Summer really is here!

I forgot to put this pic on my summer contest post...it's a sure sign when Jack gets the big tent out that Boy Scout camp week is almost here. Well, it's really here because he left this morning at 6am. He got the ol' tent waterproofed ( he just might need it!) and all his supplies ready and packed. After going to camp for 17yrs, I think he has it down pat. It's going to be a cool (temp.) week for the guys and I know that will make Jack very happy....in fact he always threatens to stay longer when it's cool! They always go 4th of July week but at least they will be back on Sat. for the 4th and all the festivities. What festivities? He'll nap and I'll probably cook some burgers on the grill! Anyway, it will be good to have him home. Oh, I almost forgot, I'm going down to camp on Wed. to help with the 11yr. old scouts from our Stake. That should be fun. I'll take pics and relay all the fun! Lets see....mosquito spray, rain poncho, mosquito spray, mosquito spray...ya I'm ready.

Signs of Summer

Nothing like a blazing fire in the pit to enjoy the summer night. We save all our pizza boxes for a year, then dowse them with gasoline and strike the old match...watch out! I almost lost an eyebrow on this stunt....then we dance naked around it in the moonlight...ok just kidding folks...we only save 6 months of pizza boxes. This is a little contest I'm running. These are some signs of Summer that are pretty regular at the Pines...something is missing this year...can you guess what it is? Let me know if you notice something that I post about every Summer that I'm not even mentioning now...this is really only the 2nd Summer of my blog, but who ever guesses first on the comments will get a prize! (hey, don't ask me what, I'm playing this by ear!) Good Luck!

Around the Pines there are signs that Summer has arrived....Signs like these: 2 Dads just hanging around enjoying a Father's Day afternoon.


Signs of cute kiddos enjoying the sounds of the fountain...newly installed!
Me, being lazy just hanging by the deck... (actually I think I was just tired at the end of a long day!)

The early morning sun coming up over the creepy woods...it takes a bit for the sun to get over all the trees, but it's very pretty when it finally makes it!

The lawn cart full of weeds freshly pulled from the little gardens....believe you me, they needed weeded!
The Edster gathering one of his fav outdoor toys....a pinecone from the Pines of course!
I love window boxes as most of you know....they are looking marvelous this summer!
Fourth of July is very near but I keep the patriotic look all summer....it helps to love red and blue!

The flowers by the walkway are really coming on now! We've had lots of rain and nice sun in between to help.
Eddy doesn't do well in the heat so he needs to come and lay down to recharge before heading outside again. He hates to be in when we are out!

Whistle While You Work

I took some pics a few weeks ago of some of the folks I work with everyday. These are just a few of the many that help make surgery possible for our community. They are hard working and interesting , and they make my job worth going to on a daily basis. I know more about most of them then should be legal! I was saving these for a rainy day when I had nothing to post about and today it really did rain! So here goes: We'll start with Dr. B.......
Dr.Bernhard is an ortho guy...fixes those broken bones, or breaks them and puts in new parts! If you like loud rock and roll music, you'll love working in his room. He wears a bubble (space suit) to do all the total knees, and hips, and shoulders, ect...I call it the bubblelicious,only I don't really like the helmets...wrecks whatever hair style you have and it bothers my neck by the end of the day. But I do love ortho...drills, saws, hammers, screws, many tinker toys!
One of our newer surgeons is Dr. Brar...he retired from the Navy and came to SAMHO to work with us. He's a general surgeon and an all around nice guy....we have a few Docs that started out in the military. 2 airforce, 1 army, but Dr. Brar is our only navy.

Mary is my boss...the top dog so to speak...the "go to gal" for all our troubles. And her door is always open. She's not always in there, but the door is always open! She's a very nice person to work for and really backs you up. (plus she will punch you in if your a few minutes late, not that I ever have been)
Peggy is setting up for a total knee....she loves total knees, especially if they are left knees. She has some issues people! But she is the one who knows all there is to know about everything! She also has 4 dogs and various cats and a small farm with donkeys, sheep, goats..I told you she has issues!
Here's Dr. Steinhouser...he loves his glidescope, it makes him feel that he can intubate anyone! He's an anesthesiologist...(gas passer!)
Kim is laughing about something...hmmm...stay away from her, she's crazy! No, she just loves her job as workroom tech. She makes sure all our scopes are sterile, all our instruments that need flashing are done, all the rooms opened and ready to go...all supplies ready for all the cases. Whew, what a woman!
Dr. Frazee...he's so cute I want to adopt him! He's an anesthesiologist too. He's just pretending to wash that LMA so he would look busy in the photo. Wasn't that nice of him?
Nancy has worked in the OR for 100yrs. I think. Well, a long time anyway. She is full of info that we can only hope to know! She's short and we make fun of her for that...not nice huh? Just kidding of course! Only she really is short. We give her stools to step on during surgery.
This is Dawn, one of our RN's...can't you see the sign on her chest that's as big as a billboard? (not her chest silly, the badge!) She also does much computer work for us because we are computer stupids!
This is Chris and Becky...Chris is a transporter/workroom tech/do it all gal! Becky in the print hat does all our ordering of supplies, and we have tons!
Here is another Becky who wasn't wearing a hat..showoff! Connie is our clinical coordinator or head nurse if you will...she's scary! No, you really want to be her friend because she will let you go home early if the schedule is light! Her laugh is the best, I should have videoed it!
Here is Shay, the pot stirrer...loves to be ornery...you know, the kid you love because they have a special twinkle in the eye that means trouble! Plus she's a really good nurse too.
These two convicts are Becky with the dark hair, and Judy with the blond hair. They schedule all our cases and keep us working....Becky spent last weekend with Patrick Dempsey,aka Dr. McDreamy..I kid you not, I saw her pics! She won a contest to watch him race his car at Mid-Ohio race track. We all hate her now! Thanks for spending a day with me...there are so many others that make up the surgery team. Next time you're having some work done on your bod, think of all the little people it takes to make your outcome successful. We have a nice little hospital and we do good work! I should know I've been there forever!

