Me, Myself and Memories

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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 2:36 pm on March 24, 2024 Permalink  

  KNUJ 

  Whatever I hear on KNUJ today is where I am at with the weather.

  I decided to stitch out a rather lengthy design today.

  There were times, I would have 5 – 8 minutes before I would need to change the thread color.

  Two boxes were gotten off of the top shelf here in the studio.

  Talk about memorabilia in the form of fuzz and thread.  Working with threads and fuzz has been my innate being for several generations and I am still perfecting my skills.

  I have items from my great grandmother Christine on my father’s side who came through Ellis Island.  I have items from my grandmother Laura who was my dad’s mother.  I have items from my grandmother Martha who was my mom’s mother.  I have items from Esther Schafer who was Orlin’s mom.  I have items from my mom, Lena.  I treasure every item I touched today.  Yes . . . emotional attachments. 

  So here I am, my stitched out design is finished and I have put the covers back on the treasure troves.  At some time, I hope my children will be not only looking at those items as I did today, but also the items of mine that harken back to 1965.  As yes . . . fuzz and threads.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:24 pm on March 18, 2024 Permalink  

  A Great Day 

  This morning, I took the car and went to the grocer’s.  First time the car had been out of the garage since Thanksgiving 2023.  It felt wonderful

  The dentist here in town called this morning and on the 25th of March will be my first appointment in regard to having the last three real teeth out of my mouth.

  This Easter could well harken back to the Easter of 1966.  Orlin and I were hosting my entire family for Easter.

  —The day before that Easter I had been at Dr. Wegner’s dental office in Buffalo Lake, MN.  I had had the last of my top teeth pulled over the weeks prior.  The fittings that Saturday were in full gear via impressions.

  With no medical appointments when I became pregnant with our first child,  the baby took what it needed from me for nourishment.  I should have been on vitamins.  During the last two months of pregnancy, I had no front teeth.  Nothing could be done further with my teeth until after I had given birth.

  My dad, fantastic Raymond, gave us a small Holstein calf to raise to pay my dentist’s bill.  That didn’t happen over night.  About the time that Dr. Wegner was going to turn my bill over to the collection agency, the calf went to the Hutchinson’s sale barn.  Whew! 

  We had a great Easter Sunday with or without teeth.

  — That may well be the situation for Easter Sunday 2024.

  If that is the case, it won’t bother me one bit.  In those 68 years, the lesson is, . . . gathering for this Easter is to celebrate life with family.  Eating can be done anywhere, any time.

  Dennis is at the Legion Club this late afternoon and evening.  It is the annual Watonwan County Game and Fish Club’s annual meeting.  Dennis is in charge of all the give-away items for the kids that come with their parents.  He gets the biggest kick out of watching the diligence that some kids take in choosing a free item. 

  I have had a great day and seeing Dennis enthused about being out and about . . . perfect.

   
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  Noreen 3:37 pm on March 10, 2024 Permalink  

  Busy Day 

  Today I kept myself busy with what I had purchased at Menards yesterday.

  Getting felt pads where they were needed.

  Our computer table in the living room is on rollers. Oh roll they did . . . over and over and over the same spots on the laminate.  The front two legs had locks on the rollers.  If not rolling, the surface of the roller being locked would skid along the flooring.  One was just as bad as the other.  Now two of the four legs is locked with felt pads under them.  The third leg has a Grammie-implemented-item jammed between the roller and the roller’s housing, so it can’t roll.  It also got a felt pad under it.   The roller on the fourth leg pretty much stayed in place as the computer stand would roll in an arc. 

  My next project was rocking chairs.  I made sure to clean the rockers on my teak chair with the final wipe being with rubbing alcohol as per the directions on the felt strips going onto the underside of the rockers.

  My great grandmother Christine’s rocking chair was bound to be moved from Dennis’ bedroom to the living room.  Christine was a tall person.  She came to Penn Township via Ellis Island.  When Christine passed, my grandmother Laura used the rocker.  Laura was short and they cut down the legs for her height and then put the rockers on.  Each rocker is of different wood.  I am sure it was a DIY.  It is an Oak Mission Style rocker that is quite heavy.  When I cleaned its rockers, I noticed an old screw sticking out just enough to scratch the floor a bit.  The felt webbing covered that nicely.  The seat’s springs have been replaced, the oak wood has been refinished and it sports a new covering on the seat.

