Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 1:53 pm on December 28, 2023 Permalink  

  A Thursday 

  On this Thursday the 28th, I did see about a dozen snowflakes fly, and then . . . no more.

  My day is going very well.  Before the first cup of coffee, I had the washing machine going. 

  On to putting our supper into the crockpot.  I had no idea that Wal-Mart put together meals in one sealed tray; a bed of new potatoes, carrots, celery on the bottom, a cut of Chuck Roast on top that a flavor packet moistened rubbed on the roast with more liquid added to the flavoring poured to the bottom with an onion on the top.  It is now 1:30 in the afternoon and I am getting whiffs of our supper.  These darn kids find out all the new and improved ways to make days . . . wonderful.  Thanks.

  I do like to put into practice challenging items here in the studio.  One photo has images of designs I found to download onto my computer.  When I had bought my sewing machine, I purchased the Tool Box software.  There were some free images to play with that I have never used.  I was able to combine those images onto one text box, making a complete design.  I then loaded that text box onto one of the flash drives I just smartened up yesterday.  I made sure when I used that flash drive it came up on the sewing machine as I had planned.  

  With all loaded into the sewing machine there is also a file on my computer, I was able to print out the complete image from the tool box screen with all the called for colors of thread I will need in the stitching process.  As my machine is a Bernina and the Tool Box is exclusive to Bernina, the Isacord threads are recommended on the embroidery and are thus in the printout.

  My day has gone well.  I will admit getting things done on the computer for the sewing aspect, does take me awhile.  Do it over and over till I get a satisfactory outcome.  As I said, challenging myself is a very good thing.

  The studio will go dark as soon as I send off this posting.  It is now time for some reading and hand stitching.  The studio will be there and here for another day.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:05 pm on December 17, 2023 Permalink  

  Time Flies 

  I am here to tell you of a rare experience of time flying.  This happened as recently as this morning when I realized it was 9:30 and I was still under the covers from a night’s rest.  Talk about rare.  Dennis said I must have needed it.  Wise ole cowboy.

  The usual items on the first floor were tackled for my local effort.  Hmm.  Twelve noon.  I made a decision right then and there that the studio would have to get along without me today.  Absence will make the heart grow fonder as the next task is taken on with the quilt.  The three inch border needs some free motion stitching.  That will make doing the binding easier.

  What I did work through was my telephone history.  Sometime last year I had let the minutes run out and I couldn’t figure out why there was a weird message and no phone calls were coming through.  I now know that I am good until 6/24/2024.  Whew.

  A call was taken this afternoon from my aunt in Arizona.  Her son Mark had clued me in that she has some dementia.  I let her choose the topics as when I would ask her something, she didn’t acknowledge that it had been asked.  After a short nine minutes she was ready to end the call.  Unfortunate but reality.

  I checked in with Carrie after a one-day knee surgery that took place Thursday of last week.  Something about a meniscus injury happening sometime in the past from winter sports.  All went well and recovery will not be as long as first thought.  Good news.

  Dennis has requested a bowl of steaming hot oatmeal for supper with just a bit of brown sugar on the side.  I can handle that.

  Time is flying as Christmas is coming soon. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on December 9, 2023 Permalink  

  White Stuff 

  We will see if the white stuff is going to be a dusting or measurable.  Either way, KNUJ is saying next week the temps could get rid of it.

  I came into the studio after getting the second bed’s bedding in the laundry.  Putting off what can be done is not my style.  Am I methodical?  Yes.  If I see something, I cannot unsee it it.  If a plan had been designed the night before, it might as well be in concrete.  Doing as well as I have after the 2021 stroke, has made me even more methodical.  Continuing to do what and how I always have in my adult life brought me to the point that doing for myself was the only way to get back whatever strength I could.  When I am in bed, lying on my right side, I feel the left hand creeping into the fist that feels right for itself.  I consciously move my hand and the fist of my left hand over to my right hand so the right hand can hold the left hand and splay out the fingers.  We do what we can.

  The quilt top is completely pinned . . . whew!  The top is spread out on the church tables with all the pins standing at attention.  Enough of that for this day.

