So, do you all like the way I post my award and then just mysteriously stopped posting for a few of days? I just like to look at it! Okay...that isn't really the truth, but that is what I would be thinking if I were you! I have actually been hellishly busy. For real. Not just reading Harry Potter, but really and truly BUSY. Wanna hear with what? thought so!
First off, I had to go back up to the other lab and this time I really did end up staying the night. It was not really a big deal. Nick did come up for dinner and we went to the Gambling boat with his mom and step dad. Nick had never been to any kind of casino before, so it was fun. We even managed to win some money...AMAZING!
Besides that the trip was pretty uneventful. There was the fact that my hotel room did not have a blow dryer....what the hell. I swear to God I have packed my blow dryer on every trip to a hotel room I have ever been on, then when I get there I am all like, "Oh yea!! I didn't need this!". Well, I finally wise up and leave mine at home only to learn my dumb ass hotel didn't provide them! It also had no coffee pot (for the record, my room was really nice....not some run down joint, but cute and stylish....so strange) which forced me to eat breakfast at the waffle house before work...mmmmm.
As I am sure you can imagine, my work here at home got really backed up with me gone. That on top of the fact that we have this HUGE project in where we are testing all these lakes and streams in our state for e. coli, and all the samples are brought in by volunteer collectors over three days....and the fact that there are like, a million of them, has meant some really long days at work. This was my weekend to work, but after three hours of complete chaos and about 85 samples dropped off I finally called in Tarp to help. Ended up that I worked twice as long as I would on a normal Saturday...and that was with his help....God I am glad he came in.
Now, add into this busy, busy schedule the fact that my best friend Charings step-dad has had a stroke. It has been really difficult for everyone. Charging was in New York when it happened, so her and Carter flew back home early. I was at the hospital on Thursday night, then Friday I picked up Charing and I have been taking care of Carter off and on since then. I have even had him at the lab with me. Oh, how he gave Tarp and I endless joy. We may have taught him some new bad habits (like screaming games) and given him a deep love of fish, but whatever...he sat in his chair (high back rolling chair...so comfortable) while we sang to him and worked. He is now asleep in my bed because he is staying the night...see what I mean...BUSY!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Award!
Whenn over at Opinion Minions has been way to good to me and gone and given me this Rockin' Girl Blogger Award! She was so sweet and said all these nice things about me that totally made me blush. She even said she liked my template, which is currently the bane of my existence. Sooooo...Whenn, it is you that totally rocks. Thanks for always coming by and leaving comments...you always make my day! You really are to good to me. Thanks!Now, I get to give the award out to blogs that I think rock....hmmm. Okay, you will see a small pattern here in the fact that I am giving my awards to my family blogs. This is really only because I truly believe my family is full of some of the most amazing women ever. I love reading their blogs and honestly think they all rock...not because they are my family, just because they are amazing. Anyway, here they are:
1. My sister Boo over at Optimistically Waiting is currently in the thick of her in-vitro cycle right now. She is so amazing and so strong. She will make you laugh, but more than that, her blog is touching and real. You should check it out!
2. My cousin Liz over at Moose on the Loose chronicles her family life with my most precious and perfect godson. Her blog is full of pictures and family adventures along with funny stories and personal updates. If you like family blogs, you will like hers!
3. My aunt, Mrs. Who, over at I Know Where You Can Find It is am elementary school librarian who posts EVERY WEEKDAY with amazing and insightful stories. She will make you laugh, she will make you cry. She is great. Worth reading...EVERY DAY!
4. My Aunt, Lucy's Mom, over at Musings From the Left Coast is a professor at a University in California. She posts on everything, her past, per present, her random thoughts. Trust me, you will get lost in her stories. You will love them. You will feel like you know her. She is a wonderful writer, and worth going to read. You won't regret it!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Post-Op
So I had my post-op visit today. I know you are all thinking, "Really, we are back on the surgery? Wasn't that, like ages ago?!?" but I do not care what you think...okay, I lied. I totally care what you think, but I thought this might just be interesting enough to share. Yes, my surgery was a month ago. When I left the surgery center they were all like, wait until your post-op visit before you go back to normal life! The visit was suppose to be two weeks after surgery, but they couldn't get me in until now.
How glad am I that after two weeks I totally gave that up and went back to normal. The doc glanced at my scars, asked how I felt when I was exercising (HA! clearly this man doesn't really know me! I totally said, "oh, yea...perfectly normal during all the exercise!"...if he thinks I am fit, might as well go with it!) And basically told me I was good to go. The more interesting part of the visit was really with the nurse.
She brought be back into the room (after having me get on the scale, noticing that I went up two pounds, then pointing out that this time I had on jeans and tennis shoes, so not to worry. Like I need any help making excuses for myself, but it was really nice of her to worry about me. I decided to not mention my chicken nuggets for lunch or my plan to get Frosty's when I left to her...might take away from the entire jeans argument.) Anyway, she was looking at my post-op notes in my chart and she looks up and me and says,"I don't think I have ever seen a laproscopic post-op sheet that had this much stuff on it! Both ovaries were stuck down with endometrium, it was all over your bladder, in front of and behind your uterus, these cysts...you are a testament to when someone comes in here and says they are having pelvic pain. I would say you had pain! My goodness!" In a strange way it is always good to hear your complaints are justified...just wish I didn't have to deal with it at all!
