Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 4:28 pm on January 19, 2020 Permalink  

  Brr! 

  Seems as if the cold hasn’t slowed too many people down as per the traffic past our home.

  It seemed a good day to swap out laundry and chase dust bunnies.  Where oh where do they all come from.  The laundry tells a tale.  No matter how many loads of washed clothes we may go through, the lint is never finished.

  Dennis did get his pickup driveway cleared out with his snowblower.  The alley is narrow and it doesn’t take but one swipe of the city plows to plug the doorway of the pickup garage.  Dennis said he would chauffeur if I wanted a lift to the grocery store.  I couldn’t pass that up.  What’s a kitchen without onions . . . and a few other things.

  On the way home from the grocery store, Dennis made a swing into the Fleet and Farm.  It seems that Harriet had checked out one of the large flower pots that holds the Koi pond plant.  Yup, it got tipped over.  Dennis and the vacuum had a mission that left the pot needing more potting soil.  

  I had just gotten a phone call . . . from Dennis in the patio porch.  I needed to come to the bathroom window as there were ten deer under our Maple tree and in the backyard.  Oh my what a glorious site to see them in the daylight.  Dennis had put some new slabs of hay under the Maple tree. Though deer are not real fond of hay, the corn and oats that Dennis had sprinkled over the hay made it a great treasure hunt for the deer.  Good going Dennis!

  Another tip with the hay.  Dennis had checked out the patio porch and the garages looking for Harriet.  Dennis feared that she had snuck out and was out in the sub-zero cold.  Nope.  When Dennis went to fetch those new slabs of hay.  Harriet had burrowed in on top of the open bale.  

  Tell me that retired folks have a boring life and I will show you some boring folks.

   
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  Noreen 3:49 pm on January 18, 2020 Permalink  

  Hang On 

  This is a day that a brick should be in our pockets when we go outside.  Horrific wind blowing around the fine powder-like snow.  It’s hard to tell how much snow we actually got as it won’t stay in one place for very long.

  Dennis and neighbor Randy played in the snow for some time today.  They may have to repeat that tomorrow unless the snow gets a hard crust on it and stays put.  We are so fortunate.  Dennis can run the small blower that Kevin handed off to him without hurting himself and Randy takes the brunt of the heavy stuff off of the driveway.  Two neighbors across the way struggled with their snow.  How could you rent a home in Minnesota and not have a plan for snow removal.  

  Early last week I thought I was in need of a haircut.  Wouldn’t you know it . . . I still am.  I had planned on making a purchase that day in Mankato.  With the weather I put an order into Amazon and it came yesterday.  Great service.  I think it is one of my best decisions in some time.  I may continue recovering from a bad neck . . . or I may not.  I talked it over with my physical therapist and I am up to using a neck brace intermittently.  I am still on Mike’s schedule for therapy going once every two weeks.  What makes me such a believer in what Mike can do for me is that his wife suffers from much the same situation.  Mike knows!  I wore the brace to bed last night and I could settle down more easily and quicker.   

  Yesterday someone mentioned chocolate cake.  Hmm.  I have not baked so much as a single crumb in months.  Today I cut the toes out of a white sock and stripped it over the neck brace and hit the flour and sugar canisters.  The sock . . . you never know when a splatter is flying to reach the ceiling and I would get in its path.  It is now late afternoon.  The frosted brownies are complete as well as six dozen cookies, some of which will be hiding in the freezer.  Dishes are done and I feel better than I have in the late afternoon for a long time.  I think that brace and I will get along just fine once in awhile.

  Dennis is out in the patio porch getting the deer food ready to set out.  Late last night after the snow and before the winds started they came for a snack.  Such a good feeling from such a simple act of kindness.  

  Betty Crocker is hanging up her measuring spoons for the day (actually, I did receive the Betty Crocker Minnesota state award in 1962) and I trust the day has been satisfying for everyone in one or two simple ways.  It’s the simple things in life that are most rewarding.  In the mean time, hang onto your mittens and hat when going outside.

