Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:03 pm on November 15, 2020 Permalink  

  Horrific Winds 

  All night long the tinkle of the wind chimes could be heard from the harsh north winds that were relentless.  Often I would come out of my deep rem sleep to hear them.  It didn’t take but a few heartbeats and I was back off to Neverland.  

  This morning has not brought any relief from the winds and I dealt with it by not going outside.  As we had been away from home yesterday, the usual Saturday items were taken care of today. Staying on track is important to me.  I do better with structured days.  If something were to come up unexpectedly, my usual and customary would not fall in between the cracks so far that I would loose all interest in tidy, tidy, tidy.  Thank you, Lena!

  My mom, Lena, was not a dust freak.  Living on a gravel road in Boon Lake township in Renville County with heavy equipment charging up the drive and traveling across the gravel dooryard, at best . . . keep the old warped wood framed windows shut.  Mom and Dad had lived in many older homes renting the farm land and taking the house as was.  When my parents bought their own farm in Boon Lake, of course the house was old and drafty.  From day one, bit by bit, Mom was in there pitching to better it.  Window panes were re-glazed, weather stripping miraculously appeared around door frames, and Dad was on board closing up mouse holes.  It was home.  It was a home that made us all proud to be a part of taking each task to improving it.  Pride in home ownership made keeping it up not a chore, but a feeling of self satisfaction.

  I say, “Thank you, Lena,” because I do take pride in what I have as a home.  No big bells and whistles, just a home with high utility and lovingly taken care of from the tiniest crack in the wall to the sweet remodeled bathroom.  

  With the task of making a sweep through the house and having it pass muster, I did go down into the sewing studio.  Taking one photo image at a time, I can now tell you that all the Santa imagines have had a cold water bath and are now drying.  No longer any fear of excess ink to throw a curve into my project.  The Fairfax kids had found a corrugated fold up with a grid pattern of 1″ squares, that when totally opened is 36″ x 72″.  I have used it for so many aspects of measuring fabric, ribbon, paper, etc.  Today it worked out great to lay the wet Santa images on bath towels and anchor them with pins into the corrugated surface.  One more step done. 

  I looked out the bathroom window and Dennis was doing due diligence in his patio porch running the vacuum.  Yup, pride in ownership.

   
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  Noreen 4:34 pm on November 14, 2020 Permalink  

  Good to be Home 

  Today we had been asked to Lux’s 6th birthday party in Eagle Lake.  As per Dennis’ schedule we were on our way home as he had listened to the weather forecast.  True to form we ran into rain and the fog was settling in nicely.  At four we were home and it is good to be home.  Not many of the smaller ones in the family have a great grandfather to come and have birthday cake with.  It is special.

  Last week I had an unusual request via a phone call from Arizona.  My aunt Lorraine had visited us several summers ago and of course she had gone with me to Mankato.  I had a need to go to Mills Fleet Farm.  Lorraine ran across the section of kitchen items and found white towels that were very similar to the quality of the feed sacks from times past.  Lorraine took some with her to Arizona for doing some machine embroidery on them.  This last week she requested that the next time we went to Mankato would we please pick up more of the feed sack quality towels.  She requested four packs of six towels each.  As far as her travel is allowed at age 89, she had not found anything like them in Arizona.  Why not!

  This next week Lorraine will have a package coming her way.  I do admit that the quality is great and they stitch up great.  Others in our stitching group have all gravitated to Mills for those self same towels. The Berg Bag Company has quite a few followers.

  Yesterday I washed up a new set of flannel sheets for my bed.  I didn’t realize how thin my old set was until I hefted the new ones out of the washing machine, ready to shift them to the clothes dryer.  As I looked through various internet sites for the quality sheets to order, I was taken aback as to the designs that were prevalent.  I will be looking at these sheets for quite a few years and I wasn’t enthralled with designs of parrots, wiener dogs or sheep. They really should have checked in with me as to what was desirable, I could have boosted their sales considerably. 

  It is a gray cool late afternoon with the possibility of fresh snow.  All we need to do is honker down and let happen what will happen.  When we got home today and Dennis went out to the patio porch, there was not one single cat that wanted to escape to do their rounds outside.  I believe animals sense weather and are smarter than humans.  

  And . . . just to be clear there were only three families that got together for the birthday party today.  Mandates are wearing thin, but “By D-God” (one of Dad’s favorite expletives) I will not let this get the better of me.  They have no idea who they are trying to stifle.

