Begin Eastern Adventures: Now

A mish-mash catch up for you:

First things first. 

I miss California.  Don't get me wrong, I love being here but it is not nearly as sunny or palm tree-y as I became so used to.  Also, it has been straight clouds, bugs and road kill on the reg.  I am not talking about a stink bug here or a fly there.  Like, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sized ants crawling near me and giant bees flying at my head! 

Also, a more scary bug.  Max had been shaking his head more often and I was busy with getting ready for DC thinking, he probably has some ear issue, I'll look at it once we are settled.  Then he crossed the room and I saw this lumpy thing on his ear...

 I blew up Google and asked my dad what he thought.  Sure enough...

A TICK!!

I watched a YouTube video (Isn't that how everyone is educated anymore?) and learned how to remove it on my own.  Max was such a champ.  He sat still enough that I was able to pull this jerk free in one piece.  Max has a tiny scar on his ear and I have a new paranoia and do a skin check on him every few hours and as needed when we head outside (I actually tried removing a mole because I was sure it was a new tick! Whoops!).  Apparently the ticks are really bad this year (along with the cicadas, as I am learning) so be sure to check your poochies for any extra "nipples" popping up!  I'm itchy.

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After a week of selfishly bonding with my mom, I had to share her with my siblings and nieces and nephews for Mother's Day, I guess...

There was a break for tubby time...

Rub a dub dub, three bubs in a tub

 ...and even a gymnastics portion where Mom showed how many years young she still is by doing a headstand!

Happy Mother's Day to the biggest kid at heart!

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Before heading to DC to straighten out my license (which is resolved, finally), I had time to squeeze in a run in the Pittsburgh Marathon.  With zero training (hard to run in a car unless I converted my car into something out of the Flintstones), I was able to finish my leg of the relay without much difficulty.  It is definitely more humid here!  Whew!

Morning yinz guys

The sun is on its way

Nailed it.

Of all of the runs that I have done in the past few years, this is always my favorite one to run.  It is so well organized and a really great and scenic run.  Was happy to be a part of it again this year. 

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My trip to DC was broken up with a pit stop at the Marks' house.  I haven't been there in well over a year and on this visit, a new tenant moved in.  It was great seeing him!  Oh and my sister and brother in law too. 

I got to feed him and he was very interested in me then!

A quick hello to some old friends, favorite places and fancy cars!

Get your palsy on..

NICU <3

A Lazzara and a Lotus

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As with the last few places I've been placed, this Alexandria apartment is very cookie cutter.  Nothing too fancy or surprising.  I like that I am able to make several trips back and forth to home so I was able to decorate a little more, making this place feel a little more like the home I remember. 

It is also very green outside which makes Max a happy boy for sniffing and toileting.

Captured on the one day the sun came out

The neighborhood where I live seems nice enough.  In my complex alone, I think a majority of the tenants are medical professionals or some form of a young professional.   I haven't seen kids.  I haven't found the pool (which does not even open until Memorial Day weekend - WHAT?!).  I haven't found the gym.  I did, however, find a grocery store RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET from my apartment.  How handy!  Almost as handy as the sign I found in the meat department that said, "Store will be closing on June 6.  Thank you for your business."  Cripes!  I asked the cashier and she doesn't think anything is moving in afterward.  Now back to square one of gridlocks for dinner. 

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So east coast nursing it is!  I had a few days of computer orientation and then two days in the NICU with a preceptor before being thrown to the wolves.  My first day was not a bust!  One of my patients was from Erie, PA.  He said, "Go Steelers!"  I just played along. 

It feels good to be back among the people of unequal arm strength and irregular pupils!  The staff nurses have been really friendly and helpful so far.  The traffic has not too too bad from where I live either (thank goodness) but throw a marathon or an unattended book bag in the way and I see it being a nightmare!

Officially official.

As if half paper charting wasn't enough to blow my mind and mess my nursing groove up, I traded in a California Vocera device for... THIS!

