore of the oven meal for supper.  I just love leftovers.

   
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  Noreen 4:36 pm on January 19, 2023 Permalink  

  Wet Snow 

  The threats were made good.  We got about four inches.

  Yesterday, I had put salt down so the walk from our back door to the garage door would be free of ice.  It worked quickly and well.  This morning when I was going to clear a path from the house to the garage, the salt I had put down yesterday served me well as I could push the newly fallen snow off to the side and the bare concrete made the path safe.

  Grandson Ryan cleared the drive this afternoon with the skid loader.  He was able to push the alley snow far into the backyard.  He also talked to the fellow that grades the alley and it may be such a thing that that the next snowfall will be plowed to the south so the little red pickup door doesn’t get blocked.  It sure doesn’t hurt to ask.

  Today Dennis got to visit his patio porch for the first time since January 11th.  Dennis had a stool to put his foot up onto.  The kitties were very thrilled.  Short spurts outside, I am sure felt good.  The pain pills are no longer first and foremost.  That is a great thing.

  By all accounts, things are progressing well.  I will be back on board for dressing and wound changes.  I will be using Acetic acid to wash the incision.  It is vinegar and saline solution.  The strange thing is, a prescription is needed to pick it up.  I am sure my kitchen vinegar is not acceptable and then . . . how much to mix with the saline is another question.  The $5.00 for the quart bottle is doable.

  We are not sure what we are hungry for for supper.  It is up for discussion.

   
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  Noreen 2:53 pm on January 16, 2023 Permalink  

  Custom Zippers 

  Digging in my stashes, I found the perfect solution for our latest medical need.

  The boot on Dennis’ left foot is very cumbersome, heavy and specialized.  It is built so when Dennis puts that foot out for a step, the built up heel takes the brunt.  

  Up until yesterday Dennis had a pair of cut off sweat pants to wear.  The boot was to stay on 24/7, but I did take it off Wednesday night to allow him a piece of clothing he could manage in and out of the bathroom. 

  It has been mild outside, but his little white legs even gave the white snow a run for its money. 

  In my stash, out came what is called zipper by the yard.  When purchasing a yard there are several of the zipper pulls included.  Custom zippers can be created.  It is not the easiest to thread the zipper pull on the two sides of the zipper.  Nonetheless, Dennis now has two pair of pants that allow the left leg of each to have a 20″ opening to fit around and over the boot.

  It is time for me to take care of the livestock chores as well as to get the garbage bin out to the edge of Stauffer Avenue.  As soon as I enter the garage, the kitties plop down from the rafters.  It does not get cooler than 51 degrees in the garages, and of course, heat rises.

  May the new week bring all that is needed for all of us.

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on January 14, 2023 Permalink  

  A New Challenge 

  Today I am working on some sewing skills.

  Dennis came home from the hospital in what was a pair of good sweat pants that had a zipper on each side of the legs.  The nurses had a heck of a time getting Dennis ready for home as the zipper was not quite adequate.  I got those pants off by hook and crook, but he needs something more than his undies for next week’s appointments.

  Today with using the oldest pants he has, I am opening the side of the left leg.  Some time ago I had bought three yards of zipper length with individual heads to make your own zippers for the length you needed.  Thankfully I have one head already threaded onto the length.  I think I will cut off a 16″ length and make a pair of pants that are doable to fit over this huge clumsy boot that goes up mid point to Dennis’ knee. 

  Pants that have been laundered umpteen times have stitches deeply embedded with navy on navy . . . hard to see.  Enough for that today.  I will hit the studio tomorrow and see how I do.

  I have the livestock chores done for the day and have made a trip to the store for cough drops, carrots, onions and a rotisserie chicken.

  Boning out the chicken will give me a good batch of chicken for an oven dish sometime soon.  Fixing a dish that will provide us with a good nutritious meal for three evening meals is better for me than coming up with something night after night.

  Dennis is doing quite well . . . all things considered.  He is staying ahead of the pain while keeping the leg up at various locations within the house.  He has not asked if he can go out to the patio porch . . . I believe he already knows what the situation is until next week Tuesday when we see a medical team.

   
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  Noreen 3:44 pm on January 13, 2023 Permalink  

  Lots of Sun 

  Chilly it is but the sun has power.

  I am doing well at the livestock chores.  I know the three fur babies would like me to spend more time in the patio porch.  Sorry!  When I opened the east sliding door to put corn out for the deer . . . good ole Honey Bunny made a break for it.  I went ahead and cleaned the litter box, put fresh food and water out and then returned to the door I had left cracked.  She sat out about ten feet in one of the trenches of tracks made by the deer and . . . looked at me.  I slid the door shut with a fairly loud thud.  Bam, she was at the glass door when there was barely a width large enough for her head.  Gotcha!

