The end is near

The end of my holidays, that is. I'm starting work again in about 4 weeks, providing I'm needed, of course. I applied for the nurse bank, which should be easy enough to get onto, but I'm not looking forward to that. Not only do they tend to ring you at 6am to see if you can work at 7am, but they could send me anywhere in the hospital. I'm in an oncology rut! I've worked in medical/oncology so long I feel like I've forgotten everything else. Access a port for a three-year old in emergency? No worries. Take blood out of someone's foot. Not a problem. Explain tumor lysis syndrome to a 25 year old with Hodgkins? Piece of cake. Reason with a psycho morphine addict? Sounds like fun. But I wouldn't know what to do with a post-splenectomy or a kid with a fever or someone in traction. I hate going to a different ward and feeling like a student again!

I also applied for an 8 week full-time job, which is on my ward. The boss is going away for 8 weeks, so there's a temporary gap. I didn't want to work full-time, but it's not really fair for me to refuse if Nathan has to. But I think I can handle full-time for 8 weeks. Of course, I might not get the job, in which case it's just what God wants, anyway; I'll leave the details up to him.

Simon and Matthew are off at Kapooka, enjoying the fresh air, exercise and new experiences of Army Reserve boot camp for a month. Simon's spending his birthday there, today, but I don't have his address, so I couldn't even send a card.

Happy birthday, little bro!

I hope they're having fun!

Meanwhile, I've been doing the usual. I spend half the day reading, do some cleaning, move the guinea-pigs, go for a walk, and then do some knitting. I am knitting myself a jumper, which I started last year some time, and I'm on the last sleeve. I'm aiming to get it finished before I go back to work, although it might not fit me. I weighed myself the other day, for the first time in months, and I've gained a few kilos! Well, I suppose that's what happens when you read all day, and I'm up to my 36th book for the year. I have resolved to get myself a decent treadmill, if Nathan will allow me the space, and I can save the money. I can walk and read, without going outside and getting cold, wet, hot, sunburned or abducted, any time of the day or night. And if I can put it in the lounge somewhere, I'll be able to walk and watch TV. Maybe jog in the adds.

"Villette" was my 36th book, but I had to stop half way through, because of a printing error. Pages 63-96 were there... twice. Pages 97-129 were missing altogether. Neither does the library have another copy present, so I decided to read "The Three Musketeers" instead. It's quite funny, though their moral stance on marriage was a bit poor in general. Then I'm going to read "Cyrano de Bergerac", which is written like a play, but looks funny. I flicked through it briefly, and found this bit, where a bunch of poets become inspired by the cake they're eating. One bursts into recipe-rhyme:

Beat, until it mercy begs,
Two dozen eggs,
When the consistency's like silk,
Add a cup of lemon juice,
Then introduce
Two tablespoons of almond milk

And so it goes on for two more verses, all rhyming, which is not bad work, as it was originally a french rhyme. I just laughed.

Nathan is currently on holidays. He spent all the first week in his shed, making something for the front of his buggy. He's also planted about 100 of his seedlings along the fence. What a hard-worker! Of course, his idea of fun is freezing in the shed, or going through Halo 2 on legendary again (which he's also done). At least he sleeps in sometimes!

I didn't watch any more of the FIFA world cup. I stayed up late to watch each match the Aussies were in, but when we lost to Italy I was a bit disgusted (I thought the refereeing bad and the timing of the winning penalty terrible). But I was glad that Italy won the World Cup, because all of us Aussies know that we should have beaten them! He he.

Well, I must go see what happens to Lady de Winter! The duke's just been killed by poor Felton, and now the 4 musketeers are trying to save the young Madame Bonacieux...