Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:20 pm on October 24, 2024 Permalink  

  Purple Clouds 

  Purple clouds in the southeast.  Possible rain showers?  I think the air is too dry for it.

  How am I feeling about Dennis coming home this Saturday?  I was feeling a lot better until I found out what two of his three daughters have planned.  

  Yes, Sandy and Susie have planned the Celebration of Life for Jeffrey Curry, Dennis’ son, up at the Eagles this Saturday from 2-4.

  I am not sure how smoothly releases go from a heath care facility or any facility for that matter.  I do know that Denise would have been there for everything that needed to be taken care of.  Now I find out that Susie from Silver Bay was going to swoop in and pick up her dad and take him to the Eagles and then return him to Good Sam’s.  Hello . . . a little communication could go a long way.

  I am staying out of it all.  Denise knew I could be of no help bringing his possessions home and she didn’t mind it.  There was talk of Medicare having the PT gal from Good Sam’s coming home with Dennis for a look at the home’s safety settings.

  I have never had plans on going to the Eagles.  Jeff and I had our goodbyes in the quiet of the living room right here on Stauffer Avenue.  Everyone is offering the ride to take me to the Eagles and sooner than later, someone may well ask me if I am actually going.  The most important reason for my absence for Saturday is my own physical comfort.  Me sitting on a steel hard folding chair is comparable to shives going into my back.  Not going to do it and then pay for it for days after.  I do great, even more than great in my teeny tiny home.  Nough said.

  I guess I will deal with how Dennis can take it Saturday through the night and Sunday.  As I said I am staying out of it until I need to.

  I have vented enough.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:52 pm on October 23, 2024 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  A chilly morning, turning into warmth and full sun.

  The care conference went well this morning with the team of caregivers at Good Sam’s.  Dennis had gotten his PT in at seven this morning.  It will be interesting as to what Dennis finds out this afternoon with the Ortho surgeons in Mankato.  Denise and Dennis were on their way by 1:30 for the 2:30 appointment.  Denise had paperwork in hand to give the Ortho people from the Good Sam’s people.

  The grocery store stop for me is like a meet and greet.  I had barely gotten into the store when Doc Durhiem needed a chat.  Doc is an acquaintance spanning decades.  Lots of hot air.  Wednesday is Senior Citizen Day.  I had had a list.  My total savings was $19.90.   I am working on building up our pantry as I know what Dennis likes to eat.  Dennis is too funny.  When Carrie visited Dennis, he commented on how tasty the food was, and . . . “It’s served hot.”

  Speaking of Dennis:  he may be coming home this Saturday.  The nursing home has put in his separation notice.  Mandatory regulation states that once the separation is filed, he is still needing to stay there for two full days.  Lots of paperwork.

  After the care conference Denise brought Dennis home until the 1:30 departure to Mankato.  In and out of his recliner without help.  He tried the bed assist and that went well.  Twice a week Dennis would be going out to our clinic for PT.  Several of that team worked with him as his left foot had toes no more.

  I am totally on board with Dennis’ return to our home.  First floor has all that he will need until his strength builds.

  When Denise picked him up, he asked what was Saturday night’s supper going to be.  There will be a tuna pasta oven dish.  Yup . . . the ole cowboy wins this set-back.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:08 pm on October 22, 2024 Permalink  

  Drops 

  Had it not been for the images of where each drop of rain had fallen during the night in the dust of the front deck, you sure could have fooled me.  Yes, they were actually individual drops.

  My day seems short today.  I think that is because it was 9:15 when my eyes opened.  By the time I sat on the edge of the bed, surveying the world through my four clean windows . . . it was much later.

  Other than unlocking the back door and letting the kitties escape from the patio porch, I had no particular plans for this the 22nd of October. I have even stayed during the duration of this day in what Lena described as a housedress.

  Breakfast and noon lunch kind of ran together.  The other half of my acorn squash did me right.  

  The grab bar that Dennis requested to go next to the toilet arrived in the mail.  All that this little home can kick out for safety has been done.  Many items had been addressed when I had had my stroke and heart surgery.

  When I look out the south window as I do this blog, I can clearly see across Stauffer Avenue towards the yard to the south of us.  They had a huge crop of sunflowers.  The seed heads are now dry.  The birds land on the seed heads just long enough to pluck a seed and then they are gone.  Haste makes waste.  Do not fear . . . the squirrels  swoop in and take all the seeds that may have dropped on the lawn below.  I am waiting to see if a daring squirrel would try to climb the stalk and do a huge killing of the seeds.

