Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from September, 2015 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:15 am on September 19, 2015 Permalink  

  Yesterday, for the greatest portion of the day, the humidity made it miserable to be outside. It didn’t take long and I was soaked to my skin. What a change in today’s temperature as we awoke to 52 degrees.

  I am seriously thinking of dumping the pots of flowers. Yes, yes, I know that we could be enjoying them until the first killing frost. Plants in the ground continue to pull moisture for as long as the roots continue going deeper to find it. Potted plants demand water and a lot of water as the dirt in the pots literally can disappear. In the warm weather we have had, twice a day watering seems unreasonable.

  I was going to begin putting some of the garden art into the newly tidied potting shed – until the rain set in. Not a lot of rain at one time, but enough to make the mid sixty air feeling quite chilly as I was getting damp. Enough of the outside thoughts.

  I can always while away time in the sewing room and then have something to show for the time. A while ago, I took a three week vacation from Facebook. I was surprised how easy it actually was. This last week, I knew I could wish several people birthday greetings via Facebook, as I did not have an email address for them. Again, I was surprised how little time I could spend on the site to do my business and then close down the site. Time on Facebook compared to the positive returns for that time did not balance out. I have it under control.

  It is cool enough today to have a hot dish going in the oven. Ah, comfort food . . . you can’t beat it.

   
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  Noreen 3:52 am on September 18, 2015 Permalink  

  Necessity is —– 

  

  — the mother of invention, until the rest of the repairs can be done on the springs that will keep the washing machine door open. The good news is, all other aspects of the laundry area are working.

   
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  Noreen 4:18 am on September 17, 2015 Permalink  

  The pickup garage now has a new insulated door and a new garage door opener installed. My job was to have coffee and cookies for the fellows. It was a very hot and humid day. We had all additional doors open for ventilation as well as a fan going. Dennis just gave me a demonstration. The entire door mechanism and the opener are super quiet. One door in and the second door will be going in the first part of October in the Lincoln garage. The end of the repairs is now near.

   
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  Noreen 4:35 am on September 14, 2015 Permalink  

  A lazy sunny Sunday. Dennis and I had worked at the VFW Steak Fry last night. Far and few in between do we usually stay out that late. The workers are the last to enjoy what the kitchen has to offer. Eating that late at night may have added to the lethargic feelings of today.

  After coffee in the porch this morning, Dennis checked his eyelids for cracks in his recliner and I headed to the sewing room to put in a little local effort.

  Fall days, such as we have had recently, tell the rest of the story. Just in case we don’t take heed, the squirrels chucking out Black Walnuts remind us.

   
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  Noreen 2:50 am on September 13, 2015 Permalink  

  A cool day meant a great time to get out into the gardens. So very many volunteer trees: Oak, Cottonwood, Ash, Elm, Maple and Black Walnut. The winds did a great job of sharing seeds from many yards. Don’t get me wrong, some of the trees we have grown to heights of ten to 20 feet are from volunteers, but there is a limit. We have had a huge amount of rainfall, and this morning, me and the kids – Butter Ball and Snuggles – spent a large amount of time pulling the volunteer trees up by the roots. Once this rainfall dries the soil, those little trees do not pull up, and the only hope is to continue snipping them off until they just give up.

  There has been a lone peony in the far east portion of our acre that has been been begging to join the rest of the perennials closer to the patios. Today that can be checked off of the list of things that I want to get done this fall. I dug the hole that would be the new home with Butter Ball helping as if he had trained for this his entire, short life. I did add some fertilizer to the hole accompanied it with some water from the Koi pond. I headed off to the far east to dig up that lonely peony. It did take me quite awhile as that plant has been there long before we added that lot to what we already had.

  Dennis got back home from errands to help in bringing back some of the tools. I had no idea when I headed out if I would need a sharp shooter or if a sand shovel would work. The amount of rain we have had was evident as the water had not as of yet all soaked in on the new hole for the peony.

  Keeping the yards tidy is a job that can’t be ignored. Dennis and I both feel content when we sit on the patios and look over our little estate, knowing it is as good as we are able. It’s a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 5:10 am on September 12, 2015 Permalink  

  The acre is mowed and tidied up – again. Lush, soft grass is hard to mow this time of year and have it look even. I could not believe what I heard at the supper table . . . “I am getting tired of mowing.” This from the ole cowboy that is ready, willing and able from early spring on.

