Day 51: October 17th, 2009

Quote of the Day:

“It is idle to dread what you cannot avoid.”

-Publius Syrus

The big camping trip… who would have thought when we planned it that it would turn out like it did??? We ended up leaving the house around 8 this morning, and had to stop off at WalMart for some lantern batteries because we were out, and ended up arriving at the lake around 9 or so. Not too bad, right? Well, yeah, except for the fact that I completely underestimated the amount of rain we have had in the last few weeks. And let me tell you, that was a BIG underestimation, because I did the total female thing and got the truck stuck in the mud. Ron’s going to hate this part, too….. some old guy in a Ford that lives out here pulled me out. He just happened to be on his way home from somewhere and I was able to flag him down because I was only like 50 feet from the road. DUH, CARMEN! ANOTHER BLOND MOMENT!

After we got pulled out of the mud and were able to find a better road back down to the lake things went much smoother, and we were able to really enjoy the day. It didn’t take too long to set up camp because I didn’t bring a whole lot since we were only staying the one night. We got to go for a really nice stroll and and hang out together and just relax, which was a really nice change of pace. It’s funny, but the kids actually get along out here. So when can I move here???



We’ve seen lots of interesting things, and noticed that it is super green here compared to normal. Our first campsite we camped in at this lake is nearly 90% grown over now with weeds, grass, and small trees. I almost wouldn’t recognize it. And since there’s still a clear path out to the island-that-is-no-longer-an-island because of all the drought we’ve had the boys and I were able to walk out onto the island and take a look around. Not much there, but we had fun skipping rocks and taking tons of pictures. I can’t believe how many flowers there are growing right now, you’d actually think it was spring! I took a lot of pictures of them, but I don’t know how many of them will actually make it onto here. I have taken somewhere over 200 pictures today so far… enough that I had to plug in my battery to charge. NOT FUN!!!! So I’m going to try and put as many on as I can tomorrow, but I’m roaming so we’ll see. It all depends on this crazy computer.  Nothing like trying to blog while you’re out camping, with a less-than-dependable internet connection!



Tonight is S’Mores night, so Cody’s already been asking me several times when I can start the fire. We’re doing hot dogs too, so it should be a lot of fun for them. Just waiting for sundown…. Was considering telling ghost stories around the campfire, but we’ll see how it plays out. I’ve never been camping without my other half before, so maybe all I’ll manage to do is scare myself and make the kids laugh. Oh, and Ron… completely off-topic, but do you know what Cody said out of the blue this morning on the way here? He said, “You know what sounds really good right now? Eric’s gumbo!” Think maybe you can talk him into coming and visiting you when he gets back? ‘Cause I’ve got to admit… that gumbo really is good! LOL So I propose that the two of you have a gumbo cookoff… totally selfless of me, of course. I’m thinking only of you guys, not my tummy. I swear! 

Day 50: October 16th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "“If any man tells you he loves America, yet hates labor, he is a liar. If any man tells you he trusts America, yet fears labor, he is a fool.” - Abraham Lincoln

Right now I should be sitting around a nice, warm campfire roasting marshmallows and listening to the small waves hit the shoreline. I should be under a big, beautiful black sky full of little white stars and making wishes.  But instead, here I am at the computer, again... LOL It's becoming a habit! I just can't help myself. Well, that and the fact that.....  We didn't get to leave for camping today. 

The plan was to go to pick up food as soon as Cody got home from school and get to the lake in time to set up the tent before dark. However, Cody decided that he would stop off at the pumpkin patch on his way home, after sticking around the school to pick up football gear, which I wasn't aware of.  And of course, his phone was off. So he came strolling in around 6.  By the time we got to the store and picked up the food we only had half an hour or so until dark, so we have to leave tomorrow morning.  Seems a shame to put up the tent for just one night, but a promise is a promise. So we'll go first thing in the morning, and get everything all set up just to tear down the next day. Oh, joy. What fun.  But I'll still be able to take lots of pictures for Ron while we're there. 

