Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:58 pm on December 10, 2019 Permalink  

  Sunny and Frigid 

  Frigid temps don’t feel so bad when the sun is shining and it is bright out.

  Why am I not surprised.  Dennis came home from coffee with his buds at McDonald’s to stop in and say he was going out in the country to a friend of his.  They had been chit chatting over coffee and Dennis was offered some oats for the deer feeding.  That was all Dennis had to hear.  While he was at Dwayne’s he also offered some advice on guns that Dwayne wants to sell.  Dennis’ suggestion was to let the children pick what they would want from their dad and then decide on what was left as to the price he would want.  Good friend that Dennis is, he did not offer to purchase, only to give advice.  

  I muddled through a pillow.  The way velvet stitches out embroidery is really nice.  How to work with velvet afterwards is a nightmare.  Because of the nap of it, it doesn’t play nice when being put in a seam.  It slips and slides to no end.  My pillow is done.  In the photo the white flang border does not want to lie flat to be photographed.  That is unfortunate as it is some white elite that I had used to make Carrie a dress for the Christmas concert many, many years ago when we lived in the two story brick schoolhouse.  The embroidered design fit right in with the stitching of the bells.  The tartan plaid taffeta seemed to be a good fit.  Taffeta has its own issue when seaming it.  It frays like a dog that is molting.  What can I say.  When you bite into a challenge, you have to be willing to work with it and then as Dennis did with his highchair . . . you say “Uncle.”  I need to inquire with my stitching gals in regard to their experience with velvet, as I will want to be ready for it again next year at this time.  Yup . . . stubborn and no throwing in the towel. 

  Dennis is practicing with our small camera to capture photos of the deer that come to enjoy his patio.  I think he is doing a fair job.  Holding the camera steady is huge, but the drift of the photo is spot on.  The deer coming this close to the patio is the cat’s meow . . . literally.  All three sit at the sliding patio door and take it all in.  Hard to say if the cats are putting on the most nose prints onto the glass . . . or if it’s Dennis.  Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 5:59 pm on December 9, 2019 Permalink  

  One More 

  I am going to make one more item with some Santa velvet and then go on to some other stuff.  Yup . . . I have other stuff.  The velvet has been a good run and yes . . . there is plenty for the winter of 2020.  It is so enjoyable to tackle projects to see where the challenge will take me.  Several friends had encouraged me to take part in the vendor show at the VFW that was held last Saturday.  It didn’t take a heartbeat in time for me to thank them and then say no.  It would take all the fun out of it.  

  Last Monday Dennis took me to the post office and I mailed out twelve envelopes that held some stitched Christmas ornaments.  I had been working on them here and there in between times.  The envelopes went to family near and far.  Who doesn’t like to get something in the mail that isn’t a bill.

  I belong to several private Facebook sites.  One is specifically for the model of sewing machine I have.  It’s nice to see how others approach challenges.  One of my favorite sites is for purchasing embroidery designs.  I can pat myself on the back for not purchasing any additional patterns this year.  I look but do not purchase.  From what I can tell, the temptation of purchase far exceeds working with them for a final product.  There is one design that has been niggling me for possible 2020 Christmas.  Time will tell.  

  There wasn’t more than 2-3 inches of snow during the day and the wind moved it more times that could be counted.  Dennis does well with his snowblower . . . up to the plugged driveway from the county plows.  It’s a huge ice cube.  Randy blew through that as if it were fluff.

  Dennis dug deep and found an old timer that we used in Christmas’ of the 90s.  Dennis presented it to me as he said it all looked by Greek.  I admit it is difficult to read the tiny instructions.  Never fear . . . we got it to work.  At 11:00 p.m. sharp last night the huge wreath on the garage went dark. 

  The temps are going to be buggers for the next several days.  That should give me enough time to crank out that last red velvet project.

   
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  Noreen 3:25 pm on December 8, 2019 Permalink  

  Heavy Gray Skies 

  It was to have been a very mild day with temps in the 40s.  Not so!  The air is heavy and the skies are gray and it makes my titanium joints cry.  No . . . it’s not the titanium hardware, it’s tendons, muscles, nerve endings and such that are attached to the hardware.  Easily felt . . . hard to explain.

  With two pounds of lean hamburger, one pound of pork sausage, five different types of beans, plus sauce and seasonings, we are going to have chili for supper.  A huge batch is usually made so several meals can be put in the freezer for those days that I am not about to make a meal . . . come hell or high water.  Ya, there are days like that.  The days that are like that, I declare to Dennis, “You are on your own for supper.  Either scrounge our refrig and kitchen or you know your way to the Home Town Café.”  Do you want to know what happens?  About a few minutes from meal time, I hear the table being set.  It is set complete with silverware, condiments and water glasses . . . filled.  Screw that!  I guess the message was not received and I am in the kitchen.  I know, I know . . . I should be and I am thankful that Dennis will eat whatever is set before him.  It’s kind of like a . . . compliment. 