   
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  Noreen 3:44 pm on November 13, 2020 Permalink  

  For the Long Haul 

  I am not one to pick a project for the sewing studio and anticipate it being a quickie.  I prefer the more intricate projects that last and last and last.  It’s comforting to know that I have something started and it is waiting for me to begin where I had left off.  That’s the beauty of the sewing studio.  No one is going to need that area and all can stay right where I left it.

  About twelve years ago, when I found out how much fun could be had with a Cricut paper cutting machine, I was enthralled.  Dover Publishing has always been a “go-to” place for unusual publications.  I ordered the Vintage Christmas book to copy images from the book onto paper selections to use in greeting cards.  I had long forgot about this treasure.

  Looking through some of the older quilt books I knew I would like to do a log cabin design.  I had made one for Carrie that had white snow flakes appliquéd over the blues of the log cabin.  What I didn’t expect to find was a pattern I couldn’t get out of my mind.  I had even shared the pattern with the stitching gals.  There was more to this pattern than the run of the mill fabrics.  There were unique tiles that make the hub of each log cabin block.  Hmm.  Three different sizes of these tiles, totally 25.  It was time for one lost treasure to hook up with a new found quilt pattern.

  JoAnn Fabrics was the source of the printable fabric to use with the ink jet printer.  It was a task to cover portions of the valuable printable fabric to capture either 3″, 5″, or 7″ images and save the remaining portion of the 8″ x 11″ paper backed printable fabric for yet another choice.  I had no idea how much ink I had to work with.  Today, as luck would have it, I finished all of the 25 images in the various sizes.  No doubt there will be new ink cartridges in the mail shortly.  The wireless printer keeps track of how many images have been printed out and I don’t need to seek and search in retail stores for the cartridges.

  There is still quite a bit of work to do with the images.  The paper backing needs to be peeled off and then each one needs to have a cold water bath to take off any excess ink and to set the ink.  That in itself will be on a “few at a time basis” so as to not contaminate one to the other.  For my part, choosing the images and getting them printed out was huge!

  This project is on the “Long Haul” list for the sewing studio.  I am looking forward to working on it slow but sure.  The slow but sure is due to the fact that today physical therapist, Mike T, began working on the area in between the shoulder blades, acknowledging the two reversed shoulders to work around.  It is amazing how working on the lower back effected what was south of there and north of there.  The ham strings in both hips responded as well as how it played out going up towards  the shoulder blades.  It’s truly a maze of connections.  I am so happy I bit the bullet and went for help.  The penguin walk is not desirable as I have many more steps to take and a burning back does not bode well for sewing.    

  Dennis also has been busy.  The Watson boys came and capped of the outside water faucet that was knocked off of the house yesterday by an over zealous red pickup.  After the siding has been replaced, Watson’s will return and install a new faucet.  We are on a carpenter’s list to have the siding replaced that was shaved off by said red pickup.  We are in good shape for the shape we are in.

  It is sunny and our driveway is totally free of ice and snow, ready for the next go-round.  It’s Friday, be happy and hug a loved one.  We are oh so fortunate that someone loves us and puts up with us.

   
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  Noreen 4:34 pm on November 12, 2020 Permalink  

  Some Days 

  I have had days where I should never have gotten out of bed.  As rare as that is, it should be honored.

  Today my ole cowboy should have stayed in bed. 

  I awoke to snow flurries.  I had slept so soundly, I didn’t realize Dennis was already gone out of the driveway in his little red pickup by the time I got up at eight.  Last night he had talked about going up to the laundromat with the back door rugs that we had accumulated in the basket.  Rag rugs are wonderful to take the brunt of the dirt from the shoes as we come into the house.  When Dennis is making a run with the rugs, he also empties all of the kitty baskets so they will have fresh digs.  I am sure when Dennis is compiling his laundry the cats wonder, “Are we moving, are we coming along?”  Yes, Dennis was gone and home by 9:15 this morning with everything having been washed and partially dried.  I couldn’t believe what kind of trip Dennis was on for the day.

  As I have mentioned, there were snow flurries this morning and they got a bit thick with just enough wind to move them along.  We had talked about making a trip to New Ulm.  Dennis at first said sometime next week, then he mentioned going this afternoon.  Dennis came in at 10:30 this morning and said he was ready to head to New Ulm.  I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing and put my coat on.  We got about six miles out of town and the roads were icy and it was hard to see oncoming traffic.  We turned around and headed back for home.  Good choice.

