Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from May, 2022 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 3:08 pm on May 18, 2022 Permalink  

  Wednesday the 18th 

  A day to enjoy some outside time and some indoors time.  It’s called a balanced day.

  My mornings involve taking a walk around the patio area to see what is working its way out of the dirt.  I am giving everything plenty of time to show itself before I choose the hoe.  There is a ton of wild mustard showing itself.  I have my eye on several Autumn Joy that I may divide if the bare spots persist.

  Today in the studio I completed the nine 5.5 inch blocks named The Courthouse Steps.  A grouping of three sewn in a strip will find themselves in the completed project in various areas.  It wasn’t a difficult block using one inch strips.  The most time consuming was pressing after each seam was stitched prior to trimming.  That brought a chuckle from me.  When my sister got the quilting bug she realized then what had escaped her in garment sewing . . . ya gotta stitch a seam and then press a seam.  

  After today’s stitching, I turned the page to see what would come next in this project.  It will be four 6.5 inch blocks labeled as Log Cabin.  Again it will be fabric cut into one inch strips.  My pile of scraps gets fluffed up and then time will tell.  I had a great phone visit this morning from one of the stitchers.  Sharon is aware of this pattern as we all had a chance of seeing the finished project when fellow Stitcher Lu brought it to one of our luncheons at Baker’s Square.  Yup . . . I could allow Sharon to know it is one step at a time and to not loose patience.  It was great that Sharon called as I will be with Dennis tomorrow during his surgery rather than at Baker’s square with the group of stitchers.  I will catch up with them next month.

  Dennis had his eye injection today at our local eye clinic.  Wham, bam . . . two procedures in as many days for Dennis.  Both Dennis and I are anxious to make the call after supper as to when we need to be at the hospital tomorrow.  Tomorrow at this time, Dennis will be recovering either at the hospital or at home.  Whew.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:12 pm on May 16, 2022 Permalink  

  All is Well 

  On a grand day as this is, all is well with me and mine.

  Dennis had his pre-op physical this morning at our local clinic.  We got home at noon and we both agreed this would be a good day for making nice with the acre.  I think I could do the push mowing around the house but I won’t hold up in doing the trimming of the acre as well.  Dennis put the Sear’s rider on the second to the highest level.  The front yard looks manicured at that height with no scalps.

  I enjoy being outside doing yard work.  I have been doing it since I had babies riding on my lap of a riding lawnmower.  Hmm.  That was in the 60s.  It is surprising how easily they would fall asleep.  We had two Oak trees just far enough apart from each other that the hammock was the perfect dumping off spot to pop them into to finish a nap.  Orlin had even made a small fenced in area that was easy to move from spot to spot to keep the kids out of the sun and far away from the mower.  Sweet times those were on the farm.  I can recall them as if it were yesterday.

  Fast forward to last year . . . 2021.  I didn’t accomplish much in our yard let alone contribute to the tending of the acre.  I had tried, but when I lost my balance while being a novice with a cane, I nicely had to stay where I sat until Dennis came to my rescue.  He got me up on my feet and steered me to the closest lawn chair.  He then took my cane away so he knew I would stay where I was planted.

  Much has improved over this last year.  I understand my body and what it and I can do together safely.  The together part is the mind plus the physical body.  Maybe I will always be tuckered at the end of the day.  I don’t nap during the day.  Whether I am in the studio or in the yard, I give it all that I have.  I am in the comfort zone of my home.  It is my safety rut.  I also know that I do experience sensory overload when we have a full day outside of our home.  A stroke can and doesn’t effect just the physical body.  However small . . . there is some spillover into the mindset.  That is the best way I can think of explaining that.  

  I am here to tell you, I accept who I am and what I am able to do for myself and Dennis.  We are a team that sometimes appears to be tattered from stepping up and taking . . . one more hit.  I am not one to throw in the towel . . . neither is Dennis.  Dennis and I talked about this just this last Saturday once we had the patios tricked out.  Dennis went through so many medical issues with me when I was in my late 50s and early 60s.  I then took time off with the medical world until the stroke and heart surgery in 2021 when I was 76.  It wasn’t until Dennis had turned 82 that he had medical issues and that was the carotid arteries.  Hmm.  We summed it up by reminding each other of the great medical advancements we each have experienced.  Sweet.

  What is also sweet is how great the acre looks this afternoon.  What a great spring week.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:17 pm on May 15, 2022 Permalink  

  Oh What a Day 

  Oh what a beautiful day!

