Smart Car !

I just had my first US Smart Car sighting! It was a retired couple pulling into the shopping center where I work. I had to stop and ask them how they like it. Everyone else walking by was stopping to look at it, too. With gas approaching $3.65 a gallon here, I'm sure they'll be getting a lot more questions.

Hell Hath Frozen Over

That's right folks, the Tampa Bay Rays lead the AL East division. Say what now? G and I headed to the Rays/Red Sox game Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful beautiful day... which is too bad, because Tropicana is an indoor domed stadium much in the tradition of the Astrodome. The Rays SWEPT the Red Sox (3-0) and won the game we saw 3-0. I thought y'all would want to see pictures of Tropicana. They're currently drafting a proposal to build a new open-air ballpark on the water in St Pete.

G and I got there 2 hours before the first pitch. Tropicana's parking is horrendous...and the only games they come close to selling out are when the Rays play either the Yankees or the Sox. We sat in the outfield for awhile watching batting practice. JD Drew was really smacking them out of there!


We had a great time !! The seats were great! (Section 210 for those playing along at home) The worst part.. the 90 minutes in the car trying to get home. Bumper.to.bumper.all.the.way.back.to.Tampa!!

Here are the schematics for the new park. Open Air stadium in Tampa I"m not sure is going to go over well. It would be great in April and for the post-season. The rest of the season, WAY TOO HOT!

Free to roam

After almost a solid week of upset doggie tummies, my dog is again free to roam the house. As it turns out, they sprayed the grass at my condo complex and didn't put up any signs warning the pet owners to keep their animals off the grass!! We ended up calling the maintenance office after I talked to my fourth dog owner and we all had the same complaint.. doggie diarrhea .. all starting on the same day. After removing the dog from the grass and feeding him bland food and rice for a few days he seems to be all better.

To save my carpet, a hash friend runs a carpet cleaning business. He sent out an email two days after the first ass-plosion (thanks for the word, Suz!) begging for work. I happily took him up on his 50% off offer and got both bedrooms cleaned. Yay for shiny like-new carpet! It also made me feel good to help out a friend. The turn in the economy has not be kind to quite a few of them.

I found out this weekend one of my good friends here in Tampa got laid off. She's an interior designer for an architecture firm. There were only 28 people in their firm.. they laid off 10. When no one's building, there's no work. I wish there was more I could do to help her. I don't know of anyone hiring right now.

Jury Duty

I didn't have to report for jury duty yesterday! Let's hear it for a "free" day off!

Although, I'm glad it worked out that I didn't have to go. My dog got sick on Tuesday and it's been rather, um.. explosive ever since. My guest room carpet may never be the same. Today is the first day he's been home alone since then. I'm hoping I'm not going to come home to "shit storm" tonight. I closed off the two rooms with carpet, just in case. My poor doggie. We're definitely off to Home Depot Sunday to rent the steam cleaner.

Can I have off the ride now? Kthankxbye.

I've worked 8 out of the last 9 days. I'm SO ready for a day off !! I do get tomorrow off, but will be spending most of it fixing my car, which has been recalled AGAIN! Note to self: No more GM cars.

Healing

I went to yet another doctor last week about my Achilles. I've been in pain for 6 months now in my right foot. I've stopped running and all weight-baring or high impact exercise. Biking and swimming only. The DPM I went to did an ultrasound on my foot and determined I have three small micro-tears on the medial side of my Achilles. I also have fluid build-up. I was prescribed an NSAID topical patch for my Achilles to wear 24/7 for two weeks and given a heel lift for my shoes. He wants to see me back in two weeks to check my progress. He was great. I really enjoyed this visit versus the visit to the ortho. He spent more time with me, for one, and actually did an ultrasound to figure out why I was still in pain. He also had a paperless office, so I was discussing office software with him and preferences, etc. Very nice guy. I feel much more comfortable there.

The patches seem to be working. I'm in much less pain after almost a week on them. I even went to the gym last night and cycled for 30 minutes with only mild pain afterwards. I used to only be able to cycle about 15 minutes before I'd be forced to stop.

The big news around here is that I'm leaving my job. My current boss is selling his office in St Pete, so in essence I'm being forced out. The deal he was working on fell through.. so I'm okay for now, but he's still got the St Pete office up for sale. Once I knew this was even a remote possibility I started looking for other opportunities. Since the doc who owns the lease on the LC in Carrollwood is leaving to open her own private practice I looked at that office. It's free standing, so no crappy mall hours and no major holidays. There was another doc looking at it as well so we're partnering up. My last day at my current job is May 16th. The new office will be paperless, medical model (taking medicare, aetna medical, tricare, etc), and much more profitable. I'll make more money working less days a week, which is always good if you can get it! I'm sad the way things are working out here, but after the way things were handled, I'm happy I'm moving on.

Greg and I are taking a vacation the end of May for our anniversary. A week in Negril, Jamaica. We booked our flight yesterday! YAY! We're staying at Couples Swept Away which is the sister resort to Couples Negril (which is closed for renevations). I plan on it being me, G, beach, hammock, pina coladas. Heaven!

I want one ! I want one !

Someone needs to get on building me one of these.. ASAP !!