I am a retired 44-year veteran of the Real Estate Assessment field. As with real estate assessing and how it applies to real estate taxes, one can make many acquaintances, but not many real friends. It was a great career choice.
It has been nearly 10 years since I reclaimed my home and my real passions within my home. I enjoy it more each day and tip my hat to those who I left behind.
Each day I try to stretch myself with the use of my computer as it relates to this site and using it to print out labels for quilts for trying to incorporate photos into my sewing. Life is so full and I know that I have room for more.
As I am laying out these finished 6″ blocks and deciding what color combination should be next to each other before the final sewing, I realize that I do not need strobe lights to begin having the feelings of a seizure coming on. This will be the end results of all the scraps Aunt Lorraine and I cut up several days ago. Why oh why can I not just file scraps in the circular bin aka: wastebasket?
The chain saw Eagle is looking very spiffy after a good cleaning and a new coat of protectant. Great job Dennis.
We purchased this chain saw art about 15 years ago. It was completed with a poly finish when we bought it. Each year the Eagle gets tucked inside the potting shed before winter arrives. Over the years there were areas where no doubt air and dirt had gotten under the original finish and it began looking gray and dingy. Dennis, armed with multiple sizes of brass brushes, decided the wood needed to be cleaned up. We can’t put Thompson’s water sealant on it as not all of the old poly has been removed in the small crevices. After a bit more elbow grease and all of the dust blown off, it will get an exterior poly applied. If this layer lasts as long as the last one . . . we will not have to worry about it. Snuggles took it upon himself to issue a mandated break from the work.
Time flies and Roger the Moose was due for a new coat of water sealant. What a great remembrance from the home family farm. Michael worked wonders with salvaging highline posts, thus: Roger. When I was visiting him last week with Lorraine, I spied a bear that he had also crafted. Lots of patience and I can tell you, Dennis and I were amazed at how much elbow grease we spent on sanding Roger so he would be entitled to water proofing.
Today may have been officially Father’s Day, here on Stauffer Avenue it was total contentment. A breeze with temps in the 60s, patio time and the best part, full tummies with our all time favorite summer cold salad. Spam was meant for mixing with ring macaroni, celery, onions, English peas and a bit of mayo . . . and a slice of butter bread.
After a humid start to the day, the afternoon was perfect to be outside. I did do a bit of weed-whipping in the far east portion of the acre and sure enough, the biting bugs let me know I was more than welcomed. It has been an easy season thus far keeping up with all the flowerbeds. I am a firm believer in using Preen on newly tilled dirt. The weeds that do need to be attended to are those that are snuggled right up next to the stems of the perennials.
I had the scare of Snuggles’ life today. The overhead garage door to the car needed to be put down before the heat of the afternoon sun crept into the garage. As the door was coming down I couldn’t figure out what was scrapping. It was Snuggles. He had gotten on the rafters via my car and then hopped over to lay on top of the garage door. He was scrambling to keep ahead of the door closing hoping to be able to jump back on the rafters. By the time I stopped the door at four foot from totally closing, Snuggles jumped out and down onto the driveway. The fur on his back definitely was ruffled from the narrow . . . literally narrow, escape. Dang kids.
The acre has been mowed, trimmed and manicured . . . a very self-satisfying feeling for Dennis and me. For Dennis, having a nice looking home, including the yards, it is the peace that passes all understanding. Looking out of the east house window and seeing Dennis sitting on the patio without a care in the world, priceless. It has been a blessing that biting bugs have eluded the patio . . . thus far. It’s time to give those creamed cucumbers a stir as soon they will be spooned over boiled potatoes.
I have not peeked at any thermometer but it does feel like a corker. Dennis and I had a road date to Mankato. Not many stops, just those to keep the pantry shelves stocked which now had a huge “Vacancy” sign in the doorway of the pantry. We had really done a great job of cleaning down to the bones of the freezer above the refrigerator as well. Dennis’ one request was a case of Liptons Citrus Green Tea. Cold, it quenches the thirst far better than a can of pop when we are in the depths of the yard work . . . which will be tomorrow.
It does look a little scrounging as we have not mowed for two weeks. Until the rain of earlier this week, the grass looked too stressed to mow. We dined at Culver’s after the errands were done and I think that will take us down to a snack before bedtime.
As muddy as I had gotten this morning, I sure could have saved having to clean off my garden shoes by going bare-foot. Dennis had strung out the garden hose to add water to the Koi pond. A week or so back, the pond was running over from the huge amount of rainfall. The hot winds of the last several days had evaporated quite a bit of water, plus when I do water plants, I take it out of the pond. You cannot beat water that is close to the same temperature as the yard . . . plus fish fertilizer doesn’t hurt either.
Anyway . . . as long as the hose was strung out it made sense to hook up the Miracle Grow garden hose feeder and give the plants adjacent to the patio a bit extra to thrive on. The fertilized water coming out of the feeder maybe will shoot out five feet. Of course, I went right into the flower beds and made sure even the far back ones got a good dose on the first run. Water on black dirt sure does stick to the shoes. After the soil absorbed the first batch, I went back and used up the remaining Miracle Grow on a second round of watering. As I was dragging the heavy wet hose and twirling it around the plants so as to not flatten them, I had mud from here to there. I cleaned up to make us some fried egg sandwiches and the shoes are still by the back door waiting to be cleaned up for another day of a rambunctious gardener keeping the yards tidy, tidy, tidy.
We were primed to have coffee on the patio this morning and realized we had to dry off chairs first. Sometime during the night there had been a sprinkle or two. As I was having my first cup of coffee and getting my walking shoes on, I could tell Dennis’ mind was far, far away. I headed out for my walk and left Dennis to his thoughts.
As I was stepping it off on the county road I could not help but think that if Dad were still with us, I think he would literally be with us. There is so much heavy equipment buzzing around the town and the perimeter with the huge utility upgrade, Dad would find a tree stump that was handy and sit and take it all in. Digging down 20 feet to install new sewer line, water lines and re-routing gas lines has brought in an entire village of workers operating just the type of equipment for someone like Dad to be enthralled by. That doesn’t even take in the site that is next to my morning walk. All that has been taken out of the trenches of the street work has been piled high and now is being ground up for re-purposing for the post-installation. Oh for the mindset of those creating all of this machinery to make it work.
As I was rounding the bend returning from my walk, I could see where Dennis’ thoughts had been. Far, far away to the back of the acre to get his riding lawnmower going. That sneaky fellow. The remaining yard work ensued with me pushing my mower and Dennis continuing with the rider mower. Ya, I am now showered and very tuckered out. What a great feeling to sit back and enjoy our home. Jokingly, Dennis commented if we lived in an apartment complex we wouldn’t have to put in all the local effort to keep things tidy. We looked at each other and knew deep down, no matter how tuckered we get there is no other place for us but on Stauffer Avenue.