See you soon, not goodbye

Last night was the official work going away party. Yes, I cried. Because of this. The three other mid-levels who work on the Orthopedic Trauma Service presented me with this custom made platter, made by my boss' wife. Check out her link on the side over there...AmyCass Pottery!

It was a night filled with drinks, food, tons of friends, and lots of laughs. still was hard to say good bye though. Those crazy folks better come visit me!

HNT...WTF was I thinking?

Who decided to host a Stampin' Up Open House 9 days before she makes a major move to Fairbanks, AK? That's the makin's of three different cards, one of which is a 3D effect. Yeah, I know...sick right?

At least the Shiraz helps and the MG and I are drinking the same Australian one I think.

Happy HNT!

New friends in Chicago

Great Belgian bars like The Hopleaf make for a great gathering ground for new friends. An old friend took me here several years ago and now it was my turn to take a new friend to the same spot for the amazing beer and frites that come with garlic mayo! Seriously, yummy!





















Os sort of "introduced" Dana and I. She is one of the few bloggers that has read all of Os' posts and knows Os and I have been friends for literally over a decade before the whole blogger "connection". I was impressed by that. So when Os suggested we should meet up in Chicago I was excited. This gal was interested enough as well to brave Friday evening traffic INTO downtown Chicago. She said she was game for about anything so after devouring the above beer and some great desserts along with dinner, we went to Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind by the Neo-Futurists Theater around the corner from the Hopleaf. A good time was had by all and I have a new friend who I have met in person. Thanks for a great time out Dana!

Let the madness begin

That little ticker at the top is starting to freak me out! 11 days? It can't be just 11 days. I just had a 3 day weekend and got nothing accomplished. Granted, I spent one of those days traveling home from Chicago, ran up to Minneapolis yesterday and picked up a few needed items. Today I caught up on sleep. Chicago was just too loud every night to sleep. I needed the break.

The first shipment of my belongings has to be ready by Thursday! Thursday! That is like three days away!

The big move happens next week with the pack on thursday and the load on Friday. I'll leave town on the Sunday. I'm not looking forward to good byes.

I'm not looking forward to the next two weeks.

HNT: Cool summer sandals

This is pre-Chicago pedicure. I have the blue ones but I was very envious of my friend Pat's sandals at my going away party so I made her pose for an HNT. Mine are $8 specials from Maurices, she found hers at a cute boutique in Lanesboro, MN. Aren't they adorable!?!

Happy HNT!

A day to relax

The conference didn't start until this evening so I had the day to relax. Relax I did...I slept for over 10 hours first of all! Heavenly. No interruptions, no alarms, no deadlines.

I called this morning and made a reservation at the Renee day Spa for a pedicure and then spent the rest of the day going up and down Michigan Avenue. I bought myself a new suit at Ann Taylor, had lunch at Tavern on Rush, and ended with a hand massage at Aveda on the ground level of the John Hancock building.

Now "work" has started with the conference but at least I had a day to play a bit.

A week away

Busy? Yes. Not enough time at home? Yes. Where am I? Chicago. Why? Work Conference. Never enough hours.

Violated

While I was away this weekend, someone attempted to break into my home. I had the windows open when I left because it has been nice out and I'm sick of paying for the air conditioning. My realtor was there that afternoon for an open house. The neighbors were home the whole weekend.

Sometime around 1:30-2:00 am on Saturday night individuals cut out my kitchen window screen on the back of the house completely and slashed two other screens on the side of the house. The neighbors also had two windows slashed on their house. We know the approximate time because their dog went biserk about then. No one was able to physically get into either house.

HOWEVER...I have THREE very adventorous felines. I was freaking out when I found out the windows were open with NO screens for a period of time. I was convinced the cats would be gone. My cat sitter had seen two at the time of his voicemail and I called him back and made him go looking for the third. Thankfully, all three are safe and sound and stayed home! I don't know what I would have done without those guys.

Sunday night I slept fine as I was purely exhausted from the wedding weekend trip to South Dakota as well as the stress of finding out someone tried to break into my home. Last night...I didn't sleep so well. I kept hearing "sounds" that would "alert" me and then I would lay there listening before covering my head back up and hoping no one was coming. It's a weird sensation to think someone tried to break into your home. I feel someone what violated and I wasn't even in the house at the time.

And then people why I want to get a gun when I move to Alaska all by myself!

HNT...why Alaska?

