Me, Myself and Memories

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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.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on May 19, 2026 Permalink  

  Too Chilly 

  When the air temps feels like 30 outside, and the water is rushing through the floor tile in the studio . . . that was my signal to stay on the first floor today.

  It’s not like there is nothing to do on the first floor, it is not my normal schedule.  What I did take note of today is that the robin has a nest in the same brace of our west awning as the wee thrush, just inches away.  Talk about getting along.  It will be interesting as mama Robin is already feeding babies.  The chatter for food could be interesting.

  I have interesting serial type shows on both HU and Acorn.  However, today the internet was connecting but not long standing.  Dennis had the same issue in the patio porch.  He then reverted to the Godahl tower television set.  It’s a good thing AJ has him covered regardless of connectivity.

  The stitching I am currently doing is the kit I ordered from Colorado Stitching in 2021.  I wanted to try my hand at counted cross stitch after the stroke.  I didn’t research it very well prior to purchasing.  It is one of the six strands of floss as it comes that is used over one fiber of fabric.  I had put it in a plastic bag after a good start and just recently dug it out as I don’t like UFOs: unfinished objects.  I am working in a sea of blue stitches in the design.  Using a multitude of blues gives it a dimensional look.  It gives a good challenge.

  Due to it being a chilly day we are having soup and a fried egg sandwich for supper.  We both agreed.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:14 pm on May 18, 2026 Permalink  

  Heavy Air 

  We had a wonderful rain in the evening hours of the 17th of May.  The skies were lit with lightning that brought thunder, long past bedtime.  

  The studio brought a challenge today.  I took my eyes off of the project under the needle for a bit too long.  The spool for the top thread had shredded and there was a whole bunch in between the top spool and the needle.  The bobbin thread had continued to do its due diligence on top of the design.  Taking the hoop off of the machine and then deciding to either fix the project in the hoop or in the machine.

  Any craft will give you a challenge once in awhile.  I sat and picked out an entire letter with a seam ripper, tweezers and a sharp scissors.   The sewing machine I started very slowly as I had really wanted to get the last 31 minutes of the design done without literally throwing in the towel.  KNUJ kept me company.  When I thought I had it conquered,  I ran thread through the tension disks much like flossing it to make sure there was no undo tension.  Success.

  Silly ole me.  I should have checked the bobbin before starting up the machine.  Nine minutes left and the bobbin was empty.  Living and learning has no time element.  You just suck it up and work through so that when the project is done, no one else is the wiser of anything that has gone before.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:57 pm on May 17, 2026 Permalink  

  Nice Sunday 

  It’s quite the service when Dennis’ son-in-law, Tom, calls to make sure we are up as he is going to mow the yards before the forecasted rain.

  Our front door has allowed the screen door to be open with the nice temps.  The birds have made nests in the evergreen boughs that are right off of the deck.  The little Thrush male takes great pride in sitting on the deck rail to serenade the world.  His bright red colors are a treat.  When the female comes for a short visit and rustles her feathers after a long sit on the nest, her feathers under her wings and the base of her tail shows bright red.  Sweet music in the morning. 

  One embroidered design was accomplished today in studio.  Should have, could have made a better decision in the stabilizer.  That shows I may be out of practice with the embroidery.  The plans are to do a bit more of it.

  My most important thought to remember in life: with every action, there is a re-action . . . some cannot be undone.

  No . . . we have not had any rain as yet here in the mid-afternoon.  One huge system traveled south and then north.  All in all, it is a nice Sunday.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:50 pm on May 16, 2026 Permalink  

  A Day 

  A day on Stauffer.

  Our six month vehicle insurance cards were ready to print taking effect May 31st.  Printed via using an APP off of the email screen to open the option.  Got it done.

  The printer in the studio was offline.  The easiest was to unplug it . . . wait a few minutes.  I used the time to set up a project for another day.  It was plugged in and the documents in the “Q” printed out.  The printer is not used as often as it has been.  Not being fearful of error messages is the best strategy.

  Calvin called this afternoon.  His son, Eric had gone to Montana bear hunting.  Shot a bear one day, needed to trail it as it was bleeding out to the next day.  Pulling it out of a ravine back to camp was another challenge.  I am happy Eric can do these excursions.  He saw his wife’s cancer through until her death.  His vacation time is his own.  Eric checks on his dad each weekend and takes him out and about so Calvin can shop for items he wants at his assisted living.  I asked Calvin what drug store fills his prescriptions.  He has no idea as his prescriptions each come in a cellophane bag marked either for evenings or mornings.  Hmm.

