Salty Crickets Bar and Grill

Tis the Season

The hospital I work for started a weight loss challenge last week. So far so good. I'm eating healthier and exercising more. If I can keep my motivation up things should go well. We are contributing to a bi-weekly payoff for greatest percentage of weight lost, so that's helpful.  One of the tools they gave us was SparkPeople.com. It's a FREE weight loss site. It helps with meal planning, exercise tracking, etc. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It's really helpful and motivating for me.

Until I started tracking my salt intake I had no clue that the "average" American diet was so freaking high in sodium. I always knew it was high - but THAT high! I've never really liked salty foods* and usually stay away from the table salt, so I thought that I was at least in range for the daily recommended dose. But nay! It is not so! Even with the "healthy diet" that I've been on my salt intake is still out of range. I can't imagine what it would be if I actually added table salt to my meals.

Well, off to run (if I can make it out the door - it's cold out there!).

*I don't regularly eat crickets - salty or not. 

Price of Freedom Reminder

Life grabs you when you least expect it too.

I'm suffering from work related insomnia (well, really, work related fucked up sleep schedule), so I watched a movie, and then checked my email.

One of my fresman buddies from A&M died in Iraq Saturday. I haven't talked to him in years - we mostly hung out our freshman year. Sean was always happy and laughing - always had a smile on his face. That's what I remember most about him. Our group went on a river rafting trip at the end of the spring semester and I found the pics tonight. We were so young. So happy.

He had a wife and son. I'm glad he knew that happiness before he died. I hope he finds peace with God.  

Sort of a jolt that while I was working Saturday night - safe in my little ER - Sean was dying in Iraq.

Link to Article.

Aren't You a Little Young for That?

I'm late! .... with my post. It's been one month and 5 days since my last post. Sorry for the absence. I really just didn't have much to say. Nothing too exciting was going on until my kids got here for Christmas. And boy howdy did they get here.

Until last Thursday we weren't expecting any of them until after Christmas. Then D decided he wanted to come down early and spend more time with us (woo hoo!!). The girls had orginally planned to see their Mom's Mom over the Holiday, but their plans changed as well. Sunday their Mom called and the girls got here today! So my Mother In Law and I have been excitedly scrambling to get everything ready for a Big Santa Claus Christmas.

J and I are sooo very excited to have the kiddos for Christmas. It's a wonderful gift and blessing. It gets really crazy here when all three are here, but we also have lots of fun.

Booger turned 10 in September and I swear she's going on 16. She is wearing a "bra" now. Tonight she told me we needed to get her a bigger one - her's was too small. -- I adjusted the straps and everything was better. When she was leaving last time she asked me three times "Did you pack my bra?" She even wanted me to make sure that I didn't get my bras and her bra mixed up in the laundry. I assured her that my powers of perception were not so askew as to confuse toy poodle leash with a live hog trap. 

She even has her first "boyfriend". They sigh and maybe hold hands. It's more about the gossip than anything else. The school room drama. The "don't tell him I like him"; "I like you if you like me" ;"circle yes or no" thing. Innocent fourth grade ten-year-old stuff.

Or so we thought.

Tonight J checked in on Booger and D while they were "playing computer games." Booger had just rewritten her screen saver to something very very inappropriate. J came unglued, lectured them both, and computer privledges are being scrutinized. Either D or Booger (or both) also printed out some rather sexual song lyrics - which, natrually, Tres picked up. How did we get here so fast? Where did the time go?

We're handling it, talking to the kids about stuff. But that's the thing too - we talk to Booger and D about sex often (but not too often). She knows what she wrote was inappropriate - but the teenager is starting to creep in more and more. Don't get me wrong, her fourth grade romance still is just a G rated fourth grade thing. I'm not shocked that she's curious about growing up or her changing body or even about the things that are said and go on in school today. I'm disappointed in her behavior and J and I and her Mom and StepDad will defiently keep working on these issues. I'm also just a bit sad that she's growing up. I don't want her to do it too quickly. I want her to play and be a kid just as long as she can. She bounces between playing with dolls and well, tonight.

What's a stepmom to do?

Merry Christmas Ya'll. I'll try to write another one before Christmas!

Warning: Girl Talk

Warning: GIRL STUFF. JAKE, UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR EYEBALLS TO BLEED, YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS POST. Merry Christmas. Don't say I didn't warn you.

