I got a job!

I started my new job at a mental/physical rehab center about a week ago and it's been great! At first I was sad that I had missed my chance at the hospital job, but I'm really glad my second choice had an opening. The only full time they had was graveyards, but I'm grateful to have gotten it.

I'm getting used to working the graveyard shift faster than I thought I would. The first few days I was a zombie and I was so tired I felt nauseous and dizzy. I could only catch 2-3 hours of sleep and it was miserable. My husband drove me for the first few days until I was more accustomed to the shift. I really appreciated that (he probably kept me from squishing myself and others) and now I'm able to sleep an almost normal number of hours in a row and I'm feeling better.
I'm really enjoying getting to know my patients and the other staff there are really helpful. I haven't gotten my access card yet so anytime I need to use the loo or get supplies I have to get someone to let me in. No one has complained or refused me yet and they help me when I ask. I wish the training period was more than 3 days so I could learn the unit better and have my card before I'm on my own, but that's what school was for. I think it's going well though.
I hope I will be happy there and it feels really good to be out in the world again.

It's starting to bloom!

My Book is finished!

Here is the big project I've been working on. I won't admit how long it took, but it took well over a week. Most of that time was me fussing with the paper and getting the folds just right. I love how it came out! I got the know how from Sea Lemon  on YouTube. She has some really great videos that are fun to watch.

All sewn up.

I used upholstery thread in three colors to sew the signatures together. It was soothing and the needle was dull so I couldn't hurt myself. I think that was my favorite part, although after sewing for a while my fingers were sore. 

I needed my husband to help me get it in the press (2 cutting boards with clamps) the first time. Paper can be slippery and I was afraid of popping my stitches.

Pretty ribbons!

In my usual fashion I went a bit overboard with the project. I watched the videos so many times I knew exactly where to stop it for the part I needed. I just wanted it to turn out well and not be like any other Book out there.

I love this fabric!

For the spine wrapping I chose a really pretty print. I wanted something better than an old sheet scrap to hold it together. My knowing that it's there makes me smile.

Super soft cover!

The blue leather I used to cover it was what set off this whole project. I originally got it to make power bags 10 or so years ago. I made the bags I needed then put the rest away, I had forgotten I even had it. 

Then I found it again when I was looking to re-cover my old Book. It's a 3-ring binder that I rarely use because it's hard to hold and bites me when I rearrange the pages. I wanted to breathe new life into it, or at least make peace with it. My poor husband said I should make a Book myself. That started the wheels turning and I was off!

The front paper is great!

On our anniversary weekend he took me to get the ribbons, glue and the end paper so I could finish it. He also got me the little corner caps. He's so sweet!

A little wrinkled, but that's ok.

I added a pen holder to both covers so it will always a pen when I need one. The back paper came out a bit wrinkled. I probably moved it getting it back in the press, but I think it adds character.

It opens well!

The real test was opening and shuffling the pages. The Book worked like a charm and nothing fell out. It even opens nice and flat for easy writing and reading. I was a little worried it would be stiff; I went a bit crazy with the glue.

The perfect touch of  bling.

I love the little brass corner protectors. They are pretty and functional. I want to try and emboss a swirly pattern on the cover to really finish it off. I hope it works, if not it still looks great!

It's a big Book!

I'm really proud of how it turned out, especially since this was my first time making a Book. It's around 500 leaves and is 11" x 8" x 3". It's the perfect size for recording a lot of info while still being manageable. I can comfortably hold it while standing if I want. 

I am very happy with my Book and now I need to find my ruler so I can start using it! 

I didn't get the position.

Sadly, I didn't get the position I applied for at the hospital. I really liked the person who interviewed me and I'm sure he just found someone with better qualifications than me. So, after finding out that I didn't get my first pick of spots I consoled myself with pizza and ice cream while making a new plan. Next time I'll play it cool and pretend I'm not super excited. I'm just grateful I found out so fast and can try again.
This morning I applied for the 4 positions the hospital has that I'm even remotely qualified for. I hope I get one! I really want the hospital because it offers the best benefits and will work with my schooling when I go back for the nursing degree. It's also where I worked for most of my life and I want to go home.
If I don't I will be applying to long term care and rehab facilities. I'm sure I would be happy with one of them, but I'm a stubborn little booger. If I don't try I can't succeed, right?
Now the waiting is on and I have cold pizza to munch for lunch!
Wish me luck please!

