Thanksgiving

I am so thankful that we are out for a short break for a little while (4 days) for Thanksgiving!  It has been so busy since I last blogged!

Today, I had a Cervicals practical & was very nervous.  I read the material, but still didn't feel quite ready.  The class I'm in is one where the prof expects you to read the material ahead and then be ready to apply what you've read, which is fine, but not all the profs are that way, so it is an adjustment.  We start practicing the palpation, orthopedic-neurologic tests, and deep tendon reflex tests, as well as doing line analysis of x-rays to prepare for the practical today.  We just went over it really quickly and it would have been nice to have a little more practice before being tested.  I got 15 out of a possible 18 because I made some dumb mistakes. 

I had a quiz, practical and exam in Phys Di last week.  I keep forgetting to check my score on the exam.  I'm happy to report that I received a 40 out of 40 on the practical.  Yea!  Definitely something to be thankful about!

This past weekend we went to Galena, IL, with our friends Paul and Sharon.  We stayed at a historic property on the downtown Main Street, 305N (http://305n.com/).  Was great!  We dined at 111 Main (http://www.oneelevenmain.com/) & it was fabulous, as it has been in the past.  I love walking along the Main Street and window shopping.  One of the stores whose merchandise I liked best was "Sushi & Marley" which just opened in September this year.  They carry great clothes by Tulle, Kind Like Love, and Free People.  Also, the saleslady (possibly the owner?) knits great soft, thick scarves in bright colors, too.  She was really helpful in recommending two restaurants for our next trip:  Perry Street Brassiere and Fritz & Frites (we've eaten at the second one and really enjoyed it previously, but need to give the other a try next trip).

Really liked the great boho jewelry at Vintaj.  Handmade.  The encaustic paintings of birds on a wire in silhouette against colorful skies were really beautiful too.  Oh!  And I really liked all the handcrafted stationary, small journals, and notecards.

Slumber was another fave.  Ended up buying for Delaney and me matching slippers.  They are by Goody and are crocheted flowers in a bouquet on the toes.  The stems are velvet ribbons and they are little beauties.  Lani likes wearing hers, but her feet get warm, so she will wear them a bit and then has to take them off.  I really loved their modal pajamas because they were both so soft and sustainable. 

Stopped into Galena Candle & Bath and created an Eco Dotz candle (the wax is in little colored dots and you get an empty container with a wick to fill) scented with Petal, Ocean, Lilac, Egyptian Musk, and others...can't remember all the scents I put together!  I liked the way the purples, blues and whites I picked looked and smelled together.  Also picked up a Chocolate Cabernet candle that was marked down.  I love a sale!

At Honest John's Trading Post (http://www.honestjohnsgalena.com/), I noticed Naot's (http://www.naot.com/cgi-bin/show_product.pl?yaleet_number=25021&cat=9 shown in brown; mine are black) in the window as we walked past and had to go in to check them out.  I bought a pair at Tradehome last spring and they are some of the most comfortable and clinic-appropriate shoes I own.  Ended up trying on a pair of Earth boots (http://www.earthfootwear.com/ourfootwear/ourfootwearproducts/tabid/65/language/en-us/p-353-lodge-2.aspx in caribou) and LOVE them!  Will probably be wearing them every other day this winter!  In fact, each one of us in our party bought a pair.  Paul talked them into giving us a discount because we were purchasing 4 pairs!  That was great!  Jon loves his pair (http://www.earthfootwear.com/ourfootwear/ourfootwearproducts/tabid/65/language/en-us/p-353-lodge-2.aspx in black), and I think Paul liked his pair (http://www.earthfootwear.com/ourfootwear/ourfootwearproducts/tabid/65/language/en-us/p-345-junction.aspx)...Sharon liked her boots (we got the same design), but I think she was having a little buyer's remorse afterward.  She's not accustomed to spending that much on shoes.  But I told Paul when I saw him later on (he owns a property in my neighborhood and was over to check on it):  divide the price of the boots by the number of years you wear them and it comes out pretty well.  I bought a $250 pair of boots about 6 years ago and I have worn them quite a lot.  They are some of the sexiest boots I own and they won't go out of style because they are beautiful but basic.  Each year, at the end of winter, I take them to Bill's Shoe Repair and he re-heels them for me and shines them up.  I put them in storage for the next season.  They look brand new still.  So that ends being about $50/year when you include cost of maintanence.  I prefer to spend the $ on shoes if they are really great and get them re-heeled and shined professionally when needed. 

They guys wore theirs until dinner and then couldn't hack it anymore because of the negative heel technology and the high arch supports that both found were really challenging their muscles.  Sharon & I stuck it out.  We were troopers in our boots...in fact, we kind of looked like storm troopers...

I am wiped & Lani finally fell asleep; she'd been fighting it, afraid she will miss something (normal 2-year-old stuff).  Been doing laundry, washing dishes, tidying up, to get ready for Thanksgiving and will post again soon. 

Just gotta say that I love Galena & Happy Thanksgiving!