  The black walnut glider rocker that belonged to mom and dad is now in Dennis’ bedroom.  At Thanksgiving, Jeremy was sitting in the glider and it must have touched on the window sill behind it.  Jeremy took ahold of the arm rests and hopped it with him away from the window.  I don’t know whose eyes got bigger . . . mine or Carrie’s.  Carrie did mention to Jeremy that the rocker most likely was close to one hundred years old.  The glider is now resting in a quiet bedroom.  My mom had joined the craze of applying paints to give this antique a different look.  It took me quite a bit of elbow grease to get that paint off of all the spindles.  The seat is a wood veneer that I have had a bonding layer put on the under-side of the seat to strengthen its curve.

  I have an emotional attachment to these two rockers.  I spent time in the Penn Township farm home during each of these grandmother’s time.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:26 pm on January 20, 2024 Permalink  

  A Quick Month 

  Though it has been a cold month, for me the time has gone fast.  I stay busy for most of each day.  Decades ago I would visit my grandmother Laura at the time she lived in her little mobile home in Stewart . . . right across from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.  

  Grandma had such a wonderful disposition.  She was wheelchair bound.  Arthritis had not many options for her compared to my time.  My dad, Raymond, and his brother Lester bought the mobile home for Laura and tricked it out so it was wheelchair friendly.  She could scoot her wheelchair right up to the kitchen sink as well as some cabinets.

  My sister Elvera and I took turns every Saturday helping with her bath, washing and setting her hair.  She would be going to church the next day, via my parents, with her hair looking good.  There is no age on vanity. 

  My greatest treasure of a lesson in life came from Grandma Laura.  Oh so often she would tell me that if God gives you a day, you shall have something to show for it.  It tickled me that grandma often used the word “shall” rather than could or would.  German had been her first language so hard telling how that “shall” had come about.

  Both of my children have an African, aka: afghan that Grandma Laura made for them.  No one ever had the heart to correct that sweet little lady about her Africans.  Grandma Laura had a way with her threads and fuzz.

  Today, I worked on some hand stitching in my bedroom porch.  It is still too cold to work in the studio comfortably.  The right time will come soon enough.  Many times I think of Grandma Laura and her tenacity as I share her love of thread and fuzz.  

  A time after I had had the stroke I knew from the school of hard knocks some things in my day-to-day life were never going to get better.  And . .  they didn’t. But I got better in my thinking and not dwelling on what I couldn’t do but finding ways and relishing all that I could do.  Thank you Grandma Laura!

  With that, Noreen Laura, is taking her leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:40 pm on December 20, 2023 Permalink  

  A Hump Day 

  What a fantastic hump day we have.  40 degrees with little wind if any.  I look around our neighborhood and there is a lot of activity.  To the northwest there is lumber being taken into the home.  To the southeast, there are several new windows going into a two-story home.

  We, on Stauffer Avenue, are no slackers on this balmy day.  Dennis and I washed our bathroom exterior windows.  No ladders needed.  Our trusty Swiffer mop works to affix a clean cloth to wipe over the window after a good dousing of Windex.  The secret is that the Windex spray bottle is half white vinegar.  A great spritz while standing on the ground and maneuvering the cloth that is on the Swiffer mop.  Sweet.  How could we miss a chance to be able to see out to our backyard.

  I am in my studio as this post dribbles out of me.  The binding fabric was chosen and it soon was cut into 2.5″ strips.  I needed 280″ and will have a bit extra.  Those strips have been ironed in half.  Sometime they will be sewn onto the back of the quilt. 

  I began looking into a bin or two to see what I have available for the “Good Will to Men” cross stitch.  It was a good thing that Megan and Nicholas enjoyed doing crafts at the church tables here in the studio.  A bit of this and a bit of that and it is looking quite positive for days to come. 

  In days long gone by, there was a joke about older women belonging to the “Blue Hair” society.  What it was, was Mrs. Stewart’s multi use bluing product for the laundry.  It came in a little bottle with a cork closer.  It would last forever as it was potent.  It could be added lightly into the rinse water when washing clothes, keeping whites as brilliant white as possible.  Hmm.  A little bit sure didn’t hurt to use when those with more hair white and gray than not when washing hair.  Hard water in households could easily leave those earned gray hair with a yellow cast. 