My camera had been missing in action for much of July and even though I dragged the camera all the way to South Dakota plus tubing I didn't take any pictures. I have had these planned for a long time but you know, needed the camera.

Many individuals have asked me "Why Alaska?" For the record, this is not the first time I have considered moving there. Ever since Northern Exposure I have been fascinated with the state. When I first graduated from PA school I applied for several positions in Alaska with Indian Health Services (IHS). IHS always has jobs open but that doesn't me jobs are always available. They list the positions so when they need someone they have a bank of applicants to sift through. So even though I had applied, there were no true positions available at the time.

You all know my love and passion for Montana, particularly Glacier National park. I did not grow up in the mountains. Rolling plains and buttes were about all I had. When I moved to Montana and had the mountains at my side everywhere I went there was a comfort that I felt. I was exposed to the wonders of the woods and the outdoors. There truly is something special in the mountains.

Alaska has mountains, it has trees, and most importantly it gets cold. I despise heat. Long before I started this blog, I lived for 14 months in Phoenix, AZ. I was NOT a happy camper. Now living in south eastern Minnesota I tolerate summers with multiples days with humidity levels about 60-70% when air temps are in the 80's. Again, not comfortable. I'm a snow bunny through and through. I would rather wear a big hoodie and sweat pants then shorts and a t-shirt. I would rather slip into a cashmere sweater and cordoroys then a skirt and tank. When it's cold, you can always put enough clothes on. When it's hot...nekkid (half or full) is NOT nekkid enough.

Here is what I plan to cover up my cordoroys and sweaters with when the temps in Fairbanks dip to -20 and lower. Yes, there is a minus sign in front of that 20. For all you warm weather folks that's 20 degrees BELOW zero.

This lovely parka was a serious score while at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN. Duluth Pack had all winter North Face apparel on a serious sale. This lovely women's cut Parka complete with the fur hood only cost me $160 bucks! Seriously! Yes, you can see my battered and bruised legs from last week's tubing but this coat is going to do serious business when it comes to cuttin' the bite out of the air! Happy HNT!

ahhh...vacation

I've had a week of vacation and am going into a weekend at home. Sweetness! i'm a bit battered and bruised but what a wonderful vacation it was.

I have mentioned my small hometown of Isabel, South Dakota before and that was were I spent the firsts half of the week. The first weekend in August marks the annual Isabel Celebration and Rodeo. The weekend kicks off on Thurday night with a steak fry and concludes by late Sunday night with the second of two nights of rodeo. In between the small town of about 300 people cram in a parade, a free community sponsored bbq, an all school reunion, two rodeos, slack for timed events (the roping, barrel racing, etc), a rodeo dance, a pancake and sausage feed, and lots of catching up.

My sister is the chairman for the rodeo association cook shack so that meant hundreds of pounds of roast beef, ham and taco meat to be prepared. It's the best damn roast beast sandwich you will ever have...marinated for a couple days in the cooler with a special "Isabel" mix of seasonings including cracked pepper and Coca-Cola. Sliced up hot the Saturday of the weekend and served as juicy sammies all weekend. I lost count of how many I ate. Add super nachos, walking tacos, and the usual concession stand fair and it's all good food.

The weather was hot, hot, and hotter with crazy humidity. and subsequently some crazy storms. For the first time in 8 years we have had rain in western South Dakota. Unfortunately it has come with very high straight line winds and large hail. Friday night the rain was coming in through the west window of the house and I could feel it inside the upstairs hallway as I was walking east to west to close the window. My old bed was soaked (i was sleeping in my sister's old room b/ cthe TV was there). Saturday night straight line winds lifted round hay bales up and rolled/bounced them out of fields into ditches and onto roads. Other areas of the county had hail with significant structure damage. The crops that haven't been hailed out though look beautifully green.

Tuesday night I made it back to Rochester around 10:30 pm. I managed to be hit with a head cold for most of the week but it didn't slow me down. Wednesday I worked from home for a few hours but mostly lounged with my cats and took care of myself.

Yesterday was an eventful day that resulted in the bumps and bruises but an accomplishment on my "things to do list". I am terrified of open water. Have been for as long as I can remember. I know how to swim and can swim fairly well. I am fine in a swimming pool. I love being out on a boat but I do not enjoy being out in open water. So yesterday, under the strong encouragement of my ortho floor nurses I joined them for a day of tubing on the Root River.

