Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from December, 2019 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 4:25 pm on December 17, 2019 Permalink  

  Farming 

  I sure hope the latest farm bill has included gentlemen farmers.  Our driveway today looks as if the hay baler just left after the latest cutting of hay.

  Needless to say Dennis was on a quest to find hay with which to feed the deer.  Home deliveries are alive and well.  For this evening fare there is a bright green slab of hay next to the huge Maple tree in the backyard.

  When I came home yesterday from the stitcher’s meeting I noticed there was an extra coffee cup on the cupboard and the cookie container was quite lacking.  Yup, Dennis had afternoon coffee guests.  When the visitor left, what was remaining was a night vision camera affixed to the clothesline pole adjacent to the patio porch. Dennis means to get some good photos.  Trying to get a good photo with our little camera through the screen and glass patio door just doesn’t do the event justice.  

  We are winding down the day and Dennis has kept busy most of the day.  Surprisingly the horse tank that the Koi are enjoying over the winter was in need of replenishing.  I am sure the heat from the furnace for the garage plus the water fountain making bubbles and oxygen for the Koe all makes the evaporation process a daily thing.

  So . . . what have I been doing?  I am working on a repair of a item I gave out to be used in day-to-day life as a prototype.  Stitching it and having it look just as I had envisioned is one thing . . . putting it to use is the rest of the story.  I appreciated the feedback and will keep this one aspect of the pattern in mind for future projects.  

  The world keeps turning and each day is given to be used and enjoyed . . . with visuals of local effort to show for how the day was used.  There are no d0-overs. When we awake, it may be such that we are not the same person as we were when we went to bed.  Perhaps those with whom we share our love and support within our families may have need of us.  Being prepared for possibilities is the best weapon to keep ourselves as healthy as possible.  All this is said to talk myself out of enjoying the remainder of the sweets that have been left over from our family gathering on Sunday.  I hope, I hope I win the battle.

   
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  Noreen 4:49 pm on December 16, 2019 Permalink  

  Stitchers Rule 

  Today, I traveled to Mankato to meet with fellow stitchers.  In my book stitchers rule.  A group of gals that make sense out of our hopes for projects that show those that we share them with how much they were thought of during the process.

  Sometimes those hopes that are hooked to dreams dash and the circular file, wastebasket, gets fed.  By and large we don’t give up or give in easily.  The mental acuity to put ourselves deep into a challenge can be physically exhausting.  While in that mental state, an interruption from life’s happenings can shatter hours of attention to detail.  Is there a “fix” for that?  Probably not, other than living in a cocoon with an interior lock and an alarm that beeps “Incoming, incoming!” 

  Our monthly meeting at Baker’s Square is important and what I glean from that carries over until the next month.

  Yesterday our family gathering was not just about eating and joking with each other.  There was a serious job jar that was cracked.  I have had a three tier flower stand cemented into our patio for several decades.  Kevin brought along a saw and the stand has now been retired.  The stand has totally left Stauffer Avenue.  I am cutting back on flowers that need attention every day as they would dry out quite quickly.  Secondly, I am not the handiest, so Kevin tightened the new toilet bowl lid I had put on.  There was no way I could tighten the nylon bolts enough to keep the lid from doing a soft and slow slide to one side when sat upon.  Rest easy, there in now no chance of pinching that tender little butt skin when the slow slide became dangerous.

  I so appreciate my computers.  I so detest the touch pad that they insist on installing on the keyboard.  The arthritic thumbs would caress that touch pad without me even noticing it until my text had been discombobulated to no end . . . or it was totally deleted.   Jeremy took care of that item.  As I am typing right now, I am still leery.  There are several thousand photos on the Dell computer that is twelve years old.  I still enjoying using the Photo Gallery program as photos can be loaded into individual files.  I could pull up multiple photos of Dennis in a heartbeat.  I was afraid that at some time the computer would fail and all could be lost.  I do backup my computers, but is it 100% reliable?  Why take a chance.

  The job jar got dusted off, the special dishes that we used are tucked back where they are stored, and there is just the right amount of leftovers for Dennis and me.  What is left is to do a double Swiffer on the floors.  Two fur-babies in the house needs some Swiffer action.  It could have been done today, but . . . the stitchers came first.

   
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  Noreen 4:23 pm on December 11, 2019 Permalink  

  Brr! 

  I had an appointment this morning at ten for physical therapy.  When I backed the car out of the garage the interior dash indicated it was 45 degrees in the garage.  By the time I was at the clinic which is less than 10 minutes away, the readout was -2.  Brr.

