My Not-So-Secret Diary

Berry Springs Park near Georgetown, TX

2011-05-08T09:15:00.018-05:00

My husband and I enjoyed yesterday at Berry Springs Park. We went down a path that was a bit more than two miles and afterwards enjoyed a nice picnic lunch. Along the way, we saw many animals and even a snake. It was a harmless little green rough snake. (Even so, I freaked out at the first sight of it.)

See more photos from our day with animals at Cronografias .

Just me rambling again. :)

2011-04-27T13:18:00.004-05:00

I have had to spend more time in bed lately due to some skin issues. Most paralyzed people in general have pressure sores from time to time. Something as simple as a wrinkle in your jeans can cause a skin irritation that turns into a wound. I will always have wound issues from time to time as my doctor told me years ago. It is frustrating to me but something I just have to deal with and try to work around. I have been spending a lot of time in bed and it seems to be helping. I am trying to heal as much as I can before flying to visit my family in Alabama on May 14th for two weeks.

I have enjoying sewing with a little handheld sewing machine. I have crocheted a little but just have not really been extremely crafty lately. I do not know why. I have a lot of ideas in my head but just have not been working much on anything besides thinking of ideas and then putting off doing them. I am sure my inspiration will come back and I will be back at it soon. One takes spells with these things sometimes.

Armando got me a netbook and I love it! It is portable and so I have decided to devote a little time each week to blogging again.

The patio garden has done well so far. The petunias are doing fine except for a few snail bitten leaves. The snail seems happy in the soil so I cannot bring myself to relocate it. Let it live and be happy and if it takes a few of the leaves for feasting that is okay.

The only seeds that are doing well out of the ones I planted are the basil and parsley. I keep watering the catnip and the rosemary but I have only seen a few sprouts come up then they seem to die off. I am happy with the petunias, parsley, and basil though. I will continue watering the catnip and rosemary in case it decides to show itself one day! There are so many mosquitoes this time of year. I have to put my all natural mosquito spray on just to water my plants every day or I will get eat up! I keep forgetting to buy citronella candles.

There were tornadoes in Alabama last night. My Aunt and Uncle had a lot of damage but they are okay thank goodness! They had been working so hard on their land and getting ready for a family gathering on May 22nd but today they could not even get out of their driveway, they had no power and their water lines got damaged too. I am glad that my Dad and other family all went over today and started helping them clear the trees and working with chainsaws.

Petunias

2011-03-28T08:29:00.006-05:00

We planted petunias, rosemary, basil, parsley, and catnip in pots on our patio.

I love watching things grow!

Basil seedlings

2011-03-28T08:24:00.004-05:00

Our basil is coming up!

Update

2011-03-17T19:54:00.002-05:00

Home Life:
Life has been going well for us. I like our cozy apartment. We enjoy going outdoors and are glad this city has so many nice parks and outdoor areas. Spring is fast approaching. I have planted some petunias on our patio. I like raising the shades and seeing the sun shine through and glancing over at the bright flowers in the daytime. I plan to plant some herbs out there too this weekend. Our cats have both being doing well. They always keep us entertained and both have such different personalities that life is always interesting with them around. I call them my "coworkers" since I work from home and they are often in my lap as I type or nearby. We just celebrated our 4-year wedding anniversary and it still amazes me every day that I have such a wonderful and loving husband by my side. I feel blessed.

Work:
I have two accounts right now, a neurology and GI account. They are both interesting. The neurology account doctor is leaving at the end of this month so I will be back to one account again. I was just getting the hang of that account and able to do it quickly too! I continue to try to learn and build my skills and improve myself. I have noticed a considerable difference in my speed. I also am now more comfortable and can actually handle my workload better than at first. Most days I can get my work completed by the time Armando gets home from work which is great! (Of course, the finishing time is dependent on what time the files come, so some days it does not work that way.)

Crafts:
I have just started learning how to embroider. Joanne was a great teacher and inspired me to give it a try. I really like it so far, although I have only done two projects. I will show photos of those later as soon as I get them ironed and presentable. I also have several photos of some projects that I have done since last posting that I will get updated before too long.

Cooking:
I have been enjoying being creative in the kitchen. I have always enjoyed cooking. Breakfast and lunch are usually very quick and easy meals now that I am working. I drink coffee in the morning and eat a toasted sandwich usually for breakfast as I proofread my files before turning them in. We are trying to eat healthier with more fresh vegetables and salads.

How have you been and what have you been up to lately? :)

Until soon!
Michelle

New Job!

2011-01-21T13:10:00.001-06:00

I started a new job at the end of December. I am thankful to have a job where I can gain some experience and work from home. I have a very nice and encouraging boss and that means a lot to me. I am looking forward to growing and improving my skills and speed.

I set several goals for this year. I hope I can stay organized and get a lot accomplished this upcoming year.

We have been sick since last weekend. I am starting to feel better now but Armando has a bad cold. Poor thing. I hope he feels better soon!

I have worked on several crafty projects but I cannot show you them until later. They are gifts and I do not want to ruin the surprise since both people read this blog sometimes.

Pictures to follow at a later date! :)

-Michelle

Cthulhu amigurumi

2010-12-29T14:25:00.008-06:00

For Armando :)

Austin, a city full of birds.

2010-12-12T07:56:00.002-06:00

I wish I had aimed a little bit lower when taking this photo to capture more of the trees covered with birds too. I often joke with Armando that I need to carry a bag of birdseed in my purse because birds seem to be everywhere here. I do not think I have ever lived in a city with this many birds before. It is a good thing we both love birdies! :)

Thank You Planet Shoes!

2010-12-12T07:01:00.006-06:00

I entered a contest by Planet Shoes for a chance to win a pair of Jambu shoes. I have been looking at these shoes in the store for quite some time and had them on my wish list to buy in the future. I could not believe that I actually won them!

The shoes came packaged so neatly and in a nice box with a precut hole that can later be used to store ribbon. I was surprised at how quickly I received the shoes too.

Thank you so much for the beautiful shoes Planet shoes. I have been enjoying them. The shoes are comfortable and they stay on securely when I transfer from my wheelchair to the car. :)

I noticed the other day that Planet shoes has a weekly giveaway.

If you would like to enter the weekly giveaway click below or visit their website at Planet shoes.

Planet Shoes Weekly Giveaway

-Michelle

Magazine Christmas trees

2010-12-02T14:34:00.006-06:00

I like projects that recycle.

I made this little christmas tree using a sales paper.

It just takes 3 folds for each piece of paper.

Instructions HERE .

Zilker Botanical Garden

2010-11-21T13:23:00.006-06:00

I took this photo in the rose garden on Saturday.

Sunflowers from Armando

2010-11-16T15:20:00.005-06:00

They are my favorite flowers.

Crochet wrist warmers

2010-11-15T21:42:00.006-06:00

Both wrist warmers showing the thumb holes.

I made these wrist warmers from a pattern at Attic 24’s blog.

I modified her pattern a bit. Mine are very simple and done only in one color without the border. I just wanted something to keep my hands off my wheelchair rims that get very cold in the winter. Now that I have made one pair, I would like to make more. Next time I will use cotton thread so they are more washer friendly and add more colors and maybe a border too.

They are very easy to make. Here is a basic explanation of how I made mine. You can go to Attic 24 and use her instructions if mine are too confusing.

Basic idea of how it is done. You will crochet single crochet enough chains to snugly fit around your hand and wrist. Then you half double crochet until you get the rectangle the length you want it. The rectangle you will then fold in half to fit snugly around your hand and wrist. After folding, you sew up the side leaving a space for your thumb opening. Then you go back and single crochet around the thumb opening. You can also add a border edging. I did not. I kept mine very simple and basic. It was my first time ever making any wrist warmers.