We successfully tied those of us together who wanted to chat the whole way and several others were floating individually. Coolers were well supplied with spirts and snacks. The day couldn't have been more perfect. All was well until about 30 minutes before river's end. A small sand bar is centered in the river with a homemade sign on the end pointing to the right. The current goes strongly right and with the summer rains straight into a stand of trees collapsed into the river, hence the detour suggestion. Unfortunately the current took the 5 of us and our two cooler tubes towards the WRONG way. Two of us, including me (the big chicken) jumped out to pull us towards the more safe path.

No good...I was pulled into the tow, my friend at least remained upright, and the group of tubes and the rest of the gals ended up tangled in the trees, tubes, and coolers. I was able to keep my head above water but with the force of the current unable to stand. I had my trusty Keen's on so I had a decent foothold but no way to free myself from the current and no way in hell was I letting go to be tumbled through it. Other than the sheer look of terror in my eyes (confirmed by said friend) I kept some semblence of calm and clearly stated, "i need help". Sarah was able to get close enough to reach me a hand and I was able to stand up. We then together started walking perpendicular to the current and two young men pulled us free. THANK YOU!

I have a serious of pretty good bruises up both shins and chunks of skin out of bilateral knees and my lef thumb. The rest of the girls were shook up but unschathed. The aforementioned young men fished them out and back to the sandbar as well. A toast was made and we pulled up our boot straps, got back in our tubes and finished the ride. I'm proud of my bruises. I bucked up and had a wonderful day with my friends.

I had a late night because about the time I was creeping my aching body into bed a friend called to say he had hurt himself at softball. Spent a good portion of the night taking care of that and then getting him into my clinic this morning. I worked one 2 hour morning this whole week. I saw two other patients while I had one of my coworkers check on him.

All are well this evening and I'm curled up in a gift from a friend at work (a homemade lap afghan) with my kitties in my lap watching the Olympic opening ceremonies. Ahhh...pure relaxation. And two more days of it! YEAH!!! Happy Friday you all!

Leaving on vacation

Things accomplished this week...

• Jewelry making party
• Reviewed Milepost Magazine and Al-Can Highway book
• Got nighttime bite block molded
• Got manicure and pedicure
• Got the advance for my Alaska travel expenses arranged
• Set up vet appointments to get all three cats health certificates to cross into Canada (who knew)
• Made appt to get bite block fit
• Made appt to have teeth cleaned
• Made appt with my primary care doc to get prescriptions for meds updated and to get new script for SAD lights to take with to AK
• Made appt for cut and color next week
• Book discussion dinner on 3 Cups of Tea
• Usual weird stuff at work...coon bites, puncture wound from a pressure washer, things like that
• Paid bills
• Working on laundry
• Fed-Ex'd my application for surgical and hospital privileges to Bassett Community Army Hospital
• Looked at a few houses in Fairbanks online (trashed a few, filed a few to go see in person)
  

Leaving in the morning for South Dakota...I need a vacation. Going to plan my road trip to Alaska with my dad. Go to the rodeos, parade, free bbq, and a dance or two during my hometown's annual celebration. Going to drive 1200 miles round trip. Considering it a warm up for the "real" drive in September :)

Who? Me? Well, thank you

Kelly gave me a blogger award today,the brillANTE weblog 2008 award. What an honor to receive recognition from someone as cool as Kelly. Now I'm stuck with the task of honoring 7 others....That's hard work. Here's what Kelly had to say when she bestowed the honors to me:

Moose: This is another blog I have been reading for a long time. She is totally awesome. She is also a big reader and we have tossed back and forth book recommendations for quite awhile now. She was really wonderful with offering support and prayers when my brother-in-law was dying last year. Not long after her mother passed away and she was open and honest with the blogging world sharing her grief and healing. She has always been supportive and inspiring. She also is pretty funny! http://moosekahl.blogspot.com/
Quote: "Accent: Midwestern gone very, very wrong...Minnesooooottahhhhh you betcha's all over the place and I now say "fer" instead of "for". Maybe it will go away in Alaska."

Here are the rules:
Here are the rules: Put the logo on your blog. Put a link to who awarded it to you on your blog also. You need to nominate 7 other bloggers for the award and put links to them also on your blog. Finally, leave a comment for those you've nominated - so they know they've received a special award.

Lime: Lime has made me smile, laugh, and cry with her sincere, eyes wide open approach to life. No matter what topic she tackles on her site House of Lime, she does so with energy and honesty. Two things I could always use more of in my life. When things were really bad in the last year, Lime was there to be serious when I needed her to be but she also sent me a few pairs of her custom made tie dye socks to make me smile. It worked.

