Leaving on a jet plane....I'll be back on Thursday

I can't believe it's almost time for my trip. I'm really excited. I've never been to California before so this will be a new experience for me. I leave on Sunday and I'll be back on Thursday evening. Of course I have the yarn shops already scoped out. :) I was able to do some last minute shopping yesterday and now I'm set. I just have to pack everything (again!) and I'll be ready to go.

Here it a pic of the progress of my first sock. The magic loop method is so cool and everything is great so far. I hope it goes as well when I get to the heel.

After shopping yesterday I decided I should start on my journal of all of the items I've knitted since I started around last May. I didn't think I would actually finish the journal in one night though. I just used a three ring binder, paper and cover sheets. I wrote the name and year of the project and taped a sample of the yarn and the yarn binder on the paper. Done!

I finshed "Where and When" on Monday and started on "Stiff" by Mary Roach. I didn't want to start on the new books I got. I wanted to save those for the plane. I will probably pick "Stiff" up again when I get back home. "Where and When" ended up being a great book. It was just really difficult to get into at the beginning.

I've just started orienting a new graduate at work - again. I just finished with one around the end of November and now she is off orientation and on her designated shift. This new graduate will be off orientation in 6 months. I really enjoy orienting new graduates. I love to watch their faces when they finally catch onto something. The hardest thing for most are the vaginal exams and figuring out dilation. But when they finally get it it's like a lightbulb goes off and they finally understand. I have really enjoyed seeing the first new graduate I oriented out on her own. It's rewarding for me to have her give report to me about a patient she has had or to go into a room and over hear her teaching something to someone and hearing her paraphrase what I had taught her. What a gift to give someone. And what an honor and reward to me in return. I've also learned things from her too. For instance she was doing some patient teaching on breastfeeding and whatever she said was very understandable and I had always thought that the way I said it was confusing. SO now I've changed up my breastfeeding teaching so it's more understandable. Anyway....so far so good with new graduate #2 (NG2).