Sand in the City Pics Part 1

Sand in the City/ Farmers Market

This weekend was Sand in the City; it is a benefit for the Olympia Children’s Museum. Each year in August fine sand is shipped into the city and local business sponsor a sand sculpture. The event is held at Percival Landing just feet away from the Farmers market.

What I usually do is get there early, go to the event, later when people wake up it becomes crowded. I wander looking at the sand sculptures and then I go to the market for some shopping.

This year I got there late I forgot to take my camera with me when I went to work so I came home, fell asleep and did not get there until the market was an hour from closing and the event was full. I ran and got some pictures and looked at the art work. Then I went to the market where I bought strawberries, and a green chili that I had not tasted before was give to me as a sample to see if I wanted to when I go back buy some.

While the chili is not a Hatch it is good and will do well. Next time I go I will buy a bunch roast them and freeze them so that when I work long runs of more than 2 or 3 days I can make up Green Chili Stew and take it.

I have some great pics of the market and even though the pics show what the market is like it does not describe what exactly happens to me when I first get there. Getting out of the car the first thing that is noticed is the smell of the sea, then walking toward the market curry from the Indian restaurant. There are others along the back of the market but none smell as strong or as good as the curry. At this time of year the inside smells like lavender on one end, dill weed in the middle and berries on the other end.

There are flowers, fruits, vegetables and hand crafted items that just pop with color. The fish, meats, baked goods are fresh just that day. I love going to the market.

Two Years Ago My Life Changed For the Better

The good stuff is near the bottom.

I went to the library on Wednesday and got some loot. The last books that I got were not remarkable in fact I was disappointed in several of them. This time I know I have gotten some good ones, I have one almost finished now and should be able to finish it up and start another one today.

The Loot is as follows:

Hospital by Julie Salamon this is the one I have nearly finished and the whole title is longer than I want to type.

Dewey the Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

Irish Crystal by Andrew M. Greeley

Aquamarine by Carol Anshaw

All My Patients Have Tales by Jeff Wells d.v.m. This one I know is going to make me cry.

Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn I know, I know sounds like porn but the other Kitty books have not been that way and I have hope that this one is just as good as the others.

Guess what today is? Give up? For me I always think this day is a month off, I have to work on that. Today is our anniversary. Honey and I have been together for 2 years now. OK, so it is still a long distance relationship and that SUCKS BIG TIME. I do understand that it has to be this way for now and yes, she is worth the wait.

That said I must now come clean on a few things that you, Honey might not know about me. Not some things that I have kept hidden from you just some things that have never come up in conversation before. Now comes the part where I wonder if I should go with the easy to tell or the not so easy. Right, just jump right in.

OK, I think this one has to do with the way I was raised but I hate to wait for movement. I am not sure how to explain this so I will give it a try, and I will use childhood to try. Mom would say “today we are going to the beach, get ready.” Wooohooo! Change cloths; grab a change of clothes, a towel, and a bucket/shovel and toys ready to go. Wrong, mom has to clean the house, then comes running to the store, then goes getting phone calls. By the time we get to the beach it is dark and no fun. So for me when I hear or say “Lets go to…” I want to go even if it is just out for gas; it is like there is some kind of urgency that has to be done NOW. So I think I have an impatient side to me that I need to work on.

The second one is socks. Yes, socks. Honey you know that I hate to wear shoes and socks in the house. However, I could be a sock whore. I am not talking about the functional ones that I wear to work, the white thicker ones for padding. No I am talking about ones with animals, witches, sparkles, stripes, and even ones that light up. I could have one of each that I deem Wow! Not all of them like this would fit into my sock thingy. If there are strings on the inside that catch toes, or feel like lumps when being walked on no, those are not good socks.

Anyway my love, happy anniversary. Two years ago you changed my life, you make me more complete, show me things each and every day that I never thought I would see. So, my love thank you. I do love you and I can’t wait to see you again. I miss you so much that it hurts.

Links I Visit Daily

I don't feel much like posting or doing anything but just to let you know I am alive here are some sites that I visit daily. Most are just so that I can have a laugh. One is for a non profit that I think everyone should do.

OK, so the few I found over at Seismic Twitch a blogger out of Canada. The first one is called Why not, right? it is photos of people and their kids in well just odd photos that make sense to those who took them and posed in them but not to us who see them on the web.

The next is Awkward Family Photos I think the title says it all.

This one makes me wonder where people hide their brains. It is called Not Always Right I do not drink when I read this site. As it is good for more than one laugh a day. It is costumer service when the costumer is wrong or just nuts.

Emails From Crazy People nuff said.

Now for the one that I never ever miss. When I am so sleepy that I can't see straight I still go here on a daily basis. This site was set up by a kid it is now nonprofit and how it works is easy. Go to the site answer the daily question right or wrong you have just donated 10 pieces of dog food to a shelter. It may not seem like a lot but when more and more people click then it adds up. On the page for the dog there is a link to click on that will take you to the feed cat page. The same principle applies. One question, 10 pieces of cat food. It take all of 20 seconds. So go to www.freekibble.com and help feed a dog and cat.

OMG Sometimes I Love Just Love My Job

Last week I got to work in the ICU. Most of the time down there it is just work but then there are days like Thursday and I realize that I love it there.

In the first 10 min on the floor even before we got report it was a mad dash scramble. We needed the Doc's NOW. Need to get PTA (PT is patient) intabated NOW NOW NOW. Twenty minutes later we got to get report so now we are about 30 min behind where we should be that is OK, that is manageable. I am doing some quick chart work and I hear one of the nurses start to yell, NOT GOOD.

