Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 1:50 pm on October 18, 2023 Permalink  

  Cloudy 

  This is a cloudy hump day.  When I went for a walk this afternoon, it felt like it could rain.

  I am having the week off as far as appointments go.  Dennis, not so much.  Monday was his yearly visit with our family doctor.  Today was his scheduled injection for macular.  Tomorrow he will have his INR, blood clotting, check.  Friday he meets with his primary Veteran’s doctor.  It’s all about remaining on the active list for benefits.  All the appointments are only a stone’s throw from our home. 

  Stitching went well in the studio.  It didn’t take long for me to realize I needed a different weight of cotton thread in the bobbin as well as in the needle.  My fabric is a lightweight cotton, so should be the sewing thread.  What I had cut and laid out yesterday was stitched today.  I would be very content if the days going forward follow that routine.  Not overdoing any aspect of the project.

  I have chicken tenderloins thawed for supper.  My favorite shake of coating is in a zipper Glad bag.  I use Bisquick, any pancake flour would work.  Cinnamon, Turmeric, some seasoned salt and ground pepper coats the chicken and it doesn’t take long to fix the chicken in the fry pan with the screen to prevent spattering.  It’s surprising how low the heat under the pan can be.  Dennis has a choice of cream style corn or green beans to go along with the instant potatoes.  It has been quite a while since a hot, three-course meal has been served here on Stauffer Avenue.

  The afternoon is still young and the cherry red chair is beckoning for several chapters to be read.  I may need my light on as the clouds have left the bedroom porch dark.  With that I take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:25 pm on October 17, 2023 Permalink  

  First things First 

  My first thing was to send my daughter a text wishing her a happy birthday.  It never ceases to amaze me that my children have years ticking along just like me.

  After my morning rituals, the lights went on in the studio.  It did feel foreign as this was the darkest the studio has been for this length of time in quite a few years.  But . . . I am back, complete with my good shoes and socks on.  There is nothing that can cause restless legs faster than standing on concrete in less than good shoes for insulation.

  The portable radio was tuned into KNUJ before I had all the lights turned on.

  The project I hope to work on constitutes four different configured blocks.  The blade in the rotary cutter was brand new.  The needle in the sewing machine was brand new.  What I needed to do was stitch out those four blocks for my prototypes.  Cutting the material using the same measure for a total of eight pieces per block needing the same accurate seam allowance. 

  As this is a scrappy fabric pattern, I still need to disperse the prints of my twelve different fabrics somewhat equally.  Therein is the challenge.  Just as Lena would have had, I have my graph paper making notations . . . lots of notations.  

  Let’s be clear, I will miss stitching in my west bedroom porch.  The total package of the cherry red chair, the natural window light and watching traffic, the coffee pot close at hand.  Everything in its season.  If I were better with apportioning my time, I could have it all.  It’s too early in the season, I won’t write it off just yet.  This ole Grammie can still learn a thing or two.

  What this ole Grammie would really like to learn is how to wiggle my nose and a balanced supper would be on the table by 5:30 every day.

  Be careful what you wish for . . . you might get more than you bargained for.  With that, I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:21 pm on October 16, 2023 Permalink  

  My Day 

  This last season I have been working on a counted cross stitch project.  It was nothing serious or to be done in a rush.  When the temps were hot, I would work on the stitching or read all the while in my cherry red chair.  When I could help Dennis outside, both endeavors were put to the side.  Today the last of the navy blue snippets of threads got cleaned up.

  Even as my bedroom was being painted, the deck getting stained and the house stutters getting a fresh look, there was time for doing a few stitches.  One thread at a times does literally count up.  I may well purchase a foam board at Michael’s to mount the stitching on.  

  My plan going forward was that once this stitching was completed, I was going to re-visit the studio for sewing machine stitching.  I have had fabric on the church tables along with my graph sketch.  When in the studio, the lights were always turned off by five in the afternoon.

  If the late fall and winter nights prove to be too much for just reading, I may have a second cross stitch to be in the mix.  For myself, I would choose another mono-colored project.  Time will tell.

  It wouldn’t be surprising if the mowing will need to be done after the great rain we have had.  Dennis had promised me he would teach me to run the zero-turn Snapper.  I think that would be a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 1:52 pm on October 15, 2023 Permalink  

  Blaze Orange 

  There must be a hunting season open as there are quite a few pickups going by with all within wearing blaze orange.

  Our automatic coffee maker was new when Pamida was our store for various items.  That store brand became Shopko and is now a Dollar General.  Since spring, the lid with which to pour the water in has been off its rails.  The worse case, it would get away from us and land on the floor.  Pick it up and wipe it off and by golly there would be coffee brewing at seven the next morning.  The last straw was having the water tank leak if more than six cups of water was put into it.

