Look what I made!

My coworker, Donna, requested a medical kit to keep all her diabetes supplies in.

Well, here it is!

Front view:  there are two buttonholes to use depending on how much stuff is inside.



Opened up



Med Center - places for pills & insulin in pockets on the left.  Sharps on the right.

The left pockets now open.  I figured out how to make the pockets hold bigger things.

A vinyl window that will (eventually) show her medicine list and any emergency medical information etc she would like added.



The back view - a zippered pocket! 



I think this pocket is my favorite thing.  It wasn't on the original specifications she gave me.  But it turned out pretty neat.

Thats it folks!

I was going to actually make this into a tutorial, but I kept forgetting to take pictures along the way, so I just decided to show the end result.

Anyways, something else to cross off my list for this week!

Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute. ~ Gil Stern

Day 4

My vacation seems to be flying by....measured mostly in naps and general laziness.

I'm okay with that though. 

Today I've been pretty productive...

Cleaned kitchen

Made pasta salad

Ate pasta salad

Fixed Vacuum cleaner (it only took cutting off 10 years of hair and grossness off the floor tool.  Gag me.)

Used my newly fixed vacuum and marveled at my ingenuity. 

Creativity experiment (thank you, MADE!):

Its currently in the washer...we'll see how it goes. 

And its barely 11am. 

I'm taking a break by watching old episodes of the Office. 

Zumba tonight...gotta store up my strength.  Maybe I'll take another nap...

There's nothing to match curling up with a good book when there's a repair job to be done around the house. ~ Joe Ryan

Day 2

Day 2 of vacation and already I feel better. 

Day 1 was filled with shopping and eating and sleeping.  My poor friend Katie (who I'm going to Vegas with) got to be on the receiving end of my work-related word vomit.  But man if I didn't feel better afterwards. 

Did I mention I slept?  12 hours worth.  It was awesome.

This morning I put all my Christmas stuff away (yes, finally!  Don't judge....), dusted, vaccuumed, read a book, drank a lot of coffee, and then was super bored by 9am.  I can finally get to my fabric stash though (previously blocked by a leaning tower of Christmas boxes), so I'm set to go to Joann's tomorrow and get creative. 

My only worry is my vacuum.  Today while cleaning it smelled funny.  Not quite hot, but not quite right.  I mean, it IS 10 years old now (it was a housewarming present from my sister when I first moved out - yes, Michelle, using the same Kenmore!!!), but still.  I love that vacuum.  And I really don't want to buy another one.

Off to Zumba!

My new Zumba shoes.  They make my small feet look huge.  But totally worth it.

A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.
~ Robert Orben

The last day

One more work day before my vacation starts.  One more long 12 hour shift. 

I've had a tough couple weeks.  I'm still convinced something is wrong with me - I am always tired.  Even when I sleep 8 hours, I wake up ready to take a nap.  My motivation went back down to nil.  I've been out and about doing a lot of social things like coffee dates and zumba and going-away parties and birthday parties and baby showers and still....I feel like I'm just going through the motions of living.  Its weird.

I'm pretty sure my job is partially to blame.  Its hard to stay positive in a position in which people are constantly trying to break your spirit.  I had a small unprofessional breakdown last week which my supervisor happened to witness....only cause it was aimed at him.  Whoops.  I still feel a little bad about that.  Not what I said, but the fact that I couldn't bottle up my frustration anymore. 

So job stress leaks into personal life.  And then personal life has this black cloud hovering over everything. 

Oi.  So negative.  Not usually like me. 

And its funny - when I look back, I've had a lot of good happen to me recently.  I'm building new friendships, I've gotten a lot of compliments from people on various things - both professional and personal, I'm trying new things, etc etc etc.  Even Atticus seems to be taking everything in stride.

I really need a vacation. 


I like this picture...not sure why.  Its a little depressing. 























"You're going to catch a cold
from the ice inside your soul
So don't come back for me
Don't come back at all."
~ Christina Perri

Struggling

I'm still struggling with motivation recently.  I thought maybe my thyroid was acting up again, but according to blood tests I just had taken, its within normal limits.  I don't know what it is...

Too much rain?

Too much Hulu-watching?  Haha...maybe.

I went out on St Patricks day with some friends to try to get out of my funk.

Here I am looking green:

Didn't really help the funk but it was fun.

Today I was trying to catch up from not doing anything all weekend.  *shakes head* 

"Snickerpoodle" biscuits.  Really, just apple cinnamon oat biscuits.

Some sort of yummy chicken with a name I can't pronounce.  Don't be too impressed, it came in a kit in the freezer section.

I have two 12 hour shifts over the next two days.  I've come to the conclusion that overtime always sounds like a good idea until I go to actually do it.

Hoping this weekend will be a little better.  Just one more week til I'm on vacation, and two more weeks til I'm off to Las Vegas!

