Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:12 pm on February 14, 2026 Permalink  

  Difficult Times 

  We are going to be in difficult times when winter pokes its head out again.   In the mean time, in between time, I am enjoying this spell of spring-time temps.

  Shh.  I did not tell Dennis I left a window cracked open over-night in the bathroom.  There was no wind to speak of that would have given me away with a curtain flying. 

  Our GE stackable laundry set-up got a good work out today.  As the loads were swapped out via Dennis, I was in the folding venue.  All is tidied up and put where it belongs.  A great feeling. I went down into the studio to bring up some paper products from the cistern closet.  I got way-laid.

  I couldn’t help but sit at the sewing machine.  Before long, I had a dust brush under the hood.  Cleaning the machine is the best way to be able to do what is wanted or needed without any problems.  Putting in a new needle is a smart thing to do . . . often.  My thread of choice and color are locked and loaded.  I am hoping Monday will be a stitching day.

  For the rest of this Saturday, I am perched in the cherry red chair with either stitching or reading on either side.  Dennis has decided that Maria’s pot-pies are going to be for supper.  Sounds good to me.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:27 pm on February 13, 2026 Permalink  

  Two Nickels 

  We are two nickels warm today . . . 55 degrees.  No wind, just a great Friday.

  I had a “wings to make you fly” kind of day running on strictly coffee.  By the way, they did just put out on the news that caffeinated coffee staves off dementia.

  Within our home, I have the gift of seeing fuzz, dirt and spills on the floor.  Dennis not so much.  That is alright with me.  He gives the moral support and the extra heft that I cannot.  Thus, more was bit off than was reasonable for today.  Both beds were stripped to be replaced with fresh laundered sheets and pillow cases. 

  We work in tandem with the vacuuming and the moving of beds.  It didn’t take long there was a window cracked on each end of the house to let some fresh air in.  Breaks were needed.  Why not.  We had all day. Dennis’ legs are apt to give out and my arms and hands do likewise.  Pushing until life is no fun is not our way of getting things done.  Slow but sure.

  Often Dennis and I reminisce, how far we have come from having two lawn chairs for living room furniture and a camper refrigerator.  The hot-plate tended to blow fuses.  And . . . there we were yesterday picking out new chairs for our refractory vintage table.  It didn’t even dawn on us that the table being oak would soon have chairs that also had some oak.  OMG!  George Jefferson, we have done moved on up! 

  The day has been a good one.  One of Dennis’ daughters had mentioned that maybe I needed help with the house, meaning the cleaning.  I worked my entire life to have this home and I enjoy the tidy, tidy.  Dennis is right.  I would be cleaning before the cleaning lady was coming.

  I had called the Mayo Store in Mankato Wednesday to order the items for Dennis’ CPAP prescription.  The box was delivered today.  Before bed, Dennis will be swapping out the 10′ hose, the face gasket, the filters and the elastic head gear.  Good service and grateful service.  We were in Mankato yesterday, but that shop has been known to have quite the line of individuals waiting their turn.  I am thrilled not to need the CPAP.   Yes, we are spoiled. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:30 pm on February 12, 2026 Permalink  

  Today!! 

  Today was the day I got to go to the big town.  Nicest weather yet.

  We did find Slumberland on Madison.  When I walked through the doors, I thought oh Lordy.  A downstairs, an upstairs and the main floor seemed to go on forever.

  As if planned, the first left we took inside the store . . . the chairs I had seen on their website were right there.  The Jefferson line . . . right there for a sit-upon.  Dennis had measured how high our table top was and how high the side plank from the floor for knees to get under the table.  We both sat in those chairs to get a good feel for them and waited out the sales clerk.  The chairs were a part of a table and chair combo.  Not to worry.  We were in no hurry.  Our two chairs are ordered and then will be delivered to our front door.  

  I had not sat in that comfortable of a chair next to a table . . . I don’t think ever.  Sweet.

  Our only other stop was Hy-Vee.  We needed a little of this and a little of that.  The store front was full of flowers expecting to go home with someone for Valentine’s day.  Fooled you!  I took home some Valentine cookies to share and spoil us silly.

  A great day for a successful purpose.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:39 pm on February 11, 2026 Permalink  

  Geez 

  Geez, I hate updates when I least expect them.  So needed perhaps.  Well, I don’t know about that.  What was usual and customary now resembles someone else’s laptop.  Enough about that.

  I was slow out of the gate this morning.  I have a 4″ x 8″ date book that I have lots of web sites that I frequent and with them perhaps a sign-in and password.  The book is from 2002.  This morning as I was looking through the hen-scratching for a certain site, I thought enough was enough.  As passwords had needed to be up-dated, I scratched them through for the next newest one.  On and on.

  I didn’t get through all the pages.  Those that I did, I didn’t throw the old pages away until I know I copied them correctly.  Accountability is paramount if for some reason someone else needs to have the information.  Hmm.

