Too funny

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610699488?bctid=31812464001

I guess there is something a little wrong with this...too sophisticated for a little kid perhaps...I don't know. But it's amazing anyway.

December

Well, it's been almost a month since I posted but I figured I'd share a whole bunch at once to make up for it. A lot happened this month. Kevin dressed up in protective gear and tore out our gas fireplace to make room for a woodburning fireplace (he had to access the attic with all the insulation to install the stove pipe).

It's part of our "back to basics" kick that we're on right now. We wanted to have the real fire back that we love. It also involves a lot more work and mess but it's so worth it. I love the fireplace. We are working on the design for the surround and the mantle. We are thinking about rock work and a large old beam for the mantle.

Kevin had some wood delivered into the driveway and he was out there chopping it all with an axe. He got several neighbors asking what he was doing...talking to him about the project, etc. More contact with some of them than we have ever had. So if you want to know the neighbors, just start chopping wood in your driveway!

I think I mentioned my upcoming 50th birthday...well, it took place. The end.

No, I mean, it was really nice. Chelsie set up this beautiful table at a local restaurant (Barbacoa) and the six of us had a very nice dinner together. I got lots of nice gifts and one very special diamond ring from Kevin...a spiral ring that wraps around twice with diamonds in between the two spiral wraps. I was so surprised about the ring. I had wanted an anniversary band with diamonds for our 25th a few years ago but I was in school and it just wasn't anything we could afford. So I basically forgot about it. But Kevin remembered that I wanted a ring and picked one out for me.

Kari and Nettie (my two longest time friends) went out for our annual Christmas/birthday dinner together and Nettie...the goof on the right...made us wear the glasses and brought the black balloons for me. All our birthdays fall within a month of each other's. We have been friends for fifteen years.

And last but not least, I always have this Ladies Brunch every year where a bunch of us get together and eat and make something fun. This year it was covering readymade boxes with decorative paper and ribbons, etc. Chelsie and Polina came over early to help me with the food so I took some pictures of them (further down).

Here are some pics of the boxes that people made. I had my doubts about the project thinking that I didn't have enough cool stuff on hand to make it worth doing but everyone seemed to do just fine.

The only thing that went wrong was the spray-on glitter. We took the cans outside to spray a few of the boxes but when we brought the boxes back in, the fumes from the spray stunk up the house and gave several of us headaches. We ended up throwing those out. Polina used the glitter on her finished box and the colors on the paper that she used all ran. So her box was basically ruined...but she was cool about it. It must have disappointed her though.

Here's Chels and Polina in the kitchen making the shrimp appetizer...

...and the fruit salad...I basically asked them to do it all and they did!

Chels, Polina, and Chelsie's cousin Abrie making their boxes...

And a picture of the table...I love Christmas!

Christmas treat

Happy pre-holidays everyone! I thought I’d share a simple recipe to help get us all in the holiday mood. This is easy, inexpensive, and a little fancy. You can include this in a gift basket or just give them wrapped in brown paper and a little ribbon. 

 Pat’s orange pecans: 

3 cups pecan halves 

1 orange (fine-grate or "zest" the orange part of the peel off and save, then squeeze the juice into a cup and save) 

4 teaspoons brown sugar 

1 tablespoon butter or margarine 

2 dashes of each: Cinnamon, Cloves, and Nutmeg 

 Instructions: In a medium saucepan combine the orange peel, orange juice, brown sugar, butter, and spices. Heat to a boil and immediately add nuts. Stir and sauté until pecans absorb the liquid. Remove from heat. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread the hot pecans onto the tray. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes. Keep checking that they are not getting too brown! Remove from the oven and let cool completely. The nuts will take on a crunchy rather than chewy consistency. These are good as a snack, crumbled up in a salad or oatmeal, or on a dessert, like a topping for ice cream.

OK...sooooo behind on my posts!

I have been thinking a lot about my posts and I do have stuff I can post on but I have been lazy...yes Lazy with a capitol L.

This summerfallwinter crap has thrown me way off. It was supposed to be indian summer for awhile, then Fall proper...followed by Winter some time in the far off future where you don't have to think about it yet. But NOOOOOO. We have to have a 90 degree week followed by a 50's week, followed by a 60's week...a couple of 70 degree days thrown in...you get the picture. Do I wear jeans? shorts? my long sleeved fleece jacket? take off the jacket before I get out of the car???

