Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:26 pm on September 23, 2025 Permalink  

  Back to Normal 

  This morning when I got up, things felt like I would be getting back to normal routines.  What’s not to like with a slice of bread schmeared with peanut butter and jelly for breakfast.

  The lights went on in the studio and KNUJ was tuned in.  The seams I had laid out were soon under the needle.  The project for Megan entails two printed panels characterizing patriotic images.  I am going to put them back to back.  One is much larger than the other.  Out came the tape measure.  Getting coordinating fabric out for borders to be sewn on making them the identical size.  Everything I need to work with this project is within the confines of my studio, aka: a Michael’s Annex.

  By one, I was ready to close down shop.  Yesterday I knew that I needed to make a trip to the grocery store here in town.  Nothing in quantity, just a bit of this and a bit of that.  Dennis has been hinting that he is ready to make a tuna oven dish.  How could I not supply him with what he needs.  We do use the Albacore tuna.  It is chunks of nice white tuna packed in water.  Some day I am going to find a recipe to use the Star-Kist Tuna.  Yup, we are spoiled. 

  I have the groceries put away and have a bit of time to wrap these way-ward thoughts up for the day.  I did find my favorite apples in the store.  I now have 10 lbs. of the Macintosh apples in the refrigerator.  When the store’s deli has wrapped up their noon specials, the remainder is put in carry-out containers in the coolers where they keep the Mrs. Gerry items.  Dennis and I are going to have tater-tot hotdish for supper, along with our favorite bread and butter pickles and coleslaw.  Dennis can tackle his dish tomorrow. 

  Looking out the south windows of my bedroom porch, the air is full of the pesky “no-see’ms.” Right along with them the box-elder bugs and Asian beetles are vying for air space.

  I have had a great day and it feels good to have had the enthusiasm, courage and drive to complete some windows and get the deck ready for more years to come.  I can now spend time in the studio doing what comes naturally.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:03 pm on September 22, 2025 Permalink  

  Home Safe 

  We are home safe and sound from the big town.

  The little red pickup is good for another 2,000 miles.  Great service from Jiffy Lube.  The coolant had not been flushed since 2017.  Got it done.  The tires were rotated.  After a trip to the bad lands, why not.  It’s just the way we have pampered that little red pickup.

  Dennis need not go back for another eye injection until right before Christmas.  Good news on that front.  Dennis does have an appointment here in town for his usual six month eye appointment.

  There was no shopping needed and we will enjoy a supper right here on Stauffer Avenue.  The day seemed full enough.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:27 pm on September 21, 2025 Permalink  

  Fall 

  The first day of fall to enjoy.

  I realized I had missed a call from Calvin yesterday.  First things first the lights in the studio came on.  It had been almost two weeks that it had been dark.  Get the work done first and then the fun time.  By all accounts the fall tick list got a huge hit. 

  Lights were put on in the studio and I was in time for the church service on the KNUJ radio station. Yup, everything was just where I had left it.  It took a bit to get re-acquainted.  My conscious kicked in and I decided to call Calvin back.  Having one sibling to keep in touch with is not difficult . . . why not.  Circumstances could be on the other foot and I would be the one living in “assisted living.”  The call was not long as his son Eric would be coming home from a hunting trip to Wyoming and would be calling his dad.  Also, there was a football game coming on at one.  I totally got it and told him I would call another time.  Back to what was on the church tables.  I had laid out multiple seams to be sewn.  Somehow, I just wasn’t feeling it.  Lights went out.

  Dennis was making good on his vow to take it easy today.  I surely couldn’t blame him.  It’s not my cup of tea to nap during the day.  I settled in to take up some stitching.  The needle was threaded, the fabric was in the hoop.  My pattern was dangling from the clamp on the assist to the right of my elbow.  I did get one length of thread counted and stitched.  Sitting in my cherry red chair with the light coming in from the clean windows, my eyes wanted to close.  My body doesn’t deceive me.  Dennis was on the right track.  After a long string of days doing local effort, I hadn’t realized that I just might have been worn out.  My cup of tea indeed.  I need to head to my rocking chair and let the slow rocking take me away.

