This is me wondering if Russell's attachment to old articles of clothing is his way at getting back at me for something.

Case in point. Shoe

This is Otis wondering why I am on the ground taking a picture of Russell's shoe.

I wrote a letter to Bride and told her that we were all listing our top 10 Beatles faves. She jumped right in on the action - I swear I've never gotten a letter back from her so quickly. Here they are:

1. Blackbird

2. All My Loving

3. Can't Buy Me Love

4. Strawberry Fields

5. I Wanna Hold Your Hand

6. Got to Get You Into My Life

7. I Will

8. Obladi Oblada

9. I'll Get You

10. It Won't Be Long

She also included a list of 6 runners up and added the stipulation that the list may change at any time, especially upon her returning home. FYI.

I know you were looking for another shot of me at the library yesterday. Sorry. I've been at the library, I was just actually studying last time. Here's some new stuff:

1. The actually ID'd a wimp gene. Like, you feel pain differently that other people. More of it. Interesting, no?

2. Adolescent mental health is probably more than I can handle. Adults can remove themselves from unhealthy situations at home. Kids can't. Otherwise, I could be a psych nurse.

3. I got my spot in the ICU at the VA. I'll be there in November. I am so nervous. Every time I think about it I get all jittery.

4. I've been thinking about blogging a journal reflection once a week. I keep going back and forth. First I said forget it, no one will want to read it. Then I figured I wouldn't be forcing anyone to read it. I'm still on the fence.

5. My neighbor's baby is home from NICU.

6. If a patient presents with symptoms of a possible MI, you give morphine to reduce anxiety.

You know that part on Big Daddy when the kid is finally asleep and Adam Sandler is trying to chew as quietly as possible so he doesn't wake him up? That is me right now except I'm on the silent floor at the library and I'm trying to finish my cheetos and greek pita wrap - both crunchy and loud to eat. Do you think the other "silent floor" patrons are swearing at me in their heads?
(Someone took my usual "quiet floor" seat. Jerk.)

Do I look bored? I am. I rode my bike to school today and I don't want to go home yet because it's bloody hot out there. I'm at the library and I do have homework to do but I was thinking about reading this book instead.

P.S. I applied for graduation last week...

So, it is back to school time and I am looking for a couple new things to add to the old wardrobe and I am seriously considering white jeans. One problem. In the back of my head I keep thinking, "what if this is like one of those 80's fashion trends that you look back at pictures and think 'why did I ever subject myself to that' and you totally regret it." So maybe buy them and make sure no one gets a picture of me in them?

We have company.

Real triceratops fossils at the Museum of Science.

I think it's a kids museum but we were well entertained.

We made it to Harvard Square (via the subway) and on to the Museum of Natural History.
This is Russell acting scared over this giant sloth skeleton. Hilarious, no?

We went to Brown's that night. I had fried lobster and Russ had fried clams and scallops. This place has a BYOB policy.

Russell & Cm on Hampton Beach.

Me attempting a cartwheel on Hampton Beach.

Excellent times.

The tall ships were in Boston this weekend. This is the best picture I managed but there were others a lot bigger.

In the Public Garden. At the swan boats. Just for Mom.

We saw the Make Way for Ducklings statues, too but there were a bunch of strangers kids all sitting on them and stuff.

Good ol' George Washington, also the Public Garden.

Obviously I didn't quite sneak a picture in before we ate the scrumtrulescent Mike's pastries.

We packed a lot in on this particular day. We saw Boston Harbor, went to the aquarium, saw Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. I didn't take as many pictures as I probably should have - I was worried I would run out of battery before I made it to the Public Garden for the swan boat pictures. The only thing - someone (cough **Mom** cough) should have warned me that Mike's Pastry was going to be such a madhouse...

Yesterday was the cookout day. We had a total blast hanging out with family. It felt just like home playing with all those kids. In fact I was having such a good time that I didn't manage to get very many pictures at all. All the pictures from my camera that day were taken by someone other than me. I wish I would have made everyone gather 'round...

Thursday night at Fenway Park.

A picture of us at Fenway (real proof we were there)

Russell enjoying a delicious Fenway Frank - there was a sign in the concourse that said sold everywhere except New York.

And take-out from Jade East. Totally lived up to the hype.

We're staying with cousin Cm. This is her house. Isn't it pretty much the cutest house you've ever seen? Isn't that porch to die for?

Museum of Fine Arts

The view of the Green Monster from our sweet seats on the 3rd baseline.

After fewer than 24 hours in Boston we had been to the Museum of Fine Arts and a Sox game at Fenway. I think we're going to be able to fit everything in...

Day 1: A plane ride. Boise to O'Hare was torture. The plane was so little. Russell said I'm as bad a little kid. I was a little restless...

I was hoping to meet up with a friend in Salmon this weekend. It didn't work out but Russell and I still managed to get a night of camping in. We were in the Frank Church River of No Return corridor. Doesn't that sound totally awesome?! It's not freaky like it sounds. Otis growling all night was a little freaky though.

On our way out the door our neighbor gave us a dozen 4th of July cupcakes. I am not willing to confirm whether we still have any in the house. If the picture isn't a good enough indication, we have enjoyed them.

Do you know about Russell's excellent fire building skills? Seriously. They are excellent. Also, my boots. Excellent.
Otis waits by the tent for bedtime. Every time. Man, he is such a city slicker.
We planned on camping another night but ended up heading back early, so for lunch today we had our tin foil dinners.
We had a fun 4th of July weekend. Hope you had fun, too.

These things are totally pointless. That is, unless you are grossed out by the idea of your butt cheeks touching where someone else's butt cheeks touched, in that case they have a point. Really though they don't protect you from anything. And yet, if the public bathroom I'm accessing (only in a seriously desperate situation, trust me) has them, I use them. Hmm.

