Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:20 pm on April 12, 2022 Permalink  

  Thunder 

  A bit of thunder today with rain showers.  More rain may be in the works.

  Dennis had used the pull-behind rake on Sunday over the acre.  It had really perked up the yards.  After today’s shower of rain . . . it really looks as if our groundskeeper will be hired for the entire season.

  A package of beef meatballs had been kicked around in the freezer long enough.  I finished a package of medium egg noodles, quartered the meatballs, added a cup of frozen mixed vegetables and rounded it all with a quart of Classico flavored red sauce.  An oven meal ready to pop in later on today.

  I was busy in the studio when I got a phone call.  The sheetrock around the walk in shower was going to get the last coat of mud.  The worker that has been doing the mudding after Mr. Aden had patched in the sheetrock is a young fellow.  Mason was going to do two years of trade school for carpentry. Covid shut down the classes and Mason was given the two year certificate.  How Mason got hooked up with Aden I don’t know.  Mason is learning the trade from the best carpenter in town.  Mason is working at our home independently in our bathroom as well as another install that Watson’s had done.  

  Today when Mason was going to leave, I invited him down into the studio so he could meet me, his client, in her natural habitat.  He said he would be back tomorrow to do the wet sanding and Mr. Aden would be popping in before Mason primed the area of the mudding.  Checks and balances for the young apprentice.  What a great way for a young person to learn the trade.  I really applaud Mr. Aden in helping this young fellow to get a great start.  Mason is very comfortable to be around.  I am hoping we can remain in our forever home long enough to be able to say, “I remember when Mason was just getting his feet on the ground.”

  With supper planned, I am going to head back into the studio to stitch a bit more.  Dennis is busy in the garage making tidy his workbench top.  We both have our special places to then come together for the evening.  Sweet.

   
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  Noreen 5:27 pm on April 11, 2022 Permalink  

  Too Long of a Day 

  We left home by 9:30 and arrived back home at 5:30.  Too long of a day.

  It was a day of some food supplies.  It’s amazing how empty some of the pantry shelves had gotten in our basement.

  We had an appointment to pick up the shoes that the VA had ordered in a shop in the old Madison East Mall.  Wait, wait to be seen.

  On to Jody at the hospital to have Dennis’ foot checked.  Wait, wait.

  I was on a mission to purchase egg noodles for oven meals.  HyVee’s shelves were empty of pasta choices.  I was not the only one seeking.  One bag was purchased.  On the way home we stopped in Madelia for egg noodles.  There also was more empty space than not.  The manager said it has been tough.  I did score several varieties to try.  A whole new spin coming in the way of oven meals.

  I am now going to sign off and we are having egg sandwiches for supper.  What helped us out while having to wait in between appointments, we had a small Culver’s shake.  Perfect.  A quiet week ahead.  Sweet.

   
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  Noreen 12:16 pm on April 10, 2022 Permalink  

  One Additional Block 

  Today after I had observed Palm Sunday, I headed to the studio.  

  The sun is bright and again, I can hear the wind chimes belting out a tune.  The winds are ever here.  I can also hear Dennis out in the yard.  The battery on the rider mower has been charged and he is trying out the pull behind rake.  It might be a bit damp, but a fellow has to do what a fellow can try.

  I have one more additional block done to the “Long Time Ago” pattern completed.  It is called Jacob’s Ladder.  A 12.5″ block that has 126 pieces of fabric in it.  The colors are to be random.  I have a hard time adhering to that.  I chose orange as the base with a cream as a second.  Many additional colors to fill it out.  There will be some time before the next is completed.  Pulling colors out to do the Trip around the World block will be next.  That pattern was Lena’s favorite to make for twin size and full size beds. 

  There was also some tidy, tidy that I could not ignore.  Sheetrock dust has now been vacuumed up in the bathroom.  I would imagine there is going to be some wet sanding left to be done as well as several pieces of oak trim.  In time to come, it will all reach the finish line.

  I am going to make a trip to Dollar General to see if they might have a shower liner.  The liner that we are making due with needs to have the rod really low compared to where we had it with the bathtub.  It can’t hurt to go and look. 

  A Monday is right around the corner.  Enjoy this day!

   
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  Noreen 1:10 pm on April 9, 2022 Permalink  

  An SOS 

  Last night I decided to put out an SOS to grandson AJ.  Though he lives in Mankato, I knew he was coming to visit his folks here in St. James.  AJ works for REA and is an early riser.  AJ and his dad, Tom, were here by eight this morning and had already had a pancake breakfast at our Home Town Café.

  AJ took the smart television out of my sewing studio and it is now in Dennis’ patio porch.  With all connections made the Wi-Fi from the wireless router in our west porch did not have enough oomph to make connections.  AJ got on his phone and there will be a wireless booster coming to our address from Amazon.  AJ will be working on his camper that is in storage here in town and he will pay us another visit next weekend.  It was decided to go with the most powerful one available as AJ uses one for his home that has a detached garage.  Having one come in the mail and it not being powerful enough . . . not a good thing.

