Happy Memorial Day!
Today is going to be a fun "catch-up" day for me. Too bad I can't hit the Memorial Day sales!
« April 2006 | Main | June 2006 »
Today is going to be a fun "catch-up" day for me. Too bad I can't hit the Memorial Day sales!
Today we just hung out around the house with family. My sister, Kyle, Gabe, and I finished our card game and all I have to say is that Kyle didn't win. :) We are on our way back to Chicago. We left around 6:00 p.m. and we should be arriving around 12:00 a.m. I have a lot of things to accomplish tomorrow before going back to clinic on Tuesday.
Today there wasn't a whole lot the schedule. My mom wanted to take Gabe to a restaurant called Leonard's a few towns over. She really wanted him to try the prime rib. I must say that I used to get it quite frequently and it is pretty good. I forget how inexpensive things are compared to Chicago. Both Gabe and I were quickly reminded when we looked at the menu. I couldn't decide if I wanted the pork tenderloin sandwich or the salad bar. I decided to get them both since the sandwich was only $2.50 and the salad bar was $3 and some change. Then we went shopping the next town over and I purchased a few items of clothing for clinic. I really appreciate a good sleeveless top. I believe that they heat the exam rooms in the summer.
We left Chicago around 5:00 p.m. Since it is Memorial Day weekend there is a bit more traffic than normal. Gabe said that he heard a report that this would be the busiest travel day ever. Well, we started to leave and decided to wait a few hours since the way that we take to get to my parents had a travel time of an hour and twenty minutes for three miles. I could run it faster than that! We arrived at their house around midnight and my dad was on his way to bed as we walked in. Both Elsa and Clara were pretty excited to see us. We are going to bed.
I am officially in my fourth year of optometry school. So far there are a lot more patients and barely any time to do anything (I blame this on the fact that all of the rotations that I am in are new). I am at school around 8:00 a.m. and I come home after 7:00 p.m. Most days there isn't time to eat lunch so the two pieces of toast that I have at 6:30 a.m. have to last me until 7:30 p.m. or later. I usually end up coming home with a headache. Andrew H. (a friend that has the IEI rotations in the summer as well) is experiencing the same thing. We both decided that this rotation might make a good diet. Gabe and I will sit down to watch a movie and usually do a really good job of making it through the first part, but I always miss the ends because I fall asleep. It is sad to say, but I usually fall asleep around 9:00. Last week was nice because Gabe had time off from school and so he would sometimes fix dinner. He starts back this week and will be at school three days. Anyone know any good crock pot recipes? We will probably be eating a lot of them. I do expect things to get better at school, like I said it was my first week and I will get faster.
Well, the vacation is over and now we are back in Chicago. We checked out from the resort and had lunch...I'll give you a guess where...the Olde Towne Oyster Bar and Grill. I ordered fish, but it wasn't exactly as I had imagined. They left the head on. I am not a big fan of my food staring up at me while I am eating. Afterwards, we walked to the beach and sat under the gazebo on the pier (it is the first picture). We headed to the airport, had a layover in Miami where we purchased some overpriced airport food and found our way back to Chicago. We haven't unpacked a thing yet...I am going to bed.
No rain today! So, we hit the beach. We stopped off on the way and tried Guava Duff. It is an island dessert and it was pretty good. Pretty much all of the guidebooks say that you should try it while in the Bahamas. After the beach we went to lunch at Johnny Canoe. We then went back into town and looked at a few shops. Now we are hanging out in the hammock under the palm trees at our resort. I have decided that when we have a house I want a hammock in the yard. Tonight we are going back to the Olde Towne Oyster Bar and Grill. We will probably play a few more hands of cards before leaving tomorrow. Oh, and of course we will make our daily trip to the gas station...haven't missed a day yet!