These were the stitches it took to fit my hand. I single crocheted 26. Then I half double crocheted and chained 2 at the end and turned. I did that for 14 rows. Afterwards, I sewed up the edge and measured each to have a thumb opening. Then I single crocheted around my thumb openings.

You will need to measure your own hand and find how many single crochets you need to start with and continue from there.

Good luck!

Michelle

Long time no see!

2010-11-08T12:57:00.010-06:00

I am back after a very long absence from blogging. It appears that blogger has added new layouts and has fancied things up quite a bit since I have been gone. I like all the new features and options.

Since the last time I blogged several things have happened. I completed my studies and earned my Medical Transcription certificate. Right now I am studying and preparing for the Registered Medical Transcription exam. I visited home in Alabama for a month with my family after completing my final examination. It was great to spend time with my whole family and a nice break. I also got to travel to south Alabama and visit my childhood best friend! My husband got changed from night shift to day shift. We love that. He has a very good schedule at work and we can even go out in the evenings and do a few things before bedtime.

I have been trying to work on unfinished craft projects in the evenings. I still have several projects to finish including a pillow for my Dad and some flower hair accessories for several of my friends daughters. I also want to make a winter scarf for my blog giveaway.

I finally finished my husband's Cthulhu hat. He is a big H.P. Lovecraft fan and Cthulhu is a fictional entity from his book "The Call of Cthulhu".

It is not the best photograph but you at least get an idea of what it looks like. It was fun to make.

I am going to try to blog more regularly now. I have missed blogging.

I met Joanne from the Jonesy gets Crafty blog and we have started getting together sometimes on Saturdays and crafting. She is very creative, talented at embroidery, and makes the cutest items. She sells her items on Etsy (a link is on her blog to her Etsy) and at a store here in Austin called Moxie. Check her out sometimes. She makes the cutest baby onesies, bibs, and a variety of other items.

In my next entry I will show you some simple crochet wristers (or fingerless gloves) that I made and explain how easy they are to make. I found the instructions on another blog which I will link to as well when I show them.

Quickie Craft

2010-04-20T11:01:00.001-05:00

I took a few moments last night and made a little bird feeder for our patio. The projects is great for recycling and it was cheap to make. I got the crochet twine-like material from a flea market and the little green bowl from a thrift store for 99 cents.

I used the instructions from HERE, but I modified the straps to make it more stable.

I added straps using chain stitch and attached them across forming a triangular shape to make it more stable. Imagine a circle (which is your bowl) and looking from the top down your straps form this shape /\ over your bowl.

Time to meet the finish line.

2010-03-13T22:35:00.001-06:00

I am trying to really work hard and have set a goal for myself to finish this course as soon as possible. That means I need to study every day, including weekends. If all goes according to plan, I will finish with the last reports in approximately one month and a week. Then, I can begin studying for the final. (Oh, I do hope I make a good grade on that!)

Also, I really hope that I can find a position in this line of work. I think it can be hard to find work when you do not have experience. That is always a hard one. Isn’t it? How do you get experience when you cannot get hired without experience? Let us hope I can find a company who hires newbies and who is not a stickler on foot pedals and will allow me to use hot keys and software controls. Since foot pedals and paraplegics do not really get along for obvious reasons. LOL

This course has taken me longer than I imagined it would. I had a lot of health problems since I enrolled. Also, there were a lot more reports than I first thought there were when I signed up. It is okay though. It gives you a lot of needed experience. I have never given up, even though sometimes I was concerned about my slow pace.

I have a very supportive husband who thankfully has paid for extensions on my classes when I have needed it. That has meant a lot to me. Also, I have had some very supportive family, friends, and study buddies.

I have had several study buddies since being enrolled in Career Step and I only have one left who is actively enrolled in the program at this time. All of the rest dropped out of the course!

If I am a little less vocal on my blog right now please understand that I will be back chatting away soon! I will still pop in and say hi from time to time over this next month, but I may not be posting as frequently since I will be typing away for many hours and transcribing reports.

I have not forgotten about the giveaway and that is still going to happen, as soon as I get my projects completed. ;)

Cranes and fish at Asahi Imports

2010-03-03T18:10:00.001-06:00

Sewing

2010-03-03T18:06:00.001-06:00

Threads magazine has a new video series out.

Teach Yourself To Sew

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/teach-yourself-to-sew

I need some help with my sewing skills.

Chile Earthquake

2010-02-28T00:44:00.001-06:00

Armando’s family lives in Santiago, Chile. Today was a nervous time for Armando and I as we awaited news from his family. Thank goodness his family and what friends we were able to contact, are okay. They awoke in the early hours of the morning scared with a big force and movement. The communication was unstable for many hours. Some areas still have basic services not working.

Sadly, many areas were affected with some damage to roads, homes, injuries and loss of life. In the coastal areas a tsunami followed the earthquake. More information will be available later, as they make their way to review the full damage.

The earthquake measured 8.8 on the Richter scale and was stronger than the earthquake they had in 1985.

Watch local tv for Chile here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tv-de-chile

If you are looking for a family member in Chile, check here:

http://chilepersonfinder.appspot.com/

My thoughts are with all those involved. Please keep Chile in your thoughts and prayers.

Easy Italian Sausage Pie

2010-02-25T19:44:00.001-06:00

Makes 8 servings

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes

Bake at 375F for 1 hour, 15 minutes

1 pound mild Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 eggs
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated ready-to-roll pie crusts
1 egg beaten lightly with 1 tablespoon water

1. Heat oven to 375F. Place sausage in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes, until browned on all sides.
2. In a large bowl, combine sausage, 5 eggs, spinach, mozzarella cheese, ricotta, shallot, pepper, garlic powder and salt. Line a 9-inch pie plate with 1 of the pie crusts. Spoon in the sausage-and-spinach mixture. Top with the remaining pie crust; seal and crimp edges. Poke a few holes in the center of the pie crust and brush with the egg-water mixture.
3. Bake at 375F for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

From: Family Circle Magazine - November 1, 2009

NOTE: I USED MORE RICOTTA CHEESE. I JUST MIXED RICOTTA CHEESE IN UNTIL THE MIXTURE WAS AS CREAMY AS I WANTED IT.

Enjoy!

(The picture of this is in the post below.)

Dinner Tonight

2010-02-23T22:21:00.005-06:00

I tried a new recipe tonight. I made Italian Sausage Pie. We both enjoyed it along with wine.

I had Barefoot White Zinfandel from California and Armando had a 2005 Marques de Caceres red wine from Spain.

If anybody wants the recipe just let me know and I will be happy to post it or you can email me at blog at msloyola.com.

I won! I won!

2010-02-16T22:25:00.005-06:00

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was when I checked my email and saw that I had won one of the items in the OWOH giveaway!

I won it from Joe and Bethany. Check out their blog It's a Wonderful Life here:

http://www.joeandbethany.blogspot.com/

I have never won a giveaway before. That is why I awoke Armando with screams of excitement. LOL But he loves me so it was okay. :p

I won a pencil drawing one subject portrait by a wonderful artist!

See Joe Everson's beautiful artwork by going to:

http://www.joesstudio.blogspot.com/ or http://www.joeeverson.com/

I also love to draw with pencil but have not done it in quite a while.

Thank you a lot Joe and Bethany for your very generous giveaway.

http://www.joeandbethany.blogspot.com/

If you haven't ever entered an online giveaway, you should try. It is a lot of fun. I think they do twitter giveaways too, but I have never tried those before.

Update

2010-02-16T00:31:00.004-06:00

I have a new desktop computer now. It has Windows 7 and is running much smoother than my notebook was previously. My notebook seemed to crash/freeze quite often at the most inconvenient times. (Not that there ever really is a convenient time for a computer crash/freeze).

Just as I was getting geared up to write a blog entry tonight and add several pictures using my faithful blogging tool I realized that I did not have that program configured on this machine. I will configure and set it up another night though.

