Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from June, 2019 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 12:54 pm on June 30, 2019 Permalink  

  Summer Steamer 

  When we looked at the temperature outside this morning, it was 82 degrees and the humidity was 82%.  There was nothing to do but call the day a summer steamer.  We also called the day as “not doing anything outside.”  It wouldn’t surprise me if that was subject to change.  Sunday should be a day of rest . . . subject to change.

  On Friday’s post Dennis had declared that the acre would not be mowed until Monday . . . which would be tomorrow.  The heat wave was to last the entire weekend.  I liked that idea as Megan was coming on Friday afternoon and the weekend would be full of “all things Megan.”  Megan is only able to stay for a weekend several times a year and her and I can pack a lot into each visit.

  Saturday Megan and I decided to have lunch at the Encore coffee shop which is adjacent to the Country Collage shop.  It takes us several hours to do both places justice.  Megan and I were close to coming back home when my phone rang. “Do you want me to mow the front yard with the rider mower?”  WTF!  Can’t leave the ole cowboy home alone without him getting into mischief.  The answer was “No.”  The rider mower scalps the front yard to no end. 

  

  The top is 57″ x 76″. Lots of cutting, piecing and seaming. A wonderful project that Megan plans on putting in their basement family room when it is done.

  When us girls got home, Dennis had the mowers sitting in front of the garage.  Dennis’ focus does not allow any portion of the acre to go unmowed if part of it has been started.  I went into the sewing studio and got Megan going on the next portion of her quilt that needed to have fabric cut so she could continue sewing on her project.  She has gotten very good using the rotary cutter on the quilt fabric.   I headed upstairs, changed my shoes, dug out my straw hat and garden gloves and hit the back door ready to mow the front yard.  It was proposed to be a tag team effort.  I knew from the get go that that wasn’t going to happen.  I came in a time later and Megan looked at me.  “Grammie, you are really red in your face.”  Dennis’ goal had been reached.  He retired into the patio porch with a cold bottle of green tea and was content.  Hmm. 

  Today is Sunday and all is well.  After a breakfast of French Toast and bacon, Megan completed her quilt top.  The remaining steps of getting batting and the backing are too involved for this visit.  It will all be here waiting for her when she visits again.  A bit of down time on the tail end of her visit makes for a relaxing time for all of us.  The summer steamer can’t last forever.  Carrie and Nicholas will be coming later this afternoon.  Carrie tells me Nicholas has an agenda with Grandpa Dennis.  Time will tell.

   

   
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  Noreen 6:26 pm on June 29, 2019 Permalink  

  Quite the Duo 

  

  Megan was trying to concentrate on her quilt while Grandpa needed to get up close so he could share some rhyming ditties. We had a great day. These long weekends with Megan visiting us are priceless. There will be more to share as Megan’s project progresses. Times flies when fun is being had.

   
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  Noreen 3:38 pm on June 19, 2019 Permalink  

  Balance is Important 

  Yes, summer is about to start this week . . . officially.  Dennis and I have been hitting it quite hard ever since the last of the snow disappeared.  We have stayed on task.  Just because it gets daylight around six a.m. and stays light until almost nine p.m., doesn’t mean we are outside non-stop.  Balance is needed.  

  Dennis has been working on his Cub Lo-boy.  Nephew Brett has given him a spot in one of his large metal storage buildings.  He pops back and forth multiple times a day.  Today he came home at three and announced it was time for lemon bars.  So . . .we had an afternoon break.  When he leaves we always do the check to make sure he has his cell phone.  Working alone in the shop and laying underneath it while cleaning or painting could cause a problem.  Better be safe than sorry.  His putzing with the tractor has given him a balance in the day.  It’s not just about mowing the acre.

  For myself, I take my sister Elvera’s advice.  Elvera had her flowers and a few vegetable planted.  When it got warm or humid, she was right down into her sewing room.  As we would visit over the phone, sharing what was growing and what was being stitched was important.  Three o’clock coffee breaks over the phone were the best.

