Me, Myself and Memories

Recent Updates Page 209 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 4:57 pm on July 26, 2020 Permalink  

  Metro Road Trip 

  Sometimes it feels good to leave the hometown and check things out.  Today our first stop towards the metro was hanging a right onto Highway 101.  Our destination was the Mustard Seed Garden Center.  Sixteen-year-old Megan was hard at work at the till checking out customers that were taking advantage of the 50% off of the annual flowers.  Megan was surprised to see us.  She hopes to continue working through to the Christmas season.  Later on it was reported to us that she likes the job well enough to make sure she is always early.  Today Jeremy said she had baked cupcakes to take and share while at work . . . but none were left on their kitchen counter.  Sweet

  Dennis checked out the tanks of Koi at the garden nursery. Hmm.  $149.00 per each for six inch Koi.  Wow!  Our Koi are really old, long and fat.  They also are not as colorful as those Dennis checked out.  Dennis also checked out their aquatic building.  It will be a miracle if our pump has another year in it as it does have some age on it.  What would be needed is right there in the aquatic building.

  On the way home Dennis commented about the good mood everyone was in.  Our metro family knows what is going to happen to Megan and Nicholas for the school year.  There was no uncertainty, just excitement.  Their start date will be just as how previous starts have been over the years for school.  No face masks will be needed to be worn during class time at the school.  Both Megan and Nicholas are enrolled in private Christian schools in the Eden Prairie area.  Megan in the high school and Nicholas in the Jr. high school.  They’re not adjacent, but near each other.  No more stress over what the governor can’t decide on or how things will progress.  Jeremy will be shopping for a good, safe car for Megan as their routines are in the works.  

  Carrie was filling out job applications for full time work.  The family will need two incomes with consistent income for the coming school year.  We give the family thumbs up for their decision.  Megan and Nicholas are excited for the school year to begin.  I have said it before, school is important, but it is not the place for stress from students that prefer to speak in their native tongues during the school day or have those self same cultures being part of the school day curriculum.  At the age of 76, I cannot believe the three “Rs” have had to take a back seat. 

  Dennis and I are thankful for a great, safe day.  I could not believe all the lightning and thunder we had after midnight last night.  Four inches of rain should soon allow the lawns to look other than parched.  We aren’t going to get into that topic tonight.  

  May the new week will be more comfortable temperature-wise for all those that work at their jobs to keep America great.  Makes me proud.

   
• 

  Noreen 1:56 pm on July 25, 2020 Permalink  

  New Road Trip 

  Dennis’ 1966 Galaxie went for a new road trip today.  It will be making its home in Buffalo, Minnesota.  The process of going through Craigslist went fast.  Within  half an hour Dennis had a firm commitment from the buyer and the amount that Dennis wanted for the transaction.  The  buyer was here this morning by 10:00 a.m.  It is amazing what can happen within 24 hours.  Blink, blink!

  This was not a spur of the moment for Dennis to let his convertible go.  He began talking about it in 2015.  Up until yesterday when Dennis asked me to put the car on Craigslist, he had had an emotional attachment to it.  It sounds kind of silly, but . . . if you love something enough, you are willing to let go of it when in your heart it feels right.  Dennis’ heart felt good as the convertible went down Stauffer Avenue on its way to a new home.  Dennis had taken the car to York, Nebraska, last fall to see his nephew and that was pretty much the last time the car had had a good run.  Dennis has had a good run with it over the years and the young fellow that has purchased it was thrilled to find a Minnesota car that didn’t have any rust.  For the car’s lifetime it had always been right here in Watonwan County.  When Dennis had gotten it out of the barn at Bill Sandberg’s, it had more dust on it than could be believed.  Spit and polish was all it needed.  The young fellow has no intentions of changing anything on it.  

  Today is Saturday and of course the weekend days, as of late, have been less than wonderful.  It is humid enough that at any moment the clouds look as if they could give us some much needed rain.

