Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:17 pm on August 24, 2022 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  After today, whatever weeds and clover did not get whacked out with my hoe and rake will get a bit of a spritz with Roundup.  I do know that Roundup is taken in at the surface and travels to the root.  Caution is needed.  I will not be encouraging Dennis to use it.

  Dennis has all he can do to keep the wasp nests at bay.  The favorite place for them to begin nests is in the shelter of our patio umbrella.  I thought it was just our yard.  Not!  I happened to look out of our east bathroom window and took in quite the dance.  Two doors south of us, Mong had spray can in hand and was trying to take the wasps out while they were in flight.  I watched long enough to see him knock down three nests from the eaves of his storage sheds.  The flying wasps were not happy.

  When I came in the house this forenoon, Dennis volunteered to clean my garden shoes.  What a fellow.  Though the ground has gotten hard enough to make weed pulling difficult, thus the Roundup spray, the soil is still ready to stick to shoes big time

  Stauffer Avenue is a gravel alley.  It gets enough use that the city applies dust control.  That happened on Monday.  It is the messiest liquid stuff ever.  For a week or so, Dennis will be using the car for errands.  The pickup backs out onto Stauffer Avenue and the tires will then drag the liquid creosote into and onto the garage floor on the return trip.  It will literally leave puddles on the floor.  I won’t be using my walking crutches on Stauffer for awhile.

  The studio and I were not in harmony today.  The 1/4″ seam allowance was eluding me and could not to be attained consistently.  Try, try again another day.  I hear a book calling me from my bedroom porch.

  Today is not only hump day, it is my day to dig out the alcohol wipes as Dennis just came in with wasp stings on his neck.

   
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  Noreen 1:29 pm on August 23, 2022 Permalink  

  A Summer Day 

  There’s a bit of a summer feel outside.  I was glad to have my outside work done by 10:30.  Dennis continues piling up the vegetation as I get it out of the Hosta.  Who knew we would get rain overnight!  His pile to purge and burn will have to wait a bit longer to dry out.  With the acre mowed and us making strides on weeds and clover . . . it is looking . . . sweet.

  Both of the beds have fresh bedding on for tonight’s slumber.  I think linen closets are a thing of the past.  The beds are stripped, the washer and dryer do their thing and it is back onto the bed.  A very good thing.

  The car has new tabs on it going forward into 2033.  It’s best to do it when the notice comes in the mail.  Why take a chance of forgetting.

  The house directly south of us has been vacated and it is the house that needed to be cleaned out to the tune of three huge roll-off dumpsters.  The property has been sold and the new owners have not decided if they will fix it up to rent or if they will make it their home.  Very nice people.  After the three roll-offs, I am surprised that there is still a pile of discarded items coming out of the house.  I am not surprised that after night settles in, the scroungers are rearranging the pile.

  The day is drawing neigh and I am feeling it.  Tomorrow is a new day and I will be up for taking it in.

   
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  Noreen 1:58 pm on August 22, 2022 Permalink  

  Laundry Monday 

  Laundry indeed!  Three good sized loads and for a short time the basket is empty.  Nothing feels better than putting on clean clothes.  Tomorrow will be bedding laundry, another great feeling to get done.

  My morning routine is one that I like.  Peddling the bike and then on to a walk down Stauffer Avenue.  Out came the garden tools as I was going to lob out a bit more clover under the Hosta.  What?  Not a patio porch kitty in site.  The end result was more greenery to dry out for it to then be burned.  The clover patch is getting less.  As long as the soil remains damp so I can work the hoe, we may get to the end of it.  This time of the year, the weeds aren’t apt to try one more growth spurt.

  Dennis and friend Dwayne were on a road trip this morning.  The 2022 Heston belt buckles are out.  Miller-Sellner in Sleepy Eye handles them.  Dennis’ collection was started at the very beginning in 1974.  It would be silly to stop picking up each year’s buckle after all this time.  I knew I wouldn’t see Dennis until noon, if then.

  I enjoyed a cup of coffee while cooling off from the clover weeding.  I had worked up a good sweat and reading for a bit while enjoying the coffee fit just right.

  Dennis got home after one.  He and Dwayne stopped at LaSalle and had noon lunch.  He let me know that supper would be light if non-existent.  A half portion of a beef commercial plus a piece of strawberry pie can do that to the appetite.  

  I now have enough fabric cut for sewing up two quilt tops in the Log Cabin pattern.  Using the rotary cutting tool, it is best if I cool it for the remainder of the day.  Stopping the use of the hands and arms when it begins to ache . . . it’s too late, the damage has already been done.  I have a booklet from mom, Lena, that is called Quilt in a Day.  When I do start sewing, I may well follow her step by step instructions, rather than doing the willy nilly of times past.  Reading “the rest of the story” is a good idea before beginning.  Read twice . . . stitch once.

