Spring in Indy Part II

On April 9, I drove from Novi, MI to my parents' house to stay while I was in town for work. (It feels weird to say that it's my parents' house, not my house, but I guess it's kind of true.) It was so nice to be at home- it's not every day that you have someone else offer to make you dinner or do your laundry when you're an adult. [Note: We have this joke in my family that comes from a line in the movie Ghostbusters. When they are on the top of the building with Gozer, she asks Ray if he is a god, and he says no, to which she replies, "Then you must die!" He and the rest of his crew and almost flung off the building by lightening out of her fingers. Winston then tells him, "Ray, the next time someone asks you if you are a god, say yes!" So, long short somewhat shortened, if someone asks you something e.g. do you need money?, say yes!]

Click here to see the clip from the movie (it's towards the end)

Other great quotes from this movie that are often referenced by my family include:

-Where do these stairs go? They go up!

-Does this pole still work?

-We can stay there tonight! You know, try it out!

-I collect spores, molds, and fungus.

-Ray has gone bye-bye, Egon... what've you got left?

-Whoa! Nice shootin', Tex!

We had gorgeous weather, which allowed for my Mom and I to take Izzie on lots of walks. It was the perfect time of year for spotting wildflowers- we saw purple, white, and yellow violets! I can't remember the last time I saw white violets, and I don't ever recall having seen yellow violets, except in pictures. Izzie is so funny- whenever I'm home and I put on my tennis shoes, she thinks I am going to take her for a walk! My Dad takes her for a walk every Saturday and Sunday morning in Cool Creek Park, a small park near our house that has trails through a wooded area. I love that spoiled dog.

I taught four classes the following week with Susan, a pharmacist from Ohio. She has been giving immunizations for 5 years now, so her field experience was very valuable and added a great deal to our presentation. Since she had more practical knowledge, we split up the day, and I took the clinical section, which is basically the first few hours or so. I talk about all of the infectious, vaccine-preventable diseases that the pharmacists already reviewed in their self-study prior to coming to class. It's a miracle I haven't had anyone fall asleep on me. I try to keep things interactive, and by that, I mean I pass around a sign-up sheet (pretending like I need it) that I then use to call on the pharmacists to read questions (I'm so sneaky!).

Monday's class was in Bloomington, home of Indiana University. I haven't really spent any time in Bloomington, except for the grad orientation meeting several years ago at Lake Monroe. Nick went to school at IU (absolutely loved it) and often raves about how wonderful Bloomington is. I'm looking forward to getting a personal tour someday. We had class on Tuesday and Wednesday at a company office in Indianapolis, which is where I saw many people that I previously worked with while I was in Indy.

Wednesday night I ate dinner with my pharmacy supervisor, Amy, at P.F. Chang's. I worked for her as an intern for five years before graduating from pharmacy school and will be working in her district when I move back to Indy this July. We spent a lot of time catching up, then talking details about my transition from RI to IN. I found out that I am going to be a pharmacy manager when I move back! I couldn't be more excited about having a home pharmacy, developing a team, and getting to know my patients, one thing I've definitely missed this year. (I only work in the pharmacy one day per week, so it's hard to become really close to any of the customers unless they come in every Thursday or Friday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.) Amy is a wonderful mentor, and I feel so lucky to be able to move back to her district. Indy is full of what I call "my people"--after working in the same area for a while, I've been able to get to know other professionals and develop a support network. (I also have also developed a support network in RI, all of whom I will miss dearly.)

On Wednesday night, I drove to South Bend in preparation for a class early Thursday morning. I'm glad that I chose to drive up the night before. If I didn't, I would have had to get up before 5 a.m.! Let's face it, I'm much more of a night owl than an early bird (although that is slowly changing- I've gone down from 4 alarms to only 3! I'm sure my neighbors hate me, but let them. If I told you what it was like living next to my new neighbors, let's just say that you wouldn't feel so sorry for them.).