  Last night I went to bed at nine and was surprised when I heard traffic was moving on the street outside and it was six in the morning.   Dennis and I both got a great night’s rest. 

  The patient has moved from place to place in the house, wherever we can get a stool to keep the leg elevated.  He is doing well and since surgery on Wednesday, he has asked for one pain pill.  I do remind him, it is easier to stay ahead of it than to try and quench it after it is raging.  He tells me he is doing ok and I take him at his word.

  After having Dennis’ heavy quilt outside for most of yesterday, the smell of winter’s cold fresh air filled the house.  It took me back to the farm in Boon Lake Township where we farmed.  Many times, I would hang out laundry and let it freeze dry.  No fabric softener was used and the softness of bath towels exceeded how they had been purchased.  Flannel diapers didn’t take long to freeze dry and when they were brought indoors, they were ready to be pinned on in a very short time.

  I am very thankful for a lifetime of memories.  It is true, they can’t be taken from you and I always have room to store more.  Sweet!

  Happy weekend!  The temps over Saturday and Sunday will be a great reprieve.

   
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  Noreen 3:00 pm on January 12, 2023 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  After spending the greater portion of yesterday in the surgical unit of the Mankato Hospital . . . today was home sweet home.  Dennis came through the amputation of toes and metatarsal well.  It was a one day surgery.  I did make good on letting all the kids know when were were home.  I encouraged Dennis’ children to give him a call in the evening.

  Dennis had a fairly good night of rest while wearing an orthopedic boot.  The boot is 99% Velcro with various straps.  I did remove the boot this forenoon so Dennis could get into some comfortable sweat pants plus a totally clean change of clothes.  That boot can be worn for several days at a time.  I may well be doing just that.

  The air was crisp today and fairly breezy.  I took Dennis’ heavy flannel quilt outside and made use of the bench that we have by the back door.  With the bench put in the middle of the driveway the quilt took to fluttering.  I have turned it end for end several times.  My hope is when I take it in, the house will be filled with the wonderful aroma of freshness.  It is washable, but it would take a huge front loading machine in the launderette.  By evening, his bed will be an option and perhaps better than the recliner he was in last night.  

  Bland food is the ticket for the day.  Supper will be either scrambled eggs or breakfast cereal.  Anesthetics can be hard on the system for the next day. 

  The wind is brisk enough that the iced snow is letting loose of the evergreen boughs.

  I have the livestock chores done for this evening and have the corn out for the deer.  Dennis will not be able to visit the patio porch until some time next week, if . . . he gets the wound doctor’s go ahead.

  The remainder of our week is quiet.  Sweet!

   
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  Noreen 3:08 pm on January 7, 2023 Permalink  

  A Quiet Saturday 

  With the sun shining brightly, I found myself taking in what I saw out of my bedroom porch window.  There was no breeze but small flakes of snow found their way to the ground after leaving the shelter of the evergreen boughs.  A heavy white frost gave us a wonderland.  

  I was in no hurry to finish my breakfast coffee.  Times like this morning need to happen more often.  Rushing through the hours of the day will not only exhaust me but I miss out of the finer points of each hour.  

  The birds that we have in our Lilac bushes never cease to amaze me.  A pair of cardinals cant be missed against the white snow.  We have Blue Jays that make a huge racket and that can be forgiven for the color they add.  I am not keen on knowing the names of the little birds of varying colors.  They add so much to our yard.  It also gives the patio porch kitties a reason to keep their noses to the window panes.

  After enough nature gazing it was time to get the bedding going.  One bedroom yesterday and one today makes for good local effort.  Dennis pitched in with the back entry floor.  He felt it was only right as he is the one going in and out many times during daylight hours.

  I can add that yesterday in the afternoon of Friday, we found out that the meds that we assumed were given to the drug store Thursday afternoon were not forthcoming from the doctor in Mankato for the pain Dennis was experiencing in his left foot.  I went onto our Mayo Portal at three on Friday afternoon to visit with our family doctor.  I got a message back on the portal at five that Dr. Eatwell had the meds sent to Lewis Drug.  The Drug store is open until six.  A family doctor that knows his patients is so much appreciated.  Dennis got a great night’s sleep.  Having Dennis sleep deprived prior to his surgery on Wednesday would not be a good thing for oh so many reasons.

  Our weekend chores are complete and with the weather having settled . . . all is well.