Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:13 am on July 22, 2016 Permalink  

  I Have Short Arms 

  I sound like one of the prehistoric creatures, “I have short arms.”  Not really.  With the reverse shoulder surgeries I knew I would have some limitations in arm mobility.  Initially, when an injury takes place, the lack of blood supply to individual nerves is a death knell.  Nerves regenerate at such a minuet speed, it registers only on scales read by specialists. I was told the exact formula when I had the Nerve Reduction test done.  As I was busy blinking away tears while having electrical charges applied in various areas of both my arms, I really wasn’t into listening to the logistics.

  

  A wonderful way to get excess fabric out and away from the sewing machine.

  Anyhow . . . I found this wonderful gadget for my sewing studio that allows the bulk of larger projects to be suspended, thus taking away the weight of it.  I can lift my arms in front of me, but not with any effectiveness when there is any amount of weight or bulk to be moved.  This gadget came in today’s mail.  I sure could have used it several days ago when I was fighting a futile battle.   I believe this will allow me to do larger projects with a whole lot less fatigue.  I am all for that. I do not want to give up any part of my creative nature.  If you look long enough and hard enough, someone out there has had the same situation and is willing to share their solutions.  A clamp, a few mini bungee cords and two more clamps and I can see myself in business for a long time.

  The limitations I may have are nothing compared to the pain that is gone from my day-to-day life.

   
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  Noreen 11:46 pm on July 20, 2016 Permalink  

  A Button Jig? 

  

  Sometimes, it just takes a bit of thought provoking time to get to the results that are wanted.

  Seriously, who does this?  Me!  I have a bit of a problem lining things up and you know dang well, it is those types of things that draw the eye immediately.  Immediately.  As I have 56 buttons to apply to a project that I have hundreds of hours into, I do not want to mess up.  Thank goodness I can visit my “button tree” for just the right size and color.  The button jig may have to be replicated as I used craft paper.  A lightweight cardboard would have been a better choice.  Of all the things in my sewing studio, that is one item I am a bit short of.

  I did do some spraying of Roundup this morning for weeds that poke through the concrete driveway . . . it’s just not acceptable.  The entire while I was mixing my brew and spraying, I was running this button project through my brain. Could I possibly be a bit of a fanatic?  Absolutely.  The spraying was the ultimate that I planned on doing outside today with the humidity and heat making it someplace I need not be.  After doing a bit to tidy up in the house, I know I have a plan that can be executed in the sewing room with acceptable results.  Dang, it’s a good day.

   
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  Noreen 2:38 am on July 20, 2016 Permalink  

  It's Always Been There 

  

  From the time Carrie and Kevin were preschoolers, there was a lot of creativity in our home. Orlin set up the rug loom and there was no end as to what we cranked out. Placemats, rugs of every size, and even a tote for groceries. Several room sized wool rugs were ordered from a gal in the Metro. Oh so many balls of cut and sewn wool carpet rags were delivered into our basement to be woven in 44 inch rugs that were then woven together into room sized rugs to be placed on a pad just as any other carpet would be.  This particular rug representing the USA Eagle will be a keeper and getting a pass on the foot traffic. Yup, every type of creativity imaged is in my résumé.

   
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  Noreen 2:34 am on July 19, 2016 Permalink  

  It’s a Bit of Feeling Excitement and Nervousness 

  I have been working on a project for some time with my sewing machine.  It is almost beyond my comprehension.  I felt so strongly about getting this multi-tasking machine . . . it does take my breath away to push myself to new heights.  This particular project was detailed and timely.  It took in so many aspects for my gray matter to process.  Finding the right pattern online was fun.  Downloading the pattern and then configuring it into the size that would fit into my plans was actually quite exciting.  I had fabric in mind and only a certain amount of it.  I needed to be very careful to make sure that once I hit the “go” button, each and every time. There would be no turning back.

  Each day, I cautiously proceed.  Now that I am in the quilting step of this project, I know I have to back away from it from time to time.  I think the longer I sew, the closer I find my nose to the needle.  The needle stays constant and it all depends on how I move my hands as to how the end result will look.  I do a bit and then take a break and check out the yard or think about what to fix for supper.  I am not in a rush with this and taking a lot of breaks will serve me well.  This is the most detailed project thus far.  Going back to working with piecing a quilt top will feel like a breeze.

   
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  Noreen 4:12 am on July 18, 2016 Permalink  

  Old Hands 

  Dennis and I literally have old hands that arthritis and neuropathy have had their way with.  The better part of it is that we are old hands when it comes to rainfalls that change the landscape.  This six inch rainfall followed two recent rains that totaled six inches.  Muck hardly describes the backyard.  After that earlier rainfall Dennis and I decided the put a bit of a trench beside the patio, just in case.  It sure didn’t have to be tried out in two days.  Dennis and I have been vigilant in keeping hearth and home tidy and safe.  Mother Nature can’t be denied.  Dennis puts a different spin on the season of bad weather throughout the nation: God is mad.  Dennis may very well have something there.  All is well on Stauffer, just a few spots left to dry out in the cistern closets.

  In between time Roger, yes we did name him, the Moose got a second coat of the water seal.  From there Dennis lent me a hand in the sewing studio.  I am working with a product that is a basting spray when quilts are sandwiched.  It  should mean no more pins.  I have watched every YouTube video out there.  Time will tell.  We only did the backing of the quilt and the batting.  Time out.  There is always another day to get a fresh start.

