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| Lungwort blooming near the front door |
This has been my stretch of five days off and I have been sick with a gastro bug since the first day and have accomplished nothing - except catching up on my reading. Well, actually we did have a soiree on Sunday night after I arose from my post night shift nap for a good friend. Lobsters, biscuits, salad, wine and apple crisp with good conversation. One of the guests (who hadn't been doing nights) had the presence of mind to bring champagne for a toast to the guest of honor and a good time was had by all. Except for the poor life partner who called it in about 8:15 pm (I actually didn't realize he was missing until about 9 pm) and crashed in bed. He'd been battling a viral cough for the past ten days (and rethinking his decision to NOT have a flu shot last fall) and finally succumbed.
The next night we were invited to a local chef's house for supper, and I'd even dropped off the lobsters on my way to work Saturday night so he could create something yummy with them and....we didn't even get to enjoy them. Had to cancel when the bug hit after the birthday party. As the shore captain said "well, I would've gone if you'd made me but it wouldn't have been good" so we have requested a rain check and the lobsters were apparently delicious. Sigh. But to quote the Dalai Lama "With inner strength or mental stability, we can endure all kinds of adversity." If only.
The mail has brought good things this week with the first being my certificate for the Emergency Nursing Program. So I hummed Pomp & Circumstance when I opened the envelope but it just wasn't enough for the year's worth of angst. Not even a pen, tote bag and pin with a congratulatory letter from someone (supposedly) important in the Department of Health. We also had a lovely photo birth announcement in the mailbox today from the neighbour who used to babysit as a teenager for us. Apparently it didn't turn her away from her own family as she has a very handsome lad now herself.
I have been reviewing the tropical health information I've collected over the years in anticipation of the conference I'm attending the end of the month at McGill - it is definitely a new language. I rolled $20 worth of change this afternoon which I collect for the tropical medicine course I'm going to attend in Liverpool in the spring of 2014 (not 2013 as the baby daughter WILL be graduating with her BN in May 2013 and I WILL be there to see her walk across the stage). Now with the tuition, airfare and accommodation my change isn't going that far - that's why I'm starting early:
http://bit.ly/IHzRfZ
I've also caught up on all the professional journals and a book I bought while visiting my buddy this winter which had been collecting dust on my coffee table. You'd think I had my life back or something.
In the spirit of travel planning I offer the following link for females of how to dress conservatively:
coconutradio.blogspot.ca/2012/04/top-5-clothing-picks-for-women.html
As well as these travel hints by female travel writers, including one I know!
http://journeywoman.com/BestTravelTips/TravelWritersShareBestSecrets2012.html
And in the spirit of self development the 1000 Awesome Things website, you may have heard of the Book of Awesome?
1000awesomethings.com
We really are in the midst of a global experience aren't we? Fun fact: In a given day, Google Translate processes roughly as much text as you’d find in 1 million books
So I should be doing all sorts of things but....instead I'm sitting here in my pajamas in the middle of the afternoon preparing to watch a webinar on tropical medicine. I've also downloaded a film from the NFB which was excellent value for $5 and the western daughter has discussed with me the world of Netflix, so that is next on the list. Life is good. Speaking of happiness here is a link to a good article in The Washington Post about happiness:
http://wapo.st/HQD9uJ
Hmmm. Perhaps I should go make the shepherds pie and banana bread I've been contemplating. Or not.