  I was up a bit before six this morning and was ready for what the day brought.  Now that we have chairs out on the patios, I took a cup of coffee and headed to the east one.  Each day I marvel that there are still some Hosta just making their appearance.

  I checked out the two Rainbow’s End Alberta Spruce that we purchased at Drummer’s Nursery last year in Mankato.  The tips are loaded with new buds.  I had hung onto the sales receipt as Drummer’s would have replaced them had they not made it into the 2022 growing season.  There is an envelope I can throw out.  Dennis had watered them last year consistently with fertilizer.  The end of the potting shed looked naked.  With one last swallow of coffee, I began making one trip at a time for some garden art to put out onto the lava rocks. 

  The north side of the potting shed had been the Koi pond for decades.  The fall of 2000, the Koi were taken to Renville County to my brother’s as Mike and Jo had a pond and our Koi would join theirs’s for that winter.   We found out in the spring of 2021, all of our Koi had made it just fine.

  By the time came at 9:30 this morning, I was ready to pack it in with the potting shed’s north side tricked out.  It had taken me many trips to bring items out of the potting shed . . . one at a time.   I did bring out a fresh cup of coffee and took a break.  After I had taken the photo, I realized that with the end of a rake, I could have nudged the welcome sign in the peak of the shed a bit to straighten it out.  That may get done tomorrow.

  Dennis was busy in the garages.  We can’t figure out what the patio porch kitties had gotten into.  There were greasy foot prints all over the floors and they went around both vehicles.  They were greasy enough that cat hair and dust stuck to their foot prints.  We could find nothing that was tipped over or broken.  Not to get the grease tracked into the vehicles, Dennis set about cleaning the cement floors.  He had won a spray container of cleaner for tires.  That spray went onto the foot prints.  Dennis let that set awhile and he then followed up with hot sudsy water and a stiff brush.  It was a good thing the brush had a good length of a handle as his back got a good workout.  Rinsing the floors with clear water and the floors air dried.  The floors are clean and clear of tell tale foot prints.  Leave it to the patio porch kitties.

  Oh what a day we have had.  Today all we have left is showers and getting fresh dressings on Dennis’ left foot.  He has been getting several hours each day with the arterial pump on the left leg.  We both have good feelings about the surgery on his left foot later this week.  Positive affirmations with lots of prayers.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:28 pm on May 14, 2022 Permalink  

  Open for the Season 

  The older ones on Stauffer Avenue are open for the season.  We have chairs out on the patio and the 10′ umbrella is out and up.  It just feels good to take a cup of coffee out and enjoy what the day may bring.

  We have a neighbor that takes care of a home that was his parents.  No one has lived in the house for years.  One day my neighbor Jan and I were wondering how many goodies could possibly be in the home.  I commented I would love to get a hold of an old trunk to fix up.  Jan looked at me and said she might have just what I was looking for in her attic.  Sure enough.  We now have two old trunks in our patio porch.  The wheels in the old cowboy are turning as he is sizing up hinges to find and working on taking the tattered old oil cloth off.  Amazing!  I thought of daughter-in-law Kersten and her collectables.  Several years ago Dennis did a bang up job on an old wooden highchair.  I think this might be the ticket for him to putz on while recovering from surgery.

  It was a great day outside and I am hoping for many more.

  Bring on a great run this next week of enjoying Minnesota.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:52 pm on May 10, 2022 Permalink  

  Quite the Day 

  This morning as I was just coming to, I had a fright.  I need to back up.

  Dennis is one to wear clothing that a homeless beggar would think twice about wearing.  He thinks it still has just one more good wearing in them.  After showering last night and PJs were put on, the holy jeans and the tattered chambray shirt were put in the kitchen waste basket.  I tied the bag shut and carried it right out to the garbage bin that gets picked up on Tuesday mornings.  Dennis has plenty of choices in his dresser and on hangers.  

  Back to this morning.  I don’t think I even had opened my eyes when I realized and heard the early bird garbage truck barreling down Stauffer Avenue that had picked up our bin.  Oh my gosh!  The fright I felt.  I remembered pulling out the red hanky from the back pocket of the blue jeans I had pitched but I didn’t check the rest of the pockets!  Dennis wallet!  I laid in bed and got a really sick feeling. 