I did also learn that the doc was pretty surprised to find my tubes open. I also learned that had they been closed, there was nothing they could have done! What the hell?!?! I am so freakin glad I didn't know that! I just thought they could go in there and open them right back up. WRONG! I guess I dodged that bullet and didn't even realize it! So, lets hope the surgery did it's job and you wont hear me talk about my endometriosis for a long time!
How glad am I that after two weeks I totally gave that up and went back to normal. The doc glanced at my scars, asked how I felt when I was exercising (HA! clearly this man doesn't really know me! I totally said, "oh, yea...perfectly normal during all the exercise!"...if he thinks I am fit, might as well go with it!) And basically told me I was good to go. The more interesting part of the visit was really with the nurse.
She brought be back into the room (after having me get on the scale, noticing that I went up two pounds, then pointing out that this time I had on jeans and tennis shoes, so not to worry. Like I need any help making excuses for myself, but it was really nice of her to worry about me. I decided to not mention my chicken nuggets for lunch or my plan to get Frosty's when I left to her...might take away from the entire jeans argument.) Anyway, she was looking at my post-op notes in my chart and she looks up and me and says,"I don't think I have ever seen a laproscopic post-op sheet that had this much stuff on it! Both ovaries were stuck down with endometrium, it was all over your bladder, in front of and behind your uterus, these cysts...you are a testament to when someone comes in here and says they are having pelvic pain. I would say you had pain! My goodness!" In a strange way it is always good to hear your complaints are justified...just wish I didn't have to deal with it at all!
I did also learn that the doc was pretty surprised to find my tubes open. I also learned that had they been closed, there was nothing they could have done! What the hell?!?! I am so freakin glad I didn't know that! I just thought they could go in there and open them right back up. WRONG! I guess I dodged that bullet and didn't even realize it! So, lets hope the surgery did it's job and you wont hear me talk about my endometriosis for a long time!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Update: Operation Master Bath
Okay...so I feel this very strong need to post, and yet I have nothing to talk about. I know what I will do...a picture post! Did you all forget that I was in the process of adding a room onto my house? (and by I, of course I totally mean Nick with help from his dad and also a tiny bit of help from me...) I thought you might have! I know I have slacked a little on pictures, updates and what not for this little DIY project, but seeing as how I spent this entire weekend in the yard, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring it back to the blog!
This is actually from several weeks ago, but what can I say...I am behind. Here is the start of us laying stone and finishing the block wall.
Here is Nick all geared up to cut down the old stone wall...adorable in that really dirty kind of way...
One day we have a deck...
Next day it's gone!
The tractor shows up to back-fill all the dirt and give me back a yard! (a very muddy yard, but I will take what I can get...)
Block wall is now totally finished and all rubble is out of the crawl space! ( big hell yea to me because I got most of that rubble out on my own...my arms might never be the same...)
And this...this might not look like much to you all....but THIS is the beginning of framing! It is the sill plate or something...whatever. Soon, I will have actual walls! What a dream come true!
***We were watching Extreme Home Makeover tonight and we realized they built an entire house in a week. A week people! They kept being like, "Day 4: drywall is done and the entire house is painted!" Nick looked over and said, "Man...they move a lot faster than us...we are on day, like 365!" I guess things take a lot longer when you basically have one man building his own bathroom. No time for looking back...it is time for framing! ***
This is actually from several weeks ago, but what can I say...I am behind. Here is the start of us laying stone and finishing the block wall.
Here is Nick all geared up to cut down the old stone wall...adorable in that really dirty kind of way...One day we have a deck...Next day it's gone!The tractor shows up to back-fill all the dirt and give me back a yard! (a very muddy yard, but I will take what I can get...)Block wall is now totally finished and all rubble is out of the crawl space! ( big hell yea to me because I got most of that rubble out on my own...my arms might never be the same...)And this...this might not look like much to you all....but THIS is the beginning of framing! It is the sill plate or something...whatever. Soon, I will have actual walls! What a dream come true!***We were watching Extreme Home Makeover tonight and we realized they built an entire house in a week. A week people! They kept being like, "Day 4: drywall is done and the entire house is painted!" Nick looked over and said, "Man...they move a lot faster than us...we are on day, like 365!" I guess things take a lot longer when you basically have one man building his own bathroom. No time for looking back...it is time for framing! ***
Friday, June 22, 2007
Voices
I was really dreading my trip to the other lab earlier in the week...that was, of course, until I found out that Nick was driving up and we were going to hang out and have dinner at the wonderful Cheesecake Factory with his parents. Once I had all those details in my head I was really kinda pumped! So...wouldn't you just know that after I get all my plans lined up, found out that the hotel does have WiFi, pack my bags and make the hour and a half drive I would find out that there was really no need for me to work more than one day there and that I could go ahead and drive home the same day. Damn.
Really, the decision was up to me. I could have still stayed, taken them up on the hotel, then found random things to do around their lab. Things that need to be done, but not that just HAVE to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND. I was tempted. I was there, totally ready to stay. Then my adult self started talking inside my head. "You know you should go back. Your lab has this same kind of work that needs to be done. No real reason to stay..."
Then the child self kicks in, "But it will be fun! Hotel room, great dinner, Nick is coming, a night out...cheesecake!"
Adult self yells back, "You wont even sleep that well in the hotel...you know it is true. Your back will hurt. They need you at home ... you have RESPONSIBILITIES!"
