Me, Myself and Memories

Recent Updates Page 230 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 5:14 pm on December 30, 2019 Permalink  

  A Peaceful Day 

  It was peaceful for Dennis and I as we were hunkered down and let the blowing snow do its own thing.

  A friend of Dennis’ did pop over for coffee in the patio porch.  Dennis and Doug have shared a love of older firearms.  What a better way to put away some baked goods, coffee and sharing.

  The sewing studio was my place to be today.  Doing some kitchen towels on the embroidery machine passed the time quite quickly.  

  I can share something that we had for supper last night.  French Toast and Jimmy Dean breakfast sausages.  No syrup was needed.  I had purchased a fairly large jar of Apple Butter Jam recently.  When I put it on the table rather than the syrup, Dennis did raise the eyebrows.  “Try it you might like it.”  Tried it and Dennis did like it.  It has so much less sugar than syrup and much tastier as well.  The cinnamon flavor in the substitute also hit the mark.  It may just be our favorite to try on pancakes the next time we are having a comfort food meal. 

  This evening I took a bag of frozen beef noodle soup out.  Soup and crackers sounded like what would suffice as neither of us had a lot of physical exercise today. 

  Actually when Dennis came in to check on me this afternoon and take in a few games of solitaire on the sewing studio’s lap top, Dennis shared a tale of cleaning in the patio porch.  Dennis had just vacuumed the carpet and then cleaned the vacuum filter when he heard a thud.  Harriet had stood on her hind feet to put the paws on the edge of one of the huge potted plants that we were wintering over, and yes . . . over it went, off of the small table it had been sitting on.  Hmm.  More vacuuming ensued. What to do with the kids . . . love them, stroke them and love them forever.

  Tomorrow there may need a bit of snow moved off of the drive.  Not much snow has been had, but the wind really is whipping it up.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:12 pm on December 29, 2019 Permalink  

  It Took a Push 

  Today, I felt the day we had yesterday when we took apart the cistern closet to make room for a new tenant, aka: Santa.  The arms and shoulders were a bit tight as well as the right knee.  I do believe what put the last ache on the body was running the vacuum on the basement floor.  It wasn’t so much the bare cement floor as it was a jute rug that lays on the main path in the basement.  Usually Dennis takes a run at it, but he was on the warrior path of cleaning in the garage and patio porch.  The rug catches every bit of thread that I may have missed when I aimed for the waste basket.  The only way to score is to push down on the brush attachment of the vacuum for good contact.  It’s still easier than using the arms, hands and shoulders and getting down on my hands and knees to pick them up. Wouldn’t you know it!  Those dang threads can be seen by me as if they were florescent. Don’t mind me . . . it’s a ME thing.

  Local effort is my thing and I needed to have something to show for my day, today.  A bit of embroidering on the Bernina was just the thing to push myself to do.  Once I have the fabric in the hoop and the threads pulled out of the stashes, it’s just a matter of watching the machine and changing out thread colors.  It is a way for me to sit still and still poke out a project.  

  Carrie’s have a silent auction every June for a fundraiser . . . of which organization I don’t remember.  I have done a wall hanging for it, an embroidered pillow last year and for the 2020 year, she had suggested some kitchen towels.  I watch JoAnn Fabrics and when I see their towels on sale at anywhere from 60% to 70%, I nab a few.  The size is 15″ x 26″ and the perfect size.

  I am also waiting for an order from Amazon for a product to use with my eight point pinwheel quilt top.  A series of three kitchen towels fits right into my schedule.  Ya right!  As if I have a hard and fast schedule.  It is all about balance in my life.  Being dormant is not my thing.  Dennis knows, a busy Grammie makes for a happy home . . . and Dennis likes “happy.”

   
• 

  Noreen 3:40 pm on December 28, 2019 Permalink  

  Got it Done 

  Things just seemed to click right along today.  We have rain and gray skies.  What better day to think about getting some organizing done, because . . . Santa will not be residing in our living room into the start of the new year.

  Santa is too hard to handle for the attic storage.  We for sure do not have room on the first floor of our 720 square foot home.  Down into the basement I went.  From the time I had Santa dressed in his new suit and he had been to the spa, he was in my sewing studio.  That was not the best place for a peaceful rest that he was in need of.  

  Years ago, Dennis and his cousin cut through the concrete wall that separated the water storage cistern from the remainder of the basement.  It has become a good dry storage closet.  We put down an epoxy paint on the floor and it Swiffer cleans in a heart beat.

  The first item was for me to clean out the north half of the closet.  Shelves came down and the sifting and sorting began.  Dennis and I are not in need of having construction tools at elbow length.  We have more garage storage than what our home is . . . hello!  Dennis measured as to what physical real estate Santa would need to be comfortable.  Out went the shelves to be shortened up.  I pared down quite a bit of items and fed the recyling bin and the garbarge bin.   

