Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from August, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Noreen 2:12 pm on August 16, 2024 Permalink  

  Spitting Rain Showers 

  Very unusual temps for mid August.  I will gladly take the cooler side of a month that could be blistering.

  I had a very busy morning on the main floor of our home.  Dennis’ bedding was stripped off for a usual freshening in the laundry.  

  I had chosen a six pound bag of frozen chicken tenderloins at Sam’s Club last week.  I was planning on chicken, instant potatoes and green beans for supper this evening.  While I had the six ponds on the kitchen counter to take several tenderloins out, I decided to get the quart freezer zip-lock bags out and do the reasonable thing.  We now have meal-sized tenderloins in individual bags in the freezer.  So much easier to grab an individual bag than wrestle the huge bag each time we decide on chicken for supper.  Mission completion.

  I don’t know what Dennis was up to in the garage, but by twelve noon, his bedding was back where it needed to be . . . on the bed.

  It is three in the afternoon and the lights have been turned off in the studio.  I got done what I wanted to.  I have the blue log cabin’s binding sewn, folded in half, pressed and wound on a piece of carboard, ready to hand off to the church in time to come.  The four log cabin tops with their bindings will be the last of how I go forward sewing quilt tops.  In the future they will measure the 60″ x 80″ as desired with no bindings needed.  Sweet.  The pinwheel will be the first of the new prescribed size.

  Me and my cross stitch.  It is so relaxing, even if stitches need to be counted for a design that will match the directions.  Hmm.  I was coming around the width of the fabric to do the flowers and I was one stitch off for them to attach to the stem.  It was time to realize the original stem was dying and time to graft on fresh growth.  Perfect solution.  There is always a way to correct a situation when it comes to tiny squares that require an “x” to be put in it.

  The skies to the east are purple, filled with rain, and the sun wants to shine.

  I have achieved much local effort today and am going to take some time before supper to put a few stitches into those flowers that have a waiting stem.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:04 pm on August 14, 2024 Permalink  

  Pinwheels 

  With all the winds we had had this summer, how many of the plastic pinwheels would I have gone through!

  I went down to the studio at ten this morning.  Dennis had left at eight as he and friend Dwayne had a date at McDonald’s for the coffee group.  Dwayne had called last night to see if Dennis was sick as it had been awhile since they had ventured out. 

  Yesterday Dennis had cut 2″ strips for me for the binding of a previous log cabin quilt top I had done in brown tones.  The quilt top had measured 75″ x 105″, doable for an extra long double bed.  I knew it would take at least 400″ of binding.  Today the mission was to sew all the 2″ strips together and then fold them in half at the pressing table.  That is called the double fold binding.  When double fold is stitched onto the edge of the quilt all around, it is then taken to the back of the quilt and sewn down either by machine or hand stitching.  The quilt will end up with a 3/8″ completed binding.  More layers to take the brunt of hands when pulling a quilt up to the chin. 

  As I am donating this log cabin quilt top, I will be sending along the prepared binding for the church ladies to sew on after they have tied the quilt with the batting and backing in place.

  It is quite the process to get the binding ready.  When all was sewn and pressed, I wound it around cardboard to keep it tidy.  You know me and tidy.

  It was then time for me to lay out the latest log cabin blocks onto the church tables.  I chose the pinwheel lay-out pattern for this top.  After visiting with Linda and learning their target quilt top size is 60″ x 80″, I will not be putting on much for borders, if any.  When I sew these 24 blocks together, the ruler will come out and time will tell.

  God bless the older HP computer that is allowing me to load and post photos.  It does do the coffee grinder noise when first booted up as the coolant fan lets me know I am in its favor.  It settles down in time.

  The church ladies have a way to tie the quilts, all three layers, and then bring the backing fabric over to the top and use it as the binding.  When doing many quilts, this makes a lot of sense.  Thus, I need not do any more bindings.

  I have not been on the main floor of the home for some time, so I have no idea if the forecast rain has begun or not. 

  I usually don’t do this stretch of time in the studio, but when I got started, it felt good to have the brown quilt top ready to hand off to Linda sometime in the future.  I had made a log cabin top in blue tones.  That also goes beyond the ultimate desired quilt top for the church, so I do feel obligated to do the prepared binding.  I have the strips cut and I had cut them at 2.5″.  Not to worry.  Some very crafty quilter will know how to sew those bindings on.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:30 pm on August 13, 2024 Permalink  

  Quite the Morning 

  It is quite the morning when I don’t hear the garbage man pick up our bin not 20′ from my bedroom.  I was out like a light.

