Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from August, 2025 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 10:29 am on August 24, 2025 Permalink  

  A Sunday 

  It’s a Sunday of mild temps with a breeze strong enough to rattle a windchime in the northwest corner of the house.

  Today, looking out the south windows of my bedroom porch, there is activity.  The neighbor’s sunflower plants are and have been in full bloom for awhile.  The stalks are strong enough that little birds perch on the bloom for a treat.  Oh for the innocence of it all.

  My bedroom porch is a combination of eight windows and two doors.  Very little can get past me either looking out or keeping tabs on the inside of our dwelling.  Sweet.

  The grass is glistening this morning.  The sump pump is running.  Son-in-law Tom can be heard mowing the acre.  All is right with the world.

  Me?  What am I up to.   I have had a cup of coffee with some breakfast nourishment.  I am dressed with my hair combed.  I am on a roll.  My stitching is laying on the 1960s sewing table under the south windows of my bedroom porch.  The stitching is a monochromatic worked with black floss.  I usually have magnetic markers laying in the formation of a “L” so I know where I left off.  Hmm.  I didn’t do that at the last Saturday stitch.  I have been sitting here hunched over trying to discern where that “L” should have been placed . . . count, count, count.  That winds up the gray matter for the day.  All is not lost.  

  The neighborhood has a shingling job in the works.  What great temps for that kind of work.  It is a great feeling that our job jar of large projects would echo if a penny were dropped into it.

  I have soft plans for this day.  The week has met quite a few of my objectives.  The best part is that none of them will need to be repeated, done and done.  It is now on to the usual and customary.

  Oh my goodness, there are several very yellow canary type birds enjoying some sunflower seeds.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:11 pm on August 23, 2025 Permalink  

  Wonderful Air Outside 

  The shift in this fall feeling weather had Dennis geared up.  Our home’s exterior needed a bath.  Tiny cobwebs had caught all sorts of little leaf tips, bugs . . . you name it.  The process started out slowly and my job was to make sure he had the walker that he can also turn around and sit on.  I stayed out of the way, but kept an eye out.

  In between time over these last weeks, I had begun the arduous task of sifting and sorting photo memorabilia.  Dennis’ daughter Sandy was my designated Curry to take all that I came across for Dennis’ family.  I had started small books for each of the five kids.  All additional loose family photos, great grand’s school photos went into a legal sized manilla file folder.

  Right now the living room is quite busy.  I will find out my nephew Eric’s mailing address in the northern part of the state and Eric will get all that I can put together of his family’s.  I am not concerned about my brother Michael’s family as I know the photos I have of their family, is a duplicate from what his family has, that would also be true of my sister Elvera’s family.

  Now . . . that leaves the photos that I have and plan on keeping for a time of the events that I have an emotional attachment to from my 81 years.  There are the photos and memorabilia for Carrie.  There are the photos and memorabilia for Kevin.  As the stash of memorabilia from my mother landed up in my home, there are plenty of duplicates for my children and me.  

  This task has kind of haunted me for some time.  I know I already feel as if a weight has been lifted.  The weight that I felt was reminiscent to the time when my mom’s farm home and then her apartment needed decisions to be made.  I am making choices for my children and then they in turn can make their own choices.  I am not assuming anything about my choices.  If I have doubts . . . Carrie and Kevin are receiving those choices.  Share, share . . . share alike.

  In between time,  I have a meatloaf to pop in the oven for supper.  Dennis made instant mashed potatoes for last night’s supper and there are ample to heat for this evening. 

  Dennis has half of his task left for tomorrow.  It made me happy that he knew when to hold it and when to fold it . . . Just like the song-writer, Kenny Rogers.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:04 pm on August 21, 2025 Permalink  

  To Decide 

  Last night after supper has some questions about . . . stuff.  We have been very diligent about our stuff.  Stiffing, sorting . . . but not much pitched.

