Kurt and I went and saw EVITA today. It was wonderful! It's so nice to be able to go to a quality production in a quality theater and only be 35 minutes from home. We were going to go the the BrewBQ in the park by our house yesterday, but something came up and we ended up not going. I did go down and get some brisket, beans, slaw and BBQ chicken. Plus we could hear the music from here.
I took the pupper to the vet yesterday a.m. He REALLY hates riding in the car. He now weighs in at 9#. I don't want him to get any bigger :( I got him a shabby chic wicker basket bed on clearance at Targucci. He LOVES it and has been snoozing it up.
Another busy week coming up. I'm going to the state nursing home convention in DSM this week with the administrator, the director of nursing and a guy that is half intern and half assisted living director. Should be interesting.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Long Time - No Blog
It's been awhile I know. I'm a working woman again. After a year off (from paid employment) I'd forgotten how exhausting it can be!
I'm doing my internship at a Retirement Community/Nursing Home. At this place you buy an apartment and are then "endowed". Once you are endowed you live in your independent living apartment (which includes 1 meal a day and access to a nurse). You just pay your monthly maintenance fee. When the time comes you can move over to the assisted living unit with no additional cost. Finally, the nursing home/med center is available for your final move.
I'm really enjoying what I'm doing. I've made the right (second) career choice. My internship is for 720 hours. I have to do 80 hours each in nine areas. I've completed the nursing portion and I'm finishing up the social services area. I think I'm going to activities next.
We are spending our Saturdays at cross country meets. Alex improves his time at each one. We expected it to be freezing today, but it ended being in the high forties. It was a huge improvement over the mosquito infestation of last week.
Nicky and Christy seem to be doing well at school. They are doing their homework without much prodding or protesting. It's a nice change.
I'm doing my internship at a Retirement Community/Nursing Home. At this place you buy an apartment and are then "endowed". Once you are endowed you live in your independent living apartment (which includes 1 meal a day and access to a nurse). You just pay your monthly maintenance fee. When the time comes you can move over to the assisted living unit with no additional cost. Finally, the nursing home/med center is available for your final move.
I'm really enjoying what I'm doing. I've made the right (second) career choice. My internship is for 720 hours. I have to do 80 hours each in nine areas. I've completed the nursing portion and I'm finishing up the social services area. I think I'm going to activities next.
We are spending our Saturdays at cross country meets. Alex improves his time at each one. We expected it to be freezing today, but it ended being in the high forties. It was a huge improvement over the mosquito infestation of last week.
Nicky and Christy seem to be doing well at school. They are doing their homework without much prodding or protesting. It's a nice change.
Friday, August 31, 2007
It's about Time!
Finally, Iowa gets something right. Yay to Judge Hanson who ruled that the DOMA was bs. My gay friends can get married if the want!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Closure
I called my ex-husband tonight to find out why he left me. It's been almost 5 years so I figured I could handle it. I can. In retrospect it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. Of course, it didn't seem like it at the time.
I have an entirely different life now.
I have an entirely different life now.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
WTF??
Kurt and I had chinese for lunch. This is my so called fortune:
When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out - because that's what's inside
When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out - because that's what's inside
Thursday, August 16, 2007
This and That
I've been busy trying to potty train Francis, study my medical terminologies, making sure the kids have what they need to start school, getting used to them being back, and trying to find myself an internship.
I did at least manage that. I start Monday in a 65 bed facility. They also have independent and assisted living too. I have 9 practicum areas that I have to do 80 hours each in. I've gotten close to zero guidance from my advisor and am throughouly disgusted.
This weekend in my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. We and my sisters are taking them out Saturday night and then hosting a small cake and ice cream feed on Sunday.
I did at least manage that. I start Monday in a 65 bed facility. They also have independent and assisted living too. I have 9 practicum areas that I have to do 80 hours each in. I've gotten close to zero guidance from my advisor and am throughouly disgusted.
This weekend in my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. We and my sisters are taking them out Saturday night and then hosting a small cake and ice cream feed on Sunday.
Day 10-15 ~ Groton ~ Utica ~ Home ~ 3232 miles total
So we got up and headed out of Connecticut. We drove up her middle passing through towns that had been founded in the 1700's (you don't see that at home!) It was very beautiful and I would imagine very expensive. It took about 45 minutes to traverse Connecticut from south to north. So small! I drive 45 minutes to get to decent shopping! We journeyed into Massachusetts and stopped at a Starbucks. We were trying to match up with the New York Turnpike. We drove through heavy rain for a while. I can check another state off my list! I did notice that we crossed under the Appalachian Trail. That's cool because for book club we are reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson in which he and a childhood friend attempt to hike it.
We finally got into Utica. We found the hotel, the work place, and some food. It's like all Italian all the time in Utica! Kurt had to work for two or three days at the site there so I drove around and found there was little to do. Although, Utica does have multitudes of statues. Unfortunately, there's nowhere to park to stop to look at them. I scrap booked while he was at work. I got a good start on my trip to Memphis back in '92.
We saw The Order of the Phoenix while we were there! We loved it! I went to Utica Monday nights and listened to the band Buddhahood. They were freaking awesome! I bought the CD.
On the third day we were ready to depart. We pretty much followed I-80 home. We spent a rotten night in South Bend, IN. The first day we spent 12 hours in the car and the second we spent 7. That's too much. We did get The Half-Blood Prince listened to on the way home. We were totally primed for the release of The Deathly Hallows.
All in all we had a great trip! Give us a month or so and we'll be itching to go somewhere again!
