Family!

Well, if you read my sister's post you have already heard the news.....

I have seven very funny, brillian, talented nieces and nephews. I don't get to see them too often but I do get to spread the news about them. From time to time you have read about allof them. This time one of my very talented, funny, brilliant nephews was accepted to both LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and the Beacon School in NYC. This is a HUGE deal. The competetion to get into LaGuardia is unbelievable as it is to the Beacon School. He will have exceptional opportunities regardless of which school he attends. I am very proud.

My Mom has done it again. Yes, she blew out her right knee. She will probably have to have surgery but we won't know anything until Monday. I have tried to make plans to travel to Fl., my brother has tried to send my SIL to help her but she is exerting her independence. We are all on hold until Monday. Unless I just can't stand it anymore and just go ahead and go despite what she says. It's the fine line of respecting her independence and wishes and doing what you know in your heart needs to be done.

This is my week to be reminded of the fact that I am a nurse. In addition to my Mom, my cousin had a bad bout of Migraine last night and needed to get to the ER. After she got some VERY good drugs in her, I left her on her couch this morning under the care of her very capable cat, Zoey. I'll be checking in on her later today.

For now, it's back to worrying.....oops, I mean work.

The Sun's Not Shining As Bright Today....

You know how you have those people in your life who are always there, always cheerful, hysterically funny, and know you and all your warts and still love you? That's my buddy John. I heard yesterday that John died 2 weeks ago. I knew it was coming, I just didn't want to ever believe it would happen. John and I got together when we both worked in the open heart ICU in a very small hospital in Florida. We worked the night shift and we usually spent the night laughing hysterically at something or another. It didn't take much to set us off. This was a work environment that neither one of us thrived in and we were like a big irritant to them. After I had parted company (mine was face to face) I got a call from John who told me he'd just been fired......by voice mail!!!!! He then came to work in the same hospital I did in Fort Myers. We both worked nights again in the same unit. John eventually became an evening shift house supervisor, I went on to be a clinical educator.....he went to work for the large health system physician group, I went to work in the central education department........he came back to the hospital as Director of the Emergency Department, I came back as Director of the ICU's. We were buddies. John decided to move to Jacksonville for a new job and just before going, a routine diagnostic showed he had polyps that turned out to be malignant. Surgery, chemo, radiation and still a move later, John continued to do well. He eventually became the Director of Nursing at the hospital in Jacksonville. John's cancer eventually metastasized to his liver. He went on experimental protocols. In December he decided no more chemo. He died on January 19th. I know for me, the sun just won't be quite as bright today and maybe for a few days......I will miss him.

I've Been Thinking....

About a lot of things lately and I thought I would just write a couple of them down.

1. Sometimes in life you just have to face the facts. You grow up believing one thing about yourself and that image works for you over and over and over. Then, you begin to get feedback that is totally contrary to that belief. So, you tell yourself that those people don't really know you and if they did, they wouldn't think that way about you. You hold on to those beliefs because they are familiar and comfortable in their discomfort. I am at the point where I don't think I can continue to accept the perception and belief that I have held for the past xxxxx years, it is time to try on another way of thinking. It is uncomfortable and it is an unfamiliar perception of myself. The reality is that my behaviors don't have to change, just the way I perceive them (which is pretty cool.) At the same time, the revision of the perception may just open up some opportunities that my current perceptions and beliefs prevent me from taking advantage of.
2. When I know that someone I love and care about is hurting and in a bad place, I can only do so much to help. I wish I could help more......I wish I could take the hurt away......

Okay, that's it for the heavy thinking now on to the lighter stuff..... Fried Green Beans ROCK!!!! My sister gave me a cook book from the Red Cat restaurant in NYC. They serve some tempura fried green beans there that are amazing and they put the recipe in the book.(They totally had this going on before Fridays did!) My cousin came over to watch the Superbowl and have some Fried Green Beans. I am slowly (with her help) perfecting the technique. Yesterday, we found that the time to keep them in the oil listed in the cookbook is not enough. We had to keep them in longer to get them sufficiently crunchy. The hot mustard dipping sauce is one of the most amazing sauces I've ever tasted and it's so freaking easy to make. I am trying to figure out what else it would be good with....other veggies, as a salad dressing, on pork or chicken.....mmmmmmm.

I am crocheting a shawl from Lily Chin's Couture Crochet. It's very nice and I love the subtlety of the pattern. The biggest problem with shawls or anything round for that matter, is that they get bigger as you go along. So, I have done 45 rows and you only have another 15 rows to go, my head just can't wrap itself around the fact that I'm probably only half way done. My fingers start to scream for a different pattern and I am constantly trying to think up ways to make it stop. Never the less, I must "Carry On" as Tim Gunn would say.

I bought the Spring/Summer Rowan book on Saturday. There are some very beautiful things in it.....but $40.00.......oh well, I guess it is like a book. I have spent much more money on much less in my life. There are a few things in there I would like to try. My sister gave me a bunch of Jo Sharp Kid Mohair that I would love to do something with. I have not ever liked the results of crocheting with Mohair but do love the way it looks knitted up. I will have to find the right pattern. There are a couple of possibilities in the Rowan book.

No pictures today....it's gorgeous here in Orange County.....no deep freeze or snow or rain here today. I love it.