Quote: "Over her own high decibel protests I added my own loud declaration of her ridiculous reaction to simple directives, 'No one is being louder than you are....bang bang bang....Do you realize how ridiculous this is.....crash crash crash....this is how you sound all because you hate to be wrong...bang crash bang...See now I can be loud like you!...clang clang clang'"

Rachel: Unbeknownst to use, Rachel and I went to college together. At the same college. On the same campus. At the same time. But we never knew each other. Then we met in the blogger world and became fast friends. While she misses Hawaii she is a Montana girl through and through. Together we revel in the mind clearing benefits of Glacier Park and keep Os from getting too full of himself.

Quote: Progress: "I've managed contact (the non-painful, biting, clawing kind)."

Robyn: Os introduced me to Robyn when both of us were losing our mothers. Not an easy time to invite someone new into your life. But Os knew both of us independently and felt we might be able to help each other. This young woman is wise beyond her years. The things she has dealt with, is dealing with, and how she goes about it are lessons a lot of us could learn from. Robyn has some pretty cool ink as well, gotta love a girl with ink.

Quote: "when I was like 5 years old she taught me how to read and write braille. So I wrote her name (Phyllis) out in braille and had it put on top of my right wrist..."

Patia: This blogger I don't know all that well but I was introduced to her site when I was last in Montana by the above mentioned Rachel. Whenever I need a bit of a Montana fix, I head to Patia's pages. Her photography is amazing and her stories of the Montana area she lives in keep me in touch. Today is the ultimate post from her though...she has baby moose video (duh, of course I love that!) but it is also set to music by Alison Kraus. I appreciate the touches of home she brings to me from miles away. Thanks!

Quote: "The best after-hours food in Missoula. Gyros, jalapeno cheese fries, hot donuts -- it's all crazy good."

The Sistas: This is a collaborative blog managed by my Stampin' Up Sistas in crime. I feel honored to count myself among this group of talented woman. There projects blow mine out of the water but their patients with me as I have taken up the trade has been beyond appreciated. Check out this crafty gals...

Quote: Not a lot of talk on this site but some really awesome pictures.

Doug: This man is a genius. He also appreciates a good cold beer. A GOOD beer, not that watered down domestic stuff. He also is very willing to share his life with his readers. Lightening Strikes Twice is literal for this man and his family. A long battle against cancer took the love of his life from he and his children and now he battles cancer as well. His honesty and straight forward approach to what ails him are noteworthy. Did i mention his supreme appreciation for good beer? That's pretty cool too!

Quote: "by the sound of the flowage coming in, at lease 100 of the guests had somehow squeezed themselves into the bathrooms and were pissing a volume equivalent to Niagara Falls"

Sandi: Sandi is far from being Manic as she suggests but she does do one hell of a set of nails but it's her art work on canvas and other mediums that blows me away. She has gone through a lot of changes in the last year, none of which were easy and none of which were entered into without a lot of thought and worry for her own well being and that of those she loves. She is a woman starting out on her own, taking charge of her own happiness and realizing her own possibilities. She gives me courage when I in my young age fear I can't make a difference. Thanks for being there!

Quote: "IF you are going to act like a car…want the rights of a car…then f-ing obey the traffic rules like a car."

Now pass the love on...Enjoy!

On two wheels

Summer is half over and tonight was the first night I got my bike out and went for a ride. Sad, uh? It was cooler than 80 degrees though, there was a little breeze, and I was home before 6:00 pm tonight. After supper I decided to get the bike ready and see if I remembered how to pedal.

Once I got all the spiders off my helmet, got my front wheel put on, enough air into the tires with the hand pump to get to the gas station at the end of the block, and had my iPod shuffle secured, I was off.

Many things along the trail made me smile...butterflies. The smell of the woods. The cocker spaniel in the FRONT basket of some old guys bike as he pedaled along. She was adorable! He...not so much!

For the record, I still remember how :) Bike needs a little tweaking though. Happy trails!

3669.12

Number of miles from Rochester, MN to Fairbanks, AK.

3. Number of cats to take along the way.

6. Overnight stops.

10. Approximate number of fill-ups at the gas station.

Sounds like fun uh?

Memories shared...

Robyn had this up too, figured I might as well steal it since I'm in a lazy mood tonight.

Memories

As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

ABC about Me...

I found this via The Daily Cat Chase via Rachel's comments. It was interesting so I thought I would fill it out.