  Let the day bring what it wants.  Having a day without harm is a blessing that oh so many in America are not feeling.  Praise be to God.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:50 pm on July 24, 2020 Permalink  

  An Ish of a Day 

  Ish!  I really don’t have to add much to that comment about the weather outside.  Even Dennis is not inclined to stay out in the patio porch for very long.

  Dennis went without the Methadone prescription for six days.  He now knows that it does do him well in regard to the level of pain in his hands and feet.  Everyone has a certain degree of pain throughout the day. There is no point in enduring it when it can’t be put away through activity or rest.  Pain can take a huge amount of energy to endure it.  Well tried Dennis.

  This afternoon I went outside long enough to pick up the sign that neighbor Jan and I had used yesterday.  Her and I had put several things out at the curb with “Free” on the sign.  It turned out well.  I am now taking a sabbatical on all things concerning potting shed and garage cleaning.

  This noon Dennis and I worked on listing his 1966 Ford Galaxie on Craig’s List for southwestern Minnesota. We had quite a few photos to include.  Dennis did have Kevin’s friend look at it last spring and had an idea of what Brian had thought.  Brian’s thought was more than what the car dealer in New Ulm offered when we purchased the Lincoln MKX.  We had it ready to post by twelve noon.  Though I had not given my email address, I had two messages by twelve-thirty.  One of the individuals wanted to have us call him as soon as we received the email.  It is all up to Dennis.

  Time will tell if the fellow from the metro does visit tomorrow.  Dennis has enjoyed the vehicle over the years and feels that it is time for someone else to enjoy it.  Looking back, my mom, Lena, enjoyed the ride years ago when we picked her up from the health care facility and took her for a ride down the highway to my sister and her husband’s 50th wedding anniversary.  Mom had her first ride in a convertible.  Sweet.

  It seems as if we all have an interior message center that allows us to know what is best for us and when and how we need to act on it.

  I know I need some quiet time in my sewing studio.  It has been far too long that the lights have been turned.

  Stay safe in this heat.  Yes . . . put off until tomorrow what needs to be done . . . I don’t often encourage that.   Sunday was the best day of comfortable weather.  

   
• 

  Noreen 3:03 pm on July 23, 2020 Permalink  

  Nice Breeze 

  Today may be the last sweet nice day if the humidity is going to act up for the remainder of the week.

  It seems that the month has been going by fast.  I can honestly say that each morning I have to make sure I know what day of the month it is.  Our schedules are not hectic.  Keeping up with some eye and medical appointments is the most important.

  I always cherish any news from family.  Having Carrie let me know yesterday that they are pulling Megan and Nicholas out of the public schools was a dose of reality.  School years can be difficult in themselves and having the tension of the multi-cultural students.  It shouldn’t mean tension, but it does.  The influx of the Somali children is at the heart of it.  Prior to that it didn’t matter if the skin color was white, tan, black, etc.  The kids were all one.  I know when Megan and her friends of various color started to plan when they could use the bathroom . . . that caused a lot of concern.  The Somali girls would gang together in the bathrooms and block the doors.  In a high school, there are no fast schedules of classes.  It seemed there was no safe feeling of the bathrooms regardless of the time in the school day.

  I am proud of Megan and Nicholas attending Christian schools starting in the fall.  Godspeed.

  Mostly today, I am taking it a bit easy.  We have accomplished so much in lightening our load of stuff.  Many have benefited.  Nothing that I or my children would be emotionally attached to has been let go.  Sweet. 

  Happy Thursday to one and all.  I can only say how safe I feel in our small community.  I pray for the safety of those living in areas where the violent protesters have no respect for others and I feel they must not even respect themselves.   

  Tomorrow is the end of the work week for most.  Many wonderful thankful things that can be thought upon.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:47 pm on July 22, 2020 Permalink  

  A Needed Day Out 

  Today we decided we needed some TLC.  Our TLC is found in Mankato.  