And then....then an amazing thing happened. The child self gave up. I told them that if they really didn't NEED me, I should go on home. We canceled the hotel room, and I got back into town around eight pm. A long day...with no cheesecake, but it was really nice to be home and I got a hell of a lot done in my lab yesterday. One more sign that I am actually growing up...the adult voice is winning...sometimes.
Really, the decision was up to me. I could have still stayed, taken them up on the hotel, then found random things to do around their lab. Things that need to be done, but not that just HAVE to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND. I was tempted. I was there, totally ready to stay. Then my adult self started talking inside my head. "You know you should go back. Your lab has this same kind of work that needs to be done. No real reason to stay..."
Then the child self kicks in, "But it will be fun! Hotel room, great dinner, Nick is coming, a night out...cheesecake!"
Adult self yells back, "You wont even sleep that well in the hotel...you know it is true. Your back will hurt. They need you at home ... you have RESPONSIBILITIES!"
And then....then an amazing thing happened. The child self gave up. I told them that if they really didn't NEED me, I should go on home. We canceled the hotel room, and I got back into town around eight pm. A long day...with no cheesecake, but it was really nice to be home and I got a hell of a lot done in my lab yesterday. One more sign that I am actually growing up...the adult voice is winning...sometimes.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
On the Road
So I totally forgot to mention this on here, but it looks like all of my bitching about the other lab went unnoticed because I am heading there this morning to help them out again on the biscuit project. They are putting me up in a hotel and I will work there today and tomorrow, then again for two days next week. I did tell our GM about all my grievances (not so much the chair...but basic large concepts) and she said that she totally understood and would let others know. Tarp is convinced I will walk in to a high back chair and a radio this morning. If I do I might just crawl in a hole and die....
I was going to tell you how the timing really couldn't be worse with Nick just getting home and here I am on the road, but last night he decided to drive up and meet me and his parents for dinner, then we will hang out around town for a while...pretty exciting! I am also bringing my (or rather Boo's) laptop to keep me company once Nick heads home. If the luxurious Red Roof Inn had wireless Internet you might hear from me again later tonight! I am now looking at the time...MUST go!
I was going to tell you how the timing really couldn't be worse with Nick just getting home and here I am on the road, but last night he decided to drive up and meet me and his parents for dinner, then we will hang out around town for a while...pretty exciting! I am also bringing my (or rather Boo's) laptop to keep me company once Nick heads home. If the luxurious Red Roof Inn had wireless Internet you might hear from me again later tonight! I am now looking at the time...MUST go!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Weekend Updates
Nick is coming back home from New York tonight at midnight. I am really so excited. After a couple of days of getting to control the TV and dinner selections I just get really bored and a little lonely. I have managed to fill a large portion of my time from this trip by starting the process of rereading the entire Harry Potter series. Don't laugh. If you are not a rereader, then you have no idea what you are missing!
Now, I have mentioned my obsession with good old HP on here before, but I am not sure you all can truly ever understand the love. I have a t-shirt....and a hat, and scarf and gloves...and all the books, both British and American. I have read them all several times...like between three and maybe eight times depending on the book. I know on some level this should be embarrassing...maybe I am just to far in to see that this might be a little strange for a twenty seven year old...oh well. I am actually finished with the first two books, and am now taking a break to read Mugglenet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7 ...it is awesome! It has totally convinced me that Snape is indeed still good. Worth reading if you are a huge HP fan.
Anyway, besides HP I have managed to fill my weekend with friends and family. Saturday I got to hang out with some of my favorite people in the world....
Between this one...
and this one, I pretty much had it made! I spent some time with the boys (oh yea, and Charing and the family too! It was awesome) before my sister in law Candice and I headed to a wedding reception....a wedding reception where instead of a champagne toast they passed around straight shots of Tequila...I seem to have a real drunken wedding streak going on this summer. Something to be proud of!
Then again when the bride is drinking out of this you know I was not alone!!
Sunday I spent with my Dad for good old Fathers Day. We grilled out stakes and just hung out with family. I did feel a little ill after dinner and decided to lay down for a quick nap. About two hours later I got up very surprised to have slept so long...I just realized as I typed it that this could have had something to do with the Tequila...hmm. Now I am back to the regular week and just sitting around excited for Nick to get home!
Now, I have mentioned my obsession with good old HP on here before, but I am not sure you all can truly ever understand the love. I have a t-shirt....and a hat, and scarf and gloves...and all the books, both British and American. I have read them all several times...like between three and maybe eight times depending on the book. I know on some level this should be embarrassing...maybe I am just to far in to see that this might be a little strange for a twenty seven year old...oh well. I am actually finished with the first two books, and am now taking a break to read Mugglenet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7 ...it is awesome! It has totally convinced me that Snape is indeed still good. Worth reading if you are a huge HP fan.
Anyway, besides HP I have managed to fill my weekend with friends and family. Saturday I got to hang out with some of my favorite people in the world....
Between this one...
and this one, I pretty much had it made! I spent some time with the boys (oh yea, and Charing and the family too! It was awesome) before my sister in law Candice and I headed to a wedding reception....a wedding reception where instead of a champagne toast they passed around straight shots of Tequila...I seem to have a real drunken wedding streak going on this summer. Something to be proud of!
Then again when the bride is drinking out of this you know I was not alone!!