  We had not planned on moving Santa from the living room this early in the Christmas week . . . it just seemed to be the natural flow of things as we were prepared.  The floor of the cistern closet was the next concern and Lord help us.  The floor was slanted towards the middle as cisterns were designed.  First we had some wooden shims.  That was not very stable using individual shims for each boot.  The last thing we needed was for Santa to take a gainer and land flat on his sweet face.  We had saved some blue foam board when a cover was made for the walk-up attic.  I have been using it to pin crocheted items to it for stretching and starching.  That plank went right under Santa’s shiny black boots as if it had been special ordered.  I was very happy with how it turned out, and as you’ll see in the photo, when clicked open, does indicate that Santa is safe and stable.

  It was not the day that had been started.  We slept late and took things quite slowly.  Once Dennis and I put a plan out for review, it seems to take on a life of its own.  How thankful I am that we do work together as well as we do and that we are independent enough to find solutions right in our own home and garage. 

  Now the biggest challenge yet.  I have made no plans for supper.  Hmm.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:17 pm on December 27, 2019 Permalink  

  I Have Issues 

  I might add, I do not know a single creative person that has not had issues during a project.  

  I have many tools, supplies and products in my arsenal, but none come with a guarantee.  Today I dug out a role of two sided tape.  On the package it said “permanent, not suggested to be sewn through.”  Hmm.  What I had to work with was 18′ of 5 mm plastic that I wanted to contain, folded in a cotton fabric cuff that was 9″ wide.  What’s so difficult with that!  I had it positioned in a holding pattern and you bet . . . I was going to sew it down.  All went well for a short time and then I noticed that the sewing machine needle was gumming up with adhesive from the “do not sew” product and then the thread gave way.  Cleaned the needle, re-threaded the machine and tried it again and then again and then again.

  When, while sewing, there are certain things that can be done to achieve one’s level of comfort.  I went upstairs and put on a very light weight shirt as I was feeling extremely warm, I drank a glass of water and took off my shoes and substituted my favorite slippers.  I headed for the basement sewing studio. 

  I looked over the situation.  The thread was actually fraying apart.  Hmm.  Out of the machine came the polyester thread and in went cotton thread.  I was able to sew the entire 9″ with no problem other than stopping halfway through and wiping off the needle of the adhesive.  Whew.  No . . . I could not attempt to take out the stitches that were less than good of the polyester.  You don’t want to mess with 5 mm plastic.

  My project is done.  I learned much and would tackle another such item.  I have tidied up the sewing studio, cleaned the sewing machine needle, oiled the sewing machine, so all is ready for another session in the sewing studio.

  Right now, I have to go upstairs and put on a heavier shirt . . . as I suddenly feel chilly.

   
• 

  Noreen 6:24 pm on December 26, 2019 Permalink  

  Hmm 

  In the past, Dennis really enjoyed checking out Facebook and playing various card games.  Dennis had his own Dell tower computer in the west porch of our home.  Not all interests remain from day to day.  Dennis has nested using the HP Notebook in our living room.  It may have been the move I was waiting for.  I have it totally covered by a purchased product via Best Buy.  Dennis has his favorite games on the HP and he doesn’t mess with going online.  I feel very comfortable that Dennis is comfortable using it.  

  Good grief.  We do not need three viable computers in our 720 square foot home.  The porch Dell had never had any amount of data saved to it.  The Dell laptop in the sewing studio is a warrior.  I use it for checking on YouTube when I get stuck with stitching.  It has a fair amount of stitching designs on it.  Jeremy copied all of the family photos that I had collected on it over the twelve years I have had it.  I back it up every two weeks on a separate device . . . seems like a level of comfort for me.

  I was going to fire up Dennis’ porch Dell and it seems something had gone south.  It looked as if it was doing fine until the screen went black and there were exclamation symbols filling the screen much like a screen saver.  Enough.  It is time to pare down.  The monitor was one that Kevin’s gave us.  I decided to unplug it and wait and see if we would take it to the Geek Squad or not.  I can’t see putting any money into it and most people don’t use tower computers . . . do they?  It seems to be all about the bells and whistles on the phones that can access anything on the world wide web.

  Hello!  Our wireless Internet is hosted by that very same porch Dell.  January 2nd, Mediacom will be here to rig the Internet without the tower Dell. Live and learn.  All I need to do is keep the tower plugged in and on.  The gal on the phone was super wonderful and patient.  I am a firm believer that people my age shouldn’t dink around with computers, but dang I like using them.

