Must. Keep. Blogging

Oh my little bloggy-blog.  I've neglected you this week.  I've put you aside.  I've forgotten about you. I cursed the thought of staying up a half an hour later to write something.  I've been awfully busy, and I hope you understand. 

Last week I worked seven days in a row, and that is no freakin joke.  I'll never do that again, if I can help it.  Seriously.  Don't try it. 

Day number six happened to be the 4th of July, which in my family used to be a sacred day of worship.  Unfortunately, things change and we move away, but more importantly the people who you use to shoot fireworks into their sound moved away and it hasn't been the same since.  So, instead of eating big, juicy clams and shaking my head every time my father pulled out a 3 foot long, bright red firecracker that he hangs off of the deck, I worked.  I worked in the most po-dunk town that doesn't believe in splurging for, oh, I don't know AIR CONDITIONING in 99 degree weather.  I worked and I heard the fireworks go off, and even saw ONE on the way home.  

And my night was filled with gems like these:

Old man:  Do you know how to make Holy Water?

Me:  Yeah, you need a priest....

Old man....You boil the hell out of it!


Old man: Do you know why the Indians were here first?

Me: silence

Old man: Because they made reservations!

That's probably all he could remember. 

And on day seven, I felt like I got ran over by some kind of 16 wheeler and realized that all of this taking care of old people started to make me feel old.  My knees ached, my back hurt, I just wanted to sit in front of the tv.  I found myself saying things like, "Oy, my sciatica." I wanted to be in bed by 7.  You get it. 

Still, it's an itsty-bitsy rush to put that many hours in a week.  To push yourself and accomplish something.  To survive in the first place.  To not really see a difference in your pay-check, but doing it anyways.  To be a super nurse. 


I'm still recovering from the Seattle trip.  How can you come back from a trip and then start a seven-day work week the next day and be all refreshed?  I can't.  I can work seven days in a row, but it's not a pretty picture in the end.  It doesn't help that the fiancee also worked seven days in a row (it's not a competition sweetie), you're planning a major party in 5 days and have to deep clean everything, and you get new grass in the process which forces the pup to change her bathroom situation.  Instead of refreshing, we regressed.  You don't exercise, you don't communicate, you start having accidents in the house.  Not me personally.

And yes, I know, I haven't written a damn thing about the trip.  I have great pictures though.  You want a peek?

And..... a shout-out to the cousins who are maybe reading this now.  Holla.

Cloudy Day

I mentioned that I ran home from work yesterday, put on shorts and the ring, grabbed the camera and the dog.  Here's what we found:

Who has problems, when you have clouds like these?

Not Lilly, who was set for an adventure.

We returned to Harrisburg earlier in the week only to discover that the grass is not green anymore.  It's fried.  Luckily, Lilly and I found the only green left in the field.

And we plopped our behinds right down in that green patch.  Because, who knows how long it will last.

And that's pretty much all there is to that story.                                                                                             

Except Lilly felt like being ironic                                                                                                                   

                                                                      

                                          

You know what? Life is good

It really is.  Even when you wake up at 6:20 when your shift started at 6:00 and you got out of the house, showered at 6:40.  The dog even got fed.  Life is still good. 

Because no one was mad, I started my first med pass on time, and I got an extra 1.5 hours of sleep. 

If I didn't get that extra sleep today, I wouldn't be up right now.  I wouldn't have gardened today, or worked out, or gotten my second wind at 11 PM tonight.  This is when I typically get my second wind (except when we go out, for some reason); this is when my creative juices flow.  Gross. Anyways, I'm at my finest work performance from 2300-0200.  The dog is asleep, the house is quiet, and I can turn my music on and type, or just listen to the crickets outside and write.

This writing thing is starting to grow on me.  Like, big time.  I've always enjoyed writing, I've mentioned that before, but I've never maintained my writing like I have in the last six months.  Its therapeutic, sure, but now it's starting to be more than that.  It's starting to change my everyday life.  I'm thinking in blog-speak--I'm constantly narrating my life in my head as I go about my day. 

You never know what the next day will bring you, I thought in the shower this morning (at 6:25), but that is so freakin cliche anyways. Of course you don't know what the day will bring you.