Sunday I spent with my Dad for good old Fathers Day. We grilled out stakes and just hung out with family. I did feel a little ill after dinner and decided to lay down for a quick nap. About two hours later I got up very surprised to have slept so long...I just realized as I typed it that this could have had something to do with the Tequila...hmm. Now I am back to the regular week and just sitting around excited for Nick to get home!***My sister Boo is in the thick of her IVF process. She actually had her eggs implanted today, so keep all your fingers and toes crossed for her!! ***
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Day o' Fun
I went to the lake yesterday! I haven't been to the lake in a long time, but Nicks aunt and cousin were in from South Carolina, and since I was off work and so was Candice, we headed up for a day o' fun with the family. They talked about getting a pontoon boat (which I thought was a fabulous idea) but instead we went with ...canoes. Really? Me canoe?? That's right folks.
We went to get our boats and the old man at the place really didn't seem to think we could handle it. He told us several times how hard it is, how unstable the boats are, how we MUST wear our life jackets. I was really not into the life jacket. I mean, I can swim! It isn't like we are moving that fast here. I truly doubt I would be knocked unconscious and would sink so fast nobody could help me. Plus, I had been so cleaver to wear my strapless bathing suit to get a nice tan! This plan did not include life jacket lines, but after his crazy talk I finally agreed. At one point someone ever said, "yea, we KNOW they can flip" and he yelled "THAT'S RIGHT!!!!" . What the heck? Does this man have, like hundreds of wreckless canoe people out there or something?
NEVER did it seem like the boat might tip. Never did I feel completely out of control. You know what I did feel? A hot burning in my upper arms that has not been there since the days of the gym (for those like two months I actually went to the gym when I thought I was turning my life around...I bought a four year membership...for the deal...I hate that place). I will say that it was nicer than I thought. It was so pretty, and soothing...except for when Candice kept telling me to just not paddle at all because I was just making the boat turn. Okay...I will just sit back and give my weak little arms a rest then. I am thinking that since she never stopped paddling she might have the burning in her arms this morning too.
We canoed around for about an hour and a half, then decided we were ready for some sun. There was a pool right down from where we got the boats, and you know what the pool had?? The pool had a rockin' water slide! That's right people. It was like our own private water park....at least for me and fourteen year old Kelsey (who is turning into a complete hottie and is signing a modeling contract and going to be spending her summers overseas or in New York doing modeling and acting...how cool, right?) Anyway...I think I might have climbed the steps of the slide about ten thousand times. I did lay out for a bit, but that freakin slide was really fun! I am a dork. I should get out more. You know why?? Because I know have the burning upper thighs to mach my burning arms....you know, from the stairs. When I woke up this morning I was like, what the hell is wrong with me...I am so...SORE! Then I remembered...the day o' fun. I am so old.
We went to get our boats and the old man at the place really didn't seem to think we could handle it. He told us several times how hard it is, how unstable the boats are, how we MUST wear our life jackets. I was really not into the life jacket. I mean, I can swim! It isn't like we are moving that fast here. I truly doubt I would be knocked unconscious and would sink so fast nobody could help me. Plus, I had been so cleaver to wear my strapless bathing suit to get a nice tan! This plan did not include life jacket lines, but after his crazy talk I finally agreed. At one point someone ever said, "yea, we KNOW they can flip" and he yelled "THAT'S RIGHT!!!!" . What the heck? Does this man have, like hundreds of wreckless canoe people out there or something?
NEVER did it seem like the boat might tip. Never did I feel completely out of control. You know what I did feel? A hot burning in my upper arms that has not been there since the days of the gym (for those like two months I actually went to the gym when I thought I was turning my life around...I bought a four year membership...for the deal...I hate that place). I will say that it was nicer than I thought. It was so pretty, and soothing...except for when Candice kept telling me to just not paddle at all because I was just making the boat turn. Okay...I will just sit back and give my weak little arms a rest then. I am thinking that since she never stopped paddling she might have the burning in her arms this morning too.
We canoed around for about an hour and a half, then decided we were ready for some sun. There was a pool right down from where we got the boats, and you know what the pool had?? The pool had a rockin' water slide! That's right people. It was like our own private water park....at least for me and fourteen year old Kelsey (who is turning into a complete hottie and is signing a modeling contract and going to be spending her summers overseas or in New York doing modeling and acting...how cool, right?) Anyway...I think I might have climbed the steps of the slide about ten thousand times. I did lay out for a bit, but that freakin slide was really fun! I am a dork. I should get out more. You know why?? Because I know have the burning upper thighs to mach my burning arms....you know, from the stairs. When I woke up this morning I was like, what the hell is wrong with me...I am so...SORE! Then I remembered...the day o' fun. I am so old.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Why?
Why is it that when a person is terrified to fly, they will undoubtedly have the worst flying experience ever? Why can't it just be easy? Nick headed off to New York yesterday. The first time they went there was a direct flight, but this time they had a lay-over in Atlanta. This fact alone was horrifying to Nick. He truly hates the idea of being on a plane, so the idea of two in one day just about put him over the edge.
I guess it is just fate that when he landed in Atlanta they found out there was a delay on the connecting flight. As they sit there...for several hours...they find out that the problem is that there is some issue with the plane. Really?!?! Do you need to tell my fly-a-phobic (I am sure there is a real name for this) husband that the plane is having mechanical issues?? Do you really think that is what he wants to be picturing in his head? I am sure he thought the wing had fallen off or something and it took all his will power to not just run out the door and jump on a bus back home. After the extended delay they did make it safe and sound to New York. I just hope he is still willing to get on a plane to get back home!
