A Gorgeous Minute

Healthy Valentines!

2012-02-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

I found these lovely Valentines at Wild Hart in York--- one of my absolutely favourite shops! And these greeting cards are totally beautiful and British!

For the Cardiologists

This is PERFECT for my Orthopaedic rotation.

And for all of the psychs!

I might just have to splurge and send these off to my loved ones! What do you think? Too geeky?

Photos: Velvet Olive

Every mornin' find me moanin'

2012-01-29T21:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday!

Goodbye GPland & Grimsby!

2012-01-19T00:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my last day in GPland & Grimsby! I think that most people think of Grimsby as a not-so-wonderful place, and there are parts that are really dodgy, but there are also bright spots...

And you know, I enjoyed being in GPland more than I expected, especially toward the end. It's what everyone says--- the continuity with patients is nice and the independence is good too. I had a few of my older patients pat me on the head and kisses from my youngest ones!

Dr. Salisbury (a fellow foodie!) said I've got a "wonderfully gentle" way with patients... encouraging feedback!

Oh, but I'll miss living with Anya, Becca, and Sobia! They were a fun bunch, and it was nice to come back and have a cuppa tea and a natter. And then we created these burgers...


Yes, there is avocado AND bacon AND cheese in it		.

What would you do differently if you could run an NHS hospital/health centre?!?!

2012-01-16T03:28:00.000-08:00

The yearbook committee asked us this question, and although there's a lot of serious stuff I'd do, my top 'fun' answers are:

1. Ethical & environmentally sustainable supplies, equipment, and medicines. (More recycling and fair trade supplies).

So those adorable polar bars have a home---- and so that we do too!

2. Jamie Oliver and Bobby Flay in the canteen kitchen. To dish out innovative fresh food AND to give us hugs!

3. Hammocks and tents for doctor naps--- with teddy bears!

What would YOU do differently?

Source: 1/2/3/4

Friday fun!

2012-01-13T06:56:00.000-08:00

Another week's drawing to a close, and for me that means both my baby brother and sister are a year older, my OSLER is finished and there's only one more week of GP-Land left. This weekend, there are friends to visit, cups of tea to be drunk at this lovely cafe, more Sherlock, and the Elim student lunch! Oh, and about 270+ jobs to rank, because I'll be Team Blue for the next two years! :D

But for now, some lovely links!

Literary events to look forward to this year

Right, I have to pass exams so I can justify a gorgeous stay in Paris (via A Cup of Jo)

Dutch Oven Bread from Kinfolk on Vimeo.

Some of my favourite actors in A Touch of Evil

(Source via my lovely old roomie Mina Son)

Happy TWENTY-FIRST Birthday, Punkinosaur!!!

2012-01-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

The Family Baby turns TWENTY-ONE today! This is just nuts, because she is OUR BABY. We adored her from the very start, and she's grown grOwn, GROWN. Now she's not the little cutie chasing us around in a Barney diaper or insisting that she blow all the candles off other people's cakes, but she's a beautiful young lady who is a fearsome fencer, Costa Rica lover, and guitar-player.

But the Punkinosaur still loves her puppies!

I hope this year isn't just about booze, but about learning & loving & growing ever closer to God.

Happy Birthday, Danny!

2012-01-09T02:10:00.000-08:00

My Baby Brother turns 26 years old today. His birth is my very first memory, and he has always been my special companion--- grown into a valiant, wise, and loving man. I hope that God blesses him with health & happiness this and every following year!

Many Happy Returns, my Love!

My idea of a nice Sunday...

2012-01-08T14:04:00.000-08:00

After a wonderful late Christmas party with church folk yesterday (turkey + trimmings + crackers + puddings + the odd creepy Christmas film), today was filled up with church and

Chicken, ham & ethically sourced veal ragout + pease pudding...

Sticky toffee pudding for me & chocolate sponge for Leiki, but none for C...

And The Artist

I highly recommend you spend your next Sunday the next way. How satisfying!

