Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 1:59 pm on December 9, 2023 Permalink  

  White Stuff 

  We will see if the white stuff is going to be a dusting or measurable.  Either way, KNUJ is saying next week the temps could get rid of it.

  I came into the studio after getting the second bed’s bedding in the laundry.  Putting off what can be done is not my style.  Am I methodical?  Yes.  If I see something, I cannot unsee it it.  If a plan had been designed the night before, it might as well be in concrete.  Doing as well as I have after the 2021 stroke, has made me even more methodical.  Continuing to do what and how I always have in my adult life brought me to the point that doing for myself was the only way to get back whatever strength I could.  When I am in bed, lying on my right side, I feel the left hand creeping into the fist that feels right for itself.  I consciously move my hand and the fist of my left hand over to my right hand so the right hand can hold the left hand and splay out the fingers.  We do what we can.

  The quilt top is completely pinned . . . whew!  The top is spread out on the church tables with all the pins standing at attention.  Enough of that for this day.

  I moved with my chair over to begin cleaning my sewing machine from bottom to the top.  I have various cleaning tools just as any mechanic has theirs.  I don’t use canned air as it may well move lint, thread ends and fuzz deeper into the portion of the machine I do not have access to.  With a new needle in, I was getting close to a finish.  I decided to put the free motion attachment on to the machine and make sure all was well before putting the quilt under the needle.  I did a test stitch and it was all good.  Out of my stash of threads I pulled the light blue cone of silk cotton.  Finding an empty bobbin to fill, the machine hummed like the well oiled machine it was as the bobbin filled.  The machine is threaded and then it was shut down for today.

  My bedroom porch is beckoning me to either read or hand stitch and perhaps watching a bit of the white stuff.

  By the way, Dennis’ oven meal of tuna pasta was fantastic.  Food always tastes better when someone else has fixed it and tidied up after themselves.  Having a second meal of it this evening . . . it’s a good thing.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:37 pm on December 8, 2023 Permalink  

  Busy Household 

  On days such as this, hanging out quilts while the bedding is in the laundry would be sweet.  Those were the days just as Archie Bunker would have sang.

  I busied myself with the laundry and Dennis did a Gordon Ramsey stint in the kitchen making an oven dish for supper.  The menu for supper is a Tuna pasta with peas and Alfredo.  Can’t go wrong if we pair that with jellied cranberries.

  When Dennis cooks I disappear into the basement as soon as I can as his cooking includes doing up the prep dishes.  Granted, he goes through more prep dishes than I would.  It’s a win, win for the household.

  I worked on the pins to hold the quilt sandwich together.  One more day the pin baggie will show that the finish for that task will have been completed.  I have enjoyed this scrappy project so much, I am not rushing each step.  The free motion quilting is not going to be rushed.

  The novel I am reading is heavy on facts pertaining to anthropology science of an event that actually happened in Guatemala when an entire village was taken out with machetes’.  It is getting really interesting as I am on the last 100 pages.  That novel coupled with the stitching project that is also nearing completion within the next several weeks.  With my hobbies and local effort, a busy household is here on Stauffer Avenue.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:50 pm on December 7, 2023 Permalink  

  Sweet Weather 

  What is not to like about a 55-degree day.

  For several days the KNUJ radio station has had a lot of snowblowers on their swap shop.  I would not be disappointed if we have a brown Christmas.  People in the southern states do it all the time.  Dennis does have the blower ready to go that Kevin gave him years ago.  He even dug his heavy boots out of storage.

  The safety pin brigade was begun this morning on the quilt project on the church tables.  Those large pins, aka: diaper pins worked really well until my baggie for them was empty.  That’s alright as my hands needed a break anyway.  I would say I am about half done with that task. 

  Dennis’ nephew, the crete guy, is still taking on jobs for his crew.  Brett does clear new jobs with his foreman, Dennis’ grandson Ryan, as these fellows have been at it for a long season.  Starting at five in the morning as the concrete plant here in town will work with whatever as long as they have notice.

