Me, Myself and Memories

Recent Updates Page 159 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 3:30 pm on January 16, 2022 Permalink  

  Lena 

  I am so like my mom, Lena.  There was nothing that she wasn’t up for in the world of sewing.  One thing I am not . . . is the baker that she was.  It would have put Martha Stewart to shame.  Confectioneries of all sorts were at our home to enjoy at Christmastimes.  During an average week she could very well hand donuts for Raymond to enjoy for afternoon coffee.  The donut holes she saved for us kids.  The water from boiling potatoes during the week was saved for the white yeast bread that was baked on Saturday.  The enriched water with the nutrients from the potatoes being boiled added extra taste as well as the homemade bread staying a bit more moist.  In today’s grocery stores the potato bread from various high name brands will likely sell for $3.89 a loaf.  

  What I do resemble in Lena is my curiosity in fighting my way through patterns in the studio. Many need to be read over and over to get the full drift.  And . . . sometimes a prototype needs to be made to get the kinks out.  Lena would use bleached muslin for her “what ifs.”  I have some fabric pieces that have been given to me that would not work well in a finished piece I am working on.  The thread count and the grudge fabric that the printed design was printed on, would not wear well in a quilt that I would be working on.  On the flip side, there have been many quilts made out of printed feed sacks that were purchased with chicken feed concentrate inside a 100 lb. sack.  It was not unusual that there would be a request of the farmer, from the home front, to pick out more than one sack with the same design on it, this yielding several yards of usable fabric.  

  Today, I toughed it out in the studio, though a bit chilly.  You’ve guessed it.  We have kept our home a bit cooler this winter.  As long as I had on good shoes, my feet didn’t draw the cold from the cement floor.  Kevin offered a hemmed carpet piece that he has in storage, but with pins being dropped and threads that weave themselves beyond what my Filter Queen vac can handle, I do prefer a bare concrete floor.  My Swiffer can do a great job.  When stitching a project it means a lot of moving from the sewing machine, to the ironing board and to the cutting table.  It is when I sit for too long of a period of time, that there can be problems in the back and hips.  Gotta keep moving.

  As cloudy as it is, it might not feel like 33 degrees out, but there are bare spots showing in the sidewalk.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:20 pm on January 15, 2022 Permalink  

  Saturday the 15th 

  With much of the snow lying where it fell, it is super bright outside.  Every make of vehicle that can pull a trailer with a snowblower on it is out and about.

  Dennis waited until Randy had blown the driveway off before he suited up to tidy around our doorways.  It took until noon before it was above zero.

  Today the Christmas wall hangings have been taken down and tucked away and the Christmas valences are also down.  Dennis thought I had better look through my totes for some wall hangings to put up as the house looked bare. 

  The wall hanging over the front door window is called “Let it Snow.”  Decades ago it was the perfect pattern to use up dozen of the small buttons from the Fairfax button tree.  When the heat run is going the four panels do a bit of a wiggle.  The front door may have a bit of a draft and the wall hanging acts as a buffer.  Homes that are a hundred years old are allowed a few infractions.

  The living room north wall is ready for all things spring like and sweet.  This is one of a few that I still did all the hand sewing an inch apart for the waffle weave appearance.  The applique work of the hearts and the basket of flowers were a challenge, even at that time.  It was done when the hands were nimble and tired little.

  Several years ago while us stitchers were on a retreat, my friend Sharon clued me in on the packet of designs for machine embroidery barns.  I couldn’t wait to get the packet downloaded.  I did three pillows for family, as well as a three-barn design for a table topper for my nephew’s home.  I had to make a wall hanging for our stairwell.  The wall hanging designs were done on synthetic suede that I had had in my stashes for a long time.  It worked up great. 

  With Dennis spending time with his walk-behind snowblower, I decided to see what was in the freezer for supper.  Though we had a Dennis-made chicken oven meal earlier this week, there were some frozen chicken breasts that needed to get out of the bottom of the freezer, along with the last bag of frozen carrot rounds.  Dennis had used canned chicken which can be a bit bland.  I diced up my chicken and pan fried them after tossing them in seasoned breading that had turmeric powder, Bisquick and cinnamon in the mix.  The egg noodle pasta took second fiddle to the chicken, carrots and bright green peas.  Talk about a bright fresh looking oven dish that had Alfredo sauce to blend all. 

