The Life and Times of a Busy Woman

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Bring on the Sunshine!!

Even if it is only for a little while, the sun feels great. The Hubs and I are running errands today and it feels wonderful to not have to carry an umbrella or wear a rain jacket.

Preparation for my upcoming trip continues. I've always prided myself in packing light, but being confined to only a carry on and backpack is quite the challenge. I have to keep reminding myself we can always do laundry somewhere. I'm pretty sure this will be an amazing trip ... spontaneity at its' finest.

Off to enjoy the day!!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Rainy Day

Today, I do not believe that the rain has let up for more than a couple minutes.  It's nice because it's a warm, soaking rain ... it's bad because there is a lake that somewhat resembles Moosehead forming in my driveway.  We are fortunate, though, since our roads are intact and we have not had any transportation difficulties.  A town not too far from here had a road wash out that caused a fatality. 

I've spent the last 5 days working, at one place or another.  I have been able to FaceTime chat with my daughter.  I showed her the trophy her softball coach dropped off.  He had them each made with the players' name on them.  We also discussed her report card and summer worksheets that I emailed to her for her to complete.  She may be a grade ahead in math, but it doesn't hurt to do a worksheet once a month to keep the material fresh.  Grandma has instituted a couple more chores this summer since she's getting older.  She's also paying her an allowance for the help, so that's a definite incentive.  My daughter LOVES her iPod touch and buys games/songs when she has money to put into the iTunes account. 

I've been doing laundry and puttering, but the rain just makes me wanna go to sleep.  I need to change the sheets and I may take a shower and do just that.  It's supposed to rain for the next couple days, too.  So I'm hoping our luck holds pertaining to the integrity of the roads.  Here's a sunshine ... maybe it will help. 



Friday, June 22, 2012

Today is the Day

No, not really ... but I'm going to be optimistic. I'm going to hope that how today started is not how it's going to end.
Today, I may not do anything noteworthy. Still, that's not going to stop me from viewing the glass as half full versus half empty.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

View From Pigeon Hill

Cutler

Cutler Naval Radar

Welcome

Ocean View

Pink granite with New Brunswick in the distance.

Boats

Statue

Wanna Swim?

It was 90-something today ...

Rest Break

Maine by Motorcycle

Today has been spent on the back of a VTX 1800 ... That's a motorcycle. We've made quite the loop, but now we're staying overnight at a hotel before returning home tomorrow. There is nothing like seeing Maine with the wind blowing through your hair, headphones in, jamming to DMB live at Wrigley Field. I have other music of course, but that was my mood today. We saw a lot of interesting sites, history, and a Bald Eagle so close I could have almost touched it. Granted, I never would have done that, but we were winding along the road and startled it from its' road kill meal. It took off and the wing span was IMPRESSIVE. We were startled, too! I wasn't quick enough with my camera or else I woulda tried to get a snapshot. Tomorrow, we will return home and get ready for yet another work week. I've also got to get ready for another trip I'm headed on in a couple of weeks. No motorcycle that time, really big planes instead.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

EVOC

Today is an on duty day.  I set my alarm prior to my shift, though I can stay at home until called,  to get somewhat more ready just in case.  Honestly, the most important factor of this readiness is going pee in the morning so as not to have a full bladder while completely asleep and the pager goes off.  It tends to help with response time ...   Now that I'm done with that TMI ..........

We took our primary truck up to the garage today to have it serviced and are running a back-up truck from the main base of this EMS service.  She's an old truck, but wow has she got some power.  I'm kinda thinking I like this one better, but I'm not going to tell our primary that.  Don't want jealousy or anything. 

We returned to the station and I sat down for a grueling time period of reading PowerPoint slides ... 187 of them to be exact.  Oi!  But at least I didn't have to sit through a lecture of all 187 ... I'd have been asleep quicker than a jackrabbit.  My Chief then took me out driving to road test me ... cones and all.  We did a country loop that had me negotiating R/L turns, S-curves, and switchbacks.  The cones were at the end in a parking lot to make sure that I didn't run into anything while backing, etc.  Always have a backing partner!

