Summer 2008

I'll write more later, but I have to say, summer up here is beautiful. It is a very different kind of heat than we were used to in Florida, it doesn't 'get in the way'. A friend described the heat in Florida as being similar to 'living inside someone's mouth', kinda yucky reference, but true. I have to admit the pools up here have so far been way too cold for me, as are the lakes that we swim in (no ocean swimming for us nowadays, not that we went to the beach all that much in Florida). Rambling. More later.

Spring

So, it is May 19. I don't blog very much. Lots going on here, though. Alissa is playing soccer now. Her team is undefeated...three games, three wins. She seems to enjoy soccer; she is about the only kid who hasn't played before, so she is learning.

I actually got a little sunburn while Eric and I watched Alissa's game on Saturday. It was still pretty cool out (probably no higher than 65), but the sun was shining sooo bright and the skies looked like they were clear for miles. Anyway, just gorgeous. What a direct contrast from the South Florida heat we were used to. Heard the temp in S FL was 93 the other day. I really don't miss that.

Sophia is done with her Irish Step Dance class for now, I am sure she'll want to do that again next year. Second grade is going well for her and she and Alissa both have made a lot of friends and have gone to lots of birthday parties. Sophia seemed to like the snow and cold more than Alissa. Alissa told me she liked the snow, but would like it to not be so cold. She also has told me that the 'kids up here are happier, nicer, than in Florida'. I thought that was an interesting statement from a 6th grader.

I work nights now and it's interesting. I may never go back to working a 'normal' 9-5 schedule again. This wacky schedule allows for having stretches of time off and for me to be there for plays, games, etc. It also demands that I sleep during the day quite often, which Eric has pointed out may be part of the reason I like it so much. Maybe I feel like I am getting away with something. Ha.

I am still learning lots with my nursing career, too. I am still working in Oncology, which is the fancy word for cancer. Sad, but I have met some of the coolest people that I otherwise probably wouldn't have met. I can't mention names, but I am thinking right now of a particular lady who passed away recently that I'd really gotten very attached to. I told her while she was dying that if I lived to be a hundred years old I'd never forget her. At that point in her dying process, she was hardly ever opening her eyes. She never lost her dignity, the woman I am writing about. Even in her very last days and hours, she seemed to be trying to smile when people came in and talked to her.

I won't continue on about my work experiences; they are really moving experiences at times, but I know they're so sad and even can freak people out when I talk about them. All right, had a good cry just now. Sheesh. Blog later (probably in several months again!!).

Springtime!

High of about 60 today...
Oh my-today was a gorgeous day...high of about sixty and it was clear, beautiful, blue, and with very sunny skies. It seemed like everyone was out. The Big Dip, the ice cream place on the corner, is now open and had lots of people waiting in line to get their awesome treats. People were out washing cars, walking dogs, mowing lawns (there really isn't grass to mow yet, but it was so freakin' awesome out I don’t blame the guy I saw doing that), riding motorcycles, grillin out, and just lookin' happy overall. The seasons are just so beautiful to see up here. It's about 45 out now, at almost midnite...perfect sleeping weather. Gnite!!!

Alissa will be 12 on Sunday!

Gawd, my first baby will be 12 on Sunday. We're having a little party for her here at the house. She is pretty excited, I think. I guess I'll get her a day of shopping with Mommy. It'll be fun...she and I like to go up and down the aisles of stores and in the different departments of department stores looking at stuff and imagining how this and that would look, just kind of mosey around stores.

On a sadder note, we had our first pet death this past week...Our hamster Pumpkin passed away...she lived a long life for a hamster-we had her for over a year and a half. Sigh.

We're due to have another winter storm....today it was warm, though-in the 50's. Lots of melting piles of snow! Well, not much else to tell...I am working nights now and adjusting. It is one AM now and I am trying to stay up a bit late on a day off so I will rest more during the day tomorrow. I work 7P-7A tomorrow...

Checking in...

Okay, so now I am just awful about updating my blogs. Life is busy nowadays, but I have to say overall things are really going well. We have had about 83 or so inches of snow here so far, and much of that was in December. We've had an unusually mild January and February as far as snow goes, according to the records. Anyway, Eric, the kids and I drove out today with the two puppies...Loki and Thor, who are now each about ten months old. We drove around Oneida Lake and stopped at a couple of parks so we could check out the iced-over lake. Oneida Lake was covered with about a foot of ice, according to one of the fisherman on that lake. Today's high was about 36, and it was clear and sunny out...just gorgeous, really. We're all adjusting well to the snow and cold. Syracuse, as I have said before, is pretty organized about clearing the roads when we get a good snow. I felt like I had so much more to say when I sat down to write this blog, but that is about it for now. I swear I will get better about writing more blogs...