  All is well on Stauffer Avenue.  I do plan on spending some time in the studio tomorrow.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:03 pm on January 14, 2022 Permalink  

  So Much Whiteness 

  We were told about this storm, so no surprises.

  After getting some bedding going, I retreated to the studio.  Yesterday I was invigorated to put out a few stitches today.  A group of like-minded individuals can do that for me.  Getting together with stitchers is not a new thing.

  When Orlin and I were farming in Boon Lake township, my mom, Lena, had gotten me involved with the Riverdale Quilting Club.  Once a month we met at someone’s home that had a quilt frame up for either hand sewing a quilt or yarn tying a quilt.  Often a dining room table was pushed to the side and there would be three of us to either side of the length of the quilt frame.  As we worked the length for as far as our arms would reach across, the quilt frame was rolled for new area to be worked.  For the most part a group of five or six of us could get a full sized quilt done in a day.  Whomever hosted the group would have a hot dish or sandwiches for a quick noon meal.  On rare occasions when fancy stitching was called for the hostess would have finished it on her own in days to come.

  I would join the group after morning chores and after Carrie was on the Hutchinson school bus.  Kevin would get packed up with me, complete with his choice of toys in a bag.  Of course the place that we quilted at would have a basket of grandchildren’s toys that would be fresh for Kevin to play with.  I was the youngest of the quilters and I enjoyed learning the tricks of the trade.

  Even after we had moved out of the area and Lena had a quilt up, I would enjoy helping her when we visited.  After we moved to the Madelia area, Orlin put together a quilt frame for me.  There is a variety of red fabrics that constitutes a quilt pattern called Jacob’s ladder in my closet.  That is the quilt I pieced and hand sewed for Kevin’s bed.  Oh so many stitches.

  My enjoyment of getting together with the group of women once a month at Baker’s Square, harkens back to the decades ago when the same kind of enjoyment was had at the Riverdale Quilting Club.  

  The heavy snow we are having today will allow for a quiet world as the wind may pick up.  Neighbor Randy is already doing a swipe at what has fallen so far.  Jan had shared with me at Christmas that Randy was just itching for snow to move with his long green line.  Randy is getting his wish today.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:27 pm on January 13, 2022 Permalink  

  What a Group 

  What a great group of gals to get together with.  All of us are stitchers and we all enjoy different niches in our projects.  It doesn’t hurt that Baker’s Square doesn’t mind that we stay for three hours while we chew, drink coffee and visit.  Show and tell doesn’t hurt either.

  When I came home this afternoon, the house smelled oh so good!  It was a pan of blueberry scones that Dennis had made.  They may be made up from a frozen state, but they are Dennis’ go to yummy for his breakfasts.  They are a bit too rich for me. 

  When I left Mankato it was 34 degrees and as I drove into our drive it was 26 degrees.  The snow is scheduled to start during the early Friday morning hours.  We have nothing where we need to be this weekend and we will take the weather as it comes.

  It’s time to catch up with Dennis and see what he has been up to while I was gone.

  It will be a more newsy day tomorrow as I am at a loss for words after having three hours of chatting.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:10 pm on January 12, 2022 Permalink  

  No Snow 

  Hard to believe we have no snow to speak of on the ground.  That may change on Friday.

  I took advantage of a great sunny afternoon with good road conditions to deliver some items to the Fairfax team.  Kevin was surprised to see me, just as Kersten was when I stopped in to see her at Casey’s.  

  Today would have been a day that Raymond and Lena would have had decades ago.  Dad had a small pickup and on a moment’s notice they would be on the road for the merest of errands.  This is what parents did then and this is what I did today.  I treat myself for little in comparison to what I hear about town.  

  Dennis encourages me to get out and about.  Considering what the first half of 2021 had in store for me, my spur of the moment trips are minimal.  It literally does my heart good to score hugs in the middle of the week as well as one when I get home. 

  The oven dish from last night made a huge batch.  Dennis took a dish to share for his friend Lyle’s supper this afternoon.  It will be a treat compared to leftovers from the community’s noon Meals on Wheels.