PTB decided that they were going to wake up and extabate themselves. That does not work. So we all run in there ran start bagging, holding the PT hands so that more of the tubing does not come out. That gets fixed. So while we are in with PTB, PTC decides to pull out the NG tube for the 3 time. There is tube feeding liquid all over the bed, the PT, the floor. After all of that is cleaned up I get word that I am going to be sent up to Med/Surg as someone up there is having a break down.

One of the nurses on Med/surge cannot function without a CNA, she can't even push the buttons on the dinamap to take her own blood pressures. So I am going to be sent up stairs so that she won't have a hissy fit. I truly truly hate working with her, out of the hospital she is OK. At work can everyone say "bossy whiny bitch".

So I am running about the unit trying to get things done that will make it easier on the RNs when I have to go upstairs. Word comes from the house super we are getting an admit, the Unit will be full and closes and I get to stay YIPPEE. New PTD has rule out bacterial meningitis. Oh fun, gowns, gloves, and masks for anything done in that room. It was not bacterial it was viral.

So that was Thursday. Friday I worked med/surge and no BWB was not working. After about 4 hours of running things settle down. Then at the 0200 mark all is settled we hear a gawd awful noise. It was a PT with confusion who pulled out a line that she was getting blood through. Blood everywhere floor, walls, bed, PT. PT was panicking, screaming, and would not let us near to stop the bleeding. What a fun night.

Oh and I realized today that this is over my 200 post mark.

Odds and Ends

The psychologists has voted 125 -4 to tell gays that they cannot become straight with therapy or other treatments. You can read the article here.

Today I ran to the library and my loot, yes I call it library loot has some great books in it.
Witch Way to Murder by Damsgaard
The Tree of Enchantment by Foxwood
Green by Lake
The Book of Air and Shadows by Gruber

I should have these done by Monday or Tuesday depending on work.

I joined a fantasy football league. I have never done that before and I can't wait to see how it turns out.

They are counting the signatures for the domestic partnership bill. I hope that there are not enough for it to go to a vote. Gary Randall one of the backers of this is not even a Washington state voter. WTF with that.

I am out of pickles, peanut butter and bread. So until I can go shopping on the weekend I have to cook. I hate shopping on the weekend it is like the grocery stores are mobbed. I might just go Friday am when the store firsts opens and just get things for the weekend then on my day off next week go when there are not as many people there.

Cash for Clunkers NOT

OK so here is the story my car is a 1999 Plymouth Neon 4 cylinders 2L engine with a 5 speed manual transmission. My car has 192,783 miles on it, the AC is out, the blinkers are out (something in the steering column it is not the light bulbs), I have a bullet hole in it from when I got shot at on the freeway in Massachusetts. It was nearly totaled when hit by a straight delivery truck and almost pushed off a bridge into the Connecticut River when I was leaving Agawam. It by all accounts is a clunker.

Neon's have a life of about 200,000 miles so I called about the Cash for NOT Clunkers and found out that my car that is nearly on its last wheels does not qualify. My car when I bought it got on average 36mpg on the highway and about 28mpg in town. Therefore, as my car gets over 18mpg it is not a clunker.

To me the Cash for Clunkers should have another name like PAY OUT FOR GAS GUZZLERS, or GO IN DEBT FOR BETTER MILEAGE, or TRADE IN YOUR HUMVEE FOR A METRO or something along those lines.

I am in a crabby mood

No, it is not that time of the month. That was last week thank goddess. What is doing it for me is the heat. Yesterday, it was 104F here in the great state capital of Washington (for those who are geographical challenged YES there is a WASHINGTON STATE). In the recorded history of WA the highest it had ever gotten was 100F and that was in 1994.

Not that anyone is interested but the blogs that I have listed on this site are not the only ones I read. I have a folder in my Favorites that has about 20 more, some I read daily other weekly.

I want it to cool down, I want it to rain and I want to see my Honey.

See I am alive and will be back when I don't want to whine or wine or whatever...

Addition to the Rainbow Bridge

OK, so I totally stole this post from LilliGirl over at It's a Great Life.

An Addition to the Rainbow Bridge

It is said that when animals die they don't go to heaven, they go to the Rainbow Bridge where they wait for their owners. The area around the Rainbow Bridge is sunny, warm but not too warm, flowers, grass and all the animals have been restored to a youthful healthy state.

On one particular day it was unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before.

But the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch.

It wasn't long before an elderly dog came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.

He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again! As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be.

But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over Rainbow Bridge.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting.

One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to explain it to him.

"You see, that poor animal was abandoned by his owners. He was turned into a shelter just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of the shelter and passed on. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge. "

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?"

As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted.

Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life.

"Watch, and see" said the second animal.

A second group of animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge.

They all crossed The Bridge together.

"What happened?"

"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of his work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth, across The Rainbow Bridge. "

"I think I like rescuers," said the first animal.

"So does GOD", was the reply.

If you have not read the Rainbow Bridge here is a link.

Wordless Wednesday

This weekend

This weekend was rather uneventful, I worked on the third so the Boy and I missed out on the fireworks. The fourth I was put on call so going anywhere is not really an option.

We did manage to go through a bunch of toys that the Boy no longer wants. They sat on my floor until today when I could haul them to a second hand store.

I am so addicted to Yoville on face book. I have also started playing another game called Wizards 101 not sure about that one yet but it looks good.

So I hope that everyone had a great weekend.

We Are Everywhere.

