Jumping Through Hoops, Hoops and More Hoops

The wait is over. At long last I know where I will be spending the next thirteen weeks and where I will be working. And not a moment too soon, I might add! The current contract is over at the end of the work day on Saturday, February 28th. That's right! Tomorrow!

It was not until this morning that I got the "all clear" with respect to a new contract. The outcome? I am staying here in Kingsport. I will be working another 13 weeks at the med center - on the unit I've been assigned to for the past six months. I am thrilled but I am also drained.

The "stuff" that went on over the past ten days or so has been incredibly exhausting. It started way before that ten days ago mark - as you, my friends and family readers, well know. I have been waiting for almost a month to get an answer from "the powers-that-be" regarding the possibility of an extension. Then, ten days ago, I was first told that I could extend my contract. Only to be told an hour or two later that while I could extend, I could only do so if I changed travel nursing companies or went to work for the hospital's staffing agency.

I've been with the same company for almost three years now. My recruiter has become a good friend and wonderful support in this travel RN business. But, the sad truth is that the company apparently could not compete with the larger mega-companies with respect to rates. It always comes down to the dollars and cents of the matter... that's CENTS not SENSE, mind you.

Instead of allowing me to stay on with the same company since I'm already in the building and have proven myself to be a worthy employee, I was given options that meant time, energy and money expended to recreate the necessary employee files, etc that are already in place there.... But, alas, it's about the cents not about what makes sense.

After a lot of heart-wrenching hours and even more soul-searching... and in light of the fact that the company I've been working for only has contracts in the northwest regions of the country right now, I had to give in to the med center's demands to change companies.

So, for the past ten days, I've been re-doing paperwork, drug screens, skills checklists, etc. I've been in jeopardy of having to move from the apartment I'm in but not knowing for certain if it will come to pass or not... Not wanting to use my days off to pack if it isn't necessary but at the same time not wanting to wait til the last minute to pack if it does become necessary, I've spent many sleepless nights and anxious days trying to get a straight answer from the housing agency. At last, yesterday I was told that I can stay where I am afterall.

I am thrilled to be staying here in Tennessee, to continue to work where I wanted to be, and to stay in the apartment I've lived in for the past several months. But for the next few days, as I begin the new contract under a new travel company, I will have to just work my three-in-a-row twelve hour shifts and hope that when next week's days off arrive, I can at last breathe a sigh of relief and take a break!

Playing the Waiting Game

Anyone who knows me knows that I do not play "the waiting game" very well. It isn't easy sitting back and waiting for others to put their ducks in a row so that you can do the same with yours! And when your ducks are your life and livelihood, it is quite frustrating to see the hours tick off the clock, the calendar pages fly by and the silence grow ever louder.



That is were I've been for the past few days: Trying to get answers from the powers that be as to whether I will be allowed to stay on here in TN or will need to move elsewhere. With less than two weeks left to my present contract (it ends February 28th) I am about ten days past nervous!



The negotiations continue. The contract extension has been offered and then rescinded, offered again and then given a particular stipulation that would be a deal maker or breaker. And then more negotiations. In this current economy, even health care jobs are becoming more difficult to secure. Hospitals, like families, are taking a good hard look at their budgets and trying to find ways to tighten their purse strings. There is still a nursing shortage but it appears as though facilities are opting to work the nurses that they have in their employ more and hire fewer into previously listed job openings.



This is just a phase, I know -- healthcare standards are, for the most part, set by the guidelines that drive Medicare reimbursements. Such guidelines are difficult to adhere to without adequate staffing to ensure quality patient outcomes. In the meantime, those of us who are working at the bedside persist in giving the best care that we can give to those who depend on us. Working short-staffed is frustrating to those of us who only know how to give 110% each and every shift. But I, for one, cannot allow it to change the way I practice my profession.



And so, with only four more twelve hour shifts left to this current contract, I enter into that gray area of not knowing... not knowing where I will be living come March 1st, where I will be working (or if I will be working) come March 1st, what my next assignment will entail. This is the down side of the travel nurse role. Each time the situation presents itself, I have to ask myself if I am really cut out for it. I know that I am cut out for the role of a flexible nurse who can jump in and do her job in almost any setting. What I don't know is if I can live with the uncertainty that the deadlines and contract end dates present.


I know that everything will work out -- eventually. It always does. There is always a Plan B and even a Plan C in the event that my first choice doesn't materialize. But, I'm forever reluctant to adopt B or C if A might still be a possibility. By this time next week, I will know what the future (at least the immediate future) holds but in the meantime, I am trying to learn to be a better player in this waiting game!

