Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:45 pm on March 1, 2023 Permalink  

  Got it Done 

  Hmm.  Last night when I went to bed, the concrete drive was covered in new fallen snow.  If that was the one inch forecast, the fresh rabbit footprints looked as if they had sunk in deeper than one inch.  I thought about slick roadways for our trip to Mankato in the morning.

  This morning we awoke to temps in the mid thirties.  Nothing slick going on anywhere.  We left home by 8:30 so as to run several errands before Dennis’ Korean Luncheon at the VFW on Madison Avenue.

  Sam’s Club still remains short on cat and dog food.  Strange indeed.  Meow Mix is what the kitties are accustomed to and cats do not like changes.  I am sure our Fleet Farm carries it as well.  Sam’s 38 lb. bags are a good price point.

  Dennis next took me to JoAnn’s Fabrics.  Last Saturday when Dennis took me to Old Alley Quilt Shop, I had a sample to match to.  I needed two companion pieces in a watermelon print color.  There was nothing.  The owner, Val, knows her inventory and . . . nope.  In the clearance section of JoAnn’s, I found two fabrics sitting side by side that were just what I was seeking.  I won’t be working with that fabric until the t-shirt quilt top is done.  It is best to strike while the iron is hot.

  We got to the VFW as other veterans were arriving.  Dennis has been attending these one-a-month gatherings for quite a few years.  At that time there were 25 to 30 Korean veterans attending from the area.  Since I have been going with Dennis, the head table, aka: size of a church table, could well seat four to six more to fill the table.  Our Korean vets are in the mid 80s into the 90s with health issues perhaps from the time of their serving.  April 5th will be the last luncheon for the Mankato chapter of the Frozen Chosin Korean Veterans.  The Chosin was a distinct river area in Korea.  It is sad that the flags will be retired in April, but it is a smack of retaliatory.  Those that served then are becoming less and less, but not less appreciated.

  When we returned to St. James, Dennis dropped off his five gallon pails at the elevator for them to be filled with shell corn.  He can pick them up tomorrow.  Dennis feeds quite a few mouths with his corn.  It is a good thing the neighbors to the north also put out feed.

  As we had a good noon lunch we decided to split a chocolate muffin with a dish of ice cream.  By the way, the muffin is large.

  Mild days indeed are coming.  As we drove there are bits of black soil poking through the snow that we thought would never diminish.

   
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  Noreen 2:07 pm on February 28, 2023 Permalink  

  Busy Day 

  It happens when you least expect it.  It was fine yesterday and this morning . . . haircuts are needed.  I called the Curry Comb and Brenda could get us in at 9:30.  We were there with bells on.  The only challenge was getting this Grammie close enough to the bare concrete of the curb so as to not hit the gutter full of ice.  It’s the story everywhere.  Ice everywhere.  The blessing is our concrete drive is free of ice.

  We dropped off the utility bill in the drop box, a check for $15.00 for the VA Pharmacy was put in the mail and we were back home.  Sweet.

  Dennis came down into the studio as I am in for a busy day.  Dennis cut some shape-flex for me to iron on fabric blocks.  If I am short of t-shirts to cut up for AJ’s quilts, I am filling in with with embordered blocks.  Dennis thinks this will really brighten up the entire project.  There is a site called Urban Threads that has a myriad of designs.  You pick the category and then begin looking.  For a twenty something and a Harley fellow, there are many designs.  This Grammie knows AJ likes his beer and there is no reason his quilt can’t have some colorful life to it.  Some photos will be following in future posts. 

  The bummer of busy days is that the thumb on my right hand has done the usual winter cracking.  Grr.  I have some wonderful Vaseline covered gauze to put on during the night.  Put on enough band aids and it will stay in place.  Vaseline is greasy and the wound covering has to come off for the busy days of handling fabric.  Oh well.  In time, it will heal.

  Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will be attending Dennis’ Korean luncheon in Mankato for noon lunch.  They are talking about an inch of light snow. 

  Happy Tuesday everyone!

   
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  Noreen 3:30 pm on February 27, 2023 Permalink  

  A Typical Monday 

  A typical Monday means lots of bubbles in the washing machine.  I enjoy doing the laundry.  I can see lots of progress as the piles of clean folded clothes grows on the dining room table.

  While the laundry is going, it gives me a chance to do something with the kitchen floor.  With Dennis needing to wear his Velcro boot, it’s amazing of all the little bits of grit that come into the house.  You’ve got it!  There are two rugs for him to scuff the boot before entering too far into the kitchen.  Hey . . . the foot is healing.  Praise God!  Tidy, tidy is a small price to pay.

  By twelve noon Dennis was home from taking his friend Dwayne for coffee at McDonald’s.  The fellows have coffee and an egg McMuffin and drive around town to see what is new since last week.  Dwayne no longer drives and he thanks Dennis over and over for the time they spend together.  Other than Dennis he gets as far as their apartment and the Catholic church.

