Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:49 pm on May 7, 2021 Permalink  

  A Long Day 

  Dennis had the second cataract surgery today at the Madelia Hospital.  First on the docket, we had to be there at 6 am.  Of course when one can worry about being on time, we were awake by 4:30. The surgery went well and he had a post-op at our eye doctor here in town at 2 pm.  We can check that off of the calendar of events for May.

  I have to admit I don’t mind these cool days.  It’s fresh and brisk.  The Lilac blossoms are just in the formation . . . but oh how they are filing the patio with their aroma.  I hope the winds will settle down for a long duration to enjoy the various bushes.  The ornamental Crab tree blossoms have really taken a beating.

  What brightened my morning was getting a family photo showing and sharing what they have been up to.  It feeds the soul and the heart.  I know how  busy our children’s lives are. Did I ever have that much on my plate?  I still have that much on my plate . . . in my mind.  The actual delivery is just a fraction.  Where has that busy person gone?  I believe the kid’s down time is just more involvement in their day to day lives.  Guess what?   It was no different when my kids were small.  We didn’t take enough time to play.  We ended  up making play out of the work at hand.  Hmm. 

  Oh, if I could just pitch in.  Perhaps not so much now in deed but always in thought and word.  Dad was that kind of person.  Always there to help.  By the Grace of God, I have already had five more years to be there for my children than he had.  Making them count is my goal.

   
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  Noreen 2:32 pm on May 6, 2021 Permalink  

  What a Puzzle 

  Purchasing clothing used to be so easy.  Several catalogs came in the mail from Sears, Montgomery Wards, Spiegel’s and Alden’s.  Surprisingly the sizes that were available were uniform and consistent from one location to the next.  Not so today.

  An example would be jeans for Dennis.  Levi’s 509 jeans that we bought instore at JC Penny’s quite a few years ago are getting to the point that there should be a replacement pair.  He loves those jeans.  The replacements came in the mail today. 

  Same model number.  Same size.  The first thing Dennis said, “These jeans have been worn!”  The hem on the legs had frayed threads as well as on the back pockets.  It was difficult to explain that the appeal of ready-to-wear clothes has listened to the populist.  He can be thankful that there were no holes in the knees of his brand new jeans.  Length of 30″ was in place on the inseams of his old pair.   Hello . . . I need to shorten the brand new pair.  It is “in” to have pant legs drag over the shoe heel.  Dennis was thrilled that by me shortening them, the frayed edges would be gone.  The right of ownership is in allowing Dennis to make his own frays.  No . . . 28″ jeans were not offered.

  I will get on this soon.  I do need to get downstairs to the sewing studio . . . dust off the sewing machine and try.  The last months of working through the challenges of the stroke is only one small chapter of my book.

  This was another cold morning with some white frost.  After lunch, Dennis pumped up the Roundup sprayer and took care of the greenery that had no problem showing up in the cracks of the patio and drive.  Take that!

   
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  Noreen 2:15 pm on May 5, 2021 Permalink  

  Brr! 

  This morning the air was raw and downright cold.  I did get suited up to spend some time outside.  I had a spring time agenda.  

  We are not expanding anything in regard to the acre.  What we do have needed to be checked over to se what made it through the winter.  It may have made it through our winter season but our spring has been brutal with spurts of icy cold snow and temps in the low 30s.

  With a plastic tub in tow the branches among the flower beds soon filled up.  Dennis raked and I followed up with our favorite red plastic shovel to add what had been raked to add to the tub.  We touched all the areas where perennials had popped through.  Nothing drastic, but a good tidy job.  Our yard needed to look as if this was truly Dennis and Noreen Curry’ beloved home.  Dennis got the tub over to the fire ring and we enjoyed the warmth of the fire as our morning work was done.  The last of the glowing embers were settling to the bottom of the fire ring when the fine mist of rain began.

  We made a run to Fleet and Farm.  When things dry up, I have some Plume Grass that is getting a little adventurous that will get its perimeter snugged up.  I enjoy the grass in the fall of the year as it sways in the fall breezes . . . not so much when it wants to take more than its fair share of real estate.

  The rain continued into the afternoon and it chills to the bone.  The temps are hovering around the 40s.  We have called it a day.

   
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  Noreen 3:26 pm on May 4, 2021 Permalink  

  Zonked 

  In bed by 10:30 last night and I was out like a light until seven this morning.  Yesterday had been such a busy, satisfying day on all counts.

  It may have ben cool this morning but me and the three cats were gardening.  What a great feeling to have the areas under the Lilacs manicured to now allow the Hosta to let their greenery unfold to their fullest.  A few have had their tips buzzed off by Dennis, but I am sure in time to come they will look fitting to be on Stauffer Avenue.  It is also easy on the eyes to see a tidy landscape.

  PT was at one this afternoon.  There is a knob under the left shoulder blade that can make my eyes water when it is pressed upon by trained hands and spikey fingers.  My homework is laid out for me before next week’s session.

  While I was gone, Dennis made a batch of instant mashed potatoes.  The runny soups for supper have about run their course.  Our mouths, being in the healing and recovery mode will welcome some scrambled eggs with the potatoes.  It’s a good thing we are in this together.  Misery sure does love company.

  A morning of fresh air should make the pillow welcoming tonight.

   
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  Noreen 3:37 pm on May 3, 2021 Permalink  

  On the Down side of the Day 

  We needed to be back at the dentist in Mankato today for some adjustments.  We would have hitch-hiked if needed.  We both had several spots that needed attention in regard to filing a bit off to ease the discomfort.  Mine felt like a piece of cocklebur was rubbing.

  We had gone early enough to run some errands ahead of the appointment.  Three stops prior to the dentist . . . I was so ready to head for home.

