Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:59 pm on April 27, 2018 Permalink  

  In the wink of an eye, we have gone from blizzard winds to dust bowl winds. Dennis and I worked outside today until 1:30 and then took cover. The hard surface streets have enough grit on them from winter to make your face prickle when the winds are at 20 MPH. A good spring rain would take care of that irritant.

  We have some lilac branches that gave way under the weight of snow. Our lilacs are ancient and have gnarled branches with some hollowing. As it was, we needed to prune a few additional back for a project that we have coming up. The pruning gave way to raking and then brought to eyesight the amount of sod that the snow plow had pushed when it pushed snow on Stauffer Avenue. Stauffer Avenue is a dedicated 10′ gravel alley than has morphed into more like 15′.

  Before I realized it, Dennis had the small sump pump out and was empting the Koi pond of snow melt. Out came his snowmobile boots and he was in the pond clearing it of leaves, branches and other winter related leftovers. I had not mentioned the Koi pond as I didn’t know how Dennis was feeling about maintaining it for another season. He is apparently up for it and I know the Koi wouldn’t mind getting out of the horse tank that they have been in for the entire winter. Once the city water that we will be filling the Koi pond with has a chance to dissipate any chlorine, Dennis may very well be dipping the Koi from the horse tank tomorrow. I know Dennis lost one of the older Koi this winter and I couldn’t tell you right now how many are remaining . . . perhaps 7.

  Tomorrow Dennis plans on getting the riding mower out and chopping the leaves that I have raked out from under the lilacs and put into windrows out in the open lawn. They are too many to bag and burning is not an option. He may have less to mulch than he thought as the north wind is strong and taking a few far, far away. We have a huge Maple tree and our neighbor Randy has a huge Oak. The leaves that I raked out were matted, thick and heavy. The soil needs to get some air. For me it was reminiscent of cleaning calf pens on the farm. Layer by layer is the only way to go, peeling the layers of manure, or in this case, leaves.

  We have had a great day and have decided to have a treat for supper dessert . . . rice pudding. Yup, it’s a sweet life here on Stauffer Avenue. Both Dennis and I might be a bit sore after today, but then the personal satisfaction far exceeds that.

   
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  Noreen 2:14 pm on April 26, 2018 Permalink  

  No UFOs 

  

  In the sewing world, “UFOs” are unfinished objects. Just in time before I get busy with raking and picking up winter branches, these two wreaths are ready to hang for the summer festivities. One is for Carrie’s family and the other is for Kevin’s family. The button tree was shook and did not disappoint. As luck would have it, I had several small curtain rods to include in the carriers that will be just the answer to slip in the pockets on the back for hanging. A 3-D project cannot very well be given without a storage container. Amazon had the perfect two to order. A spool of ribbon from the ole Dueber’s store made a very appropriate label for the carriers. The sewing machine is silent and may be for awhile. I have had a great stitching season. It will be enjoyable to start something new . . . a bit later when it’s too hot to be outside.

  

   
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  Noreen 4:09 pm on April 25, 2018 Permalink  

  Yesterday I spoke of helping someone via the phone with a stitching problem. This afternoon Lynda came over . . . complete with the sewing machine. It is an interesting story.

  Lynda’s son sells seed corn. He was sure he could nail things down so he could embroidery t-shirts with his logo as well as the company’s. He bought a 26 lb. embroidery machine from Canada and felt confident he was computer savoy enough to digitize the design for stitching. “Here Mom, you get the machine set up and then in time I will do the stitching.” It’s a good thing Lynda’s hair was gray already.

  The amount of stitching in his completed project, much like what is found on many tee shirts above the pocket, was equal to one of my designs that I had posted yesterday that was very compact to fill the 6″ x 6″ block. Lynda never could get past the first 2,000 stitches let alone the 32,000 of his design.

  I tried to open the flash drive on my sewing machine that held the design with no luck. My lap top could not open the content of the flash drive. His sewing machine did not acknowledge a flash drive that I had to see how things would shake out.

  It does prove that research is needed before purchasing, let alone something from Canada when JoAnn Fabrics has machines that will do a limited amount of embroidery.

  My suggestion at the end of the afternoon was to sit down with her son, have the fabric loaded in the hoop attached to his sewing machine and allow him to enjoy the stitching of his project. I also did tell her to stay in touch.

  Life is interesting and every day can be a teaching tool. Also it was a day to be grateful that what I had researched for my love of stitching has served me well.

