Hi all. I’m back.

It feels like forever since I’ve xanga’ed but it’s only been a couple of months.

Although it seems like an eternity ago, the Caribbean cruise was fantabulous. Snorkeling and Sunbathing in the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel… Tubing down a river in Jamaica… the Caribbean Princess was an enormous ship with so much to do (I won 100 bucks at the casino!) and so many places to eat.

Cozumel was great cuz we took a boat away from the city and snorkeled as the current of the deep-ish (deep for me) water wafted us towards our destination. We saw all kinds of colorful fish, a sea turtle, stingrays, and cool coral formations. And then on the boat ride back to the dock/city, we got the whole boat to do shots of tequila and 7up. Scaley and I are such trouble makers.

Anyway, now I’m back in school actually hitting the midpoint of my Surgery rotation, which I’m surprised to say I am really enjoying. The hours are long and you’re constantly on your feet, but it’s just the coolest thing in the world to see the human body in its living form and to be able to manipulate it in such a way that a person is almost automatically healed by what you’ve done. Pretty darn amazing. I’ve seen the brain pulsating as the surgeons resected a tumor from the cerebellar region, a whole colon being removed from a patient, a leg amputation secondary to a malignant sarcoma… and so much more! It’s been absolutely incredible.

Now comes the stress of late… a wedding site. Ugh.  Just the thought of how difficult it’s been agreeing and finding a place for the wedding ceremony/reception gives me ulcers.  I wish we can just find a beautiful place where everyone can enjoy nature’s beautiful autumn foliage without it being an issue for anyone. Does anyone know of such an eden? We were getting serious about this place http://www.onteora.com , but it looks like people are backing out and changing their minds. I really REALLY don’t want to get married in a blah blah blah ballroom. That's my worst nightmare, SERIOUSLY. 

… but I am so petrified that I’m gonna wear down and give in and just settle.

 That sucks big time. I shouldn't settle. It’s our wedding, ya know?

whatever... the important thing is i love my Scaley

... but i'd still like a special & beautiful wedding

Scaley & I are ENGAGED!

Scaley proposed this past Saturday on the back porch of our first home over beer and a sunset...

I had just finished my final final and was super-relieved to be able to concentrate solely on studying for my boards. At last! So, with the weather being a bit rainy, we decided to catch a movie later that night. Well, we checked fandango.com and figured we ought to hang out on our back porch, have a couple of beers and just enjoy being ScaleyVonBubbles. So Scaley put on the first mix he ever made for me, “The Greatest Mix Ever” and we sat outside just relaxing. The showers had stopped and the sun was beginning to set. The conversation soon turned to this “surprise” that he’s been teasing me about all week long… and he insisted on giving me my surprise right then.

[aside]: I was already suspicious of what this “surprise” might be, but was certain that it would come AFTER my board exam in Monticello a month and a half from now. Needless to say, I thought he was bluffing, FER SURE.

So Scaley reached behind me and pulled out a little black box which he had hidden in an empty flower pot minutes before and opened it. LOW and BEHOLD- a sparkling demon of a ring.  One might refer to it as a Ring of Fire… and my mouth was agape as I blubbered and blabbered. I teared, he teared. Mushiness ensued. Although I must say it took scaley a while to put that baby on my finger as he held the box open for some time after I said yes… I had to tell him, “Scaley, I can’t just take it. You hafta put it on my finger!” 

And he did.

i was definitely happily surprised on so many levels. it was very, very sweet… and very ScaleyVonBubbles. I couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect!

I *HEART* Scaley!

Today’s such a blah blah blah rainy day here in Buffalo. More gloomy grayness & rain expected for the rest of the week… enough to get ya down.

Sooo… I thought I’d cheer everyone up with a little fun…

... nothing like a little troll-spankin' to lift the spirits.

*at Epcot center