I had a blast working with Susie- I was sad to see her go back to Ohio! Susie is high-energy, flexible, and always up for an adventure, all the things you want in a traveling work partner. Even though we were busy, we did have time to talk a lot about work, family, pharmacy, etc. She has a condo on Sanibel Island and if I ever have the chance, I'm going down there to visit. (Nick's parents and grandparents also have condos on Sanibel- sounds like the place to be!)

Other exciting news- I finally signed the lease for my new apartment! It is the first apartment I posted pictures of on my blog- click here to see them (it's the first apartment). My Mom and I went downtown on Friday afternoon so that I could sign the lease and show her the apartment. (She took a few hours of vacation to spend some time with me, isn't that nice?) She really liked the apartment- although not necessary, it's never a bad thing to have a Mom's seal of approval. After the apartment, we did a bit of shopping at Circle Center before driving back to Carmel.

Friday night, our family friends, Jim and Linda, were in town, and the entire family went out to dinner with them at Barcelona Tapas. I first discovered this restaurant through my brother, and I haven't been able to get enough of it since! I recommended it to Susie while she was in town, and she raved about it the whole next day. My favorite is their baked goat cheese with marinara sauce and warm garlic bread.

On Saturday, I met Nick's family for lunch at Clay Terrace. Andrew, his nephew, was given the release to be in public (he was born prematurely and had precautions about being in public due to the potential for catching RSV, which can be very serious for babies with underdeveloped lungs), so it was nice to see him out and about. After lunch, I headed down to Lisa's house in Speedway. There are very few places where I feel just as "at home" as I do at my own home, and Lisa's house and her parents' house (two different places) are definitely on the list. It's hard to believe I've been going there since the fall of 2003! (We met our freshman year in college at Purdue.)

Saturday afternoon Lisa took me to the Twist 'n Pup, a new local (you guessed it) hot dog and ice cream place. They have lots more than just those two items, but since those are their namesake, Lisa and I both tried hot dogs and butterscotch-dipped vanilla cones (amazing!!). Later that day, Junie came over, and we traded stories. Since I had been raving about Barcelona Tapas and neither of them had been there, the three of us went there for dinner with Lisa's brother, Sam. (Just as good the second night! My new favorite: the caramel and supposedly strawberry churros!).

Sunday morning was spent going to church with Lisa, followed by quick visits with her dad and mom. I had an early afternoon flight, so I went back to the airport after lunch. It was definitely a busy trip, but I was energized by the idea of moving back home in less than 3 months.

I didn't do a very good job taking pictures (Sorry Julie, Lisa, and June!), but here are a few I took around by parents' house.

These daffodils are lilacs are from my parents' backyard. I wish I could arrange flowers half as well as my Mom can.

I loved the crab apple blossoms in the spring. It looks like snow when the petals are blown down by the wind.

I was trying to take pictures of Izzie- I think she must have heard something when I was taking this picture. After this she got distracted and decided that she'd rather lick my camera than have her picture taken.

Izzie sleeping on her designated part of the couch.

Mr. Rocky! I can hardly believe he will be 19 years old this October. I've got lots to say about him, but I'll save that for another blog post.

It was great to be at home for a week! A little pampering, plus time with family and friends goes a long way. If I didn't get to see you when I was home, I'm sorry! Not much longer, and you won't be able to get rid of me!

Rollin' on a River

For those that have been wondering.... Yes, I am still on dry land. In the past several days, Rhode Island has been experiencing the most devastating flood in over 100 years. I didn't realize it was that bad until 1. my boss couldn't even get out of her driveway because her street was flooded so badly 2. my parents said that flooding in Cranston (where I work in a pharmacy one day per week) was on the national news 3. I received a notice on my door from my apartment complex about being prepared for a flood and 4. I went down to Cranston today and found out that at least 2 of our stores are literally underwater (the water is all the way up to the drive-through window!!!).

