Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from February, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 2:26 pm on February 8, 2023 Permalink  

  A Taste of Spring 

  I am sure this taste of spring is not here to stay, but . . . in the meantime, in between time, bring it on.

  As nice as the temps have been it is not cutting through the deep ice that can be found wherever one needs to walk.  Once ice has been walked on several times or driven on, it wants to remain until the Easter Bunny comes hopping.

  Speaking of bunnies, if natural fertilizer is great, we have both bunny droppings as well as deer.  Neither one of those four legged animals has much to choose from for eating.  I hope our two shrubs that we had planted where the Koi pond had been, tasted good.  They really got a haircurt.  Dennis just returned from the grain elevator.  Dennis drives into the drive through and on one day, the gal takes his empty buckets out of the back of the little red pickup and the next day, she loads the buckets up for him.  Sweet service indeed. 

  All the lights are on down here in the studio.  I have finished sewing 24 log cabin blocks together.  Now comes the head scratching portion of this project.  A quilt of 77″ x 105″ could be used as the topper for a queen sized bed and is a good size for a double sized bed.  In adding borders, that 77″ x 105″ can be met.  It will take the first border at 3″, the second at 4″ and the third at 5″.  The angle at which I took this photo skews the proportion.  With a 1/4″ seam allowance it will be a very good thing.  Using three of the six colors in each block, will put my stash of the outside 5″ border with not enough left to use as a hankie.  That is my goal . . . use what I have.

  I have no idea who will need a quilt, but there will be one ready.

  Last week on Facebook, there was a photo of a name plate on the back of a quilt.  Many years ago, a gal that I worked with in the courthouse had a rural house fire.  Their family lost everything within their home.  When I shared this with mom, The Riverdale Quilt Club, 90 miles away to the north, that Lena belonged to, had put together two quilts.  I delivered those quilts to LuAnn in the rural rental home they were living in.  The photo of that name plate was special and sweet.  You never know where a quilt needs to find a home.

  I am out of ideas for a supper.  Never fear, something will come to mind and we will not be going hungry.

  It is time to turn off my sweet little heater that has been keeping my legs warm as well as all the overhead lights.  Tomorrow is another day and things in the studio may fall right into place as if there had been a definate plan all along.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:23 pm on February 7, 2023 Permalink  

  Bummer of a Morning 

  We needed to be at an appointment in Mankato at nine this morning.

  Last night we had rain after dark.  This morning when I looked out, what had been puddles last night was now little ice ponds.  Dennis said we would leave early this morning to make sure we’d be safe while still being on time.

  As we were on 169 at the turn off towards the hospital, about eight 10, my phone rang.  The nine o’clock appointment had been cancelled due to illness.  At that time, we rescheduled for this coming Friday at 9:15.

  Illness is not planned, but it can be a bummer.

  We had no other business to take care of in the big city, so Dennis pulled into the first safe drive to turn the little red pickup around.

  I have since been in the studio.  First on the agenda was cleaning under the hood.  Oil in all the right places and a brand new 80/12 needle.

  There is something strange happening to my little battery operated radio.  It will shut itself off.  It happened yesterday and I had totally forgotten about it until this afternoon.  I came down to the studio, got all the lights on and by habit, I pushed the “On” button for KNUJ and it came on.  This afternoon, it has happened twice that it shut off.  I need to check the batteries.  I cannot remember when this set was put in.

  More thawing is underway, and yes . . . just like last night, there will be a refreeze.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:05 pm on February 6, 2023 Permalink  

  A Helping Hand 

  With several loads of laundry and an oven meal to prepare, I had a helping hand that volunteered to vacuum the floors.

  Dennis has become quite mobile wearing the 24/7 boot.  He had realized that I had not said one word in regard to what may have been tracked in.  The tracking can’t be helped.  I think it’s wonderful that he is out and about taking care of what this little household needs in the errand department.  It is a blessing that we have no carpeting and only two scatter rugs that need shaking.  Of course there was a trade-off.

  Dennis requested that I stay busy in the studio while he vacuumed the floors, and . . . he did do all the floors.  Tomorrow we check in with the surgeon’s second in command and both of us are eager for the update.  After the vac was back in its storage spot, Dennis announced that Wednesday he would be doing the damp mopping throughout the house.  I do appreciate the fact that he does notice and is willing to help.

  When the boot gets to be retired, both of us will celebrate as it means the healing is complete and the foot can have the pressure of wearing a normal shoe.  That normal shoe will be after it has been fitted for an orthotic to make up for the loss of the length in that foot.

  I will be putting out an update after tomorrow. 

  Right now, it looks as if the forecast of rain may be spot on.  Gray skies while it is 35 degrees.  I am hoping that if there is something falling from above, the roads will be good early tomorrow for traveling to Mankato.

  By the way, the oven meal for today’s supper is in part cubed chicken from the freezer when we had had a broasted chicken from the deli and the excess was cubed and labeled for such a day as this.  I parboiled two cups of carrots and opened a jar of Alfredo sauce, a heaping teaspoon of Better than Bullion roasted chicken flavor, and two cups of pasta boiled, tender to the taste.  It was mixed and blended as it went into my blue speckled round roaster. 

