Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from September, 2026 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 2:04 pm on September 25, 2026 Permalink  

  Usual and Customary 

  Sometimes my usual and customary days are broken up by appointments.  When those appointments mete out nothing serious, it’s a very good thing.

  I have made an appointment with Tom to wash off our home.  Dennis is in charge on the details.  We have enough liquid soap from the Family Dollar to fill a container that allows the garden hose attached to it to cut the film and grim.  Rinse, rinse and that is all we can hope for.

  There are four tip in windows that I care most about to get freshened up before cold weather.  Standing on my bedroom porch floor to do the tidy, tidy takes any chance of it being unsafe out of the picture.

  Amazingly those items that were a must to do before winter, dim in comparison to working smarter not harder.

  Dennis’ nephew Brett stopped in this morning for a visit to the patio porch.  Brett has sold the concrete business to Dennis’ grandson, Ryan.  Brett still helps with some of the bidding expertise.  2026 is the year that Brett has stepped back and by all accounts, it is going very well.

  Brett stepped into the house to visit with me for a bit.  Brett found me in my bedroom porch doing some stitching.  He still enjoys the quilting during the winter months.  His basement is tricked out in size and in the lighting aspect as he has his own long arm.  I commented that perhaps before the cold and snow my sewing machine would be in my bedroom porch.  Brett thought how sweet it would be to have natural lighting to work by.  I totally agree.

  The last week of September is going to be damp and cool . . . what’s not to like about that.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:20 pm on September 21, 2026 Permalink  

  A Bit More 

  Maybe a bit more rain today.

  The rain falling on the awning over the west windows of my bedroom porch, allowed for sleeping a bit later than usual.  So be it!  I knew that what I had planned for today would still get done.

  By the time I was headed to the studio, Dennis was coming in for a nap in his recliner.  As I walked past him, he was in the process of pulling his huge double layered fleece blanket over himself.

  I had used the Costco card table for extra space on my last project so it would be to the left of my elbow to allow for supplies.  I remembered that pulling out the legs and snapping them in place had been a struggle.  Today, I had my Bernina oil bottle ready.  I pumped in plenty of oil until I could flex each leg easily.

  Many decades ago when aunts were planning a bridal shower for someone, all the aunts would chip in money for a suite of a Costco card table and four chairs to give the bride-to-be.  Then, it was considered to be quite the expensive gift to give, even if five or six aunts had gone together. It may also have been the first table and chairs the newlyweds would have in their home.

  Card tables in our home still come in handy though the vinyl tops could tell tales.  At one time, I had recovered a card table of ours with blue oilcloth.  The Tri-Chem oil craft paints that came in a tube showed forth a spray of flowers to extend the use.

  I am pacing myself in the studio.  Sifting and sorting never ends.  There is nothing that is totally pitched.  I still have thoughts of re-visiting the crafts that have given me much satisfaction.  What I have in the studio has been paid for many times over.  One just never knows.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:31 pm on August 17, 2026 Permalink  

  My Tuesday 

  My Tuesday has gone exceptionally well.  Good ole Gemini did me good.

  I found a hand stitch pattern that I have had for some time.  It is monotone which I am ready for.  The previous pattern had 50 thread color changes.  From 2021 to 2026, mission completion.

  The new pattern is black floss on white.  The issue I had was that I had a half skein of black left from previous stitching.  I asked Gemini how many skeins of black floss I need for 39,000 stitches using one thread of the six on a skein on 22 count fabric.  Thank you Gemini and thank you Amazon for the 8 skeins of black that will be here on Tuesday, aka: tomorrow. 

  I do not feel the need to wander through retail stores to find what I need.  Been there, done that.  I have a specific need and it’s done in a heart beat.  It also saves the tempting item on the end-caps in the stores.

  The work in the studio went smoothly today.  The sewing machine never skipped a beat or a stitch as I went through two full bobbins via 40 vibrant spools of thread.  I still have a lot of work to do before I can call the fancy rag rug done.  Many, many wandering thread ends as well as removing the stabilizers on the back.

  Dennis has had a napping kind of day . . . that’s not a bad thing.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:00 pm on August 13, 2026 Permalink  

  A New Try 

  Sometime back I had acquired two table runners for very few dollars.  They have been taunting me recently.  From the onset they resemble something that would have been woven on our four harness Newcomb Flying Shuttle loom.  In my world, it was a fancier rag rug.

