Rants, Recipes, and Running

Well, let me start by saying my trip home to Minnesota for our exteneded weekend at the lakes was everything I imagined & dreamed for it to be! The weather was great! People kept saying "Too bad it's not warmer for you guys"....but we LOVED it. It's been seirously 112 EVERY SINGLE DAY here in Arizona. In MN it was in the 70's every day. Amazing!! We did tons of fishing. I wakeboarded. Went tubing with my nephews. Ryan did some water skiing. And wakeboarding. (I cannot water ski) Many hours were spent visiting & laughing with our family out on the deck. Ate many delicious meals including the best rotisserie grilled turkey ever. It put Thanksgiving to shame. I lounged on our raft in the sun. I actually turned a little pink, which is surprising with my AZ-bronze skin! (Apparently I'm not used to that *hot Minnesoooota sun*) My nephews took quite a liking to Ryan - and he spent many hours out on the dock fishing with the boys (and helping u...

Hello! I has been awhile since I've graced you with my blogging presence. 72 hour work week makes me seriously crazy. I'm ready for a vacation. And we leave tomorrow!! Hurray! So....therefore, Goodbye for a few days. We're off to Minnesota for 6 days to be at the lakes with my family! It is currently 110 degrees F  in Tucson today. And most of this state is seriously burning to the ground because of wild fires. I am beyond ready for an escape. But...before I go...Here's my 10 on Tuesday!!!! 1. What’s the perfect meal? Oyester shooters, Blue Moon beer (newly tapped), Ahi tuna with wasabi (lots of it too...I'm freaky about how much wasabi I can eat), and grilled peppers. Yes, I realize this doesn't all "mend" together. But yum!! For desert I would like dark chocolate gelato with a cup of espresso. 2. What are the perfect pair of shoes? Mizuno Wave Runners. I would like them in green. I also love my pastel pink, ballet-flat gardening cr...

I just had to join in on the fun this week, since my sister wrote this round of questions! 1. How do you pronounce the word aunt? Does your pronunciation rhyme with ‘haunt’ or ‘can’t'? Aunt. Rhyming with haunt. I know that people's pronounciation of the word is typically based of tradition, but I find it cute...because if you actually read the word....the "u" would make it so it rhymes with..... I'm ranting and rambling. (Not raunting and raumbling, either) ;) 2. Do most of the people in your life know you blog? Or are you partially or totally anonymous? The people in my family know that I blog. But other than that, no, I don't tell people that I blog. So if it weren't for my family, I would probably be an anonymous blogger. 3. When you grocery shop, do you prefer to bag your own groceries or do you like it when the store bags them for you? Paper, plastic, or reusable bags? I use plastic, because it's easier to carry. Paper is great and hap...

Lately, I've been a little "tense". I'm not sure why, it's just been my mood. The whole "Gluten Free" change isn't really working. Yes, I have noticed my legs aren't covered in rashes -- but my stomach continues to be super angry. I'm tired of being afraid to eat. So I have today & tomorrow off - after that I pretty much work every single day until our vacation to Minnesota. So I'm taking advantage of the "chill"! My day consisted of: Going for a 6 mile run. It was really hot, like miserably hot -- but it still felt amazing to run instead of be at the gym for once! Going to the gym, not to work out -- but to sit in the steam room after my run. It feels incredible to this girl trapped in this dry desert climate!! Taking a trip to TJ Max, and buying some fun things to decorate our new office. (I love that store.... by the way) Brewing myself some iced tea with lemon & mint, and enjoying it while setting up the off...

Why are they constantly talking about Weiners on the news lately? At least class it up a little and speak of good things like Andouille. On that note.....Ew. What is with all these politicians sleezing around on their wives. Yuck, politicians...never trust them! If you've heard about the wild fires here in Arizona, it's so sad. One of the areas that is burning to the ground is the White Mountains area where we went camping a few months ago. It is seriously one of the most beautiful areas I've ever experienced. It saddens me thinking of all the beautiful landscape and animals that are dying right now! (wildfiretoday.com) Brownie points to anyone who gives me a good way to cook eggplant ! Eggplant parmisan doesn't count. Not interested. It was on sale, I bought some. I did make some babagonoush (mmmmmm) - and want to use the others maybe on the grill? The summer heat is drying out my daisies & petunias. I refer to Ms. Joan Baez singing "Where are all th...

I'm joining in the on fun again! The things that drive me reach for a glass of wine, and the things that I love in life right now................... Wine The heat. But really , I'm reaching for a cool, refreshing vodka tonic. It's >100 degrees F every day. I don't have to deal with it much, since I'm gone all day. However, we come home from work at 8:30 pm and find ourselves outside watering our drying-out grass and garden. On Tuesday, I had a patient that referred to me by only these 3 "names": "Little Nursey", "Little Girl", and he also called me a "F***ing B****" when I was placing an NG tube in him. Now, I would probably say a curse word during that procedure. But, I really don't appreciate that. My name is on the whiteboard in his room. And I continued throughout the day to correct him saying, "My name is Abby." Too. Much. Emotion. I just don't have the energy to deal with over-the-top-emotions. ...

Back when I was about 17-18 years old, I thought my life as an adult would be consumed by playing music. I assumed my Sunday mornings would be spent accompanying the church choir. Music was something I identified myself with. When I thought of "me".. music was something that came to mind. Then I went to college, moved to Tucson, got married, became a nurse, started working........and now when I mention to someone I play a variety of instruments...they are very surprised. "You?!!?"  It's really sad that it's become such a distant part of my life,  as prior to choosing to be a nurse - my 1st "major" in college was to be a music teacher. I miss it. Whenever we go to a play, talk about going to a Tucson Symphony Orchestra concert, or when I listen to classical music..I almost always get a little teary/weepy eyed. We happen to have an electric keyboard at home, which is something generously borrowed to me by a good friend of ours. But lately,...