Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from April, 2019 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:11 pm on April 10, 2019 Permalink  

  Apricot Orange to Winter White 

  

  Yup . . . there is all that nitrogen laden snow for the grass seed that was put down yesterday. The Koi pond is up and already making bubbles.

  This morning when I awoke and toddled off to the bathroom, I stopped dead in my tracks.  Looking out the east bathroom window was the most glorious apricot orange in the east horizon.  The trees stood as black silhouettes standing guard over the morning.  It was about 6:20 a.m.  I had no more than gotten a glass of water drank and then went for my slippers.  The floor is always quite cold as the furnace thermostat is turned down to 60 degrees during the night. 

  The next time I looked up, the roof of the patio porch was totally white.  It was now 6:45 a.m.  Talk about a fast turn around in my morning.  It never did quit snowing.  Sometimes it was pellets, sometimes it was huge flakes, didn’t matter.  It kept on piling up.  Dennis was not a happy camper when he opened his eyes to welcome the morning.   Everything . . . and I mean everything was covered with snow.

  Life must go on and that included Dennis giving me a ride to my chiropractor appointment at 10:30.  The city streets were slippery and the windshield wipers had had a good workout.  That appointment was the most pressing thing we had on our agenda for the day and we slipped and slided home.

  I had not started anything in the sewing studio for some time and I knew the dust bunnies were just waiting for someone to come down and scatter a bit of fuzz and threads.  Starting a project . . . I take that back . . . planning what project to start is always the most difficult.  Dennis high tailed it out to the patio porch to watch a rodeo on the RFD rural television channel.   

  At some point I walked up the steps to peek out to see what was going on with the weather.  As I looked towards the patio porch, all I could see through the windows was the tail of a cat waving back and forth as it stood on the table.  I then realized that Honey Bunny was getting a good brushing from Dennis and quite enjoying it.  This time of the year, that winter coat has got to be thinned out.

  These next several days will allow everyone to realize, God and Mother Nature still are at the helm.  Us mere creatures just need to remain optimistic.

   
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  Noreen 5:21 pm on March 22, 2019 Permalink  

  Word Play 

  As I walked today I could feel my knees.  Where is that oil can when you need it!  I have an affliction and am disposed to not taking my knees for granted.  Some of my activity is needed to be checked as my affection for being active doesn’t seem to diminish.  Affliction and affection . . . so far apart in meanings but both are such a real part of my life. It’s totally up to me to make the best of balancing these two for a good run at self-care, a balanced life and a happy life.

   
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  Noreen 5:16 pm on March 11, 2019 Permalink  

  A day such as this is worse than… 

  A day such as this is worse than a blizzard.  At nine above this morning, the re-frozen slush is treacherous under-foot.  Wherever there has been snow scraped with a blade, it is a shear sheet of smooth ice.  Curling the toes does not help but it makes me feel like I am walking more carefully than not.  I have a mantra: “I will not fall, I will not fall.  My mission today was to get to the chiropractor with a side stop at the grocery store on the way home.  Then . . . home sweet home.

  Dennis was determined to make a trip to the Fleet Farm store this afternoon to check out their inventory.  As of today, Dennis is doing half-cracked corn and half alfalfa pellets for the deer.  It’s labeled as horse feed by the store.  It will be interesting to see if it pleases their fancy.  Our hope is that after our 100 lb. stash of goodies is gone, the deer will be able to forage on their own.  Southeast of our home there is a huge cover of trees, shrubs and the creek that they have used as their hideout.

  Using ice or heat on my neck and upper shoulders, I am taking it slow.  I have a target project, but it may not be tackled with as much gusto as I usually would.  This neck and shoulder issue needs to be taken seriously enough to allow for good range of motion.  It didn’t happen overnight and it’s not going to go away as quickly as I would like.  It all started last fall lugging around a weed whip.  There . . . that’s the rest of the story.  It will take some time before the snow is gone.  I am going to use this time do what is prescribed so I can enjoy all that the spring season has to offer.

   
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  Noreen 2:57 pm on March 8, 2019 Permalink  

  The Calm Before the Storm 

  It doesn’t matter what radio or television station I listen to, we are due for a storm that is to take from Saturday to Sunday. 