A few months ago I was working in a hospital during my travels. I had worked there for several months and had gotten to know the staff well enough that they thought I was one of them.

One of the nurses who I seemed to work with more often than not and I started talking. She said that she hated living here in the west that she wanted to go back to the Midwest where there were actual values.

"So," I said. "What exactly do you mean?"

"Well, out here everyone is so liberal that it sickens me. There are the environmental laws, the bleeding hearts over the animals, and then out here you are all so easy on the gays. Welcoming them, treating them like they belonged."

As if that were not bad enough she had to continue. "I am so glad I don't know anyone who is gay, they make me sick."

I did the only thing I could think of doing. I looked at her and said. "Hi, I'm ..... and I am a lesbian."

The respiratory therapist (a woman) standing next to me looked at me and said. "My wife and I have been together for 12 years. How long have you been with your girlfriend?"

Needless to say the look on the nurses face was priceless. She turned pale, and looked at us both, and stuttered.

(This is the best that I can remember the conversation)

Pictures of Pride

Oly Pride

Sunday was Olympia Pride. For me it started out with going to Batdorf and Bronson for a mocha, the Boy said that the coffee shop was decorated like the TV show Friends. It might have been but I love their coffee as they roast it there in the store. That and when there if reading or working no one will bother a person.

After coffee the Boy and I wandered about the booths for a bit, I ran into some acquaintances of mine. Then the parade started. I do know that I love to go to Oly Pride. For me the parade is the best part. I love the colors and the interaction with the crowd.

This year like last year if the Dyke's on Bikes did not have a rider they would pick one out of the crowd, stopping to change riders as they wanted to. Then there were the people who when marching if they saw someone that they knew would run out of formation for talks and hugs.

One young man who I saw there was so cute and fun, he was probably all of 19 20 and hoped into one of the cars that had someone running for city council in it. Then when he got back at the end of the parade he joined in with the Stonewall Youth.

One of the things that I like about Oly Pride is that there are a ton of family's and kids there. It makes it seem like the whole community is out there. There were people there with their dogs, kids and even a few cats on leashes.

I think that next year I am going to try and get to Portland for Portland Pride to see how a bigger cities Pride compares. I have never been to a bigger Pride and next year that is one of my goals.

I love that picture up at the top the way the image is blurred, and the flag is flowing. I have other pictures that I will post up later.

The Sound of Nothing

My son is going to be leaving for AZ in a month and I will be living on my own. The thing that I am wondering about is the sound of nothing.

I am not one who has the TV or radio on for background noise. If I want to listen to music I turn the radio on, if I want to watch a movie the I turn on the TV. So in living on my own in my own silence am I going to long for the sound of another voice or am I going to be on overload when I go outside and am in a crowd or at work.

Or will I become one who turns on noise just to not have that alone feeling. I guess I will have to wait and see.

Then there is work. OMG this week at work I have the worst schedule I have today off then Thursday off, then Sunday off. I requested Sunday off for Pride.

Monday I had off and I slept for a total of 14 hours. I needed it.

I Did It

My son is home for the summer and part of me was dreading what I had to do. So some background.

Every other Sunday a group of us gets together and games. Yes I know, but I am a gamer at heart and for me it is a way to relax and escape the dealings of real problems at work. So I go, roll dice and kill giant bugs. Very therapeutic, tho I think most of it is just talking with other some who are in the medical field and other who are not.

So, at game everyone knows that I am a dyke. Some write about me in their diversity classes, some ask me to check out the woman in that movie. They know they accept or deal with it.

My son however, was not told. It is not that I was being secretive about it, it is just that I did not even know for a long time. Then when I realized "You dumb*$$ your a Lesbian" I had some things to work out. Lots of things to work out. Guilt, hatred of myself, fear, and the list goes on.

When I finally got ready to tell him about Honey what does the boy do. Up and move out of state to go to a HS where he gets better grades then ever.

I did not think that telling him on the phone was a good idea so I waited until he got back home. I did not tell him the way I wanted to but when I did he said, "I kinda figured." Talk about anticlimactic.

So I am out to everyone in my family that I care about, except the two little ones. Honey and I both agreed that their mom is the boss of them and are going by her wishes.

Birthday Stash

The statue is the goddess Danu. She is an Irish Goddess, the books are going to go in my car and be work books for me to read when I am at work. The flowers and the statue are from Honey, and the books are from the Kid.

Night Shift

Lady G asked me how I don't get messed up working nights. I thought about replying in the comments but realized that this would make a great post.

I love working nights, there is a different "feel" about them. One not so rushed, so urgent. However, all of this started when I was little about 8 or so years old. When I would get sent to bed with the lights out, I would lay there awake for hours. Then when the birds would start singing I would fall asleep.

As I got older I hid a flashlight in the bed so that after everyone else was asleep I would read until I could fell asleep. Now, this took forever as reading is exiting and keeps me awake until I finish the story. There were times I would go to school exhausted from not sleeping at night. I just could not do it.

After we moved around, and around. Try 10 different elementary schools in 5 states (my dad was an electrical field engineer) my parents decided to home school us. That was great. I could sleep all day and then do my work when I woke up.

I have always been a night person, I did try to work day shift for a year. That year I was so exhausted that I would sleep and work and sleep. There was nothing else. Even my days off were a chore. No, I love the night and the night shifts.

School

I have been thinking about going back to school. I would like to go to an online school at least to get some off it done. However, I have heard both good and bad about different schools and I am not sure what to trust.