  Four thirty at 350 degrees will have supper ready when the contents reach 155 degrees, or thereabouts.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:46 pm on February 5, 2023 Permalink  

  Powerful Sun 

  With warmer temps and full sun, there are noises and they are not waiting to do the “bump in the night.”  Ice on the awnings is letting loose.

  I spent time in the studio and with one third of the quilt top sewn together . . . it was lights out.  I have started on a new book.  What better way to get into the storyline than with a cup of coffee.

  If I am lucky, I can make it through the entire night without a trip to the bathroom.  When I am not lucky, four thirty seems to be the magic time.  It is too early to stay up and yet there have been enough good hours of sleep, returning to that can also be difficult.  When I do finally drift off, it can well be eight thirty before I am up for the rest of the day . . . whatever is left of it.  Dennis does drive home the point that it doesn’t matter.  He is right.  If we are not expected somewhere at a certain time . . . go with it.

  A lifetime of getting to the day at hand as soon as the feet hit the floor, it is difficult to adjust to slacking off a bit.  I am still a work in progress.  There are some of us that have a stringent work ethic, whether in the work force or retired.  

  This next week is to be enjoyed as snow piles begin to shrink.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:40 pm on February 4, 2023 Permalink  

  A Waft of Spring 

  By golly, I stuck my head out this afternoon to add to the recycling bin and I got a waft of spring.  This morning it was 8° above and now it is 32° and balmy.

  Dennis and Dwayne had a coffee date at McDonald’s this morning.  When Dennis came home at noon, he told me he was leaving to get the car into the car wash.  He and Dwayne had already gotten the little red pickup run through.  Yes, the ultimate wash has been raised to $11.00.  Dennis will pay that as it gets some of the crud under the body washed off.  Getting each vehicle back into the garage where it was warm enough to not have the doors freeze shut.  That would be hard on the rubber seals.

  I also had a productive day.  The studio had sun shining into the south windows.  That in itself was a good motivator as well as the heat on my legs from the electric jobbie under the sewing table.  What allows me to have a bit more time sewing is to have the sewing chair tricked out with two balls to sit upon.  It does help to keep the pain at bay as well as stitching a bit and then getting up to iron the seams that were just stitched.  Never sitting in any one spot for very long is the tip for the day.

  With the 24 blocks of the log cabin pattern stitched, I got out the booklet and decided the sequence of the blocks when stitched together.  With 24 blocks, I did have choices.  I decided on the Starlight choice.  That stitching will be for another day, as each block may need to be trimmed a bit.  Keeping the 1/4 ” seam is desirable . . . but also does not to need to be perfect.

  The aroma in the kitchen is beckoning.  I browned two center cut boneless porkchops for just a hint of color, which is not mandatory.  With the crockpot sprayed with Pam, the chops were added with a bit of seasoned salt sprinkled on.  A can of cream of mushroom soup was spread evenly on top.  The setting of low was applied at nine this morning.  The chops will be falling apart by five thirty.  To round out supper, Dennis is going to fix a box of Stove Top dressing.  Does it matter that the flavor of the pantry was chicken?  No!  The remainder in a dish of cranberries in the frig will top supper out perfectly.

  I keep the crockpot on the kitchen counter 24/7.  It is amazing what can be fixed with no mess and many hours to bring the dishes to perfection.  If in doubt, the internet has the answers.

  This entire next week seems to promise a chance of the furnace getting a break.  Sweet.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:07 pm on February 3, 2023 Permalink  

  Fooled Me 

  I had checked out the wind chimes that hang from our evergreen on the northwest corner of our house and all seemed calm.

  I needed to make a run to Lewis Drug on the south edge of town.  When I opened the car door, it felt as if the wind would take the entire car.  Being sheltered where we live sure fooled me.

  If it indeed reaches mild temps this weekend, we will all need to regroup with items that were put on hold for the duration of these last weeks.

  A bit of stitching this forenoon in the studio.  I have not been putting in long hours of said stitching.  What with needing to change out the dressing on Dennis’ left foot each and every day, I don’t put my back in a challenging position, aka: overdoing it and then pay a hefty price at the close of the day and not be able to get a good night’s rest.  It is called pacing one’s self.  

  Both Dennis and myself will be eager to hear the report next Tuesday when we see the surgeon.  We so want to hear good news as to the healing since January 11th.

  Dennis peeled enough potatoes yesterday, that this evening we are going to have fried potatoes with lots of chopped onions in the mix.  I will finely dice the remaining pork steak and call it a meal in a skillet.  

  Everyone take care for the weekend.  There seems to be enough ice on walkways and streets to make me curl my toes when I am out and about.  Extra grip power surely can’t hurt.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:10 pm on February 2, 2023 Permalink  

  Reports of Wind Chills 

  The weather gal on KEYC mentioned the other day that winter winds needed to be at least 5 mph before wind chills are reported.  I think the 24 mph today qualifies for wind chills, I just don’t need to know what it is.  Ignorance can be bliss. 

