FEBRUARY 19, 2010 - A SIMPLY WONDERFUL WEEK

I most gladly wrote Debbie her first, of hopefully very many, paycheck this afternoon. It is most assuredly going to cost me a few pieces of stash per week and an overall budget tightening!!

However, she has earned every single penny she got!! I have finally begun to HOPE again for the first time in the last several years!! My house is once again becoming my home. Debbie seems to have the same "mind set" as my self!! She can recognize a problem and either immediately remedies it or disposes of it for good - while only mentioning it to me to be sure I agreed.

Unless you have had to depend on some one else for most every thing you can not understand how great it is to have finally found some one who can think for them self while considering how I would think about the same. For the last few years, I have had to experience such things as "What do you want me to do today?" And, while I would frustratingly usually reply, "clean the house". To immediately hear, "All the house. You mean the bathroom also." And, I would have to indicate yes I meant the entire house and either changing the bed linens or doing the general laundry. I would have to stay alert to every thing going on, or in many cases "NOT" going on the entire eight hours our usual Caregiver was here!!

From Debbie's first day, it was minutes after me telling her she was hired "is it okay to start changing the bed linens"!! While my reaction was apprehension as I could not show her the lower level of our home and there was no one available at the time who could. Debbie's answer, "I can find a washing machine knowing there is one"!!

Max and I had to go to some banking that required our personal attention this morning first thing. Debbie teaches two classes, very early morning at YWCA each morning. We decided we would venture out alone as our bank is only two blocks from our home. We arrived home just after Debbie had arrived. She came to the van to help transfer me and Miprezious went crazy to see her. I was uncertain if Mi would even remember Debbie as she was so ill the first part of this week. Mi is always leashed when ever she is out of entry of our home. Thus, she immediately went to Debbie and since it takes so long for me to transfer, Debbie took her for a stroll down our driveway. Miprezious was escatic to be able to be outside even for those few minutes!!

All I can say, is Debbie got into "That Room" today and spent a majority of her time there. I had a "nasty" night last night and when this happens nothing will do until I get at least a few hours nap. Thus, as soon as we got home this morning I went back to bed!! I asked Debbie to get me up by noon as I do not want my days and nights mixed up again. When she did I was amazed at the many boxes she had gotten, and began to sort, "That Room" into some managable tasks. I had began downsizing all my "stash" late last year. I had began looking through hundreds of books and magazines for things people had asked from me. I have post-it notes every where!! My new bathroom "vinyl", or whatever it is called (never have had any thing, but carpet my entire life in all bath rooms), entrance foyer new flooring and living room carpet are going to be installed next Wednesday. Thus, I think it will be a week some what in "limbo", however, we will be pretty much forced to spend the entire time in my "Stitching Sanctuary"and I intend to make some tremendous progress there. I am declaring war on my stash downsizing to begin on or before March 01 and I do not intend to let any thing get in my way until it is fully completed this time around. Knowing Debbie is truly backing me up on any thing I want done I have the greatest of hopes this will be IT!!

I have a stash downsizing plan and I am going to get it done!! My UFOs are becoming history!! My WIPs are going to be organized and placed where I can reach them. I should begin a contest of guessing how many WIPs I will be putting in a new album to keep my self accountable to doing some thing to each one. This may be the first full month rotation ever known!!

Debbie has part of her home that is an apartment. She rents currently to an 82-year old lady who does mostly cross stitch. She visits her daily and does now some what understand cross stitch. She has also chatted with me about teaching her to cross stitch on days she is not working for us. I have wanted some one to cross stitch with locally for years!! This would be fantastic!! Many months ago, Granny Lou, who is 85-years old and cross stitches daily, Eunice and a few others I can not recall used to meet each Friday afternoon and cross stitch together here. Eunice only did this under protest and has not kept up with her project!! It would be fantastic to get some thing like this restarted also.

Thus, I have always gave my Blog reader's first chance at all the "Stash To Go". I intend to do this again. Hopefully, soon I will start listing what there is that must go!! Kathy K. has taught me to "copy and paste" quite well so hopefully I can picture most of the items. That camera and I need some serious practice sessions and lots of tutoring, however, I am also going to make this a priority. No one is going to believe all the things I have managed to finish since Halloween. I have had few finishes for the entire past few years total, but I have finally got some speed acquired.

I have been stitching on the new Just Another Button Company Months of this Year January Teaspoon most of this week. I have a very nice finish to show on it!! I also just about finished a new bookmark!! An incredible week for me!!

Thus, Max and I are daring to go out this evening!! This is not been done in a very long time!! Albeit, we are just going a few blocks to our church "Game Night" we ARE getting out!!

Things are beginning to go my way and I am becoming a very happy camper again!!

Love and Hugs!!
Deborah