Recent Updates Page 2 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Noreen 2:19 pm on May 25, 2026 Permalink  

    A Busy Holiday 

    Sweet day with quiet sunshine.

    Dennis had an agenda . . . I had an agenda.  With our breakfasts and coffee we told each other “catch you later .”

    The huge plants that Dennis has tended since I retired have now gone out to the east patio.  Over winter months they sit in pans in the patio porch so when watered, any water that wants to run out the bottom keeps the floor dry.  You have guessed it.  There is a ring around where the pans sat made up of cat fur.  Time for the shop vac.  Not so fast.  The floor of the pickup garage bugged Dennis more as the floor was a gravel mess.  Any type of gravel imaginable had drug in over winter from the tires as Dennis steered the little red pickup into the garage from Stauffer Avenue, a gravel alley.  Pieces of cardboard that had been on the floor were going to be going to the burn ring.  Dennis’ plans, Dennis’ day.

    In the studio sits my wonderful Bernina QE . . . quilter and embroiderer.   The straight stitching it does isn’t half bad either.  Lena had taught me all sorts of tricks of the trade using the treadle sewing machine that had a permanent home under the north two kitchen windows.  It could be called into service as quickly as the leather belt could be strung onto the wheel.   I had a list of clothing items I had planned to alter and they were all on the table next to the machine.  Altering clothing and mending clothing is not the most desirable in the creative world, but a necessary evil.  All lights possible were in service allowing for a bright working relationship.  The Twins were playing in Chicago via KNUJ.  Sewing chair pulled up and head down, I tackled my task.  Not a hitch or a miss as the hours slipped by.  Success.

    I took a bottle of diet Lipton’s Green Tea out to Dennis.  It’s not carbonated and we have enjoyed it for decades.  The only problem is the case comes with 36 bottles and a plan has to be in place to purchase it, get it in the car, get it in the studio for a few bottles at a time in the refrigerator.  Come to think of it, when Megan was a toddler visiting, she got a bang out of sharing my bottle.  No harm was done appeasing a sweet child. 

    The floor for the little red pickup was as clean as a concrete floor that is pitted can get without water and soap.  He was tending a fire of all of the cardboard that he had drug out.  The little shrub that was finally put to rest was brittle as nettle and fed the fire.

    Dennis and I shared the bottle of tea and we did get caught up with each other.  We both had accomplished much with just enough left undone for it to be used as seed for another day.  Sweet.

    Happy Memorial Day!

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:12 pm on May 24, 2026 Permalink  

    Spring 

    This Sunday is what the spring of 2026 should feel like every day.

    No studio today.  I got my fingers moving on my phone and ended up with an app from hell.  It was the “cleaning of the phone.”  It chimed consistently when the phone was used telling me it would clean it, sweep it clean.  Good ole Gemini.  It took me several times . . . no . . . a lot of times before it was no longer on my phone as this nasty little icon on the far right top of the phones screen.  

    It was a good lesson that less is more.  I also cleaned off quite a few other apps of stupid games that had popped up.  It is a smart phone and I am really thrilled that Dennis doesn’t know he has a flip-top smart phone.

    Dennis’ grandson AJ came by with a passenger on his Honda cycle.  AJ introduced us to his girlfriend, Amanda.  It was a great visit as we sat in the patio porch with the doors open and a good breeze coming in.

    AJ’s company got the bid to put a second option for cable into the town.  He works for Fidium Fiber.  It will be interesting to see if their option can trump Mediacom.

    The town is quite this afternoon and has been left to the song birds.  A very good tradeoff. 

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:19 pm on May 23, 2026 Permalink  

    Saturday 

    It’s a great day out.

    I’ve been busy enough that my email account was not opened for several says.  When I know I have no appointment emails on their way, it seems there is plenty of other media to keep up with.

    This morning Dennis’ nephew Matt Curry came calling to see Dennis.  Matt is from Windom where he grew up as his dad worked for Toro.  Matt works for AgCo in Jackson.  You could put money on Matt’s visit on or around Memorial day.  The fellows were in the patio porch solving all the world’s issues.  Matt’s brother Mitch couldn’t come with.  Mitch works at Toro and they have been having problems getting parts, so Mitch was putting in a short day at Toro today.  

