It’s not like they didn’t warn us about snow coming. Dennis just got done taking the first wave of the snow off the drive. I do keep a close eye on him and now he is being consoled in the garage porch by Snuggles, Butter Ball, Fuzzy and Harry. I am sure they are all taking in the snow that would be falling off of his boots. The feline population can be very thankful for their laundry baskets of pillows and flannel in the garage porch and the fact that the porch never gets below 40 degrees.
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Noreen
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Noreen
Today was a day for me to complete a tick list that I create only for myself to honor.
The two items were completed the day before Thanksgiving: a day time phone call to Aunt Janet in Brownton followed by a phone call to Aunt Dorothy in Gaylord. In a perfect world, I would have been on the open highways for personal visits. Janet is in her 80s and Dorothy in her 90s. The wonderful thing is both are chatty and the phone calls just about made it to the hour mark for each of them.
Wednesday evening I called Aunt Lorraine, in her 80s, in Arizona for a “catch up.” All bases were covered, all the while working with food prep for Thanksgiving Day in between the phone calls. As I mentioned earlier, it is my personal being that pulls me towards keeping in contact with these three gals.
Thanksgiving Day is meant for me to be totally in that zone for whatever time the family needs. The evening hours that follow after everyone is on their way home, brings on reflections of the day while some extra dishes are stashed away. Those reflections will now become the memories that will become sweeter with time.
This morning while a second pot of coffee was brewing, allowed for me to catch up with my brother Michael. It’s always a treat to see what he and his family have been up to. Michael is recovering from esoghageal cancer and he and I have always felt the need to give the other a jingle during a holiday weekend.
The extra coffee was being brewed as I had coffee company coming. Renee worked for me for over 20 years at the courthouse until my retirement. Renee enjoys coming over to Stauffer Avenue for coffee, chit chat and sometimes venting over the State of Minnesota’s real estate tax laws that the office contends with on a daily basis.
This afternoon, Lorraine was coming for coffee and chit chat. Lorraine worked for me many years ago, before she decided to stay home for full time mothering of two adopted daughters. Lorraine, in her 80s, is now a widow and enjoys spending some time quilting and most important staying in touch. Ironically, her family has grown and moved away from St. James and many family members are gone. Her days can be quite alone.
Renee and Lorraine were the last two items on my list to take care of before the season got any later, and most of all, busier. Both of the visitors today need a bit of extra support over a friendly cup of coffee and open sharing of what their days entail.
Lorraine had barely left when my sister called. Elvera is in the midst of some health concerns. Elvera is in her second year of being cancer free, so the concerns are real and keeping in touch is important.
My family’s needs never require to be included on a list. They all know I am just a phone call away. When they feel that pain in the neck that they can’t explain, it’s me letting them know I am thinking of them.
Perhaps when I said I had a tick list, it may have sounded like a “have to” list. Far from it. Keeping an important list close to the forefront of my mind comes about as it includes people that are close to my heart. I have the energy and time to give to those who may need from me what I have an abundance of: caring and time to listen.
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Noreen
Whew! What a grand slam dunk of a successful Thanksgiving Day. Lots of laughter always makes for a wonderful time. Thanks to Kevin putting up some shelving and Jeremy doing a bit of plumbing work in the bathroom . . . yup a great day.
It was unfortunate that the weather turned a bit dicey with some rain that turned to snow that turned slippery. I have promises that I will receive phone calls when everyone arrives safely home.
I am already in my robe and slippers and plan on getting leftovers tucked away before I hit the sofa. Yes, a happy type of day.
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Noreen
Another great mild day for us to enjoy. A bit of sun would have been nice, but the furnace does love a day off.
I do believe my sinuses are cleaned out via onion chopping today. I emulate my Dad when it comes to the flood of tears that onions bring on. It may have been Dad’s favorite addition to most items from the oven for dinner or supper, he just couldn’t handle the waves of the aroma that some raw onions can create.
My secret for adding the flavor of onions in some dishes is to have them shopped super fine. My other secret for serving up a good meal for Thanksgiving is to have Dennis at my elbow. His strong arms can stir and whip ingredients together better than I could ever do it.
Preparation the day before is key for a stress-free morning that is yet to be. It will be our first time using an attached meat thermometer for the meat dish tomorrow. Time for the Stauffer Avenue older ones to move on up in the world. The chopping, dicing and mixing is done for this evening. It is time to sit back and make a few written notes for myself as to not forget some of the events for tomorrow.
