Broken but Joyful

The missionaries from Vernon that were brutally attacked in Kenya at the beginning of the month have returned home to Canada at the urging of their family members. They were working with a Kelowna based mission that is working with orphaned children and women displaced by the civil war.

I watched the CBC clip this morning and it moved me to tears.

I read the article in the paper when it initially happened and was sickened by the details of their assault (which CBC news left out). Suffice to say what happened to Eloise Bergen was nothing short of torture.

I must say that I admire the fact that even when interviewed in hospital they both stated that they forgave their attackers and wished to tell them that face to face once they were physically able to visit the men in prison. Also, they plan to return to Kenya, which to me is astounding. Such brave, determined people.

I commend their grace and courage, and send them my prayers. They are an inspiration.

Big Read List

I saw this on a fellow med bloggers site. Y'all who know me know that reading is definitely one of my favorite hobbies. Wait...can reading be considered a hobby? Or is it just a pass time?

Not sure who created it, but it is interesting to read the "meme list" and see which ones you have read. So here it is:

“The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they’ve printed.”

1) Bold: I have read.
2) Books with a star (*): Books I love.
3) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve read 6 and force books upon them.

1. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen

2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien

3. Jane Eyre* - Charlotte Bronte

4. The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling (I haven't read the entire series.)

5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6. The Bible-Though I must admit not cover to cover…

7 . Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8. Nineteen Eighty Four* - George Orwell

9. His Dark Materials – Phillip Pullman

10. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14 . The Complete works of Shakespeare (I've read many of them, but not all.)

15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16. The Hobbit* -J.R.R. Tolkien

17. Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks

18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

19. The Time Traveler's Wife*- Audrey Niffenegger

20. Middlemarch - George Eliot

21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy* - Douglas Adams

26. Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh

27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28. Grapes of Wrath* - John Steinbeck

29. Alice in Wonderland- Lewis Carroll

30 . The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens

33. Chronicles of Narnia* - CS Lewis

34 . Emma - Jane Austen

35. Persuasion- Jane Austen

36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe* - CS Lewis

37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres

39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41. Animal Farm - George Orwell

42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

49. Lord of the Flies – William Golding

50. Atonement - Ian McEwan

51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52. Dune- Frank Herbert

53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68. Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding

69. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

70. Moby Dick – Herman Melville

71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72. Dracula - Bram Stoker

73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75. Ulysses - James Joyce

76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77. Swallows and Amazons

78. Germinal - Emile Zola

79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80. Possession - AS Byatt

81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87. Charlotte’s Web - EB White

88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom

89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90. The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton

91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92. The Little Prince* – Antoine de St. Exupery

93. The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks

94. Watership Down - Richard Adams

95. A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole

96. A Town like Alice- Nevil Shute

97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98. Hamlet- William Shakespeare

99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo


An interesting list if nothing else. If it is a list of top 100 books published it makes sense because popularity does not necessarily equate to quality (case in point, the Da Vinci Code), though many on the list are books I've definitely enjoyed.

A few I'd add by the listed authors...if you're going to read Dahl, you have to read "James and the Giant Peach", "Saturday" by Ian McEwan, and "The Blind Assassin" by Atwood.

Looks like I've got some reading to do! I think my count was 34.

Reading...after my mcat that is...

Kitchen Counsel

I have been working nights the past two weeks. And it has been smoking hot here. And life is in a shambles. Which has caused me to turn to the place where I can focus my mind and channel my turmoil into good things, delicious offerings...the kitchen.

I figured it would be a nice treat to make dinner every night for my friends that I am currently staying with...a trade of sorts.
The meals have so far included: BBQ peaches, shrimp, and bok choy drizzled with a spicy peanut peach sauce over rice...another night I tweaked the fig, gorgonzola, prosciutto, roasted garlic, caramelized onion pizza served with warm asparagus and rocket salad, topped with sweet shallot vinaigrette and grated pecorino. Then there was the chicken and spicy turkey sausage cacciatore, which had simmered in red wine, fresh basil, garlic, and sweet organic grape tomatoes...oh that was a good one. I am definitely going to work on that one.

But on Saturday Kara and I took a mental health day and went to the ocean, picnicked at the harbor and walked along the sea wall for almost three hours.

We had some good laughs.

And attempted to take flight.

It was great. And let me tell you I will definitely be stealing the cilantro crème fraiche idea. Oh yeah. Note white dipping sauce. The truffle mashed potatoes were nothing to sneeze at either.
And yes, the Sangria was delicious. Although...I think mine is better. The secret is elderflower cordial. I guess that makes it not a secret. Now three more people know how I make my Sangria.

Two therapeutic hours in an amazing organic market downtown and I nearly felt human again.

Our loot.

But the best. The best part of the day was finding some fresh smoked black cod. Kara gave me the "am I going to need to give you an olanzapine wafer?" look when I started jumping up and down at the discovery of the white-fleshed treasure.

