Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from April, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 1:32 pm on April 6, 2024 Permalink  

  Our Evergreen 

  I do know that wind that whips through the evergreen boughs exacerbates the sound.  

  As I am in my bedroom porch today, I see what is blowing down the street.  The wind is strong.  A home kitty-corner from ours put a new Larson storm door on last fall.  As it is bangy-banging today, I hope the door lasts until this evening when they get home.  I checked our door to the west this morning to make sure it was locked.

  Yesterday, neighbor Randy told Dennis to bring over the zero-turn anytime for him to install two grab bars.  Dennis put its battery on the trickle charger at that time.  The mower is now over at Randy’s garage.  This is not Randy’s first rodeo with a zero-turn grab bar.  Bob Luther lost his right arm in a farming accident several years ago and Randy tricked Bob’s zero-turn out for him in ease of getting off and on.  Sweet. 

  My Smokey the Bear got his chores of burning done yesterday.  It all worked out great.  Even leaves were raked out from the lilacs for the burning.  Just a bit here and there counts up.

  Today the snowblower was taken back to the potting shed and out came the push mower.  Whether the push mower gets used is not important.  It’s been checked over with fresh oil.  Dennis mentioned he would be buying a case of oil in the near future.

  We are having chili and grilled cheese sandwiches for supper.  Each of us gets a half sandwich and a slight bowl of chili and that is plenty.  We don’t have heavy meals anymore.  Yes, Nicholas, I know it’s not real cheese, but I am determined to use it up.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 1:20 pm on March 25, 2024 Permalink  

  Puddles 

  What small amount of snow we received in the last 36 hours has all gone by the way-side with the rain we are now having.  The noon news thought that those with heavy snow may have equated that to an 1/2 of rain.

  I had a wonderful experience this morning at our local dentist.  I really wanted to stay in our town.  I know getting a full bottom plate may take adjustments.  Being five minutes away beats traveling 90 miles round trip.

  Dentist Steve’s daughter will be joining him soon as she graduates this summer.  Mom, Chris, is the receptionist.  Steve has been updating the clinic.  I underwent a head x-ray.  Staying steady with a mouthpiece in place, the x-ray machine, by moving from my neck up, did a 360 degree head scan around me.  Wow.  I think Steve has really been planning for good dental service to be available.  How wonderful for a small town to maintain a great dental office.

  I return on April 2nd for impressions to be made of my mouth.  Going forward, having taken antibiotics due to my multiple implants, the remaining two teeth and two roots will be taken out and the plate goes in.  Standard practice.  

  I did find out that our family doctor, after leaving St. James Mayo, is on staff at Jackson medical clinic.  We are so happy for him.  They have a jewel on board.

  Dennis has made supper.  Tuna sandwiches with lettuce and chips and dip.  I am looking forward to it.

  With take I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 1:41 pm on March 20, 2024 Permalink  

  Whew 

  Hello Peeps!

  Coming to you from Stauffer Avenue.

  A very good day is winding down to a midday break.

  Yesterday after a medical appointment for Dennis here in town, we motored on to Mankato.

  I visited Menards and purchased two more blinds, 72″ x 30″.  Sweet.

  Dennis took me out for an early birthday lunch.  Far enough away from the actual date, so I wouldn’t be concerned about what was needed done at home.  Sweet.

  On the way out of Perkins, Dennis made sure he picked up a bag that was waiting for him when he paid the check.  Last night we enjoyed carrot cake for dessert from Perkins.  I should say . . . last night and today for a noon snack.  Sweet.

  In regard to purchasing blinds.  I am requesting Kevin to put up blinds in four windows on my birthday.  Of course new blinds have different brackets than those of 25 years ago.  Kevin is in charge of taking the old brackets off and putting on the new.  How could I not want to wash the windows and woodwork off before hand.  Thank goodness for the silicone lubricant to help with pushing up the top sashing.  Hmm.  Hello outside!  Even Dennis noticed how nice it was looking out of clean window panes.

  A note on the installation of the blinds with brackets.  The window woodwork is 100 years old.  I put up brackets 25 years ago . . . how many other holes are there in the window woodwork?  

  The north windows have blinds taped up over them.  I didn’t bother opening the two blinds boxes for the south windows.  Those two windows have blankets taped over them with that great 3M strapping tape to hold them up.

  As I said, I am on a mid-afternoon break and Dennis is making tuna, pea, white sauce and pasta for supper.  Sweet.

  In part some of our home has been homogenized and we are ready for new dust.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 3:51 pm on March 8, 2024 Permalink  

  Friday the 8th 

  True to my word of yesterday, I am having a quiet day.

