Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 1:14 pm on September 18, 2023 Permalink  

  It Was Nice 

  It was nice while it lasted.  I had superior lighting coming over my right shoulder to either read or stitch.  This afternoon after tidy tidy duties were done, I was going to stitch a bit.  Hmm.  The fan on my Fairfax unit was running, but no light.

  Dennis was called into action.  The unit was gotten open for a good look-see.  A tiny bulb incased in a rectangular looking clear resin with the prongs of the bulb extended.  In the inside was the parts number as only Burton bulbs were to be used.

  Of course I went online.  Burton medical products are still being manufactured.  Their base is in England.  My light source is from the dark ages. 

  I think I had the best for a time.  At least I know how wonderful it feels to have adequate lighting for reading and stitching.  I did go to antique medical devices.  I found Nova bulbs that look like the unit that Dennis had taken out to look at.  There was no reference that came close to the bulb number we had.  At $144.00 or $180.00 for a pack of four, it would be a huge gamble.  Sometimes we need to pull on our big girl panties and invest in the modern day equipment that we need for a quality of life.

  It may well be OTT light time.

  It is almost 80 outside but the day feels wonderful.  I think if I were to check, the dewpoint and humidity would have low numbers. 

  Dennis is taking the day easy as I think he may have overdone it yesterday in his quest of hobby farming.

  Enjoy the week everyone.  Each day brings challenges and surprises . . . don’t I know it.

   
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  Noreen 2:07 pm on September 17, 2023 Permalink  

  Quite the Day 

  Every once in awhile, Megan would ask where the Odin Craft Mill in Odin was.  It never went beyond that.  Megan actually contacted them about a vendor she had bought something from many years ago when she was staying with us. 

  What Megan had bought was a candle in a pint jar.  The little paper label tied on with twine string was long gone.  This scent was one that she enjoyed while doing her creative writing.  It must have had an effect as she won awards at her senior awards ceremony.  Megan sent me a photo.  Sure enough her pint jar’s wick was getting pretty short.

  She couldn’t quite remember how the vanilla scent was marketed.  She remembered the scent of the jar next to hers was labeled, “Butt Naked.”

  I went online and looked up various photos in the craft mill’s history.  Gottcha!  A photo of candles in pint jars.  When I enlarged the photo, I could see the printing on the label.  Sure enough, there was a website and their candles were now sold on Etsy as well.  I knew I had the right website as they were still selling the “Butt Naked.”  The “Smoked Vanilla” is still sold with the same brown tin cover on the pint jar.

  There will be a “Smoked Vanilla” candle headed Megan’s way.  Keeping her creativity flowing is the least Dennis and I can do across the miles.  When I told Dennis the candle story, he was amazed what can be ferreted out on a computer.

  Before querying Megan about her candle, I was prepared to visit the craft mill in search of her candle during the tree weekends in October.  This has saved me from visiting the mill.  There are throngs of people in all shapes and sizes with baby strollers, canes and walkers.  I would have been one of the latter ones.  This was a win, win for Grammie.

  Dennis also had a great day.  Whatever Bruce and his chainsaw had cut down on the blue barn acre this past week has now been pushed onto the one huge pile of debris.  Grandson Ryan and Brett’s huge skid loader with a ten foot wide bucket did a great job.  That pile represents the consummate amount that needs to be cleared off that acre.  After Ryan was done, Dennis and I chose a cove of Black Walnut trees to pick up limbs and branches that Ryan couldn’t get under.  That pile that we raked together will make a nice little bonfire one of these days.  As we work under other trees of the little stuff, another bonfire will ensue.

  We have had a great day.  Nothing feels as good as taking care of home and hearth.

   
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  Noreen 1:19 pm on September 16, 2023 Permalink  

  Feeling Thankful 

  Yesterday I mentioned that today my west porch bedroom was due for laundry.  The biggy was laundering my feather comforter.

  Many decades ago, Lena had a pink toilet plunger that she kept by her wringer washing machine.  Hmm.  With the feather comforter, I now know the importance of a clean toilet plunger.  As the washing machine began filling with the Woolite delicate laundry soap and bubbles were ensuing, there wasn’t a whole bunch of the comforter getting friendly with the cold water.  The plunger was called into service.

  Man . . . my arms got very weary getting the feathers, encased into the batiste cotton, wet enough with the plunger to sink.  I stayed close as the machine was hitting the spin-out cycle.  The washing machine never gave a wobble.  All was going to turn out well.  When it was time to get the comforter into the dryer there was not one single feather lying loose.  Sweet.  Years ago I washed a pillow that was labeled “washable.”  I ended up using my yellow Tupperware strainer, taking all the filling out of the wash water before the spin cycle started.  It pays to stay close to the washing machine. 

  Dennis was busy getting his Sears mower home from the mechanic north of town that had put on new blades and fixed a bit of a bent shaft.  Amazing that Dennis could get that heavy implement trailer hooked to the little red pickup on his own.  Having him and all that he left with plus the mower, was a very good feeling.

