Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:00 pm on December 19, 2023 Permalink  

  Sunny and Warmer 

  The sun can bring warmth and feelings of nice.

  There had been no plans to visit the studio on this Tuesday.  About 9:30 this morning, I felt the tug.  A trip had to be made to check if anything had changed over night.  You can never tell.  Sure enough I captured one very brave Boxelder bug sitting on my sewing machine.  Hmm.  I went ahead and cleaned, oiled and put a new needle in.  I know the machine will appreciate it when next its turned on.  That was the extent of this visit.

  The sun beckoned me to my cherry red chair to soak up sun and prepare to begin a new cross stitch project.  I have not come up with any solution for the framing of “Good Will to Men” cross stitch.  Still thinking on that.  Cross stitch stitching is really comforting for me.  I do have to stay on track for a design to do well.

  I will share why I dropped out of the stitching group that I had traveled to in Mankato.  It began a while back when Anita put on Facebook that those interested in expanding interest in machine embroidery would meet in her quilt shop in Mankato.  Anita sold her shop and we met in various restaurants for noon lunches.  That for me was the beginning of meeting new people.  Long story made short.  Over time, machine embroidery people did not do or share any embroidery.  Four of us could have out of the eight that the group grew to, and I did enjoy sharing what I had embroidered as well as sharing designs with three of them.  The emphasis in the recent past was more on taking in quilt retreats, traveling to quilt shops to shop and eating lunches.  I opted out to grow my passions in my own home and not eating fast foods.  A part of it also was that my personal circumstances had changed in regard to my mobility. 

  The original group was enjoyable when we met in Anita’s quilt shop.  Those sweet gals did meet with us in the lunch area of the mall after Anita’s sale.  As all things will, they change and those acquaintances were lost and not included when Anita went forward with what became eight on a monthly get together. 

  My cherry red chair in my bedroom porch is my place of serenity and enjoyment, also being sunny and warm.  I wish that for all the stitchers in my life.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:07 pm on December 18, 2023 Permalink  

  Quite the Day 

  Quite a few finishes here on Stauffer Avenue.

  The free-motion stitching has been finished.  I have not even gotten a new blade in the rotary cutter to trim the quilt of extra batting and backing.  Another day will take on that as well as sifting and sorting through which fabric will be the binding.  As I said, another day may be waiting.

  I won’t forget the cleaning of fuzz and threads in the machine’s top and bottom.  All of the stitching warrants a new needle as well.

  Last night I did finish the counted cross stitch.  It is fairly small, 5.5″ x 5.5″.  Before I shut the studio lights off this afternoon, I did scrounge the cistern closet in the basement to see if I had a frame that would work.  There is a possibility with some creative juices.

  I also finished the “who done it” book I was reading.  A cover has been cracked on a new selection for after supper.

  In previous posts I had mentioned that our primary doctor had retired.  Dennis has one prescription that needs a refill monthly.  This is the week that I would have sent a message for that to be refilled and sent to Lewis Drug.  Before I could send a message, I got a phone call from the clinic this morning.  There are no providers in our Mayo clinic here in St. James that can authorize a prescription for a substance abuse prescription.  Well, well.  Talk about our home town clinic screwing the pooch.  I would have thought, some provider in the clinic would have had such qualifying license in place as per the clinic’s administration before it was needed.

  I am staying close to the phone as there is to be a solution forthcoming.

  Quite the day.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:05 pm on December 17, 2023 Permalink  

  Time Flies 

  I am here to tell you of a rare experience of time flying.  This happened as recently as this morning when I realized it was 9:30 and I was still under the covers from a night’s rest.  Talk about rare.  Dennis said I must have needed it.  Wise ole cowboy.

  The usual items on the first floor were tackled for my local effort.  Hmm.  Twelve noon.  I made a decision right then and there that the studio would have to get along without me today.  Absence will make the heart grow fonder as the next task is taken on with the quilt.  The three inch border needs some free motion stitching.  That will make doing the binding easier.