***The new look of Bio Girl will hopefully be up in a day or two. I am working really hard on it and I really love it...hope you all do too!***
I guess it is just fate that when he landed in Atlanta they found out there was a delay on the connecting flight. As they sit there...for several hours...they find out that the problem is that there is some issue with the plane. Really?!?! Do you need to tell my fly-a-phobic (I am sure there is a real name for this) husband that the plane is having mechanical issues?? Do you really think that is what he wants to be picturing in his head? I am sure he thought the wing had fallen off or something and it took all his will power to not just run out the door and jump on a bus back home. After the extended delay they did make it safe and sound to New York. I just hope he is still willing to get on a plane to get back home!
***The new look of Bio Girl will hopefully be up in a day or two. I am working really hard on it and I really love it...hope you all do too!***
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Addiction
Apparently I am totally addicted to my computer. Seriously. I had no idea how bad it was...but I am telling you, it's bad. Nick was working on the addition on Saturday. He was in the process of sawing threw our stone exterior when he noticed a cable line right in his way. There was nothing he could do...he cut it. It was my broadband. I have really not been myself since.
I was okay for the first day...It was my little sisters birthday party, we had things going on, no time for the computer anyways. It was Sunday morning that it hit me. There I was, coffee in hand, and no email! We somehow let time get away from us that night, and before we knew it, it was six pm...everything was closed. Monday morning...no email, no blogs, no Myspace, no bank account...I thought I was going to have a panic attack. We went out with the family for Missy's birthday right after work, so there was no fixing it then either. Nick is heading to New York for a week tomorrow and I really think I would have gone to stay with Charing had he not had it fixed before he left. No need. Today after work I got my computer back. Hello my beautiful Internet...oh, how I have missed you! I promise we will never be apart this long again.
Now, as a confession...one reason I was wanting my Internet back so bad was that I was waiting on this blog review. I had signed up for it AGES ago, and I knew it was my turn. I was really looking forward to it....I read their reviews and pretty much agree with them, so I was really interested to see what they had to say. They rank you from one to ten. I was hoping for a six....okay, I was hoping for a perfect 10, but I knew I would be happy with a six. Better than average, right??
Well...I didn't get a six. Let me explain before I reveal my score. Apparently, clearly unknown to me, my bubbles are completely retina burning. Damn. Here I was thinking they were all cute and beaker like. They hurt the reviewers eyes so bad she straight up refused to read it. Ouch. So....I am thinking this is not so great. I am a little frustrated that she really didn't read anything I have written, but in her defence she said she would come back and re-review my blog once I have a template that doesn't make her sick.
I have been giving all of this some thought and decided to rework to old template. At first I was all like " I LOVE my template...How DARE you!!!" Then I remembered that I signed up for this...and that I usually agree with them. Then Nick looked at it (he is not a reader of the old blog) and said "It's a little loud". Humph. I don't want the way my site looks to take away from people wanting to read it. I REALLY don't want it making people feel seasick. So I am toning it down. Keep an eye out for a new look over then next couple of days!
***You really want to see the review don't you? I got a three. Here it is***
I was okay for the first day...It was my little sisters birthday party, we had things going on, no time for the computer anyways. It was Sunday morning that it hit me. There I was, coffee in hand, and no email! We somehow let time get away from us that night, and before we knew it, it was six pm...everything was closed. Monday morning...no email, no blogs, no Myspace, no bank account...I thought I was going to have a panic attack. We went out with the family for Missy's birthday right after work, so there was no fixing it then either. Nick is heading to New York for a week tomorrow and I really think I would have gone to stay with Charing had he not had it fixed before he left. No need. Today after work I got my computer back. Hello my beautiful Internet...oh, how I have missed you! I promise we will never be apart this long again.
Now, as a confession...one reason I was wanting my Internet back so bad was that I was waiting on this blog review. I had signed up for it AGES ago, and I knew it was my turn. I was really looking forward to it....I read their reviews and pretty much agree with them, so I was really interested to see what they had to say. They rank you from one to ten. I was hoping for a six....okay, I was hoping for a perfect 10, but I knew I would be happy with a six. Better than average, right??
Well...I didn't get a six. Let me explain before I reveal my score. Apparently, clearly unknown to me, my bubbles are completely retina burning. Damn. Here I was thinking they were all cute and beaker like. They hurt the reviewers eyes so bad she straight up refused to read it. Ouch. So....I am thinking this is not so great. I am a little frustrated that she really didn't read anything I have written, but in her defence she said she would come back and re-review my blog once I have a template that doesn't make her sick.
I have been giving all of this some thought and decided to rework to old template. At first I was all like " I LOVE my template...How DARE you!!!" Then I remembered that I signed up for this...and that I usually agree with them. Then Nick looked at it (he is not a reader of the old blog) and said "It's a little loud". Humph. I don't want the way my site looks to take away from people wanting to read it. I REALLY don't want it making people feel seasick. So I am toning it down. Keep an eye out for a new look over then next couple of days!
***You really want to see the review don't you? I got a three. Here it is***
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Microbiology Emergency
What's that? You didn't think I had emergencies at my work? You assumed it was all scientific thinking and nerdyness...well, you are right, but every now and then the nerdyness gets out of control and then chaos ensues...We got a call yesterday. The main lab, which is about an hour and a half away, was having…well, a microbiology emergency. One of their analysts had called in, and they had three HUGE projects on their way. There was just no way they could get it done...they needed help.
