Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from June, 2019 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 2:41 pm on June 15, 2019 Permalink  

  Lots of Thunder 

  The skies have been rumbling for several hours.  It’s dark out but Dennis tells me it has all gone to the south and east of us.  A good shower of rain would have been welcomed.  You never can tell how the thunderstorms seem to be gone and they can wangle themselves back.

  Dennis did wear himself out yesterday with making several trips to Fleet Farm for the right connections for his hose to be attached directly to the sump pump as the water is pumped up and out of the basement.  It doesn’t help matters any that his hands don’t always do as they are directed to.  I did stay out of the way until such time that I could help with reeling in the garden hose as he took it off of the secondary sump pump.  Looking out of the north dining room window it does seem strange not to see a swamp with standing water in the area of the drain field.  Dennis said he would put the direct connections on later this fall.  I totally agreed with him. 

  Tomorrow is Father’s Day.  Lots of memories surface.  I absolutely know that I had the best father anyone could have had.  He taught me how to work and how to appreciate life.  I absolutely know that Carrie and Keven had the best father anyone could have had.  Orlin was strict and fair and had the same blessing as my father did . . . logic.  The logic I see in my children by far passes what can be taught in schooling.  Learning aspects is needed, but how it needs to be applied is a true gift.  My children and I got the real goods and it serves us well. 

  My sewing machine is stitching and I have done a bit of extra organization in my sewing studio while it is hard at work.  Sometimes the things that I have looked at for a long, long time can all of a sudden be seen in a different light.  Yup, what I sew with most frequently needs to be closest at hand.  The rest . . . is still important but not so much needed right at a reach away.  

  Looking at some stitching designs, I am pulling together some fabrics out of my stashes and thinking that they would make a wonderful quilt with some special embroidery when someone special leaves for college.  It really isn’t that much of a reach.  That someone will be sixteen this December.  I don’t like the fact that she is growing up, but I sure do see one mighty fine young lady. 

  Oh the memories of an older gal . . . me,  that still sees her own children as her babies and sees the grand babies as precious wee ones.  I know, I know . . . we bring them up to be strong independent people, but I can still reminisce and thank God Almighty for my memories.  They sure can get me through a whole bunch of days, weeks, months and years . . . and they are all mine.

  Hmm.  Maybe the rumbling will still bring some rain.

   
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  Noreen 3:20 pm on June 14, 2019 Permalink  

  Waiting for Rain 

  We had a very ugly patch of dirt that should be green with grass.  I can’t imagine where the grass went.  It’s right off the north east corner of the house.  The Mantis tiller was pulled out and with the dirt being mulched grass seed was sought.  As I was checking the potting shed for grass seed, I ran across two bags of garden soil.  That soil has now topped the tilled dirt and is sporting raked in grass seed.  Dennis put a hose with a good attachment on the north house faucet so it’s easy to keep the grass seed damp.  With the sun and higher temps, I am anticipating some green showing up within a week or so

  Dennis is annoyed that we need to have a sump pump sitting on top of the drain field for the sump pump that is pulling water from the tile within the perimeter of the basement.  Basically he is annoyed with all the rain that Mother Nature dumped on us this spring.  The area of the drain field is a swamp.  That is only because we just did not have the lineal feet to get it any farther from the house.  That may be bad enough, but then there is the issue of the garden hose lying across the lawn to rid the extra water from our swamp.  He is determined to try and drain the swamp.  The Complete Basement fellow did work with Dennis yesterday and cut the PVC pipe that pushed the water to the drain field and put a rubber boot on that cut.  Dennis has been out to Fleet and Farm and is going to eliminate the water going to our swamp and just let it all go out to the street via a hose attached to the house sump pump at the rubber boot.  He has been determined today.  I stayed out of the way and minded my grass seed.

  Do Dennis and I drive ourselves nutty trying to keep on top of things for our home?  Most likely.  We never seem to get bored and . . . we sleep damn well at night.  If nothing else we give the neighbors something to watch.