  This morning after we had had our coffee and Dennis had even caught a nap, we got on with the program.  First thing first.  Dennis wanted to know where our dog-tags were.  Those tags refer to the identification of a program we entered into quite a few years ago.  Dennis and I have donated our remains to the University of Minnesota Medical School.  Last year when we met with our local funeral home in the event that Jeff had passed away, in visiting, we were thanked for thinking ahead.  Medical schools appreciate donors.  Well anyway, I knew just where they were.  I need to get a bit more additional information posted on our kitchen’s bulletin board.  

  There were additional items Dennis wanted to discuss in regard to where some of our personal items would find homes.  We discussed it, we agreed on it and we shook hands.  As family members come to see us, they will be leaving with what our wishes are.

  Today I have stayed on the first floor taking in some stitching.  I had been quite busy in the studio and my hands were ready to stay limber with the stitching.  There is no hurry in my stitching.  I enjoy the process of taking one stitch at a time.  It brings me much contentment.  If I am fortune enough to finish a design, then hands off to the project.

  We haven’t decided on what our supper will be this evening.  Last night we had grilled cheese sandwiches with a cup of soup.  It was Progresso Basel Tomato Soup.  No water added.  The flavor was wonderful compared to the usual run of Campbell’s tomato soup.

  There is a bit more time for stitching this afternoon.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:11 pm on August 20, 2025 Permalink  

  A Wednesday 

  Today seemed as good of a day as any to find the bottom of the laundry basket.  Humid or hot, shed the days clothes at the end of each day and let the shower do a refreshing act.  Nothing feels as good as having clean clothing await one.  If the washer and dryer quit, I would be making sure of a one-day delivery and set-up.

  While everything was humming along on the first floor, my studio needed a tidy, tidy in the worst way.  The embroidery module will be taking a well deserved break.  My tool kit came out on the church tables and I was hunting every last bit of thread and fuzz.  When the sewing machine needle pounds away on anywhere from four to five layers in the embroidery hoop, there is chaff hiding and I mean to find it.  I am not a fan of the canned-air that can be purchased.  The last thing I need is to have threads and fuzz blown in places I can’t get to.  I have some old dental tools that Dennis had for some of his gun cleaning and repairs.  One in particular has a wicked hook on it.

  Needles are very inexpensive and I don’t shy away from replacing them . . . often.  A good needle, a bit of oil in the right places makes for a good experience the next time the studio lights come on.

  With the machine attended to, the next item on the church tables was putting away all the various spools of thread in every color imaginable.  Isacord is the brand of thread Bernina recommended when I bought the sewing machine and I have stuck with it.  The Swiss made a great sewing machine and the Germans manufacture great threads.  I store the threads away from windows.  Sun is not a good mix.  I also store them in numerical order with the tail end on each spool tucked around the base and the base then snaps holding the thread securely.  Can you imagine the mess if there were tail ends measuring in inches and stored willy-nilly.

  The next time I visit the studio, everything is in its rightful place, ready to enjoy. 

  Nicholas started school this week as a six foot tall senior.  Megan shared with us that a testing score that is used for college placement, Nicholas was short one point from the test being at 100%.  Good for Nicholas and perhaps good also for college grants.  Physics . . . I can’t put a spin on that in my real life here on Stauffer.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 1:55 pm on August 19, 2025 Permalink  

  Job Jars 

  I love it when I can knock off a job jar or even better . . . two.

  With all the rains, there was a small spot where the sidewalk meets the west patio right off of the garage’s service door.  That spot was now sporting thistles, nettle grasses and everything in between.

  I put on my gloves and with Dennis at my elbow, the less than good greens were tackled.  Surprising, a lot of it pulled up by the root.  My favorite hoe is one used by farm workers that work sugar beet fields.  The head is triangular with a long handle.  The closer my hands are to the end of the handle my trajectory will angle the head to slice right underneath the dirt and get at the roots.  Oh yes, it was wet dirt.  After the pile of greenery dries, it will get hefted into the garbage for next Tuesday.  There were some plants that were still showing some green and Dennis followed behind with the brush killer.

  As humid warm . . . hot that it felt outside, I was thrilled to go into the studio and work with Maria’s shop aprons.