   
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  Noreen 4:30 pm on January 17, 2020 Permalink  

  A Snow Day 

  It may have been a snow day outside, but the sewing studio was humming right along.  It is always gratifying when a project that really didn’t have an end game planned does comes together.

  I enjoy making scrappy quilts.  Let’s get to the  bottom of that scrap box and throw something together.  What seemed to come together was a lot of warm colored scraps.  I picked up a pattern off of Facebook and went with the eight point pinwheels.  It took 49 nine inch finished blocks.  I had begun this in August of 2019.  Of course . . . it’s warm outside and warm colors are being put together.

  I knew I would like to have a double sized quilt in the end.  I had also thought I would have liked a flannel back to this quilt.  88″ x 88″ is very close to what the books say is a double sized bed quilt.  The flannel was not to be had in the 108″ choice as I shopped at Old Alley Quilt on their last days of business when everything was 30% off and choices were slim.

  I have titled my quilt top Tropical Ocean Waves.  When it came to putting sashings and corner stones to it, I was less than thrilled with what I had on hand to go with the warm colors.  I was determined I would not purchase fabric for the quilt top, it had to come out of my stashes. I went to the exact opposite and chose dark teal and light teal colors from my stashes . . . thus the Tropical Ocean Waves title.  The lighter of the teals being not a solid color . . . who knew!  It was as if it was planned all along for ocean waves.  Dennis’ opinion was asked for and he was a great help.  By adding the 1/4 inch blue strip around all of the the blocks it tied in well with the plan.  I didn’t think I would ever get done cutting 1″ wide strips.   It took 49 of them with several inches left on each for the circular file. 

  As of this afternoon the sewing studio is tidy.  Everything is put back in its place and the quilt top, batting and backing are stacked ready for a winter weather break to take to Sharon in Sherburn.

  Dennis has been playing in the snow this afternoon with his snowblower.  I kept track of him as he blew a path on the east side of the garage to blow out the area where the pan is set out for the deer food.  The temps have warmed up allowing the snow and the winds are promised to be wild this weekend.

  Staying safe this weekend is the tip of the day.

   
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  Noreen 4:33 pm on January 16, 2020 Permalink  

  Hermit to the Max 

  With this colder weather, I am oh so happy that my spirit is that of a hermit.  I may dash between the house and the patio porch to check on Dennis and the kittens but a dash is all it takes to satisfy me.

  As I was growing up it was not unusual that Mom would perhaps not leave the farm for a week or more.  Everything that was needed for our family of six was never in short supply.  The staples that we needed for the home were purchased in large enough quantities . . . no crisis there.  If Dad were going to town for feed concentrate or a repair part, he always checked in with Lena to see if he needed to stop at the grocery store.

  In many regards I have become much like Mom.  Contentment is my friend.  If Dennis is gone for a weekend, I may be alone, but never lonely.  More projects yet to be tried are at elbow length.  Again, my staples for kitchen use and sewing use have been purchased in either large quantities at Sam’s Club in Mankato or dry goods gotten ahead of time for the sewing studio. 

  I can be like Mom when it comes to baking.  The difference is that Dennis and I do not need the amount of baked goods that Mom went through when farmers needed to be fed.  Every once in a while I do get on a spree of cookie baking.  The freezer gets fed very well, as again, Dennis and I only need so many sweets at our finger tips.

  Mom dwells within me when it comes to my kids.  She never hesitated putting out questions as to how we were doing . . . and that went until she passed away.  Mom was involved with her children.  I work hard at knowing what level of involvement is required from my children.  Good grief . . . if I could take the weight off of their shoulders on any given day . . . get out of my way.  I believe that my children are stronger than I was at the age that they are now.  There has been so much advancement in the world that they need to buck through while keeping their heads on straight. 

  Unbeknownst to most, I grieve.  I grieve for the loss of loved ones that had so much more to share with me.  Now isn’t that just a fine state of selfishness!  I grieve that my children and their families have individual challenges that just don’t seem to be fair.  I grieve because I feel so helpless. 