Resolve

2012-01-03T22:41:00.000-08:00

I spent my 1st day of 2012 on a plane (after church and a too-big lunch), thereby ending the most satisfying winter breaks I've had---- not only because it is officially my last one as a student but also because it involved a milkshake nearly everyday.

(photo from Mitchell's- I loved my Caramel Sea Salt and Pralines & Cream shake--- oO! And Christmas ale gingersnap!)

2011 was great, I mean, look at this mash-up----

---- but it wasn't without it's difficulties.

I'm really eager about this year because there are a great many things that will happen---especially graduation, a CMDA human trafficking trip to Nicaragua, starting up a new job--- and there are a great many things that I resolve to do!

Write more letters and seal them all with a kiss (or two).

Sleep more (at least, once I get over this jet-lag).

via The Arbiter of Cool

Spend more time with God and friends.

More seasonal and local eating.
More recipes (or at least inspiration from recipes!).

Try and acquire more kitchen tools--- so that this doesn't happen! (I also really want a Dutch oven!)

Travel with friends--- and alone!

Revive my knitting.

More reading, more dancing.

More giving.

More loving!

What are you doing for New Year's Eve?

2011-12-30T05:19:00.000-08:00

I'll be spending today on the road to pick up the Little Punkinosaur from her fencing camp in Rochester, NY and making a delicious, bbq-y pit stop here. Hopefully tomorrow will be some last-minute shopping with the my Momma (she's the BEST bargain hunter!) and the cinema with some lovely friends! We'll count down with some junk food and milkshakes at home (the brother doesn't drink, and the sister is still underage), and then it's off to the UK again to be a student again!

What are you doing for NYE??

PS- The adorable vid via my brother. I so heart Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt!!

Things I dig...

2011-12-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

This Christmas album

and this new album...

Romantics Anonymous- a cute indie French film about an 'emotional' woman and her boss. So cute!

Claire Bear's sudden burst of Christmas-ness with handmade snowflakes, pom-poms, stars, and stollen.

These gorgeous French wedding dresses

Pomegranate spritzers- recipe here (via Pennyweight)

Having patients in who really don't mind my bumblings and clumsiness in GP clinic ("surgery").

and actually, the random blue arm chair sitting in my room in the Grimsby accommodation!

News!

2011-12-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe it's not such a lot of news if you've seen me at the pilot SJT yesterday or on Facebook or Google+, but otherwise, the big news is that I've got a job for next year! And it is in my first choice deanery--- South Thames! Huzzah!

All the glory goes to God, because there is no way that I'd have had such a good result otherwise!

Now it's just to rank first the regions within the massive deanery that I want to go to and then to rank about 270+ jobs! Oh, and pass exams, of course!

Praise God!

York Minster NHS Christmas Carol Service & CMF Christmas Party

2011-12-06T16:48:00.000-08:00

It's the NHS Carol Service at York Minster tonight! The service begins at 19.30 and we're headed to mine afterwards for mulled wine, mince pies and other goodies! Please come along!

(Source)

Well maybe just half a drink more...

2011-12-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

Louis Armstrong is so cheeky!

Dang it, it's cold! Brrrrrrr~~~ I just want to snuggle up with a cuppa hot chocolate and a good book!

In other news, I ran my very first GP clinic today! wOop! Dr. Salisbury keeps telling me to "slow down" and "think laterally."

Happy Friday!

2011-12-02T00:55:00.000-08:00

We're back from Krakow, back into full swing! There was a lot of eating, music, sight-seeing, and catching up between us... I'll write a proper post (with photos) later on!

It's been a busy week already, with traveling back to Grimsby for GP surgery (I start my OWN clinics next week--- eek!) and the pensions strike!

Right now I'm en route to London for a day full of meetings at BMA House, mad shopping, and eating! I think I'll go here for brunch and here for desserts! And I'm looking forward to coming home to decorate the house with the girls all Christmassy for the NHS Carol Service After Party which is at ours this year! Please come round!

