Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:26 pm on November 12, 2021 Permalink  

  And the Angels Sang 

  With the mail delivery . . . the angels sang!  The crank for my sewing table came from Home Depot.  True to their word it came in 10 working days.  I will put a very bright string on it and put it away from my actual sewing table.  The loss of the original crank put the fear of God in me.  When I do hang up this crank, Dennis will know where it is as well as my kids.

  Yesterday we traveled to Eden Prairie as Dennis was invited as a guest of grandson Nicholas for the Veteran’s Day program.  What a treat to see the entire student body, first through eight, wave their American flags as the veterans walked in.  Nicholas plays the saxophone in the school band.  The program was appropriate and met with an enthused audience.  Nicholas is as tall as grandpa.  Next year Nicholas will be in high school.   

  We had arrived at Carrie’s in the late forenoon yesterday so we could visit a bit.  It also gave us a chance to visit with Megan.  One of the school’s sport teams had made it to state and the school body was to work at their studies from home.  Megan will be leaving on her senior class trip November 16th for eight days traveling by American Airlines to Porto Rico.  We had to give hugs to this young lady that we had the privilege to grow up with.  Yes, I said that correctly . . . Megan taught the two of us a lot over the years when she would stay with us.

  We arrived home at six safe and sound.  It had been a long time since we had driven in the dark.  The wind had been strong all day and the evening hours brought a chill that one could not mistake.  Winter was on its way.

  This morning our ground was white.  You would have thought as nice at the days prior had been, the snow would not have lasted.  Last it did.

  Enjoy the weekend and know that whatever had not gotten done outside is a true testament to: would have, could have and should have.  Had it not been for the ole cowboy, I would be hanging my head.

   
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  Noreen 2:47 pm on November 10, 2021 Permalink  

  Fall is Closing 

  With the rain that has begun this afternoon, the curtains on the fall season are closing.  We knew it would happen and thanks be for the great run we did have.  Amazon delivered the thread for the WORX weed whip yesterday at noon and by afternoon coffee time, Dennis had the last of the Hosta trimmed down.  Dennis also did another run with the Cub on the leaves.  His curtain on fall work has also been closed.  

  Yesterday evening it was time to take the final wrapping off of Dennis’ left foot where the surgery had removed the middle toe.  The foot lots great.  With a heavy wool sock on, Dennis took his first flexing steps on that foot since October 16th.  Taking it slow will allow blood circulation as the foot bends at the ankle and the remaining toes also move at their joints.  Praise be . . . I can only imagine how great that shower felt.  It may not have been as long as Dennis would have liked, but the foot is not to be in water for any longer than necessary . . . just yet.  

  Today, as promised, we are having a quiet day.  Dennis is walking with little to no discomfort.

  Tomorrow we are traveling to Nicholas’ school where Dennis will be a guest at a Veteran’s Day program.  Nicholas was worried if we would be able to make it as there were not many veterans of the students in his class to invite.  Not to worry.  Soft slippers on the feet with a cane in case it is needed.  Carrie will be driving us to Nick’s school and I know she will get grandpa as close to the door as possible.  We will throw in the walker as an option.  

  Today, I have felt that strides have been had with the PT visits.  Staying on my feet as much as possible today as tomorrow will be a fairly long road trip.  Not to fear, Friday is a PT session.  Mike T put me down for two sessions in the week of the 15th.  I will be missing out on a luncheon with the stitchers, but my hamstrings come first.

  I have been saving a frozen hamburger pizza for long enough.  The pizza is going to be our supper!  Seeing as how it is a hamburger pizza, in my mind, it can’t be much different than an oven dish with hamburger, pasta and tomato sauce.  The saving grace is that there is vanilla ice cream for later, if needed.

   
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  Noreen 3:49 pm on November 9, 2021 Permalink  

  No Dust on a Tuesday 

  Dennis and I are both on the move on this wonderful Tuesday . . . not letting any dust settle on us.

