Sing It Loud, Sing It Proud...!

I know most people like to sing in the shower, but I sing in the car.  Especially on road trips.  Especially to my DH.  I think I wrote a few posts ago how he has some songs for me, but there are some songs he likes me to sing while we're driving.  I don't know why, but I have fun.  I'm usually softly singing to myself as we drive, but sometimes I really belt it out.  He joins in on some songs but usually always on the "wooh wooh's" when "Big Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" comes on.

Today we drove north to look at a car that he wanted to buy.  Several hours north, so there was ample opportunity for stretching the vocal cords.  Especially while singing Whitney.  I don't know how she did it, holding those long notes.  My favorite is "I Have Nothing;"  particularly when she sings the part, "...I have nothing, nothing, nothing" and then goes right into "don't make me close one more door" without taking a breath.  Whew...!  Can barely make it through... But, I love the challenge...

Where do you like to sing...?

Sausage Stuffing

I wear pajamas to work.  I wanted a career where I didn't have to think about getting dressed every morning.  Not that I mind dressing up, just when you're in the medical profession it's one less thing to think about. So I wear scrubs, daily.

It's actually very comfortable;  that and my collection of Dansko clogs.  I've got about 6 pairs now.  However, it's not very comfortable on those rare occasions when I've got to get into regular clothes.

See... scrubs are generous.  They're not form-fitting.  I could gain and lose 10 pounds and still fit into the same pair of scrubs.  So when I have to dress up in regular clothes... well, sometimes it's not that pretty.  Like most women, I just can't pull something off the rack and think it will fit me well.  That little black dress I used to wear, forget about it... not happening this month.

Tonight was the benefit ball for the hospital;  the one time a year when everyone gets dressed up and raises money for some new equipment for the hospital.  I think I've explained this is a flannel-wearing, Carhart-sportin' kinda place, so getting dressed up for anything is quite the event.

My friend refers to it as "sausage stuffing" which pretty much describes what happens when you try to fit your size 12 body into your size 10 dress... She likes to say she's one good bout of gastroenteritis away from fitting into a size 6.  For me that would involve several months on a liquid diet and some pretty radical surgery.  But, I digress.  We had a lot of fun tonight.  Thanks to some elastic, a little spandex, and some smart clothing buys... Spanx, anyone...?

Bear Necessities

So we have a bear problem.  It started about a week ago when the contractor staying at our house told us he'd seen a bear in the "front acre" on the side of the house.  Then, a couple of days later I went up to the house to find this...

My wonderful, nee expensive, feed container was completely destroyed.  Since then we've been finding bear tracks close to the house and scat behind the barn.  So, we spent all of today "bear proofing" the hen house.  We closed off the barn, nailed hog wire all over, and made a door to help further secure our small flock of chickens.  I think the next step will be getting shot for our 12 gauge, but we're attempting non-violent means to start.

My guineas just turned 6 weeks old and our little bantams laid their first eggs today, and I think a bear skin rug might become de rigueur if anything happened to them.  

Under Construction....

So, we've been working on our house over the course of the last three months, and for the first time I feel as though I've starting to see the reality of what my home will look like.  I'd like to share that picture, but I am working the night shift and the patients, despite my best attempts to keep them away, keep coming... so this post, as is my house, is under construction... more tomorrow... but I got today's NaBloPoMo post in on time...!

Losing Faith in Humanity...

So every once in a while I come across a patient that really affects me.  There's been this couple who over the course of the last year have been coming in periodically to the E.D.  Usually, one or the other of them is sick.  Really sick.  Respiratory type problems:  pneumonia, the flu, difficulty breathing.

They're usually dirty.  Unkempt is what I dictate.  Or poor hygiene.  But they always seem grateful for what we can do for them.  A meal, a ride, free medications.

The woman came in again the other night.  Shortness of breath.  Smelling of motor oil.  A friend was letting them stay in their garage since she's been sick.  Because you see, they're homeless.  Living under a bridge by the river.  As, I was leaving that night, driving past the spot where they've told me they live, I felt bad.  Felt like I should do something more.

You always maintain professional distance from your patients, but there's some patients that just affect you.  I started to wonder what I could do.  Not a hand out, but a job offer.  Maybe something simple like yard work, maybe.  The thought stays with me throughout the night.

The next day I hear the patient was discharged to home;  she'd come in feeling short of breath from all the meth she used.  Then I get angry.  Seriously?  You're homeless, you couldn't stay in the hospital the last time because you had to go back to your campground and "feed the dogs;"  you already spend your money on cigarettes and now you're also using meth.

Seriously?  Sometimes I wish I was back in surgery.  A piece of skin under the drape.  See the problem, remove/replace/fix the problem.  Because sometimes the things I hear about my patients just makes me wonder, seriously?

And We Start Anew....

If you remember last year, I took up the blog a day, every day for a month.  It's the national NaBloPoMo month of November, and I am again rising up to the challenge.  I was able to do it for my birthday month, and it was a lot of fun.  I hope it will be easier this go-round.

I think I am definitely in a different place from where I was a year ago.  Now instead of only having my job to write about... and there's a lot there I wish I could say but can't (small town and all)... I now have the new house, and all of my experience of learning about country-fried life.  Of course, I am still bummed to not be able to do the NaNoWriMo, but alas I do not have the time... not this year anyway.

So, this will be the easiest post, cause it's the introduction.  We'll see how well I do... how about you... are you up to the challenge?  Also, the new change this year is that I am posting to the BlogHer website... there's a link on my site... some interesting writers you should read... and, thanks for taking the time to read my little corner of the web...

City Living

A couple of weeks ago, my mother was reminding me that I am a city girl.  I shouldn't be thinking about cows and trucks and whether or not to get a 4x4 with a hemi engine.  She reminded me that I like small sports cars, good restaurants, and the hustle and bustle of city life.  That was tested this weekend as I went to San Francisco for our annual conference.

 I mean, what's not to miss about the glitz of the city... and don't even get me going on the food... Love, love, love the food, the variety, the preparation...

Hubert Keller, I love you and Fleur de Lys even though you've ruined me for regular food forever...

But, despite it all, I love my little cowtown.  I find I am missing my chickens and guinea fowl.  I had a dream about cows last night... seriously.  Although... I have to admit, it's been fun shopping at the Crate and Barrel store and seeing things out of the catalog.  It's been fun finding tile and fixture stores and being able to touch things before ordering them.  Ok, ok... so we'll have to still come to the city to get my fix every now and then... but I am still buying that truck...!