Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from August, 2022 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 1:11 pm on August 20, 2022 Permalink  

  Greetings 

  Greetings from the sewing studio of Grammie on her new Dell laptop.  What a learning curve!

  I may have already clicked on something I should not have.  Well maybe one or two.  When I set up the wireless mouse the prompt came up either right or left.  I thought it was either to the right or the left of the laptop itself.  I chose right.  Dah!  I went up to the living room to see what I had loaded on the HP for photo resizing.  The mouse for the HP had been converted to the right click as well.  That being said, I may have clicked on something that did tie the two units together for some things but not all.  Not that big of a deal.  Got that little detail fixed.

  I do have Google Chrome downloaded as my default.  As yet the resizing of photos needs a bit of tweaking to get the photos to the size that the blog is happy with.  Not everything in one day.  My next step is to go into the control panel and disable the touch pad.  Right now in doing this blog, my thumb grazes the touch pad and the screen does its own thing.

  I am also cutting fabric into 2.5″ strips for my Log Cabin projects.  They do sell what they call jelly rolls that are already cut into 2.5″ strips.  Within the roll is a variety of fabrics that blend well.  I have done my own blending and I will get the cutting done as well just not all at one time.  I was so close to not having enough yardage of one of the chosen, that I couldn’t cut it at 2 and 4/8ths, I had to cut it at 2 and 3/8ths.  Got it done.

  Grandson AJ was here for the morning.  Dennis is one happy camper for television viewing.  AJ put an antenna up on the east side of the garage.  Dennis now has choices of the REA tower or his Samsung smart TV.

  Last week the walking crutches came from good old Amazon.  Today, AJ adjusted the height for me.  From the first few steps I could feel getting equal pull on the back, hips and knees with each step.  Stauffer Avenue look out.  It is a tad muddy as we have gotten rain yesterday and today, but these walking crutches will make walking for a distance more enjoyable. 

  AJ also carried my teak rocker from the studio into the living room.  The chair that has been my go-to place after supper has no support left for the cheeks or the back.  Near as Dennis can recall, that chair was new in 1980.  I am content in the rocker.  My choice for reading is in my bedroom where I have natural light from three sides and I have a good chair for that.  I spend little time watching TV. 

  So much contentment on Stauffer, the sweetest spot ever.

   
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  Noreen 1:20 pm on August 19, 2022 Permalink  

  Wonderful Rain 

  We received a wonderful rain last night.  It came down slow and steady.  Dennis could report this morning that we had 6/10ths.

  Once I had my morning routines done that included the exercise bike, I put on my old shoes.  The last thing I did before I left the house was to make sure the coffee pot stayed hot.  I knew I would enjoy a cup when I took a break from pulling up clover and weeds.  A good rain allows for roots and all to be gotten.

  As a few branches of the catnip were tweaked, Honey Bunny stayed right with me to enjoy that treat.  The lopper took care of a few Lilac branches that were always ready to whoop me in the head.  As big as around as my thumb I can take care of.  If there were larger ones, Dennis could do those when he came home from having coffee with the fellows.  I was able to have a pretty good sized pile of stuff before the FedEx truck had stopped near our front door.

  Taking my time, I got two boxes into the house.  I expected the delivery but I also knew I would not open them until I was totally done outside.  I got back to the clover and just like that a downpour came overhead.  I decided my gardening was done for the day.

  Both boxes were carried into the studio.  One box held a wireless Dell laptop, a Latitude 5520.  The second box was the wireless mouse.  I had kicked around getting a laptop for the studio ever since the Dell laptop I had purchased in 2007 up and left me.  I had called Dell and put out what was important on a new one.  I was accustomed to Windows 10 as the kids had given me an HP Pavilion in 2015. This laptop will have the ability to do an upgrade when the time comes.  No extra bells and whistles from Microsoft.  I very much liked the 15 inch on the HP and this also has it.  All I have done thus far today is unbox it and the mouse. . . and save the boxes until later. 

  No more loading a sewing design in the living room on the HP and making multiple trips up and down the basement steps when tweaking is needed.  Of course the HP was mobile, but I know myself well enough that I do not carry anything with me up and down the steep steps if I can avoid it.  If this Dell lasts me as long as the previous one, it will be sweet.  I can have access at a moments notice and not bother Dennis.