  I have no recollection as to when I had dropped something quite heavy on my left foot, but it sure had done a great job on the middle toe of that foot.  It has the propensity of building a callous under the nail that would engulf the entire tip of the toe if not taken care of.  I have found that the over-the-counter Kerasal does wonders.  What really does the trick is if that toe nail is properly cut and shaped.  Since the lock down of businesses, we had not had a pedicure since February.  With shoulders and hands that are not the most agile, Dennis has helped with the toes several times.  Only once was a band-aid needed to stop the bleeding.

  The Nail Group in Mankato is a Vietnamese-run shop.  We have been going there for years as Dennis has foot problems from his Korea days.  It felt like such a vacation to have the pedicure and the leg massage.  Dennis and I willingly wore our face masks.  They always remember that we do not “do color” on our toe nails.  My middle toe on my left foot is thankful for the TLC.

  After the toes were pampered and beautiful, Great Clips was our next stop for hair cuts.  When I tried to go online at home to make the appointment, the message came up with a wait time of seventeen minutes.  It is a 45 minute drive to Mankato, so we headed out thinking we would see what could be done.  As it was, there was a gal in the pedicure shop that used her phone to go online and set up an appointment for us.  Great Clips does not do phone appointments and with the covid it has to be done online.  I can see their point.  Their in-house rules are what they are.  In time if and when the covid has passed they will again accept walk-ins.  Covid . . . Grrr.  They did admit to cutting a string or two of someone’s face mask when doing the haircut.  They are not allowed to use the blow-driers so Dennis and I were like two monkeys out in the parking lot cleaning each other of loose hair.  Too funny.

  It felt so good to get home and feel pampered.  From head to toe . . . you can’t beat it.  I made fried eggs sandwiches for a late lunch when we got home and Dennis commented how hungry he had been and how wonderful the fried egg sandwich tasted.  I agreed!

  Today is Wednesday and we have gotten quite a bit accomplished so far this week.  When I spent some time with Dennis in the patio porch this late afternoon, I caught his eyes traveling to the back yard.  It didn’t help that our neighbor Jan had mowed her yard while we were gone and the smell of the newly cut grass was filling our nostrils.  I think I detected an itch in Dennis for tomorrow.   I surely cannot deny Dennis’ desire to keep the acre tidy.  The growth of the grass is very spotty as we have so little rain in the last several weeks.  Time will tell.  Happy hump evening to one and all.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:13 pm on July 21, 2020 Permalink  

  Cleaning Up and Moving Out 

  We continued having a good day cleaning up and moving out items from the potting shed.  I had one nibble on the two acorn cement items that we used to have on either side of the front steps.  When the gal told me she definitely wanted them and was driving two hours to pick them up, I marked as sold as per that information.  

  I had started doing more cleaning in the potting shed early this morning while it felt comfortable outside.  I had sent Dennis to our local greenhouse with several flower containers that looked like crocks.  It was a feeler as to find out if Becky would take them for her growing season for 2019.  Dennis was back shortly and Becky would take whatever I had that plants could be put in.  That was all I needed to hear!  Dennis left our potting shed with half of the back of the pickup full of every sized container imaginable.  Having had a garden here since 1988 . . . you betcha I had containers of all sizes and shapes and colors. 

  When Dennis came back, my next destination for him was to go out to the Brandt’s farm north of town.  They raise sweetcorn and have a stand here in town every growing season.  I don’t know how we ended up with a box full of plastic bags from the company in neighboring Butterfield when there had been a company that bagged bird feed.  The cardboard box was six inches tall and you can only imagine how many plastic bags the box contained.  The bags were perfect for holding a dozen ears of sweet corn.  

  Twelve-thirty today, a little hatchback drove into the drive and the acorns commenced to be loaded.  She left with a bit more than she had anticipated.  There was a six foot trellis that she got into that hatchback, two smaller trellis, wrought iron birds on poles to stick into the ground and an old iron decoration with an iron basket that would hang on a garage wall.  Wow!  She was tickled to have a car full and I was more tickled to see it go.