  No . . . being a hermit does not buy into the grieving.  Being a hermit does give for moments of clarity.  Clarity is what is needed to be on track for when family needs me.  There is a ditty that runs through my mind sometimes . . . “Here I come to save the day! Mighty Mouse, aka: Grammie is on her way!” 

  Well . . . if nothing else, older people are fun to keep around as to the insights that sneak out of them once in awhile.

   
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  Noreen 4:21 pm on January 15, 2020 Permalink  

  Sun Dogs 

  Sun dogs at night . . . sailor’s delight.  So says the old adage.  There are sun dogs out this afternoon and it is beginning to bite with the cold.

  The camera that Dennis’ friend had put out for deer photos is less than good.  Rich had it set quite close to the patio door and thus the photos are very blurry.  If there happened to be a deer in the top of the photo that allowed for a clearer image as it was farther away.  As Dennis mentioned, we knew how many there were and how entertaining it is for us on a nightly schedule.

  I put out feelers for a long-arm quilter and I got a bite.  Sharon sold the Old Alley Quilt shop and let it be known that she would have a long-arm in her home in Sherburn.  Sharon has done many quilts for me and I will be thrilled for her to do another one for me.  I told her I would keep in touch when my top was completely sewn.

  We do have the thermostat set at 70 in the house.  I must say that the basement is a bit cooler even with the heat register open.  I came upstairs and decided that the blog would be done on the living room HP.  My fingers are a bit chilly.

  A Dennis-style hotdish is in the oven.  Dennis’ choice is chicken, corn and pasta.  He did let me add some chopped bacon when he mixed in the Alfredo sauce.  His choices and I know he will enjoy every last bit of it.  My choices will be for a time when Dennis is off to a weekend gun show.  You have to know when to hold them and when to fold them.

   
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  Noreen 4:00 pm on January 14, 2020 Permalink  

  Fuzzy Wuzzy 

  Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear.  Fuzzy wuzzy is how Grammie is going to stay for a bit with her need of a haircut.  I awoke this morning and there was a crystallized coating on the snow that had fallen yesterday.  There was no need for me to be out on the highway.  Hey . . . I have stocking caps to keep the stray gray and white under control.

  The one item I was going to seek and search for in Mankato will be here on Friday from Amazon.  The fee for postage is quite a savings in relationship to wear and tear on me, let alone the car if the highways were a bit dicey.

  Dennis ventured out to his coffee group and went on to help a friend with something that needed to be moved.  Classmates of Dennis’ are in short supply.  This particular classmate helped Dennis with his Cub Lo-Boy last year.  Turn around is fair play.

  In several days Dennis will have a camera clip that will show what has been transpiring on the back patio for the last week or so.  Friend, Rich, installed the night vision camera before he left for a winter break.  Today Rich picked up the camera and now Dennis will soon have the rest of the story.  Rich commented that there wasn’t a square foot of snow that does not have deer tracks on it in our back acre.

  Being busy in the sewing studio gives me moments to think on things.  I think I will not be dong the actual quilting on the eight point pinwheel that is in progress.  As the quilt top is growing, it is difficult to manage the size and weight effectively.  I will be doing some inquiry of several long-arm quilters in the area.  Batting and backing add a huge amount of heft.  My shoulders and arms don’t do heft well.  With that being decided . . . it feels right.  It feels good.

  Cold is descending upon us.  We can stay safe and warm in our home until a time when we can peek our heads out for safe travel and errands.  After all . . . how many errands do retired folks actually have.  Some folks like us tell us they can’t stay home for too long.  They have to be out and about.  Not these two on Stauffer Avenue.

  Fuzzy wuzzy is signing off.

   
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  Noreen 6:09 pm on January 13, 2020 Permalink  

  It’s Mine 

  It’s my gift and I don’t need to be too generous in sharing.  My gift is logic.  I received much of my gift from my parents.  I got a second dose of it from the years that Orlin and I were together.  It was all about observing and then remembering the results of what had worked and what may not have.

