Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from March, 2025 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 1:32 pm on March 16, 2025 Permalink  

  Mission Completion 

  I am giving myself a high-five, aka: my right hand slapping the left.

  The studio is dark.  KNUJ will need to get along without me for the remainder of the afternoon.

  

  I have completed the “cork phase” in my studio.  The phase was doing a project to use up the scraps of various colors and designs of the cork fabric.  I had no intentions of cutting into the larger pieces that were rolled each within their cellophane bag.  Perhaps another wild hair will prevail in days to come.

  Tomorrow the sewing machine will be cleaned and checked over from top to bottom, inside and out.  No needles were broken during this project.  Oh my gosh . . . all the snippets of threads on the floor.  The handy dandy Filter Queen will be on board.

  Before I had headed to the studio for the final hurrah of the cork, I had put together a tuna oven meal for this evening’s supper.  Ya, ya . . . I know Dennis likes peas with the tuna.  I had none in the freezer.  What I did have was a bag of frozen mixed vegetables.  Why not!  Worst case, the green beans are stacked on the edge of the plate.  The fact that I used Albacore white tuna makes up for the vegetables.  I know I have mentioned this before about tuna.  Star-Kist is like so much mush in the can.  We are worth having a choice grade of tuna for our meal. 

  When I came up from the darkened studio, Dennis had done up all the dishes and the stove top.  Kudos.

  A while back I had used up the Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix.  I did not over-bake.  I had actually put them in the lettuce saver from Tupperware.  The lid is a tight seal with the two little white things snaped up to keep it sealed.  Last week I was going to have a cookie and I dropped it.  It shattered like a piece of fine porcelain.  Way too many cookies for dunking.  I had the individual containers of Mott’s apple sauce in the refrigerator.  I opened one up, enjoying half of it, leaving half of it in its container, and set the container in with the cookies.  Overnight we had soft sugar cookies.  Good job Grammie.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:29 pm on March 15, 2025 Permalink  

  A Day 

  What a difference a day can make.  Yesterday was shirt sleeve weather for some and today brings on the warm clothes to bundle up in.

  Today has been a turning point in the studio.  My sewing table looks like a zipper fest.  The last two of the box pouches have the zippers in ready to finish up another day.  I have been using the scraps of the cork fabric as well.  I have completed three using 7″ zippers and they resemble the finished size of a checkbook.  I have several remaining of the odd-ball size also with zippers sewn in.  The perfect size to zip up something of a stash of no specific heft or size.  My zipper foot of the sewing machine is going into retirement for now.

  I was so sure the awning that goes the width of the front of our home would take off sailing, landing on someone’s vehicle passing by on Stauffer Avenue.  It could really waft with the gusts of wind.  I have no idea if the rain we got early last night amounted to anything.  It sure did thunder.  I do know looking at Jan and Randy’s yard, it is back to having muddy puddles on their gravel yard.  When I had walked over to visit with Jan on Thursday the mud of last week’s snow had dried off.  So many times I am thankful that our drive is concrete.

  This wind has been going on since Thursday.  When I got into the car at the clinic a gust of wind decided to close my car door for me . . . before I had my left leg in.  I am sporting a huge bruise on the inside of my left knee.  I had all I could do to keep the door open long enough to get my leg into the car.  Lesson:  check which way the wind is blowing before I park the car.

  We are tucked in for the weekend.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:16 pm on March 14, 2025 Permalink  

  Howling Wind 

  We have just enough of an air leak around our front door that the wind can be heard howling.  Surprisingly, we still have a few pine cones to come bouncing off of the tall pine tree on the northwest corner of the house.  When they hit the metal awning, it could very well be mistaken for a small bomb.

  I put out some Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls this morning to thaw.  I got busy in the studio and when I came up, they were begging to be put in the oven.  I wasn’t about to start anything new and forget them in the oven.  I can report that they are out of the oven.  The aroma from them baking was wonderful.

  We talked about what supper’s offering would be.  Dennis decided on a Banquet frozen dinner.  I opted for a bowl of oatmeal.  Two satisfied people.  

  The weekend sounds slushy.  We have no plans on being out and about in it.

  Yesterday I found out that a cousin of mine had passed away.  Sharon was 81.  She was my aunt Gertie’s daughter, and Gertie was never called Gertrude.  One or both of my kids called her Aunt Berdie. 

  Dennis just came in and reported that what he thought would be a brake job on his little red pickup would not be needed.  Following the tip on what was needed to re-set them seems to have done the trick.  After doing a check on the baked rolls, it seems as if three o’clock coffee time would be a good time for a taste.  Why not!  Raymond and Lena always enjoyed an afternoon break such as that.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:14 pm on March 12, 2025 Permalink  

  Sunny Hump Day 

  Good news from my endeavors of yesterday’s kitchen duty.  The oven meal passed mustard with a repeat of that coming for this evening’s supper.  We sampled the crab salad for our noon lunch today and that also is deemed good.  A full day in the kitchen pretty much guarantees a day such as this one with only light duty.