I can't even remember the name of this thing but it is supposed to be a safety tool.  Maybe it is safe because it slows you down more than using the giant computer it rests on (ever).  It is the rainbow spinning wheel of nursing, if you can relate to that. 

I understand it and I like it, it is just so slow and tedious to maneuver.  I could easily scan with a handheld scanner and edit on the giant computer screen instead of with the tiny wand and screen on this thing.  Oh gosh!  I just sound like I am becoming old and rigid.  Seriously, it is an easier transition and I don't take as much for granted, keeping myself in check.  And I am bendy.

"You are fine and good.  You are fine and good.  You are fine and good." - Girls



My small orientation class had to be fitted for masks before we started on our units.  It's so weird what that hood and sugar spray made me do!

Making friends by force and robotic movements

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In my very little "me" time, I have been diving back into (a more strict) paleo.  I picked up a book surprisingly put together by Pittsburgh locals.  I can't wait to try some of the recipes out.  I also went to my first crossfit class.  Ouchie!  I am no longer speaking to the stairs until further notice.  "C'mon Natalie, squat lower!"  This is what I signed up for after a year of threats.  I'll get it.  See you soon six pack!

I tried a very dumbed down basic version of a sous vide steak.  It turned out well, not as pink as I would have preferred but still delicious.  I will master this also. 

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I had to work on Vivian's birthday but she turned 6 anyway.  That's the way first nieces work.  She had her friends over for an Eloise party?  I have a lot to learn.  Like when she taught me what a Squinky was this past weekend.  Huh?  Sounds like a noise heard through my stethoscope.  Do you know what a sphygmomanometer is? Yeah, I'll teach you something too, Viv. 

Happy 6th Birthday, Vivian!

I can't even believe this!  Ben is 12.  His moustache matches mine on days that get away from me.  He read his own cards!  A teary eyed celebration for my first nephew!

Happy 12th Birthday, Ben-jammin!

They each had a family party and then a friend party.  I want to celebrate my birthday with this family!  Except make my cakeS out of meat with bacon icing, please and thank you.  

The important thing is that I'm home.  Nevermind that my car went to rehab for exhaustion and came back with the equivalent diagnosis of car cancer.  Sadly but with some excitement, I am looking for a new car that will tolerate all of my commutes. 

Looking forward to the east coast adventures to come in the next few months. 

XO

I'm baaaaack (kinda)!

We made it (again)!

We hit every type of weather you could imagine along the way.  The biggest change in one day was 97 degrees and sunny in the day to 18 degrees, freezing rain and complete darkness by night.  My car got the shocker of its life and I got caught up on all the weather that I had "missed" while I was in sunny California. 

I have spent most of the time at home preparing for Georgetown (modules on modules on modules).  I even had to drive to DC when I got back (from California) so I would prefer to go 0mph and stay out of a car for a bit.  My humor and wit have been sucked out of me over the past week or so, so I will give you the pictures.

Here is what America looks like through the lens of my iPhone:


Day: 1
Weather: Sunny, windy, 60-70 degrees
Location:  Los Angeles to Carmel to San Francisco, CA

So begins my journey home...

The first day was stressful and beautiful and very scenic. We opted to not take the direct route north toward San Francisco but instead, follow the Pacific Coast Highway (aka PCH, Route 1).  It was worth the few extra hours and while the pictures all start to look alike in 2D, the 3D images were out of this world!  So colorful and mountainous, but also winding and terrifying, especially with nothing between my car and a cliff dive to the ocean! 

Onward!

The PCH initially twisted away from the coast and through some small towns and farms, where palm trees sat next to barns, weird!

I loved the painting on the building next to actual mountains!

Remember these?

Purple!

Finally on track on Route 1/Pacific Coast Highway!

Bye bye Pacific Ocean (but see you soon)!