Spiderwebs in my Rosemary

The only problem is that I didn't go walking today because I was busy getting things all ready to go and cleaning up the house a little. And I didn't go walking yesterday either because of clinicals.  Sooooo, I can either give up on it altogether for the day, or I go right now. It the dark. And the cold.  Hmm, tough choice. Literally, because I really want to get in shape!  Sigh.  What to do, what to do.....  I heard the coyotes out earlier tonight, real close to the house. I hope everyone has all their pets inside, because they're closer than they've been in a long time.  Then again, it seems like they're always close by in the winter time.  Not sure why.  Maybe I'd better forget about walking?  Nah!  They stay away from people. If I were a cat, though, I'd be worried.

Look what Chloe did to my salvia bush! Dang dog!

The town is definitely starting to change with the seasons.  A slight few of the trees in the neighborhood have begun to change colors, getting all red and yellow.  The strip of trees at Friendship Park are splotchy red in some parts while still being mostly green, but I have a feeling they'll start changing quick. Most of the town's still green, but it won't last long either.  I still think we are in for one heck of a winter, but who knows what the weather people say.  We'll see how bad it gets, huh?  Maybe I'll be able to put some really pretty snow pictures on here. You KNOW I'm looking forward to going around getting the really good shots!

My favorite trees in this area... the first to go red, and when they go, I'm telling you, they GO! I love it!

Day 49: October 15th, 2009

Quote of the Day: Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which have been overcome while trying to succeed. - Booker T. Washington"

Ever do something where you think at first that it's the best thing you've ever done, and then later start to think that you're making the worst mistake you could ever make? I am so down right now about school that I just want to crawl under a rock and not come out until school is over. I am truly hating school right now more than I ever have before. I'm not even excited about it anymore, and that says a lot.
Today's clinicals were horrible, and I'm glad they're over. I've not been feeling very well today, so it seemed like the longest day in history. And I was very disappointed in how everything went.  HOWEVER, we splurged and had McDonald's (with a Coke) for dinner, and watched the new Scooby Doo movie. It was a very nice, relaxing evening that really made up for my long and miserable day. I'm really wondering if this is all going to be worth it, or if I will even like nursing. Some of the nurses I've dealt with are HORRIBLE backstabbing people. Sigh.

I did get the kids to sit down and make out a list of foods to take with us on our camping trip... I haven't checked it yet, but can't wait to see what they think of as good camping food... Cody was asking if ice cream was an option! What a goober!
Other than that, I can't wait to go to bed and get this awful day over with.  So I'll see you all tomorrow.

Day 48: October 14th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "It isn't enough to talk about peace, one must believe it. And it isn't enough to to believe in it, one must work for it.- Eleanor Roosevelt"

Today has been a pretty good day. I took my third test today, and to my complete surprise the teacher actually had our grades posted by 4pm today. I am sad to say that I failed the test, getting only a 76 on it, but I knew that it would happen because I had so much homework to do that I never did get a chance to study.  Too bad that I missed getting a C on it by one question, but at least I still have an 80 average in the class. And better luck on the next test, which I will have much more time to study for due to NOT having to do a concept map for clinicals between now and the test.  Thank God for small miracles!  Tomorrow I have clinicals, though, and I get to go do a rotation in the ICU again, which was my LEAST favorite rotation of all of spring semester. But since that was only because it was so slow and boring, and I was assigned to a bad nurse,  I am going with an open mind that it will be different tomorrow.  Maybe knowing more than I did last time I went will help too.  Won't know until I try, right?

I sat down with the boys tonight and had a heart to heart with them.  I felt that things were getting out of control around here and that they weren't doing their part not only to be a part of the family, and that they also have not been showing me the respect that I feel they need to.  Especially Cody, as he is only 13 and has begun to act as if he thinks he is 30.  I explained that I want Damien to spend more time at home, and to not hide out in his room when he actually is home.  I explained that Cody now has to have my permission to do things, and that he no longer has free reign. On the days I do not have school or clinicals I will drive him to school, and I will also pick him up afterward.  If he wants to go to church I will drive him there and pick him up as well.  I am re-implementing family movie night. I am re-implementing allowances.  I feel that if we start spending more time as a family, maybe there's hope of things getting better and not feeling so wrong all the time.  They actually took it pretty well, so we'll see how it works out.  We're going on a little camping trip this weekend together, so I gave them the chore of making out lists tomorrow of any special foods they may want to take, games they may want to play while there, or things they may want to do.  I told them they have to be home tomorrow night when I get home from clinicals so that we can plan the trip. I'll be taking the dogs with us, too, since I don't have anyone to watch them.  Should be interesting, to say the least.  We'll see.