This  blog is so very much like a menstrual cycle - once a month, painful when it gets here and just keeps on bleeding even when everyone thinks it should just stop. Speaking of menses, I'm pissed that I'm still getting mine. I had my HSG yesterday. It went well. I should get the results tomorrow. It was defiantly interesting. I find it really different to be a patient. Some observations from the table:

1. Before the nurse found out that I was a PA she explained to me what my uterus was, how it was shaped and what to look for on the monitor. (I got to watch the whole thing - pretty cool.) She was really good. But after she found out that I was "in the business" she quit explaining things.

2. When the nurse asked if I had questions she was taken aback when I asked what her name was. No offense but if you are going to look at my innards I want to at least be on a first name basis. I always make an effort to introduce myself, and can see why it's important now.

3. There was also a Radiologist Assistant Student there. I wish she had done the speculum exam instead of the doc. I don't like male non gynecologists doing my speculum exam. They have no idea what they are doing and inevitably hurt and have no shred of understanding. He was a nice guy, but well, a radiologist.   They also really need stirrups on the x-ray table. I never realized how difficult it is on the patient when you have no stirrups. I generally have to put my ER patients on a towel covered bedpan and then let them brace their feet against the stretcher rails (no functional stirrups on the ER stretcher.) Just spreading them without any help was sort of difficult.

4. "You will feel a little pressure" = "This is going to hurt like hell."

5. "You might feel some mild cramping and have mild spotting for the rest of the day" = "You will hurt like hell for the rest of the day. Furthermore I hope that you have bought shares of Kotex."

The radiologist said he thought everything looked good and the tubes were open (but no official report yet). This procedure also helps flush them out and make it easier to get pregnant. So I guess poor J will just have to work harder.

I'm Feeling Rather Unoriginal - Sort Of.

You may have noticed I changed the name of the blog. (Thanks Steff for the suggestion!) I figured I may attract more readers this way. Mostly people looking for a recipe for fried crickets. But maybe a few low maintenance folks who don't need a whole lot from a blog like regular posts, or interesting stories. So stick around if you've made it this far! You can consider yourself unique, adventurous, and glutton for punishment!

One of the things I wanted to do with this blog was practice writing fiction stories. But just reading witty engaging prose isn't enough for my loyal readers (both of you)! No, you need to participate! In the spirit of the Choose Your Own Adventure books that I LOVED as a kid, I want my stories to be Vote for Your Own Adventure* - y'all pick the direction the story goes (No back tracking or alternate ending. What you choose is what you get. Unless I decide to overrule the vote and turn communist.) Even  what kind of story you'd like to hear. So here are your choices:

A. Romance - Angela gazed into Malcom's deep brown eyes. She could see the sunset reflected in his dark limpid pools. As she melted into his arms, his kiss, she sighed the deep contented sigh of a woman truly loved.

B. Suspense/Mystery- Greg Bernard lifted Melissa, his 5 year old daughter, into his arms, and held her close. He breathed her warm sent in, memorizing her smell. He noticed that she smelled different now than when she was just an infant. Less baby powder, more girl.  He carried her to her room, and tucked her into bed. His gaze lingered on her brown curls, and her eyelashes, and finally her mouth. She looked almost exactly like her mother. The thought of Angela still struck him right to the heart. Three years ago she had been murdered by a man he arrested- James Calvin. Even though Calvin had taken away Greg's wife and part of his heart, he still hated Bernard. At the trial he swore that vengeance was not done, and that he would see to it Bernard would join his wife. 

Exactly one hour ago James Calvin escaped from prison. Forty five minutes ago Greg set his alarm system and loaded his gun. Thirty minutes ago Calvin crossed the railroad tracks and walked into town. Fifteen minutes later Bernard turned on Melissa's night light, then left her door cracked open as he made his way to the den. Exactly five minutes ago his house went dark, simultaneously the alarm system went off. One minute ago he heard Melissa scream over the wail of the siren.

C. Western - (modern western)

"Reckon she'll live?"

"I've seen worse survive. But it's all about her spirit. If her spirit's broke, don't nothing you do or don't do matter."

The men gazed at the foal who they had just cut out of her mother's stomach. She was a deep sorrel with a white star on her forehead. Her mother had bled out and died during the birth. Not a great way to start life, losing your momma right off. Her surrogate mother did not like her, but the old mare tolerated her. This awful excuse for a filly was not her child. But her child had died one day ago and she knew he wasn't coming back. At least this thing could alleviate the pain in her stretched bag.

Let me know which one you want!

*I don't believe this is copyright infringement as the stories themselves are my original work. Only the idea of voting is borrowed - and if voting for what you want is copyrighted then the whole country is in trouble.