  All three of the patio porch kitties flew the coop this afternoon.  Who could blame them.  42 degrees in mid January is priceless.  I plan on following suit tomorrow to see what my fellow stitchers have to share at Baker’s Square.  Making miles while the weather holds.  Sweet.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:24 pm on January 11, 2022 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  Nothing feels as great as coming home from a road trip.  

  Today we met with Dennis’ surgeon that will be doing surgery on Dennis January 21st.  A portion of the metatarsal will be removed that has contracted a bone infection.  Nothing that Dennis could have done to prevent this.  It may have something to do with the fact that Dennis has gout in his system, but that also is not 100% sure.  In 1947 this surgeon’s grandpa set Dennis’ right leg when he had slipped on the ice tending cattle.  Small world indeed.  It will be a one-day surgery.  When we find out the time, we need to be there 30 minutes prior, and Dennis will be safe and sound in his own bed that evening.

  All that we need to do between now and the 21st is to keep Dennis nourished and hydrated.  Dennis wants to do his part.  We got home at 1:30 and now here we are with a chicken pasta oven meal for supper, completely prepared by Dennis.  Dishes for the prep are washed and I need to put them away.  I stayed out of the kitchen and made a trip to our grocer for a few items, complete with vanilla ice cream.

  It is 46 degrees this afternoon and whatever ice there was under foot is gone, replaced by some puddles.  When we got home we chatted across the fence with neighbor Randy.  Thank goodness they are feeding the three young deer that come every evening.  Dennis had talked of it, but getting the heavy bags of corn where they need to be in the garage is not what he is up for right now, and I sure would not be any help.  This year we will leave it to Randy and Jan, thank goodness for young neighbors.

  I will say, with the sun shining into our home, the living room looks naked with no Christmas decorations.  One of these years as I hit closer to being a little weird, I may leave it all up year round.

  Tomorrow I have PT and we will see where I am on the meter of wellness.  Speaking of wellness . . . on the news there was mention of booster shots given continually as they are cautious of them wearing off.  My thought . . . how much foreign stuff would be injected into me before my natural immunity would be destroyed.  I worked hard to walk in chicken poop and drink from a rusty garden hose that also was left floating in the stock tanks.  I like my immunity.

   
• 

  Noreen 2:45 pm on January 10, 2022 Permalink  

  A Busy Day 

  It was time to take the Christmas tree down.  It seems as if Thanksgiving was yesterday. 

  The storage container for the Christmas items came out of the closet.  I have several Christmas stockings that never have any goodies put into them and hung.  What I do use them for is to wrap the Dept. 56 nativity in tissue and then fill the stockings up with the treasures.  No clanking of glass against glass.  The plastic storage container holds 99% of what we have out for Christmas.  It does get heavy.  The counted cross stitch framed Santas are remaining on the living room walls for now.

  Our pencil thin 7′ Christmas tree seems to have grown beyond the box that it came in when I purchased the tree at Michael’s in 2020.  Thank goodness for 3M strapping tape.  That Christmas tree box is put in the corner against the wall in the closet.  The heavy plastic storage container sits on top of the tree box.  I told Dennis if he ever hears an explosive sound in the middle of the night, it most likely is the strapping tape that has succumb to the pressure of a Christmas tree that wants out.  It is easier for us to keep the tree and the decorations in the main floor closet than wrestling it up and down the steep attic steps.  

  While I took care of Christmas past, Dennis had his own project.  Our wooden toilet stool lid cracked.  That could have been as serious as in days of old when a swing set that had the sea-saw attachment would pinch tender skin if the operator sat too close to the action.

  We had a new plastic toilet stool lid purchased and Dennis took it on as a DIY project today.  Bless his heart as he got down on the bathroom floor to work the threaded nylon screws and turn buckles that needed to be accessed from the bottom of the stool.  Yes . . . I promised to pull him out by the pant legs if he needed to get a bit farther away from his job.  Fear not . . . all went well.

  For a job well done, Dennis is getting pan fried chicken titties for supper and my choice of veggies to go with the potatoes.

  Tomorrow we meet with Dennis’ favorite podiatry surgeon in Mankato.  We are excited to hear what is next on the docket, hopefully soon for a one-day surgery on the metatarsal bone.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:08 pm on January 9, 2022 Permalink  

  Contentment 

  I have the same degree of contentment in my studio as Lena did in her sewing room.  She had the advantage of natural daylight from the north windows.  LED lights that are in my studio were not even thought of in her day of sewing.

