Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from December, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:51 pm on December 2, 2024 Permalink  

  Monday December 2nd 

  2024 is fleeting by with December right in our faces.  If I wanted anything done by the end of this year, I have very few days left to accomplish it. 

  The agenda for the day was Dennis’ PT appointment.  The tight muscles below the new hip need to be worked.  When Dennis came home, he commented on the strength in Dan’s hands.  

  I know Dennis is recovering in good stead when he called his friend Dwayne for a road trip.  Those two haven’t been together since the end of September.  I encouraged it as my agenda was laundry and cleaning the bathroom.

  I did work in a bout of sanding on the old wooden trunk.  The lid to the trunk was tackled today.  I only do until the arms tell me . . . enough.  The front of the trunk has yet to have any sanding done to it.  Many metal grommets to work around as well as the metal attached buckles that had held leather straps to keep the trunk closed.  If only tales could be told.  Perfection is in the eyes of the beholder . . . mine.  I know perfection is not to be had with this project.  Allowing this cleaned up wooden trunk to shelter someone’s passion of items is all that I anticipate.

  The school bus drops a group of kids off at 3:30 each day across the street.  We did get an inch of snow overnight.  Enough snow for the kids to try and manage throwing snow at each other.  The snow is so dry, but I am sure, still feeling the wet of it as it gets shoved down the necks of the winter jackets.  Yup, kids are the same as in my younger days.

  The road-trip boys made their rounds.  First stop was Miller-Sellner in Sleepy Eye.  Each fall they get the latest of the Heston belt buckles from a rodeo that Heston sponsors.  Dennis’s collection started with the first in 1974.  His second belt buckle case has room for only one more buckle, the 2025 one.  A new case will need to be commandeered.  Dennis grandson, AJ, made the second case for grandpa.  I hope he kept the schematics.  The trip wound its way to New Ulm and then all points northwest towards home.  Dennis mentioned having fish sticks at the Cassey’s in Sleepy Eye.

  We are having a tube of Pillsbury Grand baked biscuits with Dinty Moore Stew over them.

  There are light and fluffy snowflakes in the air.  Too bad there is no sun to shine through them.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:36 pm on December 1, 2024 Permalink  

  A Cold Morning 

  A cold morning to test anyone’s worth.

  I had no worth to test only to ride this cold spell out.  We did have furies over the evening.  With the wind the drive was soon down to bare concrete.

  I spent the earliest of the morning enjoying good rich coffee in my bedroom porch.  After the second cup, I decided to spend some time in the studio.  I am getting the hang of the sander.  Being a wise person, I worked with it for a half hour.  I cleaned it up and out and perhaps tomorrow a bit more of the old wood trunk will sanded.

  This afternoon, I watched YouTubes on old trunks that were re-purposed.  I am on the right track getting the surface ready to be sealed.  I took the time to check where more sanding pads could be ordered.  The sander has an attachment that allows for the width of a finger to be put on to take in very minute areas to be sanded.  As those additional pads were not in any of the replacements to order, I will not use those until the very end of this step of cleanup, saving them for where they really will be needed.

  Megan and I texted back and for forth this morning.  She had flown to Eden Prairie for Thanksgiving to be able to renew her driver’s license.  She was back home by last night.  The boarding was just a tad bit slower as her renewal for her license was now just a piece of paper.  Megan made it just fine.  Megan will be 21 tomorrow on my mom’s birthday.  Sweet.

  We are having Tilapia fillets pan fried with a side of boiled potatoes and green beans for supper. 

  Dennis has PT in the morning.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:17 pm on November 30, 2024 Permalink  

  Hello! 

  I stand firm in thinking the cold is a fair trade-off of the snow that is hitting in so many unusual places.  I can always dress warmer and within reason raise the thermostat.

  I was wrong yesterday when I commented that my sander had not arrived.  When Dennis went out for his last cigarette of the day it was on the bench outside.  I unboxed the goodies and that is where it stayed.

  My goal for this morning was to go to the grocer’s.  Before that could happen AJ from Mankato was here to visit grandpa and his pickup was in the drive.  I knew I could shop any time.

  Last Saturday the heat bulb burned out in the bathroom.  AJ and grandpa went up to Fleet Farm, purchased a box that had two bulbs in it and AJ didn’t even need to stand on tip-toes to use one of them for the replacement.  The second is in the bunk-house closet.