I have talked to an adviser at one of the more well known schools and have been told that what he thinks from what I have told him it would only be a year to get my BA. I would love to go thought with it and have everything done.

The biggest advantage for me with an online school is sleep. I can do all of my classes at night when I am up and not worry about trying to stay awake during the day when I have to sleep so that I can work. I do wish that more places would be accommodating for those who work nights.

I would love to be able on my nights off to go the bookstore when I can't sleep. Some restaurants are open late at night and that is good. But, sometimes a book store would be nice.

Jesus the End or Parts 3 and 4

Then Jesus said take care of those with less then what you have. OK I know the term used in most bibles is poor. But Poor does not cover all that he ever talked about in that regard, I think in terms of less fortunate he meant. The sick, kids with out people who love them, homeless, hungry, thirsty, with out finances, and the list goes on and on. For me I think that working in the hospital covers this one. There is defiantly the sick, the homeless, the addicts, the hungry/ thirsty.

Then there is the last thing. Do Not Judge... Oh crap this one is so hard. We judge on first impressions (the up all night mom at the grocery store in sweats), lifestyle (redneck, gay, world hopper, rich) money, class, education, language skills, the list goes on and on and on and on. So how not to judge, how not to think of others in terms of ewww or wow or fear (look over there it is group of teens)? Personally, I don't want the job of judging others, I have been the one in sweats at the store after being up all night with the sick kid, I am the one with the gay lifestyle (whatever the hell that means). I am the one who because of my job that I choose to do people assume that I have no education. I have packs of teens at my house.

Jesus part 2

Jesus said in so many ways so many words.

#2 Love your neighbor::

Oh Crap. Does that mean the ones next door who wake me with their screaming, fighting and cussing just when I fall asleep? Does he mean the ones up stairs who are currently trying to put holes in my ceiling by playing Dance Dance Revolution? Or are my neighbors the people that I interact with at the store, library or work?

How the hell am I supposed to love some one who screams all the time and keeps the neighborhood awake or is this more of the respect and acknowledgement thing and love was just a generic word for the translations?

Jesus part 1

I have been thinking a lot about Christianity lately. I was raised as a Christian and spent many years going to a legalistic church. I have fit into several very well, and other I have been in subtle ways asked not to come back or have been made to feel so unwelcome that I have never returned. Now, I know that this is not the case in all churches. That my experiences are mine alone.

When I first moved back to Oly I started attending a church just a few blocks away. That was great it was in walking distance and it was a denomination that I was familiar with. The first few times I went it was OK. Then a man and I were talking about bands, what was good, bad and just never ever should have been attempted. After that simple conversation the pastor started preaching on attraction to a married person when the woman is single. I thought that it was just something that was a coincidence. I had no interest in the guy other than he knew who I was talking about musically. Then in Sunday school the women all started to ignore me, when a question was asked and I knew the answer, I was passed over to the next person. I took the hint and never went back.

The next church I was going to a singles class. This church was a drive and I had to get up much earlier to attend it. The class instructor asked the question "What does mainstream America think that Christians look like?"

Well, me being me I said the first thing that popped into my head." Christians have horns, a tail and carry a pitchfork." Needless to say I was asked not to come back.

So that brings me to my point. Jesus said the same thing over and over in many different ways trying to get his point across. He said::

#1 Love God - OK that one is simple enough, or is it?

Does Jesus mean love as in "OHHH What a cute puppy, I just love it"?

Does he mean love as in " IT'S (insert stars name here) I JUST LOOOOVE YOU"?

Does he mean love as in " Oh Baby, (think Berry White's voice here) I love you so much, that I want to take you out to the beach and see if we are fertile"?

Or does he mean love as in honor, respect, show acknowledgement of ? I guess that this is not an easy one after all. I think that he means this one, acknowledgement of. We all like some kind of praise.

Rhoddy Pix I Took for Honey

There is red, light purple, yellow, bright pink, and pink/white.

Changes

I could write about California and Prop8, I could write about Ref 71 here in Washington state. However, there are so many others out there who are so elegant at putting into words the thought and feelings about what is going on that I will leave it up to them.

There has been a great upheaval in my household. I knew that this day would be coming, I just thought that it would be in September. My brother who has been my roommate for about 5 years now is moving to Arizona. The reason for now is that he has a great opportunity for a job down there, so I don't blame him one bit on this. So he is now leaving in June. What that means for me is that I have a choice to stay here or go there.

I won't have any family up here that is less than 2 hours away. I will be on my own. I am a little bit afraid not of being on my own but of getting into a depresses state. One where I just work and do nothing else. I am looking into taking classes, and finding other things to do. I wish that here in Oly there was a GLBT group that met on a regular basis. I would have to go to Tacoma for that and I drive to much for my job as it is.

I have thought about starting up a book club one that is not as structured as the ones I have tried to belong to in the past. This may be the time to do that. Now I have to go and make cinnamon rolls.

Movie Night

Last night some friends and I went to see Angels and Demons. I years ago had read the book and when the Da Vinci Code came out I read that one too. In both cases the book and the movie Angels and Demons was much better.

I know that for a book of that size it is hard to capture all of what is in the book for the story line. I also know that they presented the Da Vinci Code movie as happening before Angels and Demons. That was a bit odd as I knew from reading them it was the other way around.

I did have one really large problem about the movie but I was able to over look it. When Tom Hanks character said something it reminded me of Forrest Gump. Then Ewan McGregor showed up all dressed in black, I had to whisper to Tanya. "Forrest Gump meets the Jedi."