  The need was to prove whether or not my sewing machine could embroider a design on it.  I have done so on pleather, cork and denim.  The difference was in the thickness.  I chose a one-color design for this test.  A wash-a-way stabilizer was my choice and I used two layers hooped.  No way was this going to be hooped.  There is a spray stabilizer that I sprayed onto the wash-a-way and laid the project on top of it, gently rubbing the project for the best adherence possible.  A wash-a-way top layer that looks like cling wrap allows the stitches to lay on top consistently rather than getting pounded in the fibers.

  Believe it or not, on a slow speed we have success.  Dennis could not believe that this looked as if it came out of a fancy department store.  What remains is that the stabilizer on the back needs to be soaked off.  The stabilizer on the front came off great as the stitches had perforated it enough it came off easily.

  I needed the time in the studio so I feel I have a balance in my days.  I now have a plan going forward.

  My next venture is to find a new hand stitch project to keep my wrists and hands nimble.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:14 pm on July 23, 2026 Permalink  

  Rabbits 

  From My HP laptop, I have a great view to the south where I see a sea of white clover in full bloom in the neighbor’s yard.  There are four rabbits that are in their hay-day.  As I have no plants to tempt them to our yard, I enjoy seeing them frolic about. 

  There were three small Christmas designs I had stitched and in the process of finishing the stuffing.  Today was the day that the ground walnut shells container was brought to the church tables for that finish.  I have a set-up of a small funnel for the majority of the fill into the pillows.  I top it off with poly fill to allow the pillows some stability.  With just the walnut shells it feels like a squishy bean bag.  A great feeling to totally finish that project.

  I enjoy small stitching projects.  It gives me a break from the stitching project I started in 2021 to prove to myself I could still command a needle and a hoop.  It had been tucked away several times.  This summer is the finish by hook or by crook.  An area of 50 stitches by 50 stitches using ten different floss colors.  After all the “X”s have been made, I have back stitching in the 15.5″ x 11.25” to do.  The back stitching is outlining various portions of the stitches for definition in the project.

  Yes, it doesn’t take much for me to put it aside.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♠

   
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  Noreen 2:09 pm on July 21, 2026 Permalink  

  Feel Good Day 

  The wind is from the north and as I swept off the back door, the air was feeling pretty good.  Our back door always has a whirlwind effect on anything that the wind can carry.  When I took time to look up Dennis was busy with the leaf blower on the east patio also doing the tidy tidy.

  When the phone updates it always leaves more than requested. I did notice “Oak-Ever” when I opened the phone.  I then opened the Amaze Go!  A brain teaser to wipe out the entire design by not crossing over other lines.  If it were a bad thing it would have let me know by now as the phone is still operational.  Interesting to see what I see and then react to.  Also a good time burner.

  The studio is ready for whatever I desire.  The church tables have been cleared of clutter . . . always a site to see when I come down the stairs.  I used a particular box to do a mailing.  That content needed to find a new home.  Sifting and sorting to lessen while I was at it.  Very inviting to spend some time and energy when all appears to be a place where someone enjoys being.  I am sure much like a mechanic that opens his shop to find everything in its place and a place for everything.

  Dennis’ cucumbers were the best for supper last night.  Crispy and crunchy to pair with the chicken.  Tonight’s offering is still in the thinking process to pair with the remaining cucumbers.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:46 pm on July 19, 2026 Permalink  

  The 19th of July 2026 

  This is the last day of our county fair.  Surprisingly we did hear some fireworks go off last night at ten.

  The studio was visited this morning while I had Grace Lutheran church services on from Gaylord.  All went according to plan.  The next time I visit there are numerous spools of embroidery thread to put back in numerical order.   

  We had a plastic bag of garden goodies left on our front steps.  Cucumbers have been peeled, salted and dressed with mayo as an offering for supper.  The remaining cukes have been washed and added to one of the refrigerator crispers.  Three huge tomatoes will be set aside to finish putting the blush on them.  We are passing on the little elongated purple peppers. 

  I checked on Aunt Janet from Brownton last night.  She has been staying close to home in the hot weather.  Two nieces take care of grocery errands and the mowing of her yard.  The city librarian swaps out books for her as her favorite authors are known.