  Dennis remains under the weather.  He was so close to getting through this winter with no issues.  I know he wouldn’t and didn’t believe me when I gave him a Lena tip.  Sitting directly in front of the fan from a heat source is just as bad as sitting directly in front of an air conditioning unit.  Kevin found that out when he was taking care of a pet rodent type rat, for the life of me I can’t remember what they are called.  It was white and I think it had the name of Sniffy.  It was hot and the little cage was put in front of a fan for comfort only to find the little fur-ball had passed away when Kevin checked on it in the morning.  Anyway, I digress.  The garage’s furnace vent flows right on one of Dennis’ favorite perches.  Who knows.  I could be all wet about how he came to have this horrible cold.

  The studio work is going well.  The sewing machine gave no problems.  Tomorrow it will be time to put in a new needle and give it a shot or two of oil.

  Dennis willingly took a hot bowl of oatmeal for supper last night.  Now you all know how punk he is feeling.

  Yesterday the state of Minnesota lobbed onto our checking account for the funds we owed for our 2025 income tax returns.  Greedy little bastards.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:19 pm on February 10, 2026 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  Our trip to the big town has been put off for now.  Dennis may have a bug and it’s nothing like the ladybug beetles that still may come in from the patio porch.  Home is the best place when you are under the weather.

  I took my leave to the studio.  I have three projects going.  Nothing huge.  Just enough to spend a little energy and time on each.  When glue, hand stitching, machine stitching, fabric being cut and pressed . . . what’s not to like.

  I did change blades in my 45mm rotary cutter.  Wow, what a difference.  The 45 is actually easier on my hand than the 60.  Even so, not overdoing is the best practice.  While in the studio, it is constant moving, stretching, and giving the brain a good workout.  I firmly believe that trying new things and learning as you go is my best path.

  I often wonder in the path of Dennis’ life before I knew him.  If he doesn’t like someone, he will put himself anywhere but where that individual may be, even if the event calls for it.  If he takes a cotton to someone, he could be like a tick to a dog.  Dennis has very little curiosity.  He doesn’t care to read.  Dennis enjoys history and there would be a wealth of it between the covers of a book.  Oh my gosh if “Victory at Sea” were still on the tube, he would be glued to it.  My dad enjoyed that program as well.  He often comments that he thinks of himself as someone much younger and should be able to do things as the younger of himself could do.  That may speak to the falls that he takes.  Dang it.  Getting up slowly before moving is to allow the blood to flow up and then down and then up, etc.  Dennis’ 90th is in the fall of 2026.  Truth to tell . . . Dennis is doing great.  We are doing great.

  The crockpot meal was wonderful for last night’s supper.  One of the best things is the leftovers of the pork.  It was so tender . . . and that would be what my thinking is of pulled pork.  I have been to events where pulled pork sandwiches are served and the pork meat is stringy and hard to bite off let alone chew.  That’s just my thinking I am sure.

  Tonight for a delicate, easy on the stomach supper it is going to be oatmeal.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:31 pm on February 9, 2026 Permalink  

  Great Life 

  If I ever doubt that I have a great life . . . all I need to do is to be still.  I can hear Esther Schafer’s husky voice lament “It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken.”  And Esther was right.

  It’s a Monday and the birds are in their glory in the huge evergreen right outside my bedroom porch.  The only thing silencing them for a bit is the noise that Home Town creates picking up our recycling early on this day.

  Dennis had the crockpot waiting on the kitchen counter for me.  I had the Boston Butt Roast in said pot before my first cup of coffee.  Now at three in the afternoon we are assured by the aroma in the home that supper will be tasty.

  Some time was needed on Dennis’ laptop.  He uses with no awareness of the pop-up messages in the lower left-hand corner.  His McFee coverage expired yesterday and they were not going to let me forget it.  His laptop brings hours of entertainment to him.  It keeps the eye to brain to hand motion going for him.  A lot better than napping the day away.  It keeps him at a good routine for calling it a day.

  Several more days such as this, the only snow remaining is what had been piled, pushed or driven over to create an ice pack.

  We have been limping along with horrible chairs at the dining room table.  Hey, we only need two good ones.  Dennis sits on a $99.99 office chair that slides anyone off and that is with strong butt cheeks being used.  My Office Max chair no longer has the hydraulic cylinder working and I feel two inches more and my chin would be resting on the table top.  Company is always gracious when we meet around the table given what is offered for their chairs.  Tomorrow we are making a trip to the big town.  I have been online, saw some photos, called the store visiting with a fellow named Chris and now we will take a look-see.

  I trust everyone will have an Esther Schafer day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:11 pm on February 8, 2026 Permalink  

  A Sunday 

  By all accounts it is a super Sunday.  The sun is out and the snowbanks are melting.  It is the rights of snowbanks to become mud puddles.

  The studio and I got along fine this morning.  I hop from three different projects that are on the church tables.  A little bit on each one of the three and it doesn’t feel overwhelming.  What got me towards the end was that my fingers felt chilly.  Better them than my nose.  Everything shut down, lights off and up to the main floor for hot coffee.

