My dad recently had a hospital stay to get a pacemaker installed. He’s fine (hi Dad!), so this post isn’t about him, it’s about hospital food.

I don’t make a habit of being in the hospital, but I have been to one a number of times in my life. This is, however, the first time I’ve been to a hospital that provides room service.

And I don’t just mean Jello, applesauce, and ginger-ale…I’m talking about an entire menu of items to order for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I’m sure that everything ordered will quickly show up on the bill, but let me tell you what I was able to get for $6.

First off, the menu is extensive – more extensive that many restaurants I’ve been to. You can order breakfast items, lunch/dinner, heart healthy options, and even some pretty tasty sounding/looking desserts.

If you’re a patient, the world is your oyster at the touch of a button – and if you’re a guest, it just takes a walk down to the cafeteria for purchase a voucher for $6, which then allows you to order anything you want from the patient room.

In one hour or less someone shows up, knocks on the door, and says – you got it…”Room Service!” It’s like being in a hotel full of sick people! (seriously – the woman in the room across from my dad had the most disgusting consistent cough I have EVER heard in my life)

Anyway…so I had some delicious grilled chicken fajitas with all the trimmings; dad had kabobs, french toast, sorbets, and all sorts of delicious yumminess. Frankly he ate better at the hospital than he does at home (read: Bojangles).

Take a look at the menu (click the images and they will open in larger format) – I bet some of you are going to invent an ailment just so you can experience this cuisine.

I think the next series of Hell’s Kitchen – the winner gets a job as head chef at a hospital.

I’m glad you’re OK dad…

I have to say, and therefore shall say, that I have nothing but disdain for 2009 and I’m glad that it’s gone. I hope the Langoliers tear it to shreds, leaving nothing to even remember it by.

Ok so there were SOME positives in 2009, namely a new president…but it was still a year that I would prefer to remember unfondly and move on.

Here were some of the major events in our lives…what were yours?

• January: David spent the New Year’s weekend cleaning out the server room at work, and then we had brunch at Roxy.
• February: We had our second Wine Party, had an incredible Valentine’s dinner at Tuli Bistro, and I had an x-ray on my right knee.
• March: I got my teeth cleaned, I had an MRI on my right knee, I got new glasses, and I was on-air quite a bit at KVIE.
• April: Again I was on-air for KVIE, we took a delightful trip to the air/space museum which featured a lunar exhibit sponsored by Intel (and others), and we spent time with our friends Bob & Stephen who were visiting from NY.
• May: I had arthroscopy on my right knee to remove cartilage that was floating around (they also discovered a fatty tumor), we attended the Star Trek premier as well which was much needed I think.
• June: Siobhan went into heart failure and had to go on medication twice daily and our entire schedule/world shifted. Michael Jackson died.
• July: Siobhan died on the 23rd. Sweet Kisses was published.
• August: We had our 6 year anniversary and David had his 41st birthday, we had the front yard redone, and over 300 hours of volunteer work culminated in a very successful KVIE Art Auction.
• September: I had my teeth cleaned again, and we went to the state fair, I also surprised my parents with a trip home (they also celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary, and I had a birthday).
• October: I spent most of October doing on-air work at KVIE, and we had our annual Haunt.
• November: NaNoWriMo consumed most of the month, also had time for a day trip to Tahoe with Kathy Cushion, we went to see the War of the Worlds stage play in Nevada City, and we went to see Cirque du Soleil’s new show Ovo in SFO.
• December: Both of my parents had birthdays, we had a very casual non-party holiday gathering at home, and I did a little writing retreat out on the Delta King in Old Sacramento, plus I had a small spot removed from my nose for biopsy.

It doesn’t sound all that bad, but it was completely overshadowed by the death of Siobhan. I think the easiest way to ruin a year is to lose a child…

So here’s looking for a better 2010, and let’s see how it has started off…

• Bombing in Pakistan
• Mudslide in Brazil
• Health coverage still not passed
• Two more ships seized by Pirates off Somalia
• A local synagogue was vandalized
• Someone stole an entire ATM from a local hospital
• Rush Limbaugh was released from the hospital
• and a Degas painting was stoled from an exhibit in Marseille

Well…we’re off to a great start aren’t we…

Whew!

We’re finally done with all those pesky holidays, and now we can get on with our lives. No more buying presents, wrapping them in secret, hiding them under a paganly decorated tree… No more prepping for parties, spending crazy amounts of money on eggnog ingredients, honey baked hams, and mulling spices…

And no more cheery people walking around wishing you happy and merry and joyous things. Finally we can get back to our normal bitter selves who don’t care a lick about anyone else but ourselves .

It’s amazing how quickly it all passes. Christmas decorations and goodies are on the shelves before Halloween is over. We sort of just skip over Thanksgiving except for all the two for one turkey deals at the grocery store – but even those are just prepping you for Christmas dinner.

Now we’re on to what next…Valentine’s Day? Yeah – I’ve already seen bags of chocolate easter eggs in the store. I mean seriously…there should just be a “holiday” aisle in every store and you walk from one end to the other passing through every possible holiday there is in the year.

To your left you can pick up some chocolates in a box shaped like a heart, then reach to your right and grab an Easter basket filled with plastic grass. Take another step forward and get some fireworks for the 4th of July, and don’t forget to pick up some President’s Day / Columbus Day / MLKJ Day / and all the other days goodies on the other side of the aisle. Near the end of the aisle you’ll find the pilgrim costumes next to the…well, pilgrim costumes, and then of course tree skirts.

It could work actually. You could get an entire year of holiday shopping done on one aisle. Imagine an IKEA Holiday Aisle. It would be, hands down, the busiest aisle in the entire complex. You’d have to bring your entire family, each of them pushing a cart.

It’s sad really. Just when we thought we were coming down from a triptophan high we are off to the next big thing. No wonder people don’t care about holidays any more, there are too many of them. There should be one big holiday right in the middle of the year – everyone gets a week off of work, all around the planet, and we celebrate every single possible holiday right then and there. Fireworks, parties, drinking and dancing in the streets, music and merriment, all around the world on the same day.

Dangit! I’m talking about New Years without even realizing it! Didn’t we just finish Christmas???

I am pleased to share that Heath sings the 12 Days of Christmas has finally come to a close. There is only one more video in the series, and I hope you enjoy it while you are drinking eggnog and eating delicious food with friends and family.

Have a wonderful holiday everyone!

The 12 Days of Christmas: