Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from February, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 3:00 pm on February 25, 2023 Permalink  

  An Outing 

  It took the bright sun and the promise of a 28 degree afternoon.  Dennis took me on an outing to downtown Sherburn to the Old Alley Quilt Shop.  Oh my gosh!  I had not visited there since the stroke, aka: 2021.

  Dennis said to take my time as he had the sun coming in his little red pickup window.

  Going to Sherburn, 28 miles from home, the west bound lane of Hwy. #4 was iced over in spots.  The wind was doing its best to keep it that way.  Coming home two hours later, the east bound lane was free of ice.  We could see the sun was doing a number on the iced-over areas of the west lane.

  Now I have fabric to continue working on AJ’s t-shirt quilt.  I did inquire about having them long arm the king sized quilt sometime in the future.  I cherish what my arms and hands can do.  95″ x 105″ is a lot of cumbersome three layers of fabric under a limited amount of real estate, aka: distance from the needle to the right to the hub of the sewing machine.  I did do a king sized quilt five years ago.  Then it was a challenge.  Today it would break my spirit.  Old Alley needs to have customers.

  This morning when I looked out of the bathroom window, there was a frenzy going on in the backyard.  The squirrels were digging out kernels of corn the deer may have left behind and stomped on.  No sooner had the squirrels done their best, the huge crows came and flew away with the treasure.  Oh for the pecking order of life.

  Today gives hope that spring will be coming.  There is slush and under the slush is ice.  This Grammie is thrilled that Dennis took me on an outing, and thankful to be home . . . safe and sound.

  This outing will do me just fine for some time to come.

   
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  Noreen 2:49 pm on February 20, 2023 Permalink  

  Whew! 

  I was just getting to the point of getting dressed for the day after taking care of some things on the main floor.  I heard Dennis come in and go down into the studio.

  I toddled down to see what was perking.  The lights were on and there was the ole cowboy with a rotary fabric cutter in his hand, much like the quick draw of western times.

  It didn’t take long for me to retreat and get dressed.  When there is a willing helper, it’s time to get a move on.

  We both had had a good breakfast and the time went fast.  Before we knew it,  all the shirts had been cut apart and it was two in the afternoon.  There was enough breakfast coffee left for each of us to have a cup and we bid each other a “see you later.” Dennis had livestock chores to do and I needed to do a bit of a tidy job in the studio as there were bits and pieces of shredded knit everywhere.  The church tables sure do come in handy.  The pile of knit in the far back of the photo are t-shirts cut down to front and back pieces.  I do have four shirt designs with the shape-flex ironed on the back.  I had black shape-flex on hand from a fantastic sale at JoAnn’s last year.

  I have quite a bit of pencil work to do for how this is all going to be configured.  I was still in my robe when Dennis came in this morning as I had been on YouTube watching videos on the “Quilt as you go Method.”  I am always up for what may be a better, easier way of getting projects under the needle.

  The amount we got done this morning sure puts this “strong arm” task into perspective.

  Tomorrow Dennis has a medical appointment in Mankato at 10:30.  The weather forecast is telling us not to spend any more time away from home than necessary.

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on February 19, 2023 Permalink  

  Working Together 

  I knew Dennis offered to help cut t-shirts apart that AJ brought over yesterday.  I also knew that help would come after Dennis’ coffee and breakfast and also after his morning nap.  I get it.

  I went into the studio and decided to do some cutting on my own with the next grouping of fabrics for my quilt tops.  That grouping would be the blues.  I found I’m having a difficult time getting the 2.5″ strips cut without me, the ruler and the material sliding. Something was not going well.

  It took a while before I realized I had picked up the wrong 6″x 24″ Plexiglas ruler.  It was the Omnigrid ruler that has a glossy finish on both sides.  I soon found my Quilter’s Select 6″ x 24″ bestie.  The Quilter’s Select has one side glossy and the other side has a finish that feels like suede.  It doesn’t slide on the material when cutting with the rotary cutter.  It is sweet.  After I had the correct tools, things went so much better.

