Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:00 pm on August 10, 2024 Permalink  

  Cloudy 

  Today is cloudy and cool and nobody cares.  Everybody is just enjoying it.

  Today was spa day for the ole cowboy and me.  A trip up the street by five blocks and the spa event began.  Nothing, at least for me, feels better than some TLC for my feet.  Dennis never begs off of the spa day because . . . he enjoys it as much as I do.  Haircuts follow the the spa day.  Going for one-month intervals is as long as either one of us can take.  The toe nails catch in the socks and the hair becomes fly-away.  We never leave Maria’s shop without a card for the next month.  It was shocking to see the September date.  We will be there.

  When we got home a bit after noon, Dennis’ grandson and his pickup were parked in the drive waiting.  He had phoned his grandpa about the visit.  AJ knew we would be home shortly.  It is always a good visit for the grandpa.  AJ works for a cyber-optics company with under-ground cable.  He is not married, owns his own home in North Mankato and loves his dog Rowdy.

  For myself, I feel that I had a great week.  When I parked the zero-turn yesterday in the back garage after mowing, our work on Wednesday really gave the garage the look that someone cared.  We do need to pick up more floor-dry of the white consistency.  We left our oldest floor broom in the garage so we can work the floor-dry in and then get it shoveled up.

  Thursday’s shopping has allowed our pantry to be stocked for the items we consistently use and may not have to shop for them again for three months.  We bought a new tote to be used as a litter box for the three patio kitties.  Over time plastic surfaces pick up scents.  Did Dennis pitch the old one?  No.  It has Dawn dishwashing liquid in it and he thought he may use it in the potting shed for dry storage after a good scrubbing.  I encouraged him, if he did, to not use the cover for some time.

  When we were done at the spa date, we did take a whip in and around the blue barn acre, aka: getting to look like a park.  Very self-satisfying speaking of pride in ownership.

  While Dennis and AJ are solving the world’s problems I am comfortable in my bedroom porch listening to a YouTube while poking in a stitch or two.  AJ’s parent live several blocks east of us.  Pretty darn special that we were his first stop when he got into town.  Just saying.

  Supper is the left-over soup from last night with Dennis and I having a half of a grilled cheese sandwich.  

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:38 pm on August 9, 2024 Permalink  

  More Please 

  More days such as this . . . please.

  I knew yesterday as I was tucking groceries where they needed to go that today, Friday, was already planned.

  Today was mowing day!  The air and yards were dry as humidity and the dewpoint were low.  Mowing began at 10:30.  I have moved on up in the world, as George Jefferson said.  I am now able to start the zero-turn mower in the proper sequence and begin without any further instruction.  I walked into the house at 1:30.  Mission completion.  Dennis is helping out a person new to the neighborhood and mowing her lot as well.  When 93 year old Edna lived in that home, Dennis always took care of her yard.  I am sure at some time a mower will be on the new owner’s tick list.

  Before Dennis had rang the mowing bell, I had a few items I wanted tidied up in the studio.  One fabric that ravels easily needed to be put under the surger.  One of my patterns that I work off of in my bedroom porch needed to be copied.  I often use a highlighter to keep track of where I am in my stitching and a throwaway copy comes in handy.  I also had some blocks on the quilt top I am working on that needed pressing.  

  It is always more enjoyable to return to the studio if everything is up to snuff.

  When I came in from mowing, I nabbed the last of the breakfast coffee and tuned in to a YouTube.

  I brought out of the basement pantry a bag of Shore Lunch Chicken Noodle Soup.  The contents are dehydrated.  The contents are wide egg noodles, carrots, celery and herbs.  Six cups of water brought to a boil.  Contents of the bag are added and the kettle is simmered.  I will then add a 12.5 oz can of white chicken meat that I will use a dinner fork to break apart and shred.  It does make for a hearty soup.  Good thing crackers were brought home yesterday.  I generally don’t do crackers.  Dennis uses enough that there is no broth to sip at the end.  I am a sipper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:52 pm on August 8, 2024 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  We were only away from home for 3.5 hours but it seems oh so much longer.

  Today was grocery shopping.  Purposely the pantry has been taking hit after hit to make sure the supplies in the corners were being used.

  We both slept in as yesterday’s garage cleaning wore us out.  We didn’t leave home until noon.

  As of this morning, we were down to one slice of bread and nothing more for Dennis’ breakfast box.