In the meantime, here are some nice links!

I am really obsessed with 8tracks at the moment--- you too can be a DJ!

This sounds like my kinda sandwich!

I'm currently learning how to become a Retronaut!

Great words (via Andrew)

I highly recommend the film My Week with Marilyn

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

I am off to Krakow, Poland, with my dear friend Carmen for a few days, but tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.

There's a whole lot for which to be thankful, not least God's grace in my family, friends, health, and happiness!

So get yourself some pumpkin pie (or ask me to make you some when I get back ^_~) and take a moment to think of for what you're thankful.

P.S.- My tummy will be dreaming of these and these.

Source: thxthxthx

Whispering Pectoriloquy

2011-11-12T12:29:00.000-08:00

Source: freitag.de via Manuel on Pinterest

Dr. Jones got me to listen to a very old lady's chest:

Dr. J: "Say 'Ninety-nine'"

Patient: "Say 'Ninety-nine'"

Dr. J: "Now whisper 'Ninety-nine'"

Patient: "Now whisper 'Ninety-nine'"... oh... (whispers) "Now whisper 'Ninety-nine'"

Positive for both tactile vocal fremitus and whispering pectoriloquy. The first time, I could say I REALLY heard it! Hooray!

"You percuss like a girl."

2011-11-10T11:42:00.000-08:00


Them's fightin' words, but they're true!

Dr. Robins to Shermin during our last collective Educational Supervisor meeting today. :3
Gonna miss our times together!

For the non-medics, the definition of percussion.

Photo by Darcy Hemley via A Cup of Jo

Homesick

2011-11-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long week, and I've never been more homesick! Which must be a powerful feeling, because I do really love living with my girls and love, love, LOVE being part of the Renal Team.

From Anthology Magazine

My Grandma passed away on Wednesday. It's been a tough time---- I can't go to Korea for her funeral, I can't go home to comfort my family, I can't help wondering if people can see straight through my smile, I can't not cry at odd times...

My father (her son) is strong as always, and my mother is actually his rock. I know that my sister is bereft and heart-broken, and my brother, the Warrior Prophet, wrote this which sums up what it was like to be our Grandma's grandchildren..

Until we meet in heaven, Grandma.

Foundation Application submitted!

2011-10-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

Claire & I've just submitted my application to the Foundation Programme (i.e. the first two years of being a doctor!), and it feels GOOD. It's been a long road to here and a pretty stressful ten days of writing, editing, writing, editing, stressing out about which orders to rank the deaneries (regions) I want, writing, editing, eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream, editing... and now we've got some thick & chewy oatmeal cookies in our oven!

YAY! We've submitted!! The boys are out celebrating, we're in eating cookies dunked in milk...

Now, we just have to wait until 8th December!

2011-10-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

from Sweet Thing via Wit + Delight

Where shall I go??

2011-10-11T05:46:00.000-07:00

Applications for the Foundation Programme (i.e. my first two years as a doc) are open! The questions are tough, but the big question is: "Where shall I go?"

photos via Sprouted Kitchen

Amazing Armenia

2011-10-05T01:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time! But it's mainly because I've been finishing up at Hospice for my elective, being ill, travelling (see below), and starting up fifth year on my Medicine rotation with the Renal team!

I went to Armenia as part of the CMF Summer Team for a week inbetween my elective and starting up my final year at medical school… It seems random, but I’d felt compelled to go for several reasons: because I’d not been on a Summer Team before, because I was intrigued by the history, and my jealousy of my pal Aaron, who went last year.

The Summer Team (Giles & me) was serving the Armenian Christian Medical Association’s Conference and the additional IFES (International Federation of Evangelical Students) Armenia pre-conference. There were other speakers too (whom I grew fond of over time)..

All o' us! AMCA + IFES

I didn’t have a chance to take a whole lot of photos because I was really ill--- Giles & I had the water from the taps and both became SO ill. Poor Giles! He had to give several talks, and it’s not easy when you’re so unwell. But he persisted and gave some really great talks. I really enjoyed my very short time there, and I so hope to go again!

