Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from December, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 2:50 pm on December 7, 2023 Permalink  

  Sweet Weather 

  What is not to like about a 55-degree day.

  For several days the KNUJ radio station has had a lot of snowblowers on their swap shop.  I would not be disappointed if we have a brown Christmas.  People in the southern states do it all the time.  Dennis does have the blower ready to go that Kevin gave him years ago.  He even dug his heavy boots out of storage.

  The safety pin brigade was begun this morning on the quilt project on the church tables.  Those large pins, aka: diaper pins worked really well until my baggie for them was empty.  That’s alright as my hands needed a break anyway.  I would say I am about half done with that task. 

  Dennis’ nephew, the crete guy, is still taking on jobs for his crew.  Brett does clear new jobs with his foreman, Dennis’ grandson Ryan, as these fellows have been at it for a long season.  Starting at five in the morning as the concrete plant here in town will work with whatever as long as they have notice.

  We had decided not to put out corn for the deer, as did our neighbors to the north.  Actually the DNR advises not to.  Getting them too dependent for food only pulls the deer into places that are not good for them as evident last winter when two bucks got into it and one jumped our picket fence and did damage.  Deer are pretty to look at . . . somewhere else.  Dennis can recall that in his younger days, deer were not found here.  All the hunters went up north.  Strange how things evolve.

  I am on to stitching in my bedroom porch, perched upon my cherry red chair soaking up sunshine and doing a bit of traffic watching.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on December 6, 2023 Permalink  

  Just in Case 

  Just in case there needs to have outside work done . . . this would be a great day to get it done.

  The city water department crews have been working on what is under man-hole covers.  The city street department has had trucks filled with brush heading to the tree dump.  These nice days have been a blessing.

  Stauffer Avenue people have no local effort that needs to be put forth.  Sweet. 

  I tackled the sandwiching aspect of my scrappy quilt.  When I realized how wrinkled the batting was, I brought it up to our main level.  Several very damp towels joined it into the clothes dryer with a setting high enough with which to make some steam.  Ten minutes later the batting and I went back into the studio with a flawlessly smooth bundle of batting.  The damp steamy dryer is the trick every time.  The church table tops are just a bit lacking to have the project be completely lying flat.  Tomorrow the huge bag of safety pins will come out.  I will be putting down pins every four to five inches.  Those pins are not easy on the fingers and hands.  That project may take more than one day.

  I rely on my hand stitching and reading to fill in gaps throughout the day.  There is a plan in place so I don’t overdo muscles and tendons, which any one of the three hobbies can bring discomfort if overdone.  Not too many years ago, I wouldn’t have quit pinning the quilt regardless of how much discomfort there was.  Have I gotten a little smarter . . . nah . . . not me.  Raymond would just shake his head.  I have finally gotten a few more things to fill my retired days that I enjoy just as much as sewing and quilting.  I thought I had given up on counted cross stitch, until some of the YouTube subscriptions relighted an old passion of mine.

  Dennis has been in nap mode today.  Just in case you are wondering, we are each doing what comes naturally.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:40 pm on December 4, 2023 Permalink  

  Gaining 

  On this Monday the studio lights came on at 9:30 this morning.  Before I drifted off to sleep last night, I had planned on the borders I would need to add to the 4″ bocks that would be the bulk of the quilt back.  I had enough of two of the printed fabrics that had been made use of in the 4″ blocks. 

  Oh yes, the lights were on in the studio, but the last thing on my mind was sewing.  There was a trickle of water from the north wall making its way to the floor drain.  I do tend to go ballistic when it involves water where it shouldn’t be. The water was coming from our small refrigerator.  Before I began to put something on the floor, I stuck a thermometer in the freezer compartment.  Next came some old towels for the freezer compartment as that is where the water was coming from.  We were having a defrosting event.  The control was turned to the highest setting, all remained silent.  I pulled the plug.  The reading was 60 degrees and I knew I needed to get the contents up the steps into our main floor unit. 