   
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  Noreen 2:15 pm on August 21, 2022 Permalink  

  Happy Sunday 

  It is Sunday and a bit warmish out.

  Never to mind as I had my outside work done by 10:30.  The bicycle peddling in my bedroom is the first item on the docket after a cup of coffee.  No, I am not steady enough to slurp while my feet are busy.  With my walking crutches I walked north towards the railroad tracks.  AJ adjusted them while I was in the house.  After a walk in the great outdoors, I realize they need to be made a bit taller by maybe one more notch.  Not to worry, I will nab someone to get that done.  Even AJ had a time getting the clips off for the adjustment.

  I took a cup of coffee with me as I headed to the Hosta to get more clover pulled up.  The dirt is muddy, but the clover pulls easily.  If I would stay out in the gardens for the full days like I used to, the oldest cat, Honey Bunny, would stay close by and play in the catnip.  As soon as my back tells me I need to pull up stakes, Honey Bunny is off across the yard to the vacant house to the east.  She has her hiding spot either in it, under it or by the stuff piled around the foundation.  She comes home every night as if she has a curfew.  Tomorrow morning, I will hit the clover again.  Some here, some there and at least some local effort is being accomplished. 

  The dew was heavy this morning.  Dennis had to wait until noon before he could begin mowing the acre.  Here it is, midafternoon and he has just finished for the day.  The yards look wonderful.  The rain was needed, and the grass knew to grow.

  Tonight, will be chicken tities, mashed potatoes and green beans for the yard’s keeper.  Dennis has earned a hot supper.

  I may cut a few more 2.5″ stripes of fabric before closing down the studio.  

  After I do Dennis’ foot dressing this evening, I think I will see about doing the dressing in such a fashion to allow him to try on a wide width shoe for the left foot.  I know he will know in short order if the pressure felt to too great of an extreme.  It doesn’t hurt to try. 

  Tomorrow is the beginning of a week for us older ones on Stauffer Avenue to have no appointments.  Sweet!

   
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  Noreen 1:11 pm on August 20, 2022 Permalink  

  Greetings 

  Greetings from the sewing studio of Grammie on her new Dell laptop.  What a learning curve!

  I may have already clicked on something I should not have.  Well maybe one or two.  When I set up the wireless mouse the prompt came up either right or left.  I thought it was either to the right or the left of the laptop itself.  I chose right.  Dah!  I went up to the living room to see what I had loaded on the HP for photo resizing.  The mouse for the HP had been converted to the right click as well.  That being said, I may have clicked on something that did tie the two units together for some things but not all.  Not that big of a deal.  Got that little detail fixed.

  I do have Google Chrome downloaded as my default.  As yet the resizing of photos needs a bit of tweaking to get the photos to the size that the blog is happy with.  Not everything in one day.  My next step is to go into the control panel and disable the touch pad.  Right now in doing this blog, my thumb grazes the touch pad and the screen does its own thing.

  I am also cutting fabric into 2.5″ strips for my Log Cabin projects.  They do sell what they call jelly rolls that are already cut into 2.5″ strips.  Within the roll is a variety of fabrics that blend well.  I have done my own blending and I will get the cutting done as well just not all at one time.  I was so close to not having enough yardage of one of the chosen, that I couldn’t cut it at 2 and 4/8ths, I had to cut it at 2 and 3/8ths.  Got it done.

  Grandson AJ was here for the morning.  Dennis is one happy camper for television viewing.  AJ put an antenna up on the east side of the garage.  Dennis now has choices of the REA tower or his Samsung smart TV.

  Last week the walking crutches came from good old Amazon.  Today, AJ adjusted the height for me.  From the first few steps I could feel getting equal pull on the back, hips and knees with each step.  Stauffer Avenue look out.  It is a tad muddy as we have gotten rain yesterday and today, but these walking crutches will make walking for a distance more enjoyable. 

  AJ also carried my teak rocker from the studio into the living room.  The chair that has been my go-to place after supper has no support left for the cheeks or the back.  Near as Dennis can recall, that chair was new in 1980.  I am content in the rocker.  My choice for reading is in my bedroom where I have natural light from three sides and I have a good chair for that.  I spend little time watching TV. 

  So much contentment on Stauffer, the sweetest spot ever.

   
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  Noreen 1:20 pm on August 19, 2022 Permalink  

  Wonderful Rain 

  We received a wonderful rain last night.  It came down slow and steady.  Dennis could report this morning that we had 6/10ths.

  Once I had my morning routines done that included the exercise bike, I put on my old shoes.  The last thing I did before I left the house was to make sure the coffee pot stayed hot.  I knew I would enjoy a cup when I took a break from pulling up clover and weeds.  A good rain allows for roots and all to be gotten.