  After a trip to the big town getting the list checked twice . . . it will feel great once I have all the groceries tucked where they need to be.  The freezer got a 5lb. bag of skinless chicken tenderloins and two boxes of Jimmy Dean precooked sausage patties.  They come as a twin pack with four patties in each pack.  I get them out of the box and cut the twin packs apart.  Four sausage patties, two each, is all we need for a meal.  I don’t need a cardboard boxes in the freezer.

  Dennis enjoys orange juice with his meals.  I can get two 54oz jugs for the price of one here in town.  They come two to a cellophane pack.  I cut them apart before they go into the refrigerator.  I like things ready to go when the need arises. 

  I admit, a day of getting items carted up and into the car and into the house wears both of us out.  Once I had what needed to be refrigerated and kept frozen, the rest may wait until tomorrow.   It will all get done when I get to it.

  On our way home, Dennis got a call from his son Jeff.  The injectable morphine refill:  our Lewis Drug did not have on hand.  We got home, got the groceries in the house, and now Dennis is in his little red pickup and has picked up Jeff and they are on their way to Mountain Lake to the White Drug to pick up the morphine.  Dennis will be glad to get home and park the vehicle in the garage for the day.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:24 pm on August 7, 2024 Permalink  

  Spits of Rain Showers 

  Rain showers not amounting to anything.  It didn’t slow us up today.

  The back garage needed cleaning . . . big time.  Dennis’ daughter Sandy had stored her friend’s car in the garage.  When he came to pick up the car in early spring, he barely had enough transmission fluid in it to make it three blocks up the street to a garage.  Where was the car’s fluid?  On our garage floor.  Not a thought was offered that he would clean it up.  Today . . . let’s hear it for floor dry!

  For five years Dennis’ friend Dwayne stored his tractor in our back garage.  During those years, the tractor was taken out to repair a tire.  But . . . not before the fluid had drained out of the tire.  Dwayne would comment on coming over to clean up the floor, but never ever acted on that need.  The task of that cleanup was started today but will wait for completion for another day.  We work not for hours on end.  We take things easy so as to not make it feel like work and drudge.

  Today was a start in the cleaning.  Not rushing into anything.

  Dennis is in the patio porch watching some late afternoon crime shows enjoying a can of orange crush.  I am in my bedroom porch with the last of the breakfast coffee.

  No studio work for me today.  There may well be little to no hand stitching today.

  Dennis and I have had a great day.  As luck would have it, the mosquitoes did not bother us in the garage.  Yippee!

  We have decided on waffles and Jimmy Dean precooked sausage patties for a quick supper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on August 6, 2024 Permalink  

  After the Storm 

  This morning with the sun and cooler temperatures it was hard to believe there had been so many warnings out.  Our skies to the northwest didn’t look friendly at supper time.  We did not get any amount of rain and no winds whatsoever.  We were blessed.  

  With KNUJ on in the studio the rain totals were all over the map.

  It was interesting listening to the interviews with the KNUJ moderators for the first day of Farm Feast.  Hard to believe so much machinery and inventory is hauled out to the site for just three days.  Even closing the gates at four every afternoon seems counter productive for businesses to hawk their wares.

  Dennis has had success with his vegetation weed killer and went back to the acre this afternoon to spray another area.  The good thing is that Dennis knows when to take a break.  If he forgets, most likely his legs will threaten to buckle underneath him.  Just as I no longer answer his phone when he forgets to carry it, I no longer keep tabs on his whereabouts when he is out and about on our property.  There could be a correlation between the two.

  I have been thinking about Esther Schafer’s full hank of silk floss.  I have a stash of cross stitch fabric that may have been Carrie’s or mine or perhaps both of ours.  The curiosity got the best of me and I had to take a look-see as to how it would work up.  It handles in the needle beautifully.  No twisting or knotting up.  In the stash was several yards of banding.  Not all designs work on an area of 2.25″ in width.  I got out the gridded paper and struck out to see what I could see.  No, I do not have a full yard in length charted.  I am taking it slow.  It is interesting to see how a length of floss that is variegated looks on fabric.  I am not able to stay with it long as the fabric is slubbed.  I am working two strands over two stitches on this 25-count fabric.  Poking around and through the unevenness makes for a good challenge.  I am always up for a good one.

  Dennis reported he got one of the Harbor Freight sprayers emptied and then let the mosquitoes reign.

