I'd Tell You To Go To Hell, But I Work There And I Don't Want To See You Everyday

So, needless to say if you've drawn any conclusion from the title of this post, I am back to work. Dr. Hottie McGropesalot did not want to give me clearance, but since my short-term disability would not pay (long story I am sure I'll gripe about later) I had no choice but to hoof it back to The Lab.

Since last we spoke (or since last I typed and you read, technically) I got rid of my PICC line and IV pump- THANK YOU SWEET BABY J!- and I'm pretty much recovered from the infection which was classified as MSSA Staph (fun to google if you are bored!).

The only hitch (ha, you will laugh at the pun in a minute... wait for it) is that my leg wont bend at the knee any more than say 10 degrees. So I limp.

Really, really limp.

Think this guy minus the cane and vicoden habit, but pretty much the same highly sociable patient/health care provider rapport (I'm usually kidding about that last part).

--The Milk Maid says meet the new boss (same as the old boss).

I'm Back

I can't stand it. I can't stay away.


The Milk Maid is back.

And, as you may have noticed I changed my hair a little. I was trying to color it back to my natural dark chestnut brown shade. But it turned black. After a week of being in total shock and screaming at the stranger in the mirror every time I paced by, I grew to like my new shade of locks. I feel kind of powerful and bitchy. I stood up for myself a little bit more. I shot a bird at a coworker who called me Elvira.

I had knee surgery on December 15th for a simple arthroscopic plica resection and a lateral release. My "simple" procedure got infected so I was taken in for an emergency arthroscopic irrigation and drainage on December 29th. I had a picc line placed at the hospital during my 2 day stay and received IV vancomycin until January 13th when my surgeon announced my synovial white count (a measure of infection) was over 100,000. Normal is 200 or less. Yeah... it was bad. So, on the 13th I had yet another surgery to clean out the mess that was festering. Dr. Hottie McGropesalot decided that a 4 inch gash incision on the inner side of my right knee was the way to go.

Tomorrow, after 9 days of a continuous Nafcillan IV pump, I will see what my future holds when I see Dr. Hottie for my post op. (I guess technically my post-post-post op. Or post op-op-op. I dunno- anyways...)

So, now that we are pretty much caught up with me how have all of YOU been?

And RainbowMama, I hope I can make you laugh a heck of a lot starting now!

--The Milk Maid says she may be a bitch, but at least she's the pick of the litter.

More Blab From The Lab

Two very exciting things happened to me today. The first exciting (and admittedly scary) thing that happened was a small centrifuge's rotor exploded into a million little bits. The sound was like a gunshot a full two rooms away. Roxy was sitting next to the centrifuge as it exploded and was splattered with shrapnel. She was totally fine except a small ringing in her ears and staying very skittish for the remainder of the day.

The second exciting thing that happened was the interaction I had with a patient. Great Austrian Accent Man, a repeat customer, came in for some basic blood work today. As I was prepping to draw him he made a comment on how his skin was looking old and crepe-like. I told him it wasn't bad at all and I bet he'd keep kicking for another 20 years (he was 82 by the way, but doesn't look to be in his 80's or even close to 70). After drawing him and joking about being in a wonderful mood because I'd had sugar cookies for breakfast he took my hand to shake and then pulled me in for a hug. Normally I don't make any more contact that necessary with patients, but I felt very close to Great Austrian Accent Man at that moment and hugged him just as hard as I could. He thanked me for being so kind and gentle and said that it meant so much to him. I told him my name and said he could ask for me any time he was in the lab and I would be sure to take care of him.

Sometimes it is the small things that remind you why you get up and go to work every single day. It made me think of a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that says, "To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

Today I succeeded!

--The Milk Maid says life is good.

And Then She Asked Me How It Made Me Feel

Yep, the psychiatrist asked me the question I dreaded the most. And I humored her by answering, but only after telling her I did not like that question and informing her I would comply just once by answering her.

I started doubting the ability of Mimi Therapist-Pants and her 10+ years of doctoral degree education when she said, "I think you might be OCD". Come on people, anyone out there who has read more than 2 pages of my blog could tell you that.

I was also not surprised (because I am the Queen of Dr. Google) that she diagnosed me as Bi-Polar. Again, even if you are a casual reader of this blog, you have probably noticed the highest-highs followed by the lowest of lows and then a bounce back. Rarely (if ever) is there just a nice and normal (normal-schmormal) day where everything flows along without the ebb and flow of 20-foot waves of life crashing me.

