Our First Bike Ride

Its saturday afternoon and Barry and I just got back from our first bike ride. In case people had not heard Barry and I bought some new bikes in hopes to increase our fitness level and just have some fun. I had some high ambitions. I thought that we could do 60min no problem.. well I hate to admitt that i may have been wrong about that.. we did a respectable 36 min but it was hard work! Especially coming up Elephant hill Dr! It was fun and the weather was great but we were tired at the end! I guess we will have to work our fitness up to that 60 min I was hoping for. All and all not a bad start to the bike, except my bum hurts from the seat....

My first week on call

It has been my first week on call for my job. WHen I mean on call I carry this cell phone around between the hours of 4:30pm-8:30am. So that families and nurses who need help outside of office hours have someone to call. I have given this phone a name, I call it the"bat phone". The bat phone will spend hours silent as long as you are not trying to do anything, but the minute you decide to get groceries, watch a show, go out somewhere - that is when it will ring. Its like it knows when the worst possible time to ring is and does.

I have been very frustrated with this phone I spent monday night on the phone from 7pm till 11pm. The calls start to come anywhere from 5am to 7am. Its got to be the most stressful thing. You take your job with you 24/7. Thank god its only very few and far between that I have had to take the phone. I have been yelled at, sworn at and hung up on this week. familes dont like it when there nurses are sick. So they tend to not just shoot the messanger they tend to slaughter the messanger.

Anyway I have one more night then I will not see the bat phone till the end of June. Im glad for it to be over as its hard to really have a normal life with it. I know its necessary and a part of my job but I guess its one of those things that you have to just accept as part of the job. I have tobe grateful as I could still be on nights at the hospital fulltime and that would be much worse!!

Life is good nothing to exciting Barry and I are gonna go look at some bikes tomorrow and hopefully pick some out and start getting out more. Well I know that my blogs are not as funny as my counter part but I promise as soon as the inspiration hits I will write. I have begun to wonder if I have any fans anymore as none of my friends comment on my bloggs. I love it when peeople say hi and let me know they are listening through the comments, gives me a reason to write. So show me your out there and say hi once in a while! Night everyone

Some pictures just for fun

Well my inspiration for blog writting has not been great this weekend, so instead I have decided to give you all a little taste of what barry and I have been up to lately....



Here is my wonderful husband doing his best impression of a pirate... if he had a mullet he could be an Oshawa pirate! Perhaps something to strive for!

Here is my sweet sweet boy, he was so tired the night of Barrys Bye Bye Blacks party (he had too much beer) that he need to "sleep it off"

This past weekend we had a cute house guest stay overnight, Bently Lucyk! he was a great house guest (often more obedient then those who live in the house!) He had lots of fun with his friends scooby O Mally and Mr Columbo... who ran in fear! Here is a shot of the "boys" just hanging out!

Its all part of our master plan.. first visit a play hamburger the next one will be from Wendys! Columbo will show him how to order.

Welcome to Bermuda!

Today was a rainy day, rainy but good. It all started last night when we were in Zellers and I was randomly looking at items when I saw it... the patio furniture of my dreams! Its called "the bermuda" collection. Its so beautiful its like a brown wicker type style, with a brown tinted table, with beautiful tropical seat covers. Not only is it the nicest patio set I have seen this year, but its the most comfortable!

The patio set is large enough that we had a fair amount well... lets say alot ofd trouble getting it into the car. (see Barrys blog for the random act of kindness blog that compliments this one).

Anyway we got it home and I am soo excited to get a sunny day I want to set it up on the deck and have an oasis of paradise! I cant wait!!!! Its sad at 29 these are the things that excite us. Of course the forcast is predicting 5 days of rain which will delay our set up.

Other exciting news is that we are planning a May long weekend trip to Brockville, while we are there we are gonna hop over to New York for a little shopping... can you say Victorias Secret, Old Navy Outlet, JC Penny!! Soo excited!! Anyway thats all my exciting news for now. Im gonna go dream of my new Bermuda patio set!

