Chalk Art

Sigh. I wish I were more artistically talented.
My mom sent me this forward, and these 3-D chalk drawings by the English artist Julian Beever are just astounding. Enjoy!

Excitement

Quick news updates.... This week has been exciting (in bad ways but mostly good...)

• I've been on OB nights and am still struggling with juggling all the annoying ED consults with running the labor board, being there for the deliveries and doing C-sections, and making sure triage doesn't explode. This week we had 2 code c-sections (exhilarating to do!), one of which was caused by my prolapsed cord on rupturing someone's membranes for a decel... not something I want to do again, but it was a good experience to know how to manage the situation (me holding the head off the cord while riding the gurney back to the OR). I made the "wall of infamy" for "most recent prolapsed cord." We also had a ton of preterm deliveries-- 28 weeker, 32, 33, and 34 weekers.... which we all visited in the NICU on Thursday night to see how they were doing.


• Elijah makes his debut today! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for my great friends Wendi and John as they welcome Elijah, their miracle baby #2 (after 5 years of infertility with failed IUI and IVFs, they adopted Isaac last year in May and then spontaneously conceived!), into the world. I can't wait to see Joia's announcement.


• My friends Laura and Tony are having a GIRL!!!!! I can't believe how many of my friends are pregnant (or, in Wendi's case, soon to be not).


• Cruise! Our vacation starts in 3 weeks, and Shomir and I just booked our 5-night cruise leaving Miami to Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. On the 25th of Feb, we are flying to southern Fla, and, after cruising, plan to visit John, Wendi, and the babies before coming back here.

• Back in the music scene.... Last weekend, Shomir and I went to a performance at the UC Davis Flute Festival at Davis's Mondavi Center. We missed the Baroque concert the previous night, but we both really enjoyed (despite not really liking modern music) the works, written and performed by NY flutist Robert Dick. He had (and had patented) this "wammy" mouthpiece that let you make glissando noises like on a guitar!
• Weekend off. I have this weekend off (until I go back to work Sunday night)! It is amazing! There will be a superbowl party at Phi's tomorrow, but don't know what else I'm going to do with my time (besides watching Wendi's blog for THE announcement!) :)

For you dog (or joke- )lovers..

a forward from my sister:


"Two guys are walking their dogs.


One has a big German Shepherd, the other a tiny Chihuahua.


They pass by a very fancy restaurant and the guy with the Shepherd suggests they stop in for a drink.


"They're not going to let us in with the dogs," the man with the Chihuahua says.

"Just do what I do," his friend assures him.

The guy with the Shepherd walks in first and the maitre d' stops him. "We don't allow animals in here, sir. Sorry."

"This is a seeing-eye dog," the man says. The maitre d' apologizes and the man with Shepherd sits at the bar.

Then the man with Chihuahua comes in.

"We don't allow pets in here," says the maitre d'.

"This is a seeing-eye dog," says the man with the Chihuahua.

"That's not a seeing-eye dog, that's a Chihuahua."

And the man says: "They gave me a Chihuahua?"

January Melting Away/ (Weekend in Monterey)...

Phew! It's been a busy month so far. I started back on L and D the first week in January, which always leaves little time for blogging. I've had a couple of back-to-back Saturday calls, applicant dinners and things taking up evening time, as well as a cold to battle, and I've felt a bit run down. However, as I find my name below even Lesley's on Wendi's blog-roll, I figured I'm due for a post! Prepare for a slew of pictures!

The above pic (me with Kate and Maya), and these just below, are from last week's dinner at The Melting Pot for Amy's birthday. It was a fun time! I'd only been to this restaurant in Virginia before, for cheese and chocolate. On Wednesday, though, we did the whole multi-course meal, with cheeses, salad, meats to cook in the oil, and chocolate for dessert. Oof, I was stuffed. I was a bit paranoid cooking the meat (and due to my impatience, I think I ate some sort of raw stuff), but everything else was amazing!

Amy, across the large table, deep in thought


The server prepares the cheese fondue


Jeremy goes for the meats, while Phi (stuffed-looking, no?) and Noelle look off into the distance

I almost hate to bring this up, because I know so many of my dear friends and family members are freezing their butts off in MN; however, here goes. A few of us were going to go up skiing this MLK weekend; however, due to my being put on call Monday and the fact that it's been too WARM, made us make alternative plans. It's been up into the 60s and, today, 70s, all week! It is so hard to believe this is January. However, I'm certainly not complaining.

