Among Other Things
The day was a bit of this and a bit of that. In the scheme of things, I am calling it a day.
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Noreen
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Noreen
What a day. A great walk while contemplating the next step in a project in the sewing studio. Before I went into the studio after the walk, I dug into our car insurance bill that came yesterday. The bill was going to increase a bit over $100. I went online and got a quote from a competitor. When Dennis came in from the porch, we talked it over having several options and decided to cut some of the coverage. The main items were collision, comprehensive and car rental.
Over the years, the bills come in the mail and we send money. In checking this insurance bill, both of our vehicles are over 10 years old. A $250 deductible is doable on an event, which we haven’t had in years.
We decided to stay with our current provider with those mentioned items taken out of the picture. Our new statement will be coming in the mail, well within the December 1st renewal. Our savings will be $285.94 each six months. As I said . . . what a day.
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Noreen
Perfect Spot
I found the perfect spot for the tuned up vintage Westminster Chime clock that was Mom and Dad’s. The south wall of my sewing studio is for my items that I have an emotional attachment to. Craft stitching from Carrie, a cup made by Kevin, a ceramic pitcher and bowl project from the 70s, a photo of Mom and Dad and last but not least a door sign from my office given to me when I retired. Priceless.
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Noreen
Today Dennis had his Korean Veteran’s lunch in Mankato. I dropped Dennis off and I hit my list. When Carrie’s and Kevin’s were here several weekends ago, Kersten looked on the Internet for a clock repair shop. That was the first thing on my list. The fellow ask me how I had heard about his shop. Out came some tools and I walked out of his shop not much longer after that with the chimes of my 1960s vintage Westminster chimes ringing true their sound. A whooping $10.68. Wow, there are nice people around.
My next stop was at Jiffy Lube. My 18 year old car needed an oil change, grease job and whatever else came up. I pretty much go by what is recommended as per the mileage. The radiator has been flushed with new antifreeze . . . winter, we are ready. Their coffee was not the richest, but it was hot and well needed.
After shopping for some pantry items . . . there are always more than I have energy for, I filled the car with gas. Do we really need pantry items . . . yes! I don’t want to be going to the grocery store any oftener than is necessary. I like shopping from my basement pantry.
As we were in Mankato and why not make the most of the gas we spent getting there, why not stop and see Dennis’ granddaughter Amy and her new baby girl, Lu. I picked Dennis up from his luncheon and cleared the plans with him. Luella was born on Dennis’ birthday. A stop for a gift card and a greeting card had to be worked in. I don’t think the gift card will answer their needs of diapers for any length of time, but it will help. We called and mother and baby were home and would welcome us stopping in. My, what a tiny bundle Luella is.
Next stop . . . home. I have now caught my breath. The groceries are in the pantry cupboards, I fixed myself a cheese sandwich and am enjoying the re-heated breakfast coffee. Coffee is good at any time and hey, it’s not going to be wasted as shopping takes the starch out of me.
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Noreen
Thinking it Through
Thinking all things through. As I was rounding the last of my two mile walk this morning, I knew I had to better assess my clothing for these colder mornings. My toes were chilly and my hands were sweaty. When I got home I turned my jacket and my hat inside out to make sure my excess body heat would dissipate . . . as I sure had collected some. I might have to nab some of Dennis’ warmer socks and wear a pair of lighter gloves and keep the heavy mittens in the pocket until they are needed. I have thought through the latest tee-shirt project to the point that the stabilizer has been applied to the backs. I sliced the gray sweat shirt up so I could use the back as well as the front for one 16″ square block. This quilt will commemorate 10 years of an annual event honoring the fallen. Dennis’ granddaughter Sadie grew up with and served with Brent Koch. Dennis came to the rescue and cut strips of sashing for use in between the blocks. I cannot believe it . . . I will not be purchasing any materials for this. What a great feeling. Time to call it a day and think about those chicken titties and baked squash for supper.
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Noreen
Albert Einstein’s Advice
As I add a birthday or two, it often crosses my mind as to what purpose I am to have. I want to continue to grow in experiences. I want to do for family members. I want to give of myself whenever I am able.
Albert Einstein has been a notable mentor to deep thinking scientists for . . . ever. Interestingly enough the human side of Albert was not that much different from someone such as myself. Ask what his thoughts were of his life, there were two pieces of advice of his that have been found and that I can relate to. First, “A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest.” He had written that in German on Imperial Hotel Tokyo stationary. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” reads a second bit of advice that was found written on a blank piece of paper. Such a great man with such great advice for all of God’s children.
Each day I have no idea what my day may bring in thought, word or deed. The scheduled life is no longer what drives my days. If I remain open, I know that I will have something to show for the gift that each day is. A waste of such a wonderful gift just isn’t in the cards for me. What has helped me tremendously is taking a walk every day and letting God fill me with his grace. I will admit the wind gusts that I have walked against these last days have just about brought me to my knees when they have subsided. I have taken it as a sign that . . . just as Megan used to tell me when she was a toddler . . . “Grammie you can do this!” I round the corner of the county road that will take me to my home and I feel energized and I am ready for whatever He has in store for me.