Hospital Reflective Moment

Ok I did a 12 hour night shift last night. Im off for easter monday which is a very good thing. I just want to point something out: I love my day job, I love it so much I want to make out with it! (just kidding I know thats kinda werid!). Anyway I like the hosptial and its nice to be causal see my friends and keep up my skills.. but having said that today I feel like a dirt bag I had forgotten how it feels to stay awake all night- not at all good for the body. I feel sick and bloated and unhealthy. I dont have any idea how I did this full time.

Also Barry and I are so close that its hard to be away for a night from him(dont puke I know its super sappy), my working this day job has been really good for our relationship, giving us time together in the evenings and weekends. Its given us consistency and a routine that has been refreshing. So Im thankful today for all my blessings. God has really taken care of me he knew that I would have gone crazy if I had stayed in my old job full time. I am greatful for the life that I have been given and Im trying to live it to the fullest. Anyway just a little presleep refection I thought I would share. Night everyone!

The Party

Im on my way for a little sunday breakfast but I did not want to disappoint my fans. Barrys bye bye blacks party was a success. I rolled into bed at around 3am, as did about 5 stay over night guests. Note: the below picture is in no way alcohol induced. I am actually proud to say that I had one glass of wine and felt completely uninterested in any more. So I was just having a great old time with my own natural party abilities!! You will notice the fur collar, this was a symbol of my coolness for the night. I was much like a pimp mama with my fur!! Of course as always proving that I am in deed the dancing queen.

Happy to report that there was no vomiting by my husband or any other guests. Stay tuned for more details... Im off for a post party breaky!!

Happy 6 months anniversary to us!

Happy anniversary to us! We have been married for a whole 6 months! I cant even believe that time has passed so quickly!! I looked at the clock today at 2pm and it all came back to me how crazy nervous I was waiting to go down the isle, how excited I was to have all my friends and family present watching us have this amazing day. How emotional I was about just well everything! It was to this point the best day of my life! I cant even sum up how great it was in one blog. So Im 6 months in on the married journey and Im loving it, Barry is a great husband, wonderful loving partner and just my very best friend. Barry and i have so many secret jokes, looks and laughs Im sure that people think we are a little mental. Thats ok we are enjoying the journey of getting to know each other more and more are we go on through life.

We did not buy each other anything exciting for easter/anniversary ( I would not let Barry buy me any chcocolate as Im down 8 pounds and want to keep that off). However we are gonna treat ourselves to The Herongate dinner thearter. They have a good play coming up so to celebrate we are gonna do that instead of chcocolate or treats.

Anyway I just wanted everyone to know (whether your married or getting married or thinking about it) that 6 months later its still as good and keeps getting better and more fun as each day goes on. I love ya honey!!

Bye Bye Blacks, Barry and Beth

Tonight is the BBBBB Party (see title for meaning). Barry my love has finally quit his job at Blacks! After 8 years of toil he is finally done. No more double shifts of working all day at Minacs and then working in the evenings at Blacks. Its time had come. So to celebrate I am having 20 or so crazy blacks employees over to my house for a night of BBQ, fun and whatever else that can happen! I have gone to the store and invested in a bottle of my fav Jacobs Creek... "hello Jacob". I am sure myself and Jacob can find a way to entertain our selves tonight.

So while I must say goodbye to a life of discounted developing and frame and join the world of those who pay the ridiculously expensive prices of Blacks (I can finally say that now! hee hee). I will however have a good trade off in the form of spending more evenings with my wonderful husband. Perhaps we can now go to walmart to develop pictures (gasp!) No i doubt that barry would ever let me do that, once I bought a frame from somewhere other then blacks and well lets just say it wasnt pretty!!!

Stay tuned for more details and perhaps even a picture or too!!!

Day 5 Plague slowly loosens its grip

well Its day 5 Im still at home, I have not really left home since friday for longer then an hour. I think my brain has had enough TV to do it for a while. I am however starting to feel better. I still feel like tired and weak but not coughing as much and no fever for the last 24 hours. So I must be on the mend, Im also feeling hungery again so that has to be a good sign also. Im trying to rest so that Im well enough to go back to work but Im feeling a little cabin fever like.

