Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from November, 2025 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:20 pm on November 20, 2025 Permalink  

  A Positive 

  Oh yes, there is a positive to cloudy gray days.  As I stitch in my bedroom porch, I am facing south.  When the bright sun comes in for quite a few hours it prevents me from seeing my stitching, the printed pattern and the lap top screen.  Makes me feel as blind as a bat.  I have not contemplated any type of an installed shade.  What does work is a piece of carboard the same size as the window sash.  I can easily whip it in place when needed.  Easily accomplished.  On gray days the piece of cardboard is not needed.  Sweet.

  Tuesday, I had received a text that my friend Judy Friesen was not doing well.  This morning, her daughter had put on Facebook that she had passed.  Judy had been the assessor in Brown County.  Judy and I were the same age.  Macular degeneration is nothing to fool with.  Judy had been blind for the last eight years.  She was forced to live in a separate housing unit in Mankato than her husband’s due to his often dismissal of her and not being able to defend herself.   Yes, law enforcement and a restraining order.  Very sad.  Judy deserved better.   

  I count my blessings everyday.  Dennis and I have a safe and cozy home.  Respecting each other and understanding the shortfalls we may each have.  All is well with my soul.  That’s all I have say about that.

  This evening, Dennis will be having a Marie Callender supper meal of his choice.  I will be enjoying a salad of my choice.  It all works out perfectly.  The quality of those types of meals has so much improved from the 60s.  Even the pot pies of Maria’s have found their way into our freezer and onto our table at times.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:24 pm on November 19, 2025 Permalink  

  Wednesday the 19th 

  First things first.  My day today feels so much more settled than yesterday did.  It’s a good thing.

  Today is Nicholas’ 18th birthday.  He along with the rest of his senior class from the Christian high school he attends, left for the Dominican Republic for a mission week.  He will be coming home on the 25th.  Megan’s class did like-wise when she was a senior.

  A call to my Aunt Janet last night found her for the most part well.  Janet has been an avid reader all of her adult 93 years.  She is going to find out all of the details of the audio book from the library as her eyes struggle reading even the large print books.  I offered commiseration.  There is ten years between the two of us.

  I had a good session in the studio this morning, right into the early afternoon.  I made sure I honored a request from Dennis before I came upstairs: older fabric coverings for the kitty pillows in the garage porch.  I had saved terrycloth tablecloths from eons ago.  They had been in service in the attic to cover items. As I had washed them and tucked them in a tote in the studio, telling me I must have lightened a bit of a load in the attic.

  My eye doctor called me this afternoon, personally, to allow me to know all the computer read tests for glaucoma, and retina health were in the positive.  Good news.  I already have a May 14th 2026 appointment set up.  First heath appointment on the books for 2026.  No . . . that’s not right.  January 6th and 19th will be my annual cardiac appointments. 

  Monday, the 24th, at 10:45, I will be in New Ulm for the car’s oil change and a good check-over.  The long range weather looks favorable.

  The poor man’s oven dish of Monday night was met with favorable comments.  We took off last night to finish off the left-overs.  Tonight we will get the job done.  Waste not, want not.

  On a dreary day such as today, it is my job to make my own sunshine.  Mission completion.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:58 pm on November 17, 2025 Permalink  

  Brisk 

  It did feel brisk outside this afternoon.

  KNUJ was keeping me informed where a rain shower might be.

  Oh my gosh!  This morning as we were getting up at eight, I heard a lawnmower.  It was Jan mulching out their leaves and ours.  What an elf!

  I spent time in the studio trying out a design with metallic thread.  The top thread broke several times before I hunted down a needle for metallic threads.  Again, several times the top thread broke.  There are three different spindles for the thread to be fed to the tension disks.  Spindle one and two . . . the top thread broke.  Spindle three was the winner.  The small design stitched out so well, I did a second design.

  Dennis took note that Jan had left with her gray car.  That gave the two of us time to take our prepared “door knocker” over to her back door.

  Jan has helped out with picking up blown down branches to put in either our burn ring or hers.  The leaves of this season have been mulched to the nth degree.  Dennis got a Casey’s card and we attached it to an embroidered Christmas towel complete with a ribbon to hang it from her inside door handle.  Good deed done for the many of Jan’s good deeds.

