Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:25 pm on March 24, 2025 Permalink  

  In Training 

  Quite a while ago when I was doing the box pouch cork phase, I also had a small quilt project perched on the end of the church tables in the studio.  That was a project that entailed quite a few embroidered blocks that never got to be in anything finished.  I had had fabric pulled together of various hues of purple.  It felt right that today, was the day.

  With a new blade in the rotary cutter and a cleared off area on the church tables the measuring tools came out.  This will be a blanket type of quilt using a bit of this and a bit of that from my fabric stashes.  I had not used the rotary cutter for some time and I think Grammie got weak.  I take this project as perhaps a bit of training for when Sadie brings her tee-shirts.  What muscles I had in my arms have gone pretty much to soft tissue.  With any cutting it is measure once, measure twice and then cut by pressing down hard on the rotary cutter so one pass will do the trick.

  As it was close to three this afternoon, I knew I had had enough and the studio went dark.  So far the project measures 35″ x 65″.  Another day I will find from the stashes, fabric to bulk out the width.  I cut, I sewed, I pressed and then pondered.  As I grow this project, I need to keep in mind that I have six yards of flannel for the backing and that is not changing.  Of course the backing will be pieced either lengthwise or widthwise.  I am not ready for that decision.

  These decisions would have been right up Lena’s alley.  She was a marvel of taking less than nothing and turning it into something that would take a blue ribbon any day.

  We mutually agreed that the last of the chili that was in the freezer is going to be our supper.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:21 pm on March 23, 2025 Permalink  

  And Again 

  It may be getting old, but . . . again I am referring to the blustery winds.  First from one direction and then to another. 

  I took coffee and headed to the studio in time for “Radio Church.”  Grace Lutheran from Glencoe in part sponsors it.  I find it enjoyable.

  I will let you know that last night’s poor man’s Shepard oven pie went over well.  Might try that again some time, as one of the stuffing mix is too much for us for one meal.

  When we have extended family stop in, they usually are interested first and foremost what Dennis has been up to.  Then, they want to see what’s going on in the studio.  I enjoy having something extra that I have stitched to send along home with them.  My completed items in the stash was bare bones.  I hope to soon have that rectified with Dan River hand towels from Amazon.  First things first, they hit the laundry for factory sizing to be washed out.  Once that is out during the laundry, it remains to be seen as to what type of stitching they will tolerate.

  When Megan was in the Eden Prairie State Club, Carrie had gotten towels from Amazon so each girl had a towel embroidered for skate guards.  Amanda from Creative Stitches, aka: Bernina, digitized the logo for me.  If I remember there were 80 plus towels for the skate club.  Yes, I was re-embused and happy to contribute.

  My stitching won’t be anything in that number count . . . just Grammie enjoying her studio and its possibilities.

  This afternoon there may be a possibility that will be added to the studio.  Dennis’ granddaughter Sadie, the military E9 gal, sent me a text with a question.  As of the last day of March, Sadie will no longer be in the Minnesota National Guards of Red Bull.  Sadie is 35 and has been in the military since she joined up in her high school junior year.  We give her so much credit for her service as she started a family during that time.  She is ready for “more” in her life.  Grandma Noreen has been asked for one more tee-shirt quilt.  I did not hesitate.  It meant the world to Dennis when she would come over and swap tales of her military experiences during her three tours and Dennis’ in Korea.  Sweet.  Time will tell how it all will work out.

  Subway will be our evening’s fare on this Sunday.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:19 pm on March 22, 2025 Permalink  

  A Saturday 

  As I had finished my local effort by twelve noon, I took a cup of breakfast coffee to my bedroom porch to do a bit of traffic watching.

  Thinking back: There was a time in the past that our Saturdays were spent working at the church in South Branch.  Especially during Lent the church needed double duty.  The Wednesday service always had families that brought snacks for their small children as the service went past the bedtimes and what better than to feed them hoping for an induced nap.  There seemed to be a fair amount of bridal showers in the spring of the year on a Saturday afternoon and that added to getting all done before Sunday.  Sundays also had coffee after the morning service.  We did get it all accomplished.  Thinking back, the sum of $75.00 a month rings a bell.

