since...

I haven’t blogged since Shannon’s passing because I’ve just been so exhausted ~ mentally & physically. To try and divert my mind, I’ve been working extra hard at work. It doesn’t help, though; I literally look for her everywhere. I just can’t believe that I’ll never be able to see her beautiful smile or give her belly rubs again.

On a more positive note, I found out that the hospital I’ll be going to for my clinicals is the one just a few blocks from my house! This is great news, because I wasn’t looking forward to driving long distances in the snow. School starts back up January 12th.

I’ve been trying to convince the management at my work to keep me on part-time once school starts. I think they’d be more apt to if it was more than 2 hours a day. My clinical day ends at 3:30 and work closes at 6:00. It sucks that I’m going to have to quit a job that I really like, especially when so many people can’t find work now. I like the people and I like what I do. I put a lot of time and effort into re-organizing the entire Respiratory Dept. pharmacy, and I know the next person is going to come in and muck the whole thing up! I guess I just can’t think about that, though.

Happy New Year to everyone ~ I hope you’ll all be doing something fantastic tonight. Vic & I will probably do the same thing we did last year ~ watch Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin on CNN and struggle to stay awake until midnight. I hope we all have a better 2009!

eulogy

Shannon, my first dog ever, peacefully passed away early this morning. She had been seriously ill for about 3 weeks ~ we only found out in the last few days that the cause was due to a tumor in her spleen that had more than likely spread. I was going to make the very difficult decision to call the vet later today in order to make “arrangements.” I think she knew that I was pain, too, and took care of it for me.

Shannon came into our lives on Valentine’s Day, 2001. From the very beginning I said “no dog!” Fortunately this turned out to be yet another battle I would lose. Over the years, our love for each other blossomed.

With her around, I became a better person. She taught me how to be a little more patient, a little more flexible, and to appreciate the beauty in a dirty tennis ball.

Shannon loved car rides and playing in dirty water. She liked pizza, laying next to the couch, and laying in front of the fireplace. She liked listening to the Tigers on the radio on warm summer evenings, and making snow angels on chilly winter mornings. She loved the kitties.

I know she’s in a better place now ~ a place where she doesn’t need a ramp to get into the Jeep, and where baths aren’t required. And I know that the time we spent together here was filled with love. But how I long for just one more wet kiss, one more game of “Where’s Shannon?” and just one more summer evening in the backyard.

Shannon Banana, you were the best dog ever.

no noel

For some reason, there just isn't a whole lot of Christmas spirit around our house this year. Up until recently, I've been way too busy with school to worry about putting up the tree or hanging lights, and Vic has been pretty sick for the last week or so ~ bronchitis. So other than warm, snuggly kitties by the fire, and the occasional Christmas cartoon, there really hasn't been a lot of yule-y type stuff around. Maybe next year.

random weekend thoughts

Comforting a Friend

Shannon seems to be doing a bit better these last few days. We cut back on one of her pain pills because we think it was doping her up to the extent that she was bumping into things. It was like she was high! She still spends most of her day laying around, but we make sure to get her up and walking every couple of hours, and she's eating and drinking great, so, for the most part, I'm pleased with her progress. She knows she's loved, so I think that's helping with her recovery, too. I think Earl spends the nights with her so she won't forget.

Friday was my last day of school. I feel pretty good about all my finals, but won't find out my final grades until Monday. So far this weekend I've done nothing but catch up on magazines I haven't read and watched movies I haven't seen. We're going to go visit Vic's mom today, but when we get back home it's going to be more nothing. Actually, nothing in front of a fire! I've got some books lined up, and I think I may start one tomorrow! I'm also going to start The Tudors TV series (possibly tonight). I'm so happy that I don't have any homework that I could cry! This has been the absolute hardest, most stressful 10 weeks of my entire life. Even Air Force basic training wasn't this hard!

Friday was also my birthday! The girls at school gave me cookies and a card, and the girls at work gave me cookies, candy, and a card, so I made out pretty good! And we're going to have birthday lunch tomorrow, so that'll be nice, too! Vic and I had a great dinner out and then just came home to relax. We're planning a trip to the DIA next weekend. We would've gone this weekend, but I had scheduled us "Hers and Hers Birthday Mammograms" for this past Saturday morning instead. A fun time was had by all!

shannon's kitty

My wobbly Shannon is resting peacefully on the floor near the fireplace. She slept downstairs last night because the stairs going up to the bedroom were just too much. So when I came downstairs this morning, I found her kitty, Earl, sleeping at her head. I was worried she'd be all alone sleeping downstairs by herself ~ I shouldn't have worried.

A nice shot of Earl. He's usually pretty camera shy.

not much new

Not much new to report here. Shannon, although able to walk a little better, is still "under the weather." She's very wobbly on her feet and seems a bit disoriented at times. She spends almost all her time napping in front of the fireplace, and usually has to be coaxed outside to "go potty." I haven't found any adverse side effects online for any of the drugs she's taking and the doctor assured me she wouldn't have any, but we're both still worried about her. Doc said to give it a couple of weeks, so if she doesn't show improvement by this time next week, I'll probably make another appointment for her. I wish she could tell us what's going on. It's all very frustrating.

I have 4 final tests between today and Friday. Today was the first and I did really well, so that's some good news. I have 2 tomorrow and the last one Friday morning, and then that's it for 4 weeks! I plan on reading novels and renting seasons 1 & 2 of The Tudors for Vic and I to watch on snowy weekends. I also want to cross-stitch a little and straighten up the house a bit. Friday can't come soon enough!

why we moved north

SnowBlower-er
Originally uploaded by wahoo1265

I wanted to move north from Florida to escape the opressive summer heat, to see something on a street corner other than a Baptist church or an auto parts store, and to eat in restaurants where everyone wore shoes. Vic wanted to move to play in the snow. She's in her element today! We've got about 2" so far, with no end in sight. Shannon and I are enjoying a sort of roaring fire while the abominable snowblower-er is outside giddy as a Price Is Right contestant on crack. Weirdo!

baboo update

Shannon is doing much better! Actually, she started showing improvement just a few short hours after giving her the first dose of meds. I'm not sure if it was the medication, the long nap in front of the fireplace, the warm blankie I covered her up with, the belly rubs, or maybe a combination of everything, but she looks much better and is walking really well now! What a relief!