  I have taken out of the freezer an oven meal for supper.  Do I remember what concoction it is?  No.  A mystery meal is to be had.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:57 pm on August 5, 2024 Permalink  

  Happy 

  I am happy Dennis is home from Mankato from Jeff’s one-day procedure.

  Just as Dennis came home, it began to rain.  The sun had not shone all day but now the sun is shining through the rain.

  As I was in the studio, I texted friend Linda to firm up with her about the quilt tops I want to work up for the church ladies.  I am on the correct path.  Their group does not meet until after school starts. 

  After I had put in my allotted time, I came up to my bedroom porch to sit upon my cherry red chair and pick up the hand stitching.  I have been working on the stitching for Esther’s wooden box.  The stitching is going according to plan.  That’s always a good thing.  I have been kicking around what color of fabric I want to make the liner with.  I will use some of what I have in my stashes.

  Looking out to the south as I work on this blog, I couldn’t help but notice that some of the neighbor’s sunflower plants are taller than the roof line of their one story porch.  No blooms on them as yet.  The smaller plants are showing blooms.

  I am the consistent one that lives on Stauffer Avenue.  I keep a balanced life for myself each day.  With the enjoyment of helping Dennis mow our acreage, I thought I would also take care of some of the extra foliage among the Hosta.  Nope.  Once the mosquitoes notice a rustling of the vegetation, they are on me like . . . immediately . . . after my face and ears.  My stamina and balance doesn’t allow for long durations without a cane, so I don’t resort to the oily bug spray that needs to be washed off for the short time of use.  So be it.

  I did take note on KNUJ, the fellow that Kevin bought his first train set from and I believe also Rachel the goat had passed away at age 87, still living on his farm site at Buffalo Lake.

  Nothing exciting to report and that in itself is a good thing.

  Supper is grilled cheese sandwiches with chili.   

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:28 pm on August 4, 2024 Permalink  

  Shh!! 

  Shh! It’s really a quiet day in the neighborhood.

  We both slept in until eight.  That has become my normal.

  Dennis and the porch kitties are hunkered down in the patio porch watching real life crime shows.  I went to the studio about 10:30 and tuned in the Spirit Lake AM radio.  As I listen and stitch, I am very patient with the stitching process.  That was evident when I was cutting some blocks apart and mistook a block that was looking good for a seam allowance and cut right through it.  Shucky darn.  I pulled out some residual fabric and started the block over. 

  As it was, I pulled the plug on the studio while my shoulders, arms and hands were doing well at 1:30.  I have a new book started.  There are always new YouTubes to catch.  While I listen to them, I can even plug in a few cross stitch stitches.

  It has been a really long time since we have had Progressive Chicken Noodle Soup and a half sandwich type supper.  Neither one of us has done squat today.  The vanilla ice cream hasn’t even been tapped since it came into the house a week ago.  It may very well be later on this evening.

  Dennis has to have his son Jeff to the Mankato hospital by eleven tomorrow morning for a one-day surgery to have a self maintenance drain to be put in.  It may well be a day that Dennis can catch a nap in his little red pickup while he waits.  Dennis does not go into the building for the appointment.

  The sky is gray and heavy with possible showers coming from the west.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:37 pm on August 3, 2024 Permalink  

  Grateful 

  Today I am so grateful I passed on a long trek to the home of the twine ball.  It was the Riebe cousin get together.  It is held in the city hall of Darwin that is airconditioned.  I just didn’t feel it.  Dennis said as late as last night that he would take me . . . Nope. 

  My age has nothing to do with it.  My general health has nothing to do with it.  More time is spent on the hot highways than in attendance.  I know I would come home with with the loud conversations echoing in my head as there are no acoustics in the building. I would be wiped out into tomorrow.  It’s all about choices.  The highways go both ways.

  I was content in sleeping until eight not having to worry about a food item to take along in this heat.  My ritual is to sit on the edge of my bed for a good ten minutes before I venture further.  A great way to start each and every day.  

  The breakfast coffee was rich and hot.  The buttons on the washing machine were punched and I was totally dressed by ten.

  Dennis’ plan was to visit with our tree trimmer.  He and I have decided to finish up the clearing of the blue barn acre.  The south lot line going east to west has about 12′ to 15′ of volunteer small trees and some larger trees that gave it up and fell over.  What a great feeling that would be to get it done.  Ryan has been with us since the first load of crap was hauled away from the site.

