Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:14 pm on June 26, 2025 Permalink  

  The Rain 

  The rain has been coming and going in between a few sun beams.  KNUJ radio thought it would amount to 1.5 inches in total accumulation.

  The rain has stalled the garage work.  It might also be that the service door has not yet come in to the Truman Lumberyard.  One or the other . . . or both.

  Today needed proof.  That proof was that each of the two sewn tee-shirt quilt blocks had finished out in close proximity of one to the other.  Measure once, measure twice and . . . mission completion.  Spot on, making it more hopeful that I can pull off having a reversible project.
  
  

  My church tables are consumed.  There is one more border, black, that will be finished tomorrow.  Maybe.  In the foreground I included my set of the “Tape Maker Set.”  By cutting fabric of choice into strips, bias tape can become as wide and in any color that is needed.  I chose one inch wide fabric.  Inserting the end of the fabric and guiding it through a narrow two inch channel of the desired size, it won’t take long and the raw edge presents itself out the other end. That fabric end is pinned down into the covering of the ironing board.  Using a hot steam-iron, the mechanism with the fabric pulled through it is slowly backed up allowing the steam-iron to follow and hot press the now newly folded fabric into a tape with no raw edges.  I used a decorative stitch that zig-zagged, sewing the tape down from edge to edge onto the center of the seam of the sewn together blocks.  The process for this project took about 23 yards of Grammie manufactured tape.  It sure dressed up some god-awful looking tee-shirt designs. 

  It is gray out with a looming of a few more rain showers.  I am done for the day and without any help, I could sit here in the cherry red chair and perhaps nod off for a bit.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:00 pm on June 25, 2025 Permalink  

  Not Much 

  Much to-do about a lot of nothing in regard to the rain that was to overwhelm us.  The air is very heavy.

  The next phase of the tee-shirt quilt is underway.  Putting a three inch border around the perimeter of the two individually pieced twelve inch block tops, helps to stabilize the raw edges.  The secret is to cut the border fabric on the length of the fabric, the weft, as there is minimal stretch compared to the width of yardage.  The rotary cutting of enough border material for what was needed for the two was quite a bit of arm, shoulder and hand pressure.  After sewing said border onto one out of the two pieced tops and steam pressing . . . did it for me.  The studio is dark.

  I did order the Mountain Mist Quilt Batting.  It is an old time favorite and not giving a huge amount of loft.  $29.00 with no shipping, it should and could be here by the 30th or the first of July.  Yup . . . it is getting real.

  The studio is just about as dark as the skies are.  The weather map has all sorts of blurbs indicating rain that might fall.

  An economic wake-up call has hit the ole beloved cowboy.  Dennis needed a belt for his wranglers.  Fleet/Farm look out.  The choice was slim to none.  Off course the only brand they carry is Red Wing.  The belt was $64.00 and some odd cents.  Mission accomplished.  It could have been worse.  He didn’t need new wranglers.  I had several pair washed and tucked away for the day he was weary of pants with an elastic waist.  Too funny. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:10 pm on June 24, 2025 Permalink  

  A Good Day 

  Actually, this was beyond a good day . . . downright wonderful.

  I had blood work this morning.  Before I closed down the studio for the day, I opened my patient portal and printed out the information:

  Triglycerides  95  150 is normal range

  Cholesterol, Total 151  200 is normal range

  LDL Cholesterol 55  100 is normal range

  HDL Cholesterol 79  130 is normal range

  All of the items in the Basic Metabolic Panel were in the normal range

  Next week I have the actual doctor visit.  I need to ask her how I go about finding an Interventional Cardiologist.  I got a letter on June 12th that Dr. Sarraf is no longer with Mayo.  I can view profiles on the Mayo web site.  I plan on doing that before my appointment on the 30th.

  The carpenters have the west, driveway side, left.  I am partial, but the job is really good with the Gutter-Helmets in place, there is now a vinyl soffit enclosing the ends of the roof boards.  The doorway trim of the pickup garage opening is of black metal bent and molded.  Class job all the way around.

  The bad news is that great grand Addison was going to make some extra money scraping and painting the garage.

