Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from September, 2021 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 1:41 pm on September 3, 2021 Permalink  

  A Break from Picking 

  A well-needed break from picking embroidery stitches presented itself when Dennis told me his CPAP machine quite working during the night.  He is scheduled to have a new one every six years.  This July of 2021 was the date.  The Mayo store, when called, said we would need a new prescription from his pulmonary doctor in Mankato.  After two hours of being on a telephone merry-go-round we were no closer to getting a live one on the phone.  I finally found a line that allowed for me to leave a message.  Time will tell.

  Back to picking stitches.  Right at twelve noon, I finished with the design.  I had had enough and shut off the lights in the studio.  The air is cool outside, perfect for a walk.  When projects have had a huge hiccup, a small break does wonders.  There is no time crunch and I can think the next steps through while walking.

  Dennis was waiting for me with questions.  He wants to repaint a very heavy cement pheasant that has been sitting in the back of the acre for over ten years.  His eagle turned out great.  Of course, my stashes are to be . . . blink, blink and a miracle is to happen for all that would be needed.  Yes, I have paints for the pheasant, and no . . . Dennis is not up to working with them.  I have an idea that my studio lights will remain dark over the weekend.

  It’s great that Dennis notices what needs attention.  It’s great that we have on hand what is needed.  Quality time together.  Which of us will be wearing more paint than the other?  This latest project of painting will be more than I have tackled this year.  Always up for a challenge.

   
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  Noreen 2:54 pm on September 2, 2021 Permalink  

  Rain and Clouds 

  This morning it was dark and gray when I awoke. I so enjoy my first minutes of waking.  Lollygagging and checking out what the huge evergreen is doing on the northwest corner of my bedroom gives me a small indication of what is to come for the remainder of the day.  I hear the coffee pot go off at seven.  Dennis is the first out of bed and I usually give him first crack at the bathroom.  Once I hear him pour his coffee and then the sound of the back door closing, I know he, his coffee and his scone are headed to the patio porch.  No one is as thrilled for the morning as the three kitties.  They tumble over each other to hit the patio via the open doorway.  I never tire of watching that scene as I look out the bathroom window.  Yup, we are going to have a day.  Bring it on. 

  I like to catch some news in the morning.  The rest of the day . . . not so much. The forecast is for rain.  We can surely use the rain.

  Today when I went on facebook, there was a posting that my sister, Elvera, would have been a great grandmother to new baby, Leo Conrad Hoffman.  Elvera’s son Larry would be a proud grandpa.

  At a time when Larry’s mother-in-law became very ill, Rita gave me quite a bit of her fabrics.  I worked most of it up into blankets.  As it happens there were two that made great baby blankets in blues.  At four today, Dennis and I will be going out to the UPS depot to send a package off to Leo Conrad in Hutchinson.  We love lightening the stashes of finished items.

  After lunch I went to visit June in her apartment.  At 80 years young, she is one of the youngest in her building.  There are two vacancies and she is hoping for some younger tenants.  No June, Dennis and I are passing.

  Today Dennis finished the poly coats on his chainsaw Eagle.  It came out great.  The stripping and sanding has kept him busy for some time.  It wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t have something else in the wings.  He does manage to stay out of mischief.

  I did get a good walk in before the rain hit.  After several loads of laundry, I have been picking out the stitches of an ill placed embroidery design in Megan’s blanket.  It sure does keep me humble.

  Hard to believe the weekend will be here in a wink of an eye.  Labor Day holiday . . . last chance for families as school begins next week for most.  For those that school does not impact . . . a quiet weekend.

   
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  Noreen 3:33 pm on August 31, 2021 Permalink  

  Good Group 

  Today seven of us stitchers meet at Perkins in Mankato for lunch.  It was the first time this year.  With the covid and variants that may bring on new restrictions, it was well needed.  Sharing ideas and what life has dealt each of us since last we met, it was such a great day.

  Dennis’ son had traveled to St. James from up north in a pickup he had borrowed, only to discover the tabs were expired.  Hmm.  Yesterday, Dennis let his son, Ken, have the little red pickup as Dennis knew that a few cocktails would be had when old friends meet and he didn’t want Ken to be stopped for expired tabs on top of things.  What was left in our driveway was a GMC Sierra 4×4 with huge tires on it.  The cab of the truck looked like it was three feet from ground level.