We went up to the (you guessed it) Cabin to winterize this past weekend. The fall colors were absolutely beautiful. We were lucky that these weird cold snaps didn't break any pipes so we got things buttoned up for the winter without having to repair anything first. Here's a couple of shots I took while we were wandering around by the pond.

I had a great time in AZ. by the way...got to see everybody and spend time with them. amy inspired me to take up sewing again...used to love to do all that stuff. I have never been good at quilting though. She made the most beautiful quilts and I just thought how cool it was because her family will always have them.

I saw Holly and Gary's new house and how cute they have already fixed it. They both have the most unique taste and ways of putting things together that I started thinking about the way I arrange things at home. There are things I could do differently to add interest around my house.

And , of course, I spent time with my friend Kathy, talking and shopping and getting our nails done. We got to catch up with everything and it was so nice to have that time. Then she and I, Jeri, and my other school chum Laura all went to a very nice dinner together (see pic) and then on a gondola ride. We packed a lot into that weekend but it was very satisfying.

One other exciting thing that I must mention is the addition of a couple of cute little kittens to Jasper and Polina's relationship. They are so excited about "Max" and "Pashka". Max is the grey one and Pashka is the white one. Jasper has them in his condo in a huge cardboard box (like a washing machine box) with their crate and litter box in there too. It contains the mess for now while they are little. But it won't be too long before they are able to jump out...and then look out! "Grandma and Grandpa" are going to cat-sit for them in January while Jasper goes to Russia to meet up with Polina (she'll be home for the holidays)and to meet her family. We will have them for two weeks. Mafia is going to LOVE that. I will take pictures of that scene.

OK, I think I'm caught up for now...whew!

I'm so excited!

Next week I will be traveling down to Phoenix to meet up with my buddy from school. Kathy is just one of those special people that enters your life and you can't believe your luck. We hit it off right away at school and became fast friends.

We got each other through the school process, shared happy times as well as stressful times...went places like Washington DC (as pictured here) and were like sisters to each other.

I can't believe we haven't seen each other since graduation. I miss her and definitely need to catch up with her (since starting new jobs and distance has made it very difficult to keep in touch).

I am also excited to spend some time with my sis Jeri. We don't see each other enough either.

All in all, a very exciting trip.

Cabin trip part II

I mentioned that I was heading up to the cabin again and I know what you are thinking...doesn't Pat go anywhere else? Well, the simple answer is no...not when it's summer and it's so beautiful up there and so hot in Boise. Besides...there's work to do!

I took my mom with me for the first part of the time and she hung out doing puzzles, watching me work on the kitchen countertop, watching Jane Austen movies and generally taking it easy. We went on short walks and long drives just to see the country.

At one point I went horseback riding at a local ranch...great time. There was this little horse there...a baby shetland...almost as cute as Mocha was as a puppy. I say ALMOST. The cute meter pegged off the scale with Mocha but this little guy comes pretty darn close.

I actually rode a tamed mustang (didn't know it when they put me on the thing...found out during the ride that this horse had been wild at one time) She was a really good horse. My guide and I saw a moose on the ride...also a hornet's nest...no stings! But I did get some pretty good fly bites on my neck that swelled up after I got back. Oh well, the price you pay to be in the wilderness on horseback I guess.


The cabin was getting it's skin finally after all these years. My nephew in law and his crew worked for several weeks off and on to produce these results. Very beautiful. The upper cedar shake looking siding was subsequently painted a dark brown color...looks really sharp finished.

That's kevin on the side there...inspecting the workmanship I think.

Now it's back to real life and work once again.

Cabin trip...again

I am heading up to the cabin again! This time to work on a countertop (tile). I will post pics when I have some. Our siding is almost up as well (not me doing it, duh). It's so exciting to get some things done like this. Now the woodpeckers will bend their wretched little beaks trying to peck through the siding. 

 I'm taking my mom up with me and we are going to watch movies (Jane Austen adaptations...what else?) and do puzzles and eat out a lot. That is, in between me working on the countertop...no huckleberry picking/plant stinging stuff this time. Just safe activities, except for Yellowstone Park maybe one of the days. There's always the possibility of running into something nasty there. I also want to check out a new resort that went in by West Yellowstone. It looks pretty nice from the highway so we will go investigate. It could be a cool new thing to go do up there. Not writing again til I get back Sept 7...but pics will be forthcoming.

Craft tag

My neice Lindsey "tagged" any innocent bystander who happened to stumble onto her blog today to post some christmas craft ideas...wow. We are supposed to come up with 5! I have not crafted for ages. The only thing I've made that I am semi proud of and that is even remotely gift related are these name tags. You can used them on gifts or on a photo page. I happen to really like this idea and I hope you will too.