  My balance in life consists of taking care of what the ole cowboy can’t on the acre.  Trimming is not for his legs.  Spraying for weeks tends to be a bit much for Dennis.  If a little area needs some control . . . let’s just do a bunch more.  Not!  Once I know what I will have on the menu for supper . . . I am free to go to the sewing studio. Elvera would give a heads-up on that. 

  There is a fairly large boot box that scraps from projects get pitched into.  The box has been overflowing for some time.  I saw a photo of a scrappy pattern on Facebook.  It took me the better part of the afternoon yesterday to get a pattern for it penciled out.  I call it a scrappy pinwheel design.  I have one block done as a prototype.  I do now know it will lie flat using my paper pattern.  Today, off and on, I have been cutting the spokes of the pinwheel.  Lots of triangles.   I also now know that I will need 49 or 56 of these blocks to finish a quilt.  

  This morning a bit of yard work and watering a few potted plants.  This afternoon a coffee break with Dennis.  There is a project that has been nailed down in the sewing studio and I have supper planned.  I call this a good balanced day.

   
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  Noreen 3:43 pm on June 16, 2019 Permalink  

  There is a Limit 

  As I mentioned a post or two ago, things can slide for some time and it doesn’t seem to bother.  Then again, in an instant . . . there is a limit.  

  We replaced the toilet quite a few years ago in our main bathroom.  Of course we got the high-rise oval model.  The oval is important as self-cathing for peeing does take a it more elbow room . . . so to speak.  The top of the tank has never fit properly.  Poor casting of ceramics.  Any little movement while sitting or getting up from the toilet, a grating of ceramic on ceramic could be heard.  

  Dennis was out in the patio porch and I knew today was the limit.  I took the top of the tank into the sewing studio and stood back to see what my options were.  There was double stick tape on shelves.  Inspecting stashes in the sewing studio, I came across some half inch foam.  Cutting the foam an inch wide to match up with the tape, the entire perimeter got a piece of foam around it.  I couldn’t wait to see how it would work.  The next challenge was to make it up the basement steps carrying the top of the toilet.  It has happened to me in the past, that just as there was going to be the completion of a project, the hands gave way and it all went to crap.  We now have a toilet top that is quiet.  Why the hell has it taken me all these years to do something that was so annoying for oh so long.  I think what the trigger was is that I had taken it upon myself to put a new toilet lid on the toilet.  When the lid was lifted to open, it was heavy enough to make the top let us know it hasn’t been fitting right.

  On a very wonderful bright spot, Dennis received Father’s Day calls from four out of his five children.  It kept him quite busy out in the patio porch.  By the time he came in, I was in the sewing studio putting away supplies from the toilet fixing.  It never fails . . . Dennis has barely gotten his sweet hind-end in the door and he is calling out to see where I am.  With our huge home it never fails that he needs to know my location.  Five steps either way and he has found me.  Not this time.  He was right beside me in the basement when he said he had gotten a call from his third son.  I looked at him quizzically.  The call had brought tears to his eyes.  Yup, the ole cowboy had not expected a call from Fairfax for Father’s Day.  It had touched him deeply.  Priceless.  We just never know when taking a moment to reach out can make such a wonderful impact.  

  There is a limit to putting things off that by taking a bit of time, we have our angst quieted.  There is no limit in reaching ours as we never know how important that may be right at that moment.

   
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  Noreen 2:41 pm on June 15, 2019 Permalink  

  Lots of Thunder 

  The skies have been rumbling for several hours.  It’s dark out but Dennis tells me it has all gone to the south and east of us.  A good shower of rain would have been welcomed.  You never can tell how the thunderstorms seem to be gone and they can wangle themselves back.

  Dennis did wear himself out yesterday with making several trips to Fleet Farm for the right connections for his hose to be attached directly to the sump pump as the water is pumped up and out of the basement.  It doesn’t help matters any that his hands don’t always do as they are directed to.  I did stay out of the way until such time that I could help with reeling in the garden hose as he took it off of the secondary sump pump.  Looking out of the north dining room window it does seem strange not to see a swamp with standing water in the area of the drain field.  Dennis said he would put the direct connections on later this fall.  I totally agreed with him. 