  As a few branches of the catnip were tweaked, Honey Bunny stayed right with me to enjoy that treat.  The lopper took care of a few Lilac branches that were always ready to whoop me in the head.  As big as around as my thumb I can take care of.  If there were larger ones, Dennis could do those when he came home from having coffee with the fellows.  I was able to have a pretty good sized pile of stuff before the FedEx truck had stopped near our front door.

  Taking my time, I got two boxes into the house.  I expected the delivery but I also knew I would not open them until I was totally done outside.  I got back to the clover and just like that a downpour came overhead.  I decided my gardening was done for the day.

  Both boxes were carried into the studio.  One box held a wireless Dell laptop, a Latitude 5520.  The second box was the wireless mouse.  I had kicked around getting a laptop for the studio ever since the Dell laptop I had purchased in 2007 up and left me.  I had called Dell and put out what was important on a new one.  I was accustomed to Windows 10 as the kids had given me an HP Pavilion in 2015. This laptop will have the ability to do an upgrade when the time comes.  No extra bells and whistles from Microsoft.  I very much liked the 15 inch on the HP and this also has it.  All I have done thus far today is unbox it and the mouse. . . and save the boxes until later. 

  No more loading a sewing design in the living room on the HP and making multiple trips up and down the basement steps when tweaking is needed.  Of course the HP was mobile, but I know myself well enough that I do not carry anything with me up and down the steep steps if I can avoid it.  If this Dell lasts me as long as the previous one, it will be sweet.  I can have access at a moments notice and not bother Dennis.

  What has also transpired in our home over time is that Dennis is prone to spending more time in the house and enjoys playing cribbage and other card games on the HP.  What better therapy than eye to hand brain function.  It beats sitting in the recliner and falling asleep.  The HP is set up so the eyes need to lift just a bit and the television can also be enjoyed.  As recent as yesterday Dennis had a physical at the VA clinic and had been given the comment that for his 86 years he is doing well and he functions well.  Music to my ears and I know it bodes well for Dennis to receive positive affirmations from the medical world as well as from me.

  While I was in the studio today, I have made decisions in regard to color pallets for two projects.  There is enough fabric for both double bed sized quilts to be made in the Log Cabin pattern.  I realize the double bed sized quilts may not be sufficient for many of today’s beds, bit it is large enough for covering and snuggling while watching . . . whatever.  I tucked everything else away and off of the church tables.  In time there will be 2.5 inch wide stripes cut.   

  The clouds are thick this afternoon.  More rain would be welcomed.

   
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  Noreen 2:25 pm on August 18, 2022 Permalink  

  Heavy Air 

  I have been kicking around some thoughts on the next studio project.  The ultimate goal is to continue on working up what fabrics I have in my stashes.

  The only way to form a plan is to have the fabrics out onto the church tables.  Putting hues of greens together is a possibility.  I hadn’t done anything with purple . . . and just where did these purple fabrics come from!  The last possibility would be browns with a tinge of rose in some choices.

  I must have walked around those church tables a dozen times if not more.  Taking some time out and sitting in my teak rocking chair, it gave me a chance to see if the groupings of fabric from a distance gave a harmonious pleasing effect to the eye.  As the noon hour approached, I took time to rustle up some fried egg sandwiches for us.  

  I realized that there were three library books that needed to be returned by the 19th . . . tomorrow.  That gave me the opportunity to take in some fresh air.  Sure enough.  I came back home and checked.  The fabrics remained on the church tables right where I had left them.  I shut down all the lights in the studio and decided the decision would wait for a day . . . or more. 

  We did get some photos from Megan as she is settling into her college dorm room this week.  Yup, I caught the plants in the photos that had traveled with her from her home to Virginia.  Megan has always had live plants in her bedroom.  Many she had saved from a time when she worked at The Mustard Seed Nursery during high school.  I do mean “saved.”  When some were too sad to look inviting to the customers, Megan would make sure they got into her car rather than being put in the dumpster.

  Dennis has been keeping busy in the garages today.  I will catch up with him when it is suppertime.  Dennis has been very quiet today.  His youngest son was released yesterday after spending time in jail since July 11th for assault and battery towards his girlfriend.  It is sad and it can’t but weigh heavy on a father’s heart.  When children are 58 and still seek the bottom of the bottle, there are no words or deeds to fix anything.  If, right now, I could reach out and hug my two children and let them know how proud I am of them, I surely would.  I will settle for giving Dennis a huge hug when he comes in for supper.

  Heavy air . . . heavy hearts.

  I hope everyone has more in life to cherish than not.

