Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from January, 2020 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 4:21 pm on January 15, 2020 Permalink  

  Sun Dogs 

  Sun dogs at night . . . sailor’s delight.  So says the old adage.  There are sun dogs out this afternoon and it is beginning to bite with the cold.

  The camera that Dennis’ friend had put out for deer photos is less than good.  Rich had it set quite close to the patio door and thus the photos are very blurry.  If there happened to be a deer in the top of the photo that allowed for a clearer image as it was farther away.  As Dennis mentioned, we knew how many there were and how entertaining it is for us on a nightly schedule.

  I put out feelers for a long-arm quilter and I got a bite.  Sharon sold the Old Alley Quilt shop and let it be known that she would have a long-arm in her home in Sherburn.  Sharon has done many quilts for me and I will be thrilled for her to do another one for me.  I told her I would keep in touch when my top was completely sewn.

  We do have the thermostat set at 70 in the house.  I must say that the basement is a bit cooler even with the heat register open.  I came upstairs and decided that the blog would be done on the living room HP.  My fingers are a bit chilly.

  A Dennis-style hotdish is in the oven.  Dennis’ choice is chicken, corn and pasta.  He did let me add some chopped bacon when he mixed in the Alfredo sauce.  His choices and I know he will enjoy every last bit of it.  My choices will be for a time when Dennis is off to a weekend gun show.  You have to know when to hold them and when to fold them.

   
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  Noreen 4:25 pm on December 17, 2019 Permalink  

  Farming 

  I sure hope the latest farm bill has included gentlemen farmers.  Our driveway today looks as if the hay baler just left after the latest cutting of hay.

  Needless to say Dennis was on a quest to find hay with which to feed the deer.  Home deliveries are alive and well.  For this evening fare there is a bright green slab of hay next to the huge Maple tree in the backyard.

  When I came home yesterday from the stitcher’s meeting I noticed there was an extra coffee cup on the cupboard and the cookie container was quite lacking.  Yup, Dennis had afternoon coffee guests.  When the visitor left, what was remaining was a night vision camera affixed to the clothesline pole adjacent to the patio porch. Dennis means to get some good photos.  Trying to get a good photo with our little camera through the screen and glass patio door just doesn’t do the event justice.  

  We are winding down the day and Dennis has kept busy most of the day.  Surprisingly the horse tank that the Koi are enjoying over the winter was in need of replenishing.  I am sure the heat from the furnace for the garage plus the water fountain making bubbles and oxygen for the Koe all makes the evaporation process a daily thing.

  So . . . what have I been doing?  I am working on a repair of a item I gave out to be used in day-to-day life as a prototype.  Stitching it and having it look just as I had envisioned is one thing . . . putting it to use is the rest of the story.  I appreciated the feedback and will keep this one aspect of the pattern in mind for future projects.  

  The world keeps turning and each day is given to be used and enjoyed . . . with visuals of local effort to show for how the day was used.  There are no d0-overs. When we awake, it may be such that we are not the same person as we were when we went to bed.  Perhaps those with whom we share our love and support within our families may have need of us.  Being prepared for possibilities is the best weapon to keep ourselves as healthy as possible.  All this is said to talk myself out of enjoying the remainder of the sweets that have been left over from our family gathering on Sunday.  I hope, I hope I win the battle.

   
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  Noreen 5:48 pm on December 14, 2019 Permalink  

  Here to Tell You 

  I can tell you the feather comforter was a winner last night.  I usually go to bed with fresh white socks on.  There is a good reason.  The foot end of my bed is against the north west wall of my bedroom.  That says it all.  Insulation can do only so much when the wind continues to insist to blow in the double figures.  Halfway through the night, the socks came off.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

  I have had a great day.  Some days click right along as if going to a hard and fast schedule.  If Dennis were to be asked, he would say all my days have a schedule.

  Dennis just called from the patio porch.  Someone must have rang the dinner bell for the deer.  The dinner guests have gone from four to seven.  Dennis gets a kick out of the yearly buck with the ever so slight horns that will become this yearling’s pride and joy antlers.

  Tonight is my night to be showered up early.  My favorite PBS shows start at seven sharp.  With the PBS shows having no commercials,  no quick errands can be run as I may miss something.  

  May everyone have had a day as great as mine.  Catch ya tomorrow.

   
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  Noreen 4:23 pm on December 11, 2019 Permalink  

  Brr! 

  I had an appointment this morning at ten for physical therapy.  When I backed the car out of the garage the interior dash indicated it was 45 degrees in the garage.  By the time I was at the clinic which is less than 10 minutes away, the readout was -2.  Brr.