  Tomorrow we will be in Mankato for an eye injection late in the afternoon for Dennis as well as getting the little red pickup serviced after the trip to the bad lands.

  I do believe I had best just rest for the remainder of this first day of fall.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:27 pm on September 20, 2025 Permalink  

  The Older Ones 

  The older ones on Stauffer Avenue have quite the Saturday under their belts.

  Working with the deck this last week, I realized the area around the deck needed some tidy tidy with a rake.  Pine cones and bits of dried weeds.  I took a five gallon pail and a small shovel to rake them into for their final destination . . . away from the deck.

  That pail was then taken to our round burning ring in the backyard.  Dennis got a fire going for the cones and other bits and pieces of wood that had been collected for a burn. 

  Dennis went on to give his bench a coat of the black stain while being safe in the car garage.  With a brand new clipper from Amazon, it was going to be used to tackle my next task.  A maple tree and an elm tree had gotten a pretty good start right next to the foundation on the east side of the house  It was time to clean up that entire area with stalks of faded blooms.  The stalks of the day lilies that were done in the area next to our new service door was next to be clipped.  That raked stuff went right into the garbage bin.

  Dennis’ grandson AJ stopped by to visit his grandpa and help watch the fire in the backyard.  By that time, Dennis had finished the first coat on the bench and he and AJ chatted to no end.  AJ asked, and I answered . . . yes, I had a job for him.  In short order the bathroom window was washed complete with a wipe of vinegar to finish it off.  AJ announced he had never heard of the vinegar tip.  He commented he would be using the vinegar as well for windows.  By then, AJ was on his way to check on his parents up the street.  It’s always welcoming for Dennis have him stop in.

  It may have been pushing it but the bench felt dry to the touch and it got its second coat right there on the spot.  Hey . . . it’s a much used bench made up of 2x4s for the back rest as well as the seat.  The ends of formed plastic for the 2x4s to slide into were purchased at a time in New Ulm at a “Do It Center” by Hy-Vee.  It has been in service ever since by our back door.

  Brush washing commenced and the day was called successful.  It feels so good to get a few things done that won’t need to be repeated perhaps until next year at this time.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:14 pm on September 19, 2025 Permalink  

  Cooler Day 

  There was a welcomed breeze this morning.  I didn’t waste any time.  Yippee!  Everything that needed two coats of the Behr stain . . . has had it.  I am still out on doing the spindles.  I know that in the end, I will cave.  My ole body needs to have more of a rest than the afternoons of what was a week-long task.  I know that this task will serve us well for several years . . . or longer.

  Tomorrow I have a plan.  The car will sit in the driveway.  I am going to get Dennis’ bench from the back door into the car garage.  With foil covering the entire rim of the gallon can of stain, Dennis can stain his beloved bench, sitting on an old folding chair.  One of the 2x4s has never had a covering.  Dennis will have on an old tee-shirt, likewise pants.  To his credit, Dennis wanted to help with the deck.  Too many times that the pail of stain needed moving with lots of bending over to allow for a dizzy spell.

  Because we can, we are having waffles and sausages for supper.

  This afternoon there are sprinkles of rain off and on.  A weather system is forecasting of possible showers for the entire weekend.  Bring it on. 

  The additional battery for Dennis’ weed-whip and leaf blower came this morning.  The additional charging station is forth coming.  Dennis’ job is getting the setup of charging stations down from a very high shelf to a height that I can reach, making it reasonable.  Here in the house, I have the most used dishes and bowels at a height that is not above my shoulders.  Just common sense to make it so.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on September 18, 2025 Permalink  

  Hello Peeps! 

  This morning found me getting out of bed at 8:45.  I slept hard.  My usual huge glass of water was dearly needed to get the organs of the ole body awake.

