If my day job doesn't work out...

For the longest time, I have been looking at this chair in my bedroom. This was my grandmother's sitting chair in her living room. When she passed away it was something I was happy to have. It is super comfortable. She had the original 1970's orange color covered up with this floral slipcover.

I have been wishing I could get it recovered. I looked into getting one of those pre-made slipcovered. Sadly, they were always too big and they didn't ever fit right. I bought some fabric years ago and even some in Cambodia to do it myself and then that failed for various reasons. I was saving the redo for when I have a real job and a real income to fund the project. Well, instead I got creative. Yesterday, I was trying to find something in my linen bins and came across the fabric I bought. I decided I should just go ahead and do it myself. I went to walmart and purchased some permanent double sided fabric tape and some upholstery pins. And viola here is the resulting product...

I ended up having to hand sew the end parts of the arm rest.

 I am so impressed with my own work. I just keep looking at it when I walk by. I think this will be the end of my craftiness for a long time but gives me hope that I do have some other talent should I need it.

For those of you who are not on facebook and might feel neglected on not seeing my photos.
Here is a link to the pictures from this Fall. Enjoy! Click here: Autumn on the East Coast

Central Park 

 

On the streets of NYC

On the streets of RIC

Supporting the Richmond Spiders

 The amazing new UR stadium

 Mom and Sam

 Spending time with Mom for her Birthday!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

I decided this year to be a little green. I opted to not get a real Christmas tree and instead decorate my palm. I figured I would also save some money and not have to worry about all those pine needles the trees drop. (I found some under my rug a couple weeks ago from last year's tree!) So I pulled out my ornaments and have decorated my sweet palm. This isn't the first time we have done this. This is a link to our tree from a few years back. This years kinda reminded me of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

Orchids

My mother gave me a gift that keeps giving. She signed me up a couple years ago for "Orchid of the Month" club. Every month I have been getting a beautiful orchid at my door. They are lovely and bloom so long, some for a few months. I have been so excited to have about 4 or 5 that have bloomed again. I would like to think from all my tender loving care made this happen.

Here are some pics of my orchids. The first one is of the beautiful purple one that just rebloomed!

 

 

This is part of the orchid spread.

 

 And here are the rest!

There are a couple more that look like they are putting out new bloom shoots. Can't wait to see what else will rebloom.

Another trip around the sun begins

Here are the cupcakes I made for my birthday celebration!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A moment to myself

It has been a hard couple of months working in the hospital non-stop. They definetly don't pay us enough for all the hours we work. At last though, I am thankful to report that I have a few minutes to sit back and breathe. I spent today doing much needed laundry and sorting through piles of stuff that I have neglected for months.

I am excited to get into a couple of new books. I just finished "the piano teacher" and am now onto "the help". So far it is really good. I saw eat, pray, love yesterday night. It made me want to go back to Italy and Bali. Bali was by far one of my places I have ever traveled. Such an amazing place.

I am looking forward to my trip to the Southwest in a few weeks. Liz, my college roommate and I are doing a road trip after I attend my friend Sam's wedding. I can't wait to see some of my SGU friends. I am also thrilled about seeing the grand canyon for the first time. We have a lodge on the rim and have already made dinner reservations at El Tolivar for the night we arrive. I am also ready to see Vegas for the first time too. Then we will spend some time in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

More updates later :)

Overdue....

It has been over a year since I updated my blog! Wow, time flies. Last time I wrote I had just returned from a trip on the Fantasy Island Yacht. Since then here are some adventures I have had.


We got massive amounts of snow this winter.


We went to Charleston for New Year's


Chris and I went on a trip to the Turks and Caicos in January. It was beautiful.

A few weeks ago Mac and I went out west. We went to Portland and Seattle. Neither of us have ever been out there. We planned to go somewhere cloudy. He just got LASIK and pre-LASIK you can't wear contacts. This meant he couldn't wear sunglasses. We were so lucky to have incredibly beautiful weather (Def could have used some sunglasses). We packed in as many sites as possible and walked tons. I was so excited that one of my great friends from residency was randomly out there at the same time so we got to meet up with her and her husband.


Flowers in the Seattle Market


Me and Mac at the top of the Space Needle


View on the train ride to Seattle


Awesome tree in the Japanese Garden in Portland


Eating a delicious donut from Voodoo Donuts

As for residency, I am less than a month away from finishing up my second year. This means soon I will be a third year resident and that much closer to being out of school forever! It is scary but exciting. I will need to start the job hunt sometime in the near future. I have realized that I will probably try to stay in Richmond. It really is a great city and I have loved living here. I somehow lucked out and they front loaded my schedule which means I have all my hard rotations first. I start off the year in the PICU. Fun times. This month despite being on outpatient I have to do a bunch of "cross-covers". Something I do not like doing.


Me with some of my fellow residents.

My cousin Chris is getting married at the end of this month to Donna (we know her as Stevie). The events will take place in New Jersey. I am very excited about this since it will mean I get to see all my family in a mini reunion. I was so thankful I could arrange to switch my schedule around so I can get off time to be up there.

Leah, Liz and Ashleigh are coming next weekend for a 1904 UR reunion. I am looking forward to seeing all of them. It has been a long time. Leah is currently pregnant with her second child so that may mean we are a little tamer than usual.

The terrible oil spill is just now starting to affect the Panhandle of Florida. I am heart broken to think about this and how our "world's most beautiful beaches" will be ruined. I hope the winds turn in our favor and that they find a way to stop the leak soon.

I will try to post more often.