  I moved with my chair over to begin cleaning my sewing machine from bottom to the top.  I have various cleaning tools just as any mechanic has theirs.  I don’t use canned air as it may well move lint, thread ends and fuzz deeper into the portion of the machine I do not have access to.  With a new needle in, I was getting close to a finish.  I decided to put the free motion attachment on to the machine and make sure all was well before putting the quilt under the needle.  I did a test stitch and it was all good.  Out of my stash of threads I pulled the light blue cone of silk cotton.  Finding an empty bobbin to fill, the machine hummed like the well oiled machine it was as the bobbin filled.  The machine is threaded and then it was shut down for today.

  My bedroom porch is beckoning me to either read or hand stitch and perhaps watching a bit of the white stuff.

  By the way, Dennis’ oven meal of tuna pasta was fantastic.  Food always tastes better when someone else has fixed it and tidied up after themselves.  Having a second meal of it this evening . . . it’s a good thing.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:37 pm on December 8, 2023 Permalink  

  Busy Household 

  On days such as this, hanging out quilts while the bedding is in the laundry would be sweet.  Those were the days just as Archie Bunker would have sang.

  I busied myself with the laundry and Dennis did a Gordon Ramsey stint in the kitchen making an oven dish for supper.  The menu for supper is a Tuna pasta with peas and Alfredo.  Can’t go wrong if we pair that with jellied cranberries.

  When Dennis cooks I disappear into the basement as soon as I can as his cooking includes doing up the prep dishes.  Granted, he goes through more prep dishes than I would.  It’s a win, win for the household.

  I worked on the pins to hold the quilt sandwich together.  One more day the pin baggie will show that the finish for that task will have been completed.  I have enjoyed this scrappy project so much, I am not rushing each step.  The free motion quilting is not going to be rushed.

  The novel I am reading is heavy on facts pertaining to anthropology science of an event that actually happened in Guatemala when an entire village was taken out with machetes’.  It is getting really interesting as I am on the last 100 pages.  That novel coupled with the stitching project that is also nearing completion within the next several weeks.  With my hobbies and local effort, a busy household is here on Stauffer Avenue.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:05 pm on December 5, 2023 Permalink  

  Powerful Sun 

  Dennis just came in to get several gallons of water in the plastic jugs that he goes through with distilled water for his CPAP.  The three porch kitties go through their fair share, plus Dennis has two patio plants that he keeps in the patio porch.  Dennis commented on how warm the powerful sun can keep the porch through the glass slider doors.

  The studio kept me busy until one this afternoon.  My next port of call was my west bedroom porch for some hand stitching.  I knew just what Dennis was alluding to.  The south windows had the powerful sun warming my back as I sat stitching in the cherry red chair.

  Before we covered the MKX for the winter, Dennis had run it through the ultimate car wash uptown.  He then spent some elbow grease by putting on a coating of the Hybrid Solutions ceramic spray coating.  Dennis also did his little red pickup.  He purposely ran the pickup through the car wash to see how the ceramic spray coating held up.  He did not have to use any toweling as the water was shed spotlessly.

  So now I think I want to try that same product on the step-in shower surround.  I do dry the surround every time it is used because I know even soft water can leave its mark.  We had used car wax on the old tub surround.  I think it is worth a try.  Dennis just cautioned me to not get any on the floor of the surround.

  With the calendar being on its last page and with no medical appointments . . . this is sweet.  Our pantry is full and fresh milk will be the item needed as the week and weeks goes on. 

  Last night for supper Dennis had made a batch for four of instant mashed potatoes knowing there would be ample leftovers.  This evening a small can of Dinty Moore’s Beef Stew spooned over the potatoes will be a good call.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:08 pm on November 20, 2023 Permalink  

  Peaceful Day 

  My usual Monday laundry day is finished.  It’s a very gray day with a shower of rain once in awhile.

  We are having company on Thanksgiving.  It will be six of us.  I had put out an inquiry as to what the grandkids liked to eat for Thanksgiving.  I heard back from Jeremy, the son-in-law.  Jeremy has a few days off this week and he is bring the Thanksgiving dinner in total.  Sweet and wow!  I did not ask any questions. 

