Day 58: October 24th, 2009

Quote of the Day:

“I keep coming back to you in my head, but you couldn't know that, and I have no carbons.” ~Adrienne Rich

It’s a funny thing… I was sitting at the computer this morning working on my emails and I actually heard the train coming through town for the first time in a LONG time. It was strange to realize just how long it had been since I had heard them near our house. Since we’ve moved so far away from the tracks I may have heard a train twice. But the dogs sure heard it, because the next door neighbor’s dog, Tex, was howling to it every time the whistle blew. Our dogs, however, didn’t make a peep. They’ve been hiding out in the garage pretty much in mornings waiting for the sun to be up enough that they could go and bask in it. Goofy dogs! At least they have enough sense to go in out of the cold.

Today is one of the next several days’ worth of study groups. It’s always really bad like this right before a test, when it comes to studying. We try to get together every day and study, which leaves no time for cleaning house and things like that. But then again, even when I’ve thought I’d have time to clean I ended up doing homework or something else. The house is really suffering right now, because I can only manage to clean it every two weeks or so. It’s horrible!

I met one of our neighbors today as I was out walking. They’re the ones, Ron, who had the brand new garage built and had it done in stone then accented their house in it. Her name is Brenda, and she’s a third grade teacher at Hardin Elementary. It turns out that they had an entire back room added onto their house the same way, a sunroom. She walked me back there and showed it to me, and I have to say it turned out really nice. I wish we could do something like that for ours, but I know it will cost a fortune. Sigh. But I know we are at least going to screen in the back porch, right? ;)

I’m taking Cody to the movies tonight, he wants to go see Paranormal Activity. It looks to me like it will be just as stupid as the Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield were to me, but we’ll see. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. I really doubt it, but we’ll see. It’s playing at the mall, so I don’t know how that’s going to work as far as the mall being closed at 9pm. Maybe it’s just the stores that close at nine, and they maybe block off the rest of the mall somehow. I’m not sure. But I will be finding out, because the next showing will be at 9:50. I would have gone earlier, but I had to walk, and was not about to miss a day, sooooooo…. It’s the late show for us. It’s only sleep, right? Maybe I can sleep in tomorrow or something. Who knows. I did actually make it until 8am this morning, so there’s hope. I’ll let you know tomorrow what the movie was like.

Day 57: October 23rd, 2009

Quote of the Day:

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” - Napoleon Hill



Today has been a really slow, really lazy day. I spent most of it sitting on my backside and messing around on the internet. I finished my homework for school last night, and as such have had nothing to do but study. Oh, and I managed to fold my laundry and put it away, so THAT is finally done. Now if I could just clean the dining room table off, things would be spectacular! You should see the mess I have going… mail and schoolwork are pretty much covering every single inch of it. You’d think that a completely OCD person like me would be going crazy right now just looking at it, but the truth is that I’m just so tired that I can’t bring myself to care about it anymore. I am VERY ready for Christmas break already, and it’s not even November. What does that say about me? Am I lazy, or just beyond capable of coping? LOL



I went out back to check out the pepper plants today, and the little bell peppers are growing very well. And just imagine… I actually HAD peppers on the plant! After Chloe had that one pepper, she must have decided that she never wanted to try THAT again…especially when you consider the fact that they were hanging over the edge of the little fence where she could easily reach them. I picked about 15 of them and brought them in, washed them up, and froze them for Ron. Then like a dummy I remembered that I should have taken a picture of them for Ron. But I did save the two biggest, healthiest ones, and am going to be trying to mail them to him. Hopefully they’ll make it. I just hope he has a LOT of water when he tries to eat them! And that he doesn’t try to trick one of his buddies into eating one… those puppies are H-O-T!!!!!



Tiger has been being a bad kitty all night, chasing Tiny around and starting fights. So finally, after they started to get a little too loud and mean I finally decided that I’d had enough and grabbed one of the sweaters and put on him. He then proceeded to spend the next half hour walking a few inches, and then flopping down on his side. Then getting up, walking to a new spot and flopping. He was definitely pouting, that’s for sure. But I took the sweater off him after a little bit, and there hasn’t been a single problem the whole rest of the time with him picking fights. So my theory holds true: sweaters are a good disciplinary tool to use on cats. Or at the very least, a great distraction from aggression. He is now laying happily across the floor sleeping.



Tomorrow I will be heading up to study at MSU with Laurie, Delia, and Carol Ann. We have another big test coming up on Wednesday, and I’m thinking that this one is going to be a lot harder than any of the previous ones. It is only 40 questions instead of 50 like the other tests have been, so the questions will be worth more. So I have no choice, I HAVE to do good on this one, much better than the other tests I’ve taken in the class so far. But at least there won’t be any math on this test, so I can spend my time focusing on the important information. That’s a good thing. And if I can stick to my guns and really, really study hard I should be fine. 

