The extensive city street work is ground to a halt due to all the rains. As I was driving home from the Old Alley Quilt Shop this early afternoon, I could have sworn the sun was going to break through. Nope, it was more rain showers that nudged it into the background. I had hit a lucky streak of 50 minutes when I had suited up for my walk right before twelve noon. Yup . . . winter coat, heavy slacks, cap and mittens over the gloves. One of these days when I can head out in just a light cotton shirt I will more than likely feel naked.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Cold, rain and winds kept me in the kitchen this morning. I enjoy opening the refrigerator and having options in regard to what can be put out for a light meal. Not all meals are meat, potatoes and “what’s for dessert.” Three pounds of thick sliced bacon baked out will keep in the refrigerator for some time to be used in either salads, sandwiches or additions to meat dishes and hot-dishes. While the oven was working its magic a box of strawberries were diced. They work on cereal, yogurt or on ice cream. Dennis does enjoy strawberries. my go-to snack is a boiled egg or egg salad. We do go through a lot of eggs and onions.
The entire time I was in the kitchen we had on the RFD television channel. They were featuring the state of Washington and all of the varieties of cherries they raise. My memories went back to our round oak kitchen table with six pair of feet under the table of Raymond and Lena. We never went hungry. If it could be butchered or canned . . . we had it. One of the dessert treats was when Mom would bring up a quart jar of canned Bing Cherry sauce. They were quite expensive when bought by the crate and the season for canning cherries was short. You can only get so many cherries into a quart jar, and when there are six sauce dishes on the table for Mom to divvy up, not all is always equal. Calvin, Michael and I would make the mistake of counting the cherry pits that would be left in each of our dishes and, oh, course, we had to compare to see who had had the most of this wonderful treat. It angered my Dad to the degree that he would literally rise out of his chair. Times like that I thought his arms were six feet long. One of the three of us would get cuffed and demeaned, reminding us that we never had gone hungry and there was no threat of it happening. Ya, kids can be petty.
By two this afternoon the rain had let up. I suited up with my winter jacket, cap, gloves and mittens to head out for my walk. It was 42 degrees with it feeling like 34 with a brisk wind. When I got home the coffee went great with a good helping of fresh egg salad lofted to my mouth on some whole grain chips. Yum.
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Noreen
I am in between projects this afternoon. It was fantastic to walk this morning with no cap and just a light jacket with a pair of gloves noticing that the wind was from the southeast. Perhaps the mittens can be stored. The cold storage warehouse was mowing their lot with a zero-turn mower that was huge. A bit farther down the county road the caretaker was mowing the two large cemeteries that lay side by side. Now that took me back. Right back to our family taking care of the St. John’s Lutheran property in downtown South Branch. The school grounds were included in the mowing as well as the ball field. Wow. We did a great job of the mowing as well with the halter-held trimmer that was used around each cemetery stone. All four of us took pride in how the property was manicured. Years later, I feel pride and satisfaction in how Dennis and I keep our acre tidy.
Dennis is in charge of a great chicken casserole for supper, giving me a chance to begin the third of the peach quilts for great granddaughter Bella. I would be so lost without my two church tables in my sewing studio. The backing gets taped down, back side up. I do use a basting spray on the backing and then gently apply the batting. The ultimate: no wrinkles in either one. Just a light spray of basting spray on the batting and down goes the top, right side up. After a good application of the three layers I just sit back and look at it. Each time I go through this process I give thanks that I can do what I do in the manner that it needs to be done in. With my history of surgeries and replacement parts, it could have gone either way. Gotta love a willing spirit. I sure do.
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Noreen
This morning when I got out of bed I had decided that with the temp at 34, feeling like 22 with a 24 mph northwest wind, it was too nasty to walk my two miles. I piddled around picking up the house, made beds and did a quick check of items to put on a grocery list. Before I realized it, I had the mittens out, my walking shoes were on and I was suited up with a slathering of face lotion to protect from the wind. It may be true that it takes six weeks for an action to become a habit. I like it. I like it a lot.
A trip to the big town and I am pooped. JoAnn Fabrics is the worst place to get service. A massive store with less than enough help to move merchandise. “Yes, I want 3.5 yards of batting” and “No, I am not willing to splice 2.3 yards to 1.2 yards to make the 3.5 yards.” Clerk: “We are instructed to use each roll up as it is sold off.” My reply, “I may not need any at all.” I did get my 3.5 yards in one cut. Now, in the quiet of my sewing studio, I can cut the yardage in half to do the last two peachy quilts. UGH!
Our pantry has our “often used” products on the shelves in the basement pantry. We did have a late lunch at Culver’s and we have agreed that supper is not needed nor warranted. Our road date was successful. We are the happy content ones on Stauffer Avenue.
