Linda Meikle On Conference Call With First Lady Michelle Obama

I've registered to take part in a nurses-only health care reform conference call with First Lady Michelle Obama and Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, FAAN the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

This is to discuss how nurses can help educate their patients about the new protections and benefits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Any questions on my part must be sent in ahead of time. Right now, I'm just 'listening'.

The call will take place Tuesday, September 28th at 2:00 PM EST.

For more information or to register, (you don't have to give your license number), go to the ana.org website.

I was informed of this because I am a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA).

Take Care on the Journey,
Your friend in life,
~Linda

Big Horns in the Colorado Mountains!

(No Big Horns in this photo. This is the creek they were drinking from.)

Yesterday, we drove Highway 6 to Highway 119 out of Golden, CO. This is our favorite route close to home, and we always see something different. This was a family of seven Big Horns who had come down for a drink at the creek that ran along the highway.

We had a blast! I love Colorado (even though we still really miss you guys ((family and friends)) in Ohio). Hope everyone enjoys this little gift of photos.

The complete album of Big Horn photos is on my facebook. If you have a Facebook account and would like to be invited as a friend on my account, please send me an email with your name so I can find and invite you. (If you can't find my name there.) My email is bestnurse@usa.com

Take Care on the Journey,
Your friend in life,
~Linda

(Linda Meikle photos)

Moose On The Blog and Snow-Covered Peaks In the Distance

( Linda Meikle photo)

We drove about two hours into the Colorado Mountains today and found this young moose trying to get through the fence. Poor baby. He had worn a path as he constantly trotted back and forth and bellowed for his mommy. I have posted all the travel photos from today on my Facebook, but will post some more here later. It's after midnight, and I'm really tired. It was a beautiful day.

Take Care on the Journey,

~Linda

There Shines Light...

(Linda Meikle photo)

My life is so different here in Colorado, I can hardly believe it's me anymore!

It's a challenge to be working full-time after several years of letting hubby bring home the 'bacon' (ok, vege Stripples) and my previous job as part-time or school all the time. I'm learning make my priorities very differently.

I actually feel a little rushed as I write this because I have so many 'things' I want to do on my one day off each week - one of them being today. Many times I can't fall asleep because I have so many new ideas rushing through my mind.

Those Chile miners trapped deep underground seem to haunt me before I fall asleep and at 3 a.m. While the news reports are that they have adjusted and aren't eating the rock walls that surround them to find a way out, I still get a panicky feeling when I think of them.

But, I love a quote from one of the miners.

He said, "Even in the deepest part of the earth, there shines light."

I hope any of you reading this, and finding yourself in a dark corner of the earth, you will remember that 'there shines light".

Everyone asks us, "How do you like Colorado?"

Well, first and foremost, we love Colorado because of so many things to DO that I love to DO.

The mountains thrill me every time I go outside and view those tall, majestic walls of fire and stone; dark green forest trees and gigantic old rocks; golden sunsets and misty sunrises; clear, rippling creeks and high-gliding birds.

Another great experience is the Colorado Prairie Dogs. I always go the 'long way' when I leave our home to see the open fields of Prairie Dogs scattering for the safety of their underground homes as I approach. But, there's always one faithful sentinel sitting at attention on his hind legs, whistling an alarm. "Danger. Danger. People Approaching!" Sooooo cute. I must take a half day to photograph them.

There's more, but I must move on and save more of my "joys' for another story.

Work: I finally found a job very close to home that I think fits me perfectly! I've heard that people have been let go for posting sensitive material on their Facebook or website, so I'm not going to say much about the particulars of my nursing experiences. If so, it will have to be in a private email. I surely don't want to lose that job. As always, one must really watch their back, both on the job and off... I will say that I'm REALLY looking forward to that first paycheck on the 22ed. It's been several months since either of us were working, and my one uniform needs replacing. lol

I honestly, absolutely, love the afternoon shift. No matter how hard I have to work, or how late I get off work, I can always sleep in!!!! No alarm clock for either of us right now.

I MISS my friends and family back in Ohio. Especially the little ones who continually beg "grandma" to came back to Ohio. I chat on Facebook with Zach and Cammi and try to keep up, but it's surely not the same as being able to give those hugs and kisses and saying, "I love you" face to face. We miss all our family and friends there. (I just started to name you one by one, but I'm afraid of leaving someone out..) (Edith, call me.)

