How to Make an Easy Sew Decorative Pocket Tissue Holder - Day 167 of 365, Tutorial Tuesday

Another day, another dollar.

Another long day at work and another day of a tutorial. I'm not sure why I started doing these tutorials. But I'm really not sure why I decided I should do them on Tuesdays, the day of the week I always work.

Actually, I do know why. Because Tutorial Tuesday sounds better than Tutorial Friday or Tutorial Sunday.

As I'm starting to rethink my scheduling and balance of work and home, I'm starting to rethink this Tutorial Tuesday thing. I do like doing them (even if no one watches them). I'll work on them for at least a couple more weeks then I'll be re-evaluating whether I'll continue. (The tutorials, that is. The daily pictures will absolutely continue.)

Today's video tutorial is pocket tissue covers. Something I wish I had with me at yesterday's funeral. Unfortunately, I only had McDonald's napkins to offer our daughter. They sufficed, but some pocket tissues would have been much more gentle on the nose and eyes.

They are really easy to make. Just a few minutes and you'll have one. 

For this project you will need:

• Main fabric
• Lining fabric
• pocket tissues
• Pins or Clover Wonder Clips
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• Rotary cutter
• Cutting ruler
• Cutting mat

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.

 Now available in my Etsy store as a digital download with the written directions, step-by-step photos, and link to the tutorial video. Click to find out more!

Looking for more quick and easy projects? Check out these ideas!

Find the step-by-step how to tutorial to make your own homemade decorative fabric pocket tissue holder right here:

Here are some pocket tissue holders dellareya made after watching the tutorial. Here's what she said: I can't believe how fast these many went together.    Thank you again.  This is the first project I've gotten done a head of schedule in a long time.  

 

Wow, she was busy! 

And Diana made some, too: I want to thank you for the wonderful Pocket Tissue Holder Tutorial..Its was fast, fun and easy!! I love it..I made 2 tissue holders in minutes, These are going to be given to my 2 granddaughters. Thank you so much.

Do you have pictures of anything you've made after watching one of my tutorials? I'd love to show them off! 

Day 166 of 365

I don't do weddings and funerals.

Never have. I make it a practice to stay far away from both. I've been to five weddings during my lifetime - and one of those was my own and a couple others were ones my daughter was part of when she was little. As for funerals, I've been to three- and all three were my husband's relatives.

I avoid funerals at all costs. But today made number four. Today should have been my husband's first day of school, but instead it was the day he buried his mother.

She had been in a care facility for some time now. A couple years back she started showing signs of dementia and when it became clear she couldn't be left alone, she was placed in a care center. My husband used to call her on the phone when she resided there. But soon she became confused and agitated and he was asked by his family to stop calling.

So then he visited her. The last time my husband and daughter visited his mom in person, she thought our daughter was his wife. Then the visits stopped. So while his mother was buried today, the mother he knew left a long time ago.

Today was a rough day anyway. He handled it all well, and I think he is relieved it's behind him now.

When we got home, I had a nice surprise waiting in my mailbox. A freebie pay it forward from someone on the quilting website I visit. A small quilt top with some extra matching pieces. I'll add some of my pinks and I'll have another charity baby quilt soon.

Day 165 of 365

Our daughter used to steal our batteries. I think I had something to do with it.

When I was pregnant with her I used to listen to the stereo all the time. My first choice whether I was reading or cleaning or cooking was to listen to the radio. I never put headphones up to my tummy, but the music was always on in the house. (Even when I was a teenager TV wasn't important to me but my records and cassette tapes were.)

When she was young she wanted to be a dancer. She loved turning up the music and singing and dancing around the living room. When she got a bit older we bought her a Walkman.

Something she loved as much as singing and dancing was rocking in a rocking chair. (That one came from her dad.) She would rock for hours, listening to her Walkman, belting out songs.

She would listen to that Walkman so long she'd run the batteries down. Instead of asking for more batteries, she'd go into our battery-storage drawer and take them. Again and again and again. So we eventually cut her off. No more batteries from us.

But then we started noticing things around the house weren't working when we needed them. Clocks stopped working. We'd need a flashlight but it would be dead. TV controls didn't work. I'd like to say we caught on quick to what she was doing, but alas, we did not. We were quite stumped.

No ghost, no electrical interference. Just a battery thief. A battery thief who would replace our working batteries with old, they've-been-used-up-in-the-Walkman batteries.

The day she moved onto an iPod was the day our battery drawer stayed permanently full.

Today our battery thief is returning home for a few days. Her grandma's funeral is tomorrow, and our thief is sticking around to earn some money by helping us catch up in the gardens.

The focus of today's picture requires no batteries, but is certainly helping herself (or is it a himself?) to the garden.

Day 164 of 365

I wish I could say I've regrouped, but I can't.

I wish I could say I have an eating plan set with less sugar and salt and smaller portions, but I can't.  I wish I could say I figured out the exercise thing, that I spent hours today in the rose garden, and that I feel very organized today.

I can't.

Because today was a day where I just vegged. No productive thoughts, no plans for how I'm going to balance home and work. Just a day home, doing laundry and working a bit in the sewing room.

Am I trying to put off the inevitable? The notion that maybe I really won't be able to maintain and focus on myself and others because work will infuse my every thought? The notion that, after 164 days of writing and taking pictures, I might lose what I know to be important?

Today was a day of more questions than answers. So I did what I do when I'm frustrated, confused, or am trying to avoid things.

Retreat (okay, hide) in my sewing room.

While I may not be making progress right now personally, in that room I can make progress on sewing projects. Like my latest baby quilt for charity. On Day 46 I had put the top together, but it took all the way until today for me to finally get around to finishing it.

Day 163 of 365

It's time for me to regroup. Being gone all day and focusing on work these last two weeks sure have changed my routine.

Okay, totally messed me up.

