Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:25 pm on May 29, 2026 Permalink  

  Good Session 

  A good session was had in the studio this forenoon.  The last of a collection was embroidered out on some hand towels.  Those towels had been purchased for the express use of the machine embroidered function.  Having them be ready for whatever occasion arises feels good.  Last week when AJ brought Amanda to meet us, one such finished towel went home with Amanda.  We wanted to make her feel welcomed and that will ensure her remembering our home.  

  It’s not unusual that I have sent a remembrance home when we have had visitors.  The visitors enjoy taking something home with them and it keeps me on my toes with familiarity of the process to have good quality finished items.

  OESD is a site that I do shop from for designs.  The selection is by category with thousands to choose from.  When I first purchased my Bernina, it came with a gift card from OESD.  I have only invested in one brand of thread, Isacord.  I do have several storage cases holding thirty spools each for selection.  It is manufactured in Germany.  Staying with OESD, the thread chart for designs lists in the order used and the number and color of Isacord thread to use.  One can always go off the suggestions with a different color-way.

  When I choose a design, it is so easy to pull the spools of thread I need and line them up on the table in sequence for when needed.  I have purchased designs from other companies and then downloaded their colors with their reference.  It’s a pain in the neck as hues of the same color could be in infinity.

  Just today, I scoped out some designs from OESD.  If you purchase the collection, it is cost-wise rather than one at a time at perhaps $3.00 to $4.00 each when the collection may have thirteen designs for $24.00.  All of my choices are keep in my history if I ever find that one of my USB drives has malfunctioned.  Another plus is the OESD, for a nominal reasonable price will load an order onto a USB drive and send it out.  Well, well.  Look at me being spoiled.

  My day-to-day itinerary may have some challenges to comply with, my creativity need not be one of them.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:30 pm on May 28, 2026 Permalink  

  Cloudy 

  It is cloudy but nonetheless the warmth can be felt.

  An interesting news item brought back a wash of memories.  Now in grocery stores, some products sold in metal can containers will be in short supply.  That included, sardines, mackerals. tuna, corn beef, the meat spreads and Vienna sausages due to the cost of the cans in proportion to the contents.

  When Orlin and I lived in Riesel, Texas in the 60s, Orlin went to work for the Mart Herald in the town of Mart, a short distance from Riesel, no doubt running the Linotype.  Orlin wanted a lunch to take with.  His request was two pieces of buttered bread and a can of the Vienna sausages that he could then make a sandwich at his own time without a worry of anything being in the heat of the day too long.

  When I heard that, it brought a smile, and as I said, a wash of memories.

  Today Dennis has succumbed to spending more time in the house in his recliner rather than the still air in the patio porch.  It’s a good call.  Off and on, in between his eyes closing, he is watching a program about catching smugglers.

  Today was the last day of school for our community.  The street past our home will for sure notice the lack of traffic from buses in the morning and the afternoons.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:34 pm on May 27, 2026 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  Hump day, all day long.

  I didn’t think I would ever hear Dennis say he didn’t need a hot supper.  Last night I had given the bacon a few seconds in the microwave after I had pre-baked them in the morning.  It had been bacon sandwiches and cucumbers with sliced onion.  His comment was that maybe for the reminder of the week we could do likewise as he sure enjoyed the cucumbers with some protein.

  Dennis has also been given to enjoying strawberries lately.  Any time I can get fruit and vegetables into that fellow I will willingly make sure I have them as an offering.  This morning that meant that I return to the grocery store for more of the mini cucumbers.  The larger cucumbers are not as solid.  The minis are sold six to a tray and are sealed cellophane.  I also picked up two cartons of the strawberries.

  The gal at the checkout commented that the produce did go up a few cents when they got the read-out from the headquarters for Super Fair.  At that time their tills are updated for checkout.

  My take on the price of groceries is: Dennis and I don’t eat like we used to in quantity.  What we do buy is what we enjoy.  It is still a fantastic bargain considering most of the fellows that were and are Dennis’ friends are either dead, living in an assisted living unit, or in the nursing home.  Compare the the dollars spent and it’s a wonderful trade-off.  That’s my take on our grocery bill.

  I have the cucumber dish co-mingling in the refrigerator right next to the cleaned and diced strawberries.  Tonight will be the above mentioned with John Morrell’s summer sausage that will be sliced very thin with a container of coleslaw added for variety.  The summer sausage is Dennis’ all time favorite.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:21 pm on May 26, 2026 Permalink  

  Happy Summer 

  Last week it was a chilly atmosphere in the studio.  Today, it felt just right.  Talk about a theater of seasons.

