Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from January, 2016 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 4:05 am on January 29, 2016 Permalink  

  We’re Having a Great Day 

  Sometimes Dennis and I just need to pinch ourselves to take in our days.  The new furnace in the garage is purring like one of the kittens.  The Watson boys did a great job for us.  The old furnace has been hauled out and we have gained a lot of floor space.  The tag on the old furnace stated “1973.”  It had served us well as a used installation since 1998.  We should notice a difference in our gas heating bill with this newer efficient furnace, plus with the two insulated garage doors that we had installed in November.

  Yesterday, Dennis got a great report on his CPAP machine read out in Mankato.  The paper report that the machine’s computer card kicked out was a mile long.  Dennis averages eight to nine hours of sleep a night with the machine’s use not missing a night during this last year.  When we left the clinic, the appointment was already made for January 26, 2017.

  Today was new license plate day for both vehicles.  I had been skating along in regard to the car’s situation.  Quite a few months back when I was in Mankato, the front license plate either fell off or was taken off, complete with the plate holder.  After today, Dennis reported he had taken care of both vehicles. There is no chance of us being non-compliant.

  Today, I am in the sewing studio, slowly contemplating seam allowances and several embroidered blocks.  This is not a project to be rushed, but enjoyed.  I have no time constraints.  It is one of those projects that develops one small step at a time.

  Yes, Dennis and I do have many great days that we enjoy to the fullest right here on Stauffer Avenue.

   
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  Noreen 6:15 am on January 24, 2016 Permalink  

  No Longer True 

  Two plus two is no longer four.  No matter how carefully fabric is measured and cut and then stitched, there is always a trim needed.  My first project of 2016 is well underway.  I have five of these printed items that were all encased on a one yard cut.  Each printed item is a different size, and oh yes, each one will need to be framed to allow the four patch to continue its march across the project without a glitch.  Measure twice, cut once: the mantra of the day.

  

  Quite a bit of tweaking to allow for additional four patch blocks to be added as time goes on.  I do like the whimsy that the turquoise blocks are touting with various embroidery designs.  The important aspect is to call it a day while I am still coherent.

  While the embroidery is going on, I have my trusty Sears machine going as I am doing some straight stitching on the four patch blocks.  I do have my embroidery set at a low speed.  I found out doing Dennis’ granddaughter’s project, when something goes hay-wire, many erroneous stitches make for a broken needle before I can react.

  I believe Dennis is taking refuge in the kitchen to ward off cabin fever.  The tasty hotdish, using the last of the frozen pork roast from Christmas, was all Dennis needed to put out a great supper.  I can tell you, we would almost be tempted to purchase another eight pound pork shoulder roast, just to have some items tucked in the freezer to use in a hotdish.

  The sewing studio is closed for the day and the report from Dennis is that we have five cats in and accounted for.  As of late, by the time Dennis goes out to the porch for a late day cigarette, Honey Bunny is sitting right by the back door ready to be let in, making six.  In the morning, when Dennis leaves the house, it is as if there are five cats ready is see who can get outside the fastest.  Without fail, Honey Bunny trots down Stauffer Avenue to the east and enters the vacant house in that direction.  It can’t be all that pleasant or she wouldn’t be waiting by our house door to follow Dennis into the porch for the night.  The very old stray, Tabatha, that I let in during the frigid cold last week, has never since ventured near the door to go outside.  As I said, everyone gets outside for some fresh air, but before long Dennis notices, one by one they peek in the patio door, signaling they want in.  Lots of entertainment value here on Stauffer.

   
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  Noreen 2:11 am on January 21, 2016 Permalink  

  A New Day — 

  

  I will never get weary of fabric and thread, but getting a new spin gives me a spurt of energy. I know I have quite a few designs to choose from so the plain turquoise blocks will add a bit of a punch.

  — A new idea.  I ran across a panel of heartfelt sayings that I had purchased from The Old Alley Quilt Shop a time back.  Out came the stashes to see what I could do with it.  Since the new sewing machine came on site, it gave me a new insight of possibilities.  I had spent most of yesterday trying to draw out a design, complete with colored pencils.  This morning, I scrapped that and decided to quit trying to re-invent the wheel, just go with the four patch already!  Incorporating the printed blocks with it made for a good challenge.

  Dennis was very much in favor of the colors I had picked.  It isn’t quite like a southwest color scheme, more of a bright color scheme for the dead of winter.  The photo may portray it as a red, but it is a very bight coral.  Getting the measurements that are required has now been done, as well as a test square using the embroidery aspect of sewing.  I think I am really going to enjoy creating as I go with the turquoise blocks.