  Everything that could go wrong was dealt with yesterday.  When Maria bought the shop on our Main Street during the covid, there was also a shop in Windom that had closed.  Maria’s husband is very handy.  The shop in Windom was called Lilly’s and done in shades of pink.  Those in Windom were thrilled. Even if it meant Lilly’s would only be open three days, Monday, Wednesday and Friday she had eager customers.

  

  Maria loves butterflies.

  Our Main Street shop was closed by the gal looking to retire, so this shop needed some spit and polish.  This shop is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

  Maria is a hard working gal that keeps her LPN license up as well as all the licensing needed for the acrylic nails.  Maria is young enough to me my daughter.  Her youngest child graduates in 2026.  Her two sons have gone on to trade schools for full time jobs.  Where they find time to purchase fixer-uppers is beyond Dennis and me . . . but they do.

  I don’t think there is much that has come easily, including moving her parents, and they are legal, from Texas to live next door to them in one of the homes they have fixed up.  How could I not do something for Maria that she never would have asked for.  The pink shop apron will be worn in Windom.  Her black shop aprons are donned here in the Main Street shop.  Doing something for someone . . . sweet.

  I didn’t count the shop aprons as a job.  I still need to do the second job and that is putting fresh bedding on . . . straight from the laundry.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:12 pm on August 18, 2025 Permalink  

  New Week 

  This is Monday, a new week and a new start in the studio.

  I had everything set yesterday when the lights went out in the studio.

  All that was needed this morning was a check on the outside to see if we were going to float away today.  I was up at 4:30 for a bathroom break and the lightning, thunder and rain was just beginning again.  Oh well.

  When it was all systems go, I had not counted on a bad bobbin.  As the logo was beginning, the bobbin set the screen to a total stop.  I had just filled it but I cut the threads and re-threaded the bobbin and the top black thread.  Try, try again with no success.  

  I pulled out a brand new bobbin and filled it.  Just to be on the safe side I checked if there was any bit of a thread under the hood.  After all that everything worked great.  With a computer that masks itself as a sewing machine nothing really surprises me, it just needs time to find out what is at the bottom of the issue.

  I had a reason to look in the book and I have been working with this machine since 2015.  Oh so many millions of stitches and many more to come.  I have realized that if there is a hurry notation on any project . . . forget it.  I think it’s Murphy’s Law . . . what can go wrong will.

  I am about to close the studio down for the day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:16 pm on August 17, 2025 Permalink  

  A Sunday 

  Any settling that our home needed to have gotten done, must surely have it done by now.  The claps of thunder that went on for hours didn’t leave anything to the imagination.

  When I did get up the patio sidewalk was flooded over.  That had not happened once this early spring or summer.

  I decided what had gotten wet would eventually subside.

  My place this afternoon was in the studio working with my Bernina Tool Box.  I have done two shop aprons for Maria and I knew the design needed to be scrapped.  As hard as I would try, the one butterfly always decided to make a tiny pucker on one side.  Though it didn’t bother Maria, it bothered me.

  Yesterday, I took two additional shop aprons home with me.  Does she expect this from my studio . . . no.  I want to put out an embroidered design that says . . . I care enough to get it right.

  By this mid-afternoon I am satisfied enough to call it a day.  The one design was too dense of stitching, no matter how much stabilizer I threw at it, it would always pucker.  I went online and chose a different butterfly and have done a “what if.”  Tomorrow is another day. 

  The design has been downloaded from a zip to one that the sewing machine likes when it is loaded.  I have tried the singular embroidery.  Success!  Tomorrow I will download that butterfly onto various locations of the 9″ x 5″ total logo.

  For right now, the kitchen needs to be visited as there is no clue hovering about that would make for a supper fare.  Dang!

  I do know that we have had enough rain that a phone text came through from the county that there are areas around us in a flash flood zone.  Hopefully the storms have gotten it out of their system.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:49 pm on August 16, 2025 Permalink  

  Time Flies 

  This Saturday has gone quite quickly.  The anticipation of getting haircuts and pedicures . . . couldn’t happen soon enough for us.

  I knew when I looked out this morning that the lightning and thunder I had been vaguely aware during the night did dribble out a bit of rain.  The air feels heavy.