Next week is our last week of school and I have tests out the butt! I can't wait until Friday at about noon. No more school (for 4 weeks) and my birthday! I think I'll celebrate by having Vickie take me out to dinner. I laugh whenever she asks me where I'd like to go. I'll suggest someplace, she'll say "no," and then we'll go where she wants. It's a little game we like to play.

the sweet baboo

Shannon, Caleb, & Earl napping on the couch

Every winter Shannon's arthritis seems to get a little worse, and yesterday it was terrible. The sweet Baboo is almost 11 years old and about 20 lbs. overweight (who isn't?), and for the past few years we've been noticing slight changes: she needs a ramp to get into the Jeep, she doesn't like to play ball for as long as she used to, and she's just moving a little slower. Well yesterday it was so bad that I had to help her upstairs for bed and then this morning I had to carry down the stairs because she just couldn't seem to get her back legs to move.

Knowing that there's no way I can carry a 75 lb. dog up & down the stairs every day, we took a trip to the vet. We're actually "between vets" right now. Our old vet's office was nice, but they're very big and they seem to raise their already high prices every time we visit. Also, the staff was never mean, but they just didn't seem to be able to take the extra time with us that I would've liked. We had a great vet in Pensacola, so I guess we got kind've spoiled.

Anyway, the doctor took an x-ray and confirmed Shannon does indeed have arthritis. She has to take a bunch of pills (some for just a few months, and some for forever!) and hopefully we'll be able to notice a positive change "in a few days." Right now she's lying by the fire, covered up in her blanket and just enjoying the peacefulness of the house. Poor baby.

there's a man in my freezer

Perhaps she knew it wasn't going to snow again for a while or perhaps she thought the ice cream needed a buddy. Whatever the reason, Vic placed this little guy in our freezer weeks ago and he has been goofily grinning back at me ever since.

On warmer note...We spent Thanksgiving with Vic's mom. It was also her mom's birthday. It was a nice, relaxing day spent doing almost no school work. It had been about 3 weeks since I last saw her mom and she's really lost a lot of weight. The doctor (one of her many!) thinks she might have an infection in her rib. If she does, they'll have to remove it. We just don't know if she's strong enough for another operation, but she looks and feels awful. She should know more next week at her next appointment.

I finally finished my procedures book for class. I've spent every day, at least 6 hours a day for the last 3 weeks, working on this monstrosity of a thing. About half way thru the project, Vic called me at work to tell me the computer was broken. I nearly died. Turns out our cordless mouse just needed new batteries. Needless to say, I spent that whole night backing things up.

day off

Wednesdays are my day off from both work and school. But not really. I had to take Wednesdays off from work just so I can try to get caught up with school work. So I've been at the computer now for 7 straight hours typing up procedures for thyroidectomies, herniorrhaphies, and other such fun stuff. Oh I do take the occasional break to switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer, but otherwise it's been all school stuff. My personal life has come to a standstill until the semester ends in 4 weeks. I think after my last class I'll probably just sit and cry from the shear exhaustion of it all. I'm really looking forward to that day!

ready for snow!

right now

I've been busy this week with school stuff (imagine!) and feel like I'm finally making some progress with things. This upcoming week is week 8 of 10 in this semester ~ we actually get an extra week added in for Thanksgiving break. I've got tests I have to study for and projects I have to get completed and very little time for anything else. I'm soooo looking forward to December 12th. Not only is it the birth of the sweet baby Casey, but it's also the last day of school! I've already started a list of movies I want to rent and books I want to read during my 4 glorious weeks off. Any suggestions?

Right now:
* there's a fire in the fireplace
* jazz playing softly
* the tinkling of windchimes outside
* a light rain/snow falling (actually more rain than snow, right now)
* and Vic is taking a nap, leaving me to study in peace (ear, nose, & throat)

my weekend

I got another 300 question take-home test to keep me occupied this weekend. It's not due until Friday, though, so I'm going to take my time and try to enjoy some of the weekend. School is starting to wind down, so more projects are coming due. I'm so far behind that I had to cut my hours at work even more so that I can catch up. I keep telling myself it's all worth it and I'll have a great job when it's all over. It's just very frustrating right now.

It's been really cold here for the last week, and I fear our Autumn days may be done. There are more leaves on the ground then on the branches and we're having more and more fires in the fireplace. I'm glad we got the grass cut last week ~ I think it was probably the last time until next April! I'm always sad to see these days end ~ I love the colors and being able to go outside with a sweatshirt on. Soon the snow will be here (this week, they say!) and my nose will stay permanently cold for 5 months! Don't get me wrong, I like the change of seasons. I just wish winter only lasted 2 months instead of 5!

ha ha, it is to laugh

School has been especially taxing this past week, so I needed a little levity...and this is it! I haven't laughed this hard in a long time! This is one of my all time favorites. I gotta get some shoes like this. Enjoy!

i am

Happy Halloween! This weekend the weather is supposed to be warm and sunny...perfect for staying inside all day every day working on my 135 question take-home test. Yea!

These are some of the shots Vic & I took while

out partaking of nature a few weeks ago.

I was reading AZ's blog a few days ago and came across her daughter's "I am" posting. I thought it was kind've neat and am going to give it a try, too. I'm not sure if there are any certain rules to follow in the "I am" narrative, so forgive me if I stray a bit. Also, I came up with quite a few things I am, so it may spill over into other postings. Here goes...