  What has also transpired in our home over time is that Dennis is prone to spending more time in the house and enjoys playing cribbage and other card games on the HP.  What better therapy than eye to hand brain function.  It beats sitting in the recliner and falling asleep.  The HP is set up so the eyes need to lift just a bit and the television can also be enjoyed.  As recent as yesterday Dennis had a physical at the VA clinic and had been given the comment that for his 86 years he is doing well and he functions well.  Music to my ears and I know it bodes well for Dennis to receive positive affirmations from the medical world as well as from me.

  While I was in the studio today, I have made decisions in regard to color pallets for two projects.  There is enough fabric for both double bed sized quilts to be made in the Log Cabin pattern.  I realize the double bed sized quilts may not be sufficient for many of today’s beds, bit it is large enough for covering and snuggling while watching . . . whatever.  I tucked everything else away and off of the church tables.  In time there will be 2.5 inch wide stripes cut.   

  The clouds are thick this afternoon.  More rain would be welcomed.

   
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  Noreen 2:25 pm on August 18, 2022 Permalink  

  Heavy Air 

  I have been kicking around some thoughts on the next studio project.  The ultimate goal is to continue on working up what fabrics I have in my stashes.

  The only way to form a plan is to have the fabrics out onto the church tables.  Putting hues of greens together is a possibility.  I hadn’t done anything with purple . . . and just where did these purple fabrics come from!  The last possibility would be browns with a tinge of rose in some choices.

  I must have walked around those church tables a dozen times if not more.  Taking some time out and sitting in my teak rocking chair, it gave me a chance to see if the groupings of fabric from a distance gave a harmonious pleasing effect to the eye.  As the noon hour approached, I took time to rustle up some fried egg sandwiches for us.  

  I realized that there were three library books that needed to be returned by the 19th . . . tomorrow.  That gave me the opportunity to take in some fresh air.  Sure enough.  I came back home and checked.  The fabrics remained on the church tables right where I had left them.  I shut down all the lights in the studio and decided the decision would wait for a day . . . or more. 

  We did get some photos from Megan as she is settling into her college dorm room this week.  Yup, I caught the plants in the photos that had traveled with her from her home to Virginia.  Megan has always had live plants in her bedroom.  Many she had saved from a time when she worked at The Mustard Seed Nursery during high school.  I do mean “saved.”  When some were too sad to look inviting to the customers, Megan would make sure they got into her car rather than being put in the dumpster.

  Dennis has been keeping busy in the garages today.  I will catch up with him when it is suppertime.  Dennis has been very quiet today.  His youngest son was released yesterday after spending time in jail since July 11th for assault and battery towards his girlfriend.  It is sad and it can’t but weigh heavy on a father’s heart.  When children are 58 and still seek the bottom of the bottle, there are no words or deeds to fix anything.  If, right now, I could reach out and hug my two children and let them know how proud I am of them, I surely would.  I will settle for giving Dennis a huge hug when he comes in for supper.

  Heavy air . . . heavy hearts.

  I hope everyone has more in life to cherish than not.

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on August 17, 2022 Permalink  

  Peaceful Day 

  This has been a fairly quiet peaceful day.

  I was up early and I was determined.  Yesterday I was fighting with an email that included a zip file.  Lord Almighty!  After many tries, thinking I had it transferred to the flash drive, I would go down into the studio to find out there was nothing there for the update.  I think I made seven trips and then called it a day.  I had managed to extract it to a document file before saying enough is enough.

  With a fresh outlook this morning, I realized that when I created a file that the flash drive would take, the name of the file didn’t look familiar.  It had taken something for its label from its content.  I looked for a file that was created on August 16th.  Bingo.  Before I had my second cup of coffee the sewing machine had taken the update and all was calm in the studio.  Whew!  

  Computer items . . . one of those things that can stop me on a dime.  I also know that keeping up with what is needed to remain content and still feel that personal growth is still attainable, I need to figure it out.  I sent Amanda an email . . . “Got it.”

  Today we went to the Curry Comb.  I can’t speak for Dennis, but the haircut sure feels good.