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Okay... while I can't give anyone a blow-by-blow account of what I did with the days, weeks and months that have passed between those 2007 posts and now, I can let my readers know what I am up to at this point in time... Because, afterall, some of you have inquiring minds - and inquiring minds want to know! Right?

Life is never dull - or so it seems. Sometimes I'd give anything for a few days of "dull" I think. But... dull doesn't happen around here.

I've had a thirteen week travel assignment in Williamsport, PA - in the middle of the winter of '08. What was I thinking by going that far north when the snow and temperatures are bound to be issues for someone who has lived more than half her life in southwest Florida?? !! But, I survived it and happily returned to what really feels like home to me now - northeast Tennessee - in May of '08. Since that time, I have had three thirteen week contracts in Johnson City, TN. The third (and current)one is due to end on February 28. And, while I have requested an extension, no decision has been made by the med center. So, I wait to see where I will spend the next three months. I recently mentioned to a friend that I may well be a nomad come March. She was quick to point out that on the up side of being a nomad, it makes for great fodder for future writing projects!

The time in Williamsport, PA allowed me to spend alot of quality time with my parents and my sister and her family. While there, I helped Daddy celebrate his 80th birthday. That was an especially treasured opportunity. All of the harsh winter weather issues vanished when spending days off with my family.

Back in northeast TN, I've been able to reunite with my knitting friends at Yarntiques. www.yarntiques.com And, of course, I've had that all important (and special) time with my grandson, Caleb. These are just a few of the reasons I'm really hoping that the current contract will be granted an extension.

Kitties Maggie and Callee continue to travel with me - Maggie travels much more gracefully than Callee; but they both go where I go.

The Florida contingent of the Ambrose family still keeps house and family run business going there. Despite the fact that there have been conversations about pulling up roots and relocating, there isn't much activity toward that end at this point. Hubby-dearest, Tim (aka "Lovie") visits occasionally and always delights in the pleasant and more moderate weather - but, being Florida born and raised, I'm fairly certain he'll never totally leave it behind.

And, as long as Tim and the family business are there, Mandy and her family will be there as well since my son-in-law works the family business with Tim.

When I am not working my twelve hour shifts, I can often be found at the knitting table sharing the friendship of women who enjoy the art of knitting at least as much as I do. Knitting and reading and writing continue to be my favorite pasttimes.

And, speaking of writing, I continue to be very active in the Story Circle Network. www.storycircle.org My role of Internet Chapter President keeps my busy - but it doesn't end with that. I love my writing circles (prose and poetry) and have found an especially rewarding calling in the work of writing weekly writing prompts for our SCN Internet Chapter members. These prompts are based on quotes by women - some familiar and some not so. Searching for the right quote and being on alert for some surprises along the way has become a daily practice. The "work" (but I wouldn't call it that because it is too much fun to be work) of creating these weekly prompts has led to another SCN sponsored activity -- being a contributor to the TellingHerStories Blog. So, if you have some time on your hands, why not jump on over to that blog spot and check out the entries by many of our SCN members. I think you'll be amazed at the quality and variety that lives there. You can find it here: http://storycircle.typepad.com/scn/ .

Now that you've had the "Cliff Notes version" of the past many months, it's time to begin looking forward... So, until the next post, I hope that your inquiring minds are at least partially satisfied now that you know where I've been and what I've been up to during my absence from creative4seasons.

HerStories Memoir Challenge

Have you heard about the HerStories Memoir Challenge? Anyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about Story Circle Network. The HerStories Memoir Challenge is a new and exciting facet to Story Circle Network's many opportunities.

It's simple, really.... read 4 memoirs in the first 4 months of 2009, post a 4 sentence review to the challenge site... be entered to win prizes! (and join a growing network of women in the process.)

Now, granted, it is mid-February and I am just getting the word out to those of you who are not on the SCN mailing list already. But there's still time! To learn more about the challenge and how you can join in the fun, go to http://storycircle.typepad.com/challenge .

And for the record, here are the four memoirs I am reading and reviewing for the challenge:

Growing Up Amish: Insider Secrets from One Woman's Inspirational Journey by Anna Dee Olson

The Daily Coyote: A Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the Wilds of Wyoming by Shreve Stockton

The Two Kinds of Decay a memoir

by Sarah Manguso

Stretching Lessons: The Daring that Starts from Within

by Sue Bender

(of course we ARE only half way through this challenge period so my reading / reviewing selections are subject to change at any given time)

What four memoirs are you going to read between now and the end of April '09?