  Before heading into our drive I reminded Dennis that he had prescriptions to pick up at Lewis Drug.  It would be a good thing to get them home as long we were out and about.  As our home came into view, Dennis decided to back into our driveway.  As the Cub tractor is being worked on in the pickup garage, the pickup needs to be setting out.  I suppose Dennis thought by backing into the drive it would be easier to see approaching traffic if the pickup was driving out of the drive rather than backing out of the drive.

  What ensued was a cluster f–k!  Dennis wasn’t watching the passenger side via the mirror and as I said “Dennis you are really close to the ——.  We, no, I take that back.  Dennis will be busy contacting our plumber, our carpenter and the car parts shop in town.  The back of the pickup scrapped the house taking off the outside water faucet with the plastic storage shroud, stripping off the bottom six to eight inches of the house siding for a stretch and taking out the plastic shield for his tail lights on the passenger side on the pickup.

  My oh my.  It is a day I would not have wished on my worst enemy, let alone my beloved hubby.  All this before twelve noon.  This is Dennis’ first vehicle accident in fifty years.  It’s a good thing it happened at our own home.  

  We had our noon lunch and the day continues.  Dennis commented that Monday sounded like a good day for a trip to New Ulm.

   
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  Noreen 3:57 pm on November 11, 2020 Permalink  

  One Down 

  One down and one won.  I met the challenge of not scraping and pushing off the driveway.  The snow that we had yesterday did have ice underneath.  With the strong sun today the concrete was releasing some of that pent up heat from the weekend.  There was a grand layer of wet white stuff just begging to be pushed off.  I looked at it out the west porch window as I was doing my morning rounds.  When I started a load of laundry, I looked at it out the bathroom window.  The slush was at the perfect consistency begging to be pushed off to the side.

  I quit looking out the windows and went into the sewing studio.  None of that exercise for me right now.  I beat the challenge. . . I walked away a winner.  I said not a word about the driveway as Dennis does not catch sight of the pushing and scraping that I can see.  Hmm.  I just need to keep my head down and not look out.  The shush may disappear all on its own.

  According to KNUJ AM radio, we may have a chance of rain showers tomorrow.  That rain would clean off the drive perfectly.  Ya, there is smidgen of a compulsive disorder within me.  Not to worry, this would not be a surprise to my two children.  They have had a taste of Mom’s disorder on multiple occasions.  Lucky kids.  Most of the time the disorder works in my favor.  I don’t put off what can be done.  I have 20/10 vision in seeing what needs to be and can be taken care of.  It’s the repetitive physical lifting, pushing and shoving stuff that my legs, knees, shoulders, back and wrists don’t play well with.  The compulsive disorder lets my mind override my physical being in what I should be backing away from.  In the end that plays havoc on my body and for sure does not work in my favor.  It’s early in the season.  I may totally recover from this attack of arthritis, or . . . it will be a light winter and the driveway won’t haunt me.  Whatever!  Enough lamenting. 

  KNUJ had patriotic music on all afternoon.  Great selections that I had forgotten about.  They were appropriate then and it was a good reminder today of how fortunate we are.  My favorite Veteran requested a chicken supper and by golly, that is what is being served: chicken tities, American fries, corn and sliced cucumbers.   

  Enjoy the roller coaster of weather, the blue skies and the sunshine.  There is nothing like taking a breath of fresh air and feeling like the luckiest person alive.

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on November 10, 2020 Permalink  

  Miniature Snowballs 

  Beginning early this morning we have had miniature snowballs in the guise of ice crystals falling.  Each unto its own is a perfect little ball.  We did get an alert from the sheriff’s office via emails that we may be in for quite a bit of snow.  I wouldn’t mind if the crystals were all we got.

  This morning I had PT, and driving out to the hospital, this may be the beginning of clearing off windshields for some time to come.  Progress report: the right hamstring from my right thigh to the right knee is remarkably improved.  Today, the lower back was tackled.  It felt as if there were a golf ball that was being rolled over a tight rope.  It actually made the tail-bone twinge. Please, oh please Lord, may this hurt enough that in the future, I think twice about what I will tackle using the ole body.   