  Tidy, tidy and we were back in business.  The floor is dry and after cleaning the interior and letting the doors open to make sure all was dry inside.  Thoughts of sewing returned.

  Long about noon, I did plug the refrigerator back in to see if the morning had been a fluke.  Nothing and the plug was again pulled.  I think us two older ones will get by just fine with one refrigerator in the house. 

  I now do have the borders sewn on with enough extra inches so the top and batting can easily be fitted on.  Nothing would be worse than to have the sandwiching of back, batting and top pinned together to only find out the backing was short.  Better to trim a bit off than try and back-step to add on.

  The mail this afternoon delivered the quilt batting.  I may open the package and let the batting breath after the scrunch involved with shipping.  Yup . . . I am gaining.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:46 pm on December 1, 2023 Permalink  

  Friday December 1st 

  Happy Friday to all my peeps.  I know, many people remark at how fast time goes.  We all have 24 hours in each and every day.  I don’t wish my time away.  What I hope to yet achieve in my own personal job jar . . . nah . . . it would take two jars. 

  Each evening I try to stay up a bit longer than nine for a few more hand stitches or another chapter in the latest book I am reading.  I don’t do television or YouTube videos after supper.  You could set your clock by our five p.m. suppers.  The goal is to not see dirty dishes in the sink when awaking to a new day.  About that bedtime of mine . . . even Dennis has observed when I push past that time I get wobbly and for sure, do not have me make decisions that can wait until morning.

  My days are sweet and full when all things are considered.  At two thirty today, the studio lights will be off.  My hand stitching is going well and I hope to do quite a bit before supper.  Carrie asked me how the hands have reacted to the counted cross stitching that I have again picked up.  The muscles in the hands, wrists and arms can atrophy if not exercised.  The nerves need to have a good blood supply right along with tendons and muscles.  I can pretty much tell when enough is enough.  The strength in my left side has pretty much stalled since the stroke.  Whatever I did regain in my shoulder, arm and leg did get a great workout to maintain this summer with staining the deck and the house shutters.  The left side had to struggle to keep up and it did.  Sweet.

  Today will be a soup and half sandwich supper.

  Tomorrow, first thing, I will text a “Happy 20th Birthday” to Megan.  Hmm.  Now there is a time flying occurrence.

  I am quite sure I will forgo a blog post for tomorrow.  By the time we get home from Aunt Janet’s birthday get together, it will most likely be dark and I will be pooped.  Dennis’ plan is to go early and leave early.  I am in full agreement.  According to KNUJ sunset occurs before five. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on November 30, 2023 Permalink  

  Fuzz and Thread 

  Quite a few years ago, I responded to a gal that was looking for others interested in Machine embroidery.  Fun to share successes, failures and hopefuls.  Since then I have never been out of ideas and projects.  Incorporating machine embroidery with sewing and quilting . . . no end to the possibilities.  Adding to the wealth of projects is the channels I have subscribed to on YouTube.  I have found the answers to questions I didn’t even knew I had.

  My church tables are very seldom clean and tidy.  Many I know have what is called a project wall.  Several yards of flannel fabric either taped, stapled or held up by shear luck on a flat wall, arranging designs in real time before the sewing begins.  Hmm.  I look around and I do not have a bare wall in the entire studio.  I chose to have shelving for my passions and count on the two church tables pushed together for my “what ifs.”

  Dennis was down visiting this afternoon.  He does his usual walk about checking what’s on the tables.  Then he scans the shelves and asks if I remember what there all is.  Anytime we have had a need with any item much like what the store Michael’s would handle, I have it in my hand in seconds.  Dennis settled in to play solitaire for a while on the Dell I have in the studio.

  There is no way I could explain how content I am in our forever home.  It isn’t as if I put my interests above time with Dennis.  This morning, he opened the back door and asked if I wanted to ride along over to the blue barn acre to see if there were branches that could be picked up.  I had a jacket on before he had the little red pickup started.  Before I start the studio for any given day, I do always ask Dennis if there is something he wants to do or if he needs help with anything.  My studio is not on a time table.

