November is indecisive.

The weather can't make up its mind this month.  A week ago it was near 70 degrees, and I ate lunch outside at work.  Yesterday it was 42 degrees and raining.  Tonight they're wanting snow.  I'm so confused!

I get the feeling that a rough winter is on its way... partly because the squirrels look particularly fat and furry this year... and partly because I feel like we're due for one since last winter was so mild.  We ordered extra firewood this season in preparation, and I've heavily mulched the strawberries and garlic.  We fixed the propane heater in the greenhouse (which we never needed to turn on last year!) just in case it gets REALLY cold in there. 

I worked on Thanksgiving, and the whole weekend after.  It was insanity in that ED.  I can say without exaggeration that Thursday was one of the weirdest days I've ever had at work.  In my area alone, we saved two human lives within one hour... and that was just me. People were circling the drain throughout the whole department. 

I rushed a stroke patient over for his CT scan.  He went into cardiac arrest while on the table for the scan, and I immediately began chest compressions.  By the time the physician arrived, 3 minutes after he lost his pulse, his heart was beating again.  We kept him going long enough to transfer him by helicopter to a hospital with more advanced neurosurgery capabilities for his brain hemmorhage.  Half an hour later, I transported ANOTHER critical patient to CT scan, who proceeded to have a grand mal seizure and lose her airway... and we ended up intubating her right there on the CT table.  For the rest of the night, the radiology techs cringed when they saw me.  Strokes, heart attacks, GI bleeds, respiratory distress... they just kept coming in.

Madness, I tell you.

The weekend wasn't as dramatic, but still very busy, and I am exhausted.

It didn't help that I've been on my feet 12 hours/day for the past four days on an injured knee.  This morning I had an MRI done.  Months ago, I injured it while running... and my own attempts at rest, isometric exercises and stretching have not resolved the pain.  In the past few weeks it has gotten worse.  My doctor suspects a torn meniscus.  I am hoping that I'm just a big wuss and that there isn't anything wrong... knee surgery does not sound like my idea of a good time. 

That's what's going on in my life, in addition to the daily routine of working, eating, sleeping, schoolwork, and tending the critters!

In the clear

I am happy to report that our little homestead, and our friends and family, came through the hurricane just fine.  No property damage, just some downed tree limbs and crazy ducks who rode out the 60mph winds on the overflowing pond, and looked like they were having a grand time doing it. 

The weather remains cold and overcast, and I have been hard-pressed to do much except cook, eat, and feed the woodstove.  With the passing of Samhain winter is now well on its way... the year has ended, and it's time to hunker down with my books and cats and daydream about next year's garden.  I expect our weekend tradition of eating breakfast while seated on the brick floor of the greenhouse will resume soon, when we are starved for sunlight and a bit of green.