  After a noon bite of lunch, Dennis headed for the studio.  If Dennis cuts the t-shirts so all I have is the front and back, it gives me flat t-shirt fabric to decide the size of what each block will be.  It is too soon to tell at this point.  I do know that Shape-Flex will be ironed to the back of each shirt.  That allow the stretchy fabric to act as if it were woven and easy to work with.  Some shirts have a Harley design on front and back.  This is not a marathon.  After four shirts Dennis needed a break.  Dennis commented how course some of the t-shirt material was.  Good thing we have plenty of new rotary blades.  I would be fine if four shirts per shift were done. That would be fine with me as each piece of t-shirt needs a lot of TLC.

  Our Sunday is quiet as it seems the entire community is quiet.  Not much traffic going by.

  A new week comes with new events.  There is no such thing as same-old, same-old, we just need to be open to it.

  As Dennis was heading out to the patio porch, he commented he would be up for more cutting, I just need to ask.  Working together for the common good.  Priceless.

   
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  Noreen 2:41 pm on February 18, 2023 Permalink  

  Saturday the 18th 

  Spring can’t be far behind when we go from minus temperatures to 35 degrees today.

  I think the patio porch kitties could smell some warmth in the air.  When Dennis went out at six this morning, all three bounded out the slider door to the east.  They may not have stayed out long, but after days being cooped up in the patio porch, they needed to check out the deer tracks and skat, the rabbit poop and where a squirrel had traveled.  It was then nap time.

  Today was the first time we passed on a great grands birthday party in Mankato.  Charlee B’s mom is in the guards and there are a lot of kids invited for this 5th birthday party.  We will stop in another time when we are in town.

  After the first floor got tidied and a load of laundry was in the works, I headed to the studio.  Saturday’s  AM KNUJ radio has sports items on.  I went to FM Minnesota’s 100 for country music.

  The stashes were visited this last week and I have three combinations piled together.  There will be one with predominate green, one in burgundy and one in blue.  I am sticking with the log cabin pattern.  Dennis offered to cut fabric.  What could I say!  I chose the green batch.  With a brand new blade in the rotary cutter . . . why not?  My job was to line up for  2.5″ cuts.  Dennis cut two layers each time and with his strength plus the new blade, it didn’t take long he had 7 yards of 8 different colors cut in 2.5″ strips.  No mis-cuts in the bunch.

  I know that “jelly rolls” are very popular with quilters.  A variety of coordinating colors and prints rolled up cut in 2.5″ strips.  I do not know how many yards are included, but according to the price, I would hope a reasonable amount.

  I will be hiring Dennis again.  Even with a new blade, pressure is needed for clean cuts.

  Today Dennis’ grandson AJ was in town from Mankato.  AJ has done a lot for Dennis to hook up his television so he can watch channels from the Godahl tower, via putting up an antenna on the east side of the patio porch.  He configured good reception via a booster plugged in on one of the outlets in the kitchen.  Dennis has a Samsung Smart television that I had in the studio at the time we were getting cable television from Mediacom.  Dennis also has Hulu and YouTube choices.  AJ also configured the Samsung television in the living room with the same options.  We really appreciated all of AJ’s understanding of getting this set up for us.  The savings in ditching cable television every month was astounding.

  What I had AJ do was to bring me his Harley t-shirts he has been saving.  I will be making AJ a t-shirt quilt from his Harley shirts.  The barter system is alive and well.

   
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  Noreen 3:06 pm on February 15, 2023 Permalink  

  Hanging On 

  With the wind gusts that we experienced during the night, I was hanging on for dear life in my northwest bedroom.  The whoosh of the gusts woke me oftener than I can count.  I was thrilled this morning when I realized the awning on the west side of our home was still intact.

  Dennis tidied up his patio porch today.  He can tell they have been in the patio porch non stop.  Cat hair abound!

  I spent a good amount of time in the studio.  I have nothing that is urgent, needing to be done.  Having an idea of what could be put together in the line of fabrics in my stashes gives me a good sense of where a project might be going.  Keeping track of several quilt shops on Facebook and what they have put together and called it a quilt top . . . amazing.  My color schemes are not outrageous.   

