Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 1:48 pm on June 17, 2026 Permalink  

  Bright sun on a Wednesday 

  We have had spurts of rain with the last spurt being a downpour for about five minutes.  We’ll take what we can get.

  Yesterday’s trip to the sleep study lab in Mankato was interesting.  The sleep mask that Dennis has used for the last nineteen years is being discontinued.  An entire new head gear with fasteners that are different are in the plan.  We are never too old to have to adapt.  His prescription has been updated at the Mayo Store and a sample that was tested right then and there was sent home with Dennis.  Time will tell.  I left Dennis to-it last night at bedtime.  I can’t do it for him.  I stayed up long enough to hear that he had met the challenge.

  As of last night Dennis has 30 banana nut muffins in individual sandwich bags in our freezer.  Horray for Dennis.  Horray for me.  No more make a sandwich for the breakfast box each day.  Would Dennis have made one for himself each day?  I tried that.  I am better off doing the muffins knowing he is not taking all his meds on an empty stomach followed by carcinogens of the cigarettes and allowing the stomach acid to build into a medical situation.  I realize my own path to resistance and not wanting to make hospital visits when Dennis would and did call from a hospital bed wondering when I was coming to see him.

  Yesterday, I brought home from Sam’s 2 lbs. of strawberries for $4.99, which would be one 1 lb. package here in town.  This morning I pared them, crushed them and have two freezer bags in the freezer with some for this evening.  A little backup plan helps. 

  Speaking of backups, Sam’s rotisserie 3 lb. chickens are the best for $4.98.  Dennis’ grandchildren that live in Mankato make special trips for them.  Our grocery has a small chicken for $9.98.  For supper, we had planks of chicken breast meat with a savory sauce I made.  I boned out the remaining chicken and there are two freezer bags ready for oven meals sometime.  Our freezer is looking mighty fine. 

  There has been no stitching for several days along side a dark studio.  Get the jobs done around the first floor before play time. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:24 pm on June 15, 2026 Permalink  

  Nice Day 

  Mid seventies with low dew point and humidity, makes for a nice day.

  I thought it might be gophers in the grass alongside Stauffer Avenue.  Nope, it was the new internet company doing their prep work.  I can see the cap of the gas line from my bedroom porch window.  Three other holes where the dirt has been piled on black plastic.  This is an internet company that Dennis’ grandson, AJ, is running the crew for Fiedium Cable.  This crew is Hispanic originally from Nebraska.  AJ commented to his grandpa that he wishes he could have three more crews just like them . . . good reliable workers.

  Fruit and cinnamon toast for breakfast with coffee.  The fruit that is my favorite is honeydew, cantaloupe, pineapple and watermelon.  The Golden Delicious are my favorite apples.  Grapes have a really high sugar content.  Dennis passes on all.  Plain Greek yogurt is my favorite.  It has the good gut bacteria.  

  Tomorrow we have an appointment at the East Ridge Mayo clinic in Mankato.  His prescription for his CPAP supplies was renewed via the phone but only with a personal follow up visit.

  A follow up to Sam’s Club is planned.  Dennis is in need of muffins for his breakfast box.  I also have a short list of groceries to fill at Sam’s as well.

  A day in the big town . . . there will be no post for the blog tomorrow. 

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:44 pm on June 14, 2026 Permalink  

  Sunday the 14th 

  What a beautiful day.  Many more such as this wished for.

  I walked over to the acre this forenoon.  I marveled at where this acre has come from.  It was a community dump with old electronics, appliances and mattresses and everything else imaginable.  Today the grass is lush and waving in the breeze.  The one-time treatment from Spring Touch has kept all weeds at bay.  Dennis and I did good for no one else but our self satisfaction.

  Dennis was down for a nap this afternoon and I went to the grocery store.  I was totally out of the foods I enjoy:  fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese . . . I guess apples are fruit.  I like to keep the “Color Catcher” on hand for the laundry and also a small bottle of Woolite.

  The Hispanics shop big time on Sundays with their entire family joining in.  It all helps keeping our one good grocery store going.  Schmidt’s bakery used to do a grand business on Main Street.  It’s listed as an on-going bakery and half of the products showcase the Hispanic baker.  Times do change.  It gave our grocery store a chance to beef up their bakery department with three people in it.