I am stressed out & over-schoolworked

I am older than I feel

I am astounded by how much abuse the human body can withstand

I worry about money more now than I ever did

I am in love with my best friend

I believe I have a greater purpose in life

I am restless

I eat pizza...a lot

I am a list-maker, an organizer, and a planner

I think I would've made a good mother

I get flustered when my "cheese" is moved

I am a member of a small & very dysfunctional family

I am not a nap-taker (usually)

I am a sweatpants-at-home person

I hold kitties daily

I drink too much pop & not enough water

I forget to take my daily vitamins...daily

I iron my scrubs

I am disappointed I stopped running years ago

I talk to my dog every day

I am pro same-sex marriage
I am a hair-dyer
I read Reader's Digest religiously
I listen to classical music when I study
I like the people I work with

I admire people who volunteer their time

I am always surprised at the person in the mirror

I hate cooking (I don't even like the microwave much)

I wear holiday themed socks

I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows

yes, i'm still blogging

Why don't I blog more? Because I have no time. Schoolwork and work-work is just sucking the life-blood out of me! Every free moment (except for this one) is spent doing something for class. That said, I'll now quit bitching about it and catch you up on what's new.

I observed my very first surgical procedure yesterday. It was a laproscopic hysterectomy performed with the da Vinci robotic system. It was the first time I had ever been in an OR as a non-patient. I was nervous because I didn't know what to expect in regards to the smells, but since this was a laproscopic procedure, there were no smells and I remained upright the entire time. Yea! We won't get to go into another OR until January and then we'll actually have to work, so I'm sure I'll be nervous all over again in January!

Vic and I finally made it out to one of the many cider mills in our area. Vic took some great Autumn shots (I'll include them in the next post...promise) and we had a nice afternoon walking amongst the nature sipping apple cider. Then of course I had to come back home to work on school stuff.

It's been getting colder and when I wake up in the mornings the bed it filled with assorted kitties. Now is the time of year for fires in the fireplace, kitties in my lap and layered clothing! Vic & Shannon have been watching the weather channel with more frequency, looking for uncoming snow. Not me.

the signs of Autumn

I think Autumn officially arrived at our house the other morning when I tried to get out of bed but was trapped by a mound of sleeping kitties! The temps have been comfortable during the day and chilly at night, making for perfect sleeping weather...finally. Because of this, most of our kids migrate to our warm bed throughout the night and in the morning, I'm trapped under the furry little Lilliputians! It's comforting, actually.

Vic & I are going to have to make the switch to warmer clothes soon. I've got 2 drawers of shorts, but only 1 pair of sweatpants out! What a pain dragging out totes is, but it's got to be done. I'd like to do it this weekend, but I've got lots of homework to do. My next homework-free weekend is December 13th. I think that may be too long to wait.

The trees are bursting forth with color all over the place now. I pass by a brilliant orange tree on my way to school and there are several red and yellow guys right in our own neighborhood. The whomping willow a few houses down is still pretty full, but I know it's only a matter of time before he turns into just trunk and bones. There are signs of Autumn all around us these days!

school stuff

This past exciting weekend was spent studying, cutting the grass, and putting away the patio furniture for the winter. I love to watch football, but haven't done so yet this season ~ mainly because of school. Vic & I did watch a few Miss Marple mysteries. Hokey, yes, but we love them!

Speaking of school...Last Wednesday I took a field trip to one of our local hospitals where I got to spend the day working with the people who clean & sterilize the OR instruments. I had a great time & the day just flew by! It was really a pretty cool job and something I might check into to doing in January when I have to quit my present job.

I had my first quiz on Friday (I think I got an A) and will have my first major test tomorrow (Yikes!). So far school has been stressful, but I think I'm enjoying more this semester than I did last. I'm still overwhelmed, but at least now I know what to expect!

It's supposed to be chilly this weekend, so Vic & I are planning our first fire in the fireplace! We're both very excited about this!

no casey time

* Now that school has started back up, I officially have no life for the next 10 weeks. I spend every waking moment either at work or at school or at the kitchen table doing homework or at the computer writing papers. On Saturday nights I usually get all comfy and settle in to watch a movie with Vic, only to fall asleep an hour later. Ah, the life of a student.

* Dontcha just love Tina Fey? I'm hoping to rent Baby Mama this weekend and fall asleep half way thru it.

misc.

* I love The Office

* One more person dropped out of my class this week. This brings us to a total of 15 ~ 75% of what we started with. I hate to see people quit or get fired from class. It always means that the possibility of it happening to me exists, too.

* Speaking of fired...a girl I work with got fired earlier this week. They called her on her day off and told her not to bother coming back. That just sounds so chicken shit to me. I know there were some problems, but she's been with the company for at least 2 years and I think they could've at least given her the opportunity to retrieve her personal items from her desk. Again, I hope this never happens to me.

* My shoulder is getting better. I still have random flare ups that send a shooting pain down my arm, but overall I think it's improving.

* I wish we got the BBC channel. Not BBC America, but the real honest to goodness cockney speaking snobby British BBC.

* I also wish someone would come over this weekend and do my laundry.

* I noticed the other day that I almost always put on my right sock and shoe first. I wonder if I was left-handed if my shoe putting-on would be the opposite?

* I hate Jesus shoes (Birkenstocks). My instructor wears Jesus shoes with knee-high nylons every day to class. Just when I thought they couldn't get any worse...

floppy sock night

When I'm not studying or doing homework or reading or listening to the ball game on the radio, I have been known to plop down in front of the TV and watch Law & Order reruns or something cool on the History International channel (it was Stonehenge the other night!). But otherwise, I really don't watch a whole lot of TV. Except for 3 shows. All of which come on tonight.

I love love love Ugly Betty and The Office, and love love Grey's Anatomy (only 2 loves here cuz they were kinda whiney last year!). I'll probably record Betty and Grey's so that Vic & I can watch them together this weekend. But I'm gonna get all hunkered down and put on my big floppy TV watching socks for The Office. Can't wait!

poor anne & the tigers

I've been a bad blogger of late, and I fear it will only get worse once school starts next week. I've been keeping busy with homework and with my new book, The Other Boleyn Girl. (I decided last semester that I was going to take some time out each day to read something not school related.)