  The good news is that my neck and shoulder situation is getting better.  Mike T. knows his business.  Neither one of us is giving in.  During the time with him I did comment that mobility was a good thing but I didn’t need the rotation of the character in The Exorcist movie.  I have no restrictions from Mike.  I have put restrictions on myself and am holding true to a few items . . . no pushing snow and vacuuming.  The last is Dennis’ contribution for my recovery.  Now wait a minute before he gets a lot of kudos for vacuuming.  We have a total of a 4′ x 8′ area rug in the basement sewing studio that requires care from the threads that happen when I miss the waste basket.  Our home is Swiffer friendly for the remainder of the floor area.

  I spent time in the sewing studio with some well needed needle time on several pairs of my pants.  I needed to put belt loops on two pair of pants.  Kevin has commented in the past, “Mom, you don’t have a butt.”  Well guess what?  Not all pants are created equal.  I am now sporting belt loops on all pants that I have in my possession . . . all four pair.  It made sense for me to take care of this as it is hard on the shoulders when the hitching up of pants is going on non-stop from the time they are put on in the morning right up to the time that it’s time to call it a day. 

  When I was at the clinic this morning visiting with acquaintances as we waited for out appointments, I did find out who Dennis can contact to purchase some alfalfa hay bales for his deer.  Last year the neighbors had some road ditch hay they put out for the deer.  That hay stayed laying right where they had put it until the spring thaw.  Not a lot of farmers in our area have need for fields of alfalfa as they are predominantly cash crop farmers. 

  Hang tough everyone, there are some warmer temps coming.

   
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  Noreen 3:58 pm on December 10, 2019 Permalink  

  Sunny and Frigid 

  Frigid temps don’t feel so bad when the sun is shining and it is bright out.

  Why am I not surprised.  Dennis came home from coffee with his buds at McDonald’s to stop in and say he was going out in the country to a friend of his.  They had been chit chatting over coffee and Dennis was offered some oats for the deer feeding.  That was all Dennis had to hear.  While he was at Dwayne’s he also offered some advice on guns that Dwayne wants to sell.  Dennis’ suggestion was to let the children pick what they would want from their dad and then decide on what was left as to the price he would want.  Good friend that Dennis is, he did not offer to purchase, only to give advice.  

  I muddled through a pillow.  The way velvet stitches out embroidery is really nice.  How to work with velvet afterwards is a nightmare.  Because of the nap of it, it doesn’t play nice when being put in a seam.  It slips and slides to no end.  My pillow is done.  In the photo the white flang border does not want to lie flat to be photographed.  That is unfortunate as it is some white elite that I had used to make Carrie a dress for the Christmas concert many, many years ago when we lived in the two story brick schoolhouse.  The embroidered design fit right in with the stitching of the bells.  The tartan plaid taffeta seemed to be a good fit.  Taffeta has its own issue when seaming it.  It frays like a dog that is molting.  What can I say.  When you bite into a challenge, you have to be willing to work with it and then as Dennis did with his highchair . . . you say “Uncle.”  I need to inquire with my stitching gals in regard to their experience with velvet, as I will want to be ready for it again next year at this time.  Yup . . . stubborn and no throwing in the towel. 

  Dennis is practicing with our small camera to capture photos of the deer that come to enjoy his patio.  I think he is doing a fair job.  Holding the camera steady is huge, but the drift of the photo is spot on.  The deer coming this close to the patio is the cat’s meow . . . literally.  All three sit at the sliding patio door and take it all in.  Hard to say if the cats are putting on the most nose prints onto the glass . . . or if it’s Dennis.  Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 5:57 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink  

  A Social Day 

  Once the beds had been stripped and the laundry going, it was time to do a bit of dust bunny hunting.  Saturday’s mean taking a Swiffer and skidding and sliding over all the floors.  It is amazing what is captured.  Dennis thinks there are more people living here than are fessing up.

  The VFW in town had a local vendor’s show.  I have several gals that have small home businesses that I wanted to support.  I looked, I touched but there was nothing that came home with me.  A sign of contentment.

  The Odin Craft Mill does a spring and fall show.  This year they did a Christmas show starting the day after Thanksgiving and open every day. December 8th will be the last day.  I had not gone to any of the events in the last several years.  Odin is only eight miles from St. James and I was curious.  After being open for nine days, there was still an abundance of items to take in.  I looked, I touched and did come home with some eatable items.  Dennis will enjoy the caramel popcorn and the small squares of various fudge favors.   I was able to ferret away a few goodies for the times when Carrie’s and Kevin’s can make it over for Christmas.  Who would look in a sewing studio for Christmas treats!

