March Break

Last year at this time we were just finishing of our Caribbean cruise. This year: a week-end in Maine. Oh well, didn't cost as much I suppose. Hopefully we will be able to go on another cruise around the middle of November.

We ended up having a pretty good time in Bangor. Probably too much time shopping and not enough time relaxing...although the kids did fall asleep quickly each night!

I checked on-line and all the hotels in Bangor were sold out so I thought i would try Bar Harbor and most of those hotels were sold out as well. Fortunately I found a hotel in Bar Harbor with a pool and a reasonable rate. After we arrived I realized that the reason all the hotels in Bar Harbor were sold out was because they were actually closed for the season. I had thought that there must of have been a convention or something going on when in fact it was pretty quiet.

Daylight Savings Time started Sunday morning and is a good three weeks earlier than previous years. I guess the American government feels this will help with NRG conservation? I suppose we will not have the lights on the house as early in the evening now and maybe cumulatively it will have an effect?

First Solo Shift in the ICU

My training is over and like it or not, I was set free last night in the unit. I was hoping to have the same patient that I had the day before but instead I was up on the 4th floor. My pt was inutubated and had a feeding and a rectal tube so there was plenty of "learning" to do.

The shift went by pretty smoothly, except for my attempt to change all the IV tubing which resulted in a large pool of D5W on the floor. Man, that stuff is sticky! I think next time I will just run new lines and use a new bag rather than trying to switch the bags.

My relief this morning had no interest in report so I was home and in bed by 8:30. I managed to sleep till 11:30 and then got up fed the kids and we went to a matinee - eragon. The kids enjoyed the movie, I thought the book was better.

Now it is time to head back to work, which will be the last of my six consecutive 12-hour shifts. I am looking forward to some down time.

Finally logged in!

I am not sure if it my computer or blogger but I have not been able to sign in for the last 6 weeks. It may have something to do with the settings on Explorer, or not. Oh well, I'll try and catch up over the next few days. Unpack a few boxes, read some nursing textbooks, blog, etc etc.

Double Time

Boy, did 5:15 come quickly this morning. I think I am a little sleep deprived and with a move and a new job on the horizon, lack of sleep may be the new norm. Giving up Coke will not make my lack of sleep any easier, in fact, I should be going through a caffeine withdrawal by Friday and lookout for cranky.

I don't think I ever worked on New Year's Day before and I must say it wasn't that bad. Sure, double time helps but I worked with a good crew on 2 West so it was actually a fun day. The hospital provided free lunch and supper, which was a nice gesture, although I would have preferred to have paid for my lunch and eat something I actually like.

We lost the house that we put a bid in on. The other buyer outbid us, and the worst part is that we did not give our best offer but tried to save some money and we lost out. I have no idea where I will be sleeping next Sunday night but it will not be in this house.

Nicole left tonight as she starts her new job tomorrow. She met me at work and we all went out for Chinese food and then she drove to her sisters for the night. The kids and I will go to our new city tomorrow and spend some more time looking for a home, preferably one where we can move in next week! I am leaning towards a funky looking A frame home close to the hospital, but only time will tell.

Time to go,
Michael

Happy New Year...2007 should be Big

2007 has just arrived and I have just finished my last glass of Coca Cola! Yes, I am finally putting an end to my Coke fix; cold turkey I swear. No more feeling and looking like a bloated whale.

I am excited about 2007. I start training for a full-time position in the ICU next Monday; new job in a big hospital. Should be a great challenge.

Moving to a new city very soon will also present lots stress and head-aches, but also plenty of opportunities. I only hope my new co-workers are half as nice as the ones I am leaving behind.

What else; well no more spending an hour driving to work 2x a day. I am going to use that extra time to have an hour for me each day - maybe to exercise, listen to tunes, whatever. I also need to spend more quality time with the kids and not having to get up at 5:15am will be a good start. Maybe I will become a more consistent blogger?

Anyway, I have to work tomorrow, or today I guess. I will not be watching the Rose Bowl, but at $56.00 an hour I can get by. I wonder if they still have the Rose Bowl Parade?

Time to go watch the ball drop at Times Square, which I plan on experiencing in the flesh sometime in the next three years.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Testing video

testing

Another Nursing Job

Great news today; I now have a part-time job at a local Veterns senior's home. Hopefully I will be able to pick up two eight hour shifts a week there in addition to my usual 75 hours every two weeks at the hospital. Am I nuts? Well, I don't think so.

1. We could always use the extra money for a new computer, a new roof, a ride-on lawn mower, or another cruise!
2. Now that the kids are back to school, what am I supposed to do with my five days off? House cleaning is only so much fun.
3. I have been working one shift a week at GNC, so I may as well work for $28.00 an hour rather than $8.50.
4. The nursing home is only ten minutes away and the shifts are 8 hours long, thus working from 7:30 to 3:30 is a lot different than leaving home at 5:45am and getting back at 8:20pm. Hell, the nursing home shift will barely feel like work.
5. Did I mention the extra money.
6. Finally, the more experience I can obtain can only help me.

I have two orientation shifts next week which I am really looking forward to.

Oh ya, I did my weights today, right on schedule. Time to work off this big fat gut and bring my bodyfat down from 15% to 10% by Xmas.

Blueberry Picking Time

I think it is rather early for blueberries this year. Hmm, must be George Bush's fault! Anyway, I went to my favourite spot, brought along 60 mp3 songs (all Iron Maiden - I was feeling rather aggessive today)and picked 4 litres in 2 1/2 hours. I am aware that I did not set any picking records, but, the damn flies were bad and I kept on getting caught in my stereo headphones - when will they shrink the whole music box into the shape of a hearing aid? Now comes the worst part, cleaning the damn things.

Even though it is extremely hard on the back, I love picking blueberries. I don't mind picking strawberries, hate picking raspberries as the bushes are too prickly, and have little use for picking any vegetable. But, rain or shine, I have no trouble hunching over and getting mt fingers all blue.

I think my love of picking blueberries goes back to my childhood. There was a nice blueberry patch besides nanny and pops house and I remember the thrill in filling one of their tin cups full. (Speaking of the tin cups, there were 6 but mom lost one in the blueberry patch when she was a youngster.) As well, I think one of my first jobs was picking blueberries with Cindy and her mom sold them for us. I think we made $5 bucks each, which came in handy as the ex would have been only a couple of weeks away.

Finally, blueberry pie is my most favourite food and I remember being a little pissed when mom used to get nanny to make some pies with my blueberries - two pies, but she got to keep one for making them. As a ten year old, I knew that I was only going to get one big slice from "my" pie and that was not enough reward for all the time it took me pick the blueberries. Mom could not make the crust so if I wanted a blueberry pie it was going to cost me a pie. I guess we learn young that life is not necessarily fair!