Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:35 pm on May 21, 2018 Permalink  

  It is time to get real. Graduation invites . . . it’s nice to be remembered. Traveling for 82 miles (one way) for a two hour or there about reception is something that may not be realistic for my cousin’s children’s child. The sentiment of keeping track of family is wonderful. Does that child know me . . . no. I have kicked this around since the invites came in the mail. I have decided to use the cards I have purchased and use snail mail while still sending support and acknowledgment of the event.

  It also means that I need to get real in the tool shop. The lawnmower that is self-propelled sounds good. Not really. The stretch that my hands need to make in order for the mower to stay in gear and the bar that makes the mower self-propelled . . . hurts too much to use. To make that stretch not quite so much means that the mower wants to go faster than what my level of comfort is. I pay for that pain in my hands long after the yard is mowed. I’m better off using the power that I have in my legs from walking each day to get the yard mowed. The self-propelled has been given to Dennis’ daughter Sandy for her yard.

  There is a weed whip that is being chunked out. It’s heavy and doesn’t keep a charge. Plugging it into the wall sounds great and away I could go. Not so. What kept it charged was a battery the size that is in Jeremy’s motorcycle and it was heavy. Besides that I had to push a red start button at the same time I had to hold down the bar to keep it going. Too light of a touch on the bar and again the start button needed to be pressed. Again too much pain for the gain. I have an alternate weed whip that has a lighter battery that needs to sit in a cradle for recharging. That will also soon need to be replaced as Black and Decker no longer has the batteries available to be purchased. Out of style. In the future I will be very picky about what I purchase. It might sound like it’s all about me . . . and it is. Dennis is no longer that strong on his legs to walk the acre for the trimming that needs to be done.

  The key is to work smarter than harder. I believe it is similar in regard to travel time in relation to the actual relationship. Tough calls.

   
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  Noreen 4:53 pm on May 20, 2018 Permalink  

  Sunday Fun Time 

  It was a cool Sunday but deemed a good one. Carrie’s family came for the late forenoon and afternoon. Everyone was in good form and hungry as they came in. An early lunch made for full stomachs. Megan and Nicholas were ready to take on Stauffer Avenue. What’s not to like in a Rhubarb pie for dessert?

  Grandpa’s new Daisey B-B gun was loaded and complete with targets. It was a shoot off between Dad and Nicholas. There was a first prize and a second prize in the offering. Dad was the winner fair and square, each using 15 rounds a piece. Nicholas went on to practice well into the afternoon.

  

  The usual hang out when Megan and Nicholas visit.

  The kids have always played well together, and again as in always, the bed in the west porch had those two using their I-Pods and laughing and giggling together. That porch bed has been their hang out for 10 years. Yes . . . hard to believe that Nicholas will be 11 and Megan will be 15 in this calendar year.  It wouldn’t be a visit without the kids being in the huge Maple in our yard.  The first time Nicholas got up into the tree he had to be carried.  It has become a tradition for the play time.

  Late afternoon it was time for the city dwellers to be heading back to Eden Prairie.  Megan had violin time to be put in place and Nicholas had monitoring reading to do.  The day came to a close and as if realizing the weary full feeling Dennis and I had . . . the clouds moved in and the quiet settled in.  What is left to do after a great day but to rest and tuck these moments into the memories.

   
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  Noreen 3:35 pm on May 19, 2018 Permalink  

  Thursday and Friday I was thankful for some shade on my walk. Today with a long sleeve sweater and a polar fleece vest I wished I had taken a pair of gloves with on the walk. All four seasons in one week.

  My cookie jar was raided twice today. Dennis’ son usually has 18 wheeler deliveries around his base which is in Arizona, but happened to score one in Mankato. It’s only 45 miles from Mankato to St. James as he headed out again. Granddaughter Erin was here from Silver Bay and the great grands enjoyed cookies as well. There is always something popping off on Stauffer Avenue and that is a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 2:08 pm on May 18, 2018 Permalink  

  Stars and Stripes + Lilacs 

  

  No words needed.