  Loreal markets a product for those with blonde or graying hair to tone down what is not desired.  I have used that product for some time.  A little dab will do you.  My squeeze tube was just about gone.  Yesterday I went on Amazon and placed an order for the Loreal product with the purple additive.  We had no plans to venture out of town for quite some time.  Yesterday I ordered it, today it was delivered to our front door.  Wham, bam . . . talk about fast service.  Yes . . . the “Blue Hair” society lives on.

  Humpitty, dumpitty. 

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:49 pm on December 16, 2023 Permalink  

  Plans Charge 

  When plans have been made, you always have to have a backup plan.  Dennis has twin daughters.  One lives at Silver Bay and the other in Mankato.  The girls, plus spouses, were going to take us older ones on Stauffer Avenue out for a noon meal treat.  That plan tanked this morning.  Dennis and I are having a quiet day with each other for company, still a sweet backup plan.

  The gray weather is perfect for Dennis to check his eyelids out for cracks in his recliner.

  I toddled down to the studio and put in three hours with the free motion quilting.  I can see the end of it, if I squint.  Laying out the quilt on the church tables, even though not complete, is very satisfying.  From the musical Annie: “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll love you tomorrow . . . it’s only a day away.”  I remember that song as Carrie sang it when she was in a musical event at school in the early 80s.  I have plenty tomorrows in my future. 

  There is French toast in our future for supper.  There is always a good supply in the freezer of the Jimmy Dean pre-cooked patty sausages.  We tried the pre-cooked Jimmy Dean links and they were a bit too spicy.  We have tried Johnsonville pre-cooked sausages and will not be purchasing them again.  Discriminating tastes here on Stauffer Avenue.  Our plans are set.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:56 pm on December 15, 2023 Permalink  

  Ducky Weather 

  The rain comes and goes during this gray day.  Whatever we can get will help going forward into the 2024 year.

  I rode along with Dennis in the little red pickup as he needed to deliver some items to nephew Brett’s concrete site.  We could tell there had been some field tillage done during that light coating of snow we had gotten.  There would be no excuse for any farmer to not have gotten the field work done during this harvest year.

  Three o’clock coffee time was always what was found on my folk’s farm site.  In later times, my sister Elvera and I would call each other for a visit at the three o’clock time.  The little things remembered become more precious over time.  Remembering the three o’clock coffee time brings a plethora of other memories to the surface. 

  As Dennis and I had completed the concrete delivery, we stopped for several donuts at Casey’s to take home with us.  When I got home, I turned the coffee pot on as there was breakfast coffee to enjoy, and yup, coffee time at three right here on Stauffer Avenue.

  I may go to the studio after coffee time to put a few stitches in with the free motion.  Every little bit counts up towards the end of that task.  Thinking ahead to trimming the project and then getting the binding process lined up . . . I am not going to get a head of myself.  That’s when mistakes happen.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 3:29 pm on December 13, 2023 Permalink  

  Mild Day 

  Just a great sunny mild day.

  All went well in the studio today.  No glitches, no error messages.  As this is a quilt of all things scrappy, I had made a departmental decision yesterday.  This quilt would be using a pale blue for the top thread.  With so many colors, any number of colors would have worked just as well.  Now in the bobbin thread . . . that’s a whole different story.  I am emptying bobbins of various colors.  There started a blue, than a light brown, and then a tan, and then a light gray.  To finish off the time I had left, I put in a darker gray.  When the empty bobbin message came up, I had decided three hours was enough.  From the top of the quilt, it all shows that blue thread was used.  It isn’t even very noticeable that five different colors were used.

  Wait a minute.  I checked the backing of the very last stitches and it showed pink.  What!  The bobbin for sure was showing gray when I loaded it into the bobbin case.  There must have been gray thread loaded over some pink thread.  How the pink picked up right after the gray had been used up, a modern mystery.  As it is, I do have a bobbin with pink thread on it that I used when Dennis’ great granddaughter got her pink quilt last year.  I might as well go for it.   

  Three hours of free motion quilting was enough for this day.  The quilt under the needle has to keep moving for the stitching to be done, thus the free motion.  The quilt is heavy as it is moved with no pulling or drag as it goes under the needle.  Everything went very smoothly today.