Just as I was thinking I could have self-diagnosed myself and ordered meds from Canada or something, little Ms. Mimi Therapist-Pants floored me by asking, "In the 12 or 13 years you have been on anti-depressants have you ever felt relief from these symptoms?"

I blinked. I cocked my head to one side and then another. I really thought about the question at hand. Has anything I tried over the past decade plus truly relieved my symptoms?

No.

Taking everything in to my head, processing it and rolling around my new found diagnoses like a piece of hard candy you want to savor the flavor of as long as possible, I came to the conclusion that I don't think I have ever been truly just "depressed". After reading this handy little wiki-article it all made so much sense. It's the reason why I could be happy as a clam one second and lock myself in the bathroom for 2 hours and cry the very next breath- for no reason at all. It's the reason I'm singing and dancing one minute and can't bear to speak the next. It's the reason I start writing a story with true passion and then can't even imagine having to open the saved file a day later.

Perhaps I have turned a page. Perhaps I have started a whole new chapter. I might just be writing a whole new book on how my life got turned around.

However this all pans out, you know there will be adventure and chaos attached.

--The Milk Maid says her therapist didn't even have a couch!

Tagged!

I was tagged by onemorebaby!



The rules for this award:



1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.



And here they are:

1. Baby Bound


2. Baby Steps For Maatman


3. Baby Franklin Journey


4. Baby Steps


5. Doran's World


6. Dory


7. From Here To Maternity

(They are the 1st 7 from my blog roll, in case you were curious! Everyone is welcome to join in the fun!)

2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with “Honest Scrap.”



Here's the Honest Scrap Prize- come, click to save, and link if you so desire!






3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

1. I love hot wings.... I want them spicy, but not so spicy that I can't taste the good buttery, wingy, hot sauced flavor!
2. I was sent to speech therapy for 6 months when I was in 1st grade because I had trouble saying my S's and T's. I also had only 2 of my 8 front teeth at the time (the two bottom middle teeth only) so that MIGHT have had something to do with it. I've been paranoid ever since then about how I sound when I speak.
3. I am a picker- I pick scabs and zits and wild hairs at will. On everyone. Just ask Jef. I am a monster...
4. I had always said from middle school age into early adulthood that I wanted 4 or 5 kids (maybe more). I think 3 will be enough... although I thought 2 would be plenty after Ava was born. Heeeheehee!
5. I love to play sports but not watch them
6. I am an early riser who can sleep late, but has been conditioned otherwise.
7. I could totally eat some tuna and salmon shashimi right now.
8. I have a photo of my best Pal B on my computer table. It's from about a year ago at a place (or gathering) called MAMU. It's one of my fave pics of us!
9. I have kept dried flowers from arrangements I've received over the years for approximately 15 years now.
10. I repierced my belly button the other night. By myself. With my own personal stash of piercing needles that I got on the famous online auction site. No, it didn't hurt. It was only the 7th ot 8th time I've repierced it.

The Milk Maid says the devil is in the details

Just When You Think She Hates You She Goes And Holds Your Hair While You Puke

Friday night, after closing the satellite location I will call Doodoo-ville, I went to meet my co-workers Margarita, RoxC, and Tiny-Whiny. We met at a little hole in the wall that features a live band, cheep drinks, and a cozy atmosphere.

Being a little late to the party (again I was driving from Doodoo-ville and they were mere minutes away from the locale) I was bound and determined to catch up to their festive mood by imbibing a few quick vodka-crans.

Normally, being the social, and well occasionally not-so-social-drinker, that I am I have no problem holding my alcohol.

Only I'd gone a little light on breakfast that day. And I ate an early and small lunch. And well, sometimes I forget how fast The Vodka can catch up with me especially when I'm slamming back the smooth refreshing taste of cranberry with every drop.

Somewhere between dirty dancing with RoxC and Random Bar Lady Who Helped Herself To A Cheese stick I Was Eating and my buddy Margarita leaving and some more dancing and a whirl and a whoosh of activity my brain and eyes were too slow to follow I remember uttering the words, "I gotta barf!".

