Hectic Hospital Week

The month of May is finally upon us and has so much to do that I kind of wish it were over. I thought after my last child's graduation that the month of May would be easy for me from now on. Ha! This month we've got to get Gabby back home from Virginia and get her a job and place to live. Mike told her he has a tractor with her name on it for a while as Dan Chizek is having surgery next week and won't be able to work for a couple of weeks. First things first, we've got to get her back in the state of Iowa! I fly out next Wednesday for Virginia (got a cheap flight from Minneapolis). Then hopefully sometime Thursday, Gabby and I will hit the road in her car loaded to the gills for home. I am NOT looking forward to the drive which I swore I would NEVER make again, but this time after we get home, I MEAN it, I am not making that drive again! Once we get Gabby home, Micah will be home from school but only for a few days. He gets his wisdom teeth out on May 24th (he is blessed with only two wisdom teeth, like his father -- I could make a joke about that but I will refrain at this time!). Micah is planning to spend the summer in Dubuque and is working like crazy trying to land a part-time job. Anybody know of anything in or around Dubuque let me know!!! This weekend we have a few graduations to go to which I still need to map out the most efficient order to go in. The good part is that I probably won't have to cook this weekend! Mike is done planting corn as of this writing and is getting ready to switch over to beans. This evening the wind is blowing and so is the dust. Last I heard there is a chance of rain tomorrow but I hope that is wrong. It would be nice to get the crops in and then Mike would be able to be busy with the next job. There's always something waiting. He has been hauling beans and corn in while the weather was wet and the pigs always need some kind of care. I presume the spraying will have to get done once the beans are in. There are beautiful rows of tiny corn that get bigger every day in the field by our house. I did get the chance this week to spray the volunteer weeds and grass that come up in the landscaping around our house. Then I realized I had some daylight left and mowed the lawn a little. Once it was dark I went in the house and got ready for bed. The next morning, I heard Mike get up and go in the bathroom. Then not 10 minutes later he got up and went in there again. The second time he had felt something crawling on him and it was a tick! Later that morning when I arrived at work and started in with the charges, I looked down on my desk and there was another tick! Now we are busy blaming each other for bringing ticks in the house. Even thinking about it gives me the heebie jeebies! We've had a busy but fun week at HCHS. Monday started off with omelettes for everyone in the a.m. sponsored by Sparboe Farms. It was kind of nice sleeping in a few extra minutes since I didn't have to eat breakfast before work! Tuesday was our chance to try yoga during our break in the new physical therapy room. A couple of gals from the clinic led us and it was kind of a nice change for an activity in hospital week. Usually they have some kind of competition but I kind of like the relaxing mode of yoga. In the afternoon we had a chocolate fountain during break with angel food cake, pineapple, strawberries and brownie bites to dip. Going for a swim in chocolate -- how can you beat that?!? Wednesday was the hospital picnic with burgers and hot dogs on the grill and all the fixin's. We also got to wear jeans that day which for us is a treat. We were also given the opportunity to bring in our old computers, appliances, VCRs, etc. to be taken to recycling for free. Believe it or not that was the highlight of my week! I just love getting rid of junk! Thursday was soft serve ice cream at the afternoon break. Bonnie Wilhite and her husband own the Corwith grocery store and have a soft serve ice cream machine that they let the hospital use for the occasion. Of course they had homemade hot fudge, strawberries, caramel and other toppings. Friday was coffee cake for all in the morning. If you went hungry this week it was entirely your own fault! We also had little contests during the week, one of which was the Remarkable Realities contest. People turn in "little known facts" about themselves and the CFO uses that information for multiple choice questions throughout the week. I may be in a wee bit of trouble now with my sister though. One day a few weeks ago while at lunch, the group of gals at my table were talking about sewing. I laughed and remembered my sister, Deb, sewing underwear. I remember the slippery material and the lace and thinking that was just about as dumb as you could get. Of course the table just roared and the CFO said, "Now that would be a good question for the Remarkable Realities contest during hospital week!" Wouldn't you know it -- there is was as one of Wednesday's questions! I am not responsible! I was but a pawn! The medical records girls that I eat with said that she did seem a little perplexed once the winner of that prize was announced and couldn't figure out how they got that information...but today Lorie warned me that I was busted. Deb hasn't said anything to me about it but now I am just waiting for the payback -- like, I could wake up one day with my head shaved kind of payback! Or maybe she won't do anything but just sit and make me wait for the payback! I don't know what is worse! It was worth it though -- the laughter that made us cry really made our lunch hour that day! Well,I'd better get to cleaning the house and looking for the best route home from Virginia! I can't wait until Gabby is back here!