Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:37 pm on March 27, 2025 Permalink  

  A Good Day 

  I had a very good start to this Thursday.  I could definitely feel some good result of PT of yesterday.  I didn’t feel all that great when I came home yesterday.  No mercy is shown. 

  I took advantage of that and spent about four hours in the studio.  I will go back to PT at 8:30 tomorrow morning.  When the lights went out in the studio, everything had been tidied.  It is so much more enjoyable when a new day in the studio does not have to do a cleanup job of a previous time.

  Dennis drove me to the grocery store here in town this afternoon.  We are getting company on Sunday for my birthday.  Sweet.  I was not going to count on feeling the flight of fancy tomorrow.  Saturday is my prep day for Sunday.  Planning is what allows all things to fall into place.

  We have tinges of green showing here and there in the yards.  The birds are really going after the tuffs of grass looking for a snack for themselves.  The Thrush birds have been checking out our awning spots for next building.  They are repeat customers.

  The groceries we purchased need to be put away.  The kitchen floor was just for giving me a short respite.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 11:13 am on March 26, 2025 Permalink  

  Needed This 

  It is not yet noon, but after a huge event in the studio that I worked my way through, I needed this.  To sit down and put a few words out as the sewing machine is working its magic on an embroidery project.

  Early this morning I got a call to re-schedule my morning PT to one this afternoon.  No problem as I am very flexible.

  I had two projects set for the studio and this re-scheduling would allow me to have some studio time.  First on the agenda was a sweep of any loose threads caught underneath.  A new needle and then some oil.  It is a good idea to clean the cutting blades.  The cutting blades save me having to take a scissor in my hand and nip the threads off of the needle.  Another thing is when the embroidering is going on and colors need to be changed, the cutters cut the thread before a new color begins sewing.

  I went into the “settings” of the machine to find the icon button to begin cleaning the cutters.  I knew it the moment I did it, I hit the wrong icon button.  All seemed well and I continued with threading the sewing machine and putting on a hoop.  Then . . . nothing.  I mean nothing.  There were lights on but no one was home.  The sewing machine was frozen.   Of course I felt panic.  I went back in my mind to when I had hit the wrong button and realized that icon was to re-calibrated the sewing machine.  I had never had to do that.  

  I didn’t even notice my coffee cup was empty, I turned around to my Dell laptop and typed in YouTube.  What a marvel YouTube is.  Yes, the computerized sewing machine needed to be re-calibrated.  A gal told me to shut the machine off, which buttons to hold down and then turn the sewing machine on.  A screen came up with cross-hairs on the upper left.  With the stiletto that came with the machine, I needed to hit the middle of the cross-hairs, the screen took the cross-hairs to the bottom right.  When I hit that middle the screen went to the bottom left.  As soon as I had done that, the sewing machine gave the usual grunt when I turn it on. Wow!

  Grammie learned to slow down and realize not to take for granted the steps to do what we love to do.  There are definite reactions to my hurried actions.  I put a very favorable comment to the YouTube.  By putting this post out while everything was so fresh in my mind helped to cement in my mind what and how I would feel if my sewing machine was seriously sick and needed to go to Bird Island to have Kelly fix it.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:16 pm on March 25, 2025 Permalink  

  A Tuesday 

  It is mid-afternoon and I have just come up from the studio.

  I have had such a gratifying day . . . me, myself and I.  When everything goes well it is truly sweet.

  Last night on a YouTube, I happened upon a site in regard to rug weaving.  It was so entertaining and it took me back.  Taking me back to the Boon Lake farm.  I am not sure what ad had been answered, but it allowed for a Necome four harness fly shuttle loom to be set up in our basement farm house.  The rest is history.  By the way, when Orlin and my dad went to pick it up, the Kimball area rings a bell, there was a huge amount of rags yet to be cut up to make a rug with.  Never a dull moment thereafter.

  Seeing as how Lena had had a rug loom for a long time, she was a great one to learn all the ins and outs.  Raymond knew how to put it together for us. 

  Oh for the memories.

  As luck would have it, there was one more goodie to come out of the freezer.  Our supper is going to be a rotisserie chicken pasta Alfredo casserole.  Gosh, if only an elf could only fill up our freezer with more goodies such as that. 

  Tomorrow morning I will have my second session at PT here in the clinic.  I am ready for it.  Dennis cautions me to rest or take it easy.  No way am I going to let what does work in my body atrophy.  My tendons and muscles need to move.  Sitting is the worst thing for it and the worst thing for anyone else for that matter.  What I do do in my days is not what caused the current situation.  Besides, staying busy and productive takes my mind off of discomforts.  The mind can fool the body. 

  With this I will take my leave.  ♥

   
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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 2:25 pm on March 20, 2025 Permalink  

  Can’t Fail 

  I can’t fail if I don’t try.

  I had met my local effort this morning by cleaning the bathroom.  Studio . . . be ware.