While I may be working only part time, my days are full time days. Two or three or four days a week, depending on what work needs to be done and what deadlines are approaching. Certain times of the year are busier than others, and of course the beginning of the school year is a hectic time so I'm working most days.

I've jumped in with both feet. But jumping in with both feet hasn't taken me forward, but backward.

Since focusing on work these last two weeks, my

• commitment to cutting out sugar has waned.
• portion sizes have increased.
• exercise minutes and miles per day has greatly decreased.
• my relaxed, no care in the world but getting through the day attitude is gone.

I've been squeezing in just a mile a day on the bike. I found coming home late and trying to ride is just too hard so I tried to switch it to mornings. Which is even tougher because my joints won't move. When I get home I'm wiped out with no energy to do anything - exercise, sew, garden, or even watch what I eat. I just come home and sit. No nothing. Just a bump on a log.

It's a sedentary job, so I'm not having to do a bunch of bending, or lifting, or twisting which is nice. But I'm at the computer doing reports and such all day. Here, just a few long days into work, my hands are so swollen from all the typing and mouse clicking I can barely grasp anything. My elbows are stiff and sore from being bent all day (and me leaning them on the edge of the desk when I type sure doesn't help). Darn arthritis! My back is getting worse from leaning forward too much. Darn posture and back problem!

I come home every day with a pounding headache from staring at the computer screen all day. I thought it might be my glasses prescription, so I started using my reading glasses, but still a pounding headache. Maybe too much concentration since this job is like writing a term paper 8-9 hrs a day straight.

Things have to change. I have an eye doctor appointment in a couple weeks. I'm going to work on my sitting posture and do a better job of standing and stretching (and moving around) more frequently. I'm going to work on a meal plan - one that includes less salt and sugar and smaller portions. And I have to figure out the exercise issue. It's looming over me like a dark cloud. On Day 156 Karen commented, "remember the exercise helped you get your body able to work again". I keep telling myself that again and again, hoping the thought will keep me motivated. I haven't missed a day (117 consecutive days so far), but I'm well aware I need to get back to working on it as hard as I was before.

I have to get myself organized and get myself a plan of how to work through this. I'm struggling and I don't like that feeling. I worked too hard to get where I am to then go so far backwards is such a short time. I can't settle with this being my new normal.

Today was a day away from work and I have a finished quilt top. The same one from Day 157, but now with an extra row added and some colorful borders.

Day 162 of 365

My husband doesn't have a cell phone. I have one, my daughter has one, but he doesn't.

There are several reasons why. He doesn't drive so he doesn't leave in a car without me (and my phone) going with him. He works here in town where we don't have a strong cell phone signal. When he is at work, he has a phone in his classroom in case he needs to make a call or in case we need to call him.

Today when I was at work I received a call on my cell phone that made me wish he had a cell phone.

Since the caller wasn't able to get a hold of him, I then had to turn around and call my husband and relay the message to him - over the phone - while he too was at work. I called his classroom, but he wasn't there. I had to redial his school's number so I could have them call him over the intercom.

I never have him paged. Ever. The important message I had to tell him?

His mother passed away this morning.

In her sleep. The way she wanted to go.

She was big into flowers. In fact, when we got married, she picked peonies from her garden (during the first week of June) and kept them in the back of her refrigerator to use at our July 28th wedding. The peonies looked just-picked (as opposed to 6 weeks old).

I think she would have liked today's picture of our butterfly bush.

Day 161 of 365

Finally.

Not finally, I have a job. Or finally, my daughter will be home next week to help us get some work done, or finally, my house is clean.

Nope. None of the above.

But, finally something is being harvested from the garden.

Not just any old vegetable. We've already been through the radishes, the peas, the spinach, and the arugula. We've harvested kale, cabbage, and broccoli. We enjoy tomatoes, bell peppers, and hot peppers almost every day. Zucchini is being picked almost daily and red potatoes are being dug every couple days. Pumpkins are orange.

Nope, this vegetable is the one I've been waiting on more than any other. (Actually, the potatoes might be tied for my number one vegetable.)

On Day 64 we planted it.

On Day 82 I cheered it on, hoping it would grow faster.

But right here, right now I finally picked some. My most favorite vegetable in the world. And these two ears just happened to be the most tender corn in the world. (Probably not, but it sure tasted like it.)

Make Handmade Chocolate Covered Tuxedo Strawberries - Day 160 of 365, Tutorial Tuesday

"Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

I read the quote not too long ago and it took a while for it to sink in.

But it makes so much sense. So many of us (i.e. me) worry about things which will never happen. The thoughts of what might go wrong usually are, by far, not even close to what actually happens.

I've been living so much day to day over this past year and a half or so. But in regards to returning to school/work activities, I started thinking ahead. (I should have known better.) I was so dreading being gone last week. With work meetings and a doctor's appointment, I knew my days were going to be long and busy. Coming off more than a year where "work" wasn't part of my thought process or vocabulary, I was worried about how I was going to manage it all.

I was a bit worried about going to those meetings. Getting up early two days in a row. (When the heck was the last time that happened?) Attending meetings with people around the state I didn't know. Talking about things I wasn't "up" on. Having long days - days longer than I've had since I-don't-know-when. I questioned my commitment and ability to get back into the world of work.

But I made it. I got myself up and there, ready to go. I met some folks at the meetings I've had contact with before. I met someone new who works in a neighboring district. My educationese language came right back, my interest in school improvement returned, and my motivation to be a leader in the process returned. (Which was a complete shock to me. I thought I lost my confidence, but - do I dare say - it might be returning here and there?) And now even my office looks ready to go.

"Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

I think I need to stop worrying about my tomorrows and start focusing on my todays.

The today I didn't worry about? My first official day of work (and a long one at that) on campus at my new job.

The highlight of the day? A delicious "tuxedo" chocolate covered strawberries picture and tutorial.