Shomir and I took off Friday night for Monterey. This is the 2nd time I've been through there, the first time being with Amy last February.

Funny sign near our hotel room:

... but in other states it's just speculation???

Downtown Plaza on Cannery Row

Aquarium!!

Crab in the touch pool!

Leafy sea dragon (these are so wacky!!)

Penguins!

Otters!

Otter outside

We then went on a 3-hour whale watching cruise! This is the season when the Gray Whales make their trip between Alaska and breeding grounds near Baja, CA. We saw a bunch of whales, as well as Risso's dolphins (the pics don't do the trip justice!) and sea lions.

Dolphins

We had a wonderful seafood meal (here is my Cioppino) and relaxed the whole evening (much needed!!)

Today, Shom and I took a loop on the 17-mile drive around Pebble Beach, CA. The weather was gorgeous, as was the coastline!

near Bird Rock

(he made me buy these sunglasses)

"The lone cypress"

Another lookout onto the Pacific

We had lunch near the boardwalk in Santa Cruz....

... where people were sunbathing, and surfing, IN JANUARY!!!!

My car's outside thermometer read:


I love California.

Now if only my call days could just melt away...

Virginia (just after) Christmas and Tahoe New Year

Here's a more upbeat post after my whiny I'm-never-going-to-travel-via-plane-again last post.

It was awesome to go home and see my parents again (3 months in a row! Oct they were out here, Nov. we congregated in MN for Thanksgiving) as well as the godparents and doggies in VA.

I didn't take a whole lot of pictures, but here are a few from the Friday gathering...

Duncan, hoping for a bit of turkey to drop. He certainly lucked out. By the end of the evening, his beard was so greasy from slurping up the droppings that he needed a serious bath!

Doggies getting chained up for a bit

The elegant table setting

Carol, Wolfgang (this kid is already a musical genius) and me at dinner

Mom giving Bill a little ducky ornament to add to his (ducky) collection

Dad relaxing after the great meal of turkey!

Tiffany holding W, opening up his book

W meets the doggies

A little sampling of dessert (nice to have my Mom's rumballs, which actually turned out like they should!!) Peppermint bark is also quite divine.



Although I had to work today and am on call tomorrow, starting a 15 day stretch with back-to-back Saturday calls and another OB rotation (goodbye, life!), I had the 31st and 1st off!

Phi's mom had a good deal on rooms at a hotel/casino in Reno, and so up to Tahoe we went again! Jeremy came up for the day, too.

Wednesday, we skiied Northstar in North Lake Tahoe.

I was marginally better than last time (last February when some classmates, Erin, and TJ went to Squaw Valley during blocktime), tackling the blues, albeit not without falling a few times. The conditions were great, though-- it was a beautiful day, and the snow was soft, making my face plant(s) only slightly painful. I'm so terrified of going fast that I sort of lose it trying to slow down. Aargh, how I wish I were a better skiier.

But get this-- because on Tuesday, when I went to rent skis from Sierra Snowboard, they didn't have any rentals, I actually impulsively took the plunge and bought skis! They (along with boots, poles, etc!) were on sale for $200 (a fantastic deal!). I figure that I'm here in jail near Tahoe for 2 and a half more years, love and hope to live somewhere with mountains, and am dating an awesome skiier, so I will probably get my money's worth! I now have a reason (gotta get use out of them!) to go up more often. Here are some pics from the day:

Phi and Jeremy riding the gondola up


Jeremy (doesn't he look soooo happy?!) and Shom

Goggles are sexy!!

Phi, atop the mountain, overlooking the lake (which you can't really see from the picture, though :( )

Here you can see it a little...

We were exhausted from the day outside. Shomir and I had a nice dinner at the Grand Sierra in Reno, but didn't even make it until midnight! Slightly lame but hey, we're all getting old, and we really needed our beauty rest.

Sunday, while Phi watched many sporting events and probably did some more gambling, Shom and I did another half-day of skiing at Homewood, another resort which is right on the west shore of Lake Tahoe.

Isn't this scenery gorgeous?? This is what you see when you get off the lift...

Pretending to be tourist and read the trail maps

These slopes were a bit more challenging for me, but it was still fun!

Not sure when the next time will be we'll go back, but I'm sure we will.

Here are a couple of snaps from the scenic lookout points on our way back to Sac:

I can't believe I live near this natural beauty!!

Although I am starting to get a sore throat and should probably get some more rest, a bunch of us are going to see 'Slumdog Millionaire' tonight and I want to enjoy my last night of freedom for a while!

Happy 2009, everyone!