Tiny-Whiny held my hand and led me to the bathroom. I locked myself in the stall and starting riding the vomit comet. As I was enjoying my hard-earned hurl RoxC starting banging on the stall door. By banging I mean trying to kick the door off its hinges. I unlock the door, see a boot inches from my face, and return to my business. Tiny-Whiny grabs my hair and starts trying to hold it back or tie it up or something (hell I can't exactly remember what she was doing, I was drunk you know). Then, these words flowed from her mouth: It's ok, this is how we did it in prison!

Note to self and anyone else trying to lend a hand to me as I am on my hands and knees with my ass in the air puking my guts out: Never ever compare that moment to prison.

About that same time a small white object is flung at me. The small white object (that appeared to be a pill of some sort) rolled under the sanitary waste disposal can. Tiny-Whiny grabbed the small object as RoxC was yelling "give it to her". Tiny-Whiny shoved the tiny pill, the tiny pill that had been on the public bathroom floor under the bin where products used to quell menstrual flow are thrown away, into my mouth.

Well oh well Alice In Wonderland- if the one you eat makes you taller and the one you drink makes you smaller, then what does the white one do? It makes you stop hurling (phenergan) and call you husband and ask for a ride home.

The moral of the story?

People who are assholes in your work life may very well be the ones holding you hair as you puke one day, so tread lightly.

--The Milk Maid says sing me a song piano man!

Maybe I should send Tiny-Whiny some flowers a some New York Yankees tickets

I Dunno No Blog Titles

Catching up on things that have been going on, but I haven't blogged about:

I have tuberculosis and herpes.

Ok, not really! Truthfully, I have a cough and cold that comes and goes and an arm rash caused by a small hormonal imbalance and stress.

I have been working my ASS off. I have no rear end left at all... can you say 6 days a week? Or perhaps 7 days a week the way this week's schedule is unfolding? I would love to refer to my work-life as "too much of a good thing".

But speaking of money...

My ex hasn't paid child support in 6 months. I am, oh yes, too nice of a person and I have let him slide. He's moved from Georgia to South Carolina to North Carolina all in the pursuit of "playing cowboy". I should call child support recovery- considering the financial state we are in. I should call the cops, considering the child support laws in GA. I should have bought that pet alligator YEARS ago and let poor Cowboy wander down to the pond and become lunch.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda...

Unfortunately, or as a plus (depending on your point of view), I am a nice person. I have a heart the size of the Continental US. I would see myself as the "bad guy" if I called the Po-Po on the Cowboy and busted him for being a lazy jackass. What would Faith think? What if I was the one to burst her bubble on just how great her father is (in her mind)? I don't want to be that person. I just want her life normal (ahem, hack, gag- hating that word) and as usual.

I can't seem to win for losing sometimes.

In other news: I have been trying to steal borrow permanently quite a few babies from the pediatrics lab as of late. A secret I have kept from almost all of you is that we tried to get all preggo about 9 months ago. My due date, if the conception had taken place, would have been December 24th. I'm feeling the yearning and longing to complete our family so much these days. I know times are as impractical as they get at the moment, but I've always been of the mind that "those who seek will find". By golly I'm seeking...

Our original plans were to try to conceive again around February or March of this coming year. Maybe the plan is still on, but most likely it will be pushed back to who knows when. Everyone sigh with me and we can all get this out of our systems in 3... 2... 1....

SiiiiiiGH!

--The Milk Maid says she sounds all down and out, but she's not in Beverly Hills.

Magnets: Sticking like glue to a fridge near you!

Early Morning Ponder

Have you ever looked up at the ceiling while in the shower only to see what looks like a tiny spider crawling towards you from the other side of the room?

Have you ever prepared yourself, shower nozzle in hand, to blast that tiny spider from the sanctity of your lair into kingdom come with the water jet set to pulsate?

Have you ever let loose a battle cry of, "sheet rock and subfloor be damned!" as you prepared to take aim by crouching in the farthest corner of the shower?

Have you ever realized, in the middle of defending your territory and your naked body, that the said "spider" was really just a lady bug?

Have you ever had a conversation with a lady bug that was all, "Oh hello Mrs. Lady Bug- I hope thee are well today my fair maiden!".

--The Milk Maid says she, of course, would never do such a thing.

And she would never call any moving companies over arachnids!

Weekly(ish) Recap

To catch up:

I was going to cook salmon and rice for supper, but the salmon had gone bad.

I hear B's voice out there somewhere saying something to the snarky effect of, "But how do you KNOW when fish has gone bad?" and the obligatory "Bllehh retch!" sounds follow that comment.

