Mr. Robert Browning, Citizen of the Month

Yesterday (I'm not really sure if it was yesterday. I have worked 2 nights in a row and have lost track), while I was at work, Danny witnessed a "domestic dispute." Our next door neighbors threw down. Danny heard yelling and derogatory language and stepped outside to investigate. Not having much experience with outrageous-hotheaded-not-thinking-logically arguments he tried to reason with them. There was physical contact between the couple, punching and slapping and guys pulling them apart, so Danny called the police. Let me just also mention that we have heard these neighbors through our walls, which I have shamelessly listened to, argue with overly dramatic crying and ultimatums. Also, they are a lesbian couple.

Today (I do know for a fact this was today), as Danny and I were going to the mall, we noticed a lot of smoke it the brush at the edge of the parking lot. I said "boy scout, you better call the fire department." 911 was called and after a few minutes repeating the same information to the dispatcher..."I don't actually see a fire, but there is enough smoke to indicate there is definitely a fire. Yes, the SW side of the mall. Yes, by Sears. Yes, southwest. Well, like I said, I don't actually see any flames, but there is a fire in the brush. Yes, by Sears. There is a lot of smoke. Yes, the Volusia Mall." Within minutes we saw a fire truck. Citizen Browning saved the day again.

After all the fire business Danny said that was the first time he had called 911.
Me: Really? What about the lesbian's fight?
D: I called the police department
Me: where did you get the number? (kind of a stupid question, I know)
D: I programmed it into my phone when we moved here.

And he always carries a flashlight, a pen and a lighter.

Also, it is Bike Week here and we plan to go downtown into the madness Thursday night. I will let you know if Citizen Browning strikes again.

What day is it?

I have asked Danny this question so many times I'm getting on my own nerves. Working nights has really messed with my head. Getting off of a 12 hour shift at 7:30am then telling people "Good Morning" in the elevator can do that. Morning is now 5 in the evening and night is now 8 in the morning. It's even more confusing trying to figure out when to sleep on my days off then transition back to nights when I work again. This can lead to entire 18 hour stretches in bed, and/or being wide awake and on Pintrest at 3am.

Working Nights

The Pros:

• I am so awake at work. I think its official: I am a night person. It is not hard at all for me to stay up all night.


• I have much more time to get ready before work. I really like to dawdle when getting ready in the "morning." I hate to be rushed. Getting up at 3:30 in the afternoon is much better than 3:30 in the morning.


• The shift differential

The Cons:

• A confused brain.


• Trying to sleep when maintenance men are replacing all the patio railings in our apartment complex.


• Vic is going to get so fat and lazy. He sleeps with Danny at night, then when I get home just stays right where he is and sleeps with me until I wake up at 4pm.


• I really haven't cooked lately, something I really enjoy doing. The timing is just always wrong to cook and eat a meal with Danny.

Thank God for blackout curtains (which I fashioned together with duct tape the other day) and ear plugs.

Pintrest recipe fail

"Skip the icing. Add a marshmellow 5 minutes before the end of cooking time."
Yeah right.

Valentine's Day recap

Danny surprised me with flowers at 5:00 in the morning while I was getting ready for work, and Butterfingers (my favorite candy).
I made Danny pajama pants that he has been asking for ever since he got rid of his "hammer" pants. They actually had little tiny hammers on them. There is much debate around our house as to why the pants are gone. He swears I hated those pants and told him to get rid of them. First, I thought the pants were hilarious, especially when he would do hammer time and sing and do the dance in his best white boy way. Second, when does Danny do anything I "tell" him to do?
Anyway...
So I had to top the hammer pants. I think these are much funnier.





Yes those are lobsters.
I was banking on the fact that Danny knew the random piece of trivia that lobsters mate for life. I know, awwwwww. I thought it was a cute Vday gift too. Instead, he opened the gift and looked a little confused. I had to explain.
Next pair in the works is flannel fabric with neon rocket ships flying around :)

"To extend the healing ministry of Christ" Florida Hospital mission statement

I have been orienting all this week to the Florida Hospital way. I am so excited to be a part of this hospital (I wrote this kind of crap on all my applications, but now I really and truly mean it). This week has been so well organized and all of the speakers have been so knowledgeable. This company puts so much time into training its employees I'm pretty confident it will be an extreme contrast from my last place of employment. Most of the information has been extremely useful...and there was free food. Tomorrow I do an 8hr shadow day on my unit. I am so excited to finally get on the floor!
Here is my schedule for the next few weeks:

Mon 2/20: More orienting 8:00-4:30
Tues-Thurs 2/21-2/23: 16 hours of online modules to be completed at home
Fri 2/24: 12 hr shadow day 7a-7p
Sun 2/26: First clinical day! (and first night shift ever) 7pm-7am
Mon 2/27: 7p-7a
Thur 3/1: (I can't believe its going to be March soon!) 7p-7a
Sun 3/4: 7p-7a
Mon 3/5: 7p-7a
Fri 3/9: 7p-7a

That's right, I only work 3 DAYS A WEEK!
Feel free to call me to keep me awake on these work days when I am driving home from 7:30am-8:30am.

