12 Years Ago Today

On February 29th, 2008 I did my first blog post.  I never imagined I still be at it 12yrs later but here we are today and yep, here I still am today!  This will be short and sweet tonight but I just had to mention this milestone.  So what did you do on this "free" day?  This one extra day we've been given this year?  I hope it was a good one for you all.  Yesterday was my birthday (everyone always asks me if I was a leap year kiddo but alas...nope!  Mom planned better than that!) I took the day off yesterday and I'm also off on Monday.  So I haven't done anything super great but it's been a lovely weekend so far.  We went to the Temple in Columbus this morning which is always a nice, quiet, recharge time for us.  Throw in some shopping and such and I'm ready to call it a day.  Jack says that's what happens when you get older...smarty pants...he's 6 months younger and feels the need to remind me every year!  That's OK, I'm over it and ready to take on a new year.  12 blogging years have flown by so fast.  But not as fast as the past 67 years!

Happy Leap Year everyone!

A Person By Any Other Name...

We're required to do a lot of education at work.  The medical field is always changing and requiring many "mandatory" inservice  requirements.  We do a lot of this online.  If I could go to a computer daily I might actually catch up on all I have to do but usually I'm scrubbed in all day.  However, this month has been a bit slow so I hit the computer area and sat down to be educated on yet more info than I'll ever remember.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to learn more about people.  In our society we have male and female people.  Transgender people.  No gender people.  Gender neutral people. Nonbinary gender nonconforming people.  Cis-male people. Cis-female people. (and even people from Indiana) Then there's the pronouns for people...she/her/herself....well, you get the picture..oh wait..the gender neutral are: zhe, zhim, zher, etc.  Confused? Maybe you're not. I was and frankly still am confused.  When I got to this part in my reading I had to go back to the OR but I snapped a pic that might help you understand my plight.

Yes, it's the "Genderbread Person".   I'll look forward to the rest of this story.  I guess my thought on all of this is it doesn't matter to me how you identify yourself.  I know it matters to you and I've never met or worked with any surgical person that doesn't respect that.  But mostly we care about how best to take care of you. If you were a woman but you're now a man that's fine but did you know if you have a colonoscopy that even though you're now male, your insides are still female and you need a female colonscope? (yes, here gender does matter since male scopes are bigger...sorry guys) We don't care if you're overweight, a smoker, an alcoholic, drug addict, any race, or religion, or just a super jerk.  We always greet you with a HI and a promise that we will take good care of you and be with you the whole time of your surgery.  I've only heard the nurse, doctor, technician, use your name.  I hope that's OK.  I may need to know all this other stuff for some reason.  Not sure how I got through over 40 years in the operating room before knowing this, but this I do know:  A person by any other name is still a person...someone who needs help, someone who's probably very nervous about being in the hospital, someone who's somebody's family member or friend.  And people, that matters the most.  Amen

And "SNAP"...The Weekend Is Over!

The weekends slide by so fast.  I'm even on call this weekend and I'm usually happy to see it go by quickly.  I really don't like to wish my life away but call can be the pits.  This weekend hasn't been too bad. I did one case this morning and I would have had one on Friday night but another Tech asked if she could have my call and I said a big: "YES!"  They ended up doing one on Friday night so I'm sure she was happy with the overtime pay.  The weather was really beautiful and a little warmer so I could get the car washed. We did our usual errands and grocery shopping on Friday night and Saturday morning.  I got a few things done around the house too.  But the most important time spent this weekend was celebrating our Grandson Anthony's birthday. On Friday he turned 18..can't believe it! Saturday afternoon we all gathered for a lovely dinner at his girlfriend's home.  He's going to graduate high school this May and will be attending Bowling Green State University in the Fall. (His PawPaw's almamater) He's a wonderful young man and such a nice kiddo.  He played basketball during high school and we went Tuesday to Senior Night:

He's number 24. They won the game by 14pts so it was a good night for the team and for his almost farewell game.  The parents walk the seniors out and the boys get honored and given some gifts. I sat in the bleachers thinking that I just did that with his Dad not so long ago..OK, maybe it was long ago...27yrs...but it sure seems like yesterday!

