Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:10 pm on May 11, 2026 Permalink  

  Amazing 

  It’s amazing how much I got done on the first floor this morning while I was on hold.  We had gotten a letter informing us that Dennis needed to be re-enrolled in being notified that he could order his CPAP supplies from the Mayo Store in Mankato.  The system had new software that was being implemented.

  All four waste baskets in the house were emptied into one for Tuesday’s pickup.  A load of laundry was folded and put where it belonged.  The pound of thick sliced bacon was taken out of the oven and put on draining newsprint.  The plant I received yesterday was taken out of the gift bag and placed on an older plate to catch any water that would flow out the bottom when it was watered.  Basically, most of my Monday morning work completed until Erica could take my phone call.  No harm, no foul.  I have learned, calling the number another time would not have brought about any quicker response.

  A short studio stint cutting some fabric.  The studio is chilly these days.

  Dennis is off running some errands and then to his six month appointment with our primary.  It allows Dennis to be forthright in the Q&As.  If I had noticed anything out of the ordinary within the last six months, I would have gone with Dennis.  Seeing as how his appointment is at four, our supper is going to be eggs, as Dennis likes them . . . basted, bacon and toast.  Easy to fix once Dennis gets home.  Sometimes at a clinic appointment there could be a wait.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on May 10, 2026 Permalink  

  A Full Day 

  Some great cleaning in the studio.  From here on in, I am hoping for just my choice of threads and fuzz.  In the process of being in the studio and catching up, the doorbell rang.

  Brian Estrada had brought his family for me to meet.  Brian has done outstanding work on our home.  It was wonderful.  His daughter Alena is now four and there was a four month old little boy.  His wife was gracious and speaks perfect English.  Alena had a Mother’s Day basket that she handed to me with a plant. Sweet.

  When Brian was finished with our garage siding last summer, I had a twin sized quilt for Alena.  Several days later, I received a text from Brian with a photo of Alena and her quilt. 

  A comfortable relationship with a young craftsman.

  Sandy and Tom came this afternoon to pick up Tom’s convertible that he stores over the winter months in AJ’s garage.  The car started with no puddles underneath it so it was off they went, hoping to get in some yard work when they get home in Mankato.

  Oh for the merry month of May.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:07 pm on May 9, 2026 Permalink  

  A Saturday 

  A Sunny bright day for the fishing opener.  There has been a number of pickups pulling boats today.  As windy as it is here in town, I can only imagine some rough waters on lakes.

  Yesterday was a long busy day in the studio.  When my cousin Mark left for home after supper, all that was left for him to do was to do a binding on the 58″ x 68″ patriotic minke quilt.  Whew.  It had been a full day.  No secret was made of the fact that neither he nor I would take on another such project.  Live and learn.

  The older Filter Queen vacuum had been used as the quilt pieces were cut.  On another day, I will do a more through job of doing the tidy, tidy.  My sewing machine is due a good cleaning as well.

  Dennis is on a quest.  Our faithful PVC pipe flag pole gave up today.  The steel rod that ran inside of the plastic pipe and was anchored into a hole made when our patio was poured had rusted off.  Several decades of twisting and turning had taken its toll.  Nothing lasts forever. 

  Dennis and I are kicking around ideas for supper.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on May 8, 2026 Permalink  

  Teacher/Student 

  I have a student in the studio.  My cousin Mark was here at 9;30 from the Hastings area.

  Mark is doing a quilt for his nephew that will be stationed here the end of May from his last four years in England.  Robby is a licensed mechanic for the Air Force.  When Robby finishes a plane, his name is on the aircraft.  The end of May, Mark will be going to see his sister, Carol, and family in Arizona as Robby will be able to live with his mom during this stint. 

  The Minky material that we are working with was a kit that Carol bought for her son as a finished project and she asked Mark to make it up.  Mark had never worked with the plush fuzzy stretchy fabric and was scared to start it.  Here-go teacher . . . student. 

  So far . . . so good.  I do the prep work and Mark is on the cutting end and manning the machine.  As I have been on my feet since morning in the studio, I am taking a Lipton Ice Tea break.  Mark has a soda at his hand.

  How could I not help.

  I will have more tomorrow.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on May 7, 2026 Permalink  

  Crisis Averted 

  Eight o’clock on Stauffer.  Winding down for the day.

  I did a call from the other end of the home.  It was Dennis and his laptop had gone black.  I went to the recue.  No dice.  The laptop was not cooperating . . . at all.

  I went down to the studio and gathered up my Dell laptop and got Dennis on board.  Anyone that knows Dennis he is in the house to eat, sleep and be in front of his computer.  He has not assimilated beyond.  When I went to bed, all was well.

  This morning having coffee in my bedroom porch, I had the window to the world as I twirled my cherry red chair to take in what was going on around me.  To the north the deep lilac blooms are just about to pop open in a riot of color.  Next to them is the shrub that I used to trim . . . before realizing how much it was a brunt of the cold northwest winds.  To the south the kids were lining up waiting for the #5 yellow school bus to get them to the school on time.  The west offers up a view of carpenters working on a garage.

  I took a second cup of coffee and moved my HP laptop to the dining room table.  That way I could ask Gemini what to do about Dennis’ blacked out HP laptop that had gotten parked and still be in close proximity.  Patience, patience.  After trying several of the suggestions, Dennis’ HP was up and running.  I had no idea what had triggered the black-out and for now, it doesn’t matter.

  When Dennis came in from the patio porch at one this afternoon, the deal was:  no working computer until the computer stand and the surface of his HP had been tidied.  Tit for tat.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:18 pm on May 6, 2026 Permalink  

  Might be the Day 

  The skies are gray, the sun won’t come out and the air feels heavy.

