Day 37: October 3rd, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.-Vince Lombardi"

I finally got to go to the Burkburnett Friendship Festival, for the first time out of all the years we've lived here. And I think I can safely say that it really isn't all that. As a matter of fact, it seems more like a community swap meet or something. But I did enjoy the quilt show! There were two of them there that I would have loved to get my hands on....

This one because I LOVE the wedding ring pattern, and the color is fantastic!

And this one, because, well it's just too darn cute! :)

There were a couple of things for the kids to do, such as bounce toys... The little ones loved the pony ride.

This shark slide was a favorite.And look who I ran into there! It was great catching up!

There was mud volleyball competition for the jr high and high school kids.

And live entertainment! I actually have a (REALLY) short video of these guys I'll put on here.

For a price there was lots of different food vendors. All in all it was something to pass the time, and would be great if you wanted to find a purse to buy, almost everyone was selling those. And makeup. And jewelry. Not much representation for the guys, though.

Still, there's something to be said about living in a town where the WHOLE TOWN shows up for something like this. Either it says "our town is so small that even THIS can be the social event of the year," or it says "We just love our town, and want to socialize as cheaply as possible." By the way, there WAS a longhorn here which you could sit on and take your picture, which I was planning to do for Ron (yeah, I know I'm scared of cows) but by the time I got off the computer from talking with him they had already taken it away. I waited too long. So, sorry folks, no picture of me with a terrified look on my face on a longhorn. Maybe next year.

The rest of my day has been boring as well. Did some laundry, studied. Not much else TO do since it started raining and getting all dreary outside while I was at the festival. I didn't even go walk, but I figure that I had to have walked about a mile at the festival, so I'll just count that as my exercise for the day and walk twice as far tomorrow. Sigh. No rest for the weary. That's okay, I'm discouraged with my weight loss anyways. Not getting anywhere fast really stinks when you're trying. :(

Day 36: October 2nd, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Gone - flitted away, Taken the stars from the night and the sun From the day! Gone, and a cloud in my heart.~Alfred Tennyson"

I GOT AN 82 ON MY SECOND TEST! THAT MAKES TWO OF THEM THAT WEREN'T A 78! WOOOHOOOO!!!!!

There ARE miracles! I knew it! hehehe



And I almost didn't know she had posted them, because I almost gave up and went to bed, but at the last minute I realized that I hadn't done the blog! How horrible is THAT! Not for me, or for any of the general readers, but for Ron. He says he looks forward to being able to read the blog everyday, so what do I do? ALMOST not do one tonight. Way to go, Idaho! But really, honestly.... I'm so tired that I nearly spaced it. Chalk one up to being a nursing student. That, and the fact that I haven't really slept well since Ron left. I just really, really, really need a good night's sleep.

I found out this morning that one of the sprinklers out back is busted, and who knows how long that's been going on. I only noticed the other night that water was ending up on the pool deck where it normally doesn't, but I wonder how long it was going on that I DIDN'T notice it? The funny thing is, the part that sits in the middle is completely missing, so who knows how long ago it broke. I know that in this yard there is only one way to break the sprinkler heads, and that's with the mower, so I have a pretty good idea how it got broken. I was going to go out and fix it today, but I never did get around to it. I had my dental appointment to go to at 1, and then after that I just sat at home and studied some more. It seems like it's all I ever do anymore!

Speaking of my dental appointment, I'm kind of disappointed. I was expecting him to pull the tooth that's been bothering me, or at least fix it, but all he did was take xrays. I have to go back in on Thursday for a cleaning and for him to tell me what he plans to do to my teeth. So I'll have at least another week, maybe two, before I'll be able to eat on the left side of my mouth again. That's typical, but I guess it will be really easy for me to avoid all the bad-for-me snack foods I normally eat. He did tell me to stop drinking sodas and tea, and of course to quit smoking. But they ALL tell you to quit smoking, don't they? And the sodas and tea I had already decided to quit. (Although after the day I had yesterday in clinicals, I broke down and bought a Coke. It took me four hours to finish the bottle, though, and it was just a regular sized vending machine bottle. Yay me!