His birthday dinner last night was delicious. His Mom made lasagna and his other Grandma made a wonderful chocolate cake.  We laughed and just enjoyed the company and celebrating with him.

Not too old to enjoy the silly hats! (not that he had a choice I think!)

He and Noel have dated most of high school.  She's a sweetie too. Her family is also very nice and it was good of them to open their home for all of us.

Some of the family that was able to be there.

Anthony with his little brother Cameron.

His sister Summer and her fiance', Brett.  Our other Granddaughter,  Driana, had to work and couldn't make it. That's the trouble with being in healthcare!

My oldest son, Jack...another good kiddo!  So Happy Birthday to Anthony.  Time sure has flown and there will be many new roads ahead for him.  We wish him the best in all he does.  I do have to show the card I made him.  Have you ever made a candy bar card? You use candy bars to substitute for words..it's fun to make and looks super cute too:

It took two foam boards to get it all done but he loved it!  Night all!

100 Years

On February 18th, 1920 my Dad was born.  Today he would have been 100 years old.  He passed away in 1976 at age 56.  I think of him daily.  I wonder what he would have thought about the world today.  He was wondering what the heck was going on in the world when he was still here on earth.  He used to say, after hearing about something on the news, "Is it "them" (who's nuts) or is it me?" He had a good sense of humor and could always make you smile or laugh.  He could fix anything. I picture him under the hood of a car or under the house fixing one thing or another.  If you had a problem or needed help he'd be there and help you through it.  I always thought he was the smartest man I knew. I always felt safe growing up knowing he'd always be there to take care of us along with Mom.   Every July his company closed the factory down where he worked as a tool and dye maker and that's when we took our vacations.  We camped all over the country.  We planned those trips in the Winter.  He'd get out the big campground book that had all the places to stop and we'd pick out the ones that met our requirements.   A place for us kids to swim and play, showers and flushing toilets, and if we would be there any length of time he'd want a lake so he could fish.  He loved fishing.  He and Mom bought a little house in Wisconsin, about an hour from Chicago and that's where my Grandparents lived.  However, right down the road was a lake.  So he not only found a place his parents could live, it also had a  place for us to play, swim and he could fish! I told you he was smart!  He loved to read and he loved to write poetry.  He played guitar and loved to sing, especially at Christmas.  I could go on and on and I truly wish he was here to celebrate his birthday.  He loved family gatherings too! I know he would truly have enjoyed his Grandkids and Great-Grandkids. So Happy 100th Birthday Dad!  We all miss you and hope you're up in heaven looking down at your family knowing that you were so loved and you were the best Dad ever!

Young man at 17.

Movie star good looks!

Served his country in WWII...drove a tank in the Army and fought many battles.

Had the best smile!

Loved his dog Rebel.

Dad singing to Mom and me at my wedding.

Love Is In The Air!

Happy Valentine's Day! A day set aside for love, cards, candy, flowers, engagements, and burgers! Yep, we celebrated this year with our traditional burgers and shakes. Good thing I start my new diet tomorrow! Jack got me a beautiful bouquet:

He knows I love fresh flowers and I also love this pink vase! Thanks babe and Happy Valentine's Day to you! Love ya!  He's learned many things about married life after 45 years of wedded bliss😍 but this simple phrase is one of the most important things he's learned:

Happy wife, happy life! But love wasn't just in the air around the Pines, but around the operating room as well.  We will celebrate any holiday or special time of year with a "carry in" of homemade goodies and stuff for lunch...

A pretty cheesecake....

Tables full of treats...

Crock pots full of lovely goodness!