Team CMF UK--- We look pretty bedraggled, but we're still smiling!

Here are the things that I loved about it…

The Food.

The fruits & veg were SO ripe! The bread (lavash) was my favourite thing--- a mix between a naan and a tortilla, I think. I was really lucky and brought some home to York with me because the super Stella’s parents are bakers and brought me a whole stack of them the night before I left! Amazing!

We ate grilled chicken (wrapped in lavash) near Lake Sevan.

And a wonderful spread for breakfast--- that pale block is Iranian cheese; so spicy! But I mainly gobbled all of the fruit and cukes.

Went out in Yerevan with Katherine (Katrin), a wonderful German young lady who works for IFES. And we ate this until we burst (oh, and it’s missing out the kufta, which came quite late).

Armenian cake--- chocolate and apricot flavoured!

Armenian coffee--- LOVE.

The Land.

The beautiful Eterie (“Eti”) took us to Lake Sevan, so we got to see the lovely, clear water and the gorgeous sky. The colours just made my heart so full!

I went around the Yerevan at night, and it was really interesting. The gardens, buildings, and walks were very modern and well-kept.

When we got to Tsaghkadzor, we did get to go to a very old church called Kecharis where there was a wedding! Then we took a rope car up, up, and up into the sky. Maria (one of our translators) and Larri (a British parish nurse), went on one whilst Vinod (ICMDA general secretary) and I went on the other, and it was very nice to see the landscape. We weren’t super good at getting on and off the rope car, and I think the Armenian men who ran it were afraid we were going to get killed.

And we stayed at the Writer’s Hotel, a former Soviet building--- where I guess lots of Soviet writers would have come to be creative. The surrounding land was so lush with trees! We had a “Love & Relationships” Grill a Christian up on the hill, where it was so green and leafy.

The Babies

Are so cute!!! SO CUTE.

These little girls were wearing pink jackets with “Addidas” on the back and raising their hands to praise and dancing around when we were worshipping.

The Music

Okay, I have a weakness for musicians. But it seemed like EVERYONE could play piano or guitar or something!

On our last night, there was a special evening devoted to worship--- except that there was a tremendous thunderstorm and the lights went out for about half an hour! But that totally didn’t stop the Armenians! They continued to worship joyfully, and it sounded like this:

The people

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Armenian folks are SO hospitable, generous, and caring.

And the IFES Armenia team (with my sweet roomies, Lilit & Katherine) and the ACMA team worked VERY hard to try to put a good conference. I really respect the people for their faith.

Sometimes, communication wasn’t so easy, because I didn’t learn any Armenian or Russian--- and probably because some of the students/graduates were a bit self-conscious about their English. I wish I knew Armenian, so I could have spoken to them more freely!

But mainly, I wish I had so much more time to become closer to the students! If I weren’t so ill (read: on the loo or swooning during my alternating shivers & sweats), perhaps I could have gotten to know the people better. But they made us feel very welcome, and despite the language and the sickness, I think I managed to have some good conversations.

Anyway, there were some really interesting points on theology that got stirred up, and it was very nice to connect with students again--- I know that it’s easy to think that I’m still a student and therefore always still ‘connecting’, but it’s good to have a look into another culture too.

I’ll be praying for IFES Armenia and ACMA from here, with high hopes to return!

Remebering...

2011-09-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

Ten years later and still mourning those who were loved and lost... and still: God bless the USA.

Photo from Instacane via A Cup of Jo

Have a nice holiday weekend!

2011-09-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

My family's off to a mostly spontaneous (as with all of our holidays!) adventures to Yellowstone National Park tomorrow morning! I'm getting excited! We've not had a chance for us to be all the five of us together yet this summer and it's been a pretty exhausting week--- lots of work, some anger, and more Insanity.


Source: National Geographic

I'll be so grateful for the break and some time out in the sunshine! Have a lovely long Labour day weekend, everyone!