What's been keeping me away

I can't believe it's been so long since I last wrote. Gilead Ministries, where I volunteer, needed a part time worker and since I know the database pretty well and had been wanting to learn QuickBooks, I went ahead and took the job. It's pretty weird sitting at "Janet's Desk" - she's been gone for almost 2 months now and I still have a hard time thinking that she's gone. I guess I just thought that she'd always be at Gilead's front desk... now it's me. It's strange sometimes when first I come in and don't see her & realize that I'm going to be sitting at "her" desk. She never cared when she was alive but I guess I just want to walk in and see her sitting there....

Well since I was last writing my DH and I went up to the Mayo Clinic up in Minnesota. Boy it's a beautiful place - the Mayo Clinic not necessarily MN (it was still super cold when we went up there! now the weather has finally changed and it's starting to get warm). Although we did have one nice really sunny warm day over the weekend and we went to a neat place called Quarry Hill Park that was an old gravel pit that they city had turned into a park. It had hiking trails, a pond, hills, a cave, and a nature center that was packed with families when we went but still really cool. They had a bunch of stuffed animals (which isn't really my cup of tea but what the heck how does one on a small investment, show kids all different types of animals safely? - stuff the animals). They also had a bird watching room which was super neat - there were all types of birds just outside the room which had tons of windows and it also had speakers so you could hear the birds. I wish I knew my birds better but they had a little cheat sheet to help you figure out what birds you were looking at!

Mayo was beautiful. They had marble everywhere and statues and beautiful glass blown chandlers that were donated by a lady that must be very wealthy! They were gorgeous!! The buildings are 19 stories tall and there are skywalks and underground walkwalks that go for miles - which is great for the wintertime up there since they have bad winters.

Mayo was for my DH who has a couple health issues that we needed to check on and we got great service there - unlike so many places we go. Altho there was one incident that for a hospital/clinic of that size and reputation we thought they were lacking. DH had to have a test where he was going to have to lay on a gurney but since he is in a wheelchair he usually asks that the bed/gurney be lowered to the lowest setting so he can transfer easily on his own but this one's lowest setting was still 2 feet above him. And the woman running the test didn't know what to do... We said if there was one other person to help me (the woman was too old to help), we could easily get DH on the gurney. It took a good ten minutes and then it was finally the doctor that ordered the test that came and helped me get him on the gurney! Silly! Oh well stuff like this happens all the time but we just didn't expect it there - there were tons of people in wheelchairs, but I guess most of them could stand if they had to - DH can't. We also had one doctor that we waited for 45 to 60 min's for and then he was only in the exam room for maybe 10 min's max! I hate that - he rushed everything and couldn't get out of the room fast enough. He was the only disappointing thing about the whole experience.

All in all DH got some great care there and if you ever have a medical problem and need expert knowledge, I'd advise going to the Mayo - it's great! Other than the actual buildings being really beautiful - there's tons of marble everywhere - the people who work there are exceptionally nice. Most places you go to see a doctor the front desk people are just so so, at the Mayo they are SO friendly and SO nice - I was just floored at how helpful they all were. When you first get there they set up all your appointments & tests so that you just have a list that you follow. They are so organized! It's wonderful!

And my last CVS shopping trip was great - my two fav employees were working and the manager even let me use my expired one ECB that I was really bummed that I was going to lose! $10 worth! I got tons of stuff as you see! You gotta try it out - just start buying 2 newspapers or buy one and ask a family member or friend if you can have the inserts from their paper. Save them and then go to IHeartCVS.com and SouthernSavers.com on Saturday evening to see how you should shop for items the next week. They will tell you what coupons to get from what insert and what items are the best deal and SouthernSavers will have it all planned out for you. Go do it now - while you are thinking about it. They have cvs 101 pages that will help you figure it all out! Happy shopping!

Have a Blessed Day,