  On another note: we crushed the pill from the vet that was to calm Butter Ball enough to get him in the carrier for his yearly checkup, and hid it in a treat that he has liked to eat. Butter Ball was the only cat in the porch when Dennis put the loaded treat in Butter Ball’s food bowl with several pieces of his usual food. This was to be a sure winner as Dennis had withheld all food from the cats overnight, thinking that by morning, Butter Ball would be ready to chow down. We then acted nonchalant and left Butter Ball to indulge. Dennis went back into the porch a bit later and Butter Ball had eaten around the loaded treat. Ugh! Scratch that for the day.

  Late this afternoon, I slightly heated several tablespoons of milk. Butter Ball was lounging on the patio. I set the milk dish down and walked away. From around the corner of the porch, I watched as Butter Ball slowly got up and approached the milk dish as if there would be a jack in the box ready to jump out and attack him. He did lick the milk dish dry. Hooray! Saturday and Sunday, we will repeat the milk ritual. On Monday there will be another tablespoon or two of warmed milk with the calming meds from the vet – in the milk set out for Butter Ball.

  Ya know, with my kids, I could threaten them if they wouldn’t swallow the pill that would make them feel better. With cats . . . I’ve got nothing.

   
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  Noreen 6:41 am on September 11, 2015 Permalink  

  It was a road-trip day, and what a great day to travel. Mild temperatures and several road construction jobs allowed me to sit and take in the landscape of fields full of awaiting harvest. In time to come, it was our turn to be led by the courtesy car to be taken to safer spaces. It is always a good feeling when one’s arrival brings smiles and hugs from family. It’s a very good thing.

   
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  Noreen 4:17 am on September 10, 2015 Permalink  

  Best news I have had for a long time. Two prescriptions of mine filled at the Shopko Pharmacy for a total bill of $15.30. Ten of that was to enroll in the Shopko Pharmacy Family Program. This $10.00 enrollment was for myself, Dennis, Honey Bunny, Butter Ball and Snuggles. Yup, our pets are included as long as they are listed on the enrollment. If the drug prescribed by our doctors or veterinarians are on the web list of Shopko Pharmacy Program, it is either $4.00 for 30 days or $10.00 for 90 days. This is a relatively new program for Shopko.

  I was expecting with that information, that my bill would be the $10.00 for the initial enrollment – and then $10.00 for each of my prescriptions. As it was, the two I needed were even at a lesser rate. Good times!

  In times past, I know I had commented on my blog that my blood pressure pills had gone from $5.00 to $59.00 for the 90 days. Recently, I mentioned this to my doctor, and when we checked, that medication was not on the Shopko list. My doctor changed my drug of his choice to one that was listed and will do the same thing for my blood pressure. Actually, today that drug was $3.30 for 90 days. It is so worth checking around to see if a different drug, as per the label, can be substituted for one that is more expensive – whether for two-legged users or four-legged users.

  I sat down with Dennis’ drugs that he takes for his heart disease and his peripheral artery disease. There were six of the ten that will be available through Shopko. Those six will make a difference from $167.00 for 90 days to $60.00 for 90 days.

  It is time that there is some reasonableness to the pharmaceutical industry.

   
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  Noreen 7:11 am on September 8, 2015 Permalink  

  My crystals are a bit displaced. Not the crystals in my kitchen cabinets, but the crystals in my ears. I got up from the bed quickly the other morning to answer the phone. A call early in the morning causes me to move . . . now. The call was a wrong number. The crystals in the inner ear can dislodge with swift motion and may end up in some of the semicircular canals. It does cause some vertigo, a bit of dizziness if a move too quickly. In time all gets better. It is getting much better. Yesterday, while painting the attic steps, all went well. On the good side, I can still shake a leg when I feel I need to.

   
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  Noreen 6:49 am on September 6, 2015 Permalink  

  There are leaves falling. . . and so are Dennis’ putter pants. There are only so many years that elastic will give 100%. At this stage of the game, it would be sociably acceptable if the elastic could give 20%. The elastic could easily be replaced, but there is a limit to thread bare. Two new pair of pants have been purchased, gone through the laundry and are being strutted about. Priceless!