Bombs away!

Our chicken coop

We have our pretty little chooks in the side yard. It's about 480 square feet (400' for the chooks to run around in, the other 80' or so has the turtle pond). It's surrounded on 2 sides by a 6' high corrugated steel fence. One of the other sides is the house and the final side is chain link facing the rest of the back yard. We enclosed the entire top of it in deer netting at 7'-8' feet high so nothing can get in from above. The bottom of the steel is buried several inches deep to keep out diggers.
The netting is the only new feature back there because it used to be our garden, then we had to move the turtle pond there and they ate most of the plants. So far the birds have stayed away from the pond, but it should be ok if they want to go in, there's lots of ledges for them to stand on and Freya, Odin, and the others won't hurt them.

Nice and cozy

The chooks house is 6' high, 6' wide, and 5' deep. It started out open on three sides, but we've added shade cloth to the sides for better protection from the sun and rain. The bottoms and tops of the sides are still open though to allow as much air flow as possible. We had a nesting box, but Ms. Fisher was sleeping in it so we now use it to hold the waterer. It works great and she now sleeps with the others.

The paint makes it easy to wipe down in the mornings. We left the perches bare for their comfort, paint would have made it slippery. 

Bed time is so cute, they all peep like baby chicks and try to cuddle under each others wings. That was what Bessie was doing when she was shoving everyone off the perches. They just want to snuggle even though it's hot out.

Clever food holder!

Nice water dispenser!

Alexis figured it out first.

My husband got the idea for these great food and water dispensers from Rob Bob's Backyard Farming. That site is great and I love the way he explains things. My chooks love the feeder, but we're still trying to teach them the waterer. I made the mistake of catching them and tapping their beaks on the nipples to try and show them. They hated that and ran from me for awhile afterward. I've since learned I shouldn't have chased them if I want them to be tamed. Now I make chucking noises as I make the nipples drip water, I hope they get it soon.

They have ice water in pans that they drink and splash in as well so they are doing well. We also have a mister system that they enjoy and I put ice packs in their bedding to help keep them cool.

Nice place to explore.

So far they seem happy. The heat doesn't seem to bother them much. They peck and scratch most of the day, Dot found several grubs today. Alexis stole the first one, The second one was to big so she threw it away and Kate ate it , then she finally got one. It was fun to watch them chase each other for the prize. 

They haven't gone past the small bush next to the tree yet, but they are still getting used to it here. They aren't tame yet, but they let me get closer each time I go out there. They have no problem touching me and hit me with their wings when they scratch around my feet. Alexis even rubbed against my leg yesterday and Kate sat on my shoe for a minute. I can't wait until they let me pet them and maybe hold them! I'm trying to be patient, but they are so cute.  

Peek-a-boo!

A better way to carry my bike locks

I've been looking for a better way to carry my bike locks for a while now. I had been carrying them strapped to the rear rack, but they got in the way and the amount of Velcro I had holding them down was a hassle to take on and off. Plus if I wanted to use my rack I had to either put stuff on the locks and not be able to make any other stops or put the locks in the front basket where they bounce and slide around affecting my steering.
After much web searching and brain wracking I came across this Instructables post. It seemed like the way to go. It's not elegant, but it is efficient and that was what I was looking for.

Inside view.

I was able to mount both my U locks on the inside of my rear rack, one on either side. They no longer get in my way or claim space that I can use to carry things and best of all they don't rattle, clank, or shift at all. So far it's working great!!!
When I get a paycheck coming in I plan to paint the PVC to make it look nicer. (Yep, I'm still waiting.) I added the slant to the cuts to make it easier to engage the lock Now I just have to figure out what to do with my cable, It won't fit with the other locks.
It only took me the weekend and a bit of help from my husband to get it finished, and I only lost a few ounces blood so it's a win. If Sylvia is ever lost we can DNA test her to prove shes mine. Friendly warning, hose clamps are very sharp and will screw the skin off your fingers if your not careful use gloves when holding them steady. Also, if you do this start with the bottom clamps and not the top ones. Then you won't be constantly rubbing against the already placed ones and will have more room to work. I wish I'd thought of that before I'd finished!