  AJ hooked Mediacom back up for the interim in the patio porch.   Sweet.  He also carried the heavy analog television out to the garage.  What a sweet deal all around.

  This afternoon I am in my studio, picking up where I left off several weeks ago.  I am so grateful I can leave items lay on the church tables for the next time I visit.

  Today I decided that Dennis and I are going to have a quiet Easter.  I texted Carrie’s husband and let him know that with surgical physicals the day after Easter in prep for Dennis’ procedure that Wednesday . . . we needed a bit of quiet time.  It’s a good thing.

  My goodness!  It is 49 degrees with a slight wind.

   
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  Noreen 5:31 pm on April 8, 2022 Permalink  

  Oh my Gosh! 

  Today I went to the quilt show in New Ulm.  I met the stitchers for seeing 400 fantastic quilts on display.  As I walked through the row upon row, one was more breath taking than the next.

  I remember Lena meeting once a month with the Riverdale Quilt Club.  One of the members would take turns setting up the quilt frame and by the end of the day, more times than not, a double sized quilt would have been hand stitched.  Mom got me involved and thus my love of threads and fuzz was born.  I have only hand quilted one double sized quilt on my own.  We lived in Madelia and Orlin put up a make-shift quilt frame.  The pattern was Jacob’s Ladder done in reds for Kevin’s bedroom.  It is still here in my home waiting for him whenever he needs it.  As I said, all of the 400 quilts today that I enjoyed looking all were done on a long arm quilter.  Talk about stitches making up very fancy designs.

  I had made an extra stop on the way home, causing me to hum in a very contented mood.

  When I got home, I again tackled the smart television set.  Hats off to the Grammie.  I have a trial period for YouTube TV.  It will have all of our news programs that we enjoy along with my PBS options.  Nothing can cause me more determination than figuring out something new in the techie world.  There are more options for viewing than I could ever have imagined.

  Tomorrow is a new day and I plan on staying put.  There is some sheetrock dust I could tackle, but I may look away from it.  After all it is clean dust.

   
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  Noreen 12:33 pm on April 7, 2022 Permalink  

  What a 24 Hour Day 

  Yesterday at noon, I was pulling my hair out setting up a smart television.  Five minutes after twelve noon, the Watson boys pulled in.  It was our day to have a walk-in shower put in.  We had ordered it in June of 2021.  They did comment that the tub and surround Kevin had put in years earlier, acted like it wanted to stay where he had put it . . . forever.  Don’t have time to do it right but always have time to do it over.  That is not Kevin’s creed . . . always done right the first time.

  Talk about sensory overload for my ole sweet cowboy.  We had been determined to turn cable off and getting a new television set was the way out.  The next step will be moving the television set from my studio to the patio porch.  In time, will be the perfect time.

  Dennis shook his head about the garage shingle job and now a new walk-in shower.  We have been living on our Laurels long enough.  That is not correct . . . we had been living on the blessings and handy work of Kevin for decades.  The work that we have just completed will take us through to our forever home for years to come.

  Now . . . here is the sweet spot.  A bit of sheetrock work needed to be done around the new surround.  When Watson’s completed the job this morning. a carpenter fellow followed them in with the right width of sheetrock and the mud.  Mr. Aden is going to Mankato this afternoon and he took the piece of oak trim with him that we will need less than a foot of to match the remainder of the bathroom’s trim.  I pounced!  I asked Mr. Aden to follow me to the front door.  I made sure not to trip him with my cane as we went the length of our home.  Gotta watch these older crafty people.

  Many years ag0, our west open porch was enclosed.  The slanted floor was shimmed to allow for a wonderful expanded living area.  We have not been able to use our front door for decades.  I used to be able to hop down the 12″ step to the concrete landing and scale it when I wanted to go into the house.  No more!  When Mr. Aden returns, he will be taking measurements to allow for a wonderful step down, stepping on a wooden landing that will be over the concrete landing and concrete steps.  This could be the end of the last challenge for Dennis and me.

  I did hit the carpenter cold turkey with our front door work.  He mentioned he could see it was needed and within two months time it could be worked in.  My goodness, we waited 10 months for the shower, I think the carpenter’s timeline is doable.  In the meantime, there will be a second c0at of mud for the shower surround tomorrow.  I checked and I do have some of the bathroom paint left.  Whew.

  I had anticipated what I would try and work out with a carpenter and had made arrangements for Dennis to have his friend Dwayne go to Mankato with him.  It’s important for Dennis to stay on track with these injections for good vision.  That little red pickup is counting on him.

  Today, I need to be brave for both Dennis and me.  I am more apt to find a way to meet our needs than what Dennis may even realize.  Thanks to my logical dad, Kevin’s logical dad, and to Kevin’s thinking.  Special!

  I am ready to greet Dennis when he comes home and hear all about his day.

   
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  Noreen 1:26 pm on April 6, 2022 Permalink  

  Brr! 

  There was a Korean luncheon we could have gone to but Dennis was in no mood to go out in the cold and wind.