   
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  Noreen 1:48 pm on April 24, 2018 Permalink  

  What a Whirlwind 

  Today was a day that had a lot on its tick list.  I had promised myself that I would finish an embroidery project before the snow was gone for the winter.  I made it just in time this morning.  I had this packet of designs for several years.  When I finished a flannel plaid quilt top for Dennis, there were choice scraps left.  Though the packet suggested flannel fabrics, on hindsight a lighter weight fabric would have served me better.  Each design stitched out fantastically.  The digitization was spot on.  Putting together the 40 designs meant flannel on flannel seams.  Yup . . . a bit bulky.  Live and learn. Pressing seams open helped.  Grading some seams helped.  Grading seams is when one layer of the seam is cut back just a bit so it is allows for a better press.  Flannel is also a very stretchy fabric.  All in all . . . I like it.  I like it a lot.  It makes me happy when I look at it.  Well of course!  Anything Christmas makes me happy.  The Christmas spirit dwells in me twelve months out of the year . . . but stretching the Christmas stitching went a bit far as it is the 24th of April.   I will steam the project after it has hung for a bit.  Also hanging it on the living room wall next Christmas season will allow me to smooth out the sides with a bit of double stick tape.  Never give in.  Never give up.  There is always an alternative in an “oops” project.  

  I was looking forward to the lunch break when a friend called and needed some help with her sewing project.  It can be talked through if you use as few words as possible addressing each step as it is explained.  After 45 minutes I believe Lynda was heading for a quilt shop to purchase the correct stabilizer and the correct sized needles.  

  After lunch it was time to lay out Dennis’ granddaughter’s curtains that need shortening.  One set is lavender and the second set is gray.  It will be a good change of pace.  I was really going to get into this until my phone began the sound that meant there were text messages coming in like gang busters.

  We have one credit card that we use for basically all of the times that we do need a credit card.  All of the text messages were from that credit card company.  They were inquiring in regard to charges being made on that card today.  It didn’t take me long to respond to them on the phone and speaking to a real person.  Yup!  One charge was for $5,145 for a cruise and limo service.  Another charge was for a retail sale of $315.00.  There were several other smaller amounts.  End result is a new card will be issued and we have no responsibility for these charges or any others that may be coming in after the date that I gave her as to when we had used the card.  Whew!  To be honest . . . I didn’t know that I had this service with our credit card.  I was and am very thankful.  My stomach is just about settled after time spent on this.  It does cause an older gal’s heart to flutter while all aspects of this needed to be cleared up.

   
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  Noreen 4:32 pm on April 23, 2018 Permalink  

  When God smiles on days such as He has on this one, how could I not rejoice and be glad in it.

   
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  Noreen 4:19 pm on April 22, 2018 Permalink
  Tags: Sadie   

  We all surprised Dennis’ granddaughter, Sadie, for her 33rd birthday as she arrived home from her week of drills at Camp Ripley complete in her 1st Sergeant’s uniform. Sadie in the past has completed three tours across the oceans with the Red Bull unit and came home this afternoon to get a hug from her hubby, three-year-old daughter and three month old baby daughter. I can’t imagine how much she has been through and seen in the 16 years she has served our country. Hats off.

  Today, as we drove to Mankato and then on the return home trip, we couldn’t believe how much snow had disappeared. Yup, spring has made it!

   
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  Noreen 3:51 pm on April 21, 2018 Permalink  

  It is supper time . . . thank goodness. I have truly worn myself out today. I have been working with doing machine quilting using transparent 100% nylon thread with regular thread in the bobbin. When you sew in the ditch, it means you sew where two quilt blocks come together, aka: the ditch. Steady Eddie is required so as to not weave out of that ditch and make the stitching very apparent when it pops up on the surface here and there and everywhere. I remember seeing the tip of the nylon thread and decided to give it a try. Yes, very little to spy when I veered. As the spool emptied, it had a tendency to coil and twist prior to feeding into the sewing machine. For some time I had not noticed that and I was about to have a hissy fit trying to understand why the thread was breaking so often.

  “Slow Down, You Move too Fast. Gotta Make the Morning Last.” I needed to slow way down to make this project last before it hits the waste basket. All that was needed was to slow down the stitching while keeping one hand at the point of the thread entering the machine allowing the thread to flow through my finger tips with no coils or kinks. I took turns getting the less than great reaching arms and saw the project through. Heck no! There was no way I was going to give up or give in.

  That aspect of the project is done and my arms are weary. Amazing what old people put themselves through. I know I am my harshest critic and that is not going to change. So . . . rest up, tomorrow is another day.

