Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from May, 2026 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  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.  ♥

   
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  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.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:21 pm on April 27, 2026 Permalink  

  A Drippy Day 

  Lots of moisture . . . no bad storms.  What a kick-off to the lawn mowing season.

  I turned the thermostat on the furnace up a bit so I could work in the studio for a bit.  That activity lasted until noon and then that was enough.  It’s a good thing there was breakfast coffee left when I came upstairs.  I usually have a bottle of Lipton’s Diet Green Tea open in the studio.  I am not going to fess up how many days that bottle lasts.  It’s a good refreshing taste and I do not need it ice cold.

  The trip to the grocery story was a very good trip.  It’s amazing the great things that can happen while one is strolling up and down the isles.  I did pick up a 2.5 lb. pork shoulder roast for the crock pot plus a bag of carrots to go with it.  I now have five options for meals plus perhaps a night of soup with a half grilled cheese sandwich.  Dennis requested a box of cold cereal.  Sometimes it might just do the trick for him as a snack.  Four of Marie’s pot pies and three other Marie heat and serve meals for Dennis.  When Dennis wants a heat and serve oven meal, I opt for a salad.  It doesn’t matter if a few dishes are dirtied or a lot.  Dennis is in charge of doing the dishes.  There is no free lunch.

  I checked in with Dee.  She works in the bakery.  Her husband is in the memory care unit in Sleepy Eye.  She has just listed their rural home as she will be looking at living in an apartment.  Brenda at the checkout is always ready with a smile.  Her husband got hurt working at Swift Food Processing here in town.  Dan is now confined to a wheelchair.  And then . . . there is James Mitchell.  A Hispanic fellow in his fifties that loves working in the grocery store whether it’s stocking shelves or carry-out.  He and his wife packed up from Texas to be in this community where their family has settled.  A very wonderful fellow.  It does take me quite awhile to get out of the store.

  I did do a stop at Family Dollar.  Kitty litter was needed.  They carry 21 lb. lightweight in plastic jugs.  Much more doable than Sam’s Club’s box which is 40 lbs.

  Amazing how a day can fritter away.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:27 pm on April 25, 2026 Permalink  

  A New Look 

  The studio has a new look for the upcoming quilting via the sewing.

  It was not difficult to achieve what was needed.  I could not believe that the 1962 Mary Proctor ironing board’s adjustable height level lever still worked.  It worked so well, I barely touched it, it went straight to the floor with my top mat that Dennis made for me.  The top mat is 26″ x 52″ to allow for fabrics that are to be used for quilting to be ironed in a rectangle rather that the pointed tip of the ironing board.  No toes were were bruised in this operation.

  I pulled the Hefty sewing machine table almost to the furnace so I could wrangle the square card table partially onto the sewing table.  I can easily get around the configuration.  The Culligan Man was here this week so that won’t be a worry for salt delivery. 

  I now have the ironing board to carry the heft of the quilt yet to be sewn in front of the sewing machine and the card table to help carry the heft as the quilt has been sewn.  The hoop is ready as is the free motion quilting attachment.  That was about all I managed today in the studio. 

  I called Aunt Janet to check in with her.  She appreciates the chit chat.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:20 pm on April 24, 2026 Permalink  

  The Rain 

  The rain we received last night was cleansing and needed.  Just a few pebbles of hail mixed in with thunder.  For sure the sounds of a spring.

  This is the time of spring if there are wine enthusiasts about.  We have several neighbors that have carpets of the yellow dandelions.  Many decades ago, Raymond and Lena along with Uncle Lester, dad’s brother, tackled a batch.  Nothing ventured nothing gained.  In the old fruit cellar that had the dirt floor, one shelf was reserved for experiments and tasks such as that.  In today’s world, the micro beer breweries are the challenge.

  I met my challenge of getting the studio ready for some serious machine quilting.  Oil change, grease job, threads and fuzz rousted complete with a new 90/14 needle for the thicker heft.  Nothing has yet come to mind in how I want to traverse across the quilt.  The studio will stay dark until such time I have it figured out.

  Dennis had a day yesterday lost in thought and memories.  We all need a day like that once in awhile.  No pressure to be social.  Today a whip around town and there was much to share when he came home.  All is well with the world once again.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:25 pm on April 21, 2026 Permalink  

  Super Dry 

  The two gravel streets are so dry, the city has been sprinkling water while there is work being done on the east end bringing gravel trucks to our end.  It sure does help.

  The older fellow working at Subway has really been a joy when we visit.  At one time when I had shared all of what was needed, off handedly, I had said “that’s all folks.”  Oh my gosh, he was thrilled to share his love of the older cartoons that had led to his collection of memorabilia.  Yesterday, when I went to pick up our supper, I asked him to hold his hand out.  In it I placed a 4 inch plastic rabbit that had the right credentials engraved on the back.  That rabbit had been kicked around in my sewing stuff for decades.  Needless to say, our sandwich was made the entire time with a smile as wide as our 12″ sub was long.  Little things in life.

  Upon the quilt as of this afternoon are platoons of red plastic headed pins standing at attention.  No, I don’t have the entire quilt pinned.  A very good start that signaled the fingers needed a break.

  Doing the bedding at our home relies on beds being pulled away from the walls.  After tugging with nothing moving, I remembered I had a can of silicon spray.  Just one quick careful spurt on the wheels did the trick.  The most difficult task of the process had been handled.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on April 18, 2026 Permalink  

  Short Day 

  Was it because of the wind howling through the huge evergreen outside of my bedroom?  Was it due to less traffic today?  There doesn’t have to be an explanation for me not getting out of bed until ten in the morning.  Short days still can turn out great.  Not for any unusual activity yesterday, by nightfall the discomfort of arthritis had me taking some meds and sitting with feet up in the recliner. 