  We had been kicked off of Hulu, maybe from lack of accessing it over the last weeks.  With Dennis’ return looking like it might be sooner than later, I took the time to let them know that they may have my money, but access would be desirable.  It was a matter of updating to a new password.

  Not much to report.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:53 pm on October 21, 2024 Permalink  

  Visitor 

  I had a surprise visitor this early afternoon.

  Denise had taken Dennis to his eye injection in Mankato for the eleven appointment.

  I had had some baked out squash for my noon lunch.  It was wonderful with pepper and a bit of butter.  I thought I heard a car in the drive.

  It was Denise bringing Dennis for a home visit before turning him back in to the nursing home.  Sweet!  He used the sit-behind walker and was at the back door before I knew it.  The four steps from the house door to the kitchen went slow but sure.  I pulled a walker out from behind the television and the heavy duty one stayed by the back door.  It just about took my breath away.

  Denise commented that getting out of the car in Mankato and back in again went slick.  They had stopped at Hardee’s before heading home.  I was handed the card for Dennis’ next injection.  Oh my gosh . . . not until January of 2025.

  After sitting at the dining room table for a bit, Dennis headed for the bathroom for a sit and then on to his recliner.  We assured him, we would help him get out of it when it was time to head for Good Sam’s.  Denise went home for a bit and Dennis checked his eyelids for cracks.

  He had PT before he and Denise headed for Mankato and now getting into the house, the cat nap was well deserved.  When Denise came to retrieve him, he was out of the recliner before either one of us could help.  It was not a clumsy assent.  Wow!

  There is still discomfort but the attitude is determining his altitude of his returning to me and Stauffer.

  Wednesday, there is a care conference at Good Sam’s.  It’s routine.  Denise is going to be there as well as she can relay the Mankato experience.  That same day, the duo will be heading to Mankato to have a visit with the ortho team to have their take on his recovery.

  I had not expected the visit, thus there were some things that could have been moved back of the pathway, but Dennis managed it.

  From the 4th of October to this day being the 21st of October, I would say . . . all will be well here on Stauffer again.  Of course he checked out his bed assist and the location of the microwave.  He was content to see his wishes had been acknowledged.  Too funny.

  So . . . wow, what a day.  I feel blessed for so very many things . . . may you also.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 4:33 pm on October 20, 2024 Permalink  

  A Warm Sunday 

  Just like in the old days, Sunday’s were for company to visit.

  Carrie came for visiting today.  Her first stop was at the Good Samaritan to see Dennis.  By the time Carrie got here it was after twelve noon and Dennis had a request for her to fulfill here on Stauffer Avenue.  Too funny.

  I had had a list for Carrie’s help, and we included Dennis’ concerns.

  I had noticed one of the windows in Dennis’ bedroom, the top sash had slipped a notch in the downward direction.  Carrie got the sash pushed up and the window was immediately locked.  During the strong winds we had had, I notice the blind had a wiggle to it.  No more of that.

  Dennis’ concern was that the microwave stand that had the microwave on it was too high and it would be better if put on the kitchen counter.  A gander was taken on what the counter held and how to grant the wishes of the one from afar.  Nothing needed to be thrown out, just a different use for the microwave stand’s top.  

  When Dennis will be able to come home, a PT from the nursing home will accompany him to give our home a once over for his safety as well as mine.  We already had the huge cabinet out of his bedroom and I began looking for more ways to lighten the load.  Carrie agreed to take home the old Mission Style rocker that had been my great grandmother Christine Miller Wendlandt’s that then became my grandmother Laura Gronwald’s rocker.  Christine was tall, Laura was not.  The rockers were cut down for Laura but something happened that the rocker’s wood was not from the same hardwood.  Carrie got the rocker into her car.

  Carrie found a package on the front deck from Amazon.  It was the bed assist I had ordered for Dennis’ bed.  Sunday deliveries are not out of the question.  Carrie unpacked it, put it together and crawled under and over the bed and it is now ready as a “Welcome Home” for Dennis.  

  Dennis’ next wish: I already have ordered the assist for next to the toilet.  We had had one on hand, but Kevin had put it on the area going down to the basement.  Never too late for more safety.

  Carrie showed me how to delete almost 1,000 deleted emails from my laptop.  I know it said they would be deleted in so many days, but they kept piling up.

