Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:21 pm on November 4, 2023 Permalink  

  I Got It 

  Alright . . . I got it, I got it.  Turn the clocks back one hour at bed time.

  The bright sun and mild temps today got everyone in the neighborhood doing yard work.  The tree dump is open and everything, from trunks of cars, trailers being pulled by cars and trucks were heading north with their bounty.

  Dennis has spent the day waxing his little red pickup and our car.  They both look wonderful.  I know doing my wheels was not easy on the cowboy.  An old folding chair snuggled right up to the wheel sure did help the back.

  My goal was my studio after a load of laundry.  I barely had the lights turned on when a Boxelder bug pranced across one of my church tables.  I had a square of toilet paper in hand and had zeroed in on him.  Man, can they move fast when they are pursued.  I got the best of him.

  You know there is trouble when the last cup of coffee is more coffee grounds than liquid.  Hmm.  How did coffee grounds get into the water tank!  Putting the coffee grounds into the filter is just a gnat’s ass away from the water tank.  Dennis takes pride in his routine of making coffee for the next morning.  Starting this evening, the grounds will be put in the filter before the filter is set into the pot.  It was a mess to clean up.  Water tanks on automatic coffee makers do not have a back door to open.  We are all set.  I will get it plugged in and do all the settings.  Coffee will be on at six in the morning just like always.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:31 pm on November 3, 2023 Permalink  

  Friday the Third 

  KNUJ tells me it is 49 degrees outside.  The active Boxelder bugs affirmed that.  I have nabbed three of them here in the studio.  Ish!

  Earlier this week Dennis and I recovered from having water come up from the floor drain twice.  Dennis was helping with the mopping of the floor with heavily added Clorox water.  It was my time to sit it out for a few moments, I commented that weaker those than us would have a good reason to think of moving to apartment living.  As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew this event would not deter us from taking care of our forever home. Of course it is daunting and inconvenient.  Lots of things in life are.

  I knew when I had headed for bed last night, I needed the rest.  Since my stroke, when nine o’clock comes in the evening, I begin getting wanky weary.  Dennis could set his watch by me heading for my bed.  Couple that with activity such as yesterday, rest is mandatory.  And . . . with one bathroom visit at 3 a.m., my time to put the feet on the floor the next morning is not before seven to seven thirty.  Rest is the easiest way to keep me on track.  I wish I could nap during the day as my dad could and Dennis can.  When I do check my eyelids for cracks it is the real deal.

  This morning when the studio lights were turned on . . . I was in my element just as much as Dennis is in his garages and his patio porch.

  I had taken a break from stitching to put out this blog posting.  I will go back to pressing what I had stitched until we have the agreed upon supper . . . soup and a half sandwich.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:38 pm on November 2, 2023 Permalink  

  Hello 

  Hello People,

  This is this Grammie, live from her homogenized studio on Stauffer Avenue.

  Our city employee from the water department stopped by and assured us our lines from the house to the street were not to worry about.

  To test it, I ran two loads of laundry back to back.  Neary a drop in the floor drain.  The floors were dry in the studio before last night’s bedtime.  Dennis put a new filter into my shop vacuum this afternoon and I was good to go.  Every nook, every corner was hit in the studio, which is the entire basement area.  I cleaned the cold air return here in the studio as well as the ceiling vent from the fan running 24/7 to the outside.  Last but not least, the carpeted steps to the first floor.  That shop vac has tremendous suction.  Dennis has one just like it for his patio porch.  Let me tell you, with three porch kitties, that vacuum gets a workout.

  My sewing awaits right where I left it Sunday afternoon.

  Dennis’ agenda this afternoon was to run both vehicles through the car wash.  He remembered that we had prescriptions at our Lewis Drug.  When he brought the prescription bag that held four different ones, the total out of pocket was $1.45.  Sweet.  He commented that there was no shortage of people to visit with while waiting.

  I was mistaken.  I thought our legislature passed a bill to cease daylight saving time, only to hear we turn the clocks back one hour this weekend.  Yuk.

  A new stitching kit is coming off of Esty, complete with needed threads and fabric.  Am I sorry our church ladies are using the floss I donated to them?  No.  This kit takes so little floss and stitching may not be in my wheel-house for a length of time to come.  I miss being in my bedroom’s cherry red chair when I was either stitching or reading.  When cooler winter is actually here, the studio does not stay open when supper time comes.  I need the diversions.

  As much as I am enjoying my fresh studio, sewing will be for tomorrow.  I am going to do a bit of reading before supper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:52 pm on November 1, 2023 Permalink  

  November 1, 2023 

  A new month that hastens us closer to the end of 2023.

  This morning, I had a call from my cardiologist in Mankato.  Several weeks ago I had what they call a tee-tee scan where by I swallowed a camera.  This scan was closely examined by my cardiologist in Mankato and also sent to the doctor in Rochester that had done the heart surgery in 2021.