B, trust me... it tried to swim out of the zip bag onto the grill. Nasty.

Work is work- I still love it, but I guess the euphoria of it all is wearing off a dab. We have one total party pooper at work- we shall call her Tiny Whiny- and her goal in life seems to be to make me miserable and bitch and whine and run her mouth. Constantly. Totally drama queen-o-rama. I'm a no-fly zone when it comes to all that, so you can only imagine what life has been like the past few weeks.

Other than all the above jazz life is pretty calm and quiet. I haven't had much time to run my usual inner-dialogue so my blogging has suffered. My emailing back has also suffered. My doing anything but working and cooking and occasionally cleaning and eating once or twice a day has suffered.

--The Milk Maid says she's a slacker and she knows it (and claps her hands).

retail jobs anyone?

Either The Lexipro Is Working Or I'm Just Really Getting Soft In My Old Age

Every single day I am amazed...

... I am amazed at the love I feel for my daughters. Faith asks me the most interesting questions. She really makes me think about ideas and life in a way I've never done before. From innocent questions on how to deal with kids who are bullies at school to astute questions on anatomy, the human body, and the whys and hows of life. Most of those let me get my A&P book for that kind of questions come after watching shows life Dr. G Medical Examiner or CSI. Both shows she probably shouldn't watch, but nonetheless you must feed the hungry with whatever can quieten their pangs. Faith now wants to be a pathologist. Or work for the Houston SPCA. Maybe both, she can't decide right now.

Ava amazes me with her energy. She surprises me with how fast she learns things. My pal B once said, "You didn't want a stupid kid, did you?". My reply of course was No!". However, I went on to elaborate about how "I didn't want a kid that could outsmart me 99% of the time by the age of two either. I guess it could be worse (insert huge grin here).

... My job amazes me. I'm amazed to have been blessed with a job that I actually crave. I dream of my job- drawing blood, running samples, talking to people. I'm fortunate to know that the smallest smile or simple gesture of kindness can make some one's bad day a little brighter. I have so much compassion for people from all walks of life. I suppose my parents raised me right. I reckon that I've seen enough bad to know that it doesn't take a lot to do good. I can comfort those who might be very ill by being gentle and polite and respectful. I can not bring up the obvious and induce the tears of ladies who might be enduring a possible miscarriage and have betas drawn every couple of days. I can calm a child who is frightened. I can dance with a child who is happy. I can ease the jitters of mothers with very small, very sick children. I can do all this mostly because I have been there or I have friends who have been there. I guess the dancing part is just my nature.

... I am amazed that I have so many friends out there. There you are- I see you! I make friends easily, but find it very difficult to trust the majority with my true being. Character flaw? Maybe. Once bitten, twice shy. More likely. At a moments notice I could flip through my phone and dial ten people who would come to my rescue. Or at least send money via Western Union so I could make bail. I know of one person who'd be sitting right beside me in that holding cell. We'd be giggling until our significant others came to drag us home and scold us. Scold is a nice term I'm using in place of "beat our asses".

... I'm amazed at the level of patience I have gained in the past year. I don't know if it was the regimen of school, the enjoyment I get from my job, or just getting older and wiser, but there has been a great shift. I'm not saying I'm one of the Old Wise Ones by any means, but I do seem to have a few more answers for my questions regarding life as of late. I can't say that I'm a sage or a seer, but the future looks a little less cloudy than it did a year or two or three ago. I don't give much advice, but I am more apt to share an experience with my friends and let them draw from my mistakes and successes as needed.

I hope this post makes a little sense to everyone. The words have been circling my heart for some time and they needed to be freed. By no means am I tooting my own horn; I am merely counting my blessings. I have so many blessings in my life. It's hard to always take the time to smell the roses, but something tells me I need to slow down and enjoy these moments. I need to savor all of my life- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

--The Milk Maid says a lot without saying a word.

Canon Powershot

Jog Blog Day 1

I went out to jog today saying piss on the rain and just going for it. My run/walk combo went well. I did a warm up of about 20 minutes of brisk walking followed by 7 repetitions of jogging for 1 minute and walking for 2. I was in the cool down when, as we call it around here, a Turd Floater hit. The rain (which I am personally responsible for bringing, but more on that in a few) was heavy enough to soak through my french-braided hair! I drove home in my sports bra and panties. I of course had to call my Pal B and tell her, and I think she said something to the effect of, "You're gonna get arrested for that shit!".