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Noreen
I have come to enjoy my walking experience. At the onset each day it feels like I have a tube of wet sand strapped to my lower back from side to side. After several blocks the ole body realizes I am not going to give in and it relaxes and decides to enjoy the time. Arthritis needs to be exercised or it will become nestled into the joints much like the calcium that can accumulate around water faucets until the original faucet isn’t even recognizable.
Many decades ago small children might have had a pull toy made with the likeness of an animal printed on lightweight wood. It had a circular wheels that had multiple pairs of feet printed on the wheels. As the child pulled the toy the wheels went around and around making it appear that the feet were in constant movement forward to keep up with the child that was towing the toy. As I get my stride going, traveling the county road during my walk, I feel much like that toy. An inner strength is thrusting me forward and my feet just keep going and going. Hey . . . ya gotta do whatever it takes to stay motivated.
At a point on my return to home, once I can see through the backyards and the bathroom window on the east side of our home I seem to be able to pick up a bit of steam as I round the corner of the county road onto our street. I know that there is hot coffee waiting to enjoy while I cool down. Yup, it was a good 40 minutes spent. Megan was right, Grammie can do it.
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Noreen
Though we had our outdoor work done as of yesterday, it was hard not to find something to be outside for today. A day of sun with little breeze. Ya, you got it. Perfect to sit on the back patio reading for a bit, watching birds fly by and an occasional squirrel giving the cats a fit. At five this afternoon, the sun went down and it cooled off indicating that tomorrow may be a day of getting rain. That would prove to be a good time to get back into the sewing studio and continue making strides with projects under way. If our week remains as calm as the calendar looks today . . . sweet.
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Noreen
Tomorrow has been set as the day that the lawnmowers will be humming here on Stauffer Avenue. Dennis had all three of them running in the driveway this morning. My part of the plan is the front yard, Stauffer’s boulevard and around the house. The bagger is on the push mower and I know dang well I will not be able to take a full swath. It is green. It is thick. It will be seen if I still have what it takes to restart the mower after each time the bagger is emptied. I don’t trust myself to do it any other way. I have had a sideways pull on the cord that has worked in seasons prior. Time will tell.
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Noreen
The rain has not stopped construction here in town. As I headed east on the county road for my walk it was misting. Misting enough that the gravel trucks had their wipers on as they pulled into the city lot with a mixture of gravel, rocks and perhaps asphalt.
I was not the only one on a mission this morning. Snuggles, the sneaky quiet cat had found a rabbit’s nest. Being patient enough, and more to the point fast enough, that he snared a baby rabbit and wham . . . had it into the patio porch before Dennis realized what was going on. Of course, the rabbit was fair game for playing with it just always several steps ahead of Dennis. Now the real question . . . where in the garage did Snuggles leave it? Will there be a squeak or a smell in time to come?
Rest assured there is no shortage of what the cat’s can get into. It reminded both Dennis and me as to what happened to the key chain that had hung from the motorcycle in the garage. It’s on a green and black fob. We were very lucky to have had a spare that was locked away. One of these days us older ones here on Stauffer will have to get down and low . . . way low and look under cabinets. In reflecting, Harriet would be the one that would have played with it, watching it swing from side to side until it had enough momentum to fall off onto the floor. We have seen her in action with some of the toys in the porch. It’s in her mouth and away she goes with her treasure. Dang kids!
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Noreen
Sad Day
It is a sad day when your 1989 jar of High Point by Folgers instant coffee is . . . empty. I bought the jar when Mom and Dad would stop in and a hot cup of coffee would hit the spot with cookies. It was good to the last drop. The Supreme Roast will have to do. What? $7.49 for less than 8 oz!
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Noreen
The Easter Bunny almost worked his tail off here on Stauffer Avenue. As each of the great grands came for a visit they had an Easter Basket that Grandpa had made up. Megan and Nicholas had to work for their’s yesterday on their scavenger hunt. Today Jamisen came across the street bringing some fresh eggs from his grandma’s farm. Jamisen went home with a bag of goodies. Not to worry there are still plenty of goodies for the ole Easter Bunny. It’s like the old saying, “You never put all your eggs in one basket.”
This afternoon when all the company was gone, Dennis headed to the laundermat with what would promise to be two loads of rugs from the weekend and perhaps a few from the late winter we had been holding on to. Dennis uses the huge front load machines that can take heavy loads and what would grind our stackable to a halt. It was muddy before the rains that came on Saturday and of course no one was told they couldn’t play out in the yards when the day turned into blue skies and sun. While Dennis was gone the floors were mopped from one end to the other and, of course, Dennis’ patio porch was vacuumed. Nothing vacuums up better than dry mud. What the heck, even the basement carpeted steps needed a once over, and that lead to the basement floor. I think I have it pretty well made for housework this next week.
The end of the day is near and we are two content “older ones on Stauffer.” Dennis and I wish that for everyone.