Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:08 pm on January 22, 2026 Permalink  

  Tinkle, Tinkle 

  With the wind gusts, there is . . . here a tinkle, there a tinkle.  I am amazed that the chimes are still in the evergreen on the northwest corner of the home for as much as they have been whipped around.  The small flag at the end of the front sidewalk is also flying proudly, never missing a beat.

  This morning, I nestled under the covers a bit longer than I had intended to.  I knew what the day had been promised.  So . . . it was 8:30 when I hauled myself out of bed.  I will admit that with my bedroom porch having three exterior walls, eight windows and one front door . . . once the decision has been made to get up out of bed, I keep moving.  The first cup of coffee goes down quickly.  That cup comes out of the cabinets on the north wall of the kitchen.  It’s a good thing the coffee pot brews at a high temperature.  That first cup of coffee cools down to drinking temps quickly.

  After a bit, I left the washing machine doing its thing and I headed to the studio.  I said I would do a thorough cleaning of the sewing machine and I set about it.  One of the features that my hands enjoy is that whether I sew a flat stitch that is four feet in length or four inches, the sewing machine will cut the threads.  No scissors need to be handled.  There is also a feature to then clean the cutters.  Small thread lengths and fuzz can get caught up under the stitch plate that need removing.

  On Facebook, I belong to a group specifically geared to the 770 Bernina sewing machine.  I cannot believe the amount of posts that are about complaining of various problems with the machine.  Each machine came with a very detailed operator manual.  I can tell by the posts that most have not read the manual.  In the ten years I have had my machine, I cannot think of any issue with it that has not been explained to me either by reading or by YouTube.  When I clean the machine and oil it, I treat it with the utmost of gentle movements on my part so as to not bend anything or force anything.  As I mentioned, some must really like toting the 70 lb. plus machine into their dealer often as they have screwed up.

  I will admit I usually have my machine into Bird Island, aka: Kelly every year before winter sets in.  The early winter of 2025 messed me up.  Kelly takes it down to the bones for careful servicing.  This year, I plan on doing it by my birthday the end of March.  When Kelly does work on it, no one is allowed in his area to cause any static.  It is a computer and many things need to be honored as he works.

  The studio also got a few other perks done to it today.  I put labels on several totes.  Took a deep breath and then tossed some small scraps into the circular file.  Yup, it hurt.  I don’t plan on doing anything with scraps less than 2″ x 2″ . . . not anymore. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:32 pm on January 21, 2026 Permalink  

  Surprise 

  This morning I realized that there had been snow showers sometime.  The temp was 21 and it didn’t take me long to suit up and use the leaf blower from our back door to the garage service door.  Next was the front deck and sidewalk.

  With a cup of coffee, I headed to the studio.  First thing first . . . lots of lights turned on.  Let me tell you, I was surprised when I tuned in KNUJ and the first thing I heard was the vast number of school closings.  I had missed that.  I will let the weather do its own thing, I am on a mission.

  My mission for the day was to wrap up a sewing project that seems to have gone on forever.  Well, actually, it was started at Thanksgiving time.  Nothing more than a lot of straight seams to sew.  At 1:30, I shut off all the lights.  I was allowing a pressed quilt top that measures 56″ x 80″ to have the church tables all to itself.  Mission completion.  The attention to detail made this project a sweet one indeed.  Perhaps a little less detail going forward might very well be just as satisfying. 

  Tomorrow there will be plenty of time to clear off the remaining clutter of leftover scraps, stray pins and such.  From there I will move on to service the sewing machine. 

  The wind has punch when the gusts hit and bring on a white-out.  Just as quickly the sun settles everything down and it looks balmy. 

  We have no where to be, but safe and sound in our home.  My wish is also that for all the family members.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:28 pm on January 20, 2026 Permalink  

  Snow 

  Today is Tuesday the 20th of January.

  As I type there is very fine snow coming down.  Most likely that one inch that KNUJ was mentioning this forenoon.

  I had a great session in the studio.  For the quilt borders to be sewn onto the 54″ x 74″ beauty, I am using as much of the 2.5″ fabric as possible that was left over from the stitching.  The longer I work with this quilt top, I really like it. 