Instructions: What you do is go into one of those ridiculously expensive paper stores and buy way too much paper that you love and that will probably sit in your closet gathering dust until you happen upon my blog and I "tag" you to make something. Cut out some shapes that you like...I happen to like rectangles (did I mention that rectangles are really easy to cut out?). While you are in the paper store be sure to buy the ink that comes in little containers with a sponge that is meant to "edge" things with. Edge your shapes with the ink sponge and rub it around a little...it antiques the edges. Then stick on ready-made letters in a style that you like (also bought at the paper store) and decorate with flowers or stick-on glitters (in the little circles on the paper that you buy at the store!) In other words...buy lots of cute little decorations and go crazy with it.

The Sugar Fix...caution...long post!

Hey everyone, for what it's worth, I found this book one day while browsing at B&N. It caught my eye because I knew that sugar couldn't be good for you and I was honestly looking for a very convincing argument to make me WANT to stop eating it. I have to "know" something in my head before I can believe it and act on it.

I am a self-confessed sugar-holic, eating at least a couple of desserts a day, not to mention the 2-pumps of chocolate that I get in my daily mocha. I have ALWAYS had a sweet tooth and felt literally powerless to stop eating sweets. It's like any other addiction. It's tied to all kinds of emotional rewards for me...holidays, celebrations, stress relief, relaxation, time with friends, relief from boredom. You name it, sugar is involved. I can't envision a gathering or occasion when I didn't think that the dessert was a MAIN ingredient for success, not just a nice thing to have available. So I needed the reasoned, believable argument against sugar and I found it.

If you are interested in science and the mechanisms behind how the body processes carbohydrates, then this book is for you. It's full of research findings that indicate that fructose is a leading contributor to obesity. But not only weight gain. It's also linked to heart disease and diabetes.

Normal dietary sugar (table sugar) is 1/2 glucose and 1/2 fructose. This book teaches about the difference in how glucose and fructose is processed in the body, with fructose being the relative bad player in a lot of disease processes. Glucose raises blood sugar levels with insulin release being the body's response. Fructose does not raise blood sugar, instead, it is processed in the liver and raises cholesterol levels, stores as fat, and raises uric acid levels in the blood which causes a host of problems (vascular damage, cell damge, etc.). Fructose is the cause of belly fat deposit, lowers leptin release by fat cells (a hormone that tells you to stop eating), and contributes to fat cell damage that causes the fat cell to hold onto and store more fat.

Historically, fructose was found in fruit and some vegetables. It was hard to eat enough of it to cause any problems. Now it's found in a lot of products that we eat (processed foods, soda, and fruit juices). Our fructose consumption as a nation has gone sky high in the last 30 years thanks to high fructose corn syrup and added sugars. We also concentrate our fructose consumption when we drink natural fruit juices.

The problem with fructose is that we break it down in the liver with enzymes. We are genetically predisposed to increase our fructose enzymes when we eat more fructose. These enzymes produce uric acid as a by-product of the metabolism. So then, when the enzymes are increased, it only takes a little fructose to set them all off producing uric acid and causing fat cell damage.

The main idea then, is to go on a mini fructose fast. Other carbs are ok, like starches found in grains and vegetables. (They are metabolized in the gut and enter the blood stream as glucose, which is then taken care of by insulin release). So you go on this fructose restriction for two weeks, avoiding fructose...that means any sugar or honey (70% fructose by the way) or anything with corn starch or high fructose corn syrup, can't eat fruit either. This resets your fructose enzymes to a lower level. Then you can add fructose back into your diet but in smaller amounts. The recommended amount is 25-30 grams max a day.

The author then says that if you do go back to eating a lot of fructose, you will re-establish a high amount of enzymes and be back to where you were before. So this is a way of eating and basically a way of life. You have to look at it that way or else it's just another fad.

I don't think this is a fad because the science is so solid on it. And personally, I have been off fructose for 4 1/2 weeks, have lost 9 lbs and feel great. I don't crave sugar and I don't miss it. I do like chocolate still though. And dark chocolate is actually good for you and has a very small amount of sugar added. You have to get the really dark stuff though. I am not saying that I have conquered my addiction. As any addict can tell you, there will be relapses and the battle is never really won. You have to take it one day at a time.

Anyway, pick up the book and look through it sometime...heck, it might be the answer to your weight and some health-related issues.

