Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 1:55 pm on June 1, 2023 Permalink  

  And Then it was Warm 

  We were at the Mankato hospital for a visit to the surgeon’s second in command to keep track of Dennis’ wound on the left foot.  Whatever we are doing . . . “Keep on doing it.”  It has made remarkable progress.  Of course it seems to be taking its sweet time according to us on Stauffer Avenue.  Slow but sure is a true winner.

  It sure did get to feel warmish this afternoon.  We picked up cat food and kitty litter at Sam’s.  I wonder how much heavier the Meow Mix bags are going to get.  32 lbs feels like my max.  I needed eggs, oatmeal and Bisquick from Hy-Vee.  Buying them at Sam’s . . . do not need 5 lbs of each.

  We are always thrilled to be home safe and sound.

  Our carpenter, Bryan, did a great job on our steps and deck.  This week they are working next to us at Jan and Randy’s for much the same design.  Hats off for picking up jobs.  When I noticed bags of cement being unloaded, we offered them to use our house faucet on the north side of our home as Jan does not have an outside faucet. 

  Today was a day of getting a very good report for Dennis going forward.  Praise be to God!

  We are heading toward a weekend.  Stay safe.

   
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  Noreen 2:27 pm on May 31, 2023 Permalink  

  Summer is Here 

  I thought I would be outside again today . . . not!  This Grammie got out of bed too fast and brought about a feeling of less than.  Not consistent dizzy but enough and often enough that my place today is indoors.

  I moseyed down to the studio about noon.  Dennis came in from outside and thought I had found the perfect spot as it was fairly uncomfortable to be doing any gardening.  He had been mowing one lot at a time.  That fellow does enjoy mowing grass.  Keeping him hydrated is very important to this ole cowboy.

  My quilt top is getting to the point of running a tape measure. Sixty one inches square.  Putting in a new blade into the rotary cutter, I decided to cut some border fabric.  The first border to be sewn on will be the same mottled black as the sashing that is between the blocks.   I will finish with an orange border to tie in the corner stones and bias tape trimmings.  As this is the first of two duplicate quilts, I decided to cut fabric for the second quilt while I was at it.  The sixteen blocks are prepared and having the sashings and cornerstones done will put the decision making process to be little to none.  I was in no mood to turn on the sewing machine today.  Getting prep work done felt right.

  This morning Dennis saw the wound doctor here in our clinic and tomorrow we see the surgeon’s second in command at the Mankato hospital.  Right now when I do the dressing change each day, I have to pack the tiniest piece of gauze that has been made wet by the acetic acid wash into that tiny wound.  This is to prevent the area from healing too fast.  It needs to heal from the depth to the surface. It would be great if Dennis could begin wearing a shoe on the left foot.  I do know from past appointments that Dennis has very touchy skin on his feet thanks to conditions from the time in Korea.  Even the gal that does pedicures here in town takes special care.

  With the warm temps and daily warnings of possible thunderstorms, yup . . . summer is here.

  Catch you tomorrow if the Mankato trip doesn’t take us into a late day.

   
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  Noreen 2:21 pm on May 30, 2023 Permalink  

  Short Night 

  Yesterday in the afternoon we did have rain.  The heavens rumbled nonstop into the evening.  So much muted noise.  

  At 2:40 I sat straight up in bed.  The wind was coming in all directions and it was a white-out of rain with thunder.  I was wide awake as I navigated the house.  The rain continued on.  About 4:30 I felt the slumber creeping in and slept until seven.  Dennis had not heard a thing.

  The only item on the docket for today was a pedicure and a half up town at eleven.  I like Maria’s work and so does Dennis.  Maria is easy to visit with.  One thing I would like to share.  Maria grew up following truck farming across much of the USA.  When her and Dennis visited about the economy, she told of working on an onion farm.  She received $.40 per bushel of onions that were harvested.  Yes . . . it took a lot of bushels to make a living wage for a day.  Interesting to expand our awareness of others that live among us.