  I deem success of each day when I have done enough physically and mentally that I can go to bed at nine thirty in the evening and sleep until eight in the morning.  I am not comparing my days to anyone else’s.  They are all mine alone.

  I was in the studio by eleven this morning.  This round of stitching and pressing would complete the 24 blocks of the latest quilt top.  As I sat at my sewing machine taking a sip of breakfast coffee now and then, my eyes wandered over to the shelves on the south wall.

  When one of Dennis’ sons lived in Alabama and we would visit, we got to know a neighbor of their’s, Mary and Max.   Max did woodworking in his spare time and he did a lot of it.  One year, I went back to Minnesota with one of Max’s wooden boxes.  Inside were two lift-out dividers.  The interior had red felt glued in it. 

  Sitting and looking at the box, I could not remember what was in it.  I lifted it down, dusted off the top and took a look-see.  There was a variety of crocheted crosses I had made, plus several bookmarks I had crocheted.  There was also a fairly large collection to tatted medallions.  I do not tat.  When Dennis and I had gone to the Sioux Falls trade shows for quite a few years, the people that had the table next to ours over the years were repeat neighbors.  As the fellows would hawk their wares, the wife would sit and tat.  Her medallions were for sale and each year I would purchase some.  Her medallions were keeping my crocheted items company.  Sweet.  I closed up the box and my mind began working on how to make the most of those delicate jewels.  

  Dennis was feeling less than good today.  I invited him to cut some fabric for me hoping that would take his mind off of himself.  My battery operated radio continued to cut-out until I remembered that that was a sign that the batteries needed changing.  I put that on Dennis’ plate.  He was shocked that the little radio that was a Christmas gift to me from decades ago took six “C” batteries.  As luck would have it, we had just enough.  KNUJ came in loud and strong.  Guess what was put on the next grocery list.

  I will check with Dennis to see what sounds good for supper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:01 pm on August 12, 2024 Permalink  

  Tidy Monday 

  Of course a Monday means the laundry basket takes several hits.  It’s what I do when I do it.

  The hamstring feels much better today after me and the tennis ball went round and round yesterday.  I plan on doing that again as soon as I feel a twitch.

  If I were still in the mindset of hanging laundry out, I would.  Just no longer taking chances of me and a basket getting from point A to point B.  Drying indoors, point B, still makes the laundry smell clean, just not that fresh air clean.

  I put in several hours in the studio today.  Nothing rushing.  Stitch a bit, get up and press a bit.  Even KNUJ had no breaking news.

  Dennis’ son Jeff came over this afternoon asking for a long sleeve shirt.  His arms are showing water blisters and he is quite self-conscious of them.  Our skin is made up of our body fluids.  I pulled out a shirt for him.  Jeff didn’t stay long.

  Dennis’ oven meal was very tasty last night.  Tasty enough there will be a repeat performance for this evening.

  I have several loads of laundry to fold after Dennis got them from point B.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:01 pm on August 11, 2024 Permalink  

  Sunday the 11th 

  The littlest things.  I stood at the kitchen sink after getting out of bed to run a huge glass of water.  I believe in hydrating my body after a night of rest.  It wakes my organs to begin a new day.  I have been doing that ritual for decades.  The water comes before coffee.

  As I looked out the window to the northeast, the squirrels were having a heyday in the yards and in the trees.

  Dennis was already in the patio porch as I looked out the bathroom window to the east.  It’s my thing to check out, via windows, what the day may hold.

  With a coffee cup of the rich black coffee, I returned to my bedroom porch to check out to the south and west what was going on.  I didn’t perch on my cherry red chair until I had a tennis ball on the seat of my chair to perch upon.  I awoke with a tight hamstring on the left side.  Gosh, I hate that when it happens.  The tennis ball puts pressure on the right spot to eventually allow the nerves to relax, hopefully giving relief.  Another trick that helps is backing up to the corner of our wooden dining room table, find the tight spot by putting pressure on it and roll over and over on it.  That will bring a tear or two.

  It had been a long time since the hamstring bucked.  I noticed a bit of it yesterday as the pedicure chair was teasing the hamstring.  No teasing this morning.  Buy the way, the spa date was worth every hamstring twitch.

  Dennis has chosen to make an oven meal.  He asks questions and I answer them and stay out of the kitchen.  It is a real treat.  Eating out is not our favorite thing to do.  Even after the recent trips to Mankato, we ran the errands and came home.  I would say that about every week or so we do Subway.  The ingredients are fresh and I can ask for more veggies on my half of the 12″ tuna.

