Chicago Fire  -  4.2 -  A Taste of Panama City

                                                   



     I'm getting really tired of 51 getting disrespected by the public, other firehouses and upper management. That needs to end.
     The Firehouse is always under attack from the very people that are supposed to support them. Always. That upper management has an Odin complex and half of them need to go. Boden is no fool and I relish the day he and Riddle go head to head.
     Gabby and Casey completely underwhelmed me but I can see how their fans will be very happy. Congrats to you guys. It was funny that they were going to tell no one about the baby and 3/4 of the way through, everybody knew. All the way to the CPD. Odd that we didn't get to see Antonio mention it instead of Voight.
     I love when CPD characters come on the CF. I don't love the vigilante gene that seems to live inside of Casey. In the real world, he wouldn't have his job and he might even be dead for pulling some of the stunts he's pulled. Going to the club and getting that book was stupid. No other word. Stupid. He didn't know Voight was following him. He didn't know Nesbitt was following him. Given the trouble he gets himself into, he should be a little more aware of his surroundings. Thankfully PD saved his butt.
     It makes me mad that there are people in this world who act just like those idiots who are suing 51. So disrespectful to the people who put their lives on the line to protect them. I wanted Casey to punch somebody. So ridiculous. This entire plot is ridiculous. The response time is documented. What's to complain about? The police were there when they were ramming the cars out of the way. The initial call, the arrival time, the police arrival time, it's all on record. The city should be suing these jerks for obstruction and charging the ones who barricaded the street with involuntary manslaughter. This is a stupid plot. So many holes, so much belief to suspend. I just can't.
     I knew the Portland's were going to be entitled jerks. I wanted Herman to pull that biddy out of her doorway by her hair. What a bint. This is another stupid plot full of holes. THEY VOLUNTARILY MOVED INTO AN APT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM A BAR.  Then they're surprised at the noise. You can't see me but I am rolling my eyes so hard. Move. Find another apartment. No one forced you to choose that building. Idiots. No, instead they file a complaint with the city. What yuppies.
     Patterson. Patterson is a psycho. I don't care, it's coming. The man is unhinged and I need him to back away from Severide. That's the one story I'm looking forward too. He and Kelly will have a come to Jesus and it will be glorious.
     I really need our guys to catch a break next week and start giving as good as they're getting because Team Fire is getting it from all sides.

  Grade B-
Best Reason to Watch - It appears Nesbitt is gone. Thank you.
Best Scene - A very pissed off Herman announces karaoke night at Molly's after being treated like a second class, stupid citizen by Mrs. Portland. He blasts that music and sings his little heart out. Out of the back door, directly across the street. I laughed so hard. We won't forget about you Herman.
Worst Scene - Casey gets into a car chase with Nesbitt on the streets of Chicago, at night and pulls his truck into an alley. Dumb move. He's lucky Voight was following him. Nesbitt got out with a gun AND got the notebook. So weak.
Best Reaction - Gabby blurts out she's pregnant to a stunned Boden. He's as happy as if it was his grandchild. So cute.
Biggest WTF - The man 51 saved in that fire acts like he doesn't know a thing about anything that could help them with the lawsuit and won't come forward with any statement. What a jerk. They could have left you there you greedy old man.
Most Disturbing - The look in Patterson's eyes when he was trying to intimidate Kelly at Molly's. Psycho.
Best Addition - Jimmy. They're easing him in slowly and not making everything about him all at once. There is a story there with his brother coming.
The MVP - Molly's. Everybody but the Portland's loves her and now she has karaoke.
Biggest SMH - The idiot woman grabbed her fiance while the were using a defibrillator. They call clear for a reason lady.

Quotes -
Herman - "Lady, you can take that high and might attitude back to Portland. This is Chicago."
Nesbitt - "I'm a protected federal informant." Voight - "No kidding? Now get your ass up against that truck."
Voight  - "You know how you drown a rat Jack? You just toss his dumbass out in the deep end and wait for him to sink."
Herman - "For the love of God, will somebody get over here and arrest this moron?"
Brett -  "Doesn't she know what clear means?"