Did you have a good Valentine's Day? I had a great time. My husband brought me some very pretty flowers. (See them in the picture above.) He treated me to a little shopping spree at a place I had wanted to go to since he showed it to me. At night we came home and watched a movie and had sushi and wine. It was so very windy and cold that day that we decided to not go to the movie theater and wanted to just be comfy at our apartment.

I just feel so blessed to have such a loving husband and I am happy that we just enjoy being together and goofing off and being our silly selves. It is refreshing to always know you have someone who will laugh at your jokes and even put up with you singing silly songs that stick in your head and who joins in with you and sings the silly songs too! :P Now that is true love, right?

I have been feeling very crafty lately. Well, I always feel crafty, but so many websites and blogs and other people's beautiful creations are inspiring me. I have found a lot of cute patterns online lately and before too long this new computer hard drive might be busting at the seams with craft patterns and ideas. (Just kidding... sortof)

I have a few projects going now. I am in the process of making a wrap for myself and a crochet shopping bag since we prefer to bring our own when we can. I also am making another little crochet craft that I found the pattern online, but I will not say what it is right now, because I may put it as a giveaway item.

I am still trying to figure out what I want to craft for my blog giveaway. More than likely it will be something that I crochet. Although it could be something else handmade too. I want to make the giveaway enjoyable for both a man or woman to enter, since I have several male and female blogging friends. But, the giveaway is also open to anyone new to reading this blog as well. Anyone can enter!

I will be thinking about it. Feel free to offer some suggestions too of what you might enjoy winning. Thank you! :)

Too late, but still will do.

2010-02-08T18:37:00.001-06:00

I wanted to particpate in the One world One Heart giveaway but sadly, I was a bit too late to find out about it. I have always wanted to do a giveaway on my blog. So, stay tuned. I am going to make some things and be offering a giveaway soon! :)

New books and a fun necklace!

2010-02-08T00:15:00.001-06:00

I dropped by Half Price Books today and got these :

I have seen the movie, but I have heard the books are even better.

Those 2 should keep my fingers busy for a while.

I also just purchased this altered necklace. I really like it. :)

Mayfield Garden

2010-02-01T22:29:00.001-06:00

Mira! A peacock. :)

Armando took this photo of me photographing the peacock.

Reflections in the water taken via my cell phone’s camera.

Completely unrelated, and a blurred photo, but I have new eyeglasses!

Here is me trying them on. It is extremely confusing to pick new eyeglasses out.

I cannot seem to pull off too many colors in eyeglasses. Believe me, I tried. (hehe) But, some looked terribly bad.

I could not get used to seeing myself in more square lenses at first.

In the end, I decided to get away from my safety zone of plain old silver eyeglasses.

I went with purple eyeglasses. :)

Doily completed

2010-02-01T19:57:00.001-06:00

I made this doily design up. It is the second doily I ever crocheted. I started this while my Mom was not well, as a way to keep my mind busy.

Now she is much better and I am thankful. I will mail it to her soon. Her favorite color is yellow, hence, well… it is yellow. :)

The Journey

2010-01-30T03:30:00.001-06:00

Bit by bit, you conquer each step.

The pathway seems completely uphill.

Sometimes movement is full of grace and ease.

Other times you push your determined soul onward.

Full of fervor and good intent all the way.

Worthwhile is the effort made today.

For tomorrow you see you’ve reached the plateau.

Settling into Austin

2010-01-07T01:14:00.001-06:00

The last several days were quite busy. After a 14 hour drive we arrived safely . Since we traveled at night the traffic was better. My Mom and Dad brought me to my new home in a van so I could bring our things with us. The cats did very well on the trip thanks to the medicine I got from the Vetrinarian. They seem to be accepting our new home well. They have claimed our walk-in closet as their sleeping place.

My parents stayed a few days and helped us get settled. Armando took us to the Alamo Drafthouse Theater which was a lot of fun. We went to see Avatar in 3D. Avatar was a great movie. If you have not seen it, you should go and treat yourself to it. My Mom had never seen a 3D movie. Mom, Dad, and I had never been in a theater which serves food as you watch the movie. I had a BBQ brisket sandwich and potato wedges. It was delicious. I like that theater.

One day we also went to the Half-Price Bookstore and I bought a kitchen herb book so hopefully later I can make a little herb garden on our patio. I also got a Nicholas Gunn CD. They have really good prices there and a big selection. I got the herb book for $2.00 and the CD for $5.98.

We have things in boxes still to unpack but I am sure we will work our way through things with time.

I need to start studying the roads of this city on a map to familiarize myself. Austin is quite big. I am pretty confused right now when we go places. All I know for sure is that we live by IBM. LOL

This is a very nice city with a lot of fun places to explore. I have seen by the river and it is beautiful and there are also some very nice walking areas.

Many people jog here all over the city. (I think I need to get more in shape.) Our apartment offers us a free gym so I think I will check it out one day and see if they have some weights or something for upper body exercises. I have high hopes that this year Armando and I can get involved and exercise more .

I am trying to keep the same schedule as Armando keeps so we do not conflict with each other. He sleeps 8 hours in the day so that he can work the night shift. So, I sleep when he does and wake up and study while he is at work. I tried to stay up all night the night before last but I just could not do it. I was still tired from the move and everything I have been doing lately. But I am staying awake tonight so hopefully with time I will adjust.

I will share pictures with you when I explore the city more.

The sun’s aftermath

2009-12-13T21:38:00.001-06:00

Tonight I started a new facial cleansing routine. I made the silly decision years ago to lay out in the sun (on purpose) to try to get a beautiful (in fashion) golden tan. I have fair skin. The outcome was one that I have regretted for years. I did not get that golden tan.

I remember at that time that my face became very red, I had blisters, and was literally sick with fever and chills. My skin suffered the damage and my forehead, since that time has had dry skin. Even when I put moisturizers on it, it seems it can never get enough moisture.

Never since that time have I intentionally laid out in the sun. It is awful for the skin and damages it even if you do not notice it straight away.

I am trying a product called “CeraVe” hydrating cleanser. I followed that with Avon’s rich moisture face cream. CeraVe is dermatologist recommended for dry skin and several dry skin related conditions. I will let you know what results I have with this routine. I am hopeful for good results.

I hope somebody reads my post and if nothing else, it helps save them from the mistake of damaging their own skin.

A Medical Transcriptionist Christmas Poem

2009-12-09T12:37:00.001-06:00

An MT Christmas poem

‘Twas the night before Christmas

And in MT town

Tired MTs were longing

To lay their keys down.

Their earphones were hung

On their skull caps with care.

In hopes that new words

Wouldn’t bring them despair.

Some in their sweatpants

And some in their tights

Had just settled down

For a long evening’s type.

When over their headsets

The sounds were so jumbled

They couldn’t quite make out

The words that were mumbled.

They hit the fast forward

Reverse, stop, and slow

Trying to make out

The message below.

They checked in their Dorland’s,

Drug books and spellers,

Some called class buddies

Or even asked their fellers.

If they had an inkling

Of what the tape said

Or why someone was trying

To mess with their head.

When no one could answer

They listened less quick

And suddenly knew

The “doc” was St. Nick.

Now he spoke very plainly

Since they needed to hear

For his message was urgent

As Christmas drew near.

It was quite simple

No long words to spell

Dictated but heartfelt

And clear as a bell.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Best wishes and cheer

And thanks from Doc Santa

For your hard work all year.

Crossroads

2009-11-30T20:31:00.001-06:00

Ave Maria Grotto 2008 Cullman, Alabama

18 years I have lived in this place. It is the longest time that I have ever lived anywhere. This state has offered me many great moments. You know every place has its own special beauty. I am happy that I had the chance to live here so long. I think it enriched me as a person.

