Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 4:41 pm on November 10, 2019 Permalink  

  We Show Up 

  Today we motored to Mankato.  Dennis’ great granddaughter Lux was five today.  Last month we were in Mankato for  great granddaughter Luella who was two.   The month before that is was Charlie B’s second birthday.  Oliver turned six in late fall.  There are a total of eight great grandchildren that we are invited to their parties.  When we get invited . . . we show up at every possibility.  Why not!  A chance to see children having a good time, brings a good feeling to us.

  It was good to get home this afternoon.  We drove in snowflakes that fluttered.  We have no idea what the forecast is . . . it doesn’t matter.  We take the days the way they come.

  When I got home I took several Aleve Gel Caplets.  The neck and shoulders can’t wait to get back to physical therapy on Tuesday.  Does the fact that there is pain surprise me . . . no. 

  Last week as I was doing something, a memory of this time of the year, several decades ago, flooded my mind.  At the time we were burning wood in a Warm Morning wood and coal stove.  I was driving school bus for the Buffalo Lake Public Schools in the mornings and in the afternoon routes.  In between times, I was in the backyard chopping wood as we were filling the wood storage for the winter.  I was actually pretty good at it.  Between Orlin and I we would have the storage room filled before the snow would cover the pile of wood, yet to be chopped.

  Bill and Esther Miller lived a stone’s throw across the tar road from us.  It was not unusual that right after their noon dinner, Bill would wave me over for a cup of coffee to share with them.  Bill thought I needed a break.  Both were very fragile and in their early 80s.  Bill and Esther never had a family and visitors to their home were far and few in between.  They were two very sweet individuals.  I digress. 

  There has always been physical activity, and some labor intensive that was a part of my life.  I was a farm kid, I was a farm wife and I have always known how to show up when there was work to do.  There is a promise I hope to keep for myself this winter . . . no snow removal.  My heart tells me “get out there and do it!’  The reality is that I hope my God-given logic will override the heart in this respect.  I don’t bounce back as quickly as I have in the past when I overdo it.  The saving grace is that I do go for help when the pain lingers.  Nothing eats up energy as much as physical pain.  Hell’s bells.  I have plans and those plans are doable.  Those plans do not involve incapacitating myself.  Good grief . . . I hope I have learned my lesson and that includes listening to Dennis when he gives me his warning lectures.  

  It goes to show that Mom knew what she was talking about when she was in her early 90s.  “I’m still watching you for signs of improvement.”  That statement had come to be a long standing comment from her.  She would spout it and have the most wonderful twinkle in her blues eyes the entire time it took her to say it.

  This winter season I will show up to all those things that I can handle while doing no harm.

   
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  Noreen 4:00 pm on November 9, 2019 Permalink  

  Amazing 

  Amazing how much the snow has shrunk down with no sun to help it.  40 degrees still has power, but man oh man it is dreary out.

  With no definite agenda for the day, I have managed to keep busy.  There was a certain mail slot that was annoying me.  The interior magnetic flap had fallen off in the past.  I couldn’t do the brown duct tape any longer.  Amazing how tackling one annoyance makes the spirits rise.  Laundry is done, fresh bedding is on and I am winding down.  

  It is an oven meal for us this evening.  Chopped and cubed leftover pork roast out of the freezer made a handsome pasta for supper.

  Carrie sent home multiple Trump signs with Dennis yesterday.  This afternoon he is spreading and sharing the joy.  Gotta love that guy.  He is either making friends this afternoon or his usual coffee spot will be off limits to him.

   
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  Noreen 5:58 pm on November 8, 2019 Permalink  

  We Got Out of Dodge 

  Today we hooked up with the Eden Prairie family.  It turned out that Megan and Nicholas did not have school today.  Jeremy was working from home . . . we got to see the entire family.

  The back of our MKX was full as we headed out.  In fact Dennis loaded it yesterday so a checklist could be done to make sure we had all that was intended to go.  With the cleaning of the sewing studio, there were items that had Megan’s name on them and some for Nicholas.

  There were two totes with the Eden Prairie Skating Club towels.  81 towels stitched and ready for when they will be needed.  

  Carrie’s birthday was October 17th.  With our schedules not working with theirs, we were intent on celebrating her birthday today.  We had had Carrie’s birthday gift in our sewing studio since the middle of October.  Carrie now has her first brand new sewing machine at age 54.  I had mine at age 22.  As she had been working with Megan, her small used portable, and my sewing machine that Megan had (it was new when I was 22) made things difficult to say the least at times.