Today Honey went to see the new Star Trek. I have not seen it yet as I told K when he gets home I will take him and we will go. She did send me an IM saying it was 4 out of 5 stars.

Bug Food

Tonight I walked out to Hicks Lake to see if I could get some pictures of the bats that are there. All I managed to do was feed the misquotes.

First I thought I had the timing right, but nope I left to early. Second, I thought nothing of sitting on a bench to wait to see how long it took to get dark enough for the bats to come out.

When one of the nasty little blood suckers landed on my arm and it was the size of a small bird. I left. I will have to try on another night.

I did today go out when the great flaming evil ball of heat was up in the sky and get some pictures of Rhododendrons. We happen to have peach, pink, red, light purple, purple and yellow ones in my apartment. Tomorrow when I am going over to play Shadowrun I am going to have to remember to take my camera. Near the mall there is a parking lot that has orange ones.

Wordless Wednesday Not

I was looking through the photos that I have on my computer to post for Wordless Wednesday and I realized that I need to get out and start photographing the town as I see it again. That means going out at night when the town is almost shut down. When most of the people are asleep, I know that the idea of that upsets a lot of people but being out at night is when I love it.

The cool night air, the reduced street noises, the smell of the pine trees and the Sound mixing. Yes, I think that is what I have to start doing again.

Happy Mothers Day

The Little one is Sam, he is 8 months old. In the picture with him are mom and dad. The one below is an older sibling. So to all the mother's out there who did not go through 12 months of being pregnant, and then having a kid the size of a small car. YEAH US! Happy Mothers Day.

Sleep

Wednesday and Thursday I did not sleep very well at all. I was some what achy and some what hurting. So this morning when I went to bed I took one just one of my knock out pills. OK, I call them that what I take is one just one Ad*il PM. Just one will put me out for 8 or more hours, I am amazed at people who can take things that a stronger and still manage to breath.

I slept for about 9 hours today and I feel so much better. The bad thing is I am not working tonight and now have so much energy that I am about ready to start pacing the floor. Oh well, I will start working on my counted cross stitching soon.

I did not leave the house at all today and I also think that helps. I did not have to hear about problems when walking past someone. I did not have to deal with drivers who should NEVER EVER be allowed to drive, ones who break the traffic laws just because. I guess I need another day of vegging out.

Zoo

These are pictures from the zoo when Honey and I went. There are more and tomrrow I will get them up.

I have tonight and tomrrow off. I am not going to leave the house unless I have to. I don't want to have to deal with anything that I don't have to. I am just worn out, sometimes work does that to me.

H1N1

My best friend,(who is also Honey's best friend) who lives in New Jersey has been for several weeks has been ill. She has Lupus and so will when stressed out get flair ups where she is in pain and just not feeling well.

A few weeks ago she went through something stressful and we all thought that she was having another flair up. Last Wednesday after going to the Dr. it has been determined that she has a kidney infection, pleurisy, and the flu. They sent her home with antibiotics for the infection, and a refill on some of her other meds.

The Dr. sent off her flu to be tested and it came back from the CDC as being H1N1. So she is feeling much better. The infection in her kidney is getting better and she is having an easier time breathing. It seems that the flu is not bothering her at all it is the other two infections that are bothering her. I am glad that she is getting better.

Honey's Tulips

Our Very Very Short Weekend

On Wednesday I picked Honey up at the Portland airport and by 330 we had checked into the hotel. Fade to black. . . . . . . .

Thursday morning after a late start we walked to the Portland Coffee House for coffee and a pastry. Then we got the car and drove up Burnside to the Sylvan Hills. We drove about and then went to the zoo.

It was a beautiful day for the zoo not to cold, not to windy, not to rainy. We saw bald eagles, an 8 month old baby elephant named Sam. Had lunch in the cafe, and watched the birds in the aviary. There were some very beautiful ones in there. After we ate we found the Lorikeet's where for a dollar juice could be bought to feed them. We opted not to but the children who were feeding them were mobbed by the birds. That was such fun. The penguin place stunk as usual, the Sea Lions were huge and had to poo. The Sea Otter was soooo cute and the polar bear had a ball the she just had to play with. We saw the zebra, giraffe, leopard that was trying to cough up a hairball. The wolves had what the zoo called a fresh carcass, to me it looked like an uncooked rack of ribs. Because of the construction all of the big cats were not out. The zoo is building them new homes and the same with the primates. Some were out like the chips ,others were not because of construction on the new homes. Oh, and can't forget the neekkeed mole rats, they were ugly buggers.

We did not ride the train to the Rose or Japanese gardens it was starting to rain and the temperature dropped. So we got back in the car and went to Powell's. I got out of their with only spending $31 on books. I did have a cup of coffee and we split a flourless chocolate cookie that was oh so rich.

We then went back to the hotel rested just rested, get your minds out of the gutter. We walked a bit downtown and went to Kathleen's of Dublin. Where there were lots of cool shopping things. For dinner we had pizza at a place across from the hotel it was yummy. Then back to the room to sleep. JUST SLEEP.

Friday morning we woke early and got out of there late. I got the car while Honey ran and got some coffee for us both. Then we went to Voodoo Donuts. I got a Dirty Old Bastard, a Triple Chocolate Penetration, and two Bacon Maple Bars for my brother. Honey got a Dirty Snowball, that she said was very very good.

On the way home we stopped at the Toutle River as Honey had not seen how when Mt. St. Helens erupted what it did to the land. As we were walking along the river gathering rocks, she stopped and said.

"Look a bald eagle! Its a bald eagle."

