Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from November, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 2:51 pm on November 6, 2023 Permalink  

  New Week 

  A new Monday complete with empty laundry baskets.  Clean clothes is a remarkable attitude booster.

  I know every morning, the sun is coming up either bright or hiding behind clouds.  Each morning I put my feet on the floor and I too can either have a bright outlook or a dark cloudy one.  I generally choose the bright cheerful outlook.

  I know when I post my blogs,  I do not dwell on the less than good “Me.”  There is no point in harboring negative thoughts, words or deeds.  I do not want to waste a God-given day.

  In our lives on Stauffer Avenue I do have the responsibility of seeing after Dennis’ medical appointments and or needs.  I can handle that.  It may seem as if that could be an undo load besides my own needs.  The key is I have found a way to carry that load without it taking away from my own quality of life.

  Speaking of quality.  This afternoon I have the fun of taking quality sewn quilt blocks to begin laying out my quilt blocks for the quilt top I am building.  Trimming up the blocks was a breeze.  My seam allowance was right on . . . making them quality.  Photo may be posted tomorrow.  

  Today, Dennis has undertaken the job of burning a certain jute-backed area rug from our basement.  He is doing this utilizing our fire ring.  It may seem as if a fire pit would be needed, but carefully he is getting the job done.

  The wind has shifted to the northwest with still promising nice weather.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:56 pm on November 5, 2023 Permalink  

  Time to Build 

  With all my scrappiness, it is time to begin building a quilt top.

  There are four different designs blocks to work with.  Blocks 1,2,3 needed sixteen each.  Block four is the end cap for the eight rows and thus is a half block to ensure staggering, to the right on row one and to the left on row two, etc.  

  I have no name for this soon to be quilt.  I saw it on one of the YouTube channels I have subscribed to.  When I reached out to her, she was gracious to send me information in an email.

  This has been a fun project.  When I come down into the studio and glance over at the array of blocks, it makes me smile.  All of the different sizes in each block with all the different prints is a testament of my passion for challenges.  It couldn’t be a testament if there were no tests and this project did test my concentration.

  More work is yet to come as each of the 56 bocks need to be trimmed for a consistent measurement of 8.25″.  That task will be for another day.

  Dennis has been doing his duty at raking up leaves and burning a small bit before raking up more.  Oak and Maple trees in the yard mean lots and lots of leaves that have fluttered and many more to come.

  I am kitchen bound after posting this to my blog.  I have one fairly large pork steak to prepare for supper.  By the time I am done seasoning it to build a great flavor and putting it into my blue speckled roaster to pop into the oven, Dennis won’t know if it is pork or beef.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:21 pm on November 4, 2023 Permalink  

  I Got It 

  Alright . . . I got it, I got it.  Turn the clocks back one hour at bed time.

  The bright sun and mild temps today got everyone in the neighborhood doing yard work.  The tree dump is open and everything, from trunks of cars, trailers being pulled by cars and trucks were heading north with their bounty.

  Dennis has spent the day waxing his little red pickup and our car.  They both look wonderful.  I know doing my wheels was not easy on the cowboy.  An old folding chair snuggled right up to the wheel sure did help the back.

  My goal was my studio after a load of laundry.  I barely had the lights turned on when a Boxelder bug pranced across one of my church tables.  I had a square of toilet paper in hand and had zeroed in on him.  Man, can they move fast when they are pursued.  I got the best of him.

  You know there is trouble when the last cup of coffee is more coffee grounds than liquid.  Hmm.  How did coffee grounds get into the water tank!  Putting the coffee grounds into the filter is just a gnat’s ass away from the water tank.  Dennis takes pride in his routine of making coffee for the next morning.  Starting this evening, the grounds will be put in the filter before the filter is set into the pot.  It was a mess to clean up.  Water tanks on automatic coffee makers do not have a back door to open.  We are all set.  I will get it plugged in and do all the settings.  Coffee will be on at six in the morning just like always.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:31 pm on November 3, 2023 Permalink  

  Friday the Third 

  KNUJ tells me it is 49 degrees outside.  The active Boxelder bugs affirmed that.  I have nabbed three of them here in the studio.  Ish!