  We had decided not to put out corn for the deer, as did our neighbors to the north.  Actually the DNR advises not to.  Getting them too dependent for food only pulls the deer into places that are not good for them as evident last winter when two bucks got into it and one jumped our picket fence and did damage.  Deer are pretty to look at . . . somewhere else.  Dennis can recall that in his younger days, deer were not found here.  All the hunters went up north.  Strange how things evolve.

  I am on to stitching in my bedroom porch, perched upon my cherry red chair soaking up sunshine and doing a bit of traffic watching.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on December 6, 2023 Permalink  

  Just in Case 

  Just in case there needs to have outside work done . . . this would be a great day to get it done.

  The city water department crews have been working on what is under man-hole covers.  The city street department has had trucks filled with brush heading to the tree dump.  These nice days have been a blessing.

  Stauffer Avenue people have no local effort that needs to be put forth.  Sweet. 

  I tackled the sandwiching aspect of my scrappy quilt.  When I realized how wrinkled the batting was, I brought it up to our main level.  Several very damp towels joined it into the clothes dryer with a setting high enough with which to make some steam.  Ten minutes later the batting and I went back into the studio with a flawlessly smooth bundle of batting.  The damp steamy dryer is the trick every time.  The church table tops are just a bit lacking to have the project be completely lying flat.  Tomorrow the huge bag of safety pins will come out.  I will be putting down pins every four to five inches.  Those pins are not easy on the fingers and hands.  That project may take more than one day.

  I rely on my hand stitching and reading to fill in gaps throughout the day.  There is a plan in place so I don’t overdo muscles and tendons, which any one of the three hobbies can bring discomfort if overdone.  Not too many years ago, I wouldn’t have quit pinning the quilt regardless of how much discomfort there was.  Have I gotten a little smarter . . . nah . . . not me.  Raymond would just shake his head.  I have finally gotten a few more things to fill my retired days that I enjoy just as much as sewing and quilting.  I thought I had given up on counted cross stitch, until some of the YouTube subscriptions relighted an old passion of mine.

  Dennis has been in nap mode today.  Just in case you are wondering, we are each doing what comes naturally.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:05 pm on December 5, 2023 Permalink  

  Powerful Sun 

  Dennis just came in to get several gallons of water in the plastic jugs that he goes through with distilled water for his CPAP.  The three porch kitties go through their fair share, plus Dennis has two patio plants that he keeps in the patio porch.  Dennis commented on how warm the powerful sun can keep the porch through the glass slider doors.

  The studio kept me busy until one this afternoon.  My next port of call was my west bedroom porch for some hand stitching.  I knew just what Dennis was alluding to.  The south windows had the powerful sun warming my back as I sat stitching in the cherry red chair.

  Before we covered the MKX for the winter, Dennis had run it through the ultimate car wash uptown.  He then spent some elbow grease by putting on a coating of the Hybrid Solutions ceramic spray coating.  Dennis also did his little red pickup.  He purposely ran the pickup through the car wash to see how the ceramic spray coating held up.  He did not have to use any toweling as the water was shed spotlessly.

  So now I think I want to try that same product on the step-in shower surround.  I do dry the surround every time it is used because I know even soft water can leave its mark.  We had used car wax on the old tub surround.  I think it is worth a try.  Dennis just cautioned me to not get any on the floor of the surround.

  With the calendar being on its last page and with no medical appointments . . . this is sweet.  Our pantry is full and fresh milk will be the item needed as the week and weeks goes on. 

  Last night for supper Dennis had made a batch for four of instant mashed potatoes knowing there would be ample leftovers.  This evening a small can of Dinty Moore’s Beef Stew spooned over the potatoes will be a good call.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:40 pm on December 4, 2023 Permalink  

  Gaining 

  On this Monday the studio lights came on at 9:30 this morning.  Before I drifted off to sleep last night, I had planned on the borders I would need to add to the 4″ bocks that would be the bulk of the quilt back.  I had enough of two of the printed fabrics that had been made use of in the 4″ blocks. 