  When we got home Dennis and I raked up Maple tree seeds.  Man were they thick this year!  Those seeds fall off of the tree in clumps.  If the clumps lay where they fell, a clump of small Maple trees will be there in no time flat.  We will tackle a bit more of them tomorrow.

  Dennis wanted to get some chairs out of the potting shed to put on the patio under the umbrella.  He manned the water hose with some soap and a brush to get off the winter’s dirt.  I wanted to pot up some Russian Sage for Dennis’ daughter.  Those plants are perennials and take a lot of full hot sun.  I finally had to use a lopper to clip the roots from a parent plant as they do spread via the root much like quack grass.  We will leave the Russian Sage at her house putting the container in the shade so she can work with it at her own pace after she gets home from work when we see the wound doctor on the first of June.

  When we called it a day from being outside, we were both red in the face.  At three this afternoon it was 85 degrees with a nice breeze.

  There is always something to do when owning property.  It does beat living in an apartment complex.  There is no such thing as being bored on Stauffer Avenue.  It’s my personal belief that only boring people get bored.

   
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  Noreen 2:28 pm on May 29, 2023 Permalink  

  Monday the 29th 

  There was quite the buzz over at the blue barn acre this forenoon.  Tom and Sandy came from Mankato with a chainsaw and also a smaller saw.  I stayed home with Sandy’s dog.

  By two this afternoon, Tom and Sandy were headed home.  Dennis took me for a ride and I was amazed how much had been cut up.  There had been enough done that now loading up what has been cut will be headed for our tree dump to be visited.  If all goes well, the skid loader with the teeth attachment will be used to load the trailer.  Slow but sure.

  We had not expected rain this afternoon.  It had come up with wind and I can hear the thunder from the studio.

  I have been pecking away with sashes and corner stones on quilt blocks.  After I finish this posting, I will be closing down the studio.  As quilt blocks are attached and rows are built, there is heft to be felt as it goes under the needle.  The arms, shoulders and hands need a break.

  Let’s hear it for the last week of May!

   
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  Noreen 2:05 pm on May 28, 2023 Permalink  

  A Project Completed 

  This morning I got a call from Carpenter Bryan.  He asked if I had a problem with him installing the storm door on our front door.  Absolutely not!  By twelve noon the door was installed and there was no cleanup for me.  I had stayed busy in the studio the entire time . . . staying out of the way.

  What had happened while Bryan was working with his helper on our front deck, the neighbors to the north of us had called the fellows over.  It seems as if Jan and Randy will be having their back door tricked out with a deck such as ours.  For the entire time I have lived next to Jan and Randy, they have only had rough wood steps not attached to the house at their back door.

  When I paid Bryan, he was grinning from ear to ear with another job to do in time to come.  I kidded Bryan that he had gotten a job for our same deck and steps design while he was finishing up with us.  Now that Jan and Randy will have a nice deck and steps such as ours, Bryan can soon have this design as his signature.  Bryan thanked me for putting his card on Facebook as he had to install some windows out on a rural site.

  St. James needs several Bryans for small carpenter jobs.  I let Bryan know I was hanging onto his card for a time when we might need him again.  He smiled and we shook on it.

  Tomorrow Dennis called in a favor without labeling as such.  Dennis’ daughter Sandy has a fellow that is storing a car in our back garage.  Tom will be coming over tomorrow with his chainsaw.  The plan is to cut up branches and trees on the blue barn acre.  Cutting them up in six foot lengths or less, will allow them to fit in the bucket of the skid loader that Dennis can borrow from his nephew Brett at any time.  It’s a smaller loader than Brett uses with his concrete work.  Brett keeps it at his house for moving snow in the winter. 

  Daughter Sandy wants to take some Hosta home from the east end of our original lot.  My plan is to stay put out of everyone’s way.  Sweet.

  May everyone’s Memorial Day be safe and restful . . . as mine will be.

