Happy Thanksgiving!

There's a lot to be thankful for all the time, but here are a few of my highlights. Sound off in the comments about what you are thankful for this year!

I'm thankful for my husband who supports me in all my craziness and even encourages me. He makes it all worth while!
I'm thankful for my job and the fact that it gives me the opportunity to help people. So far the people I work with have been awesome and I've looked forward to going in each night. Some of them think I'm weird to be so excited to be there, but this place has real potential to be the best and I have the opportunity to help make that happen with them.
I'm thankful that today I get to start evening shift on the locked ward. It's a big deal and I'm going to meet the most interesting people there. Added bonus, my patients will be awake and interactive and I get to sleep with my husband at night! Yay!

I'm thankful that the kittens I first saw in October have come inside and are slowly getting used to us. It's been less than a week and already they will lay out in the open and eat in front of us. They don't like being touched yet, but we can approach them with out them freaking out now. I think they are between 8 and 10 weeks old and we have no idea what their sexes are yet. It'll be a surprise.

Cerberus

Tanus

Kate our gray chicken hurt her leg, but she's healing up and we're all thankful she is back outside with the other chickens. I don't think she liked being inside and watching her hobble around out there makes me smile. Hopefully in a few weeks she'll be back to normal!

Healing nicely!

Yesterday we discovered our first egg! I think Alexis laid it. It's tiny, but perfectly formed. I hope they stay spotted!

The first egg!

I'm super thankful that my household has come through this year almost intact and has even managed to grow a bit We will never be the same, but we are in the homestretch now and 2015 is going out on a super high note. I'm really thankful for everything I have and the chances we will have. 

Life is great and I get to find the awesome in every day. That is something to be thankful for. 

Actively searching elsewhere now

It's been almost a week since I applied for more positions at the hospital and I haven't heard anything yet. Since that's where I really want to be I gave them all the time I could, but times up. I still have hope (it just won't die!), but maybe that's not going to happen for me at this time in my life. I'm still obsessively checking my job page there for any changes though.
I'm researching other places to work more thoroughly and have started applying. I'm pacing myself to about 4 a day so the number grows steadily until A: I run out of places in a 10 mile radius; or B: I get a job. There are a ton of places here if I'm not to picky.
In the meantime, my dear husband and I have decided to take up yoga and got some disks for clearance to try out. I'm not very good at it yet, but it's only been about 6 days and I'm already noticing an improvement in my flexibility. Even my knee seems happier now.
I feel great when I do it and it lasts almost the whole day. Plus, the scenery they have in the background helps to pull me out of the tiny world I live in. I'm trying to do it for 3 days then take a day off, that way I don't over do and it seems to be working for me.
The little grasshopper is still here and I've named it Jimmy. I've found out that it's not full grown and will probably stay until it is. Today it's been raining all day and the little thing really seems to be loving it.

Jimmy likes the rain.

The chooks don't like the rain very much and every time I go check on them they are hanging out in their house.

Is it dry yet?

However they all come out to eat from my hand, well almost all of them.

Snack time run.

They gather eagerly under the overhang while I scoop some out, then they peck my hand empty before going back inside.

It is snack time!

All of them except Kate, who's normally the friendliest. I wonder if she's put off by the big, blue laundry basket on my head (I can't find my umbrella).

She's having none of this nonsense!

They are so cute!

I can't believe it's been a week now. I'm still just as fascinated by my chooks as the day we brought them home. Actually, I think I'm more fascinated with them now. They have grown so much in just the past week, Bessie is almost as tall as my knee and they are starting to peep less and bock more.
They even talk to me when I'm with them, I just wish I knew what they were saying.

Bathing beauties. (Ms. Fisher in front, Alexis in back)

They are making themselves at home and that makes my heart glad. They like to rearrange their bedding after I clean and fluff it everyday. They seem to have a schedule worked out, I get chirped at if I'm late in the morning and they have enforced nap time at around 1100 every morning. Kate calls them to roost and Ms. Fisher rounds up any stragglers.