  Today . . . I enjoyed the calm and went for a walk down Stauffer Avenue to the east.  My friend, June, lives in the last home.  Have not caught site of her since Christmas.  June’s husband has been gone for just two years.  June has two sons that live here in St. James and they look after her for what she may need.  June worked right up until age 70 at the Swift Food processing plant north of us.  June is now 77. She walked to work each morning and again when her shift was over, she walked home.  June has never had a driver’s license.  I admire her to no end.  As we caught up with each other, she thought that perhaps with all the snow that will thaw, she may not put in a garden this spring.  Her home is quite on a hill compared to where her garden spot is.  I also commented that I was happy Kevin had tilled most of our backyard up in the fall, taking away the need to tend a huge flower garden that would be soggy for much of the spring. As I was getting ready to walk back home, we each were thankful for the snow each of us had moved this winter. Our legs were road ready for our walks.  Thinking back, some springs it took a while for our legs to acclimate for the lengthy walks.

  Coming back into the house, it smelled so good.  Using up the last of the roast pork, I had decided to make soup with it.  Mom used to make the best cabbage and potato soup ever.  Our soup consists of the left over pork roast, onions, carrots, potatoes and cut in fourths, brussel sprouts.  The sprouts are as close to cabbage as I had on hand.  Hearty and healthy, coming up for supper.

  The sewing studio is getting a break for several days to let the neck feel better.  Monday, if the weather permits, I am going back for another treatment.  Hey, I have insurance that covers it. I want to be free of the neck pain that does lead to a headache at the base of the skull.  Maybe it had to really hurt that bad for me to perhaps learn my lesson and slack off on that, that does do harm.  The sewing studio did see the stitched out pillow for Carrie’s auction event come into fruition before Dennis had gotten home.  The most difficult part of the project was stitching one side of the pillow closed with needle and thread in hand.  Yup, you would have thought that I was being held up by my fingers and wrists for the challenge it was.  Mobility in that regard is less than good.

  Before coming home yesterday, the last stop was the library.  A good choice of activity for my neck R & R.  We are ready for whatever happens when the calm turns to storm.

   
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  Noreen 4:59 pm on March 5, 2019 Permalink  

  Dennis came up from the basement a bit… 

  Dennis came up from the basement a bit ago and asked how long it would take for me to get ready to go dancing.  Ya right!

  With the snow raking having been done yesterday, our patio was filled with packed snow.  I took the morning slow, as I knew what would be coming for the afternoon.  Settling on summer sausage sandwiches for our Noon lunch I could feel the tension begin to build.  Dennis had a plan and he knew without saying a word, I would be right beside him to the end.

  Nothing packs snow like pulling it off of a roof and it comes down with a thunk with multiple layers added to it.  There is only so much a small snowblower can do once it slices through packed snow the first time.  The solid wall of packed snow could just as well be concrete.  We have a wonderful red plastic shovel that Dennis got when he was buds with one of the fellows who worked in the cleanup crew at our local meat processing plant.  It’s light as a feather and sturdy.  

  After Dennis had made a initial path through, the shovel and me would follow behind and knock down more snow for him to blow to the west.  Our goal was to free the north side of the garage of snow.  With this patio being on the north side of the garage, it would have taken until the 4th of July to melt, thus leaving very soggy siding on the garage.  Perhaps the melting snow would have found its way underneath the sill and we would have had a mess in the car garage.  

  We know the patio porch may flood this spring.  Today was meant to try and divert having a wet garage, as that is where the entire contents of the patio porch will be moved into when the thawing begins in full swing.  Yes . . . in hindsight!  In times past, it was a wonderful idea to have a slab of concrete off of the north side of the garage.  We enjoyed that patio to no end.  It was shaded most of the day and it always caught a breeze.  Well . . . that was then, this is reality.  We built a porch on that concrete slab and no matter how man times it may or may not flood, it is ours and we enjoy it to no end.  We should have elevated the original patio by a good two feet.