Day 159 of 365

It was the last celebration of the year for us today. We had my daughter's birthday in June, my birthday and our wedding anniversary in July, and now today is my husband's birthday. I like that we have them all close together, in the summer, when the weather is nice and we're off for summer break.

Even though we celebrated his birthday last week when our daughter was home, since today is really his birthday he got a second round of fun. Movies. New clothes shopping. Dinner. Groceries.

The two of us rarely ever go to the theater together, and when we do we usually go to see separate movies. Today is the first time we've seen the same movie in probably four years or so. Present number one.

He wanted some new school clothes and since last school year I was out of work and we were scrimping and saving, he was long overdue. Present number two, and three, and four, and...

He loves going out to dinner and that's been another thing we had cut back on, so he got to pick what he wanted. A gift from me to him.

Groceries. Not really a present, but we went with several coupons. He hates it when I shop with coupons because it slows things down, but I saved us $50!

And his favorite (albeit expensive) birthday cake from Dairy Queen.

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.

Day 151 of 365

It would seem a bit hypocritical for me to say this, but people put too much information out there on the internet.

Here's the issue I'm seeing. I'm part of a quilting website. I visit that website every day. I get to see quilts others have made, learn about different quilting techniques, and find out how others organize things. That's where I learned how to wrap my fabric on the comic book boards. I learned what a crumb quilt was, and there is where I learned about the Quilts for Kids Organization, the pillowcase/presentation cases for Quilts of Valor, and the Turtle Pillow project for the Hole in the Wall Camp. I've received free fabric from people giving things away, and I myself have sent some free fabric to others.

But there are a couple sections on that website where folks post pictures of their kids/grand kids. Most recently, a gal posted a picture of her grand kids (all under age) with their first names, their ages, and the town they live in. The gal who posted these pictures uses her real name, so it wouldn't take much for someone to track the kids down.

Another one bugging me happened last month. A very proud mom was showing off her elementary age student's picture from (I think) Kindergarten graduation. The picture was of the child and the principal, and then one with the child and teacher. The parent gave us her child's name, the principal's name, and the teacher's name. And the name of the school.

Here's the thing - if you're an adult and you're stupid enough to put your picture and enough information out there to get traced back to you, it's your own problem. But putting kids' info out there? And what about unsuspecting adults (like the principal and teacher) who have no idea they're being photographed and identified for posting on the internet?

Which is why you'll never find me putting pictures of people I know on my blog. I work hard at not identifying people by name (a couple times I slipped up). I won't identify where I work, what my job title is, or my full name. While I'm putting my life out there for all to read, I'm doing it as anonymously as I can. When I first started this blog, I didn't really expect anyone else to read it. Was I ever wrong. Getting close to 5,000 people so far. It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't trust those I don't know.

And it worries me that others aren't taking the same approach. I have plans to go to a quilting retreat (of folks from the quilting board) but am reconsidering it as I frequently see photos posted on the website of retreat attendees, identified by name. Not sure I wanna go there.

But I'm not going to worry about it now. It's time to enjoy a peaceful Sunday. And a peaceful orange sky.

Day 150 of 365

You'd think as much as I hate lizards (I wrote a bit about those on Day 101) I'd hate frogs, too.

For some reason they're not the same.

I think it's because of the bad experiences I had with lizards when I was a kid. In contrast, the experiences with frogs weren't so bad.

When I was growing up, we lived next door to my grandparents. At our house and my grandparents' house, there were frogs that hung around the faucets out front. Baby frogs and grown up frogs. I used to pick them up and play with them. (The baby ones were especially cute.) When we went camping, we used to swim in ponds and lakes and catch tadpoles. I remember at least once bringing some tadpoles home, hoping they'd turn into frogs. They sprouted little legs, but never made it to the frog stage.

When our daughter was little and we went to an aunt's cabin, she caught frogs. We have a picture of her, probably no older than four or five, with a plastic cup full of frogs, just as proud as she could be.

She was pretty excited when we moved into this house and found out there were frogs around here. In the basement window wells, in the rose garden, hopping along the paths.

The frogs are long gone now, though. We've taken out some plantings they liked to live around and our gardens aren't as damp as they once were. My daughter turned to playing with worms. Even as a teenager working in the garden, she would get excited if she ran across a worm. And boy, do we have some big worms!

No frogs, no worms, and certainly no lizards around here right this second.

But turtles? Yep.

Day 149 of 365

I don't remember growing up around gardening in California. I remember my great grandparents having a big garden out back, but I only remember corn. Actually, I don't remember vegetables playing a part in my childhood at all.

On the other hand, my husband grew up gardening here in Idaho. Even now his dad still maintains their garden.

When we lived in the university apartments when we were first married, they offered small garden plots for rent on the property. We could see the vegetable gardens from our 3rd story window, and I always wondered why anyone would take the time and money to do a garden.

But after we moved out and got a place in the country, we started gardening. My husband knew all about it. I knew nothing. Nothing about planting, watering, making rows. I didn't even know how some things grew. In the ground? On a bush? Not a clue.

Over the years, I've gotten the hang of it. I'm the one mapping out the garden plot. I know radishes and peas come out first, spinach and arugula get multiple plantings, and it's okay to start digging potatoes when the blooms have died off.

Just when I think I know it all, I learn something new. I knew tomato plants need cages, but...if you plant beefsteak tomatoes (which most of ours are) and water, fertilize, and weed properly (which most years we get a bit lazy with), the metal cages you buy at the store won't work. Because each one of those beefsteak tomato plants, when tended to properly (like this year) will produce dozens of huge tomatoes. Too many for the metal cages to hold them and the cages will wind up flat on the ground from the weight. Although they are just as tasty, just as bright, and go great in fresh salsa.

From the garden today came a jalapeno pepper, a serrano chili pepper, and some beefsteaks. Chopped an onion, threw in a bit of chili powder and garlic, and added a bit of fresh squeezed lime juice and salt.

