And There Were Conchs Everywhere!!

You know when I feel a little down and out.. I hit the shorelines...

No matter what the temp.. and I think it was a whopping 30 something degrees!

But my oh my! Back out and all..

I grabbed my buckets...

Said a quick prayer upstairs that I could do this

And not inflict anymore pain to my healing spine...

And away I went!

and of course...had to throw in a bucket of..

Now... I gotta get some sleep.. because there is a lot

more this gypsea wants to get...

But my poor back is really not liking this game of mine!

Stay tuned!!

xoxo

Cricket

Blue Monday...unsure of this arrangement

Welcome again Blue Monday mermaids to a very indecisive gypsea....

So.. I figured..what the heck... It is blue, it is Blue Monday...

So let others tell you...should I keep it or not?

Change  a little something or no?

Oh see.. I just can't ever make up my mind!!!!

Ok.. so you will just have to for me!

We'll start with just a few close ups...then the last will be the finished..

Then you decide...

Ok... so what did you think?

anything I should change..?

Well..while you decide please take a moment to stop in at

Smiling Sally's for some more Blue Monday

inspiration!

xoxo

Cricket

I just want to play....

Well little mermaids....
I'm still in a rut.  Right now all I want to do is grab a good book, overnight bag..get my plane ticket...
and....GO PLAY IN THE SAND!
Yep.. just be...with the smell of salt water, sound of the gulls and the tides coming in.... my PINK bucket
in hand...and play.

Sorry gals... I'm not much into posting....

more dreaming...

Make sure to stop in at Beverly's

to see the other Pinkies...

xoxo

Cricket

Re Store Therapy

Hello gals... I don't know if I mentioned it to you before... but I have this issue.
It is these big black clouds that seem to loom over my head... not shiny and bright like the stars..
or a feather dusting of moonlight to give way to romance...
But BIG, BLACK, UGLY, HAUNTING CLOUDS!
I kid you not.
Like it wasn't enough I had to have my back operated on due to a psychotic patient.
But then, Tuesday..go to dentist and 1 tooth removed.  Told...come back Thursday.. last lower molar on
the same side..to be rid of as well...(then to work on the Extreme Makeover)
So.. like the OR, I feel the same for the dentist.. and laying back in that chair does not appeal to me with my back just being done.. but heh.. 10 minutes tops right?  WRONG!
Miss Nurse.. has twisty roots... tooth breaking in all the wrong spots...an infection that has gone into the jaw.
ONE HOUR and EIGHT! Yes, 8 stitches later.. I am packed with gauze and sent on my way.

Luckily... my fear of the dentist led me to a little shopping therapy PRIOR to my entrance into hell.
And would you believe.... I think that BIG, BLACK, UGLY, HAUNTING cloud decided to part ways for a moment.
Because right before my eyes.. as soon as I entered our towns "Re Store" the clouds parted and the angels sang...

DRIFTWOOD!!!!

This is the base part of this real deal, authentic driftwood table...

My heart stood still...

Here..I'll give you some close ups...

I mean, come on...driftwood table at a ReStore?

Now.. it wasn't like I got it for $10.00...

The table and the glass together..well.. $50.

Still... I thought it was a steal....

And who said retail..restore therapy wasn't good for the soul?

I'll tell ya... it made todays black cloud a lot better to deal with when I was able to come home...

Plop down, and stare at its beauty..of course as I slowly thought I was dying!

Hopefully... I will not have anymore medical drama's for quite awhile...

I think I'll wait to see what's up in the sky....

xoxo

Cricket

Apothecary Love.....a DIY

It's true... I am in pure mad deep love...don't be jealous, he isn't that tall..or dark and handsome....He is a tad old....well preferably REALLY old!  He doesn't have a lot of money, but sure can be.....He's quiet and serene...yet bold and demanding.  Demanding of my attention that is.  To pamper and protect...Shield him from small children with balls and kitty's playing mouse....
See, I told you not be jealous... I mean who wants to have a bunch of these all over?

I knew you wouldn't want them!  So I saved them all for me

But since my man (men) doesn't have much money, it was time for me to improvise....

Ummmm....nurses are pretty good at coming up with unique ways to bandage up, stop leaks, insert uh um..needles  items (?) well... we can get a little crafty too when it comes to dressing something up

and we aren't talking 4x4's and cling either!

So in gypsea mode I found some vintage labels to download

And since I wasn't quite sure how this was going to turn out...I wasn't about to ruffle any feathers on oneof my old men, so I found some pseudo wanna be's at IKEA. And came up with this...

So...how do you like my men now? Are you in pure love?  It's ok, I'll let you be jealous for a minute...

When you're done, please pop over and say Hello to Sarah

who is hosting her very first Blog Hop Good Life Wednesday 

xoxo

Cricket

Blue Monday

Welcome to another BLUE MONDAY

Unfortunately...this nurse is still feeling quite blue.

I never realized the pain that the back could exude..

But then again.. most normal people....especially a NURSE

would listen to their doctors and follow orders...

Just call me non-compliant...

a pure Gypsea!

So for this Blue Monday...hosted again by

Smiling Sally

I played around with photos of my little mixed media...

Vintage collection of nursing treasures...

I guess being cooped up is really starting to get to me!

I added some texture...

played with colors and effects..

In truth... I like it just plain.. the way it lays across the glass in the china cabinet..

Is being cooped up making me boring too?

AAHHH!

I don't know... I'm just gonna keep blaming it on the meds..

You tell me?

and here is plain Nurse Betty.