  Thankful, grateful, isn’t even enough of what a feel each day for Dennis and me in our home.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:38 pm on May 15, 2026 Permalink  

  Hmm 

  The month is just about half over.  It doesn’t seem possible.

  One Drive pops up in my emails.  When I open it, it takes me back in time with photos that I have taken or photos that were sent to me.  Many, many of them take me through the years when Megan and Nicholas stayed with us.  Antics in the house, in the swimming pool at the Super 8 and out in the yards.  That changed somewhat when both began school.  One popped up this morning when in 2012, Kevin was working in his basement drilling through the foundation after street work was done, hooking up a utility line.  I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every glimpse down memory lane.

  Small town heroes.  Yesterday, my eye doctor called me close to his closing time to assure me that all the tests I had gone through yesterday were indications that all was stable.

  Things have been put in place in the studio for some embroidery to begin.  Keeping my hand in the decisions . . . a good thing.

  I am quite sure that in the evenings when the sky is dark, off to the far northwest is a satellite.  I can detect, various lights.  It is every night.  As the evening goes on, it slowly sinks further to the northwest as the leafed out trees hide it.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:45 pm on May 14, 2026 Permalink  

  Thursday the 14th 

  With the south winds howling . . . where are the caissons that keep rolling?

  Today was the six month eye appointment.  Eye dilated, eye pressure checked, glaucoma test done, retinas checked from previous tears, eye chart read . . . it seemed like a long visit.  I have an appointment for August.  Hmm.  So much for the six month appointment schedule.

  With sun glasses behind my prescription lens, I went off to the grocery store.  The refrigerator looked a bit bleak.  My favorite apples have not gone up in price per pound.  Avocados were on sale for $.79 each.  Pork roasts were $1.99 a pound but they were huge.  I settled for two pork loin chops that I plan on browning and finishing them in the oven with red onion slices.  Many one of this, one of that.  There was a sale on steam-able veggies, one package does it for us per meal.  Plus two gallons of distilled water for Dennis’ CPAP to round out the grocery trip.

  No sewing or stitching today as my pupils are still the size of saucers from the dilation.  Tomorrow is another day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:18 pm on May 13, 2026 Permalink  

  Nice Day Out 

  Today Dennis and I visited the acre to pick up branches from the winds we had yesterday.  It wasn’t as bad as I thought it could have been.  Tom does the mowing and picking up branches was not in the agreement.  There is one huge ash tree base that we have decided is a collection point.  The ash bore is running rampart in the community.  Time will tell.  When Ryan came to pick up his payment for the fallen tree of several weeks ago, he assured us he would take care of it if it came to that.  I have no idea who decides or when a tree needs to be removed.  Time will tell.

  The sewing project in the studio was finished up today.  A tidy, tidy ensued from bits and pieces of fabric and threads left. 

  There may be some embroidery next.  I have several designs I have downloaded.  It would be a great change of pace.  The sump-pump is still running, but nearly as often.  As things dry up and there is less and less water traveling through the tile, the air will become warmer in the studio.

  Dennis picked up four prescriptions at Lewis drug, all with a co-pay of zero.  Gotta love that.

  I gifted Jan from next door some flower stands that I have no use for.  A holder for a gazing ball was included.  She already had a plan for some spray paint to be used.  I was happy that they had all found a new home.

  Tomorrow I have my six month eye appointment.  My hope is that all looks good as the various tests are done.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:06 pm on May 12, 2026 Permalink  

  The Wind 

  With the horrific winds from the northwest it includes dirt visible in the skies above the tree tops.  Someone’s garbage bin is depositing it’s contents across yards.   White plastic grocery bags are flying much like kites.  It is bad when the air smells like dirt.

  Dennis has shorn up our small PVC flag pole that we have on the patio.  If it can fly our flag in this wind, we are assured of many more days to fly the red, white and blue.

  There was a success in the studio this forenoon.  It helped that I had a video playing on my Dell laptop that I could play and stall at will.  Lena would not have believed what could be accessed for help.  She was blown away when I brought a cutting mat and rotary cutter to her sewing room.  It was complete with a t-square ruler to hook over the edge to cut whatever length was needed.  It gave the weary hands an assist from totally relying on a pair of scissors.  Oh for the wonders that were made by those hands.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