Get on the perch! (Clockwise from top left: Kate, Dot, Bessie, Fisher, Alexis)

All 5 of them will eat out of my hand and Kate (the gray one) will follow me around as I tidy up until I sit down with her snack. It's funny to see her avoid me and chase me at the same time. Earlier today she was pecking at something and I touched her to shoo her away and she didn't even flinch. Maybe she will let me pet her soon.

Got snacks? ( Kate facing you.)

Life is good here with the chickens. Now I'm off to study them some more! 

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!

Rory loves...

A little update on how Rory is doing.

His big cage.

Teasing the dogs.

His apple toy.

Fresh produce.

Especially parsley!

His playpen.

Talking to Ginger.

And sharing with Stormy.

Princess is pretending he doesn't exist. She hasn't so much as sniffed him since he arrived. 

A New Chapter Begins

I was laid off from Helix House yesterday. The timing really sucks and the worst part is that on Monday's conference call everything was normal. It was a real, go get them team, pep talk to push toward the end of the year. Then yesterday afternoon it was "Sorry, we are restructuring and changing things up. All the 1099 employees are gone." As a severance they will be paying us regularly through December. That's nice of them.

I have to admit, I'm pissed about it. I had a feeling something was going to change soon, but it still stunned me when it happened. It was a slap in the face. It's nothing personal, just business; but in reality it is personal. It affects me and all the others in the company very personally.

I don't blame my immediate supervisor. It's not his fault, he was just following orders and I know it hurt him to do it. He was the best boss I could ever hope for and I wish him and the one remaining Tucson employee the best.

The company is just doing what it thinks is best for itself by seriously downsizing, but could their timing suck any harder? They let go of all of Albuquerque, most of Phoenix, and all agents in Tucson. "Happy Holidays! We have to let you go because we are going in a new direction now." Heaven forbid we should be invited along!

 It was a fun job and I met some really great people who I will miss. I made friends that will hopefully last me forever. Sadly, now the family there is gone. I'm worried about my clients and former coworkers. I was asked not to call my clients until after the holiday weekend. That way Helix House can contact them first. I will be calling them on Monday though. I owe them that. 

What's funny is that I just got a part time job at PetSmart to cover the health insurance we signed up for. Now I need another second job for the same reason. At least PetSmart is fun, I've done 2 shifts so far and I love it. All the cute animals and I get to help take care of them! The people there are great and really nice. I'm super excited about it, but now I need to find a full time job. I hope I can find one fast and that I can keep my part time one as well. It's funny how life happens sometimes.
Wish me luck!

I'm thankful I have my family, my friends, and for getting a new experience. I'd never been laid off before.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and that we all eat well!

Have fun!

This weekends adventures

On Saturday we decided to go shopping by bike and it worked out great! My husband got me this sweet cooler backpack at Home Depot so now I can carry cold stuff without the melt. The amazing thing is that it fits in all my baskets so it's multi-use. It also matches Sylvia perfectly and came with two six packs of my favorite beverage!
We also hit the Red Wing store for some leather care stuff and Safeway for ice cream and produce. I keep getting amazed by how much she can carry. When will I learn she's magic? It was so much fun that we have decided to do all of our 5 mile shopping by bike together. In that area is Safeway, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, Petsmart, and a ton of other places. I wish there were more local type places though.

It can hold 2 gallons of ice cream and 2 mini watermelons!

I love these benches by the park. They're made with old train wheels.

On Sunday we rode downtown to check out Cyclovia. It's a twice a year thing where they close some streets traffic; peds and bikes can roam around freely. It was definitely an experience! The Netherlands we are not; but I had fun. Tucson cyclists are a lot like Tucson drivers, oblivious to whats going on around them. There were a lot of sudden stops and people would just step out right in front of you with out looking. I almost ran over a lady carrying a small dog, but I missed them.

Just arriving and it's already busy.