  Our main objective today was to try out the brand new carwash/laundry on the south edge of town.  Dennis had never tried it and asked if I would ride with.  Three “must haves” that we did not have: Dennis’ glasses, a telephone and a clean cloth.  There were so many options that came up on the screen as we pulled forward that it threw a curve.  The button indicating that we had a gift card got pushed.  All systems locked down.  I got out of the car and walked back to the car behind us waiting and asked for help. By the grace of the young woman waiting behind us, we did get our car washed.  A telephone is needed if there is a problem, the big red sign read “Phone for Help.”  A clean cloth is needed due to the fact that the screen allowing for options does fog over in this type of a winter day.  A little humble pie doesn’t hurt anyone.

  The car is very clean.  We are going to continue using this carwash until it becomes usual and customary.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:37 pm on February 7, 2026 Permalink  

  Counting? 

  Well now . . . there are 41 days until the denoted official spring.  There is a lot that can happen in those days and beyond.

  We got beautified today.  Haircuts and pedicures.  The best two hours ever.  Maria is such a pleasant person.  She gets excited about what many of us take for granted.  Born in 1971.  Her entire family was born in the United States.  Until she was 18 she worked in fields harvesting produce.  This morning her and Dennis got to visiting about her and her siblings harvesting Brussel sprouts.  Said said paint balls have nothing over being hit with a Brussel sprout in the face.  Yes, there were food fights.

  The south wind is foretelling of nice days ahead.  Our mail slot banging-a -bang is the newscaster.

  I mentioned yesterday that I had succeeded in e-filing our 2025 income taxes.  Before I went to bed, I had notification that both Federal and Minnesota had accepted our returns.  Put that diddy on your night cap!  I will be keeping track of how long it will be before the Minnesota due will be pulled from our checking account, or for that when our $96.00 lands in our checking account.

  Last night we were planning on having the meals I had bought at our grocer’s deli.  Two ham-ball meals were bought.  Good grief.  I slice up the one meal’s two ham-balls and we decided right there that it would feed both of us . . . and it did.  Dennis got the potatoes and gravy and I had a side of cottage cheese.  This evening we are having the second meal of the Ham-balls.  Those suckers were the size of baseballs.  I had to slice them up as there was no way our small microwave would have heated them through and through.  Waste not, want not.  

  They tell us it is Super Ball Sunday is tomorrow.  Whatever.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:36 pm on February 6, 2026 Permalink  

  Done 

  Done and done!  This was the morning I had planned on doing the income tax.  Tax Act really made it quite easy.  I had hit “save” when I was done with our 2024.  It carried over much.  I needed to verify the information and it went on to the next screen.

  It was good news on several counts.  The stand deduction for filing joint went from 32,200 to 34,700.  Trump made good for seniors by adding another $12,000.  Minnesota is still taxing 42% of our social security.  For the first time in decades we are getting a refund from the federal.  $96.00 is still spendable cash in our checking account, while Minnesota is taking $216 out of our checking.  It just felt good getting the e-file done.  I take the free federal return and pay the $39.99 for Minnesota via PayPal.

  I celebrated by going to the grocery store.  Collier’s has been pretty good with the sales that he runs.  Pork Butt Roast was $1.99 a pound.  A good crock-pot offering for a time to come.  I listen to Hy-Vee ads on KNUJ.  His meat specials ran neck and neck to Hy-Vee for this weekend.  Of course, the kitties were due some Me-Ow mix.

  Also for a celebration, I picked up two meals out of the deli.

  All is well with us older ones.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:15 pm on February 5, 2026 Permalink  

  Mud Puddles 

  With mud puddles abound, I am thankful that Dennis has concrete to get from his patio porch to the house and back.  The nice weather did prompt him to go uptown and get his pickup washed.

  I had a great forenoon doing what makes me content and happy.  The studio . . . what can I say.  There are enough resources down there for my life expectancy.  Grant it, at one time or another I purchased those resources perhaps not knowing what I would do with them.  Now as I look at this or that I am coming up with ideas I never dreamt of before.  Sweet. 

  I don’t walk for the exercise as I had in the past.  I feel steady on my feet in the studio and am on my feet sometimes for two hours at a stretch.  I found walking outside of my home, the walking cane is a must.  If I walked on Stauffer Avenue, I would need both of the walking canes.  And then, guess what . . . gripping the canes was not easy on my hands.  Those self same hands I need to cherish for more uses in our home and for myself than I can count.  Yup, there is always a trade-off.

  Dennis rarely comes down to the studio.  The steps are steep.  His interest in threads and fuzz only gets his attention if it is the flannel sheets on his bed.  Just saying.

  We got a letter in the mail from the city.  Our acre is now in a portfolio created by the city of lots to share with developers, builders and other interested parties.  This is great.  It beats purchasing “For Sale” signs to promote it.  Over the last several years by keeping the acre trimmed and mowed, the good grass has really stooled out.  We had Spring Touch treat it once last year for weed control and we will do it again in 2026.

  Soup and grilled cheese for supper.  The waffles last night were yummy.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