Yum! After giving it a taste, next time I'll go with one chili pepper instead of two. It was mighty hot.

Exercise update: 103 consecutive days. I stopped tracking my mileage, though.

Day 148 of 365

In 1984:

• Ronald Reagan was president.
• The Space Shuttle Discovery had its maiden voyage.
• A gallon of gas was $1.21.
• The movies Terminator and Sixteen Candles came out.
• The PG-13 rating was introduced.
• The Cosby Show started.

On this day in 1984 I was just barely 19 years old. Both of us were in college but working during the summer. I had long fingernails and he had a curly perm. I had an ugly lime green 1970 Ford Maverick with four brand new tires. We had not much else.

No credit cards, no microwave, hardly any furniture, a small black and white TV, and only one telephone.

But we had a wedding on this day. A dress, a rented white tux, and a church. Flowers from my in-laws garden. And a potluck at their house for our reception.

27 years ago today, I married the man I met in the Boise State University Library during finals week. The man who kept coughing as I was studying for my first semester of college finals. The man who, every few minutes, had some "jock" coming over to talk to him. The man who was distracting me from my studies for what seemed like forever, yet came over before he left and said to a then 17 year old girl (me), "Excuse me miss, sorry for coughing."

Every year on our anniversary we do something special. A vacation somewhere, dinner out, gifts, or special dinner in.

But not today. My husband is at his latest conference this week and won't be home. He called me on his lunch break, but the celebration will wait. After 27 years, celebrations for anniversaries aren't what they used to be anyway.

How did I spend my day? In the sewing room and in the gardens, of course. (As if I haven't mentioned it enough lately, I'm getting tired of putting up with my back. I still - even after all I've done - can't work but a few minutes before it gives out. Grrr!)

On a more pleasant note, I did manage to capture a picture of the rose named Evelyn.

Day 147 of 365

I possess a multi-generational button collection.

I didn't start collecting buttons on purpose. I got some of my grandmother's buttons after she passed away, some of my mom's when she got rid of all her sewing and craft things, and I had some of my own.

When my daughter was little I used to make many of her clothes. Wild looking outfits with matching tops and bottoms. Stars, stripes, polka dots, all in bright colors. I purchased many a button thinking I'd use it for an outfit. But as I quickly learned, elastic in pants for a three year old was a better alternative.

I also have other buttons I've saved. When we buy an article of clothing and an extra button comes with it, I add it to my collection. (I even save the tiny bag the button comes in.) Old, ratty shirts that can no longer be used? I cut the buttons off and keep them. Pajamas that have seen better days? Keep those buttons.

I've used up some of the buttons I had purchased. I made my daughter a sweatshirt covered in a few dozen big, bright, bold buttons. I've even made a little wall quilt called, "Button, Button" that is covered in...buttons.

All those extra buttons have come in extremely handy. More than a few times we've lost buttons off of clothing and I just so happen to have one close enough to pass for the original. And those buttons have come in extremely, extremely, handy for the Turtle Pillows. 46 buttons are needed, in matching pairs. For each pillow, I'm trying to find just the right color button. For the most part I've been using black, but am starting to branch out into different colors.

Except all those buttons - Grandma's, Mom's, my purchased ones, and my don't throw it away, let's keep it ones are all mixed together in a big container. Which makes it hard to find a matching pair. For years every time I've needed a button, I dig through the box. Again, and again, and again, until I find a matching set.

It wastes a lot of time. And with school looming on the horizon my time is becoming sacred. To hasten the turtle production, I finally took the time out to organize the buttons. Now I can find the colors I want without pouring through thousands of buttons. And I've even matched up quite a few. I knew those little button bags would come in handy some day!

Anyone need white buttons? I think I have more than enough for a lifetime.

Decorating Ladybug and Beehive Sugar Cookies - Day 146 of 365, Tutorial Tuesday

I got to go out to lunch again today.

When I was working, I taught (and later had an office) right next to a gal from work. Every time the school year ended, we talked about meeting up in the summer to do something. And for the 10+ years we worked right next door to each other, we never did.

But this summer has been different.

We've met for lunch on Day 114 when I talked her ear off. We went to the movies (or the show, as she calls it) on Day 127.

Day 127 was when I had the torturous conversation with myself about making her some decorated sugar cookies. I never did make them, knowing that I would eat my fair share. It wound up not making a difference, as I went and picked up some ice cream/candy concoction that same day and wound up eating it without even realizing it.

So now today on Day 146 I met her for lunch (she was buying as a birthday present). This time I brought her some sugar cookies. I bravely faced my fears of sugar and plowed forward.

Today's picture is the cookies I delivered.

But wait - there's a bonus!

I made a video tutorial on how to decorate them. Take a look...

Day 145 of 365

As I sat in the waiting room of the Pain Clinic this morning, I was thinking I didn't belong there. This was my second visit and again I noticed there are two types of people who go there.

The first kind are folks who look like, well... look like they're on drugs. Eyes heavy, slurred speech, unsteady while walking, unkempt. While waiting for my appointment at 9:30, I listened as a gal was explaining to the receptionist how she needed her morphine and how she couldn't wait until her 2:15 appointment to get it. Explained she was taking other pain killers but they weren't working like morphine did. How she needed to get in sooner so she could get her morphine sooner. I got the impression by listening and watching the receptionist during the conversation that this happens quite often.

The other folks there are too happy, talking non-stop to other patients and staff. At most doctors offices, people for the most part keep to themselves. But both times I've been at this particular place, strangers are striking up conversations (and they're not quiet about it) left and right. Who comes to a pain clinic, all chipper and hyper? People on drugs.

This isn't a pain clinic in some strip mall - it's in a reputable hospital in Boise. There I sat, no pain pills in my system, wondering if I'd stepped into the Twilight Zone.  Which group of people would I fall into after this appointment?