  It is mid-afternoon and I am yawning.  Even a few laps on the driveway haven’t helped.  My gosh, you would think I could sit in my new recliner and nap.  Nope.  I am not a daytime napper.

  I looked out the bathroom window and Snuggles is asleep on Dennis’ chest while Dennis is napping.  Good for the both of them.  

  It felt good to clean up a bit in the studio from a job well done.  The sewing machine needed a cleanup of fuzz under the hood.  I still have the old Filter Queen plugged in and it did a right handsome job of helping.  Oil change, grease job and a new needle.  Doing justice to the machine is all important now as Kelly at Creative Stitches in Bird Island is not taking any machines in for work or a tune-up until the crops are in.  He and his dad farm many acres.

  I put out a small bag for the epileptic’s pick up today.  I truly hope they do come by.  Our street is a throughfare after all. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:18 pm on May 5, 2026 Permalink  

  The Day 

  Today is Tuesday the 5th of May.  The day has gone by quickly.

  I could have, would have stayed in the studio for longer today, but the trickle of water around the tile perimeter of the studio made it feel a bit too chilly.

  I have a project that I could bring to the first floor.  I fight that as one thing after another could dribble up to the first floor.  That would break the rhythm I have for my days.  Just so much time in my morning is spent having coffee and breakfast.  It’s then time to get dressed and do a tidy, tidy on the first floor.  After the “have too” is finished, I give myself permission for the studio time.

  The studio time is  say-la-vees.  If I get lost in thoughts or threads and fuzz . . . it matters not.  Creative time is good for the soul and the mind. 

  I will follow up that our unique oven meal of last night was a success.  It’s always convenient when a bag of ingredients can come out of the freezer to mix with sauce and pasta. Even doing a pork roast in the crockpot can leave it become dry as a pork loin roast doesn’t have any marbled meat.  When we had done the roast for a meal,  I used the kitchen shears and cut up the remaining very small.  The juice from the crockpot that contained the seasonings from the meat and the bed of carrots was perfect to pour over the cut up meat and cut up carrots.  Too much flavor to waste.  The ingredients of the leftover stove top added its kick of flavor.  Two cups of uncooked medium ribbon pasta and a jar of Alfredo . . . mission completion.  

  Dennis said he would be up for that combination any time.  He is the food critic.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:44 pm on May 4, 2026 Permalink  

  New Week 

  I awoke with a new agenda.  Well . . . some of the old.

  Time was spent on folding and pressing binding for my project.  The binding has now been sewn onto the quilt with tipping it forward for the last go-round on another day.

  When I went to clean my eye glasses this last weekend, the lens fell out.  Good thing the old pair were retrieved for the duration.  What had happened was a screw had fallen out.  Where the screw had been allowed for the frame to have the clearance to put the lens in.

  It was also important for me to visit a friend this afternoon.  Karen and I have been friends since the 80s.  At that time, Karen was the city clerk of Lewisville.  We met over city and county business.  Karen has since been the proprietor of the County Collage, a retail store on Main Street.  Last week it appeared on Facebook that she would be closing her store.  How could I not take time to stop in and wish her well on her next journey.  It was time well spent for me on this Monday.

  A new screw has been inserted in the eyewear.  A clear sealant was put over the screw to avoid another mishap.  Whatever.

  We are having an oven meal.  This is our experimental oven meal.  It consists of the pulled pork, not so much pulled as diced, the leftover diced carrots and the chopped up stove top dressing.  These ingredients were from last week when we did the pork crock pot meal.  The Alfredo sauce is the mixture to combine all.  Dennis put a hefty layer of ground black pepper on the top.  I’ll let you know what the reviews are.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:29 pm on May 3, 2026 Permalink  

  Sunny Sunday 

  A quiet start to a Sunday morning is a good thing.

  We anticipated the afternoon guests.  Dennis’ granddaughter had a fight match in Sioux Falls on Saturday night.  She is in the fighting where it is kick boxing, boxing and wrestling.  Both of Dennis’ daughters went to see the match.  Sandy and Tom from Mankato and Susie and Jerry from Silver Bay.  All would be stopping in on Stauffer on the way home.  Cheyanne lost the match.  Her loss netted her $32,000.00. They all agreed she took quite the beating.

  How that works is that within the week she is checked over by a doctor.  Nothing strenuous for two weeks.  Cheyanne is a physical trainer at Any Time Fitness.  It will be all verbal for the two weeks.  Her next match of the four in her contract is in the state of Washington.

  Amazing what avenues different individuals seek as adults.

  I like my cozy home.

  Pizza was a treat last night for supper.  I enjoyed cold pizza for breakfast.  Waste not want not.  

  The coming week is slated to be a quiet one for us.  Some sewing is on the docket afer I fold and press the lengths of binding.  It may very well not get done in one sprint.

  With that i will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:57 pm on May 2, 2026 Permalink  

  A Balmy Saturday 

  We might actually be having a spring-like day.  All the yellow flowers in our neighborhood tell me the same thing.

  We had a spa morning for haircuts and pedicures.  It sure felt good.  I have usually wore my hair short over the last decades.  This morning, I asked her to thin it out on top as it felt heavy.  Ask . . . and it can be done.  Dennis is always pleased with Maria’s work.  Those two can really chat each other up.  Unfortunately, someone had told tales, false, on her husband that made them loose work hours on this last Thursday as they had to meet with the immigration services in St. Paul.  All was cleared up, but it was a worry for two very nice people.

  A bit of fabric was cut for the binding of my project.  One step closer.

  We are having pizza for supper.  I am thrilled to be having a meat lover’s pizza from Casey’s.  Pizza is not Dennis’ favorites and this is special.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