My Beautiful Daughter

What a mess!

Too many toys, one little boy!

Where's the Beef?

Bottle of Wine, Fruit of the Vine....

Troppo's is an upscale eatery/watering hole in downtown Lansing. Located at the corner of Michigan and South Washington Avenues, you can easily see the state capitol building and other downdown landmarks from the restaurant. At night, the lights are intriguing and beautiful. Troppo's is a great place to meet after work to "debrief." I would describe the food eclectic and the service as impeccable. One night, the server told me they were out of the usual wine I order. She offered that I might like the Grand Traverse Late Harvest Reisling. It was wonderful and has become my favorite. Chateau Grand Traverse Winery (Traverse City, Michigan) produces both the Late Harvest and a semi-dry reisling. The Late Harvest Reisling is somewhat sweeter and has a someone fruiter taste. I learned recently that Chateau Grand Traverse has won several award over the past four years for both of these wines. For those who like a cherry wine, they produce a cherry reisling that is quite good.

Tools for Tots

My three-year old grandson loves tools--real tools. He would prefer a screwdriver to a dump trunk and a crescent wrench to a ball & bat. His prize Christmas gifts (in addition to his "puter" and monster trucks were his new tools--his metric wrench set, his screwdriver set, his rope and his tape measure!

The Joy of Cooking

I have been "studying" the Joy of Cooking in preparation for our Christmas dinner. This year will be my first attempt to roast a standing rib roast. We have 11 # of roast in the frig just waiting!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Friday, December 22nd was the 6th annual Christmas Reading at the St. Lawrence Campus Outpatient Surgery Department. Dr. Edward Lanigan, surrounded by staff of the Sparrow, MSU Department of Surgery and patients & their families participated. Dr. Lanigan read the story, "The Soldier's Night before Christmas." Although the story didn't specifically mention Iraq, the pictures led one to believe that was the case. The story was very touching and I thought about Beth's friend, Joe, in Iraq. My feelings about America in Iraq will require another blog! After the reading, the entire group sang "Let There be Peace." It was a very moving ceremony.

The Last View of the SPB from the Parking Deck Interior

Every day as the construction progresses, you can see less and less of the SPB from the parking deck.

The Top of the Tower

After months of construction, the top of the west tower is now being put into place. Soon the crane, just barely visible now through the steel rafters, will be gone.

To shine or not to shine

When I left Sparrow yesterday, the weather was interesting. To the west, the sun was brightly, blindly shining. To the east, ominous clouds created a dark, threatening sky. The SPB seemed to be the point between the two very different skies.

Christmas with the YaYa's

Every job, no matter what the required skill set or responisibilities, has the potential to create stress from time to time. My ability to respond to that stress in my job is dependent upon many things like adequate sleep, preparation for the task at hand and who I am working with on the project. I also need to have peers I can "unload" on when things feel like they are getting out of hand--a sort of reality check. Over the past year, several women, all with "big" jobs, have formed an incredible friendship. We call ourselves YaYa's. We drink, we cook, we eat out, we laugh, we catch each other's back at work every day, and support each other both emotionally and professionally. Perhaps this is the women's version of the "good old boys" network! We can sense when each other are in need of a YaYa intervention. When an intervention is required, a page will be made and as many as possible will respond. If it is not a critical moment, an email might be sent noting that the patio at Mitchell's at 6pm is available. Last night, we got together to celebrate Christmas. Most of the YaYa's are excellent cooks. Our celebration included a succulent standing rib roast, garlic-mashed redskins, corn casserole, seven layer salad, rolls & butter. Dessert, a pistachio pudding layer on a cookie crust with whipped topping, was a light and very tasty end to a perfect meal. Before we dined, we reminisced about the huge successes we've had this year as friends and in our jobs. We drank champagne, we drank wine, and we tremendously enjoyed each other's company.

If it's December, it must be the English Inn

Once I month, for years, several of "the girls" from my grad school class have had dinner together. It's become a tradition to have our December meal at the English Inn in Eaton Rapids. Although this summer picture of the Inn shows it beauty, it pales in comparison to the twinkly lights, evergreen wreaths and red bows it wears for the Christmas season. Tonight's meal was top-notch as usual. We had the New York strip steak, prepared perfectly, and served with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley of green beans and carrots. The first course was the English Inn house salad, a mix of greens with walnuts and a light creamy dressing. Even though I had red meat, I enjoyed my favorite wine, a Grand Traverse semi-sweet reisling. For dessert, we splurged for the creme brulee and fresh brewed coffee. It is probably important to note at this point that the service was impeccable. Our server was immediately available when needed but not overbearing. She was very pleasant and upbeat and tended to our every need. It was another perfect evening!

Wynken Blynken & Nod

• Wynken, Blynken, and Nod ( A Dutch Lullaby) Wynken, Blynken, and Nod, one night sailed off in a wooden shoe; Sailed off on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew. "Where are you going and what do you wish?" the old moon asked the three. "We've come to fish for the herring fish that live in this beautiful sea. Nets of silver and gold have we," said Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.
  The old moon laughed and sang a song as they rocked in the wooden shoe. And the wind that sped them all night long ruffled the waves of dew. Now the little stars are the herring fish that live in that beautiful sea; "Cast your nets wherever you wish never afraid are we!" So cried the stars to the fishermen three - Wynken, and Blynken, and Nod.
  So all night long their nets they threw to the stars in the twinkling foam. 'Til down from the skies came the wooden shoe bringing the fisherman home. ' Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed as if it could not be. Some folks say 'twas a dream they dreamed of sailing that misty sea. But I shall name you the fisherman three - Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.
  Now Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes and Nod is a little head. And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies is a wee one's trundle bed. So close your eyes while mother sings of the wonderful sights that be. And you shall see those beautiful things as you sail on the misty sea, Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three - Wynken, Blynken and Nod. (Eugene Field, 1850-1895). Lansing, Michigan Board of Water & Light's Eckert power plant has three smokestacks that are visible for 15 miles on a clear day. These smokestacks are referred to locally as Wynken, Blynken and Nod after the Eugene Field poem of the same name. My mom, dad and grandma & grandpa Wood used to read this poem to me and my sibs when we were kids.

