holidaze

It’s January 3 and I feel like I’m no where NEAR recovered from the recent holiday season.

In addition to this year being the first one I haven’t been ‘off’ (from either school or my part-time job at Buff State) at Christmas, I added six (SIX) medical appointments to take care of some varicose veins (!!!) between Thanksgiving and Christmas, hosted family, weathered a pet emergency and traveled for New Year’s Eve. I’m exhausted just remembering all that I did.

Here’s a recap:

I cut down my first tree! We ( as in, the entire Layer clan) usually go cut down our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, and we didn’t let Andrew’s absence (due to a meeting) stop us. Man, does it take some elbow grease to handle that saw.

A couple weeks later, I ran in–and placed in my age group–in the Caroler 5K. I’ve missed signing up for this race EVERY YEAR since moving here. Inevitably, I’m driving to the gym on a Saturday in mid-December only to see crews setting up road blocks…and I realize I’ve missed it, AGAIN. This year, the race fell on our our anniversary and the day of our Carolcade on Main Street, so I made it a point to sign up. I squeaked into third since the overall female winner was in my age group, and enjoyed running with and seeing my friends from our local running group (note our psychedelic jackets) afterward.

Later that night, Andrew and I went to our favorite place, Rick’s on Main, to celebrate our 11th (!!!) wedding anniversary. We sat at the little table on the balcony, exchanged cards and sipped wine. We can’t believe that many years have gone by already.

Warning! The next photo is not for those with a weak stomach!

Earlier this fall, I decided to get my legs looked at after beginning to notice some unsightly veins popping up… Varicose veins are hereditary and the Rosene family has more than enough to go around. Who knew 33 would be old enough to begin treatment?! I had three procedures in all, the first two simply involved a laser and the closing of vein connections; the last procedure included actually removing the vein (but is not the same as vein ‘stripping’). It looks/looked much worse than it actually was–a couple puncture wounds continued to bleed and my leg bruised pretty badly–and there was minimal pain. I’m almost fully recovered, don’t have any physical limitations and am looking forward to NOT seeing that big, blue vein anytime soon. I’m trying to remember to wear my compression stockings (thigh-highs!) to work and am thankful they’ve come a long way since my dad had his veins done and had to wear super tight, super thick beige ones. Gross.

Just three days later, Christmas was upon us. The Rosenes (mom, dad, Aaron and Josh) visited for the holiday and brought the total attendees for our annual Christmas Eve party to a whopping 17 people. It was a ‘plastic plates, silverware and eat anywhere you can find a seat’ kind of event! Joshua entertained us all with card tricks, the parents gathered in clumps to chat and a couple of us youngsters spiked our egg nog. We ended the night traditionally, by reading the birth of Jesus in the book of Luke and our nephew, Blake, helped us blow out the candles on Jesus’ birthday cake.

After opening gifts at the house Christmas morning, my family joined the Layers at their house for a meal. The next morning, Andrew and I took Joshua to the airport so he could visit his girlfriend in Florida and the rest of my family left after lunch in two cars–the one they brought and our green Silverado.

The great Layer family car ‘domino affect’ of 2016, (which started with grandma’s new car purchase this summer) is now complete and six (!!!) individuals are now driving new and/or new-to-them cars. Andrew recently purchased his dad’s old truck and looks forward to installing his Christmas present from me, a new Bluetooth-ready car stereo, as soon as he can.

We spent Monday after Christmas enjoying time with Abigail, Marvin and grandma before their scheduled departures the next day.

On Tuesday, as I was about to leave for work in the morning, I noticed vomit on the floor and Hadrian didn’t look right. I woke Andrew up and told him to get Hadrian to the vet as soon as possible; I didn’t know what was up and it’s not like he’s never been sick on the floor before, but I just had a feeling. I left for work praying it was nothing–perhaps an infection–but received the worst of all news from Andrew as I was pulling into the parking lot: it was bloat (gastric dilation volvulus) and we needed to make a decision, and fast. We chose a middle of the road option–conservative treatment that involves placing a tube and hoping the stomach will right itself as the pressure is relieved–as we couldn’t justify the enormous expense of surgery. I was mess and immediately turned around to come home, expecting to say goodbye to our beloved dog. Miraculously, the tube worked, surgery wasn’t necessary and Hadrian’s vitals returned to normal. He stayed overnight for observation and we were able to visit him twice before bringing him home the next day. Andrew and I spent the morning at the Layers, afraid to be home in our empty house, nervous that our dog wouldn’t make it through this ordeal; GDV is completely fatal if untreated and can cause heart attack, organ damage and is likely to recur.