  Now that I have the idea in place and the size of the blocks I will use, there is definitely going to be an ole cowboy called into service to help run the rotary cutter.  Zoom, zoom, and Dennis has strips cut in one svelte swoop.

  After working very hard on the ice on the front steps, I know I can lure him in with a cup of coffee.  When the front awning slid all the snow off, it became an ice pack on the steps.  Our insurance is paid up, but no one needs to get hurt coming to Stauffer Avenue, even if it is a Jehovah’s witness standing out there waiting for the door that will never be opened to them.

   
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  Noreen 3:45 am on January 19, 2016 Permalink  

  It’s a Day on Stauffer 

  I realize it is cold and I have a lot of empathy for those who need to be out and about in it.  Me . . . not so much.

  I did make a run for a prescription for Dennis.  Lo and behold one of my all time favorite people caught sight of me and there is a block of time I will never get back.  Good grief, I have been away from the courthouse for almost eight years, there is no way I am any longer competent to field questions about values that lead to taxes.  Finally the druggist caught my eye and said I was ready to check out.  Check out – that was an understatement.

  Dennis comes in from the porch and reports that all the livestock is doing well, those with fins and those with four feet.  I would like to be a mouse in the corner when the six cats are moving about in the middle of the night.  The newest, Tabatha, has found that one of the chairs is a second choice from the cardboard box.  I did dream last night that she was in the house and when I opened the door to the outside, she did leave.  Dreams are crazy.  Dennis does open one of the patio doors for anybody that wants to go outside.  They all so go out for a bit, but before long, there are anxious eyes peeking in hoping that Dennis will catch them out of the corner of his eye and open the door.  I do take that back, Tabatha has not been near the door since I rescued her from the below zero temps on Saturday.  I bet she thinks she is enjoying one of those nine lives that she thought she would never experience.

  

  One huge expanse of crafting. It feels so good to have a variety of interests and then be able to stretch out and work through them. How could I possibly have anything handier than bricks to hold down items that need to have the glue set. I do know some would use lead ingots. As I have been cutting and gluing, my mind has been working on the next quilt project. I have an idea for fabrics I have on hand and it is just a matter of putting pencil to paper to see how much yardage this new idea would take. Keeping the brain in training . . . it’s a full time job towards good health.

  I am futzing around in my craft area.  A well needed break from the sewing that I finished last week.  I did get a call from Dennis’ granddaughter at Silver Bay.  She was thrilled with all three of the quilt tops.  She commented on all the little extra embroidery that I added, tailored to each individual girl.  Her next step was to pass along the project to one of the two grandmas that will be adding their spin to the quilt tops.  With all the projects of late, I do make sure that whatever I crank out is from what I have on hand.

  I know about a year before I retired, I began watching sale items in Hobby Lobby, Joann Fabrics and items on eBay.  I had no idea what I would do with the fantastic sale items, but I knew they were right up my alley.  Do I think I will have all of the inventory used up in time?  I hope I have enough time to blow through these stashes and then ask for a ride to acquire more.

  That being said, it’s time for an apple for a late afternoon snack.

   
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  Noreen 2:55 am on January 15, 2016 Permalink
  Tags: Dennis ( 40 )   

  My Favorite Photographer 

  

  Dennis helped me pin up this project as best as possible. It’s Josie’s 1/3 quilt top that will be added to by two other grandmothers to make a full size quilt top. On various baby clothing I did embroidery in designs to honor using them as well as giving them some added dimension. On sleepers , I made sure the zipper pulls were taken out and sewed portions of the sleeper onto the blocks. Here a great grandma’s name, there a great grandma’s name. The three quilt tops may be coming back to Stauffer Avenue after the other two grandmas have completed their tasks for me to finish with the batting, backing and binding. These three quilt tops were ideal for me to become totally accustomed to using the new sewing machine in multiple ways with a whole lot of ease. It will interesting to see what ideas the Northern Minnesota grandmas have in mind.

   
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  Noreen 5:16 am on January 14, 2016 Permalink  

  Several additional pots of coffee per day since Sunday. Word was received that Dennis’s daughter would be coming to St. James this next weekend to visit her mom in New Ulm. I immediately thought how wonderful to have the quilt tops ready to send with Sue and she could hand deliver them to her daughter, Erin in Finland, which is a hour north of Duluth.

  The most difficult of the three was the first. Getting my head around what my objective was considering how many pieces of baby clothing per girl I had, and then working with my stashes, took a bit of thinking power.