  When Dennis got home from visiting with the Brandt’s, my gal from Chaska had been here and left.  We were left with a potting shed that almost echos.  I shared with him how much the gal from Chaska appreciated what she took home.  Dennis shared with me how much Becky appreciated all the containers as by not buying in bulk, the cost of containers is huge.  The Brandt’s were tickled to have an additional supply of bags.  They commented on the thickness of the vinyl bags being perfect for the ears of corn.

  Dennis and I have really done well this week by clearing out what we no longer need or use. Most interesting was the response of the people that were taken by surprise that we would share what we no longer needed and not expect to be paid for it.  Who would have thought!

  I have an egg bake ready to go into the oven for supper.  I needed to use up some eggs as Marcia brought me three dozen from the farm last week.  That may also take a batch of cookies or such.

  Dennis was a major elf today with his little red pickup and I will admit to being a great one for disseminating what we don’t need.  I hope the rest of you are having a great day also.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:15 pm on July 20, 2020 Permalink  

  A Whirlwind 24 Hours 

  Yesterday in the mid afternoon, I posted a giveaway on the marketplace hosted by Facebook.  The giveaway was two totes, one of crochet thread and the other of yarn for crocheting.  I felt comfortable in doing so as neither of my children crochet nor do their spouses.  The thread was actually Esther Schafer’s, The kid’s grandmother.  She made each of her children a crocheted bedspread from the thread.  Kevin and Carrie each have one of her spreads.  They are not very utilitarian but definitely keepsakes.  I made sure each one was laundered appropriately before they were handed off.

  To make a long story short, the totes were gone by five yesterday afternoon.  My arthritic body was thankful and they went to a gal that I have known here in St. James for years. 

  Today, I got busy.  The plastic green turtle that Megan and Nicholas played with is gone.  Gone via the marketplace site as well.  Three cement garden art pieces are gone from the potting shed as well.  The giveaway items went to appreciative individuals.  None of it owed me a penny.  I had years of enjoyment of them.  Who knew I could clean out the potting shed so easily!

  It has kept me busy being on Facebook to answer questions and giving our address.  I feel good about lightening our load.  As I had said yesterday, no emotions were attached.  I have several other items listed and time will tell.  

  Have a great evening as the weather is warm but not frightening.  That is still coming for the weekend . . . but we are not going to dwell on that today.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:46 pm on July 19, 2020 Permalink  

  Sunday the 19th 

  The heat has broken.  The humidity and dew points have lowered.  I have a better outlook today.  Anything better than yesterday is a gift.  

  No matter how I stay busy.  No matter what I choose to do.  No matter what day of the week it may be.  There are days that I struggle from within.  What do you know!  I am human.  It is amazing how things that can overwhelm you via noise, words, or media can grind one down to a halt.  

  This morning I had a few items on my tick list.  One of those items took me up to the attic.  I was checking out something for Carrie.  While I was up there I tidied a few things.  My attic steps looked more like a shelf in a thrift store than not.  That brought me and quite a few items down to the basement and more of the tidying was needed.  I kept moving.  When I keep moving, I feel better.  I must say I marvel at those that can stay static for hours on end.  Maybe Great Grandma Laura was right years ago . . . I do have ants in my pants.  Better me than you.  

  In my defense . . . staying active and moving is so much better on the arthritis than sitting still.  Moving about keeps the tendons and joints aware of what is expected of them.  No slacking off!  I do not take any prescriptions for arthritis.  Years ago I took Celebrex for the arthritis.  Much like what Dennis has just done with the Methadone, I stopped taking it and I couldn’t really notice any difference in the discomfort.  Prescription drugs may not do what they are advertised to do, but the side effects of the drug can continue within the body. 

  I did find some items in the attic and basement that I do not have an emotional attachment to.  They are not anything that my children or Dennis’ children are in to.  I did go on facebook and am looking into putting them out there on the market place within our area.  Better yet . . . it would be a giveaway.  