Because I live in a historic former mill, my apartment is also on the water. There is a dam across the street, and then the river flows past our management office and one of the apartment buildings (not mine). Yesterday we were sent home early from work to allow people to reach their homes before roads were shut down. When I got back to my apartment complex, people were stopping at the apartment complex to take pictures of the flooding river... I thought I'd join them.

Here are some pictures I took yesterday outside my complex. It may be hard to really judge how high the water is, but trust me, it's getting up there....

What class of rapids would this be?

I don't know how high it is, but the water is at least halfway up the trees.

On apartment's management office sits right on the water

It's going to take a lot to flood this bridge... keeping my fingers crossed

This is the "little stream" that passes through the middle of my apartment complex

You can read about the storm from the Weather Channel here. Below are some of the pictures that have been submitted by residents from areas that are flooding.

Exeter, RI

East Greenwich, RI

Warwick, RI... this is just south of Cranston AND where the airport is located.... I hope they get things opened up before my Mom comes on Friday!

Keep you posted if anything happens. Until then, keep the families that have been evacuated or lost their homes in your thoughts and prayers.

The Search Is On...

While I was visiting Indianapolis this weekend, I had a chance to start my apartment search. (Note: When I say start, I mean looking at the apartments themselves. The truth is that I've had a 3-page spreadsheet for over a month!) Even though I'm not moving back until July, I wanted to get a head start to prevent scrambling at the end of my residency. Besides, the planner in me could not resist.

I'm looking to move into a one-bedroom apartment downtown. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or too large, but it MUST have a washer and dryer inside the apartment. This is the main limiting factor in my search, but I will not compromise on this one. I only scheduled 2 appointments to look at 3 different apartments- I am going to be back in April, and I didn't want to drag Nick all over town with me when I won't see him for 2 months.

It's always helpful to have someone else evaluate where you want to hang your hat before you sign a lease. For example, I looked at the apartments at Lockerbie Court. They weren't anything spectacular, but the location is perfect. However, there is one minor safety issue. Every apartment has a balcony that is connected to every other resident in the complex. The last thing I want to have is some creepy dude standing at the door that leads to my kitchen watching me. I know, it's not likely that would happen, but the potential for strange visitors would keep me on the edge. We also looked at the Ambassador apartments- this building, formerly owned by the Marion County Pubic Library, has been completely renovated. The apartments meet my basic requirements, but they are on the small side for what the rent is.

My favorite apartment is one that a friend's boyfriend just moved out of recently. I happened to be looking on Craig's List, and when I was looking at the post, I realized that those pictures looked very familiar! This is definitely my favorite apartment right now. There are a few others I'd like to look at in a couple of weeks, but if I had to decide now, this would be it. Here are some of the pictures from what I'd love to be my future apartment.

There are actually two full baths- this apartment is the result of a combination of two smaller apartments. Not that it's a big deal, but this way guests could use the first bathroom without going through my bedroom.

I heart pedestal sinks!

A walk-in closet complete with a washer and dryer

One of two sets of bay windows in the apartment- this picture is from the bedroom

The other set of bay windows- these are in the living room (yes, it has wooden floors!)

Here is the view from the previous bay window-it looks gorgeous when the city is lit up at night.

Isn't this a nice kitchen? I've never had an island in any apartment or house I've lived in before, but it's a great "gathering" place. Although it doesn't look similar, islands always make me think of the giant wooden chopping block/island my Grandma and Grandpa had in their kitchen.

I don't really know how to describe this- it's a gigantic walk-in closet off the master bedroom. It's big enough to hold a small army- almost the size of a small bonus room.

Well, what do you think? I am a little nervous that it will be rented before I move back, but I'm hoping to talk the office manager into holding for me if I start my lease in June. More to come...

A Weekend With My Valentine

This past weekend I had a very special visitor! Nick flew into Boston on Thursday afternoon (he will do anything to avoid connections, and there is not a direct flight from Indianapolis to Providence) and I picked him up after work. In order to avoid rush hour traffic, we decided to eat dinner in the city. I took Nick to Newbury St, a popular shopping area in Boston. I was starting to get a little hypoglycemic, so we ate an early, casual dinner at Upper Crust (*love* their calzones!), followed by some window shopping in some ridiculously expensive stores.