  Oh yes, the lights were on in the studio, but the last thing on my mind was sewing.  There was a trickle of water from the north wall making its way to the floor drain.  I do tend to go ballistic when it involves water where it shouldn’t be. The water was coming from our small refrigerator.  Before I began to put something on the floor, I stuck a thermometer in the freezer compartment.  Next came some old towels for the freezer compartment as that is where the water was coming from.  We were having a defrosting event.  The control was turned to the highest setting, all remained silent.  I pulled the plug.  The reading was 60 degrees and I knew I needed to get the contents up the steps into our main floor unit. 

  Tidy, tidy and we were back in business.  The floor is dry and after cleaning the interior and letting the doors open to make sure all was dry inside.  Thoughts of sewing returned.

  Long about noon, I did plug the refrigerator back in to see if the morning had been a fluke.  Nothing and the plug was again pulled.  I think us two older ones will get by just fine with one refrigerator in the house. 

  I now do have the borders sewn on with enough extra inches so the top and batting can easily be fitted on.  Nothing would be worse than to have the sandwiching of back, batting and top pinned together to only find out the backing was short.  Better to trim a bit off than try and back-step to add on.

  The mail this afternoon delivered the quilt batting.  I may open the package and let the batting breath after the scrunch involved with shipping.  Yup . . . I am gaining.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:42 pm on December 3, 2023 Permalink  

  A Great Feeling 

  When Dennis and I have had a great road trip as we had yesterday, Today is a great feeling to be home safe and sound.  We had wished for the weather to have been good for yesterday and it was.  I knew I would be wore out when we got home before dark yesterday.  Sleep hit me right after the head hit the pillow.

  We got to the Penn Church early yesterday, just in time to help Aunt Janet.  My cousin Kelly had picked Janet up from her home in Brownton.  Kelly also had a car load of items that she needed to get into the kitchen of the church where her sister Connie was already hard at it.  The 90th birthday party for Janet was about to begin.  The look on Janet’s face when we opened the door at the foot of the stairs going into the church’s basement was one that a camera should not have missed . . . but it did.

  The entire basement was decorated complete with a fairly large decorated Christmas tree.  Cousin Dan went on to say, all the decorations had been boxed up and came with the church when he had bought it.  That must have been in around 2005.  It was right after the purchase, a wagon of soybeans, that the fuel oil furnace had backed up and soot was everywhere.  Dan had had insurance and the entire church, Sunday school addition and all within, was professionally cleaned and painted where it needed it.  Wow.

  2016, Dan had contacted me to have a family get together at the church.  It was a great turn out.  There have been several more get togethers.  There is always open-house church services for Easter and Christmas.  I am not sure how the word spreads in the community as to when and what time.  A pastor from Winthrop officiates at the services.  Just last week, a lifetime member of St. Matthews, Penn Township had passed away and the family had asked Dan if the funeral service could be held at the church.  Dan agreed.  Dan has turned down weddings as the cleanup after a wedding could be quite a different story than a funeral.  Aunt Janet takes charge of the alter cloths,  so you know they are pristine. 

  As in yesterday, my dad’s family of which there were eight children in total, do appreciate being able to get together at a location that has family history decades old.  Those eight children of Christ and Laura Wendlandt were baptized, confirmed and some even married in St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Penn Township, as well as family funerals.

  Janet had a whirlwind of family and community to share in the birthday party yesterday.  Dan, Kelly and Connie did a wonderful job of putting on the afternoon.  People kept coming and the smile never left Janet’s face.  I am quite sure, today, Janet never got out of her bathrobe.  Sweet.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:46 pm on December 1, 2023 Permalink  

  Friday December 1st 

  Happy Friday to all my peeps.  I know, many people remark at how fast time goes.  We all have 24 hours in each and every day.  I don’t wish my time away.  What I hope to yet achieve in my own personal job jar . . . nah . . . it would take two jars. 

  Each evening I try to stay up a bit longer than nine for a few more hand stitches or another chapter in the latest book I am reading.  I don’t do television or YouTube videos after supper.  You could set your clock by our five p.m. suppers.  The goal is to not see dirty dishes in the sink when awaking to a new day.  About that bedtime of mine . . . even Dennis has observed when I push past that time I get wobbly and for sure, do not have me make decisions that can wait until morning.