My often requested Greek chicken...chicken stuffed with spinach, feta, garlic, mayo, all wrapped up with some bacon for good measure!  Give your sweeties a big hug and an "I love you!".  Hopefully that's an everyday thing for everyone.  We really don't need a special day to do this.  Hallmark loves these kinds of celebrations because they know we all want to "care enough to send the very best!" and pay a price to prove it!  So no matter how you celebrate this "holiday",  I hope you find love is the air in your neck of the woods...yep, that's that funny smell today!

Weekend Weather

Last Sunday it was sunny and in the 60's.  Today...well, it's snowing to beat the band..very pretty but also pretty chilly!  It started out on Friday or maybe it was Thursday evening.  First the ice:

The benches on the deck probably wouldn't be the best place to rest your bum!

The mailbox is a bit frozen.  Notice the green grass however..although it was crispy with ice too.

Holly bush with it's leaves covered in ice that gave it the look of fine glass.

A little more vivid on the crabapple tree.  So then we had the snow appear. I don't mind the snow but when it covers the ice on the roads and sidewalks it makes it a different hazard.

I was glad that we didn't get any visitors or packages delivered on the front porch or I should say the front ice skating rink!  To see the difference you just have to look at the next 2 pics:

Before snow..

Friday snow!  It got warmer on Saturday and much of this melted but it's really snowing outside now and I'm glad I'm inside, comfy and ready for a cup of hot cocoa and a good book.

Arnie is too! He actually doesn't mind the snow as long as he doesn't have to be out in it for long. It only took a quick pee break to get covered! The weekend has gone fast, as usual.  We had a nice Saturday with watching Cameron play basketball in the morning:

He's in the gray..#1. 

My son Jack is his team's coach.  They were up in points at this time but, unfortunately, they ended up losing by 2pts.  Disappointing for sure but we're pretty certain our Cameron wasn't feeling very good. He just wasn't his usual self and I noticed that he wasn't even on the bench when the game was over. Nope, he was in the bathroom...and although he said he was OK, he sure looked not so hot.  Oh well, we still enjoyed the game and hope he's better today.  Later in the afternoon we met friends at Red Lobster and had a nice evening with everyone who came.  The snow has covered the ground once again and I'll end this post with a wish for everyone to be safe, warm, and  have a great Monday!

Daydream Believer

I was going to call this post "Why Do We Do It?".  What am I referring to?  Entering Contests.  Do you do that? Do you enter Publisher's Clearing House every year? Do you buy raffle tickets? How about lottery tickets? I don't do the lottery thing unless it's ginormous and everyone at work is throwing in their $2.  Hey, I don't want to be the only one left working if we win! Also we don't chip in as a group unless it's a big payout.  Who wants to win only a few measly million?  Do we enter because we're sure we will win? Do we enter because we're just hoping we're going to win but don't think we really have a chance in h@^^ of taking home the prize? For over 20 years I've played the HGTV Dream House contest.  They build a big, beautiful home and throw in a few extra goodies like a car, $250,000 in cash and also a doggy dream house for your furbaby.  Of course I've never won.  Somebody always does win and they show it on TV as they sneak up and surprise them at work or home or whatever and hand them a bunch of balloons and a giant fake check....or maybe that's Publisher's Clearing House...whatever.  Anyway, I play.  I don't really want/need a house. I love my own home.  The car is kind of tempting because we're looking at getting  a new one and are trying to decide what we want. If I would win one the decision is made for me! Ha! At work one of our Docs is always telling me how he's going to win the Dream Home.  He's an anesthesiologist so he stands on the other side of the sterile drapes and always says: "Hey Starko, (yes, they all call me Starko at work) I'm going to win that house!" He then holds up his phone and pushes the entry button.  So we banter back and forth about which one of us is going to win. (me..just sayin')  It's fun to think about winning a great prize and how you'd spend the money. How you could move into a big new house or, if  you're me, how you would be thanking the HGTV folks while Jack was outside pounding in the "For Sale" sign in the front yard.  So why do we do it?  Well, it's fun to dream.  I have a sign in my house with lots of encouraging snippets about life.  One of the lines on my sign says: "Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become what you aspire to be."  Now, maybe I'll never win that house and money and Arnold won't have the doggy dream home to eat his kibble in. And Jack and I will have to make up our minds and buy that new (used) car ourselves.  But there's always that thought in the back of your mind...the one that says that somebody is going to win so why not me?  Reality is saying the only thing I usually win..or get for free..are those free postal labels that come in "begathon" envelopes. Yes, I keep them even if I don't donate. (Don't judge!)

