Back

I'm back...almost.  It's November, gray, cloudy and cold, and I'm working away at the dining room table.  I'm trying to finish up my NEJM CME (it was due November 1, but I've gotten an extension).  Once I finish, I hope to have more time to blog and do other things I enjoy.

It's been a busy few months.  I spent September and the first week of October in Ukraine.  I visited seven orphanages with our UCARE group, and two more on my own.  I visited family and friends, and stayed quite busy.  I saw many parts of Ukraine that I'd never had a chance to visit before (Transcarpathia, Chernihiv).  When I got home, I found that I had a heavy work schedule--52 hours a week--and managed to catch some unpleasant virus at work.  I ended up spending my "free" time sniffling, sneezing and sleeping.  I'm only now beginning to feel better. 

And the were the funerals--two in the past three weeks.  Two close family friends passed away, so it's been a sad time all around.  

But things are finally looking up a bit.  I have more normal work hours beginning next week, so I can finish unpacking, get my teeth cleaned, and try to catch up on my photos and blogging.  And last weekend was Val's annual birdseed sale: I stocked up on thistle, suet and seed, and refilled my feeders, which have been empty since long before I left for Ukraine.  I wondered how long it would take the birds to find their way back.  It took only a few minutes. 

 

From my seat at the dining room table/desk, I can see a bevy of winter plumage goldfinches feeding away greedily at the thistle seed.

Nuthatches, chickadees, woodpeckers and others sneak in for a bit of suet.  The jays hog the feeder, scattering seed everywhere, and the titmice, sparrows, cardinals and juncos grab a bite when they're not around. My smart squirrel had once more figured out how to get into the feeder, so I had to adjust the baffle and move the feeder again, keeping it away from overhead lines and nearby branches.  So far, so good, but it's only a matter of time.  (I'm not cruel, but the ground is covered with thousands of acorns for her, and the seed is meant for the birds.)

Oh well, back to work.  I'm through April 12th, and have to get through the end of June as quickly as possible.....