It's Been Awhile

I have never thought of myself as too dramatic, but I will openly admit that I do worry a little too much.  My mother tells me that I love to complain.  I won't argue that point either.  Over the past few months I have had enough things occur in my life that it feels a little too dramatic for my taste.  All of the drama has been so tiring that I just haven't blogged.  I would love to give a little update though.  Who knows how long it might be until I blog again.

I am currently at the end of my semester in my doctorate.  I was not sure if I was going to make it through, but I am thinking it is likely I will pass.  I had to do 200 clinical hours at one of the local children's hospitals.  It has been great to be doing patient care with kids again.  I really do love it!  Plus, it doesn't hurt that I run into many people that I know...and that they like me and love to talk to me.  I love to feel like I am a competent care provider.  I have really enjoyed it.  In fact, the emergency department was trying to attempt to get me to apply for a job.  Although, I think that I should continue teaching until I finish my degree.

I have been teaching.  I love the classroom part, but don't really love doing the clinical portion.  I don't really have a choice at this point.  It is a lot of fun to see the students that I have taught graduate, pass their nursing boards, and get jobs.  I feel like I make a difference.

Harley and Duke keep me busy.  Harley has picked up some bad habits as I have been gone too much.  He has started pooping in my basement, which luckily is cement.  Duke is busy rearranging and destroying bits of my house.  I am taking him to the "Doggy Psychiatrist."  It is actually a behavioralist veterinarian, who is going to help me to get a handle on his crazy behavior.  He is so sweet when I am home that I think that getting his behavior under control would be great!  Overall, life is good!
 

Paid for Doggy Daycare

I know that there are some of you out there anxiously awaiting my post about Duke.  Today I had just a minute, so I thought that I would let everyone know that I gave in.  I paid for doggy daycare today, because I have been unable to clean my house properly, or get any homework done without both of the boys in my way and preventing any success.  So, I paid for doggy daycare, so that I could thoroughly clean the front living area (and especially get a very clean space at the dinning table) so that I could do homework undisturbed.  It was too hard to type on the couch with two dog snouts covering both keyboard and screen on the computer.  Plus, yesterday I attempted to let Duke out of the crate while I went to church and came back to a bed filled with Trisket bits throughout, chewed up toilet paper, the trash spewed all over the house.  It is a good thing he behaves when I am home and is really sweet.  So, doggy daycare so I could clean up the mess and make a working space.  Plus, I got my taxes done.  Yay!  So, I suppose it was a good investment.  Now back to cleaning the house.  I only have another house before I go and pick them up.

A Wee Too Much

The past two weeks I have been very busy with my job.  I know that I can be a bit of a workaholic, but I enjoy being good at my job.  Plus, I want to make sure that my students are learning the information they need to be good nurses.  I have been grading papers that take me about 2 hours a piece to finish.  In addition, I have been prepping for 5 different classes, grading assignments, and grading midterm examinations.  I spent a couple of night pulling all-nighters (as if I was working in the hospital again).  Well, my body finally gave in and quit.  Today I have a headache, sore throat, gunk in my throat, and exhaustion.  I am staying home from church, one my couch.  I am hoping that this is going to help me overcome this little illness sooner.  I don't have time to get really sick.  Sometimes I think that I need to slow down, but in reality I know that I am much happier when I am busy and productive.

He Can Bark!

I heard his bark for the first time yesterday night.  There are railroad tracks next to the dog park that I take him to practically every day.  A couple times a week a train comes by and he runs directly to my side.  The other night the train came by and I decided to walk toward the train.  Harley followed me and as we got close to the fence, about 50 feet away from the train, he barked.  He barked four times and then stopped.  His bark was surprisingly deep.  I suppose it is an adult male dog, but he is missing part of his man parts, so I would have thought with less testosterone in his body that his voice my be a little higher.  Not a bark since then, even tonight when he ran head first into the glass screen door.  He was really excited to get back into the house because it was really windy outside.  He is not exactly the bravest dog, but he is extremely sweet.  I haven't met a person, or dog he didn't like.

Aaaahhh!

Today was gutter cleaning day.  I have heard a rumor that it might snow on Tuesday night. Today was the day to prepare.  I borrowed a 16 ft ladder from my home teacher.  I was tall enough to be able to reach my hand over the gutter and pull stuff out, yet feel uncomfortable up there.  I don't have a fear of heights, but I definitely have fear of falling and becoming a human vegetable.  I got them cleaned out and new flood lights put in outside the back door.  Yay for seeing outside at night when you need to go outside.  As a girl living alone I love knowing if something is lurking in the backyard when I am headed out.

Next year I am going to find a 20 ft ladder....I think it will be much safer.