Haiti Sew

I'm a quilter, not a seamstress and garment sewer.  I did sew some easy little jumpers for my daughter, Dory, when she was little but stopped when they would have needed more intricate sewing skills.  I was fortunate to be able to be introduced to some great ladies here who volunteer their time, efforts, skills and materials to make dresses, bags and shorts to send to Haiti.  I figured I could help, even if it was just ironing or pinning.  I wanted to be involved.  There is such a desperate need for these things there along with food and shoes.  I'm not sure how long this particular group has been doing this but I know they have made a huge impact with the town and church they work with in Haiti.

 We usually meet twice a month to sew.  This past Tuesday an extra effort was made so they could make lots of dresses all at once.  There were over 40 volunteers all working assembly line to get the job done.  A lady from Texas drove all the way here to Colorado with fabric that had been donated.  Some were cutting, inserting elastic, adding binding, hemming, ironing or putting on pockets.
 

There are going to be a lot of happy little girls the next time the dresses are delivered.  Aren't they pretty?  I don't know any little girl anywhere who wouldn't just love having one.  I'm not sure how many they were able to finish but there is a goal of 100+ (or more) by February.

This is what it's all about!  This is one of the little girls who got a dress last year.  Is she adorable or what?  Take a minute - how long would it take for you to make something easy that would help someone so tremendously?  Some of these little ones have nothing, including clothes.  No one deserves that.

You don't have to find a group just like ours.  There are all sorts of charity and volunteer opportunities out there.  It may be helping out at the senior home in your town, rescuing a dog, donating blood, serving meals to the homeless during the holidays, donating food, donating blankets to a homeless shelter,  reading to a child.  Sometimes looking outside ourselves makes us feel so much better inside.

There is no way I can say "thank you" and "job well done" to all the ladies at the Haiti sew.  I will say a big THANK YOU and GOD BLESS  to Barbara.  She has a servants heart and more energy than anyone I have met!!!

Have a wonderful and restful weekend!

Happy Veterans Day, Aaron!

Happy Veterans Day to our son, Aaron!

We are bursting with pride in all you have accomplished in your life.  Though you have done so much serving your country, you are always, always, humble in the fact that you are just doing your job.  We are relieved that you are back on home soil but know that if asked, you would go wherever you are sent.

Next year as you retire after 23 years in the Navy, may you find as much happiness in civilian life as you have in the military!

Love,
Mom and Dad

Happy Friday

More gratuitous pictures of the dogs!  I hate to even call them dogs, really they are little furry people that rule live in our home.

This is one of Maggie's favorite places to sit.  She can look out the windows and make sure everything is right with the world.  When Mollie jumped up, she didn't quite know what to think. (Sorry for the glare.)

This is Maggie and we just love her to pieces!

"I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille."

You'll have to enlarge the pictures to really see Mollie's cute little face!

The girls and I hope you have a fun weekend.  I'm off to a Christmas Bazaar and a favorite restaurant.  Then hopefully, I can get some sewing done.  I need to do some housework and mop floors.  I can already see the difference in having two dogs rather than one.  Worth it?  You bet!

Hugs!

Is the Honeymoon Over?

Well, we have had Mollie for a little over a week.  From the pictures below, you might think that the honeymoon is over.

Not in the least.  Our little Mollie has been an incredible joy with some surprising perks.  The previous owners (of two whole weeks) wrote that she was not housebroken.  I guess if you are stuck in a laundry room all day, you might have an accident.  Mollie has not had one accident in our house.  Not one!!!  If I say, "let's go outside" she runs right to the door.  She has even gone to the back door and barked and scratched to be let out.  Getting her back in is another thing but we're working on that.  I put out a couple dog beds and they quickly became her go to places to nap.  She sleeps all night in her crate without a wimper.  We'll have her sleeping with us (and Maggie) on the bed before too long but want to wait a while longer for that.

Like I said, she doesn't like to come back inside when I let her out back.  So in the evening I take her out front on a leash for her potty breaks if it's dark out.  I've already warned the neighbors about seeing me in my jammies and robe walking down the street.  Just look the other way, people!