  Dennis had gotten up early and was dressed in jeans as he had said he was going to mow the acre today.  If the wallet had been in the jeans how would I broach the subject of what I had done, or should say, had not done in checking the pockets.  I was in a pickle.  When Dennis came in the house to refill his coffee cup before heading to the back garage I made light of the fact that he would be farming today and gave him a pat on his butt as he headed down the back entry steps.  Lordy, Lordy the little square wad that I had patted was his wallet.  Relief doesn’t cover the wash that came over me.  Life’s lessons come with a whole lot of humility.  

  The morning was off to a very good start.  Dennis got the Cub-Lo-Boy out for mowing.  This first time it would be to put a good trim on the yard as the mower is set quite high compared to the Sears mower.  We had purchased a very light weight trimmer several years ago.  It is also good for balance for me when in use.  I trimmed the areas around the house that Dennis couldn’t get into with the Cub.  As I said, this first time was to even out what had sprouted sporadically.  Different types of grass . . . different heights.  When we were both putting our respective garden tools away . . . the acre looked smart.

  Wow what a day!  It all turned out great.  There is an oven meal that has allowed for good leftovers from last night.  I know I will sleep very deeply when I put my head down tonight.  Silly ole Grammie.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:00 pm on April 26, 2022 Permalink  

  Trains 

  I could not believe it!  Between 2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. there were three trains that went through town during the early morning hours.  The train tracks are only a block north of us.  The trains have to blow their horn when they are traveling across a street intersection.  With the strong north winds, they sounded as if they were right outside the house.

  There was a huge noise on the street right outside my bedroom at 2:30 this morning that had me wide awake.  I got up and looked out the window.  The neighbors across the street were putting out their garbage for the morning pick-up and it apparently took two to do it and they were having a loud conversation.  I was so wide awake I actually thought about getting up and calling it a night.  I think it was the third train whistle and the noise of the rumbling train cars that lulled me back to sleep.  I did sleep until eight this morning.  I decided I would put in a full day and be ready for bed this evening.

  On a happy note, the kitty that had been AWOL was home by nine last night.  Dennis had to make one more check and when he opened the back door, even I could hear from the living room as Honey Bunny let out a loud MEOW!  Today Dennis reported she hasn’t been out of her basket all day.  Just tuckered out from being on her own the previous night.  Those patio porch kids have Dennis wrapped around their paws.  That’s not all bad.  

  With a run to Lewis Drug, Dennis came home with three prescription refills: one for me and two for Dennis with with a total of $7.34 spent.  Sure can’t beat that.

  The kitchen was turned over to the ole cowboy today and we have an oven dish to pop into the oven for today’s supper.  There is another thing you can’t beat.  Dennis enjoys having one hot meal a day and from the looks of the round blue speckled roaster . . . he, we will be guaranteed that hot meal for at least three suppers.

  I checked out the backyard this morning.  The Bleeding Heart perennials are up as well as the Star of David plants.  The Star of David plants are up early and after they bloom, the greenery dies back.  As in last year, I will tend to what comes up on its own.  I will not be purchasing any annuals or potted plants that require a lot of watering and fertilizer as it gets warmer out.  The beautiful flowering potted plants will not continue blooming without a lot of fertilizer.  Our city has huge blooming pots hanging from the street lights as it gets nice out, every week there is a pickup with a tank to water them.  You can see that the tank has fertilizer in the water.  Good old Miracle Grow.  In the heat they get watered several times a week to keep them going.  

  I have had a great run of a yard full of plants in times past.  I do know that I have limits.  Hmm.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:16 pm on April 21, 2022 Permalink  

  Spring is Here! 

  What a great bright day!  Though we have been on a wild ride with Dennis’ doctor appointments . . . today I ran away from home and went right back to Mankato to enjoy lunch with the stitchers.  There were seven of us that stuck our feet under a round table at Baker’s Square and exchanged the latest and greatest of the thread and fuzz world.  It is so much more fun than sitting in a doctor’s office or the waiting room of a hospital.  

  As much fun as this monthly luncheon was, I am thrilled that we have nowhere to go for the next two weeks.  There truly is no place like home. 

  One more visit from Mason tomorrow as he needs to caulk around the walk-in shower unit now that the new sheetrock has been painted.

  There may be some sticks that need picking up in the yards.  With the new 1/2 inch of rain the green of the grass is most welcoming.  How soft the yards are will be the determining factor as to when they get picked up and when we start a small bonfire.

  When I got home, Dennis had a tuna, peas and pasta oven dish ready for a 325 degree oven.  Sweet!