  Again I worked on an alteration in the studio.  I had ordered an item online.  After waiting for an extended time for it to come, when it came the size was off by 2 to the excess.  I contacted the business and it was a mix up within the sizes from the US sizing to the European sizing.  All was checked over and the result was that it was a error on their side.  I didn’t need to return said item and the correct order would be forthcoming.

  I am not frugal but I had the opportunity to see if I could make a do-0ver.  Lena would have been up for the task.  Snip here, trim there.  She could take the collars off of dad’s blue chambre shirts when they frayed, flip it over to the underside and in a heartbeat dad never appeared to be in dire straights of going to town looking anything other than dapper as always.  Yes . . . those were the days when dad would come in to change out of his chores overalls into a pair donned as “town overalls.”  Call it self respect when going into town on business of either a thousand pounds of cattle concentrate or purchasing a new piece of farm equipment.  Dad ran a high-end business.

  It’s a warm afternoon and Dennis cleaned the garage floor for our car.  There was enough of the winter’s collection of kitty hair tufts to make a new kitty as the strong leaf blower got into every corner.  Outside it looked as if there were cotton balls flying through the air. 

  Before it got warm this morning, I baked out a pound of the Black Label thick cut bacon on a cookie sheet lined with the wide foil.  No mess when all was said and done.  Six of the smaller cucumbers have been peeled and a red onion sliced in very thin additions.  The sauce is some mayo with bit of salt to pull out the moisture of the cucumbers with a teaspoon of sugar.  Supper is bacon sandwiches and creamed cucumbers.  No additional kitchen heat added to this day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on May 25, 2026 Permalink  

  A Busy Holiday 

  Sweet day with quiet sunshine.

  Dennis had an agenda . . . I had an agenda.  With our breakfasts and coffee we told each other “catch you later .”

  The huge plants that Dennis has tended since I retired have now gone out to the east patio.  Over winter months they sit in pans in the patio porch so when watered, any water that wants to run out the bottom keeps the floor dry.  You have guessed it.  There is a ring around where the pans sat made up of cat fur.  Time for the shop vac.  Not so fast.  The floor of the pickup garage bugged Dennis more as the floor was a gravel mess.  Any type of gravel imaginable had drug in over winter from the tires as Dennis steered the little red pickup into the garage from Stauffer Avenue, a gravel alley.  Pieces of cardboard that had been on the floor were going to be going to the burn ring.  Dennis’ plans, Dennis’ day.

  In the studio sits my wonderful Bernina QE . . . quilter and embroiderer.   The straight stitching it does isn’t half bad either.  Lena had taught me all sorts of tricks of the trade using the treadle sewing machine that had a permanent home under the north two kitchen windows.  It could be called into service as quickly as the leather belt could be strung onto the wheel.   I had a list of clothing items I had planned to alter and they were all on the table next to the machine.  Altering clothing and mending clothing is not the most desirable in the creative world, but a necessary evil.  All lights possible were in service allowing for a bright working relationship.  The Twins were playing in Chicago via KNUJ.  Sewing chair pulled up and head down, I tackled my task.  Not a hitch or a miss as the hours slipped by.  Success.

  I took a bottle of diet Lipton’s Green Tea out to Dennis.  It’s not carbonated and we have enjoyed it for decades.  The only problem is the case comes with 36 bottles and a plan has to be in place to purchase it, get it in the car, get it in the studio for a few bottles at a time in the refrigerator.  Come to think of it, when Megan was a toddler visiting, she got a bang out of sharing my bottle.  No harm was done appeasing a sweet child. 

  The floor for the little red pickup was as clean as a concrete floor that is pitted can get without water and soap.  He was tending a fire of all of the cardboard that he had drug out.  The little shrub that was finally put to rest was brittle as nettle and fed the fire.

  Dennis and I shared the bottle of tea and we did get caught up with each other.  We both had accomplished much with just enough left undone for it to be used as seed for another day.  Sweet.

  Happy Memorial Day!

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on May 24, 2026 Permalink  

  Spring 

  This Sunday is what the spring of 2026 should feel like every day.

  No studio today.  I got my fingers moving on my phone and ended up with an app from hell.  It was the “cleaning of the phone.”  It chimed consistently when the phone was used telling me it would clean it, sweep it clean.  Good ole Gemini.  It took me several times . . . no . . . a lot of times before it was no longer on my phone as this nasty little icon on the far right top of the phones screen.  

  It was a good lesson that less is more.  I also cleaned off quite a few other apps of stupid games that had popped up.  It is a smart phone and I am really thrilled that Dennis doesn’t know he has a flip-top smart phone.

  Dennis’ grandson AJ came by with a passenger on his Honda cycle.  AJ introduced us to his girlfriend, Amanda.  It was a great visit as we sat in the patio porch with the doors open and a good breeze coming in.