  Earlier this week Dennis and I recovered from having water come up from the floor drain twice.  Dennis was helping with the mopping of the floor with heavily added Clorox water.  It was my time to sit it out for a few moments, I commented that weaker those than us would have a good reason to think of moving to apartment living.  As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew this event would not deter us from taking care of our forever home. Of course it is daunting and inconvenient.  Lots of things in life are.

  I knew when I had headed for bed last night, I needed the rest.  Since my stroke, when nine o’clock comes in the evening, I begin getting wanky weary.  Dennis could set his watch by me heading for my bed.  Couple that with activity such as yesterday, rest is mandatory.  And . . . with one bathroom visit at 3 a.m., my time to put the feet on the floor the next morning is not before seven to seven thirty.  Rest is the easiest way to keep me on track.  I wish I could nap during the day as my dad could and Dennis can.  When I do check my eyelids for cracks it is the real deal.

  This morning when the studio lights were turned on . . . I was in my element just as much as Dennis is in his garages and his patio porch.

  I had taken a break from stitching to put out this blog posting.  I will go back to pressing what I had stitched until we have the agreed upon supper . . . soup and a half sandwich.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:38 pm on November 2, 2023 Permalink  

  Hello 

  Hello People,

  This is this Grammie, live from her homogenized studio on Stauffer Avenue.

  Our city employee from the water department stopped by and assured us our lines from the house to the street were not to worry about.

  To test it, I ran two loads of laundry back to back.  Neary a drop in the floor drain.  The floors were dry in the studio before last night’s bedtime.  Dennis put a new filter into my shop vacuum this afternoon and I was good to go.  Every nook, every corner was hit in the studio, which is the entire basement area.  I cleaned the cold air return here in the studio as well as the ceiling vent from the fan running 24/7 to the outside.  Last but not least, the carpeted steps to the first floor.  That shop vac has tremendous suction.  Dennis has one just like it for his patio porch.  Let me tell you, with three porch kitties, that vacuum gets a workout.

  My sewing awaits right where I left it Sunday afternoon.

  Dennis’ agenda this afternoon was to run both vehicles through the car wash.  He remembered that we had prescriptions at our Lewis Drug.  When he brought the prescription bag that held four different ones, the total out of pocket was $1.45.  Sweet.  He commented that there was no shortage of people to visit with while waiting.

  I was mistaken.  I thought our legislature passed a bill to cease daylight saving time, only to hear we turn the clocks back one hour this weekend.  Yuk.

  A new stitching kit is coming off of Esty, complete with needed threads and fabric.  Am I sorry our church ladies are using the floss I donated to them?  No.  This kit takes so little floss and stitching may not be in my wheel-house for a length of time to come.  I miss being in my bedroom’s cherry red chair when I was either stitching or reading.  When cooler winter is actually here, the studio does not stay open when supper time comes.  I need the diversions.

  As much as I am enjoying my fresh studio, sewing will be for tomorrow.  I am going to do a bit of reading before supper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:31 pm on October 29, 2023 Permalink  

  A Light Coat 

  We had a light coat and I don’t mean my coat hanging by the back door.

  There is a dusting of snow on the roof tops.  Our concrete around the house and drive is bare.  If the sun could have remained shinning through the clouds, the 35 degrees of this afternoon could have, would have and should have felt warm.

  Dennis continues to stay busy in the garages.  The far back garage is storage for his friend Dewayne’s Farmall tractor plus bucket, son-in-law’s Ford Mustang, grandson  AJ’s Harley, our two lawnmowers plus the Cub tractor.  The Cub is going to the Beckius repair shop north of town in the spring.  Dennis has an agreement with Charlie for the engine repair.  Charlie is kept busy in the winter season with seasonal repairs and the last of the farm equipment that comes in.