  The comforter has turned out great.  By bedtime the flannel sheets and the comforter will welcome me to an evening and night’s slumber.

  I think Supper is up for grabs.  Hefting the bedding in and out of the washing machine and into the dryer for two days running, I am feeling some pulling across my chest, a little similar to the days of heart surgery recovery.

  Take care during this wonderful autumn-feeling weekend.

  Grammie is off the clock.

   
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  Noreen 2:01 pm on September 15, 2023 Permalink  

  Rain Drops 

  It may have not been a gully washer of rain, but every little bit helps.

  Today Dennis and his cousin Bruce visited the blue barn acre with Bruce’s chainsaw.  There were too many trees that were tipping, listing or just plain falling over.  After Bruce left. Dennis gave me a tour.  After several days of the leaves drying, there will be plenty of hauling limbs to the main pile of debris.

  My task at hand today was stripping Dennis’ bed and doing some tidy, tidy in his bedroom.  While the laundry was going, I did some stitching.

  We are have beef vegetable soup and sandwiches for supper.  I metered three cups of soup per freezer bag last night.  Three bags in the freezer for another time.

  The air is heavy but doable.

  At the grocer’s yesterday, I purchased a bottle of Woolite laundry soap.  Tomorrow morning, first thing . . . I am washing my feather comforter.  I did my research on the internet.  It will be fritzy fresh for the colder weather that is bound to find me in my west bedroom porch.

  Take care and do what makes you feel good over the weekend.

   
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  Noreen 3:07 pm on September 14, 2023 Permalink  

  The Last 

  This afternoon was the last of my important yearly medical appointments.  It was at the eye clinic here in town.  There was no change needed in my lenses.  Yippee.  There is a test for eye pressure and there is a test for peripheral vision.  There is a test for glaucoma.  Then the eye drops come for dilation so Dr. Pinke can see the carotids, and into the brain.  There has been the slightest macular indication for ten years.  It never increases.  Yippee.  All is well with my vision health and all is well with my soul.  A win, win.

  I am using the prescribed over-the-counter for dry eyes.  Reading and stitching doesn’t harm as long as I have good lighting.  Man . . . do I have great lighting, thanks to the Fairfax team.

  Yesterday there was a small beef roast in the crockpot and today there is a large kettle of beef vegetable soup.  The condensed marinade from the crockpot is giving it a bit of a kick.  A Better than Bullion vegetable flavor tablespoon was added.  I know there will be several bags of it going into the freezer.  When I stopped at the grocer’s this forenoon, I bought a bag of Bird’s Eye vegetable medley:  broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.  I also tossed in the remaining refrigerator diced potatoes.  Dennis said a can of corn was needed.  We have all bases covered.

  What a great day to be a Minnesotan.  Dennis spoke with his son in Arizona this afternoon and he remarked that the snow birds were already arriving into his mobile home park.  The heat is still raging there.

  Take care my peeps . . . and pups.

   
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  Noreen 1:10 pm on September 13, 2023 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  Quite the cool start of the day.

  Dennis and I had the forenoon to ourselves.  At twelve noon I had my work socks and shoes on complete with long gardening pants.  In the little red pickup, we headed through our back yards to the blue barn acre.

  Dennis had the Harbor Freight lopper in hand and I had my pruner.  Oh so many volunteer trees coming up around the older trees.  Once those spindly trees were pruned off, my trusty six inch rake could make some headways,  making piles with the brush and limbs.  All lying in one direction, it will be easy to either get them picked up or pushed to the main pile. 

  Dennis was getting his half gallon sprayer ready with his brush killer.  Having lopped off or pruned off, the raw stubs will allow the brush killer to soak in taking it down to the root.

  I wandered off to the south end of the acre.  What Dennis had been spraying is showing results.  Under three Black Walnut trees, there will be my next attack.  Not nearly as much volunteer stuff.  I will be able to easily carry a bundle of dead branches to the main pile.

  We got a lot done in an hour and a half, choosing to call it a good clean-up effort without overdoing it.

  When I got back into the house, the crockpot was revealing the aroma of supper.  An Angus boneless beef roast of just two pounds with chunks of onion and a top layer of baby carrots to hold in a bold marinade.  What an easy supper coming our way.

  It is two in the afternoon and I have some west bedroom porch time to enjoy.  Cherry red chair, here I come!

   
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  Noreen 1:13 pm on September 12, 2023 Permalink  

  Blown Away 

  This morning Dennis and Dewayne had a coffee date at McDonald’s.  We had been busy here on Stauffer Avenue and it had been a two-week hiatus for the fellows.

  Dennis had gotten a letter from Ford that there was a recall on the air bags in his little red pickup.  After coffee the fellows headed to Madelia for Dennis to make an appointment.