Perhaps the thing I liked the most about Alabama was living in a rural setting and feeling free to just exhale without that crowded feeling that one often gets inside the city. Feeling fine to sit on the porch all day if I desired (with coffee cup in hand) and not feeling guilty about happily listening to the birds and the crickets. The pace is slower here. I am sure I will have to remind myself to slow down and remember to take notice of those simple pleasures no matter where I live.

I am looking forward and imagining the rich experiences that await me in my new home. I am also quite excited to join my husband whom I have missed for many months now. We must carve out our niche and find special places to explore and enjoy there. We need this. We need to be together and have a fresh start. We are very blessed to have a place and a job and such opportunities.

Come January, I will pack up my cats, some things and head to Texas… where everything is bigger.

I am ready!

Flower

2009-11-29T10:17:00.001-06:00

A crochet flower

From the “Crochet Inspiration” book by Sasha Kagan.

Chochi on my lap

2009-11-19T13:22:00.001-06:00

Life is too short not to treasure the small precious moments (like this) together.

Today’s Trek at Lake Guntersville

2009-11-15T20:07:00.001-06:00

Cookie

2009-11-14T21:11:00.005-06:00

Cookie in a basket on a shelf on my computer table. While this was not my original intention for the basket; I cannot bring myself to use it now.

Cookie and Chochi take turns resting there and find it perfect for daytime napping.

Getting Closer

2009-11-06T22:40:00.001-06:00

What is left of my studies.

72% Clinic Notes
9%    Enhancing Productivity
1%    Basic Acute Care
0%    Advanced Acute Care
27% Final Exam Preparation

It seems my blogging has slowed to a creep lately.

Here is a small summary of what I have been up to lately.

Brief hospitalization, but I am all better now! :)
Monday – Friday 8.5 hours of transcribing medical reports. (This goes well with the exception of the dictations containing speed talkers, loud noises that are of a higher frequency than the doctor’s voice, and foreign accents which my ears are unaccustomed to hearing. Spanish, Indian, and British accents are fine. Australian really is difficult and I never knew I had a problem with Australian accents before now.)
Online/Phone time with Armando when time allows, especially on Sundays, which is both of our off day.
4 day visit with Armando which was heaven, but way too short for the both of us.
Applying for a job in TX.
Sorting through our things and packing stuff up.
Daily spoiling of our cats.

That is pretty much it. See why I have not been blogging?

I have summed up about 3 months in one entry. :p

-M.

Test

2009-11-02T22:07:00.001-06:00

Historic Home

2009-08-12T19:22:00.005-05:00

(Click to see it larger)

A beautiful historic home in Guntersville, Alabama.

I have passed by this home for years.

Only today did I stop to photograph it.

Color scheme?

2009-07-31T19:03:00.003-05:00

I recently figured out an easy and simple way to check out a color scheme for crochet projects beforehand with using the Paint program.

I did not draw with much care. I just wanted to see how the colors looked together. Here is the color scheme I plan to use for the Granny square blanket I am making.

Crochet Turtle

2009-07-31T18:54:00.004-05:00

I recently finished this tiny turtle for Armando's Amigurumi collection.

You can find the pattern on the Lion Brand Yarn website.

Improvement YAY!

2009-07-27T21:08:00.006-05:00

I am happy to report that Mom has improved a lot. She is still having problems with her memory and confusion at times.

In our family therapy appointment today she was given some more memory tests. This showed that Mom is having trouble with her short term memory and analysis. She did well with synthesis but analysis was very hard for her. I asked the therapist if I could look up some games or exercises for short term memory and analysis to help Mom improve and she said yes. She also told me an exercise we can do to help with analysis. The therapist is very good. She tries to help Mom, Dad and I find new ways to do things and that is so helpful.

This therapist has seen Mom from the beginning and when she was hospitalized. Today she said how happy she was to see Mom improving more. She admitted that when Mom was in the hospital how she was really concerned for us because she was afraid that Mom would not improve and that with her condition at that time, that we would have not been able to keep her at home.

I feel so blessed to have Mom improving and doing better. Will she return to the way she was before all of this happened? We do not know at this time. What is hopeful is that Mom is learning new ways to cope and do things with her condition as it is now and I am proud of her.

I see some light shining at the end of the tunnel.

Photo taken by me in Chile -2008

Self- Reminder for Later

2009-07-11T22:27:00.002-05:00

Try this recipe:

http://www.yumsugar.com/843158

Baked Potato Soup.

Yum

Has anybody ever made this recipe before?
If so, Does it taste as good as it looks?

Terrarium ideas

2009-07-03T21:16:00.004-05:00

The other weekend I found a terrarium/tabletop planter for $5.00. I was very happy because I have thought about making a terrarium for quite a while now. The terrarium I bought looks similar to the picture above but mine has more detailing on the sides.

I found a few websites with information on how to make terrariums.

This one is cute, a terrarium in a jar:

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/03/craft_project_mason_jar_terrar.html

Great How to's here for all kinds of terrariums:

http://www.stormthecastle.com/terrarium/index.htm

My absence

2009-06-14T01:40:00.003-05:00

Please forgive my absence recently. I may not be posting as much as normal for a while.

My Mom is not well and has a rapid onset of dementia. I have always been very close with my Mom. This diagnosis and what we will have to face is one of the hardest things that I have ever been through in my life. It is a cruel brain disorder that robs the family and the person with it of so much. Mom is only sixty years old.

Dad and I are the main caretakers of Mom right now. Eventually, I will be moving to Texas where my husband has been working for many weeks now.

Right now, I am here trying to get quality time with Mom while I can and she recognizes me and help support Dad too. I am still not well from my past surgeries and was overdoing it at first when Mom was in the hospital twice so I am trying to help but doing a two hours up and two hours in bed rotation all day.

Mom has started forgetting me and my sister's names and it has only been three weeks. She is very confused. It is heartbreaking but I have to try to be strong.

I am very thankful that I have a supportive husband and wonderful friends who have allowed me to talk when I was upset and cry with them as I am trying to cope with this. Thank you for listening and being here. It has helped me more than you can ever know.

Etsy Store & Such

2009-04-27T20:54:00.004-05:00

I just opened an etsy store to sell some of my handmade items. I plan to add more stock in the future, including crochet cat toys.

You can visit my store through the link at the right of my blog.

If you have any recommendations or comments about my store or items, please feel free to let me know!

I am still healing from surgery. I can sit up a little in the day but it amazes me how fast I get tired after being in the bed so many weeks after these past few surgeries.

This weekend I went out and enjoyed the weather and had so much fun but I laid down upon returning home and crashed immediately and slept until late evening. I could not believe how tired I got. When I woke up from my nap, my face, neck, hands and arms had big red itchy spots/whelps. I am having major allergy issues and don't know for sure what is causing the rash. I took a benadryl and it helped the itching.

I also went to my Aunt's house and saw her flowers (after the benadryl) that she had planted in her yard. I threatened to steal some of her snowballs from her bush for a flower arrangement but I did not because it was dark by the time I left. They were very pretty with big white blooms. I saw a frog in my Aunt's grass and I could not remember when the last time was that I had seen a frog just hopping around.

That reminds me that I need to replant some of my succulents that have seeding and started new shoots.

My husband is in Austin, Texas now. I miss him but am hoping things work out well there.

I am just trying to make myself stay in bed until everything heals and then I can go full force again.

I hope you have a good week.
Enjoy the Spring!

Spring Flowers

2009-04-13T20:18:00.002-05:00

IMGP5790, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

I meant to upload these photos for Easter. ( I forgot. ) I took these photos April 4th while Armando was doing an Easter photo shoot with children.

More Bunnies

2009-04-13T20:16:00.005-05:00

Bunnies, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

Spring Flowers

2009-04-13T20:16:00.004-05:00

IMGP5762, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

Bunnies

2009-04-13T20:15:00.002-05:00

Bunnies, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

Bunnies & Flowers

2009-04-13T19:47:00.002-05:00

I took these pictures the weekend before my surgery and meant to post them for Easter.

