Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:11 pm on August 20, 2025 Permalink  

  A Wednesday 

  Today seemed as good of a day as any to find the bottom of the laundry basket.  Humid or hot, shed the days clothes at the end of each day and let the shower do a refreshing act.  Nothing feels as good as having clean clothing await one.  If the washer and dryer quit, I would be making sure of a one-day delivery and set-up.

  While everything was humming along on the first floor, my studio needed a tidy, tidy in the worst way.  The embroidery module will be taking a well deserved break.  My tool kit came out on the church tables and I was hunting every last bit of thread and fuzz.  When the sewing machine needle pounds away on anywhere from four to five layers in the embroidery hoop, there is chaff hiding and I mean to find it.  I am not a fan of the canned-air that can be purchased.  The last thing I need is to have threads and fuzz blown in places I can’t get to.  I have some old dental tools that Dennis had for some of his gun cleaning and repairs.  One in particular has a wicked hook on it.

  Needles are very inexpensive and I don’t shy away from replacing them . . . often.  A good needle, a bit of oil in the right places makes for a good experience the next time the studio lights come on.

  With the machine attended to, the next item on the church tables was putting away all the various spools of thread in every color imaginable.  Isacord is the brand of thread Bernina recommended when I bought the sewing machine and I have stuck with it.  The Swiss made a great sewing machine and the Germans manufacture great threads.  I store the threads away from windows.  Sun is not a good mix.  I also store them in numerical order with the tail end on each spool tucked around the base and the base then snaps holding the thread securely.  Can you imagine the mess if there were tail ends measuring in inches and stored willy-nilly.

  The next time I visit the studio, everything is in its rightful place, ready to enjoy. 

  Nicholas started school this week as a six foot tall senior.  Megan shared with us that a testing score that is used for college placement, Nicholas was short one point from the test being at 100%.  Good for Nicholas and perhaps good also for college grants.  Physics . . . I can’t put a spin on that in my real life here on Stauffer.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:55 pm on August 19, 2025 Permalink  

  Job Jars 

  I love it when I can knock off a job jar or even better . . . two.

  With all the rains, there was a small spot where the sidewalk meets the west patio right off of the garage’s service door.  That spot was now sporting thistles, nettle grasses and everything in between.

  I put on my gloves and with Dennis at my elbow, the less than good greens were tackled.  Surprising, a lot of it pulled up by the root.  My favorite hoe is one used by farm workers that work sugar beet fields.  The head is triangular with a long handle.  The closer my hands are to the end of the handle my trajectory will angle the head to slice right underneath the dirt and get at the roots.  Oh yes, it was wet dirt.  After the pile of greenery dries, it will get hefted into the garbage for next Tuesday.  There were some plants that were still showing some green and Dennis followed behind with the brush killer.

  As humid warm . . . hot that it felt outside, I was thrilled to go into the studio and work with Maria’s shop aprons.

  Everything that could go wrong was dealt with yesterday.  When Maria bought the shop on our Main Street during the covid, there was also a shop in Windom that had closed.  Maria’s husband is very handy.  The shop in Windom was called Lilly’s and done in shades of pink.  Those in Windom were thrilled. Even if it meant Lilly’s would only be open three days, Monday, Wednesday and Friday she had eager customers.

  

  Maria loves butterflies.

  Our Main Street shop was closed by the gal looking to retire, so this shop needed some spit and polish.  This shop is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

  Maria is a hard working gal that keeps her LPN license up as well as all the licensing needed for the acrylic nails.  Maria is young enough to me my daughter.  Her youngest child graduates in 2026.  Her two sons have gone on to trade schools for full time jobs.  Where they find time to purchase fixer-uppers is beyond Dennis and me . . . but they do.

  I don’t think there is much that has come easily, including moving her parents, and they are legal, from Texas to live next door to them in one of the homes they have fixed up.  How could I not do something for Maria that she never would have asked for.  The pink shop apron will be worn in Windom.  Her black shop aprons are donned here in the Main Street shop.  Doing something for someone . . . sweet.

  I didn’t count the shop aprons as a job.  I still need to do the second job and that is putting fresh bedding on . . . straight from the laundry.

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on August 18, 2025 Permalink  

  New Week 

  This is Monday, a new week and a new start in the studio.

  I had everything set yesterday when the lights went out in the studio.

  All that was needed this morning was a check on the outside to see if we were going to float away today.  I was up at 4:30 for a bathroom break and the lightning, thunder and rain was just beginning again.  Oh well.