As it turned out, neither group. The MRI results the doctor was waiting on never arrived. He did find some notes about the MRI from my previous doctor, but now this pain clinic doctor has decided he wants a new MRI.

So now I'll wait on insurance approval, try and fit an MRI in between my work schedule, and go back to the clinic in a few weeks. More waiting without relief.

To add insult to injury, I received two bills from my last visit to the pain clinic. My doctor's copay had already been paid, but the additional bill was from the clinic itself. I was charged a $75 "facility usage fee" for use of the clinic. Insurance paid most, but it looks like every visit I'll have to be paying my copay to the doctor and a fee to the clinic. Never heard of such a thing.

I'm this close (imagine my thumb and forefinger almost touching) to calling it all off. But having updated MRI results would be helpful. I just don't know how helpful it is to keep dragging this out.

On a more pleasant note, this afternoon I wasn't dragging things out but digging things up.

Some new red potatoes from our garden.

Day 144 of 365

As I was sewing up some more Turtle Pillows (like the one I did on Day 132) for Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Camp, I was thinking it would sure be nice if someone around here could help me out with them.

It's not that I'm lazy. And I love sewing, so it's not that. It's that they take so darned long to make one. And I'm making 23 of them.

With all the baby quilts, I can use my rotary cutter to cut the blocks, sew block after block assembly line style, keep a straight stitch running, and not have to change thread colors.

But with these turtles...
*the shapes have to be cut by hand.
*all the seams are curved.
*some steps require basting.
*pinning is required with every step.
*pressing is required with each step.
*three different fabrics are being used for each one.
*each different fabric requires different colored thread for the top-stitching.
*buttons have to be sewn on for the eyes.
*black "toes" have to be sewn in.

Not hard, not beyond what I can do, but time consuming when multiplied by 23. I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew.

It would be nice to have someone around to help out. My husband helped me do some pressing, but quickly bored of it. (And made it clear he wasn't interested in any pinning or sewing or cutting.) And my daughter? Well, sewing isn't her thing. I helped her make a rag quilt years ago (which gave me hope for the future), but she hasn't been interested in making another one. She made a fall-themed quilted square for her apartment wall with the intention of making one for each season, but it never happened. Her fall-themed one is now still on her wall in July.

So it got me thinking - since I don't know anyone around me that sews or quilts, I do know someone who I can force to help me. I think.

This person has plenty of time on her hands. She owns a sewing machine. She's done a couple fleece blankets over the past year. She used to sew baby clothes for me. And she's moving back to Idaho this week.

That would be my mom. She doesn't know it yet (she does now since she's reading it right here), but she's going to have to come over to my house and help me with some of my charity projects.

It'll be good for her. And it'll be good for me to have someone helping out.

I'm hoping I'll get the turtles done before she shows up, though. Five more done today, 17 more to go.

Day 143 of 365

It occurred to me as I was swimming in the pool the other day that life as I know it is about to change.

In the next two weeks:
*I have to go back to the pain clinic and decide if pain meds are the answer.
*My mom is leaving California and moving back here. And moving into the apartment with my daughter.
*I go back to the gastroenterologist and find out if surgery is forthcoming. (I don't think so.)
*I go back to work.

Amidst all that,
*My husband is going away to a conference for a week.
*He has a birthday.
*We celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary.

When I was swimming in that pool, I realized it probably was the last time I would get some freedom. The last time I could truly relax.

Summer is over, school is beginning.

And I'm still not sure how I feel about that. As much as I've been living day to day, I'm afraid I'm starting to think too much about the future.

Not intentionally. It's happening in my dreams again, just like on Day 54. Bad dreams about not getting enough done at work, not thinking things through and making mistakes at work. Dreams about forgetting all this personal growth work I've done in the last few months.

In my most recent dream I was telling someone that as soon as I think about school/work, I get a knot in my stomach.

It may have been a dream, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it's true.

I feel it happening already. After several rounds of work-related phone calls and e-mails this past week, I feel the knot in the stomach starting.

Spending today in the gardens and in the sewing room helped untie the knot, especially when we came across this.

Our first green bell pepper of the season.

Day 142 of 365

I don't like to drive. Highly dislike it.

I don't remember it always being that way. Don't remember feeling that way when I got my license, but I think it happened soon after we were married.

Since my husband doesn't drive - and never has - I take him everywhere. Every doctor's appointment, every meeting, every athletic event. Any time he leaves the house, I'm the one driving him.

It doesn't help that we live in a small town without stores around.

Grocery store, Target, Walgreens, Home Depot, McDonald's, movie theater? Almost 20 miles. Doctor's office? Up to 40 miles, depending on the doctor.

When I was a stay at home wife, first pregnant and terribly sick, I had to drive him several miles to work. I clearly remember heaving in the driveway as he waited for me to get in the car and get driving so he wouldn't be late for work.

When I had internal bleeding with my first ectopic pregnancy and had to get to the hospital ASAP, I drove myself.

There have been times I've had to drive him 45 miles to a conference, turn around and drive the 45 miles back, then another 10 miles so I can get to work before 7:30 AM.

I've driven every family vacation. 10 hours to the Oregon Coast, only to have to lie down and close my eyes from having such a headache. When we've traveled, my husband and daughter have gone to dinner without me more times than I can count.

27 years of being the sole driver and chauffeur for two different people (three if you count my daughter) wears on a person.

But on the trip we took this week, my daughter helped out with the driving. I was shocked at the difference it makes when someone else is driving. Usually driving long hours with no one to relieve me is so exhausting, but being a passenger for a bit of the time was sure a nice respite.

And I found out what it is like to be a sightseer.

Exercise update: 96 consecutive days. No bike mileage report - it plummeted because several days were spent swimming instead.

