Here I am...

Ok..so Here I am in Phoenix Arizona. How did I get here you ask? Well....a very long car ride got me here. I started out from the Outter Banks in NC (it was great there and I already miss the beach), and headed West on I40. I was able to stop along the way and see a friend of mine in Little Rock Arkansas...but other than that, the trip was basically L O N G.....

I'm here for work. That was an event in itself! I applied for and accepted two prior positions before they both fell through for various reasons and finally got a position with the same company that I had been working with in NC.

North Carolina....let me fill you in a little bit about Atlantic Beach. It's an awesome beach with some wonderful kind locals. I frequented the local coffee shop and became somewhat of a 'local' myself. Please realize that these 'locals' are all over 60 and retired, but it was still fun to talk with them and they really gave me a feeling of community, almost like family. The beach was a lot of fun for the summer, lots of people and activity on the beach. Then I moved onto the beach Labor Day weekend....and everything got quiet... No, not because I moved there but just because it was the end of the summer season. After Labor Day, the beach became more of a ghost town....even my local coffee shop changed their hours to close at NOON!! You know me...lucky if I get out of bed before NOON on most days. So, you can imagine...how lonley and bored I was. I will miss the beach but the lifestyle is not for me. I need a little more activity in my life.

Phoenix....WOW! What a huge difference!! I drove into Phoenix from Flagstaff...which is totally different than I ever expected. Flagstaff is actually mountainous and green and reminded me more of Colorado than I would have thought of Arizona. I decended the mountain into Phoenix and it became a lot more flat, but still remained quite greener than I imagined. There are palms, and grass (greener on lawns that are watered) and the weather has been beautiful... I have been here for three days and already feel like I'm 'home'. I haven't met any of my neighbors as of yet but I have met more people in the community here so far than I met during my entire time at Atlantic Beach.

My first night here, I ventured over to the local Irish Pub (right across the street), Rosie McCafferty's. Here I met Mike, Marc and Gina...some really nice 'locals'. We talked and visited and they gave me their favorites in the area. They offered me a shot of Tequilla (I declined...ewwww). The bartender is Jay and he's a little slow on the refills but pretty nice to talk to and even nicer to look at!! ha ha My second night, I stayed at home and rested. Man, was I tired from the driving and unpacking (did I mention that I am on the third floor with NO elevator?) I could have used some help with packing all my stuff upstairs, but am really glad that I decided to change my packing from the large totes to the small 10gallon ones!! Much easier to haul upstairs!! Just a few more trips to take is all.... So, I have everything moved in (except for two cases that hold my scrapbooking stuff) and it feels like I've been here for months...except NO dust!! ha ha

On Thursday, I am going to meet with a local 'singles' group to go to a coffee shop and listen to some poetry. I think it will be interesting and something different for me. And at least I'll get to meet some more new people. On Friday, I am meeting a couple of other travel nurses for lunch. I've talked to them via email several times and it will be nice to meet them in person and share travel stories. One of them, Sharon worked at the hospital in New Albany at the same time that I was in New Albany doing home health....interesting that we never met, yet were working for the same hospital and in the same area. New Albany is home for her and considering that I lived in the area for 6 years, I'm sure we will have something to talk about.

Last night, I had dinner with a friend of a friend...Wes. He is friends with my old neighbors in Atlantic Beach. Barry and Mandy know him from Pensylvannia and forwarded him my email address when they found out that I was heading this way and didn't know anyone. Wes is a nice guy...kinda what I would call dull and geeky sortof...but we still had a good time. We went to Wally's for dinner and it was AWESOME!! Great food and great atmosphere. I let Wes talk me into having red wine....I'm usually a white drinker...and it was GREAT! I think maybe I'm converted!! ha ha

WOW...I have had more social activities in the last three days than I've had in the last three months!!! It's really nice to be in a more metropolitan area that actually has things to do for single people or people in general....think I'm going to chill and watch movies tonight.

I am waiting for my fingerprints to come back to start work at the Vetrans Hospital. Hopefully, I'll be working Monday...in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the area and scope the place out a little more. I finally broke down and bought a new digital camera....wish I had done it sooner!! So...watch out for lots of pictures to come!

bored

Wow...Three months and a complete assignment since I last posted. I'm still in Morehead City, NC right now with only two and a half weeks left on my assignment. The plan is to go to Phoenix, AZ next....