Now, as far as me being responsible for the rain- and you heard it here first my loyal readers- as soon as I decided to get outside and exercise copious amount of rain started to fall in drought-laden Georgia! I feel that Governor Pardue should give me a cash reward, the key to the city, and I should have a street in Downtown named after me: Milk Maid Avenue!

I learned a fascinating bit of trivia from one of the running websites I have been frequenting since my desire to shape up has taken, well- shape. Did you know that improperly holstered breasts can bounce as far as 8 vertical inches while running?! That goes for us bustier gals as well as members of the A cup club.

Now, some of you may think I'm a pervert and some of you may think I'm a sadist, but I want to see a normal little A cup boobie bounce like that. Whatever you may think, I know that deep down you too want to know just how in the hell something like that is possible!

--The Milk Maid makes milk shakes, but they only come in more than a mouthful size!

Getting My Beefy Backside In Gear, And Other Thoughts

I have decided to start jogging. I have a very basic, simple and EASY plan that I think I can stick to... There are tons of ideas and advice at runnersworld.com if anyone else out there feels the need to hit the trail and toss back a mile or two. I would like to be able to run a mile in under 8 minutes. Truth be told, I would like to be able to run a mile without passing out. So, that's my goal now. I'm giving myself 5 weeks!

Seeing as how I have heard NADA from the large clinic place as far as employment I will have lots of time to devote to exercise. I put in an application at the hospital and for a waitress position at the local veteran's hall. It's amazing really- I feel like I went to school so I could either a) stay unemployed or b) have old men oogle my boobies BUT makes lots of money pouring the booze in them.

I blame my need to become healthier on two things: My pal B informed me that she's managed to lose 10 pounds. In a month. Without having to chop off an appendage! Admittedly, I'm jealous. I'm also quite porky. I'm also pretty competitive, so if I can lop off a few blobby fat rolls in the name of good clean fun then why not go for it!?

In other news:

Faith just informed me that the reason we wear underwear is so that our butt hair doesn't get too long. The underwear is there to grind it down. Ya see, the things you learn from ten year olds are just mesmerizing!

Ava has decided that weemweem (ice cream) is the best stuff ever to eat. She says that weemweem needs a poon (spoon). Budder (peanut butter) also needs a poon. You just can have one without the other. Cheers to poon and budder!

This N Thats N Such

Hello All!

Yet another lovely day in phlebotomy-land! I'm really tired, I'm really hungry, and I really don't wanna cook, so perhaps delivery is on the menu tonite.

Big J is clucking along happily at his new job (did I mention he has a job? He's been there 2 weeks and loves it- there, I mentioned it!). He hurt his foot the other day and has been limping around on a swollen, blueish tootsie for a couple of days. He was off of work today, so he iced his foot on and off most of the day. Perhaps I wont have to amputate it-- maybe he will go to the DOCTOR (ahem, if you are reading this, you big goober!).

Anywhos- perhaps one day I will write something witty and not about blood. Of course, maybe one day I will have enough brain cells left to write more than 12 complete sentences in a blog too. Everyone hold your breath and see what color blue you turn before that happens, ok?

Oh- and I promise a Milk Maid Behaving Badly in Houston post soon. Kinda soon. Soonish...

--The Milk Maid says two-step your way to your powdered sugar stash!

private jet charter

Still Here

Hi Gang!

Don't put my face on a milk carton just yet- I'm still out here... Thanks to everyone who's checked in on me! It means more than you can imagine!!

We went on a quickie vacation last week to Daytona Beach and St. Augustine- I promise to post pics soon! Everyone had a ball- Faith is as brown as a ginger cake, Ava loved the ocean and the pool, Jef and I ate like pigs.

Tammy- I owe you a post where you tagged me- I haven't forgotten!

I've been pretty busy with school... A&P is taking up most of my spare time- always more workbook to complete and two tests a week to study for and take. Intro to venipuncture continues to go well as the teacher is giving us more and more free reign to draw blood without her playing "mama" to us. We should be getting our clinical sites lined up soon. That part makes me nervous, but I'm sure I will enjoy it.