  AJ’s company got the bid to put a second option for cable into the town.  He works for Fidium Fiber.  It will be interesting to see if their option can trump Mediacom.

  The town is quite this afternoon and has been left to the song birds.  A very good tradeoff. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on May 23, 2026 Permalink  

  Saturday 

  It’s a great day out.

  I’ve been busy enough that my email account was not opened for several says.  When I know I have no appointment emails on their way, it seems there is plenty of other media to keep up with.

  This morning Dennis’ nephew Matt Curry came calling to see Dennis.  Matt is from Windom where he grew up as his dad worked for Toro.  Matt works for AgCo in Jackson.  You could put money on Matt’s visit on or around Memorial day.  The fellows were in the patio porch solving all the world’s issues.  Matt’s brother Mitch couldn’t come with.  Mitch works at Toro and they have been having problems getting parts, so Mitch was putting in a short day at Toro today.  

  We are sure there will be no more killing frosts.  The two huge plants that Dennis has tended over quite a few winters in the patio porch are now out getting some fresh air.  They sit in the area that we filled in after we gave up the Koi pond.

  A few hours were put in at the studio.  It keeps me on a good routine, rather than spending the entire day hand stitching with a YouTube running in the background.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:39 pm on May 22, 2026 Permalink  

  Good Times 

  The session in the studio went without a hitch or a glitch.  Working towards using some stash and getting it out of storage feels great.

  Dennis’ new PVC flag pole kit came today.  Great timing as the rains have made his Veteran’s American Flag a bit too heavy to stay off of the grass flying off of the old one that had bricks securing the pole to stand upright . . . well actually leaning quite a bit.  If this flag pole lasts as long as the previous one . . . hats off.

  The rain doesn’t really want to give me a break.  Seeing as I do not melt, I am going to don my rain jacket and make a break for the grocery store.  Nothing heavy is needed, just a few goodies for us for the holiday weekend plus some protein fixings for our suppers.

  It’s always interesting to find out how much rain has been received by the KEYC news over supper.  According to our neighbor Randy’s gravel yard . . . its a bunch.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on May 21, 2026 Permalink  

  Thursday the 21st 

  A beautiful day in the neighborhood.

  I always enjoy being able to wear  some of my warmer tops in the house when the furnace need not run.  I know Dennis is comfortable in the patio porch as he runs his own thermostat.  I don’t have a problem with that.  He deserves to feel comfortable.

  Today Dennis’ niece, Jean and her husband Jim, came calling today from Morris.  They have the ritual of placing flowers on graves for Memorial Day.  For myself and Dennis, we feel the same way:  remembering without flowers.

  Memorial Day always takes me back to the years at South Branch and the cemetery.  As we lived next door to it, our family did the honors of keeping it tidy, as well as weekly cleaning of the church.  The cemetery always looked spic and span the week or so prior to the holiday.  Often, Kevin would mow and I ran the gas fed weed whip complete with the harness.  We did not take on the task of watering live plants.  In time it was all we could do to pick up the plastic flowers that the wind carried hither, tither and yon.  There was no way that the wire that held them together would be a good thing if the lawnmower got tangled up with one of them.  Many memories.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:51 pm on May 20, 2026 Permalink  

  Hide and Seek 

  I knew that there was a separate electrical charger for our Samsung television remote.  Supposedly it is to self-charge in daylight.  It might need direct sun.  When a message comes up on the television screen and the remote is sluggish, it’s time to plug it in.  I had been using my phone charger.

  I could visualize the cord of the charger as the coloring was a slate gray.  It had always been on the shelf to the left of Dennis’ computer chair.  It dawned on me that when we needed a new laptop for Dennis, I had bagged up everything electrical for it all to be recycled when the visitor came to take it.  Sure enough, the laptop and the goodie bag were in the closet.  In the bag I had also included the Samsung charger.  Hide and seek is ended.

  My memory isn’t as good as it may have been, but when it does click, it’s as good as it’s ever been.  The charger is back on the shelf to the left of Dennis’ computer chair.  Take that!

  My day has been emptying the laundry basket, getting it dried, folded and stashed away as what was in said basket.  There is some of my clothing and I might dry it just get it fluffed and then hang it on hangers.   Got it done.

  I have made an oven meal for us.  Some of the contents were awaiting in the freezer.  A time back when a pork roast had been in the crockpot, the remaining had been diced right along with the carrots from the bottom of the crockpot.  That mixture had the remaining stove top stuffing mixed with it and a portion went into the freezer.  Today with medium sized egg noodles prepared and a jar of alfredo, it will be our supper.  The jellied cranberries are just the sharp bite needed to finish it all off. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