Swine flu

While it is possible that this will turn into a pandemic catastrophe, I am definitely in wait and see column. There have been 149 deaths in Mexico attributed to swine flu but it is hard to know if that is accurate considering the state of medical infrastructure in Mexico. I wonder how the people in Mexico contracted it--do they work directly in pig meat production or processing? Why does it become less lethal as it has moved into the U.S. and Canada or is the difference that the U.S. and Canada have systems that are capable of locating and treating patients earlier in the course of the disease? It is surprising that with global air travel and global trade that there have been so few actual pandemics and those that have occured, such as SARS, have been contained with no where near the mortality rates of the 1918 influenza pandemic. The next two weeks will tell the tale: major pandemic with high mortality, major pandemic with lots of miserably sick people who eventually get well, or pandemic contained/averted.

Thought for the day:

It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength. Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Enough already!!

There comes a time when one simply has to realize that they are doing the best they can in their particular circumstance. And actually, sometimes one is beating one's self up when in reality, they are doing quite well. By the time one adds all the "ought to's" of life, it's amazing that we don't all go slit our wrists. Frequent ought to's: Lose weight, Exercise, Professional Development, Community Service, Grow your own Organic Garden. Ack! When do you do the laundry, shop, cook, clean the bathroom?? It all comes down to priorities of time and money and it is very easy to get distracted from what is a real and necessary priority to something that is a really good thing in itself but takes away from the real & necessary things. Then one gets stressed and irritable because there is one is being pulled in so many different directions that one ends up with no direction.

Thought for the day:

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook. William James

Over 50 and unemployed

Not JMM or me but a friend, JH. JH lost his job 2 years ago and it took almost a year for him to find another. The job was in Kentucky and they have been unable to sell the house here in Texas. I guess it is just as well that the house hasn't sold because JH has been laid off again. He got a pretty good severance package from the first lay off but that is not the case this time because of the short tenure of service. It is anybody's guess what will happen now. His wife, SH, has not worked in many years but maybe she can find something because the chances of his finding another job now are really slim. God help us.

Goal 2009 Update #10

I did a preliminary check to see if we will be able to make the extra principal payment with the May 1 house payment and the answer is Yes! As of May 1, we will be down to $50,530. The second financial goal for this year is to increase the emergency fund from $6000 to $7000 by adding $50 per paycheck and I am happy to say that is going well also. So far so good!

It's hard to be a mockingbird,

This time of year there is just no rest for the weary if you are a mockingbird. There is a mate to find and attract, a nest to build, and above all, territory to defend. Morning, noon, and night there are songs to be sung to mark one's territory and intruders that must be driven away. As with humans, there is just no reasoning with the wife once she has determined where home is going to be. Our resident mockingbird has decided that home is going to be behind the geraniums on the plant stand by the back door. Maybe not the wisest choice in the world considering the 3 cats that regularly go in and out that back door but evidently that is where home is going to be. It has been carefully constructed of small twigs and decorated with string. To keep the cats out JMM is putting chicken wire on the back of the stand. I've put out some drier lint in case she wants something soft. So all is ready for the precious eggs. No rest once the eggs hatch either--babies to feed. We are looking forward to watching the mockingbird family expand.

Thought for the day:

Guard well you spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life. Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'll be danged if I'll let it get me down.

I have been feeling very down the past couple of days with all the turmoil at work. Unhappy with what is happening, the direction of management, and the firing of a 23 year employee. But I just came to the conclusion today that I am not going to let them make me unhappy. I like taking care of patients and providing help to the nursing and medical staff. I am just going to keep right on taking care of one patient at a time and taking satisfaction from it. If management doesn't like it, well, what's the worst that could happen--I'd get fired and wouldn't have to deal with them ever again. Fine with me.

Oh what a relief it is..

I am home today and it is such a relief to be away from work. The tension is just palpable. Management just keeps piling on more work, now with fewer people. Then there is my unease about working with B. I keep thinking that all I have to do is hang in there until January when the house is paid off but then there is my concern about JMM's job -- what if his employer decides that they don't need to pay a RPh salary to someone doing IT work?? OK, enough worry for today. We are well and together and everything else is secondary. It is a warm spring day, the wildflowers are spectacular, and we have swallows nesting in both the front and back porches.

Thought for the day:

" Preach the Gospel always. If necessary use words." St. Francis of Assisi