Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 1:56 pm on April 2, 2026 Permalink  

  I Heard It 

  I heard the rain falling during the night.  I knew the snow would have been silent.

  When I got up and saw that Randy’s yard next door was all but floating away.  There is only so much that a gravel yard can take in.

  The next thing I did when my feet hit the floor, was to say “Hello Art.”  The arthritis in my feet told me all about the weather pattern we were in.  When you feel discomfort you know you have been given another day.  Thank you Lord! 

  I sat upon my cherry red chair in my bedroom porch with a cup of hot coffee and watched the plunks that the rain made in the puddles on Stauffer Avenue.  It was rather mesmerizing.  I knew I had a phone call to make. 

  When refills are needed, the Lewis Drug’s automatic answering machine asks for a prescription number.  I had taken care of that last Thursday, the 26th of March.  On Monday I drove to Lewis Drug to pick up the medication.  It’s the one that does my heart good.  There was nothing.  They were kind and said there was nothing forthcoming.  They said they would fax it to the clinic again.  I had taken my last pill on Sunday night.  They were kind and gave me six pills as a temporary refill.  I came home and used the Mayo Portal to message my primary.  When I called Lewis Drug this morning, the medication was ready and Dennis went immediately in the rain to pick it up.  Dennis can use the drive-up window.  With a bum left arm, I cannot reach the automatic drawer as it slides open.  Just a small inconvenience that allows me to go directly into the pharmacy . 

  Being mindful of personal responsibilities is important.  Nothing can be left to chance if we want to stay independent.  I sure do!

  It has rained most of the day.  I see by the weather map St. James has been moved into a dry spell.

  I now have the pieced 18 blocks making up the extra-long top of Nicholas’ quilt put together and pressed.  Nicholas is over 6′ tall and will need the extra foot covering.  The three border fabrics have been pulled out and are awaiting.  To make the quilt wide enough, there will be a 3″, then a 4″ and finally a 5″ border added to the four sides.  The labor intense portion is finished.

  We are having an oven meal for supper.  The two passes of preparing supper that were granted me for my birthday are over.  Here in the real world we are.  Not such a bad place to be.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:27 pm on April 1, 2026 Permalink  

  Another First 

  We are experiencing another first of a month for 2026.  It surely does seem to come around fast.

  So far today we have had a few drops of rain.  Time will tell.

  The first of every month, we continue being on schedule to replace all of Dennis’ CPAP components that are issued via our Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance supplement and Medicare.  It’s an 80/20 split.

  Dennis walked over and visited Randy next door.  Each Easter we let Randy know how much we appreciate him and his long green line for snow removal.  Randy tries hard not to let us pay him, but it’s not up for debate.  His unit does not run on air.  We so appreciate it.  Randy has a heated garage and the two fellows got a chance to visit as well.  

  The studio was lit up for several hours.  The first two lengths of stitches needed to be ripped out.  The 14.5 inch blocks are pieced each like the next, but the way they are turned tells the rest of the story in the pattern.

  Yesterday Aunt Janet had called with birthday wishes.  She loves to chit chat . . . and I do also.  Today, my sister-in-law, JoAnn called.  We had not been in contact since sometime last summer.  The Boon Lake farm keeps her busy as well as four of her six grandchildren that are still in school.

  We received news that our two dining room chairs that we ordered in February will be delivered on April 9th.  It stands to reason that no store would sell two of the four chairs that they have paired with a table.  We were not in any hurry.

  We have agreed on a plan for supper this evening.  Last night, my birthday supper was sharing a Subway with Dennis.  Very special indeed.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:09 pm on March 31, 2026 Permalink  

  Oh My! 

  Oh my oh my!  Where have 82 years gone!

  It began when my sweet mom, Lena, was helping Raymond with livestock chores feeding hay.  The horse pulling the wagon, with Lena holding the reigns, got spooked and . . . so it went.  Dr. Hovde from Winthrop came out to the Spaude farm, the farm my parents were renting.  Sometime in the late evening, Noreen Laura came bounding into the world to join the family.  My sister, Elvera Helen, age six . . . her world was never the same again.

  Do I have any words of wisdom on achieving the 82 years?  No!  With the help of my Lord’s ever comforting and encouraging hands on my shoulders and a wonderful mom and dad how could I not make to 82 years.  The Lord remains with me to each and every day and the lessons taught by Raymond and Lena, now resting in the bosom of the Lord, have given me a most wonderful life.

