Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 3:16 pm on February 15, 2025 Permalink  

  Feathers 

  The snow showers today look more like feathers that have escaped from a feather ticking.  Not to be fooled, the light-looking snow has a way of piling up.  When I look out of my west bedroom porch windows, those feather-like snowflakes are flying sideways with the wind gusts.

  My goal today was to clean the sewing machine from the top to the bottom.  Putting in a new needle after doing the oil application . . . it is ready for some stitching.  I pulled some cotton fabric to go with the cork fabric I chose.  The cutting of the pieces needed, plus the correct length of the zipper needed are lying on the bed of the sewing machine.  The bobbin and the machine itself has been threaded.  The zipper foot has been attached and recognized by the sewing machine with the 9mm sewing plate installed.  That is where I left everything in the studio.  Tomorrow may be a sewing day, dependent upon how chilly the air is in the studio.

  The chicken tenderloins have been made into chicken strips for a quick pan fry for supper.  I use a high quality of olive oil.  One day I may look up the olive oil store that is on Madison East in Mankato.  Who knew a complete store of olive oil could sustain itself.  I also know some people actually drink several ounces of a quality olive oil each day for good health reasons.  Hmm.  Dennis is in charge of the green beans and potatoes.  

  For the remainder of today and this evening, I will be hand stitching.  Dennis has his favorite cop show on in the living room.  So many choices but the sirens and screaming shows win out.  I have choices on my HP in my bedroom porch.  To each his own and then all is well.

  With that I will take my leave.♥

   
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  Noreen 2:37 pm on February 14, 2025 Permalink  

  A Day 

  This is a day of sweet sentiments.  I prefer the thoughtful sentiments of memories rather than the material sentiments.

  Decades ago, it was all important to get the Valentine boxes that had been made at the kitchen table, nights on end, to the school for the grade school parties.  Sweet memories.  I don’t know if the little ones now even have the option of those sweet boxes.  One of Dennis’ great nieces posted that the kids in that school were given brown paper bags that they could take home and decorate for the next day party in their class.  Hmm.

  On this day, I have just finished in the studio for the day.  All of the hardware that I had for the zipper tapes were completed yesterday.  Today I made sure that all the zippers were such that the zipper pull hardware would remain on the rails wherever and whenever they were called into service. 

  Usually no one else is about in the studio.  There are times when Dennis’ daughter, Sandy, comes and her two small granddaughters are with.  There is no dust bunny safe if that happens.  They have come up from the studio with things in hand I had left out.  I can only imagine the zippers lying on the table with the shiny pulls just waiting to have a tug.

  For my own personal well being, I don’t like to have items in the stashes of the studio that would appear to have no use as I didn’t follow through.  I like the mission completion feeling.

  Before I came up from the studio, I sifted through the specs of some patterns I had downloaded.  There is always thought for another day.

  This evening Dennis and I are having Subway for supper.  Splitting a foot-long is all that either of us can put away.  Our favorite is tuna with lots of toppings. 

  It’s very gray out with heavy air.  KNUJ reported snow but when I checked the weather map, some snow went north of us and some went south.  I am sure we will be included with what is coming next.

  I trust all of you find joy today and with that it may bring a smile.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:48 pm on February 13, 2025 Permalink  

  Thursday the 11th of February 

  It is cold enough . . . who needs ice cubes.  The sun is bright enough . . . your blind even while wearing sunglasses.

  Today, I brought my studio work into my bedroom porch.  Even a space heater has its limits.  

  My goal was to make use of the zippers by the yard I had purchase some time ago.  All went well until I realized, it’s not “if you don’t mind . . . it doesn’t matter.” It’s as if the mind is not smart enough put a halt to the activity, the left hand and shoulder will screw up enough to get the hint across.  Got it.

  

  I do have a few more zippers to make allowing for the fact that I remember which lengths were the usual.  It’s better to have some extra length to cut off than be too short.  These zippers are not done yet.  They need to go down into the studio so I can sew across each end as a stop gate for the zipper pull.

  The chicken noodle soup from last night made enough of a batch that it will serve us well this evening for supper.  I did put a pan of apple crisp from the freezer, from our grocer, into the oven for a bake to round out a good meal.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:26 pm on February 12, 2025 Permalink  

  Snow 

  For what was to be light snow showers, it seems to be amounting to quite a bit.  My exercise yesterday of pushing some snow around may have to be repeated . . . but not today.  I will wait and see how this all falls into place, literally.

  Dennis is making supper for this evening.  We had one bag of dehydrated seasoned Shore Line chicken noodle soup left.  We had the cubed rotisserie chicken in the freezer.  Sounds like a great supper coming.  My event for the day was taking off the replacement cover of Dennis’ recliner and getting it through the laundry.