  The air is brisk.  We are having a poor man’s oven meal.  A bag of prepared shredded seasoned potatoes, sell by date November 18th, with a thawed container of meat-heavy chili mixed in.  I am tempted to put some, whatever I find in the refrig, shredded cheese over it.

  With that I will take my leave.

   
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  Noreen 3:18 pm on November 16, 2025 Permalink  

  Gray Clouds 

  Intermittent gray clouds shoving the sunshine out.  It was expected.

  Dennis and I both slept hard last night.  Dennis doing a bit in the garages allowing for things that will change once there is ice and snow being drug in on the tires.  I had chased lint and dust bunnies on the first floor with our little shop vacuum.  Even the Swiffer pads do not pick up the fine lint as well as that vacuum.  We have a second such vacuum in the garage.  Dennis made sure we had two replacement filters on hand.  The wand is long enough that I can shove the attachment that is on the wand far enough under the beds to reach the far walls . . . bend and stretch.  Each of the rooms were tidied.  I did not get to dusting the flat surfaces in the living room.  I saved that for another day.  Dennis’ bedding was swapped out yesterday as was mine.  It was a lot of activity along with all that the day had entailed on its own.

  This afternoon I had quite a bit for the recycling bin as I had been in the studio.  Having a printer in the studio, I had accumulated many stitching and quilting patterns that I would see on various sites.  Hit the little black button and the patterns were there for possible future projects.  Reality does hit home.  As the quilt tops I sew are donated to our church, I don’t vary the log cabin design other than the colorways.  Been there and done the challenging patterns.  

  My hand stitching is a rather complicated one.  Lots of little dots in black and white on the paper pattern.  There too, I don’t save the patterns of that that has been finished.  I know I will not repeat them.

  The week poses no appointments for us, always a good thing.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:42 pm on November 15, 2025 Permalink  

  Great Day 

  With a day of sunshine, it feels like a great day for fall to have hung around.  Leaves are dancing every which way.  Neighbors are putting up Christmas lights even though the ladder seems to want to give way to the strong winds.

  In a time gone by, I might have been right out there making sure the holiday lights were in perfect position fighting with timers for maximum effect.  I will be sure to enjoy the neighbor’s hard work when the lights will be on.

  Jan from next door came over and enjoyed the guest chair in my bedroom porch.  Easy visiting as we watched traffic.  Jan marvels at the perfect spot I have to keep my thumb on the happenings.

  Dennis has also had a day of fellows dropping in for chit chat in the patio porch.  Everyone seems to be enjoying the last vestiges of fall.  Once all of the job jars have been emptied, the slower pace sets in and it is good for the soul.

  I have enjoyed acknowledging the year of 2026 and all that it will entail celebrating our nation.  With quite a bit of turmoil in and around our state’s political statis, it came easily to plunk in some stitching.  Dad’s woodworking is the perfect place to showcase items as events present themselves. 

  

  Small stitching projects are satisfying when the actual stitching is done.  The rest of the story . . . the finishing, takes on its own challenge.  Patience is all that is required.  I know from watching others on YouTube’s floss tube that many send off the raw stitching and pay someone else to finish it.  Man, oh man, that really changes the whole idea of self-satisfaction.  I will continue working with glue on my fingers and pins poking me when I least expect it.

  This evening it is a waffle/sausage type of supper.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:27 pm on November 14, 2025 Permalink  

  Friday the 14th 

  I have had some retail therapy today and I am exhausted.  In my defense I had done a needs analysis over the last several weeks.  When I fight with certain elements in my studio, it gets to the point . . . no more.  From various departments, I had a list of eight items.  The total cost of my therapy was $89.00.  Thank you very much Amazon.  I have no idea how many stops it would have taken in Mankato with the same amount of success.  Even the fuel to begin the run-around might have been mind-blowing.  I can now relax and know that my days in the studio will be more relaxing as I wait for several days.

  Ordering from Amazon’s warehousing and imagining having all these items being pulled for one order, takes me back a few decades.