  A while back in a factious remark, Dennis had said, “You are just like your Dad!” Dang, he was right.  Dad never backed down from a physical challenge.  If he saw it . . . he was on it.  What Dennis had referred to was my remark that had been one of Dad’s . . . “You never have time to do it right, but you always have time to do it over.”  So . . . not only am I working on stepping back from physical challenges that I will pay for in the future with pain, I am also working on stepping back from making comments that need not be said.  Whew!  I think the latter will be the most challenging. 

  As Dennis and Dwayne are working on the Cub tractor in the garage, I made a coffee and cookie run this morning for them to the patio porch.  It is shirt-sleeve warm in the garage.  The noon menu was egg salad sandwiches, pickles, chips and coffee.  Dessert was a Three Musketeer candy bar.  The preferred ambiance for lunches is the round table in the patio porch while watching the Rural Farm television channel.  The electrical harness install is meticulous and tedious work.  There is no Jerry-Rigging going on.  Dwayne is a true blue International mechanic.  It is the correct way or no way.  It is a bit unsettling for Dennis as he is a “hurry up and getter done” fellow.  Yes . . . Dennis would have been doing the Jerry-Rigging.

  As I look out I thought I would check.  It is 28 degrees, feels like 16 degrees with a wind from the north at 15 mph.  Hmm.  The little miniature snowballs have to turned to wet snow.  We may get an accumulation.  But come on . . . wasn’t it great to not have the furnace running for several days last week.  Reality always can be counted on to bite in the butt.

   
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  Noreen 6:07 pm on November 9, 2020 Permalink  

  Dumpy Day 

  When I cracked open the peepers, gray was all I saw.  That gray developed into a cold rain.  We had appointments for Dennis at the clinic and the rain felt like needles hitting our faces.  When there are appointments that are scheduled at 11:45, you can bet your bottom dollar it will ensure having most of the afternoon screwed up.

  I am sure tomorrow will be more of a productive day here on Stauffer, even if we do get the several inches of snow that they are predicting. 

  Stay dry and I think there will be some bundling up tonight under the blankets.  It sure will be different from the windows that we had partially open last night. 

   
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  Noreen 3:43 pm on November 8, 2020 Permalink  

  27 mph from the South 

  This day would be akin to the day decades ago when Kevin and his cousin Eric were flying kites.  Orlin worked at 3M at that time and had brought home a vinyl kite resembling a bat. I am sure it was in relationship to the black electrical tape that they manufactured.

  The boys had a spool of my rug warp with a dowel.  It may have been held by both of them, one on each end.  Orlin helped them get the kite strung to the warp.  I can still see them standing on the south side of the schoolhouse that we lived in at that time.  A few rocky starts to get the kite aloft.  The wind from the north finally caught the kite and it was a go.  There was shouting and screaming that brought the rest of us outside.  The rug warp was spinning on the dowel and the bat kite was off in the northern skies.  I do not remember anything other than the kite being a black dot in the northern skies.  Perhaps the warp finally broke or it may have been cut . . . there was no retrieving that kite.   The small boys couldn’t believe what their eyes had beheld and what had slipped swiftly through their fingers . . . literally.  Funny how a fierce wind can bring sweet memories to mind.  Sweet.

  Well . . . with the winds today I did stay indoors and finished the cleaning in the west porch.  I knew if I digressed it might not get finished and I would be disappointed in myself.  I am not sure what that tells of my personality.  Over the last 72 years, on and off, I have been dusting the old wooden spindle glider rocking chair.  I have a strong emotional attachment to it.  It was $3.50 of Mom and Dad’s wedding gift money that was spent on this wonderful rocker.  May I be able to dust and polish it for many more years.

  Dennis took turns taking the vehicles to the car wash.  It is sweet when they can be washed this time of the year and not have the doors freeze shut.  In between times, the stepladder was put up against the bathroom window to get it washed one more time.  With the early snow that melted and the high winds that have brought dust from God knows where, the window was in need of one more cleaning.  That window allows me to keep track of Dennis in the patio porch.  Not so much keep track but assure me that all is well.  

  My last hurrah today was mopping the kitchen, bathroom and entry floors.  Oh how I love a clean and tidy home . . . be it ever so humble.

  I didn’t even want to look ahead at the weather forecast.  I am going to relish what is left of this day and praise the Lord for it.  There is much to be thankful for here on Stauffer Avenue.  May you also find praise in your day for your life.

   
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  Noreen 4:47 pm on November 7, 2020 Permalink  

  A Shortage? 