With the power back on we decided to venture out even though it was still raining. We grabbed our jackets and took the #10 bus to the stop for Ardastra Gardens, Zoo, & Conservation Center. After the fifteen minute walk we decided that none of us wanted to pay $24.00 to see a peacock and a cow. We decided to go to the $1.00 per person Botanical Gardens instead. The lady at Ardastra informed us that the Botanical Gardens had been closed to the public since 2001. Strike #1 for Tony's guidebook. We then walked to Fort Charlotte. Actually, we found a well worn path and ended up in the moat; not the way one should enter the Fort unless you are trying to take it over (the moat was dry). We made our way to the ticket window and decided to forgo the Fort since it would cost $10 and we just saw a fort yesterday. So, we decided to go downtown to eat at Senor Frogs for lunch. After lunch, the rain started pounding again, so we decided to find a coffee shop downtown. Tony wanted to try Jitters (his guidebook suggested it), but it was nowhere to be found. I even asked a shop owner, but they had never heard of it. Strike #2 for Tony's guidebook. The moral of the guidebook story is check the copyright date before you buy...2003 probably isn't that reliable. With Jitters in hiding, we stopped at a coffee shop called The Daily Grind. I had a great and expensive ($6.00) piece of chocolate cake...yum! Afterwards we headed back to the shops downtown. Tony and Maren went back to the resort & Gabe and I looked at a few more shops and ventured back to the resort. Then Gabe and I went to the mall by the resort...a little too pricey for me. We started playing cards once we returned. We took a brief break and walked to Pizza Hut for dinner. Our waitress was pretty fun. Her belt said "DIVA" and she even let Tony talk her into taking her picture. We came back and picked up our card game where we left off. It rained pretty much all day so we didn't make it to the beach.
The day started out bright and sunny. We went on a walking tour that I organized from internet information. It saved us $80! We started out at Rawson Square - the center of the government in the Bahamas. Then we walked to the library and looked around. It used to be the jail. Maren saw prisoners walking between buildings and right past the present day library. The Queen's Staircase was next on the list. It is 65 limestone stairs and is 102 feet high. There is a lot of lush vegetation around. It reminded me of something that you would see near a Mayan temple. Next we walked to the water tower. It is the highest point on the island at 216 feet above sea level. Next, we went to Fort Fincastle and then to the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. I prefer the Art Institute in...gasp...Chicago. Our plan after the walking tour was to head to the beach. The rain and lightening didn't agree. We decided to play cards. The electricity didn't agree with that option, the power went out. So, we decided to go and eat at The Poop Deck. We left to walk and it went from sprinkling to raining really hard. We went to the restaurant and before we could place our order the generator quit working ( I do not believe that they were using a Caterpillar generator...it would have worked) :). Fortunately they had candles for the tables and the kitchen runs on gas, so were able to order food. After dinner we went back to the resort and went to bed.
Today started with a trip to Paradise Island. In order to make it to Paradise there was an hour long walk including a pedestrian footbridge up a very steep incline. We had lunch at Anthony's Carribean Grill. I still think that Tony should have purchased a shirt. Next, we were off to Atlantis. I was pretty disappointed. It was $30 per person to walk around. So, instead we had Haagen-Daz. we walked around a garden and headed back to the resort and jumped in the pool. The water slides were a lot fun. Dinner was at the Olde Towne Oyster Bar and Grill. I must say that it was the best (and cheapest) food that we have had on the trip so far. On the way back to the resort the hammock called and then the T.V. We are about to play cards. I will let you know who wins.
Today the weather was bright and sunny, not a rain cloud in site. The 80's that we experienced in the Bahamas today was much nicer than the rainy, gloomy 40's that we left in Chicago. The day started with a bus ride to Cable Beach. We stayed on the beach for several hours. I decided to rent a raft. It was $5.00 per hour, so I decided against renting one. The bad news is that I was informed that the beach chairs we were using were also $5.00. So, we were demoted from the beach chairs to the beach towels for reading. Gabe and I rented a jet ski. He used his smooth talking skills to reduce the price from $70 to $30. Gabe had never been on a jet ski before. I have once before in Florida. It was a lot of fun, but I forgot how much salt water in the eye stings. We swam for a while afterward. Both Gabe and Maren spent a little too much time in the sun and came back from the beach a little "well done". We went back to the room to change and place aloe on burns and then headed out again. Bus rides are really cheap, only $1.00 per person. They are essentially a cab. They pick you up anywhere and drop you off anywhere. We went to the straw market where the vendors are a little too pushy for my taste. Lunch was at Hard Rock Cafe (my choice - I love the Twisted Mac and Cheese). We walked around town and came back to the room and went to the beach near our hotel. I now have a sea glass collection thanks to Gabe. Afterwards we walked to the gas station, yes, very exciting. We purchased a deck of playing cards and a 2-liter of Pepsi ($2.50-ouch). We came back to the room and ordered Domino's. I must say that they do not put nearly enough sauce on their pizza. Then Tony, Gabe, and I watched an episode of Big Love...I don't suggest it.