  We stopped in at the grocery store as it is right across the street of niece Brenda’s shop.  Dennis needed a loaf of white bread and one gallon of distilled water for his CPAP machine.  This time, I got to sit in the little red pickup and watch people.  He had left the pickup running, but in time, I reached over and shut it off as it was taking him quite awhile.  I knew what was going on and I had not fore warned him before he went in.  Wednesday is Senior Citizen’s Day at the grocery store.  When Dennis came out with his two items, he said he thought he ears were bleeding.  There is no shortage of people who had wanted to stop and visit.  Too funny! 

  This afternoon Dennis is up the street at the eye clinic.  Once a month Dennis has an eye injection in his right eye for macular.  I am so thankful that that is not in my schedule.

  Last night we had Subway for supper.  This evening we are having a pasta oven dish from the freezer.  I do like to tuck a container away when the batch gets too large.  Good eats for the patient.  My only task left for the day will be dressing Dennis’ foot after showers.

  Yup, a peaceful day.

   
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  Noreen 12:53 pm on August 16, 2022 Permalink  

  Nice Morning 

  The temps this morning were great.  I literally took Dennis’ winter jacket and hung it away as he has been reaching for it this week.  No way is he going to start rushing the season.

  After my morning routine, I stood on the last step going down into the studio.  I looked at the studio with new eyes as perhaps some stranger would do.  It didn’t take me long to know I had some sifting to do.  An old office chair that the actual back adjustment was stripped out . . . out it went to the back stoop.  What Dennis will do with it is up to him.  Several cardboard containers hit the recycling bin, complete with the Styrofoam partitions in them.  I had looked at a bag of softener salt long enough.  There was room inside of the holding tank for it.  With a solo cup it was scooped into the tank one by one until the 40 lbs. was slim to none to be poured into the tank.  The empty bag was on its way out of the studio.

  I think I could have continued with the tidy, tidy,  but an email stopped me in my tracks.  I hate working with zip files.  I don’t work with them often enough that it takes me forever to get them into a file folder that a flash drive will work with the contents.  It also meant that the computer in the living room where the email was received allowed for a few trips from the first floor to the studio where the file would be used in the sewing machine.  Good exercise.

  Supper is up for grabs.  Man, that ritual sure comes around fast.  I will need to ponder on that for a time.

   
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  Noreen 1:00 pm on August 14, 2022 Permalink  

  Mild Morning 

  No clouds, no wind . . . just a mild morning.

  Yesterday Dennis had washed off the east side of the house and took off a lot of cob webs.  The dirt from the high winds of early spring and summer ran in rivulets.  Today was my day to strike.

  Our outside storm door had been begging to be washed and cleaned all year.  Now that Dennis had done his part, it was my time.

  Last year Kevin had shown me how to take the storm door apart.  It really needed some TLC as it was just as dirty as the siding had been.  It wasn’t the usual one that had clips to pull out for the glass bottom to be shimmied a bit to the right and a shimmied a bit to the left and it could be lifted out.  This was a locally purchased Larson door.  This, I believe, was a second sold as top of the line.  Most Larson doors have the ability to be locked from the outside as well as the inside.  Not this one.  

  I had watched Kevin and I was going to tackle it.  What I needed was a plier to help pull out the clips as my fingers couldn’t hold them.  I pulled straight back.  No shimmy, shimmy.   Nothing was harmed or broken in this endeavor.  Oh, I had help.  Snuggles was sitting right outside the door to see if there would be a chance of him getting into the house.  Not today!

  The Fairfax kids had clued me in on the foaming Lime-A-Way for hard water spots on the windows.  Dennis had washed the house off several times, so I could rub my hand over the glass and feel the hard water residue.

  By twelve noon the door was back together and by golly, we can see through it.  Sweet.

  When we have needed help, we have never been denied by Kevin.  The hard items like shingling and the walk-in shower earlier this year, we had local companies take care of as more than likely they need access to a hardware store or for more supplies.  When Kevin has only Sundays that are free . . . he and Kersten need that day for themselves.  We are not that old that we don’t remember how precious down-time is and how much it is needed.  Dennis and I wouldn’t want it any other way.  When Kevin has shown his old mom how to do things, I perk up and take notice so I can be self sufficient.  Dang . . . he is a good teacher.  Being self sufficient brings rewards that are two-fold.  The job gets done and it feels oh so good.