Now, I will remind you that because of our weekend work schedule, we are always down an analyst on Fridays. Justin was home enjoying his three-day weekend while Tarp and I were drowning under our own landslide of work when they called. Usually we would have said there was just no way, but in the 15 months since the take over they have NEVER called in help. Must be bad. I get in the car and start the three hour round trip journey to give them the "two to three hours that would make all the difference!".
I get there and things seem busy, but okay. I am pouring up plates like crazy, thinking I am TOATLLY making things SO much better for them...then they pull out the biscuit project. I wont bore you with the details, but I will say that weighing out a specific amount of dough (dough that you cannot touch with your hands so you have to pull apart within a bag) sucks...it sucks even more to brake apart and dilute this dough in a bag of water...and it sucks most of all to then realize there are 230 biscuits! It took between five and ten minutes for each one...doesn't sound to bad? Do the math. Two to three hours my ass. So, here is my letter to the other microbiology lab...
Dear other Micro Lab,
Buy some freaking chairs! What you sit in, that is not a chair. That is a stool. An old-school wooden stool that sucks. A chair is something with a back. If you think your stools are fine then please never come to our lab and see our extra cushioned, high back, adjustable rolling chairs. You will die of envy. Secondly, get a radio. Why in the hell would you work in complete silence. I could literally hear every second tick away until sweet freedom. And thirdly...and this is just a suggestion...don't ask for help to drive an hour and a half, then have the three full time employees out and about (home sick, then coming in looking fine, running errands, playing in a double header softball game..)while I sit on the stool from hell pulling on biscuit dough. It might not go over well...
Thanks for never telling me you had it under control and I could go,
Sarah
***For the record, they were BUSY. They needed all three of them, plus help. It is just frustrating to drop everything to help, then see them doing other things. We would have canceled our personal plans if it was in our lab. No question. I helped as much as I could, but after six hours I really had to head home. I am sure they are there weighing out biscuit dough now...***
Now, I will remind you that because of our weekend work schedule, we are always down an analyst on Fridays. Justin was home enjoying his three-day weekend while Tarp and I were drowning under our own landslide of work when they called. Usually we would have said there was just no way, but in the 15 months since the take over they have NEVER called in help. Must be bad. I get in the car and start the three hour round trip journey to give them the "two to three hours that would make all the difference!".
I get there and things seem busy, but okay. I am pouring up plates like crazy, thinking I am TOATLLY making things SO much better for them...then they pull out the biscuit project. I wont bore you with the details, but I will say that weighing out a specific amount of dough (dough that you cannot touch with your hands so you have to pull apart within a bag) sucks...it sucks even more to brake apart and dilute this dough in a bag of water...and it sucks most of all to then realize there are 230 biscuits! It took between five and ten minutes for each one...doesn't sound to bad? Do the math. Two to three hours my ass. So, here is my letter to the other microbiology lab...
Dear other Micro Lab,
Buy some freaking chairs! What you sit in, that is not a chair. That is a stool. An old-school wooden stool that sucks. A chair is something with a back. If you think your stools are fine then please never come to our lab and see our extra cushioned, high back, adjustable rolling chairs. You will die of envy. Secondly, get a radio. Why in the hell would you work in complete silence. I could literally hear every second tick away until sweet freedom. And thirdly...and this is just a suggestion...don't ask for help to drive an hour and a half, then have the three full time employees out and about (home sick, then coming in looking fine, running errands, playing in a double header softball game..)while I sit on the stool from hell pulling on biscuit dough. It might not go over well...
Thanks for never telling me you had it under control and I could go,
Sarah
***For the record, they were BUSY. They needed all three of them, plus help. It is just frustrating to drop everything to help, then see them doing other things. We would have canceled our personal plans if it was in our lab. No question. I helped as much as I could, but after six hours I really had to head home. I am sure they are there weighing out biscuit dough now...***
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Hell of a Lot of Hail
Monday night I was laying on the couch and Nick walked in. The sun was setting and he had been working in the yard. He had picked up a couple of ferns and got them planted in the back after work. He looked over and me and said, *sigh* "I'm done! We have been working so hard on this yard and all of our flower beds and vegetable beds are finished. Now we are totally at maintenance for the rest of the summer. What a great feeling!" He should have known it was too good to last.
Yesterday our lovely home town was hit by one hell of a storm. Around noon Nick called me to see if it was hailing at my work. It was hailing at the University and he wanted to check to see if it was also happening by me. I stick my head out in the rain...trying to decide if anything looked like hail, end up sending Tarp out into the pouring rain to check....he comes back with some gravel (oops...my bad) and we decide it must be missing us. Honestly I was a little bummed. How often to do you get to see some hail?
Apparently I had to wait about three hours. There was no looking out to see or running to pick up gravel this time. It sounded like our lab was going to cave in. This. Was. Crazy. We are talking quarter sized hail, and a TON of it. Ripping threw trees, bouncing off cars (Lucky for me I still don't own one...) basically taring everything apart. It was honestly like nothing I have ever seen in my entire life. Once it stopped there were huge mounds of it, you could pick it up and make hail balls out of it!
Once I got home I realized our house had been hit even harder. It was three hours after the storm and our flower beds still had a couple of inches of hail in them! (Okay, I totally know at this point I should be loading pictures and they would TOTALLY make this post better, but unfortunately I had let Candice use my camera...who knew there would be a freak hail storm that needed documentation?!?!) Our flowers in the front had all the blooms knocked off them, but I think they will survive. The back yard is another story. There is NOTHING left. Our flowers are totally gone. You can't even tell they were ever there. Same with the vegetables. Our Hostas looks like a very creepy plant skeleton. Only the stems...no leaves. Nick was seriously broken hearted. He just kept saying, "but I just finished it all yesterday..." There was nothing to say to make it any better...but who ever would have thought...hail.
