Day 158 of 365

I can't make fun of my husband in his rocking chair anymore.

We have a finished basement. Down there is our daughter's old room, a bathroom, the washer/dryer, some built in shelves where we store our stockpile, and a TV room. My husband has a full wall of all his sports memorabilia there, too. He's not really a collector (he does have favorite teams and has some of their things), but when he was in college he did work with the football and basketball teams, so he has leftover college stuff and he coached high school athletics for many years and has all that stuff.

A few years back we decided to make the plain white room where the TV was into somewhat of a home theater. We painted the walls a darker color. We used a lighter color to make several rectangles on the wall that we framed with brown molding. Inside those frames, we hung posters of my husbands favorite movies. We have a couch and a couple rocking recliners down there. And we left all his sports stuff.

I rarely go down there to watch TV. The exercise bike is in my daughter's old room, so I go downstairs every day to ride. Most days, I might stop and watch TV for a half hour or so after I ride to cool down. (Having a nice cool basement is sure nice on hot summer days.)

My husband is always down there. When school is going on, after dinner he heads down there and doesn't come up until bedtime. Some days in the summer he'll stay there from breakfast to lunchtime, then lunchtime to dinnertime, then dinnertime to bedtime. He grew up watching television so it's a big part of his life.

I always make fun of him in his recliner, especially during the school year. Not because he is in it so much, but because during the school year, after a long day teaching and a filling dinner, he falls asleep in it. Immediately. Like 10 minutes after sitting down, he's snoring. Sometimes it's so loud I can hear him upstairs. For him, the chair = sleep.

I can't make fun of him anymore. For the last several weeks when I have watched TV with him - mostly the Saturday/Sunday NASCAR races - I have fallen asleep. I don't know if it's the monotony of the cars going round and round, or the humming of the engines, or because it's the weekend and I'm particularly tired, but I can't keep my eyes open. I'm not a napper - I don't ever take naps in the afternoon - but for some reason the recliner = sleep for me too. (I have to admit though, napping feels pretty darn good.) Maybe he's on to something.

Kinda like the kitty. The pillow on the edge of the living room couch = sleep for her. She's got the right idea!

Day 157 of 365

I'm ready.

More accurately, my office is ready. Today I spent another full day getting my office ready. My daughter and I already spent a full day there this week, moving furniture and books of boxes. Since I have a new position, it requires new boxes of books/binders/materials. So to make room for those new books/binders/materials, I had to get all the old boxes of books/binders/materials out. And since my previous position is going unfilled, those old things were distributed all over the building. (Again, thank goodness for my young, fit daughter!)

With all that distributing, all that book/binder/materials switcheroo, we ran out of time to actually put all the new things away. My office looked like it was ransacked, so I had to spend some time on my own getting things in order.

And it is. It took more moving and shuffling of boxes of books/binders/materials than I had planned. And again, I am pooped.

Not too pooped to get some sewing in. Since my turtles are done, I started a new kids' quilt for charity. A little while back I got some pre-cut squares. A little while back I also learned a new pattern/technique called Disappearing Nine Patch.

I still need to add a row at the bottom to give it some length. Also, the black seems to overwhelm the quilt, so I think I'll add a bright border to temper it. A true work in progress.

Day 156 of 365

My gastroenterologist wanted to make sure I showed up at today's appointment on time.

After I had my procedure on Day 98 where they biopsied my esophagus, they gave me a paper with my 9:30 appointment time on it. Then last month, they sent me a reminder card with my 9:30 appointment time on it. And this week when I was at my meetings, they called and left a message with my husband to remind me of my 9:30 appointment time.

I very much dislike mornings. Really, my joints don't like the mornings. After spending two days this week doing nothing but sitting at hours worth of meetings and yesterday at school when boxes of books and furniture moving filled my day, this morning was particularly rough. My knees wouldn't (and still barely won't) bend. My back was (and still is) killing me. I'm limping and hunched over like an old woman. But I had a 9:30 appointment to be on time to and I had no intention of canceling.

My daughter tagged along with me to my appointment. Since she lives/works close to the doctor's office, I offered to give her a ride to work. 9:30 doctor and 11:00 daughter-has-to-be-somewhere time should have been fine for my short follow-up visit.

We arrived early at 9:20, stood at the counter updating a one-page info sheet (I have an employer again!), and was seated in the waiting room before 9:25.

9:30 came and went.

9:40 came and went.

9:50 came and went.

Finally at 10:00 I asked the receptionist about how much longer it would be. At that point she informed me (and why she didn't tell me this when I sat down at 9:25, I'll never know) my appointment wasn't until 10:10 - they had told me 9:30 so I could be there early to fill out my paperwork.

HUH? 40 minutes for a one page update? And nowhere, in any of my three appointment cards/calls/notes showing 9:30, was it listed anywhere that my appointment was really at 10:10.

So I sat back down, a little bit (okay, a lot) ticked. My body hurts this bad, and I got myself up early to come over here to sit in these not-so-comfortable chairs and wait?

10:10 came and went.

10:20 came and went.

10:30 came and went.

And finally, about 10:35, I was taken back to a room. A room staffed by a "trainee". A gal who had to go over my records in the computer with me, but admitted she didn't know the computer system. More wasted minutes ticking by. When she was finally finished, she let me know the doctor would be another 15-20 minutes.

I gave the doctor 10 more minutes, but my waiting time was done. I had to get out the door and deliver my daughter. I attempted to reschedule my appointment, but was informed there weren't any appointments until the end of September.

Another HUH?.