  I have a sneaky suspicion that when Dr. Pinke has me come in for the yearly exam, my lenses will need to be adjusted to the stronger.  Each year in these last three they have tested okay.  I can tell by my reading and stitching.  So be it.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:00 pm on August 10, 2024 Permalink  

  Cloudy 

  Today is cloudy and cool and nobody cares.  Everybody is just enjoying it.

  Today was spa day for the ole cowboy and me.  A trip up the street by five blocks and the spa event began.  Nothing, at least for me, feels better than some TLC for my feet.  Dennis never begs off of the spa day because . . . he enjoys it as much as I do.  Haircuts follow the the spa day.  Going for one-month intervals is as long as either one of us can take.  The toe nails catch in the socks and the hair becomes fly-away.  We never leave Maria’s shop without a card for the next month.  It was shocking to see the September date.  We will be there.

  When we got home a bit after noon, Dennis’ grandson and his pickup were parked in the drive waiting.  He had phoned his grandpa about the visit.  AJ knew we would be home shortly.  It is always a good visit for the grandpa.  AJ works for a cyber-optics company with under-ground cable.  He is not married, owns his own home in North Mankato and loves his dog Rowdy.

  For myself, I feel that I had a great week.  When I parked the zero-turn yesterday in the back garage after mowing, our work on Wednesday really gave the garage the look that someone cared.  We do need to pick up more floor-dry of the white consistency.  We left our oldest floor broom in the garage so we can work the floor-dry in and then get it shoveled up.

  Thursday’s shopping has allowed our pantry to be stocked for the items we consistently use and may not have to shop for them again for three months.  We bought a new tote to be used as a litter box for the three patio kitties.  Over time plastic surfaces pick up scents.  Did Dennis pitch the old one?  No.  It has Dawn dishwashing liquid in it and he thought he may use it in the potting shed for dry storage after a good scrubbing.  I encouraged him, if he did, to not use the cover for some time.

  When we were done at the spa date, we did take a whip in and around the blue barn acre, aka: getting to look like a park.  Very self-satisfying speaking of pride in ownership.

  While Dennis and AJ are solving the world’s problems I am comfortable in my bedroom porch listening to a YouTube while poking in a stitch or two.  AJ’s parent live several blocks east of us.  Pretty darn special that we were his first stop when he got into town.  Just saying.

  Supper is the left-over soup from last night with Dennis and I having a half of a grilled cheese sandwich.  

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:38 pm on August 9, 2024 Permalink  

  More Please 

  More days such as this . . . please.

  I knew yesterday as I was tucking groceries where they needed to go that today, Friday, was already planned.

  Today was mowing day!  The air and yards were dry as humidity and the dewpoint were low.  Mowing began at 10:30.  I have moved on up in the world, as George Jefferson said.  I am now able to start the zero-turn mower in the proper sequence and begin without any further instruction.  I walked into the house at 1:30.  Mission completion.  Dennis is helping out a person new to the neighborhood and mowing her lot as well.  When 93 year old Edna lived in that home, Dennis always took care of her yard.  I am sure at some time a mower will be on the new owner’s tick list.

  Before Dennis had rang the mowing bell, I had a few items I wanted tidied up in the studio.  One fabric that ravels easily needed to be put under the surger.  One of my patterns that I work off of in my bedroom porch needed to be copied.  I often use a highlighter to keep track of where I am in my stitching and a throwaway copy comes in handy.  I also had some blocks on the quilt top I am working on that needed pressing.  

  It is always more enjoyable to return to the studio if everything is up to snuff.

  When I came in from mowing, I nabbed the last of the breakfast coffee and tuned in to a YouTube.

  I brought out of the basement pantry a bag of Shore Lunch Chicken Noodle Soup.  The contents are dehydrated.  The contents are wide egg noodles, carrots, celery and herbs.  Six cups of water brought to a boil.  Contents of the bag are added and the kettle is simmered.  I will then add a 12.5 oz can of white chicken meat that I will use a dinner fork to break apart and shred.  It does make for a hearty soup.  Good thing crackers were brought home yesterday.  I generally don’t do crackers.  Dennis uses enough that there is no broth to sip at the end.  I am a sipper.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:22 pm on August 6, 2024 Permalink  

  After the Storm 

  This morning with the sun and cooler temperatures it was hard to believe there had been so many warnings out.  Our skies to the northwest didn’t look friendly at supper time.  We did not get any amount of rain and no winds whatsoever.  We were blessed.  

  With KNUJ on in the studio the rain totals were all over the map.

