It is now 2018 and by all accounts it promises to be a year when more positive things occur than negative here on Stauffer Avenue. Our Christmas tree is back in the attic as well as all things Christmas that were here, there and everywhere. It’s a good thing. We have been safe and sound during the arctic weather. That also can only get better. In 2017 I began my daily walking in March. March doesn’t seem all that far away. It is after all, not the altitude that we fly at but the attitude.
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Noreen
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Noreen
One last Time
Today was the day to doing everything one last time and calling it “done in 2017 .” Where did the 2017 year go? Just a bit ago I went outside for a few minutes and pushed the light covering of snow off of the driveway. Sometime during the night it flurried. The full sun made the snow crystals shine as if they were diamonds. Yes, I realize that they encouraged senior citizens to remain indoors as there was a report of -40 degrees wind chill. Zippered from head to toe, it took me longer to suit up than what I stayed outdoors. I feel better if I get outside and take in all that has been given for a new day.
Mid year the Stauffer Avenue homestead began to have some challenges. Dennis was having mini strokes, sometimes twice a day. Every test imaginable and . . . each time nothing. Every test but one . . . carotid neck arteries. I could not believe that such a simple ultrasound had not been thought of by the doctors. During the time that Dennis was having problems, his days were spent either sleeping or trying to get from one chair to another, many times needing help if he had slipped to the floor.
As my adult life had been spent working with numbers, appointments and legal issues during my time at the courthouse it was easy for me to take care of some of our needs since I have retired. I was not prepared that Dennis had checked out of all sense of what was needed each day. Our little home became a full time assisted living unit. One day at a time, one seizure at a time.
These are the smiles that Dennis and I want to continue enjoying the entire 2018 year. Happy New Year!
I thank the good Lord that Dennis didn’t put off a routine six month eye check up. That is when the eye doctor suggested the carotids to be checked. That in itself was a challenge as there needed to be an order for the ultrasound and it wasn’t coming from a M.D. October 17th Dennis had the left carotid that was blocked 94% surgery. The right carotid at 74% blockage would have to wait. After October 17th, his brain had not had that much blood supply in some time. It has been a path back to some semblance of normality. There are signs that the right artery needs to be taken care of. It’s not quite as frightening as we now know what and where the problem is. Checking with the surgeons, February of 2018 will have Dennis back in the OR in the Mankato Hospital facility. It’s not that far off. Is it easy for him knowing what he has ahead of him . . . no. It is a wonderful thing knowing that it is his decision and we are not left with what might be if it is not followed up on. What would follow up is a stroke that may leave this ole cowboy not being able to enjoy his patio porch or his little red pickup and God forbid his cats.
Yes, this last day of 2017 is a good thing for Stauffer Avenue.
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Noreen
What a great day for burrowing in and finding busy work with a glance outside once in awhile. Yup . . . it’s still cold and windy. I was surprised that with the wind that I heard all during the night from the north that the snow had not drifted over the driveway to any great degree.
Dennis ran away from home for a short time this afternoon. I was surprised he didn’t have a pickup full of cats with him as I am sure they are experiencing a bit of cabin fever also.
I worked at the dining room table with my beads and brass washers on a project. Even with a heat vent for the sewing studio being open there was a chill in the air. Several more days of cold and then it will be different. Each day of winter in Minnesota can bring different. For me, I am prepared and have contentment. Preparing for such glitches in weather is the key.
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Noreen
As I did the snow pusher today, in my mind’s eye it was as if I was going out for a walk just as I had been doing during the year. The good thing was that I wasn’t a mile from home when I realized it was time to go in and warm up. Several different short walks and the driveway is clear of the snow we had today. I wasn’t alone in the cold. I could look up into the neighbor’s Walnut tree and see the woodpecker that was making his share of noise. I wondered if he was able to peck deep enough to find some bugs that were hiding for the season.
It is forecast to be bitter cold until the second day of the New Year. There will be no reason for us to venture out that I can think of. Right now as supper time is approaching the house smells wonderful. At noon I put in a pork roast with seasoning and some Habanero flavored mustard. It was an oops in purchasing it but makes a very flavorful addition to the roasting process. The oven at 275 degrees will have pork roast totally falling apart. It’s a good thing.
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Noreen
New Snow and Cold
When new snow comes and needs to be moved and it is one above zero, it is quite the combination. The snow was dry and light. Dennis and I used the pushers and we now have clear concrete. Once tires meet snow on concrete . . . it is ice and will take forever to get it cleared. I do remember a time when I was going to step into the car and my remaining foot slipped on the ice pulling my foot and leg to slam against the rocker panel of the car. Owee, owee.
It is not the type of weather that a road trip is a good idea for sewing notions. I turned my button tree around
and around and could not find what I needed for a project. That had me at a total stand still. Turning in circles, I surveyed the sewing studio. I spied beads and man they were little. When I got to the area where the office supplies were, I did see something I hoped would work. Pairing up brass office supplies and beads may be just the ticket to continue with. It will be quite time consuming . . . where do I think I am going in such a hurry.Dennis just came in and mentioned there were more snowflakes in the air. We may be in for a bit more snow pushing tomorrow. Slow and steady will get the job done.