**WAIT...I just checked my Aunts blog and she totally wrote a wonderful post about her experience with the hail...and it's FUNNY...and it has PICTURES!! Go take a look!***
Yesterday our lovely home town was hit by one hell of a storm. Around noon Nick called me to see if it was hailing at my work. It was hailing at the University and he wanted to check to see if it was also happening by me. I stick my head out in the rain...trying to decide if anything looked like hail, end up sending Tarp out into the pouring rain to check....he comes back with some gravel (oops...my bad) and we decide it must be missing us. Honestly I was a little bummed. How often to do you get to see some hail?
Apparently I had to wait about three hours. There was no looking out to see or running to pick up gravel this time. It sounded like our lab was going to cave in. This. Was. Crazy. We are talking quarter sized hail, and a TON of it. Ripping threw trees, bouncing off cars (Lucky for me I still don't own one...) basically taring everything apart. It was honestly like nothing I have ever seen in my entire life. Once it stopped there were huge mounds of it, you could pick it up and make hail balls out of it!
Once I got home I realized our house had been hit even harder. It was three hours after the storm and our flower beds still had a couple of inches of hail in them! (Okay, I totally know at this point I should be loading pictures and they would TOTALLY make this post better, but unfortunately I had let Candice use my camera...who knew there would be a freak hail storm that needed documentation?!?!) Our flowers in the front had all the blooms knocked off them, but I think they will survive. The back yard is another story. There is NOTHING left. Our flowers are totally gone. You can't even tell they were ever there. Same with the vegetables. Our Hostas looks like a very creepy plant skeleton. Only the stems...no leaves. Nick was seriously broken hearted. He just kept saying, "but I just finished it all yesterday..." There was nothing to say to make it any better...but who ever would have thought...hail.
**WAIT...I just checked my Aunts blog and she totally wrote a wonderful post about her experience with the hail...and it's FUNNY...and it has PICTURES!! Go take a look!***
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Nerds
Nick and I are total nerds. On Sunday night after we ate the delicious dinner that Liz brought over, we were laying around on the couch and I started to feel like shit. Just bla all over. Nick gets out the paperwork from the surgery to see if there is anything we should be worried about. It says that if I have a fever of over 100 we should call the doc. Our only problem...apparently we don't own a thermometer. So, after some serious brain storming Nick realizes we can use....the meat thermometer! That's right folks. He washes it up real nice, then sticks it in my mouth. This is, of course, after the warning that the tip is really sharp, and...you know...made to puncture meat, so be careful.
The trusty meat thermometer (which was totally digital and a REALLY nice thermometer) spit out the reading of 100 degrees. (Nick set the alarm on it so we would know if I crossed the 100 degree mark...exciting when it went off). Anyways, all of this doesn't seem to nerdy to me, although I could see where it would to you all. No, the part I think is just a touch on the nerdy side is the fact that after it told us I was at 100 degrees, we realized we needed to test it accuracy. You know...see if it has a correction factor. We ended up setting up a little science experiment, testing it against the known controls of boiling water and ice. Turns out it was reading "just about right" in our scientific opinion! We were really proud of ourselves...
The end of the story is that we did end up calling the doctor and I had to go in yesterday morning. They said the fever and nausea was from all the inflammation due to the extensive amount of endo they had to remove. Basically, take a little more time off to recover and take more meds. I am feeling A- OK today, so I am heading in for a half day. Wish me luck!
The trusty meat thermometer (which was totally digital and a REALLY nice thermometer) spit out the reading of 100 degrees. (Nick set the alarm on it so we would know if I crossed the 100 degree mark...exciting when it went off). Anyways, all of this doesn't seem to nerdy to me, although I could see where it would to you all. No, the part I think is just a touch on the nerdy side is the fact that after it told us I was at 100 degrees, we realized we needed to test it accuracy. You know...see if it has a correction factor. We ended up setting up a little science experiment, testing it against the known controls of boiling water and ice. Turns out it was reading "just about right" in our scientific opinion! We were really proud of ourselves...
The end of the story is that we did end up calling the doctor and I had to go in yesterday morning. They said the fever and nausea was from all the inflammation due to the extensive amount of endo they had to remove. Basically, take a little more time off to recover and take more meds. I am feeling A- OK today, so I am heading in for a half day. Wish me luck!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
So Tired
I am a little amazed to even type this...but I have been awake for a total of two hours today. That's right, folks. We are now seventeen hours into the day and I have slept 15 of them. Awesome. I do wish there was some way to convey to my neighbors that I am a little under the weather and need my rest. Unfortunately they don't seem to know or care.
To the right of my house is a very nice couple. A very nice couple who have three very large dogs. Two are so sweet and perfect and I would just love to own them and pet them and take care of them...then there is Charlie. CHARLIE! He hates me. It is a deep, deep hate too. Not one that can easily be overcome by me saying his name, showing that I know him. It doesn't matter how long I am outside. He just stands there and barks (and foams at the mouth a little). If I go into the addition and he can't see me, he stops until my head pops back out...then the barking begins again. For some reason this morning Charlie was in a barking mood...and I wasn't even outside to egg him on. I really wanted to throw open my back door and scream at him..but you know, if someone did that to Ellie I would kill them so I restrained.