The finished look.

On a side note, my husband likes to tease me about how crowded my handlebars are so when I saw this bike while we were out shopping I had to take a picture. I love the little chipmunk! I may have to strap a furry creature to Sylvia now.

So cute!

Some of the food we've made recently!

Since I'm still waiting on my number I've been trying out cooking and I think I'm getting pretty good at it! It's exciting to learn new techniques and make something that doesn't take up space in the house.
Here are a few things I've made that my husband and I really enjoyed.

Yummy curry!

I got the recipe for this curry from the book Supermarket Vegan by Donna Klein. It's a great recipe with coconut lime rice and a really tasty and savory chickpea curry on top. It even reheated well and helped me find a way I will eat beans.

Stuffed acorn squash!

Stuffed globe squash!

My mom in law gave us this adorable globe squash and I wanted to try stuffing it. We got a small acorn squash to go with it because there's two of us. I had trouble finding a vegetarian recipe for stuffed squash that actually sounded good so I made up my own. It was the first time we had had stuffed squash and I was a bit worried. However it came out great! Here's how I did it.

Stuffed Squash Filling:

Cooked rice

Bell pepper, chopped

Mushroom, chopped

Onion, chopped

Garlic, minced

Tomato, small chopped and seeded.

Parmesan cheese

I suck at measuring things, just use the amounts needed to stuff the squash you're using. Saute the vegis in a pan until soft, I used 2 tbsp of water. When soft add rice and mix well. Let stuffing cool. Add in the Parmesan and mix well. Then stuff the heck out of your squash with it! Sprinkle cheese on top and bake as per the type of squash you are using.

Next up I want to try this in tomatoes or peppers!

Kung Pao Tofu!

This one was last nights dinner. My husband did most of this meal and it came out great! The recipe came from the Supermarket Vegan  cookbook again. I really like that book! It's an actual tasty way to eat tofu. It's a nice garlicky sauce that has a bit of spice that sneaks up on you. I added more vegis than the recipe called for, but it still came out great.

I'm really enjoying learning to cook. It's more fun than I thought it would be. If you make the stuffing let me know how it turns out for you!

Have fun! 

I had a great birthday!

My birthday was yesterday and it was great! I really appreciated all the texts and calls with good wishes! It made me feel loved! Thanks!!!!
I got to spend the day home with my husband watching movies. I finally got to see the new "Night at the Museum" film and it was super funny! We rented it from Redbox.  I love comedy action movies! We also watched a really funny movie on Netflix called "The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec". It's in French with English subtitles, but it has mummies, a dinosaur, and crazy adventures.
My husband made me a wonderful birthday cake. It's chocolate chocolate chip with dark chocolate cram cheese icing and coconut. It's the best birthday cake ever! Some chocolate chip ice cream went well with it. I really believe there is no such thing as too much chocolate, but this cake almost did it!

Yummy!

A few days before my birthday, while looking for special beads for a worry bead strand for a friend I came across this great little cross in a box of beads and findings I inherited from my mom. It's simple and substantial with a nice curve to it. I immediately wanted to make prayer beads around it.

A gift.

I dug around trying to find the right ones for it and started off with it on a string of rose quartz, but I have never liked stone beads for prayer. They make great accents, but they feel cold to me. I decided to take apart my normal strand and use the wood beads from that. It would be my birthday gift!

Pretty flower bead.

I found this flower bead in a box of them I had collected to make earrings and such for etsy. I remember the day we got it and how excited I was to use it. Then it went into a box and waited for the right project. I finally had the right project for it.

Smile!

My husband took me to the local bead store to get some wire to string it with. I wanted the fancy 49 strand wire. It acts like thread and is really flexible. He got me a spool and this wonderful stone skull bead for my birthday.  