  Amazon, here comes Grammie!  That was on Thursday when I ordered a new coffee maker.  This morning before eleven, our mail person was dropping a box off.  Wow.  The return address was Kansas.

  The original box with all the color photos of the coffee maker was in a brown cardboard box, that was in a heavy duty cardboard box.  That last box was difficult to get into.  We have now run water through the new coffee maker to get a bit of packing dust out.  With all the saran wrap type wound around it and all moveable parts plus the bubble wrap, I think we are good to go for tomorrow morning.

  Yesterday when my cell phone rang, I was so surprised I almost dropped it.  Sharon Skolberg and I have not gotten caught up with each other for too long of a time.  Life long friends pick right up as if they had just spoken with each other last week.  It was a very sweet, visit!

  We are half way through the month and I may need to begin dragging my feet to slow things down.  My wish for all of you is to take each day as it is given.  Yesterday is gone and cannot be redone.  Today was a gift and the morrow is ready to fulfill what may be needed for your wellbeing.  With that, I take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:49 pm on October 14, 2023 Permalink  

  Never Before 

  Yesterday morning as I was checking on for my medical procedure, an experience happened that has never happened to me before at a reception desk.

  I was asked to sign a paper.  I picked up a pen at the counter and then actually looked at the paper.  At the top on the left hand side was my name, birth date, Mayo number and address.  On the right hand top was the amount this procedure would cost: $4,830.00.  Wow.

  The form went on and I had three options.  One option was for Mayo to turn the amount into our insurance, the second option was to agree to pay the amount in installments.  The third option was to cancel the procedure.  WTF!  Of course I checked the box for the first option.

  Was this form a sign of what is yet to come?  Would that amount change is the nurse accidently dropped the IV needle?  It reminded me of the chart at the Jiffy Lube in Mankato . . . a set price for each of the services you are seeking.

  Why can I continually be surprised as to what the world is coming to.

  I was again surprised when I went to the grocery store here in town this forenoon.  I had put all of my choices on the conveyor belt.  The very young gal had not even rung up a total when she assumed I would be carrying out the four plastic bags myself as she pushed them along.  I paid for my groceries.  The four bags remained on the end of her counter and I remained standing in front of her while there were people waiting to be rung up.  When she finally looked up at me with questioning eyes, I asked her to please find a carryout person for me.  Dah.

  Oh well, life remains to be sweet as I drove home.  It does cause a chuckle when purchasing groceries has become a social outing for me.

  The chit chat in the grocer’s was the talk of the rain we had being at close to five inches.  It came down slow enough to soak in to really make a difference.

  Dennis is not taking any chances of his two patio plants being hit by frost.  Both are now sitting in their individual sow pans in the patio porch.  The pans will catch whatever water soaks through the dirt too fast while watering.  In that event, they eventually do soak it all up.  Both plants have been around since before I retired, and that was in 2009.  He doles out a trim every once in awhile with a treat of Miracle Grow once in a while.

  Do you remember items that have never happened to you before?  Actually, they are bound to be more than can be counted.

   
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  Noreen 2:53 pm on October 13, 2023 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  This will be a short one.  We left home at seven for Mankato and my appointment.  We got home a little past two.

  My cardiologist visited with me before handing me over to the doctor that did the scope as well as when the scope was done.  I appreciated that.  When I see Dr. Scharof on the 31st he will have gone over everything from the stats of the stroke and the heart surgery in June of 2021 and all other echo’s since.  The doctor that did the scope visited with me after I had an IV in and before he would start.  He was so chatty and kept nodding to the nurse.  He finally told me that he would visit with me until I had enough through the IV that I was out.  He also commented I was a tough one to put out.  My comment back to him was that I didn’t want to miss anything.  But in the end . . . I did.

  Dennis had a long nap in his little red pickup. 

  I had not ate or drank since supper last night, and after Dennis picked me up at the hospital, he pulled into Culver’s so I could get a vanilla shake.  It tasted good and felt good in my throat.  Dennis will enjoy a quiet night until my voice comes back.

  Today was a good thing to have off my personal tic list.

  This morning, KEYC said we had 1.25 inches of rain.  I know we have had more since.  This gives the farmers a break and allows the residential yards to get a bit of green back to the looks of them.

  After this post, I plan on keeping busy until bed time.  I feel as if I could fall asleep if I sit down.  I know that for a fact as it has already happened since we got home.

   
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  Noreen 1:27 pm on October 12, 2023 Permalink  

  As Right as Rain 

  The KEYC news last night was as right as rain for this morning.  It started raining about nine this morning.

  There may well be an Indian Summer yet to come.  If not, our job jar is empty.  We had not procrastinated, so let the days role.

