Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 5:58 am on May 8, 2017 Permalink  

  It is six on this Sunday evening and Dennis and I are shot; wore out, pooped. It would have been easier on us if we had stayed home and puttered around in our yard. A birthday party started the day at 11 a.m. in Sibley Park in Mankato for four-year-old great grandson Oliver. No one could have asked for a more beautiful morning. Oliver and his mom and dad enjoyed having the family come to enjoy the event, enjoy a picnic and watch all the comings and goings of Oliver and a lot of other toddlers. Next year at this time, Oliver will be a big brother. Great news. We are always ready for a new baby in the family.

  We returned to St. James in time to head over to Dennis’ daughter’s home to have a chance to visit with granddaughter Cheyanne who is home from Seattle for a week to catch up with the “down home” folks. Cheyanne made the trip via car as she has a dog and a cat that needs to remain close to their owner and not be put in a shelter. It was great to see how well she is enjoying her new life.

  So anyhow . . . Dennis and I are “socialed” out. We admit it. We are spoiled. We have the blessings of families and being a part of all the excitements that come into their lives and them wanting us to participate. At the end of days such as these we know there is no place we want to be other than in our home adding to the memories that we will hold for a long time.

   
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  Noreen 4:39 am on May 7, 2017 Permalink  

  It is official. Summer is upon Stauffer Avenue. The patio umbrella is up and the Mantis tiller worked full steam ahead . . . that is with me at the throttle. Dennis did paint touch up on the front steps. We are all about tidy, tidy, tidy. As we sat under the umbrella catching a breeze we decided that the Hometown Café was our choice for supper. We now have weary bodies and full stomachs, and now it’s all about getting showered up and calling it a day. It was a great day on Stauffer.

   
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  Noreen 4:29 am on May 6, 2017 Permalink  

  There are some days that make me feel so good . . . no words are needed.

   
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  Noreen 6:26 am on May 5, 2017 Permalink  

  When Megan began talking as a toddler, she had a lot to say. When the mom and dad wanted to get her attention this could be heard from the curly haired little one: “Just one more thing.”

  That is how today went outside. Some shrubs needed trimming, the lawn needed a manicure and so the morning and afternoon went. The acre looks wonderful. The patio porch is tidied and the cats have fresh baskets. It’s all a good thing. There is no longer “Just one more thing” for the older ones on Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 4:38 am on May 4, 2017 Permalink  

  Today was a good day to wash up some winter clothes. Oh yes, I believe that we will have warmer weather . . . one of these days. It was the laziest day that I have had in some time. Butter Ball and I did walk the gardens looking to see what is still trying to pop up out of the cold dirt. Now at 5 p.m. the sun has finally shown itself. I’ll take whatever I can get.

   
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  Noreen 3:14 am on May 3, 2017 Permalink  

  It’s a Good Thing 

  

  It’s a good thing how this project worked out. It is the 2nd of May and time to be getting my fingers dirty out in the yards. These four quilts for the great granddaughters are quilted and hemmed, ready to add some snuggle time for Addison, Ava, Bella and Josie. It will be some time before I seek and search for any peach toned fabric to be used in the sewing studio. Whew!

   
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  Noreen 3:48 am on May 2, 2017 Permalink  

  The extensive city street work is ground to a halt due to all the rains. As I was driving home from the Old Alley Quilt Shop this early afternoon, I could have sworn the sun was going to break through. Nope, it was more rain showers that nudged it into the background. I had hit a lucky streak of 50 minutes when I had suited up for my walk right before twelve noon. Yup . . . winter coat, heavy slacks, cap and mittens over the gloves. One of these days when I can head out in just a light cotton shirt I will more than likely feel naked.

   
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  Noreen 4:31 am on May 1, 2017 Permalink  

  Cold, rain and winds kept me in the kitchen this morning. I enjoy opening the refrigerator and having options in regard to what can be put out for a light meal. Not all meals are meat, potatoes and “what’s for dessert.” Three pounds of thick sliced bacon baked out will keep in the refrigerator for some time to be used in either salads, sandwiches or additions to meat dishes and hot-dishes. While the oven was working its magic a box of strawberries were diced. They work on cereal, yogurt or on ice cream. Dennis does enjoy strawberries. my go-to snack is a boiled egg or egg salad. We do go through a lot of eggs and onions.

  The entire time I was in the kitchen we had on the RFD television channel. They were featuring the state of Washington and all of the varieties of cherries they raise. My memories went back to our round oak kitchen table with six pair of feet under the table of Raymond and Lena. We never went hungry. If it could be butchered or canned . . . we had it. One of the dessert treats was when Mom would bring up a quart jar of canned Bing Cherry sauce. They were quite expensive when bought by the crate and the season for canning cherries was short. You can only get so many cherries into a quart jar, and when there are six sauce dishes on the table for Mom to divvy up, not all is always equal. Calvin, Michael and I would make the mistake of counting the cherry pits that would be left in each of our dishes and, oh, course, we had to compare to see who had had the most of this wonderful treat. It angered my Dad to the degree that he would literally rise out of his chair. Times like that I thought his arms were six feet long. One of the three of us would get cuffed and demeaned, reminding us that we never had gone hungry and there was no threat of it happening. Ya, kids can be petty.

  By two this afternoon the rain had let up. I suited up with my winter jacket, cap, gloves and mittens to head out for my walk. It was 42 degrees with it feeling like 34 with a brisk wind. When I got home the coffee went great with a good helping of fresh egg salad lofted to my mouth on some whole grain chips. Yum.

   
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  Noreen 4:13 am on April 30, 2017 Permalink  

  Pause for Thoughts 

  

  Bleeding Hearts are the first to bloom and they care not what the temperatures may be. It made me think of own heart that does not pause to take action doing what it can, when it can without a blink of an eye. I am so thankful for my beating healthy heart.

   
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  Noreen 1:33 am on April 29, 2017 Permalink  

  I am in between projects this afternoon. It was fantastic to walk this morning with no cap and just a light jacket with a pair of gloves noticing that the wind was from the southeast. Perhaps the mittens can be stored. The cold storage warehouse was mowing their lot with a zero-turn mower that was huge. A bit farther down the county road the caretaker was mowing the two large cemeteries that lay side by side. Now that took me back. Right back to our family taking care of the St. John’s Lutheran property in downtown South Branch. The school grounds were included in the mowing as well as the ball field. Wow. We did a great job of the mowing as well with the halter-held trimmer that was used around each cemetery stone. All four of us took pride in how the property was manicured. Years later, I feel pride and satisfaction in how Dennis and I keep our acre tidy.

  Dennis is in charge of a great chicken casserole for supper, giving me a chance to begin the third of the peach quilts for great granddaughter Bella. I would be so lost without my two church tables in my sewing studio. The backing gets taped down, back side up. I do use a basting spray on the backing and then gently apply the batting. The ultimate: no wrinkles in either one. Just a light spray of basting spray on the batting and down goes the top, right side up. After a good application of the three layers I just sit back and look at it. Each time I go through this process I give thanks that I can do what I do in the manner that it needs to be done in. With my history of surgeries and replacement parts, it could have gone either way. Gotta love a willing spirit. I sure do.