  Tuesdays, Dennis and friend Dwayne go up to McDonalds for morning coffee.  I asked Dennis what he was planning on taking for a ride.  I could easily see him taking the Cub tractor with Dwayne riding on the fender.  Nope he was taking the Sierra.  

  As I was getting ready for my Mankato trip I could hear commotion out the back door.  Dang, I never have an option for a photo when I would like.  What I saw was Dennis plunk down the small stool from the patio porch by the open door of the pickup.  Attached to the leg of the stool was a green bungy cord.  Dennis stood on the stool to get into and onto the driver’s seat and then he preceded to reel the stool up and into the truck via the bungy cord.  The stool was parked beside him on the center console and off Dennis went to pick up Dwayne. 

  I knew Dennis would have Dwayne get into and out of the pickup with the same arrangement with the stool.  Gotta love determination and . . . no fear of retaliation by the rest of the gang at McDonalds.

  We both had a good day with friends.  You really can’t ask for anymore than that.

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on August 26, 2021 Permalink  

  Quiet Day 

  If you are seeking a quiet day and don’t quite know how to pull it off, I have a recommendation.  I can recommend a comfortable chair that can be pulled up to a table top, a pair of tweezers, a seam ripper and a good radio station.  Pick away.  I did do some quilting today and when that petered out, it was time to pick stitches out of the opposite corner of the quilt.  I had thought that doing embroidered motifs on portions of the quilt would really work well . . . not!  Too dense of a stitch for the look.  Why fight it.  Take one stitch out at a time.  I won’t get either the quilting or the picking done today.  Who doesn’t like to have a project waiting in the wings. 

  Dennis also has a project that is taking patience.  The stripping of the chainsaw eagle is going well but slow.  He can really be proud of the results.  Choosing the type of poly spray is for another day.

  This will be my last posting until Monday.  Tomorrow is Friday and we are heading out to Silver Bay in the northeast corner of the state.  Silver Bay is one hour north of Duluth.  Also close to Highway 2 where the fires are.  Dennis has a granddaughter, Taylor, celebrating her 30th birthday. More times than not that branch of the family does the six hour drive south to see family.  The highway does run both ways..  It has been quite some time that Dennis and I have seen the scenery along that way.

  While listening to KDUZ radio, I learned that my cousin’s granddaughter was crowned Princess Kay at the state fair.  I am sure the Litchfield area is popping their buttons.  Sitting in a cooler for eight hours to have her likeness carved in butter would be not the best of all the accolades coming her way, but still quite the honor.  Knowing my cousin Dorothy, she is close at hand for moral support. 

  Have a great weekend and Dennis and I will travel light and safely.

   
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  Noreen 1:55 pm on August 25, 2021 Permalink  

  No Moss Here 

  There is always something happening on Stauffer Avenue. Dennis picked up his friend Dwayne for coffee this morning.  Dwayne fell and broke two ribs and cracked a third.  Though not feeling too perky he was well enough to get out of their apartment.

  Honey Bunny and I managed to pull a few weeds.  After a good rain, they are hard to ignore as they pull easily.  Honey Bunny, the oldest of the three, has been with us since 2009.  She refuses to be picked up but to be knuckle butted on the head.  She stayed until the last of the fallen branches were pick up from the rain storm and then she was off to points unknown.

  I worked in the studio for a while and then moseyed out to the garage after Dennis was home from coffee.  I knew he was ready to have a second opinion on his project.  Over the years our chainsaw Eagle, which is twenty years old and was purchased in Iowa, has been given a refresher or two in regard to a new poly spray job.  What was telling was the areas that had gotten moisture underneath the poly.  That had turned an unattractive gray.   As I had mentioned, there were products purchased at Menards for Dennis to work at stripping the old finish. I think he is doing well.  After I finish with this posting, I am gearing up to help.  Dennis has the bulk of the old removed, now it is the pin feathers that need cleaning.  We have always taken the Eagle in over winters and it has always been set up on bricks to keep water from soaking in from the bottom.

  There is no moss growing on either one of us.  We always find something to take care of.  It’s a good thing.

   
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  Noreen 2:09 pm on August 24, 2021 Permalink  

  Thunder Boomers 

  There were thunder boomers today that left Dennis’ lap too small as the garage kitties all wanted a spot.  Our rain gauge has a leak, but a good inch of rain over these last several days is a guess.

  Before I forget. Making oven meals with egg noodles not being cooked is not something we will do again.  It wasn’t horrible, just not being the tenderest of noodles.  You know the oven meal will be eaten right to the last of the leftover. 