   
• 

  Noreen 2:14 pm on March 31, 2022 Permalink  

  Wow 

  Wow!  I am having a great birthday!  My best ever phone call came this morning from the laundromat here in St James.  It was Dennis!  He had left early this morning with rag rugs to wash up after a winter’s use and had forgotten about the wish until he was busy watching suds.  Sweet.

  Yesterday there were cards in the mail and one in particular provided for times when I want a nourishing supper for Dennis and me while keeping the kitchen range clean.  Thanks to the Fairfax team for Subways.  Today Carrie drove out from the metro to have lunch with us.  I provided a fitting room and Carrie brought a bright colored top and pants from her store.  Thanks to the metro family.  Being treated to a meal while wearing some new clothes . . . can’t get any sweeter than that.

  I feel so fortunate for this 78th birthday.  I looked back as to what I had written on my blog March 31, 2021.  I was going to PT three times a week working towards mobility from the February stoke while dragging my Foley catheter wherever I went.  I take it back.  I am not fortunate, I am blessed beyond belief.  Each morning I say “Thank you Lord, it’s MY day to make You proud.” 

  Soon the biting cold days are bound to be over.  It’s a good thing the red breasted Robins are covering our back yard believing in spring and checking out what’s for lunch.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:02 pm on March 21, 2022 Permalink  

  Not Soon Enough 

  When it dries out in our yard . . . it can’t come soon enough.  There are branches to no end.  Dennis is ready to hook the rake up behind the rider lawnmower and pick up enough to start a small fire in our surround in the yard.  Over the several times our yard was bare this winter, the large branches were already taken care of.

  Today I received passing grades on how well Dennis incision has been cared for on his left foot.  March 28th can’t come soon enough for the angiogram that will be done on Dennis’ left leg.  A vein behind his knee needs to be opened and a vein running down from his knee to his foot is the second target.  Yes, it has been a long run, but there is no complaint on what has been given with the medical care for Dennis.  We do count our blessings.  We stopped at the Mayo Store as there was a new bundle of gauze that was waiting for Dennis.  Again . . . so thankful for good insurance.

  We got home at 12:30 this noon and for some reason the oomph was out of me for starting anything on the home front.  There is only so much energy in a given day and when it is gone . . . it needs to be nurtured for a go round in the next day.  We are off the clock until a week from today when we check Dennis in at 8 a.m. at the Mankato hospital.  

  There is a Watonwan Game and Fish Club event at the American Legion this evening.  Dennis and his bud, Orville Larson, are in charge of handing out giveaways to the young children.  They all go away with something.  Sweet!  It is a great way for Dennis to get out and see many.

  Tomorrow is a new day and new energies that I am banking on.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:27 pm on March 17, 2022 Permalink  

  Thursday the 17th 

  No wearing of the green here . . . just my everyday garb.

  I did need a few groceries and a stop at our bank was needed.  CCF had decided that my user name plus my passcode was not enough to check on our bank balance.  The plan was either they would call and give me an additional code or I could click and the additional code would be sent to an additional search engine.  Way too complicated for this Grammie.  I inquired at the bank as to how many other older people found this cumbersome.  Kathy told me that most other older people just call them for the balance on their accounts.  Hmm.  That could be time consuming for the employees.  After the grocery store I got a call from the bank.  Upon their inquiry, this additional security code could be shut off on our account.  Halleluiah!  Within 24 hours I should be back to a simplistic avenue for internet banking.  It pays to look out for one’s self.

  This morning, Dennis noted that there were a few short nails laying on his pickup garage floor.  As he was picking them up, there was a commotion over head.  With the new roof decking being put on that portion of the garage, coupled with the shingles being put on, a lathe that was holding up insulation on the interior had come loose from the vibrations.  The commotion was caused by Snuggles needing to jump up into the cavity made by a loose lathe, causing a section of insulation coming down onto the pickup.  Leave it to the garage kids to find mischief.  If only there were a continual video going on in the patio porch.  Priceless. 

  I pulled together some of mom’s printed field sack material and got it pressed for the upcoming quilt pattern from stitcher Lu.  This pattern will take a lot of patience as it calls for a whole lot of pieces and three inch squares are on the large side.  Oh well . . . where am I going?

  If I thought I would be outside anytime soon picking up branches . . . not!  As I walked around the garages yesterday taking in the shingling project, the grassy areas are like bogs.  The studio be my location for some time to come.