Catching up to the New Year

Finished out the semester well; 4 Bs & 2 As kept me happy since I promised myself before finals that all Cs would be just fine. Aiming low and achieving well - never would have thought that would be me, but here we are in pharmy school just as merry as can be. One semester left of actually-in-a-classroom classes followed by 9 months of a mythical beast called 'rotations' (assigned, spread out loosely into 12 months, somehow, that involves requesting sites that you'll never get, a white lab coat, and unspoken rules as well as several icky test things and "resume building" exercises that promise to reek of boredom). I am terribly ready to be done with school and out working. I honestly don't feel like I know much but I was always very, very good at looking things up quickly so maybe it'll all work out? (That certainly isn't very reassuring to anyone... Let's keep that part a secret, okay?) After finals Christmas hit home. No white Christmas here in Okieland but we had the freezing temperatures. The big family party with
Dad's side was fun with traditional Christmas fajitas, dirty Santa, playing spoons (which my female cousin & I are, apparently, really good at recently), and a foray by my mum & aunt into discovering how to make mulled wine at home (it seemed a lot like making hot tea to me?).
For my immediate family, on Christmas we did our usual laid-back thing at home with biscuits and gravy breakfast just after presents followed by lounging around the rest of the day, recovering from our paper cuts earlier in the day and drinks the night before. (I spent my Christmas Eve at work, since, after all, isn't saving lives a very merry thing?)
Christmas with Skronky, and later his family, was wonderful as well. I got him a cast iron dutch oven. I know what you're thinking... Horribly romantic of me. But that is what he wanted! Better than a tie, I suppose, since he doesn't often wear ties. (I "helped" him 'season' it the next day... I've never seen so much smoke billowing out of an oven!) It was nice to get to see his nephews at his family's party. The oldest one is just a few months past 2y and he's a terror (in a good way), running around everywhere and making friends wherever he goes!
This year for me the presents haul included, in no particular order: a leech jar (no leeches currently in residence), several shirts, a shoe rack, lots of candy, a flashlight, rechargable batteries, another charm for my charm bracelet (this time a celtic cross), cookies, a bird house that I won in my family's dirty santa, coffee & mug, and several books. Skronky got me the first book in the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer; I've read it twice since Christmas and plan to see the movie soon. (I prefer to always read the book before the movie, strangely enough.) But please don't count me in with the crazy, diehard fans. I like this author's style and artistry but do not have any misillusions or obsessions about vampires. Promise. You'll be the first to know if/when I do...
New Year's Eve saw me at home with the fam plus Dawn, her hubby, and their 3 week-old baby boy. Rocked out the end of the old year watching her hubby play Battlefield: Bad Company while the baby hiccuped in Mum's arms and Dawn & I gossiped. Am looking forward to this new year and all the wonderful things it'll bring. Best wishes to you and yours!

PreSemester Jitterbug

I can't believe break is almost over! Tomorrow I go back to days of classes and site visits, exams and assignments. Where did that full month of break go?
Right now I'm working on laundry and getting reorganized for school. I always underestimate how much work I put into getting organized each semester; You'd think I would get it set and leave it all neat but somehow I have a way of undoing my own organization quicker than a cyclone...
I finally settled on names for my fishy friends: Heifer and Sundance! Thank you to those who endured my machinations about such a minute detail and for the lovely suggestions. The swimmers are right now enjoying their hourly pacing up and down the side of the tank, neurotic little fishes that they are. The cat took about 10 hours to discover them that first day and the minute she did, she really did! She wanted to sit next to them (I'm sure that's all she wanted to do, right?) and got very perturbed at me for not letting her play with the pretty swimmy things. I put masking tape rolled on the surface of the table next to the tank so the next time she got up there she was very confused and not a little miffed. I don't think she's figured out anywhere else to sit to terrorize them so she just lurks on the floor, shooting me mean looks now and then.
Speaking of which, last night I was sitting on the couch talking to Skronky on the phone when all of the sudden, out of the blue and without any warning, the cat jumped up on the back of the couch and bit me on the back of my head right next to my ponytail! Then she perched at the far edge of the back of the couch looking at me like, "What? You got a problem with me? What then??" So I pushed her off (it's only about two foot to the ground) only for her to rebound two minutes later to the same place, this time purring like she just got the best meal of her life. I swear she must be psycho or something. Or maybe she's just gettting old and nuts? Whichever, blessings on all those who live with a crazy attack cat!
It's still very, very cold outside and there's ice everywhere. I think it sleeted here all day Friday, most of Saturday, and part of Sunday. I'm so glad we haven't lost power! With all this ice that's a definite possibility; It's happened before and I'm sure it will again. The dogs are enjoying this weather, silly things, since they like eating the ice! Due to the icky weather making the roads slick I haven't left the house since Friday when I went with Dad to pick Dork up at school (they got to leave early since the weather was looking bad even before noon). I can hardly wait to test the roads tomorrow for school...
Before this weather front started I got to hang out with some friends from undergrad on Tuesday. Had a good time; I'd missed getting to laugh at stupid stuff with Julia. Too bad there wasn't a Food Challenge on the telly!
I did some baking yesterday while Mum made a chicken pot pie; peanut butter cookies, cherry turnovers, and (not baked) toffee fudge. (By the end of those I was pretty much all out of creative power.) The things I call turnovers I guess are really just fruit filled pie crust pockets but isn't turnover a much shorter name? And they *could* be turned over...
Well, I suppose it's time to get back to organizing. Hope you all have a lovely week and enjoy your MLK Jr. Day off of work (if you are so lucky)!