Have fun on the long weekend

Thanks for the long and informative responses from the last post, it's much appreciated, truly. Still, it will have to thought about.

Actually, I did have a talk to the lady who said Phil and I are a "clique", and of course there are other issues related to the unavailability of either of us to stay back at church or go to outings etc. But I did emphasise the fact that we are adults, that those who are working fulltime just don't have the time to spare now. Such is life.

Sad I know, but it's the truth.

Yea, being less coupley is hard though, we can't help it, we want to hold hands, we want to hug each other, we want to wrap our arms around each other. It's like losing another part of yourself when we have to be apart (I KNOW my single self would be smacking herself now). And PDAs, I have to say, didn't make me uncomfortable, it made me feel very happy for the couple, and now, as part of the lovin couple who loves PDAs, I don't take notice of others, yea that's bad. But I'm putting more conscious effort into it now that it has been mentioned. That is not showing an overly lot of it in front of churchmates.

So this past 3 weeks hasn't been toooo... bad. EXCEPT FOR THE JERK WHO HIT MY CAR!! Yes it has happened again, this time I was parked in LPL in one of the streets between the hospital and the highway. Monday afternoon I walked to my car, popped my bags in the passenger seat, walked around the back to check my P-plates were still on (yes they were), then around to the driver's side, and there was a large dent plus paint scrape on my door. Breathe in and out, breathe in and out, breathe in and out, checked the windscreen for any messages, breathed again. I really, really hate dishonest people. Some bloody red car driver reversed (as guessed by Phil) into my car and left. Bastards! Nearly all my tax returns have gone to the blimmin' car! I called up GIO and they said I have to pay ANOTHER excess fee (per claim) to get it fixed, absolute crap! No I'm not putting a claim in. I can't lower the window down very far either, because of the dent in the side, not that I would anyway, I don't fancy driving around LPL with windows down. God give me patience to deal with this one now, my insurance is skyrocketing next year.

Work has been tedious. Staff at CCL need to learn to trust me and trust I'm not a nursing student, I tend to snap at people if they repeat things to me too much, especially when I understood it the first time. So work has been tedious, staff aren't all that welcoming, they try, they do, but the atmosphere just doesn't seem as friendly. So the 0900-1700 (well really 0700-1530 pr 0800-1630) is very routine, scrubbing, scouting, removing sheaths. I think I'll be quite satisfactory at coronary angiograms by end of next week. And I'm allergic to Chlorhexidine!! Which means I have to wash my hands in Betadine for the surgical scrub, so I come home smelling slightly like raw seafood. Hmmm...

Well I won't be having a long weekend coz I'll be working at CCU on Monday, dammit. I need the money anyway. I think 200% on Monday.

So I need to take a shower and finish this tonguewurst roll and tea and 2 paracetamol (headache) before Phil comes over. We're heading to Harris Farm plus lunch. Talk to you ladies later.

I am now meh-*shrugs* to PLC reunion now... coz I have that Monday as my RDO. I'll think about it a bit more, and see who else is going...

How are you ladies theses going? ;)

GOOD FOOD MONTH LADIES IN OCTOBER!
Check out http://www.gfm.smh.com.au
Come on ladies, I have one day off and that's Monday 8th, let's go get Luncheon ;)

What do you ladies think? (to the ladies in long term relationships, not with surfboards)

Or maybe this can be addressed to the singletons as well?

When dating your boyfriend, have you (as a couple) ever been called a clique?

I always thought a clique was a small, exclusive group of individuals who have their own in-jokes, quirks, outings etc., barring other individuals who attempt to enter the group. Usually consisting of an organiser, a gate controller and Plebians.
And a couple as a couple, 2 individuals (generally dating/married) seen as one item.

It seems Phil and I have been called a clique, perhaps it's because we were "individuals" before we started dating, and now we are a couple. Is it that couples are considered "cliques" or that singletons don't understand the definition of a "clique"?