  Tomorrow is Father’s Day.  Lots of memories surface.  I absolutely know that I had the best father anyone could have had.  He taught me how to work and how to appreciate life.  I absolutely know that Carrie and Keven had the best father anyone could have had.  Orlin was strict and fair and had the same blessing as my father did . . . logic.  The logic I see in my children by far passes what can be taught in schooling.  Learning aspects is needed, but how it needs to be applied is a true gift.  My children and I got the real goods and it serves us well. 

  My sewing machine is stitching and I have done a bit of extra organization in my sewing studio while it is hard at work.  Sometimes the things that I have looked at for a long, long time can all of a sudden be seen in a different light.  Yup, what I sew with most frequently needs to be closest at hand.  The rest . . . is still important but not so much needed right at a reach away.  

  Looking at some stitching designs, I am pulling together some fabrics out of my stashes and thinking that they would make a wonderful quilt with some special embroidery when someone special leaves for college.  It really isn’t that much of a reach.  That someone will be sixteen this December.  I don’t like the fact that she is growing up, but I sure do see one mighty fine young lady. 

  Oh the memories of an older gal . . . me,  that still sees her own children as her babies and sees the grand babies as precious wee ones.  I know, I know . . . we bring them up to be strong independent people, but I can still reminisce and thank God Almighty for my memories.  They sure can get me through a whole bunch of days, weeks, months and years . . . and they are all mine.

  Hmm.  Maybe the rumbling will still bring some rain.

   
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  Noreen 4:33 pm on June 11, 2019 Permalink  

  A Day on the Road 

  My friend Anitia closed her quilt shop in Mankato last July.  Cost of rent and competition didn’t pencil out for her.  As it turned out a new doctor came to Madelia from out of state and his wife had always wanted to have a quilt shop.  Whatever Anitia had in inventory on her last day was purchased for a new quilt shop in Madelia plus additional newly purchaed inventory of every thing quilt related.  Anitia offered to drive from Mankato to Madelia, about 60 miles round trip to help a newbe learn the ropes.  It was a full time job as there was no history of owning a quilt shop or how to go about setting one up.  The Madelia gal jumped in head first and became a Brother’s sewing machine dealer.

  Several of us stitchers, including Anitia, meet once a month in Mankato for lunch and chit chat.  As the months have gone by Anitia has shared she has been swamped in Madelia.  Inventory coming in, in droves.  Brothers dealers are encouraged to carry as least 26 different models of machines and have a licensed repair person for customers.  Wow.  I had stayed away from the Madelia shop as I have been working out of my stashes, and quite successfully I might add. 

  Anitia had been inviting me to stop in, in Madelia, as she works Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Today was the day.  I got rained out in the gardens.  The quilt store is beautiful.  It is loaded with inventory.  The building that the new gal purchased was a revitalized gas station with a service bay.  Lots of square footage.  Total re-do was done, first class.  Business has been very slow.  Summers usually are as there is a small window of getting things done with families.  

  Today Anitia was handing in her three week notice of leaving the Madelia quilt store.  She has come to realize that with closing her store and inventory and jumping right in to help in Madelia, she needs some down time.  I surely couldn’t blame her.  I was tickled that I had chosen today to visit her.  The showroom of new machines is beautiful.  The quilt fabric is arrayed wonderfully.  What is lacking is the clientele.  It will be interesting as to how it will turn out.  A shop bell needs to ring and ring often to pay the overhead plus inventory.  I looked, I touched but I needed nothing.

  On a brighter note, I drove over to Fairfax to visit Kersten at her place of employment.  It wasn’t exactly on my way home, but I felt it was important to stay in touch.  It was a rainy day and the rest of the week was booked.  This worked out great.  

  I had a wonderful day on the road.  A bit of encouragement for Anitia as she takes time for herself.  Doing what she has been doing in an act of support for someone who had not a clue, can wear on body, soul and mind.  My last words as I left her was, “Take care of your mind and your body, it’s the only place you have to live in.”