   
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  Noreen 5:30 pm on April 20, 2018 Permalink  

  Yesterday we went to Mankato. As we were approaching it brought back memories of many spring trips to Mankato at this very time of the year. For some reason when it was Confirmation time, Dad, Mom and us kids got into the green Plymouth for a shopping trip to Herbergers department store to shop for the one of the four of us kids who would be confirmed. I am safe in saying the car was green as Dad usually had a green Plymouth.

  Hmm. Herbergers are closing, I should have been a better patron. As you get older, clothes are needed to have one set on as the other set is in the laundry and then switch.

  I am sure Hutchinson had stores, but it didn’t have a Herbergers. My confirmation dress was a light blue with pink flowers on it. It could have been described as a sun dress as it had a light blue shrug to wear over it.

  Confirmation was such a huge deal. It was the culmination of four years of what was called “Catechism.” Every Saturday from 8:30 to noon and every Wednesday with “release time” from the public school. Sundays we had to write the sermon. It was actually outlining it with the major points highlighted and numerous points under each. Pastor Schultz geared his sermons so that we could easily get the outline. We handed them in on the next Wednesday’s class and Pastor Schultz graded them.

  Every good boy and girl dreaded “examination Sunday.” It was always the Sunday before Confirmation. Standing before the congregation during the morning service Pastor Schultz grilled us on what we had been taught in regard to the theology of our faith as well as the Sacraments. Whew, we were glad when that day was over.

  I don’t know why it was important to have a new set of clothes for Confirmation as we wore white robes for both of the Sundays during the services. Red carnations adorned the robes. The song that we had as “our” song was “Master Let Me Walk with Thee.” The class sang it in lieu of one of the congregational hymns. All of this may have been 59 years ago, but it is very much a clear lasting event. I have ripped by sewing studio up one side to another making it more organized . . . somehow the blue worn “Senior Catechism” book usually ends up just a reach away. What’s up with that.

   
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  Noreen 5:13 pm on April 19, 2018 Permalink  

  Yesterday I spoke to the health of my spirit. Something today sparked memories of Dad and his spirit. He had a drive that was amazing. Dad helped Orlin and I have a start in farming at a time when we were working as hired farm hands for Orlin’s sister in the North Redwood area. Dad took Orlin under his wing and before long Orlin was milking cows all the while Dad and Orlin worked on bringing the dairy barn up to speed with concrete and lumber. A decade or so later, Dad was helping Orlin put in pits and slates for raising finishing hogs. Driving an hour or better one way didn’t slow Dad down. He was energetic and enthused to help.

  A time later Dad was a help taking printing equipment apart and relocating it into the very barn where there had been pits and slats. Never backing away from something that Dad had no idea how the end project would operate or work. Dad did have a great ability of vision and logic. How I loved that man.

  Shortly before his passing, Dad and Mom were in St. James with the tandem truck trimming evergreens that were sweeping the earth below them. The boughs were trimmed and taken away. The yard was able to dry out with the breezes and winds moving right on through. To this day when I hear the boughs whisper as the winds and breezes move through, I think of Dad. How could I not.

  Soon I will be out in that very yard getting dirty and clearing the clutter the winter has left. Hard work outside is good for the soul and spirit. What else will be cleared of the excess winter clutter are some of the memories of then. I keep my self busy with winter fuzz and thread work. It allows the mind to ruminate. That is not a bad thing but the soul and spirit have room to make additional new memories as I plow through the spring yard work.

   
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  Noreen 4:47 pm on April 18, 2018 Permalink  

  I am a die-hard. I don’t give in. I don’t give up . . . unless it seems impossible to make inroads to my health and safety. It’s not only the mental health and physical health. There is that all important part of me that no one else is privy to . . . my soul that feeds my spirit.

  In younger days it was who of us four kids would stick it out as we stacked bales of straw and hay in the hot stifling hay loft. In the 60s it was a matter of helping in clearing an acre in Texas so we could make a home out of a chicken shack. In the mid 60s it was stepping up for milking cows, helping with farrowing piglets while I was cumbersome waiting for my own babies to be born.

  It has continued in my life. It is very difficult, almost painful for me not to take care of what each and every day brings. It is not a chore. It does not bring me a heavy heart to make those decisions and those decisions come swiftly. Done, finished and on to the next best part of the day. I have many “best days.” Sometimes I have to pinch myself as to the life I have. It is sweet and each night I say a prayer of thanks for it.

  I have watched many, many snowflakes this winter sitting in Dennis’ chair in our west porch looking out the windows. How wonderful and precious that there was not one flake that had been duplicated. How wonderful and precious that there is not one single duplication of . . . me. I know myself well, and seriously, I don’t think the world could take it.