Here's Damien doing what he does best... sitting in squalor and playing video games.

Damien and his friend Blake.

The mantle before the fall decorations came out...

The mantle AFTER the fall decorations were put up.

Day 35: October 1st, 2009

Quote of the Day: “Difficulties strengthen the mind, as well as labor does the body.-Seneca”

If you work in the medical field long enough you’re bound to run into a Code Blue. I just happened to have a rotation in the ER this week for clinical, and ran smack dab into one. We had a patient come in with respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest on an ambulance, and we had to do CPR on her. Everyone was ready as soon as they found out she was coming, so while everyone was trying to bring her back the three other students and I had to do chest compressions on her, taking turns when we got tired. When I did the compressions it was actually physically hard, but such a different experience. The technician was using a Doppler radar which you place on an artery and it amplifies the sound of blood moving through an artery. He told me “That’s all you, that’s your compressions moving the blood through her body.” The worst part of it was when I was felt a couple of her ribs crack beneath my hands, and knowing that I had done it. But like the respiratory tech said to one of the other students, it’s common, and it’s no worse than what she’s going through right now.

However, we ended up losing her anyways, despite our efforts and them giving her a LOT of epinephrine, atropine, and sodium bicarbonate, which are the three most-used cardiac medications for the situation. Despite the fact that it was my first death in a hospital I was really impressed with how smoothly the entire team ran things – from the nurse in charge of monitoring her pulse and O2 sats, to the respiratory technicians, to the pharmacy technicians, to the regular nurses. Everything was almost choreographed, and everyone knew their part and what they were supposed to do. But I also learned that I would not freeze up when something like that happens, which reassures me that I’ve made a good choice of career. I can take it. And yes, for those of you who want to know, it really does happen just like it does on television!

Other than that episode the rest of the day went really well. A lot of people with chest pain, some sick kids, lots of normal stuff. I found that I really liked the ER, and it is a very busy, very active place compared to all the other places I’ve done clinical at. I think it’s much better suited to my personality than the regular floors, but at the same time I am so much more tired than I usually am after our 12 hour clinical days. I may end up living on aspirin if I get a job as an ER nurse. Not that it’s a bad thing, necessarily. Maybe my legs and back would get used to the fast pace after a while. And I would DEFINITELY not have any problems staying skinny, that’s for sure. I must have walked around 20 miles today. Okay, maybe not 20, but at least 10. Mostly because I walk so fast all the time, and the fact that I had to spend so much time dodging around other people who were ALSO walking fast.

HOMETOWN ALBUM:
A Church on 3rd Street

Hi, how are ya!

Hi, there!

Our Proliferation of Peppers! We even have banana peppers growing now!

Day 34: September 30th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "We can all be heroes in our virtues, in our homes, in our lives. -James Ellis"

My second test of the semester is finally over, and I think I may have done better than on the first test! Then again, every time I think I did great on a test I get that stupid 78 score, sooo.... I think I bombed it! Completely and totally! HAHAHAHA!!! In all seriousness, though, I really did feel that I knew most of it. No big deal if I don't get a good score as long as I pass, but I'm feeling the 90's coming on really soon! Or at least, I'm praying for them. . . the bad luck streak has to end sometime!

Other than that, things are settling down into a routine somewhat. I had to take Damien in and buy him some new glasses under his new prescription, and he's sufficiently happy that he can see better now. Plus, he has a backup pair so that if something happens to one he'll still have a pair to use to drive. I know it's not the best, but at least it's something. Next time is on him, though. Although with the way they're doing him at his work I'm not sure that it's going to be anytime soon. He says he has been trying to find another job, but so far no luck. It's really sad, but the economy is in such a bad state that it's hard to even get a job at a McDonald's. I told him to go and apply at Lowe's and see if he can get on there. At least THEY won't cut his hours mercilessly. Right?