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on August 17, 2022 Permalink  

  Peaceful Day 

  This has been a fairly quiet peaceful day.

  I was up early and I was determined.  Yesterday I was fighting with an email that included a zip file.  Lord Almighty!  After many tries, thinking I had it transferred to the flash drive, I would go down into the studio to find out there was nothing there for the update.  I think I made seven trips and then called it a day.  I had managed to extract it to a document file before saying enough is enough.

  With a fresh outlook this morning, I realized that when I created a file that the flash drive would take, the name of the file didn’t look familiar.  It had taken something for its label from its content.  I looked for a file that was created on August 16th.  Bingo.  Before I had my second cup of coffee the sewing machine had taken the update and all was calm in the studio.  Whew!  

  Computer items . . . one of those things that can stop me on a dime.  I also know that keeping up with what is needed to remain content and still feel that personal growth is still attainable, I need to figure it out.  I sent Amanda an email . . . “Got it.”

  Today we went to the Curry Comb.  I can’t speak for Dennis, but the haircut sure feels good.

  We stopped in at the grocery store as it is right across the street of niece Brenda’s shop.  Dennis needed a loaf of white bread and one gallon of distilled water for his CPAP machine.  This time, I got to sit in the little red pickup and watch people.  He had left the pickup running, but in time, I reached over and shut it off as it was taking him quite awhile.  I knew what was going on and I had not fore warned him before he went in.  Wednesday is Senior Citizen’s Day at the grocery store.  When Dennis came out with his two items, he said he thought he ears were bleeding.  There is no shortage of people who had wanted to stop and visit.  Too funny! 

  This afternoon Dennis is up the street at the eye clinic.  Once a month Dennis has an eye injection in his right eye for macular.  I am so thankful that that is not in my schedule.

  Last night we had Subway for supper.  This evening we are having a pasta oven dish from the freezer.  I do like to tuck a container away when the batch gets too large.  Good eats for the patient.  My only task left for the day will be dressing Dennis’ foot after showers.

  Yup, a peaceful day.

   
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  Noreen 12:53 pm on August 16, 2022 Permalink  

  Nice Morning 

  The temps this morning were great.  I literally took Dennis’ winter jacket and hung it away as he has been reaching for it this week.  No way is he going to start rushing the season.

  After my morning routine, I stood on the last step going down into the studio.  I looked at the studio with new eyes as perhaps some stranger would do.  It didn’t take me long to know I had some sifting to do.  An old office chair that the actual back adjustment was stripped out . . . out it went to the back stoop.  What Dennis will do with it is up to him.  Several cardboard containers hit the recycling bin, complete with the Styrofoam partitions in them.  I had looked at a bag of softener salt long enough.  There was room inside of the holding tank for it.  With a solo cup it was scooped into the tank one by one until the 40 lbs. was slim to none to be poured into the tank.  The empty bag was on its way out of the studio.

  I think I could have continued with the tidy, tidy,  but an email stopped me in my tracks.  I hate working with zip files.  I don’t work with them often enough that it takes me forever to get them into a file folder that a flash drive will work with the contents.  It also meant that the computer in the living room where the email was received allowed for a few trips from the first floor to the studio where the file would be used in the sewing machine.  Good exercise.

  Supper is up for grabs.  Man, that ritual sure comes around fast.  I will need to ponder on that for a time.

   
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  Noreen 2:07 pm on August 15, 2022 Permalink  

  Not Giving In 

  Today a package arrived from Amazon.  It is never too late to think about “better.”  I had toyed with the idea of an exercising bike.  Where to go with it so it would be easily accessible was a concern.  I wanted one with a recumbent seat for comfort, not one of those skinny pointy seats.  Hmm.  Those thoughts brought me to last week.

  As I was on the internet surfing, I ran across this little do-hicky that would most likely do what I needed.  I needed to have stronger legs to support me in the manner that I would like to be accustomed to.  It’s fine to spend some time with yard work or to travel across Walmart’s parking lot to get to the back of their store where the pharmacy is.  I knew in my mind, I needed more.  I also know that soon the yard work will be over and already our trips to Mankato are becoming less.

  This little machine fits perfectly in my bedroom porch.  As you can see I gave it a test run as I watched traffic go by.  There is an option of putting more tension on the peddles.  I am wise enough to know that slow and steady will be my ticket.  Ideally, my reading table would allow this to sit under it.  For now . . . the plan in place is perfect.

  In 2020 and before, I had been walking two miles every day, rain or shine.  That fall I was painting the gable of our garages.  In February of 2021, I was doing well to walk across the floor of our small home.  That was then, this is now. 

  I am not working at this for anyone but me.  I cannot always put Dennis first, though I am a caretaker at heart.  There may just be a new Grammie on Stauffer Avenue.