I finished Angels & Demons over the weekend. I guess I'd have to give it an overall 7. The first 450 pages were fantastic! I literally couldn't put the book down. Then it got goofy and a little unbelievable and ended just okay. I've only read a few books that have been wonderful from start to finish (all the Harry Potters!). I'm looking forward to seeing the movie version now. I started the Boleyn book immediately upon finishing Angels and so far it's been great! I pretty much know how it's going to end, though. Poor Anne.

I've stopped going to therapy for my shoulder. I still do the exercises at home and my shoulder and arm still hurt, only not as much as before. I've got to see some improvement soon. School is hard enough with two good arms!

We're going to the final Tigers game of the season this Sunday. Mercifully, the Tigers will be put out of their misery soon. Who knew at the beginning of the season that a team with so much talent could play so incredibly sucky? It's fan appreciation day on our game day, so maybe we'll come home with some bling!

nothing new

Nothing new or exciting happening here...

* At my therapy sesssion this morning, Mark told me I'd probably only need one more session and then he's going to cut me loose. My range of motion has greatly improved. I still have difficulty sleeping the whole night thru and usually wake myself up because I've rolled over onto that shoulder.

* I've got a heap of homework due by my first day of class in less than 2 weeks! I'm feverishly reading Angels & Demons and have less than 200 pages left. I want to finish it before I start schoolwork because I know once I pick up an instrument or pharmacology book, I won't be putting it down for 10 weeks!

* I've decided to go by the library and check out a book or two on CD to listen to on the drive to/from Traverse City that I'll be making in a few weeks. Any recommendations?

uneventful events

This past weekend was extremely uneventful, but in a good way. Vic & I actually got the whole house cleaned. This is usually an undertaking that takes weeks of planning and then I have to trick Vic into thinking it was her idea before anything actual dusting or mopping gets done. I guess all the rain we had inspired us both, though, because we whipped thru the whole house on Saturday afternoon. Then we napped. Then we got all caught up on our DVR watching.

My shoulder is feeling better. It's been a week since the accident and I think I'm functioning at about 60% now. Yea! Hopefully I'll be done with therapy before school starts on the 30th.

Speaking of school...my instructor emailed us to tell us that she's going to be emailing us a "pre-class assignment." (Who emails you to say they're going to email you??) What ever happened to school vacation?! I've only got 2 more weeks of it left, so let me enjoy it! Geez ~ I can't wait until I'm all graduated! The fun just never ends.

rainy day

It's a dreary, rainy Saturday around here today...and I love it.

I actually like it when it rains, especially all day. Days like this give me the opportunity to catch up on chores around the house and this absolutely the best weather to read in. I'll finish going thru the Sunday ads (we get them in our Saturday newspaper!) and then if Vic is still not up, I'll start on my book. I'll turn on some light jazz and curl up on the couch and listen to the rain fall while blissfully reading Angels & Demons.

Later on, Vic & I will get caught up on some of our DVR recordings and then she'll probably talk me into taking a short nap. Sometime during the day we'll have to eat and since I've been craving Mexican, maybe I can talk her into that. I'm really looking forward to a day of nothing.

This definitely has all the makings of a close-to-perfect day.

inflamed

I've been diagnosed with "inflammation of the rotator cuff tendon." I guess I should be happy that I don't have a tear or something worse. It's still hurts like hell though. I have to go to therapy 3x/week and I have exercises I have to do at home in between sessions. They're mostly strengthening and range of motion exercises, but they still burn.

It's amazing how much I do with my right arm. Not just the obvious stuff like writing or typing, but also opening a door and lifting a can a pop to take a drink. My right arm is almost totally helpless. And it sucks! The simplest activities like brushing my teeth or washing my hair are painful. I know the inflammation will eventually subside, but it could last for weeks and school starts in just 2 short weeks!

Back to exercising!

some veggies & whine

I tripped today at work and fell full splat! on my right shoulder. My knee and forearm are both a little scraped, but my shoulder took the brunt of it all and now I'm in copious amounts of pain, both the dull achey kind and the shooting down my arm kind. I promptly went to the local clinic, compliments of workman's comp, and after waiting hours in the aptly named waiting room, I was seen by the world's oldest doctor. He was a nice enough guy, but he really didn't instill much confidence in me.

The x-rays didn't show any breaks, but they also don't show any tears to your ligaments or tendons either. I have a follow-up appointment on Thursday at which time I "shouldn't be in that much pain anymore." If I am, though, it might indicate a rotator cuff injury or a shredded tendon. Eek!

So now I'll be spending my evenings with a bag of veggies on my shoulder (only 15 minutes at a time!) and another bag on my foot (plantar fasciitis). And, of course, I'll be whining alot. Mostly at work, because there's nobody at home in the evenings to take sympathy on me when I make boo-boo pouty-face lips.

my night at the bar

Well, Donna's son's band won the semi-final round of their battle of the bands competition Thursday night due in large part to a big turn out from my work. I guess the winner was determined not only by how well they played, but also by crowd reaction. He goes to the finals in a couple of weeks ~ the grand prize is the opportunity to open for "a well-known band at an upcoming concert."

He seems like a nice enough kid, but I think we were all there for Donna and she seemed very pleased. I doubt I'll be attending the final, though. The only evening was very long, very loud, and very smokey. It was nice getting out and having a few drinks (Diet Cokes ~ it was a work night) and it's always interesting to see your co-workers outside of work ~ especially when the women get all floozied up and have knocked back a couple shots. I have a feeling my upcoming conference in Traverse City will be nothing like this. I hope.