  Aunt Janet called today.  Janet is the only living sibling of eight that was my father’s family.  It’s always special when we visit.  Sharing memories . . . that’s right up my alley.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:02 pm on December 25, 2019 Permalink  

  Back When 

  Back when Carrie and Kevin were small children we were farming in Boon Lake Township.  Kevin was born at that address.  Carrie was three.  Back then Christmas was celebrated on Christmas Eve by attending a church service.  Seems fitting then as now.  

  Back then there were many Christmas gifts that were done in secret.  Christmas morning was commotion in motion.  From the times when Santa was hero, until the times when the kids were a bit more informed, Christmas Day was the best ever.  For Orlin and I there was the initial fleeting moments of taking in and enjoying the surprise that was found under the tree for Carrie and Kevin.  Nothing sweeter than blue eyed babes seeing wishes come true.  That was one morning when the milk cows did a shuffle as the milking schedule was stalled a bit.  

  The Christmas tree housed the opened gifts at its base for days to come.  Toys would be played with, scattered about and carried around . . . but at the end of the day they all came back to rest where they had been found.  The entire week between Christmas and the New Year had a laid back schedule.  Not much to hurry over, not much done that couldn’t be put off.  Even the feed mill was quiet that mixed the feed for the cattle and hogs.  There had been double batches made the week before.  Christmas came and Christmas was to be enjoyed.

  Each Christmas holds a place in my heart.  Though some Christmases were enjoyed at different homes, it was still “our” Christmas.  Extended family was visited.  Extended family was hosted.  Amazingly, the one time of the year, when the world could stand still for a bit.  Almost to the sound of a drum beat the Christmas days, the Christmas feeling faded and there was a new date with a new year to remember to write.  

  Oh so many “new year” dates I have written.  Oh so many “new year” dates that I want to be able to write.  The entire world has changed so very much since the Christmas glisten can be remembered in Carrie and Kevin’s blue eyes as the small wonders that they were.  Now when I look into their blue eyes I see the strong adults that they are.  Taking each day . . . each event in their lives head on.  I don’t think I was ever as strong as they are today.  Today . . . I want to keep the child within myself alive as I can then recall all the wonders of Christmases past that have brought Carrie and Kevin to today.

  Santa gave me just what I had asked him for in this the Christmas of 2019.  I have been given the gift of my children’s abiding love. 

  Hmm.  Back when seems like yesterday.

   
• 

  Noreen 5:00 pm on December 24, 2019 Permalink  

  Christmas Eve is Here 

  “Silent Night, Holy Night.”  How wonderful that this quiet evening brings to Dennis and me the peace that passes all understanding.  My prayer and hope is for everyone to look deep, pull deep from within and feel the joy and peace that is there from the Christ child being born this evening in a stable.  The humble beginning that gave me the life that I have to share with my children, my family and my friends.  Dennis and I wish a Merry Christmas to one and to all.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:49 pm on December 23, 2019 Permalink  

  Back to Normal 

  It’s a new week, it’s a new day.  Dennis is back home from the Silver Bay car carrier episode.  Dennis was happy to get home to shower and shave and I can attest to the fact that the home smells like Old Spice.  We are back to normal.

  We had a great telephone conversation today with family.  Catching up on each other and our children is priceless.  Phone conversations may not happen often but it sure does feel good to hear the other’s voice and make connections.

  My sewing studio is back on track.  The lights are on, the iron is hot ready to be put into service and the measuring tools are abound.  This will be a slow and steady quilt top.  I don’t do chain stitch sewing . . . which is feeding one aspect of the block through the machine catching multiple blocks with the same seam allowance holding them together with a joining of thread to clip apart.  No assembly line sewing for me.  It’s important for me to sew a seam, get up and iron it and then work at putting one sewn piece onto another.

  Dennis came down and watched for a bit and then turned to playing a few games of solitaire on the old Dell computer in my sewing studio.  I commented on the fact that I was pleased with the current project as it was using fabrics that were on hand.  Kind of like draining the swamp.  Chuckling.  I then commented it would be nice if I could find a project or two to use up buttons from the Fairfax button tree.  Out of the blue, Dennis offered his advice.  Hmm.

  Dennis and I will be putting together a plan for lightening the load of the button tree with the anticipation of having something in place for the Christmas of 2020.  Good job with the thought Dennis.  It will take quite a bit of prep work from me with the sewing machine and then a trip to the hardware store for Dennis’ portion of the work.  Good thing we hatched this plan as early out as we have.  Time will tell what the older ones on Stauffer Avenue can achieve. The wheels are turning.  

  Supper is going to be meatballs, potato patties, left over from instant potatoes of Saturday night and corn.   

  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve Day.  How special it is that the weather has turned mild. All that need to travel around these parts of Minnesota, should not be stressed.  The reason for the season can have full attention.