  Snow is forecast and with the  dreary heavy air making me feel dreary,  it was time for me to have a talk with the big man in our living room . . . Santa.  I go up close and personnel so there would be no mistaking what I want for Christmas.  It was all taken in and I could swear that I saw him wink . . . or it could have been the smear on my glasses where the chili boiled up and caught me unaware.  Nonetheless . . . Santa and I have an understanding.  I believe we all need an understanding of what is probable, what is possible and what is heartfelt wishing.

   
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  Noreen 5:57 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink  

  A Social Day 

  Once the beds had been stripped and the laundry going, it was time to do a bit of dust bunny hunting.  Saturday’s mean taking a Swiffer and skidding and sliding over all the floors.  It is amazing what is captured.  Dennis thinks there are more people living here than are fessing up.

  The VFW in town had a local vendor’s show.  I have several gals that have small home businesses that I wanted to support.  I looked, I touched but there was nothing that came home with me.  A sign of contentment.

  The Odin Craft Mill does a spring and fall show.  This year they did a Christmas show starting the day after Thanksgiving and open every day. December 8th will be the last day.  I had not gone to any of the events in the last several years.  Odin is only eight miles from St. James and I was curious.  After being open for nine days, there was still an abundance of items to take in.  I looked, I touched and did come home with some eatable items.  Dennis will enjoy the caramel popcorn and the small squares of various fudge favors.   I was able to ferret away a few goodies for the times when Carrie’s and Kevin’s can make it over for Christmas.  Who would look in a sewing studio for Christmas treats!

  The gal who owns the property at Odin for the craft mill will be coming over sometime next May.  Nancy said she would be over after the spring show to dig up some Hosta.  Yes, I am serious about cutting way, way back in the flower gardening.

  This evening we were entertained by four deer just a bit after five.  They must be hungry or just sociable.   Dennis gets the greatest thrill in this.  It’s a good thing.

  Tomorrow promises to be another good day in regard to temperatures.  It has been great to have our concrete driveway totally cleared of snow and ice.  Our neighbor Randy has a total gravel driveway that makes a horseshoe shape around their home.  With using his tractor and snowblower on the gravel, these warmer days have made for a great horseshoe shaped ice rink. Hmm.

   
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  Noreen 5:46 pm on December 6, 2019 Permalink  

  Efforts Were Split 

  Dennis wanted to stay close to home today to wait for “people.”  The snowblower, which has quite a bit of age on it, needed some tender loving care.  The throttle was touchy.  If lowered a bit too much the snowblower would back-fire.  Not to worry.  Charlie made a house call and tweaked it to perfection.  Charlie works for the county as a mechanic.  Good job Charlie and good job Dennis for staying on top of things before the snowblower was needed to be put in action.  Monday is to be a snowy day.

  Dennis just called me from the patio porch.  His pan of alfalfa pellets and cracked corn has company.  The lights are on in the patio porch and the television is on – I am sure fairly loud.  The pan is four feet from the patio sliding doors.  How fun for Dennis, and the cats are sitting right at the base of the doors watching also.  These two deer, I am quite sure are the two fawns from last year.  Oh my gosh, they were so small then compared to the two that are out there now.

  I digress.  I went to Mankato today to pick up supplies for Dennis’ CPAP machine.  All supplies are prescription-based.  Medicare and our insurance supplement honor pickup of supplies . . . if they are stated to be a month’s supply . . . that date needs to be adhered to as to when the last prescription was picked up.  Not one day earlier.  When Dennis went in for a checkup in October and to get a renewal of these CPAP supplies, the doctor wrote the prescription for three months worth.  So, February 6th is on my telephone’s calendar to make the return trip.  It does all work if you play by the rules.

  All is good here and I think the largest challenge facing me for tomorrow is to pick up milk.  Dennis informed me that when he had his oatmeal and flax Noon meal, he emptied the 1/2 jug.

   
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  Noreen 4:27 pm on December 5, 2019 Permalink  

  No Throwing in the Towel 

  There is nothing more challenging than a project that has no end game.  No time pressure.  No one waiting for its completion . . . it’s just there haunting.

  Dennis had wanted to refinish our $5.00 garage sale find highchair.  Dennis had no idea what he had let himself in for.  I promised myself I was zero in that refinishing.  Oh . . . I did observe from time to time then hurriedly got out of the garage so Dennis wouldn’t see my lips bleeding from having bitten while keeping them silent.