  Not much else to share today.  Being in our home is the best.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:25 pm on July 10, 2026 Permalink  

  Stitching and Listening 

  At 9:00 I was headed to the studio.  KNUJ was coming in loud and clear.  The embroidery pattern had been selected and the spools of the threads were standing in the order that they were needed.  I have mentioned before that I use the Isacord thread from Germany for embroidery.  One brand is all I need.  The patterns that I choose are from OESD.  Loading the pattern, the LED screen on the machine allows me to know how many stitches in total and how many stitches in each thread color.  The screen also shows me the number assigned to each spool.  It’s a good check to make sure your project is on track.

  All was going well.  A full bobbin was started.  The last 100 stitches and the bobbin was empty.  My machine uses the larger bobbin and as of today I now know that each bobbin is good for 5,400 stitches.  When the bobbin is empty its good to take notice of the number of stitches remaining.  When a new bobbin was loaded, I backed up the design plus a few more stitches so the machine would take off where the design was interrupted.

  The machine never disappoints.  I belong to a Facebook group of the 770 Berninia.  I read through the questions as well as the responses.  You can never tell when a situation is being questioned that the response will shed some light.  There is no such thing as having all the answers.

  Dennis had topped a carton of strawberries for me.  It was my turn to dice them, sprinkle some sugar on them and then Dennis would take over and use the pastry cutter to mash them to release the juices.  We happen to have brownies remaining for dessert tonight.

  Not going anywhere for this weekend and we are not entertaining either.  With the humidity and warmth, staying put for these two vulnerable people is a very good thing. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on June 27, 2026 Permalink  

  A First 

  A first for us was going to the grocery store after supper.  The store was quiet and I scored a cart that tracked well.  Milk and distilled water were high on the list.  The new face mask for Dennis’ CPAP must be working well as his water tank is empty by morning, telling me his mask is staying on all night.  Fruit is always on the list.  As Dennis has decided to eat strawberries this year, I had two packs in the cart.

  Yesterday I had decided to keep my hand in the embroidery aspect of the sewing machine.  The hands were working, but not so much the mind.  I had a small hand towel as the project.  Totally kitted and hooped up to only realize it on the wrong end of the towel.  Try again.  It was an applique design.  First thing is to sew down the cloth fabric that the design will be stitched.  The outline was stitched as well as trimmed with my duck bill type scissor.  Two rounds of stitching to begin with.  I looked but had not seen the design needed to be flipped 90 degrees for it to be correct and not upside down.

  The hoop came off of the machine.  The machine was shut off as well as all studio lights.  Night, night for that project.

  This morning, I plucked off the strawberry tops and mashed them ready for having berries and a bit of ice cream this evening.  I went down into the studio and spent time plucking out all of the embroidery stitching off of the hand towel.  Machine embroidery makes for many many stitches.  The towel needed to be made ready for try, try, try again.  Hours later . . . success.  My tip for the day: one needs to keep the head out of one’s butt.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on June 20, 2026 Permalink  

  Got to Love the Weather 

  Today is the 20th of June and this type of weather is what Minnesota weather is all about.

  After I am done bustling about with first floor chores, a cup of breakfast coffee takes me to my bedroom porch.  As I sit facing south with double windows in front of me, the world is my oyster.

  Movement of cars driving by, bikers, walkers . . . I am in a fish bowl, looking out.

  The neighbors directly across the alley, named Stauffer Avenue, are Guatemalan.  I noticed the grill being brought out and a fire soon ensued in the grill.  What then surprised me was two gals each with a dead chicken in their hands.  Head and feet were still on the chickens.  It was a usual thing to hold a dead chicken over a fire to burn off the fine hair of the chicken’s skin before the gutting of the chicken.  It would take seconds to accomplish that.  That’s how Lena had taught us.

  What I wasn’t ready for was to bring out the grill’s top to put over the fire and then lay the two chickens on top of the hot smoking grill and walk off.  They came back after a bit to turn the chickens over and again backed away for a time.

  These were slight chickens to begin with and the skin on a chicken is very thin.  Hmm, a whole new technique that I would not want anything to do with.  Yew!  To each their own.

  I have not done any hand stitching all week.  I miss the quiet comfort and the sound of pulling the thread through the cloth that is stretched tight in the hoop.  A few too many days of the hands being busy in the kitchen for future meal preparations.  An endeavor oh so worth it.

  A window cracked on each end of the house to let the welcoming fresh air in.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