Silky Edge

Kyle's Quilt

While sitting in a bar late one night in Ireland almost two years ago, my nephew Kyle told me he would really like a homemade quilt. I quickly answered that I would love to make him one for Christmas. Well, the first Christmas passed and I had no quilt made. I felt really guilty and started one for him right after Christmas. He has never asked me about it or begged me for it or felt me feel badly in any way that I missed giving it to him that Christmas after our vacation. I have worked on and off on it all year, but since September, made a concerted effort to finish it. Today, the last of the sewing was completed. I now only have to clip the edges and wash it. The type of quilt I made uses a frayed-edge technique where a 1/2 inch seam allowance is clipped along every seam line. Once the quilt is then washed, the rough edges fray creating a very beautiful, country look to the quilt. It will be done for Christmas 2006!

Ruth Fast's Rum Balls

When I began working in the PACU (the first time), Ruth Fast was an LPN who had years of experience in the PACU. As the only LPN working with an otherwise all RN staff, she held her own in many ways. She took no crap from anyone, knew everything about everything and felt very comfortable putting physicians in their place. This rough exterior masked a heart of gold. The year my daughter was born prematurely, Ruth wanted to help and brought us the biggest tray of Christmas cookies I have ever seen. Of all the beautifully decorated and tasty cookies I have had over the years, her tray of cookies stands out by far for both the look and the taste. My very favorites then and now are rum balls. The recipe goes like this: 3 cups of crushed vanilla wafers, 1 cup finely chopped pecans, 1/4 cup Hershey cocoa, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup rum, 1/4 cup light corn syrup. Crush the vanilla wafers and mix with the pecans, powdered sugar and cocoa. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add the rum and corn syrup and stir until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not make more than two batches together as the ingredients become to hard to manage (heavy to turn with a spoon and too thick for most mixers). Roll the "batter" into 1-inch diameter balls, roll in granulated sugar and age. These cookies taste better after 3-5 days of "setting" in an airtight container. Ruth Fast retired more than 15 years ago and recently passed away. There is not a Christmas that goes by that I do not think of her, her kindness and her rum balls! My grandson thinks they are pretty darn good, too!

Lean Six Sigma

The Michigan State University Management Training Center is located in Troy, Michigan. This training center is a function of the Eli Broad Graduate School of Business and Management at MSU. This week, I have attend Lean Six Sigma training. Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma focus on process improvement. Since meeting Sheri Maxim and being in awe at her approach to narrowing the focus on improving functions in some of my areas of responsibility, I felt a real need to better understand Six Sigma and to learn some of the tools that make it successful. I enrolled for this program about six months ago, thinking anything I could learn would be of general help for me. As the date of the project approached, I was sure the program would help in narrowing our focus for OR throughput improvement. During yesterday's class, I learned at least three specific techniques to use in the CSS throughput improvement project. I'm off to learn more today!

ebay

This week, my three-year old grandson won his first ebay auction. He bid on Nitroade, one of the Pixar Cars. He won the auction at $1.70. At three, he can use the laptop mouse, use the up and down keys to scroll through the options, and double click to enlarge pictures. The downside--he has no comprehension of time. As soon as he closed out of the computer, he wanted to go to the mailbox to get his car. It was a long two days waiting for the mailman!

What If?

What if you were a well-respected professional who didn't buy a license for your dog. What if, one evening, the police came to your door with a warrant for your arrest for not having your dog(s) licensed? What if they hauled you off to jail in a police car and put you in the slammer?

The New Sparrow

The "new" Sparrow. Is it the new steel and brick structures going up? Is it the new focus on customer service? Is it the focus on employee satisfaction? How about physician satisfaction? With so many "new" things going on, will we recognize any of the pieces of the past Sparrow that contributed so greatly to its success? The "new" Sparrow is deep into the transition from a community hospital to a regional referral center (trauma, neonatal care, intensive care-cardiac, neuro, renal, cancer, orthopaedics).

The Biggest Crane

Granger Construction brought in a huge crane (sitting in one of the elevator shafts, I've been told) to help with the work on the West Wing expansion. This is a view from North Pennsylvania Avenue near Shiawassee Street looking south. Eastern High School is in the foreground. Special training is required to operate this crane. It is a long way up. The man who operates the crane goes up in the morning with his lunch, snacks, beverages, etc. He is up there all day (about 10 hours).

Canada Geese

I only captured these few geese, but whew, there were really many of them! The sky over the parking lot at Meijer was dark and noisy with the number of these geese flying overhead.

West Side of the Corn Field

The west side of the corn field is under water most of tthe year. It's particularly pretty now, frozen and snow-covered.

Out Back

The corn's been cut and is now covered by snow. It still offers food to the deer and geese which are barely visible at the tree line.

Quilters & Cats

Br-r-r-r

Saturday morning, mid-Michigan, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas