snowy day and snow days

One unexpectedly delightful thing to come out of working primary care is the ability for an office closure in the event of a blizzard, thus creating an adult snow day!  A lot of my friends practice hospital medicine, and that means they are always expected to show up for their shifts no matter the weather conditions, hospitals are never closed.  But, outpatient for the win finally!

We have been getting dumped on recently, Juno brought us two feet of snow in about a day and a half, and my office had the foresight to believe the weather predictions and close beforehand so I didn't even have to muscle my way to the office and back.  Instead JP and I hunkered down on the couch.  He worked from home, and I watched Downton Abbey while knitting next to the space heater.  Glorious.  In between episodes I got outside for a few blizzardy tromps in the fresh powdery snow with Liz, Amy, and Oliver.  We enjoyed the day much more than Oliver did unfortunately.

There were no cars on the roads so O was off leash trotting up and down checking things out, we saw people snowshoeing and skiing in the middle of the road, we even saw one girl who had seriously snowshoed to the gas station for two pints of Ben and Jerry's.  We are hard core around here.

And what were we venturing outdoors for?  Absolutely nothing expect for the thrill of running full speed and jumping into gigantic drifts of snow.  We had to go outside in shifts because it was so windy and bitterly cold, but also absolutely beautifully peaceful in the way only snow can bring about, shutting down the day to day working parts of a bustling city.

I know my in-laws think I am crazy, but I swear with the right gear it's actually exciting and fun!

JP, however, did not leave the house.  Last weekend in between storms we went to LLBean and got him geared up completely so now he has no excuse: new snow pants, jacket, and gloves, and a toasty scarf that I knit for him during the chaos.  

Last weekend my sister came to visit, and she brought Oliver a more appropriately sized vest.  We tested it out on a very windy walk around Mackworth Island, once again appreciating how gorgeous and how cold winter is around here.

We are bracing for some more snow starting later tonight and in to Monday, maybe another 8 inches? Welcome back to winter in New England.

rewind: christmas and new years catch up, oh and that time I turned 30

Christmas this year was strangely warm, with no snow.  No snow! I think the last time that happened was back when we lived in Denver and I biked in spandex shorts on practically my birthday.  But this is Maine, and apparently we saved all the snow for the present day. And this is me, so apparently I saved all the holiday cheer for just such a snow day, so really it's a good thing the blizzard is outside my door and keeping me on the couch, reliving the holidays.


















My family came out for a week, and we rented a house out on Peaks Island.  We rode the ferry out there in staggered groups as flights arrived, and settled into a perfect home complete with wood burning stove and plenty of holiday cheer!

Peaks Island is only 20 min by water from Portland, but really it feels like a different world at times.  Island time applies even when you are moored in Maine apparently, life feels more relaxed and upbeat, allowing for ample nature exploration and appreciation that is sometimes hard to come by in the city.  Without the convenience of easy access to grocery stores and restaurants, it's nice to settle in and really be present in the moment.

We tromped and explored, teased the pups, and tried out mom's spanking new slingshot (courtesy of one thoughtful JP).

New Years was.....me asleep by 10:00, exhausted from visitors and a long week in primary care. Ha! Really we are not very new yearsy people from the get go, so the decision to order pizza, drink a glass of champagne and turn in early was embraced fully once the pings (and text messages) of guilt were suppressed!

Oh, and in case you were counting, I did in fact recently turn 30.  And I did it with a bang, in the form of the most ridiculous birthday party that I have ever experienced, complete with hairdresser AND photographer, coordinated by my amazing friend Niki.  Here are three of my favorite shots, just to give you a little sample of the craziness...

 

Thank You.

I don't adhere to the typical calender anymore apparently.  I just started listening to Christmas music last week, when I was writing a prescription and came to the realization that, holy shnikey, December is already half way over. Didn't we just celebrate Halloween?!  I certainly hope this is not a sign of getting older, because life is going by way to fast for my liking. I am already seeing some of my patients for 6 month follow up appointments. WHAT? Yes, 6 month follow up.  See what I mean about too fast? So, since I can't seem to get a handle on time, or timely posts, let's rewind a little again and let me give thanks before I wrap my brain around turning 30, and celebrating Christmas all in just a few days.

So, in this season that often flys by amid a tangle of shopping and to-do lists, I want to take a quick moment for reflection.

In no particular order, here are a few of the things in my life for which I am thankful.