  Last night, Dennis made this weary Grammie supper.  Oh, sweet.  Cheeseburgers and tator tots piping hot from the Eagles Club several blocks up the street.  It was truly enjoyed.  There were just enough tots left on my plate that I could make a smiley face that greeted me this morning.  I may have popped one or two in my mouth on the way to the coffee pot.  Potatoes are a good source of protein in various concoctions.

  Has anyone around here ever found fossils?  I have found several.  They are embedded in my floor finish of the laminate flooring job.  I had used some old wash cloths that were way past their prime.  Each day, the Swiffer mop, had one clamped into place.  Yesterday’s choice of cloths left some strands of thread as I was applying the update.  Oh well.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  We gained a whole bunch by hopefully prolonging the life of our laminate flooring.

  Nothing lasts forever and we do live in every nook and cranny of this home on Stauffer Avenue.

  The freezer gave up a freezer Zip Lock bag of several servings of chili for our supper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:06 pm on March 4, 2024 Permalink  

  Tandem 

  This morning Dennis and I worked in tandem to get an oven meal ready for supper.  Canned white chicken meat lacks a hardy flavor.  I steamed some broccoli to add to the pasta and Alfredo sauce.  The bright green color did wonders for the dish.  There is also a container in the freezer as the amount that was concocted would have given us way too many repeats.

  I had been meaning to try some of the laminate floor care that we got at Menards.  I did the worst first.  Where the computer stand is rolled back and forth was my first concern.  It looks refurbished in color and shine.  It dried within 45 minutes, but will allow no use until supper.  Each day I will vacuum, damp mop, let dry and then do another area.  So far, it is looking good.

  Marsha from across the street came over for a visit.  Actually, Marsha’s son lives across the street in Marsha’s home.  Marsha lives in LaSalle.  It was a great chat.  Marsha takes care of grandchildren and has little to no time for too much dilly dattle.

  The air feels as if it has rain in it.  Damp clouds. 

  This winter, as strange as it has been, is frightening to see what is happening in California with all the snow.  I believe home’s roof tops are in fear of collapse.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:29 pm on February 22, 2024 Permalink  

  On a Roll 

  There are days that I can feel the arthritis knocking wherever it can find a viable joint in my body.  The only solution is to keep on rolling and moving until the aches don’t stand a chance of winning.

  The studio stitching went great this forenoon.  33,000 stitches without a single glitch.  A project is underway.  I do know that a trip to Hobby Lobby is going to allow me to finish it.  It is rare that I didn’t have what was needed.

  The wind chimes in the evergreen at the northwest corner of the house is tinkling just enough to make the day come off as possibly a spring day.  A pleasant sound compared to when the breeze is actually a 35 mph force that makes all things not tied down move to the next street over.

  The afternoon’s event was peeling the remainder of some potatoes before a sprout was detected.  For my taste buds, nothing beats the enjoyment of a boiled potato with a meal.  It harkens many memories of a family of six around a round oak kitchen table. 

  Cousin Mark called last night with a quilting dilemma.  For a fellow just shy of sixty, he enjoys his threads and fuzz.  Nothing so serious that it couldn’t be remedied with a photo and some texting back and forth.  It was fun catching up with him.

  Chicken, boiled potatoes and cranberries for a wonderful supper.  What is not to like!

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:43 pm on February 16, 2024 Permalink  

  Keep Moving 

  It is chilly out and as I listen to KNUJ, it could easily feel like a minus temp.  I am in the studio.  I keep on moving from one side of the church tables to another and do not feel the chill.

  Listening to YouTube videos, I had picked up a tip for filling pincushions.  Leave it to Amazon to deliver to our front door two bags of 11 oz. each of crushed walnut hulls with some lavender seeds in the mix.  Three of the four stitched items were filled with the hulls.  The fourth had to settle for a poly fill as I didn’t want to open the second bag of hulls.  I enjoyed the stitching and will enjoy knowing there are no UFOs.  No unfinished objects, aka: pincushions.  I am waiting for the small openings to dry from using the E6000 glue to dry.  I love that versatile glue.  Kersten and I used some of it quite a few years ago to put the cement antlers back on the concrete deer.  Still holding strong.

  I scrounged around and have some trim to put around the edges of the stuffed pincushions.  Going first class the whole way.  Keeping busy is enjoyable for me.  I do manage to feel that I have worn myself out at the end of the day.  Perfect.