Accent: Midwestern gone very, very wrong...Minnesooooottahhhhh you betcha's all over the place and I now say "fer" instead of "for". Maybe it will go away in Alaska.

Breakfast or no breakfast: Definitely not first thing when I get up. I like to wait until 8 or 8:30 ish and then will try to get to the cafeteria at work. At home on weekends, it is cereal.

Chore I don’t care for: Insert chore here: DUSTING!!!! and ironing is a close second.

Dog or Cat: 3 fuzzy kitties

Essential Electronics: Laptop, blowdryer, alarm clock

Favorite Cologne: Ralph Lauren Style

Gold or Silver: Silver

Handbag I carry most often: Typically a red leather Franklin Covey laptop/briefcase bag with sweet silver buckles. Wallet is tossed inside. On weekends I have quite the selection!

Insomnia: Do other people NOT have problems sleepign?

Job Title: Physician Assistant

Kids: See above mentioned three fuzzy kitties

Living Arrangements: I live in a really sweet three story 1938 built townhome that now has a really ugly for sale sign in the front yard because I'm moving to Alaska. Think the Army would move my house?

Most Admirable Trait: I'm not afraid to take a leap into the unknown. in fact, I think I thrive on that a bit. Routine drives me batty!

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: I bit the tip of my sister's nose while I had her pinned down because she still wouldn't shut up. No scars left though.

Overnight hospital stays: Just when I was little and had my tonsils taken out. I remember it very vividly though. Loved the banana and root beer popsicles. Hated the jello!

Phobias: Crunchy bugs, open water, small spaces

Quote: Routine drives me nuts so I my favorite quote is "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." by Longfellow for ever.

Reason to smile: When Montana, the smallest of the three furry beasts curls up under my chin to go to sleep at night.

Siblings: One above mentioned bitten sista...

Time I wake up: Weekdays...6:45 am. Weekends: when I damn well feel like it.

Unusual Talent or Skill: None that I can really think of. Pretty handy with power tools.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Soggy green beans...must be crisp!

Worst Habit: Saying what I really mean

X-rays: let's see...chest, multiple feet films, ankle

Yummy Stuff: Avocadoes, fresh berries, CHEESE!, pasta, red meat

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Monkeys

I know I'm tired when...

Last night when I finally went to bed I read long enough to finish my 24th book of the year. Typically I then instantly go on to the next book in the large pile of "to reads" on my dresser. Last night, I just couldn't do it. I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to reach for a new book and at least read the first few pages. It was lights out and Moose out before midnight for the first time in many weeks. Not sure what I'll read next....this last book was a break from my Alaska reads and only took me a few days to get through with just reading at bedtime. Think I might need to stick to something just as quick again. Uhmmm....I'll have to peruse my pile tonight!

Wanna buy a townhouse?

It's official. My house is on the market. The thought of having complete strangers purposely coming through my home to judge it is freaking me out. I love my house. It's unique, I've made it my own. I've put a lot of sweat into it. All those things make me very attached to it and particularly partial to how it looks. Things like taking personal pictures off the wall is hard. Becomes sterile. I just hope someone likes it as much as I do and buys it...SOON!

HNT...Stress relief

"Good morning, Angels."

"Good morning, Charlie!"

4th of July Fun

Since moving to Rochester a few years ago a couple of us have been traveling to Northern Wisconsin for a long weekend every summer at a friend's family cottage. This year we made the trip during the 4th of July when the entire family was around for good times. Yesterday was an all American day out in the sun.



The Eagle River Chain of Lakes Association needed a few good men and women to help drive ATV's through the parade. We got to throw out candy, got sprayed by a few water guns and then had a little get up and go fun on the drive back to the garage.


The next item on the agenda was target practice. We pulled out a collection of handguns, rifles, and shotguns to entertain ourselves as well. I want to find myself a nice handgun to keep handy in Alaska and I had plenty to try out. The guys pulled out some high powered rifles before we all joined in for some clay pigeon shooting. I'll have more pictures when this week's HNT rolls around.
The little town of Three Rivers, WI puts on one heck of a 20 minute fireworks display. There was a slight ramp up in the first 5 minutes and the remaining 15 was one big finale! We were close enough to the launchers that we could feel the concussion while lying on our backs on the ground. All five senses were stimulated with this great show!

A good time was had by all. I hope you and yours enjoyed yourself this holiday weekend while taking time to remember the value of our freedom. Say a little prayer for the troops on the line this year.