Albinoblackbear's Fish Rub (mostly to be used with the elusive fresh black cod fillet)

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1-2 tbsp coarse sea salt
pinch of smoked salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp cumin

Pat fillets dry. Rub. Then rub with rub. Throw in oven on low broil until brown sugar is starting to caramelize. Then drop heat to 350 F until fish is cooked through (keep checking because you don't want to overdo it).

Warm Shallot Dressing à la Yowza

3 shallots diced so fine you can hardly handle it
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp grainy mustard
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
pinch of sambal olek (or rather--tiny dollop)
2 tsp dry mustard

Mix everything up, fry on low heat until shallots are translucent. Add 150g of fine Italian prosciutto, warm briefly. Add handfuls and handfuls of spinach and toss until wilted.
Throw in a bowl with some non-wilted spinach. Maybe a wee bit of feta.

Serve with the cod and be prepared for marriage proposals.
Or at least very happy house mates.


*All measurements are total guesses. Well, educated guesses. But guesses nonetheless. Taste everything as you go along and adjust.

Flight of the Conchords - Business Time

Okay...I know that posting something from Youtube is a cop out in terms of posts...but if you have 3:33 min watch this video!

You'll never look at "business socks" the same ever again.

Enjoy!

Wayward Human

So I've been out here on the West Coast for a week now, starting to feel somewhat settled in. Getting back to work has been good and bad. It is nice to use my brain and skills in the health care world again...but I can't lie...nursing has reached it's expiry date for me.

Don't get me wrong, I still love patient care, and working in the ER but the whole politic of cajoling doctors is just beginning to be too much. I have to make a case to give a pain med to someone, or order a chest x-ray on a patient that I think has heart failure instead of liver failure (he did have heart failure), or suggest further sedation while he's reducing a spiral tib fib fracture...I am just tired of it. I can't see spending the next 20 years of my life trying to not come across as pushy, trying to make it seem like it's their idea, and trying to be an advocate for my patients at the same time. Not exactly the formula for a fulfilling career.

Well, for now it'll do.

MCAT studying is going OK. Though I wish I had a few more months to do it.

Still don't know where to go, where to live now.

I am hoping some lightening bolt hits me with the answer.

Ta Ta For Now

It is absolutely pouring outside. I am packing up my car to drive to the coast for a couple (few?) weeks and realizing that this time I didn't even get a chance to unpack my duffel completely before having to fill it up again.

I do chuckle at the few creature comforts I bring with me everywhere. Like an old lady-I have my tempurpedic pillow, like an OCD insomniac a fan for white noise. Got my 4 pairs of running shoes, about 11 books I hope to get through, my favorite tank top that I sleep in, a thermos full of (and several boxes of ) my favorite tea, cue cards, study guides...

I am feeling a bit down. I spent some time on Cute Overload and Fail Blog to cheer me up. And then I gave my head a shake. (Not because I was wasting time on blogs when I should have been studying...) No, I gave my head a shake because though everything feels so uncertain I know I have a lot to be thankful for.

All of my friends here are so good to me. James and Verena have essentially been feeding and watering me since I came home on Monday, when I got home from their place there was a tin foil package and a note tucked into my door. It was at that exact moment I knew I lived in an amazing community.

It was late, and I was coming home to a dark house. A bit sad and lonely and there was this little food offering. I smiled and thought, hmmm....I wonder who this came from? Because it could have been so many people! I wasn't thinking 'oh , that must be so-and-so dropping off food again' I was running through all my peeps here, Sylvia? Ann Marie? Mandy? Anna? Alice?

A thoughtful gesture from Alice, in fact, which showed me the thoughtful nature of everyone in our group. It's nice to feel loved.

Which is part of the reason why it will be so hard to leave R-town.

For now I am working a 2 week contract out west, then hoping to find a little place to hide for the next month while I cram for the MCAT. After that I have no idea where I will go for work or where I will live. It's a bit overwhelming so I try not to think about it. If housing works out here maybe I will stay, but with the resort here now buying another house is just not possible and the rental market is dismal. I'm too old and in need of my own kitchen for a roommate....so we'll see.

Anna, Verena, and I had a great ride yesterday. My first outing back on the trails and I was definitely feeling the fear as the ride is a bit more eroded, especially around the plank bridges. A few more wee drops to contend with. I am such a wussie for my first few (5, 15, 25) times out on trails each summer. I realized part way through that I had been putting the DEATH grip on my handle bars when negotiating the hills and bridges so I eased up a bit but still felt my legs shaking partly out of fear and partly out of fatigue. Then noticed at the end that I had completely cranked down my front suspension for a town trip a couple of weeks ago. Hence the parasthesia in both my forearms at the end! Whoops. Still a bit zingy today. Got back to the Cozy Cabin to find James had whipped up a pasta carbonara. It was delicious. In our muddied bike attire we enjoyed the last of the white wine from their wedding and a taste of Ravens Wood Zinfandel before heading home for the night.

It's those kind of nights which make this time and place perfect. And make it hard to pull myself away.