Anyway I have less then the normal amount of exciting things to say... what can I tell you ah let me take you through my day:

7am- Barrys alarm goes off multiple times and wakes me up

8am- Barry is gone to work so I go back to sleep

9am- Columbo jumps on me cause he wants to play- I however dont want to play and shove him off the bed

10am- must pee bladder has reached capacity

10:10am- move down to computer check email

10:15am- move to couch to watch tv watch Ellen and bits of the View

12pm- awake must have fallen asleep

1pm- get up think about lunch, dont feel like going up stairs instead decide to go online.

so I think you get the picture its been a slow day, Im not feeling 100% but Im feeling like perhaps I need the stimulation of the outside world, the pets are just not the greatest conversationalists. Anyway thats all from the center for disease control. I bid you all a good day!

Day 4 the Plague continues

Day 4 and the plague continues. I managed to get to the office to find I was sweat soaked and coughing. So I was promptly sent home. Anyway a trip to the clinic just in case there was any doubt about my illness they said you have the flu go home and dont leave your house till wed. So Im gonna camp out on the couch. My only the hope is that the outside world can survive without me for the next 2 days. So I say goodbye world hello couch that will be my womb for the next 48 hours. Im crawling in .. see you soon.

Influenza fun or no fun?

Im writing todays blog in a lime green colour that makes me think of having the flu. I have the flu it hit friday and has persisted with high fever, coughing weakness and endless piles of tissue. I have not been to work since thursday, was supposed to work last night at the hospital but unfortunatly was too sick to leave my couch. Im in a state of utter sick hell. I want to sleep but the hacking cough is not really letting me. Gingerale and popsicles are my friend, my husband is staying far far away from me as though I have the plague .. which of course is not far from the truth.

So ask influenza fun or no fun? I say no fun, no fun at all. Im going back to my spot on the couch that has an indentation from where I have lay for the last three days, where my only friends are my germs.

Lifestyles of a Nurse Manager

Do you ever feel like when you get to work you should just sit down and wait for someone to sit on you cause you are a toilet awaiting a poo dropping? This has been my week apparently one thing I am learning about my job is that Manager is a term that is used to descibe less popular terms like: Complaint department, Shit scooper, employee punching bad... you get the picture.

Anyway this week I have had 4 unpleasant people disrupt my quiet office world. Oh yes things would be great if left to my paper work and solitide. But no this is the real world and people have issues, they have them from 8:30-4:30 pm mon-fri. Oh dont get me wrong I know they exist all the time I just get to deal with them in these hours, and of course when I come in the morning there are usually 10 plus calls with people who have "issues". So I spend a good part of the day dealing with them. However having said that I do want to make it clear Im not complaing or asking people to feel bad for poor office Cherie quite the contray I realize that different jobs have different challenges. Im just finding that Im learning about these new situations and how to best handle them.

Lets take stock of my week:

I have had an angery parent tell me that I am sending her incompetent nurse and she does nto sleep at night and basically this is all my fault

I have had a nurse take my head off after I requested that attend an enservice on patient transfering- after all she has no issues with this shes perfect... right.

I have had a school teacher call and tell me that we at my office have single handedly ruined her year with our awful nursing schdule in her class. Yes ha ha! My evil plot worked after months of planning I have finally driven her over the edge! (like I have time for that!) After all we are not here for the kids we are here to make your life better right? Yeah no! Um perhaps you need to go on summer vacation school is just getting too stressful for you. (sorry to any teachers in the bunch I love you all just not the particular one that does not look at the world from any perspective then her own almighty stand point).

And my all time favorite nurse calls me three times in a day frekaing out about something and I tell her Im dealing with it, finally on the final call to me I believe my words were "Sally you need to calm down Im looking into the issue and I will get back to you" apprently when I said this I was being condesending to her- even though she was frekaing out on the phone and being a baby. However she did call my boss and tell her that she felt I was being condesending. Thankfully my boss knows what a retard this person is.