  I listened to a video about the 9 worst cities in Minnesota via economy.  The bottom was Worthington, Fairmont at third.  It went on with Rochester being the number one worst.  It depends totally on the health care system.  Go figure.

  The oven dish went over well with steamed broccoli on the side.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:30 pm on June 13, 2026 Permalink  

  Saturday 

  Today is a bright sunny Saturday with nary a cloud in the sky.

  I was having breakfast coffee in my bedroom porch when I could hear . . . Marco, Marco.  It was faint but I responded Polo, Polo.  I followed and it took me right into the laundry area.  Sure enough, the basket was overflowing.

  There were items I wanted to watch and not let them go unattended.  That gave me enough time to cast my eyes downward.  Hmm.  The vinyl floors needed help.  Slow but sure the loads of laundry got swapped out and the floors were getting done as well . . . all but the back door floor.  Time for a break.

  It was time to put together an oven meal.  Long time a going since we had one.  My oven meal for today: 

  -one bag of Armor Swift all beef meatballs cut willy nilly

  -one bag of Real Potatoes hash browns from the grocer’s refrigeration section

  -one can of cream of mushroom soup

  -one can of white cheddar soup – both cans Campbells

  -mixed well, ready for the blue speckled round roaster that had been sprayed with Pam

  -half of mixture put in a container for the freezer for another time, sealed with Press and Seal and the cover

  At supper time, good covering of ground black pepper – preset oven at 325 for 40-50 minutes.

  The back door floor was the finale.

  Having an invite for the day would have only stalled on what was needed to get done.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:21 pm on June 12, 2026 Permalink  

  A Turn 

  Today is Friday and a bit of a turn to what Dennis says feels warm.

  I could agree with that.  With an old paint brush, I swiped away all the loose dirt near the south side of the home’s foundation.   I could easily see the burrowed little ant hill holes where the driveway concrete met the home’s foundation.  Squatting as low as the titanium knees allowed, the ant powder went into the holes with just a bit extra that they may want to drag home.  There was a flurry for a time.  Since the last time I had put down the powder, we had had rain.  Yes, Dennis, the sun on my back felt warm.

  It has been days since I have seen one of the larger black ants dare to do the scouting of our first floor.  I will be diligent with my powder as I know where I can get more.

   I stayed in the studio until 1:30 this afternoon after I had buttered toast and fruit for breakfast.  I finished up two projects that have been in the works since February of this year.  It feels great not to have unfinished projects that have been languishing.  The sewing machine is ready for a new spell of stitching.

  My bedroom porch is vibrating this afternoon, as the internet company is drilling under the county’s concrete street.  Across the street I see little mounds of dug up dirt.  Plastic was put down before the fellows started digging.  A people’s company that knows how to do their work while keeping things tidy.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:56 pm on June 11, 2026 Permalink  

  Thursday 

  Thursday the 11th of June on Stauffer.

  This morning, I had made an appointment with our county’s Veteran’s Service Office.  I have known Deb Grote for a very long time.  Dennis and  I were wanting more information about the policies and programs allowing veterans to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.  Deb had a lot of good information that we now have at our fingertips.  There is nothing imminent, just knowing is being prepared.

  I have mentioned all the colorful flags in the yard with an additional internet service coming into town.  When I came up from the studio and checked out my bedroom porch, I couldn’t help but watch the latest utility van and it’s worker bee.  When he came back to his vehicle I stepped out on the front deck with a “Hi.”  The fellow was following all underground cable work via radio readings.  Sometimes the trail followed for short spurts and sometimes for longer.  All of the reading were automatically recorded on a mapping system in his equipment.

  He was really interesting and didn’t mind the break.  The longest reading without a break was around the Fulda area . . . 20 miles.  He went on to say it would be a short day for him as his grandpa was celebrating his 100th birthday tomorrow in Lamberton.  His grandpa came out of the service to WWII where he was an interpreter being able to speak fifteen different languages.  He went on to learn two more and still lives in his own home, of course with a nurse that checks with him every day.  Can you just imagine the amount of family members that will come together?  That visit just lifted my spirits for the day and the fellow said it felt good sharing it.

