What to do about nothing.....

The most nerve racking thing to me is when I'm at work and there is nothing to do. I mean I have to look busy, and I try. I'm good at finding something to do when the boss comes around. Unfortunately sometimes there is just NOTHING to do!! Does anybody hear me? Am I the only one who feels guilty for having nothing to do? One day I did computer in services. The other day I found little things to busy myself with, but still found myself with excess time. To make matters worse, since everybody knew I didn't have anything to do they all hung around me. I mean it's like I'm a social magnet on those days. Somebody finds something to talk to me about. I feel bad enough not working to begin with. Then to add obvious lounging around with co-workers to the equation well its just criminal. I go check on my patients but they are doing the same thing they were 10 min earlier. I pretend to look busy but every body knows I don't have squat to do. They just wait for me and continue on these meaningless conversations. We talk about the weather. We talk about their kids. We talk about how busy we can be at times (though at the moment we're not). We even have the audacity to wish for something to do (though we don't wish ill on anybody). I tell them that I work much harder at home, and many times I do! They just laugh.
One lady has it down to a science. She can sit for hours around me doing nothing. As if by instinct, she points to the plate of apples and peanut butter I have set out for my fellow do nothingers. I pick it up and bring it to the break room. Suddenly she is quite busy and gone all together. I know that I must become busy. An important person walks through looking well, important. "Only two patients" he observes. I nod, "I'm working on my computer skills learning" I smile (trying to look busy). He walks on. I want to scream "None of us are doing squat!!" But I restrain myself. Suddenly the group re assumes its position around me again with incessant chatting. I can't focus on my computer skills. I do them, but with half a brain. The other half is listening to incessant chatting of my coworker friends. I love them all. I love to hear them talk for hours on end. Its a never ending paradox. I feel guilty for being friendly and visiting with them.
What do you in Internet land do when your not busy at work? How do you stay a good worker when there is no work to be done? Am I just square? I want to be a good worker. I just don't always know how to do it.

Working Mom Blues and The Case of the Bad Bear Biasco

Kevin had roses sent to work as a surprise for me. It was soooo sweet! Moonbeam does not want to comment to the press about having her father and siblings care for her during the day.

Well, I would have said "fiasco" but the "b" went in there better.............. you know

Anyway, it had been more than a month since I worked. I was beginning to get nervous at the dwindling funds. My husband reminded me that God always provides. Then it happened... at the beginning of bible study, the hospital called. I was happy to hear they wanted some one for the next day. I said "yes". They were shocked. Then I found out why. It was....gulp....a day shift. I had had a very busy day trying to get my house in order for the evening. That involves braving the children's (or public) bathroom. Making sure that there is no soiled toilet paper sitting in wads of trash over flowing. Cleaning out the sink and places on the wall and mirror where toothpaste has haphazardly sprayed. Taking out the stinking bathroom rugs that always smell like little boy pee pee. It's a tough job and even though we have bible study every week, and even though the kids rotate weekly on bathroom cleaning duties, it's never suitable for guests until I have seen it.

I also had bear steaks marinading, ready for a quick run through old George Foreman. I started them a day or two before. I was disgusted that the bag broke and leaked all over the refrigerator. I had to put them into another dish and cleaned up the mess. Then after all that, I was only to discover that they weren't steaks after all. It was a roast!!! Well I started cooking it as soon as I discovered it. The problem was it didn't give me enough time. About an hour before bible study I abandoned the project, took it out of the oven and made a fast grouse casserole. Unbeknown to me, my husband thought it was part of the meal. He ate some - yuck! I did not discover this until much later. I was hurriedly cleaning (you know that have to have everything perfect complex).

Well when work called unexpectedly, I couldn't just cancel the Bible Study. Our friends were already there. We had a great time and after they were gone, I was running on 4 hours sleep prior to the first shift. Then I found out they needed me again the next day. Work for me is an all day endeavor. I got up at 4 am, I start work at 5:45am, don't get off until 6:15pm, don't get home until 8:30 pm if I'm lucky and there's no overtime involved. I had no time to cook. I shoved the bear in the refrigerator and forgot about him....lurking....in there.

