Amsterdam-bound

Hello all!
Whew! It's been a LONG time---sorry for such a delay in posting. I've been busy with lots of stuff and now that I have the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival behind me, I can try to settle into what is ahead. We are T-minus less than two weeks till the hubby and I fly off to Amsterdam (with a side trip to Germany to see the relatives) so that I may present my poster of my doctoral research at the Second International Conference on Violence in the Health Sector (October 26-29).

Just some background information; I graduated April 2009 with my Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. It was a 'mostly on-line' program with some in-person intensive weekends in Michigan. To complete the course of study, one must do a 'capstone' project which usually entails some kind of research. My research study focused upon looking into the extent and impact of horizontal violence within the work environment of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists of which I happen to be one. Yes, there is horizontal violence within the operating rooms of this great country of ours---sad to say. Anyway, to make a long story even longer........my research abstract was accepted for poster presentation at the Sigma Theta Tau (Honor Society for us nursing-types) International Convention last autumn in Indianapolis, IN which lead to my abstract being accepted at the International Conference in Amsterdam at the end of this month------WAY too exciting!!! I can hardly contain myself! But, mostly, I'm excited to attend the conference to see what else is going on related to this topic---which is soooo HUGE right now (i.e.: bullying in schools, workplace bullying/violence).

So, anyhoo, we fly off to Amsterdam at the end of the month with a side trip to Germany as I said. My parents are accompanying us for part of the trip (the Germany part). I have two uncles and two aunts (my mom's siblings) in southern Germany whom I haven't seen for 18 years!!

Other items on my plate: Midnight, one of my French Angora rabbit does gave birth to a litter of baby bunnies on October 2nd. They are doing well and we already have people interested in purchasing. The autumn color here in Vermont is glorious and we are enjoying it! Sayda, our newest sheep (I believe I introduced you to her in a prior posting) has been busting out to browse under one of the apple trees. The hubby has since tweeked the electric fence to the proper voltage and fixed some areas of it where she was sneaking out underneath---but it will require a trip to our favorite fence company Wellscroft in Harrisville, NH this week. I see a side trip to Harrisville Designs in my future........

I have been duly inspired as of late to initiate my own podcast under the Counting Sheep name---I have been brainstorming about segments for the podcast and I think I have enough stuff for the rudimentary beginnings of a podcast!! I'm kind of excited about this new venture, but I probably won't tackle it until after we get back from Amsterdam---too much going on.

My knitting group survived a change in venue----we named the group as well. We are now called the Mt. Ascutney Fiber Arts group (MAFA for short) and we meet at the Hartland Public Library on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month from 6:30pm-8:00pm. We're welcoming ALL fibery arts including knitting, crocheting, spinning, rug-hooking, and beyond.

Okay, I think that's all for now---stay tuned for the podcast update....now that I've typed it, I HAVE to do it, right?