  Dennis had made plans to go to the Northrup school for a trade show.   I knew he would find plenty of buds to catch up on.  Seeing what is for sale gives him food for thought on the items Dennis still has in his collection. There is something about these trade shows that make the offerings of potato salad and Bar-B -Qs taste extra inviting. 

  Before I came down to the studio there was plenty to keep me busy on the main level of our home. I had boxed up the jigsaw puzzle pieces and it was time to take down the card table from my west bedroom.  It had taken a fair amount of real estate.  Hello . . . I couldn’t get the legs to collapse.  Out came the silicone spray and those hinges that had some rust . . . worked like a charm.  I will be making room for it in the basement.  The damp air in the garages does not help and they are too pricey to replace.  There is one more in the garage that needs to come in.  The two oldest ones I give my blessings to remain in the garage.  When and if we have large Curry picnics the kids can carry them up and out for the event and then put them back.

  It didn’t take me long to find my niche in the studio.  As the embroidery module stitched I did do some tidy, tidy.  It is always more desirable when it looks as if I am entering a brand new studio to spend time in.  Would I like a larger home so I could stitch with natural lighting on the main level?  No!  I would be all over the area and not have enough control to keep it within any range of normalcy.  Dennis would be eating off of his lap in one corner.  The way our home is now, makes me more responsible to keep things in a balance of order.  When thing get out of hand, I get crabby.

  I do believe I will have to get some groceries in the house tomorrow.  I know I am out of my essentials for breakfast: yogurt, flax meal and apple sauce.  The apple sauce does wonders to absorb into what would be very dry flax meal.  

  Is there snow in the future?  I could not tell you.  Waking and sticking my head out a window is as serious as I get for long range forecasts.  Contentment will follow as the day is taken as it comes.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:16 pm on January 8, 2022 Permalink  

  A Different Day 

  When the temps are reasonable it feels like a different day. . . in a good way.

  It was a very gray day but who cares.  I had better energy than I have had for some time.

  I hit the studio running today.  I had a shirt to hem and also a pair of PJs.  Everything went so well it was fun and I was sad when both items were completed.  I will resume with some embroidery blocks in the Red White and Bloom project.   All I need to do is put the embroidery module on and change threads.  All of that will be for tomorrow.  Giving the hands and arms a break from sewing goes a long way for feeling like tackling the next day’s project.

  I did take some breakfast coffee and finish the jigsaw puzzle.  I enjoyed the challenge.  So far I am 2 for 2 in doing a puzzle in each of the last two January’s.  I know I won’t repeat doing this one again.  I was pleased that I had not lost a piece.  On last year’s puzzle, when I finished, I had to draw an area on the box as there was a missing piece.

  Dennis is making supper this evening.  He has been coasting on being hands on in the kitchen since Christmas.  I think when we had soup last night for supper, I might take a second run at soup and he was ready for something more substantial.  I am staying out of the kitchen and giving him free range, literally.

  We may have a cold snap but then a reprieve.  A day such as today gives us hope.  I think it is 60 days until spring.

   
• 

  Noreen 3:12 pm on January 7, 2022 Permalink  

  Bears 

  I totally understand why bears hibernate in the winter.  If not for a bathroom call I would stay under the flannels a lot longer in the morning.  Once I am up, I tend to stay up and begin the day.  Dennis can nap off and on all during the day.  I value a good night’s rest too much to mess that up with naps.

  In the cold, a pair of cardinals stood out in the evergreen boughs.  Those tiny little legs amaze me as to how they can stay warm.

  Reading took a huge amount of time today.  The remaining afternoon I spent on the jigsaw puzzle.

  Soup is what is for supper tonight.  Some hot buttered toast will round out the meal.

  Obviously, not having much of an agenda on these cold days leaves me with little to report on.  I have had a flood of thoughts as I work on the jigsaw puzzle, but some are not that kind, so I will keep them to myself.  Trying to sort through family dynamics is not for the faint of heart.  Thus I will say a prayer of thanks for my two children and for Dennis.  

  Perhaps tomorrow will bring more positives to the forefront of my thoughts.