   
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  Noreen 4:42 pm on May 17, 2018 Permalink  

  Road Trip Day 

  This is the time of year when invites come in the mail.  When one particular invite came for a graduation I knew I was going to ask Dennis to take this one in.  We don’t usually travel 149 miles for a graduation but this invite triggered an emotional attachment.

  In 2004 a young fellow walked into my office at Watonwan County.  He introduced himself as a local resident and asked if I had any openings.  No, I sure didn’t.  He went on to say he had been laid off at Crysteel Manufacturing in the nearby town.  What a sharp looking young man he was.  I shook his hand and he went on his way.  He had made an impression on me.  In the next year, I had an appraiser that was going to throw her hat in the ring and run for Watonwan County Recorder in the coming fall months.  I went right to my desk and  pulled out Mike’s phone number he had left.  Mike worked under me for five years.

  Fast forward:  I retired in Feb. of 2009 and Mike stepped into my slot that same day.  He had had no training when he started but never missed an opportunity to take a class when offered.  In 2014 Mike took an offer out of Watonwan County and today Dennis and I checked up on Mike in Pope County, Minnesota.   Mike’s staff did comment often of what he had learned from “his mentor” who started him in the assessment world.  Sweet!

  Dennis and I couldn’t make the actual graduation party on Saturday so we did a road trip today to stop at Mike’s office and leave a card for his son.  The day that Mike started in my office, he was told that within the time coming there would be a quilt made for him as I had made one for everyone who worked for me.  Well . . . I got busy, both at work and at home.  Today Mike got his quilt.  He walked us out to Dennis’ pickup and when he opened the door for me, I handed him a large bag.  Right there on the grassy boulevard, Mike unfurled his quilt.  He took no notice of some glances as people walked by.  Mike had his quilt even if it was a bit delayed.  Mike shook Dennis’ hand and I got a great hug.  I know Mike and I will always stay in contact.

   
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  Noreen 3:36 pm on May 16, 2018 Permalink  

  Oh my gosh! You would have thought we had hung Dennis’ four cats out on the clothesline by their tails. What had happened is that we cleared out the patio porch . . . wall to wall. The cats paced on the patio, they looked in through the screens and every once in a while one would race through as if their tail was on fire. The oldest cat sat and howled because . . . her basket had been totally emptied. It needed a good vacuuming now that the paws are spending most of their days outside and not in the porch 24/7. Dennis and I have talked about cleaning the carpet that we put down two years ago. Today it became real. I called our hardware rental line and within a half hour we had a rug doctor on the patio ready to load with hot water and the carpet cleaner.

  While I shampooed the carpet, Dennis took several loads of rugs down to the laundromat. We use our patio porch and use it hard. Snow or rain, we are in and out. The scatter rugs help a bit at the doorways to take the first layer off of the feet . . . either two or four. The scatter rugs are on the clothesline to finish the drying. Dennis always pops them into the commercial dryers for a time. All three sides of the patio slider screens are open to let the breeze help to complete the drying of the carpet. Again with the cats wanting in. Sorry. Any other time, they wouldn’t think of coming indoors while there is daylight. If they are lucky they can come in tonight when it is their curfew time. The paws are out and about most of the day, but without fail by nine in the evening they are at their food and water bowls and are tucked in for the night. Ya, I know . . . but it’s our life and we are just tickled to enjoy what the days bring.

   
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  Noreen 5:17 pm on May 15, 2018 Permalink  

  We were rousted out of bed this morning with a call from Brett. Brett needed Dennis to head to New Ulm to pick up a 50 gallon drum of hardener for a concrete job. I packed Dennis a brown paper bag breakfast and off he went. After having several cups of coffee, I put my walking shoes on. I was within a 1/4 of a mile from home when there was Brett’s white pickup whizzing by honking the horn. In the back of the pickup bed was the 50 gallon drum heading for the job site. Gotta love that cowboy.

