Fat Tuesday!

We have a tradition in our family for Fat Tuesday. (Actually, we've always called it Shrove Tuesday.) When my grandmother and her sisters were alive, they would get together to make Fastnacht Kuechles. I use to sit and watch them. And when I was a little older and in school, I knew there were kuechles waiting for me when I got home.

Although I do have my grandma's recipe, I've never made them. Mostly because they take a big pan of lard to fry them. So this morning, after going to the gym (notice I said I went to the gym! LOL), I headed over to my very favorite German bakery for my kuechle fix!

We are so lucky to have this bakery in town. Others make kuechles, but none compare to my grandmas. This bakery comes very, very close. The only difference is grandma cut hers in a triangle to represent the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are so yummy! Light and fluffy with an air pocket inside. Just love them!

And love you too Grandma! I'm thinking of you today with wonderful memories!

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone!

My New Toy

I LOVE to do laundry. I'm very fussy about it, so anything that helps to make the process more efficient I'm all for!

For years I've used stackable sweater dryers from Lillian Vernon. They worked pretty well but really aren't all that sturdy and would fall apart easily. But the price was very reasonable as I purchased my five at a garage sale.

But a few years ago, I remember seeing the Hamilton Beach Drying Station. Wow, did I want one of those! But I remember them being very pricey!

Fast forward to after Christmas this year. While doing my after Christmas shopping for reduced Yankee Candles at Bed Bath and Beyond, I spot the dryer! On special for $17! Be still my heart! Wait, I have a coupon!! WoooHoooo....ends up costing me just over $12!

I tried it out the other day.


The platforms are smaller then the Lillian Vernon version but much more sturdy. The fit easily in the rack. Do they dry 75% faster as touted in their ad? Not really. I had these sweater drying for about 7 hours and they were still damp when I shut the blower off. (Which by the way is surprisingly quiet.) But by morning they were all perfectly dry. Drying time is much faster on my old Lillian Vernon ones if I put them in front of the blower on my fireplace. But for in warmer months, I think I'm really going to like the Hamilton Beach. Should work extremely well for doilies and table runners. All and all, I'm pretty happy with it!

Monday Markdowns & Valentines Sale!

It's Monday Markdown
at
The Pink Rose Cottage!

Enjoy savings all day Monday in on select items.

Visit Monday Markdowns

In addition to saving at Monday Markdowns, all items in the Valentines Category are 20% off. Just enter coupon code "Valentine10" at the checkout to receive your discount!
Offer expires Feb. 10, 2010.

Surprise Valentines Hanky

The simplest things can hold the sweetest surprises....

Oh What a Tease!

The past two days have been such a tease! Warmer and sunny. Just beautiful. Hinting at a wonderful spring to come. And then today. Dreary and cold again with more snow. I wonder how many robins were tricked into come here on those nice days?

Here's a cute Stratton of England compact from my collection. If we did have any robins coming north, I'm sure they are shivering like these cuties on this vintage compact!





I love Stratton compacts. They have the most interesting designs. I'll share more soon. I have some beauties!

Stay warm my friends! Spring is right around the corner!

Three Years Ago Today....

Three years ago today, January 22, 2007, my then 12 year old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It's a day that changed not only her life forever, but the lives of our entire family.

I remember being so very scared. Not really understanding what we were up against. She was the bravest of brave. Immediately started doing her own shots, pricking her own finger. Never, and I mean never, complaining once.

It hasn't been an easy road for her. Low blood sugar, high blood sugar, sometimes a very scary roller coaster of ups and downs. She deals with this all daily, taking it in stride.

My two other children run to get her juice when she's low, or grab her meter for her when she needs to take insulin. They both know how to give her a shot of glucagon is she ever passed out from low blood sugar. In a sense it is a family disease. She knows we always have her back.

Six months after diagnosis, we were at a class to learn how to use an insulin pump. The instructor had this picture hanging on her wall. This is a picture of a child with Type 1 diabetes right around the time insulin was discovered. The look on the mothers face says it all. This child was dying. The picture on the right is the same child after insulin. I wish there was an after picture of the mom. I'm sure it would clearly show relief, gratitude, and joy that she has her little boy around when only months before he would have died.



I, like that mother, am so grateful for insulin. I am forever grateful to Dr. Frederick Banting. Without him, I wouldn't have my daughter now. Today we celebrate her life!

If you have a few minutes, please read this blog. It is one of the most touching and well written tributes to Dr. Banting I've ever read. Even if you don't have a child with diabetes, I think you'll be touched by the beauty of this post:

meeting-in-absentia

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Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Left untreated, this is a very serious, life threatening disease. Most people are admitted to the hospital at diagnosis with Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which can lead to coma and then death. So please never brush off these symptoms. A person does not have to have all of them.

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes:

Increased thirst and frequent urination
Extreme hunger
Weight loss
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Sweet smelling breath

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! It's hard to believe it's already 2010! I find the changes in technology in the past few decades absolutely amazing! It really wasn't that long ago when the only people who had computers were NASA and the government! And now almost everyone has one. I can't imagine my life without my computer now.

Which leads me to what Santa brought my girls for Christmas this year. I kept saying to Santa, "Why do the girls need another IPod, they have a perfectly good one?" He said, "Trust me. They'll love this one!" Well, now even this mom is impressed and amazed! This tiny little flat thing that plays music now has internet!
I find this just so remarkable! And fun! I'm thinking maybe if I'm a good girl this year, Santa will bring me one!