  It may have been a slow start, but there was more real estate covered on the deck.  One side of the railings going down the steps is done.  I wanted the other side of the railing dry and available if I needed extra stability.  One can never tell.  All of the top wide boards are done.  They will get the second coat when I do the west railing.  I don’t mid doing it in fits and farts.  I don’t mind cleaning the brush every day.  I had thought of storing the brush at the end of each day in a plastic bag.  I want this brush to take me to the total end and and have viable flexible bristles.

  My stint of using the brush and stain may be only several hours from start to finish.  The remaining day seems to linger as I have cut myself off of the studio and stitching.  My hands and shoulders have had enough.  I dinked around and found a movie on Hulu.  The nice thing is that I can pause it and watch more of it on another sit down.

  I will say that last Friday the wasps ended my staining project.  I have not seen nary a one since.  Sunday, Dennis had to spray in the patio porch as a bunch of them had gotten in through the open slider doors.  Today he vacuumed them up.  Dennis commented also that he hasn’t seen any wasps.  Hmm.

  By the grace of Thee Almighty, we have enough left-overs to have for supper.  Yippee.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:25 pm on September 17, 2025 Permalink  

  Will It? 

  Will it rain or will it not.  That was the quandary of this Wednesday.  I would have been prepared to work on the deck.  I decided to chuck that until the weather system was more stable.

  Last night the sky was full of white lightning and thunder as I was drifting off to sleep.  I would have thought the morning would bring evidence of measurable rain.  Nope.  Just a few drops.

  I did decide to do the four north bedroom windows.  Dennis had to help get everything set up.  First thing is that I went to the bathroom.  Being boxed in behind the bed, I would not be up to doing any more calisthenics for a bathroom break than what was needed to get behind the bed and then being able to get out from behind it.  Dennis handed over the little collapsible kitchen stool.  The top of it was needed to  have the double stash windows resting on while I cleaned them.   

  At the same time I had equipped myself with products for dusting the mopboards, corners, the frame of the large west picture window, etc.  Yes, an encompassing annual job this was going to be.

  This mid-day is finding me very content.  Mission completion.  I even got all of the top sashes pushed up to be able to lock the windows.  Sweet.  Not everyone has nine double sash windows, a four foot by five foot picture window, and two door-ways into their bedroom porch.  The ninth double sash window is the one that opens up into Dennis’ bedroom.  We keep it open so I can keep an ear out for Dennis during the nights.

  Dennis was in charge of two loads of laundry.  Yippee, the clothes basket is empty . . . until tonight’s bed time.

  I had had a container of frozen hotdish that we took out this morning.  Our supper is just a short time in the oven.  Dennis brought in an onion that we paired up with the remaining six small cucumbers.  We will have creamed cucumbers to round out our meal.  Dennis did warn me that when he was going to add a teaspoon of sugar to the dish, he got a clump.  So be it.

  Some off and on dribbles of rain.  The map still indicates that an actual rainfall will be coming.

  I will be going to bed with the faintest hint of vinegar in my bedroom porch.  Got to love clean windows.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on September 16, 2025 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 16th of September 

  They had forecast that today would be a corker and their prediction did not disappoint.

  I know the label on my Behr deck stain stated two coats.  Hmm.

  Last night after supper I went on the website and read all of the reviews of the product.  Some good reviews, some bad.  The good out-weighed the bad.  I was at that time convinced that two coats would be done.  Suggested also the second coat be put on before traffic, grit, grim etc.  By 7:45 I had my gallon can of stain open.  In case Dennis slept in, I made sure to unlock the back door on the premise that all entry into the front door would have a wet stain on it.

  At 9:45 I was cleaning my brush.  All that had had one coat was now sporting its second coat.  I did hustle a bit.  Oh what a relief this is to have the very worst done.  If we don’t have rain in the morning, I do plan on being on the north side of the deck to get those end boards covered with the stain that are under the spindles.  The gallon pail will be much lighter to work with.  I don’t think it is worth while to have any type of chair or table to put the can on.  What comes after that is all of the flat boards on the deck going around the perimeter as well as the top rails.  The stain sports a non slippery surface.  With the sun shining on it there is evidence of small granite glints.  Hmm.

