Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from September, 2022 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 2:43 pm on September 30, 2022 Permalink  

  A Sweet Day 

  A good night’s rest with no getting up during the night for a bathroom break.  That calls for a sweet day.

  I do have unusual breakfasts at times.  I couldn’t see the last of the baked acorn squash go to waste.  After two suppers, Dennis was over it.  Some acorn squash drizzled with syrup . . . a tasty breakfast.  I am not a fussy eater.

  My day has been in the studio.  My purple log cabin quilt top now needs to have three borders attached to it and then it becomes a quilt large enough for a double sized bed.  I do tend to get side tracked in the studio.  Checking this, checking that . . . looking to see if there are some items that could grace the recycling bin or the garbage bin.  It is my goal to pair down wherever I can.

  We had a frost that bit into the greenery of the Hosta earlier this week.  When I look out the bathroom window, the fall season is very evident.  Had not the wind been blowing during the cool morning, I would have gotten the weed whip out to knock down the Hosta.  I did put that off until next week.

  The mail brought a letter that looked as if it should have come from a family member.  What it was, was an estimate of car insurance coverage for our two vehicles.  Glancing at it, from State Farm, I am going to spend a bit more time on it to see if it would be or should be considered.  A penny saved is not a bad idea.

  This evening is our last meal of the chicken oven dish.  Boo Hoo!  So much for good tasty leftovers . . . until the next time.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:34 pm on September 25, 2022 Permalink  

  Fierce Winds 

  If anything would be loose outside, it would now be in someone else’s yard.  Days such as these being out in the backyard would not be safe.  We have had too many limbs take sail over the years.

  Dennis in his recliner and me in the kitchen.  I wrangled a beautiful acorn squash getting it ready for the afternoon’s oven . . . in time for supper.  Baked out squash is one of my favorites.  I did take out some extra butter.  Butter, pepper and some scant salt could make squash a total meal.  I do have two hamburger patties to add to it.

  Via the KNUJ’s radio station, I dug around in my stashes for complementary fabrics with which to add borders to the log cabin pieced quilt top.  Two out of the three is not too bad.  More seeking and searching tomorrow.  The third one pictured the farthest from the finished top, next to the green in the photo is not going to cut it.  Short by 1/4 yard.  Over night, a plan may make itself known.  Perhaps a creative bug will hit over night.

  I checked in with Megan this afternoon.  Her and her roommate had slept in a bit this morning and were heading down to the cafeteria for noon lunch.  Lunch here on Stauffer Avenue was a bit scant as the oven roasted squash will be worth the wait.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:15 pm on September 22, 2022 Permalink  

  A Nowhere Day 

  Today is Thursday the 22nd and we needed to be nowhere for the entire day.

  Yesterday our agenda was to take a load of limbs to the tree dump at four in the afternoon.  I was prepared with my old garden shoes, gloves and a jacket in case a branch came my way to leave a huge gouge in an arm.  On the trail we were behind a huge dump truck loaded with limbs.  I had never seen anything like a truck that had a ladder on the back of it with a fairly comfortable looking chair attached.  We paid our $2.00 and got in line.  When the fellow driving the truck got out, he was fast on his feet and he scaled the ladder in a few seconds.  Then I saw the controls.  There was a huge jaws attachment on a bucket that the truck driver could control.  It took only three nips with jaws and his load was empty.

  The truck driver came over and told us to pull up next to his truck and he would empty our trailer.  Wow.  Talk about making fast work of our load.  We would have been tugging on the limbs for quite some time to get them to pull off easily.  Of course, Dennis had to chit chat with the driver.  The rig was from Sleepy Eye doing a job in St. James.  Dennis’ niece had been his teacher when he was in school.  Small world.  Within a short while we were home, had the trailer parked at the east end of the lot, vowing to each other . . . no more tree work this year.

  Dennis did have coffee and cookie guests in the patio porch this morning.  Doug, from Madelia was over for a VA appointment and stopped afterwards to share his Alaska fishing trip news.