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Noreen
Today we had errands to run. Dennis was my driver and he did a great job. As cold as it was, it felt good to get into a warm car after each of our stops. One of the stops was at the Shopko pharmacy for Dennis’ meds. They weren’t that busy so I took a bit of the gal’s time and asked some question in regard to prescriptions. One of my questions was in regard to one of my grand puppies. It is quite usual for there to exist canine seizures which Sophie does suffer from. It seemed exorbitantly expensive when Kersten and Kevin told me about the price of the prescription. It made me curious if canine phenobarbital was more expensive that people phenobarbital. I took some time to search the web. At this point I do not know if people versus dog prices come into play. The pharmacy gal did also tell me that with health care issues, there is no longer a benefit for purchasing prescriptions for pets whether the family has health coverage or not. That is too bad, as we had had that benefit in times past when one of Dennis’ cats needed a prescription of antibiotics. I think I will blame Obama for that . . . why not.
I did find out that canine seizures are not helped with dog foods that are high in carbohydrates. They do better with a fattier diet and with a diet that has Omega 3 in quite good amounts. Who is going to feed a dog smoked salmon! Then I realized that our fish oil pills that we take are taken for the Omega 3 benefit. But . . . Omega 3 pills are the ones that you don’t want to step on if they drop on the floor. They have oily, messy innards.
My oh my. I read a lot. Didn’t find anything concrete out, but it did take a bite out of my curiosity and I was content working on some fuzz and thread this afternoon.
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Noreen
One Project Waiting
This scrappy quilt has been to Old Alley and is now ready to bind. I have promised myself to take it a bit easy after Christmas, but it is reassuring that I always do have options. I am also striving to remember the steps it takes to allow my thumbprints to be opened in a new window. Very gratifying to see that “hand” when I hover over the image. Whew! It is a challenge sometimes for this ole gal to remember what my blog mentor tries to instill in me.
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Noreen
What a Great Christmas
These two people had a great Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a good New Year.
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Noreen
It’s Christmas Eve. A magical night when many parents are working their hardest to complete all the plans that they have put upon themselves to . . . be ready for what they hope will be memorable for their children in the morning. Memories don’t need to have huge price tags on them. Often times they are the most innocent of words and extra long hugs that radiate love. At the age of 73 I am just as excited for my children as when I was in my thirties and forties. Being a Mom never changes, it knows no age, it does mean boundaries. Just a step or two back . . . not too far . . . to let them be the adults that you take such pride in.
Being a “mom” has always been the greatest and most gratifying reason for being in my life. That’s not to say I have not stumbled a time or two and disappointed them. Each of us has an innate spirit within us to survive what comes to us and at us each day. Was it the best I could do at the time . . . I don’t have an answer to that as I cannot be objective. I do know that after the calendar pages have been flipped, the calendars have been replaced with current ones, I still am a mom to two amazing kids. Yes, they will always be my babies.
The baby born in the stable, the Christ Child, born just about this time, was born to save the world from all those like me who have a hard time being objective about ourselves. My babies were born to me as the greatest gift that God could present to me. They are my pride and joy. In their lives they may also need to fight with objectivity at times. I will always be their mom and they will always be my babies. How can Christmas come and moms not know why we rejoice in anticipation of being a family at Christmas time.
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Noreen
Many Years – Many Memories
Today was a day of putting on the radio in the sewing studio listening to Christmas music and cleaning up of wandering threads, spools of thread in various colors and oh my gosh . . . stray pins. It was almost necessary to go out and get Dennis’ magnet that he uses when we have had a construction project going on the outside of the house.
I have been taking time to e-mail some of my cousins with wishes of a Merry Christmas. I do keep up with several of the younger generation as well. Two of Orlin’s nieces sent heartfelt messages when they received the quilts Dennis and I sent. Remembering a Schafer Christmas at Grandma Schafer’s in Hector . . .now that should just about take biography of some sort. Ester’s children, I swear to God, were not born with filters when it came to verbalizing. It may be in the genes, God help us. Frank, Elroy and Eugene were the three that could really make the rafters of the old home shudder. Everyone had an opinion and the sarcasm came as easy as breathing. Times long gone, many Schafer family members are gone. There are many more wonderful memories than not. The nieces and nephews are scattered, but with e-mails it’s still a wonderful thing to send out Christmas wishes. I would like to be a mouse when in receiving such a wish, what memories are evoked within themselves. It’s all good
Several of my favorite Christmas’ were when we were farming and Carrie and Kevin were quite small. Christmas morning was always a fiasco when the kids came down and Santa had been there. My parents popped over one Christmas morning and we were all still in PJs. It didn’t matter. Kevin was strutting around in his dad’s new cowboy boots trying to stay upright. Carrie was engrossed in the features of the Barbie Doll camper. It’s all good.
My dad loved Christmas. He was handy in the workshop and he gave my mom all the time she needed in her sewing room. Instant coffee was always ready with a Christmas cookie or two to go with it. Having grown up in a predominately German speaking home, “San-tee Claus” is how “Santa Claus” came out of Dad. Maybe the German dialect influenced it. Doesn’t matter, I can still hear him say it. It’s all good.
I still have a few more e-mails to do this evening. I can never wish too many Merry Christmases. Dennis and I have been in the San-tee Claus mood for some time. We’re just hanging out, taking it one day at a time and feeling very humble and thankful. It’s all good.