All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams. ~ Elias Canetti

Cause and Effect

Rain

plus

equals

muddy feet

and

muddy face

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.  ~ Anthony J. D'Angelo

Embarassing moment of the day

One of the heating elements in my water heater went out a couple of days ago.  I thought I could suffer through the lukewarm showers for the weekend, but when I realized that I couldn't even wash dishes or clothing in actual hot-hot water, I decided to call maintenance at my apartment complex.  Of course I called them at 4pm on Friday (give me a break, I just woke up after doing overtime on my day off last night), so I have a feeling they were cursing me behind my back before they came in.  These are the same men referenced in previous embarassing experiences:  see here. 

In order to get  to my water heater, they asked if they could move stuff around in my closet.  More specifically, what is actually a shoe holder:  a tall compartmentalized thing that hangs in my closet that i actually store fabric and other things in.  So, I said sure.  So the one guy helped me move it, trying to minimize spillage.

*sigh*  I should have thought ahead on this one. 

Yes, most things stayed in the organizer.  What did not stay in the organizer and instead spilled out in front of my closet was what was on the bottom compartment:  5 brightly colored bikini swimsuits.  That are quite obviously bikini swimsuits. 

As they lay in a pile in front of the closet, one of the men starts reaching for them to move them out of the way.  I almost died of embarassment on the spot.  I mean, really.  They're not underwear.  But they're almost as personal. 

I told the guy not to bother - as I quickly shoved them into my laundry hamper. 

Oi.

My only saving grace was that I semi-cleaned this weekend so the place was picked up, does not smell like wet dog, and I don't have any other articles of underwear hanging out in my bedroom or bathroom. 

However, also please note that since I just woke up right before I called them (they came right away) I was still in my PJ's and robe with my bedhead half-tamed into a ponytail. 

I'm hoping thats my only major embarassment for the day. 

I would post more, but I'm in the middle of some culinary genius in the kitchen (note the hint of sarcasm), and I need to keep checking that Atticus does not get into the bacon.

"Sue" is keeping her name under-wraps for obvious reasons.
I'm a huge fan of unnecessary quotes. 

Live for the roots
Love the green
Dance with the blossoms
~Terri Guillemets

May the force be with you

I was playing with a glow stick yesterday at work.  I find them fascinating at apparently any age.  I mean, really...it glows!!!

Got to start my weekend 2 hours early this morning.  Only cause I did two days in a row of overtime.

I have absolutely nothing interesting to post.  Nothing at all.  I have enjoyed my break from sewing, but maybe its about time to get the machine back out and work on some upcoming birthday projects.  Oh, and I can't remember if I already said something...one of my coworkers commissioned me to make her a medicine kit.  Hard to explain.  When I end up making it I'll post it.  Otherwise, not a lot going on this weekend.  I'm pretty glad....I've been really busy for the past couple weeks and I miss my lazy days of hanging out with Attie watching the Office.  I'm determined to put in some quality TV time this weekend.

Hope you all are enjoying your Fat Tuesday (oh, how I miss fastnachts!).

Most people do not consider dawn to be an attractive experience - unless they are still up. ~ Ellen Goodman

reflections

Not really posting to reflect on anything, but just to give myself another 5 minutes to switch my brain to a lower gear.  Mentally reflecting on my night though.  I had a long night at work - both hour wise (12 hours), and with the types of calls.  It literally DIDN'T STOP all night.  Troublesome call on top of troublesome call.  I got tired of calling out people with specialty skills...."hey, this is Alicia in radio, I was wondering if you were available for...." 

Looking to snuggle with this guy, who in turn wants nothing more than to run around and play. 

I gave him some freshly made biscuits (last night I made pizza flavored biscuits - they include mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and a little garlic) to make up for the fact that I'm a slacker.

Beat.

Man performs and engenders so much more than he can or should have to bear. That's how he finds that he can bear anything. ~ William Faulkner

4am cottage cheese

Yes, thats right....I cannot sleep.  My day off, and I cannot fall asleep.  And I've even been up since 10am yesterday morning. 

So, I'm indulging in 4am cottage cheese and season 2 of  Parks and Recreation. 

It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to get up at 10am for lunch plans.....

I went outside one morning last week to a message on my car from my secret admirer.  Kidding kidding....its from a coworker, even though no one is fessing up....

Night is a world lit by itself.  ~ Antonio Porchia

Morning

I'm up too early this morning.  I have to go to a training (on my day off!!!).  Already looking forward to getting home tonight.

I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself, and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part. ~Shirley MacLaine

The start of something new

Without the help of the point of view of the picture, you would never guess which shoes are mine...

Coffee time with the gang...

Yes, the silver-sequined ones at the bottom are mine.  Random.  I'll try to take a better picture next time I wear them. 

The one charm of the past is that it is the past.  ~ Oscar Wilde