Jan 27 - Too Much Studying...

...makes Raymona a crabby person.  So after I took one of the practice tests, I harnessed up the pups and headed into the great outdoors.  For us to be so close to 'the big city' we really lucked out on this location.

Our new house is located in Corinth, TX located along I-35 E between Denton & Lewisville.  It is quite close to the freeway so we do get road noise but not as bad as I thought it would be and the house is located on 4 acres so while we are close to a main arterial, we have lots of land around us - and a pond!!!  The land also butts up against a 119 acre sports park - soccer & baseball fields.  The outer edges of this park is heavily treed and there are lots of bike, horse and hiking trails winding through them.  There's even a fishing pond.  All in all, its a nice place.  We'll see what its like during the height of soccer/baseball season but for now, its a nice place to walk.

Today, Hannah, Maggie & I ventured out onto the trails.  It was a great walk, mostly by ourselves.  Bikes scare them, especially the ones that 'sneak' up on us from behind.  Hannah went berserk!  Broke loose from me, charged the guy with her hackles up (although she never got within 10 feet of him as she was too scared).  She looked scary and I think she might have made the guy pee his pants. The whole while I'm yelling at her to sit which she eventually does, & assuring the cyclist that she really is OK but... GEEZ... these dogs are SO NOT ferocious, I was shocked at how she acted.  Anyway, as I apologize to the guy, H & M have decided he isn't a threat and are all wagging tails and lolling tongues.  I could have killed them.  Poor guy.  H & M do fine if they see the bikes coming or in the distance but the "sneaky" ones... watch out!

After we returned home I took them out to our pond for a dip... the weather was fantastic.  The rest of the afternoon was spent doing another practice test and studying.

Hannah & Maggie in the Pond

Our pond

Our New House

Jan 23 - On My Way East To Corinth, Texas

Left Mom & Dad's around 7:40 am MST on Sunday for the final leg of the journey to Texas.  I have to tell you (& you'll see by the photos), there isn't alot between Pep and Corinth.  I think, I counted 150 vehicles on the road between Lubbock & Jacksboro (excluding cars in the few towns I went through).  Blessedly, the trip was very uneventful and the weather was nice for driving.  I arrived home around 3:30 pm CST - not too bad.

As you leave Pep and head east on 114, just before you cross the TX/NM state line you see this historical marker about Buffalo Soldier Hill.  Look north (second photo) and you can just make out the 'hill'.

BSH - Historical Marker

Buffalo Soldier Hill, New Mexico

I had hoped to stop at all the historical markers along my route but there are lots of them and I would not have made it home at a decent time.  (And sorry for the black "bug" on all my photos, I have a nick on my camera lens).

More photos from my trip "east":

Welcome to Texas

The "Narrows" Rest Area - Used to hop the fence here to go

pee amongst the arroyos.  Now they have a nice restroom.  

Lonely ol' Road

A hill, a hill!!!  Oh what a wonderful hill!!

More of the same lonely road, just a different spot

I'm coming home, I'm coming home...

Jan 22, 2011 - Good-Bye Albuquerque

Today I left ABQ for the last time as a resident.  It was bittersweet.  The past two years here have been disappointing to say the least, as far as the job situation goes anyway.  However, not being able to find a job turned out to be a blessing for me as it has allowed me the opportunity to learn a new profession, one I think I am really going to enjoy.  I have made some incredible friends in the two years I went to school, I will miss them greatly.

I left my friend’s house where I’ve been staying the past 4 months around 8 AM.  I think it was very fitting that there were three hot air balloons to see me off.  I cried until Moriarty. 

I spent Saturday night with my parents in Pep, NM – next stop Corinth, Texas.

Below are some photos of some of our favorite scenes/places we’ve visited in New Mexico.

Balloon Fiesta

City of Rocks

Toe in the Rio Grande

Coronado Monument, Bernalillo, NM

Red Rock State Park, Gallup, NM

Kasha-Katewa National Monument 

between ABQ & Santa Fe, NM

Pecos Wilderness

Pueblo Bonita - Chaco Canyon

Gathering of Nations 2009

Balloon Fiesta, 2009

Bandalier Nationa Monument

State Bird - the Roadrunner

Carrizozo - Valley of Fire Lave Beds

Aspens on the Road to Iron Creek, Pecos Wilderness

Jan 21 - Graduated!!!

