"Please DO NOT call me CUPCAKE!"...by Jim Terry

From my understanding and in watching the news, it has been quite an end to the winter weather-wise. Warm today, gone tomorrow. Rain one day, snow tomorrow. Even in the south, where people may complain when they reach temps into the upper forties, we saw, what appeared to be, a setting more clearly suited for polar bears and penguins. Is this a sign of what is yet to come weather-wise for the rest of the year?

Spring, as you know, is just around the corner. Actually, it is today. And with spring comes the joys of seeing warmer weather and the ability to get out and take in a little vitamin D. Funny how a hike outdoors in the warm sun, even if it is only fifty degrees, can make a world of difference in one’s attitude. I tried this myself the other day before work and went in with a renewed sense of self, positivity, and attitude.

And with my newfound attitude, there was NOTHING that was going to get me down on that day. The patients were great. The doctor I work with is great and the coworkers I have are also great. That day, all things considered, could easily be classified as a "great day!" There was only one little thing that may have obstructed me from having the good day that I experienced.

With the pandemic comes new protocols and safety concerns for us in the medical field. What was once a single level 2 mask in dentistry is now an N95 mask covered with a level 2 or level 3 mask dependent upon the procedure completed. We also now wear a splash guard or face shield over those masks and talking to patients without a mask, even at a distance, is now gone. Also what was once an uncovered head now requires a surgical cap to help with splatter from the procedures. This also makes it much more uncomfortable for the would-be provider because of all of the retained heat. All I can say is, “Thank goodness for fans!”

So as I got to work and was “suiting up” for the day, I looked around for the last item I just spoke of…my pale blue surgical cap. I purchased this in order to stay compliant with the protocols set forth by the doctor and of course to be safe in the current pandemic we are in. Generally, she, the doctor who shall remain nameless😁, takes care of the laundering of the laundry at the end of the week and has it ready to go for the employees the following week. I looked high and low in the area where it was supposed to be located and to my dismay, I did not find it.

I am not trying to be chauvinistic when I said this next statement, but the book by John Gray “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” really is true. We are worlds apart, most of the time, when it comes to what movies we may want to watch, what cars we may want to purchase, and definitely in what we may wear.

T-shirts and denim are always a good choice for us men that live on Mars. Women however like to spruce it up with paisleys, flowers, lace, makeup and may finish things up with an “eau de parfume” of some kind that smells like a field of flowers, a gently tumbling waterfall, or a fresh gentle spring rain. I also found out on this day that the décor for women does not stop with paisleys, flowers, or lace. It also encompasses food items.

Now I am not going to say much more on this topic so I do not get in trouble, but I do want to point out I went along with and wore the given surgical cap available for that day. I knew that I was secure enough in my manhood that I could wear what I did, but, if the truth be known, I also wanted witnesses from my patients so they could observe the “cruel and unusual” punishment I had to endure. Needless to say, laughs abounded throughout the office that day…from the staff, from the patients and yes even I chuckled at myself a time or two. As they say, "When you can laugh at yourself, no one can make a fool of you." Just one favor I ask of all of you…"Please DO NOT call me CUPCAKE!” 😊 😂

HAPPY SPRING!

♦ Hope you'll let us share your stories and photos here at our residence "In a Nutshell." Email us at nutshellstories@gmail.com.  

Feeling Small?...by Jim Terry

Boy how time flies, as I am getting older. And with the swiftness of time, as it passes, I sometimes find myself feeling a bit deflated, insignificant, unimportant or small in this big ole world we live in. A minute becomes a second, a month becomes a day and a year becomes a month. As I look back on what I have written in past posts, I have mentioned this before but it really is true that time really does speed up as we age.  Maybe a better outlook, since I am a self-proclaimed optimist, is to say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

So in light of mentioning time and it now being officially September, I wanted to know what last hoorahs or plans you have for the end of the summer (Labor Day) and the beginning days of another school year?   If you don’t have any ideas for that last-minute trip, don’t worry. I have one that may help you make a decision on where to go and what to experience.

