Big winners in last month's contest, BV and Marti won some fabulous prizes!  Watch out for November, though, because I have learned how to post not just photos, but video as well!  And, since I have to work on Thanksgiving (my family's traditional day for putting up the Christmas tree) I may beat you all to it by getting my holiday started early!  I am a winter holiday fanatic, so watch out!!!!!!!

I am going to help chaperone my SIL's Jr Hi band at a hockey game tonight.  They are playing the national anthem and staying for the game.  I would much rather just be going to the game!  What is hockey without beer?  I rarely drink alcoholic beverages, but I will miss having one at the game.  Oh well, it is hard enough to keep an eye on a bunch of tween-agers, not to mention trying to set a good example.  :c)  I guess I will get by!   hahahahahahahahaha!

I passed a gas station on the way home this morning and unleaded is $2.44 here.  My Mom says that it is about $1.92 in Kansas City, MO area.  Well, there is no state tax in TX, so I know it won't get down that far, but less than $2.50 makes me feel very fortunate.

Driving home was a joy for reasons other than gas prices.  It is a perfect fall morning, and the sun is shining very brightly but a little low fog was hanging around. It's cool, too, and I LIKE that! 

I'm getting ready to make some shrimp omelets for brunch.  DD aand SIL will be here to eat and then I think we are going to go try and hit golf balls again!  I may learn to play yet!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

TTYL,

laffengyrl

This photo was taken at Carlsbad, NM, but it pretty much looks the same here.  What a beautiful landscape!

I'm getting ready to make some shrimp omelets for brunch.  DD aand SIL will be here to eat and then I think we are going to go try and hit golf balls again!  I may learn to play yet!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

TTYL,

laffengyrl

Remember yesterday when I said I couldn't sleep?  Well, I started playing around with Photoshop (one of my favortie things to do!) and came up with this Halloween card.  Since I can't send everyone an email or printed version, I just wanted to post it here!

 Hope you have a really great day (whether you celebrate Halloween or not!) and that something really positive and memorable presents itself in your life today!

TTYL!

laffengyrl

I know the contest is almost over for the month, and I know lots of people have blogged way more than me.  I am just very proud of myself for posting as much as I have and that is almost better than winning a contest!  I am starting to make some friends on this site (and I fully intend to get to know them better) and I feel a lot more comfortable sharing info than I did earlier in my MM-Life!  I know the contest is almost over for the month, and I know lots of people have blogged way more than me.  I am just very proud of myself for posting as much as I have and that is almost better than winning a contest!  I am starting to make some friends on this site (and I fully intend to get to know them better) and I feel a lot more comfortable sharing info than I did earlier in my MM-Life! 

I need a really big picture of a really big grin, but I don't have one of me, so I am substituting one of my SIL with a really cheesy grin going on! 

Wow!  It's almost Halloween (and thanks to my DD for the super-scary photo...hahahahaha!)!The busy season for respiratory therapists is here!  I have been working 5 or 6 12 hour shifts a week lately, and if it were possible, I am sure I could work more!  (Well, it IS possible, but I don't want to work everyday!)

I had an interesting rapid response situation last night.  An inadvertant coumadin overdose by an elderly person who lives alone.  The PT was 89!  The PTT was "unmeasurable"!  Probably should've intubated but ended up doing BiPap out of a fear of causing a fatal upper airway bleed...fortunately, the family came in and requested comfort care and chemical code only. 

I have to say that a family member of that patient said one of the most beautiful things to the patient...."you have had a wonderful life...remember all of it" complete with hugs and kisses and soothing the patient that made it very clear that it was an extremely close family.  I am usually emotionally immovable in code-type situations, but I have to tell you I was very teary-eyed!  I had to go tell that family member how I thought it was so moving to hear a comment like that in a time like that.  Well, you see a lot of very raw emotion in times like those, and it is not always so peaceful and loving.

Remember me mentioning that sometimes I have a hard time going to sleep?  This is one of those days.  We actually had two rapid responses last night and we only had 38 patients in our part of the hospital, so that is statistically a high percentage, I think!

OK....maybe a shower will help.  maybe milk.  maybe listening to the local school district's public access channel....but I gotta go try to get to sleep.  It's too late for tylenol pm, that is for sure!

TTYL,

laffenstamper

Out here in West TX, it is starting to get cooler in the evenings and it is so nice to be able to sit out in the evenings and just look at the stars!  I can't say there are a lot of changing leaves or anything (except, maybe, purple sage), to tell that the season is changing, but the weather is just...nicer!

I miss the changing of the seasons in some of the states I have lived in, though,  Nothing like driving along the Blue Ridge!

Where is your favorite spot for viewing the fall changes?

TTYL,

Laffengyrl