  The studio work went well today.  I am down to pairing up some of my colorful zippers from an older stash to see what can be coordinated with smaller pieces of the cork fabric.  Have I gotten tired of the project?  No.  It has felt good to work up what needed to be put into something with a utilitarian use.  Right at the end of one of the church tables is a small quilt project patiently waiting.  Over the years of doing embroidery designs, there are enough extras from various projects to get them kitted up to see what size can be achieved.  I am not venturing into my batting stash as yet.  That step would be fairly far into the project.  I know when nephew Brett took a quilt off of his long-arm, he gave the trimmings to me.  I have a lightweight paper adhesive type of tape to pair up scraps into a usable size. 

  The sun has worked hard and Stauffer Avenue is no longer looking like a huge mud hole.  That may change if we get the weather they are predicting for this weekend.

  Tomorrow I have an appointment with my primary doctor here in St. James at 3:30.  The lab work was completed some time ago and now for . . . the rest of the story.  Our clinic is short of doctors.  I don’t want to miss an appointment and fall through the medical cracks.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:56 pm on March 11, 2025 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 11th 

  This morning, everything seemed to come up roses.  We have chillier weather but the sun shining seems to make up for it.

  I gave myself kitchen duty this morning and forenoon.  Once the washer was doing its thing, I set about making a batch of cold crab salad.  I always add a few extra ingredients.  This time it was minced raw onions and the remainder of the Asiago shredded cheese.  The box of Suddenly Salad has a good amount of herbs in the seasoning packet.  It went into the refrigerator and by tomorrow noon the flavors will all have co-mingled.

  Next on the docket was getting pasta boiled for this evening’s oven meal.  I sauteed the remaining chopped onion and then put them aside.  One pound of 80/20 ground beef was the next item in the fry pan.  While that was browning, I drained the jar of sauerkraut into my cheesecloth.  Taking it up like nap-sack on a pole, I twisted and twisted that bundle of flavor to get as much of the juice out as possible.  Not to worry, there will still be plenty of salty flavor for the blue-speckled roaster.  The ground beef was drained of extra fat and while it was still hot, I stirred in a hefty tablespoon of beef flavored Better than Bullion as I know the ground beef on its own lacks flavor.  All ingredients were waiting for the binder . . . a jar of Ragu Alfredo.  It’s not my favorite brand but it was on sale at $2.49 a jar.  The folding over process of all the ingredients does takes its tole on the Grammie.

  Just as if planned Dennis was on the scene to do the prep dishes.  That fellow knows good eats.  His job is also to top the oven dish with ground pepper.

  I left the kitchen in good hands and went into the studio.  I had three pouches as part of my assembly line.  What I had to do first, which I had forgot to do yesterday, was to clean the cutters.  Not needing to cut the threads after a seam has been sewn may not sound like much but that in conjunction of not having to raise and lower the presser foot or threading the needle saves so much on my hands and arms.  Those three pouches now join the other finished ones on the church tables.  If I return to the studio tomorrow, I have three laid out ready to have zippers put in.  Sweet.

  My great day continues.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on March 10, 2025 Permalink  

  Appreciation Day 

  Today was showing appreciation and love to my sewing machine.  My sewing machine is a work-horse.  It has given me so much joy and contentment over the last seven plus years.

  After all the lights and KNUJ were on, it was time to pull out my tool box for the sewing machine.  Nothing sews better than an oiled machine.  Underneath and topside my syringe-looking oil can did its duty.  Tiny threads no larger than the tail on a flea were rousted.  The surgical tweezers got them all.  The dual feed foot got a going over as well.  A tiny screw that can wiggle loose with each stitch the machine takes got a bit of tightening.  The dual feed can be engaged as the feed dogs move to allow motion under the needle, this acts as additional feed dogs right behind the needle to help things move along.  The last thing was to put in a new needle.  Needles are so cheap with tips so small, whatever I am working on deserves for the thread in each stitch to be done to its best.

  I didn’t get much stitching done in the studio.  I do have notations as to what amount of the corks need to be met up with the correct size of zipper.  That alone makes the next visit to the studio enjoyable.

  Last night we enjoyed our usual Sunday night supper of sharing a 12″ tuna sub.  Very tasty and fresh.  This evening, we are having a skillet meal that I am in charge of.  I man the skillet and Dennis takes charge of the dishes afterwards.  Well . . . that’s because I wouldn’t do them correctly.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:33 pm on March 9, 2025 Permalink  

  Cool Air 

  No matter how many people I see walking their dog past our home, I do not buy into the fact that jackets are not needed.  This is where the lungs struggle with that cool air.

  By noon I was up from the studio.  My fingers were cool and I had met my quota for today.  I am a monogamist sewer and stitcher.  I will continue with my box pouches until I have done the amount I need for a Curry family function far into the future.  I do not get bored.  I can stay focused.

  As I mentioned I am also a monogamist stitcher.  I watch a YouTube channel of those that enjoy cross stitching as I do.  Some of these gals and men have as many as one hundred projects kitted up, each in its own project bag with the needed threads.  Oh my gosh.  I can only imagine the investment.  