  A new week is ahead.  How fortunate that we have that to look forward to.  Many would be thrilled if that were available to them.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:20 pm on July 18, 2020 Permalink  

  Feeling At Loss 

  It might be just one more hot day, but . . . this feels like this day is pushing the limits.  I feel at loss.  

  Dennis and I are used to being at home, even during this covid thing, it has not really bothered us.  When there are more days of heat that take away the freedom of being able to be outside for a time, it sucks!  I am very thankful not to have health issues that prevent me from enduring the heat, but I also know what it feels like when I have had too much of the heat.  This type of heat and humidity makes me feel vulnerable as I know myself well enough to know, I don’t know I have overdone it until quite a bit later after coming in from the heat.  I either feel like someone confined to a nursing home facility with only windows to look out of or . . . feeling like Moses wandering the wilderness.  My wilderness is from one end of the house to the other, or doing up and down the basement steps.

  I did work at keeping busy and burned through several Swiffer sheets as I tidied under beds and behind furniture.  Several loads of laundry completed brought self gratification . . . and good smells.  I am one that is usually in and out of the house multiple times during the day.  Maybe to see what the garage kitties are up to.  Maybe to see if a weed has dared to sprout.  Maybe to sit and watch the Koi in the pond and listen to the falling water of the fountain.

  On a day such as I am having, even the sewing studio dims in its wonder lust.  This is just a day that will pass.  I have a book that gets a chapter read intermittently.  Actually, Dennis does better on a day like this than I do.  Bless his heart.  I might have to acknowledge that someday, this inactivity will be my norm . . . in a rat’s ass I say!

  Please bare with me and know that this is like the 24-hour flu with me.  I will either get over it . . . or I won’t. Stay tuned for tomorrow is a new day, perhaps a new outlook.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:18 pm on July 17, 2020 Permalink  

  Prototypes and Opioids 

  Every project needs a prototype. I believe that for 2020, I will be doing small socks for the wee ones . . . well maybe some that are not so wee.  Putting on individual initials will make them  personalized socks to receive.  Right now my thoughts are about 5″ with just enough room to slip in a treat prior to mailing them out this Christmas season.  Of course I went to the scrap box for the sample.  I am one step closer to an actual project.  Before I cut out my actual pattern it will get tweaked a bit, making sure to size it up here and there.  I think a lid to an ice cream pail will be the perfect weight of plastic for the pattern to be traced on.

  Today when Dennis went to Lewis Drug he picked up my blood pressure prescription for the three months at a whopping price of $2.99 in total.  Dennis’ Methadone prescription for 30 days was $7.43.  We do have Blue Cross, Blue Shield prescription coverage.  Does one balance out the other . . . I am not sure.  Dennis did make an announcement when he got home.  This morning was the last time he is going to take the Methadone, an opioid .  He is going to try to go without it.  Dennis takes the Methadone for his Nephropathy pain.  The pain is in his hands and feet.  While in Korea, on the 39th parallel, he shared that the weather was consistent with Minnesota’s.  The winters were horrible.  Feet and hands were always wet and freezing cold.  The nerves in his hands and feet took a toll.  When fellow soldiers didn’t make it, the field hospital personal always saved the fallen’s socks and gloves to share where needed.

  I give Dennis so much credit for trying to stay off of this drug.  Dennis thought perhaps he had been on it long enough that the effect was no longer being felt.  The pain was tough to take at times taking the med.  Time will tell.  At least the prescription will be here if he feels that it was doing its intended job.  Dennis put me in charge of keeping the prescription safe and away from him for this upcoming trial. 

  We have taken precautions of getting done what we needed outside today.  Tomorrow tells to be a bit worse.  Today it is 89 degrees, feeling like 101 degrees.  Humidity is 68% and dew point is 75%.  We have cleaned the filters in the Koi pond and “that is all folks.”  I hope and pray that all take heed and stay safe and healthy through the weekend.  I would rather think of all of you than read about you.