The quote of the day is "Don't drive like a jackass, just because you're late." Thank you Kevin.  I thought as I pushed a cart through the hallways, ahead of schedule. 

Yes, you never know what the day will bring you.  Yesterday's crazy, trying to bust open the backdoor little old lady is today's best conversationalist.  Around lunchtime.

Or maybe, the quote of the day is "A BUICK!" answered by the crazy old man, retired mechanic who I asked what the best car is.

I'm constantly thinking of things to write about, and occasionally I make a note, but most of the time, the thoughts are lost.  Maybe they'll pop up again and show up in a later post.  Either way, this writing thing is making me more aware of the writable moments of the day. 

Today is the second night in a row where I climb in bed with dirt under my nails.  And that's a good thing.  That means I touched the earth today, I was outside, the sun warmed my skin, the dog savored her back yard. 

The moment of the day came a couple of hours ago when I read this post and had the sudden urge to call Theresa and talk all night about my wedding and dancing with my girls.  But, she didn't respond and so I diverted my energy elsewhere.  I got my fix by playing "Glory Days" by the Boss, dancing in the basement thinking about the last dance (and tearing up, geeze), then sitting down and writing a toast/speech for our engagement party.

I want it to be tomorrow. 


It's a good toast by the way.  Funny and heartwarming. 


I am a lucky girl.  I have love and I love life and I am living life. 

Recovering

We spent 10 days in Seattle last week, returning to Harrisburg on Monday. Returning after a red-eye flight that was delayed, followed by a 2.5 hour layover in Chicago, and another flight that was delayed.  After two hours of sleep total, we finally got home around one in the afternoon.  Exhausted, but I pushed through the feeling to take a nap.  So, instead, I caught up on my beloved blogs, which I had purposefully put-off reading in Seattle (mainly because my parent's computer is so freakin slow).  And it was a delicious way to spend an exhausted afternoon.  Then, I picked up a very homesick puppy, bathed her little behind in a kiddy/puppy pool in the backyard, and still did not sleep.  She slept.   That's all she did when I brought her home. 

It takes a couple of days to readjust after traveling, especially when there's a red-eye involved.  There's so much to do when you get back--clothes to unpack and wash, mail to sort, weeds to remove.  The day after we got back, I made a list of things to do, because that's what I do, make lists.  And that first day consisted of this:  make your bed, eat something, wake-up before 11, feed the dog.  So far, so good.  Today, I'm almost back to normal.  Some weeds have been pulled, a corner of my room is cleared, the suitcase is at least downstairs and not in the kitchen, the dog went to the field today.  Tomorrow, watch out. Ha. 

Yes, it was a good trip.  We got a lot done.  Family was nurtured.  Things went as well as they possibly could.  Pictures and stories will be posted soon.  Not very soon, but soon. That's not on my list yet. 

For now, it's shift after shift, because an agency nurse like me does not get vacation pay.  So, I'm working now for the play of last week.  And yet, I don't mind.  I really don't mind.  I'm actually psyched.  Right, I just said that.  I'm getting satisfaction with every shift I put in.  I feel accomplished.  I may not feel that way on Saturday, but right now I'll savor it. 

But, it's not all work.  It can't be.  And since I have so many shifts this week, I need more moments where I look around and savor. 

Like:

Wanting nothing more after work today than running home, putting on shorts and my engagement ring, and grabbing the camera and the dog for a walk.

Getting ice cream with K after a Target run and dreaming up ideas for our upcoming engagement party.

Enjoying my dinner at work last night even more because I had a new magazine to share it with.

The anticipation of our new backyard lawn that will be put in tomorrow, and still thinking about how the professional gardener was impressed with my own backyard creation.

Watching Top Chef tonight with a glass of raspberry Crystal Light and a bowl of popcorn sprinkled with Johnnys Seasoning Salt.

This article. I dig it.

Watering and weeding my garden in the dusk while the puppy chews blades of grass in the cool breeze.

Going to bed tonight already content with tomorrow, breathing in the lavendar mist that I spray on my pillow.

And thinking about how tomorrow will be my second July with this blog.  More great things to come.

