Autumnal bliss

I worked part of last night and into the day with a lovely laboring couple. It was nice to do a lot of the procedure-type nursing duties that I seem to miss out on working per diem. Start an IV, do nursing care during an epidural placement, etc. I feel rusty if I haven't done those activities in awhile and I was due. Little did the patient know how nervous I was starting the IV! But it all went without a hitch. And I got a lovely note from a past patient which was a great way to start my day.

I made it home in time to catch Murray and the kids heading out to church. It was a beautiful day - blue bird and warm! I wanted to go too, so I raced inside to change and followed behind.

We have a nice walk to church - the only sidewalk in Pomfret begins outside our yard. It doesn't go all the way to our church, but it starts me out with the right feeling and by the time I'm to the "no sidewalk, cars rushing past" point, it's too late to turn back. I was late to church, but that's not so unusual.

The really fun part was when Sam saw me. Remember, I had been working so hadn't been there to cuddle him when he woke up (Murray is great, but he doesn't have warm milk readily available). He was sitting in Marmee's lap down the pew and when I arrived he caught my eye and did this whole body grin; wriggling, dancing, yowling and chirping, with happy eyes and wide mouth smile. There is nothing like a nine-month old's joy and when it's aimed at me it's the pinnacle of mom-dom.

He's the age when stranger anxiety is quite common but, while he's very attached to me, he isn't alarmed by others. Which is nice - Natty was like that too and went happily off to nursery/babysitters (for the most part - nothing's 100%! The times she wailed were so tough, I couldn't handle it if she had a hard time constantly) As long as Murray and I are still their favorites, we're happy.

In the afternoon Murray and I switched roles and he went in to the hospital to round on patients and I stayed with the kids. After Sam's nap, I brought both kids out to the front porch and started raking the front yard. Our yard has been looking shaggy and unkempt with all the fallen leaves so it was past due. Living, as we do, on a busy road, I often think "How public, like a frog." Unfortunately for the "admiring bog" I am not a tidy yard person, although (as with so many "civilized" aspects to my New England life) I'm trying. I grew up in a house that was under construction - that's what I blame my poor decorating skills on. I don't have a concept of what a finished/decorated house or yard is like. But, truly, Dad and Connie had inspired me by all their yard work - it looks so good! So I raked, then Murray got home and convinced me to clean the rain gutters, which meant I threw decomposing leaves down on the ground I'd just raked. So I raked again (quickly, but still, I hate doing a job backwards and having to re-do it). A good afternoon's work.

Next year I'll probably be persuaded to get a leaf blower or hire it out, but this year it was fun to do it by hand. And it's not done yet. I hope the weather stays nice - it's a joy to work outside when the day is as beautiful as today was.