Get it, with the post title? Because I'm in...well, never mind.
It's been a long hiatus, because I have been working hard on getting the new HOUSE, that we BOUGHT, and then stripping wallpaper, painting, moving in, geting the WORST COLD KNOWN TO MAN, getting better, starting resident orientation, having the husband show up, also with THE WORST COLD KNOWN TO MAN, and then (on the same day, of course) having his PARENTS show up. At our house. That is filled with boxes and random decorations like, on the floor, and on shelves, and piled on corners. And then my best friend, who I have known since high school, also flew in from Ohio. On the same day.
I should really be rewarded for the fact that I have not: a) said anything mean or hurtful to anyone, b) shouted "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, EVERYONE," and c) cried. Instead I have been quite the hostess, running the dishwasher and blotting up cat vomit with ease and grace. Really, it's been lovely.
Chris is starting to get over his cold, but it's hanging on to him for MUCH longer than it did me, so he keeps having coughing fits that just go on and on and on, combined with the hacking up of loogies and spitting of loogies into kleenex and trash cans. And, sadly, these most frequently occur in the middle of the night. While I am sleeping. This makes me unhappy. And cranky.
I'm going to start feeling better soon, I just know it. Maine is pretty, I am meeting interesting people, and on Friday I get to start the Intern Year, known to all as the year of fun and excitement, as well as enlightenment and personal growth. (Not.) I'm pretty terrified, especially because I haven't done anything with psychiatry since last April. So there's that, too.
But everyone will hear about all this in times to come. Next time, stories about why I will NEVER take wallpaper off of walls again (my mom is a genius with the patience of Mother Teresa and the looks of Grace Kelly and Jackie O combined, no SERIOUSLY) and about how I can walk for five minutes from my house and be on the beach.
And p.s., the cats say hi to everyone.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Kate wave
Look! Hey, look everyone! It's a real diploma! Wooo-oooo!
Yeah, I'm working on packing, I just wanted to take a little break and play around. I have a lot of photos that we took last weekend, but I uploaded them onto Dad's computer and now they are . . . in Staten Island. I might burn them to a CD and then bring them back that way.
One parting question--have you ever seen people take pictures at funerals? Well, not AT the funeral, but some of Fred's family was taking photos at the lunch afterwards. It was something interesting that I'd never seen before...
I'm going back to work now! I promise! Geez, you people.
Yeah, I'm working on packing, I just wanted to take a little break and play around. I have a lot of photos that we took last weekend, but I uploaded them onto Dad's computer and now they are . . . in Staten Island. I might burn them to a CD and then bring them back that way.
One parting question--have you ever seen people take pictures at funerals? Well, not AT the funeral, but some of Fred's family was taking photos at the lunch afterwards. It was something interesting that I'd never seen before...
I'm going back to work now! I promise! Geez, you people.
Forging Ahead
Fred's funeral was actually a relatively nice affair, as funerals go. My dad, who is a chaplain, conducted the service and managed to get through without crying. Me on the other hand . . . well, I'm a total girl, and let's leave it at that. It was nice to see my family again, especially the Wallendjack aunt, uncle, and one of the three cousins. We also saw Thomas Lally very briefly--he got into Penn for post-bac, woo-hoo! He is looking forward to joining the ranks of the sleep deprived residents, I can tell. So it was a good weekend, encompassing good food, a few too many drinks, and excellent company.
What it did NOT include was PACKING!!! for the MOVE!!! That is in 13 DAYS!!!!
Bad Katie. Bad, bad.
Since I am taking off again TOMORROW for New York, for the Yard Sale to End All Yard Sales, I'd better get cracking. I think the cats might help. Right, guys? Guys? Meow?
Also, in need of a new project that is more transportable than the sweater I am finishing (3 rows left, I hope!) I started Clapotis, from Knitty. I'm using Cascade 220 in a nice variegated yellow-and-green. I'm working it on bamboo needles, which are just so, so nice. I have a collection of hand-me-down metal needles that really end up hurting my hands after a while. And since, during our rheumatology lectures, the rheumatologist grabbed my fingers, squeezed 'em hard, and told me I was going to get arthritis . . . I'm going to do all I can to be nice to my hands.
Better go. The little orange cat wants a shoulder to ride on, and I've gotta get back to work.
What it did NOT include was PACKING!!! for the MOVE!!! That is in 13 DAYS!!!!
Bad Katie. Bad, bad.
Since I am taking off again TOMORROW for New York, for the Yard Sale to End All Yard Sales, I'd better get cracking. I think the cats might help. Right, guys? Guys? Meow?
Also, in need of a new project that is more transportable than the sweater I am finishing (3 rows left, I hope!) I started Clapotis, from Knitty. I'm using Cascade 220 in a nice variegated yellow-and-green. I'm working it on bamboo needles, which are just so, so nice. I have a collection of hand-me-down metal needles that really end up hurting my hands after a while. And since, during our rheumatology lectures, the rheumatologist grabbed my fingers, squeezed 'em hard, and told me I was going to get arthritis . . . I'm going to do all I can to be nice to my hands.
Better go. The little orange cat wants a shoulder to ride on, and I've gotta get back to work.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Packing, and sad
I finally aroused myself from a post-graduation stupor to obtain more packing supplies and start packing the house in earnest. We are going to be at mom and dad's for a few days and I wanted to get a jump on things, since closing is only TWO WEEKS AWAY! Holy cow, where did the time go? One minute I looked at a calendar stretching out before me, with closing in the great distance, and now....it's close. Too close.
Then I called my mom and found out that a close family friend had died. He has known my mom since she was a little girl, and in the last few years has been very close to my widowed grandmother. He was at my college graduation and at countless family holiday celebrations. He would always bring wonderful deviled eggs to parties, and my parents had a bottle of Bombay Sapphire in the freezer just for him. He and Grandma made a good pair, and they were so good for each other.