  It was interesting listening to the interviews with the KNUJ moderators for the first day of Farm Feast.  Hard to believe so much machinery and inventory is hauled out to the site for just three days.  Even closing the gates at four every afternoon seems counter productive for businesses to hawk their wares.

  Dennis has had success with his vegetation weed killer and went back to the acre this afternoon to spray another area.  The good thing is that Dennis knows when to take a break.  If he forgets, most likely his legs will threaten to buckle underneath him.  Just as I no longer answer his phone when he forgets to carry it, I no longer keep tabs on his whereabouts when he is out and about on our property.  There could be a correlation between the two.

  I have been thinking about Esther Schafer’s full hank of silk floss.  I have a stash of cross stitch fabric that may have been Carrie’s or mine or perhaps both of ours.  The curiosity got the best of me and I had to take a look-see as to how it would work up.  It handles in the needle beautifully.  No twisting or knotting up.  In the stash was several yards of banding.  Not all designs work on an area of 2.25″ in width.  I got out the gridded paper and struck out to see what I could see.  No, I do not have a full yard in length charted.  I am taking it slow.  It is interesting to see how a length of floss that is variegated looks on fabric.  I am not able to stay with it long as the fabric is slubbed.  I am working two strands over two stitches on this 25-count fabric.  Poking around and through the unevenness makes for a good challenge.  I am always up for a good one.

  Dennis reported he got one of the Harbor Freight sprayers emptied and then let the mosquitoes reign.

  I have taken out of the freezer an oven meal for supper.  Do I remember what concoction it is?  No.  A mystery meal is to be had.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:57 pm on August 5, 2024 Permalink  

  Happy 

  I am happy Dennis is home from Mankato from Jeff’s one-day procedure.

  Just as Dennis came home, it began to rain.  The sun had not shone all day but now the sun is shining through the rain.

  As I was in the studio, I texted friend Linda to firm up with her about the quilt tops I want to work up for the church ladies.  I am on the correct path.  Their group does not meet until after school starts. 

  After I had put in my allotted time, I came up to my bedroom porch to sit upon my cherry red chair and pick up the hand stitching.  I have been working on the stitching for Esther’s wooden box.  The stitching is going according to plan.  That’s always a good thing.  I have been kicking around what color of fabric I want to make the liner with.  I will use some of what I have in my stashes.

  Looking out to the south as I work on this blog, I couldn’t help but notice that some of the neighbor’s sunflower plants are taller than the roof line of their one story porch.  No blooms on them as yet.  The smaller plants are showing blooms.

  I am the consistent one that lives on Stauffer Avenue.  I keep a balanced life for myself each day.  With the enjoyment of helping Dennis mow our acreage, I thought I would also take care of some of the extra foliage among the Hosta.  Nope.  Once the mosquitoes notice a rustling of the vegetation, they are on me like . . . immediately . . . after my face and ears.  My stamina and balance doesn’t allow for long durations without a cane, so I don’t resort to the oily bug spray that needs to be washed off for the short time of use.  So be it.

  I did take note on KNUJ, the fellow that Kevin bought his first train set from and I believe also Rachel the goat had passed away at age 87, still living on his farm site at Buffalo Lake.

  Nothing exciting to report and that in itself is a good thing.

  Supper is grilled cheese sandwiches with chili.   

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:28 pm on August 4, 2024 Permalink  

  Shh!! 

  Shh! It’s really a quiet day in the neighborhood.

  We both slept in until eight.  That has become my normal.

  Dennis and the porch kitties are hunkered down in the patio porch watching real life crime shows.  I went to the studio about 10:30 and tuned in the Spirit Lake AM radio.  As I listen and stitch, I am very patient with the stitching process.  That was evident when I was cutting some blocks apart and mistook a block that was looking good for a seam allowance and cut right through it.  Shucky darn.  I pulled out some residual fabric and started the block over. 

  As it was, I pulled the plug on the studio while my shoulders, arms and hands were doing well at 1:30.  I have a new book started.  There are always new YouTubes to catch.  While I listen to them, I can even plug in a few cross stitch stitches.

  It has been a really long time since we have had Progressive Chicken Noodle Soup and a half sandwich type supper.  Neither one of us has done squat today.  The vanilla ice cream hasn’t even been tapped since it came into the house a week ago.  It may very well be later on this evening.

  Dennis has to have his son Jeff to the Mankato hospital by eleven tomorrow morning for a one-day surgery to have a self maintenance drain to be put in.  It may well be a day that Dennis can catch a nap in his little red pickup while he waits.  Dennis does not go into the building for the appointment.

  The sky is gray and heavy with possible showers coming from the west.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