I've got to get to bed now, because getting up at 4am tomorrow morning is going to come awfully early.  I'll leave you with just a couple pics, one of which is of the back of our property, where Ron recently installed a new drain pipe for the pool's backwash system.  He planted over the dirt with grass seed, but what I find funny is that the grass is a different color, making it appear that it has gotten a lot more water than the rest of the ground, which under any other circumstances would indicate a water leak.  If it were a pressurized pipe, that is.  Kind of funny!  But anyways, off to bed I go.  Goodnight, everyone!

Spiderwebs with raindrops trapped in them

Mocha listening to the neighbors

The strange-coloration changes in the grass

Chloe just chillin' out in the backyard

Day 47: October 13th, 2009

Quote of the Day:  "Friendship is the most constant, the most enduring, the most basic part of love. - Ed Cunningham"

I went out back today to see if there was anything that needed done or worked on, and found to my dismay that Bandit's headstone is all cracked up! I can't figure out what caused it, unless it was the intense summer heat followed by all the rain we've had.  I'm not sure.  But here are the pictures, so maybe you can figure out what may have caused it and what can be done about it.  And as usual, you can click on any of the images for a full-size close-up.

Side view... see where it looks like something lifted it up off the concrete slab part?

The view from directly above.

 

View from the other side.

Another side view.

I'm trying to get the shadows to show you the damage, but without the sun, that's the best I can get. Sorry! :)

We are also going to have to secure the rose trellis as well, the weight of the rosebush has started pulling it away from the wall. Could be worse, but not too bad right now.

And as I promised, here's one of the groups of worms that found their way into the pool on account of the rains we've been having lately.  This is the largest mass of them, but there are four or five smaller groups at the shallow end.  This one's about the size of my fist.  That's a lot of fishbait and fertilizing gone to waste!!!  But it gives you an idea of how much rain we've gotten.  That, and the four inches in the rain guage.  Either one are signs enough, right?

On a happier note, though... Ron, you have your first bell pepper! Can you see the little guy there in the center of the picture?  There have been lots of blossoms on the plant for a couple of weeks now, and finally they're starting to grow. I don't know if this is late in the season for them to be starting out or anything, but at least I know that we can grow them. It'll be interesting to see if they get big enough or not.

The little pepper

And just look at all those big old peppers sitting there on the plant, that I WILL NOT take a bite of ever again! I learned my lesson the last time, thank you VERY much.  But you can have them all, if you want. I'm going to try to package one up and ship it to you so that you can have one of your fresh peppers.  Hopefully they make it!  And speaking of sending things to you, did you ever get your package? I still haven't heard anything about it. I'll be getting you another one ready here in the next week or so, but I'm not going to send it until I'm sure you've gotten the other one. Just because, I guess. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm just being lazy? hehehe

Anyways, I'd better hit the bed, tomorrow's our third test. Wish me luck... I had so much homework during this one that I didn't have time to study much.  Oh, well... maybe it'll sink in through osmosis tonight if I fall asleep with my head on my book... what do you think?

Day 46: October 12th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "As contraries are known by contraries, so is the delight of presence best known by the torments of absence. ~Alcibiades"

Welcome to fall at the Nason house!

It sure does feel like fall, that's for sure. It seems like it's been cold and wet for weeks now! I've been happy as a clam running around in sweatpants, though... I need to buy about ten more pairs, and then I'll be content. When I've been going on my walks at night I can smell people's fireplaces burning, and it smells soooo good. I can never tell whose it is, though, because it's been so misty and rainy that you don't even see smoke coming out of chimneys. But it's there, anyways, that wonderful smell. Sometimes you can smell hickory, sometimes pecan, and sometimes oak, but there's been a lot of mesquite burning too. I just can't help but take a big huge whiff while I'm out and about. Makes me want to run home and build my own fire. Almost. That's a lot of work to do when it's not cold outside yet. I haven't even turned the heater on at all yet. And the house has been staying in the low 60's, so I'm not too worried about it.