  Dennis had asked me to engrave a small plate with Jeff’s name on it.  The one I had done pleased Dennis and AJ affixed that to a spot on the saddle that Jeff had won in the all-around rodeo in 1983.

  Next in order for AJ, Dennis asked him to take his propane burner and burn the dead from under the back Hackberry tree and also under the huge Maple tree off of the east patio.  Even with the rain we had had, surprisingly much was burned.  Not all of it under the lilac was torched, but enough that satisfied grandpa.

  Then . . . it was off for me having Dennis to chauffer me to the grocer’s.  A bit of that and a bit of this made for a good haul.  The large can of the Campbell’s Bean and Ham soup hits the spot every once in a while.  Three cans went into the cart.  A container of Cookies and Cream ice cream topped off the check-out.  Dennis has one York Peppermint candy bar each night after supper.  That is his grocery item to get into the refrigerator.

  Alas, I took my sander and hit the studio.  Reading the instructions backwards and forwards, I attached a sanding pad to the Velcro base, lining up the airholes so the dust could go into the attached collector bin.  I stayed with it for only a short time, sanding off some of the back of the trunk and some of one end.  Hmm.  The old Filter Queen’s nozzle fits almost perfectly to the opening of the collector bin.  Enough for the first time.  With all of the metal grommets and metal straps . . . not to worry.  Some elbow grease with sandpaper in hand will be needed.  This short bout really took many hand strokes off.

  Hot pork sandwiches for supper.  Always a good thing to have something in the freezer to pull out. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:27 pm on November 24, 2024 Permalink  

  I Checked 

  I checked twice if we had rain in the forecast.  Nope.  It’s just a very gray day with heavy air.

  I have a test going in the studio in regard to the old wood trunk.  With stubborn glue residue, I check on line.  Either Goo Gone or Goof-off might work.  As I had both in the cistern closet I proceeded.  On each corner, about an area of 3 x 3, each on one of the ends of the trunk, I applied a test.  I made sure not to mix the two.  Letting it set, it will be interesting to see if those test areas give results.  It was also mentioned to use mineral spirits . . . that I did not have.

  In the meantime, I have a kettle of potatoes ready to be boiled for our supper.  I have a colander of eight peeled and deveined shrimp to be sautéed in the frypan with butter.  I have not often fixed them, but Dennis had a request.

  Both of the vehicles have been run through the car wash up town.  Dennis wanted to get them washed and back in the garages where they then dry off.  It was a good thing to get done.

  In between time I am stitching on a small project.  It’s not beyond believing if my counting gets screwed up and I need to pick out more stitches than I put in.  Oh well. 

  Not much traffic out this afternoon.

  Last Monday it was the cardiologist that saw Dennis and gave him clear sailing.  Tomorrow morning it will be the orthopedic doctor in Mankato to read the x -rays that Dennis had here in St. James.  Hopefully we can bid the Mankato appointments a goodbye.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 4:06 pm on November 23, 2024 Permalink  

  Saturday the 23rd 

  Damp weather out.  I checked and there is no rain coming for our area.

  Our tree dump is still open as evident of all the trailers and pickups heading north with their goodies.

  Dennis reported that when he took his little red pickup for a jaunt around town today, he had to do a drive into and around our acre.  I need to stop calling it the blue barn acre.  I think it would be better calling it our park acre.  We did an amazing amount of work this year to get it looking quite spiffy.  Dennis even gave Kevin the tour of the park when they were here several weeks ago to help Dennis get the outside items buttoned up.  If all goes well with us, 2025 will see a few more trees taken down so the driveway off of the Hammond highway is a bit easier.  Our tree-man, Ryan, said to give him a shout when we need him.

  My buttoning up was getting the old black office chair in from the front deck.  The chair had served me well this last season as breakfast coffee in the mornings was enjoyable out on the deck.

  I have put in my time in the studio working on the old trunk.  Under the paper that I am taking off is the rough wood that I can easily see the etchings of a saw.  The cover of the trunk shows better lumber.  The metal bands holding the trunk have done a darn good job.

  Our supper is going to be frozen waffles and frozen breakfast sausages.  

  The freshly-laundered flannel sheets guarantee good sleeping conditions for this night.

  I am saving some hand stitching for this evening that I will work on under the magnified light.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:52 pm on November 19, 2024 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 19th 

  The wind is really whipping it up from the north.  

  My bedroom porch is always grateful to have a huge evergreen type bush on the northwest corner of my porch.