  The good news is that my neck and shoulder situation is getting better.  Mike T. knows his business.  Neither one of us is giving in.  During the time with him I did comment that mobility was a good thing but I didn’t need the rotation of the character in The Exorcist movie.  I have no restrictions from Mike.  I have put restrictions on myself and am holding true to a few items . . . no pushing snow and vacuuming.  The last is Dennis’ contribution for my recovery.  Now wait a minute before he gets a lot of kudos for vacuuming.  We have a total of a 4′ x 8′ area rug in the basement sewing studio that requires care from the threads that happen when I miss the waste basket.  Our home is Swiffer friendly for the remainder of the floor area.

  I spent time in the sewing studio with some well needed needle time on several pairs of my pants.  I needed to put belt loops on two pair of pants.  Kevin has commented in the past, “Mom, you don’t have a butt.”  Well guess what?  Not all pants are created equal.  I am now sporting belt loops on all pants that I have in my possession . . . all four pair.  It made sense for me to take care of this as it is hard on the shoulders when the hitching up of pants is going on non-stop from the time they are put on in the morning right up to the time that it’s time to call it a day. 

  When I was at the clinic this morning visiting with acquaintances as we waited for out appointments, I did find out who Dennis can contact to purchase some alfalfa hay bales for his deer.  Last year the neighbors had some road ditch hay they put out for the deer.  That hay stayed laying right where they had put it until the spring thaw.  Not a lot of farmers in our area have need for fields of alfalfa as they are predominantly cash crop farmers. 

  Hang tough everyone, there are some warmer temps coming.

   
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  Noreen 3:58 pm on December 10, 2019 Permalink  

  Sunny and Frigid 

  Frigid temps don’t feel so bad when the sun is shining and it is bright out.

  Why am I not surprised.  Dennis came home from coffee with his buds at McDonald’s to stop in and say he was going out in the country to a friend of his.  They had been chit chatting over coffee and Dennis was offered some oats for the deer feeding.  That was all Dennis had to hear.  While he was at Dwayne’s he also offered some advice on guns that Dwayne wants to sell.  Dennis’ suggestion was to let the children pick what they would want from their dad and then decide on what was left as to the price he would want.  Good friend that Dennis is, he did not offer to purchase, only to give advice.  

  I muddled through a pillow.  The way velvet stitches out embroidery is really nice.  How to work with velvet afterwards is a nightmare.  Because of the nap of it, it doesn’t play nice when being put in a seam.  It slips and slides to no end.  My pillow is done.  In the photo the white flang border does not want to lie flat to be photographed.  That is unfortunate as it is some white elite that I had used to make Carrie a dress for the Christmas concert many, many years ago when we lived in the two story brick schoolhouse.  The embroidered design fit right in with the stitching of the bells.  The tartan plaid taffeta seemed to be a good fit.  Taffeta has its own issue when seaming it.  It frays like a dog that is molting.  What can I say.  When you bite into a challenge, you have to be willing to work with it and then as Dennis did with his highchair . . . you say “Uncle.”  I need to inquire with my stitching gals in regard to their experience with velvet, as I will want to be ready for it again next year at this time.  Yup . . . stubborn and no throwing in the towel. 

  Dennis is practicing with our small camera to capture photos of the deer that come to enjoy his patio.  I think he is doing a fair job.  Holding the camera steady is huge, but the drift of the photo is spot on.  The deer coming this close to the patio is the cat’s meow . . . literally.  All three sit at the sliding patio door and take it all in.  Hard to say if the cats are putting on the most nose prints onto the glass . . . or if it’s Dennis.  Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 5:59 pm on December 9, 2019 Permalink  

  One More 

  I am going to make one more item with some Santa velvet and then go on to some other stuff.  Yup . . . I have other stuff.  The velvet has been a good run and yes . . . there is plenty for the winter of 2020.  It is so enjoyable to tackle projects to see where the challenge will take me.  Several friends had encouraged me to take part in the vendor show at the VFW that was held last Saturday.  It didn’t take a heartbeat in time for me to thank them and then say no.  It would take all the fun out of it.  

  Last Monday Dennis took me to the post office and I mailed out twelve envelopes that held some stitched Christmas ornaments.  I had been working on them here and there in between times.  The envelopes went to family near and far.  Who doesn’t like to get something in the mail that isn’t a bill.

  I belong to several private Facebook sites.  One is specifically for the model of sewing machine I have.  It’s nice to see how others approach challenges.  One of my favorite sites is for purchasing embroidery designs.  I can pat myself on the back for not purchasing any additional patterns this year.  I look but do not purchase.  From what I can tell, the temptation of purchase far exceeds working with them for a final product.  There is one design that has been niggling me for possible 2020 Christmas.  Time will tell.  