Sleepy Hollow 3.3 Blood and Fear

                                                Sleepy Hollow - 3.3 - Blood and Fear

                                                
       In this episode Ichabod and Abbie take on Jack the Ripper. Only he isn't anything like the Jack the Ripper of legend. It turns out Jack the Ripper has been in the world since the days of William the Conqueror, and it's not the man who is evil but a cursed weapon. We learn that he killed Ichabod's childhood friend. So Ichabod is familiar with him (of course) and now Pandora has brought him into Sleepy Hollow to do her bidding. At the end of the day, Abbie and Ichabod defeated him of course and they live on to fight the next evil she unleashes.
     Jenny and Joe were working together to find the shard that Randall stole from them, only to find he had lost it. It was stolen by a newly introduced character that I'm sure we'll see again.  Jenny being the badass that she is, figured it out.  She located the shard and the thief but was concerned to find the woman was a lot like her. The way she was trained, the items she hunted down. It led her to believe the other woman worked with August Corbin. It may have hurt her a little so I look forward to that story.  I am really enjoying Joe. He's got a calm about him that's good for Jenny.
     Pandora continues to be a favorite new character. She's evil but there is nothing overly dramatic about her. At times, I wish she was more animated. I also wish they'd get to the point about why she's in Sleepy Hollow and why now.  I'm sure it will get darker around mid-season break and I look forward to it.
     All together, this episode worked for me. There were great Abbie/Ichabod, Abbie/Jenny and Jenny/Joe moments that I love. There was action with a decent story behind it. I loved the way the flashbacks were filmed with Jack the Rippers story as the voice over. Actually, I loved the film look to the show this week.

Grade B

Favorite Scene -  End scene of Abbie and Ichabod. He's sick, she's by his "bedside." He wakes,they    share a nice scene and a fist bump. Camera pans to Pandora. She's creepily watching them and she's not happy. I really love how creepy she is.

Biggest Surprise - Ichabod injected himself with malaria and allowed himself to be stabbed by Jack, in order to kill him.
Most Badass - The Mills sisters are not to be played with. In one segment, Jenny is kicking in a motel room door. The next segment, Abbie is kicking in an apartment door.
Most Bizarre - Ichabod has a new friend who is too good to be true. I'm suspicious of her motives. She just shows up, several times, at odd moments. I'm keeping an eye on her. She has stalker written all over her.
Biggest NOPE. - Agent Reynold's asks Abbie out and she agrees.
Biggest NOPE 2 - Abbie hasn't told Jenny she found their father but she's looking at pics of him on her phone. Secrets never end well Abbie.
Least Surprising - Ichabod recognizes Jack's work right away. He had the materials to search him right away. Abbie was able to do a computer search on deaths from the William the Conqueror era. I love these guys so much, I over look this to accept the fast pace.
Best Moment - Ichabod decides to become a US citizen, Abbie supports him. 

Quotes -

Ichabod to Abbie - "I'm certain we shall uncover her plot and we shall foil it, we are after all, the witnesses." Fist Bump.

Ichabod - "I am most grateful, leftenant, that you and I have found one another. Once again."

Ichabod - "What brings you to this abyss of red tape and apathy?"

Randall - "Are you sure you're related to August Corbin?"    Joe "Hey. You know, I'm not the one handcuffed to a shower right now"