This weekend we really don't have much planned. I'd like to rearrange my sock drawers (it's getting to be that time of year, you know!) and try to read a few chapters of The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie. This was actually a two-part movie that Vic & I started watching last week. We watched the first part, but the second part didn't record, so I have no idea who killed the blonde girl in the library. I couldn't find anything online, so I picked up the book at the used bookstore and am now determined to find out the identity of the murderer! I think it was Basil Blake, but only because I like saying Basil.

misc goings on

Vic & I got new carpet upstairs. Well, new to us. It's actually her mom's old carpet. Mom got the entire condo re-carpeted and she gave us her old stuff ...and paid to have carpet guy lay it! It wouldn't have been my first choice, because it's white and we have a farmload of animals, but we had it installed upstairs and it really brightens the room up. It's also more cooshy up there now, too, because we got new matting underneath.

Since we were revamping the upstairs, we decided to move Vic's desk downstairs and toss the old computer desk. I had that desk for well over 10 years and although it was still functional, it was starting to slowly fade away. It was just a pressed wood desk I bought at WalMart a decade ago and assembled myself with the nifty allen wrench that accompanies all such quality furniture. Our new desk was actually Vic's dad's desk and is really quite nice. It's going to take some getting used to, though. Our chair is too short, so we'll have to get a taller one to accomodate our new computer area. And I'm now sitting on the right side of the desk instead of the left, but I think I'll be able to adapt.

I bought books for the upcoming semester. They were just under $500 this time, which is a bit better than the $700 I paid last semester. I really need to be in the textbook business.

In a little while I'm going to a bar to see my co-worker's son's band compete in a battle of the bands type thing. It's being held at a bar ~ not a bar inside a restaurant where normal people sit at tables snacking on nachos, but a smoky, crowded, no umbrella drinks BAR. A bunch of other people from work are going, too. I just wish this was taking place on a Saturday instead of a Thursday night. And I wish it was starting earlier than 9pm. I'm usually in bed by 10 and I haven't been to a real bar in probably more than 10 years! I'm looking forward to a night of watered down Diet Cokes slurped thru a teeny straw while pressed up against a grungy guy in a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt while trying not to think about what could possibly be "that sticky" on the bar floor. I'll let you know if I make it out alive.

this weekend

I love long weekends! Especially when they don't involve school! The weather's been beautiful all weekend, a little hot, but still manageable. Saturday we walked around the Village of Romeo and took in their annual peach festival. I was a little disappointed that there were no gian peaches walking amongst the crowds and posing for pictures with litle kids (and goofy adults that like that kind've stuff!), but we still had a nice time. We stopped at a few garage sales along the way and, surprisingly, bought nothing! And of course we picked up some delicious fruit. Now that September is here, the cider mills and haunted corn mazes can't be far behind!

Our Sunday was spent washing the Jeeps and reading the newspapers. But today, we've got a lot planned. We are getting carpet laid upstairs tomorrow morning, so we have to move as much as possible up there today. It probably wouldn't take too long, except that Vic and I tend to take quite a few breaks whenever we're involved in anything labor-intensive. I'll let you know how it works out.

I've also included photos of the remaining kids. I think you've all met Shannon several times, so I didn't include any shots of her and I have a feeling you'll probably be treated to plenty pics of her playing in the snow (in a few months).

Rickie didn't meow for the longest time & we actually thought

she was mute. I think she just didn't have much to say in

the beginning, because now she talks all the time!

Zach is our second oldest kitty~he's about 16ish. He has the

sweetest disposition and is still a big baby. When he was born,

he was teenie-weenie & the vet thought he might

not make it. Now he's about 15lbs & healthy as an ox.

Vic actually helped deliver Murphy. He came out backwards

and Mama kitty was having a hard time delivering, so Vic

helped ease him out & then broke his little sack so Mama

could clean him. He's got a deep gravelly voice ~ think

Harvey Fierstein.

This is not such a great picture of Emily, but she wouldn't

sit still long enough to pose. She is the first kitty that

Vic & I got together. She was an outside kitty that came

with our house in P'Cola. Shortly after we moved in, there was a

hurricane, so we brought Em & her brother inside. After the

storm passed, she said, "Hell no, I'm not going back to a life

of eating bugs!" and she's been an inside kitty ever since!

kitties

Have I showed you pictures of the family lately? I didn't include pics of everybody, but here are just a few of the hellraisers.

Michael ~ Vic seems to think he's a "bit slow." His reaction time

is always off and he seems to other odd things. He is the

brother of Caleb and Duncan (they're coming up). I guess they're

all brothers & sisters, but Mikey, Caleb & Duncan all have the same

mama & daddy kitty.

Here is Duncan. I also call him Duncan Sticks. Vic usually

calls him Lard Ass. He's our heaviest baby, weighing in at

20 lbs.! He's a bed hog, too. He insists on sleeping on my

pillow or Vickie's head. I think he thinks he's still a baby.

Earl the squirrel. Look at those big bugged out eyes! He's also

got a prominent overbite and his back legs are shorter than his

front ones, so he ambles along kind've weird. I think he thinks

his "kahunas" are still there, because he walks very bow-legged!

Bella is Earl's sister. She loves to give Vic hugs and will wrap her

arms around Vic's neck. She pretty much just avoids me.

Nate has been around the longest ~ about 20 years! He's

pretty laid back and none of the other kids mess with him.

Amelia is a bit too big for the kitty bowl, but don't tell her
that! She just spills out of it and doesn't care.

This is Caleb. We think if he was a person, we would
spend a lot of time in the principal's office. He's
always getting into trouble and loves crawling
inside boxes, bowls, whatever.

a little time off

I can't believe that it's almost September. I'm sure a lot of people are saying that. I really enjoy Autumn, though. I love that the nights are cooler and soon the leaves will be turning color. Of course this also means that we are starting to lose more of our lovely flowers. Most due to nature, but some to the squirrels, too.

It's really pretty cool that this little guy was able

to balance on the sunflower stems as well as he did!

He had to work pretty hard to get this sunflower face

down, but when he did he had a great feast!

I've starting slowly catching up on my magazine reading and I actually cross-stitched for a bit last night. I'm hoping that I can be at least somewhat productive during my time off from school. I have to purchase books next week. It's going by way too fast!