  On Excelsior Bouvard in Hopkins were several large company’s warehouses.  My dad took me to my rooming house on Sunday nights and picked me up Friday after the milking was done.  I had happened to get a job in what was then Coast-to-Coast Hardware warehouse.  As stores requested supplies to be shipped to them, those requests became printouts.  Getting to work, I would be handed a list for . . . let’s say Hutchinson’s Coast-to-Coast Store.  I would walk the multiple aisles carrying my basket matching each item on the the printout to the bins of IBM cards.  If the store requested four coffeepots, I would pull four IBM cards signifying matching printout numbers to matching cards.  Cutting to the chase . . . I would love to see how it is all done now.  Yes, I am a curious Grammie. 

  My brother called this forenoon.  It was great to catchup with him.  Assisted living units were perhaps not his ideal desire, but it is what it is.  Eric is just about 30 minutes from him and can stop and see him often.  Calvin is able to visit with anyone and I am sure he shares his views to those that stay put long enough to listen to one or two or more of them.

  A batch of egg-salad is on for supper by request.  The little onion that I used was strong enough to bring me to the point that I could not see straight.  Changing up options of texture and taste does a person well.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:45 pm on November 13, 2025 Permalink  

  Have No Fear 

  Have no fear you little applique scissors . . . I will find you.  As much as Grammie has tidied, tided, I am missing a scissors used in trimming fabric during applique.  Applique is when fabric is used to create a portion of the desired designs and this scissors allows for super close trimming.  I know I will find it, just not today.  It was hanging on the south wall of the studio.  I need to get a close up and personal look at the bumper of the drainage tile that goes around the perimeter of the studio.  Last month I spied with my little eye a small rotary cutter that had been pushed off the back of a shelf and there it was, just peeking up of where it had landed, between the cement wall and the bumper.

  I had been doing some stitching of the 2026 nation’s celebration.  I had two designs that were in need of finishing with stuffing and trim.  I have the trim application down to a science.  I can no long do hand stitching to apply the trim, but I know how to use Aleene’s Tacky Glue and my stick pins.  It works like a charm. 

  

  It gives the little pillows a touch of finish.

  To keep my hand in finding designs to download successfully, I have one on the hook that looks to be one that needs to be stitched.  Eeny, meeny, miny, moe which flash drive should I load it on?

  

  I have all the flash drives gone through, complete with what each one holds.  I have one drive that has minimal on it, butterflies for Maria’s aprons.  That is the one I chose.  When I assure you that I have the where with-all to stay busy for the duration, I am not joking.  As I mentioned I need to do the process often so as to not have to ask for help.  Well, hell’s bells, now where would I go for that.  Yup, YouTube if needed.

  Adding photos to my postings is also something that needs to be done often so I do not forget the needed steps.  Is it any wonder why by nine each night, I am ready for a good night’s rest.

  Our supper this evening is a bowl of rich tomato soup.  Made rich by using some heavy cream I have left in the refrigerator with a grilled cheese half sandwich.  Dessert will be banana cream instant pudding with 2% milk that is two days past the sell by date and a banana that is begging to be used.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:41 pm on November 12, 2025 Permalink  

  The Warmth 

  The warmth of the sun cannot be denied.  Each day of natural warmth is a blessing.

  I didn’t visit the studio first thing this morning.  I needed to read more about the gummed up situation I had yesterday, a simple stitch-out that took me five hours.  Bernina Jeff is an older fellow in Colorado that works in a quilt-shop, multi machine sales floor.  He knows his stuff and I like his YouTubes.  The neat thing about YouTubes is that when a specific question is asked, it takes you to the resolution without reading through pages of information.

  Yesterday as I was stitching, all had gone well for half of the project.  Then . . . every few seconds the bobbin error message would stop the sewing machine.  I knew there was no mechanical reason for it, so I would push the error button and then push the stitch button.  This went on for the remainder of the project.  Grr.

  Within my sewing machine are many options for using the machine.  After all these years, I have only touched a minimum of what is possible.  There is a sensor that will light-up telling me I am about to run out of bobbin thread, the error message.  This is to eliminate being into a project that you would not like to have interrupted loosing a place that would mar the outcome having to begin anew.