  Many self-induced lessons from the “Old Adam” inheritance.  Each lesson leaving a mark.  I could either grow through, learning from it, or I would be apt to repeat it until I got it right.  Oh yes, I am still a work in progress.

  As I said,  March 31st, 2026, I have a wonderful life sharing each day with Dennis in our own home.  After each of us has had multiple health issues, being in our own home is a gift each day.

  There will be more coming each and every day . . . for now . . . that’s very special.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:29 pm on March 30, 2026 Permalink  

  A Sign of Spring 

  Looking out and seeing guys get out of their delivery truck wearing shorts . . . it must be a sign that spring has sprung.

  For now, my spring will settle for being able to have a window cracked on both ends of the house as I had coffee this morning in my bedroom porch.  We will be enjoying the little birds that I have identified as Thrush birds.  I may be wrong.  The male is a red with brown and the female is of a brown color.  No matter, I enjoy them as they take ownership of the nest built into the bracket of our west awning.

  I am slowly working my whiles in the studio.  First thing first is the small bathroom battery operated radio that is now decades old being turned on.  It’s mostly on for the background noise.  

  We are having leftovers from the oven meal of yesterday.  Win, win.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:44 pm on March 29, 2026 Permalink  

  Happy Birds 

  Spring is really here when the birds are singing at 5:30 in the morning.  They have no hidden agendas but to share the mornings.

  I believe our awning has already had some spring nest cleaning making ready for eggs to be laid.

  Springtime also allows for new batches of kittens that will be looking for homes in several weeks.  We have had offers . . . “pick any color you want.”

  Our springtime will be culminated a week from today when the Christian faith celebrates Easter.  How great Thou are.  Nothing is asked of us, all is given.  It’s as if we are given a clean sheet of drawing paper and our story can begin anew.  With a willing heart how could we not and leave in the dust what has not worked in the past, what has hurt us in the past.

  Learning acceptance rather than expectations is what Easter can offer to us if we have opened ourselves up to His salvation.  But no . . . some will fight this and then the old Adam will fester until the Easter of 2027.  But why?

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:17 pm on March 28, 2026 Permalink  

  Progress 

  Progress is upon my church tables.  All of the needed blocks in Nicholas’ collage quilt have been arranged.  There is madness in how the blocks are turned in order to see the full effect.  Sewing the blocks together will be for another day.

  The last of the small Christmas stitched projects had been on the corner of the ironing board long enough.  It did not take long to put red thread in the bobbin and in the top thread.  Getting it turned right-side out is always a challenge.  It may look as if I put too much stuffing into the elongated pillow.  I know when I plunk down a heavy book on it, that will take out some of the air.  Wonder Clips are holding the end secure as I used Aleene’s tacky glue to seal it up.

  I didn’t think there was anything left that was loose enough to blow from one lot to another today. The 30 mph winds from the southwest have the whole house quaking, yet the leaves are blowing across Stauffer Avenue from the northwest.  Hmm.  The metal mail slot gets caught with a wind gust and can really clatter.  Thank goodness for an interior cover.

  Last night when I sat in my recliner, listening to a pair of floss tubers from Bloomington, they were talking about going to a shop in Blue Earth.  I didn’t think Dennis had been listening.  He didn’t think it would be a bad idea to make the trip to Blue Earth sometime and I could check out the ship called “Welcome.”  The ole cowboy still has a surprise or two up his sweater’s sleeve.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:12 pm on March 27, 2026 Permalink  

  Friday 

  All play and no work . . . just doesn’t work.  

  Once I had our hefty little vacuum out, there was no stopping us.  Being hopeful that the snow and ice have subsided, it was time, that what had been tracked in was cleaned up . . . big time.  

  How great that we have only 720 sq. ft. on the first floor to gather up all the dust bunnies, threads and fuzz.  It was wise to halt the studio for awhile and pay attention to where the rest of our lives are spent.

  I had a clinic appointment at 1:45.  You could have shot a cannon down the main isle.  Only one reception person on board.  Maybe this was a Friday that gave everyone the day off . . . except me and the food guru.  More on that another time.

  Carrie and Megan are driving out this Sunday.  Sounds like a good visit is coming.  Yes, Grandpa Dennis, I will feed them.

  The north winds are becoming second nature to us on the planes of Minnesota.  The chilly temps of today begged for jackets to be used.

  I promised Dennis supper for this evening for the help he gave me herding the length of the shop vac’s hose.  That would be the only bad thing about that little jewel,  the long length of a hose beckoning one to trip on it or over it . . . not today my pretty.