Speaking of school, I have to attend a workshop conference-type thing for the state Surgical Tech association held the first weekend in October. It's one of those non-mandatory, mandatory kind've things. What this means is that they can't force me to go, but if I don't go everyone will spit on me and call me mean names. So I'm going. It's being held in Traverse City, about 4 hours north of Detroit. I'm not looking forward to the drive, but that part of the state will be beautiful in October. I'm going to make sure I make some time to leaf peep while I'm up there!

A-

I found out today that I got an A- for the first semester! I'm so relieved. Nine weeks ago, I thought anything other than a C would be impossible, but I studied and worked my butt off and it all paid off in the end. I don't know what grade I got on my final exam (I should find out in 4 weeks, on our first day back), but I know I got an A on our presentation and I passed my competency (it was pass or fail).

I'm not real sure what today's plans are. We would like to go to the Renaissance Festival, but weather guy keeps saying something about rain. If it turns out he's right, we'll probably just stick around the house and catch up on movies and DVR recordings. It'll be nice to just relax.

NO MORE SCHOOL!! (for 4 weeks)

Today was my last day of school for the semester! I was so happy when I walked out to my car that I almost cried right there in the parking lot. I thought my 6 weeks of Air Force basic training was tough, but it wasn't near as stressful as these past 9 weeks have been. I had 2 finals today and did really well in both (I think). Leading up to today, my grade was 93%, so I've got a really good shot at finishing the semester with an A. I should find out my grade by Monday of next week.

So for the next 4 weeks I'm going to do the following:

* Catch up on the stack of magazines that have been piling up
* Cross-stitch
* Scrapbook
* Watch TV
* Some days I'm just going to do nothing

yesterday & today

Today in school... I got my grade for the last test I took. It was an 85%. Usually I wouldn't be very happy about this, but considering this is one of the hardest classes I've ever taken and I really didn't study as much as I should have, I'm pleased with the grade. We also had our presentation today. It actually went off without a hitch and everyone seemed to like it quite a bit. Nimrod (see previous post) showed up and we found him something harmless to do, so again, I was quite pleased.

Now I have to study for the first of my two finals this week!

Yesterday & today at work... I went on "field trips" of a sort. I helped deliver oxygen and other DME (durable medical equipment) to customers in the area. It was nice getting out of the office for a while! I'm hoping, that after a little more training, I can work this into a more permanent job. In January I'll have to start my clinical work at hospitals, so I really need to find something either after hours or on the weekend and the DME thing would be perfect.

the week in review

stress
Originally uploaded by wahoo1265

Geez, what a hectic past week I’ve had. I really wanted to blog earlier in the week, but little time and heaps of stress conspired against me! My week actually began with last weekend and our trip to Goderich. The drive up was very pleasant and I was really looking forward to some great Celtic music while laying on a blankie in the warm breeze and into the night, under the stars. It rained the entire day. Rain from the moment we woke up until way past dark. And not just a drizzle ~ the Canadian sky opened up and poured down rain on us like it was flushing some great industrial-strength cosmic toilet. Not being an especially big fan of drowning, I suggested we NOT sit in the deluge all day. Instead, we explored a bit of the town, played some cards and the girls drank some good old Canadian beers. Lots of them. But hey, any time away from work or school is a “good time” as I see it and there’s always next year for the Celtic music.

Since Steph & Dee were visiting, it left very little time for me to study for my test that week. I tried to cram in little mini study sessions where I could, but I didn’t hit the books nearly enough and I think that will be evident when I get my test score back on Tuesday. I’m still doing pretty good overall in the class, though, so maybe this minor setback won’t be too bad.

Next week is our final week for the semester. I have two finals, a group presentation, and a 30-minute competency I have to pass! I had a dry run through of the competency last week, so I feel pretty good about that and I’m going to spend ALL weekend studying for the two tests, so hopefully I’ll do okay there, too. And then there’s the group presentation.

I absolutely hate doing group presentations. Actually, hate is too weak of a word for the way I feel about anything having to do with a group. I’d rather self-catheterize myself blindfolded in the middle of a raging hurricane with fire ants nibbling on my toes than work with a group on anything. There is always someone in the group who doesn’t pull his weight. Our group loser is Eugene. Eugene the self proclaimed “Powerpoint Master” who needs no help from anyone and “I guarantee I will have the whole thing done by next week.” Mr. Nimrod Pencil-dick Jerkface Dickweed made this proclamation 4 weeks ago. I think you know where this is headed.

So instead of spending my Friday night relaxing or studying for my TWO finals, I was re-working our presentation because we now did not have a Powerpoint. As you can imagine, I was not a happy camper and believe me when I tell you that Eugene is well aware of this. If he didn’t get the hint when I jumped ass in the parking lot, I’m sure he fully understood when I told him to “f*** off, you f***ing loser son of a b****!” Then again, maybe not ~ he is a dumbass afterall.

So needless to say, my weekend is going to be jam packed with studying and stressing about this stupid presentation. I’m glad I don’t have kids. I just don’t know how the mothers in my class can juggle, work, school AND needy little rugrats all at the same time.

Okay, gotta go study now!

a few links

When Vic & I moved back "up north" we decided that we wanted to do some traveling in and around the MI area. Sometimes that's not so easy to do. Gas, time off of work, babysitters (for Shannon) and just plain $$ have at times worked against us. But all in all, I think we've been pretty successful.

We're off on our next adventure in just a few hours ~ the "prettiest town in Canada" Goderich. It's located about 3 hours north of us in Ontario. We're headed up to the annual Celtic Festival. The ride up is really pretty and, because Vic is deathly afraid of heights, instead of taking the Ambassador Bridge over to Canada, we take the somewhat scary car ferry. It's a very bumpy ride across Lake St. Clair. You spend the 10 mins. riding in your car or else you'll get splashed with water (we found that out the hard way!).

Our traveling companions for this adventure are Steph and Dee. They drove up all the way from Athens, AL (anywhere near you, AZ?). Right now, they're all outside smoking and drinking pots of coffee, so I thought I would take a few mins. to say "hi" since I won't be home for a while. We've got the Jeep partially loaded up and really just have a few more items and then we're off.