  Today, Dennis pulled all the batteries off of the above mentioned items, but not the Sears mower. Dennis will be mulching leaves before too long.  This last dip of temps in the 20s gave the leaves a good chance to flutter and man did they!

  The studio and I have been humming right along.  I have completed 32 of the 8.5″ blocks.  The most complex block was 16 in number, made up of eight pieces in various colors and sizes.  As I tidied up a bit of snippets, I realized I only need to cut 32 of 3.5″ of various colors.  Moving right along at a very causal pace.  I do iron seams as I finish them.  I did smile to myself, as my sister Elvera didn’t practice that in the art of her piecing . . . left to wonder why the end result was not up to par.  Bless her heart.

  Mid afternoon and the studio is being close down in exchange for some reading and catching a YouTube or two.

  Happy new week everyone.  Each day we have two choices: smile and have a cheerful heart or grump and make everyone around us turn grumpy as well.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:59 pm on October 28, 2023 Permalink  

  Hello Saturday 

  This is a day that had not one single thing on the agenda, the last Saturday of October.

  I am not going to miss with messing with the clock by turning it back in the fall and ahead in the spring.  If  only our legislative secessions could get something else done during their spring fling that could again benefit everyone.

  Dennis has been putzing in and around the garages.  He manages to stay busy.

  I have had the day in the studio.  The radio is on in the background to catch any snippet of area news and weather.  I follow a quilter on YouTube that lives in Indiana.  She does longarm quilting for others and each week she showcases the week’s worth that is ready to go back to the owners for final binding.  Seeing all the patterns, sizes and color schemes is an inspiration for me.

  Tammy Earnest did share clips from a family picnic.  What struck me and other viewers is that the picnic tables had quilts on them as tablecloths.  She followed up with comments to her video yesterday.  Quilts are to be used.  Someone had mentioned to her, “My mother quilted but we never got to use them.”  For myself, I agree.  Use them, abuse them so the quilts keep on sending the messages while they were being made . . . individual love to each owner.  Cottons today are durable and washable and . . . mendable if something need it.

  I no longer intend or plan on cranking out multiple quilts each year, but having one being built under the needle is satisfying.  The three quilts of 2023 were not completed to stay here on Stauffer Avenue, they were intended for the specific request.  The scrappy one I am now working on is a fun one. 

  We are going to have some Gorton fish filets, instant potatoes and green beans for supper.

  With that I take my leave  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:21 pm on October 25, 2023 Permalink  

  Quite the System 

  Quite the weather system.  Monday night it thundered all during the night with very little rain.  Yesterday was piddle, piddle.  Last night at ten it sounded like it was raining bullets.  Our drought meter is getting kicked.

  Most of yesterday, we did not have internet.  We may take it for granted.  Last night after supper all was well.

  This was a good day for bedding to be laundered while the Swiffer found bunnies under the bed.  No matter how old flannel bedding is or how many times the laundry has had them over the years, there is still fuzz to find.

  Yesterday morning, Dennis said that he needed a doctor’s appointment.  Hmm.  He said his big toe on his right foot looked black.  WTF!  “Show me the toe!”  On the tip of his big toe was a blood blister.  He must have really stubbed it hard.  I didn’t think twice but to send him and his toe to see our family doctor.  When it comes to Dennis’ feet, I am not taking a chance.  Yup . . . it was a blood blister.  No poking at it, just leave the body absorb it just like any other bruise we might get.  Dennis felt better, I felt better.

  Today I have spent some time cutting fabric for the next sixteen blocks of “Block 3.”  I know I needed 124 of 2.5″  x  4.5″.   Perhaps tomorrow might see the lights on in the studio for some machine stitching.  It does pay to have a day or two to think about what I have in the mix of fabric designs.  When I went down today, it didn’t take me long to pull one of the fabrics out as it didn’t make the cut.  It looked so out of place as if it had a red light flashing.  Small print florals in various colors did not have an opening for a small print that had birdhouses in it.  So be it. 