  Last night when Dennis was going to close down the patio porch, it took a while for Snuggles and Harriet to get in.  I have no plans on telling Dennis that for the week he was gone, I had always left the east screen popped open about eight inches.  They came and went on their own.  No way am I going to sit until dark for two cats to saunter in.  I knew they were in at one time or another via the food, eater and litter box that I took care of.  I actually hadn’t laid eyes on them in days.  What the ole cowboy doesn’t know in regard to the livestock can’t hurt him. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:48 pm on June 23, 2025 Permalink  

  Dennis has Returned 

  At 1:30 the fellows returned from Silver Bay.  I am sure, it was a pedal to the metal type of voyage.

  It is now 3:30 and Dennis has gone out to check on his patio porch.  I am sure both kitties headed for the hills when the carpenters arrived this morning.  He was quite surprised to see the garage project underway.  Over the remainder of the week, there will be much that will be shared after he settles in and the memories dribble out of Dennis.  A good week and a safe week spent with the north-woods families.

  The routines here on Stauffer Avenue will be just as they have always been.  There is, after all . . . no place like home.

  We had one brief shower of rain complete with some thunder.  It sounds as if Wednesday might bring something a bit more serious.

  It is a good thing that I went to the grocery store last night to bring in a few items.  Even at seven the air was stifling.  With yesterday being the last day of our Railroad Celebration, the grocery store looked like it had been picked clean.

  I kept to my schedule in the studio to the point of even getting out some yardage for the borders.  I still plan on making this a reversible tee-shirt type of blanket.  It might be quite the heft under the needle.  With it being about 48″ x 60″, the smaller size will make it doable getting it under the needle for quilting.  I am debating about the batting.  Time to ponder on that.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on June 22, 2025 Permalink  

  Warm Wind 

  I dare say the wind is quite brisk.  Everywhere the greenery is being whipped about.  25-30 mph hour winds with these temps could dry out any type of soil. 

  I have been giving the patio kitties fresh water every day.  Their water dish sits on a concrete block and I have no doubt it might feel good to splash about a little.  Yesterday when the carpenters were working in the garage, there was so sightings of them until I went to check on them before dark.  How dare strangers be in their space.

  There is talk of a possible thunder shower cropping up during the night.  I will need to close the small crack of the windows in the little red pickup that is sitting in the drive before bedtime.  As hot as it has been, I didn’t want a window blowing out from the heat.  Do vehicles still have that threat in the heat of the day.

  I was relieved that the carpenters didn’t return today.  Nothing is so important that working in the glaring of the heat reflected off of a white building is needed.

  Dennis called yesterday.  The Duluth event of the race was in full gear.  It’s grandma’s something, something.  One of the tunnels going north out of Duluth towards Silver Bay has construction going on.  Even in the Silver Bay area the traffic was fierce.  He and his son Ken, plan on striking out for home on Monday.

  So . . . how have I been doing on my own for this last week?  Very well indeed.  Dennis’ son-in-law, Tom, mowed the yard and the acre on Friday.  I made sure to imbursed Tom for the agreed amount.  He let me know that two of the three small gas cans would need to be filled before the next cutting.  With this hot dry wind, it may not be in the cards for this next week.

  I was satisfied how the sewing went in the studio.  I will say, even with the woven iron-on stabilizer, some of those tee-shirts are pathetic.  Any respectable out-house would reject them. The perimeter is nailed down but the guts of the twelve inch square is very which way loose.  The tees with the rubberized designs need to have my Teflon sheet put over them to be able to work with.  Breathe.  Note to self:  no more Grammie will do it.  Dennis has three daughters, four granddaughters and five great-grand daughters and none with an ounce of domestic inclination.

  The fellows on the crotch-rockets can pick up so much speed from our four-way stop, they are just a blur.  It is surprising how many are running around in this heat.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:40 pm on June 21, 2025 Permalink  

  Warmish 

  It goes without saying that summer is truly here today.

  I didn’t expect a knock on the door this forenoon.  Carpenter Brian had decided to go to Truman and pick up supplies.  I had Brian move Dennis’ pickup to the end of the drive, so the building supplies could be stored inside.  With the pickup where it is at, I can still get the car out of the garage if I need to run an errand.