Oh well. Here they are, either way. :)

Strawberries, Etc.

2009-03-29T22:40:00.002-05:00

This evening we had company over for dinner. My day was full of cooking fun in the kitchen.

I started my day with ham, scrambled eggs, and biscuits. I ended it with angel food cake, sliced strawberries, and cool whip topping.

I will crochet in bed with some TV time before I sleep. Crochet usually relaxes me.

I have several projects going at the same time (as usual). I completed the black scarf with flowers and made a white baby hat with a small rose. I re-started a hat that I had previously worked on before Christmas. It needs some adjustments and I am trying to make it the right size. I hope it works because I find the stitch very pretty. If it works, I am going to give it to my Mom. I need to get my booty into gear and work on some Christmas projects before time sneaks up on me again.

On April 6th I will have surgery again. It is to try to heal from the last surgery which did not work out as planned. I hope this surgery works. By the time pretty weather arrives, I want to be healed and ready to enjoy it. It is a day surgery so that is good. I prefer being home when I am recovering if at all possible. At least at home I have my books, crochet thread, and my favorite blanket. :)

Work in Progress #3

2009-03-22T19:11:00.002-05:00

Seashells Scarf, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

Seashells Scarf

Free pattern
http://mylittlecitygirl.com/?p=2633

Work in Progress #2

2009-03-22T19:10:00.003-05:00

Scarf, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

Black scarf with flowers

Here is the pattern for the flowers:

Round 1: In Color A, ch 9, sl st in first ch to form ring, ch 3, 2 dc in ring, *ch 6, sl st sideways in last dc made, 3 dc in ring; repeat from * 4 times, ch 6, sl st in last dc, sl st in third ch of ch-3. Fasten off.

Round 2: Attach Color B in any center dc of any 3-dc group, * work 11 dc sts into ch-6 loop, sl st in center dc of next 3-dc group; repeat from * 5 times. Sl st in st where yarn was attached. Fasten off.

If you want to sew the motifs together, sew top edge stitches of petals together.

Work in Progress #1

2009-03-22T19:08:00.002-05:00

Granny Blanket, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

The granny square blanket

Dos años

2009-03-15T17:02:00.004-05:00

Today we have been married two years. :)

Spanish Learning Ideas

2009-03-13T15:46:00.002-05:00

Here is a free list compiled by many of the "Notes in Spanish" members.

It is filled with Spanish Learning Ideas to help you improve your Spanish.

You can download the PDF by going HERE

Cathedral Caverns in Woodville, AL

2009-03-05T20:51:00.002-06:00

We visited Cathedral Caverns in Woodville, Alabama today. We had
a great time! The good thing about this cave is that it has a walkway
all the way through it so it is wheelchair accessible which is unique.
It is beautiful and worth visiting!

You can see the website by clicking HERE

Miss. Domino

2009-03-03T23:43:00.001-06:00

A picture taken in the wooded area behind our home by Armando.
Miss. Domino is recovering very well after her surgery.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T19:58:00.003-06:00

I hope you have had a good Valentine’s Day and that you were able to share it with your loved one. If you are single, I hope you were able to do something special for yourself this holiday.

I like all holidays and love baking, decorating for holidays, and doing fun and thoughtful things but my holiday celebrating does not usually revolve around spending large sums of money. I like to do little things that come from the heart. I do get annoyed with all the pressure to buy/spend money. I do not need diamonds, jewelry, or anything expensive to make me feel loved during Valentine’s Day or other holidays. Pull me some flowers from the yard or just spend time with me. I will be happy. : )

I did not sleep at all last night. I spent most of the night downloading/trying software and trying to find a workable solution to save and keep my important reference materials from class.

I tried many free pdf programs before settling on Cute PDF writer because of its ease of use.

Here are a few of the programs/services that I tried and my ratings of either “Way Cool” or “Not So Much”.

Google notebook – Not So Much

It messed up the formatting on the information I was trying to save.

Microsoft Office One Note – Way Cool!

Great System for organizing notes!

Google Documents – Way Cool!

Nice solution for saving documents (supports several different formats) and sharing as well as backing up your documents online.

Windows Live SkyDrive – Waaaaaaaaay Cool!

25 GB of storage space with the capability to share using the Public Folder option.

Crafting update:

The Granny Square blanket:

I have three colors on the granny square afghan so far. The center square is red, then orange and yellow around that. I changed my plan and have now decided to use many different colors on this afghan instead of just going with red, yellow and orange. I will try and get some pictures later of my progress to show you.

Project 2: Amigurumi "Cookie" Creation

This is going to sound funny but anyhow...

I am using features from two different amigurumi patterns and taking different things from each. The patterns are from the book called "Tiny Yarn Animals - Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy by Tamie Snow". I am trying to make a cat Amigurumi stuffed animal that looks like our cat Cookie. (or at least I hope it resembles her in some tiny way when I am finished. Time will tell LOL) So far I have half of the head made.

That is all I can think of to say right now so I will be back later. ;)

Lada dada dee - Lada dada day

2009-02-09T20:35:00.004-06:00

Miss Domino's x-ray

Our cat Miss Domino is our oldest cat. We named her that because she is black and white. She came to our house one day many years ago and adopted us as her family. We asked around but nobody seems to know who she belonged to. Miss. Domino is at the veterinarian. We did not know that in her life (before coming to us) she had a broken leg and an operation with two metal pins put in her leg. She got a sore and it was not healing so Armando took her to get checked. The x-rays quickly revealed what the problem was. One of her pins had dislodged itself and was protruding outward. It was bothering her and that is what caused the sore. Tomorrow she will have surgery for removal of the one pin.

Yesterday I went to breathe some fresh air. To say it was glorious would be an understatement. The skies were a beautiful blue with the clouds made of cotton, or so it appeared to my eyes. The past few days have brought spring-like weather, a nice reprieve from the winter coolness. To think that I have permission to sit up a little at this time is a gift to boost my spirits unlike any other!

My incision seems to be holding together pretty well. The last appointment the doctor said he would leave the stitches in two more weeks. I have had some superficial separations but I think it will all heal with time. I just need to take it slow which is hard for me to do sometimes. I like to go full-force.

Yesterday I made Armando French toast. I miss cooking for us a lot.

As far as studies go, I have made my way to Focus on Medical Specialties. I have completed the Cardiology, Gastroenterology and Neurology sections. Now I am studying OB-GYN Obstetrics and Gynecology. Next will be the Mid-term test.

I hope you have a good week!

Cookie

2009-02-02T01:30:00.001-06:00

Cookie, originally uploaded by alabamagal.

test #2

Paper Flowers

2009-02-02T01:27:00.002-06:00

Flowers
Originally uploaded by alabamagal

Testing

Hi

2009-02-02T00:27:00.002-06:00

My blog seems to be a blend of my life, cats and crafts. I like sharing crafts and looking at other people's crafts online. Sometimes I just need a place to release and talk about things that are on my mind. They can be a mixture of feelings depending on what is going on in my life so just hang in there with me. If I seem negative at times it is just me trying to cope with something and releasing it so I can move on. I try to share all sides of myself but sometimes I am not the best at writing it down!

Another subject that I have been trying to be more open about is paralysis and health. Two friends of mine had mentioned before to me that they wished I would speak more about that so I have been. Life is made up of ups and downs and yes, sometimes being in a wheelchair or the complications that go along with it can be challenging. I find that most of the time I am just fine and just go about trying to live my life like everybody else. I do not really focus on the wheelchair except when I need to. Like when I cannot fit it somewhere etc. I am not the typical person in the wheelchair because I have had other health problems since I was thirteen years old and did not become paralyzed until I was fifteen years old. Those other issues mostly involve my back and create more challenges but little by little I find ways to move past them. Necessity is the Mother of invention!