  Dennis and I are doing the pies for dessert.  Dennis and I traveled to the Walsh Apple Barn yesterday and we now have the pies, fully baked and frozen in our freezer with instructions on when to take them out of the freezer and put them in the refrig. 

  Amazingly, the apple barn pie shop is open year around.  Last Wednesday they ceased taking special orders as they know what their freezer capacity is.  They also have a pie shop in St. Peter, it is called The Pie Monger.  The shop here on 169, furnishes the pies for St. Peter.  When Dennis and I were at the counter waiting, the glass viewing area into the oven area was amazing.  We have treated ourselves to one of their pies off and on.  Never disappointed.

  This afternoon, with the leftover breakfast coffee, I watched some of the YouTube videos that I have subscribed to.  The inspiration is amazing.  I do have finishes left to do on my scrappy quilt top with a border to assemble and sew on.  I did so enjoy my cross stitch project that I plan on doing another.  I have enough of the same fabric and it will again be done again with just one color.  It will be the same deep navy as the one I just finished and I have ample of that one floss.

  After this posting, I plan on doing some reading before supper.  Dennis requested one of his favorite Progresso soups.  Very easily done as neither of us have done any heft today.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:56 pm on November 17, 2023 Permalink  

  Nip in the Air 

  The nip in the air this morning has now been overtaken by a quiet 47 sunny degrees.  Being at the mercy of some of the strong winds of late has still been easier to take than winds such as that with snow on the ground.

  When we were in Sam’s Club last, one of the endcaps featured Betty Crocker Peanut Butter cookie mix.  Hmm.  I have seen similar boxed mixes but never tried them.  For the price of $6.98 the box held three pouches of mix.  Each pouch needed one egg, 1 Tablespoon of water and three tablespoons of cooking oil.  I made sure I had mixed up the egg well.  The number of cookies per pouch depended on how large you rolled the ball of dough.  This pouch gave us 17 fairly large cookies.  Our local grocers makes a dozen cookies for $4.49 per carton.  Their cookies are better than any others from different stores.

  In recent times I have difficulty with measuring dry ingredients so what is needed actually gets in the mixing bowl.  Yes . . . I have paid the $4.49 per dozen.  Would I tackle a mix similar to the one of today?  Yes.  The ingredients that were called for was a bit of a challenge to get stirred together.  I didn’t have to get it done in five minutes.  I took my time and set the bowl into the sink so the height of the bowl was easier for me rather than the counter top.  When Dennis came in, he commented on how good the kitchen smelled and offered to wash up the few dishes I had dirtied.  Sweet!

  Megan texted this morning and she will board a plane at six tomorrow morning (Saturday) to come to Minnesota over Thanksgiving.  I haven’t seen her since last Thanksgiving.  I saw Nicholas at Easter of this year.  I plan on sitting back and letting my grandchildren tell me whatever they feel I need to know.  Tee Hee.

  Dennis had coffee company in the patio porch this morning.  Lots of farm visiting.  According to Doug, this year’s harvest equaled last year’s.  One would have thought the dry conditions would have made a bigger difference.

  Last night we had a Bird’s Eye frozen skillet bag meal.  Lots of sauce with chicken, carrots, broccoli, peas and pasta.  There will be a repeat this evening as it made a huge skillet.  For the price of $5.98 on sale, it was a well-balanced meal. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:04 pm on November 14, 2023 Permalink  

  Wind 

  The wind from the southeast has the ability to lift the cover of our mail slot on the west side of the house.  Before I realized what it was, I did have some weird thoughts.

  Dennis headed downtown to the laundry this morning with a load of carpet rag rugs and one load of kitty basket blankets.  I sure appreciated getting that laundry basket empty.

  While I had the quiet of the house to myself, I needed to find the answer as to why we had gotten bumped off of HULU.  There are several programs on it that both Dennis and I enjoy.  I do not like this type of technical quagmire.  By nine forty, all was well.  Where is that Channel 12 with Chuck Pessac?  Life seemed so much easier then.