Let me explain why I started thinking about this. I just read this article about whether it's really necessary to stop using paper towels to save the planet and the author said that she found more information on the impact of toilet paper on the environment than paper towels. I won't take you down my trail of thought at this point because, really, it just gets gross.

Anyway, toilet seat covers. Completely pointless. Trust me on this - someday I'm going to be a nurse.

p.s. it's the summer. I am working all the time (what's all this full time baloney?) and I have nothing to blog about. sorry.

I have been reading apartment therapy's kitchn blog and it has made me want two things:
1. a clean kitchen ALL the time
2. to eat outside
I'm working on the kitchen thing (sort of) and now that I scored this awesome craigslist find I'm working on the eating outside thing too. I've been wanting to get a picnic table for a while and I've been shopping around a little bit. This one is all taken apart and it's a total wreck but it was free and the lady we got it from said it was from St Anthony's seminary in Santa Barbara. Cool, huh? If it were up to me, we would paint it, put it together and eat outside already. But I needed Russell's help picking it up so now he's going to make me sand it all down and stain it and everything. I think he's just looking for an excuse to buy a few new woodworking tools.

I think most of the people that read this blog are familiar with Russell's propensity to hang on to articles of clothing. Please do not be so silly as to think that socks are not included in the category "articles of clothing." They most certainly are. I give you Exhibit A:

I can't believe I haven't showed you this yet. Did I happen to mention that Russell totally broke a rib at ninja practice? I didn't really think it was broken until I noticed this. The deformity. It was weird actually, because I was just learning about how bones rebuild themselves. This would be an excellent example of a callus. I will be sending this little picture to my teacher - she loves the really exaggerated examples.

Russell has been a much more willing subject as far as the camera is concerned. I've got another good one of him for later this week - one that includes his face.

Today is National Ride Your Bike to Work Day (or something like that). I rode mine. How about you?

I want this.

Russell's birthday, maybe?

I was reading this little article and it made me think about my fridge and how mine is different from my Mom's and how it's different from Russell's Mom's. Before I knew it I was thinking about every fridge I've ever seen (instead of thinking about beta blockers and anticonvulsive meds for my final in, lets see, 5 hours) and then I was thinking I wonder what so and so's fridge looks like. Indulge me, will you? 

Something happened to me when I came into my own house that I never would have guessed that I would care about someday. I want the perfect yard. 

One time, I think I might have been in high school, my Dad rounded us up and announced that it was Saturday, aka chore day, and we would be pulling the weeds. I only have a specific memory of having to do this job once, twice at the most (once in the back, once in the front - could've been the same day) but that memory is burned on my brain. It was THE most torturous chore EVER. The sweltering Las Vegas heat, the rocks, my brothers fighting the whole time, the smell. I swear to you I can remember the smell of those weeds. 

Anyway, yesterday Russell mowed the front yard and it looked pretty good. But not great. We have rocks between the edge of our yard and the street, and the weeds, well, they grow like weeds. Stupid dandelions. I don't know what came over me. I started pulling and I was on a roll. Neighbors came and went, Russell even went to his ninja class and came back - I was still out there going crazy on these weeds. And I didn't stop with the rocks. I was all over the place. My yard looks immaculate. 

But I still haven't started on that final project that's due tomorrow. I get so much done when I'm avoiding doing something else. 

P.S. This summer, I will have the perfect yard. 

What do you think? Everyone that I know that has these Dansko clogs swears by them. One catch. They're kind of ugly, huh? But they are sort of more professional than sneakers. Another thing (I guess there is more than one catch). They're like, $120. Should I get them? I need help deciding. Just decide for me. Okay? Okay.

I have a hard time starting things, therefore, when faced with an interruption, a difficult time re-starting things. When I know I have something that needs to get done, I wait and wait preoccupying myself with the things that could possibly interrupt me. 

I have a paper to write. You know what I just did? Cleaned my wedding ring and painted my fingernails. Because if I am in the middle of a paragraph and I notice that my wedding ring is dirty or my fingernails are not very shiny, it's over. 

What do I have to do to get someone to medicate me for this? 

Tonight I saw someone's coccyx, their tailbone, through a tunneling ulcer. I saw a bone. Through a wound. And that's not even the messed up thing - I stayed late to see it. Maybe I'll be a wound care nurse...

Officially, I am hanging my "summer" banner in the hopes that doing so might make it hurry up and get here already. Are you listening to me? I am ready to skip over Spring! It's overrated. So variable. Will it rain? Won't it rain? It's hovering right around freezing it could actually be snow. Forget it. Summer? I'm ready for you.


Wish me luck with these raspberries. If I get enough of them, I am going to make black raspberry ice cream - my all time favorite flavor. (I hope I get enough)

This is what we managed to get done this weekend (the list was quite a bit longer). The plan is to start these seeds inside (check) and transplant them once we can be sure we won't have to suffer another freak snow day. Did I already complain to you about the snow on Friday? At least it didn't stick. It could be worse. Does it sound like I'm trying to convince myself? You might be right.

Hugh Jackman is hot and I will go to the movies for him. So he can make a lot of money. So he can make more movies. So I can go to the movies again. To see him. Plus, you know, it's good for the economy. 

Today was an interesting day at the hospital. I took care of someone who was on hospice care at home. When he had some significant alterations in his mental status, his family freaked out a little and called 911. And they brought him to the hospital. And we started a bunch of aggressive medical interventions. Remember when I said he was on hospice? Anyway, it was an interesting day. 

I came straight home and put on my favorite tennis skirt because I have a match tonight at 5:30. Wish me luck.