I ended up going into work on Friday after much debate between the two of us about the underlying meaning and implications of me not taking a day off. From my point of view, why wouldn't I take the day off, and why didn't Nick want me to? His argument was that we would still be able to spend time together and that I'd have an extra vacation day to visit him for a 3-day weekend. In the end, I didn't take the day off for 2 reasons: 1. I had a lot of work to do in the office 2. I started to agree with Nick's point. He is going to China in April (*so* jealous!), so I won't be able to visit when I originally planned (he will be gone on his birthday, April 4). At least now I'll have the option of taking a 3-day weekend in March. (I hate it when he's right!)

When I had gotten home from work, Nick had flowers and chocolates waiting for me.

They smell wonderful! Fresh flowers are one of my favorite gifts.

As a combination Valentine's Day and birthday gift, I got Nick a new iPod nano! Apple offers free engraving (he wanted his full name and new e-mail address) and free shipping. The new nano shoots video, which will be nice for his trip this spring.

On Friday night, we went into downtown Providence. My co-worker, Alan, had given me a free pair of tickets to see the Providence Bruins game at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Our tickets were in the luxury suite, which was more relaxing, and there were 5 other people from work watching the game. It wasn't anything fancy, but we had a nice time. Nick had never been to any type of professional hockey game (his last one was a high school game), so the opportunity for free tickets couldn't be passed up. After the game, we went out to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. (I know, I didn't take him to any local restaurants, but it was what sounded best to both of us at the time.)

Alan and his son, Daniel, who was so well-behaved for a two year-old

So upset that we forgot to take a picture of ourselves!

On Saturday, Nick and I made one of our wonderful homemade breakfasts. We had blueberry pancakes, fresh orange juice, turkey bacon (for me- it's not really my favorite, but I need the protein), and an omelet for Nick (complete with tomatoes, goat cheese, peppers, and onions- this guy doesn't mess around in the kitchen!) Nick and I make a good team- my pancake batter is better than his, but I always end up burning them, while he seems to cook them just right. We lazed around and watched some of season five of The Office that Nick had brought with him from Indy. Nick had never really seen the show when we started dating, so we began watching the seasons on DVD. When the fifth season came out, we vowed not to watch the new episodes until we could watch them together (Awww, how cute).

On Saturday afternoon, Nick and I drove to Princeton, Massachusetts to go skiing on Wachusett Mountain. This area is only an hour from my apartment and had night skiing available (we aren't always morning people on the weekends). There are 22 trails with a peak elevation of 2,006 feet. The weather turned out to cooperate, too- it was just above freezing and not too windy. I had not been skiing in seven years, so I guess I was what you call "rusty." However, for whatever reason, I didn't think I'd have that many problems, but I struggled a little more than I thought I would.

A picture of Wachusett Mountain at night

The trails at Wachusett Mountain

Nick had skied much more than I have, and I didn't want him to be bored by going on all of the easy trails. (He was such a good sport the entire time- it was so nice to ski together.) We started off on a blue square trail (medium difficulty), which didn't seem all that bad until about a third of the way down the mountain. I managed to have two major falls with my feet over my head both times. (At this point, I am laughing hysterically after my falls- I am sure that I looked like some sort of cartoon character tumbling down the snow.) After a couple of runs, I started to get the hang of it with the help of my ski instructor (that would be Nick). He was very patient with me, even when I got frosty with him (no pun intended) a couple of times. (I can take one piece of advice per run... e.g. I will focus on keeping my skis together this time, but I can't keep my skis together, keep my back straight, and look for soft spots in the snow to turn.)

Before our skiing adventure

On one of the lifts... we look like we are going to rob a bank!

Nick and I went inside the lodge at the base of the mountain to get a drink of water and find the bathroom. I went into the restroom and looked into the mirror to pull off my hat, gloves, and scarf. There was a woman who was cleaning up around the sinks.