Sometimes You Can't Forget

     I am a very private person and you will rarely hear me tell anything that's deeply personal but Relay for Life is coming up and it brings me memories of a patient and his family that I adored.  I will tell anyone reading this, there is no happy ending but this is my way of grieving for him.  Putting it on "paper."
     A few years ago I admitted a 49 year old male patient. I will call him Jeff. Jeff was newly diagnosed with a primary glioblastoma.  An extremely aggressive brain tumor usually found in male adults.  The prognosis for these tumor's, even with treatment, fall anywhere from 6 months to a few years. Though each case is different, there is no cure. Only extreme options.
     Jeff was a happily married man with four children. He was a teacher and a youth football coach. He and his family lived several states away but our hospital is known for cancer treatment and he came here to have the tumor removed.
     Jeff came to us, weeks after his operation, to recover and hopefully get some rehab in before going home. Removing as much of the tumor as possible had left Jeff without function on his left side, slurred speech, blurry vision. Unable to walk any distance without help. This big, strong vibrant man was struck down by a tumor the size of a golf ball.
     Every day we worked with Jeff, trying to increase his motor functions, his ADL's, just his quality of life. Jeff's mind was still very much intact but his physical functions were not. This hurt him. He was a prideful, hard working man. It broke his spirit.
     Me being me, I became attached to him. I made him laugh, I harassed him non-stop. I fed him, talked to him, sang with  him, watched games with him. I fell in love with the relationship he had with his wife. It was humbling to see.  I like to think we became close.
     One Wednesday, he was doing so very good that his family wanted to drive his kids in to see him the weekend. The doctors approved this. We made plans, decorated his room. He was so happy at the thought of seeing his children. I'll never forget the smile on his face. Ever.
    That night his wife pulled me out of the room to thank me. I told her she didn't have to thank me for doing my job. She told me "You gave him back his dignity." and I broke down. She said I didn't treat him like he was dying and I didn't treat him like he was handicapped. I understood the words he was trying to say, even with his slurred speech. I just could not stop crying. I think I knew then but didn't want to believe.
     I was off on that Thursday so I didn't get to see Jeff.  Late Thursday night, into Friday morning before I came in to work, Jeff had a seizure. They are always a possibility after this type of surgery but he had done so well, we believed he was past the worry stage. He wasn't.  An hour before I arrived at work, Jeff had been moved to the ICU and put on life support. I went to check on him as soon as I could. His wife, the strongest woman I've ever met, was standing stoically outside of his room. She didn't have to tell me. I knew he was gone. The seizure had robbed him of all brain function, leaving him a vegetable. The doctors had talked with her about removing his life support and she had agreed. It was only a matter of time. She told me that this was God's way of leaving her children with only the best memories of their father. His smile, tucking them in, teaching them football. Even the girls. It was God's way of taking away the suffering that was still to come with this type of cancer. She cried, I cried. I don't think I've grieved for a patient like this before. He felt like family.
     I was so angry. He didn't get to see his kids and they didn't get to say goodbye. I just kept telling myself over and over that his wife was right. They deserved to remember him as he loved them. With a smile as bright as sunshine.
     I hate cancer. I hate everything about cancer but I will always love Jeff and the memories I have of being able to take care of him. Of making him laugh. Of understanding him when no one else could. I'll never forget you Jeff and I thank God I was blessed to take care of you.                             

                                                                                                                                   
                                                   Chicago Fire - 4.01 - Let it Burn

                                                   




                                                   Welcome back Chicago Fire!
     At the end of season 3, Casey was working a human trafficking case with CPD, leaving us with an ominous cliffhanger. Gabby found out she was pregnant and doing something completely opposite of any other TV show I've seen, she went to Matt's apartment, I assumed to tell him. What she found was a ransacked apartment and a dead body.
     At the start of the season 4, Casey is in trouble with Nesbitt and the goons who want a little black book.  In comes the small crossover with CPD. It's really ironic that Casey is beating Nesbitt only to have Voight pull him off and say "take it easy." It was just one of those moments that made me laugh. I know not every one does but I love when these shows cross over. It's like one big, dysfunctional family and I enjoy that.
   This episode was good for me because we have a continuing story, two new characters, Severide's new story (albeit redundant), crossovers, scenes at Molly's, which I love and there wasn't a lot of time wasted on unnecessary story with Otis, Mouch and Herman. 
     The episode seemed to fly by but it paved the way for a whole lot of story this season. I think it's going to be a good one. There seems to be something for everyone.

-I'm not a fan of Dawson and there was a lot of her here. The fans will be happy. I'd like to see them use other characters more.
-Severide's story seems to be a rehash with nothing but a different reason to have him off of truck. It's not original at all.
-Patterson is a douche.
-It looks like we have Severide's new love interest. I liked what I saw of her.
-Cruz continues to make me wonder "why is he here and Shay is not?"


Grade: B
    
Best Reason to Watch - The chief. He was everywhere/Casey and Dawson reunite and she tells him about the baby

Best Character - Chief Boden. He had little patience for BS in this episode.

Best Scene - Squad and Truck unblock the road in front of a burning building, by "any means necessary" and it was awesome.

Biggest Twist- Severide quits 51

2nd Twist - the very people who were blocking 51 from the fire at the crackhouse are now suing the city. Their reason?  51 had a slow response time because they are a poor neighborhood. Lets see how that goes. They could all be guilty of involuntary manslaughter for blocking emergency personnel.

Best Cameo - Chief Riddle, played by Supernatural alum, Fredric Lehne.

Best Reaction - Chief Boden is NOT impressed with the entry of our new candidate.

Worst Twist - Riddle stripped Severide of his rank

Most Welcome - Jimmy came to apologize for disrespecting the Chief and Firehouse 51 while his brother played it off as a hazing joke. Wrong answer older brother. The chief showed him the closed door and it was great. Jimmy showed a lot of character here. I think I'm going to like him.