There were a few designated scenic stopping points along the way as we headed north.  One of the most memorable was not about the landscape at all.  It was a pretty malodorous and noisy site.  Max was pretty confused to hear barking but not see any other dogs. 

Elephant Seal Beach.  Burping, farting and barking...

What a trooper this car is!

Looks like a movie backdrop!

Looking over the cliff.  Mom kept her eyes closed.

Eyes on the road.

The curvaceous PCH

Look closely, the road is almost a U

Thank you for the rare guide rail, with reinforcement!

A little more north, the mountains changed

Reminded me of something out of The Princess Bride

We made a pit stop in Carmel for dinner.  I had always wanted to go to Clint Eastwood's restaurant (Mission Ranch Restaurant and Hotel) but didn't want to drive that far for a meal.  I also heard that Carmel was a site in itself. 

This place ended up being the only REAL meal we had on this trip so our "last supper" was as delicious as it was beautiful, overlooking some farmland and sheep.  We watched the sunset and then got back on the road toward San Francisco for the night.




Day: 2
Weather: sunny, windy, sandstorm, 60s to high of 97
Location:  San Francisco, CA to Yosemite National Park to Las Vegas, NV


 Good morning!

Dapper Doggy

We stayed in the scariest hotel of our trip this night.  It looked like Dexter's apartment from the outside but hardly as nice on the inside.  It was the most expensive night but the most sketchy room.  At least we got to see San Francisco before hitting the road again.  I was really looking forward to this day!

Chocolate anyone?

There it is!

Leaving early was a good idea in theory except we got in late the night before so we started today on less than a full tank within ourselves and hit morning rush hour traffic which set us back a little too.

Garmin wasn't excited about these tall buildings ("recalculating.. recalculating...")

We finally made it out of San Francisco and were on the road again, without traffic.  We were headed to Yosemite National Park!

Some more scary, windy roads...

We traded in the tall buildings for tall trees.  I wish I could have bottled the smell here! 

Once upon a time, it was a tree.

2D  <  3D

#tunnelproblems

The views were making me dizzy

First of several waterfalls - car included (to the right) for perspective on size

same waterfall, different view

Hi mum!

Bob Ross?  It's easier with an iPhone.

no words

This isn't an Olan Mills backdrop!

A snap with my pretty pooch!

Sunset before the sandstorm on our way to Vegas, sober (not recommended!)

Paris Las Vegas.  Not too shabby!  And they allow dogs!  55lb or Max, I think it said.

Day: 3
Weather:  Sunny, windy, snow and ice, DARKNESS, high of 97 to low of 18, brr.
Location: Las Vegas, NV through the tip of Arizona into Utah to Denver, CO


In light of our super duper long day on top of sandstorms and time changes, we made the executive decision to sleep in a bit (in our cushy, comfy beds) and see some of Vegas, skipping Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah today.

Sober in Vegas, without a clue of how our day would turn out.

Obligatory Bellagio Chihuly'd lobby ceiling

 

 Some coffee, flowers, butterflies and zen.

And..  we're on the road again.  Feeling a little recharged and also a little warm.  It was forecasted to be 97 today and it was quickly approaching that in the early morning!

The last of the palm trees that I saw

What happened to all the green?!?

Skipping Zion and Bryce Canyon was a tough decision.  However, we didn't know any better, so this is what I imagined that they looked similar to.  It's also a good thing that we skipped them because this was our LONGEST day on the road, did you just hear my car sigh?  75 to 80 mph for 12+ hours?  Sounds like a word problem where the answer is: 'Merica is massive! 

No bed til after 1am.  Enjoy the view.

It became very hard to pick favorites/bests from the group of photos since I had never seen anything like this before.  They were all amazing views!  Sorry if they look like the same shots.

snow capped mountains!

Controlled practice fires

Where's Waldo?  There are actually 2 guys in this photo.  Can you find them?

I got that eerie "The Hills Have Eyes" feeling here...

Rush hour in Utah

And this is where things took a turn...  for the worse.