He’s home now and we’re making changes to his routine to help prevent bloat from happening again; unfortunately, many of his normal habits (such as drinking and eating a lot at once, drinking out of the kitchen sink) are risk factors. As a large-dog owner, I knew this condition was possible and could be brought on by physical exertion after eating; I had no idea it could happen spontaneous overnight. We’re feeding him less food more frequently throughout the day, nixing the sink-drinking (finally! I’ve never liked that Andrew allowed him to do that) and changing his food to a higher-quality, higher protein mix that doesn’t promote as much fermentation (a.k.a. gas in the stomach) as one high in carbohydrate (hmm…that sounds familiar from school). We’re also considering a surgical procedure that will help prevent this from happening again, too.

I may complain A LOT about the hair in my house, but I was not ready to say goodbye to sweet Hadrian. He’s seven, but a young seven, in my opinion, and I hope we have many more years with him. Needless to say, he’s being spoiled rotten by both of us.

While all this dog drama was happening, I got my first TPN (total parenteral nutrition) patient in the hospital! While not uncommon in larger hospitals, TPN isn’t something we see often at DeGraff, which is very small. TPN is perhaps the most complicated thing a dietitian will ever do, and it’s important for me to get experience with it. TPN is nutrition completely broken down and directed into the bloodstream, so it’s not digested at all. Think of it as the building blocks of what we eat normally, i.e. protein is in the form of amino acids. Basically, it’s one long set of calculations based on a patient’s individual needs, and then more calculations to make sure it’s not too taxing to their system and then MORE calculations to make sure the proportions of amino acids, dextrose (carbs) and lipids (fat) will stay in solution. Then, (as if there wasn’t enough to do already) you look at the person’s lab values to gauge how much electrolytes and which kinds to include. This is a daily procedure and must be reviewed each day and signed off by the doctor and nurse.

I’ve really enjoyed working with the TPN and can see myself doing more of this–called ‘nutrition support’–in the future.

The following weekend, with Hadrian safely ensconced at the Layers’ house, Andrew and I met our best friends, Emily, Dan and their sweet daughter, Nora, in Cleveland for New Year’s Eve. On the way into town, Andrew and I stopped at house used in filming the old classic, The Christmas Story. We were too late for a tour (Emily said the best part was the outside, anyway, as the inside is only a replica) but hit the gift shop for a souvenir ornament of–what else?–a leg lamp.

For the last few years, the four of us (now five!) have spent the holiday together and we intend to keep it that way. Meeting in Cleveland proved to be a great option, as our drive was only about 3 hours and very do-able; it’s exactly halfway and I hope to meet Emily there for future visits.

She and I planned a comfy-yet-stylish evening, complete with gold slippers, sequin tops and a well-equipped selfie station with props. We rented a small condo for the night, brought in all our food, ordered pizza and watched movies until the ball dropped (which we missed by about a minute).

The next morning, we all lounged around in jammies, sipped mimosas and watched Nora play with her grocery cart and farmer’s market veggie bushels, gifts from Andrew and me.

After returning home on the 1st, Andrew and I joined the Nyes at their house and ended up lighting sparklers to ring in the new year.

And, despite Mr. Nye’s protestations, some fireworks.

Rome 2016

Last week, I went on a trip with my mom and brother, Josh, to Rome. For the day.

(Disclaimer: my mom is a flight attendant. The tickets aren’t free, but they’re pretty cheap–especially when you get to ride in First or Business Class. It’s livin’ the high life–pun intended–for sure.)