   
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  Noreen 4:47 pm on June 13, 2019 Permalink  

  Can’t Keep a Good Man Down 

  Thursdays are our lawn mowing days.  I felt I had a chance to get a few things done fore we hit the mowers.  On my list was to bake out some bacon in the oven.  A quick meal of eggs, bacon and toast is always a sure winner.  It is a slow process and one you do not want to walk away from and forget what is in the oven.  Do grease fires happen with stuff in the oven?  I was not taking a chance. 

  Little did I realize that there was no dew on the grass this morning.  Before nine, I heard the mower.  Yup it was Dennis in the far east corner of the acre.  All I could do was finish what I had started and that included a load of laundry.  

  Complete Basements of Mankato was due to be here in the afternoon to check out the sump pump, the back up battery and all else that can be checked.  Joe was here before twelve noon.  We are safe and good to go for another fifteen months.  Joe’s van had barely backed out of the drive, when the Culligan fellows were here with the salt run.  The bags of salt are heavy, and yes, we do pay a bit more to have it delivered and put into the brine tank.  Leave the heavy stuff for the young fellows.

  I did eventually get my push mower going to do the front of the yard and around the house.  Having bought a very light weight trimmer, the trimming of the acre was all said and done in short order.  I thought with the acre being mowed and trimmed we were done for the day.  Not!  When Dennis put the down spouts back onto the house and took a look at all the spider webs and bird pop, out came the garden hoses.  Dennis made a trip to the Family Dollar and came home with a gallon of the cheapest laundry soap he could find to help wash off the house.  As he is just finishing up, the entire yard smells like Lavender.  Priceless.

  I think my ole cowboy is going to sleep like a log this evening, or he will have a hard time shutting down.  Time will tell.  Once Dennis gets started, there is no talking him down.  Whatever the reactions of his actions, he was doing what he wanted to do, when he wanted it done.

   
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  Noreen 12:33 pm on June 12, 2019 Permalink  

  Hmm 

  When signing in with passwords, it really ticks me off when my pinkie finger is flailing out in the wind and has clicked the caps key, thus giving me an obnoxious message.  Oh well.  Computers have their jobs to do.  I need to pay more attention.  

  Tonight we are going to an evening banquet for the Korean veterans at the VFW in Mankato.  Dennis has belonged to this group for some time and has made new friends.  It’s not all bad when you step out of the comfort zone and mix it up a bit from the St. James gangs.  This is a huge night out for the older ones from Stauffer Avenue.  We definitely are mixing it up a bit ourselves.

  While in Mankato we have a few items on a tick list to take care of.  Shopping locally is wonderful but not all things can be obtained.  

  The temps are great and this would be my wish for the rest of the summer season.  It would have been a great late afternoon being out in the gardens.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a repeat.

   
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  Noreen 4:14 pm on June 8, 2019 Permalink  

  Lightening the Load 

  It was a huge decision to put down the huge perennial flower bed last fall.  I had created it, tended it and decided when I had enough.  The flower bed had given me hours of enjoyment.  As the plants had done well, many of my friends had received slips and roots for their enjoyment.  Now the  scene of green grass is enjoyable.

  With my friend Doreen, we had each traveled over the summer months and had located a variety of garden art.  You name it, we had found it and hauled it home.  Dennis and I have our favorites to put out around the patio and under the Maple tree and Lilacs.

  This spring I had let Dennis’ two daughters know that I was ready to lighten the load in the potting shed.  Both have small grandchildren who enjoy helping with placing the goodies.  Susie was the first to visit during the Memorial weekend.  She looked, she touched and decided on several items to take back to Silver Bay.  Sandy came today.  Sandy had moved to Mankato just a year ago.  She had her yard ready for some of our garden art.  Yup, we lightened the load in the garden shed.  After hinting to Carrie, I realized that metro properties don’t go into garden art to any extent.  That was all well and good as their yard has multiple raised wooden beds for vegetables.  I would take fresh veggies over decorations any day.

  Dennis and I are hoping for some nice temps tomorrow.  I have noticed that the humidity has dropped by 30 points since this morning.  We may see a few rain drops in the change.