  The wind whipped snow around that began to fall during the night.  It couldn’t have been measurable.  What was measurable was the amount of rain that was had yesterday that had turned to ice with the falling temps overnight.  That good ole sun has a lot of power and chewed through most of what was on our driveway.   The toes do not have to curl and grip quite as hard.

  Supper is a pot of chili that has been simmering for most of the afternoon.  My breakfast this morning was cold pizza from last night.  Dennis had gotten half Taco and half Meat Lovers.  My breakfast tomorrow will be a rerun of what I had this morning.  Cold pizza is fine with me.  Can we talk about discriminating taste!

   
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  Noreen 2:41 pm on February 14, 2023 Permalink  

  February 14th and it is Raining 

  Today is the 14th of February and the rain that we are receiving is sweet indeed.  It should take the snowbanks down a bit.

  Today Dennis got new tires put on the little red pickup.  This was to have been done yesterday, but the tires didn’t get into Rod’s shop until late in the day.  When Dennis went to pick up the little red pickup and pay the bill for the tires, the alignment and balancing, Rod asked Dennis if he knew of anyone that would come to work for him.  He commented that he was swamped.  He is the only such shop in town.  When freight doesn’t come in as expected the work schedule goes out the door.  I thought he gave Dennis a great compliment.  It was such that older people like Dennis, role with the punches when things don’t go as planned and the younger people put the pressure on.  Hmm. 

  As it was to be a wet day, though good temps, I decided to get the studio cleaned up after finishing this quilt top in the hues of browns.  The first item was taking the sewing machine down with my tools so I could get into all the little places where a stray thread may have nested in.  It was amazing what accumulated on my tissue.  With the machine taken care of, it was all the additional sewing tools that needed to find their way back where they were gotten from.

  I had mentioned I had ordered rotary cutting blades through Amazon.  When they came I really checked over the blades by close comparison of the one I had purchased locally.  Other than the exterior packaging, all was well.  Surprisingly, each blade was packaged individually.  Sometimes from Amazon, it can be different.  The first thing I did was replace the blades in my two favorite cutters.

  The latest quilt top has been folded.  At some time when I hear that someone in the family is looking for a quilt, I will finish it with batting and backing.  Right now my objective is to sew up fabric that I have and be ready for the final step.  It would be harder to throw away a pieced quilt top than several pieces of fabric. 

  Dennis is providing my Valentine for supper . . . a pizza from Cassey’s.  I told him I didn’t care what flavor . . . his choice.  Sweet.

   
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  Noreen 4:03 pm on February 13, 2023 Permalink  

  Furnace at Rest 

  It sure seems nice not to have the furnace noise.  I know this stage of resting will not last long.  We have a lot of winter left.

  We can’t have what is long past and long gone.  I think of a little house dog we had by the name of Sparky.  Sparky didn’t appreciate being left at home all day long while the rest of us went to our jobs and to school.  Sparky retaliated.  Carrie was so proud of her Nike red and while sport shoes.  She had babysat the Lyndale girls west of South Branch, saving for a pair of Nike sport shoes.

  We came home one weekday afternoon and there was crying and sobbing.  Sparky had chewed off the little thingie on the heel of Carrie’s shoes.  They had not been worn for too many days.  There was nothing to do but continue wearing them.  I can’t remember if Kevin had shoes that were ravages of Sparky as well.

  What makes me think of Sparky is that even with a shoe horn, that I do so need to get my shoes on, I would give anything not to have those thingies on my shoes.  With a shoe horn, the thingies do not want to pop out like they should and then I play heck getting my finger into the already tight shoe to release the thingie so the shoe feels as it should.  Hmm.

  Yesterday evening, Dennis got two large cottontails as they were enjoying some of the deer shell corn.  Today he aced two gray squirrels.  Those two squirrels did not make a dent in what we have.