There were thousands of bicyclists out there. I didn't know there were that many bikes in the city, and more kept arriving. In some places it was scary fun!

Lots of cruisers were there.

I loved seeing all the families out with the children. The kids seemed to have the most fun, but you had to go super slow so you didn't run over them. I'm so glad Sylvia is so stable and easy to balance!

Happy families of all types were out and about.

A lot of the tents were set up in the middle of the road so you had trouble getting by at intersections. On the plus side I learned I can rice slower than 2 miles an hour and stay upright. That's a feat! Once I got used to the flow it went smoother and was actually enjoyable. We walked the bikes a lot though.

I would love to see this every day!

There was this really cool Bull Bike. It's made of real bones and the parts of three different bikes! It's really massive. The legs are articulated and move when it's pedaled which is creepy cool.

Ghost Rider?

I think it would be scary to see that come up behind you in your mirror! It does have a nice smile though.

Smile and wave!

 It was definitely to big for me to even try to ride.

She looks so tiny next to the beast!

Towards the end of the route I found this really cool mail box. I love cool mailboxes! It's a little church!

It's all metal!

All in all it was a great weekend filled with fun and new experiences. I can't wait to see what next weekend will be like; we're going to the bike swap meet! 

I hope you all had a great weekend too!

Bike date!

Last night we went to the first Bike Fest bike-in. They were showing "The Goonies" at a little park a few miles from my house. I love that movie and we had to go! I got everything ready well in advance and even packed a picnic diner of cold chicken sandwiches and crackers. We had cookies for with the movie too!

All packed up.

All the lights were charged and on the bikes. The rear Wald baskets were deployed to hold sweaters, blankets, and seating. I love them even though they are a bit of a pain to open. They are super convenient to have.
It was fun packing stuff into Sylvia's baskets and the scary thing is she could hold way more than that. She's a real pack horse!

Niterider and Flea go nicely under the basket.

About halfway there I was struggling a bit with the extra cargo, and I even told poor husband to go ahead of me and I'd catch up. He refused and stayed with me. Then he toldme it looked like my wheel was a bit squishy. The one thing I had forgotten was to check my tires! All tires have a slow deflation factor and it caught up with me.

We made it to the park.

Even with me moving super slow we got there way early. We were the first ones to arrived. After a few minutes more people came and milled about. It was a cute little park and the only downside was no bathrooms. Fortunately there is a church nearby and I used theirs. My husband and I ate our sandwiches while we waited for the show to start.

Mirror image

"Goonies" was better than i remembered. I don't know if it was the cold outside air, the other people laughing and hooting at the screen, or the fact that it was our first bike date ever, but it was great. Even the cold couldn't detract, but I'm glad I found my favorite gloves and took them. Now I want to go and buy the movie so we can watch it again!
The ride home was dark and chilly, but not as scary as I had worried about. I have a fear of my lights suddenly dying, but it didn't happen and it was actually kind of peaceful. I'm thinking there will be more nighttime excursions in our future, especially after I get a dynamo set up.

Best light gloves ever, and they turn into mittens!

Stupid Betty tricks

Here's a helpful tip. If your sink is draining slow and you have plastic pipes DO NOT pour boiling water down the drain to clear it. They can melt and then you have to replace them.
I did this on Monday and it sucked. Fortunately my husband came home as they melted and we were able to fix it.

Today Was Hilarious!

I picked out my cubicle today. It's so cute and I can't wait to personalize it a bit. It's not mine per say, but it is where I'll spend a lot of my time and it needs a little help. They even swapped out keyboards for me because I didn't like the one it came with. What can I say, I'm picky. ;)

I finally got to make calls today and it was fun and crazy. We were all in the conference room and the others went first to show me how it's done. The did a great job so when my turn came I thought it would be easy. After all I had practiced and researched so I knew my stuff. Hahahahahahahahaha

I started off strong and thought I was doing ok but then I would forget my script. Or someone behind me would say something and I'd pay attention to them instead and get a no. It was hilarious. I'm looking forward to doing it again tommorrow! 

