Of Books and a MRI Machines

I went to the hospital this at 10am today for the MRI.  After all the check in procedures, they told me there would be a delay because there were several in-patient's that they were working in ahead of me.  Ok....that's fine, I understand that.  But this was at 10:30am and today was Book Club Day which started shortly after noon.  In fact Barbara was going to be at my house about 11:50am.  I knew I'd never make it so, I asked if they could work me in later this afternoon and they said I could come back about 5pm.  I actually got there about 4:15pm and was in the machine within 15 minutes.

If you've ever had an MRI, you know that the exam takes awhile and the noise is terrible.  They give you headphones and ask which kind of music you'd like to hear but you really can't hear much except all the loud & weird noises of the machine. Now I've had many MRI's, several on my head (for migraines), one or two on my back but today something happened that was a first.  I actually fell asleep on that hard, uncomfortable table and with all the blasting noises of the machine.  I couldn't believe it.  Now all these exams produce a digital picture, so as I left, they handed me a package with the films.  The tech's words to me were "you're family doctor will get the report tomorrow and then when you see the orthopedic surgeon, you'll have the films."   I didn't like the sound of the last part of that sentence at all !!!!

Onto the middle of my day.  This being the first Wednesday of the month, it was Book Club Day at the local Roundtable Pizza.  Once again two local authors visited us and told us a little about their life as published writers. 

 The first author was Marianne Stillings, who besides writing books is still working a management job at the Boeing Company. She was quite delightful and we all enjoyed her. On my way back to the hospital, I stopped at Half Price Books and bought two of her books (I know...I don't need anymore books) "Satisfaction" and "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evie." 

The second author was Pat Pritchard (western romance) who also writes under the name of Alexis Morgan (paranormal type books).  She started by writing western romance and that was what she was known for. So when she had a desire to change genre, her publisher said she'd need to use a different name.  So she chose "Alexis Morgan"....the names of her two cats.  That cracked us up.  How many other authors choose a name that way?    One of her Pat Pritchard books is entitled "The Book of Love."  That one sounded like a fun book, so I'll look for it on line. Half Price Books didn't have it.  Pat also worked for many years, as a teaching assistant retiring last June. I guess being just a writer is a hard way to make a living, until you've been published hundreds of times.

I heard from our journal friend Joni again today.  She and her husband have been visiting family and friends in Arizona but are on their way home.  When she contacted me this afternoon they were in Jackpot, Nevada and would be going from there to Boise, Idaho to visit family and then thru eastern Washington to their home here in western Washington.

It was a beautiful day here today....sunny and I think the temperature got up into the middle 50's.  Maybe, just maybe that bad winter weather is over.................

I'm waiting to get my hands on the memory card from Bob's camera to do the entry on his (not mine~I spent the day in the cabin) visit to Ensenada, Mexico.   All I have are pictures taken from the ship. 

Now that's it's been a few weeks since the Writer's strike was settled, the regular week night programs are slowly returning.  Now call me crazy...but I absolutely love "The Office."  I even have Seasons One & Two on DVD and Season Three on order.  It was always on late when I was working (in an office) so couldn't watch it on a regular basis.  Well back to "The Office"... this Thursday night it's back and on for 2 solid hours !!!  I won't be on the computer and I won't be answering the phone or the door. I'll be absorbed in the goings on at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.

Until next time........Linda