  With my Murphy wood wipes I tackled my parent’s glider rocking chair.  For seventy five years I have dusted all the spindles, nooks and crannies.  It doesn’t get easier.  I do appreciate being the caregiver of this jewel.  Without a doubt, furniture is not built like this anymore.  Years ago I did have my carpenter reinforce the veneer seat.  Special family memories can be evoked with each wipe of the Murphy wood cloths.

  While I had the Murphy wood wipes out I also tackled our Oak refractory table.  I can squat down far enough to get the job done.  The butt cheeks will be bucking for a while.  I think it’s important to feel your body’s parts to truly appreciate the fact that they still work.  

  Last week I bought a Hamburger Helper box of goodies, the stroganoff flavor.  With browned ground beef, I have it prepared and plan on popping it into the oven for a full through heating, rather than relying on the stove top.  We are oven meal people.

  The wind remains whipping through the yards with a very dark gray cloud cover.

  With that I take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 3:31 pm on November 9, 2023 Permalink  

  Sunny Afternoon 

  The sun has made an appearance . . . at least off and on.  It seems like we will have some nice temps through next week.

  My day started out absolutely great.  Thank goodness for phones.

  Just when I thought Dennis had an empty job jar, it was not meant to be.  A bottle of Murphy’s wood soap and whatever is wood in the patio porch is getting cleaned from top to bottom.  Yes, that warrants a nap in between.  Naps are good.  My dad believed in them.

  The lights were on in the studio over the noon hour.  A bit of fabric cutting and a bit of stitching, followed by steam pressing.  That was all she wrote for the day in the studio.

  I wanted to go uptown to the grocer’s.  I noticed last week that their flyer had boxes of steamer frozen veggies on sale.  I made sure that the freezer unit of our refrigerator was organized.  We had picked up an 8lb. bag of chicken tenderloins in Sam’s Club last week.  This was the perfect day to take freezer bags and bag up three tenderloins in each.  The small bags tucked in easily around the ice cream and the heavy bag was a drag to get out and take out a few each time.  With the freezer tidied, I knew how much of the frozen vegies I could buy.  It’s nice to have a variety over and above from canned goods.  I was also hungry for pickled beets.  Dennis was hungry for the chunky Campbell’s bean and ham soup.  Mission completion.  My all time favorite apple is the McIntosh.  I have three bags of 5lb. each in the refrigerator in the basement.  An apple a day will keep the doctor away . . . I hope, I hope.

  We no longer have heavy meals for supper, but I do like to put out a variety of supper meals.  Between the freezer and the pantry, the bases are covered.  I did leave three chicken tenderloins out for supper.  Instant mashed potatoes and a can of green beans will round things out.  I have never cared for frozen green beans.  I think they are tough.

  What I had on my mind has seemed to dribble out into a blog post.  What I find to be thankful for is that my mental energy and my physical energy is quite well paired.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:56 pm on November 5, 2023 Permalink  

  Time to Build 

  With all my scrappiness, it is time to begin building a quilt top.

  There are four different designs blocks to work with.  Blocks 1,2,3 needed sixteen each.  Block four is the end cap for the eight rows and thus is a half block to ensure staggering, to the right on row one and to the left on row two, etc.  

  I have no name for this soon to be quilt.  I saw it on one of the YouTube channels I have subscribed to.  When I reached out to her, she was gracious to send me information in an email.

  This has been a fun project.  When I come down into the studio and glance over at the array of blocks, it makes me smile.  All of the different sizes in each block with all the different prints is a testament of my passion for challenges.  It couldn’t be a testament if there were no tests and this project did test my concentration.

  More work is yet to come as each of the 56 bocks need to be trimmed for a consistent measurement of 8.25″.  That task will be for another day.

  Dennis has been doing his duty at raking up leaves and burning a small bit before raking up more.  Oak and Maple trees in the yard mean lots and lots of leaves that have fluttered and many more to come.

  I am kitchen bound after posting this to my blog.  I have one fairly large pork steak to prepare for supper.  By the time I am done seasoning it to build a great flavor and putting it into my blue speckled roaster to pop into the oven, Dennis won’t know if it is pork or beef.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