Christmas Eve 2009...very quiet one as Jerry is in Iowa for Christmas with family. My holiday call duties kept me here. A major winter storm hit the East and Midwest (as in Iowa) so a white Christmas is guaranteed there. The downside to that is Jerry had to give up the drive to Winona to see Julia again this year.
It's warmish, about 40deg. and the last dribs an drabs of snow are melting quickly. Rain is forecasted and that will make it all the more gloomy. I'm sure we will get our Easter snow right on time. Maybe getting the last of my gifts wrapped will lift my spririts...
Cat =^..^=

Thanksgiving 2009 was a few days late for Jerry and I (who worked a long shift) but well worth the wait. The original plan was to have his friend and coworker, Harry join us but that long shift got in the way. So, J and I did the best we could with a 17.75 lb bird!!! I think we have 15 lbs left.
Seriously, for TWO people??? But it was only .29 /lb and cheaper than a 6 lb breast!!! It's so unfair. But my guy loves turkey, and all that goes with it (my giblet gravy was da bomb:). I sent him packing with tons of leftovers...I may have to pluck him by next weekend!
Apres dinner, we flopped on the sofa/lounger and did what the rest of America did: fell into an overfed stupor. We lit a fire, and watched Casablanca for the umpteenth time. The house was warm and cozy and with the aroma of dinner still lingering we had no choice but to fall into a contented sleep. It was like a lullaby.
So begins the Holiday season. I'll be working as much as possible this season, since J will be in Iowa and those with kids need to be home with family. I much prefer to have my summer holidays off and besides, we're planning a winter trip to Fla so the extra hours will help fund my cheap/sleazy paperbacks I take to the beach.
Merry Holidays, to all....
Cat =^..^=

For Jim.....

Hello World---not sure where the months between March and now (November) went; perhaps the same universe as the lost socks from the washer.
I think the only way to recount the past months, is a quick look in reverse at my calendar.
Let's see now...oh, yes, in April I was still working 4 10 hr shifts and was on call. At the end of the month I had foot surgery yet again but with a much better outcome!! Dr Buchan is the rock star of little piggies everywhere.
May is a great time not to work and have lunch/catch up with friends. Who am I to argue? The garden is coming into full bloom and the air smells sweet. Mid month brought me back to work but I decided to dial it down a bit and work 5 8 hr shifts. Would I regret giving up my day off a week? Turns out, not so much. It feels like I have every day off and no worries about taking call anymore!
June is here and my driveway looks fabulous. I had it torn out and replaced by the rock star of asphalt (I know a lot of these stars, they just don't live in Hollywood). It was the perfect "red carpet" of greeting for my annual Summer Solstice Garden Party. The garden rose to the occasion as well.
July was as relaxing and sedate as a summer month can get. I don't even recall any vicious thunder storms that threatended life, limbs (of trees) or hailstorms of, well, hail.
Although looking back now, I do recall having my first and hopefully last bout of vertigo. It's almost indescribable---there you are, ready to get up and on with the day, and the room spins and spins, then slows down leaving you with the most awful nausea ever. Then the cycle repeats again and again. Like any good nurse, (who works in surgery) I thought I had a life altering brain tumor. But lucky for me and most folks, it's an inner ear problem that seems to have been resolved.
August is Jerry's birthday, and brother Jim's too. We arrived in Chicago to stay with him for a night before heading off to Winona to see Julia. She looks so grown up now, heading towards her senior year in advertising at college. She has her sights set on "a big city" and I have no doubt she'll take the ad world by storm in the future. From there it was off to Door county Wisconsin and Egg Harbor to be exact. I could very easily live here. Jerry dreams of the beach for retirement, and I prefer a lake setting especially if you throw in a mountain or at least a large hill. Yes, Egg Harbor would do it for me.
September was a near carbon copy of August. Might seem boring to most folks who might stumble upon this blog, but for me, it's life without strife. I like the pace and predictability of it all especially when I open the morning newspaper. If I'm honest with myself, I must say this: I think I have everything I need.
October is all about me. I used to think that as a child since my birthday is on the 4th. That meant the month was mine. As an adult I've managed to pare it down to a week. Very mature, don't you think? Friends lunched me, gifted me and generally treated me like the birthday princess I was meant to be. Told you I had everything I need!!
I finished the end of Oct. with the annual Cabin Weekend the (female) staff from work takes each year. While attendance waned this year--too near Halloween, I think-- we took a departure from the State park we enjoy to join Julie at her place in the woods near the Muskingum River. What a glorious spot; perched on the top of a hill this little house is so cozy and welcoming from the first step on the wide front porch. A full moon both nights around the fire pit and warm weather again made it that much more enjoyable. Rain on Saturday morning let up by afternoon for our ritual walk. The setting was so pastoral and relaxing.
It's mid-November now, and I am over the moon with my art classes. Rewind to the end of Sept. when I took a 4 day course with a talented painter and friend, Renon, that included some theory, sketching and 2 paintings; one watercolor and one oil. I have found my muse. At our gallery showing held at the Artist's Roost, I spoke to Anita Miller who painted the Lima Co works (see for yourself at youtube and search Lima Company paintings or Anita Miller). She agreed to take me on as a student and I haven't looked back. My progress has been good and consistent, and student and teacher are thrilled. I did my first oil under her tutelage and what a great first effort! Anita insisted she take a quick photo of my work to send to Renon who, by this time, has moved back to Utah.
I believe I have successfully updated the world with dribs and drabs of my life. My next accomplishment will be to include some photos of key events. Stay tuned.
Cat =^..^=

Marching On

Happy March...to all who are Irish, and the rest of us as well.
Last year, we had a record breaking 21" of snow, this year it was temperatures in the 70's. I much prefer the latter. My yellow crocuses are poking their little heads up and the tulip's green leaves are getting higher and higher.
I feel like this is my New Year's season...the first of Jan is not nearly as exciting as the beginning of Spring; I actually look forward to cleaning out the house and getting new projects done. The first major one is a new driveway---whohoo! look at me...livin' the dream!!
Keep those Irish eyes smilin'.
Cat =^..^=

Well, didn't January whiz on by...or was I just too wrapped up in a blanket with a
great book (The Story of Edgar Sawtelle) to notice?? Perhaps that, and watching all of
the snow and ice fall this past month.
I took some great pics of my feathered friends
gathering hungrily at the feeders I have hanging about. One or two are Christmas Card
worthy, I think.

And now, February, with its own changes--and not just the weather and more daylight.
I had a good interview at OSU's surgery dept, and tomorrow I go in to
shadow the crew for a few hours. Honestly, I do not want to work there, but rather in
one of the off-site surgery centers where it's 7-3 five days a week and no holidays or
dreaded on-call duties.
But if I can maintain my 80 hours at MCE, I could hang in there until something opens up at OSU. Damn! I just hate it when they move my cheese!!!

Happy Ground Hog's Day...
Cat =^..^=