Yeah, real colorful.  And real funny, 'merica.

The clouds rolled in.  The weather changed quickly and I guess the temperature dropped because just as it turned dark, it began to snow and ice.  There were no reflectors on the road.  Once everything was wet, it was hard to tell where we were supposed to be on the road.  If we messed this up, over the cliff we went.  30mph it is! 

By the time we reached Vail, our eyes were bleeding and when we got to the hotel at 1am, it had started to snow and blow (literally) pretty good with a forecast of accumulation.  So much for another year without snow!  We were asleep before our heads hit the pillow, for sure. My car got the ultimate cool down.



Day: 4
Weather: Snowstorm, ice (my car had an ice shell and a slush beard), windy, 20s to 60s
Location: Denver, CO through Wyoming to Mount Rushmore and to Sioux Falls, SD



Hi.  It's May 1.

Who packed a snow scraper?!  Ugh. 

The commuting conditions.  Not pleased.

I can't even PRETEND it's not there!

A slush beard on my car

nothing to see here

At least SOMEONE was able to relax...

And then just like that, we hit South Dakota and the roads were dry and there was just a little bit of snow on the ground and then nothing...  Phew!  I was worried that we wouldn't be able to see Mount Rushmore and that was the ONLY reason we were driving into South Dakota!

So a quick history of Mount Rushmore:

• It was sculpted to represent the first 150 years of American History.  
• The artists were father and son.  
• Construction was done from 1927-1941.  
• Each nose is 21 feet tall each.  
• Father Borglum died before the sculpture was completed and the son finished the four heads, with some help.  He later sculpted a bust of his father for the site where people could view this famous American sculpture.  

The end.  That's really the highlights.  Consider yourself schooled. 

Mama Bear and the Prezzies

Deliriously underwhelmed and cold, but documenting

I don't know if it was exhaustion, the weather or if it was just that underwhelming.  I walked up to it and thought, "That's it?  Ok.  It looks just like it does in the books.  It's cold.  I'm ready to go!" 

It's actually pretty impressive.  Really.  I was just cranky.

The teeny town somewhere in South Dakota.

Tunnel vision

South Dakota was really pretty and more colorful than I imagined

Finally, some good (colorful) news for tomorrow

Thank goodness!



Day: 5
Weather: Some snow, wind, rain/thunderstorms, 40s to 50s
Location: Sioux Falls, SD through a piece of Nebraska (counts!) into IA and IL to Indianapolis, IN

Looking a little more like home

A self portrait in a truck wheel

Crossing the M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i

heh!

The thunder and lightening portion of our trip, just when we thought we saw it all...  This is 10pm or so

The real lighting (or lack of) at that time of the storm

I wish I could have captured the lightening bolts across the sky.  Hard to do while driving!

Yeah, we went through that.  AND it made the news.

Stretching out for the night, almost there!

Day: 6
Weather: Flurries, rain, sun, 30s to 60s
Location:  Indianapolis, IN through OH and a piece of WV then into Pittsburgh, PA

Finally, our last day on the road!

Getting out of Indianapolis was a bit of a task.  We spun around the speedway and this was all I was able to capture while trying to find the road out of there to get home already.

closing in...

Well, thank you!

Back just in time for traffic on 376!  Cakewalk compared to LA...

There was a little hiccup on the way home.  My agency called to see if I sent my fingerprints in and asked when I started my application for my DC license...  on Friday at 3pm.  What can I do about it now?  Really. 

I knew DC to be a walk through state (meaning I could walk in and walk out with my license on the same day) but quickly learned that it was not anymore.   Things that could have been mentioned at the time contracts were signed, before I packed, before I left California...  any of these would have been better than Friday at 3pm.  So now that I've driven across the US of A, I have to drive another 8 hours (to DC and back) and squeeze in time for these mandatory online modules before I start work again. 

Here's to hoping for a speedy processing of my application, an attitude adjustment and no more trips until I move to DC!


XO