  This afternoon I needed to reacquaint myself with the embroidery module on the sewing machine.  It has been awhile.  Right off the bat, check the oil and put in a new needle.  An order from Amazon has kept me sharp in stitching.

  Supper is a bag of chili out of the freezer.  The freezer options are fantastic.  

  The rain we had overnight did shrink the snow some.  Just so it stays warm enough for several days and not have it turn to ice.  There is plenty of that under the snow.

  This is me signing off as the embroidery is busy at work.  It pays to keep an eye on things.

   
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  Noreen 3:34 pm on February 26, 2023 Permalink  

  Only in Minnesota 

  Only in Minnesota can the temps go from 2 degrees above to 36 degrees in a matter of hours.

  I did miss out on a lot of sun streaming into my bedroom porch this afternoon.  No reading for me today.  Today the t-shirt blocks were all cut down to 16″ square.  That is all but a few that I need to bulk up to 16″ square.  That is what happens when you need to make it up as you go to make a quilt top.

  Dennis came down to help with the layout of the blocks.  As with t-shirts, there are few real colorful ones.  That will be up to me when I use corner stones at the junction of the blocks when they are joined by the 3″ fabric strips, aka; sashing.  We do have the layout nailed down.  The blocks will be five wide by six tall. 

  There is also a situation where I will need to embroidery something on five blocks as the same fabric as the backing to fill in where I am short of Harley t-shirts.  There are no more t-shirts to squeeze out of AJ. It sure does make things interesting.  Now comes the creative portion of this project.  Cutting up the t-shirts was a slam dunk.  What Dennis and I are in total agreement to, is that this project will be long armed at Old Alley.  She has a computerized unit and can make it do whatever design she plugs into it.

  On a no-mind topic.  I think supper will be soup and sandwich.

  A new week that also brings in a new month.  I sure hope the new one is kind to us.  We have not been alone in this unpredictable winter.  From all corners of the country, there has been weather issues.  I am so thankful family has been safe . . . maybe not always happy, but . . . safe.

   
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  Noreen 3:00 pm on February 25, 2023 Permalink  

  An Outing 

  It took the bright sun and the promise of a 28 degree afternoon.  Dennis took me on an outing to downtown Sherburn to the Old Alley Quilt Shop.  Oh my gosh!  I had not visited there since the stroke, aka: 2021.

  Dennis said to take my time as he had the sun coming in his little red pickup window.

  Going to Sherburn, 28 miles from home, the west bound lane of Hwy. #4 was iced over in spots.  The wind was doing its best to keep it that way.  Coming home two hours later, the east bound lane was free of ice.  We could see the sun was doing a number on the iced-over areas of the west lane.

  Now I have fabric to continue working on AJ’s t-shirt quilt.  I did inquire about having them long arm the king sized quilt sometime in the future.  I cherish what my arms and hands can do.  95″ x 105″ is a lot of cumbersome three layers of fabric under a limited amount of real estate, aka: distance from the needle to the right to the hub of the sewing machine.  I did do a king sized quilt five years ago.  Then it was a challenge.  Today it would break my spirit.  Old Alley needs to have customers.

  This morning when I looked out of the bathroom window, there was a frenzy going on in the backyard.  The squirrels were digging out kernels of corn the deer may have left behind and stomped on.  No sooner had the squirrels done their best, the huge crows came and flew away with the treasure.  Oh for the pecking order of life.

  Today gives hope that spring will be coming.  There is slush and under the slush is ice.  This Grammie is thrilled that Dennis took me on an outing, and thankful to be home . . . safe and sound.

  This outing will do me just fine for some time to come.

   
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  Noreen 4:33 pm on February 24, 2023 Permalink  

  Friday and Cold 

  We knew this cold was coming.  We never look forward to it.

  I had my heater on in the studio and whiled away the day.  I am now at a point with AJ’s t-shirts that I need to decide what the actual size will be of each.  I have plenty of the shape-flex on the back of each piece to cut them down when the final draft of the size is determined.

  The weekend is upon us and may the temperament of each of us be on a positive side.  We are all in the same winter boat.  Catch you tomorrow.

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on February 23, 2023 Permalink  

  The Calm 

  It seems as if this week has lasted forever.  

  I realize the wind may be raising havoc on the roads even if the falling snow has stopped.  Being on the outskirts of town, we are sheltered.

  I have no idea how much snow we had.

  Having shot down Dennis’ plea to use his snowblower, his retreat to the patio porch can be respected.  Dennis wants to do the things as he always has.  I admire that about him.  He is able to run errands in his little red pickup as he hops in and he hops out without too much waking in his Velcro boot.  Walking behind a  snowblower requires digging in the legs and feet to turn the bulky and heavy thing round.  Best to farm that out.