Anyway I leave you with one final bit of humour: I have been preparing a report to hand out to the nurses about some new guildelines, my version was quite dry so Barry was kind enough to write this version of my report for your enjoyment:

DATC has some new reporting guidelines. They are designed to make more work for you, the nurses out in the field, and less work for us, the managers. As you well know, we the managers are extremely busy and are often unable to field calls from you, crying and boohooing . Perhaps now your time will be spent filling out more paperwork instead of crying to me about your lives.

You should always remember you nursing motto. I care, you care, we care, congratulations you’re a nurse. Thank you.

Thanks Barry for the humor thats exactly how nurse managers think! lol

Happy Birthday Mom

I feel guilty... I have been going about my day and doing things and I realized that I have forgotten something important. I thought that there was a bit of an itch today, something that was making me think about my parents more then normal, then of course I realized it- today was my mom's birthday. I guess sometimes for me I try not to dwell on thoughts of them that might make me sad, like a birthday that wont be celebrated.

However I of course want to acknowledge my dear mom, she deserves that. I have another confession to make I have not been to the cemetary since November 2004. That was the day of my dad's funeral. I just have not been able to bring myself to go, it doesnt mean that I love them any less... I just find that its hard to go. Anyway I feel that I should go, so my plan is when the weather gets nicer Im gonna go and plant something to make it prettier. I dont know if others have been going but I should go, they are gonna put up the stone soon, so I should go see it. I was listening to a song today it was a country song today and it sort of struck how I have been feeling lately:
I raise my hands, bow my head I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can see I can't quote the book The chapter or the verse You can't tell me it all ends In a slow ride in a hearse You know I'm more and more convinced The longer that i liveYeah, this can't be No, this can't be No, this can't be all there is When I raise my hands, bow my head I'm finding more and more truth in the words written in red They tell me that there's more to life than just what i can seeI believeOh, II believe

I think that my mom and dad would be happy to know that I do believe that there is more to this life then just what is seen. I truely believe that when you take your last breath its just the begining, your onto the next step. So I hope that my mom is having a wonderful birthday in heaven with my dad, my aunt Audery, uncle Sam and my grandparents. I hope there is cake and gifts of joy... I hope they are watching my life unfold and are proud of what I am trying to become. The greatest gift I can give them is to honour the beliefs they have given me. So Im trying- baby steps, trying to sort some stuff out. So Happy birthday mom blow out your candles and smile. I love you.

Apparently Im the April Fool

Good day everyone. I want to share with you a little story. A few weeks ago my husband and I signed up for a contest to win a trip to the Juno awards. So yesterday barry calls me at work and says "Oh my God theres a message at home you have to call and check it!" So I call home and there is a girl named Jennifer from CTV promotions is calling to tell me that she has some good news for me about the Juno contest that we entered. I start jumping up and down in my office and yelling "im going to the Junos!!" People are watching coming out of there offices as I jump around like a fool. So I call the number the girl left (still in shock and shaking with excitment!). Everyone is watching me and the girl "jennifer from CTV promotions" says I have wone 2 round trip tickets to the Junos with air fare, 500 dollars spending money, backstage passes and a stay at a nice hotel! I was so excited (by this time everyone in the office is in my office). So I get told that a limo will pick us up and take us to the airport tomorrow morning (today) at 9am. I have to answer a skill testing question and its who is hosting the Junos I yell as loud as I can Pamela Anderson! She tells me I have won!

So barry calls me back and I tell him the news Im still yelling and carrying on. And he says what if this was all an April Fools Joke? I was like not even hearing him still yelling... Im like what! hes like Happy April Fools. I wanted to kill him! Anyway I have since forgiven him but I do have a long memory and I will find my revenge not just to him but to "all" those at minacs who were involved! You know who you are watch your back!! So I will sit in my basement and watch the Junos... boooo!

The end is in sight

Well I can finally say that the end is in sight. The bathroom may soon be mine again. I have spent the last almost month in Barrys wasteland bathroom. Its dirty grimy and boy like, but I have endured.. sadly I have come to the place where I take more enjoyment showering in public at the gym then in my husbands cave.