Day 141 of 365

My husband watches food shows on the Travel Channel and the Food Network. Those shows where the host travels around, going to different restaurants, learning how to cook the signature items. We've even been to some of the places shown on some of the programs. Even made Coney Island dogs back on Day 18, and a pulled pork, coleslaw, and fries sandwich on Day 71.

I half halfheartedly watch the shows. One show I saw had a restaurant making chicken fried steak.

Chicken fried steak is on the Deb-doesn't-eat-it list. I've tried several things on the Deb-doesn't-eat-it list that went quickly back to the top of it. Escargot. Deep fried alligator. Soft shell crab.

Shrimp used to be on that list, too. Many years ago at the state fair I tried some spicy Cajun shrimp and have been a fan of shrimp ever since.

My husband and daughter love chicken fried steak. There is a restaurant in town that serves it and they have occasionally ordered it. No tasting from that plate for me. When our daughter was old enough to gamble and we went to the casino, either one of them would order it there, too. (And it was huge there - a whole platter full.) Still no tasting for me.

But after I watched that particular show making chicken fried steak, I made my mind up to try it. No gravy for me, though.

I tried it at the local restaurant when my husband was out of town. (Didn't want anyone to know that I was giving in.) It was okay, but not great. Tried it at the casino one time, too. Even better.

And this time at the casino, a must-have. Yummy platter-sized chicken fried steak, without gravy. Delicious, but too much for one person alone.

Even my husband and daughter split theirs, all smothered in gravy. (The picture is just half a serving.)

Day 140 of 365

We've gotten around to celebrating my birthday. At the casino.

After chickening out at the casino on Day 118 it was time to try it again. This time I didn't go alone. And I hope this time I'll stay put. I've never called off a family trip, never made people go home early, so I know I'll be sticking it out this time.

No worries about gambling alone - I have the pool to retreat to. I haven't been swimming since we went to the mountains on Day 52. And boy, do I love to swim. (It might even be a nice break from riding the exercise bike every day.)

We left home first thing in the morning, picked up our daughter on the way, and are making a trip of it. We're able to take advantage of our free room and food comps. We even got a free upgrade to a suite. We've never stayed in a suite before so it makes it extra special. Bedroom, living room, bar/kitchen area, two bathrooms and even two balconies! And our casino host unexpectedly had a birthday cake delivered to our room to help us celebrate.

I'm glad I took the plunge.

Literally.

Day 139 of 365

These last couple days have been spent in the rose garden.

While I wish I could report that the roses are continuing to flourish, I can't.

Every year our rose garden goes through cycles. It blooms nonstop for several weeks, then takes a break.

This year our first official bloom came on June 7 (Day 97). All the bushes have bloomed incessantly since then and I've taken plenty of pictures.

But it was obvious it was starting to wind down when I had a hard time finding buds for my birthday cake a couple days back.

And after a week of windstorms and heavy rain, the rose garden looks like it has closed up shop for a bit.

It'll be back, but it's sad to see it go for now. It doesn't look quite the same as it did just a couple weeks ago on July 5 (Day 125).

Day 138 of 365

When I was in high school biology we did tests of our taste buds to see the reaction to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. For me, bitter was bad. Horrible. The results of the experiment deemed me to have more bitter taste buds than most people.

I have to agree with that. Broccoli, cauliflower, kale? Keep me away. Far away.

While I'm known to throw spinach in my omelet, occasionally put very finely sliced cabbage in my tacos, and have salad on top of my pizza, you'll never find me eating broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. If it came down to those three vegetables and starvation, I think I'd choose starvation.

My husband on the other hand loves all vegetables, hence the vegetable garden this year.

Although now our garden is in a transitional phase. The radishes and peas are done and the broccoli is just about finished up. We didn't plant cauliflower (yay!), but the kale is coming on and he's already picked one head of cabbage. The corn is beginning to tassel and the potatoes are almost finished with their blooming. The pumpkin vines are huge with enormous orange blossoms (some of which are beginning to become pumpkins).

But an all time record for our garden occurred today. For on this day, July 18th, is the earliest we've ever picked a tomato. Thanks to being able to start our tomatoes in the greenhouse at the high school, we have three beefsteak tomatoes.

And thanks to my husband eating one before I could even get my camera out, I was only able to get a picture of two of them (with just a small chunk of #3 remaining).

Day 137 of 365

Today is my birthday.

I don't like birthdays. Actually, it's my own birthday I don't like. I like celebrating other peoples birthdays, just not my own.

Some years it's because I don't like getting older. Some years it's because I think about what I haven't done in life. Some years it's because in the middle of summer it is usually too hot to do anything. Some years it's because I've wasted my summer away. And some years it's because of something stupid, childish, and petty.

Presents.

Every year for my daughter and my husband's birthdays, Father's Day, and Christmas, I go big. I make sure everyone has everything they would ever need and then some. I want celebration days to be days where they feel special. I look for things they might want or need months ahead and hold onto them until the special day.

But it doesn't work that way for presents for me. They usually buy gifts last minute (although that's not the biggest complaint). The biggest issue is they won't buy me anything unless it's on a list. If it's on a list, I'll probably get it. If it's not on a list, forget about it. Last year I asked for some potholders, gift cards to the places I like to bargain shop (like Target) and a DVD of The Office TV show. Unfortunately I had also mentioned when we were repainting our porch last summer that it would be easier to smooth out the rough spots if we had an electric sander.

So for my birthday last year I got 7 potholders, all the same, all in separate bags, and a electric sander. The sander is still in the box, never used. I eventually went and bought my own DVD off of ebay.

Christmas is the same way. I won't get anything if it's not on a list. When we open gifts, we take turns. Daughter, husband, me. Daughter, husband, me. For the last 25+ years, I have been the one sitting watching everyone else open gift after gift after gift (since I run out of presents after about number six).