My main problems were remembering where we were located and freezing up, and hearing talking behind me and freezing up. I also need a lot more practice on my script. 

Tommorrow we're having a competition to see who can make the most calls. I'll win because of all my hang ups! 

Here's a pic of my bare little cubby hole! Isn't it cute?

Yesterday Was Funny

Yesterday morning the Salon Lady called demanding to know why I hadn't come in on Saturday. The message I left her had said I was available and for her to call me, not that I was coming in. I explained that and she had me come in yesterday at noon.

When I got there and she was frantically trying to brush out the nastiest manikin in the world. She was going from the top down and using a brush! I tried not to laugh and took over from her. It really was nasty with pink foaming up with every sweep of my comb. Toward the top it turned into a nasty black foam. Ick! 

I did the cuts to the best of my ability as the head foamed with pink and purple dye that stained my hands and combs. The poor combs will never be the same again. It was also a bit slimy feeling. Whoever had colored the head hadn't done a good job of rinsing at all.
The last cut was a short men's cut and I didn't want that crap in my clippers so I did scissors over comb. It took me a bit longer than I would have liked and wasn't as clean on the bottom as it could be, but frankly I was grossed out by the salon. I had been looking around while I waited between cuts and it was gross. There was hair and color and dust everywhere.  

After each cut she looked it over and told me I did a good job and it looked fine. I hate that word, I prefer great. The last cut was the only one she could find real fault with and even that one got an it's ok, not bad but it could have been shorter. I tried not to roll my eyes and ended up taking a long blink. I wasn't happy with the cut either, but I love my clippers and did I mention the head was nasty?

Once I was all done I shocked her by wiping up the station I had used. The least I could do was leave it cleaner than when I got there.
That's when it really got icky. I went to wash my hands in the bathroom and get a broom to sweep up my mess. I think my gasp was heard by everyone in the shopping center. Between the bathroom and the washer was a giant pile of hair just sitting on the floor. It was huge! At least 6 inches high and 3 feet wide huge. At least a weeks worth just hanging out for any client to see on the way to the loo. Totally disgusting. I swear at first I thought it was an animal for a second and took a step back.
I inched around the mass and into the bathroom. Like the rest of the salon it could use a good scrubbing and I decided to wash my hands in a shampoo bowl instead. The shampoo bowl had color on it's knob and hair in its trap so I went back into the bathroom and used a paper towel to turn on the tap. Yes it was so icky looking that I didn't want to touch it with my slimy and stained hands. How can they pee in there? That is what crossed my mind. The Walmart bathroom in Nogales was cleaner.
I grabbed a broom and swept my pile up and that's when I noticed they didn't have any trash cans. The only one I saw was the over flowing one in the bathroom. Sadly, I added my colorful addition to the Hair Beast and went to talk to the Lady.
She was distracted and busy writing up the shops order for lunch, but she did say she had other interviews to do and would let me know soon if I got the job.
Frankly, if the one I'll be working at is anything like this salon she can keep the job and need to spend the money on housekeeping and trash cans. Some professionalism courses for her wouldn't hurt either. While I was there, in front of clients and me she discussed things with her stylists that should have been handled privately. Blech! Although, if she does offer it I'll probably take it anyway so I can make fast money. Tips are great.
Thank goodness I start training for the sales job today!

At least I didn't see one of these!

Hidden Friend

P1010056, a photo by B.J. Halsey on Flickr.

Can you find the praying mantis? I love this photo! I didn't even see it until I was looking on the screen at home.

A Bold Move

I saw this while out with my husband the other day. I'm still learning photoshop so the blurring isn't the best, I just didn't think they would appreciate having their number posted.
This is on brave person, although I  wonder if anyone will answer. It's on a light pole in the middle of an intersection.

To bad I turn 36 next month! That's an offer that's hard to refuse.