Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 5:39 pm on May 16, 2019 Permalink  

  A Slow Day 

  As it turned out, I was ready for a quiet, slow day today.  No more numbing goodies in the facial cheek.  We are now in the healing mode.  It’s my job to clean the wound twice a day and keep it covered with Vaseline.  When I uncovered the wound today I was surprised at the angle and length of the stitch area.  Yesterday after all the cancerous tissue was removed, it was a perfect circle the size of a quarter.  As I sat with a towel over my face and Dr. Davis was stitching me up, what came to mind was me darning my family’s sock.  I can imagine he needed to elongate the wound for the skin and tissue to be manipulated into a workable stitch pattern that will eventually not be seen.  I am thrilled to have it behind me. 

  Most of skin cancer shows itself after decades of when the actual damage was done.  I can believe that.  Being out on hay racks stacking bales, walking beans or just being a farm kid, we never thought much of getting sun burned.  Who ever heard of sun screen!  Taking it slow is not all bad.  This afternoon I laid on the bed in the west porch with the windows open, listening to the wind chimes and birds.  Time to smell the lilacs outside of the porch.  Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 3:54 pm on May 15, 2019 Permalink  

  What a Day! 

  The day was devoted for me to get my facial cheek into surgery to remove a cancer sighting.  I am resting at home with a bandage and knowing that Dr. Davis from St. James is a great dermatologist.  The lab results that they have on sight assured all that it wasall removed.  Yipee!  By tomorrow, I may well have a black and blue eye as well as the right side of my face that will also have many hues of black and blue.

  
  I did have to share a photo of Carrie that Channel 11, KARE, captured yesterday during the Women’s March for 2020 in St. Louis Park.  It was a safe walk of over 14,000 participants.  

  I may well have supper made for me this evening.  I’ll take whatever I get.  Gotta love the ole cowboy.

   
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  Noreen 4:24 pm on May 14, 2019 Permalink  

  Time to Bid Farewell 

  Today was my last day at “Curt the Chiropractor.”  I will be flying solo going into the spring activities.  I did push the lawnmower yesterday and there were no bad effects.  Dennis did take the lawn clippings container off as it got full.  That might have been pushing my luck with the shoulders and neck.  With a small pull with his arm and shoulder, he had it started for me to take off and mow at will.

  We went for a drive this afternoon in the convertible . . . with the top up.  It was a great day, but not warm enough for the full effect. It was surprising how much heat came through that large windshield.

  Tomorrow I will be in Mankato by 9:45 a.m..  The biopsy on the facial cheek came back positive.  Get it taken care of and let the healing begin.

  Bidding farewell to Curt today was like telling a friend “See you again some time.”  I am hoping it will be a long time before I need any further appointments.  It’s time for this Grammie to think before pitching in where someone more able can do it without causing bodily harm.

   
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  Noreen 5:40 pm on May 13, 2019 Permalink  

  A New Gig 

  Carrie and Megan have been visiting with me for the last year about what I might be able to help them with in regard to the skate club that Carrie and Megan belong to.  I include Carrie as Megan needs her personal driver.  The hangup has been the logo that they have wanted.  

  Who knew that Grammie would have people.  People that digitize a design for embroidery to be stitched out via a shared photograph.  It did take quite a bit of back and forth as Grammie and computer files and folders . . . give me a break.  Last week when it was a trial and error,  I must have been up and down the basement steps to the sewing studio . . . more times than Dennis could count.  No . . . I did not think of taking the HP Notebook down into the sewing studio.  I have solid glutes.

  This morning the sun was out and a new file was tweaked and my flash drive almost did a jig when all things came together.  The project is not for use for some time.  I will need that time.  The project is 80 plus towels for the skate club members to wipe their skates off when they come off of the ice.  The towels would be a gift during the year end banquet.  The file was handed off with the logo and it will be up to me to work my whiles on my computer program to add each of the girls’ name on each of the towels.  The end result of my programming skills will allow name and logo to be loaded so it stitches out as one design.  Hooping the towel for a second time for the name, getting it centered, would also eat up a duplicate amount of stabilizer.  It was one thing to stitch it out on cotton fabric.  I hunted high and low for a terry towel that I could do the demo on.  Dennis is the ultimate judge but he can’t be unbiased.  He thought the terry towel came out great.  When I mail this demo to Carrie, she will share with those who are in on that aspect of the skate club.  Time will tell.  Carrie is in charge of finding the towels. 

  We did get our acre mowed today.  It looks great.  This week is starting off in good stead.