Finally!!  Today I completed another phase in my crazy life - I completed the Associate's program in Respiratory Therapy at Pima Medical Institute!!!  We started out with about 30 students in April 2009 and graduated with sixteen.

Our class had to complete our exit exam and some paperwork and if we passed - we were done.  Well, done with the school part - we all still have to take (& pass) our board exams in the coming weeks to actually begin working as registered RT's.  But for now, we are done!

Congratulations to "Group 9"!!!  WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!

Pima-Albuquerque's Group 9 - Julian, Ms Townsend (Program Director), Krystal, Crystal, Trevor, Christie, Sandy, Melissa, Suzanne, Richard, Raymona, Emma, Chris, Eric, Valerie, John (and Georgine, not pictured)

What Would Your Dating Card Say?

Because I don't have time to think of anything interesting, cute or funny to put out until after my board exams (and yet I still have time to read my friend's blogs, go figure) I copied one from a friend's blog (since I'm also not the best at doing that nifty little link-to-someone-elses-blog-so-you-can-read-it-there-by-clicking-on-this-single-word).  Anyway,  I found it pretty ding-dang funny - read it below.

Excerpted from *Joy* To The World at http://www.heidifields.blogspot.com/
"Today, while creating something online, i completed my project and submitted it and the website said "thank you for using evite please view our sponsor below" i thought to myself that they were very polite with their asking so i would take a look. What do ya know...it was a business card making place! 

Now, i don't need business cards, but theirs were just so cute! However, upon a closer look, i realized that they were not just BUSINESS cards. They now have other options! Like MOMMY cards where it says your name and who your kids are and your contact info. Like...who would you give that too? Who do you not know now, but all of a sudden meet and want to give that information to? And who doesn't have a blackberry or an iPhone where they can just magically make it appear on the other persons phone or something? How many do you carry around in your purse? If you carry 20 would that make you seem over confident that people actually WANT your info? If you only carry one could you have underlying self confidence issues? 

But then...my favorite was on this advertisement. It was a DATING card! It said 

David Ross
"Fun personality and looking for a relationship" (or something just as stupid) 
Contact info followed. Cell, email and twitter.

That got me thinking. What would i ever do with a dating card, but first, what would i put on it? 
Here are some options: 

Heidi Fields
Looking to change my last name. Please text me with yours to see if you even qualify.

or

Heidi Fields
Likes to color, hoard Cheeze-Its and travel. Not in that order. Usually all at once. 

or

Heidi Fields
Average young adult woman currently jobless and seeking employment. Not necessarily my own but maybe a guy that has a job and can provide for my lack of desire to have a regular one. Willing to bear children and perform household duties. However you get to deal with the snot. 


Once i have obtained these cards, when would it be appropriate to give them out? Would they make a person look even more stupid then they already are, or more sophisticated? I don't know anyone that would have those made for serious...maybe as a joke. 

I think i will hold off for now."

 I love Heidi's card ideas and they got me thinking (because it beats studying case studies and clinical simulations) on what MY dating cards might say.

Raymona Powell

  40-something, worn-out student looking for rest, relaxation and someone to do all the work for me.

Raymona Powell

  Former hot-chick, looking for a former hot-guy...  

I mean, really, WHAT do you put on these cards? How egotistical could you be to actually pass them out?  More importantly - what would YOU do if you got one???  I'm pretty sure I'd be laughing my butt off.  But the guy would get exposure 'cuz I'd make sure I showed it to everyone...  "Look what this idiot was passing out last night..."  

What would your card say?

I'll be back... eventually, I hope

I've been meaning to update the blog for a while now - lots of stuff happening/happened... but this is all I have time for.  Maybe at the end of the month I can play catch up.

Hope you are all well and haven't abandoned me just yet.