  

  Today, I had to use an older photo of the color-way as the photo option for loading photos since then has not been successful.  One more day and this project will be finished.  I have 108″ fabric that would work for the backing.  I really do not need to go beyond the quilt top.  No one in the family is in need or wanting a quilt right now.  I will add the beauty to the tote where other quilt tops in various hues are waiting in the wings.

  The longer I type the snow is beginning to flake.  A very peaceful scene.  

  I stepped out onto the front deck when I saw the mail person headed our way as I was expecting a delivery that I would take from her directly.  When I stepped back into the house, I left very muddy shoe impressions on the floor.  There was enough snirt on the decking to collect on the shoes.  Not surprising from the horrific winds we have had.  These new flakes will put a fresh white cover to it all.

  What had come in the mail was a pair of seatbelt extensions that the belt clasp can click into for our car.  The car’s hook-up seems to be a different feel for Dennis from his little red pickup.  Dennis took them right out to the garage and reported that it made a significant improvement.  Finding solutions is just a click away on the world wide web.

  We met the most important objective of the day and that was having the garbage bin out for pick-up.  Whew!

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:27 pm on January 19, 2026 Permalink  

  Good Start 

  When I got up this morning, it felt as if I had just gone to bed.  A good night’s rest of hours of deep sleep.  I had to look twice to realize that the morning was in full gear.

  This Monday was a good start.  It was the start of me getting back into the studio.  It had been two weeks.  I missed my space and I missed the news from KNUJ.

  Staying on the first floor while I had a cold was a smart move on my part.

  By getting back into the studio for several hours this forenoon gave me back a sense of balance for my day.  A routine that allows the feeling that, yes . . . I am able to do what feels good and I can do good at my sewing.  That quilt top that has been under the needle for what seems like months is finally being measured up for some borders.  I have options of fabrics on the table and the goal is to use most of it up.  Not liking unfinished projects, I hope to finish the project up this week.  Of course, I have something waiting in the wings.

  The hand stitching is a good thing to fall back on but not as a full time endeavor for the days.

  Yesterday, cousin Mark shot off a photo to me of a quilt top he had just finished.  He followed up with a good phone conversation.  His friend had requested a quilt from Mark.  Mark found the king-sized quilt kit on the market-place via Facebook.  It included fifteen yards of fabric plus the quilting design for a long arm quilter to finish it by following the pieced top.  That had the $50.00 price tag still on the packet.  The top will be handed off and the finishing will be done by the friend and his wife.  Mark had made a great score.  Mark’s job is as a head mechanic at a huge printing site in Hastings.

  This evening our supper will be hearty bean and ham soup with a side of a fried egg sandwich.

  No appointments this week.  Sweet.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:20 pm on January 18, 2026 Permalink  

  Blustery 

  Cloudy, blustery, windy, cold, snowing . .  all of that.  I couldn’t think of any more words right now to describe this day.

  I am staying in the stitching spot in my bedroom porch perched upon my cherry red chair.

  There is very little traffic today.  What there is every once in awhile are the largest feather like flakes that get captured in a wind tunnel before they are released.

  I had an order coming from Amazon.  It was my luck that the mail was delivered while Tom and Sandy were here.  I had ordered a bed rail for my bed.  There is a tail to be told here.  I had succeeded in making a rut in my bed, sleeping on the farthest north side on my right shoulder protecting the left.  It was a good rut by all standards.  I decided to begin sleeping on the opposite end of the bed.  It was like sleeping on a new mattress.  Sweet.

  I soon found out that my habit of having the door frame to reach out for and to while getting out of bed was no longer.  These bed rail prongs slip under the mattress a good three feet and give a very solid feeling.  This morning it felt good having something solid under the hand.  An easy solution. 

  The good news is that my cold has decided to give up.  Dennis’ cold is close behind.  Dennis bundles up when going to take care of the livestock.

  The tuna sub really hit the spot last night.  I had slipped in the ripe olives on the list of ingredients.  No mention was made.  Several sandwiches ago I had added the green peppers.  Tee-hee!

