Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from May, 2020 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 2:51 pm on May 1, 2020 Permalink  

  Dangerous Winds 

  The winds from the south and southeast were horrific.  Gusts to 40 mph and settling in at 27 mph.  Not a good time to be under large trees.  I knew it felt warm outside but I wasn’t prepared when I came in and realized it was 85 degrees.  Ignorance is bliss.

  After the full day of work yesterday these two older ones on Stauffer Avenue were going to take it easier today.  I took Dennis at his word this morning and slept it.  By nine I was awake and dressed.  Successful morning!  When I came back from my walk, Dennis was busy.  Today was his day to take the shutters off of the patio porch.  All needs to be a blank slate when painting is in the plans.  Since the patio porch was added to our patio in 1998, it has been painted several times.  Each time the shutters have come off, the lightweight plastic has shown signs of wear and tear where the screws have pulled through the plastic, needing to have a new spot for the screws to be replaced.

  Dennis has made it known that these shutters are going to replaced after the paint job.  I agreed.  New plastic ones will be purchased.  What I didn’t realize was that the currant shutters were coming off before some of the screws were taken out.  That’s where I came in.  Taking screws out of wood calls for caution.  Screws that have been in place for a decade have rusted heads and it doesn’t take much to strip the heads.  I can say that there was one screw that is still in place of the 36 that were holding the shutters on.  It was one that was bent when put in.  That one screw is down next to the Koi pond and will be sawed off.  I can live with that.

  I had worked the project so I could stay out of the sun and in the shelter where the winds could be avoided.  What I had not expected was to have part of the garage’s ridge roll flying off of the roof.  The gusts of wind had torn the ridge roll off of the nails that had held it down.  Dennis spent a minute looking at the roof and he was off in his red pickup to find “people.”  As of this afternoon are grocery cup is short by $25.00 and the ridge roll on the garage is again secure.  Small towns are amazing. Someone will always know someone who can fill a need.

  We have had another successful day on Stauffer Avenue.  We actually wouldn’t need to mow our grass as we don’t let grass grow under out feet.  Older ones still have it.

   
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  Noreen 2:30 pm on April 30, 2020 Permalink  

  Aced It! 

  The older ones on Stauffer Avenue have aced this Thursday . . . the last day of April.  We had a goal that included working on the garage walls for prep in painting and doing the first mowing of the 2020 season.

  With those plans in mind, I beat feet out early this morning to get my walk in.  The birds were out in full force as I headed east on Stauffer Avenue.  The walking has become a compulsion.  Dang . . . a good habit.

  Dennis and I have agreed that this 2020 painting of the garage will be the last painting.  The next time there is a need for a face lift, it will be siding.  Most likely it will be steel.  With Stauffer Avenue being a gravel road, rocks can and do make holes in vinyl siding.  That’s the thought for now.  Enough visiting, it was time for me to get back to scraping the north side. Dennis went to the south side for scrubbing of siding and garage doors.  Twelve noon we took a break, closed down the garage work and went in to have some buttered toast with grape jelly.  Oh that tasted so good.

  Mowing the acre for the first time is a pain.  Finding the twigs that fell after we had done the twig sweep of winter is a must.  I stick to the front yard and around our house with my push mower with the bagger.  We have a huge evergreen in the front yard that had a ton of needles that had fallen and made a good sized dust storm when the mower got them into the bag.  Michael had always kidded me that I should have a self-propelled mower.  I did try that and it was not successful.  My hands have all they can do to keep the bar engaged for the mower to keep running and the blade to spin and cut.  I don’t have the expanse in my hands to keep the bar pushed down for the mower to continue running as well as the bar for it being self-propelled.  Bummer.

  When this great day is ending, sitting on the patio and enjoying the investment of our energy . . . priceless. It takes Dennis a lot longer to mow the majority of the acre compared to my portion. That gives me time to get our lightweight trimmer out to take care of the nonsense growth that the mowers can’t get close enough to.  Tidy, tidy.  I think we have agreed that we need to get a second battery for our leaf blower.  As with the trimmer, we got a lightweight blower and naturally the batteries go hand in hand with the size of the unit.  The strength in my arms had determined the tools that we have purchased.  It’s a good thing.