No rain! No rain!

odds & ends

The Melissa concert Sunday evening wasn't bad, but I'm really glad I didn't have to pay $100. There was a little too much electric guitar, I thought. Vic & I both agreed that part of the reason people go to see Melissa Etheridge is to see her perform, not her band. But she played for almost 2 & a half hours and we had pretty good seats, so it was a nice night out.

The concert was held at the Detroit Opera House. Wow, was that ever nice! The ornate architecture was just beautiful. I'd really like to see an opera there. Madame Butterfly will be there in November, so maybe we can scrounge up the bucks to see it!

Our friends arrive from TN late tomorrow night. Our house has never looked cleaner! Even the dog got a bath! I wish the sweet Baboo could go with us, but there's a stupid "no dogs" rule at the park. Stupidheads. So now I'll spend the entire weekend worried about her.

I got a 95% on my last test! Only 2 more weeks of school left in this term and then I'll get a 4 week vacation. Yea!!

tenth

Look at the monster sunflower in our yard! Below is a photo of me and the giganto sunflower. As you can see, he is just a tooch taller than moi! He's a big fella!


Vic and I are going to see Melissa Etheridge at the Detroit Opera House tomorrow night. I've seen her a couple of times a few years ago. She really puts on a good show, but since she's become a "big rock star" her tickets have doubled in price. I don't think there is anybody I would pay $100 to see, including Melissa. So I won the tickets instead! I was the 10th caller Friday morning, so now Vic and I will be having a light supper and taking in a concert at the Opera House Sunday evening. Truth be told, I'd rather be going to an actual opera, but that's not what the 10th caller gets.

thursdays

I think my new favorite day of the week, besides Saturday, is Thursday. Thursday is the only day I don't have to go to work. Monday and Friday I work 10 hours and the other two days I go there straight from school. But because Thursday is my "long day" at school, I get to come home afterward. This means I get a whole extra 3 hours to do stuff. Of course stuff usually turns out to be homework, but still...

Speaking of homework, I have very little this weekend. This is a good thing because Vic & I have to get a bunch of little stuff done around the house before our friends arrive on Wednesday. In addition to our trip to Canada for the Celtic festival, I think we're also going to hit one of the casinos downtown. In the 3 years we've lived here, I think Vic & I have been to any of the casinos a totally of once. And that was just to see what the inside looked like. We dropped a quick $20 on a quarter slot machine and got the heck outta there! Maybe our luck will be better this time. And I think we're going on a Thursday, my new favorite day of the week, so I'm hoping for a big payday and slots of fun!

a lot of yellow

I recently discovered a new blog ~ My Wildlife Sanctuary. Cheryl, the auther has some of the most beautiful pictures of her yard. Inspired by her blog, I've decided to introduce you to my backyard (especially since it's nice and tidy from this past weekend!). Enjoy!

Here is the lovely yellow chair I promised to assemble this weekend. Amazingly, I actually did it! It compliments our patio and backyard beautifully and really adds a splash of color to the place. In the background are Vic and Flea frollicking in the freshly cut grass.

It's also perfect for holding a tomato!

We have some lovely sunflowers complements of the birdies who visit our bird feeders. When they come to eat, the birds invariable drop sunflower seeds and a few months later...voila!

And then of course the finches stop by and eat the leaves and the little faces off the sunflowers. I guess we can't really blame them though since the sunflowers were grown by them!

This is the view from our patio into the backyard. We usually have a ton of flowers until about August and then they start to kind've peter out. I really wanted to plant some black-eyed susans this year, but I just don't have the time. Maybe next year.

This little bee house sat emptly for the previous three summers, but this year the bees have finally discovered it! They are in and out all day, every day. I wonder if they are building something inside the cottage??

It was the perfect weekend to get yard stuff done! We had a slight breeze that blew thru our backyard for most of the afternoon, which made the work soo much more pleasant!

sunflower saturday

Somehow I've managed to complete 98% of my school work by today, leaving me the weekend free to frolic about in the backyard! I'm really really looking forward to working in the yard this weekend ~ we haven't neglected it, but it isn't as pretty as it can be. I just have no time to do anything other than work and school. I've been so busy lately that I have to schedule in times just to scratch my ass!

We have some gorgeous sunflowers that have just exploded under the bird feeders, but need a little propping up to reach their full sunshiney potential. Also our garden needs to be weeded and of course the grass needs to be cut again. I think tomorrow morning is going to be tidy-up time and I can't wait!

I'm also going to read a magazine. I don't care which one, just as long as it doesn't contain any articles regarding surgical instruments or sterile techniques.

And I'm going to assemble a chair. Vic & I bought a cheery yellow motel-type chair weeks ago and it's been sitting in its box in our garage this whole time. I think I shall read my unknown magazine while lounging on it! Wish me luck!

results

My test results are in...they are 87% & 90%. Not too bad, I guess. This weekend is going to be packed with papers to write and homework to do and a Tigers game to attend. Vic & I have our first Tigers game of the 2008 season on Saturday evening. I'm hoping for a nice, cool, rain-free night. Either way, rain or no rain, I'm gonna put on my Tigers jersey and we're gonna watch some baseball up close and personal!

Go Tigers!

tests & sales

Hey, I feel pretty good about both of my tests. I'll find out this coming week, but I think I did okay. Now that we are at the half-way point of the quarter, I'm finally starting to de-stress a bit. That's a nice feeling.

Vic & I are headed off to a huge city-wide garage/antique sale in a nearby neighborhood. I thought spending money we don't really have on stuff we don't really need would be therapeutic. Then, if the rain holds off, we'll come home and work in the yard a bit. I wish we had a pool. And a boat. And a horse. But today I'd settle for just the pool!

hi

books
Originally uploaded by wahoo1265

No time to blog today, I have TWO tests tomorrow that I have to study for. But I wanted to at least say "Hi" to everyone.