   
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  Noreen 2:17 pm on May 27, 2023 Permalink  

  Quite the Day 

  My target was the studio today.  The machine is oiled and cleaned, the steam iron is filled and hot – ready to go.

  I have decided on the black sashing with orange corner stones and not the reverse.  My schedule is to sew a 16″ seam and then press it.  Going back and forth until there are four blocks done, making the width of the quilt.  With three strips done, the back door opened.

  Dennis’ nephews from Windom stopped in for a visit.  Their dad, Dennis’ oldest brother Dick, has been gone for twenty years.  It’s good for family to stay in touch.  Catching up in the patio porch is a good thing.  After several hours, the boys journeyed on.

  At bit after twelve noon, Dennis daughter Denise stopped in with leftover pizza from their noon meal.  Dennis will pass on the goodies, but I won’t.  Denise came down into the studio and made herself comfortable.  Dennis came down and joined us.  Getting caught up comes far and few these days.  Casey’s calls her a manager, Denise calls herself over used.  I can believe that. 

  The door bell rang and Dennis’ niece and her husband from Morris came in.  Dennis’ sister has been gone for several years.  Jeanie is always good about visiting the cemetery on this weekend.  The fellows went to the patio porch and us gals made it to the first floor. 

  This has been quite the day for family.  It made Dennis’ day.  Each one of our guests was doing multiple stops here in town.  How special that they made time for a stop-in, no matter how brief.

  As Dennis and I wanted to get caught up with what each of us had gleaned from various guests, I put him on hold while I went into the studio and closed everything down.  I can sew another day.  Spending time sharing a cup of coffee with Dennis . . . priceless.

   
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  Noreen 1:20 pm on May 26, 2023 Permalink  

  Dust Bunnies 

  Today, I could hear the dust bunnies snickering at me.  We have had windows open when the winds were brisk, our front door with no storm door on has been open and I think the winds blew in what a good dust bunny is made of.  Loading up some Swiffers took care of the laminate flooring as well as the vinyl on the east end of the house and the west end of the house.  Our washer and dryer in the bathroom does add to the lint in the house.  Dennis needs to wear a Velcro boot on his left foot and I do not make him take it off and on as his day progresses.  So an investment of a few Swiffers takes on the dust bunnies.  Mission completion.

  When I had shopped for groceries yesterday, I bought some English cucumbers.  This forenoon I thin sliced an onion, thin sliced some cukes and mixed all with mayo and a bit of cream.  They are co-mingling with a hefty amount of black pepper in the refrig for supper.  I had two chicken tenderloins to take out of the freezer.  Dennis always makes instant potatoes for four people.  Of course there are leftovers.  Putting those potatoes on good china, aka: a paper plate with a damp paper towel over them, they reheat perfectly.  Supper is in the bag.

  A load of laundry got done in between time.

  My visit to the studio this afternoon was all about cleaning and oiling the sewing machine.  After doing more than 2,300′ of orange trim on the 32 blocks of t-shirts, there was orange fuzz everywhere including the rotary cutter blades that needed cleaning.  With a new 80/12 needle in the sewing machine, the work in the studio may continue tomorrow.  As I had mentioned, our long holiday weekend is low key . . . all ours.

  This afternoon, I still have some time to perch upon my cheery red reading chair and take in some of the south breeze coming in.  We will be starting to make new dust bunnies.

   
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  Noreen 2:44 pm on May 25, 2023 Permalink  

  A Nice Day 

  Today we needed to travel to Mankato to the ophthalmologist for Dennis’ eye injection for macular.  Dennis generally goes to our eye clinic here in St James and the specialist comes here.  So trip to the main clinic once in awhile doesn’t hurt.

  When we were about to leave the clinic, Dennis looked down and shucky darn, the little red pickup was in need of an oil change.  The last one was done the end of September of 2022.  We headed right over to Jiffy Lube.  Got that done in a hurry.  They check everything over as per what the check list is for the amount of mileage.  Other than the usual, the coolant needed to be topped.