So even though they repeatedly reminded me my appointment was at 9:30, I left there with my daughter just a bit before 11:00 without ever having seen the doctor. And no rescheduled appointment since my new work schedule isn't set in stone yet.

I have several refills on my prescription. I have no intention on going back to that office again.

I was so glad to get home and find a nice surprise in my garden.

Exercise update: Still going at 110 days in a row. Today was tough, but I got through it.

Day 155 of 365

My first week back has been a full one and it's only Thursday.

Readings, boxes, books, binders, and moving furniture. (Thank goodness my furniture mover - my daughter - was available one day.) Two days of out of town meetings. I come home dog tired, dead, with no energy left to exercise. I tried to get to the exercise in the mornings but unless I plan on getting up at 3 AM (which I'm not), my body isn't cooperative enough to get the legs moving on the bike.

But I have exercised. And I've gone over and visited my mom and had dinner at my daughter's. I've worked a teeny tiny bit in the garden and in the sewing room. (Not nearly the amount of time I'd like). Filmed a tutorial. Had a birthday celebration for my husband.

My new goals - breathe...work on balancing...start a new charity project. And keep taking those pictures.

Yes, it is barely August and that is a big ole pumpkin hiding in the corn.

Day 154 of 365

As I was getting ready to head to my second day of out of town meetings, I realized I am so thankful right now.

So thankful that:

• These last two days of meetings were close enough where I didn't have to fly. Or stay in a hotel, or eat out every day, or rent a car, or drive hundreds of miles across the state. The meeting was close enough for me to be there in less than 40 minutes.
• The freeway construction is almost complete in one direction. After several years, there are now four lanes and the speed limit just finally went back to 65 mph this week. Saved me quite a bit on the morning commute.
• I'm not the one doing the presenting. I remember vividly the stress associated with presenting to groups, and having to be "on" the whole time.
• I again feel passionate for education. Walking into yesterday's meeting I still wasn't sure. By the time the day was over I felt like saying to myself, "I'm baack!"
• My mental alertness is returning. Being on those pain meds for so long I've struggled with thinking clearly. After engaging in two days of academic-type talk, I realized things are getting clearer. My mind isn't completely back, but better than it was even just a few months ago.
• I can force myself to get up early, force my body to get moving, and be on the road if I absolutely have to. (Although I don't think I could do it for a third day in a row.)
• Even though I didn't get home until after 8:30 last night, I still had enough gumption-persistence-stubbornness to make myself get on the exercise bike.
• My mom, who is in her late 60s, made it safely back to Idaho from California, towing a U-Haul trailer by herself.
• My husband and daughter have expressed a willingness to help me maintain a healthy work-home balance.

I also wanted to jump for joy this afternoon.

I was excited to start and now I'm excited I'm finished. These fellas and gals kept me company on Day 132, Day 144, Day 150, and Day 152, but now the last one is finished and it's time to say goodbye. They're heading out the door on a trip to California.

Heading to The Painted Turtle Camp, a Hole in the Wall Camp. 24 children with life-threatening diseases will have a turtle pillow to take home because of the work I've done.

My biggest charity project so far is finished!

How to Make Fabric Covered Buttons - Day 153 of 365, Tutorial Tuesday

It's tutorial Tuesday!

My new goal is to, every Tuesday, post a tutorial along with the day's picture. It might be a food item or a craft item. This last week I've had a poll running about what today's video should be about. You voted and today's tutorial will be...

Fabric covered buttons.

Looking for more sewing and crafting projects? 

Click here to see all my tutorials!

These buttons go together in a similar fashion to those fabric covered Dick and Jane magnets I made on Day 41. In fact, today's tutorial will include directions to make magnets as well.

Let me know what you think.

Also, if you ever use one of my pictures or tutorials to make your own product, be sure to take picture - I'd love to share it here.

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Find the step-by-step how to tutorial to make your own homemade fabric covered buttons or magnets right here:

Day 152 of 365

The day is almost here. Or should I say, the days are almost here.

It's time to go back to work.

For the past year and a half, my focus has been on surviving and recovering from three separate surgeries. Then it was working on becoming pain-pill free. Then, getting through each day and having something to show for it. Focusing on my house and family. A big focus on sewing projects for charity. Other than a few bad dreams about school and a couple meetings and visits to school here and there, I've been school-free, work-free.

It all changes tomorrow. A couple days of meetings. Then, time to get my office in order and time to get studying up on some of my responsibilities.

I'm surprised I'm back at it.

I almost left education several years back. After 11 years, I'd had enough of being an elementary school teacher. I was disheartened by the system, by the politics. At the same time I was contemplating leaving, a new position came up. A position funded by a three year grant. I could do three years in that position. It would be something new - new experiences, new knowledge, and then I'd move on. Out of education.

But that three year grant turned into a four year grant. And then it went on for five years. And then the money was stretched out for six years. All along, I kept thinking it would be my last year in education. And every year, the grant money extended my position. All through those years I continued to get deeper and deeper into the education system. In addition to my job with the school district, I became a Technology Integration Specialist, a Certified Trainer for a textbook company, and an Independent Consultant for other school districts.

Now I've given up teaching technology classes. I took a leave of absence from my full-time school job over a year ago. I've stopped doing trainings for the textbook company, and in these last couple weeks have turned over my consulting to someone else.

I thought maybe my days working in education would be over this time.

It wouldn't be. I am going back to education. Back to the same building, the same office, but a different job. A new challenge, new experiences, and another opportunity to build new knowledge. Guess it's not time for me to leave after all.

And the other day that's almost here?

The day I send the turtles on their way. They're just about done.