    We are sure there will be no more killing frosts.  The two huge plants that Dennis has tended over quite a few winters in the patio porch are now out getting some fresh air.  They sit in the area that we filled in after we gave up the Koi pond.

    A few hours were put in at the studio.  It keeps me on a good routine, rather than spending the entire day hand stitching with a YouTube running in the background.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 1:39 pm on May 22, 2026 Permalink  

    Good Times 

    The session in the studio went without a hitch or a glitch.  Working towards using some stash and getting it out of storage feels great.

    Dennis’ new PVC flag pole kit came today.  Great timing as the rains have made his Veteran’s American Flag a bit too heavy to stay off of the grass flying off of the old one that had bricks securing the pole to stand upright . . . well actually leaning quite a bit.  If this flag pole lasts as long as the previous one . . . hats off.

    The rain doesn’t really want to give me a break.  Seeing as I do not melt, I am going to don my rain jacket and make a break for the grocery store.  Nothing heavy is needed, just a few goodies for us for the holiday weekend plus some protein fixings for our suppers.

    It’s always interesting to find out how much rain has been received by the KEYC news over supper.  According to our neighbor Randy’s gravel yard . . . its a bunch.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:04 pm on May 21, 2026 Permalink  

    Thursday the 21st 

    A beautiful day in the neighborhood.

    I always enjoy being able to wear  some of my warmer tops in the house when the furnace need not run.  I know Dennis is comfortable in the patio porch as he runs his own thermostat.  I don’t have a problem with that.  He deserves to feel comfortable.

    Today Dennis’ niece, Jean and her husband Jim, came calling today from Morris.  They have the ritual of placing flowers on graves for Memorial Day.  For myself and Dennis, we feel the same way:  remembering without flowers.

    Memorial Day always takes me back to the years at South Branch and the cemetery.  As we lived next door to it, our family did the honors of keeping it tidy, as well as weekly cleaning of the church.  The cemetery always looked spic and span the week or so prior to the holiday.  Often, Kevin would mow and I ran the gas fed weed whip complete with the harness.  We did not take on the task of watering live plants.  In time it was all we could do to pick up the plastic flowers that the wind carried hither, tither and yon.  There was no way that the wire that held them together would be a good thing if the lawnmower got tangled up with one of them.  Many memories.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 1:51 pm on May 20, 2026 Permalink  

    Hide and Seek 

    I knew that there was a separate electrical charger for our Samsung television remote.  Supposedly it is to self-charge in daylight.  It might need direct sun.  When a message comes up on the television screen and the remote is sluggish, it’s time to plug it in.  I had been using my phone charger.

    I could visualize the cord of the charger as the coloring was a slate gray.  It had always been on the shelf to the left of Dennis’ computer chair.  It dawned on me that when we needed a new laptop for Dennis, I had bagged up everything electrical for it all to be recycled when the visitor came to take it.  Sure enough, the laptop and the goodie bag were in the closet.  In the bag I had also included the Samsung charger.  Hide and seek is ended.

    My memory isn’t as good as it may have been, but when it does click, it’s as good as it’s ever been.  The charger is back on the shelf to the left of Dennis’ computer chair.  Take that!

    My day has been emptying the laundry basket, getting it dried, folded and stashed away as what was in said basket.  There is some of my clothing and I might dry it just get it fluffed and then hang it on hangers.   Got it done.

    I have made an oven meal for us.  Some of the contents were awaiting in the freezer.  A time back when a pork roast had been in the crockpot, the remaining had been diced right along with the carrots from the bottom of the crockpot.  That mixture had the remaining stove top stuffing mixed with it and a portion went into the freezer.  Today with medium sized egg noodles prepared and a jar of alfredo, it will be our supper.  The jellied cranberries are just the sharp bite needed to finish it all off. 

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:13 pm on May 19, 2026 Permalink  

    Too Chilly 

    When the air temps feels like 30 outside, and the water is rushing through the floor tile in the studio . . . that was my signal to stay on the first floor today.

    It’s not like there is nothing to do on the first floor, it is not my normal schedule.  What I did take note of today is that the robin has a nest in the same brace of our west awning as the wee thrush, just inches away.  Talk about getting along.  It will be interesting as mama Robin is already feeding babies.  The chatter for food could be interesting.

    I have interesting serial type shows on both HU and Acorn.  However, today the internet was connecting but not long standing.  Dennis had the same issue in the patio porch.  He then reverted to the Godahl tower television set.  It’s a good thing AJ has him covered regardless of connectivity.

