3 Sisters

Me

Jed and Bianca

Bianca, Onica and Jannelle

Rolland, Deb, Onica, Marica, Bianca, Jannelle, Jed and Zack's arm

Onica, Jannelle, Binaca, Jed and Zack. They found some snow

outside an ice rink and had a mini snwball fight in the middle

of summer.

So the train was 45 minutes delayed because we hit a tree and broke some sort of air hose. Bummer...i was so sleep deprived with only 2 hours of train sleep after a whole night of work, i was getting cranky, ready to off the train and in need of a good nights sleep. So i arrived in Essex-junction about 9:35pm. I saw Marcia looking for me and looking right past me. Didn't she recognize me? My goodness we are unmistakably sisters. She saw me when I was right in front of her and waving my hand in her face. We were both a little tired. We still had to drive about an hour to get to her home in Salisbury. We had a good ride catching up on the latest in life. We got home and realized i didn't take my passport of birth certificate. What the heck was i thinking!!! I will deal with it in the morning. I hit the hay and didn't move the entire night. I was up by 8:00am and called my trusty friend Lucile to see if she was at her boat and could she please go in my boat and get my documents and fax them to me??? She was a doll and got right on it. The plan was to leave by 10:00am...well it ended up being a little later after running errands on our way. After a few more hours of traveling with 3/5 of the Nop kids and Marcia we arrived in Cornwall, Canada. We found Rolland in the parking lot looking for us and directing us where to go. All the cousins gave each other hugs and greetings. We then all went for a nice walk and found a place for the kids to take a swim on the St. Lawrence river. It was very enjoyable for us all. We stopped at a play ground and the kids had a blast on this teeter-totter type thing. Marcia and Deb were getting giddy with the camera, taking pictures of themselves. They were laughing so hysterically we were all laughing. Soon it was time to eat supper...Deb and Marcia walked to the super market. Soon Will (Marcia's husband) arrived with the other 2 kids and we all feasted on hamburgers, hot dogs and cheese kurls. It was a very satisfying meal. We cleaned up and the Nop Family was on their way again (to Michigan to visit mom and dad and the rest of our Scholten family through the night). I spent the night on Precipice with the Trowbridge family and set my alarm for 5:00am. I awoke with a startle and hauled my carcass out of bed (as Jennifer Kragt would say) and took the Nop's farm car back to the train station (3 hours) to head back to NYC and here I am, on the Train and hoping there will be no delays so that I can make it to work with no problems. I already know what subways i have to take, i have my uniform and name tag...good to go.

It was a good reunion and hope it can be done again sometime soon. The Nops should be in Michigan now and Trowbridges are going for a bike ride today, and me back to NYC.

Last Minute Family Gathering

(Written monday 7/28 on way to Vermont)
Last week Rolland and Deb mentioned meeting up with my sister Marcia and her family who lives in Vermont. I said I would like to try to meet too. The train ride so far is very nice. I finished a book I was reading, took a 2hour nap, found a route online for Marcia to pick me up (thank goodness I decided take my computer.) But now the internet signal is weak so I am just writing this up in Microsoft word for my blog later. The view out here brings back memories of previous road trips to Vermont. Rivers, mountains, sunsets, trees, old farm houses, cows, pastures, trackers, I love this stuff. It’s a nice break from the city. I could survive in the city but deep down I am a country girl.

Bronx Botanical Garden and other updates

I have to laugh while I am writing this little paragraph ( I have Jenn Gable in mind). So I guess is common at this time of year where there are these certain kind of fish that are about 1-1.5 feet long that swim in huge schools. They come in our marina and they are just everywhere. They sort of give me the willies because there are these other "blue fish" that come and attack them just for the sport of it and leave the hunted fish half wounded. I have yet to see an attack happen but these blue fish apparently have fins and are very vicious. Jenn I know how much you love little fish and your healthy fear of getting your little toes bit off. (There is a point to all of this)

Now here arises an issue. In fresh water boater don't have to worry so much about corrosion and growth on their hulls. Its a whole other case in salt water. Things grow quickly and props are destroyed. So you can get you boat hulled out and cleaned, hire "Barnacle Bill" to use his equipment underwater as he is hooked to an O2 tank, or jump over boat void off the scary blue fish and do it yourself.