I extended my contract here with hopes of living on the beach and enjoying all that the beach has to offer.... Little did I know that after Labor Day, the beach is like a deserted Island!! There are many days when I am the only person on the beach within sight. Aco love it and has been able to run free of her leash and play in the sand and the water. She has been great! She listens a lot better now (although she still gets distracted easily).

I'm sitting at work right now and quite bored at the present time. I shouldn't complain, it's a nice break when it's quiet. I'm just looking forward to leaving here and moving into a new place with new people and new problems...yep...every place has them and I'm sure that Phoenix will not be any different than the many other places that I've been.

Trinity was here and just went home yesterday....I miss her already. She has been talking with me over the last year about living with me and we discussed it in depth during her visit. I thought that she had decided that she was moving after this school year then tonight...she called me (at work) to tell me that she thinks she is going to stay in Kendallville. I really just want her to be happy, and to make a decision. A lot will change if she chooses to come and live with me but change is good...right?

I haven't been home to visit for about two months and am not sure when I am going home again....dont really care to be there anymore. I would much rather have Trinity come to visit me although it doesn't always work out that she can and it gets rather expensive too. I dont know what it is about Kendallville but I just dont want to be there....

A lot has been happening:

Lisa and I dont talk any more...
Mom and I had a major fight....it's better now....
Mom bailed out Shane and he is living back home with Trae....
I have made a new friend 'Donna' and I think she is going to travel to Arizona with me...
I'm having second thoughts about being alone (as in 'no man in my life)....
Trinity is growing up and beginning to like 'boys'....
Corey is living in Corydon, still without a job or a drivers license....
Donnie is still in Jail and waiting to be transferred to a state facility....

Silence

Is is ever really silent? I'm sitting here at the computer working on MySpace and there are a hundred sounds around me. First, I hear the hummmm of the computer and the ticking of my fingers on the keyboard. I stop....and I hear the crickets chirping outside. Blocking those out...I hear the soft sounds of my daughter breathing as she sleeps in the next room. The crackle of the candle burning on the desk mixes with the crickets....almost loud...far from silent.

Summer

Summer on the beach in North Carolina....

Trinity and I have been enjoying the beach and we have both gotten a nice tan from the summer sun. We are having fun watching the surfers, and the sand-castle makers, and the general "beach-bum". It's been a good summer so far.

Trinity is leaving soon to go home for school. I'm going to miss having her here with me. We have been getting along great except for my occasional "time-for-my-medicine-outbursts"!! ha ha We visited Ft Macon, the aquarium, and found a great coffee shop right on the beach. It's going to be wierd here without her.

Corey is in Corydon with his buddies and I am finding that I miss him terribly!! I think he is doing ok. Still being the bum that he is...but I love him.

It's going to be different for me when Trinity leaves. I'll be alone for the first time EVER. I dont know if I'm going to like it or hate it. I've always had someone with me. I think that I am going to like being alone, but then again?? I still have the dogs to keep me company. I guess I just need to learn to be a little more outgoing. Maybe I'll find a local bar that I can go and have a drink at once in a while.

I'll try to keep you posted on the happenings here and how things are going with me being alone....maybe I can find a nice man to keep me company? Sounds like a good idea.....

When was the last time....??

I'm sitting at work minding my own business and one of the nurses asks "whats wrong?". I try to convince her (and myself) that nothing is wrong.... She probes a little and finally I come to the realization that I, yes, me . . . dont laugh. . .

Well, I guess that I'm feeling a little homesick.

When your patients start reminding you of people at home, you should know that there is a reason. I had a young man for a patient last night that reminded me so very much of my brother Donnie. I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him to make the right decision for once in his life...just like I would like to do with Donnie. Weird, I guess. He really bothered me...ended up leaving AMA and I tried at first to get him to stay and then I just "couldn't". I couldn't deal with it....he hit me way to close to home and I could barley talk to him, to convince him to stay for the needed treatment.

Then tonight I have a patient who is having some family problems. Fighting...yelling...cursing. The patient is depressed and feels like her family is taking things from her that are rightfully hers. She reminds me so much of my grandma. I can just see my uncle taking the same sort of advantage of grandma and it makes me so mad and so sad at the same time. I want to take matters into my own hands (like I would if it were grandma) and deal with all the idiot family members!!