Proud to Call Her "Friend"

I am certainly one of those people that is blessed with friends and family that motivate and inspire me. The good peeps in my life are always amazing me with their feats and accomplishments. I could go into a litany of examples but for the sake of brevity let me just make a

BIG SHOUT OUT TO ANN MARIE FOR WINNING THE CALGARY MARATHON!!!!!!!!

Yep. My homegirl, AMG, despite having a completely torn ACL since December, and despite the fact that she's only run 2 previous marathons EVER bagged first place with a time of 3:08.

So way to go girl. Everyone is so proud of you! I've been bragging to random people I come across...you know...the guy at the gas station, the girl bagging my groceries, etc.

Check out the hilarious and awesome posting on their blog about her victory.

Congrats girl. Way to set the bar so high that most of us can't even see it now!!!

(Just promise you'll remember the little people...heck I have proof that "I knew you when"--note the photo with iceberg in the background on right corner of this page :)

At the Jedi Assisted Living Community

Everyone who knows me knows that I am not a 'cat person' per se. However. This video appeared on "Cute Overload" and essentially, it made my week.

It also kind of captures how I am feeling these days.

It's been a rough week.

Is This the 6th or 7th Circle??

I'm melting...mmeeellllllttiinnggg!

It's my blog so I am going to say it. I hate summer. Really. I find nothing more irritating than being hot. Everyone who says "oh I love these nice sunny days" is saying that because all they do on those days is sit on their deck drinking beer, or sit in their air-conditioned office after driving to work in their air conditioned cars. They are not banished to various corners of their houses studying for an exam, with a fan on full-blast right in their faces. They are not trying to lose the paunch that came (free of charge) with their 6 week o-chem class.

Running has essentially become sun stroke roulette and unless I get up at 0500h or go at 2200h I am banking on nearly passing out. This displeases me. Running=good. Hot sun=bad.

I had to go to the hospital yesterday to get a TB skin test so I figured I'd run up there, thus multitasking my exercise and errand for the day. After nearly sliding off the vinyl chairs in the waiting room I sweat myself all over the magazines and then all over AM while she administered the injection. On the way home the temp was around 32°C (90°F).

I thought I was going...to...die. At the bottom of the hill near the river I was hoping for some cool breezes off the water but nope! It felt more like a sticky flower scented dish rag landed on me as I neared the banks.

Even after my shower I was sweating while trying to get dressed. GAK!

In the evening Syl and I had planned to go for a road ride (I've only ever ridden on my beefy XC bike) but due to a chain of events she had to bail. I was pretty amped to go still so I borrowed her bike and off I went.

OMG!!!!!

Am I the last person on the planet to discover that ROAD RIDING RULES??? I swear, I can't believe I have been on this earth for 28 years and have never discovered the amazing sport that is road riding. You get to go fast, it's a kick ass workout, the bugs can't bother you, and it is less likely that I'll endo/box myself every couple of kilometers or so. Yes, working ER at the bottom of a mountain which was home to a downhill bike park HAS made me even more of a poonce than I care to admit. So yes, downhill mountain biking is a great challenge and I do love it, but visions of embedded gravel, compound fractures, broken necks, and avulsions always dance in my head when I am on ye olde single track.

But last night, it was just me, the river, the sunset, the music, the mountains. Bliss. No visions of anything sinister dancing in my head.

It was stunning. I was in heaven. Not Dante's Inferno. The evening air off the water was like a swirling breeze from late fall, crisp and fresh.

At the 10 mile mark the road turned to gravel so I decided to also turn around. But it was so spectacular, I can't wait to get back in the saddle! And now I finally have a way to cross train!!!

YIPPEEEE!!!

As Joel Plaskett so aptly sings
there's a reason that I love this town.

Oh okay....maybe summer ain't so bad after all...

Wedding Bells

So this weekend was Nature Nerd and Dr. Sno's wedding.

Now normally Albinoblackbears become recluse when such events occur, but really how could anyone miss a weekend long wedding held at an organic, biodynamic, brewery? Especially when said brewery produces my favorite stout, The Back Hand of God. So off to Sorrento it was and into the lap of the Crannóg farm.

Many moons ago I offered to be in charge of the food because I love food and it seemed like the only way I could really be of help.
It wasn't a huge task as it was a pot luck and all I basically had to do was hang out in the kitchen, cook my contribution, and boss people around. Three things I like doing at social gatherings anyway.

Note that the folks in the kitchen knew not to look me in the eye, and wisely called me only "Kitchen Master".
Okay, some of them looked me in the eye. And not everyone called me "Kitchen Master".

I still haven't decided which is hotter...men in skirts...
or

men doing dishes...
Good thing there were no men in skirts doing dishes....

All in all it was a fabulous weekend. Everything seemed to go off without a hitch. Best Man gave BEST best man speech ever, photos were great, band was awesome, beer was delicious, weather was pristine and the back seat of my car proved itself a worthy sleeping vessel.

The happy couple with Best Man and Best Woman.

The not so happy pig.