Day 56: October 22, 2009

Quote of the Day: "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." - Dr. Albert Schweitzer

I had a good day at clinicals.  I did not get sent to the ICU as I had feared, but was sent to the Recovery Room, which is a rotation I missed last semester because on the day I was scheduled to go we had a big ice storm and classes were cancelled.  It turns out that I really liked it, and not only did i see a lot I enjoyed it.  So there's another job opportunity waiting for me when I get out of school!  As a matter of fact, the only things I have ruled out so far are Long Term Care facilities, home health nurse, and ICU nurse.  Everything else is golden!  I can't go into many details, but I can just say that I enjoyed it.   And as a bonus, I was able to come home from my 12 hour day, go walking, and then completely finish my homework so that for the next few days I will be able to concentrate on studying for my upcoming test. I'm DETERMINED to do everything within my power to get a 90 or better on this test, so that I will pass it! LOL

But, after working 12 hours, then walking, then staying  up to do homework I am BEAT!!!!!! I"m going to go to bed now and get a good night's rest, worry-free because my homework is finished!  Goodnight, all! :)

Day 55: October 21st, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity." - General George S. Patton

I have had a  pretty good day today.  I woke up feeling a little better, so I went to class in a pretty good mood.  Of course, it's been raining again, but after I got home I actually went walking... in the RAIN.  I am bound and determined to get healthy again, dangit!  And it wasn't all that bad, really, because there was no one else out and very few cars driving around, so it made it kind of nice.  Yeah, my shoes got wet and I may have to wear another pair tomorrow, but besides that it was very relaxing.  I only walked two laps today instead of four, because I rode 6 miles on the stride bike. So all things considered, a good day for exercise.

 

Tomorrow I have clinicals, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I hope, anyways.  It's one of two preceptor weeks for me, where they stick you with an RN for an entire shift and she (or he) walks you through all your duties and responsibilities.  We can do anything the nurses do with the exception of give blood transfusions or chemotherapy.  My last preceptorship went really well because I had a good nurse who taught me a lot.  This semester I hope I'm just as lucky.  As long as they don't stick me in ICU again! I really, really hated it there!  Which, of course, means that I fully expect her to give me an ICU nurse as preceptor.  God, I really hope not! Wish me luck!

 

I have been pretty slack on the pictures, because I've been spending most of my time doing homework and copying our DVD movies onto my laptop, so there hasn't been much time for anything else. I'm really lucky that I managed to get the laundry done!  Well, part of it, anyways.  Sigh.  I guess I know what I'm doing on Friday.... cleaning and laundry! Oh, joy!  But I'm uploading a couple of pictures from camping and some I just took today, one of the girls, and one of the morning glory that had to wait all the way until now to REALLY put on a show.  Of course.  But that's okay, because at least I have the pictures. And I'm not crazy about them, so I don't think I'll be putting them in again next year.  They just haven't done what I wanted them to.  I may end up putting some shrubs there instead. Or just some daylilies.  Who knows? Ron will have some ideas, I'm sure. He usually has some good ones.  And we have all the way until spring to think about it, so that's plenty of time to come up with a plan.  That's good enough, right?

 

Day 54: October 20th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Prosperity is a life experience in health, wealth and love. You are prosperous when you have the resources to do what you truly want to do at the time you want to do it." - Scott Sherman

I think I've died. No, seriously... my shoulders and the back of my neck feel like I haven't slept in a week, and now my legs are sore as heck from all the walking and exercise I've been doing lately. I'm not sure if I'm even up to walking in to go to bed.  And on top of being all stiff and sore, I went out and mowed the front yard today.  UGH!  I didn't even bother doing the backyard after that, I just put the stupid mower up and said the heck with it. Ron, I do not know how you can mow that darn front yard with it being all uphill like it is, but you're my hero. Honestly, truly. You are.  I'll admit, it was a great workout, but at what cost???

Maybe I'm just getting the flu. A lot of the people I know are getting it, and it has been running rampant here lately.  Poor Laurie got it, and the doctor told her that she had to stay locked in her house all weekend long, from Friday through Monday.  How awful!!!! I'm hoping that mine is mostly getting used to working out mixed in with allergies.  I'd almost believe it with all the fuzzy-headedness I've been getting.  I can't wait until we go to Reno so that I can try and see if I feel better in other places.  We may just have to move to Nevada, where there are NO plants whatsoever!  HAHAHA  It used to be Arizona, but that was before all the snowbirds started going there... and bringing all their plants with them!  I don't think it's any better there than it is anywhere else now. 

Maybe getting out of here for a while would help me to get rid of this "fog" I have been living in.  I've actually spent some time on the internet trying to research all my symptoms and see if I can come up with anything that would make sense to me.  So far, though, I'm coming up empty. No, I don't think I have a brain tumor. No, I don't think it's fibromyalgia.  Spinal condy-what?  Nope. There's not a single thing out there that has all my symptoms in one little package.  I've started exercising, I've changed my diet, cut out soda completely, and the only thing left to do is try and get more sleep, which I admit freely that I really need to do. BUT, then I wouldn't be able to talk to Ron at night! I can't do that! Or can I? It's really strange, though, all these things going on with me.  Like the fact that it takes me longer now to recall information, and that I'm having memory issues.  Or how about the neck and shoulder aches? The fatigue at all hours of day or night, no matter how much sleep I've had. The feeling that something's just "not right" with me.  The feeling that I'm off-balance and about to fall, when I'm walking perfectly fine.  I have a list a mile long that I could put on here, but they would all just make you shake your head in disbelief. And confusion. And because I can't seem to think clearly anymore, I wouldn't even know what kind of doctor I would need to see!