At some point I'll get smart and start making a bigger list. But I like the idea of being surprised on a birthday or Christmas. I like the idea of buying things that surprise others. If everyone only got what was on a list, where is the fun in that?

But this year I'm not worrying about getting older. This year I'm not worried about what I haven't done in life. This year it is hot, but not too hot. This year I know I haven't wasted my summer away. And this year I'm not caring so much about presents.

There won't even be presents today anyway. Our daughter is working all day today so we won't be "officially" celebrating today - that will come later this week.

We are having a cake today, though. A cake my husband baked and decorated. I guided him through as he made the cake and the homemade buttercream frosting. I taught him how to color the frosting and some basic cake decorating techniques. I clipped some of our rose buds from the garden for the center.

He's quite proud of his work. As am I. Don't think I could have done a better job myself.

Having a husband make you a cake is a great present!

Day 136 of 365

My horoscope today read:

Your relationship with money is about to go through a very interesting phase. You'll be tasked with managing a far larger amount than you were prepared for, and you should not attempt to go it alone. The sums involved could cause you to make incorrect assumptions. If you don't understand something -- even something small -- seek out professional advice. These are murky waters, and you definitely don't want to get in over your head.

Hmmm.

When I went to the movies with a friend from work last week, she told me a story about a lottery ticket. She had won a bit on a ticket and cashed it in. Then on her way home she stopped and bought another ticket - a lottery ticket that cost $20. And won big. Big enough where she had to go to the lottery office to claim her winnings. (Not like thousands, but several hundred dollars!) Her sister, upon learning of her luck, bought her own $20 ticket. No winner.

So as my husband and I were doing our grocery shopping today, I thought about buying one of those $20 tickets. Maybe that's what my horoscope meant - that I'd win big and need a financial adviser! Unfortunately I chickened out and didn't buy one.

Then I thought maybe it had to do with work. You'll be tasked with managing a far larger amount than you were prepared for. My new job will involve managing larger sums of money than I've managed before. And since I got the word yesterday about when my first day of work will be, and knowing that one of the first tasks will be some budget revisions, maybe my horoscope was wanting me to think ahead.

Or...

They say lightning doesn't strike twice in the same spot. (Which isn't true, but it's what "they" say.) We're planning on going to the casino this coming week. Maybe lightning will strike like it did for us when we walked out of the casino with $1500 on Day 22-Day 23.

And today's picture? Early morning lightning out my front window.

And a few bonus guest pictures!

Ruth sent in these pictures of butterflies on her purple coneflowers. 

Thanks for sharing, Ruth!

Day 135 of 365

Have I ever mentioned I like to organize? (Yeah, probably a dozen or so times now.)

I got all ten packages of batting from yesterday tucked away, my fabrics purchased earlier this week are nice and neatly organized, but my scrap baskets are overflowing.

I already used a bunch of the scraps to make blocks like those on Day  104. I even gave away some of my red blocks since I made too many for the quilts I was working on.

The turtle pillows I cut this week - all 23 of them - left lots of scraps. Lots and lots of them. In all colors and shapes and sizes. I've seen pictures on the internet how most people store their scraps in bins. But I need mine tidier and neater and easier to find. I already had plenty of scraps wrapped on those cut down comic book boards, all organized my color in a couple baskets, but I was running out of room for any more baskets.

I thought about how I had some extra boxes and some leftover contact paper from when I was teaching. I decided to cut up the boxes to fit perfectly on my shelves. Wrap them in contact paper. Cut the comic book boards down even smaller to fit in the boxes.

If anyone needs any fabric scraps, you know where to shop!

Exercise update: 89 consecutive days with a little over 22 miles on the bike this week.

Day 134 of 365

Today's schedule:

Get new drivers license. Return chair mat to Staples. Get gas. Take hubby to doctor. Go to my own rheumatologist appointment. Blood work at lab. Go visit daughter. Go with daughter to look at new apartment. Take keys back to property management office. Go to lunch. Go back to property management office so husband can get glasses he dropped there. Go to JoAnn's fabric store to get big early birthday present. Go to Target for hubby and daughter to birthday shop. Take daughter back to her place. Drive in rush hour traffic. Get groceries. Get prescription at drugstore. Get buy one get one free frozen strawberry lemonade at McDonalds. Come home and ride the exercise bike.

Never did make it to the grocery store or drug store. I was too tuckered out after the full day we had.

But a couple highlights today are worth writing about. First, if you haven't tried McDonald's frozen strawberry lemonade you're missing out. I'm not one who ever gets brain freezes (I don't even know what one of those feels like) but I get throat freezes. Tart and ice cold.

And at the fabric store - my birthday is coming up and my husband knows a fabric store is a good place to shop for a present. He headed to the sewing machine section to look for me a new one, but I headed in a different part of the store. As much as a new machine would be nice, it's not necessary.

What is necessary is quilt batting for my future charity baby quilts. 10 packs of batting is much more appreciated by me than a new sewing machine right now.

I almost arranged the packages with the labels all facing the same way like I do my cans (I wrote about that on Day 131), but decided I was going to be a rebel.

Day 133 of 365

I discovered ebay a few years back.

Not as a buyer, but as a seller. I had a pair of concert tickets a few rows from the stage for George Strait. But as the date got closer, we found out we had a dilemma. It was senior night for girls basketball and our daughter was a senior. George Strait or daughter. We picked the daughter, of course!

Being that the concert was sold out, I knew I had something good on my hands. I had heard about people selling tickets on ebay, but hadn't ever been on the site and didn't know anything about it. After doing some research it appeared that I might not only get my money back for the tickets but make some profit, too.

So the tickets went up for auction. The person who won the tickets e-mailed me after the concert and said the tickets were amazing and George Strait came through their aisle and shook their hands. In the end I made a $200 profit on the tickets and got to see my daughter being honored on senior night.