  The scan was deemed good.  Nothing appeared to have changed from the surgery in 2021.  In reviewing my charts, Dr. Sharruf was concerned about a second stroke.  My blood panel was all in the normal ranges, plus having had a bit of weight loss.  What will change for me is that I will be taking a higher dose of high blood pressure medication once a day.  It will be 20 mg, rather than 10 mg.  That I can easily do.

  I had posted Monday that we awoke to water in our basement coming from the floor drain.  We had a fellow from the city’s water department come over.  He could see nothing out of the ordinary.  As he was here the water went down in the floor drain.  While Randy was here we flushed toilets, ran lots of faucet water and there was no problem.  Hmm.  I proceeded to begin a clean-up.

  In the late Monday afternoon, I shut off several stand alone fans. 

  Tuesday morning, I went ahead and continued putting things back to normal.  We weren’t home for Tuesday night supper. 

  This morning, Dennis picked up Dwayne and they went for coffee.  I went down to the studio and again we had standing water.  Dennis couldn’t do a thing about it, but I surely could.  I called city hall and had a chat.  I had ran all sorts of water, flushed both toilets several times and the floor drain didn’t even gurgle putting out or adding to what was already on the floor.  I told her which city worker had been over on Monday and she took my phone number.

  I did receive a call a bit later from city hall.  I was assured that there was nothing wrong at our home.  They had indeed found the problem at the site of the city water and sewer end of things.  She insisted that I call the city’s insurance agency.  I fussed a bit, but she insisted.  The water did go down.  Time will tell if we ever find out what was going on.  We couldn’t have been the only household with water coming up the floor drain.

  We are back to having fans running at full tilt.  Again, I have the three totes so air can move under and about.  I am not going to do anymore in the studio, until I know this is the last of it. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:52 pm on October 30, 2023 Permalink  

  Good Grief 

  Good grief.  Dennis was going to mulch leaves and I was going to get an early start and work in the studio.

  I was going down on the last step of our basement steps when I could see the reflections of the sewing light fixtures in the standing water on the basement floor.  WTF!  The water had come up from the basement floor drain.  There was still water flooding the drain.  Dennis headed for the city shop’s water department.  It was clear water . . . .thank goodness. 

  The only two things that were saturated that I could handle was the rug by the toilet and one at the base of the steps.  The large Jute backed rug was soaked and I just shook my head.  The two small rugs I rolled up and put them in a pail so I could carry then outside.  Freeze drying right here on Stauffer Avenue.

  Dennis returned with a city worker.  There had been a severe plug in one of the lines they had just taken care of.  And just like that our floor drain had gone down.  Too soon . . . too late.

  All we could do was roll the jute backed rug and ever so slowly drag it up the steps and out to the drive.  This was not our first rodeo with that rug that had been a hand me down from my brother.  There will not be another time.  When it dries out, it will be by the burning ring.

  I turned the dehumidifier down to the low 40s.  My small heater that oscillates was turned on as well as a fan from the patio porch.  The fan on the post venting outside is on.  The three plastic bins were propped up for air to move under them.  It was time for some breakfast coffee.

  It is now mid-afternoon.  Dennis got the leaves mulched and my fans with mega air movement are doing well also.

  We never know what will happen in any given day.  This could have been a whole lot worse.  In fact in the late 90s, we had to evacuate our home for two days as we had three feet of raw sewage in the basement.  Ish.  We got over it and the city rebuilt the lines past our home and under the intersection to the north of us.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:31 pm on October 29, 2023 Permalink  

  A Light Coat 

  We had a light coat and I don’t mean my coat hanging by the back door.

  There is a dusting of snow on the roof tops.  Our concrete around the house and drive is bare.  If the sun could have remained shinning through the clouds, the 35 degrees of this afternoon could have, would have and should have felt warm.

  Dennis continues to stay busy in the garages.  The far back garage is storage for his friend Dewayne’s Farmall tractor plus bucket, son-in-law’s Ford Mustang, grandson  AJ’s Harley, our two lawnmowers plus the Cub tractor.  The Cub is going to the Beckius repair shop north of town in the spring.  Dennis has an agreement with Charlie for the engine repair.  Charlie is kept busy in the winter season with seasonal repairs and the last of the farm equipment that comes in.

  Today, Dennis pulled all the batteries off of the above mentioned items, but not the Sears mower. Dennis will be mulching leaves before too long.  This last dip of temps in the 20s gave the leaves a good chance to flutter and man did they!

  The studio and I have been humming right along.  I have completed 32 of the 8.5″ blocks.  The most complex block was 16 in number, made up of eight pieces in various colors and sizes.  As I tidied up a bit of snippets, I realized I only need to cut 32 of 3.5″ of various colors.  Moving right along at a very causal pace.  I do iron seams as I finish them.  I did smile to myself, as my sister Elvera didn’t practice that in the art of her piecing . . . left to wonder why the end result was not up to par.  Bless her heart.

  Mid afternoon and the studio is being close down in exchange for some reading and catching a YouTube or two.