Shell spoke to me Sunday night about not spending enough time with Yabs people, that Phil and I spend too much time together (whilst at church) and we have to be careful not to lose connections with others before we realise "Oh crap, we're married but we have no friends."
I really don't know about that, I love spending time with Phil, and as much as I appreciate Yabs peeps, the immature behaviour that they display isn't exactly an attractive reason to stay and chat. Especially when I have to be up at 0600 the next morning and Phil at 0400. And especially when Phil and I haven't spent a decent day together alone, trying to sneak in an hour here and there (still not alone), it gets so damn hard to find time to see each other, when I'm on morning and he's on nights, we ARE passing ships in the night. When I start my 0900 shifts, I won't be seeing him at all. I need him, there I said it, I need Philip.

We'd really love to get into an 'older' Bible study, Yabs peeps seems to 'young' for us (check out the plethora of "" and '' eh?). It's definitely a change from uni to working. From lazy uni students with only assessments to care about, to fulltime workers with everything else to worry about. Talk about change, you know, I kind of mourn the past times where I could wake up at whatever time I liked, go over to Lilyfield to pull Cat out for breakfast, time to read, time to make a huge batch of chocolate truffles, where the responsibilities you have are only to yourself.

Maybe I'm getting old, and I'm only 22. I think the responsibilities placed onto us (nurse and police officer) has really forced us to mature and see our social world, as well as emotionally, quite differently. I think I've matured more this year, starting real nursing has shocked me into responsibility and accountability, for myself, my responsibility for my colleagues, for my patients. I think only Karen will really know what I mean.

Anyways, I gotta be heading to sleep now, it's 2334 and I have to be up at 0645. I gotta think about what to get for dinner tomorrow as well. We're having a quiet night in plus dvd.

I can't wait to move outta home, or have my brother move out. Anybody want to look at the hole he left in my door? He's got issues, and he's not gonna take it out on me, nor my furniture. Life at home is sooo joyous... yes, can you feel the sarcasm radiating out of your computer screen?

Okay, as noted in the previous post, Yum Cha has been postponed to a later date when all theses are finished and handed in. So I'll get Phil to celebrate with me my 2/3 of the way through the New Grad Program.

They have me double scrubbing already, I was scouting and in recovery last week. I've seen too many groins, and I will be seeing more... Well I'll be scrubbing on my own tomorrow (damn big ask mind you for a new grad only in CCL for less than 2 weeks!)

Hope theses are going well for you ladies, I'll talk to you later!

Dancing went well by the way ;) I won't mention anything else ;)

Mmmm chocolatey goodness...

After my first week at CCL, I feel I need some chocolate, especially when I don't have wine on hand *shockhorroriknowforshameforshame*

Pink rose - turns out to be white chocolate ganache in a strawberry coating. Oooh wonderfully sweet, I didn't realise how sweet it was til you swallow it down. Maybe I shouldn't have added sugar in my cuppa tea...
White heart - white chocolate coating, pasted together with a white chocolate, filled with milk chocolate ganache. Mmm...
Music - ooh this one was definitely a surprise, milk chocolate casing, with white chocolate on top, but filled with soft cream with tiny strips of candied peel. Oooh nice ;)
Blue rose pot - chocolate ganache inside the case. White chocolate leaf with minty green paint and a blue sugar rose. Sugar rose melt-in-mouth goodness... yum!
So my first week in CCL was good. At least I wasn't thrown in the deep end. Thank God I was in CCU first otherwise I'd have no idea what's going on. I was removing sheaths out of groins on my first day, double scouting on my 2nd day, and I will be double scrubbing next Tuesday, so they want me scrubbing on my own next Friday, which I am quite nervous about coz I still need to get used to the routine.
But I can see how people can get quite bored of the routine in CCL. I prefer talking to pts and the medical side of nursing, rather than the routine surgical side.
So I have a preceptor and she's been showing me around. Seeing angiograms and angioplasties done, proper way to compress haemotomas, I haven't seen any intra-aortic balloon pumps put in yet nor the PPMs (coz I was in Recovery), it's interesting to a point but I think I'll get bored.
There's a good point to CCL and that's you work very closely with the doctors (the fellows, registrars and consultants) so they get along well with nursing staff. Hopefully I remember the routine in scrubbing, it just takes time to learn. And I have to use Betadine scrubs coz I'm allergic to Chlorhexidine, so they had to req in a box of handscrubs from OT so I can start scrubbing and prepping (L) heart kits. I'm sure this is just jargon to a whole bunch of people.

