Confessions of a Part-Time Bakeaholic: Life s/p Step 1

I am happy to report that there is life after Step 1. Only six months ago, I had trouble thinking of my life beyond the end of April and now I am starting my first rotation, surgery, tomorrow! I am excited but also terrified and intimidated and worried about how to not be the wallflower I have been for the past quarter of a century this year.

Shortly before I actually took Step 1, we welcomed this lovely little furr ball into our family.

We were originally told that she was a he and I was quite ecstatic that the Husband Unit agreed to name him Fitzwilliam (after Mr. Darcy, of course). After a week or two, however, it became apparent that little Fitzwilliam was more of a Fitzwilliama so she is now affectionately referred to as Fitz or Fitzy. Cats have never really been my thing, but having had Fitzy since she was 7 weeks old, I completely adore her. She is the most mellow kitty (except when she wants food or when you're trying to eat). She loves attention, loves to be petted, loves to be held, and will let you do pretty much anything.

Just a little over a week ago, we decided that Fitz might be a little lonely, especially since we will both be gone for long hours during the day. After much searching, we brought a second little kitten into our lives.

We have named her Tiger Lily (since she is supposedly a girl despite the characteristically male coloring). She is quite the character! She plays almost like a puppy or a dog, loves to sleep on us and be near us, but will protest quite loudly whenever she is picked up. She also is a fan of perching on shoulders (parakitty?), which while occasionally painful is quite adorable.

Despite never previously envisioning cats in my life, I am head over heels in love with our kitties. They are a joy to wake up to every morning and to come home and play with every night. I have missed having pets for the past 6-7 years, but the gap is quickly being filled in.

After my exam, I spent a week in Costa Rica with my mom and had much more fun than I anticipated. The country is beautiful and full of all sorts of animals I never thought I would see outside of a zoo. I was introduced to Costa Rican culture and quickly became cognizant of the fact that Central (& South) American cultures are quite varied despite the similarities. One of the things that surprised me the most was that the food was really quite bland in terms of spices; I guess I was subconsciously expecting it to be more like Mexican food.

Fun Fact - In Costa Rica it rains too much (85-185 in. annually depending on which part of the country) to bury the deceased underground (no one really likes bodies floating up to the surface). Consequently they bury everyone above ground in cement/tile structures that look like this. After 7-10 years the bones are removed and placed somewhere else regardless if the plot is owned or rented. Cremation seems like a sensible alternative, but it is too expensive for most people to afford in CR.

So many kinds of flowers!

Sunrise over the Caribbean Sea.

Jungle Cruise, anyone?

When it rains, it pours....but only for a little bit and then it clears up for a bit until the next drenching.

I still remember learning about poison dart frogs in kindergarten during our rain forest unit. These little guys are tiny, about the size of the tip of a thumb.

Arenal Volcano enshrouded in clouds.

Suspension bridge in the rainforest canopy.

Baby monkey riding on a pig, baby monkey! (Please note, remembering this video is what got me through all my wedding photos with a smile on. Life-altering video)