  Some of those who we share time and space with may hear that logic that I may share and take offense by it as appearing that I am “always right.”  Not so.  It is too difficult to bring them to a point of being reasonable that there just may be another train of thought or a more correct way to proceed.  The ole cowboy has realized that this ole gal does know her stuff.  Others in his family are naysayers.  Screw it!  Live and learn . . . just like I have.  If the lessons are not learned I will keep my mouth shut and clean up behind them.  I can do that.  My gift need not be shared when I realize who I am dealing with and the gift would be wasted.

  Tomorrow this Grammie needs a hair cut . . . and bad.  The bad bed hair has turned into a full day of bad hair.  About every month and a half I turn myself into Great Clips.  I don’t think I have ever had the same hair dresser, but the end result is relief.  Relief that I can take my less than 100% movement arms and make it work.  Oh yes, my hair is still quite short but the layering has lost its shape.

  Today my huge purchase was several pots of Carmex for chapped lips.  Here again it was a lesson learned by Orlin.  He had a pot of Carmex in his pocket at all times  For some reason, it surpasses anything else that I have ever tried.  Ugh!  Chapped lips are not comfortable and there is a lot of cold weather yet to be enjoyed.    

   
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  Noreen 4:43 pm on January 12, 2020 Permalink  

  Act II 

  Today we are having Act II of the oven meal of yesterday that consisted of a pork roast, carrots and onions.  

  When we were in Mankato last week and I had purchased the pork roast at Cub’s grocery store; I had bought some produce as well.  I noticed that there were containers of pre-cut items.  Anticipating that there would be soup made at some time in the near future of the leftover roast, I bought a container that was one third diced onions, one third diced carrots and one third diced celery.  I mean to tell you these individual pieces were no more than one third inch in size of that.  My hands don’t do a lot of chopping well.  I bought the container and popped it into the freezer when we got home as I didn’t really know when the roast would go into the oven.  I knew there would be a huge amount of flavor from this container that would add to what I would put in the soup pot.

  Last night after supper and when the roast had cooled I diced up the meat and took the time to get rid of as much fatty trimmings as possible and popped the trimmed and diced meat into the refrigerator.  The drippings from the roaster I let set out as I knew I would skim off the set fat this morning.  I checked with Dennis this morning as to what would suit him for supper and he bought into the soup idea.  I did take three peeled and diced potatoes and they were the first thing in the soup kettle with a container of Swanson’s vegetable broth.  What better way to get them into the same consistency as the leftover carrots.

  When the potatoes were tender to a fork I added the frozen container from Cub’s that had carrots, onions and celery as well as the carrots and onions from the oven roast.  In went four bullion cubes, salt and pepper, with the roaster drippings with the meat added last. I left the burner on a fairly low setting as I knew the finely chopped items wouldn’t take any time at all to cook through.  I checked several hours later and the flavors were great.

  I admit, it was a luxury to purchase the prepared chopped vegetables.  With my arthritic hands it was well worth it for this pot of soup.  When we are in Mankato again, I will most likely purchase the prepared container again and pop it into our freezer for the next time there is an offering of soup . . . maybe several other options of prepared items that would freeze well.

  With not having to wear out my hands chopping items for the soup, I went on to making a pan of lemon bars and still felt like working a bit on my quilt blocks.  Dennis stirred up the powdered sugar frosting for the lemon bars . . . a win, win situation.

  Light snow off and on.  Could have guessed that when the wind switched to the south this forenoon.  Tomorrow is a new week with new thoughts and energies.  

  I know our Act II will bring several good meals of soup or even perhaps freeze a container for another day.

   
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  Noreen 4:55 pm on January 11, 2020 Permalink  

  More Appealing 

  Today I put together an evening meal that will be a bit more appealing to the ole cowboy than the tomato pasta dish of this last week.  A bottom layer of baby carrots with a hand seasoned pork shoulder blade roast covered with onions. It has been in the oven for about an hour and a half and the aroma is really quite good.