Biggest Eye Roll - The intro of the new candidate, Jimmy. Played by TVD's Steve McQueen. Not at all his fault, his brother just made him look foolish.

Least Surprising - Upper management has yet another problem with Firehouse 51. I'm getting tired of those guys.

Most Awkward - I was embarrassed for Jimmy. Boden fired him in two minutes and that has to be a record.

Most Ridiculous -The new couple from Portland.

Worse scene - Sylvie and Chili perform CPR. No way would I ever believe watching this scene that either of them passed EMT training. Never.  I don't think I care what they have planned for these two this season.

Most Bizarre - The newly arrived couple from Portland.

Best Quotes:
-Patterson "I'd like you to remain with the company. Your reputation as a firefighter is not in question."    Severide "No, just my ability to lead"
-Herman - "And the moron of the year award goes to..."
-Boden -"Truck 81, Squad 3. Open up this street by any means necessary."
-Herman - "You happy now? Is that what you wanted? He was a human being. You people make me sick."
-Casey "I don't ever want to let you out of my life again." Dawson "I'm pregnant"
(Thank you for not dragging it out)

Chili

                                     Another winter favorite: A quick and easy spicy chili

Hot Chili

Ingredients

2 lbs of lean hamburger
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
1 large sweet onion
1 tsp of crushed red pepper
3-4 heaping TB of chili powder (to your taste)
1 tsp of onion powder (optional)
Salt and Pepper

Instructions 

1) In a large stew pot, add your hamburger and half of your diced onion, brown until onions are tender
2) Drain any grease from the pot

3) Drain any juice or water from your canned beans.
4) add all remaining ingredients and mix well
5)  Simmer for 2 hours

Serve with cornbread and enjoy

* I've used only one style of bean, whichever I had on hand at the time. All measurements can be more or less*

     There is something about this book touched me, deeply. It made me reflective, melancholy, happy and sad. Even now, hours after finishing, I still have tears rolling down my face trying to write this review. It's not so much the book itself as it is parts of the story where you see yourself. You see the choices you've made. The life you've led. This book will make any romantic think about what is, what could have been, what should have been and what can be.
     I'm too drained for a full review. 5 stars for a beautiful love story that made me reflect on my own life and left me melancholy, optimistic and wishful. If everyone's life was perfect, there would be no such thing as regret, second chances or redemption.
     Every book in this series, the Burg, Chaos, Colorado Mountain and the Dream Man series will have a hard cover on my collection shelf as soon as they're available. She writes realistic hero's and heroines.  She writes her characters so well, you can see them as clearly as yourself in the mirror. I will never hesitate to buy one of her books. Not all are great but they are all good.

Shade by Jamie Begley

I read a lot of complaints that this book was simply a rehash of The Last Rider series without a  lot of new material. I disagree. A lot of it is but this book is entirely  from Shade's POV and I loved every chapter. If you've read the series, you know Shade was instrumental in every story. We all wanted to know what he was thinking while he quietly worked behind the scenes to help his friends and to show his devotion to Lily. We get that here. This is it. This tells that story and more. This book is not the companion to Shade's Fall from Shades POV. It's Shades POV throughout the entire series. If you liked Shade at all during those books, you will love this one. Also, full disclosure: I like the men in this series and Killyama more than I like any of the heroine's. But it's a series to be read for pleasure, not to be taken seriously. There is no way I could put myself in their positions. I'm not made that way.

     I don't even know where to start with my love for this book. I have bookshelves full of old classics, literary favs, Johanna Lindsey's,  Sherrilyn Kenyon's, a Kindle full of Kristen Ashley, Jamie Begley and more. This book solidified Shade as a top ten hero, book boyfriend, anti-hero, lover, friend, badass, alpha. Whatever label you want to put on him, Shade is it.
     He was so heavily played in some of the other books and all we knew was he was a military hero and sniper with no emotion but his love for Lily.  According to Viper he was also a mean motherf*cker.  He ended up having the biggest heart of them all.
     Shades love for Lily was a beautiful thing but there were issues.
-I want someone to slap the mess out of Bliss. My least favorite character that we're supposed to like.
-I need more Lucky.
-The sex club is my least favorite part of these books because it seems the women all give in to easily. The guy says "wait, watch, you'll like it" and they just do. The sex between the couples is fine but not realistic at all. Some I skipped over, some I didn't. Shade was more realistic in his wait for Lily than the sexual scenes in any of the books.
     If you like easy, motorcycle club reads, this is a good series. Not the best, not my favorite but a few of my favorite characters.