Cody's been up to his usual stuff. Right now he's in the kitchen stuffing his face after getting home from church. I swear that boy is growing again! It wouldn't surprise me a bit, actually! He's already taller than me, and wears a size 11 shoe. I wonder just how big he'll actually get? Poor thing.... if he turns out like Ron (or worse: taller!) then we'll all be in trouble. The girls already all love him, so I can't wait to beat them off with a stick. He has a new girlfriend now, named Krystal, and she is a real doll. As in a petite little blond who dresses nice. Kind of hard to come by in this town where a good 60% of the kids are on their way to being obese and around 35% are truly obese. I don't know if it's something in the water or not, but MAN, THEY GROW THEM BIG! I wish I had a picture of Cody and his girl, but I don't. I've only seen her once. I'll have to see if I can get one, though.

I have to get off here early (again) and go to bed, I have clinicals in the morning at 0-dark-30, so I'll have to be up early again tomorrow, and I've already been up today since 4:30, so I am exhausted! Enjoy the pictures below, and I will post more tomorrow. :)

HOMETOWN ALBUM:

VFW Post 10455: There for YOU!

Damien and his furrball... he says he plans to shave it!


THINGS SEEN: From the Wal Mart parking lot

Isn't the moon strange to see in the daytime?

Day 33: September 29th, 2009

Quote of the Day: “Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take them and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.-author unknown”

Things are swimming right along here, literally! It’s been a really beautiful day out, and having no A/C during this time of year really isn’t all that horrible. The highs for today are like 81 (I think), and since the house has been getting up to around 85 with the A/C off thanks to the programmable thermostat (with windows closed) it’s actually stayed cooler in the house. I particularly still can appreciate that clean-air smell… lots of people mowed their grass, and you can still smell that freshly-mowed grass smell. The only bad thing is that the pollen counts have been super high for the last few weeks, and I am definitely feeling it in my sinuses. Stuffy head, flushed face, metallic taste… oh, the joys of a sinus infection. Or, a common head cold? Who knows. The effects are the same, to me.

I went out to clean the pool today and found this fuzzy
caterpillar at the bottom of the pool. He’s pretty big, isn’t he?

Tomorrow’s my second test, already. If you can believe it! This semester is flying by, thank God! I’m glad, because it means that Ron will be home with me in no time at all. Don’t get me wrong, I think it sucks that he’s gone for so long, but I’m a big girl, I can deal with it. And I think that it’s good for people to spend a little time apart once in a while, but not THIS long. It’s miserable. And I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. But I understand the reasons he must go, and I am proud of him for being who he is, so I have to take the good with the bad. Besides, it’s that many days fewer that I have to clean the mirror on his side of the bathroom! ;)

Anyways, I’m off to another marathon cramming session… wish me luck!

THE YARD CHRONICLES, VOLUME 2:
COULD DIS BE DA CULPRIT?

TEXAS SUNRISE

HOMETOWN ALBUM:
The Burkburnett Community Center

Oh, no, not another Mocha pic!

Day 32: September 28th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "What is the opposite of two? A lonely me, a lonely you. ~Richard Wilbur"

The A/C guy came and looked at the AC today. He says that it needs a new control board, but they don't have them in stock so he'll have to order one. So.... he's going to call and let me know when he thinks they can get one, but that means that since I have school on Wednesday in Vernon and clinicals at the hospital on Thursday, they won't be able to come fix it until Friday at the earliest, or even MONDAY!!! UGH! No A/C? I don't mind that when I'm camping, but at home? Where you are used to having it? Hmm... what are the odds that they can get one and fix it tomorrow? Not good, I know... sigh. I'll be saving a TON of money on my electric bill. I guess I'll just have to keep on keeping all the windows open to air the house out. Remember my post the other day, where I said how nice it was to have the windows open and let the air breeze through, and how nice it makes the house smell? Yeah. I think I jinxed myself on that one. What do you think?

