Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy
19 May 2015

(I wrote this blog nearly a year ago, and somehow never managed to finish it off and publish it.  So here it goes.  A bit late.  Still brought a smile to my lips when I read it though.  Thought you might just feel the same.)

So I’ve been doing some commissioned hand sewing work for a friend of mine.  The most magnificent goodies.  And much as I’d love to share pics, I simply can’t.  We’ve got markets starting this week, pretty much running straight through until Christmas, and for now, we’d like to keep the products under wraps. 

Anyway, I do most of the sewing at night.  Sitting in front of the TV after supper, while my family is all around me.  And then, once the kids go off to bed, Grant and I tend to watch a mini-series together, before he heads off to bed.  And that’s when I come out to play.

My house is all quiet.  Nobody demanding my time.  My attention.  No one is hungry.  Needs help with their homework.  Needs me to quiz them for a test.  Help them with an oral or a school project.  Or drop them off somewhere.

I have some creative time.  It is pain staking, detailed work.  But it is beautiful.  And super rewarding.  At the end of every evening, I can look back and see the evidence of my night’s work. 

But here’s the thing.  I enjoy some company whilst working.  Undemanding company.

And it is at this exact point, that I invite the Surgical Interns doing their fellowship at Seattle Grace Hospital, to enter my lounge.  But I’m not really all that classist.  I’m quite happy to invite the Attending’s, as well as the Chief himself too.  All in the interest of increasing my medical knowledge of course …

And let me be straight with you – I’ve been doing A LOT OF SEWING and late night work.  Which means that I’m quite happily whizzing my way through the whole Grey’s Anatomy series for about the 3^rd time.  The joy in “watching” something like this so many times is multiple.  Firstly, I know it already.  So I can but merely listen.  I don’t need to make eye contact with them.  And they seem to be quite happy with my divided attention.  They’re remarkably undemanding.  Secondly, there are no nasty surprises.  I mostly know who’s going to be offed.  Who’s going to pull through.  And who’s going to become romantically involved with whom.  Thirdly, I can verbally talk along in some cases, as I know the lines.  This is rather scary, as I’ve clearly done A LOT of time, doing Grey’s.  Fourthly, I really love the characters.  Some more than others.  Dr McDreamy is dreamy indeed.  It is rather nasty I know, but occasionally I plot on how I’m going to fly over to Seattle, knock off Meredith Grey, and nab him all for myself.

However, this does present a rather tricky problem.  These doctors are rather good.  And given the fact that I’ve watched 8 seasons already (I know – I’m a few behind, but I’m savouring them before indulging and watching), they’ve covered a lot of medical ground.  Loads of extreme cases, covering just about every medical emergency, mystery and illness known to man.  In fact, some might probably not be known, anywhere apart from at Seattle Grace.  The bottom line, is that this means, that these good docs have a fair amount of experience, with dealing with things out of the ordinary.  I’d really have to work hard at making it look like an accident, in case they bust me.  And in addition, I’d have to make sure it’s damn near incurable.  In case they save her in the end.

Anyway, I’m getting distracted.  The thing is this, I’m pretty sure I’d make a rather awesome surgeon round about now.  I could intubate and resuscitate with the best of them.  But the trick is this – in what area should I specialise?  Should I go with Cardiothoracics, Orthopaedics, Neuro, Paediatrics or something else that ends in an “ics”?  That is the question.

I find myself randomly wanting to say phrases like, “Push three of Epi”.  Or, “Run a central line”.   Even though there is no cause whatsoever for saying any of this.  Nor the need to perform one of these procedures either.  At an ignorant and idiotic driver in rush-hour traffic, I’d like to say, “Do you want me to give you a subdural bleed with a midline shift?”  Or, “Don’t make me get out of my car, it is sure to cause Ventricular Arrhythmia”.  So many, many choices.  And I haven’t even touched on a Pulmonary Embolus yet.  Nor a Dissected Thoracic Aorta.  And don’t even get me started on the marvels of plastics.  I could happily rearrange a face or two… 

I’m basically convinced, that if I put my mind to it, and put my sewing down for long enough, to give the study of medicine my undivided attention, I’d be a sure fire candidate for the Harper Avery Award.  The one that only exists on TV that is.  In Grey’s Anatomy Land.  But alas, sewing beckons.  It’s fun.  It’s creative.  And there’s far less blood.  Which actually suits me best.