I was thinking of doing option #2, but i was one-upped by one of my boat neighbors "Ducky." He must be about 70-80 years old. He did option #3. If he could do it and not get attcked...I can do it. I donned on snorkel and fins (so my toes wouldn't get bit off) and went to work. It was a dirty job and ended up with a lot of green on my body. I had no encounters with any "blue Fish" or any fish for that matter. All in all it was an good experience and will do it again to preserve my outboard motor.

I finally decided to get an air conditioner for the boat. It is just not possible to get adequate amount of sleep during the day in 90 degree weather. It works but of coarse i haven't needed it yet. But no i am prepared for the heat when it attacks again.

This past Friday I took the afternoon to go the the Bronx Botanical Garden. The weather was perfect, and the flowers and plants were quite phenomenal. They had this huge pond with enormous lily pads. I also enjoyed the huge rose garden. Since it was a long walk to get there, i was able to have most of it to myself and shoot some good pictures undisturbed. So work so far has been pretty good. I am still amazed at the amount of travelers at this hospital. This has a lot of staffing problems. It is not uncommon for about 4 nurses in our unit to just not show. This is their own staff not the travelers. Since they are hard for staff anyway they really are not in a place to fire these non compliant nurses.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

This past Tuesday I took a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Very cool place! Tons of stuff to see, so many rooms you get lost. A few of my favorite sections included Modern Art, Instruments, and the Stained Glass area. I did my usual zoom quick through everywhere and focused of the stuff i liked. After about 3 hours I went into my "I hate museums, I have to get out of here" mode. So I left and walked around Central Park for awhile. Very huge place! I had no idea it was such a place. Then I walked down Columbus Street to find a place to eat since that is usually what drives my "I have to get out of here" mood. I stopped at Nonna's a very nice little restaurant. I ate out doors and read my book as I waited for my feast of food, (which i ate all of). Then after awhile I headed to the subway to go home. It was a good day.

Bronx Zoo

Bronx Zoo

To all those who support me...

I wanted to thank all those who leave me messages on this blog. They seem mostly to be from my co-workers at St. Mary's and a few others. I just want you guys know that I greatly appreaciate your notes and comments. It feel loved and supported. Its good to know that after 3 years of working in the ICU at Saints I have people who still think of me and are interested in my life. I think there will never be a better to place to work than Saint Mary's ICU as I left it...it will always be my home.

Colors

There was one night where i kept going after dark on the boat on my way to Kingston. I didn't plan real well and sort of left a big gap between where i should have stayed for the night and where i did. (I don't recommend doing that again if unfamiliar with the area...it was low tide and i kept feeling the bottom rub on the keel.) But if i didn't i would have missed this awsome series of colors.
this was on the Hudson river...first it was blue like this (not color enhanced...the real deal)...

...then it turned this amazing fire/pink type color after i passed under the bridge. I just couldn't stop staring at it. It was one of the more enjoyable part of the trip to watch over a couple hours the changes in color.

This one turned out blurry but there was something sort of artsy about it so i just threw it in the blog.

On the Hudson

Things have been going pretty good so far. I am making some friends here at the boat yard. When I arrived last Sunday Lucille invited me over for pancakes for breakfast as I tied to the dock. I met her husband Fred and was then introduced to Miriam and Al. (Both couple have multiple years of sailing under their belts.) They immediately took me under their wing and watch out for me and always inviting me over to their boats. Its comforting.

So instead of the going to the zoo and garden, Miriam and Al offered to take me around NYC to get a feel for where things are such as Ground Zero, Pier 17, Battery Park, and to see my route from the land point of view. It was really helpful. We then came home took naps and went to watch Hancock at the movies. It was a good day. Yesterday was a do laundry and get a few groceries day. Miriam was my driver while she ran a few errands as well.