Mollie is gaining confidence with playing with Maggie.  Maggie means no harm but likes to play rough.  Yesterday, Mollie actually was giving it back to Maggie and they were chasing each other around the house.  She loves playing with toys as you can see below.  I keep the toys all in a pile and she quickly gets them all out again.

I took her into the vet's on Friday for her rabies vaccination and she was declared perfectly healthy in every way.  She was very sociable with the other dogs so she is not as timid any more.  She still shirks away if I put my hand out to pet her which makes me think she might have been abused.  Lots of love and hugs should take care of that.  She even loves to take naps with me in the afternoon, curling up beside me.  Sweet!

The only problem we have with her is her barking.  I have had to apologize to the neighbors with the guarantee we will work on it.  They have been so nice and understanding.  The gal on one side said not to worry about it as did the neighbors on the other side.  They are new to the neighborhood and immediately had gone down and gotten a rescue dog themselves, so they understand what all it entails.

Today I am going down to our local city offices to get Mollie's tags so she will be street legal.  She has fit right in and made herself an instant part of our family.  I highly recommend getting a rescue dog and hopefully you will have as good a luck as we have.

I mentioned above that there was a surprising perk  I periodically suffer from insomnia.  I'll stay awake untill four or five in the morning and then only sleep about four hours.  It's exhausting and it has made me miss meetings and appointments as I'm too tired to drive, not to mention it's not safe.  Since getting Mollie I have been so much busier chasing after her, taking her for walks, picking up after her and all the other things that having a new dog entails that I am ready for bed by ten at night!

Besides the city offices I think I better stop and get some new slippers - and then figure out a place to hide them!  I'll try to get some more pictures of Mollie soon - if she ever holds still long enough to have one taken!

Have a wonderful week!

A New Member of Our Family

We have an announcement.  We have added a new member to our family!

That's our Scottie, Maggie on the left and our new Scottie, Mollie, on the right.  We've been wanting to get a new little sibling for Maggie for quite some time.  However, we didn't want to go through the puppy stage again.  Finding an adult Scottie is not that easy.  As it turns out, this past week eight Scotties became available through two different agencies here.

I had put in my name to the Dumb Friend's League, our local rescue animal shelter, for a purebred Scottie a month ago and we got the call Friday night. We went down first thing Saturday to "just look" at her.  I have a tendency to over think things and didn't want to make a hasty decision this time.  The minute we saw her and heard her story we knew we couldn't leave her there.  She started out as a puppy mill dog, was rescued by a family who gave her to another family who only had her for two weeks.  No wonder she's a little skittish and shy!  No animal should have to go through all of that.

I made the mistake of letting her run around our back yard first thing when we got home and boy did I have a time trying to catch her!  I'm learning a few tricks, though.  So far no accidents in the house, which is a good thing.  Her favorite thing to do is to go on walks, so walking we do.  FAST!!!!  She's much better on a leash than Maggie.  Maggie stops and sniffs every single blade of grass.  Mollie is a gal on a mission.  Our first walk today was a long one.  I took her near some traffic so she would start getting used to noises.  The second walk was shorter as it was freezing rain out.  By the time I get her used to us I should be in great shape!

Right now we have part of the house blocked off and she sleeps in a crate.  I'm tired and can't get much done right now as most of the time I sit and hold her.  I don't want her to wander around freely yet.  That, along with trust, will come with a little time and lots of love.

She's very petite, almost half the size of Maggie.  The Dumb Friends League gives everyone that adopts an animal a free checkup at a vet, so I'll be taking her down for that and her rabies shot.  Then we'll head on over to the city offices for her license so she will be street legal.

If you or your family are considering getting a new pet, consider adopting a rescue animal.  Here in Colorado, rescue and shelter animals are our state pet.  People here are passionate about rescuing and placing animals in loving homes.  The Dumb Friends League is a wonderful organization and I thank them for giving us the opportunity to bring Mollie home.

*A note about the Dumb Friends League.  They don't call them "dumb" because they think the animals are stupid.  They call them that because they can't speak for themselves so they need our help.  One of the original founders of the Dumb Friends League was none other than Margaret Brown of Denver.  Better know as The Unsinkable Molly Brown!  Quite fitting, don't you think?