  By the way, I did log a complaint to Etsy in regard to the October 1st order I put in with no product delivered.  Time will tell.  Of all that I have done in regard to online transactions, once was once too much.

  I have had a great breakfast coffee break and will return to cutting more of the 4″ blocks I need.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 4:17 pm on November 29, 2023 Permalink  

  Indian Summer 

  It might not be Indian Summer out, but what Indian wouldn’t like it with temps in the high 40s.

  I rode along with Dennis today as the little red pickup needed an oil change.  When the computer comes up at Jiffy Lube, the little red pickup gets everything it needs considering the mileage.  We have never had problems with vehicles.  They get good care just like we do when we go in for a medical tune-up.

  As we drove, there was not a single ear of corn left to be harvested.  Very few fields had been tilled via moldboard plowing.  Chisel plowing has taken over.  With this weather to allow tillage, the spring field work of 2024 will have a head start. 

  Today our John Deere neighbor to the north of us, Randy, had a retirement party at John Deere.  Randy has worked for our local Deere since he graduated from high school.  Hats off.  His wife, Jan, retired from the school district in the spring of this year.

  This has been a good hump day.  Not much happening here on Stauffer Avenue for local effort.  Tomorrow will be time enough to put the lights back on in the studio.

  By the way, my stitched prototype came though the laundry perfectly.  I can now continue with the 4″ blocks for the backing.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:12 pm on November 28, 2023 Permalink  

  Wind from the South 

  We have a small flag on the southwest corner of the house.  It is telling me the same thing KNUJ said.  The wind is from the southwest and tomorrow a temp in the 40s.  What’s not to like about that!

  My cousin Mark called last night.  He was telling me he had gotten off for Saturday so he would be seeing us at our Aunt Janet’s 90th birthday Saturday at the Penn Church that our cousin Dan owns.  I told him we realized it was from one to five.  But with darkness coming early, and Dennis is not fond of driving in the dark, we would most likely be there by 12:30 and heading home by three.

  We got good news yesterday afternoon.  Nicholas passed his driving test.  He told us on Thanksgiving about the car he had bought and that he and his dad were doing the brakes.  I forgot as ask him if he could drive it now.

  I spent some time in the studio and made a prototype large enough to realize if it was a winner or not.  As I was using a backing to the 4″ squares, it went into the washing machine this afternoon with the light colors to see how it would hold up.

  There is a freezer bag of hotdish sitting out for supper.  I had wanted to make sure I had some sour cream in the refrig.  For some reason the pasta was really starchy and stuck together.  The Daisy Sour Cream should mix in well.

  Though the temp is 38 out, I think Dennis was feeling chilly as he is in the house manning the clothes dryer and playing solitaire on the HP in the living room with a crime show on the television.  Talk about multi-tasking.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 4:09 pm on November 27, 2023 Permalink  

  A Nip 

  There definitely is a nip in the air that is exacerbated by a strong wind.  This afternoon, I hitched a ride with Dennis up to the grocer’s for some milk.  We use 2% milk and purchase in a quart size.  I checked the cap and the sell by date was December 6th.  That check is so important.  I can’t believe what they try to push through.

  The morning in the studio was a very good one.  As I have no time schedules, I am going to put a scrappy back on my scrappy quilt top.  There is now a huge amount of 4″ squares cut of the various fabrics the quilt top is sporting.  Of course . . . I did a small area as a prototype. 

  This entire project will speak to the authentic person that I am . . . living the good life as a product of the post World War II War.  The Hutchinson Creamery would have carried printed 50 pound bags of chicken feed concentrate much like my scrappy project printed fabrics.  Oh yes, I have purchased fabric for quilts listed at $12.98 per lineal yard.  This project is giving me so very much more satisfaction.