"Yep,"I shrugged."They are all over the place." Well she gave me a look like I was either nuts or just did not care. I told her later that they are all over the place there is a nesting pair in Oly and then when we got home my brother told her about the one he saw when he was working that was trying to get a house cat. She told me that in CA it is still rare to see one. They are so beautiful.

Anyway, I had to show off my town just a bit. So we went to the Farmers Market where I bought her some tulips. Then we went to Earth Magic where the owner Ray showed me some very beautiful stones. I bought one for Honey, then Ray gave her a stone for safe travel and to ease her worries.

I took her to Shipwreck Beads where she bought a jade stone that a clasp to make it into a necklace. The library as I don't have a printer and she needed to print her ticket. Fred Meyer's to get an avocado for dinner.

When we got home my brother had fixed pulled pork tacos for dinner YUMMY! After dinner we walked down to the lake and as it was near dark the fish and other animals were out feeding on the bugs. We stood and watched as the night life came awake around us. Honey asked me about the big dragonflies. I had to tell her that they were not dragonflies but bats. Small bats. I guess where she lives they don't have any bats or a limited number of them. At the lake there were about 15 eating the bugs.

On Saturday I had to take her back to Portland to catch her flight. I kept asking her if I could kidnap her, but I understand about responsibilities. Then as we got past Kalama, there on an old support for a shipping dock was a nest and in the nest a pair of bald eagles.

I do have pictures of the zoo, and the tulips that I will post later.

I am so glad I got to be there with her when she saw the eagles and the bats. I love sharing new things like that with her. Honey, remember the fireflies? It was a very very short weekend.

Monday and Counting

I have not been around as much as I would have liked last week. I ended up working 5 12 hour shifts on the med/surg floor and all I could do was work and sleep and eat. So today I took today off and I went over to some friends house. We were to have played at game and a few other things but went shopping instead.

I looked for what I wanted but everything came in a set and I don't want a set I want one piece. That is hard to find so I think I am going to go looking at Goodwill, and Value Village for what I want. Most of the department stores charge way to much for a dish anyway. One of the ones I looked at was $25 for something that holds less than a half a cup. OK so when it comes to dish wear I am into cost effective but still want something good looking. Am I asking to much?

So far the plan is that on Wednesday I pick up Honey at the airport in Portland. I know I keep going on and on about seeing her but it has been YEARS! OK, not really but it seems like it. I am so excited I want everything to be perfect.

Not a Wordless Wednesday

I had a very pretty picture all picked out for here and then when I woke up realized that I had to much to post about.

Lori over at Hahn at Home asked me if to let her know if Powell's is wonderful it is. Lori if you get up to Portland on your trip to Oregon you will want to go there. There are several off shoots but the main one is on Burnside and it is called Powell's City of Books. They are not kidding. The place is an old converted building that takes up the enter city block. I do have some advice if you drive and park see what color entrance that you go in at. If you don't do that you might have trouble finding your car. The place is so large that there are maps of the building so that it is easier to find what you are looking for.

When I got off work today, well OK last night when I was at work I realized that it was only a week 7 days until I get to see Honey again. I am so excited about that.

This afternoon when I was sleeping the house passed the "everything but marriage" bill. The Olympian has a short write up about it here. After the Governor signs it into law and she is expected to Domestic Partners will have all the rights and responsibilities that the state offers to hetero couples.

So not a Wordless Wednesday but I still have to put the picture up.

Wordless Wednesday

Extiting News

Yesterday Honey found out that she does not have to go to Chicago for a business trip. I was waiting for that news. So now on the 22nd she is going to fly into Portland. We are going to spend Wednesday and Thursday there. Then on Friday come home to Oly for the night then on Saturday we have to go back to Portland so she can fly home. I already hate Saturday.

For Portland we have plans. We are going to go to Powells City of Books. One of my favorite places in Portland. The store is so large that they have a mayor. Woohoo!!! I get to see Honey and make a list of books I want to get not much else can be better.

We are also talking about going to Washington Park. There is the zoo, the International Test Rose Garden, Hoyt Arboretum and lots of other places to see. There are two trains that run through parts of the park from the zoo. I will have to do more looking into those, I know that one of them has great views of Hoyt and the zoo.

Then Friday morning before we head up to Oly we are going to make a donut run. I will eat donuts but not very often unless they are Voodoo Donuts. I have heard that at one time this shop was on Food Network but I have not seen the show and if it was on there I am sure that they did not talk about the specialty donuts. If you want to see what I am talking about go to the site and look at the menu.

As for my goal. From last Tuesday to this Tuesday I have lost 2 pounds. WOOHOO!! I GET TO SEE HONEY!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Night Shift

I love working nights. It is a more controlled environment, a more relaxed one. The only think I don't like about night shift are my nights off.

I know many people who on their nights off sleep at night and are up during the day. I cannot do that it is to hard for me to switch back and forth between the times. So on my nights off I am up. Most of the time I can find things about the apartment to keep me busy. I do have to keep the noise down. I can clean, but not vacuum. I can read my music, but not practice. I can sit on my butt and watch movies, play video games, read, and other quiet things.

I wish that other than the hospital, and a few grocery stores/ restaurants there were other places open all night. I am not a bar person. I would love to at 3am go to a book store. Have a cup of coffee and graze the shelves.

Sometimes, nights are lonely. Sometimes they don't bother me at all.

Goal Started

I have taken the first steps on my goal to loose wight. Last night I did what anyone should do when starting a wright loss program. First I took a long hot bath hoping, that like boiling a chicken I could leak some fat out that why. Then just in case that did not work I shaved my legs and underarms. I think that might take an ounce or two off.