Jack made it back

Well, it was quite a week for the scout troop 555. They went on a high adventure trip to the mountains of N.Carolina and then did a white water rafting day. The temps were hot and humid and the trail was steep. Jack decided it was not in his best interest with his leg problems to do the hike after seeing the trail. He went and stayed with Craig and Amy for the week and got to visit with the grandkiddos...I was so jealous, but also worried about his leg, which seems pretty good today. He didn't tell me about the little knee injury during the rafting part. He decided to wait until he came home to relay that news! They had some car problems that delayed the going home start time and he didn't get in until 4 this morning. His knee will heal and his leg seems to be better. Now, I might just have to smack him for making me worry all week! The first pics are of the "hair pin" curves of the road they were on. Jack knows how much I hate travel that includes those plus the always lovely "scenic overlooks". The other shot is the troop getting ready to take off. Jack took some cute pics of the kids and they seemed to enjoy having him there too. Thanks Craig and Amy for putting up with Dad for the week! He enjoyed it! The raft trip pictures will have to come from Craig's camera. I looked online and saw the trip from the photographer that takes them as the rafts go by. Pretty impressive! Glad everyone made it home safe and sound and had fun.

Fun on a Friday Night

Here is Alexis picking out a book to read before bedtime...she started to read them and I swear, two minutes later she was out!






Alexis and Addy came to spend the night on Friday. Little Addy fell asleep pretty early but Alexis stayed up for a bit to play. After a bath it was time for bed and both girls slept really good for us. It was fun to have them and they were so good. Of course, all my grandkiddos are good! Addy is really showing her cute personality. She never (well atleast this weekend) cries! She was all smiles for us. Yep, a fun time for sure!

finished project #1

Here's the finished (almost) project we started last weekend. I say almost finished because Jack still has some stuff to finish under the stairs and I need to line the planting area with something...I haven't decided what yet. I think I should have done that first, but hey, I think I have dyslexia...or ADDH..or XYZQ, anywho, we also need some grass seed planted to fill in some dead areas...When I look at it I think..Hmmm wouldn't it be cute with pavers around the other stairs? Oh wait, Jack reads this blog too...he will kill me...so Jack, I'm just kidding! Now the grill has a happy home off the deck and the fountain has a resting place where we can enjoy the trickling sound of water...Of course the ugly old well cap is still visiable. I originally thought of making the planting area big enough to go around the cap but then I had weird thoughts of plant roots growing down into the well...stupid I know, but for now I'll just look for something to cover it. I'm sure they make something out in the world for that!

This Friday night we took time to visit the High School track and support the Relay for Life event. It's a fund raiser for the Cancer Society and for 5 years we had a team, but we decided to take time off for a bit, but still go out and support those other teams raising money to find a cure. It goes all night long and a member of the team is to be on the track walking or running (haha) at all times during the night. They have many fun games, food, raffles and silly contests like the one where men dress up as women and see who can get the most money in a short time...silly I know, but it was funny! The most moving time is the luminary ceremony where you can buy a luminary in memory of a friend or loved one or in honor of someone who's a survivor. We got one for Jack's Dad who lost his battle with cancer in 2001 and one for my brother who, thankfully, is a survivor. It's touching to see all the survivors who walk that track, some in wheelchairs, some without hair, some just so grateful the be cancer free. The one pic of the three people shows a friend that I work with (in the red sweatshirt) who's a survivor and was a member on our team..unfortunately her Dad just passed away not long ago from cancer. Working in surgery we usually see the effects of cancer by being the first stop on their treatment or last. I wish we would never have to see what this disease does, not only to the victims, but to the families. All are heroes and the Relay for Life motto is: "We won't stop walking until there's a cure." When you walk the track during this ceremony they have the words: HOPE and CURE spelled out in lumaries and it's totally dark out and you can hear a pin drop on the track during the first lap of silence. Maybe this will help in the fight against cancer so someday the words "you have cancer" will never be heard by our children. That's our HOPE!

Projects

What would summer be without projects to keep us...hmmm...busy? frustrated? tired?...even small projects like this little paved number here take time, money and sweat. Just ask Jack..he spent most of Saturday digging and leveling and hauling heavy pavers for this little area in front of the deck that Eddy the wonder dog sort of...well lets just say he killed the grass there and created a muddy mess when it rains. It will be a great place to put the grill and we're going to dig up a nice planting area next to it between these steps and the ones on the other side...That sounds like another project! Yippee!! That area will be a great place to put the fountain that we got last year for the wedding reception. (last summer's project !) Add some flowers, etc...Oh ya baby, it will be awesome! Stay tuned for the finished product/project...

Since my life is so exciting I thought I would share a bit of my working day today. I was doing some Ortho cases...total knees, hips and such. I grabbed my camera when I had a tiny bit of time before my patient came in the room to show you a typical setup for a total hip..ZZZZZ..hey wake up people this is exciting!! See how organized? See how pretty the blue drapes are? See how many trays of instruments I have to lug over to my sterile table. I should have arms of steele! My pics are not too good and I should have taken a better angle to really make you feel sorry for me, but I was in a hurry...I wouldn't want to violate patient confidentiality would I? Needless to say after 3 of these cases I was ready to head home to the Pines to sit on the deck and breathe in fresh air...and look at the project that isn't finished yet and realize I have much digging and planting to do...hey, I'm ready to go back to work now!