Then about a year ago I heard about a way to wrap fabric nice and neat. I could either buy some corrugated type white boards (expensive) or use comic book boards.

I used to read some comic books when I was a kid (mostly Richy Rich - boy, what I would have given to live that life!), but had no idea what a comic book board was. It's a piece of thick cardstock-like paper that collectors use to help maintain the shape of the comic book. I guess you can purchase them at comic books stores, but since I don't typically hang out there - or even know where one is - I headed to ebay for my boards.

After some patient searching and waiting, I found someone getting rid of used boards. 500 of them. For a doggone descent price. 500 boards? Never would I ever need 500, but what the heck?

Unfortunately as I began to wrap all my fabric and then cut some of the boards for my smaller pieces of fabric, it became apparent that I had plenty of fabric to fill those boards.

Until today. Up until today, all of my boards had been filled with fabric.

Today I finished cutting the fabric for 22 more turtle pillows (like the one yesterday). Lots of empty comic book boards now.

Then the mail arrived. Another cheap ebay purchase. Sometimes you don't know exactly what you're going to get when you order from there, but today's fabrics filled my 5 foot table. Looks to be close to 30 yards of high quality fabric. So much I couldn't hardly get it all in the picture.

No more empty comic book boards anymore.

Day 132 of 365

It's turtle time!

My house is clean (shiny in some spots even). My roses have been clipped and my gardens are just about weeded.

I get to play with fabric again. And this time I'm making turtles. For charity.

Some day I may actually make something for myself, but not yet. My new charity project will benefit kids at a Hole in the Wall Camp.

Paul Newman started Hole in the Wall Camps for children with life-threatening conditions back in 1988. One of those camps in California, The Painted Turtle, sends each child home with a lap quilt and a turtle pillow. I've made enough quilts for a little bit, so I'm tackling turtles now.

The turtle pillows are quite large - about two and a half feet long. And I'm making bunches of them. I don't have to stuff them (the organization does that), but I get to use up some of my excess fabric to make them.

My first one was finished today, but I'm working on cutting enough fabric for at least 20 or so more.

It's kinda cute even without its stuffing. One down and many more to go.

Day 131 of 365

I'm a stockpiler. Have been ever since I can remember. I love the look of neatly stocked shelves (the labels always have to face out), and I especially love a good deal.

I haven't been stockpiling much this spring, but last summer when I was couponing a lot, I did some major stocking up. If I could get one can of shaving cream for 25 cents, why not go ahead and buy five at that price? I'm lucky we have plenty of storage in the house! Doing the big stockup on many items saved us this year - with me not bringing in any income, it's been nice being able to keep our grocery costs down. We still have plenty of soap, paper towels, cleaning products, shaving cream, toothpaste, and deodorant to last us another year.

Frozen foods and canned goods are another story. Our freezer is just about empty and our canned food shelves are looking bare. Last year we had stocked up so much on canned goods that I made racks to hold some of them. (I used the directions here, but painted mine.) So as soon as another bargain comes along, I'll be taking advantage of it. I like having my own grocery store in the basement.

Like my fabric store in my sewing room closet. Even though it's nicely stocked, if a bargain comes along, I can't resist.

It's not like I don't have enough already. (The picture from Day 57 can confirm that.) As many quilts as I send out the door and fabric and quilt tops I give away, it still isn't dwindling. I have a big project I'm about to get started on that will use some of the yardage up, but that won't keep me from buying.

Just this week (on ebay of course) I found a gal offering 5" and 6" squares of fabric, already cut, in some interesting patterns. So I pulled the trigger and spent five whole dollars. Such a bargain. I have a few more dollars of squares coming in the next few days, but my five dollars worth arrived today. Over 200 squares, just perfect for baby and kids quilts.

Someday maybe I'll even get back to grown up quilts. Probably not anytime soon, though.

Day 130 of 365

I wake up every morning with hope.

Hope that my body can get out of bed, get dressed, and eat breakfast without having to take 3 hours to do it.

Hope that I have the stamina to do what I have planned for the day.

Hope that my pain is less than the day before.

Hope that my fatigue is not as great.

Hope that I have a positive attitude through it all.

In the last week I've sent out 5 charity baby quilts. Scrubbed the kitchen clean. Mopped and vacuumed. Pruned up the roses in the rose garden. Went grocery shopping. Had a dentist appointment. Went to the movies. Cleaned and organized the sewing room. Washed windows. Exercised every day. And just today cleaned and organized the den.

I've done more in the last week than I have done in a long time. The combination of all the work has taken a toll on me.

Each day has been a bigger struggle than the day before. Each day I've had to force myself to get out of bed and dressed. Force myself to do my self-assigned task for the day. Force myself to exercise. Force myself to keep going. And even force myself to write and take the picture of the day.

It was tough. Probably the toughest week I've had in a quite a while.

The thing about rheumatoid arthritis is that it makes you feel like you have the kind of flu with the body aches and fatigue, but all the time. Then add in the side effects from my medications. Then add in the back issues. Add in no pain medication. Try and accomplish physical things during the day - cleaning, washing, gardening? It's enough to make someone start popping those pain pills again.

But I didn't. And I won't. Because that's a short term solution.

I want a long term solution. A solution that will let me work in the garden, clean my house, and even get myself dressed without pain. A solution that will allow me the energy to get back to work.

A solution that will help me meet the goal I set when I first started the blog - the hope that I will be back into the land of the living instead of the land of the existing.

This week was proof that I'm not even close.

I'm having to dig down deep to keep a positive attitude about it. I need to be thankful I can get out of bed and get myself dressed (even if it takes 3 hours). I need to be thankful I can wash my windows, mop my floor, exercise, and prune roses, even if it keeps me in pain and takes every bit of oomph I have. And I need to be thankful I can get outside and enjoy my beautiful flowers.

This one just opened today - some type of huge lily. An Asiatic one maybe?