  Happy new week everyone.  Each day we have two choices: smile and have a cheerful heart or grump and make everyone around us turn grumpy as well.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on October 28, 2023 Permalink  

  Hello Saturday 

  This is a day that had not one single thing on the agenda, the last Saturday of October.

  I am not going to miss with messing with the clock by turning it back in the fall and ahead in the spring.  If  only our legislative secessions could get something else done during their spring fling that could again benefit everyone.

  Dennis has been putzing in and around the garages.  He manages to stay busy.

  I have had the day in the studio.  The radio is on in the background to catch any snippet of area news and weather.  I follow a quilter on YouTube that lives in Indiana.  She does longarm quilting for others and each week she showcases the week’s worth that is ready to go back to the owners for final binding.  Seeing all the patterns, sizes and color schemes is an inspiration for me.

  Tammy Earnest did share clips from a family picnic.  What struck me and other viewers is that the picnic tables had quilts on them as tablecloths.  She followed up with comments to her video yesterday.  Quilts are to be used.  Someone had mentioned to her, “My mother quilted but we never got to use them.”  For myself, I agree.  Use them, abuse them so the quilts keep on sending the messages while they were being made . . . individual love to each owner.  Cottons today are durable and washable and . . . mendable if something need it.

  I no longer intend or plan on cranking out multiple quilts each year, but having one being built under the needle is satisfying.  The three quilts of 2023 were not completed to stay here on Stauffer Avenue, they were intended for the specific request.  The scrappy one I am now working on is a fun one. 

  We are going to have some Gorton fish filets, instant potatoes and green beans for supper.

  With that I take my leave  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:29 pm on October 27, 2023 Permalink  

  Happy Friday 

  This was a Friday that I could have used a brick in my pants.  It’s best not to know what the miles per hour the wind was blowing.  Ignorance is blessed.

  This afternoon I had my annual skin cancer screening.  I had an episode on my right facial cheek quite a few years ago that has prompted the annual screenings.  As I left the clinic, I was handed a card with October 28, 2024.  Wow.

  As we drove to Mankato, every once in awhile there was a chunk of snow that fell off of a semi.  I wondered just where he had been at.

  Enjoy what the weekend brings.  There are no do-overs.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on October 26, 2023 Permalink  

  Gray Day 

  Raining off and on with gray skies.  At noon, it looked like the sky was brightening to the south.

  This was a morning of getting the second bed’s bedding to the laundry.  I do keep a tight ship on our forever home.

  This late forenoon we had pedicures and haircuts at Maria’s up town.  Maria does pedicures, haircuts, manicures and gel nails.  Maria also is a licensed nurse, so there was no fear of Dennis’ foot getting some needed TLC.  We do appreciate her having a block of two hours for us once a month.

  I have not gotten much more done today.  As always when the bedding gets done, it’s floor to ceiling tidy tidy in each bedroom.  The sweet part is that there is no card that needs to be punched to validate myself.

  We will have a hot supper to tide us over on this gray day.  There has been no wind to speak of, the gray day with leaves that have gotten heavy with all this rain, the leaves are right where they fell from on high.  We have no green grass showing in the backyard.  When we do have a hard enough freeze to strip the trees bare, many squirrels will finding the perfect spot to bury the black walnuts.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:21 pm on October 25, 2023 Permalink  

  Quite the System 

  Quite the weather system.  Monday night it thundered all during the night with very little rain.  Yesterday was piddle, piddle.  Last night at ten it sounded like it was raining bullets.  Our drought meter is getting kicked.

  Most of yesterday, we did not have internet.  We may take it for granted.  Last night after supper all was well.

  This was a good day for bedding to be laundered while the Swiffer found bunnies under the bed.  No matter how old flannel bedding is or how many times the laundry has had them over the years, there is still fuzz to find.

  Yesterday morning, Dennis said that he needed a doctor’s appointment.  Hmm.  He said his big toe on his right foot looked black.  WTF!  “Show me the toe!”  On the tip of his big toe was a blood blister.  He must have really stubbed it hard.  I didn’t think twice but to send him and his toe to see our family doctor.  When it comes to Dennis’ feet, I am not taking a chance.  Yup . . . it was a blood blister.  No poking at it, just leave the body absorb it just like any other bruise we might get.  Dennis felt better, I felt better.

  Today I have spent some time cutting fabric for the next sixteen blocks of “Block 3.”  I know I needed 124 of 2.5″  x  4.5″.   Perhaps tomorrow might see the lights on in the studio for some machine stitching.  It does pay to have a day or two to think about what I have in the mix of fabric designs.  When I went down today, it didn’t take me long to pull one of the fabrics out as it didn’t make the cut.  It looked so out of place as if it had a red light flashing.  Small print florals in various colors did not have an opening for a small print that had birdhouses in it.  So be it. 

  Today, there were a few plastic lawn chairs that needed putting away in the potting shed.  There is no kidding ourselves that we are yet to have this fantastic Indian Summer.  It is not happening.

  With that I take my leave. ♥