Quickly now

Just a quick post before life gets crazy again.  I worked 32 hours in the last three days, and let me tell you, felt like I worked 32 hours in the last three days until about 7 tonight.  I woke up sore, I woke up exhausted.  The only cure was to lay in bed, with a equally exhausted (I'm not sure why) puppy cuddling with my feet, and watch a marathon of Buffy.  Thank you Logo network. All day Buffy marathon, of the top shows, voted by the gay and lesbian community.  The number 1 episode was, of course, the musical episode.  Gotta love those voters. 

Once my synovial fluid settled around my knees, I showered and ate something, but found myself back in bed, continuing the marathon.  No, today was not a successful day. I accomplished nothing except showcasing my Buffy quote skills.  But, days like today are a must in my life.  I believe in having days where you don't shower until you can't take it anymore. I believe in days where the blinds are down and you're still in your pjs.  I believe in days where you're as lazy as a black lab.  I believe in days where you acknowledge that you worked 16.5 hours yesterday, and accept that today you will work none. 

Tomorrow, I'll vaccum.  I'll garden.  I'll run again (like I did on Thursday, yep, that's two days of running. I'm a runner now. Boo-yah). I'll engage my puppy both physically and intellectually.  I'll shower early, and hell maybe do some deep conditioning and exfoliating. I'll cross things off lists and I'll feel busy. 

We balance, that's what we have to do.  For every 16.5 hour day with old women who are throwing things at you and old men who are grabbing your, well, whatever they can get their hands on,  there must be a Buffy marathon day.


And, quickly, a couple of great thigns:

1.  Talking to Katie and Theresa all in one evening.  It happened last week too.  Now, if I had some Liz in there too, I'd be set.  Seriously, I go from no girl talk to the best girl talk. 

2. Presenting, our wedding website!  I've been working on it since he put a ring on it, and we're finally getting the word out.  I love, love, love the site now.  Thanks Blogger for finally updating your design template!  Slackers.

3. Seattle.  We're going on Wednesday for 11 days, and hopefully I'll get my fix.  We're staying overnight in Downtown for 2 nights and are planning a Tom Douglas crawl.  You know, like a bar crawl, except way less (sorry babe) liquor and more good food.  Let me tell you, we're hittin up Serious Pie, Dahlia Lounge (for brunch), AND of course, Lola for breakfast on Sunday.  Plus, I'm hoping for an engagement dinner with my family on Tuesday at Palace Kitchen.  Sorry Etta's! 

4.  More Seattle.  I just want to say that I can't wait to walk on the waterfront, sit and look at the water at the Sculpture Park, and stroll through Pike Place, picking out flowers to by, Chukar Cherries, seafood, bread, and those mini-doughnuts.  Yes, I'm going to ask them if they do weddings.  You people don't even know how good those mini-doughnuts are.  Slackers. 

5.  Wedding stuff.  K and I are going to meet with the caterer next week (Tom Douglas catering, DUH), and check out the Hotel Andra and Palace Ballroom for our reception. I think we both have our little hearts set on Palace, but we're open to anything.  Actually, we're only open to Tom Douglas. 

Expect one more post before the trip!

Anatomy of a Weekend, and on

I know I haven't written in over a week. Just barely over a week.  I'll blame it on lack of inspiration. I'll blame it on extremely hot summer days, where it's 95 outside and humid as hell, forcing us to seek refuge in a cooler basement.  I'll blame it on sitting around and thinking about what we want to do, but lacking the energy to do it because of the heat. 

But, I'm going to mostly blame it on work, because that's the greatest excuse in the book. With a new scheduler brings mucho shifts.  Shifts that start early and end in the afternoon, shifts that start late and finish late, with more early shifts right around the corner.  Basically, I've been working a lot.  And my knees feel it.  When you're a nurse, you build up a tolerance with all of that walking.  Walking up the hall, and back down, then up again because you forgot something, then back down because someone's calling you, and then back up because you forgot something else.  Little old ladies in wheelchairs watch you like they're watching a tennis match: head to the right, then the left, then right again. And they become exhausted just sitting there. 
I've always said that nurses should be a size 2, with all of the exercise they get at work. I guess the stress evens everything out. 