  To say the least, Carrie was blown away.  Before we headed for home, I took Megan aside and told her to get the machine set up, organize all the goodies that came with it, so as to not overwhelm her mom.  This machine has much of the same utility as mine and Megan could work independently on mine.  Quite a bit the same but about two sizes smaller.  My hint of the day was: if you have any questions go to the Bernina YouTube site.  I use it a lot.  I know the girls will have a wonderful time of exploration.  

  As I had been doing the tidy thing in the sewing studio, I had a shopping bag of an extra cutting mat complete with the cutting ruler, and a rotary fabric cutter with 2 new blades.  I had put together a kit for a wall hanging.  Megan had picked out the front panel from the Old Alley Quilt Shop and I made sure they had everything to do it up from A to Z but making a kit of it.  I have my favorite tools that for sure I have an emotional attachment to. What I am passing along are wonderful tools that have been handed down from family members of those I used to stitch with.

  We had a good satisfying day and were home by 4:30.  Dennis commented we made it home just before it got dark.  Good plan and Dodge looked good.

   
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  Noreen 3:30 pm on November 7, 2019 Permalink  

  Can’t Fail if You Don’t Try 

  It has been quite the shock.  Fall housecleaning is still rampant here on Stauffer Avenue.  Today was the day to vacuum furniture and such.  I have always had a lap quilt on the back of Dennis’ recliner as he has a lot of extra body heat.  With the recliner being vinyl, the lap robe was the perfect answer.  You can only imagine how shocked I was in what I found.  Forget about the wiping down of the vinyl.  What is happening to the vinyl?  Why wouldn’t the seat have shown this type of wear rather than the headrest.  Yes . . . the chair is four years old.  It is a power space saver recliner.  With the way Dennis has been on the go, it has not had extreme wear and tear. 

  I got busy and dug out the paperwork and found the company in the USA that is still in business.  I have sent them a photo with my concerns and time will tell what comes of it.  Of course . . . the warranty has expired.  My question was if the back of the chair, which comes off of the base, could be replaced?  Covering the back of the chair is a consideration.  What is not good is that the vinyl is crumbling and it makes . . . crumbs.

  Good grief!  If it is not one thing for consumers to be aware of, it is another.  It worked in my favor today as it is cold out and what better time to get this concern sent where the answer may be.

  Dennis was ready to chalk it up and deal with it.  I felt, I couldn’t fail to get some type of response if I didn’t try.  Life remains interesting on Stauffer Avenue. 

  Needless to say the patio porch is full up today.  There is no room in the porch.  All pillowed chairs are occupied; one ole cowboy and three cats.

  It bears repeating . . . What?  No Indian summer?

   
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  Noreen 4:40 pm on November 6, 2019 Permalink  

  They Did Warn Us 

  They did say snow was coming.  I don’t think we were expecting such a huge dump for the first snow.  It started yesterday late afternoon.  It wasn’t quite done yet at lunch time today.  Talk about wet.  Those stalwart leaves hanging on for dear life, didn’t stand a chance.  With brisk winds they danced across the snow.  I could almost hear the Sugar Plum Fairy tune as I watched them.

  Did Dennis wait to see how much of it would stick onto the concrete as it still held some warmth?  NO! He was at it full force.  I didn’t even think of commenting that a warmer cap or waterproof boots might be a good thing.  I let it go.  Just like the Disney’s Frozen movie song . . . “Let it go . . . let it go.”  A guy has to do what a guy has to do.

  It was difficult for me to put my hands in my pockets to resist going out and pushing snow.  I put my energies into cleaning the refrigerator.  Our refrigerator can be gutted like a 20 lb. turkey.  Every shelf and drawer comes out.  All the shelves on the door can be removed.  Suds and hot water was all I needed to get everything washed and swiped.  The difficult portion of it was getting it all back inside. 

  When Dennis came in from blowing the driveway off he had a puzzled look on his face as one of the chairs from the dining room was in front of the open refrigerator.  It was easier sitting and being at a lower level to manipulate some of the interior shelves and such rather than bending the neck and twisting the shoulders.

  Let’s just say, we both met our objectives for the day.  Yup, fair warnings need to be heeded.  Umph!  What . . . no Indian summer?

   
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  Noreen 4:45 pm on November 5, 2019 Permalink  

  Just a Day 

  Sometimes when I check our schedule for the day, it is totally broken up with “hurry up and wait.” 