You're not going to believe this

I have to share this with you all because it is just too interesting not to. I had reservations though. I am bearing my bad housekeeping soul to you all, please do not judge too harshly.

This conversation took place this morning around 7am.

Danny: Hey, you up?

Me: yeah

D: Can I show you something in the bathroom?

Me: Did you have a big poop this morning or something?

D: No, I wouldn't have woken you up for that. I would have not flushed and shown you later. This you have to get out of bed for. Really.

Me:What is it?

D: come see.


This is what I found:

Yes, that is a mushroom growing out of the tile in the shower.

I thought it was a joke. I must have asked Danny a dozen times, "Did you put that there?" How does this happen?!

Now let me please defend myself. I cleaned this shower last week. I had full intentions on cleaning it again today, before I knew about the mushroom (now I don't know, do I let it grow and see how big it gets?). This part of our shower puddles water, and it pretty much stays moldy. We live in an old apartment. I'd rather not think about it, but who knows what has been in that shower.

*Apologies to my mother. This is in no way a reflection on her and/or how she raised me.

Sorry its been awhile

I have pretty legitimate excuses.


Our computer was down for a few weeks. This 6 year old laptop is on its last leg. When Danny finally did get it restarted it was limited (we are still living without Netflix. Grrr). Even as I have typed these few sentences I have been interrupted 3 times with popups. Grrrrrrrrrr. Are you feeling my frustration yet?


Then I couldn't figure out how to invite people and actually let them view this stupid thing.


THEN I absolutely couldn't find a way back to my blog. Its like it had been eaten by the internet. I have no idea what strange force was keeping me away, but it did not want me to post. Danny has recently restored our computer...again...and my link magically appeared.





So here is an update:

• I quit my job. Well, actually I quit my crappy boss. She is a bully, there is no other way to describe her. Friday was my last day.





• I got a new job (before I has actually quit my previous job)!!!!! (excessive exclamations marks apply here) I officially start on Feb 13th, but the week before I take an EKG class and some other testing. It is a graduate nurse program with intense orientation for 3 months. Did I mention I never actually went through any kind of orientation at my previous job? I will be working on a surgical oncology unit. It is PCU (progressive care unit) level, which means more critical than a regular floor, but not quite ICU. The patients are cancer patients (mostly gynecology) who are having surgery and recovering for 3-4 days in the hospital. They also give some chemotherapy in the unit (I won't be trained on that for a year). I will be working at Florida Hospital Orlando...check out the website, the hospital is beautiful. The commute is about 45 min (thank God for books on tape) and the pay is better! I am so excited to actually start doing real nursey nursing and get a solid training.





• I have been summoned for jury duty for Feb 13th, yes, my first day of work. I deferred it, quite easily online, until May.





• We spent Christmas with my family this year, but did get to see all of Brownings to celebrate too.



• We spent New Year's on the beach with friends watching fireworks.
  



• Danny and I thought we had finished watching Battlestar Gallactica then found out he didn't have the last season! Amazon was searched, the dvd was ordered, and 3 days later we completed the series. My husband has officially made me as nerdy as him.





• Danny survived a 2nd semester at ERAU





• This semester Danny is taking Chemistry with Lab, Calculus, Machine Shop Lab (where the required materials are tools...he is in heaven), Space Studies, Physics Lab, and he is the lab assistant for another physics lab (required by his program but doesn't get credit).





• We are looking to buy a house in Daytona. We want more space. We hate renting. We want a yard for the dog. Danny wants "to build a real estate empire." We have found a great neighborhood that is close to the schools and hospital; we know it would easily rent after we are done here in Daytona. We have been approved for a loan, but might be unapproved since the bank thinks I am a flighty bum because I wasn't in my last job for more than 6 months (They don't accept bullying bosses as an excuse). We are waiting until I am settled in my new job before we contact a realtor and beg the bank again.





• We tried the Atkins diet. Well, I'm not sure you can really say I tried it...I only lasted 2 days. I have discovered I may have a slight intolerance to eggs in high doses. I was so nauseous I had to quit. Danny however lasted 3 weeks on no carbs. He only lost 5 pounds and according to our scale gained 1% of body fat. Today he quit. We ate ice cream together to celebrate.





• We spent today in New Smyrna at an art festival, visited their farmers market, ate at the Taco Shack, and visited a gun store. The weather was beautiful and we were grateful for so many things.

So, that should bring you up to speed. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions so don't expect my blogging to get any better people.