  I did have a successful day in the studio.  The log cabin quilt top is totally done.  Tomorrow, it gets a press and then folded.  It sure did keep me occupied.  That’s a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 5:10 pm on February 12, 2023 Permalink  

  A Great Day 

  The sun is shining with nothing much going on.  

  Dennis was doing his thing in the garage and patio porch and I was in the studio.  I kept my nose down with my eyes on the seam allowance.

  I have the last border to sew onto the log cabin.  It is the 5″ border and as the quilt top gets larger, it becomes more difficult for stitching as well as pressing.

  This last step will be my Monday’s work.

  The good news is that we have no ice left on the center of the drive.  Of course as the snow banks on either side thaw, there will be a border of ice on each side.

  Happy week to one and all!

   
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  Noreen 2:42 pm on February 11, 2023 Permalink  

  A Balmy Day 

  Though a bit on the windy side of things, 36 degrees is acceptable.

  We have just completed the first change of Dennis’ dressing for his left foot since the new orders.

  Hydrofera is blue in color and has the consistency of a sponge.  I am applying it to the area of the incision that needs to heal and close.  What this blue sponge does is to wick away and extradite debris from the wound, aka: pus.  I am willing to do whatever is offered to us for healing.  Dennis is on the same page with me.  I have mastered the art of using a roll of gauze, all 4.1 yards.

  I can tell you that my “C” batteries are the best.  We are back on board with KNUJ.

  What’s this I hear about snow coming this next week!  Us stitchers were going to get together next Thursday.  That may not happen.  Whatever this winter brings . . . it can’t last forever.  I am fortunate.  I gleaned that via the stream of text messages that the weather forecast brought on.  I am fortunate in the fact that I do not experience cabin fever.  Time will tell.  My text message allowed them to know that when the dust has settled on changing the date, just let me know when we would plan on getting together.  So be it.

  Supper is going to be soup and toast.  Neither one of us came even close to breaking a sweat today.

  That’s all folks!

   
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  Noreen 3:25 pm on February 9, 2023 Permalink  

  One Without the Other 

  Today proves that one without the other does not work.  It is 32 degrees out but with no sun, it is down right feeling raw out.

  Today Dennis took his little red pickup in to be fitted for new shoes, aka: new tires.  Rod’s shop is just a bit off to the east of us and next Monday, the tires will be in.  They will be in and on and also balanced.  2015 was the year new tires were put on.  I think they did remarkably well.

  I worked on getting borders cut for my log cabin quilt.  I needed a total of 27 strips cut from 44″ wide fabric.  At the halfway point, I knew something was about to give.  Last year I had a gift certificate at the quilt shop in Bird Island from Nephew Larry as I had made a total of eight Christmas stockings for his family. 

  In the summer of 2022, I headed north to cash the certificate in.  To round things out I purchased a card off of the quilting supply rack.  It was for one of the cutting blades that my rotary cutter uses.  It was $14.98 plus tax.  Today on Amazon, I ordered a package of ten blades for $47.98 plus tax.  Shipping was free.  I did not get fleeced by the quilt shop.  I know from experience that the price would not have been any different if I had shopped elsewhere. 

  I did get through all of the cutting that was needed for now.  There is a certain amount of grunge in fabric, regardless of the price per yard.  After the cutting, I did iron the strips.  It makes it easier to get it under the needle if all is nice and flat.  As per the photo, my calculation on the amount of fabric that would be left of that third border fabric, was spot on.  No, it won’t be doing anything but hitting the circular filing cabinet.

  After submitting this blog for publication, all lights in the studio will be turned off as well as the heater that has been oscillating, keeping my legs warm.  The shoulders, arms and hands need a bit of a break before changing out Dennis’ dressing on his left foot.

  Tomorrow we have an appointment with the surgeon.  We are hoping for a good report, but I seriously doubt that the Velcro boot will be retired.  As many stitches as I cleanse every day, I can only imagine how many layers of stitches cannot be seen.

  As per Dennis’ promise of earlier this week, while I stayed busy in the studio, the floors were damp mopped.  Sweet indeed!