  Brian and his fellow went to get lunch and he said he may well begin today.  I let him know, this was his project, I would be in the house if he needed something.  I have no intention of bothering them.  This is not their first rodeo.  He may or may not work on Sundays.  I know when they did the front deck, Sunday was a work day.

  As I type, the exterior of the garage has been stripped of down-spouts and other items that were on the walls.  The garage is wrapped and stapled with plastic.  As he and I were talking when he first came, he agreed that it was hot.   

  Today I called Calvin and wished him a happy birthday.  Calvin was born in 1947, making him 79 today.  He was sitting on the front porch of his unit listening to the radio.  It seems his days are as good as they can be, as mine are also.  His son Jason had called him, and Jason was headed into North Dakota with a heavy load of tombstones.  His son Eric is in Canada on a horse-pack hunting trip with a friend.  Calvin thought they were either elk or antelope hunting.  It was a complete package, all Eric had to do was stay atop of his horse.  It was good touching base.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:37 pm on June 20, 2025 Permalink  

  Small Glitch 

  Small glitch in letting Brian pick up garage materials on this Saturday.  Vaughn thought they had a thirty inch service door . . . not to be.  It needs to be ordered.  As the concrete foundation blocks have allowed for a thirty inch door, so goes the new door.  It doesn’t really matter if it is this week or next week for the garage start, as long as it is known that it will be done.

  This morning I knew I was hungry for cold tuna sandwiches.  I boiled two eggs for the tuna mixture, Lena’s recipe.  I diced up the half of Vedalia onion I had double bagged in the refrigerator.  I opened two small cans of the Albacore tuna.  After eating the white Albacore tuna packed in water, any other tuna, just seems slimy.  Personal preference.  All mixed together to chill and let the flavors co-mingle.

  I have the studio work going in such a fashion that I don’t need to overdue any one aspect of it.  I can machine stitch for a while, then stand at the ironing board for a while and let the rotary cutter have a crack as well.  It’s all about planning.

  This week, I achieved my objective of getting the finished quilts from the basement that I have done from A-Z, four, into the cabinet in the living room.  Also one of grandma Lena’s that she had finished for grandma Ester.  Ester had pieced the top out of grandpa Art’s shirts.  A lot of small prints found in dress shirts of the times.  Grandma Lena completed it by hand stitching the full sized quilt.  Sweet.

  My next project, about to boggle my mind, that the cabinet holds is a very lot of photos.  Eenie, meeny, miny, mow.  Somehow sorting through them and then handing them off in a very neat Segway.  I haven’t gotten past that point yet.

  The humidity at 72% , the dewpoint at 74%, not a good feeling outside.  I do take care of the livestock chores, but even the critters are not very active.

  No news from the north country.  No news is good news.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:54 pm on June 19, 2025 Permalink  

  Hungry Deer 

  Just a few days ago, I marveled at the one Hasta that was about four feet across.  The rains had done it proud.  This morning, I looked out the bathroom window and I saw stalks of what was left of the proud broad Hosta.  When I went out and checked, there were quite a few that had been munched on.  The greenery next to the Hosta, aka: weeds, were untouched.  We are a short distance from a creek that leads into good coverage for wildlife.  Discriminating tastes.  Oh well.  

  Dennis called last night from Silver Bay.  The three great grands are keeping him and his son Kenny busy and entertained.  Good for them.

  While I was at the church tables in the studio making plans for cutting some one inch strips, I got a phone call from my carpenter, Brian.  He had his list of materials that the lumberyard would be getting ready for him.  The yard will have it inventoried and ready to be picked up Saturday morning.  His question was about the new service entrance door that will be going in.  If I wanted it plain or with primer on it.  I opted for the primer so to have it hung and with time to get paint for it.  Any special finish would make it an order to be picked up later and he assured me, it would add to the cost.  He also mentioned it would be good to put the materials inside.  I assured him, the little red pickup would be put on the concrete drive while he and his partner worked on the project.

  Brian’s Hispanic English is good if not a bit broken.  Not so much broken as hesitant to make sure for the understanding coming and going.  He can make his sketches and measurements very easy to understand. I make sure to speak slower.  I know Dennis and I are very comfortable with Brian on board doing a good job.  It’s still going to be an old garage made up and out of wood pallets . . . just with less maintenance on the outside.