  As I am sitting in my bedroom porch looking out of four clean windows, priceless.  I have not forgotten about the north four windows.  Nor have I forgotten about my stitching project at my left elbow.  Grammie can only do so much until the “have too’s” are finished.  The ole body has been holding up well.  Thus far, no one has been harmed during this project and I mean to have it stay that way.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:11 pm on September 15, 2025 Permalink  

  Continuing 

  I am continuing with my front deck job.  A huge glass of water, plus a cup of coffee and I was opening the stain can at 8:30.  There had been no dew.  The three steps were a larger project than I had thought originally.  The steps are two planks wide and have a backing.  I came into the back door at 10:00 to wash up my brush.  Hopefully I can continue each morning.  The railings and top boards of the deck are next.  There shouldn’t be very much stooping left.  Truth to tell the spindles, could use a coat of stain.  Time will tell.  I could not believe how warm I felt when I came in.  There was no way I could have beat the sun this morning . . . just not quick enough.  Actually that is the one thing I promised myself with this project.  No rushing and no extended time each day.

  I came in and had buttered toast and Greek Yogurt.  I had picked up some Bartlet Pears and one of those topped off my late breakfast. 

  I have poked in a few stitches in my next cross stitch design.  The variegated silk floss from Grandma Schafer is going to work well.  I am a process hand stitcher.  That means I do it for the joy of poking the needle in and out as it brings comfort.  Even though each stitch needs to be counted, it is relaxing.  A project stitcher is in it for the “let’s get this done as fast as possible.”

  Dennis is quite poky today.  The four day trip with his kids went well.  The camp site that the huge camper was parked at, had a motel just a half block away.  That is where Dennis and Kenny stayed at night, leaving the facilities in the camper to the other adults.  Breakfasts were fixed in the camper each morning and enjoyed at picnic tables.  Granddaughter Cheyanne had a fight Saturday night and the Curry crew watched it on the outside television on the camper.  It was a wonderful trip for Dennis to be with his kids.  No outside influence and as telephone connections were nil, they had time to visit when they were not engaged in checking out the surroundings.  Cheyanne won her match.  Her winnings were $6,000.00.  She is young in this endeavor.  I don’t think the money is worth getting the shit kicked, hit and punched out of you.  Even football players wear protective gear.  Not the fighting gang.  No holds barred.

  Enough dribble for the day.  My body is geared up for the remainder of the day to go quietly.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on September 14, 2025 Permalink  

  Missed It 

  I missed Dennis’ return from the Black Hills by two hours.  I had guessed at four in the afternoon and the little red pickup pulled up on the drive at two.

  The trip was uneventful in regard to safety.  Susie had taken her husband’s ashes as well.  Tim and Jeff soared over the badlands to their final resting spots wherever the winds may have taken them.

  My morning was very successful. By 10:00 I had the remainder of the flat deck boards done.  In years past, a fellow by the name of whiskers helped us out by skimming the back entry walls and ceiling to make the patched together coverings look wonderful.  His real name was Jim Anderson.  By nine in the mornings he would be taking a hit from the flask in his back pocket.  When he was done with his handywork, the painting was up to me.  “Put it on like somebody else is paying for it.”

  It was good advice then as well as the staining job that I was doing on the front deck.  The worst of the job is over.  I can’t use a paint brush by sitting down.  I need the extension of the full arm to handle the two inch brush.  I cannot keep my wrist brace on as the hand needs to be able to flex. From here on it is the steps next.  I will finish by standing on the grass to coat the ends of the floor bords and that which stick out from under the railing spokes.  Tidy, tidy.  The can suggests two coats.  That may well happen . . . sometime yet this fall.

  Yup, we are back to normal here on Stauffer Avenue.  Dennis just dropped his cane while a Lemon Head got away from him.  Carrie got Dennis hooked on the sour candies to help with saliva.  A dry mouth from meds is not uncommon. 

  Tomorrow is at my beck and call.  My two inch brush got washed out immediately and it will be ready to put into service in the morning hours.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