  The acre has been given a haircut this afternoon. Eight days ago was our first mowing and it definitely needed it today. We sat on the patio after both mowers and two weed whips were shedded. It felt wonderful to oversee our labor of love. Dennis’ favorite all time summer drink is the chilled green tea. It squelches thirst more so than soda pop. We need to remember to swap out batteries for the weed whips for next week. A bit of age on them does impact how long they hold up. If I trim everything around trees, shrubs and gardens it makes it so much easier for Dennis using the rider as it is a far cry from a zero turn. I bag our front yard. It’s easier than having to rake. Yes, we are kind of snobs in regard to our acre. As for some who shake their heads, hey, old people are fun to watch and these two older people never get bored. Yup, cleaned up . . . full bellies from supper . . . we have it made.

   
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  Noreen 3:26 pm on May 14, 2018 Permalink  

  Monday – Done Well 

  There is nothing more satisfying than deciding on the spur of the moment to go out for lunch.  I can tell you the sausage pizza at Casey’s in Fairfax was great.  A slice each with coffee . . . perfect.  As it was, there is a cookie contest going on within the Casey’s company.  Last year Kersten’s Casey’s store came in third in their division.  Needless to say we lent them a hand by taking a few boxes home.  Two of the boxes have already been enjoyed when Dennis took in a coffee gathering with friends in one of the apartment houses here in town.

  We had thought about mailing Kersten’s embroidered shirts to her . . . not.  The spur of the moment I mentioned earlier included taking them directly from the source to the client.  There is a large event taking place this next weekend in New Ulm that Kersten is spearheading. I didn’t realize it, but this Saturday is a world wide Pokémon event.  It was fun surprising her at Casey’s where she was busy with the pizzas and the cookies.  Dennis and I had a Snickerdoodle cookie when we got home.  It melts in your mouth.

  It rained on the drive home.  We had thought of mowing this late afternoon.  We’ll try for tomorrow.  I did walk the acre with the anticipation that a small bed of tulips had popped open.  Not one bud remaining.  The rabbits must have made a midnight raid last night.  I think we’re going to have a talk with the cats.  If they like chasing squirrels . . . why not try for a rabbit?  Maybe next year we will have better success with that batch of tulips.  They didn’t nibble on Hosta.  Most likely they are not quite so delicious. 

  This was a Monday that we feel hit all the markers.  Dennis is checking out his recliner . . . the Casey’s cookies were a success with his people.  All is good.

   
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  Noreen 5:49 pm on May 13, 2018 Permalink  

  It was a busy morning here on Stauffer. I received a popup on Facebook that popped into my email first thing this morning from Fairfax. A phone call from Carrie and family soon followed. It was a good thing I put new batteries into our wireless phones last weekend. A 45 minute chat from brother Calvin in Iowa would have ground all the phones to a halt. We had a good conversation. Two of the Curry kids called, one from Arizona and one from Mankato. The calls to this mother rounded out with Kevin calling this late afternoon. It was all very much appreciated.

  Dennis and I ran away to Mankato for noon lunch. It ended up being more of a late afternoon as we did some errands first. Dennis had a B-B gun from times past and it went kaput. Today Dennis found a Daisy model in Scheels. I don’t think you can beat a Daisy brand. B-Bs are town friendly when it comes to squirrels and our acre.

  It may not sound like two older people need to shop at Sam’s club, but it works for us as we are not ones to run uptown frequently for what we need. We have our pantry in the basement and can stash quite a few items that we frequently use. If “Plan A” doesn’t work out for a meal there is always another option when we visit the pantry. As we were putting groceries away, of course Snuggles snuck into the house. Believe me, she got her 50 cents worth of a tour up the stairs as well as in the basement. Cats . . . fun times.

  The day is now closing with a great sunset to be enjoyed. This week will be the turning tide for warmer weather. The great thing is that I have a good “Mother’s Day” every day. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Great memories from times past and building new ones each and every day.

   
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  Noreen 3:55 pm on May 12, 2018 Permalink  

  Beauties 

  

  A very cold and dreary morning. The cool weather has allowed the tulips among the gardens to last. The Fern Peony is loaded with buds. Today Dennis and I have been very lazy. I finished up an embroidery project yesterday that turned out well and will be sending it off in the mail on Monday for delivery. If this cool weather persists, I may be spending more time in the sewing studio than the month of May usually allows.