  Dennis knew he was going for coffee this morning.  It was a slam dunk . . . literally for him. 

  I knew that I would see the eye surgeon at our eye clinic up town at nine this morning,  I would see my regular eye doctor at 11:30 to have the prescription for new lenses.  At 1:45, I would be out to physical therapy.

  All of the appointments went well with no surprises.

  What has been playing email tag with me all day is a request for one of Dennis’ prescriptions that we should be able to do via a computer portal.  That request is to go to our family doctor and he will forward the prescription to the Lewis Drug Store.  Somehow a nurse practitioner opened it on the clinic end and it has been a monkey wrench of a ride with her emailing me and asking me questions.  Grr!  I finally started from scratch and at four this afternoon, our family doctor’s nurse emailed me with the message that Dr. Eatwell reviews his portal messages at the end of the day and will be taking care of having the prescription sent to the Lewis Drug.  Good grief!  It sure is a good thing that I started this process in advance of the last pill being in the container.  This portal idea is good as it saves having to make an office call, getting charged for it and having to have insurance get involved.  It is not what Dennis could easily stroll through.  He will continue strolling through his day and his pills will be right where he always finds them . . . just as if by magic.

  Schedules are great when I have made them with the people on the other end who have the ability to work with me one on one and there is no middle man or in this case a nurse practitioner trying to play God.  

  By the way, my new glasses with lenses that allow me to see 20/20 in both eyes are in process and I should have them within a week.  There were no problems with what the eye surgeon saw.  Physical therapy is also going in a positive direction.   

  Nothing that I can actually point to here in our home that indicates I did show up for the day.  Just a day of items that needed to be addressed and taken care of so I am physically able to do my local effort here on Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 5:45 pm on November 4, 2019 Permalink  

  Hmm 

  It doesn’t really excite me, when I left for my walk this morning, I noticed snow shovels by the back door.  It cannot be said that Dennis is not prepared.

  I have changed my route in the last several days for my walk.  My knees are telling me, I may need to rethink that.  Walking on gravel is very different than the hard surface of the tar road.  I know I have been given a medical explanation of this in times past.  My ole body doesn’t mince messages.

  Dennis found “people” today.   Dennis has been hinting about having our own burning pit for some time.  One never knows when we have overstayed our welcome with our neighbor Bob when using his fire pit.  We now have a fairly large tire rim for an area east of the patio porch.  Ironically it will fit right over a shrub that Dennis is not in like with.  It seems to be annoying him when he is mowing.  

  I spent some time baking and getting winter coats out so they are handy.  

  Our UPS depot is open from 4 – 6 p.m. for getting parcels out of town.  Larry’s wife Jennifer should be getting her stitched out items in the next several days.  I know the farming is going full bore for them.  After the field work is completed we are at the edge of holiday schedules.  Our schedules may not agree for a personal hand off.  We felt this was the best way to deliver our goods to the farm.

  Each day comes with blessings.  I don’t need to look very hard or wait very long to be in the midst of blessings abound. 

  Hmm, I hope it is a long, long time before we need to use those shovels waiting at our back door.

   
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  Noreen 3:32 pm on November 3, 2019 Permalink  

  Some Farmers 

  Some farmers only pick rock off of their fields after the spring thaw has pushed them up through the soil before the spring field work starts.  Here on Stauffer Avenue we have picked rock on this third day of November in 40 degree temperatures.

  Decades ago, my friends Doreen, Judy and I would go hunting for plants and rocks to do our flowerbeds.  What’s not to like about attractive rocks adorning plants!  

  Last fall when we took down the huge square garden east off of the patio porch, the rocks in that area were removed for the tilling and grass seeding.  Today, as a testament of my hope of lessening the gardens even more so, more rocks were removed from the hosta beds and piled.  At some time, Dennis will use one of his nephew’s handy dandy skid loaders and take the pile off of our yard to a rock cemetery east of our property.  One small step at a time to get my mind set in regard to the spring of 2020. 

  As I was dismantling flowerbeds it brought thoughts . . . Doreen passed away this last summer and Judy is totally blind.  It seemed fitting that some of our yard be put to rest as well.

  Towards the end, Dennis caved and put the battery in the Sears rider mower.  One last pass on the leaves.  Dennis felt it was worth it to hit them one more time as long as they were dry enough to be crushed and mulched.

  All the while we were digging up and picking up rocks, there was a beef soup simmering on the kitchen range.  Beef, beef broth, rice, carrots, corn, green beans, butter beans and celery smothered together for a hearty evening meal.  