So as mentioned in the last post i had those 3 days of classroom orientation at work. Thursday and Friday was spent a little time with charge nurse, some computer charting lessons and a lot of fending for yourself to learn when the charge nurse had to deal with a few charge issues. I assumed that the next step would be maybe a day or 2 with a preceptor to just get started. Nope...i was one my own last night. It went pretty good. Just a lot of getting used to a new system. My next night is Wednesday. I hope is goes a little bit more smoothly.

So tonight and the next few nights I will practice staying up late to prepare for the next few nights of work. I already went to get a few movies and books from the library to keep me busy during the late hours here at the boat. I think i will go to local ice cream place tonight at get a cone.

A little town on the Erie Canal

On one of the lakes i crossed along the Erie Canal. The clouds once again were doing such cool things.

The New Job

To tomorrow is my third day of work. These last 3 days have been the very boring and unorganized "class room" orientation. Tomorrow i get to go to the floor and spend time with a preceptor. It had been great getting to the know the other travelers, there are 7 of us along with the other new grads who are going through some of the stuff that we are.

So City Island is nice. Just a small island with a main street up the middle of it. Many seafood resaurants, marinas, a post office, laundary mat, library, a West Marine even (good boaters store). Bronx is a busy area. I am definately a minority. Primary population is hispanic.

I rode my bike to work the first day...didn't have to be there until 11am. From now on i will take the bus. Very easy. I went to the library today and checked out a few books to read on the way. The bus is great fun for people watching and learning differant types of cultures. i have get to venture on the subways. I think this weekend i will visit the Bronx Zoo and the Botany Garden that i pass every day.

So far everything is a new adventure and still fun...goodnight.

I made it!!!

So i arrived this morning around 1100. I made the 3 week trip to get to City Island...booyah. (I thought the Saint Mary's "team booyah" would appreciate that.) Tomorrow is my first day of work.

I will be in City Island (the place i will be staying) tomorrow. The last few days i have met a few people. I already told you about Don. He ended up giving me a quick session on tide tables and difficult areas in route to City Island. We also downloaded some Garmin (GPS stuff) onto my computer but were not successful in getting it into the GPS unit. Bummer. Thanks Don for all of your help.

Then I ventured on to get the mast put back up. Very interesting. This particular one was a hand crank. How am i supposed to do that myself? A guy who works there "Louie" started to help. At the same time the couple on "Aurora" arrived. I recognized them from the locks. We traveled in a little trio for about half a day. So Louie left and skipper(Eugene) and first mate (Brutta) of Aurora helped instead. They were much more helpful. We got mine up and then we did his with the help of Dan another sailor. When our work was done we enjoyed cold beverages with our small crew and wished each other farewell.

Its good to fellowship with others. I think i will end up seeing Eugene and Brutta again since they are going to the area i will be for a couple weeks.

Any way...all is well and i am going to bed.

The Adventure Continues...

So I am now officially off the Erie Canal and on the Hudson River. There was an instant change. I find that the canal was always friendly with nice little towns and little kids who wave at you on your boat. The Lock Masters take care of you. You can actually witness fisherman catching huge fish. Marinas are helpful and interested in what i am up to. Part of the time between towns there are sort of "residential" areas. Some are just nice cute cottages, others are mansions, yet others are barely standing. I really enjoyed seeing all the little pathways that came out to the canal; or the 2 plastic chairs that are just randomly placed in a tiny cleared spot. There are also long stretches of just wooded areas, or endless fields, or rock walls on both sides of you. A good portion of the canal has a path along it...lots of runners and bikers. Speaking of that...just to give an idea of how fast i am going---old running men pass by me and bikers pass me and then wait at a lock to watch. It really is quite funny.
So i am on the Hudson now, I just get a feeling of being small in a big place. The river is wider, bridges are bigger, more cars on the multiple highways. There are less markers along the way to figure out where you are. I just don't see people. But I found a nice marina to spend the night in Albany. A nice grandpa "Don" helped me tie up and made sure that i checked in with him when i got back from subway down the street...it was dark and didn't want to come looking for me later on. Just the "dad" in him he said.
Things are getting close here with the schedule. I start work on Monday. Just enough time is left to get me to my marina on Sunday afternoon. I found out that my NY nursing licence as gone through and also that we don't have to be there until 11am instead of 8am...just enough time to just figure out how to get there!