   
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  Noreen 4:56 pm on June 9, 2019 Permalink  

  Like Days of Old 

  They claim that what has been learned in the past is not forgotten.  I did ride a bike to no end in the past.  I wouldn’t trust myself on one today.  Put a scissors with thread and fuzz anywhere near me and I am in it . . . big time.

  We had gone to Walmart in Fairmont last Monday.  Dennis was purchasing paint and I schmoozed the dry goods.  I found a cotton summer top.  Me and summer is all about the breathable cotton.  I liked the style, I liked the fit, I liked the $13.99 price tag.  Hmm.

  This morning, I laid said top down on the sewing tables and took a good look at it.  Quite simplistic.  Out came a few containers of fabric stash.  I found some that I thought would work.  The purchased top was stripped.  The time spent on making a paper pattern I felt would be well spent.  If I want to repeat this process, I would have it.  I have seen some people lay an existing garment down with new fabric underneath it and away they go with scissors just a snipping.  My luck  . . . I would slice and dice into the garment that was being used as the pattern. 

  The sewing went well.  I had not done a rolled neckline that was cut on the bias in decades.  It did come to mind that if Megan’s project comes into fruition, the rolled neckline would indeed need to be done well.  When all was said and done, I found just the right buttons from the Fairfax Button tree for the 3/4 length cuffs.  No . . . there were no cuffs on the Walmart garment.  My fabric was just shy of being the right width and the shirt was one piece from one sleeve to the other.  Improvisation was needed.  The cuffs needed to be added for the sleeves to be the correct length.

  I had purchased a dress form from Amazon a bit ago.  I dubbed it Mini-Meg as I hope to work on a skate competition garment for her later on this year.  It seemed to be the perfect addition to the sewing studio.  Today it was sweet to put my garment on Mini-Meg as I could judge as to how the rolled neckline laid.  I liked the results a whole bunch.  Like days of old, today was enjoyable doing something I had not tackled for decades.  Grammie still has it!

   
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  Noreen 1:24 pm on June 2, 2019 Permalink  

  Location, Location, Location 

  Daughter Carrie sells real estate and sales depend on location, location, location.  That is the catch phrase. 

  Stitching could also use the same phrase.  You’ve got a design, you’ve got the fabric . . . where is the stitched design going to be located!  In everyday stitching, I most likely would be thinking placement rather than location, both words either make it happen or not. 

  There may be a project in the future that I will be working on: a garment for Megan.  The importance of a class act job is gong to be the number one objective.  There will be enhancements such as crystals, bangles and beads as it will be her skating competition attire.  Today, I decided to try out placement of a sample stitching using crystals.  My denim shirt seemed as good as any for this.  Trial and error on the glue for the crystals. I did have the glue that was suggested on YouTube.  Time will tell. Having a solid plan before beginning the real deal saves angst.

  Actually, placement in day-to-day life is what keeps me from having angst.  A place for everything, and everything in its place is the only way I have carefree days.  If I pick it up in one location, it has to go back to that very same location . . . each and every time.  If I screw up, it’s effort in futility.  Yes, R.W., aka Dad:  “Don’t have time to do it right, but you always have time to do it over.”  Untold times, Dennis has asked for me for something in the basement, the sewing studio, or for that matter, anywhere in our home and I can hand it right off to him.   It’s catching on.  

  Dennis is working on his Cub Lo-Boy, taking off the old decals.  He came in the house today and said he needed the hair dryer as the heat could possibly be a big help to loosening the old adhesive.  Dennis went right into the cistern closet, picked it up and was on his way.  You may ask, why a hair dryer is in the cistern closet?  Since both of my shoulders have been replaced, I can no longer get my arms up high enough to use it.  It’s still a handy dandy heat source to keep around.

  The tip of the day is definitely . . . keep the goods, whether material goods or in planned stitching goods, spot on in the only location that works.