Dog Days

I am thinking of renaming the blog to something more appropriate. You know, like "Chirping Crickets" or "Once a Month Post." Just kidding. Well, sort of. I do like "Chirping Crickets" or "Grain of Salt". Any input from my loyal but nuts for hanging around this long faithful reader?

We got a new dog. Well, ok, I showed up with a new dog one night. I was at a seminar in the big city and had to stop by Pet Smart for some ear mite medication for my dogs. Some rescue groups were set up outside, and I went over because I'm a sucker to make a donation and there he was. A brown/black spotted two year old Border Collie/Saint Bernard cross. I swore I wouldn't fall for another one, that I couldn't be suckered again. But alas my strength and knees gave out with the first look Slade gave me. It was puppy love at first sight. He was herding the other pups in the pen; I couldn't leave him in the city. It's only been four days and he is a member of the family.

At least the calves have moved out to the ranch so our house is not quite so zoo-like.

Question of the day....

Question of the day...

Does a Bloody Mary count as a full serving of vegtables?  Becuss I'm gettin really good at mmmaaa king thehm....

Rain

Rain has become one of my most favorite things. 

With all of my grass eating critters I depend on it more. I also just love sound and smell. Sweet rain.

At our Fourth of July celebration this year I heard a wonderful story about a preemie that was in NICU and not expected to live. Her parents couldn't touch her or hold her during that time. Every night her mother prayed that God would hold her in His hands. She defied the odds and grew into a little girl. One day she and her mother were sitting outside when a rainstorm came up. She told her mother "That's what it smells like when God holds you in his hands."

I don't really care if that story is true or not. It doesn't really matter -- the smell reminded me of God and renewal before I heard that tale. But it does make me take a deeper breath when the rain comes.

Needless to say it finally rained a bit today. We have been SOOOO dry. There is nothing in the pastures. Nothing but dirt anywhere. My father in law and I went to the family ranch yesterday -- it was pretty awful. I have been feeding the critters just about every bite. So it made today's gift even more appreciated.

I also love falling asleep to the sound of rain.

I even enjoy fixing water gaps. (Areas of fence that are designed to fall down when draws (creeks) come up with large rains). After they have quit running (no swift flowing water), we ride out to them on horseback, find all the parts, move the debris. All kinds of bugs crawl up your legs while you are wading. Then you have to stretch the fence back and retie the wire. It's not so much fun in cold weather, but even so it's not that bad. And much more preferable to looking at starving cows and deer.

Please keep praying for more rain!

Cities. Ugh

When my husband and I travel to the "big city" it only reaffirms how much we love living in a small town. We helped his sister move to Dallas this weekend. It was sooo much fun. Right up there with having a sunburn on my eyeballs.

Now don't get me wrong, there can be lots of advantages to living in the city - movies, convenient shopping, um. good food? and um yeah. So anyway I was trying to find Target - who my husband said was just a "mile or so up the road (I-45) and right off the highway you can' t miss it." An hour later after many turnarounds and "please can you tell mes" I called him (again) crying. "GET ME OUT OF THIS FUCKING CITY. I WANT TO GO HOME!"

I did make it to Target (20 minutes later). It truly was 2 miles from the apartment. We left as soon as we could.

Airhead Moments at the End of Summer

Even though it is still 100+ degrees outside, summer is offically over at this house. We took the girls back to their Momma today. They were excited. Which is good (if they weren't excited to see their mother we would be worried). As Booger put it, "When I'm with ya'll I miss her. When I'm with her I miss you."

It was the unfairness of that in her life, her next statement of "but I guess that's how it's supposed to be," and the good memories of this summer that led to my mishap.

J and I had stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home. He had gone back to the truck while I finished my shopping. Had he been there I'm sure he would have saved me. If you have known me for 5 seconds then you know that I don't like shopping. And I don't like Wal-Mart. But they do have everything. To survive in the store I often escape into my own little world in my head. Today I was daydreaming about the summer, and what Booger had said and such. (At least that is my excuse.)

I checked out and decided to hit the bathrooms before I left.  I wandered into the stall, did my business and got up to leave. The person next to me exited their stall just before me. I noticed he had broad shoulders, a bald head and many tatoos. And he was a man. And there were urinals on the wall.

"Oh shit! Am I in the wrong one?" I asked as he turned around and smiled at me.

"Yep. Looks that way." Pause. "Nice to meet you."

We all have these airhead moments, right?