  Just to be clear . . . Dennis and I are not going dancing.  We can barely lift our feet let alone our arms after moving the snow.  It was a great workout.  In a perfect world, Dennis could have come home from his road trip and worked on getting the lawnmowers prepped.  Maybe next month the mowers will be able to be gotten out.  For right now, we are satisfied on having had a productive day of good local effort.  It also helps that I had a slow cooking roast with carrots in the oven while we were outside.  Nobody has to cook supper.  We may very well each take a fork with the roaster between us and call it a meal.  No fuss, no mess, no additional dishes.  Hey . . . we are older retired folks, there are no set rules on Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 5:37 pm on March 3, 2019 Permalink  

  Dennis is Home!! 

  After four weeks and one day, the ole cowboy is back at Stauffer Avenue.  5,720 miles of safe travel.  Too bad it’s this cold out.

   
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  Noreen 6:26 pm on March 2, 2019 Permalink  

  Before I opened my eyes this morning I… 

  Before I opened my eyes this morning, I knew by the sound of all the birds chirping the kind of day that I wanted.  Opening my eyes and seeing all the snow that the boughs of the evergreen held, I knew my day was not going to be what I wanted or needed.  

  Forty nine years ago, this time of the year would have had me raking the yard with two little ones tagging behind me, messing up the piles of dead leaves I had just raked together.  Jackets would have been needed as one can never trust early spring temperatures that had totally taken away the snow to allow so many shades of green to show themselves.  No caps had been issued, rather kerchiefs out of Orlin’s big blue hankies so the ears would be totally covered.  Two large hardwoods to the south of the area was the perfect fit for a hammock.  It wasn’t the type that collapsed and would be hard to maneuver.  Both ends had braces that keep the inviting area ready to plop wee ones into, complete with a snack.  Today I pined for a spring such as that and the memories it evoked.  

  Today the sun was shining.  When it was time to greet the three cats in the patio porch, the snow creaked under foot.  It was a cold sunny Saturday on the second of March, 2019, with just a degree or two above zero.  There had been enough additional snow flurries since late afternoon to coat the east patio.  Without a second thought, I opened the slider door and went out to the patio armed with my Toro electric leaf blower.  By gum . . . the cats were going to have bare concrete to get their morning exercise.  Honey Bunny rolled and rolled until her silver gray fur was standing on end.  Snuggles has put on enough weight over this winter, his roll was more like a “do-over.”  Harriet sat in the open doorway all hunched up.  Not going any farther.  I spent time in the patio porch rounding up all their toys and piling them up on one spot and I hit the vacuum.  Just a bit of a tidy.  

  At five this afternoon, I happened to glance out the bathroom window and mama deer and the two fawns were already at the treat dish on our patio and what the next door neighbor has out.  The two fawns have really gotten big.  I believe mama brings them early to make sure they get some of the good food.  Sometimes later at night, I have tried to count . . . I loose track after seven as the shadows play tricks on my counting.

  The ole cowboy called this evening, warning me they are on their way home.  I know it’s about 1,600 miles from where they have spent the last week.  I told him I would leave the light on!  Isn’t that what Motel 6 has as their pitch line?

   
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  Noreen 6:18 pm on March 1, 2019 Permalink  

  This dense snow fall was not needed by… 

  This dense snowfall was not needed by any stretch of the imagination.  It might have been three inches but at this time of the year, it could have just as well been six inches.  The birds have the right attitude.  They tweet, they chirp and I am almost positive, the Thrush are back.  There have been Thrush bird nests in the anchors and braces of our front awning for quite a few years.  Their reappearance and determination  gave me second winds to get out there and clear off the snow.  On the first wave of energy the back door, front door and car garage doors got cleared.  If that snow is moved and pushed into the driveway about 15 feet west towards to the main street, Randy will blow it all to the south leaving me with not having to pitch it over the tall snow bank that borders our driveway on the south.

  The three cats sat in the patio porch watching . . . and waiting.  Nope, it was time for this Grammie to take a break before heading their way.  A cup of hot tea hit the mark.  I have some tea that has Turmeric and Licorice infused into the tea.  I did use the largish cup in the cupboards and it was wonderful.  My very last second wind was kicking in.  Let’s get this done!