  Yesterday while I did battle with the machine, Dennis stirred up some sugar cookie dough.  I had never bought cookie mix in a box before.  Betty Crocker’s sugar cookie mix had pre-mixed pouches.  With each pouch, a stick of melted butter and one whipped egg needed to be added.  As Dennis was doing the heavy duty stirring all together, I put the “whipped egg” into the directions so as to not have the whites and the yolks, not get mixed in equally.  I have a cup with a screw on lid and that whipped the egg perfectly.

  My job was to roll the dough into balls and then flattened with the bottom of a measuring cup dipped into sugar.  The flavor was fantastic.  I need to take note of how long to leave the tray in the oven.  All ovens have temps that vary.  The first batch was taken out when just the rims of the cookies had a bit of tan showing.  These cookies will need to come out when they still look raw.  That first batch will make great dunkers.  We had a total of 24 cookies when all was done.

  Sugar cookies have a long history with me.  My great grandmother, Christine, lived with Christ and Laura on the family farm as did Christ and Laura’s youngest son and his wife.  Talk about a busy farm house.  Christine did most of the baking.  Christine’s hair was as white as snow, always wrapped in a tight bun at the nape of her neck.  She spoke very little English that I ever heard.  She came through Ellis Island from Poland and I know the household in Penn Township spoke fluent German.  My cousin Shirley and I did get to stay with them for a week or two during summer breaks from school.  The household was large and the two of us had a bed in the upstairs 

  No one called my great grandmother anything but Mutter, German for mother.  Mutter always wore a long black dress with a crisp white apron.  Her aprons never got mussed or dirty.  Mutter made the best rolled out sugar cookies.  They were huge rounds with sugar on the top.  When Shirley and I would have a cookie, Mutter would bring out one for each of us plus one for herself with her cup of coffee, and us girls also had a cup with coffee in it.  Mutter would sit with us at the round kitchen table.  She would beckon us as she picked up her cookie and showed that we should dunk the cookie as she was.  Of course we followed suit, letting the bite of cookie soaked in coffee melt in our mouths.  Mutter would watch us and smile.

  Oh for memories.  Who doesn’t like a sugar cookie dunked in coffee.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥

   
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  Noreen 2:42 pm on December 3, 2023 Permalink  

  A Great Feeling 

  When Dennis and I have had a great road trip as we had yesterday, Today is a great feeling to be home safe and sound.  We had wished for the weather to have been good for yesterday and it was.  I knew I would be wore out when we got home before dark yesterday.  Sleep hit me right after the head hit the pillow.

  We got to the Penn Church early yesterday, just in time to help Aunt Janet.  My cousin Kelly had picked Janet up from her home in Brownton.  Kelly also had a car load of items that she needed to get into the kitchen of the church where her sister Connie was already hard at it.  The 90th birthday party for Janet was about to begin.  The look on Janet’s face when we opened the door at the foot of the stairs going into the church’s basement was one that a camera should not have missed . . . but it did.

  The entire basement was decorated complete with a fairly large decorated Christmas tree.  Cousin Dan went on to say, all the decorations had been boxed up and came with the church when he had bought it.  That must have been in around 2005.  It was right after the purchase, a wagon of soybeans, that the fuel oil furnace had backed up and soot was everywhere.  Dan had had insurance and the entire church, Sunday school addition and all within, was professionally cleaned and painted where it needed it.  Wow.

  2016, Dan had contacted me to have a family get together at the church.  It was a great turn out.  There have been several more get togethers.  There is always open-house church services for Easter and Christmas.  I am not sure how the word spreads in the community as to when and what time.  A pastor from Winthrop officiates at the services.  Just last week, a lifetime member of St. Matthews, Penn Township had passed away and the family had asked Dan if the funeral service could be held at the church.  Dan agreed.  Dan has turned down weddings as the cleanup after a wedding could be quite a different story than a funeral.  Aunt Janet takes charge of the alter cloths,  so you know they are pristine. 

  As in yesterday, my dad’s family of which there were eight children in total, do appreciate being able to get together at a location that has family history decades old.  Those eight children of Christ and Laura Wendlandt were baptized, confirmed and some even married in St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Penn Township, as well as family funerals.

  Janet had a whirlwind of family and community to share in the birthday party yesterday.  Dan, Kelly and Connie did a wonderful job of putting on the afternoon.  People kept coming and the smile never left Janet’s face.  I am quite sure, today, Janet never got out of her bathrobe.  Sweet.

  With that I take my leave.  ♥