  Tomorrow will be another “work on the garage day.”  I had actually put a request on Facebook in regard to someone that would be interested in hiring out for working on our garage project.  How many responses?  Zero.  That told me that even when many have been put out of employment . . . nobody wants to work.  Dennis and I are doing great and it brings to mind something that Kevin told me a long time ago: “They probably wouldn’t do it to your specifications anyway.”  Good Lord, my kid knows me well.

   
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  Noreen 3:19 pm on April 29, 2020 Permalink  

  Enough Talk 

  No more talking about it, today we started doing something about it.  Today, this forenoon, we started scraping the north side of the garage siding.  It has shown signs of this need for a year or two.  The side walls are not high and there is nothing to be said that it needs to be a hurry job.  If we get the north side scraped, primed and painted this year . . . I’ll be very content and happy as I enjoy being outside.  Less time on plants means that there is time and energy to put in on the garage.  It will by no way mean full days.  Heck no.  At 1:30 I put my tools away and went for my walk as Dennis got out the shop vac to clean up the paint chips.  Paint chips on a concrete patio need vacuuming.  When latex paint chips get wet, they nestle in for the long haul.

  Walking against the north wind today left me breathing a bit hard by the time I got home, but it sure felt good to stretch the legs.  All that was left on my plate for the day was to make a run to the grocery store for a pail of vanilla ice cream.  

  There was a deal struck between Dennis and me in regard to the garage project.  The deal was, we would do it ourselves at our own pace, aka: my pace.  As Dennis does cleanup from the scraping that I can put out . . . suppers are not going to be a big deal.  To be sure . . . we will have more than ice cream for supper.  The main course might be a can of soup and a half of grilled cheese sandwich each.  The tone of the suppers will be “quick and easy” on the days that the garage is worked on.  It will be a good workout for us and a lot of self satisfaction.  I love self satisfaction.

  The middle of the week.  The end of April on Thursday.  Time waits for no man.  I sure do appreciate that I have no time table.  It’s funny how that works out.

   
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  Noreen 3:54 pm on April 25, 2020 Permalink  

  Snapped 

  Yesterday Dennis and I were going at it like we had had new rubber bands installed in our get-up and go.  I am here to tell you my rubber band has done snapped.

  I do believe if I had gotten up and hit it the mojo would have kicked in.  What we discovered yesterday after the Koi were in the pond . . . we had no food left from last fall.  Those fish had been in the horse tank in the garage all late fall and winter hibernating.  Now they are swimming laps and they need nourishment.  We got the Lincoln out of the garage and headed to Pet Expo in Mankato.  Going for a car ride mellows one out.  This would be our huge excursion since we had left home last weekend.

  We needed the break.  We have been hitting all the marks getting Stauffer Avenue opened up from the winter.  Unfortunately, Dennis also hit the garage floor on Thursday.  He was doing such a great job of cleaning his garage floor to rid it of an oil leak . . . that has since been taken care of.  Shoes with the soles worn smooth was no match for the bubbles and slick floor.  It took a bit to get Dennis up.  No . . . I didn’t dust him off as I needed to first see if he had either broken something or if he would be okay.  Yup, by the grace of God he was on his feet and moving without pain.  The aches came on Friday.  A few black and blue marks and stiffness.  Dennis did keep moving throughout the day on Friday as he knew if he didn’t, he would really get stoved up.  Today was a good day to totally take a break from Stauffer Avenue.

  The Koi went right after the fish food sticks when Dennis threw some into the pond.  There are six fish for the season.  Five Koi and Dorothy.  Dorothy is a transplant.  Megan and Nicolas had gotten Dorothy when she was a mite swimming in one of those small glass bowls that were showcased at the end of isles before the Moms and Dads checked out of big box stores.  A real gimme for the kids, Dorothy is now a good six inches long and doesn’t mind hanging with the Koi.  When Nicolas brought Dorothy from Eden Prairie, she was in a baggie with some water.  The ideal situation is to add some of the new water that will be enjoyed by the fish for some acclamation.  Dorthy went from the warm water of being in a car with sunlight perhaps shining on her to . . . plop, in ya go.  