  Last Wednesday I took the advice of “one who knows,” I ordered the Weather Tech mats for the car.  In ordering the cargo mat in addition to the front seat and back seat mats, the shipping would be free.  Today, right after Noon, the Fed X delivered the goods.  Talk about fast service.  I admit, I am contributing to the decline of the store fronts.  If I can order what I need and not have to visit various sites seeking and searching, I am all in.

  We are taking the late afternoon with whatever it brings.  It is warm outside . . . even in Dennis’ beloved patio porch.

   
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  Noreen 4:33 pm on June 7, 2019 Permalink  

  Hot and Breezy 

  I do believe that breezy might be a bit short as to what we had coming from the south.  Brisk and gusty with full sun makes for the need of getting my four plants watered.  Four plants in four inch pots is enough for me to take care of after they were planted where needed.  I was out and watering them this morning by 7:30.  I didn’t stay outside any longer then needed as the gnats had the welcome mat out.  I didn’t want to spray myself with Bug Soother for such a quick trip outside.

  As part of my days this week, I am making sure to use the new, used car each day.  It is quite an adjustment, but a very pleasant one.  I sit so much higher in this model and have better visual.  The seat control knows it is me when I start the vehicle, via a button, and all items adjust for my settings.  Who knew!  We have yet to have the second driver’s control set.  Yes, my ole cowboy will be the second driver, as long as the cigarettes are checked at the door.  I had realized in the 20-year-old model, I had a hard time getting the gas cap off and then on again.  If I didn’t get it on correctly, it would signal a “Check engine light.”  With us being unaware of the connection, it cost us $40.00 to have that message checked out at our local repair shop. Yup, the gas cap had not been tighten as it needed to be.  Now, I only need to get the nozzle into the hole on the driver’s side and I will be set.  My hands will be grateful.  The car is a learning experience.  Never too old to learn.

  The sewing studio on warm days such as we had today is the best way to stay busy and forget about what is going on outside.  Dennis went over to his nephew’s late this afternoon.  The concrete guys had checked out at three this afternoon from laying a parking lot in Fairmont.  One unlucky fellow was left behind as he was in charge of scoring the concrete after the appropriate time.  

  We always know what is in store as Minnesota’s seasons arrive.  It just takes some mental and physical adjustment.

   
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  Noreen 5:02 pm on June 6, 2019 Permalink  

  Wanted: Goats 

  Within a week, Dennis commented how the grass is seeding out within seven days.  That is a very good thing for shoring up a good thick stand.  The thicker the grass the fewer weeds that have a chance.  The end of the day the acre is mowed and manicure.  From Thursday to Thursday, it was badly needed.

  Dennis began mowing in the far east portion of the acre.  He came up to the house for a drink and also to get out of the heavy grassed area where the gnats had banded together and they were bound to aggravate him to no end.  Before Dennis headed out, I sprayed him with the Bug Soother from Kersten and Kevin.  The report upon completion of mowing: no gnat issue experienced after the spray.  I was able to trim and I saw plenty gnats, but no new bites.  The bites that I got Monday and Tuesday, before we got the spray, are actually festering.  Nasty business.

  The Maple tree airplanes seeds are lessening.  Coming right up behind them is the white cotton seeds coming from the northeast.  Our neighbor in that area has the mother of all Cottonwood trees.  Dennis was thankful he mowed today, as by tomorrow, his air filter on the mower would have needed a clean out. 

  Late this afternoon, I had an eye appointment.  After the checkup that included dilation, via drops, I was worthless.  The pupils are so huge there isn’t any chance for clear vision.  I will be seeing a specialist in a week or so to have a tiny spot of pigment checked out in my right eye.  Wonderful service to have a specialist to come to St. James.  

  In thinking it over, if we had goats to take care of the acre, we would need a fence.  We would need a water supply for them.  We would need to wear five buckle overshoes that could be hosed off after stepping on all the manure.  They are not like pigs that have one special spot for doing their duty.  Goats are indiscriminate.  Hmm.

  All is good on Stauffer Avenue!

   
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  Noreen 3:19 pm on June 5, 2019 Permalink  

  Bountiful Hosta 

  

  This huge heavy cement goose will forever bring my departed friend, Doreen, into my mind when I garden. Her and I found this at a nursery near Rochester. How we managed to get it into her van will forever be a mystery.