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Noreen
Walking in Rain Showers
Walked in rain showers this morning and thankful for jackets that have hoods. Dennis drove down the highway today to Windom. It’s only about 26 miles and I know it did him good to meet up with some fellows and talk smart to each other. This has been his first outing since his carotid surgery, hopefully the first of many to come.
While I loaded an embroidery design on the sewing machine I am managing to get several loads of laundry done in between time. Multi-tasking does me proud. Running the basement steps in between thread changes to change out the laundry from washer to dryer can’t hurt the gluts.
Dennis’ grandson-in-law, Mike, was kind enough to change out our faucets on the laundry sink a week or so ago. Today I willingly took on a bit of sewing for Mike. Having a very expensive CarHartt winter coat with the logo of his previous employer . . . just doesn’t cut it. Today Mike brought over the jacket with a patch from his current employer. It will nicely fit right over the previous one and will be ready for pickup the next time Mike stops in. This is what the barter system is meant to be.
I have several projects going in the sewing studio. It works best for me to have that variety. If I am intense on a single project, I know myself well enough that I work full bore, will loose perspective, and screw up. Now that I can walk around my two sewing tables there are multiple work areas.
Each night before I close my eyes for the last time of that day, I thank God for the day that I have had and give thanks for the wonderful serene and secure life that I have. Each morning before leaving my snug and secure bed, I ask that God fill me with his grace and that I may be a better person than I was the day before. Hey . . . I am a work in progress.
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Noreen
What a wonderfully quiet day. No wind and very little evidence of the snow that swirled around yesterday. I did take notice that the bridge deck had a few slick spots on it. The sun is out this late afternoon and all is well here on Stauffer Avenue.
You have heard no doubt of three-cheese dishes. This evening we are having three-pasta meatball casserole. It’s time to clean up a bit of this and a bit of that.
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Noreen
Years in The Making
February of 1999, Kevin agreed to spend his weekends bringing Stauffer Avenue into the 21st century. Where to start? Plumbing was the answer. During that winter
Kevin made the trips from New Ulm to St.James with energy and tools on board. Hmm, he was among the troop just this last weekend, October 21st, 2017, that was helping us out here on Stauffer Avenue with a job jar.Since 1999 this little home has been worked on continually. Kevin was on board in 1999 for the remake of the bathroom, the kitchen, and the half bath in the basement that included plumbing, wiring and heating. In time, our contractor, Elwood, put in new replacement windows, insulation of the home and new siding. In time, we have repaired what was needed, never to let it go until another day. This fall it was time for new basement windows, a complete air system for the home and today was the final chapter . . . we hope, of major items.
Today, Complete Basements came back and used the same crawl space that Kevin had worked through in 1999 putting new plumbing in. Today, a vapor barrier was put in to seal the area’s dirt floor. In times past, there was an exterior crawl space door, the one showing Dennis from the outside. When we had the foundation sprayed with foam that door was closed off. We have always left the crawl space open to make sure we weren’t fighting frozen water pipes. With it being open the chances of the dirt floor filtering in moisture and maybe a smell or two was possible. Not after today.
As it worked out the fellow in charge of today’s project is our contractor Elwood’s son. Ben and his co-worker from Complete Basements came in with snow flurries abound. It took them about five hours to maneuver around and under heat ducts, PCV pipes and water pipes. How could I not have a noon lunch for them. This is what Dennis and I hope is the last of the huge projects to secure our home for quite some time. We are well aware that when you own property, it takes repairs and we will stay on top of them.
We had an additional item that we have been fighting with Internet access via a wireless router. Mediacom came with a new one on board. When I told him the one we have had was over ten years old, he didn’t seemed surprised that we had called for a service call. When the fellow looked at the situation, he allowed us to know that the Mediacom modem was equipped to handle the wireless situation. I know when it came in the mail a time back, Dennis and I were just happy to get it connected to the coax cable correctly. Ya see . . . its like this . . . older ones such as we are, not only need family to guide us through changing times but also reliable service people to take us by the hand and then . . . here we are. We have a wonderfully safe and comfortable home, even if it takes us almost 20 years to get the job done.
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Noreen
Sew it Begins
The winds are howling and I am snug in my sewing studio. A few things going on as I am multi-tasking. The flash drive is in the Bernina and the embroidery unit is stitching. At the far end of the table I have Sadie’s tee shirts cut down for her newly requested quilt. No matter how much high tech I have, I still need my paper and pencil to the right of the sewing machine to calculate how to get the achieved size of Sadie’s quilt. It helps to have work area close to the machine for needed color changes of thread in the embroidery patterns. Tomorrow I can begin finding the fabrics from my stash boxes for the quilt. My goal is “Use what I have and not purchase!” I now also have room for my trusty Sears Kenmore machine on the far end of the church tables. It came in handy to sew buttons on Kevin’s shirts after I had mended them. Let the seasons change . . . I am ready.