I was having trouble finding the right final bead to use as marker in my recreated prayer beads. I have tons of different types and styles, but none of them seemed right. All the other beads in the strand had meaning, even the wood ones and their tiger eye end bead meant something to me. I couldn't just throw any bead in there.

The perfect fit.

On Saturday we went to deliver the worry beads. She had an old box of glass beads that she let me look through. I found two that she gave me for my birthday. I now had the final piece! I spent most of the rest of the day figuring out what order to put them in and how to safely and neatly crimp off the wire. It came out great! They will even fit in my pocket thanks to the amazing wires flexibility!

A gift of many sources!

The finished prayer beads came out great and when I worked with them yesterday I couldn't help but smile. I may have put them all together, but it took family to make it happen. It's the best birthday gift I could have ever hoped for, the gift of love.

It was the best birthday ever!

On a side note. If you ever accidentally crush a garnet with your pliers, don't pick it up with the tip of your finger. It's like tiny glass shards  that stick inside and you have to use tape to get them out. Tweezers don't work it just breaks them off shorter. Use a dust pan to pick up the shards instead!

An update on waiting and aquaponics.

I'm still waiting and praying for my number from State Board. I'm hoping it will be soon, as in today would be great. In the meantime I'm learning how to cook tasty vegetarian food and it's a lot of fun. I made eggplant moussaka and it came out pretty tasty. Tonight I'm going to try to make a nice coconut curry.
I've got a ton of websites bookmarked for recipes and I think we even saved a bit of money when we went shopping. It's a win win so far!

Transplanted peppers

We had so many pepper growing in the aquaponics bin that we transplanted some of them outside. At first they were a bit floppy looking, but in a few days they got used to the dirt and are now growing happily. Soon we'll have to plant them in the ground, but for now they are happy.

Baby lentil plants!!!

I tried to sprout lentils and it didn't work. I followed the instructions, but after 4 days of rinsing twice a day and keeping them in a dark cool place all I had was a smelly jar of icky lentils. I had noticed that there was a small number of sprouts in there so we carefully got them out of the jar and sorted on a paper towel. We wound up with about 15 tiny shoots. We put some in the aquaponics and planted the rest in a pot. I haven't seen any in the aquaponics yet, but 2 of them are holding strong in the pot. I just moved them outside today and I hope they survive! I've found that I actually like lentils and can't wait to grow some!

Parsley and cilantro

We've added parsley and cilantro to the aquaponics bin. Rory love them and it's fun to try to grow things there. There's even some lettuce still growing too!

Tasty yet tiny.

The peppers are great but small. If we let them get red they get a bit of a bite. The seeds were from a bag of roasted pepper that I just tossed in to see if they would grow. Boy did they!

Lots of pepper plants!

The peppers in the bin are still cranking out like crazy. They are really tasty too! I really need to replant more of them now that the testers are doing great. When I get my fancy beans to plant I'm going to need room, but for now I don't have the heart to shock them that way. 

Everything is growing now so I'm happy. It's a real warm tingly to use food we grew in a recipe! And it tastes better too! 

Sylvia's new skirt guards

Here's some pictures of the new set of skirt guards I made for Sylvia. I just don't think she looks right without a set.  They're made of cotton yarn with an iridescent thread running through it. 

It's a simple triple crochet mesh stitch that I finished with a single crochet at the top and bottom. I just used more of the same yarn to tie them on over her fender. They don't interfere with removing the tire because of where and how I attached them.

I like the shiny!

Ready to have her rack back.

Up close view. 

This pair came out lighter and more airy than the others and I like how it looks. I need to secure the drive side one to the top of the chain guard. (Just noticed that in the pics!) I love making things for my bike, it gives me a feeling of accomplishment. I may make some sleeves for her U locks next. I'm also trying to work out a triple lock holster. It's a pain unvelcroing  them from her rack every time I go somewhere. 

I thought about doing a basket liner but I like the look of the wood base to much to cover it up. I haven't placed anything small in there without a bag yet either. Time will tell what I do to the poor girl next! 