  I was really beat last night for whatever reason.  Energy levels are not consistent.  I went to bed before nine.  I didn’t hear a thing.  Surprise, surprise this morning.  The kitchen had been tidied down to the last dirty dish in the sink from supper.  What had been in the dryer spinning away when I went to bed was neatly folded on the dining room table.  What a treat.  The start of a new day ahead of the game.  The ole cowboy came through just as on many occasions.

  Though it was dark as the ace of spades sometimes this forenoon, the lights were on in the studio.  After working on sandwiching Megan’s quilt this weekend, the safety pins are holding everything in place.  Getting the quilt under the needle is do or die to begin the finishing of it by actually quilting it.  I did try one small embroidery motif.  I may be ripping those stitches out.  I am not sure.  My main goal is to stitch in the ditch enough seams so as to feel confident that all layers will not shift.  This will be a long process so as to not go beyond my daily limits and have more stitches and seams to pick out.  Nephew Brett has always offered his long arm to me for my projects.  Nope . . . my arms wouldn’t be able to take it.  I like my slow and steady way of doing it.  The turtle wins the race.

  Megan and I texted back and forth last night in regard to her first day of her Senior year.  The first day went great but kind of exhausting and overwhelming with a lot coming all at once.  My advice . . . breathe.  I know she will do just fine.  She has a lot of her Grammie in her.  I am not sure if it is a compliment, but Carrie has often said how much of Megan looks like it has rubbed off from me.  Tee Hee!  I love it!

   
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  Noreen 1:52 pm on August 23, 2021 Permalink  

  A Monday 

  Today we entertained a first cousin of Dennis’ from the state of Washington.  Those cousins are few and far in between for Dennis.  It was great to have John visit.  There is 20 years between them.  John could vividly remember that when he was in high school, the family lived at Waseca, his parents had taken their family to the rodeo in town as Dennis had entered the rodeo, riding the bucking broncos and being strapped onto the bucking bulls.  Dennis was in his late 30s.  That might be the answer to some of his aches and pains today.  The visit meant a lot to Dennis.

  I am fortunate that many of my first cousins didn’t stray far from their parental homes.  My cousins from my mom’s side get together once a year at Darwin, near Litchfield, the home of the twine ball. My cousins from my dad’s side have a gathering every three years or so at a rural site near Brownton.  Several of us from either side email, phone and text. Sweet. 

  With the blessing of almost an inch of rain last night, the humidity is rearing its head today.  There might even be a tinge of green showing in the lawns,  It sure perked up the plot of catnip. 

  This morning, I had mixed feelings.  Megan’s first day of her Senior year.  Hmm.  Megan spent a lot of time with us until she started school.  Though Nicholas tagged along with her for stays, Megan is the one that taught us so much in her tender years. Those memories are priceless.

  Out came Mom’s church cookbook for tonight’s supper.  Yesterday, I picked up a few groceries at Cubs before we left Mankato.  As we had had a full day, I picked up some “heat and serve” supper.  Nope.  I would rather cook. This dish tonight is one of Mom’s recipes that she had submitted.  Sauerkraut, browned hamburger, sautéed onions, one can of cream of mushroom soup and wide egg noodles uncooked.  One half cup of water in the bottom of the dish with the noodles and remaining items going in.  Dish is to stay covered for an hour at 350 degrees.  I am thinking the water allows for good steam to be generated to cook the noodles.  There was another recipe submitted also using uncooked wide egg noodles.  It must work.

  The rest of the week is uneventful.  I need some time in the studio . . . it is beckoning me.  I become totally relaxed around my threads and fuzz.

   
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  Noreen 2:26 pm on August 20, 2021 Permalink  

  Hoping for Rain 

  The forecast calls for rain and we are ready for it.  The rain has passed us by too many times.

  I had Dennis’ bedding under control in the laundry and decided to visit June this afternoon.  She has settled into her apartment and living quite nicely.  With the forecast for high winds coming with the rain, she commented that there wouldn’t be any leaf tips or branches in her schedule.  I am really happy for her.  She does make the best oatmeal and raisin cookies.

  Dennis had an eye injection at one today.  We both got home about the same time.  He is down in his recliner with eyes closed.  The shot leaves the eye feeling as if there are granules to blink through for a time.  Knock on wood . . . that is not in my scheme of things.  I have plenty on my plate for now.