  When Dennis said “Uncle” I did not question him.  The highchair was delivered into my sewing studio for the rest of the story . . . that being taking the bare wood and finishing it.  I did not take any steel wool or sandpaper into the sewing studio.  I took it as it was turned over to me.  Out came the stain and the polyurethane.  I believe in the adage that one cannot fail if one does not try.  I actually turned that into a ditty and sang it to myself . . . often.

  As I contemplated several options, I remembered what Lena taught me when I was learning the finer points of all types of sewing and stitching.  The essence of that advice was that if you cannot change how a project is shaping up, do something that will take the eye off of the less than good seam or stitch and make that the point where the eye will travel to first.  Give me a high-five Lena.

  As of today, the highchair is completed.  It has turned into a sweet confection.  I recalled how small children had a rope of beads that was used for playing or chewing.  The portion of Dennis’ highchair that could have the illusion of beads got that extra special treatment.  I had forgotten how steady my right hand was . . . NOT!  Slow and cautious.  After the final finish was permanent, it needed a bit extra. 

  I made a stencil that resembled the string of colorful beads from times gone by.  In my era, there wasn’t a single small child that didn’t try to chew their way through the rubber like beads.  Out came the Tri-Chem paints from the 1960s.  The $5.00 highchair has no reason to hide.  It is quite eclectic, much like me.  Be sure to give the thumbnail a click to check out a “One of a kind, found only here on Stauffer Avenue.”

  Dennis has no inclination to seek another piece of furniture at a garage sale.  Woodwork and furniture refinishing is no slam, wham, thank you.  It takes countless hours and most of it is elbow grease rather than motorized tools.  I think the only tool with an electrical cord that Dennis didn’t use was the skill saw. I am looking forward for no longer be haunted by this little chair that never really bothered anyone. It had been content to sit in the corner of the patio porch nurturing all of its blistered and peeling paints of many colors.

  For me . . . back to the thread and fuzz.

   
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  Noreen 6:16 pm on December 4, 2019 Permalink  

  First Time 

  Today was the first time I went with Dennis to his Korean Veterans meeting and luncheon.  There was only one fellow who was younger than 83-year-old Dennis and he has suffered a stroke making his mobility less than he would like.  It was a good experience and the letter of the law, or I should say Robert’s Rules of Order was followed to the “T.”  I do give this group of men and women credit for continuing the comradery.  The gals who are there were nurses in the Korean Police Action.  Yes, it grips them all that it couldn’t be called the Korean War.   Politics had its hand in things then as well as it is now.  

  Our neighbor is going to feed the deer.  Jan puts out a coffee can of corn each night thus far.  Dennis decided that today we would go to Mills Fleet Farm.  Dennis bought alfalfa pellets.  He doesn’t plan on overfeeding this early in the season.  The real deal is that I bought a container of the Old Fashioned Quaker Oats.  Dennis is not in like with it for his morning meal.  That container of oatmeal is out in a pan.  When the deer have eaten that he will pony up the rest of the story.  There is a lot of winter yet to be.  We did also pick up a bag of cracked corn.  With no ice anywhere, this is when we feel we should stock up and not take a gainer when the footing is not secure.  Staying upright is the goal here on Stauffer Avenue.

  After picking up a few groceries we treated ourselves to a piece of pie and a cup of coffee in Baker’s Square.  It felt good to sit down and enjoy the treat.

  We are now safe at home and the groceries are put where they belong.  It is a personal irk of mine when the groceries have been purchased and the contents still cannot be gotten out of the packaging.  Ya, I have irks, I just don’t dwell on them.

   
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  Noreen 4:48 pm on December 3, 2019 Permalink  

  Live and Learn 

  After getting some good advice, we watched several YouTubes.  Live and learn.  We are too late putting electrical heat tape on part of our roof.

  Ideally we will do that work in the late fall of 2020.  At this point in time our down spouts have ice in them as well as the eve troughs.  Next fall we will take off the trough covers so the electrical heat tape can be properly secured.  In the mean time, in between time we will use the snow rake after the snow falls.  Actually, Dennis will be using the snow rake or grandson Ryan will be getting a call.

  This afternoon, I got a call from nephew Brett.  Armed with multiple sizes of sewing machine needles I headed out.  Brett has just had the sewing machine on his long-arm quilter serviced.  The machine sitting on a table stitches perfectly.  Hooking the machine to the long arm for it to glide along while sewing . . . not so good.  The thread would break about every two feet, or less.  Brett thought maybe the size of the needle going through as much as four layers at some points was making the difference.  Not so!  His thread is new, the machine was threaded from step one through the needle threading, he re-threaded the bobbin and . . . not good.