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on May 27, 2019 Permalink  

  Making the Best of It 

  We really can’t fault the weathermen for being on target with the rain.  Rain began in the early morning hours and it is now 3:15 in the afternoon and it is not done yet.

  Deciding to make the best of it, I headed for the sewing studio.  I had some naked hand towels on hand.  It is always a good thing to have a few extra items stitched.  Several of our visitors are not bashful in kissing up for a hand out.  While the stitching was at it, I went through a few things in the cistern closets.  Hmm.  A box of various Command Strip items.  Keeping the colors changed out on the sewing machine, I went shelf by shelf in the sewing studio to see what the Command Strips could help with.  Items lying flat soon are covered up by other items that want to lie flat.  Hanging them up seemed to be the answer.  I could not believe that there was a bare spot on the south wall with which to trick out with the Command Strips.  Good job Grammie!

  At noon I did go out to take a peek at the yard.  Our yard has several water ponds showing.  The neighbor to the south has a full blown lake.  I snapped a photo of our rain gauge at noon.  I don’t think I need to check it again.  Dennis will be more than happy to fill me in when he comes in.  I am fortunate to stay busy when there is nothing to do during a rainy day.  Dennis is out in his rocking chair in the patio porch fearing the worst.

  As I was closing down the sewing studio, I spied with my little eyes, a trickle of water showing on the carpet on the basement steps.  The seepage water was coming out of the bunk house closet, making it’s way over the same level step and running down into the tile that we have around the perimeter of the basement.  Oh well.  We have nothing setting on the floors of the cistern closet or the bunk house closet.  It will be a matter of letting as much run into the tile until we get the shop vac flipped over from dry vacuum to the wet option.  Does it make me nervous to hear the sump pump running every 30 seconds?  No, we pretty much have it covered.  The area in the northwest part of the yard has more water than can soak up from the basement sump pump, but Dennis has a second pump standing in that area of the yard and taking water out into the street.

  May has been a soggy month.  On the up-side . . . we have been blessed with no storms.  I will take water, whether it’s in the closets, or out in the yard . . . any day.

   
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  Noreen 3:24 pm on May 19, 2019 Permalink  

  A Good Back-Up 

  When it is May the 19th and the temperature is 45, it’s always good to have a back-up so I can stay focused and balanced.  My back-up is reading.  I have been using the west house porch to put together my perch for reading.  A table to hold my book, a place for a glass of water and also three sides of windows for good lighting.  

  Yesterday I enjoyed being outside for a bit.  I could see where I needed to put in some time to keep the Hosta plants in line.  Moving around a few items of garden art for the best of show never hurts.  That was then, today is house-bound.  Minnesota . . . I do love it.  Being flexible is the key.

  On a side note, I have a new occupant and companion in the sewing studio.  She came in the mail yesterday.  She has been dubbed Mini-Meg.  I have expressed the desire to work with Megan in her next skating competition finery.  Being two hours away is not desirable when it comes to fitting seams.  Mini-Meg is multi adjustable for measurement.  I had a dress form when Carrie and Kevin were babies.  It came in handy to be able to sew with confidence, knowing the garment would be wearable.  In retrospect the dress form would have even come in handy with the Santa Project.  Pinning in sleeves is quite the challenge when all you have is a pressing ham to work around the curves.  Having a 3-D form would have been a help. 

  The next time Megan visits we will be getting the measurements and dialing them into the form.  I was very happy that the length of the torso can be adjusted up and down as well as doing the adjustments in the width of the important aspects.  Who knew we would have lots of choices for the perfect fit.  There are dials in the front, on the back and on the sides  Much improved from what had been my dress form from the 1960s.

  Dennis keeps track of my facial wound where the skin cancer was removed.  What started out as the size of a perfect round hole the size of a quarter wound, ended with an incision that Dennis measured at 2.5 inches long.  Yup, a good job of darning.  Dennis reported this morning the facial swelling is going down.  Good thing.  The right cheek did feel like something I had morphed from a chipmunk. 

  Life is sweet.  Life will see spring sometime soon . . . I hope.