Help Wanted

I have a question for anyone who stops by.  Are you still seeing my green polka dot background?  Every time I open up my page it's just black.  It doesn't seem to be loading correctly.  Maybe it's just our computer.

I'd appreciate if you would let me know.

Thanks and have a wonderful fall weekend!



Well, for some reason my blog and my computer don't like each other.  I went into my "Design" area to "Template" and changed the background design.  It let me do that so for some reason it doesn't recognize my old background.  So for the time being I'm going to use just the white.  I don't have anyone around here that has a blog or knows what to do.  So my one question now is, how does one contact the blogger people and ask for help?  THANKS!

Happy Snow!

This is what we woke up to today. It's not supposed to stick around long, though.  Below freezing temperatures tonight and cold tomorrow.  Then back to fall weather for the weekend.  I'm telling you, there is weather here for just about anyone's taste!

As for me, you know what this means, don't you?  1......2......3........

PAJAMA DAY!!!!!  

1.  Don't get dressed (I'm retired, remember) and put on my best sock monkey flannel pajamas, busy bee slippers and Scottie bathrobe.  I'm such a fashion-ista!
2.  Get out a good book to read.
3.  Make some hot tea or hot cider
4.  Take a nap
5.  Mix and repeat!!!

I hope you all have as great a day as I plan on having!

After my first comment I think I have come up with a great idea!  How about a virtual pajama day?  Pictures not necessary!!!  LOL!!!

Happy Fall! 

*another beautiful picture from my friend, Nikki.  

Catching up....

Oh, how I wish this was my Hollyhock!  Sadly, it isn't.  It belongs to my best friend Nikki.  We both love Hollyhocks, in particular the old fashioned single ones.

I had great plans to create a perennial garden here when we moved but so far I haven't done so.  The ground here is terrible!!!!!  The yard is a HUGE 1/3 acre and I can't imagine planting all of that.  I do have a small little area near the patio that I think I will attempt to plant next spring.  There is a tree next to it and I put bark around it and raked the little planter area.  So what happened?  Maggie and the bunnies think it's their personal play yard. Bark everywhere.  Dig holes in the dirt.  What a mess. I'll probably have to put a little fence around it until it's established.

You may have read about the floods here in Colorado.  Being a newbie here it's difficult to wrap my brain around the devastation.  The sun is shining today but there are still roads closed, houses destroyed, people unaccounted for.  They want to get the roads back by December 1st.  At least that is the plan.  It is all going to depend on how soon winter hits us.

We didn't have floods where we live.  However, there were lots of leaks in basements including ours.  What a mess.  I had to go purchase a wet vacuum and I vacuumed up at least 4 gallons of water.  It was  in one part of the basement and luckily didn't spread to the entire area.  We had to move so much stuff that my straightened out basement now looks exactly (or worse) than when we first moved in.  We have an insurance adjuster coming Monday and then will have to call a contractor if it's not covered.  We have no idea where the water was coming in from.  Please pray we will find the problem and it will be a quick fix before we get more rain.

More importantly, please pray for the people of our beautiful state that have lost so much.  I'm proud of our state.  I've never seen an area where people come together so selflessly.  Our state motto?

COLORADO STRONG!!!

Holly Hobbie

You know what they say.  Everything that is old is new again.  I was perusing Facebook one day and came across a fabric store that had Holly Hobbie fabric.  It brought back memories of when my daughter was little and she loved Holly Hobbie.  She's 43 now but I still have her Holly Hobbie pillowcase safely tucked away.

I had saved lots of her things thinking one day she would not only be a great mom, but a mom to girls.  Well, two boys later and you know how that goes.

I'm trying to get rid of some of the clutter before the Hoarder people from television knock on my door. I came across this sweet needlework that my mother-in-law made for Dory.  It's in pristine condition and is 11" x 14".  Her needlework skills are exquisite and the picture in no way does it justice.

I'm offering it for sale for $30.  It would make a great picture for a little girls's room.  It could also be used as a center medallion for a quilt.

If you are interested just leave me a comment and I will contact you.  It's a shame that it is just sitting here when some little girl might love it.

In the meantime, have a great week!!!

*Holly has sold and is going to a new home right here in Colorado!