Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:04 pm on January 26, 2023 Permalink  

  Sunshine 

  Yippee!  The sun is out.  It may have started our day at zero this morning, but the sun has power.

  Today I had a treat for myself.  I went to First Avenue Styles here in St. James for a pedicure.  Hats off to Maria in buying the shop and doing a total remodel, including putting in three pedicure chairs.  Sweet indeed to have such a great service available just blocks up the street.

  We are on the last leg of our beef soup.  I did two cups of carrot rounds and two cups of diced fresh green beans and added to the crock pot before I had to leave for my pedicure.  While I was gone, Dennis peeled five potatoes and had them in cold water, waiting for me to dice them when I got home.  It sure does smell good in the kitchen.

  Doing the incision dressing every day is going well.  The worse part is getting the foot situated as it needs to be in the Velcro boot.  Five different 2″ wide straps to fit into buckles to tighten makes for a total workout.  We can do it!

  I don’t have a cold, but my nose doesn’t know that.  It thinks it can drip at will, and . . . it does.

  I looked at the calendar and we are off the clock with appointments until February 7th.  Now that is great incentive to keep that foot incision done daily for healing.

   
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  Noreen 2:47 pm on January 25, 2023 Permalink  

  Gale Force Winds 

  Not really gale force winds, but it is howling in our huge evergreen.  According to the news, the snow blowing across the highways south and west of us is to be reckoned with.

  Dennis got clearance yesterday for being mobile.  No lifting, pushing or pulling that would cause the legs to put pressure on the foot.  That sounded good to both of us.  This morning he went to the courthouse to purchase new tabs for his little red pickup and to mail some letters.

  I am making good on the quest to make some hearty beef soup.  I had a beef roast in the freezer that has now been cubed and is in the crock pot.  It will stay on the low setting until the cubes are tender to the taste.  A bit of beef broth can’t hurt.

  Tomorrow, the potatoes will be peeled and cubed along with carrots cut into rounds.  Can’t have beef soup without diced onions that have been sautéed.  Frozen green beans will be diced, and who knows what else will find its way into the crock pot.

  We did enjoy Herring for lunch.  Lena was big in making her own herring to be enjoyed.  The fellows would catch Perch and that fish was just the right size for canned herring.  Lena and her brother Melvin, that lived on the radar site north of Duluth, always were sharing fish recipes.  Nothing ever went to waste.

  A fair amount of dust bunnies were captured today.  There is a certain spot in the living room where, with the help of the forced air furnace, it is likely to capture the limit.

  A bit of snow is in the forecast.  Dennis commented that at this point we already have had 50″ which would amount to our over all winter season.

  We have done the daily dressing of Dennis’ incision and I believe I am going to sit in my bedroom porch and read a bit while also watching some traffic.

   
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  Noreen 4:00 pm on January 24, 2023 Permalink  

  A Good Tuesday 

  It is 3:45 on this Tuesday and we are home from the medical appointment.

  Today we met with Luke Madsen’s second in command on the surgical team.  Jody said the incision looks clean and good.  No stitches pulled through . . . a good indication that Dennis has followed instructions.  No stitches come out of this.  They will dissolve on their own.  The incision needs to stay dry and that calls for changing once a day.  Our bodies are mostly water and after a surgery of this type, it will weep at the site.  The boot is worn 24/7. 

  We picked up supplies for the wound care, so that won’t be an issue.

  As a treat, we had lunch at Perkins.  We had not done that in ever so long.  I picked up items to make some beef soup at Hy-Vee.  I also scored Herring in Wine sauce.  It was priced at $4.99 for a pint.  I picked up two pints.  It is an excellent source of protein.  I remember Lena buying Herring in the Super Value store in Hutchinson out of a huge wooden barrel back by the meat counter.  There was a ladle hanging on the side of the barrel . . . help yourself and the container was then weighed. 

  As we have had a main meal of the day, we agreed to having a dish of ice cream later on.  Wow, two treats in one day.

  Now at four in the afternoon, the sun wants to come out . . . but not trying very hard.  We will take whatever we get!

  We are thrilled to be home with good news on the medical side of things.

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on January 23, 2023 Permalink  

  I Missed It 

  The news at noon said the sun had been out for a short time this forenoon, but I missed it.  I had gone into the studio and tidied up after the segment of putting zippers into the pant legs of several pair of Dennis’ pants.  There is a spot for everything and when everything is in its place . . . all goes so much better.  It is comparable to the tools needed in a repair shop.  If put back when finished with it . . . it will always be able to be found.

