Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from July, 2017 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 4:08 pm on July 30, 2017 Permalink  

  Anyone noticing some blue haze or smoke coming from the southwest portion of the state, be not afraid. Puzzling through things that need to be taken care of is not easy in the decision making process. One of this or a half dozen of that, what is the best way to go. Well . . . we have decided. We are going to have vinyl basement windows custom ordered. Every two years we struggle to get the interior four wooden basement windows off to release the exterior wooden windows for new primer and exterior paint. Without fail, there is bare wood waiting to be taken care of. It may sound good that there are vinyl windows awaiting purchase at Home Depot or such places, but our home is an older home with basement window sizes that are not a usual and customary size.

  Complete Basements of Mankato has done a lot of work in our home putting in the entire perimeter tiling system in our basement. Because of that project our dry basement almost doubles the square footage of our home for full utility here on Stauffer Avenue. I checked and they will work with us for our four windows at the size that they currently are. We may very well retain the interior windows as we have now. Dennis and I are not prejudging the process. We just know it’s time to face the fact that being at the age we are and hope to continue to attain, we will enjoy that one item not to worry about.

  Well now . . . I can tell you what will happen in conjunction with this window project. Me! It’s time I go through my sewing studio, which dang near takes the entire basement, and sift sort and perhaps pitch a few items. It’s time, it’s due. Each project finished in the sewing studio always leaves a few items not put back where they belong. I will be surfacing often for coffee.

  Not to worry, I have a project for Dennis. He will be preparing the exterior of the octagon window in our bathroom for new primer and exterior paint. That wooden window is maintained on a regular basis. The job jar never seems to be lacking of things to keep us busy.

   
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  Noreen 7:00 pm on July 27, 2017 Permalink  

  Well shuckie darn. After all the stitching, trimming and ya, even ripping out some seams, it was time for the Merry Maid to put in some time. Without fail threads and small pieces of fabric trimmings find their way . . . everywhere. The thankful thing is that there is no carpeting in the house. It was a good day of tidy, tidy.

   
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  Noreen 5:57 pm on July 24, 2017 Permalink  

  I am the go to person when it comes to using what is at hand and then using it until it is gone. Leftovers of food are appreciated as a quick meal that can be put together. I come from a long line of frugal people and am quite pleased about that.

  Dennis and I were in Mankato today. As we were heading for home we were on the street that happens to run along the back side of Walmart. I could not believe my eyes. I always wondered about all the products within large stores, small stores, hometown stores and box stores. Today I saw with my own eyes. There were large dumpster boxes lined up. Dumpster boxes can be seen anywhere and everywhere. What I had not ever been privy to was a train of grocery carts loaded with products lined up waiting to be emptied into dumpster boxes. There were several individuals standing as if supervising employees while the products from the grocery carts were being heaved and hoisted. It took me awhile to realize I was seeing gallon containers of milk being hoisted. Grocery carts in the train waiting to be unloaded held various sizes and colors of products. O.K. this must be reality for stores that have perishables. It really tugged at my heart strings that there was not a way for these products to be made available before “dumpster time.”

  There are no doubt rules, laws, guidelines that must be followed, but nonetheless, it made me very sad for all the waste. Employees may not be able to use those products under the stores policies. With all the red tape that has come about from lawsuits, donating is not allowed. I will continue being frugal within our own home and feel very proud when Waste Management picks up our trash bin and it holds the empty bottles, boxes and containers. I sure could have gone a long time before having to see with my own eyes the waste of our times.

   
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  Noreen 4:27 pm on July 22, 2017 Permalink  

  Well . . . you knew it would happen sooner or later. After three weeks it has been determined, by Dennis, that the acre needs to be mowed. After going through the northeast part of the acre this morning picking up branches from the Wednesday storm, I will agree with him. If nothing else it will level things off in the places that look a bit shaggy. What was interesting was how much deer scat there is on the east border of the acre where it is somewhat sheltered. Good for the deer to have found a safe place to rest as they move south towards the creek.

  With the storm of Wednesday, I would dare say if there were loose branches on high, and if those winds didn’t bring them down, they are all intact for some time to come. Tomorrow at this time all will be tidied up for the week to come.