  When I thought about this evening’s supper, there were three lonely hamburger patties in the freezer. There was one oven meal size of pasta left in a cello bag being held shut via a snap clothespin.  Let’s just do it up.  Browning the hamburger with a bit of seasoning salt, it was added to the hot pasta.  While the pasta was still hot, I folded in a generous tablespoon of Better than Bullion, oven roasted garlic flavor.

  The plan is to have a goodly amount leftover for tomorrow night’s supper.

  I may not have a lot of spunk after getting home from Mankato tomorrow.  I am scheduled for check-in at the Mankato Heart Center at 8:30 on Friday the thirteenth, for a Echo-Transesophageal procedure: swallowing a guided camera to take a look at my heart.  I wouldn’t miss this date for all the money in the world.  Dennis will be as close to me as they allow.  I will have a follow-up with my cardiologist on October 31st. 

  The phone calls for this prep has not left one item for chance or debate.  What a great procedure to have done this fall. 

  This rain is due to carry over into the weekend.  Our sump pump has not run once this spring and summer.  Dennis was ready as he made sure the down-spouts are in place.

  Take care one and all going into the fall-feeling weekend.

   
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  Noreen 2:41 pm on October 11, 2023 Permalink  

  I Understand 

  I understand that all days are not jam packed with work around Stauffer Avenue.

  This was touted, by Dennis, that it was to be a day of rest after the work we did yesterday on the acre.

  I understand that I am capable of entertaining myself while he and Dwayne go for coffee at McDonald’s.

  I understand that the county assessor’s appraiser needed to come and measure our new front steps and deck.  The sweet part of it is that this is a granddaughter of Norma’s . . . who worked for me for decades while in the assessor’s office.

  The traffic has been crazy past our home today.  Swift’s 18-wheelers to and from the processing plant.  Grain trucks with corn.  Tractors manned by farm wives pulling flair boxes of corn.  Concrete trucks hauling crete somewhere.  School got out early today and that gives the young ones more time to barrel away from the four-way stop signs.  Speed knows no one entity.

  I understand that I need to pull my head in and let it all go by.  But . . . the city cops are missing a sure bet to fill their quota books.  You had your chance, so don’t come asking me for a donation in time to come.

  Happy hump day to one and all.

   
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  Noreen 1:14 pm on October 10, 2023 Permalink  

  White Frost 

  It did get serious last night for it to have put white frost on the roof tops.

  This forenoon Dennis and I returned to the blue barn acre.  It was our intent to start some small fires around the area of the Kudzu laden tree of all the debris we had raked together yesterday.  I had quite a few empty paper towel rolls that Dennis stuffed with rags that were soaked in gas.   As the fires took air, I continued raking and cutting off sucker vines of the Kudzu.  All of these small vines will no longer get any nourishment from their roots.

  Neither one of us felt the cool air as we continued feeding the fires.  There was no wind to speak of.  Dennis took me home at noon and he went back to make sure the three piles would eventually be piles of ashes.  I do believe that we will need a chainsaw visit to cut off the large vine that has had way too much time to work its while.   My six inch rake and the Harbor Freight lopper are no match to deal with that beast.

  The two of us are settling in for the afternoon.  I did take out out a bag of vegetable beef soup for supper.

   
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  Noreen 1:53 pm on October 9, 2023 Permalink  

  A Bit at a Time 

  This forenoon, Dennis and I had an agreement.  

  We would each work under tree areas of the blue barn acre.  Dennis dropped me off at the northern area where a huge tree that had Kudzu vines too numerous to count hanging from on high.  All of the vines have been cut at the dirt level.  They will slowly die while hanging and swinging in the breeze.  Can you believe some of the vines are an inch or two in diameter.  If one were brave and to swing from the larger ones, there might be the sound of our very own Tarzan.

  This huge tree had the galvanized tin going all the way around it.  The tin is gone and with my six inch rake, I was making raked piles of leaves, dried branches and twigs around the base of the tree.  This spot will be a campfire later this fall.  As I raked, I had our Harbor Freight lopper to nip off all of the sucker vines that were entwined in the dirt around the tree, so my rake wouldn’t get caught in their web.  The tin had shored up dirt around the tree.  Talk about mellow dirt from decades of decaying leaves and such, making its own compost.  As I could rake dirt from the tree trunk, my shoes could easily sink into the soil by several inches.

  When Dennis had made his own campfire fire pile towards the south lot line, he came over and we both sat on the tailgate of the little red pickup for a break, enjoying some breakfast coffee that was still hot in his thermos cup.  We may only have worked on it for an hour or so, but we each had made some progress to come back and do another day, a bit at a time.

  Dennis and I enjoy working together.  Only the two of us can appreciate the gains that we have made since the actual blue barn came down.

  We are both off the clock for the remainder of the day.  Sweet.