Coupons: Believe it or not, but I can't seem to find time to collect, sort, find sales, and get to the store for all the free things and good deals I'm missing every day! I'm going to Plan B and delegating the shopping to hubby. He's already taking in a few coupons at a time to 'get the hang of it'. I'm teaching him the 'coupon secrets' like how to select a 'good cashier' and argue the point if they try to reject him. We will see how this goes. I can't believe my priorities have shifted so much, but I'm trying to have time for the meaningful things in life with the precious free time that I have.

Fun, fun, fun... Oh how I love to drive into the mountains and take pictures to share with all of you. We still have many 'trails' to travel and see new and wonderful places of nature.

For those who have been privileged with the information of the "Golden Mountain", you know I've discovered a new activity called Black Hawk. It's not a bird. ha ha

Challenges: Right now I'm learning to park the car in a straight line in the parking space. I know this sounds silly, but I'm not happy about sloppy parking, and it seems I just can't get that car lined up straight with the yellow or white lines. I open the car door after I've parked and look down to see a 'drunken driver' park. Hubby says it's in the 'back wheels', so maybe I'll get this down pat before my next posting here. Wish me well.

Oh yes, many of you know that Caesar (as in Julius Caesar) has his personal Facebook page now. (His name is often spelled wrong. Sorry.) Goodness knows I take way too much time posting updates and adding pictures, but he is already getting many friends, and he really enjoys looking at the comments. He's making some special feline connections there too. (Hey, Billy, please send Snapper to the site.)

Okay, it's my day off and we're off to the mountains in a little while. Today we hope to travel Highway 72 off off Highway 93. I hear they have seen elk, bears, foxes, wolves, and deer in the canyons there. Close enough for good pictures, I'm told. The person who told me saw some there yesterday.

And then on to the Golden Mountain for some afternoon fun and good food...

Take Care on the Journey,
Your friend in life,
~Linda

Afternoon Drive near Denver, Colorado on 9-15-2010

We took advantage of a beautiful summer day in Denver and drove towards the mountains. These photos were once again taken with my iPhone instead of the digital camera. We didn't expect to be taking pictures but here's the best I could produce of the hazy peaks and picturesque evening sky.

The first picture below captures a man riding the trail through the field beside the mountains. Taken near Highway 93 between Golden and Boulder, CO.

A wind turbine sits in a valley.

An amazing sky as we traveled towards Golden, CO.
I call it the Eagle in the sky!
Imagine a night sun...

Take Care on the Journey,

~Linda

Red Rocks and Red Rocks Grill in Morrison, CO

We drove through this opening to enter Red Rocks. They were preparing for a concert later in the evening, so we didn't get into the best area for pictures.

After a very long and exhausting first week at my new RN job, I thought I'd stay in bed for the next three days, but we were so happy that my Columbus friend and former psych instructor, Dorothy, was in town that we jumped out of bed early Saturday morning for a day at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. (Too bad my phone was on work-vibrate and she had to wait three hours for me to return her calls!!! So sorry, Dorothy!) These are my photos from Red Rocks and later, an interesting lunch at Red Rock Grill where they were having a 9/11 fundraiser. The place was packed with bikers!

Red Rocks Grill/Top Hat Man pulls out his rabbit for the photo.

(photo permission granted/Linda Meikle photos)

Linda, Dorothy, and Jim at Red Rocks near Morrison, CO.

All 55 photos are posted on my Facebook page, but I know that not all who read this blog have a FB account.

Take Care on the Journey,

Your friend in life,

~Linda

Boulder Wildfire

Boulder, Colorado

(Linda Meikle photos) You may have heard on the news about the wildfire near Boulder, CO. This is about 10 miles as the crow flies from where we live, but we're in no danger.
I've taken photos all day of the canyon fire that started about 10 a.m. today. At first it was the funny-looking 'cloud' that caught my eye. Then I saw the rising smoke from the mountain and turned on the news.
In the second picture, you can see a dot of light in the center slightly to the left. This is a firefighting plane as it dumps the fire retardant on the flames. We live close enough to see the planes land and take-off.

Here are some photos of the cloud of smoke that filled the northern sky, and later at night the fire on the mountain.

I start my new job in seven hours!!!

Take Care on the Journey

~Linda

The Many Faces of the Rocky Mountains

We just missed the river rafters!

(Linda Meikle photos)
It looks like a sleeping Indian to me...

Not my cup of tea...

Hang on tight there, Buddy!

The climber is in the center

I see an old rock-man laughing at him on the right!

The evening shadows in the mountains are quite a contrast.

Sunglasses on. Sunglasses off!

Take Care on the Journey,

Have a beautiful holiday on my birthday weekend!

~Linda