Ok, now onto my recent crafting project. :)

I have been working on a granny square blanket since I had surgery. I am doing it in bright colors, red, orange and yellow. It is easy to do in bed since I am doing it as one big granny square and in rounds versus doing a lot of little granny squares and then joining them.

If you look back over my past blog entries you will see that I lost pictures with my entries. I lost them because I cancelled my hosting service and beforehand I did not think of them being casualties. Now you can only reach this blog by alabamagal.blogspot.com

Alabamagal.com is no longer a valid address for me. Sorry about all that.

I have been watching tv & movies, reading, sleeping , studying and crocheting a lot since the 19th. I am so ready to heal and get back to my normal routine. I have forgotten how to be a good patient! I am trying though. ;)

I may have gained some pounds after all this with inactivity, bedrest, and frequent bowls of chocolate icecream. :P

Stitched up

2009-01-27T20:23:00.002-06:00

I had some complications over the weekend. I've been lying in bed being careful & first one stitch broke and seperated, then I awoke Monday with the incision opened more and more stitches not holding. Not good.

On the way to the doc office another area opened.

The doc injected medicine to numb and stitched me up again.

The problem is I have scars and he had to stitch to them so it did not hold well. I am laying to one side now and trying not to move around much. I want this to heal well and I am nervous for the stitches to not hold.

I have had a lot of surgeries before but never had this happen. You just never know.

I've been up and down emotionally but trying to keep positive and be patient.

Armando is so good to me. I really appreciate him for sticking by me through all this!

Thank you to all my friends who have checked on me and left messages. It has meant a lot to me.

I'm home!

2009-01-22T23:31:00.002-06:00

All went very well with my surgery and I came home yesterday. I only had to stay in the hospital two days. I know it was not that long but when they said I may get to go home I clung to that thought. I did not even have my IV out yet and I was ready to get dressed for home. :)

I need to be careful with my back ( the incision is pretty big, up and down my back). I must keep the pressure off that area so for now I am on bed rest mostly and cannot lay on my back, just my left and right side.

I will be back to normal in several weeks time.

I am so happy that I had a consultation for a new wheelchair while in the hospital which I have needed for over a year now. It will take several months to start the insurance process over and get approval again since the last company dropped the ball. I feel relieved because without proper seating and pressure relief this surgery would have been for nothing in the long term.

So, all is looking up!

When I get the new wheelchair I will take a picture of it to show you because you have heard me babbling on for so long in frustration over it.

Armando has been the BEST through all of this. I am so lucky to have him.I feel bad for being more dependent now during recovery and he just calms me and tells me to relax and helps me through.

What have you been up to the last few days?

Operation # ??

2009-01-18T16:20:00.001-06:00

Honestly, I have lost count of how many surgeries that I have had. At least I am not a newbie so I know what to expect. (But is that a positive, I ask myself?) I should be in the hospital only a few days if all goes well.

I have to be there at 9 a.m. tomorrow and the surgery is not until sometime after that. I wish I had been the first case so I could zip in and zip out before the nervousness sets in. But it is not to be. One strange thing is that I have not even spoken with an anesthesiologist yet. I guess I speak to him/her the morning of surgery.

I got a good book to read and a brain teaser puzzle book. Armando arrived home and will be here for my surgery which is a big comfort to me.

Have a good several days and I will be back shortly! ;)

Just me chit-chatting

2009-01-15T18:48:00.004-06:00

Armando arrived to Austin, Texas safely. I am glad that we can be in contact while he is there. We are so attached to one another.

I am not quite sure if I am having surgery on Monday yet or not. I will have a CAT scan tomorrow to see if all is clear there. If that comes out clear then I will be having the surgery. If not, I must postpone the back surgery and have another procedure first.

The last few days have been cold here. Today the day looked so pretty but the cold air would cut right through you.

Beloved Pets

2009-01-09T15:28:00.001-06:00

Our little four-legged critters are very much part of our lives. We try to spoil them as much as possible because you have to cherish the time you have together. Sadly, two of our cats have parted ways recently.

Our cat Macaruchi was run over by a car. He was very intelligent, extremely lovable and will be missed. He liked to help me scrapbook or would help me “arrange” my papers. Macaruchi is brother to Pumpkin Muffin. Pumpkin Muffin is Mundo Nuevo and Fluffy’s Daddy. We will miss his sweet presence.

Armando and Macaruchi

Chochi’s kitten Mundo Nuevo also came up missing. She is Fluffy’s brother. Her and her brother stay inside mostly but sometimes outside. Armando put her and her brother out on the porch the other night and in the morning the brother was there but no Mundo Nuevo. We called and have searched everywhere for two days and no sign of her. It is very sad but I hope whatever happened to her that she did not suffer. I guess I must accept the fact that she is gone from us also… but it still hurts.

Fluffy on the left and Mundo Nuevo on the right.

Armando has a job interview in another state next week. I hope all goes well. If he gets the job we will be moving to Texas.

I will be having surgery on January 19^th. The wound is not healing and it has been nearly a year so I am having a procedure to hopefully help me.

Easy Swedish Apple Pie

2009-01-08T18:41:00.001-06:00

I baked this pie tonight and served it with vanilla ice cream on top.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Swedish-Apple-Pie/Detail.aspx

Yum!

Palm Centro & Other Thingamajiggies

2008-12-21T01:51:00.001-06:00

Armando and I upgraded to a Palm Centro Smart phone recently. It is so nice to have phone and palm organizer in one instead of having to charge my Palm Zire and the cell phone.

I have not tried the online features yet but Armando has tried the facebook feature and posted a picture and it worked well. I will try and check out the blogger features on here later and options to see if I can post pictures from the phone here. That will be very fun for when we go places so I can share things with you.

I do not think I told you but I recently sold my handicap van. I was so thankful because I had it up for sale for a long time and I did not use that van. We use the car mostly because gas was very high and I never felt comfortable driving that big van.

My sister and her family are coming down on Christmas Eve. I am so excited!

I am still having wound issues. Two wounds are trying to heal and one was not progressing. I am trying to get used to changing positions every two hours but it is difficult. I am not used to doing that. I started taking a lot of different vitamins recently and Omega 3’s and my appetite has picked up lately which I hope will help the one heal. Armando said it is looking better. I do not want the wound to stay around much longer because the longer I have it, the more chance there is for an infection.

Classes are going well. I did some transcribing in the Pharmacology section. I am beginning to realize how difficult it is to train your ears to hear a doctor racing through a Medication list. What makes it challenging is that I am not yet familiar with the medication names. I am sure that will change as I get more in the habit of hearing the medicines.

Have a great rest of the weekend! It is early morning and I am not sleepy so I thought I would update my blog.

Recent Projects – Part 3

2008-12-18T11:41:00.001-06:00

Kitty cat mp3 player case

Recent Projects - Part 2

2008-12-16T00:14:00.001-06:00

I made the brown teddy bear on the left for my nephew’s Christmas gift.

I am almost finished with Pharmacology in class. Next is Building The Medical Record.

I have been staying busy with the usual things and then making Christmas gifts. I hope next year to start in January and have my gifts finished by Christmas.

Crochet Projects

2008-12-13T18:56:00.001-06:00

I said quite a while back that I would show pictures of a few projects that I have been working on. I will share a few pictures over the next few days with you.

For starters, Here is the first doily that I have ever made. It is a small one.

I cannot believe it is less than two weeks until Christmas!

Lately

2008-11-18T21:29:00.001-06:00

Those of you who follow my blog may remember a post from the past with me mentioning that somebody had left me beautiful sunflowers and a watermelon on my porch. I did not who had done such a sweet thing. I found out tonight. It was my friend Lupi. She came to visit. I invited her and her two children to eat dinner with us. It was cooking as they arrived and almost ready. It was a good chance to practice speaking Spanish since she is Mexican.