Anyways, I'm gonna teach Phil how to dance on Sunday, wish me the best ;) And no, not latin, not hiphop, not ballroom. Just slow ;) BTW, Phil reads this blog, and he knows how to read these messages as well. Hello love! ;) So beware what you type ladies ;)

Sleepy now, will see you guys soon hopefully. I am taking Christmas pudding commissions as of now. I'm trying to figure out when to take annual leave so I'm hoping to have a good 2 weeks to steam puddings. Please email, call, or comment for puddings. Plum puddings now, so no more experimenting with dried pineapples and figs and such, I'm using last year's recipe, with the reduced amount of cognac.

Kat & Dave: Please feel free to come to Yum Cha on Saturday 22nd Sept @ 1100 @ East Ocean. I didn't want to sms you on your honeymoon ;)

Congratulations Kat & Dave!!

Well well, one wedding down, 2 more to go. And congrats to Loz who caught the bouquet :D Currently can't get 'Moondance' out of my head, damn I love that song, I tried to madly find 'Moondance' by Van Morrison today at JBhifi, argh, couldn't find it at all, at least not for the money I'd pay.
The ceremony was stunning, tears welling up, Reverend Smith married Kat off *wipes eyes* so beautiful, the bride looked absolutely gorgeous ;) and the bridesmaids looked very elegant and sexy ;) Love the hair ;) And the groom, dawwww... can't wait to get to know him better.
So there are photos up on My photos to check out and reminisce, that's all I'm gonna write about it coz we were all there. I had a wonderful night, hope Kat & Dave have a relaxing honeymoon and lotsa fun as newlyweds :D

My last day at CCU was on Thursday, Shannon and I bought in a tiramisu cake, I bought our NUMs Lindt choccies and the CNEs and staff 2 x 1 metre long tubes of Toblerone, mmm... sooo good. So CCU was a great place to have a rotation and I received a great appraisal, and they'd be happy to have me back after I finish the New Grad Program. Praise God!
So it's Cardiac Catheter Lab on Monday, which means Monday to Friday day shifts. And no on-calls for junior staff, so I lose $300 per month from my paypacket, soooo not cool. But it'll be different, and it means I get Christmas Eve, Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's off (Yays!), not unless I volunteer to work at CCU or something to bring in the $$$.

YUM CHA @ EAST OCEAN Saturday 22nd September @ 1100
To celebrate my end-of-CCU (i.e. 2/3 of the way through the New Grad Program) as well as teaching Phil the delicacies of Yum Cha. Anybody who wants to help me in this endeavour please rsvp by commenting, phone or email. Help would be appreciated :) Seriously.

Thank you for the birthday gift Viv! I will try out the hand cream when I start at CCL this week :D And Viv, feel free to come over after 1800 on Tuesday to Fridays. Just sms me first ;)

Recent purchases:
- The Best of Mrs. Beeton's Easy Everyday Cooking
- The Best of Mrs. Beeton's Easy Puddings & Desserts
- The Best of Mrs. Beeton's Easy Cakes & Baking
The above books are so quaint, sooo English.
- (free book) The Ballad of Les Darcy - Peter Fitzsimons. Anybody want it?
- Loreena McKennitt - Nights from the Alhambra. I thought this wouldn't be released til Christmas. Yays! You know I love Loreena McKennitt. And so cheap, $32 for 3 discs (2CD + 1DVD)
- La Vie En Rose - Various French artists 30s & 40s. $9 for 2CD. I like.