Hello Old Friend, Hello

I'm not sure what caused me to choose tonight as the time to return to creative4seasons. I mean, it's been AGES since I've posted anything here! There have been times over the past many monnths that I've chastised myself for not keeping up with it. There have been other times when I've wondered just what it would take for me to pick it back up again.

I knew that it had been a long time since I'd last made an entry on this blog site. I actually had almost convinced myself that it had been so long that I wouldn't be able to access it myself! But, with a click or two on the keyboard, here I am! I've taken a stroll through the blog posts that chronicle a very important touch point in my life -- the days and weeks surrounding my decision to leave Florida and move to Tennessee.

As I gaze at the aesthetics of this blog I find myself thinking that there is much work to be done to bring it -- and you, dear readers, up to speed with where I am now... Oh, I'm still in Tennessee but I've been here and there and back again since I last made a post. Life has done its many ups and downs without so much as one single blog post. But that just means that there is much to tell here in the days and weeks to come.

And, so, to creative4seasons the blog, "hello old friend, hello." And to you my readers, an even bigger "hello dear friends, hello." I hope that you will once again place my blog on your list to watch. And, I hope that this time I will not disappoint you by disappearing into thin air one day and staying gone for one heck of a long time!

During the next few days, I hope to give the blog a facelift. So be sure to check back for new entries and a whole new look! I look forward to seeing your footprints all over my blog in the days, weeks and months to come.

Lee

Knit one, purl one...

It all started a few weeks ago when I realized I was missing the feel of fabric and the whir of the sewing machine. I was longing to quilt but knew that, as a travel RN, it is next to impossible for me to drag my sewing machine with me. Perhaps one day Santa or the Tooth Fairy or some such individual will gift me with a nice light-weight portable machine that is capable of quilting but for now, my machine is old and heavy and impossible to move every 13 week contract.

For a few days I moped around feeling sorry for my creative self. Sorry that I wasn't in the same location as my machine. Sorry that I wanted to be handling fabric or doing something that was not strictly word related. (Don't get me wrong, words are still my passion and I love to read and write but there is another side of me that has to FEEL the process in a tangible sort of way sometimes.) Then, that small inner voice that sometimes goes unnoticed started whispering in my ear. She reminded me that a friend (and sister Story Circle member) had once said that I could probably find a knitting shop and classes here in the Johnson City TN area. Armed with a new plan for tactile creative fulfillment, I did a wee bit of research and found Yarntiques ( http://yarntiques.com/) and the rest is history!

Owner Candace Powell Baldwin is a patient soul who knows just the right way to fix a mistake or bolster a sagging knitter confidence level. The shop is a warm and welcoming old Victorian home in downtown Johnson City. Just stepping in the front door is a treat! Spending time with Candace and the women who frequent the shop is an incomparable delight!!

I recently told that same Story Circle friend who had suggested the knitting classes before that being in the Yarntiques shop with those women is akin to writing in the writing circle. There is a bond that forms easily and naturally. There are common experiences and interests and there are unique qualities but all blend together with ease. In two short weeks I have come to feel like part of the group instead of an outsider or a newcomer. It's a comfortable feeling. And it was just what I needed to whisk away those frustrations over not being able to quilt or do something otherwise creative with my hands. And what great (and cheap) therapy a session around the knit table can be!!

A self-taught knitter who never ventured outside the very safe realm of scarves and baby blankets (no shaping or fancy stitches required) I really didn't know if I had it in me to make anything more than those straight edged items. But in the past two weeks, Candace has proven to me that I can and will be able to do anything I choose! My first project is a light-weight sleeveless sweater that I will likely finish this week and can still wear this season. The second project - a sweater coat of sorts - is underway and will come in handy in a short while when the cool autumn breezes blow through here. I drool over the yummy yarn we (Candace and I) have chosen for it.

So now when I don't get back to the blog for days or weeks on end, it may be because of a work schedule that doesn't allow much time for such things as writing. But more likely it is because some new knitting project has grabbed me and just won't let go!

Temporarily Grounded

Last week I fell and broke my foot! And for those who know me, it comes as no surprise that I am greatly put out that I am temporarily grounded - no hill climbing, hiking, exploring wooded areas... Can you hear the huge sigh that accompanies that statement? The only saving graces here are that (a) this happens to be the most hot and humid time of year here so it isn't as pleasant outside as it usually is and (b) I have plenty of books to read, yarn to knit and stories to write so boredom isn't inevitable.