  What I did work through was my telephone history.  Sometime last year I had let the minutes run out and I couldn’t figure out why there was a weird message and no phone calls were coming through.  I now know that I am good until 6/24/2024.  Whew.

  A call was taken this afternoon from my aunt in Arizona.  Her son Mark had clued me in that she has some dementia.  I let her choose the topics as when I would ask her something, she didn’t acknowledge that it had been asked.  After a short nine minutes she was ready to end the call.  Unfortunate but reality.

  I checked in with Carrie after a one-day knee surgery that took place Thursday of last week.  Something about a meniscus injury happening sometime in the past from winter sports.  All went well and recovery will not be as long as first thought.  Good news.

  Dennis has requested a bowl of steaming hot oatmeal for supper with just a bit of brown sugar on the side.  I can handle that.

  Time is flying as Christmas is coming soon. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:49 pm on December 16, 2023 Permalink  

  Plans Charge 

  When plans have been made, you always have to have a backup plan.  Dennis has twin daughters.  One lives at Silver Bay and the other in Mankato.  The girls, plus spouses, were going to take us older ones on Stauffer Avenue out for a noon meal treat.  That plan tanked this morning.  Dennis and I are having a quiet day with each other for company, still a sweet backup plan.

  The gray weather is perfect for Dennis to check his eyelids out for cracks in his recliner.

  I toddled down to the studio and put in three hours with the free motion quilting.  I can see the end of it, if I squint.  Laying out the quilt on the church tables, even though not complete, is very satisfying.  From the musical Annie: “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll love you tomorrow . . . it’s only a day away.”  I remember that song as Carrie sang it when she was in a musical event at school in the early 80s.  I have plenty tomorrows in my future. 

  There is French toast in our future for supper.  There is always a good supply in the freezer of the Jimmy Dean pre-cooked patty sausages.  We tried the pre-cooked Jimmy Dean links and they were a bit too spicy.  We have tried Johnsonville pre-cooked sausages and will not be purchasing them again.  Discriminating tastes here on Stauffer Avenue.  Our plans are set.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:56 pm on December 15, 2023 Permalink  

  Ducky Weather 

  The rain comes and goes during this gray day.  Whatever we can get will help going forward into the 2024 year.

  I rode along with Dennis in the little red pickup as he needed to deliver some items to nephew Brett’s concrete site.  We could tell there had been some field tillage done during that light coating of snow we had gotten.  There would be no excuse for any farmer to not have gotten the field work done during this harvest year.

  Three o’clock coffee time was always what was found on my folk’s farm site.  In later times, my sister Elvera and I would call each other for a visit at the three o’clock time.  The little things remembered become more precious over time.  Remembering the three o’clock coffee time brings a plethora of other memories to the surface. 

  As Dennis and I had completed the concrete delivery, we stopped for several donuts at Casey’s to take home with us.  When I got home, I turned the coffee pot on as there was breakfast coffee to enjoy, and yup, coffee time at three right here on Stauffer Avenue.

  I may go to the studio after coffee time to put a few stitches in with the free motion.  Every little bit counts up towards the end of that task.  Thinking ahead to trimming the project and then getting the binding process lined up . . . I am not going to get a head of myself.  That’s when mistakes happen.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 4:21 pm on December 14, 2023 Permalink  

  So It Goes 

  So it goes is a good thing when sewing goes well.  There may be several more days of the free motion quilting.  Of course the middle of the quilt is waiting to be tackled.  It means taking things a bit slower as there is a lot of heft to move about.

  Without fail, the ole cowboy has a sinus issue.  I kid him it is all about the size of the nose.  He claims his nose is normal and mine is like a beak.  Whatever clanks your chains cowboy. 

  This morning we did errands here in town.  Dennis checked in at the VA to set an appointment up for tomorrow.  Dennis has decided to take Eliquis by mouth rather than the INR pokes for blood clotting.  Tomorrow they will do the poke so they have a baseline for their records.

