Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from January, 2018 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 5:24 pm on January 29, 2018 Permalink  

  Mills Fleet Farm has been in Mankato for several years. Today, Dennis and I checked it out. One word . . . huge. Dennis tried out the motorized cart and got into all corners for a peek. What did I find? 100% cotton dish towels of the same quality and size as to what the old feed sacks were from days of old. Squared and hemmed, they will be fun to work with and see what stitches they will be sporting in times to come. It didn’t hurt that Mills had Circus Peanuts as well.

  We came back to St. James in time to vote. When there was an unexpected resignation in the House of Representatives for this portion of the state, it called for campaign calls, mailers, etc. Voted once today for a choice of one in a possibility of three candidates and then on Monday the 29th, we will vote again. Did it. Got that one done. The “I Voted” sticker fell off my jacket when I got into the house and that thing fluttered to the floor. I still have a portion of the back of it that is stuck to the floor and stuck good. No good deed goes unpunished.

   
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  Noreen 5:01 pm on January 28, 2018 Permalink  

  A gray day for a Sunday. We were not expecting snow over the night hours. Out came the snow pusher . . . again. Yesterday towards evening Dennis watched deer navigate across out backyard. Of course today Dennis took me for a drive, right to Fleet and Farm for a mineral block to put in our backyard. Mineral block could not be found but . . . Deer Lick – Apple flavor.

  I had kidded Dennis that we would need a scoop shovel to put the block on and pull it to the spot where he wanted it. Naw . . . he was sure we could drive right up to the spot with the pickup. Hello! We had 12 inches of snow and how many times has the city gone down Stauffer with the blades making the snow fly? On the way home from Fleet Dennis picked up a something or other, it was not a scoop shovel. I got myself over the bank of snow using the something or other to steady myself. With the deep snow and having to keep the handle and the deer block level, it was just easier to do it the old fashioned way. I picked up the Deer Lick and headed north until I got to the spot where we hope the deer will find it. Yes, even in the flat area of our acre the snow was deep. On the bright side, I got a ride around our area and Dennis and I both enjoyed seeing where the deer had been making their trails. There are benefits living as close to rural acres as we do.

   
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  Noreen 6:15 pm on January 27, 2018 Permalink  

  In time to come when people talk about the “good old days” I am quite sure it will consist primarily about working through situations of cell phones, modems and any and all computers problems.

  Mediacom did have to resolve the problem with our land line phone. It was my joy to work with my HP Notebook consistently dropping the wireless printing option. No, I don’t print out a huge amount of items, but dag-nab-it I want it when I want it.

  Earlier in the week when I was contriving to embroider the fabric for the black 12 Days of Christmas, I must have screwed up something in the download of a design from the online site. Yes, I made sure that I had clicked the option that let me remove the USB stick safely. After that download I had lost 75% of the designs on my Bernina USB stick. With the phone issue fixed, the printer was printing, I had promised myself to get the USB problem resolved. I have all the designs saved in a folder in the File Explorer. I had been working with the HP Notebook and the USB flash drive in the living room acknowledging the message that the device was corrupt. I must have missed a prompt at that time. Even though I had tried it several times I did not see a prompt.

  I happened to be in the sewing studio this morning and sat down with the old Dell laptop with Windows 7. I inserted the USB stick and immediately there was a prompt that the device was corrupt, ya, I knew that. What popped up next was a prompt to “scan and restore.” You bet I clicked on that. I watched that green line move across the screen and I don’t think I blinked or took a breath. And then . . . there it was. Done. Totally scanned and restored. Amazing grace. I was leery but you betcha all the folders with all the designs within each folder were intact.

  That was it for me. The sewing studio was shut down for the day as I was content. My stuff was o.k.

   
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  Noreen 4:59 pm on January 26, 2018 Permalink  

  It was errand day in downtown St. James. I was surprised how messy the parking lots were with slush. Several cars were caught up in the slush to be stuck. I am sure it was a crapshoot as to whether the warm temps would take care of it or if it would pay to have someone come in and clear the area. I chose wisely where I parked.

  We are down to 11 days of getting Dennis into the pre-op scheme of things for his carotid surgery. Today, out of the blue, an RN nurse from the Veterans Health Care facility here in St. James called to check in on Dennis. Whenever I hear people bash the service that veterans receive form the VA health care service . . . I wonder who they are or where they’re from. Dennis has always had the highest regard for the gals out here in St. James.

  We are awaiting for a great “Dennis Hotdish” for supper. I am also keeping granddaughter Megan in my heart as she is entering competition in Duluth this weekend. When I texted her, I allowed her to know I had been practicing my lunges and would be right behind her on the ice. We love that gal.

   
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  Noreen 3:53 pm on January 22, 2018 Permalink  

  Dennis’ Pathway 

  

  It is so white and it is Dennis’ pathway to his patio porch. The snow is heavy and after nine hours it is still coming with a brisk wind from the north. My snow pusher doesn’t push very far and then it wants to roll it up like a Tootsie Roll. We have no need to be anywhere. Taking it slow and easy on Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 3:05 pm on January 21, 2018 Permalink  

  It’s Here 

  It’s here and I don’t mean the snow that is to come.  Nephew Brett unloaded a huge bag of what he said was scraps of batting.  Dennis went through the bag and I know I can and will be patching pieces together for some time to come.  Quilting is all about perspective and patience.  I have both of those nailed.  