Hi!

the week ahead

My life:
Last Friday ~ study
Last Saturday ~ study
Last Sunday ~ study and bought a yellow chair for the patio
Today ~ work & study
Tuesday ~ work & study
Wednesday ~ work & study
Thursday ~ take 2 f***ing tests!
Friday ~ work & then watch baseball...and study

queen for a day

95% That's what I got on my quiz. At first I was pleasantly pleased, because I really studied my butt off and was hoping for at least an 85%. Then I found out I had the highest grade in the class and was secretly tickled silly with myself.

Yes, I was queen of "My Shit Don't Stink-land" today.

sunflowers & stuff

This past long weekend was spent studying and doing a lot of nothing. Vic & I did a little yard beautifcation and hung a new ceiling fan in the guest bedroom, so come on up everybody! (Not all at once ~ we only have 1 guest bedroom.)

Today we had our first quiz in class (quiz #2 is tomorrow!). I'm pretty sure I did okay, not great just okay. The first quiz/test is always the hardest because you just don't know what to study. So I studied everything and still found that I didn't study the right stuff! Geez! I think I probably got a B, but won't find out for at least a few days.

It didn't help matters any that I was also sick. I caught some kind of flu bug yesterday afternoon. When I got home from work, I went straight to bed (after a few trips to the bathroom) and I wasn't feeling any better when I woke this morning. I can't not go to school because they'll kill you if you miss a day, so I went in felling puny. And then I called out sick to work this afternoon and spent the rest of the day sleeping on the couch. I feel great now! Maybe I just needed 24 hours to let whatever yick work its way out of my system. (Yick. It's a medical term.)

I've also included some shots of our recently bloomed sunflowers. We have two types: orangey in the middle of their face and not orangey in the middle of their face. Both are equally pretty!

a rubberband stretched to her limit

Sorry to have been such a bad blogger lately. School is just eating me alive. Week 2 just ended yesterday, which means I've been totally f**cking stressed for 2 straight weeks! I've never ever been like this. I actually burst into tears in the car driving from school to work.

So, after a little "talking to" from Vic, I am going to try my damndest to de-stress. I'm really really super-worried about passing this program and that has pretty much just taken over my life. Not any more! Starting today I'm going do other stuff. By that I mean I'm going to try to read at least one chapter a day from a book that has nothing at all to do with school. I'm going to take time out to enjoy our newly sprung sunflowers and snapdragons. And I'm going to make sure I hug Vic at least once a day, even if I have to wake her up to do it!

I'm going to be the best damn stress-free Surg Tech I can be.

make a list!

Geez, what a hectic week this has been! First week of school and first week at the new job. It seems like education is just barreling down on me like a freight train. Several freight trains!

For some reason, I've been really stresseed at school. This doesn't usually happen to me ~ I've always been pretty confident as far as my scholastic career goes. On Thursday I finally had to just sit and take deep breaths and came to the conclusion that I'm unorganized. My sock drawer is a thing of beauty, but I'm floundering under the weight of all the homework and the reading assignments heaped on me. So I made a list. And now I'm much happier. During class, I just add "to-do" items to my homework list. My stress level has improved dramatically. I suggest everyone go out and make a list right now!

The amount and weight of books I'm required to bring to each class is ridiculous and I actually looked into purchasing a bookbag with wheels to lug all that stuff around. In the end, I've opted to just use one of our small suitcases instead. I'm sure I look a little dorky, but 1.) I don't want to spend $50 on something I'll use for less than a year and 2.) At this point, I really don't give a squirrel's ass what anybody thinks. (It doesn't hurt, too, that I'm not the only one in class who subscribes to the squirrel's ass ~ suitcase philosophy.)

I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Of course I'll also being working thru my homework list, but at least for a little while today (Saturday) I'm going to take a little time off to do something fun with Vic. Our plan is to drive an hour north to Port Huron and check out the Tall Ships Festival. Hopefully the weather will cooperate!

a little poetry

First day of school.

Exhausted thru and thru.

Gonna have to buy a bookbag w/wheels.

Something I swore I would never do!

More to come...

stuff & backyard

It seems like its been a while since I blogged, but I did actually compose something a few days ago. When I tried to upload it, however, Blogger had some meltdown and lost my entire literary brainstorm. I was very pissed and decided then & there that I wouldn’t blog anything for days. I really showed Blogger, didn’t I?

It was actually some rantings on gas prices and the foreclosure problems that seems to be all over the news these days. I’m over the whole thing now, so let’s move on to other even less-interesting subjects.

I attended the orientation class for my Surg Tech (ST from now on) program yesterday. I left feeling very overwhelmed. I think the next 6 months are going to be the hardest of my scholastic life. If only I could win the lottery, quit work and devote all my hours away from school to studying! My instructors seem to think that life just completely stops for everyone in the program. I foresee a lot of weekends spent studying. I’m really fortunate I have an understanding Vic, or else I’d really be screwed.

I start my new Respiratory position Monday morning. Another little something I have to be nervous about. Luckily, everyone is happy to have me back, so that’ll definitely make things easier. I’m already looking forward to the end of August and our 3-week break between Summer and Fall semesters.

So would you like to see some shots from around our backyard??

These are our cute little elephant ears that we planted

alongside the house to add some color.

The clematis has just burst forth for the Summer. It

really makes a great "privacy fence" when

it curls itself around the trellis.

Our lone tomato. We've also got green peppers and

jalepeno peppers planted, but so far this is the only

little guy to have made it. Even our sunflowers

are a little pokey this year!

diy weekend

kitchen
Originally uploaded by wahoo1265

Guess what we did this weekend?! We finally got the kitchen painted! It's a beautiful shade of Bibbidy Bobbidy Blue and it really brightens up the whole room. (How could something called Bibbidy Bobbidy Blue not brighten up a room?) Here pictured is the lovely Vic taking apart the exhaust fan she hates. All that's left is to rearrange pictures and hang the curtains. Yea for us! Next weekend we're going to put up bifold doors. I hope.