He had a stroke a few weeks ago, and horrifically laid on the floor of his kitchen for at least 24 hours until he was found. I saw him at the hospital, his right side completely paralyzed, but he smiled and kissed my cheek and seemed to recognize me. He'd recovered enough to make it to a nursing home, but after Grandma's visit last night (when she showed him photos from this last graduation . . . ) he started to have more trouble breathing, and this morning he died.
I'm sad for his family, for his kids, for my grandmother, and for his community. We have all lost a wonderful man, who has a terrific sense of humor and a smile or a kiss for everyone. The past few years I've felt like he was more my grandfather than any other I've ever had. But I am relieved that he is at peace, and will no longer suffer the indignities of a body that won't do what he wants, a body that leaves him victim to the tender mercies of others. He was too vital, such a full inhabitant of his life, to drag out through months or even years of slow rehab and loneliness, all too aware of what he has lost.
Goodbye, Fred. We will miss you and think of you always.
Then I called my mom and found out that a close family friend had died. He has known my mom since she was a little girl, and in the last few years has been very close to my widowed grandmother. He was at my college graduation and at countless family holiday celebrations. He would always bring wonderful deviled eggs to parties, and my parents had a bottle of Bombay Sapphire in the freezer just for him. He and Grandma made a good pair, and they were so good for each other.
He had a stroke a few weeks ago, and horrifically laid on the floor of his kitchen for at least 24 hours until he was found. I saw him at the hospital, his right side completely paralyzed, but he smiled and kissed my cheek and seemed to recognize me. He'd recovered enough to make it to a nursing home, but after Grandma's visit last night (when she showed him photos from this last graduation . . . ) he started to have more trouble breathing, and this morning he died.
I'm sad for his family, for his kids, for my grandmother, and for his community. We have all lost a wonderful man, who has a terrific sense of humor and a smile or a kiss for everyone. The past few years I've felt like he was more my grandfather than any other I've ever had. But I am relieved that he is at peace, and will no longer suffer the indignities of a body that won't do what he wants, a body that leaves him victim to the tender mercies of others. He was too vital, such a full inhabitant of his life, to drag out through months or even years of slow rehab and loneliness, all too aware of what he has lost.
Goodbye, Fred. We will miss you and think of you always.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Busted
He totally DID read it. And then he called me. Lame, lame, lame. But! I was actually PACKING as he called. I have a lot of the spare room done and now am getting ready to move on to the living room, or maybe the bedroom.
The cats are strutting around, enjoying all the boxes in the living room. They're very excited that their mommy has turned the whole entire living room into a place for cats to scratch! On the boxes!!! And it's near their food--it's like kitty heaven!
Well, that's what I keep trying to tell them. Then they just LOOK at me, and jump up onto the counters.
Bad, bad cats.
That is all.
The cats are strutting around, enjoying all the boxes in the living room. They're very excited that their mommy has turned the whole entire living room into a place for cats to scratch! On the boxes!!! And it's near their food--it's like kitty heaven!
Well, that's what I keep trying to tell them. Then they just LOOK at me, and jump up onto the counters.
Bad, bad cats.
That is all.
Procrastination is the enemy of . . . everyone
So I oughtta be packing the house right now. I have a beautiful multitude of cardboard boxes just waiting--nay, aching--to be taped up and filled with all of my posessions. We even have a calendar, people. With things to DO on it. For each DAY.
A week after we printed it out, I am already behind.
And the sad part is, I'm not really doing anything in particular. Checking around the net, reading a bunch of blogs, eating, checking Salon, filling my brand new iPod mini with random songs, drinking Diet Coke (now flavored with Splenda!) . . . and that's about all.
*sigh*. I just hope my husband doesn't read this. Otherwise I am in BIG trouble.
A week after we printed it out, I am already behind.
And the sad part is, I'm not really doing anything in particular. Checking around the net, reading a bunch of blogs, eating, checking Salon, filling my brand new iPod mini with random songs, drinking Diet Coke (now flavored with Splenda!) . . . and that's about all.
*sigh*. I just hope my husband doesn't read this. Otherwise I am in BIG trouble.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Class of 2005
It was raining, but we were all smiling--even Gina, who had given birth to beautiful Andrew only eight days before; even Sarah, who was worried about being "homeless" between her lease ending and her house purchase; even "the boys," who were certainly hung over; and even and especially Bruce, whose last graduation this might be.
It was a beautiful, tearful day. And wholly unbelieveable.
All the medical students. All doctors at last.
It was a beautiful, tearful day. And wholly unbelieveable.
All the medical students. All doctors at last.
Graduation 2005
This is what happens when you have a bunch of loving people come and see the culmination of four years of work, sweat, tears, vomit, and Diet Coke. One person dresses up in a funny hat and gets strangled by a velvet cape thingy, and people kneel in praise. Sounds good, doesn't it?
If only it didn't cost $130,000 to get there.
If only it didn't cost $130,000 to get there.
Let the games begin!
If I am going to READ blogs all the time, and if my HUSBAND has a blog, and perhaps even my CATS secretly have a blog, then I guess I should have a blog as well.
Today is the first whole day of my life as a Medical Doctor. Funny, you don't LOOK like a doctor... but the nifty parchment paper says otherwise.
The next five years, I will be an indentured servant to Major Medical Center's psych department. Allow me to express my excitement at that prospect.
I may knit once in a while as well.
That is all.
Today is the first whole day of my life as a Medical Doctor. Funny, you don't LOOK like a doctor... but the nifty parchment paper says otherwise.
The next five years, I will be an indentured servant to Major Medical Center's psych department. Allow me to express my excitement at that prospect.
I may knit once in a while as well.
That is all.
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