  Erin wanted me to put my name on it as “Great Grandma Noreen 2016,” being the one who put them together. I threw back to her an additional Idea. Why not incorporate all the names of the great grandmas? My embroidery machine worked quite hard for the better portion of Monday, as there were six names, times the three quilt tops. There were two great grandpas that had remarried, thus the six. The last quilt top was in progress to work the names into the sashes. I put in additional patches into the two tops that were done.

  I really feel that I have honored Dennis’ granddaughter’s request as best as I could. The keepsakes were important to Erin to have them done. How could I not give it 110%? One of Erin’s grandmas has passed away and the other is in an Alzheimer unit in New Ulm. Those who can, should.

   
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  Noreen 5:26 am on January 13, 2016 Permalink  

  Fleeting Thoughts: 

  As I work on sewing projects, my mind has a propensity to enjoy some re-runs of memories.

  When Megan was about a year a half, staying with us, her favorite yellow blanket needed new binding.  I was on one side of the sewing table and Megan was in a highchair opposite from me.  I had pulled out a rather large container of thread to match up as best I could with the blanket.  When our quilt store had closed,  I bought a large supply of various colors at a reduced rate.  As I sewed, I watched as Megan pulled the container within reach.  Megan would finger each spool.  Soon each spool had been shed of its clear plastic shield. Megan was so content and so busy lining up her conquest, I could just watch and enjoy.  Memories: life would be so empty without them.

   
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  Noreen 5:58 am on January 12, 2016 Permalink  

  Multi-tasking 

  

  I did quite a bit of embroidery this afternoon working on Josie’s quilt. Once the machine was set it gave me a chance to hike it up to the kitchen and get supper started in between the blocks that needed embroidering. This particular block gave me 10 minutes. It is amazing what you can get done in 10 minutes.

   
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  Noreen 2:59 am on January 11, 2016 Permalink  

  It Didn't Last Long 

  The lull in visiting my sewing studio didn’t last long.  With the minus temps, I was thankful that the sun streamed into the windows down here.  I do now feel that I am set up to use my new computer with total comfort down here with all the comforts of my life.  The first step was getting a wireless mouse.  The second step came in yesterday’s mail: a riser for my computer to set upon.  Using a keyboard that is totally flat really makes the arthritis in the wrists buck.  I resurrected a card table and found a spot for the computer that is totally out of the way of my Cricut, the cutting tables, the ironing board (which is a must for those who use a sewing machine), my Bernina sewing machine, my Sears sewing machine, the button tree and the DMC embroidery cabinets.  This spot must still leave a huge walk through for all the necessary items in a normal basement for the home to run.  One of the items I do not use often is the television.

  It is not like I work in total silence.  Heaven forbid.  Our sump pump is running in this second week of January, much like it did in the spring times.  Our air exchanger and dehumidifier are perking right along and who could take for granted the furnace?  What is amazing is how we can learn to tune out usual and customary sounds and noises.

  Dennis just made a run uptown, partially to get eggs, but I also suspect a bit of cabin fever.  It’s hard to keep an ole cowboy in the bunkhouse for very long.  I made use of some gray matter by getting the supplies and fabrics ready for Josie’s quilt top.  Ironing on stabilizer is the extent of that for the day.  After this project, the sole plate on my iron will need a good cleaning.  Knit clothing with rubberized designs on it are not conducive to heat.  I do know that and I plan for it, and before I realize it, I have swiped a bit of it.  Knits that look pretty in baby and toddler clothing made of nylon also do not appreciate the iron while applying stabilizer.  I dug out some legal pads that had quite a bit of age to them and allowed them to be the buffer between the iron and what needed to be done.

  On a puzzling note: I have accessed various sites from this Windows 10 based computer.  For some reason, it has told me that my e-mail address for receiving emails is not a valid address.  Hmm.  The sign in screen is identical to the laptop up in the living room, but it is a no-go.  Oh well, as spoiled as I am down here, I do make contact with the first floor of our home on quite a few occasions.

   
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  Noreen 4:49 am on January 9, 2016 Permalink  

  We have had sweet, fine snow falling all day. Dennis and I did have the drive cleared off once, but I do believe I will hit it again after supper. It is so nice to have a clear driveway of snow and ice and once this arctic air hits this weekend, there won’t be another chance as nice as today with these mild temperatures.

  I will add that Dennis’ supper last night was second to none.  Just a sliver of ice cream on his baked squash desert was a home run. Tonight is my turn to cook supper and I have pork chops slowly frying. My lettuce salad is ready to go and there is sautéed celery and onions to add to the Stove Top Dressing. I like to add a bit of extra flavors.

  The sewing studio is closed down for the day. Inch by inch, the project is coming together. It is down to adding sash and trimming, trimming, trimming. I know I am a bit overly concerned about corners meeting corners right on, but that is just how I like it.