  Right now it is 38 sunny degrees and we are prepared for what they say is coming.  They have been mistaken in the past.  We can only hope.  The front yard is totally free of snow as is the backyard.  Surprisingly all four cats are in the patio porch.  It is said that animals know better how to prepare for weather than humans.

  I have a huge kettle of soup on the burner.  Dennis came home from the Korean Veterans luncheon last month and commented on the hamburger sauerkraut soup he had had. Well . . . it is now on low heat simmering.  Time will tell.  I added some sautéed celery and sautéed yellow bell pepper, balsamic vinegar, black pepper and beef stock.  When Dennis gets up from his nap, he will no doubt give it a taste test and we will doctor it up from there.  

  Hmm . . . the sky to the southwest looks a bit different than the sky to the northwest.  It is a wait and see type of evening that we will have.

   
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  Noreen 5:24 pm on January 19, 2018 Permalink  

  You know it’s a great sunny warm day when Dennis leaves the east patio door cracked during the day to allow any of the four cats to escape and see if anything has changed in the back yard. Good times for them.

  We are seventeen days out from the pre-op for Dennis and the carotid surgery to then be set for the right side. Taking it one day at a time. There have been tell take signs that the 6th of February can’t come any too soon. What does a tell take sign consist of? Walking and talking as usual and then the tremors start in the left arm and follows down to the left leg as the leg wants to collapse and then it does. There is no sense that Dennis can work with my voice. We just wait it out and I try to make him comfortable. We are so thankful that thus far no broken bones during the collapse. I do believe the saving grace in regard to the bones is that his body is so limp it does protect him.

  The October 17 surgery on the left carotid artery that was blocked by 90% plus brought about great success. The right side that is blocked by 70% plus couldn’t be done any sooner than February as too much increased blood supply to the brain could very well cause a stroke or a heart attack. Dennis is ready to lay down and have it done even if it means “right now.” Needless to say we take each day as it comes and very thankful that we have “each day.” On the plus side, we haven’t lost our sense of humor, our appreciation of each other or seeing the good in each day: save the best and leave the rest.

   
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  Noreen 5:12 pm on January 18, 2018 Permalink  

  Sunny skies and we decided we needed to make a house call to Dennis’ nephew, Brett. He had been calling with questions on his quilting projects. I needed to see first hand what was in the works. Dennis was my chauffeur. Brett watches multiple YouTube videos and rewinds them as often as it takes for him to get the gist of the stitch. Brett’s wife Molly works at one of the banks in town. When Molly is home she has threatened to take the multiple rewinds and . . . well you get the idea. One of Brett’s issues were taken care of when Amazon delivered his order of sewing machine needles. 200 machine needles in size 16, and 200 machine needles in size 14. Yes, when a YouTube gives the tip of sewing over stick pins, he takes it as gospel. I must be tuned in to a different YouTube. When Uncle Creepy’s YouTube tip tells me it is a “No, No,” I listen. Brett does need to realize that the quilting projects that he is watching is time lapsed. It doesn’t go as fast in real life. Patience, patience is the best tool a quilter can use.

  It was good to get back home and settle in for some stitching on my own turf. I can suggest and I can advise and then we get along to Stauffer Avenue when time seems to stand still in our sewing studio. I say “our” as Dennis has picked up quite a few tips just quietly observing as he plays solitaire.

   
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  Noreen 5:25 pm on January 15, 2018 Permalink  

  Last night when I checked the weather for St. James on the Internet it was 20 degrees. I suited up and cleared off the driveway. As I was finishing the wind was coming up from the north. So be it! I had gotten the several inches taken care. I was hesitant to look out this morning as it was still blowing hard. As luck would have it the driveway was blown clear down to the concrete other than the short area where the house had sheltered the wind. Go figure. Bundling up it didn’t take long and we were again with a clear driveway.

  Mondays are usually a good day to run some laundry through. We are either the dirtiest or the cleanest old farts, or we just enjoy clean clothes. Yup . . . it’s the latter.

  This afternoon friend Renee came by for coffee. Renee worked with me in the courthouse for a very long time. She has since moved on to working at one of the banks here in town. Renee and Carrie graduated together. She knows she has a few years to work before she also can join the “hermit” classification. It was a fun afternoon, but man oh man, I drank way too much coffee. I think I will check the driveway and see if enough snow has blown in to shovel off to work off some of this caffeine before we fix supper.

   
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  Noreen 4:57 pm on January 12, 2018 Permalink  

  Dennis braved the cold today for a visit to our local meat market. There will be a batch of chili cooking tomorrow.

  This is the time of the year when I need to keep my cell phone charged. Dennis’ nephew Brett has put his concrete business to bed for a few months. That means that I am on his speed dial for questions in regard to his quilting. I give the man credit for developing a hobby. For Kevin and Jeremy they have skills and passions in all things within their homes. For fellows that have no desire for being a DIY (Do It Yourself), winter months can get long. I mentioned to Dennis today that helping Brett with his quilting has made me be a better quilter. How could I tell him how it should be done if I don’t spend a bit more time honing my own skills. We are both coming out winners. If not for my fuzz and threads, I would be crawling the walls with black ice kidding everywhere outside. These winds have really polished what had been on the path of melting earlier in the week.

  It is now near five in the afternoon and I do close up down here in my sewing studio every day about this time.