- One of the many unexpected things to come out of a wedding celebration, is the overwhelming appreciation for all the love and support of your family and friends.  I think the stress of planning a huge (weekend long?!?) party can overshadow a lot of things until you are finally there in the moment, and can appreciate the magnitude of people flying in from all over the country simply to join in celebration of your commitment to a life long partner.  JP and I would catch each others eyes all weekend long, over the din of our favorite people gathering together in one place.  They were working in the kitchen, hanging lights in the rafters, gathering rocks and sand from the beach and creating table arrangements, entertaining the cousins, and so much more, all while forming new relationships with each other.  (Clearly I need to write a wedding post some day soon)  It really was a very humbling and incredible experience to feel so lifted up in love by such amazing people.  For them I am so grateful.

- And one of the expected things to come out of my wedding celebration? Well, a new husband of course.  I am thankful everyday for the unwavering love, support, and laughter that my handsome groom gives to me.  He is my rock, my best friend, and one of the best humans I have ever known.  How he manages to deal with allllllll my craziness, I may never know, but I am so thankful that he does.

- I am so thankful for my job.  Though it is very hard, and at times I still struggle with finding the words, or figuring out the pieces of a particular patient's puzzle, or even just trusting myself and my knowledge, I know that I learn and grow everyday.  My patients teach me so much, and I am constantly amazed at how much trust they have in me, sharing some of their most intimate life experiences with someone they barely know.  I hope I am giving them all that they need, cause I am certainly trying hard!

- CRAFTS.  Um, seriously I am thankful for crafts and crafting.  I love the thinking of, the making of, and the possibility of crafts, crafts, crafts.  I am thankful that I have the time in my life again for creating things with my hands, because that it a very life giving thing for me.

- Laughter.  I laugh constantly. Inappropriately, aptly, and loudly.  I think there is nothing I like better than laughing.  It just makes everything better.  I am blessed with hilarious friends, and a job that very easily lends itself to either laughter or tears, for which I most often choose laughter.  I am thankful for every single chortle, gufaw, giggle, pee in your pants, tears down your eyes laugh in my life.

I think that should probably suffice for now.  I hope to keep this gratitude in my minds eye every day.  And so, on wards to Christmas, eh? See you on the other side!

rewind: cliff island

Ok, with the temperatures hovering in and around freezing lately, and our heat officially turned on (but only to 60, with space heaters galore) I figured it might be nice to look back at a few summer adventures I had that I never wrote about because of the whole wedding vortex-y black hole.

So, CLIFF ISLAND! We were lucky enough to stay the weekend in a beautifully simple island home abutting the water that Joe's friends own.  An amazingly peaceful place that all but demands you forget the outside world and focus on the here and now.

We took the ferry en masse, with Osa charming everyone, and sometimes scaring the by poking her nose through the gates on the top deck.  It was windy but sunny, and on days like that it feels like you have to layer up and stay right in the middle of the fresh ocean breeze.

We packed a haul of groceries, and then left many of the crucial supplies back on the main land. But we made due, with risotto and fresh caught lobster from a neighbor down the road.

We biked and strolled on the beach, talking about my parent's island dream house in a secluded section surrounded by nature and on the edge of a cliff.  We skipped rocks, explored the beaches, and chased Osa down.  We even played tennis and took turns catching some internet on the porch of the island library.

Joe and I biked down to the dock late that first night to lay on our bellies and swish our arms in the water looking for bioluminescents and sipping on whiskey.

It was an amazing break from reality, which is always true for me when I visit new parts of Maine.  The islands especially give me a very content sense of myself.

I can see the draw towards island living.  It would slow your pace by simple necessity, and disconnect you from that sense of urgency I often feel when living in a city.  But for now, it is enough to take those moments in spurts, and look forward to the next.

it's been waiting for you

We had a splendid long weekend in NYC that of course flew by way too fast, and utterly wore us out in a good way.  We had quite a lot of fun, and we packed in as much as we could!

Our trip down we listened to Bossypants read by Tina Fey, and it was great.  Perfectly hilarious and entertaining.  I had been meaning to read the book but held off until I had time for Tina to read it to me, which made it all the better.