  I had two prescriptions at Lewis drug.  Two for a 90 day supply, each for $11.00.  Very reasonable.

  Dollar General was the next stop.  2% milk with the sell by date of 12/26.  Our grocery store cuts it really close and we are lucky to have seven days from it walking out the front door to the sell by date.  I did pick up some mucus and sinus relief at the Dollar General.  I checked and there is no conflict with his meds that he takes.  It is sure worth a try.  The Dollar General is well stocked with a nice produce refrigerated section.  It is the old Shopko store and there is a lot of square footage that is yet to be used.

  We have a solution for cookies that are dunkers, meaning a bit hard.  I cut an apple in half last night and put both halves face up in the container.  This morning I had a much softer cookie.  No dunking needed.  Thanks Lena for that tip.

  The clouds have moved in.  There is a mention of light rain in tomorrow’s forecast.  Hmm.

  Dennis has decided on soup for supper. Himself noting he hasn’t done anything today to warrant more.  So the days go here on Stauffer Avenue.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:29 pm on December 13, 2023 Permalink  

  Mild Day 

  Just a great sunny mild day.

  All went well in the studio today.  No glitches, no error messages.  As this is a quilt of all things scrappy, I had made a departmental decision yesterday.  This quilt would be using a pale blue for the top thread.  With so many colors, any number of colors would have worked just as well.  Now in the bobbin thread . . . that’s a whole different story.  I am emptying bobbins of various colors.  There started a blue, than a light brown, and then a tan, and then a light gray.  To finish off the time I had left, I put in a darker gray.  When the empty bobbin message came up, I had decided three hours was enough.  From the top of the quilt, it all shows that blue thread was used.  It isn’t even very noticeable that five different colors were used.

  Wait a minute.  I checked the backing of the very last stitches and it showed pink.  What!  The bobbin for sure was showing gray when I loaded it into the bobbin case.  There must have been gray thread loaded over some pink thread.  How the pink picked up right after the gray had been used up, a modern mystery.  As it is, I do have a bobbin with pink thread on it that I used when Dennis’ great granddaughter got her pink quilt last year.  I might as well go for it.   

  Three hours of free motion quilting was enough for this day.  The quilt under the needle has to keep moving for the stitching to be done, thus the free motion.  The quilt is heavy as it is moved with no pulling or drag as it goes under the needle.  Everything went very smoothly today.

  Yesterday while I did battle with the machine, Dennis stirred up some sugar cookie dough.  I had never bought cookie mix in a box before.  Betty Crocker’s sugar cookie mix had pre-mixed pouches.  With each pouch, a stick of melted butter and one whipped egg needed to be added.  As Dennis was doing the heavy duty stirring all together, I put the “whipped egg” into the directions so as to not have the whites and the yolks, not get mixed in equally.  I have a cup with a screw on lid and that whipped the egg perfectly.

  My job was to roll the dough into balls and then flattened with the bottom of a measuring cup dipped into sugar.  The flavor was fantastic.  I need to take note of how long to leave the tray in the oven.  All ovens have temps that vary.  The first batch was taken out when just the rims of the cookies had a bit of tan showing.  These cookies will need to come out when they still look raw.  That first batch will make great dunkers.  We had a total of 24 cookies when all was done.

  Sugar cookies have a long history with me.  My great grandmother, Christine, lived with Christ and Laura on the family farm as did Christ and Laura’s youngest son and his wife.  Talk about a busy farm house.  Christine did most of the baking.  Christine’s hair was as white as snow, always wrapped in a tight bun at the nape of her neck.  She spoke very little English that I ever heard.  She came through Ellis Island from Poland and I know the household in Penn Township spoke fluent German.  My cousin Shirley and I did get to stay with them for a week or two during summer breaks from school.  The household was large and the two of us had a bed in the upstairs 

  No one called my great grandmother anything but Mutter, German for mother.  Mutter always wore a long black dress with a crisp white apron.  Her aprons never got mussed or dirty.  Mutter made the best rolled out sugar cookies.  They were huge rounds with sugar on the top.  When Shirley and I would have a cookie, Mutter would bring out one for each of us plus one for herself with her cup of coffee, and us girls also had a cup with coffee in it.  Mutter would sit with us at the round kitchen table.  She would beckon us as she picked up her cookie and showed that we should dunk the cookie as she was.  Of course we followed suit, letting the bite of cookie soaked in coffee melt in our mouths.  Mutter would watch us and smile.