  Both of us are so much more comfortable with our mouths, but . . . it is still going to be soup for supper.  I am bushed.

   
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  Noreen 3:05 pm on May 2, 2021 Permalink  

  A Day 

  For retirees that share with us that they are bored . . . what planet do they live on!

  We had plenty of brewed coffee to last us into the early afternoon.  Around nine this morning, our neighbor came over.  Randy does our snow plowing.  Randy knew the city had a huge project going on and had stockpiled the top black soil separately from the grunge stuff.  Randy thought this would be a good day for him and his John Deere to bring up enough dirt to our yard to fill in the “no longer needed Koi pond.”  Talk about a job that we had on our bucket list.  

  By one this afternoon the four huge buckets of dirt were in and leveled.  It will settle somewhat before we plan on what will be planted in that area.  Randy did not drive on our patio with the tractor and even the grass growing around the area shows no signs of stress.  What a fellow!  What a great job done that we will never have to repeat.  Randy’s two grown sons had feed the Koi since they had learned to walk the few feet from their home to ours.  An era gone. 

  Dennis had pitched in with his sand shovel and he is now taking some well deserved rocking chair time in the patio porch.

  We have remaining dental appointments this week.  It is now time for the areas in our mouths to tell the dentist where there is a bit of an adjustment needed.  Both Dennis and I won’t have any problem letting him know where it rubs and hurts.  This whole process is going to be one huge task to thankfully check off of our list.  Another item that won’t need repeating for what we hope is a long, long time.

   
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  Noreen 2:33 pm on May 1, 2021 Permalink  

  Too Much 

  Too much temperature change.  Today our thermometer registered 90 degree.  Such a huge change is hard to take.

  I sat  on the back patio for most of the forenoon as Dennis finished up mowing the acre with the rider.

  The two of us have had a busy week and each of us have a sore mouth, healing up from tooth extractions.  It is Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup for supper.

  Sunday seems to be playing out as quiet for us.  Time to do some patio sitting and watching the grass grow. 

   

   

   
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  Noreen 2:50 pm on April 30, 2021 Permalink  

  A Feel Good Day 

  We were in Mankato by ten this morning.  I had a post-op to see how the temporary partial was doing with a few minor adjustments.  Dennis had the remaining bottom teeth of his pulled.  Pulled, stitches put in, in the bottom gum, and temporary top and bottom plates put in.  What an experience for him.  On the way home he so wanted a sip of water from the water bottle.  I had to giggle.  As he brought the bottle up towards his mouth he couldn’t find his mouth due to all the novicane he had been injected with.  About three this afternoon he got his sip of water.  We will be back to Mankato on Monday for his checkup.  

  As we got home, I couldn’t believe how nice it was outside.  I put on garden shoes and took my merry time mowing our front yard.  Dennis sat on the front steps and was on “watching traffic” detail.

  Supper is going to be soft scrambled eggs.

  The month of April flew by.  Lots of appointments here, there and everywhere.  Lots of achievements for both of us.  Taking all in stride to keep us where we love to be . . . in our home.

   

   

   
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  Noreen 3:28 pm on April 29, 2021 Permalink  

  Oh Happy Day 

  A “no jacket” day.  Oh happy Day!  I hung my jacket on the farthest hook in hopes it can stay there.

  It’s amazing that something can dribble onto the kitchen floor and not be noticed at the time of the dribble.  Give it a day of usual foot traffic and a black light is not needed.  That dribble has been walked on and migrated to multiple places, showing up by the dust off of the shoes in many areas.  This morning, it was time to mop that floor.  We don’t have any rugs down on our floors for safety reasons, so the mopping works no matter how often the maze of dribbles appear.

  Dennis and I enjoyed 3 pm coffee in his newly-carpeted patio porch.  The patio porch gets a lot of traffic as we come and go doing yard work.  That was the intension when we added it to the garage.  It saves tremendously on the cleaning in the house of the dirt that can so easily catch on the shoes.

  I am still doing PT, but the important thing is that my day-to-day life is no longer focused on a stroke that happened to me on February 25, 2021.  I am moving on with all things normal in our home and life.  Recovering motion and strength is ongoing . . . for as long as it takes.  I am in it for the long haul.  Having had a stroke in no way defines me.

  My trip to the dentist yesterday has no lasting discomfort.  When Dennis goes in tomorrow for his session, they will do a follow-up with me to see how the temporary partial fits.  Adjustments are normal before the finished project will be cast.

  Life is good and I like it the way our days are going.  May yours also be good.

   
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  Noreen 2:06 pm on April 28, 2021 Permalink  

  Sun Shine 

  When the sun comes out, it makes everything better.

  That “better” includes what I am feeling after having two teeth pulled this morning.  After the teeth were pulled, a temporary partial alliance was put in.  It does feel like I have the dentist’s hand still in my mouth.  I am not to remove it until after 24 hours.  I am not commenting too much here at home as I don’t want to scare off Dennis. His time in the chair for having his bottom teeth pulled is on Friday.  I will go back at that time to have my mouth checked.  No doubt Dennis will go back on Monday for a post check.

  Busy, busy . . . Dennis has his new green carpet in the patio porch laid down.  Letting it lie flat for a day or two will help it relax before all his furniture goes back in place.  Another night of having the little red pickup sit outside won’t be a bother.  The kittens went crazy while Dennis was taking the old carpet out.  “Are we moving?  Are we going with?”  Today with the new carpet lying in a role, they worked hard to figure out what was coming next.  Talk about entertainment.

  Plans for supper:  I plan on heating up a can of tomato soup for myself as I can easily drink that.  Dennis is on his own this evening.  The Home Town café is open until seven.