  Right at twelve noon, a very nice Center Point Energy young fellow came visiting.  He heard my concerns of the furnace exhaust being on the north side of the house.  Several times it has been dangerously close to extreme.  Dennis and I are at the point that we don’t want to have to make it to the northeast corner of the house to get a glimpse of it . . . one way or the other.  

  All I needed to hear from Center Point was that we could have our Watson boys reroute the exhausts of the ac and furnace to go directly south through the foundation.  How easy to keep track of it.  There was no charge for the visit.

  I put a call into Watson Plumbing and we are on their list to have this project taken care of.  From looking at the PVC piping going north from the furnace, there would be lineal feet of the piping to be reused.  That’s this Grammie’s thinking of the situation.

  Several hours in the studio had me making headways in the newest Log Cabin pattern.

  I have a pork steak in my blue speckled enamel roaster beginning to smell good in the oven.  A bit of Lawry seasoned salt on top with a schmear of ketchup will finish it up.  Dennis peeled potatoes and opened a can of cranberries.  We are set for a wintery supper.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:42 pm on January 31, 2023 Permalink  

  Happy Tuesday 

  Yesterday we had our electrician as a guest for three hours.  Our home is now in tip top electrical shape.  A few new plugins in the studio and best of all they are at a level that is easily accessible for me.

  Thursday the Centerpoint service fellow will be here.  Our furnace’s exhaust is on the north side of our home.  Hmm.  Quite the trek once there is snow and ice.  As we plan on staying in our forever home for some time, the exhaust option needs to be changed out.  I will see what the Centerpoint fellow has to offer and then I also have some ideas.  Older folks, needing to live safer.

  Some places in the studio looked as if a beaver had been chewing yesterday.  I told electrician Dale not to worry about any clean up.  I do cleanup well.

  The cleanup ensued this morning in the studio.  By twelve noon all was done with the help of my vintage Filter Queen canister vac.  I keep it under the sewing table and it is very handy to stay on top of fuzz, thread and occasional saw dust.

  Tomorrow we have plans to take in Dennis’ Korean luncheon in Mankato at the VFW.  With doctor’s appointments and the latest surgery, we have missed out quite a few meetings.  A little socializing will do both of us good.  The temps are to be in the teens for tomorrow.

  As per the surgeon’s request, I have changed out the surgical dressing every day to make sure the foot is as dry as possible.  Surprisingly, the foot does perspire quite a bit through the gauze dressing.  Things really are looking good in the healing process.  We have abided to every item laid out for healing.  The tall Velcro boot is put back on each day after the dressing as been changed.  It needs to protect that surgically altered foot 24/7 . . . and it is.  It may be something, I had not thought of early on.  Whether Dennis has been outside or not, the boot and Dennis go to bed together.  The tidy, tidy of bed or floors is a small price to pay for quality of life for Dennis.  I am very proud of us working together on the tasks.

  Hmm.  I have no idea what supper will be.  I am sure we won’t go hungry.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:59 pm on January 30, 2023 Permalink  

  Not Much 

  Not much can be said about January, other than . . . I am sure happy it will soon be history.

  I worked in the studio for several hours, then taking a break to have a noon lunch with Dennis.  I will admit that the basement studio can be a tad chilly.  No, my electrician did not stop by today.  Without my little heater . . . chilly was the word. 

  Update:  My electrician is here and I will continue this tomorrow.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:50 pm on January 29, 2023 Permalink  

  Brr! 

  It is a day that chilly would not cover.  It is downright cold.  A day when south windows can suck in the warmth of the sun . . . and it does.

  I found contentment in the studio.  That is no different than what Lena would have done on a day such as this. 

  The home that they moved onto the site across from the farm homestead, had Lena’s sewing room with good window light.  Mom could be found in her sewing room on a Sunday afternoon and dad, Raymond, was in the basement in his woodworking room.  Each content doing what they enjoyed, but not so busy that the coffee break at three could be forgotten.  Surprisingly, mom and dad took to having Folger’s instant coffee.  It made sense why the tea kettle was usually on the back burner, full, with a heat setting on low.  It didn’t take long and that setting was turned up and coffee was on.

  I am not one for a coffee break in the afternoon.  I will do away with the breakfast pot of coffee, cold or hot and then . . . no more.

  Today was the day to see what the fabrics I had pulled together would look like in a prototype.  All was pulled from what I had in my stashes.  It feels good to whittle down what has been purchased in times past.  When I follow quilting sites on Facebook, I have most surly seen more unusual pairing.  This new project is going to do quite nicely. 

  Interestingly enough, yesterday we discovered when one of the plugin outlets took a dump the other day in the studio, there was a second one that went out in the living room.  Both were original to the house.  A lamp that was plugged in at the living room site also is no longer.  Electrician Dale will get out his little tester when he comes to visit this next week and have some work to do.  I am quite sure I know what the culprit is.  My newly acquired electric heater that sat under my sewing machine keeping my legs warm was plugged in directly to the box on the post in the studio.  I had not trusted it being used in conjunction with a power strip. 

  Nothing serious was caused.  Older homes, like older folks need to keep up with what is needed for high efficiency.