Friday, September 30, 2011

Just a quote for Friday

"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared."
 
~ Buddha Quotes

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Dress a Girl Around The World

I've been wanting to contribute to a charity in a way that would allow me to use my crafting skills for something other than home decorating or personal gift giving. Several months ago during an email exchange with my sweet friend Sian from the UK, she mentioned a charity I might be interested in. Funny that someone from Ireland can find a charity for me that is right in my backyard!
The charity organization that Sian led me to is called Dress a Girl Around the World and it's based in Phoenix, Arizona. This organization collects handmade dresses and distributes them through Hope 4 Women International who in turn distributes the dresses to girls in need around the world.
The dresses are made from pillowcases, and when I saw how simple the pattern was I decided that as soon as my craft space was organized enough to accommodate a small sewing project, I'd like to contribute to this worthy cause.
I purchased three pillowcases from my local thrift store. How lovely that the universe provided half-off-day on the very day I chose to shop! The pillowcases cost me 75¢ each! And since I already had binding tape and elastic in my supplies this was a very inexpensive way for me to contribute.
And my time?
I spent about 2 hours making three dresses.
And it was 2 hours well spent!
So how about it, Blog-friends-who-can-sew?
Care to join me in a little charity sewing?

Friday, September 23, 2011

Just a quote for Friday

"If we examine every stage of our lives, we find that from our first breath to our last we are under the constraint of circumstances. And yet we still possess the greatest of all freedoms, the power of developing our innermost selves in harmony with the moral order of the universe, and so winning the peace of heart whatever obstacles we meet."

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Thursday, September 22, 2011

DebTurtle - A-Z


My girl C posted an A-Z list on her blog and I loved reading her answers.
I'm joining in and doing my own A-Z...


A. Age: 50

B. Bed size: King.

C. Chore that you hate: cleaning a bathtub and/or shower

D. Dogs: Meh...not big on dogs, although I do love my grand-dog Sparklett (aka Marcus)

E. Essential start to your day: Reading blogs and emails and Facebook

F. Favorite color:  Hard to pick just one...but if I had to choose I'd say blue...or red...or maybe...

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: 5’7”

I. Instruments you play: I got nothin'...I tried the guitar for a while but lost interest.

J. Job title: "Office Manager"

K. Kids:  One.Awesome.One.

L. Live: Chandler, Arizona, USA

M. Mother’s name: Marti

N. Nicknames:  Mom-friend, DebTurtle, and Debs {when Doug is a little exasperated with me he'll say, "Deb, Deb, Deb..."}

O. Overnight hospital stays:  Ugh! I don't even want to think about this one right now!

P. Pet peeves: Your/you’re mix up. (I agree with Carrie on this one.) Also the their/there/they're one too.

Q. Quote from a movie: “Yeah, like you blend." from My Cousin Vinny or  "Gr, baby, very grrrr" from Austin Powers

R. Right or left handed: Right.

S. Siblings:  Three awesomes.

T. Tattoos:  two - a turtle on my foot, and an Om symbol on my back

U. Underwear:  yes...

V. Vegetable you hate:  hmmm...tough one...I've never met a vegetable I didn't like...

W. What makes you run late:  Cleaning up a last minute cat mess?

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth and neck/back

Y. Yummy food that you make: Chicken and dumplings {I taught Carrie}, meatloaf {my fam loves it}, and chocolate chip cookies

Z. Zoo animal:  monkeys {You were expecting turtles, right? Well, they're not real exciting to watch in a zoo!}
 
So that's me, A to Z.
How about you?

Monday, September 19, 2011

While the cat's away...

Doug and I have a fairly traditional household.
I buy the groceries, he mows the lawn.

* * * * * *

Now, I don't claim to be 100% health conscience with the food I bring home, but I think it's safe to say that I do a much better job than my other half.


When I came home from my hospital stay this past week, there were sweets and treats tucked here and there. Seems that Doug did a little grocery shopping on his own...


The package of pastries from the bakery was already gone by the time I got around to taking pictures, as well as a slice of cheesecake he confessed to while I was giving him a hard time about his shopping skills.

{My afternoon snack - Hi Amy!}

What about you?
Who in your house makes better choices at the grocery store?

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Things I learned this past week. {I'm back!}

Greetings, blog friends!!! I'm spending my morning catching up online, but before I go any further I promised Carrie that I would create a post to let you know I'm doing well and on the road to recovery. {Many thanks to my sweet girl C for guest blogging for me!!!} Your sweet comments, emails, cards, thoughts, prayers and love lifted my spirit more that words can say. I'm am deeply grateful for each and every one of you.

Flowers from Doug, Carrie, and my mom & sister. Doug
brought framed photos for me on the first day I was there. :o)

Without further adieu, following are a few points of interest from this past week:

* "Infection and perforation of the bowel" is a term I never want to hear again.
Kind of a gross way to start the list, but it is what it is. And let me tell you, it was brutal. It started as a tummy-ache that lasted for a few days. I was exhausted but thought it was because Doug and I have been going full-speed-ahead for the past several weeks. It's hard to know when to call it quits and realize I needed medical attention.

* Going without food or water for several days in a row is a miserable existence.
This might sound corny, but I have a whole new appreciation for world hunger. When we were kids we didn't have much money, but we were never hungry {thanks, Mom}. My stay in the hospital brought a new awareness to me...must do something to contribute...