The cleaning woman: "Is it raining outside?"

Me: "No, I just fell a couple of times."

The cleaning woman: "On your face?"

Me (laughing so hard that I could barely answer her): "Twice!"

I had gotten so much snow underneath my hat during my falls that my hair had become so wet that it looked like a bucket of water was dumped on me.

After our quick rest, Nick and I decided to try to find Bullock Lodge. Bullock Lodge is a small cabin about halfway down the mountain in between two black diamond trails (aka difficult) that serves hot cider and doughnuts, so you know that it was a high priority stop for me! We started down one difficult trail but not the right one- the trail that the cabin was located off of was closed shortly for grooming. I fell on the trail after about 200 yards, but after regaining composure, I did well going down the rest of the trail, well enough for me to even give a "woo-hoo!" scream. When we returned to the top, the trail to the cider house had been opened (another difficult trail). There is a split halfway down the mountain, and instead of going left, Nick and I went right. We spotted the lodge through the woods, and Nick quickly yelled that there was a path through the woods that we could use to reach it. I was in front of him (going way too fast, I might add), so I didn't have much time to cut over. I made it onto the trail, but because I was out of control, took a serious tumble about 50 yards later (It was more of a face-plant that a tumble). This fall hurt the worst of all... I felt my chest and face hit the hard, icy ground, and my left leg had a sharp pain. Nick helped me get up- no broken bones, but I was definitely banged up.

We made it into the cider house for our respite, and I was so glad to be there. Not only were the homemade cider and doughnuts amazing, the lodge was warm and inviting. A local farm, Red Apple Farm, makes both the doughnuts and cider- just thinking about them makes me hungry!

Not the greatest picture (my camera kept fogging up!), but here's a view of the inside of the lodge

We went down several more trails, and after one more serious head-over-heels fall, I was done for the day. I went inside to the lodge at the base of the mountain to warm up, while Nick did one more run on his own. All in all, it was a very successful (and fun!) day on the slopes.

Nick and I made dinner at my apartment on Saturday night- tacos, Spanish rice, and frozen margaritas (well, for me... Nick stuck to his wheat beer). We were thinking about enchiladas, but I had forgotten to pick up the sauce and chiles. I can only make a few meals that both of us like, and this happens to be one of them. Sometimes it is more relaxing to eat at home than to try to go out to eat, especially on holiday weekends. (Growing up, we would always try to eat at home for Mother's Day and Father's Day- it can be too crazy to even make the trip worth it.)

Nick had to be at the airport by 1:00 PM today (Sunday), so we took it easy in the morning (more pancakes!) since we had to leave by noon. I still get sad every time he or I leave one another (well, I get sad when anyone leaves after visiting me here, for that matter), but for Nick, it usually doesn't hit me until I get back to my apartment. All of the little things around my place start to have memories connected with them (why else would I have olives, Dr. Pepper, or Franziskaner in my refrigerator?). I've been doing really well the past couple of months as am working to "embrace" my experience here in Rhode Island, but there is a part of me that will always miss my valentines at home.

I Know You Want One

I was sitting at my desk earlier this week, minding my own business, when my boss came to my desk. I see Debbie multiple times every day, so it was no surprise except for the fact that she was holding a present for me! She told me she ordered it for me as a Christmas present, but it turned up in the mail the day after I left for vacation. When I ripped the wrapping paper off, I was ecstatic... Debbie got me a Snuggie!

You might be familar with the Snuggie, but if not, it's "the blanket with sleeves." They have ads all over tv. (Click here to see a Snuggie ad.) At first it seemed like a joke, but before I knew it, they started advertising for different types of Snuggies... zebra-stripe, pint-sized, etc. I think it is one of those things you secretly covet but would never buy yourself. And not only did I get my very Snuggie, I got a Purdue Snuggie!