I left Buffalo on the zero-dark-thirty in the morning flight to DC, where Josh picked me up and took me to our parents’ house to hang for a few hours until our flight to Rome. Along the way, he bought me Starbucks, opened up doors for me and divulged he intends to run for sophomore class president at Liberty University in the fall. Then, my other brother, Aaron, wanted to take me to his new favorite coffee spot in Manassas, Jirani Coffeehouse, where we enjoyed sandwiches as an early lunch. Who ARE these pseudo-adult, conversational young men who about three seconds ago were overgrown toddlers, waffling between tears and pummeling each other?!

Josh and I got seats next to each other in Business (praise God–it’s like a nine-hour flight) and we watched a movie together before he conked out.

Flights with mom are always fun; the entire crew knows who you are and treats you like gold, and it’s fun to see her in action. She’s definitely the life of the party–joking around and making sure work doesn’t feel too much like work.

After we landed around 8 a.m. local time, we rode the bus with the crew to their hotel where fresh croissants and a cappuccino machine awaited. We changed clothes, made a quick stop at a local grocery store for cheap wine to bring home and breakfast for the next morning, before heading out for the day.

I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but our first order of business was to get me the beloved souvenir I DIDN’T get when Andrew and I visited Italy in 2013: a mywalit wallet. Three years ago, I fell instantly in love with the rainbow-colored leather products and practically drooled over them our entire trip. They’re made in Italy and obviously on the pricier side (but still probably less than Coach), so I didn’t end up getting one. Well, I didn’t end up getting one this time, but it wasn’t for lack of trying; the only retailer we found didn’t have a large selection and I chose not to purchase without being sure of the one I wanted.

Again, to Italy, I must go!

Our main sight-seeing adventure for the day was outside the city, but along the way we stopped off for take-away pizza and a view of the (freshly cleaned!) Trevi Fountain:

We jumped back on the metro and then to a train to get to Ostia Antica, a ruined city similar to Pompeii and a Rick Steves must-see. Surprisingly, Andrew and I didn’t make it there on our previous trips, so he suggested it as a possible activity. Having visited Pompeii as well, I can assert that it is indeed better preserved and Rick’s walking tour is very enjoyable. I can’t wait to bring Andrew here next time we visit Italy!

The preserved bath house mosaic floor:

A view of a main gathering area and existing walls:

We were pretty burned out after walking around Ostia in the heat, so we headed back to the room for showers before dinner. Along the way, we walked the Via del Corso, a pedestrian-only shopping district and by the Pantheon, because, you know, it’s THERE. In the middle of a busy square stands this amazingly old structure that all but transports you back to the time of togas and sandals. It’s a simple coincidence that the emperor, Hadrian (our dog’s namesake) finished the building in 126 AD.

Our first stop was the ‘Steelers Bar.’ No idea if that’s its real name or not, but the inside is covered in Pennsylvania paraphernalia–including a Penn State flag(!!)–and seems to be the local hangout for ex-pats, airline crews and perhaps even some tourists. We sat with some Air Canada pilots and sipped our drinks: Stout for me, cider for mom, moscato for Josh. (He thinks he’s SO COOL because he gets to drink overseas.) Speaking of drinking… I discovered a new favorite drink: an Italian ‘spritz.‘ It’s made of Prosecco, Aperol (made of bitter orange, among other things) and club soda. It has a surprising flavor that grows on you.

Lucky for us, the EuroCup was on and it was a great game.

Dinner was next door to the bar and just off the Piazza Navona, a public square filled with locals, tourists, cafes and men peddling selfie-sticks, glow-in-the-dark frisbees and caricature drawings. It’s magical at night.

Thankfully, all the stars aligned on this trip and travel was a breeze–which is not always the case. I’m already excited to plan another trip with my mom in August!

France 2016: Aix & the Côte d’Azur

Note: this is part 3 of 3. Part 1. Part 2.

With heavy hearts we left our b&b, L’Ecole Buissoniere, and began our drive to the coast. Our sweet hostess, Monique, sent us on our way with kisses on both cheeks and a box of cookies for the road. Our destination was the French Riviera, or the Cote D’Azur, and along the way to stopped in the college town of Aix-en-Provence.