  I am a very curious grammie

  Dennis is checking his eyelids for cracks.  A cool cloudy day for it.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:31 pm on June 10, 2026 Permalink  

  Waiting! 

  Waiting for the cold front to move in that has been forecast.

  Today our tree man came to take care of the huge Hackberry limb.  The tree now does look balanced.  Making sure the portion that landed on Jan and Randy’s yard was cleaned up good.

  The studio work went well today.  The cooler basement air felt good after being outside for a spell.

  Nothing exciting happening here today and that is just fine with me.  Who knows what will pop up tomorrow.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:49 pm on June 9, 2026 Permalink  

  Decisions 

  It is my belief that when Minnesota weather turns to hot and humid, those that can, adjust for the duration and exposure.  Look who is talking.  There are two vulnerable older ones having the wonderful benefit of not being outside. 

  From this forenoon to mid-afternoon, the fellows working with the new cable company have been out in the full sun.  They all have had water bottles every so many feet in the grass of the blvd.

  During Monday night with a shower of rain driven by a burst of wind, I will need to re-apply my ant powder dust along the foundation of the house.  KNUJ mentioned possible storms during the evening hours.  I’ll take a wait and see.

  I do have a studio project going that needs to be fully finished.  It has been dragging on too long.  I have been doing the conveyor belt on the project . . . completing one step on the individuals in total and then moving on.  Step five went well this morning.  Working on the church tables that are two bricks higher than the original height . . . I did well until my back said it was time to shut it all down.  There is always tomorrow.

  With that I will take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 2:41 pm on June 8, 2026 Permalink  

  Summer Days 

  This latest spell of Minnesota warm and humid weather has felt more like the middle of July.

  A long time ago, when our rural School District #34 let out for the summer, it felt like freedom.  As long as Calvin, Michael and I got done what mom and dad needed us to do . . . we actually had the freedom to do what we wanted.  We were outside from the time we got up to the time when supper was done and then back outside.

  The three of us had huge imaginations.  There was a fenced in pasture south of the house that ran right up to the gravel township road.  In our spare time, dad had suggested we could clean up that area as there would be no young stock fenced in there.  As we toiled getting the partially-buried fence out of the dirt, we made a game of it.  We imagined a would-be park.  It made the hard work fun.

  In between the boys helped out with cattle and hog chores.  My chores were the chickens and weeding in the garden that was north of this soon-to-be park.  There was always a large garden and always a lot of weeds that wanted to take over the rows of vegetables.

  Today, the 8th of June, 2026, thinking back we never minded the hot humid weather.  Every day rolled into the next and there was no thought of being anywhere else, but home.  We were grubby dirty farm kids living the good life with not a care in the world.

  Today, on this 8th day of June, seventy years later, I am living the good life in my home with not a care in the world.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:52 pm on June 7, 2026 Permalink  

  Muggy 

  It’s a muggy feeling day.

  Hackberry trees have huge limbs that stretch out far.  Neighbor Jan visited this morning to let us know the north such reaching limb broke off of our tree.  It is laying just east of Randy’s LP tank.  I texted our tree man to let him know we will be in need of him.  Let him know where the project was and ask him to put us on his list.

  After taking in the church service on KNUJ of the Grace Lutheran Church, I decided to hit some items on the first floor.  Laundry baskets grow without any prompting.  I remember mom taking dad’s chambray blue shirts each night and hanging them up in the basement laundry to make sure they dried out before stuffing them all together.  Yes, dad sweat profusely.  While doing a load on the small side, it was good to do the ceramics in the bathroom.

  There is no schedule for housework here on Stauffer.  A hit and miss works.  If I see it, it will get done.  There are times when I have looked but have not seen what was needed.  That seeing and looking bit can happen with a boatload of items.

  We trimmed a few branches on the north side of the house that were able to give Tom a swat in the face while mowing.  It’s tidy, tidy when property is owned.  The acre got a spray job during this last week from Spring Touch for weeds and grubs.  The grass is getting heavy and that will prevent weeds from getting a start.

  Leftovers for supper this evening.  It may be hot beef commercials that can be made from last night’s supper.  Oh my gosh.  That was one of dad’s favorites if a restaurant was offering it.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