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Miss Mocha, posing for the camera ********************

To top it all off, I had a completely BLOND moment today. Anyone who knows me, they know that I am extremely capable of dropping the occasional blond moment here and there. Right? Well, let me tell you, folks, today's was a real doozy! I got up out of bed late and immediately got on the computer to work on my care plan for clinicals. I got some coffee. I smoked. I heard the trash truck coming by and remembered that today was Monday, and I had forgotten to take the trash bin out to the curb last night. I ran out there to see if it was too late, and it was. I came inside, I stretched out, studied a little. Got an IM from Sherrie to ask if I was coming to walk the kids to school with her, but I had overslept so I didn't get to do that. Apologized, and will go tomorrow come hell or high water. Got a call from the A/C company to let me know they were coming. Worked on the care plan some more... and then the unthinkable ( or maybe thinkable, if you know me) happened. At around 11 o'clock it suddenly struck me.... OH, MY GOD, IT'S MONDAY! CODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN SCHOOL, AND HE IS SITTING IN THE CHAIR IN THE LIVING ROOM WATCHING TELEVISION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I went in and said "Cody! You're supposed to be in school right now!" And he sat up straight in the chair and said "What day is it?" LOL So we BOTH had a total blond moment. He rushed in and got ready, and we got him to school by 11:30, but man, do I feel like a moron! Nursing school is hell on your memory, folks, don't go there! (It wouldn't be near as bad if I didn't have the trash truck and the walk-the-kids-to-school IM to remind me and STILL didn't remember! )

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The girls hanging out in the yard ********************

Nothing like a little humble pie to bring you down a peg, huh? Ron just laughed when I told him what happened. He may or may not have said something smart-alecky about it. You know, something like "Holy shit that is funny!" And then, to top THAT off, he says "hold on I have to get off the floor and back in my chair!" What a brat. And of course, the grand finale: "Damm no AC really screws you two up." Grr. He's lucky I wasn't on the phone with him or I might have hung up, the butthead! heheheh Just kidding.... you know I love him. He's just what I need to make me even MORE humble! LOL I did have a really good chat with him, though. We got to video conference, and I have to say he looked really good. Nothing like having a job to do and doing it to keep him happy. You can always tell when he's been productive, he loses ten years off his face. Or it's just that I age him by ten years when he's around me. I AM a rather big pain in the you-know-where sometimes. But I learned from the best... you know, the one who is currently getting up off the floor from laughing? Oh, yeah, Cody just walked by me and said "I have to get to bed soon. And don't forget, I have school tomorrow." I really wish there was an emoticon to describe feeling like an idiot, blushing, looking sheepish, and rolling your eyes all at the same time.... I would put it right here at the end of this darn paragraph! :)

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Awww, what a sweet picture of our little Chloe!********************
THE YARD CHRONICLES, VOLUME 1:
SOMEBODY'S GOTS TO PAY FOR DIS!!! **********

Day 31: September 27th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do. --John Holt"

Today has been a very busy "idle" day.... I got up at 5am to wait for Ron to call me, but ended up going for a 5:30 am walk. It's amazing how quiet this town is that early in the morning. And the streets were so dark that twice I had cats jump out of the alleys and scare the bejeezus out of me. It was very cool out, thought, which made it a really comfortable walk. And the best part? Not a single car on the roads. At all! I think I may have found the best time of day to walk! Well, in the warmer seasons, anyways.

Wow, speaking of seasons... fall is definitely here! One of the churches has set up a really cute pumpkin patch! I'll have to take pictures for you and put them on here. It's definitely nice having them decorate for it. It gives me something to do while I'm walking. Plus, it gives the town a more homelike atmosphere. And Friendship Festival is this coming weekend, soooo........ maybe I should go check it out so that I'll have something to do to occupy my time.

I think I have a problem.... the A/C sounds like it may need help. It's the actual unit in the attic, it sounds like it's trying to cycle, but failing. I'm going to try to record it so that I can show Ron what's going on with it. Maybe it's something I can fix without the service fees. I doubt it, though... to me it sounds like an air compressor or motor that's trying to kick on but can't. I'm sure that with the way things are going lately, whatever it is will be expensive. Cody's phone bill just came in today.... $1114.79! I nearly had ANOTHER heart attack, even though I knew it was coming. I just didn't know about the $150 in fees that Verizon would charge. Dangit.

So anyways, I'm off to try to figure out how to get into the attic without moving a car that's beneath the access ladder. Wish me luck! :)

P.S. I didn't get a chance to do pictures today, so look below for a new video... You'll laugh, I swear!