  While Dennis was gone, I tidied up the dining room table of extra paperwork.  I had the second part of the refund check from the state ready to pitch.  I could not believe it.  The check was cut from a post office box located in Missoula, Montana via Submittable Holdings, Inc.  Who is laundering money?  Too funny.

  What isn’t funny is the price of gas.  The price in St. James was the same in Madelia . . . $4.0999 as per Dennis.  Ouch.  I would hate to have to make trips out of town right now. 

  My day is spent on the quiet side.  In my cherry red chair stitching, reading and watching traffic.

  Our supper is going to be some refrigerated diced potatoes with adding scrambled eggs.  I am calling it a smorgasbord.

  These are the days we wished for during the heat.  Enjoy!

   
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  Noreen 2:10 pm on September 11, 2023 Permalink  

  Happy Monday 

  A great fall-feeling day.

  After getting the Monday laundry going, my next stop was the little red pickup’s garage where we had a paint station set up.

  I knew there would be spots on the four sets of shutters I painted yesterday that would need to be gone over.  They were looking good.  They were saving us several hundred dollars looking good by not buying new ones from Home Depot.  Of course they would have needed to be ordered.  This way they will be back on the house by this weekend.

  The black paint pail was open and Dennis decided to take the bench apart by our back door and paint those six 2 x 4s.  The 2 x 4s slide into the molded plastic ends.  Great idea.  We have got to say that Behr products really go on well.  What may be left to paint is our foundation of the house that we have kept painted black.  It was a vast improvement over the powder blue that we started out with.

  Neither of us have had a physically heavy day, so a soup and sandwich supper will be the menu.

  The mail brought us our $520 check from the State of Minnesota.  Yippee.

  There is some afternoon left to do a bit of reading while enjoying my cherry red chair.  I need to pass on stitching as my right hand is feeling the use of the paint brush yesterday and a bit of it this morning.  Rest and relaxation is what it needs.  I am very proud of this ole body having gotten my bedroom porch painted as well as the front deck.

  These temps have no need for fans.  I do love the quiet.

   
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  Noreen 1:50 pm on September 10, 2023 Permalink  

  Happy Sunday 

  A Sunday with doable temps.

  Today my Sunday of local effort was to paint four sets of shutters from our home.  We had the paint, I had a brush . . . what was there to not like.  There was no disagreement that it needed doing.  The painting of the plastic shutters may not stand up well.  Time will tell on that.  It sure beat purchasing new ones.  Grandson AJ will put them back on the house this coming weekend.  

  The remainder of this Sunday, I am taking it easy.  Of course I got weary.  I am not ashamed to admit it.  Standing in the garage for four hours took its tole.  I am proud to have gotten the job done.  My right shoulder, right down to my finger tips served me well.  Dennis and I know what tasks each of us can do and do well.  He is my go-to fellow, as in the example of yesterday getting our paint shook at our local store.       

  Yesterday I received photos of a new fur baby to join the Fairfax team.  Sweet.  Kluge now will have Eevee to show the ropes to.  My friend Perry, who I worked with for many years, always said if a dog was to be a family pet, the dog would do better if there were two dogs in the family.  Enough said about that. 

  As much as my wanting a dog for my own, I need to think beyond the good thoughts, the cuddly thoughts.  A dog needs to have exercise no matter the weather.  The last thing I would need is having an excited lovable dog wrap himself around my legs and we would both get hurt.  I will continue thinking good thoughts and am up for occasions when a dog sitter is needed.

  The oven meal of last night will give us a good second meal this evening.  

  Take care . . . my special people.  Perhaps out of sight but never out of loving thoughts.

   
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  Noreen 1:46 pm on September 9, 2023 Permalink  

  Gray Day 

  A gray day with a few drizzle drops.

  We had a funeral this morning here in town.  Dennis’ daughter’s brother-in-law.  We have known the family for years.

  Yesterday there was a commotion on the driveway in the afternoon.  It was the sound of a Harley.  AJ came to town to be here for the funeral and had stopped in.  By the time AJ scooted up the street to see his mom, there were four sets of house shutters in the garage. 

  By this afternoon, Dennis had saw horses and planks ready to set up for painting said shutters in the pickup garage.  I pulled him back.  I would be doing no painting today.  What Dennis could do for me was to take our full, never opened Behr black exterior paint to Fleet Farm and talk one of the fellows into shaking the can for us.  That didn’t seem to be a problem.  Dennis came home with the can shook, some stir sticks and an opener.  Only in a small town where Dennis knows everyone would our locally owned store shake a pail of paint from Home Depot and send home additional items.

  I will do the shutters and they will be done before AJ stops in next weekend.

  I did get an oven dish prepared for this evening’s supper. 

  This ole Grammie doesn’t need to put in a long day everyday.  I do appreciate the need to do this and Dennis making sure, I have a good work setup.

  Catch you tomorrow.