Happy and Saf Holidays to All!!!!

What a downer

Got a phone call from my aunt today. That is never good.

She called to tell me my cousin has passed away this weekend.

My older cousin. He grew up in Texas and I grew up in Illinois and California.

But we were there at least every other year.

And I know I drove him nuts following him around.

And he devilled me.

Of course he did. He was older. I was the youngest cousin (at that time). And the only girl (at that time).

So sad.

That side of the family is getting smaller and smaller. His mom and dad are both gone, as is his step mom.

This is my mom's side of the family and I only have one uncle left. At one time there were two girls and two boys (of the surviving children). Now there is only my Uncle Bill, his wife Aunt Sybil, their daughter (the youngest of the the cousins) and my cousin Bob.

Bob's parents are gone, as are mine.

Sad, and hard, when your own generation is slowly becoming the elders. (On my dad's side of the family there are only two sisters left).

But he has quite the family waiting for him.....and family here missing and mourning him.

Rest In Peace Ken. Your life was not an easy one, hope you had lots of happiness to balance it out.

Rockettes

NYC at Christmas time is on my "Bucket List".

Would love to see the Thanksgiving Parade.....the tree at Rockerfeller Center.....lot of things but especially the Rockette's Christmas Show.

Guess what? They were touring the west coast this year - mentioned it to hubby but he didnt sound very excited plus we had already bought tickets to see Shrek: The Musical.

But he knew I wanted to see them....so we went. And I really didnt have any idea what to expect. The show was fun. Would I see it again? Definitely in NYC! If they tour here next year? Probably not.

What amazed me were the people who came in late and were so rude about it....the woman sitting next to me (and by woman, I am saying she was in her 40's probably) who was texting the entire time - never once looked up at the show - and only put here phone away when the show was over and it was time to leave. Why bother to even attend???

So mcuh fun to see all the little grls dressed up in their Christmas dresses - coats - gloves, etc. So cute!

Birthday Month...AKA December!

Happy happy birthday to son in law.....daughter.....and hubby!

LOVE you all!

Left my heart.....

Not as cold as usual, but still had to stop here so Tom could have his Irish coffee! Justifies the cable car ride which we both love!

Gotta get our calamari.....

when we visit here.....also a stop at Boudins for some Christmas cookies and my Panetonne (have been enjoying it toasted for breakfast the last two days...YUM!)

We often do something random. One year we did the whole tourist thing and did a bus tour of SF. Saw areas that we hadnt seen in....well, decades. And learned new stuff. This time we read about the Holiday Light Tour and how the wheeled (but authentic) cable car takes you around to see the decorations.....not quite what we expected.....but you know what, we still learned some things about SF we hadnt known.....so it was okay. Recovered from the noisy little yuppie/preppies in the car with a drink at the Starlight Room after. And wanted to tell this middle aged couple - enough with the PDA! - I personally think it was an affair.....

Hubby wanted to see this. So we went. And it was enjoyable and funny......the one phrase we both have taken away from it (because we both think it describes ourself) is "crackpot magnet"!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some photos from our annual December trip to SF! More to come. Had fun - got lots of shopping done - some prety good food too!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am freezing tonight! Maybe cause I am tired (worked a double yesterday and picked up an extra 8 hours tomorrow since we are not having our Thanksgiving dinner until Sunday) and because I just ran outside to cover up some of the plants cause it is supposed to get down into the 20's tonight. Of course, it was all put into perspective when I talked to my daughter in NV and she said when she got home this AM from work it was 8 degrees outside!

And before I forget it - HAPPY THANKSGIVING! And I wont even subject you to my tirade on how retailers have corrupted Thanksgiving and consumers have (literally and figuratively) bought into it.

If you are part of the crazy hoard that participates in Black Friday....well, just know that tirade explains why I typically work on Black Friday...

So apparently said daughter in Nevada had a run in with a deer on the way home. Smashed up her car, but did not total it - and she is unhurt. That makes me very thankful TODAY!

Luckily they have very good insurance. But what has her the most upset is that today she is going for her interview for a position she wants very very badly - and not only is she afraid the accident was an omen - it shook her up - and she didnt get any sleep today. And her SO missed out on extra pay, OT etc because she needed him home. So, as you read this - please say a prayer for them!

Looks like my short - but well enjoyed - career as a Clinical Instuctor is over. We have come to a parting of the ways because at this point in my life and career I am just not interested in orienting to another hospital in order to spend 6 - 12 hours/week doing things their way while we are still going thru so many changes where I work (they are trying to find a new clinical site because of our small patient census - yet they are negotiating with an institution that had jsut as small a census last year as we did!).

Plus, the cut in pay just makes it not worthwhile, yada yada yada. I hope they find someone to take my place - I told them a month ago that I probably would not be doing it and they just got around to meeting with me today. And the rotation starts at the end of January. (What is more sad, is they need to find a new Director for the program and they will be offering approx $30,000/year less than any other school around - they want to pay $70,000/year for a very stressful and more than full time job - when you can do bedside nursing 3 shifts/week and make more than a $100,000! Good luck with that!)

Anyway, what has me upset is that apparently they had some complaints from me from staff members. Yeah, the people I work with year round. They complained that I wasnt at bedside with the students 100% of the time. Really? 10 students spread between Pediatrics, Nursery, and Post Partum? And I wasnt with the students 100% of the time? Amazing how they could be in one area making that comment without knowing what I was doing in the other areas. And espcially considering that 1/2 the semester I had a student that I had to spend almost 1:1 time with every time she was on the unit.

But has me upset with this - is they couldnt say anything to me about it at the time. My co workers I mean. They didnt say it to me, but they commented on it to the school.....and then the school waits how many months to bring it up to me? Oh well, I will "Let It Go" because altho I enjoyed the student interaction it was very stressful to me and not financially worthwhile and it will be nice to have my life back next January - May for the first time in 3? 4? years.

So I leave you again with a Happy Thanksgiving and yet another request - as you come across people and situations that add to your thankfulness through out the year - please let them know about it. It will make their day, and yours!

Changes

Finally - after approx 20 years in this house and hating the palm trees all that time - we are finally getting rid of them. We started off with 5 - 3 in the front and 2 in the back. Not sure why ANYONE would plant that many on this small of a lot.

Got rid of one in the back many many years ago and it really traumatized the guy - cause it was so full of animals and birds and nests and baby birds.....Never could really find any one else to take down the rest that we could afford.


The most difficult one is left to come down. And that is cause it is growing up between a bunch of wires.

Our new front door is in. Will be delivered Tuesday.

Guess we have to find the hardware for it. And also order an address plaque for the house since we will not longer be able to use "the house with the 3 palms in the front yard"!!!