  It may have been a late spring by all measures.  It does show up in the farming schedules.  For my acreage it seemed to have turned out just fine.  Yes, we had more rain than we needed.  No, it didn’t seen to hurt the Hosta.  In fact they are huge and looking very good.  I spent two days with the Mantis tiller working up the soil in between the Hosta plants.  Some were too full to take a ram into them and break off stems.  It could use one more day with the tiller, but life does seem to get in the way.  To be honest, it was the bugs.  Within those two days, I was totally chewed up from gnats and small flies.  I made sure to wear a long sleeve shirt but it was the neck, ears and hairline that really got it.

  When I left New Ulm on Tuesday I stopped in to show Kevin my new used car and came home with a wonderful treat.  Kersten had found in Fairfax a product called Bug Soother.  This morning, I needed to clear off the patios and driveway from Maple airplane seeds, and the gnats got behind my glasses and I almost tripped trying to rid them.  I got the Bug Soother and Dennis sprayed my arms and neck and I stayed outside for most of the morning.  It has Lemon grass oil, Castor oil and a few other natural ingredients.  It smells wonderful and it did the trick.  Kevin thought it would have to be reapplied every 4-5 hours, but I had all the time I needed to get done what I needed to before settling in with some things in the house.  Yes, summer is here along with all the less than desirable flying insects.  

  I do need to find a perennial that would vine up the iron works that Calvin has made for me.  Our next door neighbors have put up a new storage building and it was the perfect back-drop to move the iron works to.  The Dr. Seuss birdhouse found a new home after the back garden was tilled up.  When we decided to downsize the flower gardens, it was amazing how everything fell into place.  I have plenty to keep me busy and I need not worry about contending with unwanted weeds and a garden that stood under water more times than I can count. 

   
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  Noreen 4:33 pm on June 3, 2019 Permalink  

  A Busy Monday 

  Dennis aced his checkup at the VA clinic here in St. James this morning.  Check that off of the list of items that are on the calendar for June.  Dennis had a bud of his stop in and they were talking paint for the Cub Lo-Boy.  Rich used to have his own body shop for years.  Very good tips were given.

  Dennis got the electric Mantis out for me from the potting shed.  The weight of fallen snow coupled with the snow that Dennis blow off of the patio, the Hosta plants next to the patio needed help to get the soil loosened up.  It was as packed as a township gravel road.  Today was the first of quite a few days of this type of work. 

  Jan and I had visited over the fence.  Jan pulled up the edging that had been adjacent to their driveway for decades.   Jan had scored pavers from her son that would work better than the hard plastic edging.  What was really going on was her flower garden area would have some added width for the entire length.   As luck would have it, she had an extra pile of dirt that Randy has had on hand for quite some time.  Talk about hard clumps.  Jan managed to shovel what she needed and had the clumps lying out where the pavers would lay next to.  I took the Mantis over to her yard and Jan took the helm.  The Mantis made short work of the clumps that now had included some sod.  The Mantis is a mighty worker.

  It was turning very hot this afternoon.  The perfect time to take a trip to Fairmont.  Dennis had the info that Rich had given him for the paint and I willingly rode shotgun.  Crylon spray paint was what we were after.  Rich said it dried fast and he had used it many times.  I think Dennis and his variety of buds will have a good handle as this goes forward.

  It has been a good day with the promise that the two older ones on Stauffer Avenue are not going to be looking for anything to keep them occupied for some time.  It’s a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 3:02 pm on June 1, 2019 Permalink  

  Raining Airplanes 

  

  Over the night hours the Maple tree let loose with all of its seed pods. We have called them airplanes since I could talk. At just the right time as the seed pods have dried, they spin from on high to the ground. The base of the seed pod is heavy enough that that stick straight up into the soil. You can believe me, I was out raking them off of the Hosta area. Each one of these seed pods would love to sprout a tree . . . right where it is not welcomed. On a sidebar, the dappled warm sunlight on the backyard is just what we need to continue encouraging all of the newly planted area to take off. It is coming along nicely.