  Oh for memories.  Who doesn’t like a sugar cookie dunked in coffee.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:22 pm on December 12, 2023 Permalink  

  Motoring 

  I am motoring right along this afternoon.  Not so much this morning.

  The sewing machine worked like a champ yesterday when I shut it down.  This morning, I checked under the hood of the machine as if someone had visited and screwed everything up.  There might be a dozen stitches and then the bobbin error came up.  Hmm.  Must be fuzz somewhere.  Cleaned it all up and tried again.  Same error.  Rethreaded, made sure the needle was in correctly, sewed even less stitches and the error came up.  O.K.  It’s a computer.  I shut it down and waited a bit, turned it on and a few more than a dozen stitches before the same error message.

  Out came the manual.  If all else fails, read the instructions.  Recalibration was suggested . . . tried that and didn’t blow up the sewing machine.  Shut the machine down thinking it got its act together with the calibration.  Same naughty error message.  New needle, more checking for orphan thread snips.  I went to the supply tray, a great use for old school lunch trays.  I picked up a bobbin that I had not used for the last five years as I recognized the thread and remembered the project that I sewed with it.  One last try sweety!  It sewed like a champ.  It was the actual bobbin this entire time.  Each bobbin has a coating on one specific side that the sewing machine reads.  I know I have rewound that naughty bobbin over and over.  Hmm.  Don’t that beat all get out.

  Before I throw that bobbin out, I am going to stick it back in the bobbin case one more time to stitch to see what happens.

  ——–Half hour later, it pinged as it hit the waste basket.  That hurt.  It’s called being frugal, aka: cheap.  That whole episode took the gas out of my motoring.  Tomorrow is another day.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:33 pm on December 11, 2023 Permalink  

  Frosty Out 

  This morning it looked like a winter wonderland outside with all the white frost on everything.  It may have made roadways a challenge either for some of the fog that came with it or slick surfaces.  Everyone take care as I would rather think about you than read about you.  That was not the case as KNUJ ticked off all those that found their way to medical help or no help was needed.

  Getting the local effort done on the first floor, I was in the studio early.  The quilt under the needle is going well.  The color of thread I chose is barely detectable even for me.  A pair of cheaters over my prescription eyewear helped.  At one this afternoon the sewing machine was shut off.  The sewing machine is doing well but I need to honor my shoulders.  Tomorrow is another day.

  I have cracked the cover on my next read.  Nothing like a good “who done it” on the pages.

  The sun is bright if it chooses to stay out.

  I slept until eight this morning.  I usually sit on the edge of my bed for quite some time to make sure I will be sure footed when I take off.  Dennis had been out to the patio porch and was already napping in his recliner.  I had the sewing machine humming when I heard him close up the recliner and head out to the patio porch.  Hmm.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  We may meet up at supper time.   I will greet him with a smile, no frosty temperament.  We each do what makes our spirit feel good.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:39 pm on December 10, 2023 Permalink  

  Quiet Sunday 

  The wind has decided to stop.  The sun was late poking out from the clouds.

  I had decided to stay on the main floor of our home for the day.  I finished a novel I was reading of a less than thriving county south of the border.  I have not decided what cover will be cracked next.

  Hand stitching ensued.  What makes it easy to stay in my bedroom porch is the cherry red chair.  The comfort that that chair gives for the back is unbelievable.  Getting up often to refill my coffee cup is also a good thing.

  The calendar has been checked and next week looks clear with no appointments. Love that.

  This will be a short post as no news is very good news.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