A P.S. on a previous blog post in regard to my left leg. I have been wearing compression socks. After a long day of standing on my feet today in the kitchen, I am sold. The level of comfort is good.
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Noreen
This was a type of day that does not happen very often: I went to Mankato alone!
Dennis hung around the body shop where his little red pickup has been since last Wednesday. It didn’t need a lot done, but the fellow came down with the flu.
The pickup is back in the garage and Butter Ball and Snuggles have already checked out the rafters above the pickup. I am sure they were afraid they would never get back up to their favorite hangout. The pickup needed a bit of work under the running boards to stabilize them and then Robby wrapped bed liner around the running boards as black paint doesn’t stand a chance of staying on. The area right behind the rear tires got sandblasted and is sporting new red paint. Talk about the price of paint . . . on second thought, not. The pickup looks sharp and my ole cowboy looks sharp behind the wheel. Gotta love that fellow.
I ran some grocery errands in Mankato and I am totally ready for kitchen prep work tomorrow for the following day, Thanksgiving Day. Excitement is in the air.
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Noreen
Hopefully, after today, the doctor appointments are finished for awhile for the team here on Stauffer Avenue.
Dennis needed a lung scan and that in turn denoted spots on his liver. With another check and test, it was determined that the spots are cysts that are benign. He is in good shape for the season.
I had noticed a time back that my left leg was a tad bit larger than the right. Leg problems can be a marker for heart problems. Not to miss anything, the doctor ordered a full blood workup. I didn’t know I would have that much to spare as she started swapping out vile after vile. All the results were good; heart, liver and kidneys are good. The level of cholesterol and triglycerides were an acceptable level, thus giving me a bit to work on to get it better.
The next test was today. The ultrasound would be the indicator of a blood clot. They checked both legs from the groin down to make sure there was consistent readings. I just checked my email and Dr. Eatwell was on top of the lab results and passed them on to me. ALL is good. The leg may be reacting from the knee replacement twelve years ago, having some veins that rerouted themselves or . . . just a fluke. It was suggested to wear some compression socks. Hello! I have many, many pair of them from just as many surgeries. I can handle that.
Not all things in the human form, created after God’s image, can have a medical or logical explanation.
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Noreen
Good things happen each day. What a blessing that there are more good things than bad. When a bad thing happens . . . UGH!
I have had a Hotmail account since the mid 1990s. My current email address and password, I have had for some time. Today, the earth shook and my password does not register. Oh, there are to be checks and balances to retrieve info, but I have yet to find it. Initially, my home phone number was in the database. They would text me a new password, but the cell phone number I gave them causes more red flags. Oh well. My next step will be to set up a new account for them to correspond with me.Now for the good things that happened today. I am anticipating having some shelving installed by one of my elves on Thanksgiving Day. Dennis took the measurements and the two boards to his grandson. Ryan has a table saw and it was a smart move on Dennis’ part. Our selection of power tools is less than good. When Dennis came home with the boards the correct length, he had a goodie bag for me. Ryan needs a new curtain made for his garage window. He sent along the material from which to have it made: multiple drawstring navy blue flannel bags that Crow Royal is sold in at a liquor store. I do not know if this brand is rum, whiskey or chocolate flavored alcohol. I have the measurements and this late afternoon, I have all the bags de-constructed. Perhaps tomorrow, I will find out what I can salvage from each after they are ironed out and trimmed out. The barter system is alive and well. I realize Ryan has no idea of what his wish is in relationship to logical, but Grandma will deliver and he won’t be the wiser as to the mechanics of getting the curtain done. It will be unique.
Dennis made supper for us and I was thrilled when he called down to the sewing room that the “Sweat Shop” needed to close. His Tuna Noodle hotdish with green sweet peas was fantastic.
So many good things on Stauffer Avenue to be thankful for.
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Noreen
First things first. The green afghan has been mended, and me, manned with the 3M lint roller, removed a lot of the bristly hair of the yarn-chewing dog removed. It was amazing how the hairs had intertwined in the stitches. I can just picture him snagging the afghan with an outstretched paw as the afghan was hanging off of the sofa. Once he had a portion of the afghan pulled into his kennel, he settled down for a chewing frenzy until he wore himself out, followed by a nap on his conquest. Piper is no longer in the household. Piper, being part Dingo, his energy was too aggressive for Megan and Nicholas to handle him or to interact with him. I think the new Labradoodle puppy is a much better fit.
