Thanks for your sympathy, Jeanie, CC, and AD!  I know I'll survive being harpooned but it doesn't make it any more fun.

Yesterday was quite a day.  Surgery days are usually my short days, but I was at work for twelve hours. I had to do major oral surgery on one of my patients, and then had a surprise surgery because a pup had eaten something delicious that had gotten stuck on the way out.  I had to open his stomach and then his intestine in two places to get everything out.  It wasn't a bad surgery - I actually enjoy stuff like that - but it was long. And I always worry about patients like this for the first few days after surgery.  I left work fried, sore, and starving...it was nine hours between my peanut butter sandwich at lunch and when I finally got to eat dinner.

I was going to watch the State of the Union Address like a good little citizen, but I just couldn't.  I couldn't think anymore. I'm in the middle of reading a very suspenseful book and I couldn't even bring myself to read.  So I turned off my phone, popped dinner in the microwave, and sat down to watch "Dirty Jobs" and the end of the Blackhawks game.  And despite my zombie-like state, I still managed to do two loads of laundry. BOOM!

I'm still kind of tired this morning and wishing today was my day off instead of tomorrow since my appointment schedule for today was already looking a bit packed...but I'll be able to come home eventually, I don't have to work this weekend, and I'm going to see "Mamma Mia!" tomorrow night, so yay!  Nothing like an evening at the theater to make me feel fantastic.

I'm setting up my (long overdue) disability insurance at work, and I got mega weirded out on Thursday night. Turns out the company needs to run a blood/urine test as part of my screening - I had absolutely no idea that it was required. They were supposed to send me a letter to let me know about it, but it either didn't get to me yet or they never sent it.  So Thursday night I get this random phone call from a cheerful lady letting me know she wanted to come and take samples.  Uh, what?

So not only am I completely blindsided by this, I'm upset because I had no idea my information was going to get sent to this company, AND I'm trying to think when on earth I can get this done because I have a Special Feature when I get stuck with needles: I pass out and will often simultaneously get sick.  I was so rattled that I started crying.  I felt bad for the lady who had to call me - she kept apologizing, but it wasn't her fault.  But what really irks me is that I can't get these tests done at a doctor's office - I have to use this one company. 

*sigh* So sometime within the next few weeks I need to do this.   Bah.  I know, it's silly - I work with needles ALL DAY LONG but when it comes to ME, I can't take it.  But I can't help it. 

In other news, we got a lot of snow on Friday - made the drive home from work rather interesting, but thankfully uneventful.  Kind of a bummer - all day yesterday it snowed, which made me wish I was home with a book and a mug of hot cocoa.  But I was at work.  It was fairly slow most of the day but I was actually pretty busy for the last couple hours.  And then today was a bit nuts because one of the other docs called in sick.  So I stayed in tonight and I'm watching the Blackhawks game, but they're down by 3 goals and I'm wondering if I should watch a movie instead.

Jeanie - you're right, most of my patients don't take off their furry clothes,  but once I had to peel a Miniature Pinscher out of three layers before I could do her exam.  She was wearing a puffy winter coat, a fleece sweater, and a onesie. (Regrettably, I did not have a hospital gown for her to wear.) This dog also once came in wearing a black sundress with pink polka dots.

DD - I don't think I've ever had frostbite. I tried something new today - I wore the glove liners underneath a pair of huge waterproof gloves that I think the Padre must have left in my trunk once upon a time.  They look ridiculous and play havoc with my fine motor skills...sort of worked.  I was only out for a little bit with the dog but my fingertips were starting to feel cold.  I think I'm going to REI next week and try to find a pair of mittens.  Maybe if my fingers are all bunched together, they won't freeze and fall off.

I finished "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  It was...interesting.  An intriguing story and I like the character of Lisbeth, but I'm not sure if I'm going to read the sequels.  There are some things I'd rather not bring inside my head.  I haven't seen the movie and I'm not planning to.

But a book that I think EVERYONE should read is "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society".  WOW. Cami gave it to me for Christmas and I read the whole thing in two days.  It was amazing!  It's set in 1946, written as if it's a collection of letters between an author and a group of people who lived on the isle of Guernsey during the German occupation in WWII.  I laughed, I cried - such a beautiful story and it will leave you with a huge grin on your face! I have learned long ago that if Cami recommends I book, I need to read it.  The girl has got astounding taste in literature.  I lurk in library shelves on a regular basis and I never find these little gems like she does.

Good week for sports - Purdue basketball and the Chicago Blackhawks won.  Sadly, Saints and Broncos lost, but Eli Manning saved the weekend by getting a win for the Giants!  Yay! 