I immediately opened the box and tried it on at the office- I couldn't wait to wear it! (Note: the office can be drafty where I sit, but I'm not sure that a Snuggie is very professional.) Alma, who sits next to me, heard the comotion and wanted me to come show her my new present. I ended up seeing Troy, who now calls me "Grandma." (Last week my neck was bothering me, so I had a heating pad on my chair to loosen up the muscles. The addition of a Snuggie probably didn't help my case.)

Warm and cozy in my new Snuggie!

Thanks, Deb! I love it!

Dancing With Myself

Today I have been unusually productive... I deep-cleaned the kitchen, scrubbed down the bathroom, finished piles of laundry in my room, wrote five cards, and put a dent in the stack of papers on my desk. You might wonder, "Why has Sarah been so productive today?" I was thinking the same thing when it hit me...

The music! I had put on iPod on my soundock and started a playlist full of songs that I love to sing along to when I'm working. I first made the playlist when I went over to Monica's new house to help her paint. (The title of the playlist is "Monica." So creative.) I wanted to include songs that most people would know and love (not that I mind singing by myself, I do that all the time). I've never been the greatest singer... I'm frequently off-pitch, can't control my volume, and occassionally mumble through some of the words. I always wanted to be better at singing growing up, but it just wasn't something built into my genes. But I think I do one thing that is more important than anything else... I always sing with my heart. (A little sappy, I know, but it's true.)

Here are some of the songs I was belting out in my apartment:

• Counting Crows- Mr. Jones
• Billy Joel- Uptown Girl
• Billy Idol- Dancing with Myself
• Bob Seger- Old Time Rock N' Roll
• Tom Petty- Runnin' Down a Dream
• The Police- Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
• The Beatles- Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
• Simon and Garfunkel- Cecilia
• Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run
• Mr. Big- To Be With You
• Cyndi Lauper- Time After Time
• Maroon Five- This Love
• Aha- Take on Me
• Rick James- Super Freak
• Michael Bolton- How Can We Be Lovers
• Michael Jackson- Thriller
• Toto- Hold the Line
• Paolo Nutini- New Shoes

Does anyone remember the movie "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids?" There's a scene in the movie where the older sister in the family is cleaning the kitchen and singing into the broom, only to find out that her cute neighbor is watching her. If you know me, I'm sure you can see me singing into a broom, too.

Keep Calm and Carry On

Wow, lots of news updates. I think this post would be best in my favorites format... (A list, of course)

• Nick and I had our first Skype date on Sunday! If you aren't familiar with Skype, it's an online service that allows you to video conference with other people on the internet. All you need is a web cam or microphone (depending on whether or not you want video or just audio)- the service is actually free. I used to be a little weirded out by the whole concept of web cam (Chelsea can attest to this), so I was a little skeptical. Everyone would rave about how great it was to be able to see the other person while you are talking to them. I never thought it would make that much of a difference, but it *does.* I found a web cam on Ebay for only $13 (including shipping!) and had it sent to Nick as a surprise. If anyone has a Skype account, let me know- love to chat with you! I love it so much I feel like I should wear a t-shirt or something of the sort to advertise for them. If you haven't tried it, I *highly* recommend it.


• Work has been busy. I'm currently working on developing my research project, which focuses on demonstrating the impact a community pharmacist can have in the quality of life for patients with chronic pain. I did a retrospective analysis with Chelsea last year for our PharmD project, which was a great learning experience. However, I never realized how much more complicated it is when you involve actual patients. The other challenge is recruitment of patients for the study. I am only going to be in a store one half-day per week, so I am going to have to rely on store teams to help me. I just got a critical piece of information around the definition of a clinically significant change in a patient's quality of life in an e-mail late today, so I'll be able to finalize some of my study methods in time to present them to a clinical committee next Wednesday. (However, they need the materials by this Thursday. Yikes.)