Aix is a charming town with a rich history and lively people-watching. The Cours Mirabeau is the wide boulevard lined with trees, shops and cafes. We stopped for lunch, did Rick’s walk and grabbed some treats for the road.

Within a couple hours the coast was in sight. We inched along next to Nice’s Promenade des Anglais with the bluest water you’ll ever see just feet to our right and as we rolled our windows down to take in the sea breeze, we found it very difficult to mind the congestion on the road ahead.

Our home-base for the next couple days would be Villefranche-sur-Mer, a small town just past Nice. We rented a tiny apartment just a couple streets from the water–it even had a little balcony on which we ate breakfast each morning. (It even came stocked with the essentials–milk, orange juice, fizzy water, snacks, WINE!) The local grocery store and boulangerie (bakery) were just steps from our door, which made it convenient to get fresh croissants and fruit each morning. We grabbed pizzas one night and sat outside watching the sun set over the water.

The next morning, we drove our rental car up above Villefranche to Eze-le-Village to explore. We’d packed a picnic breakfast and scored a *perfect* spot (thanks, Rick!) overlooking the water (and the gardens of an incredibly high-end hotel).

We stopped for coffee at the Chateau Eza, which used to be the vacation home of the Swedish Royal family. I decided to take a photo to use as my iPhone home screen; last year’s photo from Collioure was now outdated! Surprisingly, our coffees at $6 each, were quite reasonable considering our view.

After Eze, we drove up to La Turbie, home of the Trophee d’Auguste. It’s super old–built around 6 B.C.–as a monument to Emperor Augustus for conquering the ancient tribes in the Alps. Apparently it’s famous for having a very large inscription on one side. Seeing–and getting to climb up the ruins–was a highlight for Andrew. Even I enjoyed the video in the small museum explaining the restoration work.

Afterward, we headed back down the hill and stopped at Fragonard, a famous perfumerie in France. We saw their small operation–everything bottled by hand–and enjoyed the tour very much. Fragonard sources many of their flowers from the French Riviera area, which is why they have a location there. Andrew and I visited one of their shops in Paris last year, but didn’t feel like we had enough of an understanding to appreciate a souvenir. This year, I took home a bottle of their ‘bleu riviera’ and a matching make-up bag to remind me of the Cote d’Azur (blue coast).

That afternoon, we dropped our rental car off in Nice (after the perilous switchbacks in the hills and increased traffic from Provence, we were ready to be back to public transportation) and took a tram tour, stopped for beer and ‘socca’ (fried chickpea flatbread), and grabbed gelato at famous Fenocchio’s before hopping a bus back to Villefranche.

The next morning we took a train to Monaco (as in, the richest country in the world MONACO), home of the Monte Carlo casino and the Grand Prix. In fact, the Grand Prix had just wrapped up, and as we alighted from the train station we saw the remaining guard rails and expended tires being cleared away from the road.

Monaco is where the richest of the rich call ‘home,’ which really means it’s just an address–or where they dock their yacht–to avoid higher taxes elsewhere. The number of luxury vehicles we saw (we aren’t talking Lexus and Audi–we’re talking Lamborghini and Ferrari) was astounding.

We stopped for coffee outside the Monte Carlo and popped into the lobby for a peek. It’s perhaps the only casino NOT open 24/7; in fact, there’s a dress code after 2 p.m. and the guards made it seem like you might even need an invitation to play at a table!

Monaco is pretty tiny–less than a square mile yet the most densely populated country in the world–and we were able to explore it in about half a day. On a future trip, I’d love to see the aquarium there. We returned to Villefranche and spent a little time at the beach (check out Andrew in the water–he said it was freezing).

We spent the last day of the trip enjoying our little home-base, Villefranche, then heading into Nice for lunch and more walking. We went up to Castel Hill for views, walked the Promenade des Anglais with more gelato from Fenocchio’s. We still had a bottle of rose left at our apartment, so we grabbed some take-out Vietnamese food for dinner, found a secluded nook in the rock’s along Villefranche’s little port and enjoyed the faint nusic coming from a yacht in the bay.

Au revoir, France! A bientot!