    The stitching I am currently doing is the kit I ordered from Colorado Stitching in 2021.  I wanted to try my hand at counted cross stitch after the stroke.  I didn’t research it very well prior to purchasing.  It is one of the six strands of floss as it comes that is used over one fiber of fabric.  I had put it in a plastic bag after a good start and just recently dug it out as I don’t like UFOs: unfinished objects.  I am working in a sea of blue stitches in the design.  Using a multitude of blues gives it a dimensional look.  It gives a good challenge.

    Due to it being a chilly day we are having soup and a fried egg sandwich for supper.  We both agreed.

    With that I will take my leave. ♥

     
  • Noreen 2:14 pm on May 18, 2026 Permalink  

    Heavy Air 

    We had a wonderful rain in the evening hours of the 17th of May.  The skies were lit with lightning that brought thunder, long past bedtime.  

    The studio brought a challenge today.  I took my eyes off of the project under the needle for a bit too long.  The spool for the top thread had shredded and there was a whole bunch in between the top spool and the needle.  The bobbin thread had continued to do its due diligence on top of the design.  Taking the hoop off of the machine and then deciding to either fix the project in the hoop or in the machine.

    Any craft will give you a challenge once in awhile.  I sat and picked out an entire letter with a seam ripper, tweezers and a sharp scissors.   The sewing machine I started very slowly as I had really wanted to get the last 31 minutes of the design done without literally throwing in the towel.  KNUJ kept me company.  When I thought I had it conquered,  I ran thread through the tension disks much like flossing it to make sure there was no undo tension.  Success.

    Silly ole me.  I should have checked the bobbin before starting up the machine.  Nine minutes left and the bobbin was empty.  Living and learning has no time element.  You just suck it up and work through so that when the project is done, no one else is the wiser of anything that has gone before.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 1:57 pm on May 17, 2026 Permalink  

    Nice Sunday 

    It’s quite the service when Dennis’ son-in-law, Tom, calls to make sure we are up as he is going to mow the yards before the forecasted rain.

    Our front door has allowed the screen door to be open with the nice temps.  The birds have made nests in the evergreen boughs that are right off of the deck.  The little Thrush male takes great pride in sitting on the deck rail to serenade the world.  His bright red colors are a treat.  When the female comes for a short visit and rustles her feathers after a long sit on the nest, her feathers under her wings and the base of her tail shows bright red.  Sweet music in the morning. 

    One embroidered design was accomplished today in studio.  Should have, could have made a better decision in the stabilizer.  That shows I may be out of practice with the embroidery.  The plans are to do a bit more of it.

    My most important thought to remember in life: with every action, there is a re-action . . . some cannot be undone.

    No . . . we have not had any rain as yet here in the mid-afternoon.  One huge system traveled south and then north.  All in all, it is a nice Sunday.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
  • Noreen 1:50 pm on May 16, 2026 Permalink  

    A Day 

    A day on Stauffer.

    Our six month vehicle insurance cards were ready to print taking effect May 31st.  Printed via using an APP off of the email screen to open the option.  Got it done.

    The printer in the studio was offline.  The easiest was to unplug it . . . wait a few minutes.  I used the time to set up a project for another day.  It was plugged in and the documents in the “Q” printed out.  The printer is not used as often as it has been.  Not being fearful of error messages is the best strategy.

    Calvin called this afternoon.  His son, Eric had gone to Montana bear hunting.  Shot a bear one day, needed to trail it as it was bleeding out to the next day.  Pulling it out of a ravine back to camp was another challenge.  I am happy Eric can do these excursions.  He saw his wife’s cancer through until her death.  His vacation time is his own.  Eric checks on his dad each weekend and takes him out and about so Calvin can shop for items he wants at his assisted living.  I asked Calvin what drug store fills his prescriptions.  He has no idea as his prescriptions each come in a cellophane bag marked either for evenings or mornings.  Hmm.

    Thankful, grateful, isn’t even enough of what a feel each day for Dennis and me in our home.

    With that I will take my leave.  ♥

     
c
Compose new post
j
Next post/Next comment
k
Previous post/Previous comment
r
Reply
e
Edit
o
Show/Hide comments
t
Go to top
l
Go to login
h
Show/Hide help
shift + esc
Cancel