I am still working my twelve hour shifts at the hospital. Don't get me wrong, it would be better if I didn't but there is this little thing called health insurance that is only available if one works her contracted hours...so... Need I say more?



I fell Thursday and promptly turned around and worked three twelve hour shifts in a row (OUCH!) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Today I am off and have given in to the desire to do "as little as possible." My tecnicolor foot has been elevated much of the day. (I joked with my dad earlier today that at least the foot is in my favorite colors -- varying shades of blues and greens and purples) And while staying off of the foot, I've managed to do a fair amount of writing plus a bit of reading, watched a video and soon I plan to pick up the knitting needles.



I knew that I had to do the other things before the knitting needles came out of the bag because once they are in hand all else goes by the wayside! With the rest of the afternooon and evening ahead of me, I should have plenty of time to work on finishing one project and logging (um, knitting) some time on a second project. It's truly addictive, that sound of knitting needles and the feel of the fibers between your fingers. Maybe being temporarily grounded isn't such a bad thing afterall.

A Boy and His PopPop

Earlier this month two of the important "men" in my life visited here in Johnson City, TN. I picked Caleb up earlier in the day so that we could have some special one-on-one "Caleb and Nan" time before going to Tri-Cities Airport to pick up Tim (aka PopPop).

Caleb and Tim hadn't seen one another since winter so they were both excited to be reunited. This photo is completely candid and I was delighted that I was able to capture it before someone moved out of the viewfinder.

They enjoyed being "guys" together -- cracking jokes, being silly, hiking, swimming, watching tv ... typical guy stuff. It warmed my heart to see them enjoying one another so much. But, what I wasn't prepared for was the intense competition between the two of them -- each one competing for my attention and getting more than a little jealous of the time and attention spent on the other one. Suddenly, my men were "boys" in the truest sense of the word.

In The Red Tent by Anita Diamant the main character, Dinah, speaks of the turmoil within her when she realizes that she is struggling to deal with "a mother's divided heart". While it has been quite some time since I read that wonderful book, that scene had a powerful and lasting impact on me. It expresses so well what I have felt time and time again when raising my own children. And now, this month, I again faced it when having to deal with a husband and a grandson who each felt that they, and they alone, should be granted my full and undivided attention.

It was great fun to see Tim and Caleb together (even if it was stressful and not so much fun to be the center of their rivalry) so I prefer to think back on the visit with images such as these... proof that they did have a good time - even if they had to share me!

Roan Mountain

Roan Mountain is not one single mountain but a high ridge about 5 miles long.
At the mountain top(Roan High Knob) one stands 6,285 feet high.
And that, my friends, is exactly where I stood yesterday! Closer to the sky than I have ever been with my feet firmly on the ground. It is a totally awesome view from the top of the mountain.

Roan Mountain, which is part of the Pisgah and the Cherokee National Forests, holds quite a rich history of its own. In the late 1800's General John T Wilder bought 7,000 acres along the top and sides of the mountain. Here he built a 20 room log inn near the summit of Roan High Knob. The log inn was eventually replaced by Cloudland Hotel which reportedly was quite luxurious for its time. The hotel operated for about 20 years but today there is next to no evidence that it even existed high atop this mountain. A marker at the spot of the once grand hotel asks passersby to 'try to imagine' ... I can't begin to imagine... What a vacation wonderland that would have been. No amusement rides necessary. Just cold springs, cool higher elevation temperatures, flora and fauna unlike anywhere else in the area and the peaceful beauty of Mother Nature at each glance.



At one point the Appalachian Trail crosses Roan Mountain. I encountered a couple of diligent Appalachian Trail hikers as they made their way south just as I was snapping this picture of the trail marker. They, I'm sure were taking in Mother Nature's wonder in their own chosen way but it seemed a shame to me that they hurried by at a rather quick pace. Maybe those who hike the trail do not need to stop and savor each and every moment like I do. Maybe they are so immersed in it that it becomes a part of them just naturally. For me, I need to stop and smell the proverbial roses every few steps along the way.

But, yesterday, it wasn't the smell of roses that wafted in the air. It was the scent of pine needles. Sun shining down through the canopy of trees created a dappled path underfoot. The buzzing of bees was LOUD! I mean really, really loud! It took me back to my childhood when a neighbor had bee hives. You could hear those honeybees buzzing for half a block away. But this was even louder than I remembered those bees sounding. I looked everywhere but saw none of the noisemakers. But I knew that they were nearby. There was no denying it.