  Dennis’ recliner was purchased when we had a local furniture store that has since closed.  The attractive leather looking cover soon began to break away from the base material.  Several patches with look-alike material has and had been applied.  The first floor vacuum was needed as there were quite a few bits of the original covering that found its way in need of cleaning up.  Dennis proceeded to vacuum off the surfaces to entice anything that wanted to crack off . . . could be cleaned up.

  The afternoon is dwindling.  The chicken soup smells wonderful.  The four individual pieces of the recliner cover are partially on the recliner.  Each piece with its ultra strong elastic will find its way where it needs to be with a tuck here and a tuck there, well . . . maybe another tuck.

  The fine wet snow has the city crews out with the sand-induced salt.  The speed of the traffic tells me, the streets have become slippery.

  Older individuals that can be heard saying they are bored . . . not on Stauffer Avenue.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:52 pm on February 10, 2025 Permalink  

  Snow Showers 

  Snow showers come and go.

  It is going to be a good supper of chili out of the freezer.

  

  My curiosity got the best of me this forenoon.  I headed to the studio to see if my tote was indeed standing straight and tall.  Wonder of wonders . . . it was.  I spent a bit more time measuring the straps to see where they needed to be at.  I used some Wonder Clips to indicate what would need to be trimmed down for comfortable carrying ease.   That was enough to satisfy me for the studio time.  The air coming from the tile going around the perimeter was indeed chilly.

  I had some information I was seeking on YouTube.  That would be gotten off of the HP in my bedroom porch.  Sure enough.  I found some free download patterns to print off.  Isn’t the world wide web wonderful!  I could hear the printer working its magic.  That concluded any curiosity I may have had for today.

  Dennis just came in and confirmed that the outside air is really raw.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:14 pm on February 6, 2025 Permalink  

  Early Bird 

  It is Thursday with the wind again whipping the wind chime outside my bedroom porch, taunting the dusting of snow we had last night.  The bright sun has cleared the drive and we are back to no covering.

  I am an early bird with my blog today.  Yesterday had been a day off of doing a blog until I got the all clear from my administrator.

  This morning, I was hell bent on getting to the studio as I had pondered the next step to my soon to be tote bag.  All the lights were on. KNUJ was giving me the latest news and I was standing next to one of the church tables ready to go.  I put in a new blade in the rotary cutter and the steam iron was heating up.

  As I said, I was standing next to the table with everything in front of me, but I was not moving.  I chose to work with some fabric to finish off the top of the canvas cross-hatched that was dimensional.  The fabric had script printed across the length of the weft. I knew I wanted the script to read correctly as if I would be standing the canvas bag in front of me.  The script fabric being cut in one piece would also be the backing of the top band.  Getting my head wrapped around the correct way to sew this script fabric on correctly, just stymied me for a bit.  This was not going to be a day of ripping out seams.  It does help to fixate.  The adage: you don’t have time to do it right, but you always have time to do it over was blazing across my forehead.

  Finishing off the cup of coffee I had brought to the studio and finding the correct color of sewing thread for this next step in sewing, gave me enough time for a step-away.  I was able to go back to the fabric decision, use my wonder-clips to hold everything in place and get the seam sewn.  Whew.

  Dennis checked in at noon as he had had the little red pickup out for a spin around town.  

  I had prepared an oven meal for last night and that automatically gives me gratis for tonight’s supper.  I will spike it up a bit by adding some cranberries. 

  All is well with my soul . . . as well as everything else on Stauffer Avenue. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:28 pm on January 31, 2025 Permalink  

  The Aromas 

  The aromas from the little kitchen on Stauffer Avenue would have been hard pressed to have been any better in a 5 star eatery.

  The last time I was at our grocer’s they were running a special on a lb. of bacon.  The kicker was that it was honey jalapeno flavored wide sliced bacon.  I thought what the heck.  It was too good of a price to let it go.  I used a cookie sheet covered with tin foil and lined the slices up.   I didn’t let them bake to crispness.  When we have eggs and bacon for supper, I will top them out in the microwave. 

  The second cookie sheet, I covered with parchment paper and put the frozen cinnamon rolls onto it.  I knew that with the Pam sprayed onto the cling free sheet over them, the heat from the yeast would have them ready for the oven in three hours.

  It was a continuation of good aromas in the kitchen.  Dennis sampled a piece of bacon on his way out to the medical clinic.  It passed mustard.  Both projects were easy clean up.  The coverings of both cookie sheets hit the trash can.