Plant Sting update

still bugs...thanks for asking

Mmmmmm...huckleberries

A couple of pics of these huckleberries that cost so much in pain and suffering

This is Mocha in happier times before she got stung and her eye swelled shut

Beware! Nasty plants are in the forest

Last week I was up at the cabin and it was beautiful! The huckleberries are on (will post pics later) so Kevin and I took Mocha and headed up for a few hours of picking. We got into huckleberry heaven, I swear. I have never seen a more plentiful patch in my life. We picked for about three hours and got a ton. We kept getting into better and better patches so we couldn't stop. If anyone knows the sheer joy of finding a ton of huckleberries, you know what I'm talking about.

Now for the nasty part. I was going for one particular plant when I pulled my elbow back into what can only be described as fifteen hypodermic needles full of acid. Wow...tears in my eyes...I kept saying "oww Kevin...oww! I looked behind me and there was a plant I've never seen before. It was hideous and it was just standing there laughing at me. I crushed it beneath my shoe...but on reflection, that's probably what it wanted me to do. It probably is part of the life cycle of that plant...getting someone so pissed off that they are compelled to crush it so the seeds can be released into the soil...damn! I should have cut the head off of it and taken it home and burned it.

I ended up going into a minor emergency center when we got home on Tuesday and got on some prednisone for the swelling. It's getting better now.

And to add insult to injury, while I was grabing my elbow and calling for Kevin, Mocha pissed off a wasp somehow and it stung her right on the head! She and I were helpless after that so we just went home. Poor Mocha's eye swelled shut for about 1/2 a day.

I made a cool dessert with the huckleberries though.

Workin' for a livin'

Thought I'd post a little work update since I will have been at my new job 6 months in a couple of weeks.

First of all, I can't believe that it's been six months already. It has gone so fast that my head is spinning. I am still feeling "new" but not as "green" if you know what I mean. What I mean is...that in situations at work, while giving anesthesia, I am calmer within myself and I have more confidence in my abilities to recognize potential problems. That's why I don't feel as "green". But I still feel "new" in that six months is a drop in the proverbial bucket when it comes to anesthesia experience. There is still so much to learn. I have yet to do a heart case or a small baby case. I am still happy to wait for those experiences until I've been working a little longer.

I am feeling like I fit in at work also. I mean, no one has put anything nasty in my coffee while I'm not looking or anything like that. And there have been a few newer hires since me so I'm not the new kid anymore. I'm looking forward to a particular new hire that is coming this Fall because he's a new grad and that means that the focus will be off me! They will be watching how he's doing and forget all about me. Ha Ha Ha

Another thing that's cool is that I am becoming known for having cool music on my ipod. I've had a few OR nurses ask me to play my ipod during surgery to keep everyone happy. I have to give Chelsie credit since a lot of the music is stuff she turned me on to.

Well, that's it in a nut shell. Work is going well and I haven't been fired yet so thats good too.

More cabin stuff

Well, first, I would like to indroduce Jasper's girlfriend Polina! She's a lovely girl from Russia who is going to school at Boise State and getting her Masters degree in Neuro-Biology while teaching Anatomy and Physiology. She's fun to be with and we have enjoyed getting to know her. Jasper brought her to the cabin for the 4th of July and we could not have had a better time.

Here they are at Uncle John's fire pit on the 4th waiting for fireworks.












And on the four-wheeler on the property surrounding our cabin.

Kevin is hard at work while I snap photos...and here are some wild flowers that were so abundant this year.

Oh yeah, and the wild strawberries that you can find if you look hard enough! They are so sweet but you have to find a lot of them to equal one strawberry of normal size.

Yeah! It worked!

My computer is trying to make me believe I'm crazy...like that old movie with that blonde actress where her husband is trying to make her think she's insane so he can get rid of her and be with another woman...so he plays tricks on her like placing an object on the table and waits for her to see it...then he takes it away and when she asks about it, he claims she must be "seeing things" etc...never believes her... Ok, well my computer isn't that sophisticated but it IS trying to make me insane by hiding my pictures and only opening files with numbers instead of pictures...but I was too smart for it! 