  There wasn’t more than 2-3 inches of snow during the day and the wind moved it more times that could be counted.  Dennis does well with his snowblower . . . up to the plugged driveway from the county plows.  It’s a huge ice cube.  Randy blew through that as if it were fluff.

  Dennis dug deep and found an old timer that we used in Christmas’ of the 90s.  Dennis presented it to me as he said it all looked by Greek.  I admit it is difficult to read the tiny instructions.  Never fear . . . we got it to work.  At 11:00 p.m. sharp last night the huge wreath on the garage went dark. 

  The temps are going to be buggers for the next several days.  That should give me enough time to crank out that last red velvet project.

   
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  Noreen 3:25 pm on December 8, 2019 Permalink  

  Heavy Gray Skies 

  It was to have been a very mild day with temps in the 40s.  Not so!  The air is heavy and the skies are gray and it makes my titanium joints cry.  No . . . it’s not the titanium hardware, it’s tendons, muscles, nerve endings and such that are attached to the hardware.  Easily felt . . . hard to explain.

  With two pounds of lean hamburger, one pound of pork sausage, five different types of beans, plus sauce and seasonings, we are going to have chili for supper.  A huge batch is usually made so several meals can be put in the freezer for those days that I am not about to make a meal . . . come hell or high water.  Ya, there are days like that.  The days that are like that, I declare to Dennis, “You are on your own for supper.  Either scrounge our refrig and kitchen or you know your way to the Home Town Café.”  Do you want to know what happens?  About a few minutes from meal time, I hear the table being set.  It is set complete with silverware, condiments and water glasses . . . filled.  Screw that!  I guess the message was not received and I am in the kitchen.  I know, I know . . . I should be and I am thankful that Dennis will eat whatever is set before him.  It’s kind of like a . . . compliment. 

  Snow is forecast and with the  dreary heavy air making me feel dreary,  it was time for me to have a talk with the big man in our living room . . . Santa.  I go up close and personnel so there would be no mistaking what I want for Christmas.  It was all taken in and I could swear that I saw him wink . . . or it could have been the smear on my glasses where the chili boiled up and caught me unaware.  Nonetheless . . . Santa and I have an understanding.  I believe we all need an understanding of what is probable, what is possible and what is heartfelt wishing.

   
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  Noreen 5:57 pm on December 7, 2019 Permalink  

  A Social Day 

  Once the beds had been stripped and the laundry going, it was time to do a bit of dust bunny hunting.  Saturday’s mean taking a Swiffer and skidding and sliding over all the floors.  It is amazing what is captured.  Dennis thinks there are more people living here than are fessing up.

  The VFW in town had a local vendor’s show.  I have several gals that have small home businesses that I wanted to support.  I looked, I touched but there was nothing that came home with me.  A sign of contentment.

  The Odin Craft Mill does a spring and fall show.  This year they did a Christmas show starting the day after Thanksgiving and open every day. December 8th will be the last day.  I had not gone to any of the events in the last several years.  Odin is only eight miles from St. James and I was curious.  After being open for nine days, there was still an abundance of items to take in.  I looked, I touched and did come home with some eatable items.  Dennis will enjoy the caramel popcorn and the small squares of various fudge favors.   I was able to ferret away a few goodies for the times when Carrie’s and Kevin’s can make it over for Christmas.  Who would look in a sewing studio for Christmas treats!

  The gal who owns the property at Odin for the craft mill will be coming over sometime next May.  Nancy said she would be over after the spring show to dig up some Hosta.  Yes, I am serious about cutting way, way back in the flower gardening.

  This evening we were entertained by four deer just a bit after five.  They must be hungry or just sociable.   Dennis gets the greatest thrill in this.  It’s a good thing.

  Tomorrow promises to be another good day in regard to temperatures.  It has been great to have our concrete driveway totally cleared of snow and ice.  Our neighbor Randy has a total gravel driveway that makes a horseshoe shape around their home.  With using his tractor and snowblower on the gravel, these warmer days have made for a great horseshoe shaped ice rink. Hmm.

   
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  Noreen 4:48 pm on December 3, 2019 Permalink  

  Live and Learn 

  After getting some good advice, we watched several YouTubes.  Live and learn.  We are too late putting electrical heat tape on part of our roof.

  Ideally we will do that work in the late fall of 2020.  At this point in time our down spouts have ice in them as well as the eve troughs.  Next fall we will take off the trough covers so the electrical heat tape can be properly secured.  In the mean time, in between time we will use the snow rake after the snow falls.  Actually, Dennis will be using the snow rake or grandson Ryan will be getting a call.