  Today, there were a few plastic lawn chairs that needed putting away in the potting shed.  There is no kidding ourselves that we are yet to have this fantastic Indian Summer.  It is not happening.

  With that I take my leave. ♥ 

   
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  Noreen 2:05 pm on October 22, 2023 Permalink  

  Harvest 

  The grain elevator is open on this a Sunday.  Every color of tractor possible is hauling in wagons of shell corn.  Not every farm works with their own semis.

  Dennis manned the weed whip and the plants right east along the foundation have been taken out.  I clipped off the spent lily stalks in the area going into the house.  With my handy pail, both sites were raked and added to the burn ring east of the garage.  Small steps toward what each day is leading to.

  When I went outside this afternoon, I went via the front door.  The bugs don’t get direct sun there and I could escape.  Ish!  I have never found what purpose they serve.  Taking my pail of greenery to the burning ring, I noticed a huge wasp’s nest on the south gable of the potting shed.  Ish!

  When I was outside, neighbor Jan and I visited over the picket fence.  She asked how things were going.  I made mention that the bucket list of the blue barn acre was empty for the year.  She remembered all the Kudzu vines hanging from the trees.  Dennis nipped all of them where they came out of the ground so that what went up in the trees has no food source . . . except one.  I just got a text from Jan explaining that her new battery chainsaw made short work of that last vine.  My, oh my!  I did indeed thank her.

  Some time was spent in the studio today, pairing up fabric prints to make 16 of the “Block 2” design.  With that cutting and pairing, the sewing of those blocks will go well.

  It is a tomato soup supper this evening.  Crackers, bread, butter and jam will round it out.  Vanilla ice cream could be the finish.  Dennis did comment that tomorrow might be grocery shopping.  With our summer and early fall having been busy getting our total homestead whipped into shape before cold weather, our pantry in the basement has never been so empty.

  We didn’t have a garden to harvest, but I know some great canned goods to have on hand.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:48 pm on October 19, 2023 Permalink  

  Thursday the 19th 

  On this Thursday morning, Dennis headed to the VA for his INR check.

  As the little red pickup headed out, I went into the garage for our Harbor Freight lopper.  It was chilly but I was determined to get my work done before the bugs got warmed up.  It was time to cut down the Russian Sage.

  The bees had a great run of taking the best out of the blossoms.  As I began lopping, there was only one bee that protested my work.  The Russian Sage is a perennial and had even put out more plants from root suckers.  When Dennis came home from the clinic he lent a hand.  We used rakes and pushed the huge amount of foliage down the drive.  When there has been some drying time, it will find the burning ring.  It sure did smell good as we worked.

  Tomorrow is going to be fairly warm.  We still have the garden hose connected.  Where the Russian Sage had spilled over onto the drive, it has left a lot of debris of dirt that has blown in as well as spent blossoms.  I was thinking of squirting Dawn dishwashing liquid on that part of the drive tomorrow and hosing it off.  It might very well be the last of playing in the water.

  Noon found us both taking a break.  I decided to do a bit of reading while Dennis checked out his eyelids for cracks.

  By 1:30 I headed down into the studio.  Dennis wanted to wash off the slider doors of the patio porch.  Too cool for getting wet so he used Windex and his squeegee.

  I did use my rotary cutter, getting ready for a day when I would stitch.  I will admit that I didn’t get as much cut up as I had planned on.  My arms were feeling the lopper work.  Knowing when to hold it and to fold it is the key for good feelings and not discomfort.  At this point is when I find my Teak rocker with the last of the coffee to watch a YouTube video or two.

  The afternoon is getting late with full sunshine.  Boxelders and Asian beetles are basking on the south side of buildings.  Getting my project done in the early hours of the morning, was well worth it.  With that I take my leave. ♥