I found my pictures in another file named "phone pics" under another heading. Ha Ha Ha. OK, the elk in that picture (if you click on the picture it will get huge and you can get a better look) are babies...can I get an AaaWWWWW? They couldn't follow their mothers over the fence so their "mothers" left them. Just left them for dead...well, they DID come back at the end of the day. But what self-respecting cow does that? It was so cool to see them up close. They hung out in a small stand of trees all day waiting for their mothers. In the evening, the cows came back after going to the spa and generally being selfish while their babies wondered if they would ever see their mama again...yeah it was cute. The mothers called to their babies and the babies answered and came out of the trees and nursed like there was no tomorrow...and who knows with these dumb cows, there may not be.

Busy summer

SO busy in fact, that I haven't had time to post. I tried to post last week when I had a few minutes, but my pictures wouldn't open up in the blog window. I tried a lot of different things but no go. I had a ton of cool pics from the 4th of July at the cabin. I will keep trying though. We had another cool weekend up at the cabin this past weekend also. 

We saw some elk on the property, and I snapped a picture of some of them...the wild strawberries are on up there. I have a pic of them... I'll keep working on the picture angle. I've come to rely on the picture thing because it's so much better to show people what you are talking about than to try to describe things. Or I'm lazy.

More yard work pics...yipee!

Messy

All cleaned up

This is me working on the tree... I know it looks like I'm leaning on a shovel while the guys do all the work but I swear I did some work too!

Jasper's birthday present

So, my son Jasper (practical guy that he is) decided that rather than get a new silk plant or decorative bowl for his condo (my favorite thing to get him), he would like us to work with him in his rental house's yard for a Saturday. Here are some before's and afters. We had a great time actually...even though it rained a ton in the afternoon. The clouds really cooled it off all day.



This tree was my project.

I have to give credit to Jasper for trimming the branches.

A little chainsaw fun and games... What is it about men and chainsaws?

More pictures tomorrow...

Goggle mania

Here's me in a pair of ZANY laser goggles in the OR. We wear them when a laser is being used to prevent eye damage...why else? They totally crack me up.

Turning 50

Well, it had to happen...the day I really owned the fact that I will be turning 50 this November. I was at the company picnic this past Saturday and I sat down with a co-worker to shoot the breeze. She mentioned at one point that she was turning 50 in July. I said, "oh really? my husband is turning 50 in July also". Then I said, "and I am turning 50 in November...no wait, I'm not...I'm 48"...(crickets chirping as she stared at me). Dead silence. Then she said, "what year were you born?" I said "1959". She said, "then you, my dear, are turning 50 this year". You could have knocked me over with a feather. I was so embarrassed that I had once known that I was turning 50 and then FORGOT my age the next instant...like I was in a dream. She just laughed and teased me about my age denial. 

I think I know why this happened though. Last November I was in the middle of finishing school and my birthday was an afterthought for me and everyone else. I think we went to dinner...it's all a blur. So to me, it never happened and I've been 48 this whole year! So anyway, some borrowed reflections on hitting the halfway mark (if I'm lucky enough to live to 100) : To think, when one is no longer young, when one is not yet old, that one is no longer young, that one is not yet old, that is perhaps something. ~ Samuel Beckett Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life. Daniel Francois Esprit Auber I think when the full horror of being fifty hits you, you should stay home and have a good cry. ~ Alan Bleasdale She was a handsome woman of forty-five and would remain so for many years. ~ Anita Brookner You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. ~ Les Brown To me -- old age is always ten years older than I am. ~ Andre B. Buruch I'm aiming by the time I'm fifty to stop being an adolescent. ~ Wendy Cope At twenty you have many desires which hide the truth, but beyond forty there are only real and fragile truths --your abilities and your failings. ~ Gerard Depardieu One of the most important phases of maturing is that of growth from self-centering to an understanding relationship to others. A person is not mature until he has both an ability and a willingness to see himself as one among others and to do unto those others as he would have them do to him. ~ Harry A. Overstreet And one thought that I borrowed from Jewel, the singer..."in the end, only kindness matters". 

 I have always thought that I would just shrug off getting older, like it was inevitable and that I was logical enough to "handle it" (whatever that means). But when you are hit with the reality that your life is probably more than 1/2 over, it's a freak out. Finishing school and knowing that I will not be going back for any additional schooling, that I am starting a career that I will have for many years to come (again, if I'm lucky) is satisfying but also a weird feeling. Because up until now, I have always thought that I had another hurdle to jump. Having hurdles to jump feels right to me. I like the structure of a line of hurdles. There is no right or left, only forward over the jumps. We'll see how far I take this freak out. Maybe I'll buy a sports car and dye my hair blond. (No I won't, I promise).