Just a thought, anyways.  At least my homework is done, so now I'm going to go lay down on the couch and wait for Ron to get online. Maybe I can take a little catnap?

Day 53: October 19th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Don't let anything stop you. There will be times when you'll be disappointed, but you can't stop. Make yourself the very best that you can make of what you are. The very best." - Sadie T. Alexander

I have spent most of today trying to upload photos onto Flickr, and so far I think I may have been able to upload about 200 or somthing. It takes sooooo long! Why, oh why, do I feel the need to take so many darn pictures! HAHAHA Because I enjoy it, and because it's one of the few things I have to do, I guess. I've been working on homework today, too, so that put me into a borderline poor mood. I'm not sure what's wrong with me lately, but I just can't concentrate anymore. I feel like my brain is trying to form thoughts through a fog, and it's been this way for quite a while. I wonder if there may be something wrong with me that is causing me to lack my normal mental clarity?  It can't be lack of sleep, because I sure got plenty last night. I'm not sure what's going on.  But it has been more difficult to breathe lately, too, so I'm wondering if it isn't just sinus/allergy related. It seems like I went through this last fall, too, if I remember correctly. I still swear that I am allergic to something here that makes me feel miserable most of the year. I wonder if I would feel better if we just moved somewhere else? Like my brain would finally work the way it's supposed to?

I walked 5.21 miles today to try and make up for the last couple of days when I didn't walk.  And do you want to know something totally funny that makes no sense to me? MY ARMS ARE SORE!  Figure that one out. Who knows what the heck is going on with that, I guess maybe I'm holding them funny when I walk.  I'm not sure.  But I'm hoping that tomorrow when I wake up I'll be even lighter than I have been today. I was 143 on the nose this morning, which is lighter than I've been in at least 5 years. And also, I only have 3 pounds left before I reach the "recommended weight range" of 113 to 140 lbs for my height.  WooHoo! I may get there sometime this year!  My goal is to get it off, and then KEEP it off, but we'll see how well that works out.

I'd have thought I'd feel better with all the exercising, but I haven't so far. Maybe it's time to go to a doctor? One that may know what's going on with me? I love my normal doctor, but I had to tell him what to give me in order to make me better after my spider bite, and then I had to tell him which lab to order for my Hepatitis B titer for school, so let's just say that I'm losing faith.  I will probably call and make an appt with the doctors on base, and give that a try. Maybe I have some kind of walking pneumonia or something. Hard to tell, right? Oh, well. Lots of luck with that. ;)

I'm off to bed now, but I've got my list of photos all loaded onto Flickr so that while I spend the night sleeping it will spend the night loading my photos. I should be down to only a couple hundred by tomorrow!  Wish me luck with that! And then the brains to upload them more often so that I don't go through this again!
Goodnight!

Day 52: October 18th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "Oft in the tranquil hour of night, When stars illume the sky,
I gaze upon each orb of light, And wish that thou wert by."  ~George Linley

Wow, it's day 52 without you, Ron... and it feels like it's been a hundred and fifty-two.  Driving to town today it hit me just how much I really enjoy driving to town with you. Even when we just sit silently next to each other and are watching the scenery go by it's somehow better just because you're there.  And I really miss that. It's just not as nice driving alone, even with one of the kids in the car. It's not complete if you aren't there.  And I can't wait until you come home so that I can tell you all about it!

We had a raccoon come through camp last night and make a mess of our table and coolers. Muddy footprints were EVERYWHERE when I got up this morning!  I took pictures of it to show everyone.  The thing is, it actually woke me up in the middle of the night, but since I didn't know exactly what it was I was a little afraid to leave the tent to find out, because we'd been hearing coyotes really close all night long before we went to bed.  I love being out at the lake and hearing all the critters, but it's something totally different when they wake you up from a sound sleep while ramsacking your campsite.  My poor graham crackers that I accidentally left on the table didn't stand a chance... good thing there were only a couple left when we went to bed. I even tried to make a little noise from inside the tent to scare it away, but it was useless. It stayed there for what felt like at least an hour.  And now I'm feeling all achy and tired, and know it's because I didn't sleep well last night. The bags under my eyes have bags!

That's okay, though, it was still a good trip. And no, I didn't get stuck in the mud again.... and don't give me too hard a time, because let's not forget the LAST time Ron and I went camping he got the truck, boat and trailer ALL stuck at the edge of the lake and had to get pulled out.  So it's not just me!  I guess you probably could say that it runs in the family? ;) HAHAHA