 
So now I spend the rest of the day waiting.  I do need to put away that laundry that is now dry on the rack, but that's it.  

We do have training tonight, but that's much later.  My husband doesn't come home till late night tonight/early Wednesday morning.  Then we're off on a motorcycle road trip since it's supposed to be gorgeous.  Remember to check your mirrors twice before you change lanes!  Cycles easily hide in blind spots.






Monday, June 18, 2012

Life in General

The last few days have been pretty rough.  With my daughter gone and my husband working, I haven't known what to do with myself.  My friend told me, "You're always so busy, you have no idea what time to yourself feels like."  True.  Then she went on to say, "You could make some whoopie pies and deliver them to me at work ..."  So, I'm wondering if she was just angling for some free snacks.

Mmmm, whoopie pies
I have been on duty for the local ambulance, but we haven't had any calls.  Granted, that's a good thing, but still doesn't give me anything to keep my mind busy.  So I've slept ... a lot.  I think I've kind of surfaced out of my funk that I was in for those few days, but the house is still rather empty.

Today, I slept in (only because I worked an overnight shift Sunday), but did get my butt out of bed finally.  I mostly contribute that to my friend whom is in the Master's of Nursing program at my same University and needed some help.  I'm constantly editing her papers and giving her suggestions on how to build them.  1)  I should have my MSN before I have my BSN; 2)  I'll be quite content with my BSN and will NOT, repeat NOT, be going to Grad school.  Ewwwww ...

I made some coffee and drove to her house versus sitting with my laptop and editing it like I usually do.  I needed out of the house.  I stopped by the fire station on my way home and confirmed plans to work on EVOC training tomorrow.  EVOC is an Emergency Vehicle Operating Course which I need to continue to work for the ambulances and now fire department.  I currently have been driving one of these (minus the push rack, though that would be a nice addition):

No, I do not live in Dallas
EVOC will also train me to drive these:

Me?  The driver of an ENGINE?  HELL YEAH!!!
I told the Chief when I applied to work there, "Do not get the notion that I will EVER go into a burning building."  Now, I'm working my way towards the Engine and Pumps.  My friend who is a Nurse and also a full time Firefighter/Paramedic remarked, "Just wait till you go to training and start smashing out windows and destroying stuff.  You'll be hooked."  I just cannot picture me "packing up" with a SCBA and going into a place that could very likely collapse on me.  Nah, I'll hang out a nice distance away ....

I made the full circle back to my house and started puttering.  Well, cleaning up the dining table (dumping spot) led to, "Hmmm, maybe I should Windex it since it's pretty dusty."  Then, I looked up at the window sills and the panes.  Hmmm, that's a lot of dust and ickiness, too.   So, armed with Windex, I just kept finding more things to clean.  The dishwasher needed loaded, laundry needed switched over, "hmm, that bathroom sink/vanity could use a scrubbing," oh that can go in the trash ... it was a feast to my ADD delight.  I swear I have Attention Deficit Disorder.  I am so distractable and get started on 8 things, before I get done one of them.  Puttering to clean my house is the perfect task for my ADD since it all gets done eventually, but when I'm sick of Windex, I can do something else for a bit.

I'm happy to report that all laundry is done, folded and put away even.  Still have a few items on the drying rack, but they'll be ready to go away tomorrow.  I'm on duty, working on EVOC, and hopefully doing more productive things.  It will be weird for my husband to come home to a cleaned, dusted, and organized house.  He might wonder who abducted his real wife!











Thursday, June 14, 2012

A Menagerie

Chaos ... that does not begin to describe my life ... but at least it's more of an "organized chaos."  Yes, I'm aware that's an oxymoron.

I heard back from the other Scholarships that I applied to.  Sadly, I did not receive them, but I am happy to say the amount I did receive covered what I would have had to take out as a Private Education Loan (at a substantially higher interest rate).  Therefore, I'm very grateful for the two I did receive.

For a couple months, I have felt like this guy:

"Bueller ... Bueller ... Bueller ..."