  What we did get done today is to open the box and let the new Samsung Television out.  I played around with it and what do ya know.  We have choices.  Dennis went out to the patio porch as he was going to stay out of the fray.  Dennis has been out in the patio porch this whole time, so this will be a surprise for him.  We have not yet pulled the plug on Mediacom’s cable option as the next big step will be to take the smart Samsung out of the studio and see what we can do taking it out to the patio porch.  That will need to wait until tomorrow.  It will be different from what we have been accustomed to.  Change and learning is not all bad.

  I do have a chicken oven dish for supper.  There were some leftover pre-cooked chicken breasts in the freezer, some cream cheese in the refrig, some mixed veggies in the freezer, a can of Campbell’s cream of chicken . . . and it all came together with some egg noodles, aka: supper.

  Tomorrow morning, Dennis has a VA appointment right away in the morning here in town and then we are off to Mankato for his eye injection.  This month it couldn’t be done here in town.  Point that pickup to the east and it knows the way.

  Gosh it’s windy and cold.  We did have snowflakes off and on today.  Ish!

   
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  Noreen 4:35 pm on April 5, 2022 Permalink  

  A Long Day 

  This trip was epic for Dennis.  Dennis marched into Best Buy and came out with a 43″ Samsung Smart television.  Son-in-law Tom will be knocked on his forehead for some installation later this week.

  I was more concerned about the report from the wound doctor we met with this afternoon.  It was all good news.  The wounds are healing and the dressings are top notch.  Whew!  The next angiogram is the 20th and we already have the prescription of antibiotic that Dennis will begin taking the day before.  They did try an arterial pump on his left leg.  It would be meant to pull more blood down the leg.  Dennis and I talked about it and Dennis decided to wait until after the angiogram and not pre-judge anything.

  I was very weary when we got home.  More nerves than anything when it comes to digesting medical jargon.  I swear Dennis nodded off during it.  Priceless.

  It rained all the way home and this entire week may be one for the ducklings.

   
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  Noreen 2:24 pm on April 4, 2022 Permalink  

  It’s a Monday! 

  The day started off with the anticipation that June and I would be at Lewis Drug this morning for our 2nd shingles shot.  Not!  The medical supply van delivering the goodies was late.  “We will give you a call as soon as it has arrived.”  We went back to June’s apartment and had a cup of coffee and a cookie.   I then went on home.  I called the Lewis Drug at one p.m.  “Oh sorry, we g0t busy and forget to call you.”  We finally did get the shots.

  As long as I was out and about, I stopped at the courthouse.  I had questions.  We got our value notices in the mail on Saturday.  What a better way than to brighten their day in the assessor’s office than having me visit.  Our home value went up by 56%.  Hmm.  I had checked our information on the computer site before I visited.  Just as I had suspected.  I had run rough-shod on this appraiser for the fifteen years she had worked for me.  Without supervision, she had been in it for the paycheck and benefits since I had left in February of 2009 and had been able to pull one over on the current boss.  Not much good to be said about the boss either.  Checks and balances . . . bosses get paid for being a boss.  This person had retired the last day of 2021 and there was a whole lot of catch-up within the city’s value since.  The value is within reason.  It was my responsibility to look out for our business.  The staff said that the phones had been ringing off of the hooks since they opened this morning.  I was asked if I wanted to take over one of the empty desks and phones to help answer questions.  Silly idea.

  When I got home the gutter helmet fellows were just unloading their equipment.  It is a good feeling to know the garage project will be complete as of today.  It will be comforting to know heavy rains will not be washing out the garage and patio porch foundations.

  On a bright note, I had contacted a fellow to put up an antenna for television reception.  He called and said he would be in the area this afternoon.  I explained to him our children had suggested “smart televisions.”  He said that was excellent advice and would take away from adding anything to the property that could come down in bad weather.  I did thank him for getting back to us.  

  I have no clue as to what is for supper.  Can we pretend that we had it and didn’t?

   
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  Noreen 1:36 pm on April 3, 2022 Permalink  

  Gray Skies 

  It has been gray all day threatening snow showers or rain. 

  I was very thankful today that we have put up many LED light fixtures in the studio.  The outside world can be kept at bay.  I am moving on to picking fabric scraps for the next series of 4.5 inch blocks.  Nine blocks will be needed to sew into one larger block.  It is amazing how full my sewing tables can get as I pull scraps from all points of the studio.  It is not to be color coordinated but it still is difficult to push that out of the choices.

  Taking a break from sewing and pressing, I do work at taking out a bit of this and a bit of that.  Lightening the load does wonders for the peace of mind going forward.  I had to do a bit of sifting and sorting today as Kevin’s Garage in Fairfax yesterday was evidence that there was more freed up real estate to move vehicles in and out.  Sewing studios are a magnet for clutter.  I fight the clutter all the time.  One of the best ways for me to stay on track is to stand at the base of the stairwell and take a photo of what the camera lens detects.  Not just from one angle, but multiple ones.  Yup, it works every time.

  It is that time of the day that Nurse Ratchet, aka: me, gets Dennis on board to tend to the dressing on his foot, following for him . . . a steaming hot shower and then re-dressing it.  It’s all in a day on Stauffer Avenue.