Urge for Going

"Now the warriors of winter they gave a cold triumphant shout
And all that stays is dying, all that lives is getting out
See the geese in chevron flight flapping and a-racing on before the snow
They've got the urge for going, and they've got the wings so they can go

They get the urge for going
When the meadow grass is turning brown
Summertime is falling down and winter is closing in

I'll ply the fire with kindling now, I'll pull the blankets up to my chin
I'll lock the vagrant winter out and bolt my wandering in
I'd like to call back summertime and have her stay for just another month or so
But she's got the urge for going and I guess she'll have to go"

Joni Mitchell

Our Christmas Poem

Six days to Christmas, we were running out of time,

Living each day, making sure puppy is fine.

We’d wrapped all our packages, tied up with bows,

But we’ve still got a mountain of dirty, stinky clothes.

And what of the Christmas card making Mora loves best?

She found it more important we go to work dressed.

With household chores and working lots of hours,

We’ve had to make time to stop and smell the flowers.

On May 15^th of this year, on a perfect sunny day,

Mora married Brian and he swept her away.

They frolicked with Minnie and Mickey Mouse,

Returning in time to move into their house.

They removed smelly carpets, and painted the walls,

Moved lots of furniture and decked the halls.

Since we needed a break, we set off on vacation,

To New Hampshire and Maine, it was quite a sensation.

This year we were blessed to have our brother (in law),

To stay over this summer and make us guffaw.

Mora was given a beautiful puppy,

So when football began she wouldn’t be grumpy.

Brian returned as a head coach for the Knights,

Improving the youth of America night after night.

Brian continues to work as program assistant, administration,

For the office of Development, Alumni Affairs & Foundation.

Now halfway done with his MBA,

And still playing video games day after day.

Mora works by Stockton and also at Shore,

Her bosses can’t ask her to do much more,

But dragging injured or bed ridden patients from bed,

Is why she went to college and crammed so much in her head.

She gets a day break when she has had enough of Shore,

And heads over to do pediatrics to learn lots more.

Princess Peach Pluchino has become our fur child,

She’s a pretty Golden retriever with a temperament mild.

Don’t misunderstand, she is sometimes quite crazy,

She keeps us on our toes and prevents us from being lazy.

Our cute little lady has taught us a lot about living,

And she really is a gift that keeps on giving.

We’ve had a great year and could not ask for more,

And this leaves us wondering, “What’s in store?”

We hope your year has been bright and merry,

And that this holiday season is just the topping cherry.

BMP~2010

Christmas Carding

Every year for the past 5 or 6 years, I have written a christmas poem with the help of my parents. This tradition was born when my Nanny was sick. My mother, who usually dressed me up and took my photo for the christmas card, was in NY taking care of nanny, and we found ourselves with only a few days left until christmas with no card. So I did a self portrait, got cards printed and created a cutesy poem to go out. The response from our family and friends was so fun and unexpected, that I have felt the need to continue with this tradition. We have had many poems, some years better than others, but it has been a standing tradition. This year, I was unsure whether I should make a Brian/Mora/ Peach poem, or leave the tradition to my parents. I decided to write a Pluchino household poem but then decided to write a Jimenez one too. Its just too fun to rhyme sometimes and writing the christmas poem is like recapping the whole year. SO two poems will be coming to a household near you, and once they are sent out I will also share via technology.

Season greetings to all, and to all a goodnight :)

Baby Its Cold Outside

I can't say I'm into the holiday season this year. Brian is all motivate trying to get everyone's gift purchased and done ASAP. Here I am dragging my feet. Our tree is half up, with lights and 3 ornaments. Our house looks like we're Jewish, IE no wreath or lights. Our fur baby has a total of 3 presents to her name. I have not wrapped anything yet, which is usually my favorite part. I have not even thought of a card idea nor put together a mailing list yet. I haven't even 100% decided we need a christmas card vs an e-mail. My tradition of watching the Nightmare Before Christmas has not been done and I have not even watched a full Home Alone movie yet! I guess this is what happens when you are an adult....anyway 2.75 days off to relax, get caught up on chores and get my Christmas on.

6 Months Flies By

This was the song I picked to walk down the isle. I had a hard time picking, and since I was rather non-traditional about the wedding ceremonies music, I'm sure about 4 people knew the words to the song that was played by Dave on the guitar.