  I had two suggestions after several hours.  We have a gal here in town that does long-arm quilting.  Perhaps he could give Sue a call and ask her what she has run across with threads breaking.  My second suggestion was to call the place where his machine was serviced to see what they have run across with threads breaking.  Actually my third suggestion was to go on YouTube and scroll through posts.  I hope he finds some solution as it was very daunting to see him wanting to get his project done with nothing positive to show for it other than many loose threads where he had re-threaded the needle.  I could offer nothing else.  

  Today was a thawing day.  As of this evening Dennis does have the snow off of the portion of the roof that doesn’t have a sharp incline.  The snow just wants to lay up there and freeze down, then thaw and then do the re-freeze.  Not to worry, we’ve got this.  I give huge amounts of moral support.  It does piss me off that I am no longer to be doing something like the snow rake . . . or the snow pushing.  “Just put your hands in your pocket and encourage me.”  Thus says Dennis.

   
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  Noreen 3:30 pm on December 2, 2019 Permalink  

  Yipee, Sun 

  It may have been a cold morning, but everything goes better with sunshine.

  We gathered the list of errands and away we went in the little red pickup.  I had a bundle of items for the post office, Dennis needed to get a prescription refilled by the gals at the VA clinic and then popping off across the street to the Lewis Pharmacy.

  There was one Christmas decoration that needed to be put up.  Into the house came the step ladder.  The stairwell into the sewing studio was looking awfully bare.  Sometime, long ago, Mom created a Christmas wall hanging out of her older custom jewelry.  I have had this Christmas wonder hung up for quite a few years.

  The Christmas wall hanging had been in the west porch of our home right above the bed where Megan and Nicholas would sleep when they were visiting.  When Megan was a toddler, she would look . . . but not touch.  Not so with Nicholas.  When he was old enough to stand on the bed, he could just reach the bottom five or so inches of it.  Nicholas took great delight in picking off the beads that made up the base of the tree.  When I would Swiffer the porch floor, it amazed me how busy he had been.  I kept gathering them up until such time that he got over the plucking of the beads.

  On the wall hanging are mementos such as the one gallon pin that Mom got from donating blood.  The pin from the church’s ladies aide is close to the top.  Mom taught Sunday School and the little Martin Luther pin was included.  I recall several of the items that she received from Dad.  Uncle Melvin had sent Mom some items from stations that he was at during World War II.  Lots of memories.

  Dad had done a great job of making the frame for the glistening items that Mom put on black felt.  On the back is rug warp used with which to hang it.  Sweet.

  That concludes our decorating of items.  What is still missing is some Christmas lights.  That is our next mission when we run errands.

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on December 1, 2019 Permalink  

  A Five Day Run 

  As of today we have had a five day run of weather issues.  It can’t last forever . . . well, we do live in Minnesota.

  Dennis is back at Jackson today.  Even with the roads being less than good he did arrive safely this morning.  By the time he comes home this evening, it may have been warm enough to clear the ice.  The way our wind chimes have been going at it off of the northwest corner of the house, I would think the glazing from blowing snow could be an issue.  My hope . . . that this has cooled Dennis off for a while of being out on less than good roads.

  I piddled around in the sewing studio, thinking on the UFO that is staring me in the face.  Unfinished objects are not my favorite to have around.  This unfinished item is the highchair of Dennis’.  Right from the start there was no way to get all of the old paint off of the soft wood that was used decades ago.  Dipping it in lye is what it would have taken.  No one around here does that anymore and I don’t think investing in that would make this $5.00 chair any more of a bargain.

  Sometimes with DIY projects you go with what you’ve got.  I have dug around the supplies that we have on hand and tomorrow I will get serious. 

  Taking time for a cup of coffee . . .ya . . . I have cut down but every once in awhile it just seems to be the best solution when trying to find a solution.  I sat in the house’s front porch and watched traffic go by.  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement.  In the far northwest a deer was running through the lawns and then onto our street before heading down Stauffer Avenue.  Off to our southeast is a huge amount of tree cover for them.  Dennis knew the deer were about as he saw tracks in our backyard making a bee-line for our neighbor’s bird feeder.  We aren’t sure if we will be putting corn out for them this year.  It’s a bit early and I can’t believe that they don’t have a fairly good supply of food as yet.  A bit later a pair of Cardinals were outside the porch window getting a drink of water from the area where our sump pump pools.  Amazing what can be taken in when you sit still for a bit.

  December is upon us.  Tomorrow Megan will be 16 years old.  Her birthday is on Lena’s birthday.  Mom was very proud of that.  I am happy for Megan as opportunities abound for her.  I am also sad when I think of the world that she is growing up into.  Perhaps the changes that I see as bad have come along in these 16 years and Megan doesn’t know the difference.  Hmm.