  The farmer that dwells in both of us, keeps on finding things to button up before we can’t.  Time is running out.

   
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  Noreen 3:04 pm on November 2, 2019 Permalink  

  Quiet on The Acre 

  Today the sewing studio is closed for the day.  As of yesterday afternoon there are no UFOs in the studio . . . “unfinished objects.”  I have a few ideas in the hopper, but nothing is going to be started this weekend.

  This morning there was a load of laundry started in conjunction with dust bunnies being called out.  Calling it a good start to “local effort” I headed out for my walk.  My day seems to go better with a walk having been had in the mornings. 

  Yesterday a fellow down the way on Stauffer Avenue stopped and ask Dennis if there was any chance of having the bricks that have been piled next to the potting shed.  In times past I had used them to outline flower beds.  Dennis had convinced me that it made it difficult to mow around them as well as till the flower beds.  Dennis gave him the nod and he began loading them up.

  By last night Dennis didn’t know if he had taken as many bricks as he needed as there were still a goodly amount left.  This morning the fellow was back.  The bricks that he took yesterday were already cemented in to the front of his house, and he came back for the remaining ones.  From our point of view it was a good neighborly transaction. 

  There had been broken flower pots that had been used as garden art around some of the hosta.  Today the broken flower pots are no more.  Tidy, tidy.  Yes . . . this Grammie is serious about lessening the gardens.  Perhaps if the deer keep coming back and doing the trimming in the far east hosta bed, they will have assisted me.

  Dennis is making supper tonight.  We are having smorgasbord via Dennis.  It is fried leftover mashed potatoes, cut up Jimmy Dean pre-cooked sausages, diced onions that have been sweated and browned, topped with several eggs that are broken and spread over the fare . . . left just long enough to have them cooked gently.  It is actually tasty.  The Home Town Restaurant here in town started this on their Saturday Night bar menu years ago.  They did the American fries. Dennis is using up leftover mashed potatoes.   Hey . . . any night I don’t have to lift a ladle is great with me.   

  Tonight we turn our clocks back.  It will take me a few morning to get used to it.  

  I think it will be quiet on the acre tomorrow as well.  It’s a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on November 1, 2019 Permalink  

  Mission of Barns Completed 

  A while ago I had posted a photo on Facebook.  It was one design of twelve that I had recently acquired.  It was well “liked.”  It was included in a collection of old barns with a quilt block in the gable of the barns.  Each barn was different with a different quilt block.  A day or so later I received a private message from my nephew, Larry Trettin’s wife.  Jennifer asked me about a Christmas present she would like to give her mom, Rita Roepke.  It was in regard to the barn designs.

  I had never done anything for family members other than what I chose at random.  Jennifer’s request was unique.  Emailing back and forth, I agreed to help her out only on her condition that she wanted to pay for materials . . . plus.  The plus portion I did not respond to.

  Today, I completed the project.  Jennifer left it up to me as to what the finished projects would be.  I did two sofa pillows and a table runner.  I put a sleeve on the table runner so it may also be used as a 16″ x 40″ wall hanging . . . choices.   As Jennifer indicated she also liked the barn designs for herself. Time will tell what she chose for herself.

  The wonderful part of this was that in my choices, I got to use up some fabrics out of my stashes.  Some of the fabrics were hand-me-downs and some were inherited from family members of stitchers.  Quilt batting from previous projects always are saved for just such a time as this.  The buttons for the pillows were fresh off the button tree from the Fairfax Team.  I will honor her in regard to what I actually purchased since her emails.  New pillow foam was on sale at Joann’s and a quick trip to the Old Alley Quilt Shop was incorporated when I met my cousin Chris there for lunch a week ago.  The rest of the story . . . lightens my load in the stashes.  As I was pulling out options, Dennis was thrilled to see some of the stash boxes get a bit lighter.

  I always have my ears open when and if my kids may drop a hint as to what they could use or need.  That flow has dried up . . . for now.  I never know if there is some mending that may be needed.  I am up for challenges.  The latest challenge has been working with and sewing with reader glasses since August 5th.  My new prescription will be decided . . . next Tuesday!!  I can hardly wait.  Dennis will agree that I have sorely missed reading.  Cheaters just don’t do the trick for reading.  The sewing has cost me quite a few broken sewing machine needles, but a small price to pay for keeping me active and off Dennis’ case from time to time.  Hey!  Everyone is a winner!