  The studio was visited in between.  I have the walking foot on the sewing machine and it is threaded to match the canvas of my soon to be tote.  I do use a basting spray with which to hold the canvas, the top, to the batting and the backing.  I have always had good success with it holding everything in place when it goes under the needle.  The best part about the spray I use, is that it doesn’t gum up the needle as it sews.  It sure beats a multitude of stick pins jabbing me in the fingers as the project is manipulated under the needle while everything is held in place.  It also takes away from sewing over a pin and having it jammed somewhere under the hood.  The machine is capable enough as Megan found out when she was doing a quilt for Nicholas.  The needle of the machine went straight through the thickest portion of a safety pin.  The needle didn’t break but it took some doing to get the needle out of the machine while leaving it in the safety pin.  No harm was done.  A new needle was put in and all was good.   

  The studio got a short visit as operating the nozzle of the spray can did a number on the index finger as well as my right hand.  Way back when . . . who knew the index finger of either hand would be handicapped.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:44 pm on January 28, 2025 Permalink  

  Bricks Needed 

  We went up to the courthouse this morning.  First challenge was the wind from the north.  I could have used bricks in my pants.  The heavy railing they have put next to the sidewalk was used with every step I took.

  I looked at the roster of department heads.  My, my.  All new from when I left service in 2009.  We got our questions answered and Dennis got his new tabs for the little red pickup.

  With the biggest task completed, I came into the house and went straight down to the studio.  I was determined to make progress on the setup needed for my next project.  Mission completion.  I have multiple bobbins wound.  The canvas has had the edges surged to prevent raveling. I have my canvas in the hoop.  The tray with the collection of threads is on a tray within reach as they wait on the corner of the church table within reach of the sewing machine.  A piece of purple fabric is on the ironing board.  I will use that to add blocks to those long awaited embroidered designs that have nagged me long enough.  So there!

  I am not sure what Dennis is up to in the patio porch.  We will be meeting up for a supper of chicken tenderloins, potatoes and cauliflower in a steamer bag. 

  I usually open the weather on my computer.  I then expand the map to check for where the snow will be coming from.  Nothing for the next 24 hours.  I like that.

  As soon as the kids to the south of us are off of the afternoon school bus, they are riding their bikes up and down on Stauffer Avenue.  The contest seems to be which one can do some sharp turns making the most dust.  So it is January 28th with 50 degree weather.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:58 pm on January 26, 2025 Permalink  

  Hello 

  Hello to the sunshine with . . . very little wind.  How sweet is that!

  I have had a good conversation with my brother in Cloquet.  We chatted back and forth for over an hour.  I had not visited with him since Eric had helped him to relocate from Decorah, Iowa, over the Christmas.  Calvin stayed at Eric’s, outside of Duluth, for several days as Eric got the assisted living apartment ready to move into.

  It has been a change for Calvin, not a bad one.  He has a set-up with what he enjoys, much like how it was in Decorah, his television and his computer.

  After the New Year, our cousin Mark and his wife popped in to visit Calvin.  Mark lives in Finland, north of Duluth.  Mark’s dad, Melvin, was the youngest of my mom’s family of eight siblings.  Melvin worked and retired from the radar station that was active during war times protecting what may be coming in from across the ocean.  Calvin thought the visit was great.  It’s been a long time since Decorah held no possibility of a visit such as that.

  This morning, Megan and I shared a text back and forth.  Her courses are keeping her busy as well as doing some in-service off site related to her endeavors in the classroom.

  I have wandered from the studio to my bedroom porch and back.  The fabric I want to use for the next embroidery has been squared and the next step is to take in a tutorial on YouTube on a tote bag on which to put the embroidery.  I want to make sure I can get the centering of the design.

  Super is a container of Chili out of the freezer.  Sweet.

  Our week is free of any appointments.

  There is nothing like having choices throughout my days.  I will note that yesterday, Maria commented on the rise of the RSVP cases and covid.  Maria shares her salon work week with Windom as well as St. James.  Windom seemed to be her biggest concern.  I trust Maria and her nursing skills as much as the wickedness of sharp shears for a great haircut.  I do believe I will keep my nose down right here in my home.  I lack for nothing.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:25 pm on January 25, 2025 Permalink  

  Hmm 

  Oh yes, they spoke of forecasting temps in the twenties.  Nothing was mentioned of winds that would take us to feeling like -4.  Never to mind.  The strong wind rolling the dust down Stauffer Avenue, taking it south doesn’t make it feel like January.

  This morning we motored four block west of our home to visit Maria for haircuts and pedicures.  What a feeling of a treat.  There is nothing like it.  We came home at noon for a lunch of crab salad.  The flavors that have been co-mingling since yesterday’s forenoon.  Let me tell you, it served us well in the taste department as well as the texture of it.

  Dennis and I had a good full day yesterday, allowing us to take selective participation for this afternoon.  I don’t regret an afternoon like this.  The balance of life gives good days for happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons and best days make for good memories.

  I have a YouTube playing in the background while I am doing some stitching, sitting upon my cherry red chair in my bedroom porch.

  Supper is a replay of the tuna oven meal of last night.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