Around a bend on the path at the top of Roan Mountain, I was greeted with a glorious sight. Rhododendrons (Rhododendron catawbiense to be exact) were in bloom everywhere I looked. I have never encountered such a natural garden in the middle of what I otherwise would call a forest. It was indescribable - overwhelming - amazing and it very much touched me to my core. I stood in awe of the blooms - hundreds of thousands of them - and soon realized that here was the location of those buzzing bees! Bumblebees!! Hundreds of thousands of them too, I am sure! On nearly every bloom that I could see there were at least one or two - sometimes three as in this shot. They were all very polite - each one claiming a spot but never trying to step into the other's. Their social skills are quite advanced I've decided. I watched the bumblebees for at least as long as I gazed at the incredible beauty of the flowers. Time stands still for me when I am in the midst of Mother Nature.

As I drove down narrow road leading off the mountain, I couldn't help but think that this place was definitely a creative's sanctuary. And, I made a vow to myself to return often - with pen and paper, or laptop, or recorder in hand -- and definitely with digicam -- so that I may soak up the beauty and wonder of the area and capture it in photos and in words. In these ways I hope to preserve my magical time on Roan Mountain long after my own memory fails me.

Appalachian Quilt Trail

Here in Northeastern Tennessee, there is a bit of history and creativity that is free for the viewing... The Appalachian Quilt Trail. Historic buildings (many of them old barns but there are a few general stores and covered bridges as well) proudly stand along roadsides in several of the surrounding counties adorned with painted images of old quilt patterns.

Now, I am an early American history buff. And, I love quilts! I have taken some very elementary quilting classes and have a whole closet full of materials that have been carefully coordinated for various quilting projects for one of these days when I get "round to it".... And, I love to explore the area each time I get a new job assignment.

So, add all of the above together and you have an outing (or in this case, quite a few outings) in the making.

Since the quilts are on private property and oft times along busy highways, it is not something one can do without time, patience and a sense of wonder.

There are over fifty quilts displayed on these old barns here in the five county region. I plan to make it my business to visit each and every one of them - and photograph them - before I leave this beautiful area of Northeast Tennessee.

Can it possibly be two months since last I posted?

Two months since the last post? !!! How can that be? I mean, seriously, I just took a "little break" and I was coming right back! Well...um... it appears as though a little break turned into a huge break -- and that is neither good for the writer nor the reader!

It is amazing to me that the momentum of posting can come to a screeching halt and all of a sudden I am weeks behind myself wondering how on earth I will ever catch up. I guess that the reality is that once I get so out of the routine, there is no catching up but there is always moving forward. And moving forward is exactly what I am planning to do here.

A lot has happened in the two months between my dandelion post and this one...
Perhaps the most important event was securing a 13 week contract in Johnson City TN at Johnson City Medical Center...which entailed a new job and a move to a new apartment in a matter of three days mid-May.

This new job has none of the trappings of the old job and all of the pleasure of what I have come to call a "dream assignment" - really! There is no such thing as mandatory overtime. The unit is well run and well staffed. The patient:nurse ratio is quite acceptable. There is not one thing I find difficult or discouraging about this assignment. And to think I could have been here several months ago instead of putting in my time in a place where the norm was four or five twelve hour shifts.

I actually have a life of my own outside of work now! And, the real plus is that I still have a reasonably close proximity to Caleb. My present location is only about 20 minutes east of the previous one so it is basically the same distance for me to go get or see Caleb.

And, of course, having Caleb time is a top priority - always!

Another "event" was that hubby dearest, Tim, was here for a week in May and has scheduled a flight for right after the July 4th holiday to come spend another week. After not being here from January to May it is nice to think that I'll actually get to see him in a relatively short space of time.

Altered art work, writing (of various sorts), Story Circle Network duties and delights, reading and my two sweet kitties continue to occupy my free time. And, with this present job there really and truly is free time. I remember for so many years saying "In my free time that I have none of" but now there IS that wonderful luxury and I am basking in it, believe you me! The one thing I neglected to put on the list of things to enjoy in that free time was this: to enjoy adding new posts to my blog! Neglected to do until today that is...

So, after what seems like a brief respite but in actuality has been far too long a break in blogging, I am back...
And as you will see in the next couple of posts, I am busy using my time off to explore and enjoy my new location.