  Today my local effort here on Stauffer Avenue was changing out bedding.  There is no changing out as it comes off the bed and goes into the laundry and then goes right back on the bed.  Linen closets . . . don’t have one, don’t need one.  During the process it is the ideal time to roust out a dust bunny or two from under the beds.  I am so thankful we don’t have carpeting.  Either the vacuum or the Swiffer can get into the corners and under the beds.

  Dennis’ grandson AJ spent time with Dennis in the patio porch this morning.  It always makes for good feelings with Dennis.

  The studio stayed dark today.  Enough exercise for the ole body.  Yes!  I said exercise, not “extra fries.”  I’ve had a successful Saturday, one that would have made Lena proud.

  We are having a poor man’s Shepard’s pie for supper.  The leftover stove top in the small skillet with a small can of Dinty Moore’s stew over it and heated in the oven.  Sounded good to Dennis.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:13 pm on March 21, 2025 Permalink  

  The Lull 

  The lull of the chimes outside my bedroom porch could be hypnotic.  So much so that I hurriedly got dressed this morning and headed for the studio.

  When I had downloaded the bunny project, there had been many more designs in that collection of the embossed look.  I didn’t download all of them other than the bunnies.  This morning I was determined to finishing up that which had been started.  Every design company has a mirid of files that their designs can be loaded onto.  My sewing machine’s embroidery uses the EXP files exclusively.  

  If nothing else, I need to dip my toe into acquiring an additional design so I don’t forget how to go about the process of it all.  Getting a zip file to open and deposit the information into the my computer’s File Explorer.  From there opening up the “D”, USB drive, with a flash drive plugged in to copy only the EXP files onto.  I do check after several designs have been transferred to turn from my Dell laptop in the studio and plug the flash drive into the sewing machine.  For Grammie, it never hurts to check.  After everything was loaded, I will need to label that flash drive.

  The next item on my to-do list is to pick up several more of the flash drives.  The more I have loaded onto one, the longer the sewing machine has to hunt for what I need.

  I looked out just now and we are having snow showers that look as if it could turn to rain with the 45-degree day we are having.

  Dennis had told me that he was making supper last night.  I ask no questions.  When I was told supper was on the table, I was there.  Beef brats and potato salad with leftover cranberries and pickles.  It worked for me.  And . . . the dishes were also done up.  Sweet.

  This evening it is chicken noodle soup and a grilled cheese half sandwich.  Turn around is fair play.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on March 19, 2025 Permalink  

  Bullet Dodged 

  When I came to this morning after my night’s rest, the evergreen right out of my bedroom porch was whipping.  The wind chimes hanging from one of those branches didn’t have a chance to chime, they were clattering.  It took a bit before I was brave enough to look out the windows.  There was not drop one of rain or a single snowflake.  Our area dodged the storm and we were left with high winds.

  I can feel the fact that I had a session of PT yesterday.  Having been worked into a very busy schedule, I felt relief that the target of what was needed had been identified.  Next week I will have two sessions and two additional sessions scheduled for the next week.  Getting into the rotation was the first step.

  At noon we had on the news and south of us, Rochester’s roads were not easily seen.  About that noon news.  We no longer get it from Mankato.  The sister station owned by the same entity delivers Rochester’s news and we are lucky if a dribble is reported from the Mankato area.  So be it.

  I opted to stay on the main floor today.  Alas . . . the studio stayed darkened.  Dennis set up our vacuum and I took care of the floors from one end to the other.  The hose on that vacuum is very long and has its own way of wanting to coil.  I am more apt to go with it and stay on my feet rather than Dennis being taken by surprise and falling over it.  It was also a good opportunity to clean the clothes dryers vent.  The screen catches most of the lint, but the trough that the screen fits into needs some TLC as well.

  After the floors were done and a few extra dust bunnies rooted out, the vacuum went back into storage.  

  I enjoyed the last of the coffee and took in some of the YouTubes that I enjoy following.  I can do a bit of stitching with one eye on the HP screen and taking in a sip of coffee.  A very good way to work through the afternoon.