Actually, I am going to clean out my kitchen today. I am going to go through all the cupboards, and the drawers and get rid of anything that I should not have. Including things like spices that are outdated. The sad thing is that I am going to have to make a list of what I need to replace. It is not a long process to do it is just messy.

Next week it will be the bathroom. I don't have any idea of what is under the sink in there and I am not even sure I want to look. I think there might be something living under there, my mouth wash and powder gave birth to something that lives. It is not exactly that bad but it has been 6 months that I have cleaned it out.

I have a goal

I have a goal and to make sure that I achieve my goal I have a reward setup at the end of my goal. I want to loose 30 pounds. When I reach that goal I am going to either get a new tattoo or new speakers for my car.

I currently have one tattoo and I have one speaker in my car. The speakers will cost a lot more that the tattoo so I am leaning toward the tattoo. Though it would be good to be able to hear the music in my car and not just some of the noise. First I have to loose the weight and that will be the hard part.

I do like to ride my bike if I had one that fit me. Mine is to short and so I always feel funny on it. Walking is ok but I do so much of that at work. Then there is my big red ball, I love my big red ball. Crunches are so fun on it. I know that crunches won't help with weight loss but they are to me anyway enjoyable.

So for the next few weeks on Tuesdays when I am at work I will weigh myself. The reason I am going to do it there is the scales and I will be wearing the same weight clothes at work all of the time. I will have to watch what I eat, though I am not a big eater it is more the getting out and doing things.

As far as a gym goes I would love to go to one. However, the only one open all night wants a contract signed I would rather it were a pay as used facility. I know at 1am there are no classes but I am not into classes anyway. I am always one step off and feel like a dork.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday's and Where I have Been

So about my laptop. I took it back and showed the repair dpt exactly what happened, and what I had wanted done. It turns out that the man who checked my computer in was fired just after I had turned my computer in. The store manager said that my hard drive was shot and that what was done to it did not fix the problem. I felt like saying "DUUUHHH!!!" They are going to put in a new hard drive and it is going to cost me the price of the hard drive.

The House voted on the Domestic Partner expansion bill and I have not yet heard the results but I have been looking.

Stolen from Tina because it is fun.

Bold the states you've been to, underline where you have lived and italicise the one that you live in now: I can't figure out how to underline so for the states that I have lived in I am going to change the color of the text.

Alabama/ Alaska/ Arizona/ Arkansas/ California/ Colorado/ Connecticut/ Delaware/ Florida/ Georgia/ Hawaii/ Idaho/ Illinois/ Indiana/ Iowa/ Kansas/ Kentucky/ Louisiana/ Maine/ Maryland/ Massachusetts/ Michigan/ Minnesota/ Missouri/Montana/Nebraska/Nevada/ New Hampshire/ New Jersey/ New Mexico/ New York/ North Carolina/ North Dakota/ Ohio/ Oklahoma/ Oregon/ Pennsylvania/ Rhode Island/ South Carolina/ South Dakota/ Tennessee/ Texas/ Utah/ Vermont/ Virgina/ Washington/ West Virgina/ Wisconsin/ Wyoming/ Washington D.C

Internet Site Changes and My Laptop AGAIN

There are some sites that are better for change and others that are not. Then there are some that change things to make them better, but they take things away that I think should have stayed.

I love posting on Blog spot it is easy and most of the time I do not mess things up. I have noticed a change that I am not to happy with, and that is the Followers section. It use to be that when I clicked on a name of a follower if there was a blog associated with that person I could link to them and read who is reading me, and I love to read who is reading my blog. On this new format I have noticed that is not always the case. I got a new follower on Sunday and the name is very familiar to me. However, half the time I am on line I am not quite awake.

So if you are so inclined and are following me and you want me to be able to read who you are put a link in the comments for me. I would love to read who you are, and if I know who you are and happen to be just to tired to think or remember put it up anyway so that when I do wake up I can feel like a complete dork.

I have to take my computer back to the repair place again. Last time it was just because they forgot to load my mouse driver like they said they would. This time I want them to fix my computer for free or give me my money back. I told the person when I took it in that it was running slow, and I new it needed more memory. I also told them that I was getting a blue screen that said I was having an error (no I don't remember what kind). Then it would run something called chkdsk. All of this happened with out me touching the bloody thing.

Well, on Saturday night I went to start it up I got the blue screen, then it started recovering files and now NOTHING. When I turn it on I just get "hit F1 or F2" and when I do that a bunch of stuff comes up and I have no idea what it is. So I want my $221 back, then I can put it toward a new computer.

Friday, Can You Tell I am to Tired to Think of a Title

Today is the second day of my 12 night shifts and I have a good chance of being told not to come in. There is to be a bunch of discharges, but I won't find out for a few more hours if that is going to happen. I wish they could tell me now, but I know that is not possible there could be a run on the ER and then a lot of admits.

If I do get cancelled I still have to go to the hospital, I have to have my TB test read and according to the employee handbook only the house super or the er can read it. That means that if I did end up not working that even though I have been invited to a birthday party tonight where EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE but me is an RN. I still would have to go to the hospital and get it read.

I found out today that the House is going to vote on Monday domestic partnership expansion bill. The bill is to be presented at about 1pm and voting starts at about 3. I might go to that if I am up and not working on Monday. Yesterday, the fundies were in town protesting the bill. I have not seen anything in the paper or on the news about their gathering. It must not have been impressive.

