Perpetual Learner: The new blog

I am moving on... to a new blog. I liked the wordpress after going out to the sisters sites and decided to change blog sites when I started the new blog. Here is the new addy

http://perpetualadultlearner.wordpress.com/

Hope you enjoy

We have arrived:)

Here I sit in the RV, it is 1030 on Sunday night and it was a GREAT day! We pulled into Yakima around 840 this morning, arrived at the U Haul, unloaded the trailer and most of the RV and were pulling out around 11am. We parked the RV, took a tour of the RV parks, walked the dogs, had a great lunch at our new favorite mexican place. Met the owner of the gluten free Italian restaurant..(going to see them on tuesday:) Only open tues thru sat) Visited 4 Starbucks (I know, but everyone has to have a vice) and drive around town. It was lovely. I have found an avian vet (good for mom, bad for Mia), the nearest branch of the local library and even called about two rental houses in the area we like:) I am now going to read for a bit and then hit the hay... tomorrow is laundry, more exploring and a bunch of paperwork that I need to hand in on tuesday.

Happy first day of the rest of my life:))

See you all soon!

Food Bloggercise

Regular meals at the Starratt house consist of....

Vegetable curry with chicken
Thai coleslaw
soft tacos with arrychiarra (sp?) and mexican chimichurri
veggie chicken thai peanut stir-fry
veg lentil chicken soup
spinach salad with almond slivers and rasp vinaigrette
Homemade granola, yogurt and berries
Oven grilled salmon with spicy apricot mayo
greek salad
veggie pasta salad

Anyone interested in a fall favorites potluck?

Reading List

It is less than a month until this journey is finished and the next one begins:) One of the things I am looking forward to is reading for pleasure again. So I would like to hear from everyone as to their top 10 books to read. These can be classics, new, fiction, non-fiction. Let's here it:)
On the other side of the reading discussion... I bought myself a copy of "The well educated mind" a couple of years ago. It is basically a how to give yourself an classic education. I am planning to start this in January and am wondering if anyone else is interested in joining me in this endeavor. I am giving myself a year to work my way through the topics. I am going to set up a blog with a time table, reading lists etc. Anyone who is interested can join the discussion.
Dave and I are thinking about going to Hawaii in January... a relaxing vacay with a little diving thrown in. We are going to rent a condo, so if anyone wants to join us, just let me know.

30 days to D-day:)

It's getting closer..... almost there... two exams, 12 shifts and 30 days to go:) Here is the tentative 30 day post graduation plan. We are leaving on Monday the 30th of August and plan to get to Yakima by the 3rd of September. We will get settled in and spend the weekend getting to know Yakima. I am then going to locate the most comfortable spot in the library and settle in for 3 weeks of head down nose to the grind stone studying. Dave is going to go down and visit his mom and sister and we are going to spend evenings fishing and relaxing. I am going to try and schedule my boards for the last week of September. Once I have passed boards then a week of visiting is in order. I will be heading to Mom's for a week of visiting.... I expect to see all the siblings in the vancouver area, their SigOts and any new family members. Aunty cuddling is only required for the new ones:)

Time is very flexible....

First it races along and leaves you feeling breathless. Then it is like watching molasses pour. I am suppose to be writing a paper and instead I am blogging. It is 68 days until graduation and I am so happy, scared, excited, apprehensive, and generally tired. The condo has been on the market for 2 weeks and no one has come to see it yet... boooooo! Mandy is dragging her butt and generally acting her age... I am hoping she makes it to Yakima, but I think it is probably wishful thinking. I am starting my last two weeks at Joliet and then I am off to the knife and gun club for two months of total bedlam leading up to graduation:) It has been a trial. I have earned every bit of this degree. My skin is old and crows-feet have taken up permanent residence on my face. I now live in a state of tired and never feel rested when I wake up. I spend days in the OR that leave me feeling wrung out and overwhelmed. I am SOOO HAPPY!!! I love giving anesthesia, love talking to patients, love being a part of a team in the OR, love making decisions, love making people feel better..... This is the best decision I ever made and I wouldn't change any part of this experience!

So there is the update:) I am now getting back to work. Keep the home fires burning... I am moving as fast as I can:0

For those that couldn't make it...

First... I became an American:)

Then I graduated with a Masters in Nursing

2 down.... 75 days until graduation from Anesthesia school and then it is done!