  The gal who owns the property at Odin for the craft mill will be coming over sometime next May.  Nancy said she would be over after the spring show to dig up some Hosta.  Yes, I am serious about cutting way, way back in the flower gardening.

  This evening we were entertained by four deer just a bit after five.  They must be hungry or just sociable.   Dennis gets the greatest thrill in this.  It’s a good thing.

  Tomorrow promises to be another good day in regard to temperatures.  It has been great to have our concrete driveway totally cleared of snow and ice.  Our neighbor Randy has a total gravel driveway that makes a horseshoe shape around their home.  With using his tractor and snowblower on the gravel, these warmer days have made for a great horseshoe shaped ice rink. Hmm.

   
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  Noreen 5:46 pm on December 6, 2019 Permalink  

  Efforts Were Split 

  Dennis wanted to stay close to home today to wait for “people.”  The snowblower, which has quite a bit of age on it, needed some tender loving care.  The throttle was touchy.  If lowered a bit too much the snowblower would back-fire.  Not to worry.  Charlie made a house call and tweaked it to perfection.  Charlie works for the county as a mechanic.  Good job Charlie and good job Dennis for staying on top of things before the snowblower was needed to be put in action.  Monday is to be a snowy day.

  Dennis just called me from the patio porch.  His pan of alfalfa pellets and cracked corn has company.  The lights are on in the patio porch and the television is on – I am sure fairly loud.  The pan is four feet from the patio sliding doors.  How fun for Dennis, and the cats are sitting right at the base of the doors watching also.  These two deer, I am quite sure are the two fawns from last year.  Oh my gosh, they were so small then compared to the two that are out there now.

  I digress.  I went to Mankato today to pick up supplies for Dennis’ CPAP machine.  All supplies are prescription-based.  Medicare and our insurance supplement honor pickup of supplies . . . if they are stated to be a month’s supply . . . that date needs to be adhered to as to when the last prescription was picked up.  Not one day earlier.  When Dennis went in for a checkup in October and to get a renewal of these CPAP supplies, the doctor wrote the prescription for three months worth.  So, February 6th is on my telephone’s calendar to make the return trip.  It does all work if you play by the rules.

  All is good here and I think the largest challenge facing me for tomorrow is to pick up milk.  Dennis informed me that when he had his oatmeal and flax Noon meal, he emptied the 1/2 jug.

   
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  Noreen 6:16 pm on December 4, 2019 Permalink  

  First Time 

  Today was the first time I went with Dennis to his Korean Veterans meeting and luncheon.  There was only one fellow who was younger than 83-year-old Dennis and he has suffered a stroke making his mobility less than he would like.  It was a good experience and the letter of the law, or I should say Robert’s Rules of Order was followed to the “T.”  I do give this group of men and women credit for continuing the comradery.  The gals who are there were nurses in the Korean Police Action.  Yes, it grips them all that it couldn’t be called the Korean War.   Politics had its hand in things then as well as it is now.  

  Our neighbor is going to feed the deer.  Jan puts out a coffee can of corn each night thus far.  Dennis decided that today we would go to Mills Fleet Farm.  Dennis bought alfalfa pellets.  He doesn’t plan on overfeeding this early in the season.  The real deal is that I bought a container of the Old Fashioned Quaker Oats.  Dennis is not in like with it for his morning meal.  That container of oatmeal is out in a pan.  When the deer have eaten that he will pony up the rest of the story.  There is a lot of winter yet to be.  We did also pick up a bag of cracked corn.  With no ice anywhere, this is when we feel we should stock up and not take a gainer when the footing is not secure.  Staying upright is the goal here on Stauffer Avenue.

  After picking up a few groceries we treated ourselves to a piece of pie and a cup of coffee in Baker’s Square.  It felt good to sit down and enjoy the treat.

  We are now safe at home and the groceries are put where they belong.  It is a personal irk of mine when the groceries have been purchased and the contents still cannot be gotten out of the packaging.  Ya, I have irks, I just don’t dwell on them.

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on December 1, 2019 Permalink  

  A Five Day Run 

  As of today we have had a five day run of weather issues.  It can’t last forever . . . well, we do live in Minnesota.