  After my walk, I had local effort to do in the bathroom, laundry and kitchen.  Tidy, tidy.  There was success in the studio.  Of the six total rows in the purple log cabin pattern, I have three rows looking smart.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring.  Tomorrow Dennis will be making the five minute trip to the VA for his INR (blood clotting test).  I will be enjoying the entire day at home.  

  I did need to change Dennis’ dressing on his left foot after lunch.  We are down to a 3″ x 3″ band aid after applying a solution of Iodasorb.  Iodasorb kills bacteria better than Betadine and heals from the inside of the wound out.  It pulls out any seepage that could slow down the healing.  It is not covered by our insurance and was $78.00 at the Mayo Store.  BTW, the only item not covered for Dennis throughout these last ten months. Well worth our cost to get this great headway in that left foot project.  The fact that he can wear a shoe on that foot . . . sweet.  We did get an appointment yesterday from the prosthetic and limb store in the old Madison Mall in Mankato.  It is a medical prescription from the VA.  We will be traveling to Mankato next Tuesday.  Dennis will be fitted for shoes and a prosthetic insert for the left foot as it has a diminished size compared to October of 2021.  One more item to get done during these fall months.

   
• 

  Noreen 1:55 pm on September 21, 2022 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  While Dennis is at DR. Pinke’s eye clinic for the specialist from Mankato to do an eye injection, I am going to pop out a post.

  Son Ken needed to find an alternative driver to take him to the Sioux Falls airport for his 3:15 flight back to Arizona.  These injections that Dennis needs in his right eye do not take a back seat.

  I was up early this morning.  There are times after the bladder has gotten me up for a bathroom call, I am wide awake.  This was one of those times.  Neighbor Jan works at the school and leaves home by 7:20.  Jan came over to the picket fence and commented that it was a bit early for me to be gardening.  That it was.  I was up, the temps were nice and cool . . . why not.

  Dennis and I had achieved our goal of getting the dead lilac cut out and now it was time for some landscaping 101 to make the most of the area that looked . . . naked.  We have always had a love of old metal wheels.  Last year Dennis painted them.  For the immediate future the wheels placed here and there will suffice.  As we placed the wheels against the posts of the fence, Dennis was very careful around the antlers of the concrete deer.  Now wouldn’t that be a home accident waiting to happen! The Autumn Joy plants around the deer took a beating, but they will come back next year with perhaps a few more of them added.  They love the sun and the Monarchs and bees like them as well.

  The lights in the studio were turned on today after a period of darkness.  When the weekend had brought quite a bit of company, it was easier to kick back and take the days the way they came.  Hmm.  The first thing I noticed was that there were some stitches that needed to be removed.  In fact two rows of 60″ each that needed to be taken out.  Concentration was not at its best when done.  I now have all of it taken care of and the next time . . . let the stitching begin. 

  When Dennis gets home from the eye clinic I will have his eye patch ready to wear under his glasses for protection.  The tree dump opens at four this afternoon and the trailer with the dead lilacs is already behind the little red pickup.  The branches are loaded as such that by me taking ahold of their bases and Dennis driving forward slowly, the bulk of them will come off easily.  Yup . . . we have been there and done this before.

  When we get home I have two stuffed green peppers to pop in the oven.  Supper will be a little later than usual but we have no where that we need to be tomorrow.

   
• 

  Noreen 12:16 pm on September 20, 2022 Permalink  

  The Day After 

  Yesterday the remaining dead lilacs were cut out and loaded.  I remained quiet and watched from afar.

  Knowing Ken would be visiting, I had asked Dennis’ son the trucker to take care of cutting down the lilacs that were marked.  Ken visits once a year and always asks his dad to pick him up at the airport then asks for the use of Dennis’ little red pickup.  I thought turn around would be fair play.  He said he would take care of it, have the saw barrowed and he would be at our home by ten yesterday morning.  By three in the afternoon, I began to wonder.