  The Asian Beetles are crazy today.  Before Carrie left I ask her to cut open an acorn squash for me.  I will bake that out tomorrow.  I get a hunger for them.  I know when I was a child at home, mom would bake several out, one for each meal.  I won’t be using brown sugar for mine, but it will have some pepper and butter.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:29 pm on October 19, 2024 Permalink  

  A Day 

  I have had a remarkable day.  After months of planning, counting threads, making cross stitch stitches, gluing, pinning, etc., the wooden cylindrical box of the kids’ grandma, Ester Schafer’s box is looking better than a box of splinters to be.  It is not quite done as I have matching buttons to place here, there and perhaps everywhere.  I will work on the buttons maybe this evening.  I will admit, I thought I had bit off more than could be chewed in a month of Sundays.  I had both the material for the hand stitching as well as the woven blue-checked cloth.  I did do the Amazon thing and order the most awesome two-way tape possible to put the top and bottom trim on the box.  Lining the entire box, including the inside of the cover, was a no-brainer.  I can only imagine how old and dried out this little gem was.  So . . . now it has been given a reprieve.  From one grandmother to another . . . we don’t throw anything away.

  It is now a bit after three on this warm sunny afternoon.  After I post this, I have one more of my bedroom windows to wash.  That will be 4 out of the 8 done.  I realized that I didn’t have any Windex in the house.  Out came a bottle that had a Dueber’s label on it.  It is a bottle of no-drip Windex.  I remember Kevin and Kersten using some of this, but maybe not high marks on windows.  After Dennis had washed off the house with hard water . . . what did I have to loose in order to see out.  I added vinegar to top off the bottle.  Actually it was a small bottle of wine vinegar from the refrigerator.  I will need to replace this as Dennis likes adding this to his bean and ham soup.

  With the three-in-the-afternoon sun shining on three of the windows, I think it will pass mustard.  Any streaks will be called “clean streaks” here after.

  I best get busy to get the fourth window of today’s workorder done.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:18 pm on October 18, 2024 Permalink  

  Old People 

  Keep older people around, they are very entertaining.

  I mean, how many times have you needed to vacuum your washing machine tub?  Actually, the vacuuming of the tub was the last of the items that needing cleaning.   

  My mom, Lena, always checked Raymond’s pockets before doing the laundry.  I must have been standing behind the door missing that lesson.

  Finally, yesterday, Amazon delivered the flannel PJs I had ordered for Dennis.  I got a load of laundry to add to them so he would have them on Friday, today.  I was going to load the dryer and as I reached into the washing machine to start hefting the clothing into the dryer, there was a flutter.  It took me a while to figure out what the flutter was.  There was tobacco flakes everywhere.  The next handful of laundry I pulled out included the cardboard package where all this tobacco had been housed in nice little round cigarettes.  Can you just visualize how four pair of flannel PJs had tobacco clinging to them.

  Before starting the dryer, I tip-toed to the kitchen for the loaded Swiffer mop, trying not to drag too much along on my fuzzy slippers.  I rolled up the rug in front of the toilet and began corralling tobacco.  When I did start the dryer, I never let it run for more than several minutes before cleaning the filter.  Can you see the headlines,  “House fire started by an old lady abusing tobacco.”

  The end result was that the dried flannel PJs had no tobacco sticking to them.  The softener in the wash cycle may have helped.

  Dennis had soft flannel PJs to start his Friday and I went home to vacuum out the washing machine tub.

  Moral of the story: Practice the lessons your elders gave.

  I did confess to Dennis what had happened.  Dennis rolled his eyes and chuckled.  

  As long as the vac was out, I tidied a few other spots in the house making the dryer vent the first on the list.

  There is nothing like a bit of panic to get the adrenalin flowing.  When all was done, I felt like a wet noodle.  Stay tuned for the next episode of what the old lady on Stauffer Avenue is up to.  And . . . my two children were concerned about me on my own.  Right!

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:32 pm on October 17, 2024 Permalink  

  Brutal 

  This wind is brutal.  The wind gets under the mail flap and lifts it just enough so it bangs.  I have latched the side door of the car garage as the wind bangs it open and shut.

  I was out to see Dennis by nine this morning as there was a physician’s assistant to make the rounds this morning.  I left at noon and reached out via the computer when I got home.  I found the answer when the message was answered.  At the time Dennis is discharged from Good Samaritan, that day they will send a prescription for a shower stool for him.