I think I'm going to make some hot cocoa.

I have learned that it is impossible for me to have warm hands in winter.  I feel kind of bad for my patients when I examine them, and if I accidentally touch the owner's hand, I wonder if they think it's mean for their pet that my hands are so cold.  Not that I can help it or anything...

I just took Nummy-bear out for maybe ten minutes or so...I was wearing a pair of really thin gloves that are supposed to be an insulating layer underneath a pair of thick waterproof gloves and my hands were STILL freezing by the time I made it back.  As in I was in actual physical pain because my fingers were so cold.  The rest of me was fine - I don't mind cold weather - but my fingertips were starting to go numb.  I'm supposed to go sledding with the youth group in a couple weeks and I don't know how I'm going to do it.  I'm seriously afraid I'm going to get frostbite and lose all my fingers.  It was never an issue when I was a kid - I'd play in the snow for hours - but now I can't handle it.  Erm, no pun intended.

Been a rather nice day off - ran this morning, but I've spent most of the day doing some cleaning and re-organizing.  I'm getting rid of my notes from vet school once and for all.  There are a handful of binders I'm keeping because the information is still useful, but I've probably got three dozen binders full of papers I haven't looked at in over four years.  So I've got space opening up on shelves, and it is wonderful!   I've been toying with the idea of moving, and the more I get rid of, the less I have to schlep with me. 

In other news, I'm finally all caught up on "Once Upon a Time".  Oh my, I am beyond hooked.  But I am so frustrated!  Gah!  I want things fixed NOW!  I can tell this show will not be good for my blood pressure.

Go Saints!  Go Broncos! 

Aaaand...There it is!  That's the Chicago winter I've been waiting for.   We've had temps in the 50s for the past couple weeks which, okay, has been nice, but I need a little snow to top off my winter experience.  We're supposed to get between 4 - 6 inches today and tomorrow...we'll see.  Must be nice to be a meteorologist...Probably the only job where you're consistently wrong, but people just shake their heads fondly, laugh, and you still get paid.   And you get to play in front of those snazzy green screen maps.

Got some cleaning done today - tackled my bathroom floor with a Mr. Clean magic eraser before I mopped, and oh, how it sparkles! Kitchen floor will probably be next week.  And I'm making arrangements to have my carpets cleaned.  I can't wait.  I vacuum twice a week but I still can't keep up with Tumnus the Sheddinator.  You know the character Pig Pen from the Charlie Brown comics who releases a cloud of dirt everywhere he goes?  Picture someone shorter, brattier, and instead of dirt, it's fur, and you've got my dog.

I finished "Great Expectations" this morning.  Final verdict: Good! I may even read it again someday.  The second part is hard to get through but the first and third parts are awesome.  Exciting, even.  I also finished "The Scarlet Pimpernel". I seriously love that book. I kind of want to read it again.  Even though I know what happens, I'm consumed by suspense every time. Love it!

Ran a couple errands this morning, but I'm staying in the rest of the day.  Gonna take care of laundry, read, and catch up on "Once Upon a Time" and a couple other shows.  And take my Schnumkins for walkies in the snow before it gets too cold.  And then mega YAYS because I have this Saturday off! 

Wow, almost noon on Sunday - the first week of 2012 has flown by!  And yet it seemed to take forever.  Work has been a little nuts.    

Last night was fun, though!  I took a trip downtown and finally met Camera Chic!  Hi, CC!  So exciting to finally put a face to the name.  We talked for over three hours...so much fun!  And more Satuday awesomeness: the Saints beat the Lions!  Who dat? Drew dat!  Yay!!  The Giants play at noon but I won't be able to watch much of the game - gonna go meet some friends to see "TinTin", which I'm excited about.  Then I have to skedaddle from the theater to youth group, and THEN I finally get to go home. 

Had to go in to work for a little while around 6:30 this morning, then ran a couple miles, went to the grocery, and took Nummy-bear for a walk so I don't feel too bad about leaving him for the afternoon. 

One sad note to the week - one of my professors from vet school passed away unexpectedly on Thursday.  He was widely liked and had been at the school for well over 20 years, so there are a lot of veterinarians all over the US who will be remembering him.  Bye, Dr. V. Thanks for everything - you'll be missed.

Happy New Year!