  I tried out a design pattern with the embroidery module this forenoon.  Sometimes if I don’t keep my hand in it, I forget what stabilizer works well with what.  That was the case this morning.  I was so confident that a sticky stabilizer would work with my terry towel to hold it nicely in place.

  Hmm.  The design stitched out without a glitch.  Taking the terry towel off of the sticky stabilizer, I dang near pulled off all of the loo0ps that make a terry towel a terry towel.  I settled down and decided to take my time to work a sharp knife under the stabilizer pushing and freeing the loops as I went.  What a huge lesson.

  

  I was determined.  I hooped up another try.  The only thing in the hoop was water soluble stabilizer.  I laid the terry towel on top and used long stick pins to attach the towel to the stabilizer.  I then ran a basting thread around the perimeter of the hoop using my fingers to assist in keeping the towel flat.  It worked out just fine.  Whatever stabilizer couldn’t be cut away from the back,  dunking in warm water will take care of the rest.

  The photo is actually of the “Bunnies” that I picked the sticky stabilizer off of.  No warn, no foul . . . just plenty of patience.  I have some hand towels coming in brown.  Who doesn’t like brown bunnies.  Today was a testament that if you don’t use it . . . it can be lost.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥ 

   

   
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  Noreen 2:26 pm on March 17, 2025 Permalink  

  Tempting 

  There was a bit of restless-leg going on with me during the night.  I had gotten up and decided to walk it off with the length of the living room, kitchen and bath.  By two, I felt I could settle in . . . and I must have.

  When I got up at eight I had no bad effects from a shorter night’s worth of rest.  After one cup of coffee while sitting at my HP laptop, I mulled over staying in my robe for the day.  I tried to tell myself that I deserved that.  I had been clocking into the studio with regularity during the last week or so.

  The mulling didn’t last long.  I got dressed, put my phone in a pocket and went to the studio.  All the lights went on and KNUJ was telling me the latest news.  On a morning such as this I force myself to get up and move.  Sitting is not my friend.  It does nothing for my physical wellbeing nor my mental wellbeing.  Stagnation could so easily set in.  Giving in to one day of not moving . . . what could it hurt?  Than a second day and soon it could be the norm.

  I had one large tote that was full of varying sizes of quilt batting.  That got emptied and all of the box pouches found their home within it.  On the cover is a taped on label, “Curry Pouches.”  The quilt batting found a home in a zippered bag.  A large amount of it can be squeezed into a small container.  A smaller picnic-type of a tote is housing the box pouches I made for my family.

  The Filter-Queen vacuum was a life saver for picking up all the snips of cork and tons of thread clippings.  I tuckered myself out and took a noon break.  But . . . I did not shut anything down in the studio as I was planning on returning to do a bit more.  Dennis had been in the patio porch since he had gotten up and my noon break was solo.  So be it.

  I feel good about the state of affairs in the studio.  Everything is geared up to do some embroidering.  Four towels are laid out.  The module is on the serviced and cleaned sewing machine complete with a new needle.  It will be easy to get into the groove.  Not having to start from zero does encourage me.

  For me . . . moving is a good thing.

  Tomorrow is my first PT appointment at 2:15.  The first one is for a meet and greet and where does it hurt type of dialog.  My blog schedule will be a bit later in the afternoons that PT is offered as one session has already been scheduled on the 18th of March at 2:15.  I am hopeful for help.

  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 2:29 pm on March 15, 2025 Permalink  

  A Day 

  What a difference a day can make.  Yesterday was shirt sleeve weather for some and today brings on the warm clothes to bundle up in.

  Today has been a turning point in the studio.  My sewing table looks like a zipper fest.  The last two of the box pouches have the zippers in ready to finish up another day.  I have been using the scraps of the cork fabric as well.  I have completed three using 7″ zippers and they resemble the finished size of a checkbook.  I have several remaining of the odd-ball size also with zippers sewn in.  The perfect size to zip up something of a stash of no specific heft or size.  My zipper foot of the sewing machine is going into retirement for now.

  I was so sure the awning that goes the width of the front of our home would take off sailing, landing on someone’s vehicle passing by on Stauffer Avenue.  It could really waft with the gusts of wind.  I have no idea if the rain we got early last night amounted to anything.  It sure did thunder.  I do know looking at Jan and Randy’s yard, it is back to having muddy puddles on their gravel yard.  When I had walked over to visit with Jan on Thursday the mud of last week’s snow had dried off.  So many times I am thankful that our drive is concrete.

  This wind has been going on since Thursday.  When I got into the car at the clinic a gust of wind decided to close my car door for me . . . before I had my left leg in.  I am sporting a huge bruise on the inside of my left knee.  I had all I could do to keep the door open long enough to get my leg into the car.  Lesson:  check which way the wind is blowing before I park the car.

  We are tucked in for the weekend.

  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.  ♥