  When it was all systems go, I had not counted on a bad bobbin.  As the logo was beginning, the bobbin set the screen to a total stop.  I had just filled it but I cut the threads and re-threaded the bobbin and the top black thread.  Try, try again with no success.  

  I pulled out a brand new bobbin and filled it.  Just to be on the safe side I checked if there was any bit of a thread under the hood.  After all that everything worked great.  With a computer that masks itself as a sewing machine nothing really surprises me, it just needs time to find out what is at the bottom of the issue.

  I had a reason to look in the book and I have been working with this machine since 2015.  Oh so many millions of stitches and many more to come.  I have realized that if there is a hurry notation on any project . . . forget it.  I think it’s Murphy’s Law . . . what can go wrong will.

  I am about to close the studio down for the day.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:16 pm on August 17, 2025 Permalink  

  A Sunday 

  Any settling that our home needed to have gotten done, must surely have it done by now.  The claps of thunder that went on for hours didn’t leave anything to the imagination.

  When I did get up the patio sidewalk was flooded over.  That had not happened once this early spring or summer.

  I decided what had gotten wet would eventually subside.

  My place this afternoon was in the studio working with my Bernina Tool Box.  I have done two shop aprons for Maria and I knew the design needed to be scrapped.  As hard as I would try, the one butterfly always decided to make a tiny pucker on one side.  Though it didn’t bother Maria, it bothered me.

  Yesterday, I took two additional shop aprons home with me.  Does she expect this from my studio . . . no.  I want to put out an embroidered design that says . . . I care enough to get it right.

  By this mid-afternoon I am satisfied enough to call it a day.  The one design was too dense of stitching, no matter how much stabilizer I threw at it, it would always pucker.  I went online and chose a different butterfly and have done a “what if.”  Tomorrow is another day. 

  The design has been downloaded from a zip to one that the sewing machine likes when it is loaded.  I have tried the singular embroidery.  Success!  Tomorrow I will download that butterfly onto various locations of the 9″ x 5″ total logo.

  For right now, the kitchen needs to be visited as there is no clue hovering about that would make for a supper fare.  Dang!

  I do know that we have had enough rain that a phone text came through from the county that there are areas around us in a flash flood zone.  Hopefully the storms have gotten it out of their system.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on August 14, 2025 Permalink  

  A Difference 

  A few hours in my life can make a huge difference.  Yesterday was a punkie day.  I chose to go to bed at 8:30 last night and just close down.  It didn’t bother me one bit that Dennis had the television on tuned in to 48 Hours, the cops and robbers show while bouncing between the solitaire wins and the gospel music on his laptop.

  I got up once at 3:30 and went back to sleep.  When the coffee pot went off at six this morning, I was awake and ready to start the day.  The ole body had rejuvenated to some degree.  The time in the studio today went much better.

  I am working with Megan to put together a banket for her fellow, Jarrod.  Incorporating the five stitched designs of the Congress of Eagles with printed patriotic panels for the 2026 celebration seemed like a fantastic way for a finish of the cross stitched items.  It sure beats tucking them in a shoe box never to see the light of day again.  I kept the time spent in the studio realistic.

  It has been some time since the temperatures were mild enough to heat up the kitchen by putting the round blue speckled roaster in the oven to put forth a supper.  Using up the 2% milk that is three days past the sell by date for instant mashed potatoes seemed like the perfect pairing.  Waste not. . . want not.

  Dennis has gone out to see his cousin Sam in Riverdale Township this afternoon.  Sam and Maria don’t get out much and enjoy a visit.  Sam’s mother and Dennis’ father were siblings. 

  The mention of siblings brings to mind that I should call my brother.  I did call him on his birthday in June and he wasn’t too chatty.  Try, try, try again.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:47 pm on August 13, 2025 Permalink  

  Wednesday 

  Today is a fairly comfortable day weather wise.

  Today on this fairly comfortable weather day . . . I feel punk.  A feeling of not quite being with it.  I perhaps slept too hard during last night’s slumber.  I woke with the heel of my left foot being in a lot of pain, as if I had jumped off of a huge step and my heel took the brunt of it.  Since getting up this morning, my right arm has no strength in it.  I must have been in a horrible fight during the night.

  I did encourage myself to stick with some of my usual routines.  That took me to the studio.  I do have an on-going project for the sewing machine.  The first twelve inch seam was wrong.  Got the stiletto and picked it out.  When I went to align the second seam I had cut the fabric too short by one inch.  Grr!

  I had always known that when I had reached my 80th birthday, there was bound to be changes.  Maybe I have been too busy being 81 that those changes have slipped my mind.  