Which doesn’t mean that I can’t indulge my Grey’s side, every so often.  Particularly with my children.

Cause in the afternoons, when I do my rounds, going from bedroom to bedroom, with my clipboard clasped against my chest, ticking off what homework they’ve done, and must still do, I can threaten them with obscure medical procedures.  Some of them even sounding vaguely plausible…

 

And then when they take a long time to do something, or follow an instruction, I have to physically restrain myself from barking, “STAT!!!”, at them.  (Such fun – particularly when they flinch!) 

 

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Denny Duquette - Oh. My. Word.

McDreamy - enough to put anyone into cardiac arrest

 

I rest my case

 

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

 

Seriously?!?!?

I worry about important stuff - like traffic circles

I worry about important stuff - like traffic circles
12 February 2015

Never let it be said that I’m not a deep thinker.  Someone who gives thought to the world and how she works.

Now I might appear to be all airy, fairy and fluff on the top.  But deep inside, my mind is twisting and turning.  Thinking deep thoughts. 

Never mind the horrors of famine, 3^rd world debt, testicular cancer, our failing education system, the disaster that is Eskom (our most unreliable source of no power), rife unemployment and the fact that I can’t find a download for The Walking Dead Season 5.

No sirree Bob.  Apart from all of the above, I have even deeper thoughts…

And, quite naturally, they involve double lane traffic circles.  I kid you not. 

Of all the ridiculous things to give energy too!  Yet, there it is.  Double bloody lane, traffic bloody circles.

Cause here’s the thing.  A one lane traffic circle, is rather easy to traverse.  You merely yield to the right.  Wait your turn.  And drive around the flat looking fried egg in the road.  And take the turn-off you need.  Easy peasy lemon squeezie.  In fact, I find traffic circles rather charming.  Really helps with traffic flow, and it’s a fair and equal system.  Courtesy is called upon, and if everyone plays by the rules, it’s great.

 

And then, some blithering eejit, decided to think out of the box.  And “invented” the double lane traffic circle.  Blithering eejit indeed.

It’s actually a no-brainer.  The rules are as such.  The person on the outside lane, can turn off at any exit.  Yet, the person on the inside lane, may not.

SO HOW DO THEY EVER LEAVE THE CIRCLE???

Do they simply go round and round until they run out of petrol?  Do they eventually go completely mental from getting dizzy being stuck in their perpetual spinning cycle?  And do only the young, brave and foolish, eventually risk “breaking the law”, as well as life and limb, to try and exit the circle?

Because I’m pretty much convinced.  That right at this moment.  In fact at any given time.  There are simply hosts of dithering old dotties and shrinking grey-haired men, wearing hats and peering over their steering wheels.  Who’ve been stuck in the double lane traffic circle, at the Mall closest to them, since Wednesday morning, when the popped down for the Pensioner’s breakfast special at the Wimpy.

If only I worried about real stuff.  Like our Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address today, the state of our economy, the escalating crime, failing health care, and the fact that I can’t find any nice big mangoes at the moment…

 

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Amongst other small gifts, I also gave my kids tooth decay for Xmas

Amongst other small gifts, I also gave my kids tooth decay for Xmas
5 January 2015

Christmas stocking fillers.  They can be problematic.  Fun, yet one has to put a bit of thought into it.

Generally we give our kids one big present for Xmas.  Something super special, and perhaps a bit pricey.  A real Xmas present gift.  Maybe some huge box under the Christmas tree, tempting them mercilessly.  And causing them to pick up said box, perhaps shake it a bit, and turning the guessing before the time, into almost as much fun as the actual gift itself.

But then, we also do stocking fillers.  And the thing with stocking fillers is this – the gift must be small enough to fit into the stocking (ideally - though occasionally, I’ve plopped a gift on the floor just underneath the stocking), and affordable.  Cause here’s the thing – I have to fill up three kids stockings for them. 

So this is my dilemma – how to find something marginally nice costing between R5 – R50 for three kids, when you need to do at least a few gifts in each stocking to give it some body, is rather challenging.  I scour the markets before the time.  Buying silly bracelets, cheap make-up, balls, water balloons, swimming goggles, chocolates, etc.  Hey, they got lucky.  Growing up, my mom was sneaky enough to fill our Xmas Stockings with stationary for the next year at school.  Though possibly, her thinking process was inspired.  Pens, pencils, erasers, rulers and pencil sharpeners are small enough to fit into a stocking, and do help to give it some shape.  Though there were treat items too.  (Thanx Mommy!)