When I got done with the first day I discovered my hungry abandoned family had eaten much of the poorly cooked roast...... I feel so guilty!!! You're never supposed to eat bear unless its fully cooked because it can have the same worm as pig do. Oh dear oh dear....moan moan.

To make matters first, the bear was revisited. I tried making its remainder into enchiladas after cooking it in strips. It was tough and yucky. I think it may be trying to take vengence upon me for not properly giving it the attention it deserved. I can almost hear it calling me now, from the garbage can. This is what it's saying "oooooooohhhh oooohhhhhh!"

I was happy, though, that flowers were delivered to me at work. What a sweet thing to do! On my birthday, my family had a party for me. After I got back from shopping I was pleased to discover my daughter had walked to the neighbors to borrow eggs for a strawberry shortcake. She even made mine without sugar so I could eat it. Kevin said he was sorry he hadn't been to town and didn't have anything for me. I was in such a good mood I told him that being married to him was gift enough for me (10 years ago I would have cried myself to sleep). Wow! This was so sweet :-)

Heather's Femininity Challenge, Sweet Baboo Brand Nursing Shawl

My sister did a femininity challenge that I have been delinquent in. After some deliberation I decided to answer it with this picture and also do a product review at the same time. For Christmas this year, my mom and dad gave me a nursing shawl. It came in a very pretty bag with a matching burp cloth. It was so cute! It was also definitely upscale motherhood at it's finest ;-) I was delighted.

Though I've had 5 babies, I have never owned a nursing shawl until now. Honestly, it didn't seem all that necessary to me. I'm one of those nurse anywhere type chics as long as I have a blanket along. I am also a multi tasker to no end. I have been known to grocery shop while nursing, and a host of other things too numerous to mention. Being a working mom, a home school mom, and multi child mom, I am constantly moving. This product was just great!

Its a way to nurse discreetly without being excessively worried about flashing somebody in the process. The top is vented so you can see what's going on, give the baby some air, etc, but it remains private. The shawl is lightweight and easy to stuff in my purse. There is even a back corner of cloth on it to wipe a mouth. It's very pretty, practical and has that "this mom has got it together" type look.

Yesterday I went out with some friends to celebrate my birthday. We shopped until we about dropped. On the way out of town, a friend treated us to a hole in the wall place with the best burgers ever! I forgot to bring in a blanket, and there was my nursing shawl. It was just the right thing to have. It stayed on and I didn't have to give it another thought. I enjoyed my friends, nursed and had a great meal without disturbing any body. Here's her website if you want to check out her products. She does a really nice job on them. sweetbaboodesigns.etsy.com

Week One of Sugar Fast Completed

Well I'm at the end of my first week of sugar fasting. My mom is at the end of her first week as well. Around the third or fourth day I got kind of irritable and fuzzy. Other than that, it really hasn't been bad. Of course I have been at home all week and haven't had too many temptations. I've lost a good solid 2lbs or more. Also I have lost a few inches as well. The pants I bought on my MN trip are falling off of me in a most unbecoming way. I am also starting to feel more energy. Enough about me. My mom said she noticed that she has a strong sense of "well being". I am so glad about this. Tomorrow is my birthday. Some friends and I are going out shopping for the day. That will most likely be a little more challenging.

I think this has got to be the most boring post ever. I'm going to post it any way for the sake of keeping track. I've enjoyed a lot of good out door time this week.

The Wheels of Progress

When we returned home from our trip, I was found a monstrous sight! It had snowed and snowed. Snow had fallen off the roof in large mounds. Then the weather turned warm and melted all the snow mounds into solid ice over our steps and porch. I ignored the impass (using the other door) until yesterday. My first and only visitor arrived unexpectedly. It was even a female!!! She had come by snowmobile. She braved much to enter. I was so embarassed!

