5 thing Friday - kind words, front door basket, a good read, recent purging, printer woes

Several weeks ago I added this script in marker to my bathroom mirror.  I was hoping it would encourage me to reframe negative thoughts about my appearance each day.

Mark was so good about telling me "you're beautiful" on a regular basis, and I'm sure he meant it in more ways than one.  At the time, it didn't matter to me if I believed it for myself, only that he saw me that way.  My mirror message isn't magic, and it won't make me beautiful to everyone who sees me.  Its only meant for me to not be so hard on myself.

Changing up the front door wreath to a spring basket.  Might make it a little less pleasant for someone to try to casually look in that window, too.  I caught a sale at Michaels' for all of the supplies and I know I can change out the foliage and flowers easily for the seasons.

This was a thrifty read at $1.99 and I think I will hang on to it and read it again someday.  A fascinating history of the Galveston hurricane of 1900.  More people died in this storm than any of the 41 hurricanes recorded there since 1886.  I spent all of the 70's in Galveston, and people still referenced it - it's part of the heritage of the island.

If I ever get to the end of purging and cleaning and organizing this house, it will be a weird feeling.  I keep coming upon things that I thought I had managed, and its like I'm seeing it for the first time.  The only rationale I can come up with is that I am so unused to being in charge of everything here - literally everything.  I have learned to shush that little voice that says "Mark would be so mad".

Reminder: no he wouldn't.  He would understand.

The printer has decided it cannot recognize the ink cartridges.  I really don't have time to troubleshoot this, so I will be printer-less for awhile, I guess.  I do use this printer fairly often, so I went ahead and ordered new ink cartridges from Amazon as I already know the blue one is empty.  As with all things around here now - its my job to either fix them, or arrange to get them fixed.  But the good news is I no longer catastrophize it.

Baby steps.

Gina

Monday menus #17

My Ligustrum bushes took a full two years to really start thriving in their new home: 

It was so gratifying to see them bud out!

Monday - kitchen closed {learning the equipment all day at work}

Tuesday - Turkey Sloppy Joes, BBQ coleslaw {learning my way around the hospital today}

Wednesday - Italian Chicken with new potatoes, salad {taking truck to get an alignment in the morning}

Thursday - Lemon Pepper Tilapia, green beans, rest of the coleslaw {the new hospital opens!}

Friday - Broccoli Chicken Carbonara Bowtie Pasta, garlic toast

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed - starting my weekend shifts!

Gina

5 thing Friday - new hospital, learning, H Mart, Ted, shrubs

The hospital has an informal thing on Tuesday where you learn to find your way around the hospital.  But in advance of that, I walked around and took note of a few places...

the cafeteria,

and a wide open window space to sit and eat outside of it.

It wraps around the inside of this end of the building, and there are lots of places to sit and eat peacefully - no giant LOUD cafeteria.}

the gift shop - I like the use of glass walls all around

the pharmacy

tiny chapel

It all still looks pretty empty as everyone has not fully moved in.  One week to go!

I've been spending most of the week trying to catch up on all of my education modules.  The one for PALS (Pediatric Advance Life Support) took me far longer than it would have had I been an actual nurse.  Spoiler alert:  XR folk don't have to know or use a fraction of the material covered so it was quite challenging!

For lunch one day we went to an Asian supermarket called H Mart.  So much to look at!  I've been wanting to come here for such a long time.  They had a food court at one end of the space and a grocery store on the other.  Sort of like an Asian Whole Foods Market.  I had sweet garlicky chicken and fries, and may have purchased a few things from the bakery such as the honey cheese mochi pancakes, a sweet garlic cream cheese bun, and a butter danish with Nutella and banana.  I will be going back on one of my future off days.

Ted was here to visit for a little over 24 hours.  He hopped right up into my lap on the second day like "here is where I belong".  Then his mom picked him up and he forgot all about me!