  Bernina Jeff councils that if I know, I have cleaned everything and anything that is not wanted, re-threaded, put in a new needle whether you need it or not, I can go into the machine’s “setup.”  First things first, make sure the tiny LED light’s message that the bobbin is clear of any fuzz.  Then I can poke the icon of a wrench.  I then poke the “eye ball.”  This will allow me to shut off the eye ball option of knowing and the machine “seeing” when I am going to run out of bobbin thread.  This shut-off is ideal if the magnetic silver on the bottom of the bobbin is not able to send clear messages. 

  After all that, I went down into the studio and did as instructed.  I repeated the stitch-out of yesterday.  I completed the same design in under two hours.  I don’t know if that bobbin’s magnetic silver covering was to blame.  I will try to re-engage the eye ball and see what happens.

  This wonder of wonder of a sewing machine has taught me a lot.  Mostly patience.

  I am a curious stitcher and a patient stitcher.  My world would be oh so small if I were not.

  This evening we will be having the remainder of the tuna oven dish of Monday night.  Last night the bean and ham soup hit the spot.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:00 pm on November 9, 2025 Permalink  

  Sunday the 9th 

  The snow flurries of yesterday chose not to make an impact.  A few sheltered roof tops are still harboring the white.

  What has made an impact is the wind from the northwest.  If one were to hold open a huge garbage bag facing the wind head-on, it might very well fill the bag.

  The wind allows for the trains running through town on the tracks a block to the north of us sound as if they are right next door.

  Last night, we had a poor-man’s supper.  No we didn’t add a rock to the soup to make it go farther, we were fresh out of rocks.  What was added to the can of Progressive Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup was the chopped up cauliflower from the night before,  as well were the leftover mashed potatoes used.  I heated the mashed potatoes in the microwave.  They were then divided into our two soup bowls.  At the table the soup was ladled over the mashed potatoes.  A very hearty supper it was.  The consequence . . . leftovers used up in a tasty hot meal.  

  I am so proud  of our front sidewalk flag.

  

  The cap of a marker covering the top of the post and one of my green quilt clips hugging the flag to the post is letting the red, white and blue fly brightly and proudly.

  Dennis has his favorite cucumber dish prepared as a side-dish for supper.  His choice of a Maria’s frozen dish will be piping hot.  I am opting for a salad with my cucumber dish on the side.

  I did look through the embroidery design on the computer.  Quite a few to think on.  I have someone that doesn’t do Christmas without the Grinch.  No . . . ironically it is not Dennis. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:35 pm on November 7, 2025 Permalink  

  What! 

  What is up with this!  Those bones, oh those bones crick and crack.  No . . . it is what is holding the bones together.  Nothing out of the unusual or ordinary.  Just a case of arthritis kicking in.  The first floor was where I stayed today.

  It seemed like a good day for YouTube watching with some stitching thrown in for good measure.  I do have something to take for when it hits hard and I said Uncle at 11:45.

  When I sit in my bedroom porch and hear the windchimes clattering, it does make me glance at our small USA flag that we have strung on a sleep post.  Those narrow ribbed posts were often used for stringing electrical fencing for cattle.  It works just great for our flag.  We did have to get smart after loosing one in a horrific wind storm in the late spring.  Though the steel post is ribbed and not smooth the winds whipping eventually walked the flag up the steel post and where the flag landed no one knows.  Initially we stripped the hem down the steel post with a safety pin clipped at the top to keep it in place.  The rough top of the steel post ate a hole through the hem on the top.  I did patch the hole first with needle and thread and then a dab of glue on the spot. 

  I knew the wind would whip its way for another hole.  The cap off of a Sharpie marker fit onto the tip of the post.  A quilter’s clip meant to hold fabric firmly in place attached the bottom of the flag to the post, gripping it tight.  Each day since we did this, I am thrilled to see the quilter’s bright green clip not letting the flag budge up one inch of the steel post.  I have lots of bright green clips if one breaks.  

  We had ordered two of the small flags.  When I saw that they were stitched and not printed, the extra heft helped.

  The meds are helping.  I never take them past noon of any day as they may effect my steadiness.  My shower-time is about eight at night.  We have multiple hand holds in the walk-in shower as well as a shower stool.  Safety at its best.

  Chicken tities for supper with vegetables.  Of course bread and butter pickle chips.  We like various brands.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