  With that I will take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on March 26, 2026 Permalink  

  A Plan 

  I always have a plan.  Sometimes I have more than one.

  I have been known to do a lot of the counted cross stitch stitching and sewing machine stitching.  I find quiet comfort in it.  Nothing goes to hell around me while I do stitching.   Work first and then play and more play.

  Hundreds of hours of contentment with very little financial resources needed.  Right after 2021, I had tried my hand at cross stitching.  I had ordered a kit.  I worked diligently on it.  The kicker was that of the six stranded embroidery floss, this design was worked with only one of the six strands.  Is it any wonder I found it on the bottom of my thread stash last week?   I brought it out for an airing.  I have since found quite a bit of joy in tackling it again.  During the evenings sitting in my cherry red chair in my bedroom porch with the 5x magnification lamp to my right.  Do I need the magnification lamp 100% of the time, no.  The fabric is 20 stitches to the inch and as there is quite a bit of floss demanding room to be made into a “x” and help is a good thing.

  I was lamenting yesterday about a machine embroidery design.  This forenoon I found it.  Yup, all 2″ x 2″ of it.  I preferred it being 5″ x 5″.  I downloaded the 2 x 2 onto a flash drive.  On the Dell laptop, I opened the Bernina Tool Box software.  I downloaded the 2 x 2.  I kept increasing the size until it was 5 x 5 and loaded that on the flash drive.  I stitched out a sample to see how fragmentated the stitches were.  Pretty sparse.  With the flash drive loaded into the sewing machine, I increased the density by 140%.  Not a bad result at all.  I could have chanced increasing more, but . . . stitching that design on one of my quilt blocks, I went with what would stitch out smoothly. 

  I have had a good day but I can’t help but hear the wind gusts driving the windchimes crazy.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:45 pm on March 25, 2026 Permalink  

  Some Wins 

  With creativity there are some wins and some fails.  Thankfully I have racked up more wins than not.

  Each day finding appropriate downloads for the digitized embroidery takes you to many sites.  Depending on how bad you want to find exactly what you are looking for, there can be some angst.  “You know what you want and you want it now”  doesn’t always compute.  Patience, patience.

  I did find success to the point that I even stitched out a prototype.  Knowing the various prompts and the responses needed make for knowing your final forever stitch with be a good one.

  My partner in crime, aka: the ole cowboy, knows what he wants and needs and he is going to get it via tapping me for it.  Grr.  Let’s just say it’s easier complying as soon as possible rather than stalling and getting those reminders, much like the nasty little bill that can come in the mail over and over.  Gratefully, we are not in that reminder category. 

  Today the huge leaf blower has been removed from the back entry.  I do believe there will not be any more heavy snows that we need to engage it to blow ourselves out of the house.  It did come in handy.

  I did get my arm exercises done for the day.  Who knew that when you engage your arm to be raised over your head or doing other arm exercises, your thumb pointed up from your hand maximizes the muscle movement.  Amazing.

  Thumbs up to you!

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:29 pm on March 24, 2026 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 24th of March 2026 

  Our day in Mankato for Dennis’ eye injection took much longer than usual appointments for that procedure.   There are multiple steps to prepare the eye.  The first step is completed with a numbing swab.  Dennis said there are three stations all processing patients.  Two of the stations’ computers went down.  Super big backup as Dennis and others had the numbing effect wear off during the wait and the process began over.  Events can happen when computers are utilized.  Thank goodness there are procedures to save eye sights.

  It was a longer day than we had anticipated, but in the end, Dennis’ procedure did get done with excellent results.  His next injection is June 8th. 

  We went on to pick up groceries from my list while in Mankato.  Coming home and taking care of doing the stashing of groceries where they needed to be . . . I was weary.  

  Today at 11:30, I had PT for my shoulders.  I did the arms on the bicycle that can be set at various tensions.  While my arms were busy, the therapist was working on the tendons and muscles in my neck and across the shoulder blades.  The goal was for me to do the arm exercises while keeping my neck and shoulders relaxed.  After achieving mobility over the last ten years or so using the humping of my shoulders to give the strength needed for my arms to get done what I needed getting done . . . therein lies the work I need to do for more arm strength while shoulders are relaxed during the work.

  It actually hurt so bad, it felt good.  My at-home exercises for this week will be done twice a day.  It all made sense as the session wound down.  For as tight as the muscles are, it stands to reason for the headaches.  Who knew! 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