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My favorite fall angel, guarding the candy dish which the boys have been staying away from.

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Some of our fall colors... Mums!

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Went to study at Vernon College this evening with Delia and Carol Ann, and it went okay, until we went to leave at around 8:45. We walked out into the parking lot and this guy was out there near the back of the parking lot in a hoodie with the hood over his head. Normal, except for the fact that he was walking around aimlessly like he was in slow-motion, and that he was blowing raspberries every few seconds for no apparent reason. We weren't sure if he was on drugs, drunk, crazy, or all three but we got out of there QUICK!!! What a creepy thing to have happen that late at night in a nearly-empty parking lot, huh??

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As promised, here's one of me for ya, babe! **********
I saw the healthiest coyote tonight that I have seen in a long time. Cody called me at around 10:15 to come pick him up out at his friend Nathan's house, who lives out in the middle of nowhere, so off I go to get him. When I got to where Daniels Road meets up with I44 there was this really big, healthy-looking coyote crossing the road. The funny thing is that he (she) stopped just off the road in the grass and stared at my car as I went by. I drove really carefully the rest of the way out to Nathan's and back.... this, of course, after I nearly wrecked my car into the curb earlier on the way to the school because a spider came dangling down in front of my face on its little web. And we all know how I feel about spiders ever since being bitten last year, right? :)
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So here's another me, in the process of my weight loss, not looking much different yet, but the scales are definitely heading on a downward trend. Way to go, me! hahaha Notice: jeans, and bulky sweater with another shirt underneath, and I STILL don't look that bad! :)

Day 45: October 11th, 2009

Quote of the Day: "When I go away from youThe world beats deadLike a slackened drum....~Amy Lowell, "The Taxi"

It's been another one of those dreary days. The kind where every time you look outside you think it's only been 5 minutes since the last time you looked because the sun just isn't leaving any shadows. Or even any hints of where it's at in the sky. Which is fine, because I had MAJOR HOMEWORK to try and finish up today. Of course, I have still got two little tiny things to go on it, but it is 99.6% done, which sounds good to me! Because that means that I can use the next two days to finish studying. Which I really need now because I had to take so much time off to work on this stupid homework from clinicals. GRR! I know they help you learn, a LOT, and it's the only way a lot of people will even look at the inside of their books, but MAN they are a lot to do. When something is 20 pages long and takes you 4 days to work on, that's big.

Here's Cody, horsing around in the living room again.

I took Cody with me for a short bike ride today to take a break from studying, and it was a good way to get some exercise. We rode 3.34 miles together, and the whole time I was scared to death that he would either swerve into me and knock me down, or swerve out in front of a car. THE BOY CAN'T RIDE A BIKE STRAIGHT TO SAVE HIS LIFE!!!! I'm tempted to go buy him rear-view mirrors for his bike, because every time he'd turn his head to look behind him he'd swerve MAJORLY toward the direction he was turning. I don't know about you, but to me that's completely insane! On a bike? Especially in a town where half the people just can't drive to save their life! Maybe they need to make airbags for bicycles. Hey, it can happen.... or at least an airsuit. ;)

Cody's "almost" perfect handstand.


Damien and Cody BOTH accompanied me on my walk tonight, too, which was a nice change of pace from my same old boring self. It was nice to have someone to talk to when I was walking. I can't wait until Ron comes home... then I can drag HIM along with me! I've always loved walking with him, it makes it go by faster and he's good company. I just hope he knows that he's going to walk with me when he gets back... I forgot to remind him that he wants to! LOL (Just kidding, babe, but.... would you please? hahaha)

"No pictures or autographs, please!"
I am so sleepy right now that I feel like my eyes are going to explode right out of my head, and I still have those two questions staring at me from a little blinking window indicator at the bottom of the screen. Guess I'd better get back to work, or the nursing school fairy will come and press my memory dump button in the middle of the night and leave me completely clueless for the test on Wednesday. 'Night, all!