Anyway just to review I mentioned a while ago that I had some goals that I wanted to work on. I thought I would update you on that. On the going to they gym front I have been going for the last 2 weeks 5 days a week. I go every morning and work out for an hour. I have been for the most part eatting very well. I am now down 4 pounds - thats almost half way to my May goal of 10 pounds. We are almost done the bathroom and starting to think about the next project.

I am starting to do some causal hours at the hospital just to keep me up to date on all that hands on nursing. Anyway Im totally boring today and have not much to report. Im sure that Barry is gonna write some really funny ironic blog, so Im not even gonna try for humor today. Some days ya got it and some you dont. Today Im just in a boring place, a happy content place but boring none the less.

New computer and other news

Hi Everyone, well I have been lazy these last week or so and Im have not taken the time to write in my blog. So whats new in the Bates household. We are finally finally going to paint or bathroom today! How exciting is that!!! Im pretty excited! That means that we are nreaing completion. We just have to do the floor (or rather or friends dad will do it for us) and put up the new light fixture that we bought. Im so excited! The bathroom is gonna look soo good. We have already decided what our next project will be: the living room, we are changing the very thing that first attracted me to the house- the walls. They are done in a painted Faux finish - which I love but believe its had its day and needs a face lift. So we are gonna paint it and then replace the carpet with new carpet. Alas we were gonna do hardwood or even laminiate but with the stairs it was way out of our price range. Anyway some new paint and some new carpet and that room will shine!!

So last night my dear husband and I went to Best Buy to look at some new flat panel computer monitors and he wanted a DVD burner. We priced them and it was gonna be more then half the cost of a new computer.... so here I sit on a brand new cpmputer- how this happened Im not sure. Anyway Barry sold his old one so it was doable. Barry works so hard often 6 days a week and I felt like he deserved to get something that he really wanted. So Im happy that he has his new computer.

Oh other news! I am excited to tell you all that Im returning causally to the hospital! I had expressed interest to the management that if there was ever a posting to let me know. Anyway They said there were 2 but that they had so many internal applicants that they could not hire me back this time. So I was shocked to get the message that I had been accepted! Im very excited I love my new job but I miss the action and babies in the hospital. Its a very easy commitment only 2 shifts in 9 weeks. so thats not bad at all. Plus a little extra cash never hurt!! Anyway that will give me some exciting stories again (for those of you who thrived on my tales!) I also think maybe it will give me my baby fix .. but it also might just make me want to have one who knows!! Anyway Im excited I am so lucky I have the been granted the best of both worlds my day life and my hospital drama!!

Well thats all for now Hope everyone has a great weekend! Cheers- oh and a speical shout out to Sam on her 25th birthday! See ya at the party Sammy!!!!

Kudos to Barry today!

I give Kudos to my husband today! He is awesome. I was supposed to come home after being out with some friends and prime the bathroom and I come home to find that he has primed the bathroom all himself! I was so impressed! He is turning out to be the best handyman!

Also I was even more impressed that he on his own without any help has learned how to rewire light switches! Barry has not had anyone to teach him how to do these things and Im really impressed at how he has been able to figure out things and just do it. He is a quick learner and just knows how to get things done. Im so proud of him, hes taking such good care of me and out home. Anyway I just thought that he deserved to be acknowledged. Great work honey keep it up!!!

Things that make me smile

I thought I would take a minute to post some pictures that make me smile. These are just a small sample of what I have to be happy about, but even these small things are great.



My husband - living out his dream to have a big dog! very cute!


Currently these are my "children" sometimes even with these ones there are night time feedings and waking! This is as close as they get!

a great memory, this was one of the last pictures taken of us together, it was thanksgiving. Dad saved me from burned gravey! I was trying to impress Barrys family with my cooking! Im glad he was so happy, and that he met Barrys Grandparents to this day that is a great blessing to me.

Humanity

Its funny, one day you feel like writing a blog about how the toilet paper on the roll looks and the next you find yourself reflecting on, well everything that brought you to where you are. This is one of those days. I have found that March has been a werid month, I have found my moods to be all over the map and I have found myself looking at my life.

