It doesn't happen often, but every once in a while I manage to get my mud in a ball.

I wasn't working much, but it's amazing how just leaving off that little bit of a job has cleared the decks for a greater volume of study.  I feel less tired and distracted by unnecessary stressors, and I feel poised to finish the semester strong. 

Today I've already studied for 3 hours and I've taken 5 quizzes (made a 100 on all except the 80.95 on the Patho quiz, and I'll take that), and with those quizzes no longer hanging over my head, I'm ready to study through the weekend.

Tomorrow I have a bit of a drive to a locale with a mock trial on a nursing malpractice suit.  This will be educational, and I'll get extra credit in two of my classes for my pains.  I'm also going to use that time to listen to some patho audio lectures, so the 4 or so hours of driving will be put to good use. It's great to have the technology to make this all easier.

I have tests in 3 of my 4 classes next week.  I will allocate 4 hours each for Saturday and Sunday study, and then I can study Monday morning, and I should be in good shape. 

I have a few more minor hoops through which I must jump for by December 2, but at this rate, I look well on-target for everything. I'm really excited.  I'm going to do a mock exam on Himself this weekend in preparation for my practicum. I'm nervous about Family Health Assessment, but I think that is normal, and I hope that I've laid a pretty good foundation for everything.  Now if I can manage to continue to focus while surrounded by bounding pups who believe that if a lap is formed, it must be populated by a furball.

It's cold at nights but very nice during the day times now.  I haven't turned on the heat in the house yet, but I busted out the electric blanket last night (THANKS, Mom and Dad!), and Chuy for one remembers his only winter with an electric blanket.  No sooner was it out warming up about an hour before I got into bed, and he was ON it.  Chuy is all about his comfort.  Also, he's a beefy little rascal who doesn't have an abundance of fat, so he chills more easily than the girls.  Praline has her own little nuclear power plant, and Mochi is slightly padded but maximizes body contact with preferably a person, but another canine will do.

I splurged about $12 on a few pots of perennials for my flower bed, and when I get home from class today, I plan on poking about there and getting those planted and established.  I'm really pleased with the salvias and rock rose I have in my yard-- they've thrived with little or no watering through a very dry year. It's good, therefore, to get more established during the mild winters here so that they have a goodly root system to stead them through the dry times.  The salvia I bought are a gorgeous dark blue.
I also noticed that I have a beautiful little shock of volunteer lantana by a tree.  Volunteers are welcome.  Far be it from me to drive away something with the audacity to bloom in my yard (with the exception of briars and dandelions, and even then, sometimes...), and I know the bees need the sustenance. 

Feeling positive. :)  Feeling much less stressed.  We'll see how I feel on Monday!