  Lo and behold, Ken had shoved the job off to Grandson Ryan.  After Ryan had been ramrodding concrete all day, he would be at our home after six.  I think that took guts.  That is when Dennis said I should be on the patio in case there were some questions.  Ryan went after the job like no one’s business.  Ryan threw the cut ones onto the patio for Ken to take to the trailer Dennis had on the drive ready to take what was cut.  After two trips from the patio to the drive Ken was looking for a lawn chair.  Oh my gosh!  Talk about a softy that has a lot more hanging over the front of the belt than Ryan, Dennis and myself combined.  Then we got to hear about a bad back!   Yup . . . ready to sit on the bar stool when he visits and go out to eat and talk smart.

  When Dennis and I were alone last night, Grandpa Dennis said he would remember Ryan when Ryan would least expect it as we had really appreciated him and the job he did after working all day.

  Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  

  Ryan did such a good job of cleaning up.  The end of this week is going to be cooler and I will take my six inch rake and make tidy, tidy in the lilac area.  It won’t take much.  We needed to let Ryan get home for his supper and resting to make ready for what Wednesday had on the cement docket.

   
• 

  Noreen 1:55 pm on September 19, 2022 Permalink  

  Hands in Pockets 

  Today is Monday.  There is a plan in place for our dead and dying lilacs to be taken down and out.  Yes, it was my idea.  With that being said, Dennis and his son Ken are in charge of pulling it off.  Me?  Stay in the house and mum is the word.  Keep my hands in my pockets and if I am needed, I will hear about it.  That’s hard for me.  Both of my kids know that about me and Dennis sure as heck does.

  My course of action is doing up the laundry.  In between time, I have a historical novel to read in my bedroom porch.  To get to my reading spot I need to pass by the ancient glider rocker.  My mother and dad had paid $3.50 for it from Montgomery Wards.  There was a time long ago that I was told to sit in this rocker and stay there until I was told I could get out.  That was about 72 years ago.

  At that time we lived one mile west of MN Hwy #15, several miles out of Winthrop.  It would have been winter months and it was butchering time.  Uncles and aunts made a day out of hog and beef butchering.  The cuts of the meat were not as important as it was getting it done, getting it wrapped and divided up.  Michael was six months old at this time.  Calvin would have been three and could stay out of the way by playing.  Michael needed tending.  With Michael sitting next to me in the glider rocker with a white dishtowel tying him to the back spindles, it was my job to keep him from wriggling and slipping out of from under the dishtowel.  I was told to stay put and not rock hard until such time he could either be put down for a nap or to be fed.  No talking.  I was as much a prisoner as Michael was. 

  This rocker has seen hard times.  There was a fad of painting furniture and applying a top coat to give it an antiqued look.  Hello!  Mom had given it a calf shit yellowed look.  At one time, Michael as an adult, had sat too far back in it and had broken one of the wooden braces.  That spot got a metal rod welded in to get it back up and rocking.  I offered mom to strip it down and allow the natural wood to shine through.  I think that was in the 80s.  The multiple spindles were not easy to strip.  In turn the rocker was given to me.  In and about 2005, I had Robert Sorenson, here in town,  shore up the bottom of the seat.  It was a thin veneer of wood.  At the time it was new, there was no telling how durable it would be to last decades.  The back of the top of the rocker had the same decorative veneer on it that the front had.  That was long gone.   Here I am all these 70 plus years, still dusting it and still cherishing it.  Sweet memories.

  Here I am putting myself as a prisoner in my own home, keeping my mouth shut with hands in my pockets to allow those that can to do the work of cutting down the lilacs.  Life long lessons still help.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:12 pm on September 18, 2022 Permalink  

  Happy Sunday 

  Mild temps are great for my walk.  There was a breeze to whisper among the leaves.  Surprising how many leaves are tumbling.

  The Curry clan has pretty much all gone back to their roots.  Dennis’ son Ken flies out of Sioux Falls on Wednesday.