  There is a marinated pork steak in the round blue-speckled roaster in the oven.  Supper will be stove-top rather than potatoes, green beans and some cranberries.  A very good hot meal for a blustery evening.

  With that I will take my leave. ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:32 pm on March 16, 2025 Permalink  

  Mission Completion 

  I am giving myself a high-five, aka: my right hand slapping the left.

  The studio is dark.  KNUJ will need to get along without me for the remainder of the afternoon.

  

  I have completed the “cork phase” in my studio.  The phase was doing a project to use up the scraps of various colors and designs of the cork fabric.  I had no intentions of cutting into the larger pieces that were rolled each within their cellophane bag.  Perhaps another wild hair will prevail in days to come.

  Tomorrow the sewing machine will be cleaned and checked over from top to bottom, inside and out.  No needles were broken during this project.  Oh my gosh . . . all the snippets of threads on the floor.  The handy dandy Filter Queen will be on board.

  Before I had headed to the studio for the final hurrah of the cork, I had put together a tuna oven meal for this evening’s supper.  Ya, ya . . . I know Dennis likes peas with the tuna.  I had none in the freezer.  What I did have was a bag of frozen mixed vegetables.  Why not!  Worst case, the green beans are stacked on the edge of the plate.  The fact that I used Albacore white tuna makes up for the vegetables.  I know I have mentioned this before about tuna.  Star-Kist is like so much mush in the can.  We are worth having a choice grade of tuna for our meal. 

  When I came up from the darkened studio, Dennis had done up all the dishes and the stove top.  Kudos.

  A while back I had used up the Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix.  I did not over-bake.  I had actually put them in the lettuce saver from Tupperware.  The lid is a tight seal with the two little white things snaped up to keep it sealed.  Last week I was going to have a cookie and I dropped it.  It shattered like a piece of fine porcelain.  Way too many cookies for dunking.  I had the individual containers of Mott’s apple sauce in the refrigerator.  I opened one up, enjoying half of it, leaving half of it in its container, and set the container in with the cookies.  Overnight we had soft sugar cookies.  Good job Grammie.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:16 pm on March 14, 2025 Permalink  

  Howling Wind 

  We have just enough of an air leak around our front door that the wind can be heard howling.  Surprisingly, we still have a few pine cones to come bouncing off of the tall pine tree on the northwest corner of the house.  When they hit the metal awning, it could very well be mistaken for a small bomb.

  I put out some Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls this morning to thaw.  I got busy in the studio and when I came up, they were begging to be put in the oven.  I wasn’t about to start anything new and forget them in the oven.  I can report that they are out of the oven.  The aroma from them baking was wonderful.

  We talked about what supper’s offering would be.  Dennis decided on a Banquet frozen dinner.  I opted for a bowl of oatmeal.  Two satisfied people.  

  The weekend sounds slushy.  We have no plans on being out and about in it.

  Yesterday I found out that a cousin of mine had passed away.  Sharon was 81.  She was my aunt Gertie’s daughter, and Gertie was never called Gertrude.  One or both of my kids called her Aunt Berdie. 

  Dennis just came in and reported that what he thought would be a brake job on his little red pickup would not be needed.  Following the tip on what was needed to re-set them seems to have done the trick.  After doing a check on the baked rolls, it seems as if three o’clock coffee time would be a good time for a taste.  Why not!  Raymond and Lena always enjoyed an afternoon break such as that.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:14 pm on March 12, 2025 Permalink  

  Sunny Hump Day 

  Good news from my endeavors of yesterday’s kitchen duty.  The oven meal passed mustard with a repeat of that coming for this evening’s supper.  We sampled the crab salad for our noon lunch today and that also is deemed good.  A full day in the kitchen pretty much guarantees a day such as this one with only light duty.