  I am feeling a lot better today . . . no itchy bitchy bothersome symptoms of . . . something.  When we left Maria’s shop, Dennis had one request.  Dennis wanted a stop at the grocery store for a chocolate cake.  He and I have been bantering back and forth about this hankering that only a piece of cake could squelch.  I no longer do any baking.  The thrill of the spill I know is coming when I try, I just don’t know how much of a mess it will entail.  Besides, the grocer needs his inventory updated out of their freezers sooner or later.  It was decided that about eight this evening would be deemed as time for a German Chocolate piece of cake.  It wouldn’t surprise me if Dennis didn’t put some vanilla ice-cream on his piece. 

  It must be city-wide garage sale season.  Dennis made a whip around town and it seemed as if most of the sale locations had a lot of clothes out.

  I had a phone call earlier this afternoon and I did not answer as it didn’t list anyone from my phone directory.  I did do a reverse call and realized it was from my cousin Carol in Arizona.  I then added her number to my directory and called her back.  If it had not come up as someone I knew, I would have taken the time to block that number so it wouldn’t be appearing again.  I do have a rather large list of blocked numbers and am always ready to add more.  I have used the reverse option often.

  Carol and I visited for some time.  She is now, as of this summer, a retired school’s superintendent.  She was over many districts in that portion of Arizona.  Carol’s brother Mark does stop in here every once in awhile when he travels from Hibbing to Jackson where he grew up.  It was an enjoyable visit of catching-up. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 1:52 pm on August 15, 2025 Permalink  

  A Possibility 

  Several days ago, I mentioned the fact that my right arm was less than cooperative.  In the days that have followed, there may be the possibility that I have a mild case of the shingles.  I have had the shot for shingles but that is not a guarantee that a re-occurrence of the shingles is out of the question.  I have read about that possibility online in nauseum.  Only to small children could I be contagious, if it is shingles.  I do not have any blisters nor is the surface of my skin under the right shoulder broken, just the wanting to ease the pain by rubbing it away.  

  The feelings that come with the shingles discomfort cannot be mistaken.  I vividly remember that when it happened.  The softest of fabric touching my left shoulder and arm accentuated the feeling that I could have dug out the pain with my right hand.  When Orlin had shingles, it was at a time that we were farming with a lot of livestock chores and he wasn’t able to leave the house.  I had a bottle with a stopper to seal the weeping blisters.  It did remind me of clear nail polish.

  I may be off base.  I did read enough that there really isn’t anything to be done and in several days the discomfort will diminish.  In the mean-time, cool showers, followed my Calamine lotion.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:12 pm on August 14, 2025 Permalink  

  A Difference 

  A few hours in my life can make a huge difference.  Yesterday was a punkie day.  I chose to go to bed at 8:30 last night and just close down.  It didn’t bother me one bit that Dennis had the television on tuned in to 48 Hours, the cops and robbers show while bouncing between the solitaire wins and the gospel music on his laptop.

  I got up once at 3:30 and went back to sleep.  When the coffee pot went off at six this morning, I was awake and ready to start the day.  The ole body had rejuvenated to some degree.  The time in the studio today went much better.

  I am working with Megan to put together a banket for her fellow, Jarrod.  Incorporating the five stitched designs of the Congress of Eagles with printed patriotic panels for the 2026 celebration seemed like a fantastic way for a finish of the cross stitched items.  It sure beats tucking them in a shoe box never to see the light of day again.  I kept the time spent in the studio realistic.

  It has been some time since the temperatures were mild enough to heat up the kitchen by putting the round blue speckled roaster in the oven to put forth a supper.  Using up the 2% milk that is three days past the sell by date for instant mashed potatoes seemed like the perfect pairing.  Waste not. . . want not.

  Dennis has gone out to see his cousin Sam in Riverdale Township this afternoon.  Sam and Maria don’t get out much and enjoy a visit.  Sam’s mother and Dennis’ father were siblings. 

  The mention of siblings brings to mind that I should call my brother.  I did call him on his birthday in June and he wasn’t too chatty.  Try, try, try again.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