Still waiting for my number

I'm still trapped in limbo waiting for my number from State that says I'm a CNA. Technically I have a number but it's not valid because it expired 17 years ago. Wow that's a long time.
Day before yesterday I got my application back with a different application that I had to fill out because I had a defunct number. It was enclosed with a very nice note explaining the new application. It also meant I had to pay a late fee for my change of address from the one they have on file. The funny thing is we've lived here for about 14 years. I did appreciate the addressed envelope they sent with it though. I informed the school of this annoyance in case they have anyone else who is re-getting their CNA after a lifetime away. Now I'm waiting for them to get this one and give me my number. I wish I could charge them a late fee for sitting on it for almost a month while I waited, but oh well. That's the way it goes.
Lots of spinning wheels here. I made Sylvia a new set of skirt guards. Her old ones were eaten by the washer and I found another skein of the same yarn. I'm thinking of drilling her fender so I can make a more vintage looking set that will hold up better, but that would be a lot of work. I'll probably do it when I decide to repaint her later on. That way I won't be damaging the paint. Her new basket is still perfect, I like the way it carries weight. It really helps to smooth out the steering.
I've picked the places I'd most like to work and have been practicing the ride distances to get there and back. I've only actually gone to two so far but I can easily cover the distances with out dying. It's fun to explore on her, I'm going more places than ever and it feels good. It's my therapy! The only downside is I have to get up super early to go out, it's hitting 95 degrees before 9:30 am now a days. Good thing I like the heat.
I've been working hard on a new Old Agnes short story. It's a race to see what comes first, finish and publish the story or I get a job. It'll be interesting to see what wins. I hope everyone is doing great and keeping cool!
Have Fun!

I see you!

Sylvia the Linus Dutchi and her changes; part 2

The wheel set my dear husband got me for Christmas made all the difference in my riding. The roller brakes let me stop with out having to put my feet down and my pedals no longer take a bite out of my calves every time I stop. The 8 gears instead of 3 means I'm now able to go as fast as I want without spinning like a lunatic and I can easily get up all the hills in my area without needing to get off and walk. With the exception of the stupid overpass, but I will conquer that one eventually! I'm saving up for a dynamo light set to go with the generator, then I'll have light anytime I want it. The rims are way beefier than her originals and the spokes are a bit thicker so I don't worry when I hit a pothole or take her off a curb. Supposedly these rims are lauded by mountain bikers and BMXers for their strength and durability.

As she is now. Ready for anything.

Her grips are now natural cork because the bike shop that spread her for the new gears cut my nice foam ones and I wanted to try something different. As soon as I get a job I'm going back to the foam though. I don't like how hard the cork is. I'm a squeezer and these just don't have the give I like.

Her new basket helps balance her out and can hold a lot of stuff. It's the perfect size for my bag and has made her even more stable feeling than she was before. I definitely like the added weight in the front. It's not the first basket she's had, but I think this one is the winner!

Cyclops bike.

There are still a few small changes I want to make. I want dynamo lights,  better tires and maybe a beefier kickstand. I really want another water bottle holder and I've been playing around with where to place it. I think the basket may be where it goes. 

She goes well both on pavement or dirt in the alleys. She is cheerfully oblivious to most bumps and can carry a very nice load. We can toodle along at a stately 8.5 mph or if necessary fly along at a zippy 15 mph. (Fastest we've gone was 22 mph, but I couldn't sustain it for more than 2 blocks.) She's comfortable for long rides/distances and makes our usual short jaunts fun too.

I'm so glad we found her! She's practically perfect in every way! At least for me!;)

Princess approved.

All done! In more ways than one!

I went to school today to finish up the last of the paperwork that needed to be sent in to State Board. As long as everything is in order I'll have my number in 2-4 weeks. Then I can get a job! I can't wait, but I'll use this time to finish some of the things I've been neglecting while at school.

It's so pretty!

Sylvia's basket is finished and on her. I think it looks great and it doesn't seem to affect the handling at all. If anything it makes it a bit easier to turn her when going slow.  The wood came out really nice, I'm glad we went with a clear coat to bring out the grain without changing the color. My husband has really good taste in wood! There's about 7 coats on it so it should hold up for a while.