   
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  Noreen 3:26 pm on May 12, 2019 Permalink  

  Peaceful 

  Today was the peace that passes all understanding here on Stauffer Avenue.  Our plan was to not have a plan.  A bit of putting the house right after we had some Curry kids calling on us yesterday.  Susie’s trio came from Silver Bay, Mn.  They had not stopped in since November.  Great visit.  

  What was different for Dennis and me today was . . . shopping.  Yup, we shopped on eBay.  Dennis came in from the patio porch and he had an agenda.  With his 1968 Cub Lo-Boy being out to the shop for some work on the mower aspect of it, Dennis has been kicking around the idea of a paint job for it when he brings it back home.  How could you anticipate a paint job without the decals for it.  With Dennis at my right elbow we got on it.  Sure enough we found the entire package of decals that his tractor needs.  I think it blew Dennis’ mind a bit as to how easy ordering online can be.  I think it’s a great idea to trick out his soon-be-be, 51-year-old Cub.

  I had been toying around the idea of what would be a bit of a repeat from my 1960s toys to have in the sewing studio.  The idea came about when Carrie and Megan were here several weeks ago.  I am going to tackle making Megan’s next ice stake competition finery.  It isn’t for some time later in the year.  With my slight short-comings in the duration of being able to stay at the sewing machine for long stretches of time, it was time to begin planning.  Today, I ordered from eBay a dress form.  I did have a dress form to sew with for myself when Carrie and Kevin were toddlers.  It came in very handy for sewing garments.  Today I made sure the one I had spied was adjustable to the degree that would accommodate Megan’s measurement.  The dress forms have really changed since the 60s.  The adjustments are quite varied.  With Megan being 120 miles from here, the fittings that are so crucial, would not be easily done.  I am excited.   

  So today, Dennis and I agreed we had a great Mother’s Day holiday.  Right now the wafting of the pork roast in the oven is telling me that supper is going to be great.  Carrots and onions are on the bottom in the roasting pan.  I cross-hatched the roast and worked in dry Lipton Onion soup mix.  Tucking in slices of raw apples was the finishing touch.  It smells wonderful.

  The weather was chilly out today, but we didn’t mind it.  Dennis was able to catch a rodeo on the RFD television channel and I finished a good mystery novel.  Stauffer Avenue . . . where the peace that passes all understanding happens.

   
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  Noreen 3:13 pm on May 11, 2019 Permalink  

  Brr! 

  Fifty nine degrees with a north wind of twenty miles per hour is nothing more than . . . brr chilly.

  Last night we were invited to a great grandson’s sixth birthday party.  No more living room fun or backyard games on the lawn.  The party was held at the Wow Zone in Mankato.  We have seen the sign beside the Hy-Vee grocery store on the hilltop, but that was the extent of what us old people knew about it. 

  Unbelievable.  It is an entertainment center for the entire family.  Pinball machines, miniature golf, a bowling alley,  a basketball court plus small dining rooms here and there that have access to a full menu.  Dennis and I were like fish out of the water.  Our best bet was to sit back and take it all in.  We were all on our own to order off the menu.  Come to find out, you can have a private room for a party, but there is a minimum on the dollar amount that is spent in drinks and food of the group.  Not to worry about that.  I will say that I thought an 8″ red brick oven pizza was not out of line at $8.98.  Dennis thought different.  For the two of us when we are totally unfamiliar with the food in a restaurant, we try and make safe choices.  Anyway . . . live and learn.  According to observing the young couples that were there to attend the birthday party, this event was old hat to them.  Dennis and I are so in a generation gap . . . and we love being there.

  Today Dennis had put some type of transmission additive in the old Ford Galaxie.  It is best to put on some miles after that.  We took a drive out to the south towards Fairmont and then headed east a bit.  First big ride of the season and I was so thankful the top was secured and the heater worked.

  The perennials are poking through the soil in the backyard.  I think they believe it is safe.  I didn’t purchase any flowering plants last year and this year will be a repeat.  I am content with what has come up and I will take good care of it.  So be it!

   
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  Noreen 1:02 pm on May 10, 2019 Permalink  

  The Last Step 

  After experiencing today’s temperatures, I do believe that spring is upon us.  Hey, Grammie! You had better finish up the last step of what has been going on in the sewing studio since winter.  

  The Santa Project for all intents and purposes is complete.  He is dressed in finery, his spa face and glam beard is looking fit for a fellow that is 55 years old.  So what was missing?  The coffin type of cardboard box is not going to be his resting place from now until the 2019 Christmas season.  Santa is going to keep me company in the sewing studio for the interim.  