  One.  I do protect my immune system.   Large crowds are not for me.  I like to know who I am sharing air with.  Too many that I know believe that their deep hard cough is no big deal.  When the toes on my right foot ached, were red and swollen, I wanted to find out why, and . . . I did.  Arthritis.  Keeping up with levels via a blood workup is important to me.  So far . . . right on.

  Two.  Protein intake is important for me as muscle loss is more prevalent.  Because the right arm is weak today, does not get it off the hook when I need it to do what I need to do.

  Three.  I do stay curious to keep my cognitive reserve up to par.  Twenty questions wouldn’t have anything on me.  I do try to squelch it a bit as people get defensive if the questions come as rapid fire.  Well . . . inform me of what is going on and perhaps the questions could to tapered.

  Four.  Visibility is lost somewhat now that I am 81.  In a gathering, the younger ones gravitate to others similar to their age.  Dennis and I have talked about this to each other after we have come from a gathering we were actually invited to and then ignored.  We can’t help it.  Truth to be told, we have more knowledge and awareness in our little fingers than the whole lot of them.

  Five.  Actual social interaction has taken a back-seat these last years.  I don’t think I am missing out on anything.  I have people that share my interests to communicate with.  I feel totally full on that portion of being 81.

  All in all, having a punkie day is alright with me.  Today is what it is.  When tomorrow shows up, it may be totally different.  Time will tell.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 12:36 pm on August 12, 2025 Permalink  

  Hello Tuesday 

  This Tuesday is a waiting game for me.  We have a funeral midday and starting something in the studio . . . just not doing it for me.  It is a perfect time for me to get a load of light-colored and white clothing into the laundry.  When it’s time for them to be loaded into the dryer, Dennis is on hand.  Today I have two items that I will stand guard over the process as they do not do well after they have been in the heat of the dryer.  Dennis’ help in the swapping process is much appreciated as the left shoulder, arm and hand don’t do well diving down to the depth of the washer to get the clothes hefted into the dryer.  When the clothes are dry, I enjoy standing in front of the unit and folding one piece at a time.  Doing the laundry is very satisfying for me.  Who doesn’t enjoy putting on clean clothing.

  In between time, I have been watching many Bernina YouTubes.  I have had this machine for, I think, seven years.  When there was a chance to have it upgraded via Kelly at the Bird Island Bernina shop, I did it with the cost of $600.00.  This has been the only new machine I have bought since my 1965 Sears machine . . . a workhorse.  This Bernina sewing machine is the last machine I will be purchasing.  It has all the bells and whistles I will need going forward.  I did purchase a Bernina for Carrie several years ago.  It replicates many of the same features as my machine, so I could help her with questions.  It can also do the machine embroidery with the add-on of the embroidery module.  It is just one-step down.  Megan has a Bernina.  It is the machine that my sister-in-law Lois bought for herself when they moved to Decorah.  A wonderful machine that Eric delivered to me after his mom had passed.  Eric had taken it to the shop where Lois had purchased it and it had been serviced before he dropped it off here.  It is in a sweet travel case with the full instruction manual and several additional attachments.

  By the way, the 1965 Sears is still fully functioning.  It has been at Carrie’s and will come back to Stauffer Avenue and then it will go to Bird Island for Kelly to service it.

  Dennis and I have agreed to go to the Home Town Cafe after the funeral.  What a sweet way to end a Tuesday.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:12 pm on August 11, 2025 Permalink  

  A Necessity 

  After a good run in the studio, it is a necessity to get it cleaned up.  It would not be good to have a seam that needed to be mended to only find the sewing machine was not ready.

  I began with using the old Filter Queen Vacuum for the table tops and the floor.  I knew Saturday had been just as long of a day for Megan as it was for me.  It was more important Saturday that she get home safe.  Today gave me a chance to tuck away all the bits and bobs of sewing items that had been taken out of their storage.  The sewing machine was tidied very slowly.  Amazing how a thread can travel into the deepest, darkest places under the hood.  Several different tweezers got the job done.  A bit of oil and a brand new needle made for the next project to be taken on.

  As we have a funeral to attend this week, I do have a box on the shoulder-high shelf that has some choices of condolence cards.  As I was taking the box off of the security of the shelf, my hand slipped.  The box and all of its contents spilled onto the floor in a five foot wide arc around me.  Nothing to do but get to it and clean it up.  Lots of goodies were in that box.  Some new cards, some old goodies and lots of memories.

