Knitting is an art, not a science.....

I don't think my knitted vest will make it to the catwalk in Paris but I do think it's one step up from the $1 items at the hospice store so I'm keeping it in my closet and might even venture wearing it occasionally!!!
It's not like everything matched up nicely but with some creativity and some extra yarn I made it work!!! A colleague at work prevented me from turning the seams into keloid scars, so as long as you don't look too closely, it seems like a nice piece of clothing.... ;-)!!!

Giving thanks....

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. The fact I obviously didn't grow up celebrating this holiday doesn't take anything away from it; Reflecting and being grateful AND great food.... how wonderful!
I couldn't be more thankful for all the people that have crossed my path over the years and all the events that shaped my life to this date.... I love the life I'm able to lead!!!!

We went to Barb and Art's for great -and colorful- dinner...



and wonderful company, including Magic and Gulliver ;-)...



Doug guarding the famous 'plaza diner apple pie' with his life...

Hospital folk

It's not everyday you meet...

- a 90 year old woman with sky blue nail polish, with purple tips.
- a little old lady that invites you to their 100th birthday party to be held in 8 years.
- a hospital chaplain in cowboy boots.
- an MD rounding in shorts when it's 20 degrees and snowing outside.
- a 22 year old who just -proudly I might add- sustained his 25th fracture in a motor cross accident.
- lots of people dressed in the same-one-size-fits-none (hospital) gown.
- a patient who gives a detailed description of the mating habits of alpaca's to the MD's on rounds - seriously!!!
- a older gentleman stating very convincingly that he is perfect (I am nobody - nobody is perfect - so I am perfect!).

Those are the highlights of my job..... Well that and riding my bike to work ;-).... !!! There are definitely times where I feel I'm really helping people, even if it's just a little. Knowing that some patient or family is better off for me having crossed their path is a great thing.....
But on the other hand there are days where I feel like all I do is help spin the crazy wheel of the US health care system, pushing papers from one desk to the other, checking boxes and performing plenty of evaluations of people who would have NEVER been referred to Physical Therapy in any country with a healthier health care system....
Even after 19 years in the field, I love the core of my profession but I feel that core is taking up less and less space and the surrounding layers of paperwork, insurance demands, time constraints and financial incentives for somebody along the chain, have become the number one priority.

After living and working inside the bubble of pediatric PT for many years, it has been good to see what adult hospital based care is like. Where my career will go in the next decade, I'm still not really sure of but I guess I'm looking forward to finding out!!!

King Doug and Queen Tinne

That's what we googled the other night (don't ask me why, I'm sure we had a perfectly sane reason to do so ;-)!)
No results for King Doug ;-(, but I found this neat article about "Miss Tinne", an explorer who lived in the mid 1800's (http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=Alexandrine_Tinne_2006) and just really had to put it on my blog!!!

"Alexandrine Petronella Francina Tinne's story deserves to be heard, not simply because she was a female explorer in the arduous African desert during an age where such a thing was generally unheard of, but because she embodied what it is to be brave, with a heart full of adventure and a yearning to bring knowledge of regions unknown to the rest of the world ... not as man or as a woman... but as a fearless explorer of the highest caliber.
None rises higher in my estimation than the Dutch lady, Miss Tinne, who after the severest domestic afflictions, nobly persevered in the teeth of every difficulty." - Dr. Livingstone, explorer and missionary

I like my namesake a lot; I'm not quite that adventurous but loved reading the article!

Knitting

I was looking for something productive to do during the cold winter nights in the months ahead... and I've decided to take up knitting! I'm starting with a very easy project that has a decent chance of being successful. Hopefully it will inspire me to knit more (hat or scarf anyone?).
It has been more than 20 years since I've knitted anything but I hope my motor memory will just take over and my little vest will be finished in no time!!! Maybe I'll be wearing it soon but I admit there is a fair chance it will end up at the Salvation Army....

No, this is not a hiking website... ;-)!

But, here we go again.... I couldn't imagine ever getting bored of hiking and I hope you won't get bored of reading about it or looking at pictures of yet another one.... We hiked up Raven's Ridge and down the ski area yesterday. The only downside was that there was no napping in the wet snow!!!!

Some hiking "specials"

Really?


Moon-like...


Are you sure we don't need snow shoes?


Our hiking companions ;-)


SF Baldy behind us



On the way down from the mountain....

White snow instead of white sand

This time last year, I was spending quite a bit of time in "White Sands National Park"; gorgeous wind shaped dunes of fine sand, resembling snow. Looking at the accumulation of snow close to the ridge where the wind had full play, this looked quite similar (but felt MUCH different!!). Not to mention the fact that I wasn't wearing my infamous Doc Marten sandals and shorts but hiking boots, gaiters and long underwear!!!