I am excited to learn all of the new equipment and quit working on education modules.  This is our Mini C-Arm.  We will use it for bedside fracture reductions in the ER.  Mini C's save the patient having to go to the traditional OR, since simple fractures can be reduced by ortho techs with the help of an XR tech in the ER with conscious sedation and no overnight stay. We will use this a LOT.

I planted these Ligustrum shrub back in Spring of '21 and they have survived brutal Texas heat and 2 ice storms.  One evening this week I was sitting out here enjoying the scent their little buds are emitting.  So beautiful!  It was a pain in the neck to remove the shrubs that were already there, with their stubborn roots, buy new shrubs {and they were not cheap}, dig holes, plant, mulch, protect....wonder what Mark would think about it now?  "Good job, honey".

Gina

Monday menus #16

A big container of leftover Easter candy that I was stashing in my nightstand. 

But I took it to work because who needs this much diabetes?

Monday - kitchen closed {Bulky Trash pick-up, hallelujah!}

Tuesday - Chicken Tacos {using leftover pulled chicken from Easter} with pico de gallo and cheese, zucchini

Wednesday - Dr. Martin's Mix, garlic toast {buy groceries after work*}

Thursday - Grilled Ham and Havarti on whole grain bread, sweet potato fries

Friday - Sriracha Honey Chicken Thighs with carrots, mashed potatoes

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

*I'm still working Monday-Friday until the hospital opens, but I'm following this new menu plan nevertheless!

5 thing Friday - barrel cactus, necklace, Easter, new job, FB memories

 The day before Easter, I checked on Highlands and found my barrel cactus, hidden under an oak, flanked by Nandina and Texas Sage...an odd and shady place for a cactus.  Anyhoo, it was about to bloom so I put it and a lot of its surrounding dirt in a temporary home on my patio.

And bloom it did!

On Easter, I wore my "messy nest" {made by a friend} with my lucky penny charm {from Etsy} and an "m" for Mark {James Avery}.  I love changing out the charms on this necklace.  Its one of my favorites!  Mark gifted it to me on Mother's Day 2019.  A very good memory.

I did so enjoy the pulled chicken on Easter.  It made delicious sammies!  Scout and I ate all we wanted, then I froze the rest for future us.

I tried to talk him into going to get a beer with me on Easter afternoon, but he wouldn't budge.  So I texted a former co-worker, she brought her mom, and we had a great time talking and laughing for three hours!

Long story condensed: my friend and co-worker informed me at 2 p.m on Tuesday that it was my last day at my current hospital and to show up at the new place bright and early the next day.  Its happening, she said.  I could have cried.  I had an hour and a half to say goodbye to the folks who were going to be leaving at 3:30 - one I had know for over 30 years - and we were so. damn. busy.

I wrote notes on a couple of dry erase boards.  It was just too hard to do in person.  They all thought I would be there until Friday, and so had I.

The next evening at the new hospital was the grand opening.  Since I hadn't slept well the night before, I didn't stay for that.  My friend took the charge nurse and I out for a Chinese lunch.  I sat and worked on the computer in an air conditioned office with oldies rock playing in the background as I ate a donut and enjoyed a K-cup of coffee.  My new boss offered me a glass of wine and gave me a giftie bag. I watched the worklist for the other hospital explode with patients and I felt like I had escaped a war zone.  I was a little shell shocked.

Yesterday was better, as far as how I felt.  I ate a quiet lunch in the breakroom.  Walked around the hospital, finding my way around.  Met a nice lady in registration in the professional building next door.  Got so many educational modules done.  Deep breaths.

Thank you, FB for continued reminders, including this one of Bubbie, who had hernia surgery as a result of falling forward on his bike handles 12 years ago. {actually this was the second time he did this, but he didn't have surgery to repair it the first time around}  Sometimes, I wish he was this little again - he was 11 here and still my baby.  I do miss him.

Happy weekend!

Gina

Monday menus #15

 The Beefy Bean burritos from last week were a hit.  Cooked ground beef, my crockpot freezer pintos mashed up, monterrey jack cheese, an assortment of seasonings...folded up into a burrito tortilla and fried on all sides until crisp.  It really hit the spot!