  I believe we had 1.5 inches of rain.  The drought monitor should be having a better reading this Thursday.

  My studio time is showing progress.  I have undertaken cleaning up an old trunk.  It is not a job for the faint of heart.  Slow, very slow.  The exterior has shown signs of having an oil-cloth glued-on finish.  Some is good, some is not so good.  It matters not.  I have been mulling this project over for some time.  I can only imagine the rough treatment this trunk has had.  My objective is to allow it a new life being used as storage of items that have an emotional attachment.  We all know those items are handled carefully.

  The stitching project I had been working on for some time is now in a frame.  It was a 16″ x 16″ frame that was in my stashes of items in the cistern closet.  Gotta love those dry storage areas.  From my perspective this is my sampler giving a bit of my thoughts and my earmarks along the way.  I never knew what the end pattern would be until I had one item was finished and then thought about what would be stitched next.  It was a thoughtful project.

  I am now on to doing a few smaller pieces of stitchery from the cherry red sewing chair in my bedroom porch.  I have a new book that is getting very interesting.  Dennis watches murder mysteries on television and I choose to read about them.

  I am going to be trying a new oven dish for supper using raw cubed chicken tenderloins and the pre-bagged shredded potatoes.  The topping is shredded mozzarella in a bowl stirred in with some mayo and a host of seasonings and that is spread over the top.  What’s not to like with an oven dish on this blustery day. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:50 pm on November 18, 2024 Permalink  

  Weather 

  And the weather is turning.

  The rain was promised and sure enough it is here.  The air is chilling and hitting the arthritis hard.

  Quite the difference this morning for me.  I was up at 5:30, having coffee ready for Dennis by six.  His PT was at 6:45 this morning.

  Once I am up, I most likely will remain as such for the day.  After two cups of coffee Dennis was back home.  Dan Kern the PT guy is also a wound doctor.  The incision from Dennis’ hip surgery needed additional TLC from Dan.   One spot always kept weeping.  Dan cleaned the area and the wound dressing he put on is to stay on even during showers until Dennis sees Dan next Tuesday.  Wonderful doctors so close to home.

  Dennis stopped at Casey’s after PT and brought home biscuits and gravy for us for a breakfast.  Dennis was wanting to try them for some time.  The review from Dennis was made in the comment that he was not impressed.  The biscuit was solid and not willing to soak up any gravy.  Now we know.

  I was in the studio when I got a call from nephew Eric.  He first asked me about how to go about getting the power of attorney over his dad’s affairs.  Here it was 11:30 on a Monday morning and he already had a unit of an assisted living nailed down for his dad in Cloquet.  The unit will be Calvin’s new home.  It must be a fairly large complex as Eric said the building his dad would be in had 16 units.  It was just two days ago, Saturday, when Calvin had been broached by Eric for a move from Decorah to the Duluth area.  Talk about swift plans being nailed down.  Cloquet is 25 minutes from where Eric lives.

  Eric was on his way back to Decorah and I have no doubt a U-Haul trailer will be backed up to Calvin’s mobile home by dark this evening.  Small kitchen stove and refrigerator in the unit and Calvin’s furnishings that he chooses.  Calvin told me yesterday his landlord would inherit what he would leave behind.

  I am so pleased for Calvin and even more so for Eric.  Jason does over-the-road wide load hauls.  With the interstate right at Cloquet, Jason may well be able to have a load in the vicinity and get an Uber to see his dad. 

  Yippee . . . leftover Chicken pasta dish from last night.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥ 

   
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  Noreen 2:58 pm on November 17, 2024 Permalink  

  Oh Happy Day 

  Yesterday I mentioned I would call my brother in these next days and feel him out as to the visit his son Eric had made to him.

  Calvin called me this morning and shared with me that Eric had visited.  Calvin wanted me to know that in the not too distant future he would be living somewhere in the Duluth area.  I believe Calvin was relieved to have this move be in the works.  Calvin wasn’t concerned if it would be in an apartment or in an assisted living.  One of his comments were that when you hear a bell ringing find out what the message of it is.  Definitely growth on Calvin’s part.

  I visited three different projects I have going in the studio today.  Spending a little bit of time on each as the thought process is in gear.

  The sun is streaming into my bedroom porch this afternoon, almost making it hard to do this blog.  “Oh let the sunshine in, face it with a grin.  Smilers never lose ——-.”  Amazing how small ditties flutter in and out of my mind.