Arizona and cabin trips

I went down to Phoenix to visit my sister and my mom a couple of weeks ago. My mom flew in from Salt Lake the day after I got there. We had a lot of fun. One of the highlights was dinner in this revolving restaurant above the Phoenix skyline. We sat and watched the changing scenery and even saw the sunset. We went with a group of my sister's friends who are all very funny and cool.

This picture of me and my sis was taken in the restaurant. It looks like I photo shopped my blog page picture into this one but I totally didn't. You all must think I wear that necklace constantly...like I can't take a picture without it. But I seldom wear that necklace, honest!

We had breakfast at that cool breakfast place that I can't remember the name of and also visited with some of Jeri's kiddos. My mom had plenty of energy and she kept right up with us.

We also did some stuff at Jeri's house like painting some touch-up areas on her livingroom walls and getting some flowers for her outdoor pots...pretty tame stuff but fun. It was over before I knew it and I was back on the plane home.

I caught up with Kevin at the cabin this past Saturday. He took off on Thursday to open it up. Turns out there was a broken pipe but he fixed it like the handy-man that he is and then went fishing!

Chelsie and Michael came with me and we went to West Yellowstone that first evening to goof around. I love that little town. Here they are in a store trying on hats...

We had fun just doing stupid stuff like that.

What else happened...my neice's hubby fixed dutch oven food in a major rain storm, and Kevin shot a squirrel in our basement (totally unrelated events).

Dirt and dust, beautiful views, and the occasional spotting of a cool animal. We saw a bald eagle, a coyote, and some antelope this time. No moose, sadly. Then back in the car! Drive Drive Drive. The end.

Still alive

Yes, i'm still alive and kicking. I'm on a break right now so I thought I'd throw a quick note up here.

Laura's last day with us is today! She takes off for home this afternoon. We will miss her. She's probably glad...driving away she's just so relieved to be OUT OF THERE! What with our crazy "reality tv" habits...

Speaking of which...what an upset! I was totally off. Chris Allen wasn't even on my radar when I posted about a-MER-ican Idol. Just goes to show you...something. I'm glad he won though. He deserves it. He was SO shocked. He kept trying to give the statue back or give it to Adam. You could tell he didn't think he'd get there in a million years.

It's CABIN time! Kevin is already up there. He went up early to make sure we can still get water and that there aren't any bears taking up residence in our house. I head up on Saturday with Chelsie, Michael, and Jasper. Should be fun.

Well, gotta go...p.s. Arizona was fun...tell more later.

Updates

Blog:
Updates:
Chelsie’s house hunting is still underway. The one for 59,000 that we were so excited about was bought with a cash offer that Chelsie couldn’t compete with. But she hasn’t given up. Her and Michael are still out there most weekends looking at fixer uppers of the most extraordinary kind…one such house we all went to take a look at was filled floor to ceiling with junk…little pathways through the house, just like those crazy hoarders you see on Oprah. (Ok I’m exaggerating just a little but it was pretty amazing).

They have put an offer in on one that seems within reach if someone else doesn’t snatch it up, 75,000 for a three-bedroom 1400 sq ft house in a halfway decent neighborhood. It has a full basement and a huge back yard. It looks to be a ton of work, I mean a TON of work. But the upstairs is mostly livable with a few little details like finishing the kitchen remodel that was started and putting in a working bathroom. Other than that, it’s only a matter of a few windows. Oh, and the hole in the ceiling and the leaky area under one wall. But it has a new roof! And this awesome (I mean it) gazabo thing outside built with log poles and a fireplace. So, at best a mixed bag. But it’s an opportunity for growth and learning to say the least, and a hell of a cool house when it’s done to say the most. I’ll post before’s and after’s if they get it.

Pop tarts: Just kidding, I promised no more pop tarts.

Chickens: sadly no chickens yet, but I did see this Dateline special about how these huge chicken farms are polluting America’s waterways and causing “dead zones” in the water where fish and plants can’t survive. Just another reason for everybody to have a few chickens in their back yards.

Laura:
I can’t believe Laura only has three more weeks with us, and then she’s on to a different clinical site. She’s been great to have around. As an example of how awesome she is, tonight she’s making tortilla soup and a layered dip for Cinco de Miyo (however you spell it) and we are all watching Dancing With the Stars and A-MER- ican Idol together while we eat. I got to sit and watch her participate in an online chat with her classmates last night…too funny. It brought back a lot of memories of school for me. She’s going to make a great anesthetist.