  Dennis is back at Jackson today.  Even with the roads being less than good he did arrive safely this morning.  By the time he comes home this evening, it may have been warm enough to clear the ice.  The way our wind chimes have been going at it off of the northwest corner of the house, I would think the glazing from blowing snow could be an issue.  My hope . . . that this has cooled Dennis off for a while of being out on less than good roads.

  I piddled around in the sewing studio, thinking on the UFO that is staring me in the face.  Unfinished objects are not my favorite to have around.  This unfinished item is the highchair of Dennis’.  Right from the start there was no way to get all of the old paint off of the soft wood that was used decades ago.  Dipping it in lye is what it would have taken.  No one around here does that anymore and I don’t think investing in that would make this $5.00 chair any more of a bargain.

  Sometimes with DIY projects you go with what you’ve got.  I have dug around the supplies that we have on hand and tomorrow I will get serious. 

  Taking time for a cup of coffee . . .ya . . . I have cut down but every once in awhile it just seems to be the best solution when trying to find a solution.  I sat in the house’s front porch and watched traffic go by.  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement.  In the far northwest a deer was running through the lawns and then onto our street before heading down Stauffer Avenue.  Off to our southeast is a huge amount of tree cover for them.  Dennis knew the deer were about as he saw tracks in our backyard making a bee-line for our neighbor’s bird feeder.  We aren’t sure if we will be putting corn out for them this year.  It’s a bit early and I can’t believe that they don’t have a fairly good supply of food as yet.  A bit later a pair of Cardinals were outside the porch window getting a drink of water from the area where our sump pump pools.  Amazing what can be taken in when you sit still for a bit.

  December is upon us.  Tomorrow Megan will be 16 years old.  Her birthday is on Lena’s birthday.  Mom was very proud of that.  I am happy for Megan as opportunities abound for her.  I am also sad when I think of the world that she is growing up into.  Perhaps the changes that I see as bad have come along in these 16 years and Megan doesn’t know the difference.  Hmm.

   
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  Noreen 4:41 pm on November 10, 2019 Permalink  

  We Show Up 

  Today we motored to Mankato.  Dennis’ great granddaughter Lux was five today.  Last month we were in Mankato for  great granddaughter Luella who was two.   The month before that is was Charlie B’s second birthday.  Oliver turned six in late fall.  There are a total of eight great grandchildren that we are invited to their parties.  When we get invited . . . we show up at every possibility.  Why not!  A chance to see children having a good time, brings a good feeling to us.

  It was good to get home this afternoon.  We drove in snowflakes that fluttered.  We have no idea what the forecast is . . . it doesn’t matter.  We take the days the way they come.

  When I got home I took several Aleve Gel Caplets.  The neck and shoulders can’t wait to get back to physical therapy on Tuesday.  Does the fact that there is pain surprise me . . . no. 

  Last week as I was doing something, a memory of this time of the year, several decades ago, flooded my mind.  At the time we were burning wood in a Warm Morning wood and coal stove.  I was driving school bus for the Buffalo Lake Public Schools in the mornings and in the afternoon routes.  In between times, I was in the backyard chopping wood as we were filling the wood storage for the winter.  I was actually pretty good at it.  Between Orlin and I we would have the storage room filled before the snow would cover the pile of wood, yet to be chopped.

  Bill and Esther Miller lived a stone’s throw across the tar road from us.  It was not unusual that right after their noon dinner, Bill would wave me over for a cup of coffee to share with them.  Bill thought I needed a break.  Both were very fragile and in their early 80s.  Bill and Esther never had a family and visitors to their home were far and few in between.  They were two very sweet individuals.  I digress. 

  There has always been physical activity, and some labor intensive that was a part of my life.  I was a farm kid, I was a farm wife and I have always known how to show up when there was work to do.  There is a promise I hope to keep for myself this winter . . . no snow removal.  My heart tells me “get out there and do it!’  The reality is that I hope my God-given logic will override the heart in this respect.  I don’t bounce back as quickly as I have in the past when I overdo it.  The saving grace is that I do go for help when the pain lingers.  Nothing eats up energy as much as physical pain.  Hell’s bells.  I have plans and those plans are doable.  Those plans do not involve incapacitating myself.  Good grief . . . I hope I have learned my lesson and that includes listening to Dennis when he gives me his warning lectures.  

  It goes to show that Mom knew what she was talking about when she was in her early 90s.  “I’m still watching you for signs of improvement.”  That statement had come to be a long standing comment from her.  She would spout it and have the most wonderful twinkle in her blues eyes the entire time it took her to say it.

  This winter season I will show up to all those things that I can handle while doing no harm.