  My days are sweet and full when all things are considered.  At two thirty today, the studio lights will be off.  My hand stitching is going well and I hope to do quite a bit before supper.  Carrie asked me how the hands have reacted to the counted cross stitching that I have again picked up.  The muscles in the hands, wrists and arms can atrophy if not exercised.  The nerves need to have a good blood supply right along with tendons and muscles.  I can pretty much tell when enough is enough.  The strength in my left side has pretty much stalled since the stroke.  Whatever I did regain in my shoulder, arm and leg did get a great workout to maintain this summer with staining the deck and the house shutters.  The left side had to struggle to keep up and it did.  Sweet.

  Today will be a soup and half sandwich supper.

  Tomorrow, first thing, I will text a “Happy 20th Birthday” to Megan.  Hmm.  Now there is a time flying occurrence.

  I am quite sure I will forgo a blog post for tomorrow.  By the time we get home from Aunt Janet’s birthday get together, it will most likely be dark and I will be pooped.  Dennis’ plan is to go early and leave early.  I am in full agreement.  According to KNUJ sunset occurs before five. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on November 30, 2023 Permalink  

  Fuzz and Thread 

  Quite a few years ago, I responded to a gal that was looking for others interested in Machine embroidery.  Fun to share successes, failures and hopefuls.  Since then I have never been out of ideas and projects.  Incorporating machine embroidery with sewing and quilting . . . no end to the possibilities.  Adding to the wealth of projects is the channels I have subscribed to on YouTube.  I have found the answers to questions I didn’t even knew I had.

  My church tables are very seldom clean and tidy.  Many I know have what is called a project wall.  Several yards of flannel fabric either taped, stapled or held up by shear luck on a flat wall, arranging designs in real time before the sewing begins.  Hmm.  I look around and I do not have a bare wall in the entire studio.  I chose to have shelving for my passions and count on the two church tables pushed together for my “what ifs.”

  Dennis was down visiting this afternoon.  He does his usual walk about checking what’s on the tables.  Then he scans the shelves and asks if I remember what there all is.  Anytime we have had a need with any item much like what the store Michael’s would handle, I have it in my hand in seconds.  Dennis settled in to play solitaire for a while on the Dell I have in the studio.

  There is no way I could explain how content I am in our forever home.  It isn’t as if I put my interests above time with Dennis.  This morning, he opened the back door and asked if I wanted to ride along over to the blue barn acre to see if there were branches that could be picked up.  I had a jacket on before he had the little red pickup started.  Before I start the studio for any given day, I do always ask Dennis if there is something he wants to do or if he needs help with anything.  My studio is not on a time table.

  By the way, I did log a complaint to Etsy in regard to the October 1st order I put in with no product delivered.  Time will tell.  Of all that I have done in regard to online transactions, once was once too much.

  I have had a great breakfast coffee break and will return to cutting more of the 4″ blocks I need.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 4:17 pm on November 29, 2023 Permalink  

  Indian Summer 

  It might not be Indian Summer out, but what Indian wouldn’t like it with temps in the high 40s.

  I rode along with Dennis today as the little red pickup needed an oil change.  When the computer comes up at Jiffy Lube, the little red pickup gets everything it needs considering the mileage.  We have never had problems with vehicles.  They get good care just like we do when we go in for a medical tune-up.

  As we drove, there was not a single ear of corn left to be harvested.  Very few fields had been tilled via moldboard plowing.  Chisel plowing has taken over.  With this weather to allow tillage, the spring field work of 2024 will have a head start. 

  Today our John Deere neighbor to the north of us, Randy, had a retirement party at John Deere.  Randy has worked for our local Deere since he graduated from high school.  Hats off.  His wife, Jan, retired from the school district in the spring of this year.

  This has been a good hump day.  Not much happening here on Stauffer Avenue for local effort.  Tomorrow will be time enough to put the lights back on in the studio.

  By the way, my stitched prototype came though the laundry perfectly.  I can now continue with the 4″ blocks for the backing.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