Wild Rose Reverie

After residency I had to change my email address. Blogger didn't easily allow me to switch this blog to my gmail account, so I've decided to change blogs. I'm hoping this new blog will give a fresh start and I'll be more committed to writing more often. Now that I have internet access at home, there is no reason not to write. I'm always thinking that such and such topic or event would be good to write about, but I hardly ever do so ... If you'd like to see the new blog, the address is http://wildrosereverie.blogspot.com/. As you can see, it is still about flowers and still about smells. :-)

Waiting for Netflix

So I have a confession. I have been a staunch anti-TV person for years. Now that I am living with Miguel, we are getting Netflix movies along with the possibility of television shows on DVD. For the past few weeks, this has included the 3rd season of Lost. And am I anything but addicted to this show now. We have 3 episodes left of season 3 and since the 4th season doesn't come out on DVD until December, I think we are going to watch the first 2 seasons since I have yet to watch them. The redeeming quality of watching TV on DVD is the lack of commercials. If you have ever watched TV with me you will quickly find my lack of any semblance of patience with commercials and the other inane things that comes up.

End of confession.

Rose Theater

Despite all of my trips to Port Townsend over the years, I have yet to view a film there ... before last night. Miguel and I had a full day in PT, going to the farmer's market, the weekend art show, the Wooden Boat Festival, part of a horrid WSU game in a bar (they lost 60-some to 3), dinner at a Japanese restaurant and then to see Tell No One at a tiny, independent theater called the Rose Theater. What a great film. It has been termed a psychosexual thriller, murdery mystery. The following Ebert review is quite good. The film was released in Belgium in 2006 but was released in the states this summer. At times it feels like it makes no sense but all of the loose ends come together at the end. It is a great film to see if you feel like puzzling the plot through a bit. We'll back for more films since Port Angeles is decidedly lacking in anything independent.

5 weeks in

So, I've been a "real" pediatrican for a little over a month now. I was unsure prior to starting whether I had made the right choice or not. I guess there is now way of knowing for sure, but I'm happy here. I like the clinic, the nurses, and my fellow practitioners. Oh, and I like only working 4 days a week. Miguel points out that the "4 days a week thing" is deceptive since I'm taking call at least 1 day/night a week and 1 weekend a month. But hey, it is so much better than residency. It involves different stressors, but I'm happy to be working for real. There are good an d bad things about living in small town too, like going into Safeway and seeing 2 patients. That certainly didn't happen much in Portland.

I had today off and spent it primarily outside. I walked/ran a trail just at the entrance of Olympic National park. My initial intention was to go on a run but the trail was too darn steep for that to be feasible. So, I walked up and ran down. My legs are a little shaky now. And this afternoon I went to a u-pick farm in Sequim and picked blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Dinner tonight consisted of almost all local food: steamed spinach, steamed fava beans, boiled new potatoes, a few radish slices, and 2 different pestos - basil/tomato/kalamata olive and parsley/lemon/garlic. And dessert was non-dairy vanilla ice cream with fresh berries. Great meal. Unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture until after dinner was over.

Anyone want to come visit after the boards are over at the end of October?

Frog light

A trip to Seattle this past week for time with Miguel's family and a Mariner's game (zzzz ....) also led to a stop by REI. You have to hand it to them for product placement ... lots of fun stuff on the wall as you are waiting in the check-out line. I have been on the search for a key-chain sized creature that is not cloth and would be engaging for young children. Kids are always needing some sort of distraction in the office either when I am listening to their chest or needing them to look a particular direction, or stop crying. So, in that REI line were these carabiner animals that have a light and make sound. Perfect. I picked out this frog who's mouth lights up and makes noise when you push the switch on its back. Miguel's take was that it was going to scare the kids not make them calm down. I have used it with several kids today and it hasn't made any of them cry and all have wanted to try it for themselves.

already a cold?

So, I've been working the children's clinic up here for exactly 4 days and have already come down with the "crud" (another pediatrician's description, not mine). Thank God I had Friday off (it certainly ain't residency - what, have a 3 day weekend??) or else I probably would have had to call in sick.

Mom came up a few days ago to drop off Harper. He's been staying with her for the last 2 months as I've been galavanting around the country. For the past 2 days, he's been mostly under the covers in bed. The safe spot in the apartment. However the time he has been up was when I was trying to sleep. Who originally though keeping nocturnal animals was a good idea? Anyhow, he loves movie time. He isn't so keen on watching the screen but certainly likes to snuggle on the couch. Perhaps he'll sleep a little longer tonight since he's at least been up a few times today. As opposed to last night when it felt like he was constantly trying to wake me up and get my attention for some reason.

Miguel is finally getting his stuff moved up here. The only downside is that yet, again I'll have bruises on my forearms from carrying in box after box after box. If we move into a house anytime soon (and still remember the pain of moving ourselves), we'll be hiring a moving company. Who knows when we'll find a house to our liking. Check out this website and type in the following MLS number 231014 to see the house we are currently drooling over. It isn't out in the woods with a view of the moutains, but it looks like a pretty cool house in town.

prolonged absence

So much to say with no idea where to start since I haven't written since the beginning of June ... I guess a brief accounting of my activities over the last several weeks.

- Finished residency (amazing to have the whole education thing behind me - now on to life-long self-directed learning)
- On the last day of residency picked up u-haul and loaded up my cottage (well, the stuff in the cottage)
- Moved stuff to Port Angeles (PA)
- Stayed in PA for 2 days
- Back to Longview spending time with Miguel and Mom (sometimes together, egad!)
- Up to Seattle to briefly see my aunt, uncle, cousin, grandfather; went kayaking with a friend from med school
- Flew to Baltimore with 2 friends from college for another college friend's wedding (great reunion after 3 years)
- 2 days in DC seeing the voluminous amounts of historical sights (Miguel and I will be going back)
- Flew back to Seattle
- Back to Longview for a few days
- Then back up to Seattle for a few days with Miguel's family and to a Mariner's game
- To Ashland to catch a few plays (Midsummer's night and The Clay Cart) and time in a B&B
- On to Northern California (with a hastily eaten bag of cherries so they wouldn't be taken by the "produce police" at the border) and 3 nights camping in Smith River National Recreation Area
- Trip to the Tall Trees Trail (yes, real name), where surprisingly enough, there were tall trees
- Stop to see my sister who is still in Coquille, OR living and working on a permaculture farm
- Then on to a stay at the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove, OR, which was full of full of great surprises - nice room with a king size bed (wonderful after camping for 3 nights), very nice dinner for $20, 14 acres of gardens, short swim in a cold-ish pool followed by a hot tub ...
- To Portland and the Brew Fest (I didn't last here long but went to Powells instead while Miguel and his friend spent 3 hours tasting beers; I had a few sips while I was there)
- Back to Longview for 2 nights
- To Seattle for a get together with my dad's side of the family since his brother was in town from Florida and my grandfather is dying from a frontal lobe glioma. He was given several months left to live back in March and has been living in my aunt and uncle's basement since then. Prognoses are notoreously inaccurate and I think he will live longer than predicted. My aunt has been sleeping by his bed in the basement since he came home from the hospital in March. Not an option that is sustainable for the long term ...
- And, finally, back to PA. I start work next Mondy the 4th.

As Yola pointed out, this was not a month in which I skimped on gas. I keep hearing about how people are decreasing their fuel consumption because of gas prices ... I'm sure I've made up for several people not driving as much.

Hopefully I'll be able to write a little more frequently now that I'm not traveling and am not a resident. However, Miguel and I still have to figure out internet access at home. Currently I'm writing from the library about a block down from our apartment.