  This afternoon, I got a call from nephew Brett.  Armed with multiple sizes of sewing machine needles I headed out.  Brett has just had the sewing machine on his long-arm quilter serviced.  The machine sitting on a table stitches perfectly.  Hooking the machine to the long arm for it to glide along while sewing . . . not so good.  The thread would break about every two feet, or less.  Brett thought maybe the size of the needle going through as much as four layers at some points was making the difference.  Not so!  His thread is new, the machine was threaded from step one through the needle threading, he re-threaded the bobbin and . . . not good.

  I had two suggestions after several hours.  We have a gal here in town that does long-arm quilting.  Perhaps he could give Sue a call and ask her what she has run across with threads breaking.  My second suggestion was to call the place where his machine was serviced to see what they have run across with threads breaking.  Actually my third suggestion was to go on YouTube and scroll through posts.  I hope he finds some solution as it was very daunting to see him wanting to get his project done with nothing positive to show for it other than many loose threads where he had re-threaded the needle.  I could offer nothing else.  

  Today was a thawing day.  As of this evening Dennis does have the snow off of the portion of the roof that doesn’t have a sharp incline.  The snow just wants to lay up there and freeze down, then thaw and then do the re-freeze.  Not to worry, we’ve got this.  I give huge amounts of moral support.  It does piss me off that I am no longer to be doing something like the snow rake . . . or the snow pushing.  “Just put your hands in your pocket and encourage me.”  Thus says Dennis.

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on December 1, 2019 Permalink  

  A Five Day Run 

  As of today we have had a five day run of weather issues.  It can’t last forever . . . well, we do live in Minnesota.

  Dennis is back at Jackson today.  Even with the roads being less than good he did arrive safely this morning.  By the time he comes home this evening, it may have been warm enough to clear the ice.  The way our wind chimes have been going at it off of the northwest corner of the house, I would think the glazing from blowing snow could be an issue.  My hope . . . that this has cooled Dennis off for a while of being out on less than good roads.

  I piddled around in the sewing studio, thinking on the UFO that is staring me in the face.  Unfinished objects are not my favorite to have around.  This unfinished item is the highchair of Dennis’.  Right from the start there was no way to get all of the old paint off of the soft wood that was used decades ago.  Dipping it in lye is what it would have taken.  No one around here does that anymore and I don’t think investing in that would make this $5.00 chair any more of a bargain.

  Sometimes with DIY projects you go with what you’ve got.  I have dug around the supplies that we have on hand and tomorrow I will get serious. 

  Taking time for a cup of coffee . . .ya . . . I have cut down but every once in awhile it just seems to be the best solution when trying to find a solution.  I sat in the house’s front porch and watched traffic go by.  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement.  In the far northwest a deer was running through the lawns and then onto our street before heading down Stauffer Avenue.  Off to our southeast is a huge amount of tree cover for them.  Dennis knew the deer were about as he saw tracks in our backyard making a bee-line for our neighbor’s bird feeder.  We aren’t sure if we will be putting corn out for them this year.  It’s a bit early and I can’t believe that they don’t have a fairly good supply of food as yet.  A bit later a pair of Cardinals were outside the porch window getting a drink of water from the area where our sump pump pools.  Amazing what can be taken in when you sit still for a bit.

  December is upon us.  Tomorrow Megan will be 16 years old.  Her birthday is on Lena’s birthday.  Mom was very proud of that.  I am happy for Megan as opportunities abound for her.  I am also sad when I think of the world that she is growing up into.  Perhaps the changes that I see as bad have come along in these 16 years and Megan doesn’t know the difference.  Hmm.

   
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  Noreen 5:11 pm on November 28, 2019 Permalink  

  A Ho-Ho Day 

  Dennis and I spent the day doing some Ho-Ho-Hoing.  Getting the home looking like it just might be Christmas around the corner.

  Getting Santa up out of the Sewing Studio took some doing.  One of my old surgical safety belts went around Santa’s tummy.  It did the trick and worked great.  Dennis on a basement step, one at a time going up with a heft and me giving a bit of a lift from down below.  Santa was ready for the living room.  This year Santa got glasses so as to see the best.

  Last year after Christmas we spent $10 at Hobby Lobby when they had 90% off of Christmas decorations.  We got our money’s worth for a Christmas bow.  It has been in the sewing studio waiting to make its appearance.  Today, Dennis shoveled off the ice from the front steps. The bow took both of us to lift it up onto the storm door.  It is a heavy duty bow.  With the awning giving it protection as well as the spruce bush on the northwest corner of the house, it will give a Christmas greeting to all who pass by.

  Dennis did get out and about today with the little red pickup.  The gas station gal said the roads were snow packed north of town.  She got into work and took it slow.  That would have been the best advice for anyone whether decorating for Christmas or traveling.