  I do have projects for the studio that I have planned.  Right now the stitching that is needed for each pouch is in the sewing machine’s memory.  I am not going to go through that process until the cork project is finished.  Will I have used all of the cork from Amanda?  No!  It will be in my stash in the studio until such time I find another project to use the cork.  After all, this pouch project took me several years for it to come into fruition.  I will keep my eyes out.  There again, YouTube is an amazing source of ideas.

  The changing of the time does not effect me as it does for some.  I stay with my routines without watching a clock.

  Next week at this time the month of March will be half over with.  Hmm.

  Enjoy the new week and make sure to find something each day to smile about.  It’s good for your heart and soul.

  With that I will take my leave.

   
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  Noreen 3:32 pm on March 8, 2025 Permalink  

  Tweet, Tweet 

  The early birds had a lot to say this morning with all the tweeting that could be heard.  The morning doves were out and about picking up grit off of the neighbor’s gravel drive.  The signs of spring as well as turning our clocks ahead tonight.  I did find it interesting from KNUJ’s news bit, 70 different countries do likewise.  Shawn Cable on the KEYC evening news went on to elaborate the effect if it wasn’t done.  It’s all interesting.  Hmm, even house flies know spring is coming.  Sure could have done away with them for awhile.

  A side note on house flies.  When the family lived at South Branch, no matter how cold the temps could and would get, the window at the top of the steps that faced east would rouse house flies between the inside window and the storm window.  Talk about hibernating skills and noise levels of the fittest.

  I was in the studio when Dennis’ daughter Sandy and Tom from Mankato came in.  I was surprised as they had been here just last Saturday.  That matters not, its always good to have them stop in as they were headed to Sioux Falls to see Sandy’s daughter Cheyanne for the weekend.  Hard to believe Dennis’ youngest grandchild is 30.

  With this Wednesday having been Ash Wednesday, it puts into my mind how late Easter is going to be.  So much better for those doing Easter egg hunts.  Dennis’ jelly beans will be hiding in his usual candy dish.

  May you all enjoy the feel of the warming sun as I am whiling away in my bedroom porch.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:11 pm on March 7, 2025 Permalink  

  Bone Weary 

  Bone Weary.  What’s up with that!  I don’t have a complaint in the world.  I had a good night’s rest by sleeping straight through as did Dennis.  The coffee pot went off at six this morning and the aroma wafted through the house.

  I fought the weary feeling and went on with my usual routine of checking all things via the HP in my bedroom porch with a cup of coffee at my elbow.  That did help.  Getting dressed and smartening myself up a bit with a cold washcloth.  With a full cup of hot coffee . . . studio here I come!

  I look forward to what KNUJ has for news blurbs.  I put on all the lights possible and hit the power button on the Bernina.  With the completion of an unusual shape to a box pouch, I powered on.  The reason it was an unusual shape was that I was determined to use up a zipper that was shorter than required for even the smallest of box pouches, 9″.  It did make me feel better, knowing that thinking outside the box gets my gray matter working.  I went on to the next challenge by using an 18″ metal zipper that has been kicked around in the supply box for a long time.  The sewing machine needle can make it over a nylon zipper by treading carefully and not breaking.  I hand turned the motion of the needle and made it with the needle intact.  After this medium-sized pouch was finished, I knew I would use a bit of the E6000 glue on each end where it could not and would not be detected.  With that “mission completion” the studio went dark for the day.  I still have zippers that I made using the zippers by the yard and zipper pulls.  I needed to work through using what perhaps should have hit the circular file.

  With determination and concentration the weariness had been kicked in the ass.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

  The evening healthy suppers have been diligently put forth.  This evening we are having French toast and some sausage patties I found in HY-VEE the last time we were in Mankato.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:28 pm on March 6, 2025 Permalink  

  Melting Snow 

  Amazingly the snow from the recent blizzard is dwindling.  The added moisture that we received was worth it.  Mixed with the snow, there was a fair amount of dirt from our horrific wind prior to and during.

  While in the studio this morning, I cut out four more box pouches.  I chose zippers to go with the sizes I cut out.  I stayed in the studio long enough to pick up on the noon news from KNUJ.  Tomorrow I may return to switch on the sewing machine.

  Dennis and I had a noon snack.  Not your usual snack by any means.  The snack was a bit of cherry crisp that I had baked out yesterday after the sugar coffee bake-off was done.  I popped it into the refrigerator yesterday after it had cooled.  The crisp was topped with a spot of ice cream.  Neither of us care to eat anything after our supper so the baked dessert got the nod at noon today.  That may be the case until the small pan of crisp is finished.  

  Dennis’ pickup drives into the garage from the graveled Stauffer Avenue.  Today the pickup stayed on the concrete drive so he could use the leaf blower to blow off the floor with the garage door open.  With no wind or breeze it was the ultimate time to do it.

  Each day both of us find local effort to keep us busy so we can have a five o’clock supper with an appetite to enjoy it.  Our oven dish of Tuesday will have its last hurrah this evening.  Some don’t enjoy leftovers . . . we don’t mind them one bit.  Waste not, want not.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