  It is a bit cool out today and looks as if it could rain.  Tomorrow is a new day with new things that present themselves.  Dennis and I try to live as it is our last opportunity to take care of what we have.  Being good stewards of what He has allowed us, is a mighty big job.

   
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  Noreen 3:59 pm on April 24, 2020 Permalink  

  Not Bedtime Yet 

  It’s 4:30 and no bedtime any time soon.  I think someone has installed new rubber bands in us. 

  Our home is small but we are blessed with a lot of windows to let the sunshine in.  With the house being washed off, Dennis is right.  It’s time to do the windows.  Our west porch has eight of the lovelies.  They all tip in . . . a huge plus.  When Dennis had gone to the dollar store to pick up cheap soap to wash the house down, it was a no brainer . . . the cheapest that there is.  We both thought the house siding looked great with the grime washed off.

  What I noticed today when I started on the west porch windows . . . there were no hard water spots.  St. James has the hardest water imaginable.  In years prior, it took foaming Lime Away to cut the water spots and then the Windex washing could begin to have windows that would let the sunshine in.  Today it was a matter of using Windex and lint free cloths for a quick job of the outside of the windows.  Dennis went back to the store and brought another gallon of “Sun Laundry Soap” home.  As I said, it was the cheapest product.  More than likely in the fall when we do the house again, they will have changed companies to purchase things from.  Who knew!  The west porch is deemed to be cleaned from top to bottom.

  Dennis was no slouch outside, either.  The Koi are in the pond doing laps.  They will begin eating in earnest and get some color back into them.  The horse tank from the garage is out and cleaned from the garage.  The car garage floor has gotten a cleaning with many winter items now being put into the potting shed.  The acre has been treated for crab grass control with an additive of nitrogen, both in a granular form.  

  We have decided to order from the Eagles Club for supper.  They are doing take-0ut via their back door.  

  We are getting close to calling it a day.  Whew!

   
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  Noreen 3:21 pm on April 23, 2020 Permalink  

  4 P.M. Thursday 

  It’s 4 pm . . . is it bedtime yet?  There are some days when the work around our yard is similar to finding a trail of jelly beans.  You take up one bean and oh, look . . . there is another one, etc.  

  After I came back from my walk, Dennis had our small stepladder out next to the bathroom window.  Of all of our windows the bathroom two windows are the only two that need to be done from the outside.  Yesterday Dennis washed the house and it then follows that the windows would be next.  I do not let Dennis up on a ladder, no matter how slight the height.  Windex, rags and me with Dennis at the side of the ladder and those two windows did get done.

  We have taken the sump pump off of the underground tile and have a heavy black hose taking the water to the street.  The area around the underground tile was a huge swamp.  That swamp was now a divot with a hard crust around it as the water evaporated.  It needed to be raked to let the air get to the soil  That was my next task as Dennis was determined to get lawn chairs out of the potting shed.  It is getting nice enough to sit on the patio and catch one’s breath.  We have realized that the plastic chairs have a knack of allowing cobwebs to catch on the underside of the seat.  Where there are cobwebs there are spider eggs.  It has happened to me to have spider bites on my legs.  Dennis had plenty of soap to put through his sprayer and he went to work getting the chairs ready to enjoy.

  The lilacs have signs that we will have beautiful blossoms.  When I looked at the deep purple bush, I noticed that there were Night Shade plants around the base of the bush.  Those plants get nasty and vine to twine themselves to the Lilac branches.  I started on finding their bases and began untangling.  Their roots are very shallow and easy to pull out.  Those nasties plus a huge amount of dried pine needles that pile up next to the sidewalk and small branches are now in Dennis’ burning ring. The front yard has been tidied.