Work:
Wow, it’s so weird to have my schedule. I end up working about 40 hours a week but I have a ton of time off too. This last weekend, I worked Saturday and Sunday nights and slept both nights in the call room…no cases except for a labor epidural. But my schedule gave me yesterday and today off. I don’t even know what to do with my time. I should probably still be studying but I got so burnt out in school that cracking an anesthesia book is almost the LAST thing I want to do. I did look something up the other day though because I needed a refresher.

I am sitting in Barnes and Noble (my old haunt when I was in nursing and anesthesia school) typing this to just feel a little more comfortable in my own skin…a little more familiar than sitting at home typing this. Besides, the cat will NOT leave me alone for a second when I’m at home. He is the neediest cat I’ve ever seen. You know how cats are supposed to be all aloof? Not Mafia. He will YOWL at the door if you shut it against him. I was upstairs a little while ago and he didn’t know where I was so he wandered through the house crying until I called him. He probably spends his days crying when I’m not home, poor little thing. (Notice, this did not make me feel bad enough to stay home with him).

I am heading down to Arizona in a couple of weeks to spent time with my mom and sister. We are going to do fun stuff like eating at this cute restaurant that serves breakfast food and getting jamba juices in the mornings. We may even run up to Sedona for a day or something depending on how mom feels. She has Parkinson’s and it’s hard to predict how she is going to feel from one hour to the next. But we’ll have fun just sitting around talking so it doesn’t matter.

Well, that’s it for updates. In the near future, I may be mentioning a kitchen remodel with some pics…we are getting our cabinets redone and maybe a new countertop.

Guilt post

Ok, I feel guilty for not posting! I was afraid this would happen..I would run out of "interesting" stuff to write about and just start making stuff up so I wouldn't feel like I let anybody down that checks this site.

I can't write about my experiences at work anymore because we had a staff meeting and they told us that it didn't make the hospital look very good when people put anything negative about surgery or even describe medical situations online. I guess there was a nurse that was describing specific patients and their problems on her Myspace page. Well now she's ruined it for everyone. I didn't cross the line (I don't think) but I guess I should just shy away from anything to do with my experiences. I can say though, that I am still enjoying my work, more and more, in fact. And that all my coworkers have been great to me.

I broke down and bought the organic poptarts from Costco...I was starting to worry about the preservatives after all. I haven't eaten them yet because I'm still finishing up a box of the REAL ones...I'll keep you posted when I do try the costco ones...just kidding. I won't mention poptarts ever again.

A-MER-ican idol (Ryan Seacrest's pronunciation) was fantastic this week. I still haven't watched the results show but one of my favorite contestants is in trouble I'm afraid. Matt Gerard just isn't cutting it. I am not sure he will beat out Anoop. I think what's-her-face is gone, Lil. She just fizzled out after the first two weeks. I guess I'll find out when Kevin and I watch it tonight. Dancing with the stars is getting interesting...just the really good ones left.

OK...guilt post over.Whew!

Been long time

Well, it's been a little while since I posted so I thought I'd get on here and type a few lines. I have been having frustrating problems with my computer. This stupid error message pops up every time I type anything... it makes me not want to type...go figure. It's call TFncKy and it "encountered an error and needs to shut down...SO SORRY for the inconvenience" yeah right...also " please send the error message to microsoft"...done that several times. They never once called me to see if I resolved the issue...never even sent a card.

I tried the Toshiba tech support website..what a joke. Not able to understand anything they have on there. I did download a different version of "Bios", (whatever the hell that is) to supposedly work better with my operating system (which is Windows XP)...no difference. Oh well, I am just keeping the error message on my computer face only moving it over so I can still type. It seems to be happy just hanging out. If I close it out, it just pops back up the next time I hit the shift key. I guess I can play mommy to it for awhile until I figure it out. Maybe I'll dress it up so it won't look like such an orphan sitting there off to the side.

We had a nice Easter...great food at a friend's house, followed by a house hunt with Chelsie and Michael (a little like an easter egg hunt only MUCH bigger eggs). They are looking into taking advantage of the low prices and favorable climate for first time home buyers. They have a family friend, a very understanding realtor to go out on Easter...found a fixer-upper for them. He knew about this townhouse that was for sale. It has two bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths, fully fenced backyard and close to work and school for Chels and Michael...wait for it...59,000. And it's not even rat-invested! (I saw a couple of those eight legged things though that shall remain nameless in case Chelsie reads this). It definitely needs work..no doubt about it but at such a low price, they can afford to put in some $ up front to fix it up. Chels and Michael put in a low offer so we'll see how it goes. I'll keep you all posted and if the deal goes through, I'll post some before and after shots.
Kind of exciting to see them get into a place of their own.