Today I set about chiseling at the mounds until I had set these captive steps relatively free. At first I thought they'd be buried alive until spring. I almost abandoned the rescue attempts, feeling it was an impossible feat. Then as I drove my spade over and over into it, small chunks came off. I hoped to free just one. Soon it was two. Before I knew it, I had most of them done. Can you tell they are smiling with appreciation and deep gratitude?

It reminded me about how God can change us. When we work hard by taking just one step of faith at a time, it leads to another. The change isn't instant, but results do come. It was also a killer arm work out ;-) Maybe I can do the walk way tomorrow. What change do you need to chisel away at?

Hebrews 13 (New King James Version) :20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you[d] what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Ice or My Love Hate Relationship with Nordic Walking

I know you have all been anxiously more commontary on "Mordic Walking". As you may already be aware, it looks really stupid. If you do not know what Nordic walking is, then you have come to the right place. Nordic Walking is simply walking with ski poles. That's it.

Pro's to Nordic Walking : Better Stability (especially on ice)

Good weight distrubution - great for heavy people with joint problems, great for packing a baby

Works your arms

Great on steep inclines, deep snow, uneven surfaces and yes did I mention ice?

All around great aerobic workout

Cons to Nordic Walking : It looks stupid

I have been challenged by this mile of pure ice on our road. Years back, it kept me indoors. Now I am learning to see it as more of a challenge. My ingenious husband put sheet metal screws in a pair of my old hikers. No I do not have a screw loose. It really works great on ice!! For a fraction of the price of some fancy ice spikes, you can do this too :-)

I can hear you already "but I might break a hip". Well just remember that stagnant life style along with unhealthy eating habbits is a good way to slowly but surely deteriorate your health.

Live Dangerously. Take on the wild side with your ski poles.

"Flames Come Out My VCR" and The Glycemic Index

I once met a man with burnt eyelashes, eyebrows and a shocked look on his otherwise pleasant demeanor. "Flames come out my VCR" he informed me. After thoroughly caring for him and exploring the possibility of airway edema, I further questioned him. "So, unprovoked, flames came shooting at you out of your VCR? Can you elaborate on this, sir?" I was quite skeptical in the matter. The only medical history that he gave me was "accident prone". He went on to say that he had been cleaning his VCR with compressed air. He was attempting to look inside and since he didn't have a flashlight handy, "Boom!", the match gave him a very short and powerful view.

Since I am on a sugar fast, and my brain may be functioning slightly below par, allow me some grace to expound. I will now explain why this story is pertinent. If your body was a furnace, wood would be it's medium of energy for producing heat. Paper, gasoline, compressed air, birch bark and host of other highly flammable materials would provide "a fast burn". Logs, however, especially good hardwood would cause a nice slow burn lasting many hours. The bi product of a good burning wood is clean. The bi product of gasoline, some oil rags, and possibly a can of compressed air would be more flammable and explosive in nature. It would also leave a stink in the air. If you put paper and gas in your wood stove every hour, you would constantly be restarting the stove. If you eat sugar cereal for breakfast, frozen pizza for lunch and McDonald's for dinner, you are doing a similar job on your body. It suffers ups and downs all day long. It gets a "fast burn" and has little sustainable. It is also full of hazardous bi products. This is my very limited explanation of the Glycemic Index. If you eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats and dairy products in proper balance, you will have a sustainable burn. This burn is appropriate to health, weight management and over all good mental functions.

Here are some links on the Glycemic Index.
http://www.glycemicindex.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index

http://diabetes.webmd.com/glycemic-index-good-versus-bad-carbs

God gave us foods at varied glycemic index levels to help us have "good burning woodstoves" consistent with good mental, emotional and physical functioning.

Another Good Reference to learn from is "Feel Great Look Great" by Joyce Meyer.