  The studio work went well today.  I am down to pairing up some of my colorful zippers from an older stash to see what can be coordinated with smaller pieces of the cork fabric.  Have I gotten tired of the project?  No.  It has felt good to work up what needed to be put into something with a utilitarian use.  Right at the end of one of the church tables is a small quilt project patiently waiting.  Over the years of doing embroidery designs, there are enough extras from various projects to get them kitted up to see what size can be achieved.  I am not venturing into my batting stash as yet.  That step would be fairly far into the project.  I know when nephew Brett took a quilt off of his long-arm, he gave the trimmings to me.  I have a lightweight paper adhesive type of tape to pair up scraps into a usable size. 

  The sun has worked hard and Stauffer Avenue is no longer looking like a huge mud hole.  That may change if we get the weather they are predicting for this weekend.

  Tomorrow I have an appointment with my primary doctor here in St. James at 3:30.  The lab work was completed some time ago and now for . . . the rest of the story.  Our clinic is short of doctors.  I don’t want to miss an appointment and fall through the medical cracks.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 1:56 pm on March 11, 2025 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 11th 

  This morning, everything seemed to come up roses.  We have chillier weather but the sun shining seems to make up for it.

  I gave myself kitchen duty this morning and forenoon.  Once the washer was doing its thing, I set about making a batch of cold crab salad.  I always add a few extra ingredients.  This time it was minced raw onions and the remainder of the Asiago shredded cheese.  The box of Suddenly Salad has a good amount of herbs in the seasoning packet.  It went into the refrigerator and by tomorrow noon the flavors will all have co-mingled.

  Next on the docket was getting pasta boiled for this evening’s oven meal.  I sauteed the remaining chopped onion and then put them aside.  One pound of 80/20 ground beef was the next item in the fry pan.  While that was browning, I drained the jar of sauerkraut into my cheesecloth.  Taking it up like nap-sack on a pole, I twisted and twisted that bundle of flavor to get as much of the juice out as possible.  Not to worry, there will still be plenty of salty flavor for the blue-speckled roaster.  The ground beef was drained of extra fat and while it was still hot, I stirred in a hefty tablespoon of beef flavored Better than Bullion as I know the ground beef on its own lacks flavor.  All ingredients were waiting for the binder . . . a jar of Ragu Alfredo.  It’s not my favorite brand but it was on sale at $2.49 a jar.  The folding over process of all the ingredients does takes its tole on the Grammie.

  Just as if planned Dennis was on the scene to do the prep dishes.  That fellow knows good eats.  His job is also to top the oven dish with ground pepper.

  I left the kitchen in good hands and went into the studio.  I had three pouches as part of my assembly line.  What I had to do first, which I had forgot to do yesterday, was to clean the cutters.  Not needing to cut the threads after a seam has been sewn may not sound like much but that in conjunction of not having to raise and lower the presser foot or threading the needle saves so much on my hands and arms.  Those three pouches now join the other finished ones on the church tables.  If I return to the studio tomorrow, I have three laid out ready to have zippers put in.  Sweet.

  My great day continues.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on March 10, 2025 Permalink  

  Appreciation Day 

  Today was showing appreciation and love to my sewing machine.  My sewing machine is a work-horse.  It has given me so much joy and contentment over the last seven plus years.

  After all the lights and KNUJ were on, it was time to pull out my tool box for the sewing machine.  Nothing sews better than an oiled machine.  Underneath and topside my syringe-looking oil can did its duty.  Tiny threads no larger than the tail on a flea were rousted.  The surgical tweezers got them all.  The dual feed foot got a going over as well.  A tiny screw that can wiggle loose with each stitch the machine takes got a bit of tightening.  The dual feed can be engaged as the feed dogs move to allow motion under the needle, this acts as additional feed dogs right behind the needle to help things move along.  The last thing was to put in a new needle.  Needles are so cheap with tips so small, whatever I am working on deserves for the thread in each stitch to be done to its best.

  I didn’t get much stitching done in the studio.  I do have notations as to what amount of the corks need to be met up with the correct size of zipper.  That alone makes the next visit to the studio enjoyable.

  Last night we enjoyed our usual Sunday night supper of sharing a 12″ tuna sub.  Very tasty and fresh.  This evening, we are having a skillet meal that I am in charge of.  I man the skillet and Dennis takes charge of the dishes afterwards.  Well . . . that’s because I wouldn’t do them correctly.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