  I watched Dennis as he got in and out of bed.  Sunday Amazon will be delivering an assist for his bed.  It was the only one on Amazon’s site that had a hand hold for assistance like he has been using.  It reaches 30 inches under the mattress and then there is a strap that attaches at the end of that 30 inches and then goes the rest of the way across the mattress, then travels under the bed to then attach to the backside of the assist.  There is no chance of any wiggle room by the patient.  The brand name had the word “King” in it.  It has a lot of bells and whistles for height adjustment.

  I came home with such a backache, I thought I had broken it.  The extra chair in Dennis’ room should be put out to the curb as a give-a-way.    

  ——————————

  Oh my gosh!  I just had the biggest surprise that stopped in for a visit.  Jeff’s wife from Alabama, x-wife, to see me.  She is also going to stop in and see Dennis for a hello.  Her parents own a home here and it may be time to begin deciding what to do with it.  A sweet gal.  A very special visit.

  Well . . . my back feels better.

  I think I have laundry that needs to be swapped out.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:04 pm on October 16, 2024 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  It’s now official, the month of October is half over.

   I spent a good amount of time with Dennis this morning.  I visited with both of the gals that are doing PT with Dennis.  This coming Saturday will be two weeks that Dennis has had his hip replaced.  He has been at Good Samaritan a week yesterday.  The report is that he is in good spirits and very cooperative.  They have assigned places in the dining room.  The social worker also gave him good reviews.  They wished he wouldn’t get in and out of his room on his own, mainly the bathroom, and he doesn’t use the call light.  I asked them if the call light would be used would someone be in his room in 5-10 minutes?  Hmm . . . no, most likely a half hour.  Well . . . hello!

  I was queried as to what the family has given thought to.  Would we like to see Dennis stay until they thought he was ready to go home or go home when we felt he was ambulatory.  I allowed them to know the family has not discussed that as yet.  I did share my thoughts that recovery in the their own home always makes for a patient of good mind.  When I shared that I had had open heart surgery on a Thursday and was home before dark on Saturday, they both just looked at each other.

  Food for thought.

  Monday Dennis has an eye injection in Mankato.  Upon hearing that they will start working with Dennis on the ease of transport.  Denise said she would take him.  Sweet!  Dennis eyes have really done well.  He even passed his driver’s eye test without his glasses when he went in right after his birthday.  We already had missed the injection on the 7th.  It is important.  I know I can drive.  I know I can handle myself.  I do not want to take a chance of being in charge of myself as well as Dennis.

  Yesterday afternoon and into the evening I worked with the canon camera and the HP.  Thank goodness for YouTube.  Thank goodness . . . I got it!  Whew!  I know Nicholas would have had it fixed in a heart beat.  Sooooo, I can share with you the progress I have made on the cover of Ester Schafer’s wooden circular box.  I have quite a bit of hand sewing to do.  It feels good to have a solution on the raw finish of the counted stitch fabric.  I have my clips holding the bias tape I have made.  If I take a day to ponder it, I may sew the inner ring of the bias tape with my sewing machine.  I will make sure if I do, that I do a practice piece for the right stitch and the length of said stitch.

  With this day having been good, and dusty, I was going to tip in two windows of my bedroom porch tomorrow and give them a wash.  On second thought, a rain shower would really help.  I may wait a day or two.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:33 pm on October 15, 2024 Permalink  

  Dusty Tuesday 

  I don’t ever remember Stauffer Avenue being this dried out and dusty.  Yuk!

  This morning there was white frost everywhere.  Windshields needed more than a quick wipe.  

  Dennis and I visited this morning after breakfast.  His little PT gal mentioned that right now, he has her undivided attention.  I gathered that good workouts twice a day was Dennis’ schedule.  I am hoping that that may mean a good recovery.

  I have been enjoying the salad kits in the produce department of our grocer’s.  My favorite one is the Cesare’s Kit.  Several types of lettuce, a package of grated cheese, very favorable pepper mixture and dressing.  I usually eat my meal for the day in mid afternoon.

  I have hand sewing that I brought up from the studio today.  The wooden box project is now going by the seat of my pants.  I made a length of bias tape out of the same fabric I lined the box in.  I finally had the nerve to cut the stitched top of the box’s cover this morning.  Sitting at the dining room table I am going to hand sew the bias tape to the edge of the stitching.  That step will take me some time as my hands haven’t done much hand stitching in quite a while.  It is the step that will make or break the appearance.  I have cut some quilt batting to put under the stitching to give it some poof when I get that far.  Decisions, decisions.

  After this posting, I am going to work once again on encouraging my canon camera to make nice with the HP.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