  Yesterday in the late afternoon, I went to the studio and I now have updated firmware on my Bernina sewing machine.  Sweet!  I told Kelly and Amanda when I was in Bird Island on Friday, I would wait until Kelly had all the crops out and then I would bring my sewing machine in for a checkup.  In the meantime, in between time, I keep it cleaned, oiled and sewing machine needles are cheap when you buy in bulk via Amazon.

  Supper was in the thinking stage.  It was determined we would use what we could scrounge off the pantry shelves or the freezer.  It will for sure be a one-of-a-kind.  While I folded laundry, Dennis browned a pound of ground beef.  After it was drained, he stirred in a tablespoon of garlic, “Better than Bullion.”  I took over and got some peas out of the freezer and also a bag of crinkle french fries that I broke each fry in half.  Tater totes work in oven dishes, why wouldn’t french fries.  One can of cream of mushroom soup and one can of french onion soup and it all got rolled over and over with my wooden spoon in my favorite blue speckled enamel roaster.  Time will tell.  A little Betty Crocker creativity is on board here on Stauffer Avenue.

  The day has rendered the job jar empty with time to start a new book from the library.

   
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  Noreen 2:32 pm on August 12, 2022 Permalink  

  Perfect Day 

  For once, the weather was perfect for a solo road trip.

  I happily turned in my tuna can of a loaner and got my sweet ride back.  From there the 103.5 radio station was turned on and we headed to Bird Island to the Bernina shop.

  All summer long I have eyed a new hoop for my Bernina.  It is called a “free arm hoop” as a knit shirt can be stripped onto the hoop for embroidering without the worry of stretching the shirt out to keep the back side of the shirt from getting caught in the stitching.  I do have to update the firmware of my machine.  Amanda had Kelly download the firmware onto a flash drive and Amanda wrote out the instructions.  I will do the update tomorrow when the house is quiet so as to not miss a step.  I enjoy this young couple and the strides they take for a great shop that customers always feel comfortable in.

  My next stop was Fairfax to visit the Fairfax family.  Kersten, Kevin and myself visited in Kevin’s shop.  I got a brief synopses of their motor trip to Seattle.  Fun times taking in the change of scenery and the fact that Kluge, the fur baby, also did well.  A safe trip is the best culmination.  I am extremely happy that Kersten is taking a break from being a W-2 form worker.  The smile on both of their faces told the rest of the story.  Getting out from under daily stress will make each day feel a bit brighter whether the sun is shining or not.  Hats off! 

  Dennis was happy to have me home safe and sound.  Dennis and friend Dewayne may be checking out an auction tomorrow.  It is the same fellow’s goodies that the Cub-Lo-Boy came from.  Just think of all the ka-bitzing that could be heard.

  This older one on Stauffer has had quite the last seven days.  A family gathering, one medical appointment, my annual eye appointment, lunch with the stitchers and today’s solo road trip.  I feel blessed to have been able to take it all in and even more so, for the rest each night.  It is time tomorrow for me to see if the lights will turn on in the studio.    

  The temps are promising to be sweet for the next week.  Bring it on.

   
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  Noreen 3:19 pm on August 11, 2022 Permalink  

  Laughter The Best 

  Laughter is the best medicine.

  Today seven of us stitchers got together at Baker’s Square.  On the way to Mankato in my loner car, it rained so hard between Madelia and Lake Crystal the windshield wipers couldn’t keep up.  A few miles farther and the highway was totally dry.

  Back to the stitchers.  All seven of us come from different backgrounds and of different ages.  Literally the common thread is just that . . . fuzz and thread.  One of the gals, Isy, still enjoys stitching quilts by hand.  I sure do admire that.  Her and I are the same age.  Nancy does mostly sewing for her church’s mission work.  Lu loves to work with tiny pieces and she is the gal that shared her scrappy quilt pattern with me that I just finished.  Anita has been a quilt shop owner and her knowledge and history is on board.  Anita purchased a Bernina as mine several years ago.  Denise has tailored sewing in her past and now is an avid quilter.  Sharon has made the most beautiful garments imaginable.  I have seen her photo album.  Sharon has been doing embroidering for some time and also can kick out some neat piecing.  Lori was absent today as she was camping with family.  Lori also purchased a Bernina at the time that Anita did.  

  Half of our group does embroidering and quilting and the other half is strictly quilting.  No matter, what each has been into during the month, it is all hashed over as we enjoy the company of each other.