  This evening we are having chicken pot pies via Maria’s from our freezer. A hardy enough supper from two that have not done much today.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:14 pm on January 17, 2026 Permalink  

  Saturday the 17th 

  With the wicked wind, which way is up.  I was sure that during last night’s rest my bedroom porch would blow away right under me.  The chimes and our little flag never got a break.  The salt we had put down yesterday was still trying to keep the backdoor able to be stepped out of before the snow that had blown in.  It is winter time for sure.

  Randy from next door did a wonderful job on the concrete drive.  With the wind blowing, there may be some drifting.  I had put on my face mask and my gloves and with the leaf blower the front deck and sidewalk got cleaned.  Just let your imagination go for you; the front door can be seen from the street as it opens just a crack.  Then a black snout comes out from the opened door on ground level and there is a blizzard forthcoming.  Yup, within the swirling snow a white-haired masked person comes out waving the leaf blower as if it were ready for the last showdown.  Well . . . you all get it.  The front deck had been cleared.  I’m telling you, the folks across the street are missing out on a great video.

  Daughter, “Nurse Sandy” and Tom came from Mankato today.  Sandy needed to make sure that Dennis was doing well.  Dennis passed the inspection with flying colors.

  It was great visiting with Sandy and Tom, catching up on the world of New Ulm nursing and Tom’s concrete work being dormant during this spell.  Sandy said the job-jar is catching hell.

  This evening we are having Subway.  It being rather dastardly out, Sandy went and fetched the Subway for us before they left town.  They were then on their way to a hockey function in Mankato.

  A good day all around.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:31 pm on January 16, 2026 Permalink  

  Already Over Half 

  Blink, blink, where did the first half of January go!

  I thought we would have gotten more snow.  I looked out and there were bare spots on the concrete.  Dennis had barely gotten out of the door heading for the patio porch when he did an about-face coming in for the empty Folger’s coffee can that we keep full of ice by the back steps.  There was the rest of the story.  Rain before the snow.

  I called Aunt Janet this noon.  Janet has been pretty content staying in her home since Christmas and doesn’t feel as if she is missing anything.  Now that I have completed my doctor appointments and Dennis has completed his, I don’t feel the need to go out and about.  Dennis has several fellows that stop in and see him in the patio porch and with them comes all the latest and greatest of gossip.

  I find plenty of entertainment with either YouTube or Hulu.  Dennis wrangles his way around Facebook.  I would never have guessed that there are full episodes of history articles and such.  He prefers his laptop over our Samsung television.  We watch news from five to six and then . . . enough is enough.

  The studio has been calling.  Having had a cold linger into the second week, everything in the studio is on hold.

  Supper is Fluffy Ego Waffles and Jimmy Dean’s precooked sausages.  Yup, we tried a different brand but flavor won the battle.  Keeping it real . . . at the age that both of us are, we like what we like.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:23 pm on January 15, 2026 Permalink  

  A Report 

  On this Thursday, I am here to report on my appointment of yesterday with Dr. Haley in Mankato.  It was the first time I had met him as my previous doctor had left.

  The echo that I had had a week ago, was brought up on the screen.  There were many images that were enlarged and paused as the doctor looked and looked.  He took time out to listen to my heart while I breathed and while I did not.  Back to the images.

  In discussion Dr. Harley did not believe that there would be a positive out-come if the strand that remains on the valve would release and cause a second stroke.  Nor did he think having a second open-heart surgery to remove the remaining strand would serve me well.  I did hear that loud and clear.

  What is serving me well is good blood pressure readings consistently and that the blood work-up was all in the normal range.  He made reference to the fact that as I can do much of what I had done prior to the stroke in various maneuvers, that I should build on that and dial down on the excursion while doing those things.  His example . . . the heart beats as a balloon filled with water . . . very little pressure for it to respond.  In the aging process there may be a bit of thickening to the heart walls, making for more pressure needed for the same result.  In other words . . . show the 81 year old heart that had has already made it through some traumatic situations some grace and not push it just because I can. 