  I kind of thought we had a good day . . . Dennis disagreed.  Out came everything in the pickup garage and the pickup was left in the driveway.  The garden hose needed to be drug through the car garage and the plan became to scrub and wash the pickup garage floor.  There had been an oil leak that has now been fixed on the pickup.  Kevin had given Dennis several gallons of pink degreaser.  Some of that went into Dennis’ sprayer and away we went cleaning the concrete floor.  The city always sprays down Stauffer Avenue twice a year for dust control.  I think it is calcium chloride.  That muck drags into the garage on the tires.  Over time with snow and ice dripping off of the tires and gravel that stick on to the tires . . . it almost makes the perfect confection for a hard clay.  The floor has been brush scrubbed, ice scrapper used on the hardest of spots and rinsed, rinsed and rinsed.  All is drying with lots of air going through the garage.  

  Again . . . let’s call it a day.  Not.  The plants that have been in the patio porch are now out on a shelf of two 2″ x 6″ planks over the west end of the Koi pond.  When I came in, I was assured Dennis was not going to tackle any more for the day.  Dennis has been on a role this spring, but caution still needs to be adhered.  

  Yup . . . whether it is acknowledged by Dennis, bedtime will be sweet.

   
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  Noreen 2:49 pm on April 21, 2020 Permalink  

  It’s the Prep 

  We have an agenda for when the weather will actually stay over 50 degrees for several days at a time.  Exterior paint was put on the agenda last fall for this spring.  The garages and the patio porch are in need of some new faces.  Now that’s not all bad.  99% of it can be done standing flat footed on the ground.  I know the last time the gable of the car garage, I tackled on the ladder.  I won’t be doing that this year.  We have a grandson to tap for that this year.  

  Dennis was doing prep work today.  The dollar store sells a gallon of soap of some weird brand quite reasonably.  We have saved a Windex window washing container for several years.  The soap goes in . . . it is attached to the water hose and it has the ability to spray out water mixed with soap or turn a small knob and it is plain water for rinsing.  It is amazing how much of the old paint was chipping off by the spray of water and soap.  It will make less scrapping when the time is right.  I know before long the entire house will have a “Dennis Wash Job.”  

  As I have mentioned prior, my ole cowboy has been moving right along.  His energy level I think is wonderful.  To date:  there are no branches that need to be picked up from the winter, the mowers are ready to role and now the first layers of grit and grime are being washed off of the garages.  I did start him on a supplement and he has been on that for a month as of now.  Whether the supplement is working or if he believes it is working, I will take it.  

  By the way . . . the hotdish from last night was tasty.  The quartered brussel sprouts made a windrow on one side of Dennis’ plate.  I let it pass.  The rest of the ingredients were enjoyed.  Yes . . . we will be having leftovers this evening.  I might just pick out the sprouts before they hit his plate and save him that task.

  I may not win each excursion, but . . . I plan on winning the war.  Being in charge of our care is a challenge that is worth my energy, time and scheming.

   
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  Noreen 2:26 pm on April 20, 2020 Permalink  

  Hang On 

  What a season of winds!  After I had taken care of what needed to be tidied in the house, Dennis mentioned that maybe my walk should be done sooner than later.  His forecast was that the winds would only get stronger as the day went on and there might be rain.  I checked the computer and 45 degrees was doable for walking.  

  I checked before I left home as to what Dennis had on his plate.  Oil needed to be changed in our Sears rider lawnmower as well as the Cub-lo-Boy mower.  Dennis had coffee on board and I knew he would take a break or two during this.  As an ole 18 wheeler trucker, Dennis does know how to take care of the mowers . . . me not so much.  The extent of my portion of the mowers is . . . pushing mine.

  Saturday as we came back into town from our road tip we had stopped at the grocery store and picked up a rotisserie roasted chicken for supper.  For us, it is a lot of chicken, but . . . bones out it speaks to a chicken pasta hotdish within several days.  Today was the day!  I had a package of small egg noodles that would pass for the hotdish.  Lots of cubed chicken.  There was a lonely package of frozen brussel sprouts that was weary of being pushed around.  Those sprouts were quartered and will add great color in the mix with the Alfredo sauce.  Though not Dennis’ favorite vegetable, he will enjoy them when they are outnumbered by the other ingredients in a hotdish.  This hotdish will actually take me out of the kitchen for tonight’s supper as well as tomorrow night’s fare.  I love leftovers.