  My patient is doing well.  Last night when I dressed the incision, the wound was dry to the touch.  No stitches have been pulled out.  When I was done, there was plenty of padding for protection before setting the foot back in the boot and Velcroing it in.  No rubbing of any sort!  Dennis has been very cooperative.  This morning he asked if he could pick up Dwayne for coffee.  Dwayne no longer drives and was tickled to death.  They picked up coffee in the drive through and drove around the community.   No harm, no foul.  There was very little activity, other than stepping into the little red pickup and then stepping out again.

  This morning I checked out the picket fence.  Dennis thinks two bucks got into a tussle with one jumping the fence, getting its hoof caught.  The bucks have shed their antlers at this time of the year, so it was hard to tell who was what.  We are down one picket.  As luck would have it, we have an extra picket in the garage.  Plenty of time for a repair this spring. 

  Happy Monday everyone.

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on January 22, 2023 Permalink  

  Hmm! 

  Yesterday I thought was Sunday.  Hmm.  Basically, I do stay on track 99.9% of the time.

  Yesterday Dennis took my camera to the patio porch and Dennis did score a great photo of a deer feeding just on the other side of the sliding patio door.  I went out for a bit to see if more would be coming to join in for some shell corn.  

  I sent the photo to Megan, Nicholas and Kevin’s.  I received swift replies on all accounts.

  We came in about 4:30 thinking all the traffic on Stauffer Avenue had scared the deer away until after dark.  I was putting supper on at five and I glanced through the bathroom window.  Oh my gosh, talk about a feeding frenzy.  Dennis has decided he would try again this evening to see if a photo could capture a crowd of deer coming for corn.  

  The frost has been on the trees all day.  Though a wonderous sight, it does make me wonder if the frost and the fog has made the roadways a bit slick.

  I took a vacation day and have done squat.  I do have wound dressing to do before supper.  This will be ongoing for some time.  I cannot complain about doing it, as I am thrilled the patient is as good as he is.  I am not sure how many I could vouch for that might have gone through the same thing.

  Perhaps maybe tomorrow I will have a bit of spunk.

  I hope all is well wherever you are.

   
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  Noreen 3:28 pm on January 21, 2023 Permalink  

  Dark Sunday 

  How dark can the clouds make it?

  Dennis is on a mission.  He is sitting in his rocking chair in the patio porch with my cell phone, primed to capture a photo of the deer when they come to eat.  They come within two feet of the sliding patio doors.  Time will tell.

  We needed some protein for noon lunch.  A batch of egg salad sounded good to both of us.  I always make mine with a hefty amount of diced onions.  Good grief.  I had five white eggs and one brown egg to boil.  The white eggs were a pick here, a pick there to get the shells off.  Dastardly job.  The brown egg peeled in a heartbeat.  In the end it was all worth the effort. 

  I had planned on a visit to the studio.  Truth to tell, my hands were weary enough that I scrapped that idea.  For all the effort, it was tempting to go to the store for a container of herring, also good protein.

  We will be doing an encore of the oven meal for supper.  I just love leftovers.

   
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  Noreen 1:49 pm on January 20, 2023 Permalink  

  The Grammie on Board 

  The Grammie is on board for wound dressing for Dennis.  This was the first time for me since his surgical day of January 11th.  I had watched very carefully when it was done in Mankato on the 17th.  That was the first dressing change and I was thankful it was done by a doctor. 

  Today, out came the wicker basket with my supplies.  Thankfully I had enough left over from previous that I have it covered until we travel back to Mankato on the 24th.  The doctor had sent over a prescription to the Mayo Store for the supplies to take us into several weeks.  The prescription is for three months.  I hope we won’t need supplies for that long.  We knew there would be a delay from point A to point B, so we came directly home on Tuesday.

  I called the Mayo Store today and asked in regard to the supplies, if I would need to shop the shelves seeking what was needed.  She assured me the supplies would be bagged up ready for us on the 24th.  Sweet!

  With all that has happened over the last month or so, the days seem to fly by.  Where does the 24 hours go?  Just as well that there is nothing in the studio that is on a schedule.  I will have plenty of time after we have seen a month of “Grammie Care.”  Time will tell.