  Yesterday, Dennis and I went out to Fleet and Farm to pick up my push lawnmower, and of course, I had to cruise the aisles.  Perfect find.  Vinyl drop clothes that were 9′ x 12′.  There was going to be a slip cover in the works for Santa.  No time like the present.  As I said, spring may finally be here and no project left undone gets by me.  There was a huge amount of drop cloth wafting on the church tables.  I began stitching together the 12′ length until I was sure I had 6′.  My slip cover target size was 6′ x 6′, allowing for the arms to have plenty of room for the cover to slip over him.  The quilter’s walking foot worked the best to feed the slippery plastic through.  I am very pleased that not only will Santa be ready for his first season coming out of rehab, he is going to be kept tidy in the mean time.  We don’t have a ceiling in the basement.  I don’t care how old a house is, there is more of old house silt that can sift through the floor joist and floor boards. 

  I did take my sewing machine to Bird Island in April for a good cleaning and once-over.  Lots of fuzz can accumulate in the guts of the machine.  As Kelly was cleaning, he did show me how much old fuzz that had clung onto the oil of the works.  It’s a good thing to keep the machine going at its best.  I knew the plastic would sew well, as it was the first project after being serviced.  The last step is complete and I will not be getting lonely in the sewing studio.  Santa has my back.

   
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  Noreen 2:50 pm on May 9, 2019 Permalink  

  Husqvarna is Home 

  Today we got a phone call from Fleet and Farm that our Husqvarna push mower was ready to get out of the shop.  Dennis changed oil several months ago and let it run, ready for our mowing season.  Last week he started it and within five minutes it died.  Today we found out it needed a new air filter.  Apparently when they are too oily, it is either going to allow the mower to run . . . or not, right there.  No maybe about it.  

  What a dreary day.  The rain from yesterday and a few showers today has kept the day cool.  I am on the last leg of the cold, pollen, and sinus mess.  After lunch I sat down to read and nodded off sitting with the book in front of me.  I closed the book and got comfortable in my favorite chair for a full-blown nap.  When I got up and checked through the bathroom window, Dennis was also enjoying a nap in his patio porch rocking chair.  Good deal all around.

  It is eggs, bacon and some store-bought hashbrown potatoes to heat in a fry pan for supper.  With this cool weather, I can assure you there will be a pork roast going into either a crock pot or the oven for the weekend.  I do have some flower garden work to do, but not with cold hands.  It is what it is.

   
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  Noreen 3:51 pm on May 8, 2019 Permalink  

  Duck Day 

  I think as cool as it is even the ducks would be snuggled into shelter with their feathers all fluffed up for more heat.  At three this afternoon Dennis said we had 1.5 inches.  It started raining sometime in the early hours.  Nether Dennis nor I bounced out of bed real early.  By the sound of the traffic on the cement street, we knew it was a duck day.

  The furnace kicked in often enough that I did spend several hours in the sewing studio today.  The heat vent is right above the sewing machine and it felt good.  

  We are having beef tips on noodles for supper.  I have two small salads ready to go in addition.  For some reason the lettuce salads have been going over here on Stauffer Avenue.  Dennis likes an egg chopped on his plus shredded cheese and some onion.  I favor the crumbled Feta cheese with chopped walnuts added.  The salad bar is alive and well on Stauffer.

   
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  Noreen 2:58 pm on May 7, 2019 Permalink  

  Dennis is on the Road 

  

  Dennis worked the barter system and today he headed out on the road. Kevin handed off several snow removal machines that he had no use of. We have a nice snowblower that Kevin gave us quite a few years ago. Snow that is deeper than that snowblower can handle is the clear indication that we have next door Randy handle the snow with his long green line. Dennis and his Cub Cadet headed out north about ten miles. The barter system involves that the mower will be taken off of the Cadet with new blades to be installed. The country fellow, Charlie, will take the snow removal items in the trailer. I am awaiting a phone call to go and pick up Dennis. Charlie will have time to work on the mower blades. The next time I take Dennis out to Charlie’s the mower will be in the trailer and Dennis will drive the Cadet home with the mower off. Dennis wants time this summer to really clean his 50-year-old Cadet and perhaps do some painting. This useful two-wheel trailer came from Kevin. It was a trailer that came specifically fitted for a fiberglass boat that came with it. Dennis found a new home for the boat and reworked the trailer for our residential use by putting a study steel floor onto it. There have been plans to make new side boards . . . sometime. In the past Dennis had scored a piece of cedar wood paneling that’s 12′ x 6′. Need I say more. Dennis is always ready for a good challenge with bartering to finish up the project. It’s all about the challenge for my sweet ole cowboy.