  In between time, I have a pork steak in the oven for supper.  I used up the half onion I had plus spreading some Ragu tomato sauce over it that was a leftover from last week’s chili.  Ragu is not the ultimate but I don’t have the variety of spices on hand.  Dennis is in charge of the instant mashed potatoes.  His appetite is not the best some days, but the milk and butter plus the protein in the potatoes is usually a win for him. 

  I am going back to the pincushion project.  That will take me to supper.  It might also be time to start another book in my bedroom porch this evening.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:10 pm on February 5, 2024 Permalink  

  I Am Back 

  I am back in the studio today on the fifth day of February.  First things first . . . turn on all the overhead lights.  Second on the agenda . . .  tuning in KNUJ on the portable radio.

  It felt just plain ass good.

  I knew that puttering around in my Stauffer Avenue Michael’s-like stashes would tell me what and how much I had to work with.  Hmm.  I had forgotten that the foam I had in a roll was two sided fusible.  I had only thought it was one sided.  Never mind, I will make it work.  The piece of linen I used for the machine embroidery is really scant on the bottom.  I have always known I would use quilt batting on the back side of the embroidered piece to free motion quilt everything other than the actual letters themselves, allowing for the letters to pop off.  The color of the thread I will use is labeled as Wild Rice.  A very close match to the linen as I do not want the free motion quilting to take away from the letters.  I have just enough of the silk quilt batting for that job.  Linen fabric ravels super easy.  As I type, Fray Check is drying on that scant bottom of the embroidery.  That aspect of the project, I am still thinking on.

  Dennis cut the piece of the hog paneling for me for the length I needed.  I put off putting the hanger on the back side of the covered panel so it would lay perfectly flat when I needed it to.  I cut the fusible foam for the length and width with extra inches.  I tried out our very old carpenter’s stapler on the piece of paneling I do not need.  That staple was put into the paneling with the fabric I intend to use to cover the paneling with.  I will have enough width and length to bring the covered fabric over the paneling to staple it down.  It held really well.

  The quilted linen piece with the letters will be affixed to the foam-covered green fabric with . . . 

  Ya, about that.  My plan was to turn under a scant 3/4″ of the linen with copper covered upholstery tacks.

  This is a good time to shut down the studio.  All materials have been thought through, measured and laying out on the church tables.  I literally will need to sleep on all of this.

  It’s a good thing I had one more package of a hot dish in the freezer.  My thinking cap has worn me out.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:47 pm on February 2, 2024 Permalink  

  No Shadow 

  Somewhere the groundhog didn’t see its shadow.  Not a fan of that old tale.

  I had a desire for the Campbell’s large can of bean soup.  It is very tasty.  In our store I looked high and low.  Nothing.  I settled for the store’s Best Choice bean and bacon.  Hmm. I purchased three cans.  We tried one can.  Not a fan at all. Very strong taste.

  Today it was time to use those two cans of not so good bean and bacon soup.  I diced an onion and sautéed it in my soup kettle.  That was joined with a pound of 85% hamburger.  A dash of several seasonings including chili powder.  One can of Kidney beans and one can of black beans.  That conglomeration is now on simmer on the kitchen range.  After a taste, I believe it will fly.

  This afternoon, Dennis and I filled our yellow Avalanche case with our personnel papers.  That included Dennis’ military papers to the present, as was my papers, past and present.  What a great case.  There was even room for my parent’s info, grandparents and great grandparents.  A case holding a whole lot of history now on a shelf in the studio.

  I continue reading and stitching in my bedroom porch at all times of the day.  I do take a break for a YouTube video now and then.  Enjoying what others are stitching and sewing is inspirational.  Since dropping out of the stitching group in Mankato, I have increased my own personnel enthusiasm 100%, viewing from those around the world.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 3:37 pm on January 24, 2024 Permalink  

  A Chill in the Air 

  At 33 degrees I can feel chillier than when it was a minus zero.  It may all be in my imagination.  That does go off on its own sometimes.

  Dennis is doing what I so appreciate . . . running errands in his little red pickup.  Dennis had several prescriptions of his to pick up at Lewis Drug. There were several letters to pop into the mail.  The quilt that I have mentioned needing to be at the UPS depot will soon be scanned and ready to travel.

  Did anyone anticipate or expect that this quilt had been done . . . no.  Why wouldn’t I give back the fabric that had been intended to be a quilt.  Alex Trettin’s grandmother felt she had many more quilts in her.  Our tomorrows are not promised. 

  When Dennis had first mentioned putting a car cover on the Lincoln after it had had a wash and wax job, I didn’t know how I would feel about not being able to use the car when I felt like it.  It has gone well.  When I see cars going by covered in salt slush . . . it was a good thing.

  This is a chicken noodle soup and sandwich night for supper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