Well, having written this, I guess that i feel a little better.

Interesting weather...

Well, I arrived in Scottsbluff with 70mph winds...for several days straight!! Then the weather turned great: sunny and warm (in the 80's). Over the weekend, we got 4 inches of SNOW!! Today it's great again...no wind...no snow...and high 70's!! The weather has been interesting. I can't remember the last time that I saw snow after Easter. Guess it's abnormal for this area too.

I have been taking the dogs to the dogpark as often as possible. They have made some new friends and I have too. I met the Chief of the Rural Fire Department, Ron. He is pretty nice and has two beagles. I met a "bounty hunter" Rodney, and his (cant remember the breed) large dog Rex. There are several others that we have met but I have only seen them once and you know how awful I am with names!! Ha Ha

Aco and I took a drive up Scotts Bluff and the view is amazing!! It was like driving up a giant sandcastle! The valley below is beautiful from that height and you can see forever! Aco has NO FEAR and was teetering right on the edge...I think if I had let her go she would have scaled the side down to the bottom!! I couldn't get too close...felt like the ground was moving! We went on the spur of the moment so I didnt have my camera with me. I'll get back there again before I leave and get some pictures....

Nothing else to report today...

Arrived in Scottsbluff Nebraska

I've left Norfolk and am now in Scottsbluff Nebraska. What the he## was I thinking when I accepted this contract? I'm in the middle of NOWHERE!!! The hospital is nice and so far, the staff seems reasonable. My apartment sucks! The furniture is from Goodwill and the "housewares" package that the company told me was here is miniscule. I've purchased a few things (like window treatments to keep spying eyes out) and the place is a little "homier" now. I have been in orientation three days this week and will be working the floor tomorrow and back on nights. Oh, how I love nights! I just cant stand getting up in the mornings....

The blufs here are beautiful and the sunset tonight was awesome. I'll try to get some pictures soon. The bluffs remind me of HUGE sandcastles! The weather has been horribly windy...gotta hold on to your hat here!! It's supposed to warm up this weekend and I'm hoping that means that the wind will go away also.

I found a dog-park here in town and have taken the dogs a couple of times. Hopefully when the weather clears a little we will be able to enjoy it a little more.

Not much else to report for now....

Mermaids all around Norfolk, VA

Ok, I realize that I haven't posted in something like four months. No excuse really, just haven't. Well...I'm back now!

I spent several months working in Cincinnati and met some great people. Imagine that...I meet wonderful people everywhere I've been. Marsha...love ya girl and let me know how things work out with the grandkids. Amy, where-ever you are or end up..good luck to you in your traveling and our paths will meet again.

So, where am I now? Portsmouth, Virginia. Not a great a place as you might imagine. Portsmouth is pretty run down and mostly ghetto. But Norfolk (norfik as the locals call it), right across the river is pretty nice.

I have signed up with an online dating service in hopes to enhance my social life and so far it's working out pretty good. I've actually only had one date from this but I have a couple others set up for the upcoming week so I'll let you know how things progress.

I'm working in one of the local Hospitals and so far it's ok. The hospital itself is a little in the "dark ages" still doing everything on paper and a little backwards in my opinion. But the patient load is good. Usually 5 or 6 patients to each nurse and a free Charge RN that actually does help you!

I dont have any recent pictures as my digital camera is broken and I haven't had the money to get it fixed or replaced yet. I hope to take care of this very soon. I'm dying here without being able to take any pictures!

Norfolk is full of mermaids!! Well, not real mermaids...did you think I lost my mind? They are actually artistic statues of mermaids. They are all over town! I dont know how many in total but they are all themed and named and have some cute stories behind them. Pretty cute, I think! I'm planning to go on a "mermaid hunt" at some point (hopefully with a camera in hand so I can capture the elusive creatures on film).

What else? Well, I have a second dog now. His name is Ridley and he is a Jack Russell/Greyhound mix...boy is he fast!! He is a little lover though. Loves to snuggle just as close as he can to you! I hope to get some pics of him soon too. He and Aco get along pretty good for the most part but sometimes...they drive me crazy!!

I think that's about all for now. I'll do better about keeping things updated.