My nursing school was supposed to place us all by mid May.  Arrive mid June, and I'm still saying "Partnership?  Partnership?  Partnership?"  I had applied to two at what would be referred to by locals as the "Miracle Center."  I had excellent references, resume, and clinical performance - what I needed was someone to grant me an interview so I could pitch myself (which I HATE doing).  That did not happen, so then I waited a fretful week for my instructor to return from the West Coast and make a phone call to a community hospital to attempt to place me there.  The community hospitals are not as stuck up as the MC and do not require job board applications, but they sometimes require interviews and slots were quickly filling since I'd waited so long for a reply from my first two applications.  My instructor did not call like she said she would when she returned.  That's when I took matters into my own hands.

Tuesday, I was partnered on the local ambulance with a Medic who is a longstanding employee of that Community Hospital (they run their own EMS service).  He had even been Chief of Service for a decade prior to returning to "just being a Medic."  I vented my frustration at not having a Partnership yet and my instructor's lack of follow through.  "I think I know just who to talk to ..."  Yep, he did.  We went to the Nursing Education office in person and found the TWO correct people to talk to.  I was only expecting to get an interview, but the lady with the list gave me my choice of whatever was open (which I was correct that slots were filling fast).  "When your school gets around to calling me, I'll tell them you're all set."  I did the best to contain myself prior to leaving the building ... but when we left, I'm not ashamed to say that I looked something like this:

 
Well, sans the pink ... I was in EMS field gear at that point in time.  I also hugged my partner and squealed like a school girl - prior to composing myself and climbing back in our truck.  I got the area I wanted, at a hospital local to me which also happens to be a critical access hospital.  Translation:  they see A LOT of patients with "interesting" cases and coordinate transfer to bigger hospitals or treat and discharge home.
I can't shake the feeling that the Partnership was handed to me due to who I was standing next to.  I'm not above using my connections to land an interview, but having things handed to me due to who I know just doesn't sit well with my conscience.  All I can say is that I'm going to prove that I would have earned it on my own.  Maybe I'll even earn a job there after the Partnership and Graduation.  

Oh yeah, Graduation.  I'm an odd graduate ... I officially graduate in December, but I was able to walk in May in the big Commencement ceremony the University holds each year.  I'm almost 30 and wanted to walk with my Class of 2012.  Unfortunately, the pictures of me in a cap and gown have made everyone think that I've graduated already.  They keep asking when I'm going to take my Boards and start working.  It sucks to have to keep telling them I only walked.  Then they saw the Partnership announcement on my fb page and thought I was leaving them (I currently work in a hospital as an ER Tech) for another hospital.   It will be nice when I only have a couple work titles (RN and EMT) versus CNA, Tech, Secretary, Greeter, Registration, and EMT.  

Tomorrow, our daughter boards a plane to visit her Grandparents for 8 weeks.  It happens every summer, but it doesn't get any easier.  Luckily, Grandma keeps her busy with horse camp, girls' camp, and other adventures.  This year may even include Busch Gardens.  

I can also say this is the first time in my memory that I've been truly grateful for my brother.  Coincidentally, his work booked him on the same flight our daughter is taking.  He even coordinated seat assignments so they'll be sitting next to each other.  It makes me feel so much better that she'll have her uncle (who's 6'9" and somewhat burly) to accompany her. 

The best part of tomorrow is that my Grandmother is riding with us to the airport.  It's nice to spend time with her catching up on family stuff.  This is a Grandmother that tells it like it is.  "Well, I only have a few useful grandkids, the rest are useless.  If only they'd get off their butts instead of wasting oxygen lazying around then maybe they'd contribute to society."  Plus, we're going to go and see my niece and nephew (her great-grandkids).  My brother may be flying, but my sister-in-law is the better half anyway.  :)  And I haven't seen my niece and nephew since Christmas.  So ... of course I'm bringing toys.  I strive to be the "cool aunt," though of course I'm my brother's only sibling and the other aunts live out of state.  So, I'm already a few notches up.  Hahaha!