After battling the massive traffic pile we made it to Brooklyn and settled our things into Joe's friend's apartment which was much bigger than most places I've seen in the city, and suited us just fine.  We basically went straight to Caracas, my favorite place to eat in New York, and met up with Emily and her friend Sophia.  I don't even think we were that hungry when we got there, but that did not stop us from shoving an ungodly amount of food in our faces, and then finishing it off with dessert.  MMMmmmmm.  If you an opportunity to try an arepa first hand, you should jump at it because they are delicious.  We make them at home, but somehow we are missing some small thing cause they are never as delish as the ones you can get at Caracas.

On Saturday we slept in a bit, and whipped up some tasty breakfast before zipping out the door to catch the train.  I always find it disconcerting when you pop up from a subway station and are in a completely different place.  I think it's because my grasp of the neighborhoods and stations in NYC is basically non existent, which means I am constantly turned around and unsure of myself.  Plus, a lot of the streets look quite similar to the untrained out of town eyeball.  But, luckily we were with Joe who is a seasoned traveler and knows NY well so we were in good hands and free to people watch and follow blindly as much as we wanted.

We went to Central Park of course, and walked around the Highline before going to the Natural History Museum and gawking at the dinosaurs.

We met up with JP's friend Jordan from Louisiana in Chinatown and he took us to a little hole in the wall restaurant right by his apartment called Nam.  It was amazing.  Like ordered multiple round of food amazing.  They had some ribs that were outrageously tasty.  After we stuffed ourselves there we played some pool and rounded out the evening with a little karaoke of course.  My cousin Nick and his husband Greg even made it out after they got off work!  Haven't seen them in years!  It was a great time, although Emma and I sang I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and we both forgot that there is a pretty significant key change about halfway through that we both almost, but did not in fact, hit, at which point the song sounded mostly like giggles from there on out.  I like to think it was cute, but that's cause if it wasn't cute it was probably ridiculously obnoxious.  BUT FUN.

Sunday morning Sophia and Emily whipped up an amazing breakfast spread before we got back on the road with Tina filling our car with laughter.  And then, before I knew it, it was back to work again with me pretending to not be sleep deprived from all the hubbub.

fall back

This year is the first year that the fall time change has hit me so starkly.  It's like a blanket at the end of my day.  Maybe it's because I have daily routine now.  And that routine for me means early dark and evening dark.  I don't even remember how I've not noticed this so much before.  It is SO DARK, before I even leave the office.  Honestly the first day back after the time change I almost didn't know my way home because I had never driven in Buxton without sunlight.  It was bizarre.  Even this exact moment, I feel like I am staying up past my bedtime and it's only 6:30.

It's gonna be a looong winter I think.  Although, knock on everything, but Maine has been holding steady thus far in the weather department.  We had just a few sprinkles of snow and a day or two of pretty chilly, but for the most part it's been nicely bundled weather. Which, given that it happens to be almost thanksgiving, isn't too bad all things considered.

This weekend I am taking JP on his very first trip to NYC.  I'm really excited! Joe and Em and Emma are coming too, which is especially nice because they know a lot more about the workings of the city than I do. We've got museum plans, park plans, arepa plans, and sightseeing plans.  I'm excited to leave Portland for a few days, it's always nice to be somewhere different, and nice to come back to the comforts of home after adventuring.  Should be good!

Now here's a Buxton sunrise for you to enjoy:

this is halloween, halloween, halloween

Ok, before I back date and rewind through my life the past few months, I was going to get in one sneak peak Halloween post, but I was late to the game on that front too!  As you may know, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  I absolutely love making costumes.  I realize that it’s time consuming, and doesn’t really serve much purpose other than the sheer delight of it all, but sometimes that is exactly enough to make it worthwhile.  Luckily, I have discovered that a few of my friends here share this same costume love as well.  So naturally we had a big crafting day two weekends ago.

Liz, Julie, and Patrick came over and we busted out the sewing machine and paper goods to make a glorious mess.  Although the men folk lost interest about ten minutes in, and slunk out back to play video games,  Julie and I stayed to the bitter end stopping only once we realized that the sun had gone down and we needed to put food in our bodies.

Ok, this all leads me to the point of this all, which was supposed to be a sneak peak of my costume this year, but since I am clearly late to that party, I shall just show you the makings of and the final product.  Next year you can guess!

Our spectacular finished products in action: Pineapple and Christmas Tree, Medusa and Poseidon, and The Ocean!

And now, an extra special bonus section for all you baby loving fools out there.  Can you even handle these two adorable little ones?!! I can't.

Way too adorable.  And that was basically our Halloween in a nutshell!