When I wasn't at the nursing home, I was teaching.  My second job is with the Red Cross, and lately, babysitting classes have been in more demand than CPR.  So I drove an hour away, to where farms are the new black, and taught 5 students how to change diapers.  And begged them not to text on the job.  Or use facebook. Or invite friends over.


The house was mine and the dogs when I got home.  Eventually, I decided to get out of the house.  The decision was most definitely made after I banged on the window like an idiot, trying to get a wild bunny out of my garden patch, as the next door neighbor poked her head over her fence and stared at me.  It was time to do something else.  

So, I went to the gym, and I ran.  I ran for, well, I won't tell you how long because it's really not THAT much, but it was for me. Yes, I ran and I did it until I couldn't anymore.  And I felt great until Ms. Thing with her blonde hair and too-tight everything got on the long row of empty treadmills, two treadmills from me.  Then, running didn't seem so freeing.  And then, one of her tool of a boyfriends came along and the conversation went to something like this:

Ms. Thing: Hey

Tool: Hey

Tool hits the emergency stop buttom on the treadmill

Ms. Thing:  Heyyyy

Tool: How come you didn't call me?

Ms. Thing: How come you didn't call me?

Tool: I don't have your number

Ms. Thing: I don't have your number

Tool: What's your number


And so on, so on.


My weekend ended with another shift, in the evening, where I heard things like this:

Little old lady (in a wheelchair) (talking to me): Are you walking?  Where is your walker?!?


Eventually, Monday came and the weather cooled, and I found myself with three days off.  And on Tuesday, K found himself with two days off.  So we cooked dinners, tidied up, contributed to our gardens, and played with energetic, cabin-feverish puppies. 

Here is my current pride and joy of the garden:

Things are growin and bloomin and I think that's just swell. 

We stayed up late on Monday night, with all intentions of watching a movie, and instead picking out songs that we want for our wedding.  I think we have about 10 hours of songs that we love. 

Last night, I took advantage of the cooler weather and started a fire.  Or attempted to. The logs were still damp from the storms of last week.  I implemented the Randy Troy method (tiki-torch fluid), and still not a lot of luck.  I should say that it was a variation of the Randy Troy method, as I used probably a cup of fluid to his pouring copious amounts straight from the gas can. 

Still, we sat by the measly fire, drank our wine, and admired the stars. 

At least the candles worked.

This morning, the air is chill, the rain is falling, and the screen door is being used.  Who knows how we'll spend our last day off, but we're already off to a good start. 

Memorial Day

What a full day.  We started it off waking up particularly early for a day off, grabbed the Lilly and a patriotic bow, some bagels, and headed out for a local parade.  We went to this parade last year and the whole time thought, "Aww, we should have brought Lilly, she would have loved this."  This year we did, and unfortunately, I have no pictures from the actual parade because I didn't charge my camera before hand. 

It was a fun parade though.  We found a patch of grass, plenty far away from other people (because our puppy is not as much fun with other people), and enjoyed the hour long parade.  It consisted of one marching band, boyscouts that join the parade halfway through, thus causing the parade to completely stop for about 15 minutes; Christian churches, and the rest of the parade has the Masons (Zembos).  If it weren't for the Zembos, the parade would be 20 minutes, tops. 

There were also some Zembo horses, which Lilly proceeded to bark at ferociously.

Overall, she did as well as she probably could.  

After the parade, we dined hamburgers and brats for lunch.  The weather was about 96 degrees, which made it ever so much fun to grill. 

I tried cooking most of our dinner inside:

Corn on the cob, flat bread with basil and tomatoes, and baked beans (made from scratch, for the first time!)

I did have to go outside for some grilling:

Steak kebabs with red onion and peppers, and lemony shrimp on the grill.  Perfection. 

We ended the night with watermelon and cherries. 

Lilly even got in on the action:   

                                        

It was a full Memorial Day. We remembered, celebrated, gathered, ate, and relaxed. And that's what a Memorial Day should be about. We were going to finish the day with the first fire of the year, but like most 96 degree days around here, the day ends with a "severe thunderstorm warning". The sky prematurely darkens and the lightening takes over. I think it's a great way to end the day. 

Life is good. Holidays are deserved.  Family is who you should barbeque with. 

Grievances should be tossed aside.  All these things are true, despite what old ladies say.