  I had been in the sewing studio for the afternoon when Dennis called me up to the bathroom to look out the east window.  Two young bucks were eating hay under the Maple tree in the sunshine.  Their antlers are about four inches tall.  What a beautiful site.  Though hay may not be their favorite, Dennis always puts a handful of corn sprinkled over the hay.  I am sure the rest of the group will be following shortly.

  It’s been a rewarding day.  Cousin Mark followed up from yesterday’s quilt drama.  Mark found a Rite product to set the dye in the fabric he was working on.  No more using the Best Press starch spray. When I read my bottle there are no ingredients listed.  The label says it is a clear starch and sizing alternative with soil guard and wrinkle resister.  Ironically, this morning when I did some reading on one of my closed groups there was a posting from someone with an embroidered project.  She was going to give the finished stitching a spray with Best Press and the red embroidery threads bled.  Hmm.  I’ll have to do more checking on this.  Mark is on his way to a successful project with dark colored fabrics and very light colored fabrics.

  Here is the thing: cheap fabrics sold in Walmart and even JoAnn Fabrics have a grudge base in the weaving process and may always bleed.  Everything needs to be washed before any stitching of any kind.  The higher end fabrics that quilt stores sell have a better weft and warp quality and do not need to be pre-washed.  I have never had any of the quilt store purchased fabrics bleed.

  On a second go round of text messages, there is a scrumptious cake being enjoyed by the Fairfax team.  Kersten worked until sometime this afternoon and Kevin was going to bake a cake for them to enjoy later on today.  Between Google and Grammie the ingredients came together for a successful end product.

  It’s time for me to close down shop here in the sewing studio and finish up some ends in the kitchen for a great supper that I know will get high reviews from the ole cowboy.

   
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  Noreen 6:34 pm on January 10, 2020 Permalink  

  Assuring 

  Today was the first time that our newer car needed to be serviced.  We had decided to take it back to the dealership that we purchased the car from.  

  It was assuring when some history of the previous owner’s service records could be looked at.

  I did mention that in addition to the usual 3,000 mile service, I was concerned that the car seemed to navigate to the right on the open highway.  A service tech took the car out for a drive.  When all was said and done, the rear tires were rotated to the front and the front tires were put onto the back.  A quality numerical number of 7 was attributed to the front and a quality numerical number of five had been for the back tires.  Both numbers indicated that the tires were in good shape.  A second trip was taken after the rotation.  Over and above the grease and oil change, the wipers were replaced.  I had noticed a bit of drag when using them.  I had forgot that it would be three wipers and not just the two. The service was great and the car did handle well on the way home.

  The service appointment was all that I had had on the docket for the day.  A quick stop at nephew Brett’s was needed before I left town.  Quilters need to be supportive when questions loom.  Brett has been cranking out t-shirt quilts like crazy and he was now putting out pieced quilt blocks for a change.  The challenge of multiple pieces within a block plus all the added seams brought about bulky seams.  A short visit and he was on the right track.

  While I was driving home from the car servicing, the phone rang.  Yes . . . I waited until I got home before taking care of that.  The call was from my cousin Mark.  Mark . . . the fellow who works in a printing company and quilts in between time.  What to do when a dark fabric was leaching into a lighter fabric!  Good quality fabric should not do that.  The key was that there is a product called “Best Press.”  It is a lightweight water based starch for better, flatter lying quilt blocks to play nice.  Whatever the additive in the Best Press is, it may not be the best to use for all pressing.  Mark had 42 independent blocks sewn when he ironed the first block and noticed the leaching.  Mark and I kicked around a few things for him to try to secure the dyes in the darker fabrics.  I have no doubt he will conquer the challenge and perhaps leave the Best Press to use when the fabrics are closer to the same color. 

  Dennis thinks I need to put a shingle out for quilting support.  I just feel assured that the fellows don’t get down in the dumps the first time something trips them up.  It’s fantastic to see fellows who have found something to pique their interests in the winter months.