  Dennis and Dwayne loaded a snowblower that Kevin had sent home with us.  It is now at the repair man’s property that is north of here on Hwy #4.  Charlie said he would have time to do it after the crops were off of the fields.  It will most likely stay on the two wheel trailer until it is ready to use and bring back home.  Those two 85 year young do work well together.

  For me, it was going through the first floor and making tidy.  We do have people dropping in unexpectedly.  With a small home it only takes two items out of place to make it look as if the person to make “tidy” has gone AWOL.

  The PT appointment was at 10:45 and I would not have missed that for all the Folgers on Stauffer.  Mike T admits I don’t have a lot of cushion to protect the muscles and tendons that run across the tail bone.  Consequently it smarts to sit.  I don’t sit very long in any one place.

  As I can stand at my sewing machine, I am tackling Jennifer’s Christmas stockings.  The flannel stockings will be lined.  I am able to add a decoration before sewing the two halves of the flannel together.  The red flannel will be the cuff at the top.  The stocking that Jennifer’s mom made is of vintage flannel and is awesome.  I am beginning with two socks to see how it all comes together.  I enjoy trying new things.  I know that my mom, Lena, made stockings for all the grandchildren many decades ago out of red felt.  Dad, Raymond, cut out the letters that spelled each child’s name.  I don’t remember if they were sewn on or glued on.

  I will check to see if anyone needs a new stocking . . . or perhaps a bigger one.   

  The afternoon is bright with 54 degrees.  I couldn’t take my usual walk on Stauffer as the city has spread crushed asphalt over the entire width of the street.  I really didn’t want to get that in the waffle type rubber soles of my shoes.  I did quite a few laps up and down the drive and also the patio as it winds around the patio porch. 

  On a bright note, the boxelders are slowing down.  It was getting to the point that we were getting pyrenoid when we saw a fuzz on the floor.  My aunt Janet says they bite.  A boxelder never had a chance on either of us to try it. 

  Tomorrow is a free day.  There should be nothing that warrants taking the vehicles out of the garage.  That is subject to change.  Blessed is the calm of a fall day when the only creatures that are in a hurry are the squirrels looking for the sweet spot to bury just one more black walnut.

   
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  Noreen 3:21 pm on November 8, 2021 Permalink  

  Clocks Have Been Changed 

  Cellphones update those clocks automatically.  Our clocks in the home were changed this morning.  It didn’t seem to matter; move ahead or fall back . . . I slept until 7:45 this morning.  The chatter of the kids getting ready to board the school bus east of our drive is a pleasant alarm clock.  Dennis has been up for some time but the noise he makes as he prepares to hit the patio porch is so usual, it does not shock me awake.

  Sometimes when my eyes are not ready to open, I try to procrastinate.  Maybe I’ll decide to roll over and see how long I can lay still.  Pretty soon it is tick, tick in my mind.  Then the tick, tick becomes tic tock, tick tock and I know the day is beckoning me.  My kids, far away, have been up for ages and it surely does not speak well of me to be a lazy bones. 

  How much effort does it take to toddle to the bathroom for personal comfort and then return to my bedroom and strip off the sheets and punch a few buttons on the washing machine back in the bathroom.  Having done that . . . I feel the day within me has started.  It will not be denied.   Neither will I deny myself a cup of coffee with creamer added.

  The oven was started and preheated for a batch of frozen scones to be put on a baking sheet.  I did get my breakfast in a bowl and put on the dining room table.  I stripped Dennis’ bed of sheets and added that to what would be additional loads of laundry.  I enjoy my breakfast while catching a bit of news on the television.

  The morning spins on as I swap out loads of laundry from the washer to the dryer and have had enough coffee to keep me going.  The small vacuum is taken off of the attic steps and the dust bunnies under the beds . . . beware! 

  By noon it was nice enough to head east on Stauffer for a walk.  Dennis was in the back garage working on tractors and as I passed by the driveway of the back garage, I told him I would have lunch ready for us when I got back from my walk.  So the morning went.