  Dr. Harley said he would discuss my case with Dr. Klarich to see if the TEE, camera being swallowed, needed to be done, or yearly echocardiograms.  No news will be good news on that front.

  I am the only one that can take the advice.  It was good advice that needs to be applied each day here on Stauffer Avenue.  All good things are worth striving towards.

  With that I will take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 3:33 pm on January 13, 2026 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 13th of January 

  My Tuesday forenoon took me to the grocery store.  I might have said in my blog of yesterday that Dennis and I were headed to the store.

  Well . . . that never happened.  Dennis was standing by the back door and his legs went out from under him.  The slow decline of standing and then slumping down in a sitting position had enough momentum that his body turned 45 degrees.  There was nothing to stop his body from sliding down the basement concrete steps head first.  His legs were on the bottom two steps and his head was on the basement floor.

  I didn’t even say anything or ask any questions of Dennis, I dialed 911.  Dennis was conscious and trying to move his limbs.  I did not touch Dennis but assured him help was on the way.  I stepped outside as there was nothing I could do.  There were two men running up to our home before the ambulance arrived.  A half block from our home the city crew was working, some apparently on the ambulance squad.  When their pagers went off they ran to our home.

  I put my hands in my pockets.  Two nurses and five men worked to get Dennis flat on the basement floor, beginning their evaluation.  Dennis was talking and answering questions.  Out of the ambulance came a folded looking chair full of straps.  Dennis sat in it and was tethered in with his head secured in a brace from the back of the chair.  It took the five men to get Dennis up the steps and outside.  By that time the two nurses had a gurney on the driveway by the back door.  The chair began collapsing and Dennis was almost flat when he was lifted from that chair onto the gurney with blankets being wrapped around and over him.

  All of this happened around one thirty.  I sat in the ER waiting room until I thought I was going to storm the nurses station.  Dennis had x-rays of his head, his torso, some with contrast, some with not, EKG, blood work, etc.  At six thirty we were told if he could walk with a walker to the end of the hall and back he could go home.  WTF!

  No open wounds, no skinned off face.  No broken ribs to have punctured his lungs.  The T2 vertebra has a fracture.  There is nothing that can be done with that. 

  Home sweet home.  Bedtime was early.  I found out I could nap in my Teak wooden rocking chair as I kept an ear out.  This morning I doubt that Dennis could point out one spot where his back didn’t feel the ride of the seven steps.  Because of his cold and that he has experienced having phenomena in the past, he is on an antibiotic.  Extra strength Tylenol, 2 every six hours.

  Yup.  Life on Stauffer.

  I won’t be doing a post tomorrow, as I have a three pm appointment in Mankato with my cardiologist.  Catch you all on Thursday.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:20 pm on January 12, 2026 Permalink  

  My Goodness 

  Temps in the high 40s today could be suspicious as to what is in store.

  I know Dennis has the cold I am getting over with.  Bundling up even if it feels a lighter jacket would work is not in the cards.  The history Dennis has in the span of recovery of such things is not quite as good as mine.

  I awoke feeling good.  Drinking water, getting the system awake has always been in my wheelhouse.  As we age, we don’t need quite as much water but I still feel at least 24 ounces is a good thing in the morning.  Black coffee . . . good but the body needs water.

  Oh my gosh, what a reminder.  The mail brought the info from social security and from our PERA that will be needed for income tax time.  One more reminder that Minnesota is in the dwindling few that will still tax our monthly social security.  Bummer.

  With the temps being this nice and no wind, I will be going to the grocery store.  Dennis will drive.  It’s easier bringing in several gallons of distilled water for Dennis’ CPAP when there is no snow and ice.  We don’t go through much olive oil as pan frying is at a minimal.  I will be purchasing a high-end cold-packed olive oil in a dark bottle.  I have some other items on my list.  We don’t drink milk but I like to have a small fresh bottle on hand.

  There is actually a store on Madison Avenue in Mankato that olive oil is all it sells.  Sometime it would be interesting to stop in and check which olive oils they sell.

  Several loads of laundry on this morning and also putting my stove top back in peak condition.  Yup, I am getting back to my ole self.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