Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from May, 2016 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 5:24 am on May 24, 2016 Permalink  

  If this is repeated, I will deny it! I am pooped out this evening. With two tenths inch of rain, the Mantis tiller made headway under the huge Maple tree. It is amazing how much rain is deflected by the leaves during a light rain to keep the soil underneath it fairly dry.

  Oh my gosh, there was fresh soil for Harriet and Fuzzy to dig in to, that is, until Snuggles would pounce at them trying to claim all of it as his territory. I did have my camera out on the patio table, but just as children, the great photo op was not to be.

  I will be out there again tomorrow with the hope that the air will be less humid. I am working hard to stay ahead of the first wave of the summer bugs.

   
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  Noreen 3:38 am on May 23, 2016 Permalink  

  What? We were having three miles per hour winds until this evening. We drove out five miles north of town to have coffee with a friend this forenoon. The winds from the south were strong enough that, for a stretch of a half mile wide across the highway, visibility was less than good. So much for forecasts. I hope the forecast for possible thunderstorms later this week is just as wrong.

  As we came back into town, we stopped at our Family Dollar store for a few items. Before the store was built, quite a few people poo-pooed it. The store always has a lot of traffic and the inventory is amazing. Cost-conscience shoppers are never at a shortage. I think it is a great asset to our town.

  Today Dennis and I really had a lazy day. As I sat on the east patio this afternoon, I was sizing up a project for tomorrow in the garden underneath the Maple tree. One should always have a plan.

   
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  Noreen 5:53 am on May 21, 2016 Permalink  

  It was hard for me to realize the time this morning. I heard the television, and by the program that was on, I knew it was past 9 a.m. Dennis knew I had a chiropractor appointment at 10:30. Bless his heart for coming in from the porch and rousing me.

  Mornings will find me at Lorraine’s apartment for a time. The pancreatic card is showing its strength. Lorraine is very jaundiced. There are no more “Let’s see if this drug will help.” Lorraine knows she is in God’s waiting room and she is doing it with grace. When she requested a chicken sandwich and a strawberry malt from McDonald’s, I was more than willing, as her appetite is less than good.

  When I came home at noon and spent some time with Dennis for a light lunch, I hit the outside where the breeze was good and the garden dirt was calling me. Out came the electric powered Mantis tiller. Dennis and I took turns wangling around perennials in our square garden. The dirt had showed the film the winter had left. The dirt needed to be broken up so it could breath.

  What can I say? The evening is here and the work in the dirt was very satisfying. We celebrated with a can of Root Beer and a York Peppermint Patty. Again I can say how wonderful life of Stauffer Avenue is as Dennis and I work, taking our time making work enjoyable.

   
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  Noreen 4:39 am on May 20, 2016 Permalink  

  This entire week has been pleasant. I have had quite a few sessions on the patio enjoying the scenery of our acre. This afternoon Dennis joined me and we shared some jelly beans celebrating a good day with the lawnmowers.

  Mowing the yard does take the two of us more time than most would need. Our yard has lots of bumps. It is great to have a rider lawnmower, but . . . the seat is a far cry from an air ride suspension seat. My push mower has the bag option, and I have been using it on the front yard. It sure makes for a tidy appearance. About the third trip that I had taken to empty the bag, Dennis flagged me to the patio and it was a break time. That happened several times. With the weed whip loaded with a charged battery, it finished the yard off perfectly. I finished the trimming while Dennis already had the leaf blower out and cleaned off the driveway and the patio area. Tidy, tidy.

  The day is drawing to a close and us older ones on Stauffer Avenue may be pooped, but it brings self satisfaction of being good stewards of our sweet home.

   
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  Noreen 4:27 am on May 18, 2016 Permalink  

  Treading Lightly 

  

  It pays to tread lightly in my gardens. Some of the perennials have an expanse of several feet by now. It took a bit of bright sun, almost like a spot light, to showcase this hosta that is just getting started. Watching where I plop my feet is what pays off in the end.

   
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  Noreen 4:47 am on May 17, 2016 Permalink  

  It Does the Heart Good 

  

  With the sun beckoning them, the Star of David blooms make my heart feel good.

   
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  Noreen 3:38 am on May 16, 2016 Permalink  

  This Was a Great Day 

  

  It was enjoyable to be outside today. This specific garden is doing amazingly well without any help from me. I did fill up my small sprayer with Roundup and headed for the backyard to take care of some unwanted green stuff.

   
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  Noreen 12:49 am on May 14, 2016 Permalink  

  The winter and early spring have caught up with me and the ole body. Yesterday I knew I had to make the call to Dr. Leimer to set up an appointment for my lower back. I turned myself in this morning at 10:45. I have been to Leimer off and on for years, as I know he can help. Why I wait so long to go for help . . . I have no clue. “It will be better tomorrow.” Ya, how is that working for you?

  This afternoon, I will admit, I hurt. It was not just the exact spot where I felt the pain . . . it was a whole bunch of areas that had been trying to make up for what I was feeling by pitching in to displace the reaction of the movements that caused the pain.

  Lots of ice bags and I will be back to Leimer’s office Monday morning. The rain and cool days that are ahead will offer a good chance to take it a bit easy. I will be walking the gardens to see what has all peeked through since the weekend. I can look . . . but no touching.

   
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  Noreen 4:48 am on May 13, 2016 Permalink  

  What a season. Today it was a toss up of making hay or silage from the lush grass. It was not the best conditions as the grass just would not dry. As rain is forecast for tomorrow, it is what it is. My home town hero, Dennis, puts the mower in the lowest gear and takes his time so the mower can do the best job possible.

  How much easier everything would be if we just had a full day of sunshine.

  We did have a small trailer of branches from our huge Maple tree. Dennis and I have commented that it has been not unusual for trees to tip out of the ground when the rainfall has been extreme. I do not know if 5.5 inches of rain within several weeks is a lot. Dennis and I do know if this Maple tree ever tips out of the soil, our garages and porch would be history. We will let that in God’s hands.

   
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  Noreen 3:46 am on May 3, 2016 Permalink  

  The sun came out and the older ones on Stauffer stepped up to the plate. With all the rain, it took some time for the grass to be dry enough to do a good job.

  Dennis took the gas tank off of his rider mower for a good interior cleaning. Nothing is as frustrating has having the mower cut out due to something clogging the gas line.

  I took advantage of having two batteries charged up for the weed whip. I was wise enough to start at the far northeast corner on the acre and work backwards. I knew one battery would not make it for the entire job. I did mow the front yard with the baggeer on the push mower. It was ridiculously long and lush. It now looks good enough to be a putting green.

  We are now in the process of getting ourselves cleaned up to enjoy some leftover meatball pasta hotdish. There are two things that bring much satisfaction: a freshly cleaned house and a manicured yard. Unfortunately, neither of those two last for more than a week.