"Who knows how long I've loved you?
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime?
If you want me to, I will

For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same

Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart

And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
You know I will"


The photos of us walking down the isle together are my favorites from all the wedding photos.

Life is Peachy

What have we been up to of late?

Brian
The end of football season with games, suspensions and such
Mowing the lawn
Trying to find time to play Halo and bond with the Bromance
Planning for black Friday
Cutting down trees with bare hands
Learning how to cut glass and repair a window
Club advising

Mora
Cleaning the green algae off our house
Visiting parents and helping with the home decorating decision making
Setting records for days worked in a row
Work first Saturday ever at BIR main campus
Seeing a child I have known forever celebrate being an "adult" at her Bat Mitzvah
Dissuading people from pregnancy rumors (which apparently start once you have been married over 4 months)
Chasing after puppy/ trying to wear puppy out
Rescueing puppy toys from sure death with carotid fixations after ear to ear splits, colo-rectal surgeries, ear/eye transplants, face lift/ neck replacments, etc.

Peach
Finding new and clever ways to get self into trouble (stealing laundry, knocking into people's knees with cone head, eating water bottles, stealing tree branches from clean up piles)
Learning to be cute and nudge mommy to get what she wants
Finding new friends to play with
Getting used to travel crate for upcoming journeys to holiday events
Learning "gentle"
Learning "nice" and "kisses"
Learning not to nip and bite
Learning not to jump (not as successful as above)
Learning paw (bilaterally) which she is pretty great at
Learning "lay down"
Learning "stop" in mid run
Working to differentiate toys
Working on waiting for guests to enter

Us
Spending time with friends
Training puppy
Cutting open puppy and they trying to keep puppy calm and quite x 14 days while sticking plastic cone on her head (still in progress)
Working, working and more working
Making the man room
Avoiding the laundry
Planning the holidays
Paying bills
Trying to make time to be "newly weds"

Just a little of what we have been up to :)

1 Year Later: My Life as a PT

So this week has been a long but fun week. Today is my 1 year working anniversary. I'm going on day number 9 of working in a row. What have I been faced with??? Just a taste (keeping from a HIPPA violation)

• diabetic feet with holes in toes...check
• torticollis x 3...check
• a billion cases of pneumonia...check
• lots of broken bones including hips, knees, ankles, and even a humerus...check
• a hospitalized person trying to steal library books from the hospital ?!!
• an adorable patient who carries around a lovey stuffed puppy and knows his name but not their own
• 2 self proclaimed "dirty old men" who were so cute I had to reply "I'll allow it."
• 2 patient falls neither of which were directly my fault but which still made me sad
• multiple attempts at poop...only 2 patient's were able to succeed
• multiple peeing accidents on the floor

Being a PT is a hard job. In the acute care setting, no regular person knows who you are or what you are there to do. Everything thinks massage when they think PT. Everyone thinks you can cure with one touch. No one gets 4 - 6 weeks is a normal recovery time. So the first thing you always say to a patient is you purpose, which you sometimes have to defend very adamently.

You have to answer to doctors, nurse's, patients and their families. You have to do what is best for the patient but follow the hospital rules and what families can do for their loved ones. You have to know how to word everything to please everyone, because making enemies makes life harder in this setting. You have to know where the place you works hides things like spare panties, socks, extra oxygen tubing, back up walkers, chair alarms, chap stick, combs, toothpaste and wash clothes because these things lend into your credibility and usefulness to patients. If someone stole your clothes, would you not love to take a walk with the person who brought you an extra gown and some undies.

You have to be able to use all of your extremities for a different purpose while moving. You have to know a little something about everything and make conversations out of nothing. You do lots of paperwork, and no matter how hard you try to keep up on it, someone will be calling you to do it faster. It becomes a challenge of what is more important, patients or paperwork, and since the paperwork is about patients your head sometimes spins. Sometimes you forget to answer questions on your paperwork because you get so caught up with people's problems and stories and lives and how you can make things easier and happier for them.

You get the opportunity to work with people who really care and those who just come to do enough to get a paycheck. You grow close to and work harder to help those who care and get annoyed by those who do the bare minimum. In the end the only justice so to speak, is when patients say things like "You are so much nicer than the person yesterday." Some patients you want to keep forever, and some cannot go home soon enough, but each one still steals a special place in your heart. Some people are repeat offenders and its bittersweet to see them back.

All in all my job has been very challenging teaching me new things every week and I can't wait for many years more.