   
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  Noreen 4:12 pm on July 21, 2017 Permalink  

  What in the world! We were not forecast to get more rain, but this morning, sure enough, this gal can’t do her morning walk as it is thundering, lightning and . . . raining. We have had about 3.75 inches within the last four days. Dennis and I did get one trailer full of wood taken off to the tree dump this afternoon. One more to go for tomorrow. How fortunate we are that we need to take the tree limbs only several miles to be rid of it. Dew points, humidity, stifling air, moisture running down window panes . . . I am not even going to go there.

   
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  Noreen 4:09 pm on July 20, 2017 Permalink  

  We are two content older folks after getting our yard whipped into shape after the storm of yesterday afternoon. As some of the spears of branches were driven into the dirt as the huge branch came down from on high, we were fortunate that none of those branches came down into the Koi pond with such force. Had that happened we would be out scoping out new homes for the eight Koi wondering where their pond had gone. A good workout was had. It could have been so much worse if the branch had hit the patio porch or the potting shed. Amen and thanks be to God.

   
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  Noreen 2:39 pm on July 19, 2017 Permalink  

  Several lightening strikes and then followed by the crack of the thunder shook us to the core this afternoon. We ran errands around town at noon and the air was stifling. Something was bound to give. The rain, when it came, came sideways for a time. There will be no need to add water to the Koi pond as it is running over onto the patio. Dennis has reported that son-in-law Tom will be needed with his chainsaw later on as the Maple lost a pretty good sized branch. We can be thankful that the clean up of smaller branches is very doable. Minnesota summers can give huge, large, noisy thunderstorms.

   
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  Noreen 3:51 pm on July 18, 2017 Permalink  

  Not much going on today. A bit of needed rain and a whole lot of humidity with high temps. I did miss getting my walk in this morning. About the time I was going to head out, the thunder and lightening made me settle into the rocking chair in the patio porch and watch the news program with Dennis. After the rain I knew that with my propensity of building to a swift pace allowing my clothes to feel like I had walked into a shower the smothering air would not be healthy.

  The biggest achievement was Dennis getting the tailgate fixed on his little red pickup. As luck would have it the body shop fellow had a certain part that was needed and $50 later Dennis was home and happy that the pickup was up for full use.

   
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  Noreen 6:02 pm on July 16, 2017 Permalink  

  I spent several hours in the gardens this morning. A bit of weeding and a lot of watering with a refreshing spritz of water to wash the dust off of the leaves of the flowers. Going over the areas several times allowed the water to soak in rather than run off. Amazingly . . . one bug bit and I am quite sure it was a black nasty fly. As the heat climbed I headed for the sewing studio. By supper time the humidity had gone down enough that Dennis and I spent some patio time. Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 4:12 pm on July 15, 2017 Permalink  

  As promised . . . it is hot outside this afternoon with the laptop showing it to be 93 degrees. This morning, up until 11:30, there was a breeze and it was comfortable being outside on the patio.

  Dennis washed off the house yesterday afternoon and the streams of muddy water were amazing. Stauffer Avenue runs east and west along our home and it is gravel with a top layer of ground asphalt. Need I say more? Dennis and I had made a date for after supper last night. With the sun going down we manned ourselves with soapy buckets of water, brushes and enough garden hose to reach back to the potting shed that faces Stauffer Avenue. When we had a lot of rain there were puddles on the avenue and vehicles can splash mud and such very nicely onto the north sides of the potting shed and the garage. It was bad, it was very badly splattered. It doesn’t help matters that the garage is a mere six feet from the edge of the avenue. Stauffer Avenue is listed on city maps as an alley. Over time the well-traveled alley has widened out considerably, thus the mere six feet between the vehicles and our buildings. In short order our potting shed and garage were again bright white. No . . . it will not last, but taking care of our property keeps us on our toes. A cooling off period followed by showers and we called it a great evening.

  This evening we are going to enjoy a fish fry. Neighbor Chuck brought over a meal of Sun Fish. They love fishing and apparently he doesn’t mind filleting them. The fish plus creamed onions and cucumbers will make a wonderful meal.