Old Photos - Orca Whales September 2005

Looking through some old photos this morning and thought I'd share a few.  These were taken just off of Anacortes, WA in September 2005.  There are three resident pods of Orca whales that live in Puget Sound and we had the absolute honor of getting to see them several times while we lived up there.

These are some of the most magnificent creatures I've ever seen - their size, playfulness and curiosity of us is astounding.

 Leaving Anacortes, WA with Mt Baker in the

background

Deception Pass Bridge

Orca

Orca "Ruffles" - so named due to his wavey fin

Orcas heading toward our boat

Orcas at play

Humpback Whale Tail

Humpback Whale back

Sunset from Deception Pass Bridge

May 23 - Easter (A Day Early)

Because of our crazy schedules this coming week we decided to have Easter dinner a day early - and use Easter Day as a day of rest and relaxation.

Bryan's family came over for dinner and an Easter Egg hunt... or three.  It was fun and we had a great visit.  The kids loved hunting the eggs and then re-hiding them for Uncle Bryan to find.

My Easter Bunny Cake

Running of the Eggs

Melanie looking for eggs

Julie egg hunting

Melanie & Julie sharing a basket.

Mel's was much more interested in egg hunting than Julie, so

Julie just helped her sister on the second egg hunt.

April 21 - 3rd Day Gaff

So, as many of you know I am now working PRN (as needed) at Mercy Memorial in Ardmore,  OK as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (Yippee!!!).  I just finished day 3 of my orientation (3 more next week).

Everything is going well, I LOVE it there.  The RT department is great, very friendly, helpful and welcoming as are most of the nurses, aides, etc that I have met.  I'm even learning the color codes of the different departments/groups:  Nurses are USUALLY in red scrubs, RT's are teal blue scrubs, CNA (nurse's aides) are black, etc.  (This is important later in this story).

But today...  oh today...  I finished a patient's treatment and as I was leaving I asked them if there was anything else I could do for them today?  They asked if I would find their Nurse's Aide and send her in.  "Sure" I say.  And off I go to find the aide.  Lucky me!  She seems to be sitting at the nurse's station.  There the aide was, all dressed in black scrubs.  So I say "the patient is asking for you".  The woman looks at me a bit askance and says "for me?".   I tentatively reply... "are you the aide?".  To which she replies in a semi-disgusted tone:  "No, I'm their DOCTOR"  (heavy emphasis on DOCTOR).  I apologize, mutter something about being new, tell her that she isn't who the patient is asking for and make a hasty retreat.

So I tell my RT mentor of the day about the encounter.  She's like, so who was the doctor?  And I'm shrugging saying OBVIOUSLY I don't know or I wouldn't have called her an AIDE!!  So I describe the doc, to which Susan (my mentor) gets a horrified look on her face and says OH NO!!!!!!  That's Doctor... and she already hates RT's!    Yea me!!

The RT department varied between looks or horror and relentless laughter. Most saying they would have loved to have seen the look on her face.

Really, she wasn't that bad about it but I feel kinda bad.  However in my defense she as in black scrubs which = NURSE'S AIDES!!!

Other than that little snafu.  I think things are going well.  I have several days lined up to actually work (on my own without the mentor) in May so I'm on my way.  They say I'm doing great.  It feels so good to be working in my chosen field - even if it is 80 miles away.

Finally Finished - Justice's Baby Quilt

Whew - finished just in time.  I worked on a small baby quilt for my Great-Niece's baby due April 19.  Her shower was April 9 and I really wanted to get it done before-hand.  I think it turned out OK, never perfect, but OK.  Smaller than I'd thought when I was planning it...  But DONE before the baby arrived.

Justice Elizabeth Jones' Quilt

My beautiful Great-Niece, Catherine.

Me, Catherine & the quilt