Y'alls is owed a post. Here it comes:

This is week 13 of 16. Week 16 sort of doesn't count because it's just one test in each course, and next week is Monday only, so, YAY. 24 days from now, my semester will be done with. HUZZAH!

School has been very difficult this semester, but I've managed my anxiety better in general than previous semesters. I need to make at least one Very Good Grade on a test in med/surg, but I believe I can do that now that clinicals decks are cleared.

Hospital clinical ended on a very high note, with my Preceptor writing that I have "an excellent rapport with patients" and that she watched my confidence and skill levels increase through the two days I worked with her. My other Preceptor was highly complimentary as well, and Thursday was 100% affirming that Nursing is exactly where I want to be. Thusrday was 13 hours long, and I managed to feel energized and happy the entire time. I had one elderly patient who was a real cut-up and we teased each other all day long, so that really lightened the mood.  He said the only pain he was experiencing was the sticky tabs from the heart monitor pulling his chest hair. When the Preceptor and I were doing our final round and introducing him to the night staff, I told him that I'd told the new nurse that we're not going to charge him extra for the custom hair removal job. He laughed and laughed. It was such a good day and I went home very happy, indeed.

I applied for a substitute teaching job with the ISD in the nearby burg in September. They finally contacted me back on Thursday and said I can train in January to be a reserve substitute. I may not have time for that next semester, but you never know-- I was actually hoping to make a little extra money THIS semester, but oh well! Maybe their Spring Break won't coincide with my university's and I can make an extra buck here and there. Also I applied for a tech job working 12 hours every 2 weeks at the local hospital. Will give me more experience helping patients with baths, changing sheets and doing the usual things, and that will help immensely with my nursing skills. Helping people in and out of chair/bed is something I need more practice with. Fingers crossed on that one.

The weather has turned insanely cold here(staying below freezing for days on end), and for the first time, my house isn't freezing as well.  The new windows a few years ago helped significantly, but the new doors installed a couple months back seem to have finally made the house more heat/cool efficient. I felt guilty about how cold it was for the puppies, as they would lay around shivering in a puddle together. They learned to happily endure sweaters, and that is saying a lot. My kitchen is not big and I don't have room for one of those dog igloos, so with assistance from Himself, I improvised a puppy cubby with a Rubbermaid tub and a drugs blanket from Love's*. The tub is upside down on its lid with a porthole cut in the side.  I don't leave them at large in the house because Mochi would find a way to eat something that would kill her, and Chuy would probably un-engineer furniture, so they stay in the kitchen behind baby gates while Mommy is away. They seem to be using the puppy cubby, which gratifies me. It's probably more comfortable for two rather than 3, but the way I've seen them pile up tells me they probably appreciate the opportunity to share the warmth. They're like puppy monkey-bread, all squoze up together.

So, yeah. Busy times. A few dear friends came to town last week and it was so good to see them. I hadn't seen Jen and Evyl in yonks, and Old NFO was here and aepilot_jim came Sunday night. Was wonderful to see them all. :) Old NFO fixed us a shrimp chowder soup recipe he created (is soup and chowder redundant? My fault, if so, this is my description) that was glorious. Polished the rest off on Monday, which was the day the mercury started to plummet, so it was perfect timing. Yum.

So, yeah. 24 days.  :) I'm off to work on final report on clinical. Wish me luck!

*drugs blanket from Love's is what I call the colorful Mexican woven blankets you can get from Love's for under about $10. I buy one on just about every road trip I go on, because I always forget to take one with me, and they are so handy! Himself observed that in every house he'd ever seen a drug bust or photos of a drug bust, they always had at least one of these blankets around, hence drugs blanket. There is no drugging going on here, just an appreciation for a good value, and why should drug dealers get all the best bargains? :P