Updates from May, 2026 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Noreen 2:19 pm on May 25, 2026 Permalink  

    A Busy Holiday 

    Sweet day with quiet sunshine.

    Dennis had an agenda . . . I had an agenda.  With our breakfasts and coffee we told each other “catch you later .”

    The huge plants that Dennis has tended since I retired have now gone out to the east patio.  Over winter months they sit in pans in the patio porch so when watered, any water that wants to run out the bottom keeps the floor dry.  You have guessed it.  There is a ring around where the pans sat made up of cat fur.  Time for the shop vac.  Not so fast.  The floor of the pickup garage bugged Dennis more as the floor was a gravel mess.  Any type of gravel imaginable had drug in over winter from the tires as Dennis steered the little red pickup into the garage from Stauffer Avenue, a gravel alley.  Pieces of cardboard that had been on the floor were going to be going to the burn ring.  Dennis’ plans, Dennis’ day.

    In the studio sits my wonderful Bernina QE . . . quilter and embroiderer.   The straight stitching it does isn’t half bad either.  Lena had taught me all sorts of tricks of the trade using the treadle sewing machine that had a permanent home under the north two kitchen windows.  It could be called into service as quickly as the leather belt could be strung onto the wheel.   I had a list of clothing items I had planned to alter and they were all on the table next to the machine.  Altering clothing and mending clothing is not the most desirable in the creative world, but a necessary evil.  All lights possible were in service allowing for a bright working relationship.  The Twins were playing in Chicago via KNUJ.  Sewing chair pulled up and head down, I tackled my task.  Not a hitch or a miss as the hours slipped by.  Success.

    I took a bottle of diet Lipton’s Green Tea out to Dennis.  It’s not carbonated and we have enjoyed it for decades.  The only problem is the case comes with 36 bottles and a plan has to be in place to purchase it, get it in the car, get it in the studio for a few bottles at a time in the refrigerator.  Come to think of it, when Megan was a toddler visiting, she got a bang out of sharing my bottle.  No harm was done appeasing a sweet child. 

    The floor for the little red pickup was as clean as a concrete floor that is pitted can get without water and soap.  He was tending a fire of all of the cardboard that he had drug out.  The little shrub that was finally put to rest was brittle as nettle and fed the fire.

    Dennis and I shared the bottle of tea and we did get caught up with each other.  We both had accomplished much with just enough left undone for it to be used as seed for another day.  Sweet.

    Happy Memorial Day!

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:19 pm on May 23, 2026 Permalink  

    Saturday 

    It’s a great day out.

    I’ve been busy enough that my email account was not opened for several says.  When I know I have no appointment emails on their way, it seems there is plenty of other media to keep up with.

    This morning Dennis’ nephew Matt Curry came calling to see Dennis.  Matt is from Windom where he grew up as his dad worked for Toro.  Matt works for AgCo in Jackson.  You could put money on Matt’s visit on or around Memorial day.  The fellows were in the patio porch solving all the world’s issues.  Matt’s brother Mitch couldn’t come with.  Mitch works at Toro and they have been having problems getting parts, so Mitch was putting in a short day at Toro today.  

    We are sure there will be no more killing frosts.  The two huge plants that Dennis has tended over quite a few winters in the patio porch are now out getting some fresh air.  They sit in the area that we filled in after we gave up the Koi pond.

    A few hours were put in at the studio.  It keeps me on a good routine, rather than spending the entire day hand stitching with a YouTube running in the background.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 1:39 pm on May 22, 2026 Permalink  

    Good Times 

    The session in the studio went without a hitch or a glitch.  Working towards using some stash and getting it out of storage feels great.

    Dennis’ new PVC flag pole kit came today.  Great timing as the rains have made his Veteran’s American Flag a bit too heavy to stay off of the grass flying off of the old one that had bricks securing the pole to stand upright . . . well actually leaning quite a bit.  If this flag pole lasts as long as the previous one . . . hats off.