Just recently, I found myself in a conversation with one of my patients. Most of my patients know about my love of the outdoors and how much I love to hike, raft and just experience nature. It recenters me and helps give me a bit of focus and peace in the crazy world we live in.  So upon further discussion with this patient, he mentioned an area that I should visit, that was close to work, doesn’t have a lot of foot traffic and is easy to get to. The place he mentioned is called Purisima Creek Redwood Preserve.

Upon entering this serene place away from the hustle and bustle of life, a small squirrel greeted me. This little guy was either welcoming me to his home or was looking for a quick free meal.  I think it was the latter! 😀 Once I passed by my little friend and started my hiking adventure, I had to stop for a minute, close my eyes and take a deep breath. There’s always something so refreshing and energizing about clean mountain air that's laced with pine and freshness isn’t there?  It literally rejuvenates my soul and magically clears my mind somehow.   It was right after that moment, when I reopened my eyes with now more tranquility and clarity in my mind, that I noticed a wall in front of me. It wasn’t a “wall” per say, but it was a wall of green created by some of the biggest trees I have seen to date. 

As I continued on my journey, I began to notice my environment around me.  The impact and quietness of my shoes upon the forest’s floor was gently cushioned with the evergreen leaves that had fallen to the ground. The canopy above me was slowing closing in around me not allowing much light onto the forest floor but provided just enough to generate some of the most beautiful and biggest ferns I have seen. The faint whispering of the wind gently rocking the trees to and fro was only subdued by the distant hoot from the hoot owl waiting for night to fall in order to capture his next meal.  And with the few openings in the canopy above, if there was a ray of light that hit the forest’s floor, it generated one of the most amazing Technicolor hues that anyone could witness.

Now I may be biased now that I have experienced this, but the redwood trees really should be the 8^th wonder of the world. Did you know that redwoods can live over 2,000 years and can be nearly 400 feet tall? Did you also know that they can have branches up to five feet in diameter and bark that grows up to 12 inches thick? 

And do you know or have you seen the pictures of redwood trees that get so big and wide at the base that you can literally drive a car through them? This then means that the average width for a giant redwood tree can be up to 30 feet!

So if by chance you live anywhere near the coast of Oregon or all throughout northern California, make it a priority and see one of the MANY State and National Parks associated with the Redwoods. You certainly will not be disappointed. And if you, like me at times in my life, may be experiencing some sense of “smallness” in the big ole world we live in, maybe it’s time to stand next to a giant.  Where being small is just A-Ok!

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!

♦ Hope you'll let us share your stories and photos here at our residence "In a Nutshell." Email us at nutshellstories@gmail.com.  

 

"Hoodoo You Know, That Wouldn't Want To Go?...by Jim and Marlene Terry

I was working on a patient just the other day and was taken back when she said, “I am taking my daughter to the mall for some back to school shopping.” 

I had to think for a moment about what she said and then responded, “Is it already that time again?” 

For those of you who are just like me in disbelief that the summer is quickly coming to an end, please check your calendar and catch up as I had to do.  It’s a sad reality that the dog days of summer and our ability to take a vacation are dwindling quickly and will soon be coming to an end. 

As I was thinking about what to write about, I thought what a better opportunity than to write about an idea for one last “hoorah” for a family vacation.  Granted all of our national parks are amazing, but there is one, centrally located in the western states, that should not be missed…Bryce Canyon National Park.

© Jim Terry-If you look close enough, those are people hiking amongst the Hoodoos.

I visited there about five years ago and had sent my mother pictures of my excursion to help her with ideas of what to write about. She, with the natural writing talent she had, articulately encompassed the details of the landscape and the formations of what makes this park so unique. Her article is also one, not to be missed. 

http://marleneterry.blogspot.com/2013/10/hoodoos-of-many-colors.html

So before the summer ends and with one more long holiday weekend coming up the beginning of next month, I wanted to give you one more idea of where you may want to take your travels.  And since I have already been there, know the beauty of the area and how that affected me, I only have one question to ask of you…”Hoodoo you know, that wouldn’t want to go?”

©Jim Terry

♦ Hope you'll let us share your stories and photos here at our residence "In a Nutshell." Email us at nutshellstories@gmail.com.