We finally got into Utica. We found the hotel, the work place, and some food. It's like all Italian all the time in Utica! Kurt had to work for two or three days at the site there so I drove around and found there was little to do. Although, Utica does have multitudes of statues. Unfortunately, there's nowhere to park to stop to look at them. I scrap booked while he was at work. I got a good start on my trip to Memphis back in '92.
We saw The Order of the Phoenix while we were there! We loved it! I went to Utica Monday nights and listened to the band Buddhahood. They were freaking awesome! I bought the CD.
On the third day we were ready to depart. We pretty much followed I-80 home. We spent a rotten night in South Bend, IN. The first day we spent 12 hours in the car and the second we spent 7. That's too much. We did get The Half-Blood Prince listened to on the way home. We were totally primed for the release of The Deathly Hallows.
All in all we had a great trip! Give us a month or so and we'll be itching to go somewhere again!
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Day 9 ~ 1622 miles ~ Poughkeepsie, NY to Groton, CT
~ I don't know about all of you, but I'm getting tired of this trip! All I have left to do with it is blog it, scrap it, and pay for the rest of it! ~
Today we got up and had a breakfast at a 50's diner that we passed countless times a day on our trek back and forth from the sites. After breakfast we toured the Vanderbilt's "cottage" on the Hudson. They only stayed here a few weeks in the spring and few in the fall since they had houses in NYC, Ashville, and Newport. By most standards this house would be a mansion. However, I've been to the Biltmore in Ashville and in comparison this place was a nothing!
The tour guide was pretty funny, but he still rambled on. Of course, there were some idiots with idiotic questions in our group as well. I try not to be an idiotic tourist; others though, seldom make the effort.
The view from Hyde Park is spectacular. The grounds are open to the public daily with bike and walking trails.
After our tour we headed for Connecticut. I wanted to eat lobster and I've never been there!
We were staying the night in Groton. Connecticut is very beautiful (but small!) We got into Groton around 4 pm so we had just enough time to tour the submarine Nautilus and a nearby base. Kurt was like a giant in there! I would think you'd have to be tested from claustrophobia before you signed up to be a "fish".
After our tour we drove down to the sound to go to Abbott's lobster. What an experience! Tall ships were sailing by and we savored chowder, peel n eat shrimp, steamers and mussels, and lobster. Afterword we decided we wanted a little more since it was a once in a lifetime experience. So we got back in line and had a hot lobster roll and crab cakes! It was a perfect meal!
Today we got up and had a breakfast at a 50's diner that we passed countless times a day on our trek back and forth from the sites. After breakfast we toured the Vanderbilt's "cottage" on the Hudson. They only stayed here a few weeks in the spring and few in the fall since they had houses in NYC, Ashville, and Newport. By most standards this house would be a mansion. However, I've been to the Biltmore in Ashville and in comparison this place was a nothing!
The tour guide was pretty funny, but he still rambled on. Of course, there were some idiots with idiotic questions in our group as well. I try not to be an idiotic tourist; others though, seldom make the effort.
The view from Hyde Park is spectacular. The grounds are open to the public daily with bike and walking trails.
After our tour we headed for Connecticut. I wanted to eat lobster and I've never been there!
We were staying the night in Groton. Connecticut is very beautiful (but small!) We got into Groton around 4 pm so we had just enough time to tour the submarine Nautilus and a nearby base. Kurt was like a giant in there! I would think you'd have to be tested from claustrophobia before you signed up to be a "fish".
After our tour we drove down to the sound to go to Abbott's lobster. What an experience! Tall ships were sailing by and we savored chowder, peel n eat shrimp, steamers and mussels, and lobster. Afterword we decided we wanted a little more since it was a once in a lifetime experience. So we got back in line and had a hot lobster roll and crab cakes! It was a perfect meal!
Monday, August 06, 2007
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Friday, August 03, 2007
Francis
Our little Francis is a lot of fun. He is very curious and observant. Here he is listening to the guy across the street weed-whack, which is, of course, distracting him from the reason we're outside in the first place.
My days have become all about pooping. He's got the peeing thing pretty much down, but pooping outside still appears to be an inconvenience to him.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Day 8 ~ Poughkeepsie, NY ~ Hudson River Valley
After a good night's rest we were ready to tackle some more historic houses! We started off at the FDR presidential library and his home (or his mother's home) Springwood.
The library was very interesting. It is the only one where a sitting president actually used it. His mother had saved the dresses he wore as a boy as well has the long blonde curls from his first haircut when he was five. Eleanor's diamonds were on display, too. Of course there was lots of stuff about WWII. Including a recreation of the secret map room FDR had in the basement of the White House. It was modeled after Churchill's War Cabinet bunker.
We toured Springwood, Roosevelt's home. His mother, Sarah, was alive during most of his marriage so until she died it was her home and Eleanor was pretty much a guest in it. Eventually she grew tired of living under her mother-n-law's thumb and she got FDR to agree to let her build a cottage on some of the land.
Val-Kill is the only home Eleanor ever owned. It started out as a cottage industry factory making furniture in the 1920's until during the depression. Then after it was forced to close she turned it in to a home. She and two friends lived there.
The home's contents were sold at auction immediately following her death. Luckily a curator from the library came and photographed ever inch of it before the auction. The National Park Service is now trying to recreate the interior from the photographs. Slowly artifacts are being found and purchased or donated back to the museum.
We had a yummy lunch in Foster's Tavern. We each had one of the specials. I had some yummy beef and Kurt had something good too! Of course we went in search of ice cream and candy after. We weren't disappointed.
After naps and some hot tubbing at the Marriott we headed for the waterfront area. We found a great restaurant called River Station at the foot of the Mid-Hudson Bridge. We sat on the patio people watching, drinking, gorging ourselves and watching the magnificent sunset.
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