Monday - Cheesy Garlic French Bread Pizzas ( Italian Sausage, mushrooms, onion, mozzarella) {Bulk pick-up this week! Slowly but surely, I am getting the garage in order!}

Tuesday - Grabbing dinner out because I have an activity with the Beer Necessities ladies here 

Wednesday - Fish Tacos (Tilapia, finely shredded cabbage, salsa, shredded monterrey jack), creamy corn {grocery shopping day, open house at the new hospital}

Thursday - Parmesan Bowtie Skillet (use the rest of the Italian sausage and the shredded cheese) 

Friday - Korma Chicken, rice, zucchini {my last day at the old hospital before I start my job at the new hospital!}

Saturday and Sunday - KITCHEN CLOSED*

*How will I eat on Kitchen Closed days?  I will have plenty of things on hand to make sandwiches, plus whatever freezer leftovers there are.  And a lot of the lunches I am used to taking already - like Albacore tuna in oil over a crispy salad with crackers on the side.  Delish!  Scout will cook for himself (:

Gina

5 thing Friday - bluebonnets, therapy dough, work, candy, Scout

Last summer I collected a few bluebonnet seeds one afternoon at Highlands. 

Then I brought them home and sprinkled them in that little spot of grass by the street that is always full of weeds.  And they sprouted.  So I plan on doing that again until this whole area is full of them.

Its my mini-memorial to Mark.

Have you ever heard of this scented therapy dough?  Someone at work had it and passed it around.  Its not cheap, but it smells amazing and it was curiously calming to roll around in your hand.  I think this idea is pretty nifty and would make a good Christmas gift!

T-minus 6 more work days at my current hospital.  I will say my farewells, clean out my locker (which barely has anything in it anyway), and walk down this long hallway to the garage.  Its been a long 16 years and I am ready to start anew in a place where I feel that I can contribute more fully.

And that's all I'm going to blog about THAT.

My peeps are maybe too old for Easter baskets (ok, they definitely are!) but if they come to lunch on Sunday I will gift them these little covered cups of candy. (might get them a card, too...we shall see) I couldn't find pork shoulder at HEB, so I flexed to chicken thighs.  I'm going to pre-season and marinate them, then cook them in my crockpot to shred up and serve on buns, with pickles and onion, chips on the side.  Goodbye to fussy Easter luncheons.  And I will probably do a little bit of yardwork in the afternoon, if the weather is pretty.

I love when Facebook reminds me of my sweet ones.  Here is Scout, all of 17.  He was a nice kid, he is a nice adult.  The road has been bumpy, but I know he can make it.  And so can I.

Happy Easter,

Gina

Monday menus #14

My new schedule starts soon - Saturday, Sunday, Monday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

With that in mind, I am changing up the menus to make those days "no-cook".  Like all of my other schedule changes over the years, it will take planning and perseverance.  I imagine my eating habits for those days will be greatly changed as I don't plan on eating dinner at 9 p.m when I get home! 

Taco Tuesday last week was delightful 

Monday - Mexican Chicken Breast Bites, twice baked potato, brussels sprouts with carrots

Tuesday - (turkey) Ramen Stir Fry {pay last spring installment for Texas State}

Wednesday - Green Chile Veggie Enchiladas(zucchini and mushroom), rice with corn

Thursday - Beefy Bean Burritos, salad with tomato and avocado

Friday - Garlic/Onion/Rosemary Tilapia, kale, corn {payday!}

Saturday - YOYO, but I will have some leftover deboned fried chicken over a salad {get ready for bulk trash pick-up}

Sunday - Easter (Crockpot Pulled Pork Sammies, pickles, chips, and some cookies)

Gina

To say I am ready for positive change has got the be the understatement of  the year.  Up to this point, all the change in my life seems like it was without my consent!  Am I nervous about the future?  Well, yes.  But do I know that I can make a plan for taking care of myself?  Also yes!