Emotionally I've been feeling a little raw and drained as of late. There just seems to be something in the air (for lack of a better phrase) zapping my reserves these days. Jef packed the meds and stuff for vacation and forgot my Happy Pills and the pharmacy gave us crap over getting a couple pills to get me thru vacation. I was fine until we were leaving Daytona and then I got really weepy. I wondered if it would be the last time I ever got to see my favorite place (other than home), I wondered that even if I got to see it all again would it be through jaded eyes, and I worried about a lot of things that I have no control over that I normally would not be worrying about had I been taking my lexa.pro. When I got back home I immediately started back onto my dose which gave me headaches, messed up my sleeping habits, and has kept me nauseated. It feels like I'm doomed to be damned either way some days.

Well enough grumbling- someone might be inspired to tell me to get over it if I keep that up.

--The Milk Maid says who better for a milk carton than the milk maid?!

silk flowers

While At The Diner I Ordered A Large Perpendicular Plate Of Ethmoid

My A&P assignment this week is to cover all of "The Skeleton: Bones and Joints" chapter along with "The Muscular System". So, in one fantabulous week, I get to learn all the bones and all the muscles. I'm actually looking forward to the challenge of this! I enjoy my A&P class even though it is a pain to do all the book work (these two chapters alone make up 1/3 of the workbook). A lot of the exercises we have to do are repetitious and not conducive to my learning style, but whatever the teacher wants is what I do.


Ava's 18 month check up was today (we were a little late, as she is 19 months old). She was 35" tall, 28.8 lbs, and the doc said she looked absolutely perfect! As I was filling out a question and answer form in the exam room Ava learned how to open the door and run down the hall and through the building, squealing with delight the whole way, clad only in a diaper which she decided about half way down the hall to remove and sling back towards me. I wish I'd had a video camera!!! The whole place was rolling with laughter at my nekkid giggling escape artist.


Well gang, I'm back to the books for a while. If I'm lucky I can finish up another few pages of muscle study work and grab a bath before Ava wakes up and we are off and running again!



--The Milk Maid says where oh where oh where is Thumbkin?

Remember your mother this Mother's Day with a nice little gift basket!

A&P Really Means Annoying and Pissy

I have had my head in a text book for the vast majority of the past 4 hours reading and studying and doing practice exercises and homework for A&P. If anyone comes up to me on the street today and asks me a question about amino acids or ionic and covalent bonds I will answer them, then punch them dead in the face.

*

I have 3 tests this week- 2 in A&P and 1 in Intro to Venipuncture (or as classmate C calls it "Venus Puncture"). The Intro to V test should be pretty simple and ask basic questions about things like HIPPA and needle sticks. The teacher (who I swear missed her calling to be a comedian) said the answers are pretty much going to be "don't say anything about anyone" and "don't get poked with a needle (you dummy!)".

*

I made a doctor's appointment today for my needed immunizations. I have to get a "mini-physical" since our insurance recently changed our PCP. I am SO looking forward to my grand and glorious mini-physical- I could just vomit right now I am SO thrilled. If you have been around the Milk-Induced Coma for more than a couple days, then you know how much I love doctors. Love, love, love- oh I am SO full of love (If I keep this snark up much longer I might be forced to use the best wrinkle cream ever to hide the furrows in my brow).

*

*

:::Maniacal look appears in Milk Maid's eyes. She grabs a pencil and threatens to stab herself in the jugular for effect:::

*

*

--The Milk Maid would never jab herself with a pencil... not on purpose anyway.

Welcome Back To Monday

Jef and I decided to take a whirl-wind trip to Tybee Island this weekend. We did the usual things like eating at the Crab Shack, walking on the beach and letting Ava chase the birds, and laying around the hotel room and watching Deadliest Catch! We had a great time, especially all the seafood we ate (and ate and ate).

*

After leaving Tybee Island we crossed back into Savannah and explored along River Street for a little while. For those of you unfamiliar with Savannah, it's quite beautiful. The book that later became the movie Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil was based and filmed there. Paula Deen of the food network is from there. It's really quite a place! I can see me lounging in a hammock chair under a large tree covered with Spanish moss for certain. I wish we'd had longer to enjoy both Tybee and Savannah, but of course Jef had to work and Faith and I both have school, so that was that.

*

Not much going on today... I had A&P this morning and I will have Intro to Venipuncture this afternoon. It's a little overcast, which seems to fit my mood today. I'm feeling just a little down and out. We'll just blame it on the Monday Blues.

1/7 Of Your Life Is On A Monday

Hope everyone had a fabulous Easter weekend complete with too much good food- I know we did! My mom cooked a ham and a turkey (or rather she incenerated 2 pieces of meat that would have been lovely had they left the oven hours sooner). Nonetheless, the corn and green beans and dressing and cranberry sauce more than made up for the sawdust main courses.