  My plan was my studio.  There was stitching laid out.  There was some progress that needed pressing.  It all boiled down to contentment for this Grammie.  The Spirit Lake radio station had great country western tunes.  When Dennis came home he had news from Ryan that maybe in several weeks he would be by with his crew and equipment.  Dennis had also stopped at Fleet Farm and bought several small bags of potting soil.  The two large patio plants were repotted last Saturday.  We have had two inches of pounding rain since and naturally the soil in each pot has settled making room for more to top off the pots. 

  Yes . . . a grateful day.

  Supper is going to be Subway.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:32 pm on August 2, 2024 Permalink  

  Got It Done 

  We knew after we had gotten two inches of rain the night before last, the blue barn acre’s surface would be wet.  But everything needed mowing today before it got away from us.  Half of the acre has pretty good grass and as we take care of it, the grass has stooled out quite a bit this year.  A portion of the acre has clover, creeping charlie and the weed that has flat glossy leaves and has been told to heal sores it the leaf is broken, crushed and rubbed onto a sore.  No, I’m am not going to try that.  I mow the Clark lot as well and that mowed great as it is in full sun and . . . no weeds.

  We were done mowing by twelve noon, other than the front yard.  Dennis mows that in different directions so it ends up looking great.  The ole cowboy takes pride in how our property looks.  As I was putting the zero turn in the back garage, two small fawns were enjoying some of the clover that had just gotten a haircut.  I am sure they were born in the early spring.  What a precious site.  When I had first started mowing, the wild turkeys were grubbing whatever it was that they enjoy.

  I have my mowing garb . . . zipped to the chin, sweat pants that mosquitos can’t sting through and my garden shoes.  I did get some mosquito bites behind my ears.  Not too bad.

  For supper this evening, I took last night’s supper’s left-overs and made a sort of a Shepard’s pie.  Green beans down first.  The left-over porkchop sliced real thin and put over the beans.  Those two items were covered with the left-over Stove Top Stuffing.  I made gravy out of the pan drippings that I had browned the chops in.  The gravy I covered the stuffing with.  Tonight Dennis and I will put our portion on a paper plate, covered with a damp paper towel and microwaved for about two minutes per plate.  Bread, butter and peach jam if desired.  A hot meal for the mowing team.

  Though the mowing was done by noon, the studio lights stayed dark.  I watched some YouTubes in my bedroom porch and did some cross stitch stitching.  Megan and I texted back and forth a bit.  It has been hot in Virginia as well.  The restaurant where she has a hostess job stays comfortable with the AC as does her apartment.  It was sweet keeping in touch. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:09 pm on August 1, 2024 Permalink  

  Oh My 

  Around 10:30 last night the light show began in the northwest.  Not much thunder but the sky stayed lit non-stop.  The rain sounded like pellets hitting the windows through the screens as the wind whipped the rain.

  When we got up, through the bathroom window, the east patio sliders showed branches full of leaves on the lawn.  The Hackberry tree had a huge limb that had been sheared off.  All we could do was text Affordable Tree and let Ryan know we would like to be added to his list.  Neighbor Jan told me we had just a bit over two inches of rain when all was said and done.

  Dennis and I picked up quite a pile of branches about as big as round as a thumb ready for the burning ring.  I knew I had some grass seed in the garage.  I used my small rake to rake through some tangled grass that could use some of the seed next to the west patio.  It might just have a chance to sprout.

  As Dennis took some letters to the post office, he came home and commented the wind had done its damage around town.  One of the letters was the application forms for his placement into the Veteran’s Home in Silver Bay if and when it would be needed.  We both felt good about having taken care of that in a timely fashion.

  Before noon time, I came into the house, having given the mosquitoes enough of my blood. 

  I did turn all the lights on in the studio this afternoon as I stitched a bit, starting another log cabin quilt top.  This one will be with hues of burgundy.  What with the yard work, several hours in the studio was enough. 

  As I am typing this blog posting, I have noticed quite a few pickups with trailers taking stuff to the tree dump.  KNUJ forecasts the possibilities of pop-up showers into this late afternoon and early evening.  It sure is gray enough for that to happen.

  For our evening meal, I am going to fix some boneless porkchops in the oven after I have browned them.  A can of cream of chicken should smother them until tender.  I haven’t decided if Stove Top or instant potatoes will accompany the chops and the green beans. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