I made Beef Stroganoff for our dinner. It was a new recipe I tried and I liked it. My sister gave it to me. Get the recipe HERE

I have had a busy last couple of days. Saturday we went for a wedding photography consultation in Birmingham. Afterward we had lunch with my sister and her family. We went to their house and visited a while. She made us delicious coffee and chocolates. The kids were adorable and had grown so much!

My driver’s license expired last month without me realizing it. I went yesterday and renewed them. The lady in the office was yawning constantly and making me feel like yawning. I just knew my driver’s license photograph was going to be of me with a big yawn!

Let me tell you about some shoes that are light as a feather! They sell men and women shoes. They can be a bit pricey but if you find them on sale or clearance, even better. Armando bought me a pair yesterday and I love them. They are so comfortable and have sheepskin inside.

Look for Patagonia HERE

I am a slacker for two days in a row. I have not studied but I plan to study the rest of the week to make up for it.

Today I attended a Webinar (like a web seminar) called CMT / RMT: Steps to Credentialing. It was very interesting and explained the tests and credentialing process for becoming a Certified or Registered Medical Transcriptionist. The Registered Medical Transcriptionist must re-test every three years whereas The Certified Medical Transcriptionist re-certifies each year with Continued Education credits. It was good to find out more details about how that works.

I have been drinking a Holiday Hot Tea that I got the other day with honey in it. It is really good. It has become my new favorite evening drink but the sad thing is that it is limited edition so I better enjoy it while it lasts. :)

Saturday is my cousin Katrina’s baby shower in a city about 2 hours away. My Mom and I had fun shopping for her and getting to pick out such cute little bitty baby things. I plan to give her a set of my little animal crochet pacifier holders as a gift.

My Aunt lives in California near where the fires are and she told my Mom that the ashes made it look like snow coming down. I feel so much for the people going through the fires. Send your positive thoughts to Medico Musings and all others directly in or near the fires there.

Kite flying

2008-11-12T16:02:00.001-06:00

It has been grey, cold and windy for a few days here.

Great weather for flying a kite, which is exactly what we did today.

It is a great way to brighten up a grey sky!

A picture of our kite in the air.

Time for Change

2008-11-04T19:26:00.001-06:00

I finally did it. I voted for the first time today ever! I have thought about doing it for a while but did not do it until this year. I was so nervous filling out the ballot though. When it was completed, I had my “I voted” sticker on my chest and a smile.

It takes time to overcome long standing reasons of why you are not taking action. My parents did not vote that I ever recall. One day you wake up and think, but I am not my parents! How many people were tortured for this privilege that I am not exercising? If I do not let my voice be heard then I have no right to complain later.

No matter who wins this race, I feel good because I made a change for the better by voting.

Aaahh Weekends!

2008-10-25T22:28:00.001-05:00

It is nice to relax on weekends. I slept in and it felt great.

I went to the Dollar Tree which was fun. I got some warm socks and snack food (Tropical trail mix, cashews and banana chips) and wrapping paper.

There is going to be a power outage tonight in our city from 11 p.m. for several hours while they work on some transformers. Since we are night owls we are going to another city to the movie theater to watch a scary late night movie. I am having a better tolerance level for scary movies now. I can handle a lot more than before meeting Armando. He loves scary movies!

I have not been able to read blogs as often lately since I have been studying. I am sorry for that. I miss reading your blogs but I have a lot of material that I need to cover and absorb well in class so most of my time when not doing the normal things that must be done is spent hitting the books. Some nights when I do not have my studying in I will stay up until early a.m. studying to get modules completed. It is so important to me that I reach the goal of completion that I have set for myself. I look at the date every day to motivate me to move forward. I am so thankful for having the opportunity and funding to study that I want to do my very best with it.

I have been making all family Birthday gifts this year. I want to make Christmas gifts too but I am not sure if I will be able to have time to do them all. Perhaps just some will be handmade.

I bought a book that had crochet and knit sock patterns and I tried to make two different crochet sock patterns and I could not do it. I will have to figure out where I am going wrong. I have never made socks before only slippers.

Well, I need to scoot. The lights are out in 30 minutes so that means I need to get my stuff together in preparation.

Cookie “Foot” in box

2008-10-20T20:04:00.001-05:00

Cat in the box from Armando on Vimeo.

This video shows our cat Cookie. Armando was getting a box ready to send to Chile. Excuse my background noise. I was talking to Armando about a Birthday reminder that came on our cell phone and later realized he was recording! :0

Well, Cookie is funny. Enjoy another video from our Cat saga series! LOL

Fluffy and Mundo Nuevo (New World)

2008-10-16T15:08:00.001-05:00

227 Waterfall video

2008-10-06T02:40:00.001-05:00

227 Waterfall Guntersville from Armando on Vimeo.

We saw this beautiful waterfall today.

Armando made this video.

Enjoy!

Getting in touch with nature

2008-10-06T01:08:00.006-05:00

Last week Armando and I took a stroll in the park. The evening light, exercise, and trees were a spirit booster.

Trees at Arab City Park Originally uploaded by alabamagal

Cats in a basket

2008-10-02T14:26:00.001-05:00

Fun with the basket from Armando on Vimeo.

Chochi’s babies

2008-10-02T02:15:00.001-05:00

Here is an updated video of our cat Chochi’s kittens. Haven’t they grown a lot?

Mundo Nuevo and Fluffy from Armando on Vimeo.

Weekend is here

2008-09-27T19:25:00.001-05:00

I stayed up until the wee hours studying Anatomy. At bedtime I was struck with over-study silliness and telling Armando that I hoped his phalanges and radius were comfortable. :)

We were supposed to do a park photo shoot of a child today but the cloudy day was not the light we had hoped for so I called and rescheduled for tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be better then.

I have a nice study buddy now from Texas. We are both in about the same area of Anatomy. It is encouraging.

I finished my first ever doily and worked out where I had went wrong. I am starting this doily now.

Have a great weekend!

Body Talk

2008-09-18T13:14:00.001-05:00

I am studying Anatomy and Disease. It is interesting.I am taking it slow so I learn it well. This will be very important later in Medical Transcription.

I am just beginning and so far I have learned Muscles of the Face and Head. I am working on memorizing the Muscles of Facial Expression and Mastication.

I never knew this before but there are over 600 muscles in the human body.

I have almost finished crocheting an Off The Grid Scarf like this one:

My scarf is in pink though.

1950s through 2000 Michelle

2008-09-13T20:15:00.001-05:00

Yearbook yourself HERE

(They have it for male or female.)

I hope these pictures made you laugh!

Hi again!

2008-09-13T02:07:00.001-05:00

I am sorry I have not posted an entry in a while. I have been busy.

I was struggling with some areas in English Grammar. I made it through the module with help from web sites and a book. Thank heavens! I averaged a 98 on the whole module. I made a 94 the first time I did the final test. I was not happy with that. I re-tested and made a 99. I am pleased with that score. :) The next module is Anatomy and Disease. It should be interesting.

My Mom and I preserved some fresh tomatoes recently. We had never done that before. I made spaghetti sauce with the tomatoes tonight and it was good. I want to make some salsa next time. We bought a pizza stone and it really does make a big difference in the pizza. I was amazed!

Gas prices have gone WAY up. It is $4.79 a gallon here for regular. (That is such a bummer for our already tight budget.) How much is the price of gas in your neighborhood?

I have not been crocheting as much as normal. I did tackle trying to make a doily with a star center. All I can say is, some of the stitches were new ones for me and it just was not laying well. Last night I looked over the pattern and had an Uh-Oh moment of realization. I noticed that one spoke in the star was missing in the center. I will try to take the rows out and fix the problem.

Have a great weekend!

Quote

2008-08-27T11:29:00.004-05:00

"Let us train our minds to desire what the situation demands."

-Seneca

Good evening!

2008-08-19T16:50:00.001-05:00

The last two days I have been a bit “off” on my study schedule. Yesterday I completed my studies at 9 p.m. which is later than I normally study.