  I spent some time in the studio pondering steps to take in producing Christmas stockings.  I have paper patterns ready.  I must say, the sample stocking that Jennifer sent with the fabric is rather large.  Lots of goodies would fit in them.

  It is now mid afternoon and there are piles of freshly laundered bedding in the living room.  I don’t need any more caffeine to finish up the beds.  Dennis has had the Cub tractor out taking care of more of the fallen leaves.  He is gaining.  I never said anything negative when I looked out this afternoon and Dennis had started a fire next to the Maple tree.  It was handy for him to keep raking leaves onto the fire.  Get as many done so as to not have to deal with them next spring.  Supper is leftovers from Sunday night.  Wham, bam, thank you . . . supper will be a breeze.

  Such is the day that begins with the tick tocking.  We see what needs to be done and we get it done.  Showers after supper will be sweet dreams when bedtime hits . . . . fresh beds.

  Maybe procrastination will be participated in tomorrow.  Tee hee.

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on November 7, 2021 Permalink  

  A Dose of Indian Summer 

  Oh my oh my, what a great Indian Summer.  Walking these last several days has been a treat.  There is a Cottonwood down the way east on Stauffer Avenue.  Many times I take a pause and listen to its music.  There remain so many leaves on this tree.  With the fluttering of the leaves as the breeze moves through the limbs allowing the leaves to clatter.  I would like to bottle that sound and do a musical mixer when the wind of a snow storm would play in the background.

  There may be some time in the coming days that I will not be venturing out of the studio.  There is the baby blanket I have started for a family member.  Yesterday the mailman left a Priority Mail package on the front steps.  The package came from Stewart, Minnesota:  Larry Trettin.  I am sure his wife Jennifer had gotten the package ready.  Larry is my sister, Elvera’s, youngest of her three children.

  As with the baby quilt request, there are no moms or grandmothers alive to help out.  I have been requested to make some Christmas stockings.  Jennifer’s mother had made socks for the family as they numbered at that time.  Larry’s family is growing and the Christmas stockings are a tradition.  Jennifer had shopped for fabrics in Hutchinson.  There was ample fabric for stockings, plus one of the Christmas stockings that Jennifer’s mom had made.  I will be able to model the new stockings off of that.  It is doable. 

  The baby blanket is for a baby boy coming in February.  Christmas will be here next month.  Time to regroup.

  I was happy to have cleaned the studio and basement yesterday before I knew what was waiting for me on our front steps.  When I had begun yesterday I knew there were two church table tops . . . they just couldn’t be seen.  Today I am moving a bit slow from the aerobics and antics that was warranted to do the job.  There is a clean slate in the studio.

  As I have sat in my favorite chair off and on today, it gave me time to think things through going forward.  What is really sweet is that Dennis is enthused for me to help others out.  That is not to say that if my two children would need something done tomorrow . . . get out of my way . . . I have things to do for them.

   
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  Noreen 2:58 pm on November 6, 2021 Permalink  

  The Hunt 

  Today was the day that I was on the hunt for all that should not be.  I spent the majority of the day in the studio as well as all points in the rest of the basement.

  It began when Dennis went to Fleet Farm for some flying insect spray.  The goal was to spray the doorway chase of the screen door of the east house door.  Even with several hard frost mornings, the boxelder bugs come a calling as soon as the sun is out.  We check each other over before coming into the house.  Invariably, one or more beats us into the house.  Dennis and I have commented that had we not had new basement windows put in, it would be a loosing battle.  These bugs may be the payback for not having gnats and mosquitoes over the entire summer.  

  As I began vacuuming the basement carpeted steps and cleaning up dead bugs that had been carried into the house on the bottom of our shoes, it didn’t take me long to decide on doing a clean sweep of vacuuming the entire basement, studio and cistern closets.  It was due.