Wordless Wednesday- Equality Day

The Cleaning Marathon Begins

Well, today I forgot that I was to go for my second TB test for the new job that means that in the morning I am going to have to go and get one done. That is ok I have a lot of running around to do tomorrow.

I have decided that I am going to take one room in the house and clean it in a week. I don't mean just dust and vacuum. I am talking about cleaning out cupboards, closets and where ever else I have shoved stuff. I started in my bedroom with my closet. That took almost 5 hours. I went through my clothes, and boxes of papers that I had to hang onto but no longer need. So when I go out I have to run to Value Village to droop some clothes off, put books in the car to take to H's to see if she wants them.

Just thinking about what I have done today is wearing me out. I think I am going to play some video games before bed.

Equaliy Day

Yesterday was Equality Day here at the state capital. I went and had a blast.

My day started at 4:40am very early I know, but I had to get up and read blogs before I started to get ready. Then I remembered that to show a untied front green was the color of choice. Well, me being me the only green that I had was a scrub top that does not fit and a coat. So I headed over to that nasty little store called W*mart. There I found a green shirt in the men's department. It was one of the few that did not have a St. Paddy's Day logo on it.

Came home and Honey called when I was getting changed so we talked while she drove into work. That was a better start to the day. On the way to the Capital Campus I had to stop and have my TB test read.

When I got to the meeting place I was surprised to see only about 20 or so people. But this was registration for the information on how to meet and talk to the Senators and Representatives. Then a walk across the grounds to one of the office buildings to where we were to learn how to talk to these people and how we were going to organize. One of the things that was passes out to us was a sheet broken down by district and how they voted. If your district had people who voted yes we were to thank them and ask any questions that we had.

So District 22 all found each other and we then went to lunch at a place called Marconi's. I recommend it if you want a sub and are ever in Olympia. After lunch it was back to the capital dome for the rally.

There were at least 1,ooo people there. It was great fun of course the way the speaker system was set up and where our group was standing I could only hear about one out of ten words on the speeches. But it was a beautiful fun day.

After the speeches it was time to go and meet the lawmakers. We had a 1:30 appointment with Senator Karen Fraser. She was on the floor for a vote and could not see us but we did speak with her intern and she said that she would pass the message along for us. From there we went to meet our Representatives for the House. Now, the house has yet to vote on the bill and they are not sure when it is going to get to them, just sometime in the next few weeks.

We meet with Rep. Sam Hunt he came off the floor to say hi. I think what impressed him about our group is that we had some high school students with us. It was a short meeting as he had to get back out on the floor.

Rep Brendan Williams was also on the floor and could not meet with us so we meet with someone from his office gave him a note of thanks. From there I went over to Stonewall Youth.

At Stonewall Youth I meet a bunch of great young people who were all interested in the vote, marriage and what was to happen after marriage became possible in the state. A long exhausting day but fun.

I do have some pics that I will post at a later date.

What Wednesday was About

Yesterday was my first day of orientation at the hospital. It was a 12 hour day and I was so glad that I worked there thought the agency for 2 years. It was so busy up on the med/surg unit that at the end of the day the floor had 30 patients. Not only were there all of the admits, no discharges, but we had students with us as well. CNA students who were still in High School. Most of the time they stood around and looked shocked at what they saw. T here was just not time to coddle them along.

Not only that but I feel like I have run a marathon. It has been a long time sense I've had more than one patent and so all the room hopping wore me out. Thank the Goddess that on Friday I start my 12 hour noc's. I could not do 12 hour days I think it would kill me.

The laptop is back. It has more memory and it has had some programs deleted. It is still crashing so I think my hard drive is going and I am going to have to look into getting a new one soon. I don't want to spend the money on a new laptop but I do need a computer for blogging, emails and checking the news.

Time to get going. Today I have to have my TB test read, then head on over to the capital building. It is equality day today and I signed up months ago to talk to the senator of my district. I hope that I am not the only one who is going to talk to her. The good news it that the Domestic Partner Expansion has passed the House. Now it just has to get through the Senate and then be signed by the Governor. If that happens then DPs will have all the rights as marriage.

Wordless Wednesday

Lcomnamtecktly and in a b**chy mood

I know that title does not make any sense right now and it still might not when I am done with this but to me it says it all.

Where the L comes in. I must be one of the few people who do not like the L Word. I watched the first season and the second one. I tried to watch the third but the story lines do not interest me. I don't know anyone who just hangs out with one group of people, I know one or two people who might be that good looking but not really. I have not seen four or five and I don't want to see them. I did like the story of Ivan, I wish they would have carried that one further. I also wish that they had made things more realistic.

I also do not find it cute, adorable, funny or any other adjective like that in combining two names to make one. I know that there are quite a few out there in both the "news" and on a few TV shows. I don't get that it is as if couplehood is the only thing that is to be recognized. I know and I hope that everyone should know that if a couple does not have individual interests the relationship will suffer.

I am also not a fan of catch phrases. Such as "Click it or ticket" or "Going Green". Who every came up with them needs to have their head cleaned out. I understand getting the message across to people, but do they have to make it sound so simple. Then again it could just be me hoping that people are not that stupid that they can understand something not in a two second sound bit.

I could keep going on and on and on.

Now on to technical difficulties. My computer has been acting wonky for about a year and I am tired of it so today I am going to put it in the shop to see if they can fix it. If not I might have them patch it until I can get another one. So I will have to go to the library until I get my laptop back. There I only have an hour a day at a time, so if I can get out a post I will. If not I will be reading them.