  I had heard Dennis going through his routines earlier this morning and knew Dennis was in the patio porch with the kitties.  All was well on the home front.

  Enjoying several cups of coffee, I sat in my bedroom porch watching all things moving around outside on a Saturday.  School buses from various areas were heading to the school’s outdoor rinks.  In the 70s that could have been me taking kids to events from Buffalo Lake’s school.  Lots of experiences.  Most important was that it started the clock ticking for credit into the Public Employees Retirement Plan.  Very nice.

  For once KNUJ did not have sports on for this Saturday.  Utilizing all three of the bi-fold cardboard gridded 36″ x 72″ the back of the quilt is thumbtacked down.  On some sides the cardboard is floating beyond the hard surface of the church tables.  Remembering not to lean against that area is important to keep this project going to sandwich the remaining steps of the quilt.  The batting package has been opened so I could unfold the 93″ x 108″ content and get some spring into it after it being scrunched and sealed at the factory.

  I am back in my bedroom porch and getting a bit of hand stitching in before supper.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:18 pm on April 17, 2026 Permalink  

  Blustery 

  In our area, stick around for a day and multiple seasons come and go and come back again.

  When in the studio, it matters not what the weather is.  KNUJ would notify me if severe weather was right outside.  The wind chime outside my bedroom window has had a workout.  A calm day has not been had for some time.

  All my days in the studio are calm.  For myself, it is quite notable the speed at which I work these days.  Slow would cover it.  The enjoyment is not so much in the current project but in the process of it all.  The tools for the process makes things much easier than when I worked at Lena’s elbow.

  Decades ago, I remember when Lena got her first and only gridded cutting mat and a rotary cutter.  She was thrilled to allow the scissors to take a break in cutting fabric for her quilts.  She had never complained as the arthritis became more troublesome, but it was a small gift to give her as her passion for threads and fuzz never wavered.

  The thought of the modern day seam ripper was then a very large and thick darning needle.  The amount of stitches per inch on the treadle sewing machine was massive.  I don’t recall that there were many options.  What did need replacing from time to time was the leather belt that wound through the workhorse’s mechanism.  Mom’s sewing machine sat under the north windows of the farm kitchen.  Very seldom was the sewing machine ever closed up unless company was expected.

  So many good memories and lessons that I still utilize today as I putz away on Nicholas’s quilt.

  Yup, slow and steady.  I may not stay in the studio as long as I used to, but each day brings progress.  Do I ever think of not turning on the lights in the studio? No.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:14 pm on April 15, 2026 Permalink  

  Wednesday 

  We have had a busy afternoon.  Son-in-law Tom was over.  We had Tom do the mowing last year.  We needed to know what we were paying him and what the rate would be for this year.  Tom will be using his Zero turn as his seat is so much more comfortable . . . air ride.  There were things that Dennis needed help with.  It’s nice to get things talked over so there are no mis-understandings in families.

  Tom will do the first mowing tomorrow as the grass has come up in healthy looking clumps next to some dry areas.  The first mowing tends to even things out.

  I was looking for a brass item on which to hang a cross stitch item.  That got me cleaning drawers in the kitchen.  One container for recycling and one for garbage.  A good bit of organization was needed.  The end result was one container of what we have for tools, which is not much.  If we need something done, it’s best that good tools come with the worker-bee.  It was a good endeavor.  It may not stay tidy as a hunt and peck always seems to throw a wrench into the frenzy of looking.  I did find what I needed and the task was completed.

  Dennis’ jacket needed a seam sewn under the arm.  He wears the jacket nonstop as it is warm and keeps the wind out.  It was just a matter of changing thread colors for top and bottom in the sewing machine after the jacket came out of the laundry. 

  The winter jacket may do a come-back for this weekend.

  Supper is going to be EGO Fluffy Waffles and bacon.  The waffles we like come six in a package.  We each make due with two each as they are large.  I always buy two packages for the freezer so we end up with three meals out of the deal.  The four slice toaster does come in handy once in a while.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on April 14, 2026 Permalink  

  Only Rain 

  For all the weather threats that we were aware of yesterday and into the evening hours, we were thankfully allowed a great shower of ran with no winds.  The areas that received hail were sporadic.  When the sun set last night it was a blinding sphere that turned the skies in all directions around us into hues of beauty.

  There was a physical therapy appointment for me at 8:30 this morning.  I had not one therapist but two, one with a his doctorate and also the owner of the independent clinic that rents from our Mayo facility.

  The reverse shoulders from 2013 and 2014 have smooth rotations and movement as they were put through the paces this morning.  A huge improvement from the first appointment when there was noticeable tightness as muscles across the shoulder blades, upper arms and in the base of the neck fought against movement and in some cases brought discomfort if rolled over a clutch of tendons that needed to know the relaxation that was part of the deep manipulations of some very determined and trained hands.

  I have the work ahead of me for building strength from the exercises that will need to be followed in my homework to keep the smooth movements going that will in turn not bring back the pain and discomfort.  I have the stretch bands for the exercises: yellow, red, and green all with varying strength needed for the full effect.

  Duly noted that the left side will need the hard work to assist in reversing the effects of the 2021 stroke that was enabled by the lack of physical therapy after the shoulder surgeries .  Not 100%, but definite for some possibilities. 

  Whether you think you can or think you can’t . . . you are probably right.

  The studio remains dark for this Tuesday.  Tomorrow is another day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