I aced the test and earned my basket!

I got the results last night and I did great!!!! My obsessive checking every few hours even though the tester said Wednesday paid off. I'm really proud of myself and now I just have to apply for my certificate. Then I can get a job! I can't wait!

I didn't miss a single step!

I have earned the basket and as soon as the varnish on the wood is dry I'm going to put it on Sylvia. It's a great looking basket and really feels sturdy. We went to the shop planning to get a Wald 159, but it was love at first sight with this on. They had a used one mixed in by accident that had a reflector. The shop threw in the reflector for free because they couldn't sell me the used basket. It belonged to another bike.

It's the perfect size!

The basket is 16"x 13"x 9". It's a much more sensible size for the front of Sylvia and will hold what I need it to. I can't wait to get it on there.

Perfect!

I plan to used hose clamps to attach it to the front rack. That will keep it out of the way and keep the weight down low. It's going to look great! Even better, it's going to work great!

Have fun!

My second day of clinicals!

Today was way better than yesterday. The CNA I was with yesterday apologized for her behavior yesterday and was friendlier today.
The CNA I was shadowing today was really friendly and actually let me help her. I learned a lot and had fun too!
I got to do a shower for a resident. The CNA just gave me tips and was on stand by in case we got into trouble. It went really well and thanks to my Cosmetology skills the resident really enjoyed the shampoo. My teacher was also there and I got to have that skill marked off as done properly! That was a great feeling.
While I was collecting the trash from the rooms Physical Therapy let me pivot a resident back into bed! He said I did a really good job and he gave me a lot of pointers for working with people way taller than my 5'2" self. The resident even said I did it smoothly and didn't cause them more pain. Sadly, my teacher wasn't there for that one so it didn't get marked off.
Toward the end of my day I got to help a very nice resident to the dining room and I learned about what life was like back in WWII times. It was fascinating and it made me want to get back to sewing even more. Then I got to help a different resident eat lunch. They didn't need much help, but it felt good to make a positive difference in their day.
I still saw things that weren't "by the book" and a few that shouldn't happen, but today was definitely better than yesterday. I reported the wrongs to my teacher like I'm supposed to. It's a bit weird telling teacher, but she has the power to make a change and I don't.
I can't wait to see what tomorrow will be like. I'm really enjoying the residents and learning about them, but I'm still not sure what kind of aide I want to be. A part of me is leaning toward going to the hospital and being a PCT; another bit wants to become a restorative aide and work in Physical Therapy; and then there's the option of being a straight CNA in a long term facility.
No matter what type I become I'm glad I know that I want to go to school to become and RN as soon as I can save up the money. The type of aide I become will help me determine the type of nurse I become so it's an important decision, but it's still changeable.
Wish me luck, and if anyone has helpful tips or good ideas let me know!
Thanks!

I passed the first weekly test!

Every day in class we have a short quiz going over what we learned the day before and I've done great so far. Today was the first 100 question weekly test and I passed!!! I got 98 questions right and the extra credit ones right so I got a 100%!!! I'm so proud of myself!
I'm really learning a lot, but there's still so much more to learn. Tonight I get to study infection spreading and control. I hope I get it! I'm having a bit of trouble with the chapter on communicating so I plan to work on that as well. Plus I still need to do more spelling. I finally feel like I'm getting that part down though. In a few short weeks I'll be doing clinicals and I can't wait!

Cute little ants are hard workers too!

I got the home healthcare job!

Today was my first official day of training with the home healthcare agency. I'm so excited to be chosen!

Today I got fingerprinted for the first time ever! It was messy and a bit surreal, the ink is very slimy feeling.

We got to meet the owner and most of the office staff and they all seem like great people. I'm really excited to be working with them! They really made me feel welcome and wanted. This is a great first step in my goal to becoming a nurse. I still laugh at myself for fighting it for so long.  

I also got a call from the hospital job today. He seemed a bit put out that I had found another job, but I told him I could do both and he said he'd get back to me. I'm not sure he will and I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't call, I just couldn't wait for a maybe. I need a job to pay for school and this one is actually in hands on healthcare. I feel a little sad about it though. After all, a month ago it was my dream job and I would still love to have it and be back in the hospital.