  Darlene Zimmerman from Fairfax has a complete line of authentic reproduction fabrics.  It is the in thing to harken back to days of old to create what can be used in today’s modern world.

  At the Thanksgiving Day dinner, our table was set with various vintage mismatched eating utensils and serving spoons.  How fun is that!  Seeing one or more of the six of us at the table turning over a utensil to read the origin of manufacturing.  It wasn’t intentional.  The cupboard drawer was pulled open and Nicholas pulled out six place settings, handing them to Megan to get the table ready for eating. 

  Dennis, the hibernating bear, is napping in his recliner with the heating pad set on the low setting lying across his chest.  What a great way to while away an afternoon.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:56 pm on November 26, 2023 Permalink  

  Easy Come 

  Easy come and easy go . . . the light snow of the last days.  Our front deck no longer has any snow on it and the concrete drive is bare.  I think the brisk breeze has something to do with that.

  The street past our home is a thoroughfare.  There has been minimal traffic.

  The morning and a small portion of this early afternoon has been spent in the studio.  I achieved my goal of getting the border onto the scrappy quilt top.  The final measurement is 60″ x 72″.  That will not change as the binding may add a half inch . . . or so.

  The snow began to fall late yesterday.  I think the bear in Dennis must have begun the hibernation.  Dennis has been asleep in various locations since he got up at six this morning.  When looking out into the patio porch from our bathroom, there has been one cat after another walking across his jacket.  None have roused him.  I am not prone to nap during the day.  How could I?  I go to bed at nine in the evening and sleep until 7:30 the next morning.  Different strokes for different folks.

  Late yesterday afternoon, the next hand-stitching project was put into a hoop.  The stitching design is up on the angled book rest with the metal 8″ x 11″ sheet behind it and the magnet strips holding the design in place.  The floss is six strands.  Two strands are used at one time.  It is one stitch over one thread . . . making a full cross.  I usually thread three needles at a time so as to not let the orphan threads get tangled.

  I sure hope this Sunday is bringing some rejuvenation to all of you.  When Dennis has had his fill of naps, it could be an interesting evening.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:11 pm on November 25, 2023 Permalink  

  Light Snow 

  We have light snow this afternoon.  For my part, it could stay light for a long, long time.

  When I realized my cross stitch project that I had ordered off of Etsy tanked,  I looked into ordering a pattern from a company that I had heard quite a bit about on the YouTube channels I have subscribed to.  123 Stitch is a large site offering all things imaginable.  123 Stitch is from Texas.

  In today’s mail, my next project came.  It will be a smaller finish than what I framed last week.  I really don’t know as yet, how big it will be.  The pattern calls for 35 stitches per inch.  I am using the same yellow as the previous project and that is 16 stitches per inch, also using the same deep navy floss.  The yellow was also a mottled yellow that had been died, making the holes a bit smaller from the process.  Nonetheless, I am excited.

  Dennis’ grandson from Mankato came to see his grandpa today.  We do store his Harley in the back garage over winter.  Dennis knew it still needed its cover as the bike was too hot when AJ drove it from Mankato and parked it.  Those two can really cover a lot of topics.

  I spent good quality time in the studio.  Using many pieces of my scraps from the quilt top, the border will be three inches wide around the perimeter of various widths of scraps.  Most likely a photo will be ready by tomorrow.  I have had a lot of time to think about the backing for this scrappy quilt top.  Buying a wide width of printed fabric for it is a possibility.  I think I am leaning towards using more of the fabric that the scrappy top is sewn with.  Time will tell.

  My sister-in-law’s mother passed away this last week.  Donna, age 90, was in a healthcare facility in Hutchinson.  It will be interesting as the oldest daughter has broken all ties with her entire family since my brother Michael passed away.  Dynamics within families are unique. 

  I have shut down the studio for the day.  I do have some reading time before supper.  With the mail having delivered my next project in the hand stitching, I am back to having a balanced day: machine sewing, hand stitching, reading and keeping the home front tidy.  I love it.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