  Dennis went shopping this afternoon to one of the two dollar stores.  For a dry throat or perhaps a habit, Dennis likes Lemon Drops.  Yup, they can cause the throat to constrict.  From the looks of the plastic bag on the table, he may well have bought all they had on hand.  It’s not uncommon that the store cannot get them in.  Dennis is well set for Lemon Drops.  

  I have a container out of the freezer for supper.  It is a chicken oven pasta with carrots dish.

  The day seems to be flying.  In part it may be due to the fact that when Calvin called I was still in bed . . . sound asleep at 10 a.m.  Hmm.  No explanation needed, it must have been needed.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:39 pm on November 15, 2024 Permalink  

  I Spy 

  I spy with my new glasses what had been a-miss.

  When the eye clinic called that my new glasses were in, I was very surprised by the swiftness of it all.

  Immediately,  I knew there would be a period of adjustment.  I have worn no-line bifocals for quite a few years after giving up the contacts.  Glancing down was like the first time when the floor met me up close and personal.  No reading or stitching today.  The peepers will have a quiet day.

  I decided to spend time in the studio.  I have had additions in the studio.  Several years ago, neighbor Jan brought over two old trunks from her attic.  From her attic to our potting shed.  This last week I decided to either do something to utilize them as clean storage or burn them.  Hello studio . . . come on down.  I have thought long and hard about this project.  I am going to tackle the smallest one first . . . but not today.

  I am still in the “taking it easy mode” for today allowing for a lot of ruminating.  The arms need a bit of TLC from shopping at Sam’s on Wednesday and doing the sewing machine yesterday.  My first line of defense in the studio will be using my studio vacuum.   Many commercial stores or shops had garbage bins that the circular bottom fit and sat securely on a base that was embellished with a circular raised area that meshed perfectly with the garbage bin.  The huge base has five casters that roll very easily.  We actually have two bases that were in one of the houses that we demolished years ago.  If it rolled and might come in handy, they were saved.  Dennis totally cleaned one of the units up and that is now in the studio with the smallest chest on it.  As I decide going forward the rolling unit will make it easier rather then having the chest sit flat on the floor and man-handing it.  Working smarter rather than harder.

  Tomorrow is our haircut day and pedicures.  Dennis missed out last month as he was in the Pleasant View facility.  Seeing Maria is always a treat as I come home feeling pampered. 

  We are having baked potatoes and canned beef for supper.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:29 pm on November 14, 2024 Permalink  

  Yuk Fog 

  This morning, I headed out of town at eight, heading towards Bird Island.

  Amanda’s husband Kelly is the ace Bernina man.  Their shop in Bird Island services only Bernina sewing machines.  Yes, in a pinch he won’t leave some little grandma in a lurch but he doesn’t carry parts for other makes and models if its more than a tangled thread issue.

  The fog wasn’t the heaviest I have ever driven through but it was not to be taken for granted either.

  The quick stop in Fairfax was just that.  Kevin’s shop was busy and I wanted and needed to get home.  I have had a very busy week for this Grammie.  But now . . . there is nothing beyond our little town that I will need to venture out in after snow and ice decides to make an appearance.  What a great feeling.

  When I got home Dennis was waiting for me.  Dennis had made it out to the patio porch using his walking cane.  Leaving the walker for a bit, the legs strengthen. 

  Dennis took the sewing machine out of the back of the car and set it in the entry going down to the studio.  After I had a cup of coffee, I took it down the steps and into the studio.  It is easier for me to take the machine literally one step at a time going backwards keeping my center point of gravity leaning forward.  All 70 pounds of the beast in on its table, plugged in and ready for what I can do.  If I can imagine it, I can make it happen according to my rules, my tolerances and likes.

  The remainder of the week is quiet.  I am looking forward to it.  Not too long ago, I could have gone full bore for days on end with boundless energy.  No more.  I do stretch myself with my activities.  Having to concentrate on what I am asking the body to do, darn it, it zaps the energy a bit more than I would like it.  So what!  Getting done what is needed is satisfying and gives independence for a bit longer.  Get done what is needed and tomorrow morning I may sleep beyond eight . . . or not.

  As it happens, I have a Hy-Vee prepared supper dish that I purchased on Tuesday when I was in New Ulm.  We are having Orange Chicken with soy sauce over brown rice accompanied with buttered toast.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