Sometimes I find myself looking around me thinking that I am this poor example of humanity and that everyone is so much stronger, together and wiser then me. However sometimes you get to see a glimpse of life, you see people around you experience true joy and true sadness. It makes you stop and shake your head and say wow here i am so focused on myself that you forget that there are people out there with needs just like your own. Once you take the time to open your eyes and see what those around you are doing you realize we are all human- I know thats such a hugely obvious statment but sometimes I forget that under the skin and bones and "vitals" that I know how to take, is heart and feeling. I sometimes forget to look at those things. I feel a greater sense of peace knowing that even though we all lead separate lives we sometimes come together and touch each others hearts. Im very glad that the people in my world have touched me and I have hopefully touched. Does this blog make your brain hurt yet? I know that it might not make much sense but it makes sense to me.

Another thing I have been thinking about is God. I feel like I have shut off this tap in myself. Alot of people may not be aware that I came from a very spiritual place. I as many know had some stuff happen in my life over the last few years that made me shut down and it felt like if I let myself be aware of God, or about what that means that I would let in this pain about my family, it felt like if I acknowledged God I had to acknowledge the begining and the end- that death comes and so it has in my life. All those things remind me of parents, and for a long time that was too much. I am lucky to have a friend that recently made me remember that. I had it in my head but I had not verbalized that I well I missed my spiritual side. I perhaps at one time did not have a balance in my life and I was very extreme in some of my views and thoughts, but I believe that there can be balance that includes God. I also know that i was raised in the most loving home my family gave me this God given life they just breathed into me truth and life and taught me how to love. They taught me what God means to us as people. Now Im not preaching to anyone Im just saying my thoughts, I just feel like as I start to think about kids I try to think about the things that I found important in my upbring and I want to make sure that I give those to my family. My parents greatest gift to me was knowledge of God- I need to find my way back to that how can I ever give life to another person without giving them the most important aspect of life - the spirit. Dont worry Im not gonna shave my head or join a cult or anything like that. Im just thinking maybe theres room for God maybe I need to let him in again. I have been scared to think about it scared to think that if I let God in more it will make me feel sad about missing my family. However I would rather chose to think that it would honour them and they would be so proud looking down from heaven. Again not to worry Im still Cherie I just am Cherie who is starting to be touch more with her feelings- I still like red wine...... but so did Jesus so I guess we are in good company!

I have been so narrow minded. Im so blessed yet I complain so much. I have the greatest people in my life- I have the most real people the most true people. Even though we all struggle at times its nice that we can always support each other. Its such a gift to love that sometimes I forget that loving people is sometimes the best you can give- I hope that I can aim to love my friends and family more... complain less appreciate more. I hope that everyone in my life who reads this knows that I feel honored to have you add to my life. Anyway I guess thats enough spilling my guts. Hey what good is a blog if you cant use it to say whats on your mind. I hope you sleep in peace tonight good night.

5 months...

Hi Everyone,

Well today is my 5 month wedding anniversary. I don't know if you really celebrate that sort of thing but its a nice little land mark for us. We have been having a lot of fun as a married couple, planning our summer mini trips, attempting to struggle through home renovation: by the way my list and plan to work on the bathroom has not yet happened. I just find Im so tired by the time I get home from work that I don't want to do anything. So I have to go hard core on Friday and get that bathroom ready to paint. My goal is to have this bathroom done by Easter, Lets hope that we can do it!!!

Barry is great, Im learning more and more about him as time goes on. He always suprises me like tonight he had tidied the kitchen- which was a big help to me. Its great we are definitely in a good place. Talking about having kids has just been a natural progression, we just have become more comfortable talking about it. That's not to say that we are gone rush into anything just that we are getting more comfortable with the thought of it. I think that's the first step. I still have stuff I want to do. I guess there is not magical formula for readiness.. I kinda just hope we know when we are ready.

Anyway Im off to watch some TV and get ready for bed! Happy 5 months to Barry and I!! only 7 more till our one year.. then what will I call my blog I wont be a newlywed anymore!! who knows! night everyone.