  Tomorrow Ken is coming over and the remaining dead lilacs are going to be tackled.  He said he would round up the tools needed.  Sweet.  After the first lilacs were hacked, Dennis had initially said we would do it next year.  Next year we both will be another year older.  I have a willing worker.  My only stipulation was that nothing larger than what I can easily lift onto the trailer is acceptable.  The agreement was struck.  Today I had my florescent pink spray paint marking those that need to go.  Neighbor Jan came over and helped me.  Two years ago her and I trimmed back an ancient lilac on the northwest corner of the house and it sprouted up so much new growth from the root, today it looks wonderful.  In time we will have healthy looking greenery instead of all of the brown dry leaves hanging from dead wood. 

  I know that after the deed is done, the Home Town Café will be visited.  Ken is an over the road hauler for Heartland.  With Covid, there are very few truck stops that serve anything other than fast foods.  The Home town Café still does the mom and pop menu. 

  Dennis got the acre trimmed today.  Some of the grass was short and some was tall.  It all looks the same now and Dennis is happy about that.

  I have a good hot meal ready for supper for my favorite ground’s keeper.

  I had a great text from Megan last night.  Our college girl is doing well.

   
• 

  Noreen 1:05 pm on September 10, 2022 Permalink  

  Cool Temps 

  This morning Dennis grabbed a jacket on his way to the patio porch.

  I found the morning just right for my walk down Stauffer Avenue.

  True to his word, Dennis’ grandson, Ryan, was here this afternoon to help grandpa unload the implement trailer with the limbs from the Maple tree’s loss the other night.  The fellows headed to the tree dump and were back home before I had a load of laundry folded.  Once again the trailer is parked in the east portion of the acre.

  Ryan carried two old chairs out to the curb for us.  Dennis and I have talked about visiting the Hanska Furniture Store long enough.  It is now time for action.  If a chair cannot be found in Hanska that will serve me well, we will continue on to Sleepy Eye.  Dennis has a beloved recliner that has several years on it, but still has good support.  A chair that supports my back and one that I do not have to crawl up and out of is what is desired.  We purchased a sleeper sofa when Dennis’ grandchildren wanted to stay with us.  It does remain in fairly good shape.  Megan and Nicholas made good use of it also.

  Truth to be told . . . in my 78 years, it was 57 years ago that I chose a rocking chair to be purchased with which to rock babies.  It was purchased in Mart, Texas.  Carrie asked for the rocker last year and it was then reupholstered.  Picking out and purchasing a grown up’s chair for myself will be quite the experience.  I think I can handle it.

  For now the laundry basket is empty.

  Dennis and I are looking forward for the remainder of the weekend to be quiet. 

  There will be no studio lights turned on today.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:28 pm on September 8, 2022 Permalink  

  A Wind 

  I usually hear when the wind comes up during the night.  Not last night!

  Dennis came back in this morning and asked if I wanted the bad news first or the good news first.  I opted for the bad.  With my cane just a hopping, I followed Dennis to the east patio.  I could not believe the limb that had fallen across the backyard off of the Maple.  Lordie, Lordie.  Had we just not parked the implement trailer on the east end of the acre!

  As fortunate as we are, Randy from next door was off from work and he was busy with his chainsaw before I got my underwear on.

  Dennis and I had a doctor appointment in Mankato.  We were still catching our breaths on the way.  This appointment was to make sure the stint had remained in place in Dennis’ left leg.  We got a pass today and we will not be seeing Dr. Goi until after the first of the year.  Staying on top with an ultrasound is easier than having problems with veins that are stinkers.

  Tomorrow we need to be at the heart center in Mankato at 9:15 for the remaining tests that I need from the June of 2021 heart surgery.  Three trips in three days is what sometimes is called for.  Thank goodness for a quiet weekend.

  All I have left to do today is check what the hours of our tree dump are on Friday afternoon or Saturday.  Whew!

  I will say the wind is still fierce.  So thankful no buildings were damaged.

   
• 

  Noreen 1:36 pm on September 6, 2022 Permalink  

  A Good Day 

  Today both Dennis and I feel the local effort we both put in during the last two days of clearing brush.

  All I wanted to accomplish today was use my walking crutches and let the long strides of my legs exercise the body.  It felt good.

  I will go out to the tree dump with Dennis when it opens at four this afternoon.

  Supper will be pancakes and sausages.

  A very good day to be enjoyed.