  As of today my itchy, bitchy hexagons are one.  They have been gathered, paired and rearranged multiple times to find just the right configuration.  There was no one right answer.  Within my stashes, I found a good green to use for the border.  The green border actually made me like this project a bit more.  It mellowed it out.  The backing is sewn together and ironed with a tone of the golds that are within the hexagons.  That is as far as I took it today.  All I have on hand is a king sized package of batting, aka: 12o” x 12o”.  It will take a bit of doing to decide where I take out the 55″ x 65″ to allow the remaining batting is be a good fit for the next project. 

  By the way . . . today the evergreens in our backyard were not whispering . . . they were howling with the 20 mph winds.

   
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  Noreen 2:52 pm on April 15, 2020 Permalink  

  Ice on the Pond 

  Dennis had been gearing up for the Koi to come out of the winter sheltered horse tank.  Not!  The ice has formed a shroud around the bubbles.  In several days, all will be better.

  I am working on hexagons.  I think when my friend had cut out hundreds of triangles and grouped them by six, she had no idea what the end goal would or could be.  I am dubbing it my Coronavirus project. So many seams that need to be pressed open.  Over 80 plus hexagon blocks that do not resemble one to another, all being cut out of the same piece of fabric yardage.  I am determined to forge ahead.  I am not going anywhere anytime soon and I think if I had to sit and look out the window all day long, I could and would be crabby.   I have always enjoyed challenges.  This one will not break me.  Getting the hang of sewing these blocks together was trial and error.  After laying them all out, I realized if I took the top half of one hexagon and the bottom half of the next hexagon in the row, I would eventually have a straight seam to sew one length onto another.  Hmm.  If my estimate is correct, it will be approximately 45″ x 62″ for a border to then be added.   

  It has been noted what a blessing the new Husky sewing table has been as a replacement for the heavy wood table that I had been using for decades. The height adjustment of the Husky has made a huge difference on my neck and shoulders.  After so many years of not having to think about what I slid my sewing chair up to . . . being open to something new has worked out well.  Dennis’ trip to Mankato to visit Home Depot worked out well.

  I canceled on the walk again today.  Too cold.  Too windy.  As with the Koi pond . . . it will be better soon.

   
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  Noreen 2:54 pm on April 8, 2020 Permalink  

  Fleet and Farm Trips 

  Dennis was off for his monthly visit to the VA clinic in our town.  INR, aka: checks on Warfarin to make sure the clotting if cut or injured is on a safe level.  

  I headed out with my red stocking cap and gloves for my walk.  What a difference from yesterday.  As I was rounding the corner coming home, Dennis was right behind me.

  Over lunch we had a visit in regard to our sump pump situation as it pumps out to the north portion of our lot.  We didn’t have a lot of lineal feet before the neighbor’s drive way area.  That underground drainage never gets a chance to dry out and it appears more like a swamp.  It is becoming evident as the lay of the land is . . . a huge divot.  

  Several trips to our Fleet Farm store.  Dennis is now working on taking off the exterior attachment when the water pumps up and out of the perimeter of the tile around the house to the underground tile.  A black hard rubber hose will be attached at the house taking the water out to the curb.  Of course nothing can be bought that works from the get go.  The lengths are 25 feet and it will take several to do the trick.  The piece to attach two of the lengths is taking some time to file down to make the fit work.  Now . . . why wouldn’t they have the correct diameter to match the hoses that they carry. Dennis has the steel wool brush on the grinder and is taking it slow.  Many stops to check, check.  

  Worst case scenario once that portion of the yard is dried out, some bags of garden soil will bring it back up to grade.

  In between time I tackled a pair of jeans to shorten.  It always amazes me how heavy denim is.  It doesn’t like to be corralled and bunched up.  A sewing needle that looks a bit like a mini spear to puncture the harsh fabric finish had to be dug out.

  The hotdish from last night is out of the refrig to take the edge off of the cold to oven temperature.  Leftovers are priceless! 

  The Lena Fern Peonies and the Fairfax tulips don’t know what to make of these changes from day to day.  Should they grow . . . should they take cover until sunny days come one after another.   

  It sure doesn’t feel like Easter week.  Sad times.