Today started at 6:00 a.m. We met my dad to take Elsa and Clara to him while we are on vacation. We came back and walked to Tony & Maren's and then we all walked to the train station together. We missed our train by a minute and waited another 15 minutes for the next train to come along. Once at the airport we checked in and waited for our flight. Once in the Bahamas, we took a $22 taxi ride the three miles to our hotel (Sandyport Beach Resort). Click here for pictures of the resort. We initially crossed four lanes of traffic to get to the beach. Walking around the resort we realized we didn't have to cross the highway to get to the beach, there is a walkway under the highway that leads to the Sandyport Beach, and we met Al. Al runs Runaway Boat tours. Though he didn't sell us any tours, he did manage to sell us on his mom's restaurant, Nettie's Place (this is what I would consider to be a Rachael Ray find-getting advice from the locals). We tried conch...I didn't like it. The turkey sandwich and fries were good though. The walk back to the resort was nice and on the way we stopped at the gas station to buy water. Tony doesn't like the taste of the tap water and I don't even drink the tap water in Chicago, so we both bought a gallon. So far everyone is nice. The weather is much better than Chicago's weather right now.
All of the finals are finished. Well, at least until the mother of all finals...boards. Those will reer their ugly head in December (Part II) and then again in April (Part III). Primary care clinic sessions at school are over as well. My first rotation is at school in Pediatrics/Binocular Vision, Low Vision, and Advanced Care.
Wednesday night I had a Lia Sophia Jewelry Party. It was a lot of fun and I ordered some really cute jewelry. Several of my friends came over and we all tried on jewelry.
I watched the final 7th Heaven a few days ago and must say that I am a little disappointed in the ending. They didn't really tie up loose ends. I have heard rumors that they may be trying to sign the show on for one more season. I am assuming that is why they ended the series the way that they did.
The Gilmore Girls season finale was o.k. For those of you that watch, I have pretty much decided that I want Lorelai to get with Christopher and dump Luke.
For those of you who wondering, I am still reacting to cockroach from my allergy testing last Monday. Okay, I really need to study now.
Well, the blogging has been a little lax lately. Maybe it is because I have been studying for finals...nah! I did study *some* on Friday night. Then, Saturday after the final Gabe and I went shopping. I purchased some clothes for clinic. Nothing too exciting. Yesterday I did manage to put in a few hours of hitting the books. My test is in a couple of hours. I still have some stuff to read. I should have plenty of time. I just get really tired of studying for finals. I have another tomorrow. I really don't mind having back to back finals, I probably would use it to study much anyway. At least when they are back to back I have to force myself to read the material. Two more finals and one clinic spot until fourth year! Okay, I guess that I should study now.
Congratulations to Shane for graduating with his Bachelors Degree!!!
Today I did something "super fun". I had allergy testing done. It actually wasn't that bad. It turns out I am allergic to all of the things that they tested me for except two...dogs and I can't remember the other one right now. I guess that I will ask the doctor what it is when I go back. Ten hours after the testing I still had a raised, hard, red, hot area on my arm about the size of three silver dollars. My face was red and I had red splotches on my neck as well as a fever over 100. I called the doctor to find out what I should do. Normally I would just take a Benadryl to stop the histamine reaction...Benadryl and I have a long history together, but since they started me on a new allergy med today I wasn't sure about mixing the two. It took them a while to call me back and in the mean time I went ahead and took the Benadryl and applied Benadryl Cream to the area. By the time they called me back my arm wasn't nearly as red, hard, hot, or as raised as it had been previously and my fever had gone down. Basically it was just pink and warm. They did say that if it happened again to call them back immediately. Now my arm is just pink and warm. I think that my buddy Benadryl and I will have another encounter tonight before I head off to bed. I still have some more fun testing to look forward to in my future.