On the left side of my house is a very nice little family. A nice little family that loves to work on cars. In their driveway. Right beside where my bed is. Awesome. I had to fight every urge in my body this morning to grab a hold of my (very nice) bamboo blinds, rip them open and give the very nice family the death look from hell. Or maybe I could have just yelled SHHHHHHH really loud. I did neither. Nick looked a little horrified when I mentioned these ideas and just said "Baby, I really don't think you can do that!" I just made my way to the couch and continued my sleeping out there. Problem solved forever! Or maybe just until tomorrow morning.
I do have to say that along with sleeping like a champ, I am eating like a queen! Seriously. If it wasn't for all this pain and what not I would do this surgery thing more often! Candice and Davis came by and fried chicken for us last night, Boo brought over lunch, and my wonderful and perfect Aunt, Mrs. Who just dropped by with some of the best looking food I have ever seen for tonight's dinner. She even made me a Derby pie...I could just cry I am so filled with joy! Anyways, thanks everyone for being so wonderful. Now, I think I might go back to the couch and take a little nap before we eat...
To the right of my house is a very nice couple. A very nice couple who have three very large dogs. Two are so sweet and perfect and I would just love to own them and pet them and take care of them...then there is Charlie. CHARLIE! He hates me. It is a deep, deep hate too. Not one that can easily be overcome by me saying his name, showing that I know him. It doesn't matter how long I am outside. He just stands there and barks (and foams at the mouth a little). If I go into the addition and he can't see me, he stops until my head pops back out...then the barking begins again. For some reason this morning Charlie was in a barking mood...and I wasn't even outside to egg him on. I really wanted to throw open my back door and scream at him..but you know, if someone did that to Ellie I would kill them so I restrained.
On the left side of my house is a very nice little family. A nice little family that loves to work on cars. In their driveway. Right beside where my bed is. Awesome. I had to fight every urge in my body this morning to grab a hold of my (very nice) bamboo blinds, rip them open and give the very nice family the death look from hell. Or maybe I could have just yelled SHHHHHHH really loud. I did neither. Nick looked a little horrified when I mentioned these ideas and just said "Baby, I really don't think you can do that!" I just made my way to the couch and continued my sleeping out there. Problem solved forever! Or maybe just until tomorrow morning.
I do have to say that along with sleeping like a champ, I am eating like a queen! Seriously. If it wasn't for all this pain and what not I would do this surgery thing more often! Candice and Davis came by and fried chicken for us last night, Boo brought over lunch, and my wonderful and perfect Aunt, Mrs. Who just dropped by with some of the best looking food I have ever seen for tonight's dinner. She even made me a Derby pie...I could just cry I am so filled with joy! Anyways, thanks everyone for being so wonderful. Now, I think I might go back to the couch and take a little nap before we eat...
Friday, June 1, 2007
Making It...
My surgery went really well yesterday. They were able to burn out most of the endometriosis, so that is really great. He was also able to save my left ovary. He told me several times how he wouldn't take it out because we were trying for a baby...glad I was clear on that. He did say that I had progressed to moderate/severe endo, which was what he was expecting to find. The cyst was all kinds of messed up, full of endo and blood. Gross. He also said my case was unusual in the fact that I have a great deal of endometriosis growing on the front side of my abdomen and all over my bladder, which would account for some of my pain. I guess it is much more common on the back side. We all know I like to defy medical science, so I am not surprised.
So....now I am just laying around. Nick has been really wonderful at taking care of me. Getting my food and pills. Waking me up to make sure to take my medicine on time...all that perfect husband stuff. Charing brought a WONDERFUL dinner over for us last night. Tarp is actually coming by for lunch today to check in on me, bring me band aids, and enjoy some of the wonderful left overs. After the surgery Boo brought lots of breakfast and lunch stuff over, plus deserts (she rocks!)! Basically I have not stopped eating except to sleep. All my wonderful friends and family are bringing dinners over the next several nights. I am so lucky. I seriously have the best friends and family anyone could ask for.
I guess that is about all I've got for you all. Here I am with all this time to post anything I want, and I am basically not doing anything worth talking about. The pain is bad, but I am managing. As long as I stay drugged and stay on the couch I am cool. I am really swollen, so that looks awesome. My shoulders are killing me. I slept sitting up most of the night last night to let all the gas rise from the surgery. I think it helped some. Thanks so much for all your good thoughts and prayers. I am sure I will better than ever in no time!
So....now I am just laying around. Nick has been really wonderful at taking care of me. Getting my food and pills. Waking me up to make sure to take my medicine on time...all that perfect husband stuff. Charing brought a WONDERFUL dinner over for us last night. Tarp is actually coming by for lunch today to check in on me, bring me band aids, and enjoy some of the wonderful left overs. After the surgery Boo brought lots of breakfast and lunch stuff over, plus deserts (she rocks!)! Basically I have not stopped eating except to sleep. All my wonderful friends and family are bringing dinners over the next several nights. I am so lucky. I seriously have the best friends and family anyone could ask for.
I guess that is about all I've got for you all. Here I am with all this time to post anything I want, and I am basically not doing anything worth talking about. The pain is bad, but I am managing. As long as I stay drugged and stay on the couch I am cool. I am really swollen, so that looks awesome. My shoulders are killing me. I slept sitting up most of the night last night to let all the gas rise from the surgery. I think it helped some. Thanks so much for all your good thoughts and prayers. I am sure I will better than ever in no time!
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