Today I got a $10 off anything in the store from the Fin, Feather , and Fur. Oh, and that tube of antibiotic ointment was a freebie from work.

That's sort of like winning if I want a gun or knife or some other outdoorsy thing, right? Well, keep on being a Daydream Believer.  Enter the contests, buy the tickets, dream big..

Dream about visiting me when I win the Dream Home! Don't worry, there's always next year!

Fabulous February..Welcome!

So long January. You weren't a bad month weather wise but moving into a new month just brings us a bit closer to Spring.  Hello February! Not as short as usual since it's Leap Year.  One free day to spend as you wish.  Jack and I are thinking about taking that free day and going to Florida for a quick 4 day weekend since my birthday is the 28th.  It's still in the talking stage of planning. I think it's the drab weather we've had.  Not much in the way of snow or even very cold, just darn grey all the time.  The weather gurus said we've had over 20 cloudy days in January.  That's bound to get to you even if you're like me and don't get depressed when it's dark and dreary!

Friday the sun was trying to peek out  in the cloud cover...can you spy it up there? That tiny orb of white?  Anyway, on Friday night a group of my co-workers wanted to get together and listen to a band that was playing at a local eatery called: Union Town Brewery. (Ashland was originally called "Union Town" but had to change it's name because there was another Union Town and the post office made them change it. So it was changed to "Ashland' back in the 1800's) Jack and I don't drink but we heard the food was pretty good and we met up with these gals:

See my BFF Donna?  Her broken leg has healed but she's retired now and I miss seeing her at the hospital.  I was glad she came out to join us! 

This is the outside of the brewery...yes, it says Gilbert Furniture. That store was in Ashland for 175 years before having to close it's doors.  It had a few other businesses in there for a short while but it was great to see a successful restaurant go in there and keep the history of the building intact. And pretty cute that they used the original name of our town for their business. They give tours of the basement brewing process but not a busy Friday night.  The band was good but loud! The food was really good  and the company even better. We had a fun time with them and some other coworkers who showed up later.

I was trying to get a pic of the inside and Jack was trying to get out of the way! I love the tin ceiling tiles! If you're ever in Ashland you need to stop by! The outside of the brewery also has this cute alley way that's nice in the summer but still pretty in the winter:

We'll have to go when the weather allows for outdoor dining!  Today was filled with the usual Saturday grocery shopping and errands.  A lot of my friends and family use the grocery pick-up service.  I know it's a convenience for many but I think it's good to walk around and get some exercise while doing the shopping and even connecting with folks instead of just on the cell phone. But to each their own and it's nice to know there's a service available to use if I would need it. I was really happy to see a bit of blue sky today:

I knew it was still up there! We had a few more things on the agenda today.  A quick stop for a friends 55th surprise birthday party..

And then it was off to watch some high school b-ball.  Sitting in the bleachers always brings back memories of our boys playing and watching a grandson play is fun...although he hasn't gotten tons of playing time this year, we enjoyed the game and he did get in for a bit.

Sorry it's blurry, but I didn't have the camera turned to "action" shots!

Congrats to the team for winning tonight! Well, that's all I have for the start of a new month. Tomorrow is Ground Hog Day.  I don't get why we have that "holiday".  I guess it gives folks something to write about in blogs.  No matter if that rodent sees a shadow or not, I'm guessing we're in for 6 more weeks of Winter.  So enjoy your Sunday and if Ground hogs aren't your thing, enjoy the Super Bowl!