    The rain doesn’t really want to give me a break.  Seeing as I do not melt, I am going to don my rain jacket and make a break for the grocery store.  Nothing heavy is needed, just a few goodies for us for the holiday weekend plus some protein fixings for our suppers.

    It’s always interesting to find out how much rain has been received by the KEYC news over supper.  According to our neighbor Randy’s gravel yard . . . its a bunch.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:14 pm on May 18, 2026 Permalink  

    Heavy Air 

    We had a wonderful rain in the evening hours of the 17th of May.  The skies were lit with lightning that brought thunder, long past bedtime.  

    The studio brought a challenge today.  I took my eyes off of the project under the needle for a bit too long.  The spool for the top thread had shredded and there was a whole bunch in between the top spool and the needle.  The bobbin thread had continued to do its due diligence on top of the design.  Taking the hoop off of the machine and then deciding to either fix the project in the hoop or in the machine.

    Any craft will give you a challenge once in awhile.  I sat and picked out an entire letter with a seam ripper, tweezers and a sharp scissors.   The sewing machine I started very slowly as I had really wanted to get the last 31 minutes of the design done without literally throwing in the towel.  KNUJ kept me company.  When I thought I had it conquered,  I ran thread through the tension disks much like flossing it to make sure there was no undo tension.  Success.

    Silly ole me.  I should have checked the bobbin before starting up the machine.  Nine minutes left and the bobbin was empty.  Living and learning has no time element.  You just suck it up and work through so that when the project is done, no one else is the wiser of anything that has gone before.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 1:57 pm on May 17, 2026 Permalink  

    Nice Sunday 

    It’s quite the service when Dennis’ son-in-law, Tom, calls to make sure we are up as he is going to mow the yards before the forecasted rain.

    Our front door has allowed the screen door to be open with the nice temps.  The birds have made nests in the evergreen boughs that are right off of the deck.  The little Thrush male takes great pride in sitting on the deck rail to serenade the world.  His bright red colors are a treat.  When the female comes for a short visit and rustles her feathers after a long sit on the nest, her feathers under her wings and the base of her tail shows bright red.  Sweet music in the morning. 

    One embroidered design was accomplished today in studio.  Should have, could have made a better decision in the stabilizer.  That shows I may be out of practice with the embroidery.  The plans are to do a bit more of it.

    My most important thought to remember in life: with every action, there is a re-action . . . some cannot be undone.

    No . . . we have not had any rain as yet here in the mid-afternoon.  One huge system traveled south and then north.  All in all, it is a nice Sunday.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:06 pm on May 12, 2026 Permalink  

    The Wind 

    With the horrific winds from the northwest it includes dirt visible in the skies above the tree tops.  Someone’s garbage bin is depositing it’s contents across yards.   White plastic grocery bags are flying much like kites.  It is bad when the air smells like dirt.

    Dennis has shorn up our small PVC flag pole that we have on the patio.  If it can fly our flag in this wind, we are assured of many more days to fly the red, white and blue.

    There was a success in the studio this forenoon.  It helped that I had a video playing on my Dell laptop that I could play and stall at will.  Lena would not have believed what could be accessed for help.  She was blown away when I brought a cutting mat and rotary cutter to her sewing room.  It was complete with a t-square ruler to hook over the edge to cut whatever length was needed.  It gave the weary hands an assist from totally relying on a pair of scissors.  Oh for the wonders that were made by those hands.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:10 pm on May 11, 2026 Permalink  

    Amazing 

    It’s amazing how much I got done on the first floor this morning while I was on hold.  We had gotten a letter informing us that Dennis needed to be re-enrolled in being notified that he could order his CPAP supplies from the Mayo Store in Mankato.  The system had new software that was being implemented.

    All four waste baskets in the house were emptied into one for Tuesday’s pickup.  A load of laundry was folded and put where it belonged.  The pound of thick sliced bacon was taken out of the oven and put on draining newsprint.  The plant I received yesterday was taken out of the gift bag and placed on an older plate to catch any water that would flow out the bottom when it was watered.  Basically, most of my Monday morning work completed until Erica could take my phone call.  No harm, no foul.  I have learned, calling the number another time would not have brought about any quicker response.