  I remain on livestock chores.  It feels good that Dennis can be out in the patio porch while I am doing them.  You cannot believe the TLC the kitties are requiring.  Short visits is the plan.

  I have an oven meal ready.  I had one pound of hamburger meat that I browned.  1 good tablespoon of Better than Bullion in the roasted onion flavor went into the hot meat.  Several shakes of Soy sauce.  The pasta boxes hold four cups of the dry pasta and I used two cups to bring it to fruition.  A jar of Classico basil red sauce.  When all folded into each other, it will be popped in at 4:15 at 350 degrees.

  The next trip to Mankato will need a stop at Hy-Vee for several different flavors of the Better than Bullion.  It really does add a lot of extra flavor to our oven meals.  It has a long shelf life in the refrigerator.

  I was surprised that we have had a freezing mist all day today.  There goes my nice clean path to the garage.

  The weekend is upon us.  January is quickly being left in what it does best . . . yuck weather and very little sunshine.

   
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  Noreen 4:36 pm on January 19, 2023 Permalink  

  Wet Snow 

  The threats were made good.  We got about four inches.

  Yesterday, I had put salt down so the walk from our back door to the garage door would be free of ice.  It worked quickly and well.  This morning when I was going to clear a path from the house to the garage, the salt I had put down yesterday served me well as I could push the newly fallen snow off to the side and the bare concrete made the path safe.

  Grandson Ryan cleared the drive this afternoon with the skid loader.  He was able to push the alley snow far into the backyard.  He also talked to the fellow that grades the alley and it may be such a thing that that the next snowfall will be plowed to the south so the little red pickup door doesn’t get blocked.  It sure doesn’t hurt to ask.

  Today Dennis got to visit his patio porch for the first time since January 11th.  Dennis had a stool to put his foot up onto.  The kitties were very thrilled.  Short spurts outside, I am sure felt good.  The pain pills are no longer first and foremost.  That is a great thing.

  By all accounts, things are progressing well.  I will be back on board for dressing and wound changes.  I will be using Acetic acid to wash the incision.  It is vinegar and saline solution.  The strange thing is, a prescription is needed to pick it up.  I am sure my kitchen vinegar is not acceptable and then . . . how much to mix with the saline is another question.  The $5.00 for the quart bottle is doable.

  We are not sure what we are hungry for for supper.  It is up for discussion.

   
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  Noreen 2:32 pm on January 18, 2023 Permalink  

  First Come Clouds 

  First come the clouds, followed by the snow this evening.  All is well here on Stauffer Avenue.  We have nowhere we need to be until next week.

  I often talk of or speak to my interest in all thing crafty.  Dang!  I would need some supplies to make flash cards.  Flash cards in big bold print would work.  First flash card: Elevated – Higher than Surroundings.  Second flash card: Limited – Restrictions.

  After one week out of surgery. Dennis may need to have the actual flash card information put on each of his arms with a black Sharpie pen.  My luck, he would get a skin infection from the permanent ink.  There is to be limited amount of walking with the specialized boot that puts heel down before toe area . . . if he had one.  Foot is to be elevated . . . a lot.

  To drive home the elevated need to keep his circulation from taking excess blood to the surgical area, I used a sponge.  It was totally saturated with water . . . but maintaining the water, no dripping.  I carefully placed the sponge in Dennis’ open hand . . . no dripping.  I then ask Dennis to put the sponge in his other hand.  With so little movement, the pressure on the sponge leaked and dripped water.  Moral of the story:  so little pressure is too much pressure for the left foot at this time. 

  Good grief . . . I need to put out a shingle: “Doc Piddy”, aka: a quack on board.  When we were small children, the baby duck were referred to as Piddy.

  I need to leave no doubt in Dennis’ mind that this third time needs to be the charm, the prize, the end of this medical scenario.

   
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  Noreen 4:47 pm on January 17, 2023 Permalink  

  A Long Day 

  We needed to see the wound doctor today in Mankato.  Because of the rain, ice and snow flurries we left for Mankato this morning for a 1:45 appointment.  That was a wise move.

  After seven days since Dennis’ surgery, the reveal was highly anticipated as Dr. Renee unwrapped the foot.  The incision with its tidy stitches looks good.  Dennis needs to continue staying off the foot as much as possible.

  We got home at four thirty.  Dennis stayed with me while I did the livestock chores.  Moral support is always appreciated.

  I am making this short and sweet.  Tomorrow is another day.