  Driving home, it was amazing to see the green sheen when looking over the fields.  It doesn’t take long for the young corn shoots to make a visual impact.

  We are home in good stead.

  Yesterday afternoon, our special order storm door for the west entry of the house was delivered from the Truman Lumber Yard.  Manager, Vaughn, lives here in town and brought it along with him.  We may get it installed this weekend, depending what carpenter Bryan has on his schedule. 

  We do need to keep in mind that people do make plans for this Memorial Day weekend.  By the way . . . ours is pretty much like any weekend . . . low key.

  We had a meal at Perkins today, so supper for today has been had.  I had the 55 Plus potato pancakes.  My dad’s all time favorite.  Perkins does them well with just the right amount of minced green onion.

   
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  Noreen 1:43 pm on May 24, 2023 Permalink  

  Warmer Day 

  We had one item on the agenda today . . . getting haircuts at Curry Comb.

  I dialed the number and an operator came on and said I would be transferred to “Straight Talk.”  WTF!  When I heard that I hung up.  My phone was not working.  No matter who I called it was the same “Straight Talk” nonsense.  I used Dennis’ phone and we went on to get the shag removed from each of us.

  When we got home, I used the computer and got on Tracfone’s site.  Once all my information was in I was made aware that my service extended to 11/25.  Service did not equate to air time.  I dug through my info and sure enough, last year at this time, I had spent $199.00 plus tax for unlimited talk and text.  I have no idea what the service date refers to.  I processed my order and tried to call Dennis and it went straight through.  We are good to go.

  Though it does feel warm, having had a haircut sure feels good.  

  No matter how much trouble and strife, each day we learn to work through what dares to cross our threshold. 

  Tomorrow is another day for being the best I can be.

   
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  Noreen 1:19 pm on May 23, 2023 Permalink  

  Enough 

  I was up early today.  I slept soundly from nine last night until seven this morning when I heard the coffee pot going off.  

  I checked my usual items on the HP in the living room while enjoying the coffee.  It really tasted as good as it smelled this morning.  My second cup of coffee I had while sitting on our front deck.  It is enjoyable watching traffic and watching birds in the huge evergreen right off of the deck.  Enjoyable until I heard in no uncertain terms that mama Robin was not happy.  On both ends of the awning, Robins have made a nest.  I teased her for a bit longer before I gave her space.

  It was very apparent that the dewpoint was low this morning.  The grass in the front yard was not glistening with dew.  I put on my garden shoes and headed outside.  Dennis was at his PT appointment but had left the weed trimmer with a charged battery in the patio porch.  The agreement was he would mow and I would trim.  It looks so much nicer when there isn’t a halo of tall grass around everything that a rider mower can’t get to.  I only trim on our original acre as now we do have an additional barn acre.  By the time I have used the battery up, the trimming is done and I can feel that I have used up the energy I had for this task.  Dennis would be mowing that area after the PT appointment.

  Cleaning off grass clippings from my pants, I made sure to break off some catnip before heading to the house.  Snuggles was right there rolling in it.  Several spots for several cats.

  It may well get to the 83 degrees that KNUJ was forecasting.  I intended to spend time in the studio.  When Dan at PT takes care of Dennis’ foot with new dressings, I do not have to do it in the same day.  The oven dish that I had taken out of the freezer for last night’s supper will have a repeat performance for this evening.  The remains of the day I pretty much had to myself.

  It was smooth sailing today making and sewing trim onto the remaining t-shirt blocks.  When the last block was trimmed, the sewing machine and lights were shut off.  I still need to poodle through the thoughts about orange sashing versus black sashing.  The next visit to the studio will be cleaning and oiling the sewing machine, complete with a new needle.  By that time, I will have made a decision.  For today . . . enough is enough.

  My cheery red reading chair is beckoning me.  The front deck might be a good spot for reading but I cannot hold a book with my arms and hands.  I have a great stand sitting on a table in my bedroom porch that is perfect.  All I need to do is turn the pages.  Mission completion.