Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from June, 2026 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 2:58 pm on June 2, 2026 Permalink  

  Taste Buds 

  This evening’s supper is all about taste buds.  The Braun Schweiger liver sausage has been sliced and popped back into the refrigerator.  It takes a very sharp knife to get that job done.  The red onion has been sliced into perfect thin slabs.  There is a sandwich and soup supper coming up.  Dennis and I have both been hankering for this sandwich.  You either hate it or enjoy it.  The soup choice is up to Dennis.

  Dad, Raymond, would have been the first to slide up to the table for Bran Schweiger and onion.  Fine dining restaurants call it Pate.  His slice of onion would not be a thin slab.  One of his favorite sandwiches was of one ingredient: a thick slice of raw onion on Lena’s fresh homemade bread buttered up.  Sure do miss that fellow.

  It’s been first floor living so far this week and I will admit, a rather lazy one.  Catching some quilt show videos does entice me to start something with threads and fuzz.  I need to keep in mind all the steps required to get to the end-gate.  I don’t know if I am up to it and there is no one anticipating getting a quilt.  I need to really think this through.

  Persevering with my one floss thread over one cloth thread is challenging to say the least.  It’s been a long time since I stitched a pattern that has ten or more color swaps in a one inch square.  I did it when I was in my “Christmas phase” but that was some time ago.  This project I am doing because I started it and I don’t want to leave for a time when it might be pitched.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:34 pm on May 27, 2026 Permalink  

  Hump Day 

  Hump day, all day long.

  I didn’t think I would ever hear Dennis say he didn’t need a hot supper.  Last night I had given the bacon a few seconds in the microwave after I had pre-baked them in the morning.  It had been bacon sandwiches and cucumbers with sliced onion.  His comment was that maybe for the reminder of the week we could do likewise as he sure enjoyed the cucumbers with some protein.

  Dennis has also been given to enjoying strawberries lately.  Any time I can get fruit and vegetables into that fellow I will willingly make sure I have them as an offering.  This morning that meant that I return to the grocery store for more of the mini cucumbers.  The larger cucumbers are not as solid.  The minis are sold six to a tray and are sealed cellophane.  I also picked up two cartons of the strawberries.

  The gal at the checkout commented that the produce did go up a few cents when they got the read-out from the headquarters for Super Fair.  At that time their tills are updated for checkout.

  My take on the price of groceries is: Dennis and I don’t eat like we used to in quantity.  What we do buy is what we enjoy.  It is still a fantastic bargain considering most of the fellows that were and are Dennis’ friends are either dead, living in an assisted living unit, or in the nursing home.  Compare the the dollars spent and it’s a wonderful trade-off.  That’s my take on our grocery bill.

  I have the cucumber dish co-mingling in the refrigerator right next to the cleaned and diced strawberries.  Tonight will be the above mentioned with John Morrell’s summer sausage that will be sliced very thin with a container of coleslaw added for variety.  The summer sausage is Dennis’ all time favorite.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:21 pm on May 26, 2026 Permalink  

  Happy Summer 

  Last week it was a chilly atmosphere in the studio.  Today, it felt just right.  Talk about a theater of seasons.

  Again I worked on an alteration in the studio.  I had ordered an item online.  After waiting for an extended time for it to come, when it came the size was off by 2 to the excess.  I contacted the business and it was a mix up within the sizes from the US sizing to the European sizing.  All was checked over and the result was that it was a error on their side.  I didn’t need to return said item and the correct order would be forthcoming.

  I am not frugal but I had the opportunity to see if I could make a do-0ver.  Lena would have been up for the task.  Snip here, trim there.  She could take the collars off of dad’s blue chambre shirts when they frayed, flip it over to the underside and in a heartbeat dad never appeared to be in dire straights of going to town looking anything other than dapper as always.  Yes . . . those were the days when dad would come in to change out of his chores overalls into a pair donned as “town overalls.”  Call it self respect when going into town on business of either a thousand pounds of cattle concentrate or purchasing a new piece of farm equipment.  Dad ran a high-end business.

  It’s a warm afternoon and Dennis cleaned the garage floor for our car.  There was enough of the winter’s collection of kitty hair tufts to make a new kitty as the strong leaf blower got into every corner.  Outside it looked as if there were cotton balls flying through the air. 

  Before it got warm this morning, I baked out a pound of the Black Label thick cut bacon on a cookie sheet lined with the wide foil.  No mess when all was said and done.  Six of the smaller cucumbers have been peeled and a red onion sliced in very thin additions.  The sauce is some mayo with bit of salt to pull out the moisture of the cucumbers with a teaspoon of sugar.  Supper is bacon sandwiches and creamed cucumbers.  No additional kitchen heat added to this day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  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.  ♥

   
• 

  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. ♥

   
• 

  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.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:10 pm on May 11, 2026 Permalink  

  Amazing 

  It’s amazing how much I got done on the first floor this morning while I was on hold.  We had gotten a letter informing us that Dennis needed to be re-enrolled in being notified that he could order his CPAP supplies from the Mayo Store in Mankato.  The system had new software that was being implemented.