   
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  Noreen 4:28 am on July 17, 2016 Permalink  

  Believe it or not . . . we are taking it a bit easy today. I don’t know about Dennis, but I won’t be signing up for any ditch digging anytime soon. The will is on hand, the want is on hand and leave it to the body to bring you up short the day after.

  Thursday of this week we were able to do a bang up job of sanding Michael’s Moose. I suppose we should find a name for him. This morning Overson Lumber sold me a container of the Thompson Water Seal product. By the time I got home Dennis had the “Moose on the Trailer” at the far east patio ready for the Moose to get his first coat of niceness. The Cedar did not disappoint. Beautiful. Lots of areas that needed to be coated, driving home all that Michael had done to get everything just right. Twenty four hours is recommended in between coats of the water seal. Back into the potting shed until tomorrow.

  Dennis continued to monitor our area of lawn that is getting a boost via a portable sump pump to get the water out to the curb. Ideally the water from the sump pump in our basement would travel underground to the area in the lawn for it to be absorbed into the soil in that area. With all the rain that water just made a nice pond. I think he is gaining.

  I have my sewing machine tore apart to give it a good cleaning and oiling. I was just about to take this last sewing project out from under the needle when the display screen began going though the tutorial of the cleaning and oiling. I am saving that project for after supper . . . or maybe tomorrow. I an assure you not one more stitch will be taken until the machine gives it the go-ahead. I just love technology.

   
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  Noreen 3:47 am on July 16, 2016 Permalink  

  As this Friday comes to a close, the Stauffer Team is pooped. Dennis and I often comment to each other how some people who happen to be homeowners are bored? We have done well putting in a new floor in the porch to get it higher and out of harms way, aka: seeping moisture due to heavy rainfalls. Today was the rest of the project. Taking our time, Dennis and I dug a trench along the entire length of the patio east to west to allow rain and water run off to run to the east beyond the patio and porch. In times past Dennis and brother Roger put in three drain pipes along the patio that went down about eight feet. It was piping that was perforated with a solid cap on top of it just below the surface of the soil. The hole around the pipe was filled in with small rock. No doubt this has helped, but with the rainfall of six inches within several days coming in a matter of several hours each time, it is a lot of rain. It has to go somewhere, so why not flood the patio? This trench had been dug years prior, but like anything else over time it had filled in.

  My sister Elvera called during the project to let me know that she will start radiation on Monday the 18th of July for cancer treatment. After a good visit of each of us sharing what the day held she did have one last thing to offer: “As long as you have a trench that is six to eight inches deep, why not put in some tulip bulbs.” At that offering I told her I had better get back to helping Dennis. Families, just too precious not to love.

   
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  Noreen 4:20 am on July 15, 2016 Permalink  

  A Surprise 

  Via my brother Michael, we have a new addition for the patio. Last Thursday Michael and JoAnn stopped in on their way to see their daughter, Michaela, farther down the pike. The power company that has lines on Michael’s farm has been replacing poles. Michael has been snagging some of those Cedar poles for projects. I am sure his sawmill, wood planer plus more tools than I can imagine went into this Moose that Michael brought for Dennis and me. Today was a perfect day to spend on the patio to sand this treasure. It did take a lot of sanding. Dennis and I worked on it for the majority of the day. This fellow will be rolled into the potting shed until we get Thompson Water Seal home to finish the project. JoAnn said she gave her Moose three coats. Sounds like good advice.  We will enjoy him until this fall and then he will be shedded in the potting shed out of wet winter weather.

  What makes this gift from Michael very special to me is that Michael has had a great year, free of Pancreatic Cancer.  He just had a check up this last month.  Michael is working on getting his physical strength back and this Moose speaks volumes towards that.  JoAnn is enjoying her first years as a retired surgical nurse.  I know if it had not been for the ever vigilant JoAnn, Mike would not be here today.  Dennis and I will so enjoy adding Michael’s Moose to our patio.

   
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  Noreen 2:08 am on July 14, 2016 Permalink  

  Golly gee, more rain? At eight all the phones started ringing with the automated weather warnings. I was awake and aware that there was thunder in the distance. Dennis beat feet it out to close the patio doors of the porch and I knew it was a good time for me to get my feet on the floor and take in what was going on. The winds were horrific driving the rain to an extreme.

  The end result was another three inches of rain. From what we could tell by a quick glance through the windows, we had no branches . . . or trees down in our yard. The city crew came and pushed a tree out of the street just to the south of us. From the newscasts, the west portion of St. James got the brunt of the damage.

  Highway #4 already had a detour and now there were power poles on the streets making for an even more difficult detour.

  Oh my gosh. This is the third rain of the three inch mark in the last weeks. Oh how thankful we are that we put the new floor into the porch. Yes, the concrete under it is damp, but we can enjoy the porch. All fans, ceiling and floor are running and the garage doors are open to allow for great ventilation.

  Dennis and I are thankful for a safe home after several storms that have brought damage to others here in town. Let’s hear it for tile around the basement to keep the sewing studio dry!

   
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  Noreen 3:20 am on July 13, 2016 Permalink  

  To Top the Day Off 

  

  This was a perfect day to be outside and get the yard tidied up. It had been almost two weeks since we had mowed and trimmed. As Dennis was finishing up the backyards, I couldn’t resist taking Dennis’ scrappy quilt out to the clothesline for some freshening. When there is a breeze with low dew points, this is how to top off a day that had a lot of local effort.