• Best practice: when you get someone else's mail in your mailbox, *please* do not 1) throw it away 2) open it, then throw it away 3) open it then give it to the original recipient 4) pretend like you didn't get it and proceed to throw it away. I only say this because in the past month I have had two pieces of mail, one of which is extremely important (my benefits information for insurance at work). (Note: The whole benefits issue could be a story in itself. I'll explain more later when I have the energy.) Just yesterday I had a letter placed on my door handle that was opened. Great. It was a preloaded card for the Massachusettes Bay Transportation Authority that I had bought online to use to travel to the Logan Airport when I go home to Indy in October (I get Columbus Day off). I tried to see if there was a way to check its balance online, but no such luck. I'll have to call them tomorrow to find out if whoever opened it decided to use it to buy a ticket for themselves. Although, I'd like to think that if they were going to do that, they never would have brought the card to me in the first place.

• I'm still traning for the Newport mini- I'm up to five miles at a time, which may not sound like a big deal to some of you but is to me. It's definitely making me drink more water that's for sure. If I haven't had enough to drink, I can tell after just a couple miles into the run when my body is starting to yell "Why do you hate me?!" It's a good thing that my desk is near the bathroom (and water fountain if you're curious) because I've probably been four or five times a day in the past week. It is slowing down, but I wouldn't be surprised if co-workers think I have a bladder control issue. My next task is to find a nearby park to run for my longer distrance runs on Sundays- jogging along the side of the slightly winding, hilly road just somewhow doesn't make me feel comfortable. Besides, I don't have my real insurance, so I'd be in deep if I got hit by a car. (Relax, I have temporary insurance and am covered on Mom and Dad's until the end of this month. Speaking of which, it is already September!!

• I can't believe I forgot to tell Deb this today, but I am now licensed in Indiana! I got the e-mail from the board today, and I am very excited. Indiana's BOP gives you your score. I wasn't really interested in seeing the exact results- just knowing that I passed was enough for me. But thanks to the IPLA, it's confirmed- I'm better at pharmacy law than therapeutics. Super.

• Starting last Friday, I have been partaking in what I've dubbed "The Deep Clean." I am having my first guest at my apartment this weekend- Nick! It's not that my apartment that was dirty to begin with, but there were just a lot of loose ends to be tied up. There were quite a few things that I just hadn't gotten around to yet. I mean, decorations are nice, but if you are the only one that ever sees your apartment, sometimes figuring out what to put in the glass vases next to the entertainment stand fall by the wayside. I was also putting off cutting the plastic mat for my pantry (it's an open metal rack. I thought having everyone be able to see what I am eating would motivation to not eat junk, but not really sure how that is working out. At least I'm an optimist at heart.). I was nervous that the plastic mat would needed to be cut with some type of exacto knife and that I'd cut a finger off, but I only ended up using regular scizzors and my leopard-print measuring tape. But my favotite addition was the poster I finally hung in my kitchen that I brought with me to Rhode Island....

I think it is just the perfect saying for me right now. Not only that, it matches the rest of my kitchen (go figure). Hope everyone is having a good week- more to come tomorrow!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Two days since my last post-- what a lazy blogger I have become!

I spent last Saturday in North Kingstown at the 47th annual Wickford Art Festival. (Wickford Village is a small part of North Kingstown.) It turned out to be another gorgeous day! Beautiful sunshine and a slight breeze helped to make the day that much more enjoyable. I'm not exactly a huge art fan, but I do love to attend these kinds of events. It is amazing to me how many incredibly talented people there are out there! Some individuals just have the eye for photography, the creativity for mixed media, the touch for watercolors. To go along with the variety of types of art, everyone appreciates different types of artistic styles. Maybe I'm shallow, but there are some things that I just don't see as art. It reminds me of the time Nick and I visited the Guggenheim Museum in New York City last winter. There was a display by a photographer, Catherine Opie, that featured very graphic pictures, from self-mutilation to cultural and sexual identity. Needless to say, the entire exhibit made us both uncomfortable. I would much rather stick to Van Gogh, thank you very much! (We did get to go to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam- so wonderful.... I promise the pictures from Europe are coming! I am definitely not having as much free time as anticipated!)

