Saturday, July 31, 2010

Windy City

April and May 2010 001

I found some old pictures. In April Abe had a research conference in Chicago and I was able to take the weekend off. It was WONDERFUL to have even a weekend off together. It is not very often that we do.

Despite our many times to Chicago, we have never taken a river tour so we decided to try it. We were worried as it was rainy and foggy but it was still fun. I’m afraid it was very chilly and I wasn’t quite prepared. Notice how I am rocking the fleece under my dress jacket. Try to remember this look in the fall to try for yourself. I realize now I am also sporting the hawkeye spirit. Go Hawks!

April and May 2010 006

Abe looking good with his cocoa. We went on to the Lake Michigan. Did you know that engineers reversed the river to run to the Mississippi instead of the other way around? Weird, eh! They have a gate system that you have to go in before you can enter or leave the lake so the lake doesn’t flow too much into the river (does that make any sense…can you tell I am not an engineer?). They also taught us how they turn the river green on St. Patty’s (basically a vegetable derived dye they discovered on accident) and of course about architecture and Chicago history.

April and May 2010 008

Yup, the windy, and foggy city.

April and May 2010 004

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Strawberry thief

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Abe’s mom bought me a hanging strawberry plant for my birthday. I was so excited—it was so cute and the strawberries were very yummy…while they lasted. It seemed that while we had an abundance the first few days, they quickly became absent. Abe noticed the plant swinging one day and snapped these pictures. This little squirrel has been jumping on to the plant and eating our berries. I don’t know how we stop that!

If you look closely, you can see him enjoying his treat. Glad is since I'm not sure we'll ever get to!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Grass is HEAVY

When I was a little girl my dad really emphasized yard work.  Now that I have my own yard, I find I look forward to yard work, something which surprised me! I have been working very hard on my days off to get our yard back in shape.

 

One of the projects I was most excited about was edging our lawn, something my dad had us do a lot growing up. We found an electric edger at Menards for a good price and I was determined.

Here is the before picture. Notice how much grass is overlapping the sidewalk next to the stone steps. It is hard to appreciate.

 

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After. This took me hours on two separate Saturdays. I was too tired to sweep up the remaining dirt or to even make sure things were straight. I think it looks a lot better already. I don’t think the picture does justice to my hard work.

 

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Maybe this next one does? This is all dirt and sod taken from the side closest to the house. This was over 3 wheelbarrows full, probably 300 lbs of extra sod! And from only half.

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My in-laws bought me some hanging plants for our pergola. I have managed to almost kill them already, about 2 weeks later. Sorry! This white basket used to have pretty gold flowers that matched my door. Even the nurse at work has been scolding me about not watering enough. She has threatened to do it herself as she drives by in the mornings. I am trying to do better! Regardless, I think it helps.

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These are doing better. I never thought I would have a gnome! But thanks to Colt, I think this hawkeye gnome is quite fitting if he wont disappear to travel the world like I’ve heard they tend to do. I am a bit worried about football season for him.

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I tease Colt about being our lawnboy. He has a lot of landscaping experience and trimmed this tree. I think it looks great. He amazingly took off a whole truck load of branches! Hard to believe. Wish I had a before picture.

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This is our patio. I painted these cheap green chairs black which helped a lot. Not quite sure what else to do here.

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Side door…

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And here it is! Please don’t come find my house stalkers! I am nervous to post it on here but have had so many requests I thought I would chance it. I am very pleased with the orange door. It used to be maroon/pink as well as the base as you can see in the before picture.  

house before

After! Also, I feel like this is like  one of those weight loss pics with the before without makeup in sweats and after with a huge makeover. It isn’t quite fair to compare winter to spring, but I am very happy with the results!

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I think we’ve made a good start!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

The mysteries of Orbit

Captain_EO_1985_screen_3

This week I have embarked on my fourth journey exploring the anatomy of the human body. Despite all of my previous attempts, I have always taken as quick tour through the eye as possible. I have never really liked eyes, not when it comes to anatomy and physiology. Things like glass eyes have always been hard for me and the thought of performing surgery on them just gives me the creeps. Not to mention, I just don’t understand it. There is so much physics involved and what a complex little structure of microscopic layers.

I realized during this past go around I wanted to really try to understand better. Over the past year I have seen surgeries we do that involve the bones around the eye and trauma that can cause severe eye problems such as blindness. I need to know these structures and am slowly getting over the creep factor of this part of the body.

My recent studying confirmed to me the mystery of the eye, however. When I study it, I feel like I am talking about some mystical outer space galaxy. I can’t help but think of Captain EO. I can imagine a ride at Disneyland (ala Magic School Bus, perhaps?).

“Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts as we prepare to embark upon our journey through the Orbit. This is a very confusing and difficult journey so hold on tight and pay attention. As we enter the tarsal plate, be careful to notice the sebacious glands of Zeio located closely to the rudimentary glads of Moll. Continuing on, we will find ourselves in the annular tendon of Zinn. Be sure to note the palpebrae muscles…”

I am very grateful there are doctors who “want to look in eyes all day.” I certainly respect what they do. And I hope to figure it out much better this time around.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Why I’ve been away

Life has been very busy since officially starting my residency on July 1. I am so glad that the house feels mostly put together. It is such a relief to come home to a cute little house without a bunch of boxes everywhere (it is kind of a hoax, though, we stashed a bunch in the basement and attic—out of sight, out of mind…)

 

Already I have had some nights of very little sleep, with about 6 hours total between two nights on-call. The summer tends to be a very busy time, both with residents transitioning as well as for trauma in general.

I have also been helping the new residents a lot get situated, figure out the computer systems, where to go, etc. It is so nice to not be new!

 

We started a two week head and neck anatomy course complete with cadaver lab. I am surprised that although I thought I remembered the smell, it still wakes me up with a jolt each morning. Formaldehyde! We are studying madly between classes so we can do well on our two tests which we have been assured that “our residents always do very well on.”

 

As if trying to stay awake in class all day isn’t hard enough while living on on-call sleep, we also have had class in the evenings from 5-8pm. So, my day starts about 6 am and ends about 8 pm, unless I am on-call. We also have additional readings and studying to do for classes and rounding. Yawn.

 

Overall, I am learning a lot but feeling busy and tired. We have managed to squeeze in my birthday and our anniversary some how.

 

Are you bored yet? :)