PurpleHays

Well, y'all, I survived Hell Month relatively intact. Now to recuperate in January. Our case load this week is in the teens, rather than upper 30s. Well, except for Thursday and it's usually in the upper 20s-30s anyway. Hopefully, we can settle into a more normal lifestyle again. We booked a London-Spain-France cruise for April. I couldn't believe the hubby said yes. It didn't hurt that I said I'd put all my OT to it rather than the new camera lens I'm coveting. Cynthia, I hope your mother is doing well and heals well.

We went last fall because my husband really wanted to go (more than me). He was pooped about an hour in. I think I went several more hours. Just like @caradara I watched every film and read every placard.

Technically, next week is Hell Week #4, but I was off the first week, so I missed it. Friday was particularly rough, as we had 13 staff to run 6 rooms. I was assisting one of our docs and followed him from room to room. No other docs had assistants unless they brought their PAs. Were are you in SC? Wave if you pass through Durham on you way to VA. We like pasta fagioli, but that lemon chicken orzo sounds scrumptious! My younger daughter and her gang were over for Christmas Eve. We opened gifts and had dinner. We will do nothing tomorrow. Well, laundry. Between church and guests, I didn't get it done today.

I get it. You prefer an ereader. We'll just have to semi-disagree. And I'm done with this topic since you want to disagree with everyone that also likes paper books.

I find it easier to read paper as opposed to a screen--it's easier on my eyes. I also love the smell and as @KKB said, the tactile experience and turning of pages. I see progress without having to tap and bring it up. I take both physical and ebooks on vacation. I find it hard to read on a device in bright sun.

I have a Samsung tablet with the Barnes and Noble app. I do not have to be connected to the internet to read anything I've downloaded as long as I make sure it's actually downloaded before I turn the wifi off.

I think CB is Caribbean. If so, the library is still there, but not well stocked. There were some games and a few books, but not much else the first week of December.

My ASC has been crazy stupid busy every Nov/Dec I've been there. We were down *seven* positions last year (out of 30-something) and it made it even more miserable than usual. This year, November wasn't too bad, but December has once again sucked the life right out of me. I normally work three days a week, worked five in a row last week, including our one Saturday a year, after I was coerced into working an extra day. We're only down a couple of positions this year, so it's easier in that aspect, but case loads are all of a sudden in the upper 30s/day (25 is about average the rest of the year). I'm going in extra tomorrow, and there were 40 scheduled. Our record is 47. We do get compensated for extra time--any extra shift is time and a half, and the Saturday was double pay. Last week, I got to 41.5 hours (it's usually 25-30) with about a third extra pay. A nice chunk of that is going into my new cameral lens fund. Hell week #1 is in the books, Hell week #2 in progress. I haven't actually looked at next week's case load, but I'm sure it will be Hell week #3.

I don't have/use and photo processing, so no corrections. Sunset from the aft of the Caribbean Princess somewhere in the Caribbean and an orchid at the Flamingo Gardens in FL. I like the spiderweb with the orchid.

I'm 60, so the triple is never, the single axel is a dream. It's good that she loves skating. Starting so young, maybe she won't realize how hard it really is. I started as a middle-ager, so it is hard indeed. Keep enjoying her performances.

We did it last week and you got either lobster or steak, not both. Otherwise, it was as it was before. It has gone up to $110.

We were on the Caribbean with you and also the excursion! We were on bus #2. Which one were you on?

But does she have a triple axel yet?? What did she skate to? She is beautiful and I hope she is enjoying skating. I am looking forward to getting back on the ice in January.

Darth Vader is the ultimate villain!

We are back from our Caribbean winter break cruse, right into hell week at work. The cruise was perfect, one missed port due to high winds, but that just gave me more time to sit on my balcony, read, and drink margaritas. Hell week #1 is done, next week is crazy busy, as is the following week. Today was our one Saturday a year to work, we were done by 2pm. Just can't turn down double pay for a few hours. A group went out for drinks after (margarita!) and socializing. As usual, work was the main topic. I was called a pain in the ass by one person, even as she was agreeing with another coworker that I was the "intellectual" of our work group. Floored me as I don't always get along with both of these people. We are trying to figure out how to tell management what we want. They are all for a walk out/call out, but since I'm so close to retirement, I don't really want to endanger my job. We work at a private ambulatory surgery center (ASC). It is owned by the physicians, so it's their building. They can pretty much do what they want. Such is life. @Lois R Glad to hear you're doing better. Crazy about the meds. Wish Washington would do something about it, but I don't see that happening in my lifetime.

@Tahitianbigkahuna I am jealous of your hummingbirds. All of ours moved south several months ago. We miss them over the winters.

I enjoy reading, so my face is usually down too, but generally on a paper page. I also do crosswords and coloring books. I don't see that it's any different except that some folks don't ever look up. My introvert self will carry on a conversation, but doing it all the time wears me out, so I have to socialize in scheduled doses.

We cruise Dec 3. I'm not going to update/upgrade before them. I'll be more than happy to play with the new app after that-my next planned cruise isn't until 2025.

This is a relief since we sail Sunday. I really didn't want to wrestle with a new app while trying to board. Hubby would be turning the air blue trying to figure it out.

@zackiedawg I've missed your wetlands photos, but family is far more important. Take care and we'll see you when you can get back.

I've been thinking the same. I miss his gorgeous birds.

I'm not sure why you think my comment was judgmental. It was purely observational as 3-4" nails seem difficult to complete daily care routines.

Yes we did! Can't wait to do it again.

I had an old friend visit this week. She wanted to make a Mary Lou Retton leotard for an 80s party. We talked last night until 4:30AM. Got back up at 8:30 and kept talking. Got her leotard made (it looks great!) and talked more until she left 4-ish this afternoon. I should crash very soon.

When we went on our first vacation in almost three years in the fall of 2022, I did gels for about two months. By they end, they were too long for me, even though they weren't all that long. I'm just so used to short nails. I've seen some women use the tips of those super long nails to type. I always wonder how they do self-care. . .