My favorite booth at the art show featured Can Do Planes, a business staffed by a husband and wife team that transforms aluminum cans into ornaments and model planes, helicopters, boats, and tanks. Sompit and Shao were kind and entertaining, and I was amazed at the precision of their creations. Here are a few of my favorites below:

I would love to learn how to make the Diet Coke stars I got for my love fern! (Yes, I know it isn't a fern, but I just adore the name love fern.)

I also saw some very interesting "sculptures..." combination plant holders and birdhouses made from South American river roots.

Another notch for my year of firsts... My very first Del's Lemonade. If you look around Rhode Island, you'll see these large green and white RV/vans, similar to what you'd see a vendor use at a carnival. The formula they use is an original family recipe passed down from Grandfather Franco DeLucia, who brought his lemonade recipe to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. I wish it was just a little more on the tart side, but it was delicious.

And for apartment updates... I finally finished putting together the bookcase that holds all of my crafts! I was having some trouble finding the right type of screwdriver to use for the large, finishing screw that hold the frame together. So, instead of really taking a look at the screw, I just tried harder. Turns out that I should have used one of the "z-shaped" metal turners (an allen wrench, maybe? Sorry to disappoint you, Dad!). So, four of the screws (the ones on the top of the bookcase) each stick out about 1/4" farther than they should because I mauled the holes so badly that I couldn't get anything to make them turn. It's not too noticeable from farther away, so I decided to just go with it. I debated on whether or not I should ask to borrow an electric drill from someone at work, but I would probably get myself into more trouble! Figured out how to work the DVD player, but still having issues with the DVR, Bose soundock, and alarm clock- all on the list for this week (behind studying for boards, of course!). Below are my new kitchen accessories from Debbie and Jerry- in my favorite colors, too!

Hope everyone has a great week! Love you!

The Weave Mill

"In 1807, Samuel Slater helped start the American Industrial Revolution by creating the first village whose sole aim was to produce textiles. As the centerpiece of that village, the mill complex that stands today, made up of the Spinning, Weaving and Center mills, was built in 1826. Each building provides a thoroughly modern living experience infused with unequaled historical authenticity. With sturdy wood beams and exposed brick throughout the homes that attest to the site's notable beginnings."

-The Halstead at Slatersville Mill Website

It is the oldest standing textile mill that remains intact in the United States. The buildings are actually very intersting themselves. Old pieces of machinery flank the hallways, and pictures of the working mill over the years line the lobby. My apartment reminds me a little bit of my brother's old apartment in the Harness Factory Lofts downtown.

There are 3 different buildings that house apartments on the property: The Spinning Mill, The Center Mill, and The Weave Mill. The Center Mill looks a little bit like a school (below).

I live in the Weave Mill, which is the two-story brick building you see below. There are two floors of apartments of vairous sizes, and the building also houses the mail room, the lounge, the media room, and the workout facility--that will definitely come in handy during the winter! Pictures of the building exterior and the facilities are shown in order below.

Last night I managed to finish putting together a set of file drawers for my desk, and I'm hoping to finish the dresser and bookcase tomorrow night. Until then, here are a few pictures of some parts of my apartment. (No, I am not going to start with the outside again!) Don't you just LOVE the giant "S" on top of the cabinets?! My mom got it for me at White River Salvage in Indianapolis. I went there with Monica a couple of months ago, and she fell in love with the place! If you live in the area, like beautiful old things, and don't mind bargaining and searching, you will LOVE this place! They have an old Otis elevator that I would love to buy, but a) I don't know what I would do with it and b) I don't have an extra $15K laying around.

The "S" is from an old neon sign. The bulb doesn't work inside it, but I think I'll try putting Christmas lights in and/or around it in a bit. I have been looking for one of these forever! Thanks, Mom! Here is part of my living room:

Another HUGE thank you to my brother, Ryan, for letting me borrow his flat screen t.v. for the year! I promise that I will bring it back in one piece. More to come later... Cheers!