I was relieved to learn in the student forums that I was going about my studies wrong. I had been typing endless exercises in Keyboard Kinetics for a few days now because I read you were supposed to do the modules in order. It turns out, I can just move onto the next module and study the keyboard kinetics daily just a little while at a time.

I am seriously happy I will not be typing those drills my whole study time. Imagine five hours a day of jnjnjnjnjnjnjn hnhnhnhnhnhnhnh etc (laugh)

This evening I start on the Medical Word Building module.

I will not attain five hours of study today as usual because my schedule will be different today and tomorrow.

I attended a work at home meeting this morning which was informative. I actually saw a girl I went to high school with at the meeting. It is a small world!

Thank you very much for the sweet comments about my crochet. You made me feel good.

I am off for a coffee and some studying.

Have a great evening!

My Latest Crochet Creations

2008-08-17T16:19:00.001-05:00

Tiny Teddy

Blue and Red Crochet Purse

Sunflowers

2008-08-16T18:30:00.001-05:00

Isn’t this sunflower pretty?

Upon returning home one day, we noticed a bunch

of sunflowers and a watermelon on our porch. It was a very sweet surprise.

Sunflowers are my favorite flower.

I think my cousins probably left them. They came while we were out grocery

shopping. The watermelon was delicious and the sunflowers in vases around

our house made my week brighter!

Today was my first day

2008-08-11T21:14:00.001-05:00

I did the Career Step Orientation over the weekend.

Today was my first day studying and I am happy that I met my five hour study goal.

Last night I crocheted a purse and stayed up later than I should have so tonight it is early to bed!

Here is a song for you.

Night Night!

Pretty

2008-08-10T22:46:00.001-05:00

Catching Up

2008-08-09T17:36:00.001-05:00

I had two doctor’s appointments on Thursday. One revealed I have lost weight and more than I imagined.

Armando helped me. He weighed first on the scales and then kindly picked me up so we could do my weight on the stand-up doctor’s office scale. Being a paraplegic can sometimes offer plenty of complications in basic life functions. Thank goodness for creativity and problem solving!

I had a few lectures on eating high proteins and eating more. I was honest and just said I have not had an appetite lately. I love to eat in normal circumstances but I usually eat small amounts and often.

Actually, I am quite thankful Armando mentioned getting a weight because even though I knew my pants were not fitting, I never would have guessed my weight had gone down that much. When you know about a problem you can fix it, before it gets to be a big problem. So, now I am trying to gain weight and snack and eat high protein foods to help myself heal.

I got my student ID on Friday so Monday I will start studying at the Career Step Medical Transcription program. I am so excited about this! I can start studying online now while I await my textbooks to arrive in the mail.

Last week I cleaned out part of my closets and gave away two bags of clothes. We feel much better having more space in our closets. I had so many clothes that did not fit anymore and outfits that I did not wear that were just getting in the way. Now our closets have more space and that makes life easier.

This evening we are treating ourselves out to a movie. We are going to see The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. I watched a documentary on China’s First Emperor the other night that was interesting. This movie looks very action packed. I think we will enjoy it.

If you enjoy crocheting and like color, The September/October issue of Crochet Today! magazine has some really beautiful patterns.

See below for a few of my favorites in this issue:

I hope you have a great weekend!

Funding YAY!

2008-08-02T18:35:00.001-05:00

Monday I register for classes at Career Step!

So soon I will be a student again. I have not been a student since 1994. Yikes! It is amazing how fast time flies. I am very happy though and looking forward to the experience. I have met a few other people on a message board for Medical Transcriptionist’s that are Career Step students so it will be nice to be in touch with classmates.

I have been doing several things lately. Including studying in the Medical transcription manual, helping my Aunt organize a bridal shower, advertising for our wedding photography business, helping my sister sell her antique snooker table, (Does anybody need one? She lives in Birmingham, Alabama, it is a 1920’s Brunswick ) and working on the Craftissima craft projects.

I have been using Microsoft Office Access and learning how to use it for our contacts and that is a very nice program. I would recommend it if you need a database system.

It is a stormy day here and I slept way too late. But it felt good and I know I won’t get to do that as often when I start studying. I am having a lazy day today and the cats are as well. Chochi and her baby Fluffy are curled up sleeping in my lap as I write this.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Early Morning Ramblings

2008-07-27T02:08:00.001-05:00

Saturday was Armando’s Birthday. I made him a traditional Chileno dish. It was called Pastel de Choclo (Corn and Meat Pie), with Ensalada de Chilena (Chileno Salad) and we enjoyed a glass of wine. I made him Boston Cream cupcakes and put sprinkles with candles on them. It was my first time making Pastel de Choclo and I enjoyed preparing it. I had tasted that dish made by his Mom and Sister and I was only hoping mine met up to Armando’s expectations and gave him a little taste of home.

Here are some pictures I found showing:

A traditional Pastel de Choclo cooked in clay dish.

Ensalada de Chilena

In the evening we rented and watched a movie and that was fun. We had not done that in a long time.

I crocheted Armando a little bear. Armando and I both like the amigurumi crochet animals. So it was enjoyable to try a new pattern. I will show you a picture of the bear later. The next thing I want to make for Armando is a crochet dragon.

I am having a few issues with wounds again. Only this time I have three. One I have is the same wound on my ribcage that I had previously. I went to see the wound nurse and she said it was pressure from the bone on the inside. I do not have a lot of fatty tissue to pad in that area and surgery is out completely to shave the bone because it would mess up my seating alignment which is already compromised from past surgeries and scoliosis. Arrgh.

Only thing to do is eat well and get protein which doesn’t bother me, (because I enjoy food) treat the wounds and try to be very aware of positioning to prevent pressure points. I wish I could prevent these skin problems but I cannot. I had to have reconstructive surgery years ago on my back so these are just problems that could not be fixed and the aftermath. Just so you understand why this happens to me from time to time. I do not think I ever mentioned that about myself before on my blog although I know I have mentioned wound problems before.

I hope you have a good rest of the weekend!

I am off to bed. Night Night. :)

Announcing Armando Loyola Photography website

2008-07-21T23:54:00.001-05:00

We just opened the Armando Loyola Photography website and are ready to start in the Alabama Wedding Photography Business.

The website is also in Spanish since Armando speaks Spanish and I can speak Spanish (some) too.

Please take a look and let us know what you think about it. We tried to make it elegant yet easy to navigate.

Thank you!

Sunday fun

2008-07-21T20:02:00.001-05:00

I went with my parents early Sunday morning to a flea market. I emptied the monkey piggy bank of some change so I did not have to feel guilty for spending anything other than change.

I got four pens for 50 cents each

A big pack of post it notes for $5.00

A new in the package pink apron with strawberries, a pot holder and oven mitt for $1.00

A small ovenware dish for $1.00

A hand painted black floral trinket box for $1.00

My favorite things were a small and a medium size domed glass covered plates (similar to the one below but mine are not pedestal type) for 50 cents each! The small one has an etched glass cover.

I put my shell collection in the smallest one and the other one is on the table for cookies,etc.

In the evening my Aunt Elizabeth invited us over for dinner. We discussed an upcoming bridal shower that we are hosting. I will make the invitations out and send them. I came home and looked up some party games.

I love parties! One of these days when we are in our own house with a more accessible kitchen, I want to start back decorating cakes again. My Aunt used to run her own catering business and she kindly taught me the basics. I admire her work. I would like to take more classes and learn how to do more advanced techniques. I have only done Christmas cakes and Birthday cakes mostly.

It was always so rewarding making cakes for little children!

Ryan's Monkey

2008-07-19T18:04:00.001-05:00

I just completed a monkey for my nephew Ryan.

I free-handed the pattern on paper and cut it out. Then, I hand-sewed the monkey in felt so it would be very soft.

I finished by crocheting him a scarf.

I call it "Monkey Face". (laugh)