The afghan has been gently washed and rinsed multiple times. I was literally afraid to take it out of the washing machine for fear I had missed some stray. chewed off ends of yarn and the whole thing had unraveled on me. Nope. All was well and the dryer set on a low setting just finished it off perfectly. Some of the repair is less than beautiful. Considering how much was missing and how many raw ends of yarn were left to track backwards, I feel good about the project. I think Carrie will be pleased. I know if Carrie and Kevin’s Grandma Esther, the gal that taught me how to crochet, were here . . . she would be proud.
Later today, I did begin taking a second look at my sewing area. It needed some work before bringing in a new sewing machine. I admit, I have stuff. I can whip up, crank out, and produce quality projects without needing to do a “shop hop” first. I love my sewing and craft area. It is better than drugs to sedate me. After some elbow grease and implementing some of my organizational skills, it is not surprising that I have some items to send home with Carrie and also with Kevin when the family is together for Thanksgiving. Sharing of the goodie stashes – priceless.
It is time to wind down for the day.
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Noreen
A ducky day that seemed to pass with many good things. I don’t have very many words left for my blog posting. Dennis and I were on the open highways today – a rainy day and us with our job-jar empty – the road trip was on.
I spent a lot of time working with the shop owner in Bird Island in regard to purchasing a sewing machine. I had watched many, many tutorials online in regard to the machine I was interested in. We made the trip so I could have some “hands on” with the shop owner. The visit went well. I was so sure they would have to order the model that I had just test drove. No! We went home with the machine. Who knew that such a small shop would have one on hand?
No trip to the north is complete if we don’t stop in at Fairfax to see Kersten and Kevin and Bell and Sophie. The two pups are always ready for snuggles and throwing a few balls for the game of fetch. The visit was short and sweet. So looking forward to Thanksgiving when the entire family will be with us.
Here we are in the dark of this Tuesday evening and the sewing machine is still in the back of the pickup in its packing box. Truth to be told, it was such an exciting day, we decided to wait until tomorrow. Just as well. First off, there were two letters in the mail saying that several bills I had paid online had been declined. I called our bank and the bank has changed from being held privately to now being a part of a larger entity. I called the bank and lo and behold they have been contacted by multi customers that the routing number has been changed and only on some of the very old accounts. With the new routing number, and after some time online and on the phone, our bills are covered. I did ask about our paper checks as they have the old routing number on them. They were assured by the new Wells Federal owner that there would not be a new one for new checks at this time. Wonder of wonders.
My next item was to check on messages that had been left on our land line phone while we were on the road. One was from my Aunt Janet in Brownton, Minnesota. After getting supper completed, I called Janet back and we spoke for over an hour.
I have no idea why I thought I had so few words left in me. Sometimes it just feels good for me to recap the events of the day. After I get the green, puppy-ridden afghan repaired, and only then, will we unload the new sewing machine. Quite the thrill when it does happen.
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Noreen
We had a road date to Mankato today. Sun shining and shirt sleeve weather. We have reached the halfway point in November and every day such as this is a blessing. I know it can’t last, but I surely am not going to take this for granted.
Gutter Helmet from Mankato came on Friday to trick out the garages: car garage with the pickup garage attached plus the garage porch. Two very friendly fellows. I know that the corrugated Onduline roofing would not be a roof of choice for the product to be installed onto. They were happy with their work and we were very happy to have it done . . . a win, win. That was the last of the property “fix-its” for Stauffer Avenue.
That same day, the city crew came and poured a portion of our sidewalk that had to be removed in the process of burying overhead lines. Mediacom and the city worked together for the hope that problems for service will be at a minimum.
Now it is up to Dennis and me to kick back a bit and let the checkbook take a breather. Well . . . that was after the pickup needed transmission fluid changed out and the fuel system cleaned. Jiffy Lube was one of our pit stops today. I admit, we go by the book. If the mileage indicates that items should be serviced, we do it. Both Dennis and I are too old to take chances for vehicle problems. The pickup has been a good ride, and it is paid for, and we have no intentions of shopping for a replacement due to negligence.
Here we are, looking another week square in the eye and I do have a few things in my sewing room that need my attention. Priority #1 is to work on a crocheted afghan that has had a hole chewed into it. Carrie’s no longer have the dog that was part Dingo and would chew, chew, chew. I am always up for a good challenge. It keeps the cobwebs at bay.