Hope you all enjoy your week..

And don't get sucked into the blue's

Unless you are popping in at Smiling Sally's Blog

xoxo

Cricket

It's A Pink Thing!

Happy Pink Saturday ladies.... this Gypsea Nurse...

Is looking to nurse her own wounds...

Her way...

And it is a Pink Thing!

Honestly girls... I can't stand being laid up... 

(unless we are talking in some romantic kind of way..)

And as you can see.... I will not be going or getting...La...

let me stop there....

anytime soon...

So I have cried...I have screamed... now I am nursing my own wounds..

dreaming of my sunshine, sea, pirates and such..

In my own way...

I mean... at least she is pretty to look at as I suck it down!

And easy peasy as pie to make!

2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka

2 oz. of pink grapefruit juice

3/4 oz. spicy honey

3 oz. fresh lime juice

splash of bitters

I suggest drinking beachside to get full effect.

Gypsea nurses warnings:

Cannot be held responsible for random acts of 

rebellion or free spirited behavior.

Please take the time to visit 

Beverly @How Sweet The Sound

For another Pink Saturday!

xoxo

Cricket

I'm BACK.... or not really?

Well.. There it is...

My Back..

The Back..

But I can't tell you for sure if I am really back yet or not...

Surprisingly enough.. after back and forths with the cardiologist..

(for clearance..cause this chickie's got a bad ticker)

A soon to be ex... so non supportive... a BACK stabber...

leaving me on my own to tackle this surgery alone...

I made it through!

We got a major snow storm the morning of surgery...

My gypsea pal and I somehow were able to manage through the craziness of snow crazy drivers..

Plows trying to run us over..and yes.. getting lost..

Then upon arrival... I am told we can't start yet..bc they are waiting STILL for clearance from my cardiologist..then.. they needed a valve from their sister hospital ..

ya know..."just in case.."

Well.. "JUST THE CASE WHAT?!!?" 

I was told not to worry.. everything will just be fine..

Ok.. I worked the OR for years..do NOT try to BS me.....

I also knew..they were top notch.. and doing all this.. SO

nothing would happen to me!

But the strangest of strange happened that day...

#1: the date 1/11/11

(these are master #'s in numerology..also "the pirates"

#2: Anesthesiologists name....Katerina  (same as my daughter!)

#3: My circulator in the OR, Jose... is verifying my info.. states..

"OMG! your birthday is the exact same as my wife's.. month, day and year!

#4:  When taken into the OR... I hear them call out a number..

So I am like.."Did you just clock me in..?"

"Yep.."

me..."Time?"

them..." 9:10am"

Ok... daughters bday is 10/9

son's 01/9

uuummm.. wonder if the numbers were working for me...

And I think they were... Me..Miss scaredy pants of the OR..

went out like a light..Knowing

Everything's going to be All Right!

So.. I am BACK home.. Missing some of my L-5 vertabrae.

a huge chunk of a disc..

I feel like a puppeteer is pulling behind me....

And trying not to over do it!

Thanks for all the sweet comments..

and well wishes...

We'll see how this turns out..

xoxo

Cricket

Blue Monday

Sitting here wondering....

do I have the "blues" 

because of the impending surgery tomorrow..

or am I Blue without you....

A sad a lonely feeling when you are already scared...

And your heart just aches out...and wants to be held..

But he is no where near...

Yeh...I think this Gypsea's has a bad case of them...

So what better way to pep up the brain than to think of happy thoughts...

Magical moments...

Fantasies...

If you recall in past posts... Cat and I and a few other rebels were going crazy over

wedding ideas..

So what can make any girl happier....

than daydreaming a fairytale wedding of her own..

Even if she already had one..

You can still pretend..

Want to take a look at my fairytales.....?

Come see....

well.. maybe...

uummmm...

Love this!

YUM!

Hey.. a girl can dream can't she...

Please visit Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday Moments...

xoxo

Cricket

I Found My Mermaid Meant To Be...

Yes indeed... this Gypsea Nurse found her Mermaid Heaven....

In Every sense of the word....

No words can ever explain the magic that happened on my little escape

before surgery to GO SHELLING.

Not only was my getaway last minute, under some stressful situations...

and my only thoughts were on shells....

Little did this rebel know what karma...kismet..what have you could occur...

Or perhaps it was just the magic of the sea..?

Well.. the magic part will have to wait for another post...

But for now I thought I would share some of my little finds along my journey into a New Year..

With promises of new beginnings...

Unfortunately... the weather wasn't my best friend...

I have never been known for that element to stop me from hunting..

So....

That beauty you see above.. was outside of one of the most fabulous shops I have ever encountered..

The detail..the quality.... ahhhhh..HEAVEN!

It was in the town I swear this mermaid plans on landing one day..

Pass-A-Grille

It is the most charming....it soothes my soul...

So after a stroll through town...we started our hunt...

Now I know you professional shellers are going to help me with the names of some of these..

These are just a few of the goodies I found...

My main hunt was for sand dollars..but unfortunately... like the weather..

they were not my best friends either... but I was able to capture a few...

Now to some this may look like nothing but something that you are convinced is going to rip your feet to shreds.. to me..

This is what I call CANDYLAND!

I could have sat for hours on end and just picked away....

and picked and picked and picked.....

So somebody throw me a line.... pull me in...

and take me to this little slice of heaven that tugged at my heart strings..

Giving me hope..happiness...and of course...SHELLS!

That this mermaid knows is where she belongs...

xo Cricket