When I found out I hadn't gotten it the first time it made me reevaluate my life and my priorities.

Today's lessons were about how to give a bed bath and do peri care. We also learned a lot about communication and how to spot the signs of abuse and scammers. I'm hoping my odd assortment of hobbies and skills makes it easier for me to have something in common with my clients. It would be really cool to learn some new tricks with my Singer 66 or gain new knowledge about obscure pipes. Maybe I'll get a crocheter and we can sit and hook together while we talk. I can't wait to get out in the field and start getting some hands on experience!
The agency has the coolest sock dummy named Buddy. It was fun to watch it flop on the bed as it was gently turned and the sheets were changed. It was a lot more realistic than it should have been. Whoever made Buddy is a true artist. Sadly, I can't take pics there for confidentiality reasons. He is really cool. I might have to try and copy his pattern so I can have one...

We got to watch a video about how to do a bed bath on a client. It was boring , but mildly educational when suddenly it got to the privates washing part. It suddenly went from a real person draped modestly and helping her aide with the process to very graphic and up close drawings of the human nether regions. It was such a shock I almost laughed out loud like a kid, but up until then it had been very PG. I learned a lot after that.

I'm so grateful I got this job and I'm already learning a lot. I'm excited to see what I learn tomorrow.

In a mere 13 days I start school! I'm so excited! I can't wait to begin. Don't forget about my fundraiser!
 In the meantime here's a cute Rory picture from last night. He really loves his free space time!

Hello!

I registered for school today!

I went down to Tucson College today to finish my registration and make the first payment! I was so excited I managed to get lost on the way, but I made it with 5 minutes to spare before my appointment. I still can't believe how Sylvia flies with her new gears!
I got to fill out even more paper work and answer a bunch of questions about why I want to go there and what my goals are. It really helped clarify things in my head to write it out for them. I want to get an education that will improve my life and the lives of others. This is a quick stop on my end goal of becoming a nurse. It's a bit sad that it took me until age 37 to realize I want to be a nurse. I'm still a writer in my soul, but that will be my secret identity. Now I just have to wait for the acceptance letter to be a real student. Have I mentioned that patience isn't my virtue? I hope it gets here fast!

This will be where she waits while I'm in class! Door to door with covered parking!

On the way home from the school the job I wanted at the hospital called. He re-posted the position and wants me to apply then call him immediately. I need to see if they will work around my school schedule before I decide to try for it again. I really wanted that job; I could have ridden to work every day and worn nice clothes. It was in the hospital which is where I want to be and the other phone operators seem great. There's the chance to get benefits and a cafeteria that has the best fried chicken in the universe! A month ago it was my dream job. Then I wasn't selected and it crushed me. I cried and everything. I had wanted so badly to go back to the hospital. However, not being picked really helped my to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

I decided I needed more than just a job, so I hatched my crazy plan to finally get back to hands on healthcare and make a difference in peoples lives. I love my plan, but the siren call of that other job is ringing loudly. It whispers that I would still be helping people and if I get chosen this time I would be making a bit more cash to boot. Plus, I'd never have to drive my car again because parking at the hospital is a nightmare and they have bike lockers.

On Monday I go for orientation with a home health care company. If I survive it they will hire me and I will have a job! It's a great part time job and the shifts are short so it won't interfere with school. They like the fact that I'm getting my CNA and seem almost as excited about it as I am. My fingers are crossed that I survive!

I'm considering doing all three if the hospital will work me around school and I survive the home health care orientation on Monday. I could conceivably make it work, but it would be an insane few months and would take a lot of juggling. Once I start actually nursing school, which I plan to do in a year, something will have to give though. 

On the flip side there's a chance that I won't survive Monday and the hospital won't chose me again. That would suck! I hope at least one of the jobs chooses me, but if not I still have hope for my fundraiser!
In the meantime here's a quick photo update on Rory. He is doing great and is in love with Ginger.

Ginger and Rory

He wants to play ball with her.