Had a pretty good day yesterday.  Work wasn't too bad, and last night one of the other docs had a party at his house, so about a dozen of us showed up to hang out.  My work peeps are so much fun.   I left around 1 AM since I needed to get up early today and now I'm bracing myself to take Tumnus out in the gale-force arctic winds for his midday walkies.  We will not be going far.  But yay, it's snowing!  Well, snow is blowing by horizontally, anyway.

Then I think I might watch some football, or make cocoa and read one of the many books I have in my stack - but not "Great Expectations".  I want to enjoy the book I read this afternoon and I am kind of done with GE.  I liked the first half of it and I love the way Dickens writes, but I can't stand the main character and right now I'm basically just reading the book so it doesn't win.   And then I'll never read it again.  I got a book from the library about the Reign of Terror in 1790s France...maybe I'll start that one.

And I am SO going to enjoy my afternoon because YAY! I have tomorrow off, too!  I am so excited.  Think I'm gonna see a movie with friends and then probably go dancing if the regular place is open.  And read.  And then read some more.

Yay, day off tomorrow!  I think I'll go to the library and hang out for a while...got a lot of books to read already, but I've got a book to return and I can't just drive past the library and not go in.  Besides, I can read several books at once.  I'm about halfway through "Great Expectations"...it's good, extremely well written, but I think I remember why I wasn't crazy about it when I read it back in high school.  The main character really isn't likeable...I like Joe Gargery and so far I like Herbert, but I can't really start rooting for Pip.  He's not a man of character - not a bad person, really, but he lacks conviction.

'Twas a fantastic week for sports.  Saints win on Monday night, and it was extra sweet because Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's passing record.  Yay, Drew!  Once a Boilermaker, always a Boilermaker.   Then Purdue won their bowl game, so yay! 

Still trying to figure out what I'll do for New Year's. Got a couple options but haven't made up my mind.  'Course, past couple years I think I ended up staying home.  Wild times at Casa Afton, yo.

Had a very nice Christmas at home.  My whole family was there, which was nice - I hadn't seen my sister since last Christmas, so it's always great to see her.  Saw Grandpa, too.  Tumminy was ever so excited to be home - he loves seeing the fam and he has so much fun running around in a fenced yard.  He's completely pooped now - my afternoons are always so relaxing after we come home form visiting the fam because he passes out for hours.

We all went to see "Sherlock Holmes" last night - definitely loved it!  Considerably more violent than the books, but incredibly funny and entertaining all the same. 

Got a whole bunch of books I'm waiting to read - would be nice if I could take a sabbatical from work to get it all done. Which I suppose is usually called a vacation.  Which I haven't taken in a long time.  I took a week to go to a conference in January, which wasn't vacation time, but I wasn't at work...and I had a long weekend in March for a friend's wedding...I actually don't think I took any other time off.  Work just takes up so much time I halfway forgot and halfway didn't make the effort.  I need to, though.  Maybe in April. 

It's not that I don't wash my clothes. I do. Quite often.  It's that once they're clean and dry, I don't put them away.  They stay hanging on the drying rack or in the dryer or (as they were this week) on my bed in an attempt to keep my floor from getting cluttered.  Which is why I slept on my couch the past three nights - I was too lazy to fold my laundry or I'd forget.  But now I've cleared my bed and I'll be able to sleep in it tonight!  Yay! 

Well, unless I pass out on the couch and wake up at 3 AM.  I've been doing that a lot.  Not on purpose...I'll be wide awake, and then my brain will kind of go *futz!* and I'm out.  And then I have really weird dreams because I'm sort of hearing the TV in my subconscious and it's either some sort of hair club or knife infomercial, or maybe one of those unsolved murder cold case shows.  Bah.

Am SO ready for the weekend!  I can't believe it's Christmas.  I've hardly had time to process that it's coming.  I'm mostly ready for the weekend because I haven't had a Saturday off since Thanksgiving, and that's a little rough.  Especially since this past week I felt like I was going nuts sometimes, due to little gems like this:

Client: "I need to bring my pet in."
Me (after quizzing client and determining that it's not an emergency) - "I'm completely booked for the next few hours but my next opening is at 4:00."
Client: "That's not going to work for me. I have things to do. You can squeeze me in. I'm coming in now."
Me: *blood pressure spiking* *silent brain aneurism*

Yeah, did not get a lunch break.  It's not so much a big deal that I needed to work through lunch (again) - I'm used to being hungry all the time and I managed to snarf down my sandwich while the staff was taking x-rays of my next patient. It was the attitude.  Days like that, I need to remind myself I went into general practice because I WANTED to interact with clients.

I would just like to take this moment to say: YAY, COLTS!!!   I am so happy!  I knew you had it in you!