ohhh sandy

Basically nothing happened where we live except for some vicious winds and rain.  My school got a little jumpy and cancelled classes Monday afternoon and all of Tuesday.  Some one must have felt a little sheepish when the sun came out early Tuesday morning and there wasn't much in the way of hurricane-type destruction, but THIS someone gloriously didn't have to go to school (and instead spent from 9 to 5 studying dermatology...but that's beside the point, at least I could wear my PJ's!). 

We had a hurricane (cyclone) party last night amidst the roaring winds.  Pretty much the only place we would have ventured out to would have had to have been within a four black radius, and as luck would have it Joe was fixing up some oyster mushroom risotto!  We tromped up the hill with hot toddy makings and purple carrots for roasting.  It was a nice little shin dig, topped off with a gluten free sour cream apple pie my brother made from my grandmother's recipe...divine!  I should have snapped a picture but I was in too much of a food coma. 

I've got some pictures to share from our girl's weekend, but I've got to run right now so here is a teaser from our hike on the first day of hunting season:

And a bonus one of Oboe cause he's a cutie and I take way too many pictures of him...

leaf peeping

 

I almost forgot to appreciate that I am back in a state that has full popping fall colors all over the place!! Both years I was in Colorado I somehow got it in my head that going up to the mountains would reveal glorious fall foliage, and both times I was rewarded with only evergreen and aspen yellow.  Beautiful in their own right, but not enough to make me feel like in the midst of my favorite season.  I feel like i just lifted my head up from my desk yesterday and all of a sudden everything was red and orange and yellow.  That could have something to do with how gloomy the weather has been lately, but I have finally noticed my fall surroundings, and they are beautiful!  I've got three pulmonary exams tomorrow, supposedly one of the hardest modules this semester.  I have been studying for them for three weeks and I think I am ready.  I KNOW I am ready for a little break of sorts.  Our next module is derm, which is much shorter and much less complex, and during which I am promising myself that I won't overstudy like I always do, and I will make a conscious effort to take time off.  To ensure that I follow through with that, my mom and sister are coming out next weekend for a girl's get away! Ohh I am more than ready for cabin-on-a-lake time and curl-up-with-trashy-no-knowledge-containing-books time and a fireplace to sit cozily by.  AH I am so excited, it's going to be great!  But for now, it is finally sunny outside for the first time in weeks and JP and I are headed to the beach (in sweatshirts and scarves) to get some much needed vitamin D!  Now, I will leaf you with some pictures...haha see what I did there?

 

it's fall and I'm not falling

We have reached the point where it's dark when I wake up and the sun seems to drop out of the sky closer and closer to 6:00.  Yikes!  We are streaming towards winter, and days around here have been cloudy and rainy.  Makes for some great buckle-down-and-study weekends, but is less advantageous when it comes to free time.  I'm happy it hasn't yet turned to snow though like many of my old haunts! 

We have been keeping our heads down lately, school is all consuming and JP has had a large increase in his workload, which has been keeping him at the office late more often than not.  I think we are just kind of in a slump of sorts, trying to figure out a good balance with the changes.  We are both looking forward to a small break around thanksgiving, and are hoping to get out of town for a few days.

I've been embracing fall in some respects though!  I baked some super delicious pumpkin muffins from a recipe I got online and modified.  I brought them to JP's work and even those gluten eating folks liked them!!  Last night we closed the weekend by making salmon and potatoes at Joe's house while our laundry was in the dryer.  How nice to live two blocks away from my brother! It was our first whack at salmon and it turned out great!  JP researched around and whipped up a maple tamari garlic marinade that was just splendid.

 
I've been doing well in all my classes, though they sure do keep me busy.  I'm keeping my motivation on track by volunteering to be in a panel for the pre-interview meet and greet that prospective students are coming to in a few weeks.  Can you believe it is already time to interview the class that will follow mine?!  It still feels so recent and sharp in my memory when I received my own interview invitation, and when I almost excitement-cried myself into an asthma attack when I was actually accepted!  The night before my interview JP and I went to the mixer and it played a huge role in affirming for both of us that we would be happy at UNE, and it certainly helped to calm my nerves before the big day.  I am super excited to hopefully help other students gain their confidence and help them understand what PA school is all about!