  Every wall that had something sitting against it was cleared to where the floor met the wall and it was tidied.  My Filter Queen canister vacuum did a great job.  I admit that in times past the open floor area got the brunt of cleaning.  I was determined to hit all the spots and corners.  This should count as fall cleaning and maybe even early 2022 cleaning.  I saved the worst for last in the studio.  Brother Calvin gave us a hemmed jute carpet.  It is not the easiest to vacuum threads off of.  As diligent as days can be, there is always a tuft of this and threads like that, that float to the carpet and immediately become intertwined.  The trade off is that it does feel good to stand on it when ironing.

  There was a short break over noon when Dennis’ niece and her husband from Morris stopped in.  They were taking advantage of the nice temps and making a wide swing in the state taking in whatever family they could catch.  Sweet.

  I have since cooled off from the Filter Queen marathon and had a very successful hunt of all things that should not have been.  I need to make a run to the grocery store for milk and bread.  Dennis has been blowing and raking leaves out from under the lilacs. He may enjoy some vanilla ice cream this evening.  Vanilla is our favorite flavor. 

  In the scheme of things, where would we be if not for a conscious allowing us to be stewards of all that God has given us.

   
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  Noreen 3:24 pm on November 5, 2021 Permalink  

  What a Friday 

  What a busy Friday we have had.

  This forenoon some friends from Madelia stopped in.  Both Doug and Lynette are hunters.  For a cup of coffee and cookies there was a trade off of some bear burger meat and a ring of bear bologna.  Both are mixed with beef and pork at the time of processing.  Their next hunt is in Wyoming.  Lynette shared with me she is ready for some home time.  Her hobby is Cricut paper greeting card crafting.

  I headed out for PT at 11:30.  The right spots have been found.  It can best be explained as a roller ball on the hamstrings, that when worked on, Mike finds the spot where muscle meets tendon.  There is no “uncle” allowed for the time that Mike T has me on the table. I will take whatever he has to dish out.  I want this fixed in as short of a time as possible.

  When I came out of the clinic, my cane needed to be planted securely as the winds were horrific.  When I got home Dennis had had the Cub Lo Boy out and already put away from hitting the leaves in the backyard.  It did a great job.  That is until the last of the Maple leaves drop.  The Northern Red Oak tree is hanging onto its leaves like this would be the last year it would put any out.

  Our noon lunch was barely had when Dennis’ nephew drove up. Brett spent an hour with Dennis in the patio porch as Brett’s concrete business has really kept him hopping to finish jobs before the weather changes.

  When the fellows had solved all the world’s problems, Brett came down to the studio to catch up with his fellow quilter . . . me.  Brett spends his winters in his basement quilt studio.  Brett has gone so far as having his own long-arm to finish his projects.  It seems to be a good transition from pouring yards of concrete from early spring to this time of year.  He knows if he runs short during a project, he can rattle my fabric stashes to pitch in.

  The winds are still howling and we are set to spend a quiet weekend here on Stauffer.  Sweet!

   
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  Noreen 3:40 pm on November 4, 2021 Permalink  

  Thursday 

  Today was a trip to Mankato Clinic for the reveal.  Dennis’ foot was unwrapped after two weeks since the toe was removed.  Surgery was on October 22nd.  The foot was cleaned and then the stitches were removed.  The surgical site looks wonderful.  The foot was rewrapped and in five days that wrapping comes off and Dennis and his foot can step into a shower.  Only five more days of splishing and splashing in the bathroom.  Not to worry.  The mopping up is a small price to pay for a squeaky clean ole cowboy.  Dennis has been a great patient. 

  Traveling to Mankato we got a phone call that a lifelong friend of Dennis’, here in St. James, had passed away.  A quiet drive ensued.  I am sure many memories flooded through.

  A short posting today.  Many thanks running through my mind that we have arrived home safe and sound and that we are still “us.”

   
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  Noreen 2:08 pm on November 3, 2021 Permalink  

  Tip of the Day 

  My tip for the day: never, ever have a wastebasket sitting close to your sewing table.  Oh yes, it is oh so handy for scrap fabric and threads that want to wander.  The garbage is picked up every Tuesday and the studio stays tidy.  It’s a good habit to get into.

