Min Zhao's Happy Unbirthday Party

Lasagne with salad (from Tash) followed by Golden Syrup dumplings (courtesy of happy Deb) were on the menu.

Dear Minzie had neglected to tell us of the passing of his birthday in January, so we happily randomly allocated another day for celebrations. We also couldn't figure out if he turned 20, 21 or 22, and he wouldn't tell us.

Bottom left was the closest to a group shot we got. Tash's two sisters Gen and Liz, Rob's girlfriend Liz, Stew and Dan came over to join the festivities.

Finally, a grumpy picture of the birthday boy receiving his present.
"You bought me a pencil???"
Actually, it was snapped in the briefest lull between big smiles :)

Prayer

Fill my eyes, O my God, with a vision of the cross
Fill my heart with love for Jesus, the Nazarene

Fill my mouth with Thy praise
Let me sing through endless days
Take my will, let my life be wholly thine

-Traditional hymn

Medical students and free food

Anybody who has ever been a medical student, or have had any contact with medical students will attest to the "like sugar to ants" effect free food has on us. Free food's either drug company or medical defence rep sponsored or *shock horror* medical school sponsored. Just mention "free food", and every student in a kilometer radius will be there.

True to form, yesterday evening around 6pm, the alarm was sounded and 3 of us were informed of a free dinner (chinese takeout) held by the school of rural health to welcome some new pharmacy students. We went along, had a couple of helpings of generic sweet-and-sour pork, honey "chicken" and fried rice, had a chat to the pharmacy students and headed back to our unit all full and content.

This story should have ended then, but 10 minutes after we left, the person who organised the dinner walked up the path into our unit and interrupted our second dinner (minestrone soup and trimmings courtesy of Deb). She told us that there were some leftovers, and we were more than welcome to bring a couple of take out containers to gather them as to avoid waste. So, we sent Rob and Min Zhao out with 2 small plastic containers. They returned 1/2 an hour later with a BOX of food. 5-6 plates piled with takeaway all covered with cling wrap and the 2 small plastic containers. Mmm... guess what we had for lunch and early dinner today? :)

And if you're commenting on the fact that we have 2 dinners... Well, the dietitian said that the best way to eat was to have 6 small meals, instead of 3 big ones. And we know, always listen to your dietitian!

Where have the holidays gone?

After 2 glorious months of reclining in that position in various locations, the grinding reality of med school is finally upon me yet again. Oh, how I want to be on the beach now.

Although, there are some newcomers to Shep who are literally looking pretty good... new surgical interns and regs to be exact. :)

Oh and Vern, my next door neighbour here (well at least for the next week) is a Scottish doctor called Angus! I kid you not. He's a GP who's come here over the summer with his wife and kid to locum for some surgeries here.

Altogether, not a bad start.