  We had spent two different days in Mankato this last week.  We did stock up on pantry items.  The need to have a bit on hand hearkens back to my farm days. 

  When Orlin and I were farming in Boon Lake Township, there wasn’t a fall that did not find our cellar shelves full.  No worry if we didn’t get into town often during the winter months.  The huge difference is that the shelves glistened with quart fruit jars when we pulled the string for the light bulb to show us the way.  We had two chest freezers filled with frozen poultry and frozen bags of sliced apples ready to be put into pie crusts when needed.  In the cooler portion of that cellar where carrots and onions hanging from the ceiling via their stems held with twine.  Potatoes to last us till spring in the far corner.  Priceless.

  Now our pantry is filled with cans, glass jars of sauce for hotdishes and cardboard boxes of various items.  What was interesting was that one of Dennis’ favorites to fall back on when he needs a quick hot meal couldn’t be found.  Sam’s Club usually has an abundance of Dinty Moore Beef Stew.  Not one can to be found.  We stopped at Hy-Vee for a few items and also . . . there was no Dinty Moore Beef Stew or the store brand.  Hmm.

  Today I went to our Super Fair grocery store to pick up milk and bread.  Ah-Ha . . . the Dinty was in stock.  None of the smaller cans, but I did take home six of the larger cans.  That will take care of Dennis for quite some time.  It was an interesting seek and search.

  The local effort today was finishing the last of the porch windows and a bit extra cleaning in the porch.  I still need to clean the shelving and I must not forget Mom’s spindle glider rocking chair.  That will be tomorrow’s task.  The beds have clean linens to enjoy after showers tonight.  

  It was time to pay it forward.  Marcia brings us fresh eggs time after time.  Several days ago her mate Scott stopped in and he had two jackets that needed mending.  That had been the deal.  Tit for tat.  Oh my gosh, I had forgotten how heavy hunting jackets are.  The hunting jacket needed hand mending in the inside where sleeve meets the body of the jacket.  The other jacket was a lined nylon from when he worked for Mathiowitz Construction.  The exterior side seam was frayed wide open.  I can see hands in the pockets pulling on that nylon seam and it is not attached to the side seam that has the puffy quilted lining.  That side seam is now sewn shut and attached to the lining for extra support.  Once nylon begins to shred at a seam it’s not a good thing.  I will give a call out tomorrow and let them know the jackets are ready.  Scott does go hunting towards Thanksgiving.

  Again we had a red letter day.  Though for strong breezes it was wonderful.  Here we are in November and taking these great days for those last minute items outside before our fingers will scold for procrastinating later on.

  The beautiful sunset is reminding me to think about supper.  So fortunate Dennis and I are to be enjoying our own home and fixing a tasty meal of our choosing.  Sweet!

   
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  Noreen 4:15 pm on November 6, 2020 Permalink  

  This Day – Another Gift 

  We started out the day with a bang.  The Watson boys were going into the basement with a new 50 gallon hot water heater.  Efficient and tidy, they were going out of the house at 9:15.  As it was we had just paid the water bill for the month.  I saved the invoice to see if the new water heater will show a difference next month.

  It took me awhile to get organized, but I was determined to take out some water spots on the west porch windows.  The windows tip in and there is still an amount to prepare for so as to not spring them from their frames as both panes need to be tipped out at the same time.  I managed to get four of the nine windows done. Using the foam spray of the CLR worked great.  The secret is to use enough thereafter to make sure the film of it is gone.

  The fellows have been working for the greater part of the day with the electrical harness for the Cub.  Other than taking coffee out to them this morning and lunch this afternoon, I have stayed clear.  I figured Dennis would catch me up over supper.  I would have done the same if it were my dad working on something so tedious.  Concentration can be broken in a heartbeat and then the angst springs forth.

  With any luck, tomorrow will allow me to finish up the porch windows.  Today was moving about my reading table which holds the modem and all the electrical stuff for the computers, the printer, and the cable television service.  Tomorrow should be a breeze of just moving out the bed to get at the north and west walls.

  I have supper ready to pop into the oven.  I am not pushing or rushing.  I just heard the outside water spigot and I am hoping it was for water for the Cub’s radiator.  I will put an update out tomorrow on the two repair fellows.

  It appears we may have good weather over the weekend.  Find joy in this blessed weather and know that it is truly a gift and the Asian beetles are the freebies.