   
• 

  Noreen 5:16 pm on December 22, 2019 Permalink  

  Good Grief 

  So much for a quiet weekend for the older ones on Stauffer Avenue. We were just about to have supper last night when the phone rang.  Hmm. 

  Dennis’ family had their Christmas celebration at daughter Sussie’s at Silver Bay over Saturday and Sunday.  Dennis and I talked about it and we had thanked them for the invite but decided to stay off of the highways with the Christmas traffic being a possibility.

  Granddaughter Cheyenne’s car broke down just before her and her boyfriend got into Silver Bay.  When Dennis got the call last night there had already been plans made with nephew Brett that Dennis would head out to Silver Bay this morning pulling a car carrier.  Nothing says my response like WTF!  We didn’t want to drive to Silver Bay in our car and now his family had made plans for him to be out on the highways pulling a car carrier.  GRR!  I did encourage Dennis to stay overnight and leave in the morning after being rested.

  I did wait until Dennis had been on the highway for a time and then the angst would not stay quiet.  I called the daughter at Silver Bay and let her know what time Dennis left so as to be aware of the approximate time of his arrival.  No one but me made me do it . . . but I had a bit more to say.  I did suggest that when Dennis arrived, his family actually pay attention to whom they had had do their bidding.  “Take time to look into his eyes and see that perhaps your dad has become someone that would enjoy his children doing something for him rather than the family assuming.”  Of course there were a few more words from me.  The response I got was “He could always say no.”  My thought was how little they actually knew about their dad.  It was a lost cause, but I got it off my chest. 

  My day was spent in the sewing studio and I will share that I had my share of seams that needed to be ripped out.  Concentration has its limits.  The afternoon was broken up when Marsha came in from the country and brought three dozen of fresh eggs.  It was a good distraction.  

  Life never ceases to amaze me.  Life never ceases to have disappointments.  Save the best and leave the rest.

   
• 

  Noreen 4:41 pm on December 21, 2019 Permalink  

  Balmy Days 

  Oh yes, we are having balmy days and we do so deserve them.  The bitter cold is a mere memory right now.  Even the snow that piled up so quickly a time ago is sinking down.  How can I tell?  Not many days ago when I would back out of our driveway, the alarm would sound and the yellow light would blink in the side view mirror on the driver’s side of the car.  It caught me off guard and I would stop on a dime only to realize it was the snow bank that had caught the security system.

  As  I was putzing in the sewing studio this afternoon I realized I have only one project going.  One that has no time frame and it is no one else’s for the end times but . . . me.  I have had Dennis cut fabric for me in past.  Save the shoulder, wrist and hand for more important things that might need doing.  When things were set up this afternoon that I would have called Dennis in to help, I decided to swap out the blades in the rotary cutters.  I have two that I like to use and I realized they had done due diligence in cutting all the fabric for the 49 scrappy eight point blocks that are now done.  It is amazing how dirty older cottons are when cut in to.  But . . . this is to be a scrappy quilt and much was used that had a lot of age to it.  I do plan on gussying the blocks up with some choice fabric as a border that is called a flange.  The sashing and corner stones will also be of a better quality fabric.

  The cheap cotton fabric that is incorporated in some of my stashes is from friends who shopped at Walmart and a few are also from Mom’s stash.  That could very well have come from a Ben Franklin store or a Dueber’s store.  Those types of fabrics are printed on a grunge base.  They were notorious to fray and not keep their vibrant colors.  The fraying was very evident as often as I had to clean under the face plate of the sewing machine.   

  As I got involved this afternoon, I was ready to cut several strips of fabric.  Oh my gosh!  It was better than slicing through melted butter.  The combination of the new cutting blade plus the new cutting mat . . . yes, it felt like Christmas morning. I, in my wildest dreams, had never realized how worn out the Olaf cutting mat was.  When looking at it with the light hitting it just right . . . there was not one square inch that was not showing trenches of more than 20 years of wear.  I believe I will be able to cut quite a bit of my own fabric without feeling a hitch in the body.  I am a believer of not cutting more than two layers of fabric at one time.  Man oh man, when Aunt Lorraine was here, she had as high as eight layers of fabric.  Talk about seeing the strain on her arms and trying to keep the ruler from not skidding off of the ideal mark.  No . . . that’s not for me.  I really taking my time and thus enjoying what I am doing.  As I said I have no time clock to punch.

  Hmm. I just remembered that when the kids were here last Sunday, out of the blue Kevin asked me if I was tired of doing the blog.  I know I said “No” immediately and I was on to working with the dinner.  I most likely should have thought about it and in hindsight I now wonder if Kevin is weary of being the host of this site.  I think we need a few more words on this subject.  After all . . . I really am never short of words as some of these blogs attest to.  I am now chuckling as I am about ready to get supper going.