Jasper already knows the joys and sorrows of home ownership (he rents his house to a couple and lives in a condo that he bought downtown). He has had to replace toilets, fix the water heater, the furnace, the air conditioner, paint the outside, and deal with contracts, homeowners associations, etc. What a good experience for him. He has learned a ton.

Anyway, later on Easter, the kids all came over and we had dinner and sat around watching Super Nanny. Great end to the day.

Pop tarts

I used to love pop tarts as a kid but got away from them for years at a time. I would buy them for my kids and have a few myself but never really DUG them, if you know what I mean. Just recently, I was walking along the isle at the store and a box of raspberry frosted pop tarts jumped into my view. I don't know if they were waiting for me, specifically or if any ol' housewife would do...but there they were and they looked SOOOOO good for some reason. I bought them and ate them within three days.

Then the addiction took hold. I bet the manufacturers put something in them to hook people because, first of all, the box looks good...some subliminal message must be just underneath the picture of the pop tarts...like, oh I don't know...a picture of some hot actor. The thing is, it's subliminal so you can't register it with the conscious mind. Then the pop tart itself is just chewy and a little crispy and the frosting tastes like marshmellows over a campfire...and the memories of eating them as a kid rushes in...you know...addiction.

So I currently have four more pop tarts in my cupboard (I just ate two). The box is on the third shelf down and a little to the right as you open the pantry door. I only buy one box at a time so that I can fool myself into thinking that I could give them up at any time if I wanted. There are only eight tarts in a small box you know. Not nearly enough. I tried the organic ones from costco...ummmm NO. They don't have that preservative aftertaste that goes with the marshmellow glow.

I like raspberry best followed by strawberry. No "brown sugar" or "smore's" flavors for me because those are just TOO sugary.

Night shift

The last two nights I'm on the night shift at work. So far, I haven't been very busy at all. I know you should never say the words "quiet" or " not busy" in a hospital...that's the first rule of nursing. Last night, I "slept" most of the night on a lumpy couch in the breakroom with my face smashed up into a pillow that is NOT my pillow if you know what I mean. Hospital pillows are covered in some weird synthetic fabric that is easy to clean so they crinkle under your ear when you breath.

Tonight I'm going to try to get downstairs at some point to use the massage chair...yes a full back massage chair with a remote control. It's hidden away in another part of the hospital. A little creepy wandering around the basement of hospitals at night though...ever read "Coma"? This room that has the chair is in the most remote corner of the hospital basement imaginable so maybe I am talking myself out of this as I type. But...my neck has a kink in it that will not go away (cue the "Jaws!" music please).

American Idol

Well, after lots of thinking and watching, I've decided to make a prediction...I'm going out on a limb here. I think the final three in this season's cast are the following... Danny, Matt, and Adam. I don't think the girls are going to go the distance this time. If pressed, I'd have to say that Adam is going to walk away with it this year. He's otherworldly. He's like the vampire Lestat (for those Anne Rice fans out there), lived forever and developed this crazy talent that can't be touched. He's made a deal with the devil, he's so good. This last week he sang "The tracks of my tears" by Smoky Robinson and made Smoky tear up give him a standing O. He cannot put a note wrong and he's very creative. A little cold though, like he's too polished if that makes any sense.

Next one to have a possibility of giving Adam a run is Danny. He has the emotional connection that Adam maybe doesn't have. Danny sings from the heart ever time and is extremely watchable and cool. He is humble and it shows.

But let's not rule out Matt, the dueling piano player. He is extremely talented also and does his best when at the piano. He can also connect with the audience. I don't think he'll win though unless Adam or Danny really blows it (unlikely). All in all, a very exciting year to be watching American Idol!

Yaaaanimals!

Here's some pics of our furry family members.

We inherited Mafia from our daughter when she got a hyper little puppy named Ju Ju (Mafia went into hiding). Now he is the king of the castle at our house. Here he is on the top of our staircase like a puma in a tree just daring our dog to walk underneath.

It's hard to see in this picture but he has a paw on either side of the wall and is resting on his chest.

Mocha is our pomeranian. We have had her since we bought her from a puppy mill-associated pet shop. She was sick when we bought her and had to start her on antibiotics right away. She has been a good dog. I just had her fur cut for summer...before and after shots here.

Anyway, no chickens yet in case you are wondering.