  I had mentioned that the sewing table was at the highest point it could be cranked to these several weeks.  It has made a huge difference not sitting so much.  I have watched quite a few sewing tutorials where the gals do quite a bit of straight seam sewing while standing.  I am not sure I am up for that.  When it comes to actually putting these baby quilt blocks together, the sewing table will be put down to the 21 inch in height.

  Not!

  I have always had the handy dandy crank on the back side of the sewing machine.  Today is Wednesday and as I was getting geared up to the “check . . . check” before turning the sewing machine on . . . there was no crank on the back side of the machine.  Panic!  After doing a brain scan of recent days, I recalled having a lot of fabric on the sewing table over the weekend, pushing it through the needle to do some basting.  With the wastebasket full, I would not have heard the thump of the heavy crank hitting it.

  I wanted to cry!  What would Lena do?  What would Raymond tell Lena to do?  I had gone online for the Husky tables and they had various parts available, but not the crank. I called Home Depot in Mankato and got an “888” number to call for their main contact.  I had the wherewithal to have the correct model number of my table before I called and I had a credit card handy.

  Working with an oriental young woman, it went one arduous step at a time.  I was put on hold several times and each time I had her promise to not drop the call.  I had told her I was an elderly grandmother that needed this crank or my children would chalk this up as one more notch on the “going to a nursing home” belt.  Praise be!  I have an email that I have printed out allowing me to know the particulars, that in ten days or so, I would be receiving the crank at my given home address.  Best blessing . . . no charge. 

  I swear, when that crank shows up, I may wear it as a necklace.  As of today, the wastebasket is over by the ironing board . . . six feet away from the sewing table.  Seriously, the crank may be hung on the button tree when it arrives.

  Sometimes it really hits home hard . . . to clean up your own messes.

   
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  Noreen 1:53 pm on November 2, 2021 Permalink  

  Heavy Clouds 

  Intermittent sun but the clouds trump it.  This weekend promises nice weather.

  This morning was my first PT session with Mike T.  He was sure the hamstrings would be doable.  An elbow in the correct spot can do more good to release nerve endings and bound muscles than any tennis ball.  The best solution going forward . . . keep moving.  Being sedentary is the worst. 

  I had even found during these last weeks that adjusting my sewing table to its maximum height and standing while attaching the hoop for embroidery module worked better than sitting at the machine. Thanks for Kevin’s advice and Dennis’ shopping spree I have that capability of height adjustment with the sewing table.  Ironically, when I visited the Bernina shop last week, Amanda had several of the same tables in the store that had been purchased at Home Depot.  A wise purchase for a reasonable investment.  No vibration makes the table ideal.

  I had been walking every day down Stauffer to the east.  Today, after I had gotten tuned up at the first sessions of PT, I took a second walk.  Taking long strides felt good.  Not using the cane 100% but rather taking each end of the cane in each hand and working it to the right and left in opposite to the step I was taking.  In case of a misstep the cane can come down for the rubber to meet the gravel for full stability faster than a gnat can blink. 

  There were a few potatoes in the garage that begged to be used.  The peeled potatoes after they had been boiled will make great American fries combined with onion slices.  A pound package of hamburger meat allowed for two formed patties to be put in the freezer for future use, while we have two done up for supper.  It always is satisfying to know what will be served for supper before five in the afternoon.  At five in the afternoon when nothing has been planned . . . I feel like a deer in the headlights.

  All that is remaining for me in the kitchen is to whip up a batch of thin powdered sugar glaze to put over the six scones I had baked out earlier.  One a day for Dennis . . . I am off the hook until a week from today.

  How on earth did I ever have time to hold down a full time job!  I am pretty sure the days have gotten shorter in conjunction to my stamina becoming less.  What the heck!   Where am I going!  I keep appointments and I remember what day of the week it is.  It is a win, win.