  It is heating up quite nicely outside.  It was forecast, so no surprise there.

  With that I will take  my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:26 pm on June 18, 2025 Permalink  

  Heavy Air 

  The day is not only gray and gloomy, but the air feels heavy . . . and my bones feel it.

  One of the very first things I do . . . even before getting a cup of coffee, is to do my PT exercises.  Are they a cure?  No.  But, they help to maintain and that is a whole bunch to be thankful for.

  While I was in the studio, I had a knock on the door.  Two weeks ago, Dennis and I had a conference over the state of our garage.  In 2020, I was on the ladder painting the gable of the garage.  My, My.  This year has the paint looking a bit weary.  Could we find someone to come to scrape and scrape and then buy Behr paint at close to $60.00 a gallon?  That afternoon, we called Brian.  Brian did a bang-up job on our front deck.

  Brian came this morning.  I believe by Saturday night-fall, we might have the components for the project in the little red pickup garage for permanent siding.  The siding will match as close to what is on the house.  The east gable’s siding will be replaced, not so much the wall.  That wall has durable 4’x10′ siding that looks as if it were put on yesterday.  Brian is going to rebuild the service door opening to allow for a regular sized door.  The old bathroom wooden door that has been on that opening for eons is going to be retired.

  After Brian and his helper left, I called over to Truman Lumber yard, 15 miles south on HWY #15, to talk to my friend Vaughn.  Vaughn worked with Brian at the time that materials were needed for the front deck.  Brian will be picking up the materials in Truman sometime Saturday.

  As we were not enthused to pay Schmidt Siding from Mankato to come and remove the gutter-helmet that is on the garage and, yes, there is a charge to put it back on again so the warranty can remain, Brian said he would put on a flashing to begin with the siding process.

  When Brian was here today and he was done making his notes, he shared with me, that I was the first person to hire him after he had moved here from New York to help a family member.  People saw him here working on the deck and the jobs started in and have not let up.  Sweet.

  Things can sometimes fall into place smoothly.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:41 pm on June 17, 2025 Permalink  

  Shh! 

  It’s just me and the kitties home.  Monday morning, Dennis’ son picked up Dennis and they headed to Silver Bay.  I didn’t ask for how long.  It mattered not.

  It has been different in a nice way.  Yes, I was alone when Dennis had the hip replacement going on.  It was being on call for anything from extra hankies that were needed, or his Facebook wasn’t working.

  My schedule has not changed here on Stauffer Avenue.  I slept like a rock and got up by 8:30.  The studio time is about three to four hours with breaks to retrieve hot coffee.  By two, the lights go off.  Head-ways is being made on tee-shirts.  While fiddling with tee-shirts, I have KNUJ radio on.  I am learning a lot about trap shooting, clay pigeon shooting and skeet shooting.  Young people by the 1,000’s are at Alexander for this yearly event.

  I had a prescription to pick up at Lewis Drug.  I got change back from a five dollar bill.   On my way home, I did do a drive through the acre yard.  About a week and a half ago, Spring Touch did a weed spray.  They used fifteen gals of their solution.  The spray is working and is very evident.  Grass is beginning to stool out since much brush has been cleared off.

  So . . . what does Grammie eat when alone?  Last night I had scrambled eggs with bacon bits and buttered toast.  This morning I had peanut butter and jelly bread.  Lots of peanut butter.  Tonight, it is going to be oatmeal with ground flax and milk.  I can assure you, I will not go hungry.  After all, I am only five minutes away from the grocery store.

  The home is quiet.  I took care of the kitties last night and I am sure that they wondered why the television had not been on all day in the patio porch.  The television remote here in the house may get some lint and dust on it.  When in the house, Dennis spends a lot of time on his lap-top.  He has figured out how to get country music on in bits and pieces in between the solitaire games, that while the television is on to a “48 Hour” cop show.  I do tap the volume button when I walk by.  This is Dennis’ home and he likes it, he likes it a lot.  I can easily adapt.  May I reach that age and point in my life that I too will have a volume on that needs tapping.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