Recent Posts

Nurse

Nurse

Nurse NOUN:  person who cares for the sick or infirm; specifically: a licensed health care professional who practices independently or is supervised by a physician, surgeon or dentist and who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health. Nurses week is a time to recognize those who care 

Cheesecake

Cheesecake

A cheesecake brings certain memories to mind whenever I hear or read the word. Thick, ricotta and egg laden richness all whipped and enveloped by a pastry-like crust baked to form a slice of absolute decadence is one type. Think New York style. Light cream 

Different

Different

I’m working in a different area.

What does one do when one has worked in the same department for so long and all of a sudden everything is…

Different.

It is true what they say. You do know when it’s time to leave and change. That leaving will be difficult because everything will be……

Different.

I’m still nursing, BUT, I know what’s coming. I have a number of tasks to complete for every patient. I know they’ll show up at a certain time and they’ll go home the same day. I’m slowly finding my rhythm but still wait for the ambulance phone, and the swish of the auto doors, the beeping alarms of the monitors and the excruciatingly high decibel noise level.

Different!

I stood in the Day Surgery hallway Friday morning at 0630 and closed my eyes. No crying, shouting, talking, flushing, or beeping. Just the hum of the fluorescent lights, the gentle swish of the curtains on an open window and the distant ding of our ancient elevator arriving filled my ears.

Different.

I think I’m going to like it here.

Icing

Icing

When you are in love with cake, the covering becomes just as important to the end product and just as challenging. After countless tries with tons of different recipes, I have found my buttercream go-to.  It pipes well, colours easily and you can flavour it 

Wrong

Wrong

In the wake of one of the most horrific accidents and loss of young life Canada and the world has seen, I couldn’t stop myself from wondering how the Emergency Disaster Management Teams coped with such a large mass casualty event. Don’t take this the 

Cake

Cake

Everyone has a favourite cake. It will either be the flavour, the presentation or the person who bakes it that constitutes the favouritism.

I do love cake and confess to being a bit of a cake snob.

It has to be made with glorious butter, exceptional vanilla (thanks to my traveling friends who bring it to me from Mexico) and the icing has to be a light meticulously whipped melt-in-your-mouth buttercream

……..drooling now……..

Whatever your favourite is, be sure to use the best ingredients you can get your hands on and measure everything exactly. This is one area of cooking that demands it. Scoop and knife swipe your flour. Place your liquid measure on a level surface and wait till it settles before pouring it into the bowl, and splurge on farm fresh eggs!

Cake is usually a celebration staple, so whether it’s your Mom’s best Lemon Layer Cake or your “I can’t live without anything strawberry” Buttercream Frosting; the old family standby Fruitcake or your extra special Meringue Mousse Chocolate Cake, remember to get the best ingredients you possible can and set aside a large block of time to enjoy the experience.

I’ll share my go-to recipes for cakes and let me know what you think….

Enjoy!

Change

Change

Working in an ED is much like that old commercial for Bits and Bites….remember that one? The cartoon dude stick figure with the slightly stoned voice…. “Stickin’ your hand in the bag, and comin’ out with a new handful..3 cheese bits, 4 spiced rings, and 

Snackin’

Snackin’

If you are a child of the 70’s/80’s “Snackin’ Cake” (Betty Crocker) was a staple in most kitchens to keep up with the ever increasing demands on the working wife’s time. Even back then , without the help of cellphones and automated everything, companies were 

Quiet

Quiet

ADJECTIVE-making  little or no noise, without much activity,slow, without being disturbed.

One of the first ‘rules’ you learn when working in an ER is to never utter the word quiet. Under no circumstances, with regard to any situation, does that word ever get said about the state of the department. It is permanently removed from every ER nurses’ vocabulary. Forever.

It is the equivalent of any hearty four- letter curse word and once said (usually by a new staff member, or someone who is just passing through the department from another area) it evokes a multitude of feelings and comments from staff.

“Oh my God, I wish you hadn’t said that”

“No!!! You didn’t just say the “Q” word did you?! Now we’re doomed!”

“I’m calling in sick right now!”

” I did not just hear that word come out of your mouth!”

“We may all be sitting around the desk, but we are all working!” We are not the “Q” word!”

“If something awful rolls through that door we’re calling you to come help!”

It is not the “Q”word! Now an ambulance is going to roll up with a VSA!”

Shit!! Now you made me say VSA! (massive groans from everyone……)

Quiet

NOUN:an absence of noise, hustle and bustle; silence;calm.

Every ED staff members’ wish and curse.

We’ll save VSA for another post……..

 

 

Pie

Pie

My arch nemesis in the baking world. I love to eat pie, I love the variations of fillings available to insert in a pie, I love the fact that you can make both sweet and main course pies BUT, I cannot master the crust. I