I have been having awful headaches as of late. I am attributing them to a combo of three things: Pollen, my need of a chiropractic appointment, and a change in diet.


Pollen, as you remember from me bitching about it last year (or if you don't just assume I did- it took weeks for me to rant about it, let's not revisit) is the bain of my existence. I am allergic to pine and grass pollen. My front yard is a couple acres of grass and 12 pine trees... Seeing the problem now?


I need to go to the chiropractor, but I keep putting it off. There are a lot more fun things to do in life- like blog and chat with my peeps- than take 30 minutes and go see the young hot guy who pops my spine and manupilates my body in all sorts of odd positions, leaving me breathless and relaxed. Damn, I just talked myself into making an appoinment with him!


Change of diet... I've kinda been tweaking my daily grindage here and there to incorporate more good stuff. Well, if you count the Big Mac I ate today (and the fries and the sweet tea) as good stuff. Truly though, less vino for me (I'm down to my last 1/4 of a glass- goodbye for a while old friend), more fresh fruits and veggies, and a mix of high protein and low fat meat and dairy items. What's prompted the change you ask? Well, it's complicated. The most simple answer I can give at this time is that I need to treat my body more like a temple and less like the city dump. 'Nuff said!


--The Milk Maid says Dole can suck it like a milkshake!

Mememememememe. Me.

I finally have internet again. Damn that stupid tornado and all it's hail! You may now put down your maps and flashlights and stop hunting for me. Oh- I kid, please miss me when I am gone. It gives me a reason to live belong!

Thanks Bitchy Becky from over yonder at Mommy Wants Vodka for tagging me for my 9-trillionth Meme.



The rules go something like this:1) Link to the person who tagged you. 2) Post the rules. 3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. 4) Tag at least three people. 5) Be sure the people you tagged KNOW you tagged them by commenting what you did.



Six (MORE) Random MeMe Facts:


1. I am very particular about how the sheets get tucked into the foot of the bed when I am putting on clean sheets. VERY. PARTICULAR. Like, so particular that no one besides me can ever do it right. Ever.



2. I used to always read the last page of a book before I read any thing else in the book. It was something to look forward to- see how all the events panned out. I think this quirk has turned me into some sort of super book/movie ending-guesser-sleuth. I figured out the endings to The Sixth Sense, The Others, and a whole other load of movies within the first few scenes. I have stopped reading the end of the book now, because- well... I might want to read the whole darn thing.



3. I would love to go to a nude beach! Not just topless, but completely nude. I'd be the one hiding in the dunes with the camera, mind you.



4. My fourth grade teacher told me something I've never forgotten... "Don't change for the world. Make the world change for you!". I've always tried to live by that saying.



5. I used to be very shy. I hear you giggling, stop it! I was very shy- to the point I wouldn't order for myself in a restaurant until I was 17 or 18! I still hate talking to people I don't know on the phone. It makes me break out in a cold sweat to order pizza over the phone. Yes, seriously!



6. I am out of meme's!

--The Milk Maid says she's too cool to tag

We're Not In Downtown Atlanta Any More, Toto

Gotta love this weather around the ATL as of late, huh? We got heavy rain, high wind, and tons of pea to golf ball size hail on Saturday (K, I'm so glad you got out of here when you did! I miss you, but you are much safer in TX!). I'd love to show you a bunch of photos of the hail and damage around here (which was pretty minimal) but the lightening- did I mention the lightning?- decided to zap my good computer, the monitor to this computer (everything is green and shades of purplish-white), my surround sound system, the HD-receiver in the bedroom and a few other things. Luckily, I think most everything is salvageable or repairable.

The scary part came after I had been looking outside the french doors into the back yard as the hail started coming down and I started walking away from the doors while telling Jef to get Ava to the basement. A huge boom-pop sound deafened me. Jef said he saw a flash of light from right outside, and I could feel static on my back. I had walked away inches from the spot from where the lightning had struck. That was way too close for comfort.

Today was my Med Term final exam- I made a rip-roaring 97! I'm glad to have a 2 week break between classes. I have lots of books to read (ahem- K- someone owes me a reading list!) and lots to do around the house.

Hope everyone is having a happy St. Patricks Day!

--The Milk Maid wonders how much food coloring it would take to make her have green breast milk!