    A short studio stint cutting some fabric.  The studio is chilly these days.

    Dennis is off running some errands and then to his six month appointment with our primary.  It allows Dennis to be forthright in the Q&As.  If I had noticed anything out of the ordinary within the last six months, I would have gone with Dennis.  Seeing as how his appointment is at four, our supper is going to be eggs, as Dennis likes them . . . basted, bacon and toast.  Easy to fix once Dennis gets home.  Sometimes at a clinic appointment there could be a wait.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:13 pm on May 8, 2026 Permalink  

    Teacher/Student 

    I have a student in the studio.  My cousin Mark was here at 9;30 from the Hastings area.

    Mark is doing a quilt for his nephew that will be stationed here the end of May from his last four years in England.  Robby is a licensed mechanic for the Air Force.  When Robby finishes a plane, his name is on the aircraft.  The end of May, Mark will be going to see his sister, Carol, and family in Arizona as Robby will be able to live with his mom during this stint. 

    The Minky material that we are working with was a kit that Carol bought for her son as a finished project and she asked Mark to make it up.  Mark had never worked with the plush fuzzy stretchy fabric and was scared to start it.  Here-go teacher . . . student. 

    So far . . . so good.  I do the prep work and Mark is on the cutting end and manning the machine.  As I have been on my feet since morning in the studio, I am taking a Lipton Ice Tea break.  Mark has a soda at his hand.

    How could I not help.

    I will have more tomorrow.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:18 pm on May 6, 2026 Permalink  

    Might be the Day 

    The skies are gray, the sun won’t come out and the air feels heavy.

    It is mid-afternoon and I am yawning.  Even a few laps on the driveway haven’t helped.  My gosh, you would think I could sit in my new recliner and nap.  Nope.  I am not a daytime napper.

    I looked out the bathroom window and Snuggles is asleep on Dennis’ chest while Dennis is napping.  Good for the both of them.  

    It felt good to clean up a bit in the studio from a job well done.  The sewing machine needed a cleanup of fuzz under the hood.  I still have the old Filter Queen plugged in and it did a right handsome job of helping.  Oil change, grease job and a new needle.  Doing justice to the machine is all important now as Kelly at Creative Stitches in Bird Island is not taking any machines in for work or a tune-up until the crops are in.  He and his dad farm many acres.

    I put out a small bag for the epileptic’s pick up today.  I truly hope they do come by.  Our street is a throughfare after all. 

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:18 pm on May 5, 2026 Permalink  

    The Day 

    Today is Tuesday the 5th of May.  The day has gone by quickly.

    I could have, would have stayed in the studio for longer today, but the trickle of water around the tile perimeter of the studio made it feel a bit too chilly.

    I have a project that I could bring to the first floor.  I fight that as one thing after another could dribble up to the first floor.  That would break the rhythm I have for my days.  Just so much time in my morning is spent having coffee and breakfast.  It’s then time to get dressed and do a tidy, tidy on the first floor.  After the “have too” is finished, I give myself permission for the studio time.

    The studio time is  say-la-vees.  If I get lost in thoughts or threads and fuzz . . . it matters not.  Creative time is good for the soul and the mind. 

    I will follow up that our unique oven meal of last night was a success.  It’s always convenient when a bag of ingredients can come out of the freezer to mix with sauce and pasta. Even doing a pork roast in the crockpot can leave it become dry as a pork loin roast doesn’t have any marbled meat.  When we had done the roast for a meal,  I used the kitchen shears and cut up the remaining very small.  The juice from the crockpot that contained the seasonings from the meat and the bed of carrots was perfect to pour over the cut up meat and cut up carrots.  Too much flavor to waste.  The ingredients of the leftover stove top added its kick of flavor.  Two cups of uncooked medium ribbon pasta and a jar of Alfredo . . . mission completion.  

    Dennis said he would be up for that combination any time.  He is the food critic.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
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