  One slip of paper caught my eye as I was picking the contents of the box off of the floor.  It warrants sharing.  “Contentment is a moral excellence.  Contentment without external honor is humility.”  Nothing more needs to be added.

  I did find a card that brought that adventure on.  The box has been returned to the shelf that is the height of my shoulders.

  The air quality is that of a low slung haze when I look out.

  Dennis’ secret sliced cucumber with onion deliquesce will be added to the chicken tenderloins for our supper.  Sweet.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:09 pm on August 10, 2025 Permalink  

  Happy Comfortable Sunday 

  I realize we had rain over night as the deck and drive was wet with the last of the thunder when I got up.

  Yesterday, I had a very full, busy day with Megan on board in the studio.  Megan arrived at ten in the forenoon and we went immediately to the studio for a one-day stitch.  The objective was to sew a pair of pajamas.  Oh yes . . . it was very stretch fabric.  It took Megan several minutes to re-acquaint herself with my sewing machine.  It had been five years since she had used the sewing machine.  The Simplicity pattern was used to cut out the fabric.  Using all the best practices that YouTube could offer it was time to get some seams sewn.  A nip here, a tuck there and the day sped on.  Alterations took most of the time.  No two body proportions are equal.  Simplicity takes the middle of the road.

  Of course we took a turkey, cheese, lettuce,  mayo on soft rye sandwich early afternoon break.  Dennis came down into the studio and was content sitting and watching Megan as she manned the sewing project.  I can only imagine the memories he was recounting.

  As we were winding down, I asked Megan if she would tackle another pair of pajamas using similar fabric.  Without hesitation she was sure she would knowing more about the “how to go about stitching on stretchy fabric.”  I tucked a package of the stretch needles and a roll of the Wonder Stitch into the Simplicity pattern envelope.  She had been amazed at how the Wonder Stitch held the seams and helped in the hemming process.  I knew she would not be able to find the Wonder Stitch very easily now that JoAnne’s is no more.

  By five-thirty we bid Megan and her finished pajamas a “see you again.”  I was happy when we got a text from Megan that she was home safe and sound.

  Admittingly, this Gramme was weary.  I had wanted so badly for this experience to go well for Megan that she would tackle another such project.

  Today the two older ones on Stauffer Avenue are having a quiet day.  Tomorrow my be a tidy, tidy in the studio.  Megan’s fabric left little tuffs here, there and everywhere.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:26 pm on August 8, 2025 Permalink  

  A Day 

  This is a humid nasty day.  Anything taken out of the refrigerator needs to have a towel, paper or otherwise, underneath it to soak up the sweat.

  No studio lights were turned on today.  Nothing needed t be accomplished.  As is my usual, I don’t leave anything to the last moment.  The cat that has be wrestling around in the bag can now be brought out as I just stated I don’t leave anything to the last moment to thus make a crisis.  Tomorrow Megan is coming!  Yaa!  Megan has ask my help with a sewing project.  Yup, you guessed it.  It is a stretchy sewing project.  All the prep that was possible has been done and now we will find out the rest of the story when she arrives.  Needless to say, we are excited to see Megan.

  It’s not uncommon that the first floor of our home gets the after-thought when it comes to the tidy, tidy when I have juicer items going on in the studio.  This morning with my cup of coffee still half full and me in my bathrobe, I had the vacuum going.  I get my best tidy, tidy done in that garb . . . nothing restricting the movement of diligence.  I happened to glance up and saw my friend Maria park in our drive.  She retrieved a plastic bag from the back seat of her car and was headed for the front door.  I didn’t even get the vacuum shut off as I wanted to greet her.  In the past, not wanting to disturb us she has left a bag of goodies on the front deck.  My pink robe and a very disheveled occupant greeted Maria.  Farmer’s Market had just been greeted at the front door.  Sweet.  Green peppers, cucumbers, onions and cherry tomatoes all in her parcel.  You’ve heard the adage, “only your hairdresser knows.”  Maria was on her way to open her salon and stopped to see us first.  Maria was beautiful in a bright red top with not a hair out of place.  She got a good first hand look as to how much her skills are needed.  We hugged it out and she was on her way.

  It is now the afternoon.  I went off to the grocery store to make sure we had some of Megan’s favorites on hand for tomorrow.  When I got home Dennis already had several cucumbers peeled and sliced and was tackling the onion.  Bless his heart.  Now . . . why didn’t his eyes tear up in doing the onion?  Mine were already watering just by coming into the kitchen.

  All that activity and Tom is mowing the yards.  Much accomplished on Stauffer Avenue.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