  Checking on my stashes in the studio, I do have enough fabric for the back of Megan’s quilt. It’s fabric that has been pre-washed and ready to use.  Checking a little farther, the batting I have will also do.  I do have the batting in the clothes dryer with a damp terry towel.  The heat will allow for all the wrinkles to smooth out as I sandwich the top, the batting and the backing.  This project is getting real.  One step at a time over a period of time is making and allowing my left side, arm and hand to participate.

  Activity in that left arm and left hand require nerve endings to power the muscles and tendons.  Those nerves had been severely impacted by the stroke.  At the very onset I had nothing for movement.  Nerves take a long time to regenerate.  The day I could take the thumb on my left hand and touch the little finger on the left hand was memorable . . . and it took over a month.  Each day requires movement to challenge for more movement.  Each day when the nerves are weary and need to regenerate, the strength in the muscles and tendon is gone.  It’s time to close down for a while.

  I feel so fortunate to be where I am at this point.  It is “this or better.”  I can be left alone in our home to do the laundry and put the bedding back on the bed . . . sweet.  I still have discomfort across my upper chest, but in relationship to the layers that were cut through to allow my ribs to be pried apart for miracle hands to work their magic . . . it’s minimal.  I wonder what size of a “C” clamp they used? 

  The winds are picking up and the skies look as if there is something brewing . . . may it be rains and not storms.

   
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  Noreen 1:13 pm on August 19, 2021 Permalink  

  A Deal was Struck 

  Yesterday I realized that a portion of a five pound bag of potatoes was sitting on the attic steps waiting for . . . something.  I put a deal out to Dennis.  I would chop the onion and boil and peel the eggs if he peeled and boiled the potatoes.  I knew I had him.  He really likes my potato salad.  That was the deal I struck yesterday for today’s events.

  By early morning I got a text from one of the kids and I was already crying over the aroma of a white onion as the chopping ensued.  I like to get going in the morning and get it done.  I did boil the potatoes with the skins on.  Nothing enhances the flavor than what the peelings can add.  True to the deal, Dennis took the skins off of the potatoes with just a skim of a knife.  It will be good eating as I don’t skimp on onions or eggs.

  Yup, another warmer day than I would have enjoyed.  Friday is the day we have a chance for rain.  We have heard that several times with zero amount registering in the gauge.  The blessing is that we have not had any storms. 

  Yesterday, Dennis and I went to our family doctor.  I had not seen him since February.  So many specialists, now it was time for usual and customary.  The specialized meds will need to be stayed on for the full three months since June 15.  I can taper off of them and then be down to my usual high blood pressure that I had been on.  I will be so ready for less is more.

  No lights on in the studio today.  The kitchen duty today was enough.  I can still feel that there is healing going on and pushing it only causes discomfort.  My body does not lie to me.

  Take heart, this hot summer will not last forever.

   
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  Noreen 3:36 pm on August 17, 2021 Permalink  

  Long Year 

  In the early 2020, Dennis had a slight accident.  Dennis backed into and scrapped the siding on our home while also taking off the water faucet.  I know for a fact he immediately contacted our handy man and our plumbers.  After the frost of 2021’s winter, we had our outdoor faucet replaced.  Today, August 2021, we have had the siding replaced.  Our lumber store would not break open a package of siding for replacement pieces.  Our carpenter, Elmer, drove over to Truman which is 20 miles to the south for the replacement pieces.  They were $16.00 each.  We didn’t buck as we just wanted it done.  Yes, either entity would have been welcomed sooner.  Small towns are short of service people for small jobs.  Talk about a long year . . . or two.

  I have kept busy with my head down . . . either reading or sewing.  The fictional book is almost to the last chapter.  Today the last stitch went into the blanket top for Megan’s 2021-2022 graduation year.  I had the 16 blocks embroidered in the winter of 2021.  The luck of the Grammie, I worked through my stashes to find what I needed for the sashing and the corner stones.  My goal was to end up with the 62″ x 50″ that would be a good size to use as a throw.  What was a gamble was the small amount of fabric I had to use as a one inch border to break up the dark blue sashing, as I was using the same fabric in the border.  Perfect.  As of now the studio is dark.  I think I have batting and backing for it.  I won’t know until the lights come on the next time.

  Tonight, it may be warm out, but we are having Shore Land’s Chicken Noodle soup for supper.  Nothing was forth coming when I asked for suggestions.  Take it or leave it.