{LOL - kind of a puny meal, but I was SOOOO grateful for this!!!}

* Potassium through an IV Burns.Like.Hell.


* Even in my weakest hour, my brother Ron can make me belly-laugh like no one else on this planet.
He was in town on business and I missed out on having dinner with the gang, but he visited me in the hospital and that was awesome.  :o) {thanks, Ronnie!}

* Never underestimate the power of prayer.

Even though I was sicker than I've ever been in my 50 years on the planet, I've never felt so uplifted and loved by so many amazing people.
{love.}

* There are angels on earth and they appear when you need them most.
Brandon, a young nurse in the Emergency Room who was patient and caring and reassuring and amazing. I made him earn his pay that day!
Deepa, a beautiful young woman of Indian descent. She was my day-nurse the first two days of my hospital stay and I knew instantly that we were kindred spirits. This woman was born to be a nurse.
Mohamed, the night charge nurse who answered my calls over the intercom with a cheerful "How may I help you Mrs. {last name here}" He pronounced my last name correctly from the first time {rare}. Come to find out, he knows my sister-in-law Janet who has been a nurse at that same hospital for over 30 years. :o)
Ronald, a sweet young man from the cafeteria who came to my room on the day I could finally eat something. He took my food order as if I were a VIP customer in a five-star restaurant. I loved that.
{I plan to write a letter of gratitude to the CEO of Chandler Regional Hospital.}


* Hospital gowns have an opening in the front too.
So, on my last day in captivity I was told I needed to get up and walk around. Knowing there was a gap in the back of my hospital gown, I slipped my walking shorts on and scooted myself out and about, making the loop around the hospital floor I was on. When I returned to my room I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and realized that the 5-inch gap on the upper right side of my gown clearly revealed one-half of my womanhood. Nice.
And on that note, I'm off to see what I've
missed in blog world this past week.
!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Just a Quote for Friday

(sign that had been on Deb's hospital room door)

“Food is the most primitive form of comfort.”
-Sheilah Graham

Update: I am VERY happy to report that my mom is out of the hospital and resting up at home! YAY! She still feels kind of crummy but is able to eat and drink normally again. We are all very happy that she's not in the hospital anymore. Thanks for your love and support. I'm sure she'll be back around these parts in no time...thanks for letting me hang out here. xoxo, Carrie Rosalind

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Update on Deb's Health

Hi all - Carrie here again. First of all, thank you SO much for your sweet comments. My mom read them all and they made her smile. (And extra thanks to Ruth who called my mom - she was SO surprised and happy!)

She is still in a lot of pain and very nauseous, but slowly but surely, she is showing signs of improvement. No real news to report, other than she's still in there and she's still not allowed to eat or drink anything. AND she's missing going to the Hanson concert with me tonight like we had planned for. :( Major bummer.

I'll keep you updated! Thanks again for sending your love her way.

xoxo, Carrie Rosalind

Saturday, September 10, 2011

10 Things I love about our new house {on the 10th}

1 - Location, location, location {close to work, and closer to Carrie's house.}

2 - Looking out my kitchen window and seeing this sweet palm tree.
3 - Looking out my kitchen window and seeing activity {I'm going to be the nosey neighborhood lady who knows everything that's happening! My former kitchen window looked out onto a sickly rose bush and a brick wall. Once in a while I'd see a lizard...}

4 - We can see the sky from our back door and get to enjoy Arizona sunsets without even going outside.

5 - The potential of our backyard space {It's the first thing I fell in love with when I saw the photo on the real estate listing - before we even looked at the house.}

6 - These pull out cabinet thingies. I always wanted these.
7 - Great light in every room - especially the kitchen. This house is going to be awesome for photography!

8 - The house has an atrium. I squealed the first time I saw it! {More on that in later posts...}
9 - And the atrium has a CAT DOOR!!! {Fancy has kind of figured out the little door, but Whiskers wants nothing to do with it so far.}

10 - Sharing this awesome space with my sweet hubby, Doug.
* * * * * * * * * *
Linking to Shimelle's 10 on the 10th today.

Bless you.
Times 10.
:o)

Friday, September 9, 2011

Just a quote for Friday

{photo is a little piece of my craft room...}
"A house is made of walls and beams;
a home is made with love and dreams."
~ author unknown

Monday, September 5, 2011

Moving to a new house is like taking care of a newborn baby...

You always forget how much work it is if it's
been a while since you've done it.


We've been busy. We're both exhausted. But we're both happy.

We've learned that a certain someone has issues with change...
{This is the only photo I have of Whiskers so far in the new house. He's not happy.}

...and someone else is purr-fectly content with it. 

When Carrie saw the shelves in my craft room closet built
by my brother-in-law she said one word, "Jealous."
{Right...Don did build them level...the slant is from
my artistic photographic interpretation.}

Not having doors on the kitchen cabinets has helped me learn where
everything is without having to open five doors before finding what I want.
 We're getting there...slowly but surely.

We didn't have an internet connection all week and I went through withdrawal the first few days, but after that I got so busy it wouldn't have mattered if we had it or not. I'm super behind on my blog reading and that's probably not going to change for the next week or two.

But I'll get there too...
slowly but surely...

Friday, September 2, 2011

Just a quote for Friday

"Well, I'm sorry sir, but if you can't give me a detailed list
of each and every item to be picked up our driver will
have to leave whatever is not on the list."

~ Woman at City of Chandler refuse pick-up department to Doug this week
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