  I arrived home safe and sound in the tuna can, aka: the loner from car dealer.  Tomorrow morning I will head to New Ulm to pick up my trustee vehicle that has had front end tie rods, new tires that have been balanced and aligned plus an oil change and all that goes with that. 

  As long as I am out and about, I will continue to the northwest and see Amanda at the Bernina shop in Bird Island.  Their shop closes at one in the afternoon each of the five working days.  I have questions and an agenda.  On the way home I will stop to see my Fairfax family.  I really feel kind of carefree to do some of my items now that the doctor appointments are not the top priority.  Sweet.

  On thinking of some of our conversations today, it may very well bring a squeaky laugh out of me when I least expect it.

   
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  Noreen 12:32 pm on August 10, 2022 Permalink  

  Early Afternoon 

  I don’t usually write a post this early in the day.  It feels like I have put in a day thus far.

  Again with the garden shoes to tackle more of the volunteer clover amongst the perennials.  I pulled some by the roots, I hacked some out with a hoe.  I am gaining.  By nine this morning, my arms needed a rest.  I carried my harvest to the burning ring.  As I was heading into the house Dennis was headed to the back garage to check the tire pressure in the rider mower’s tires.  I had had my job planned and Dennis has his plan . . . also to pursue.  The acre will get mowed today.  Using the weed whip is not on my schedule today . . . I checked.

  The studio was also in my plan.  I was curious how a design was going to turn out.  When I had downloaded a design several days ago, I realized that a freebie had been included.  Curiosity got the better of me.  The freebie didn’t have the same amount of stitches as my choice had had.  Nonetheless, we tried it out.  Just as the design was finishing, Dennis visited the studio.  Hmm.

  Dennis’ nephew furnishes Dennis a phone so Dennis can run errands for him.  Dennis was due for a new flip phone.  No smart phone is needed for the ole cowboy.  Besides, who would teach him the ins and outs.  When Dennis took the new phone with his old phone to Radio Shack for the phone numbers to be transferred . . . no dice.  Dennis’ old phone was too old for that process to work.

  Now you all know why Dennis found his way to the studio.  I will manually load the numbers, but it is not going to be a rush, as at 12:30, I had a carpenter arriving looking at doing a job for us.  Nathen came. Nathen looked.  Nathen did not say “No.”  It is the same front door job that many before Nathen have looked at, but no one came back.  Time will tell.

  I did get six numbers loaded for Dennis and then decided to get an oven dish started that I could pop into the oven after my eye appointment at three.  I know by the time the eyes are dilated and such, it will be after four before I get home.  I also need to run one errand while I am out and about.  The phone job is on hold.  For the fellow that doesn’t carry his phone 99.9% of the time . . . the phone job is on hold.

   
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  Noreen 2:39 pm on August 8, 2022 Permalink  

  A Great Morning 

  When I realized the temps were in the 60s, I dug out my garden shoes.

  It has been a long time since the soil around the Hosta was wet enough that weeds could be pulled up by the root rather than breaking off.  As I made piles of clover and sand burr plants, Dennis got them to the burn ring to dry out.  

  A year ago I put pavers around our giant Maple and Dennis filled it in for a heightened flower bed.  It was great not having to bend over and just stand next to it to tackle the weeds.  When it came time to get up onto the flower bed next to the tree trunk, that’s where the choice culprits were, Dennis was standing behind me to give a bit of a heft for me to get up the twelve inches next to the trunk of the Maple.  Success.  Dennis was right there when it was time to descend safely.

  If I had had more physical power than my want power, I could have tackled a bunch more at the ground level.  I settled on taking out all of the Bleeding Heart stalks that were spent.  The pile of greenery to dry out is quite high.

  I know I have spent my abilities when my left foot begins to turn in.  My body has its way of shutting me down when I am too stubborn to acknowledge the smaller hints.

  I have begun stitching out an embroidery design in the studio.  When I realized my bobbin was about empty, I decided on taking a break to fill some bobbins and to also come to the first floor to see what the mail person left.

  With that being said, my blog post has now been completed and I am heading to the studio to push that little green button and work towards finishing that design.  Shutting down the process completely is a shot in the dark, on having everything remain aligned when the sewing machine is powered back up.

  We are having leftovers for supper.  Yippee!