  Next-door-Randy was here at 7:30 and our drive was cleared.  Randy also cleared Stauffer Avenue that runs along the overhead door of the garage for the little red pickup.  All was well until the city came by a bit later and plowed Stauffer Avenue.  No way would the little red pickup leave the garage after that.

  I bundled up and worked the bins for garbage and recycling out of the snow at the corner of the garage.  I pulled them into the drive as I knew grandson Ryan would be by later.  I cleaned up the snow next to the overhead door of the car garage.  Randy had pulled or blown away what he safely could.  He can get only so close.  When I cleared the back door, the snow, when pushed off, showed clear concrete.  It felt good to have gotten the snow moved that I could.  The wind was whipping snow and soon I was covered in a light covering of the wet.  When I came in the house the aroma of so much freshness was if I had brought in clothes off of the clothesline that had been hung out wet and froze dry.

  By two this afternoon Ryan had been here with a skid loader and made short work of the snow next to the garages.  The little red pickup could venture out at will.  Ryan also went into the backyard.  With the bucket of the skid loader down, he scrapped away the snow next to the patio porch and pulled it into the backyard.  Dennis will have a flat surface to put his pans out for feeding the deer.

  No corn was put out last night.  It was mixture of snow, sleet and rain.  Of course there were tracks all over the backyard checking to see if corn had been put out.  I am sure one disappointment will not keep them away.

  I hope everyone made it safe through these last days.  This year’s winter is like a bad houseguest.  It doesn’t know enough to realize it is no longer welcome.  Today’s calm is sweet indeed.

   
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  Noreen 2:25 pm on February 22, 2023 Permalink  

  Off and On 

  With the snow being an off and on thing, it’s hard to tell where this storm is at.  The wet sticky snow has slowed the traffic down.  Dennis’ grandson stopped by with the skidloader and took out some snow.  When Ryan tipped the bucket over to empty it, he had to trip it several times to get the snow to fall out.

  The first floor needed some mundane tidy work.  By noon all had been accomplished.  There are days the studio has lost some appeal.  A good book in my bedroom porch won my attention.  There are options in the refrigerator for supper.  It is going to be a night of “everyone is on their own.” 

  The dressing of Dennis’ left foot is going swiftly compared to January.  If we continue following the doctor’s orders . . . that is all we can.  Patience can be hard to come by.  The Old Adam in all of us wants to be in control. 

  Esther Schafer, I can hear you as if you were sitting at my table; “If life doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger.”  Her strong deep laugh never let anyone think they had a reason to bellyache.  Dennis doesn’t belly ache, he just pushes buttons.  Gotta give the fellow credit for trying.

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on February 21, 2023 Permalink  

  Phase One 

  We were in Mankato by nine this morning.  We decided to pick up groceries before the medical appointment at 10:45.  There was also a prescription of wound supplies to pick up at the Mayo store.  The plan was that as we walked out of the medical appointment we would head straight home.  The plan went well.

  As we drove home, we did drive into snow.  It looked fierce.  

  I believe we experienced phase one of the storm that is predicted.  It is now 2:30 and there is not a flake in the air.  No matter.  We are safe and sound at home and plan on staying put.  It wouldn’t crush me if all we got was phase one.

  There isn’t going to be any activity for the remainder of the day.  I have been up since five and am feeling it.  What may ensue is doing some reading in my bedroom porch while also keeping an eye on the traffic.

  Who knows what tomorrow will hold.  If anything noteworthy, I’ll be checking in.

   
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  Noreen 2:49 pm on February 20, 2023 Permalink  

  Whew! 

  I was just getting to the point of getting dressed for the day after taking care of some things on the main floor.  I heard Dennis come in and go down into the studio.

  I toddled down to see what was perking.  The lights were on and there was the ole cowboy with a rotary fabric cutter in his hand, much like the quick draw of western times.

  It didn’t take long for me to retreat and get dressed.  When there is a willing helper, it’s time to get a move on.

  We both had had a good breakfast and the time went fast.  Before we knew it,  all the shirts had been cut apart and it was two in the afternoon.  There was enough breakfast coffee left for each of us to have a cup and we bid each other a “see you later.” Dennis had livestock chores to do and I needed to do a bit of a tidy job in the studio as there were bits and pieces of shredded knit everywhere.  The church tables sure do come in handy.  The pile of knit in the far back of the photo are t-shirts cut down to front and back pieces.  I do have four shirt designs with the shape-flex ironed on the back.  I had black shape-flex on hand from a fantastic sale at JoAnn’s last year.

  I have quite a bit of pencil work to do for how this is all going to be configured.  I was still in my robe when Dennis came in this morning as I had been on YouTube watching videos on the “Quilt as you go Method.”  I am always up for what may be a better, easier way of getting projects under the needle.

  The amount we got done this morning sure puts this “strong arm” task into perspective.

  Tomorrow Dennis has a medical appointment in Mankato at 10:30.  The weather forecast is telling us not to spend any more time away from home than necessary.