Food items are also always hugely popular.  I tend to try and put something unusual in it.  Perhaps an odd nice sweetie or two, they wouldn’t normally get.  Still one year, they each got a block of Mozzarella cheese – their favourite.  Another year, they each got a bottle of olives.  Yet another, a tin of condensed milk.  So yes, I try to think out of the box.

And then this year, I decided to veer off the track a bit.  In addition to giving the kids water balloons, comics, balls, bracelets, etc.  I thought I’d up my game a bit.  And give them something unusual.

So I went with tooth decay.

Each of them got their very own bottle of Nutella chocolate spread. 

 

Much to their delight.  They were charmed.  They’ve kept their jars in their rooms, and have resorted to initially dipping fingers, and now long stemmed soda spoons, to get some chocolate gooey goodness.  They’ve also proven to be rather resourceful, exhibiting some as yet unwitnessed before culinary skills… Adding Nutella to Hot Chocolate or Milo.  Even as an Ice Cream topping.  Or better yet – straight from the jar.

A lot can be deducted about my kids, from their approach to their jar of Nutella.

Luke indulged in thick lashings of Nutella on fresh white bread.  Stirred into his hot chocolate.  Dribbled over Ice Cream.  Self-indulgent spoiling – just for him.   

Amber shares with everyone.  Her numerous friends and cousins.  Inviting everyone to grab a spoon.  Making sarmies for all.

Cole showed his usual lack of self-restraint.  No time to wait for a spoon, instead fingers stretched to the max.  He’s not a great advertisement for the merits of delayed gratification.

Anyway, the delight my simple bottle of R28 per child has given them, has been a joy to behold.  It really is the simple things in life.

Tooth decay and impending dentist bills aside, I could’ve save myself a fortune in expensive Xmas presents.  Or aimlessly shopping around for stocking fillers.

I should rather just have knuckled down, and bought them each their own crate…

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Cole with some of his loot - delighted, happy little boy

 

 

My beautiful, beautiful tree - filled with many decorations collected over many, many years

 

Fare thee well 2014, and hello 2015!

Fare thee well 2014, and hello 2015!
1 January 2015

Oh my word!  Firstly, huge big apologies for being so scarce.  I’m missing my writing terribly.  I started a new job towards the end of September, and am finding it increasingly difficult to juggle work, my family, my home, my Jumping Castle business, daily walks and blogging.  And thus walking and blogging have taken a bit of a backseat.  And oh how I miss it!

It is amazing how fulfilling and creative writing is.  How it opens a space in my head and truly taps into my core.  Making me take stock of my life, on a daily basis. 

The end of an old year and the dawn of a new year, is also traditionally the time when others take stock of their lives too.  People reflect on the year that has been.  Some set goals for the year to be.  It is also a time to ponder.  To give thanks for the good that was.  And wave goodbye to the awful that’s passed.

For me, 2014 was a challenging year.  I’ve taken a few knocks along the way.  Some hard.  Some even harder.  Others a mere blimp, yet they caused ripples nonetheless.  But there was great joy too.

My motto has always been to not dwell on the things and situations that have brought me sorrow, discomfort and pain.  I’d far rather embrace the good.  Rejoice in the wonder, the magic, the best bits of life.

For me, 2014 shall always be remembered as the year I fell majorly in love with my Grantie again.  In a really big way.

We hit a few doozies in 2014.  Faced a few obstacles.  But we’ve grown stronger.  Closer.  Become more connected.  Enjoyed one another more.

I’ve realised that he will always have my back.  As I have his.  Be my staunchest supporter.  And that we make a really, really good team.

And thus, I’m not setting any major goals for 2015.  I just want to come out at the end of it all.  And think to myself, that despite the many ups and downs, I’ve still got my Grantie.

And in my book that’s great.

Perhaps at the end of it all, life is not about the experiences you’ve had.  The places you’ve been.  The things you’ve accumulated.  The stuff you’ve done.

It’s about the people that have joined you on your journey.  And I’ve clearly picked a great crew.

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