  Yesterday the cats were able to wander onto the bare concrete of the east patio.  Today, all three hunkered in the open doorway waiting for me to clear the area.  One by one they followed behind me and the snow pusher.  It is comical.  It is endearing.  No one wants spring to come more than those three critters.  On second thought, the Thrush are going to seek and search nesting material far and wide.  I am resigned.  Taking one day at a time . . . still thankful that Dennis has not been home this month.  Ya, right!  Like he would take a break from the snow removal and have a cup of tea . . . not!

   
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  Noreen 5:12 pm on February 26, 2019 Permalink  

  Yipee, No Snow Today 

  It does happen that the body doesn’t know where it would be the happiest.  The area between the shoulders is tight and it travels up into the neck.  It surely couldn’t be that the scooping, the pushing and the shoveling of snow could have something to do with it this last month!  Assured . . . I have been taking my time, taking stock of how I have been doing all of the above.  No reckless abandonment has taken place.  

  The most comfortable spot to sit right now in the evenings is not my favorite nighttime chair.  The most comfortable is one of our dining room table chairs which is nothing more than an office chair with arm rests and rollers.  Quite sure that the soft chair allows my shoulders to rest on the arms of the chair, thus lifting the shoulders up a bit and letting something less than good to happen in conjunction with all the exercise of the resent past.  Armed with my heating pad to put across the top part of my back and then switching off to the jell ice packs seems to give some relief.  I also have exercises to do for the shoulders which happens often regardless of where I am in the house.  No lights in the sewing studio today was also on the agenda to allow for some rejuvenation of the ole body.

  It was a no snow moving day.  Top priority was getting the cats started with a chance to go out on the east patio so they could check out smells.  I know there is the scent of the deer.  There have been no stray cat paws around for some time but all surfaces must be sniffed at.  I have bare areas for them to roll and get their fur ruffled.  I thought only horses did that.  After cleaning the litter box from the night and putting on the cat’s favorite television show,  I sat in Dennis’ rocking chair for a bit waiting for the cats to quit prancing from paw to paw and come inside.  Yup, their patties are tender.  I have not touched the thermostat since Dennis left.  It is by no means shirt sleeve temps in the porch, but with the sub-zero outside, the heat in the inside feels good.  The lowest the furnace can be set at is 45 degrees.  I do know that Dennis prefers it warmer when he is home and God bless him, he can have it as warm as he wants.  His porch, his domain.  By the way, he wouldn’t be happy in the house right now either, as I have it set at 65 degrees.  I like having a chance to wear my warmer flannel shirts in the house.  Things will get back to the norm when Dennis returns to Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 5:55 pm on February 23, 2019 Permalink  

  For a short time there was a feeling… 

  For a short time, there was a feeling and a scent of spring.  At 32 degrees the three cats went out for a short time on the east patio.  With the snowbanks that border the patio it’s much like a play pen.  Which of these three critters is brave enough to take the leap up and over not knowing what lies beyond?  None today.  Red Cardinals sat in the lilac bushes and took in the antics of the cats, knowing full well, there was no threat today. 

  Clearing the patio of the new snow we received overnight can seem like an effort in futility, but it brings good exercise.  Neighbor Jan must have seen my red stocking cap sticking up above the snowbanks as she came out.  The two of us had a great visit, not across the backyard fence, but across snowbanks.  Jan asked where we were getting our shell corn for the deer.  As it was, when Randy had been called out for repairs for John Deere during the combine season, he carried with him buckets in the truck when it was corn harvest.  When it called for portions of the combine to be cleared, Randy collected the corn. The deer from our backyards have been privy to his stash, which was now depleted.  Randy went to Fleet and Farm and bought what they had on hand today, which was cracked corn.  The deer came early today.  It was the first time I have seen them come at 4:30.  They know the weather is changing.  

  The warm temps today allowed for me to clear the ice that had built up right outside our backdoor.  In the last days, if you walked on it, an ice pack had been created.  Not to worry, as spring weather comes, we are ready for it or not.  Both Jan and I commented on what each of us would be in for.  In her case it was seepage in their basement.  For Dennis and me, it will be having the little red pickup sit in the driveway for a time as we move everything out of the patio porch and put it in the pickup garage.  We have done it before and have the evacuation down to a science.  It’s all part of living in Minnesota, taking it the way it comes.