Week 2

I've said just enough about Tony Dungee retiring and how much I hate the Chargers for my coworkers to label me as a "fanatic", reading me every headline on their homepages that has anything to do with football (do I care that TO is leaving the Cowboys? no, but he definitely brought it on himself)

I watched the whole first season of "Pushing Daisies" which, granted was only 9 episodes, but it was nine episodes of brilliant-color-deadpan-humor-heart-fluttering fantasy. And it makes me want to eat pie all the time. That, and the fact that I drive by a Village Inn twice every day on the way to and from work.

I visited 3 of our patients in a nursing home, all ladies in their 90s. The one with severe dementia who doesn't talk kind of balanced out the one who answered "how's your ankle doing?" with her life's story. I was there for 2 1/2 hours. The first time my preceptor sent a student to interview Betty, she thought they slacked off and went skiing for the afternoon. Then she realized Betty just loves a captive audience. And I realized that balancing efficiency and good listening isn't one of my strengths.

Speaking of strengths, Millie, the PA, has admitted that we all have different skills, and one of her is the ability to have her throat swabbed for an hour. Too bad the little boy with a negative strep test didn't share that gift.

There's a store downtown called "Fuzziwig's" and walking inside, you are, literally, a kid in a candy store. Combine the Sweet Factory in the mall with Willy Wonka's Factory, and something out of your best dreams (or a "Pushing Daisies" episode) and you get the general idea. I had to go in once just to let it all overtake me, so that the next time I go in, with intent to buy, I don't end up with a wheelbarrow full of sugar.

Phil's home from Kuwait. Welcome home. And continued prayers for all those still serving.