  All four waste baskets in the house were emptied into one for Tuesday’s pickup.  A load of laundry was folded and put where it belonged.  The pound of thick sliced bacon was taken out of the oven and put on draining newsprint.  The plant I received yesterday was taken out of the gift bag and placed on an older plate to catch any water that would flow out the bottom when it was watered.  Basically, most of my Monday morning work completed until Erica could take my phone call.  No harm, no foul.  I have learned, calling the number another time would not have brought about any quicker response.

  A short studio stint cutting some fabric.  The studio is chilly these days.

  Dennis is off running some errands and then to his six month appointment with our primary.  It allows Dennis to be forthright in the Q&As.  If I had noticed anything out of the ordinary within the last six months, I would have gone with Dennis.  Seeing as how his appointment is at four, our supper is going to be eggs, as Dennis likes them . . . basted, bacon and toast.  Easy to fix once Dennis gets home.  Sometimes at a clinic appointment there could be a wait.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:18 pm on May 5, 2026 Permalink  

  The Day 

  Today is Tuesday the 5th of May.  The day has gone by quickly.

  I could have, would have stayed in the studio for longer today, but the trickle of water around the tile perimeter of the studio made it feel a bit too chilly.

  I have a project that I could bring to the first floor.  I fight that as one thing after another could dribble up to the first floor.  That would break the rhythm I have for my days.  Just so much time in my morning is spent having coffee and breakfast.  It’s then time to get dressed and do a tidy, tidy on the first floor.  After the “have too” is finished, I give myself permission for the studio time.

  The studio time is  say-la-vees.  If I get lost in thoughts or threads and fuzz . . . it matters not.  Creative time is good for the soul and the mind. 

  I will follow up that our unique oven meal of last night was a success.  It’s always convenient when a bag of ingredients can come out of the freezer to mix with sauce and pasta. Even doing a pork roast in the crockpot can leave it become dry as a pork loin roast doesn’t have any marbled meat.  When we had done the roast for a meal,  I used the kitchen shears and cut up the remaining very small.  The juice from the crockpot that contained the seasonings from the meat and the bed of carrots was perfect to pour over the cut up meat and cut up carrots.  Too much flavor to waste.  The ingredients of the leftover stove top added its kick of flavor.  Two cups of uncooked medium ribbon pasta and a jar of Alfredo . . . mission completion.  

  Dennis said he would be up for that combination any time.  He is the food critic.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:44 pm on May 4, 2026 Permalink  

  New Week 

  I awoke with a new agenda.  Well . . . some of the old.

  Time was spent on folding and pressing binding for my project.  The binding has now been sewn onto the quilt with tipping it forward for the last go-round on another day.

  When I went to clean my eye glasses this last weekend, the lens fell out.  Good thing the old pair were retrieved for the duration.  What had happened was a screw had fallen out.  Where the screw had been allowed for the frame to have the clearance to put the lens in.

  It was also important for me to visit a friend this afternoon.  Karen and I have been friends since the 80s.  At that time, Karen was the city clerk of Lewisville.  We met over city and county business.  Karen has since been the proprietor of the County Collage, a retail store on Main Street.  Last week it appeared on Facebook that she would be closing her store.  How could I not take time to stop in and wish her well on her next journey.  It was time well spent for me on this Monday.

  A new screw has been inserted in the eyewear.  A clear sealant was put over the screw to avoid another mishap.  Whatever.

  We are having an oven meal.  This is our experimental oven meal.  It consists of the pulled pork, not so much pulled as diced, the leftover diced carrots and the chopped up stove top dressing.  These ingredients were from last week when we did the pork crock pot meal.  The Alfredo sauce is the mixture to combine all.  Dennis put a hefty layer of ground black pepper on the top.  I’ll let you know what the reviews are.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:57 pm on May 2, 2026 Permalink  

  A Balmy Saturday 

  We might actually be having a spring-like day.  All the yellow flowers in our neighborhood tell me the same thing.

  We had a spa morning for haircuts and pedicures.  It sure felt good.  I have usually wore my hair short over the last decades.  This morning, I asked her to thin it out on top as it felt heavy.  Ask . . . and it can be done.  Dennis is always pleased with Maria’s work.  Those two can really chat each other up.  Unfortunately, someone had told tales, false, on her husband that made them loose work hours on this last Thursday as they had to meet with the immigration services in St. Paul.  All was cleared up, but it was a worry for two very nice people.

  A bit of fabric was cut for the binding of my project.  One step closer.

  We are having pizza for supper.  I am thrilled to be having a meat lover’s pizza from Casey’s.  Pizza is not Dennis’ favorites and this is special.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