what is "free time"?!

It's fall break and I don't really know what to do with all this free time! It feels a little strange to actually have time to do everything I want and need to do. Sadly I couldn't fly home for the break, so I've just been lounging...catching up on The Office, cleaning, cooking....I'd love to go do something outdoors but unfortunately the weather is icky here, a high of 40 and no sun - figures!

I started the break by visiting my senior mentor in equine surgery on Friday. During undergrad I observed Dr. Privette float teeth once, and that is literally the extent of my experience with horses. So I'll admit that I wasn't particularly excited to hang around in equine, but I actually had a blast! Going into the clinic is really refreshing to me - when I start to feel like what I'm learning is pointless, or feeling like I haven't learned that much, hanging out in the clinic reminds me of how important it all is, and reminds me that I do have a pretty large knowledge base already. When I first arrived, one of the doctors did a short case challenge on septic synovial joints, and then my senior took me to check out his patients. He explained a lot about lameness, what may cause it, symptoms, and how to treat it, mentioning a lot of the things I've learned in all of my classes. Also learned a ton about nerve blocking, which amazes me [and made me realize that I really need to go back and learn nerve innervation a little better], and saw an ultrasound on the leg of one of the horses. I am seriously so excited to a veterinarian :)

As much as I'd love to spend this week vegging out and not crack open my school laptop, I have to be realistic. I have a lit assignment due this week and I need to prepare for the weeks ahead - it's going to be a little brutal. Honestly, this semester hasn't been that stressful. However, I have live dog quizzes and a physiology exam next week,, the week after that I have three exams, and then finals the next week. So slacking off this week will only make things worse! Doing a little each day isn't so bad, and it's good to exercise the brain instead of letting it turn to mush :)

Lastly, thought I'd share the recipe to the spinach ravioli lasagna I made today :)

Ingredients:

6 ounces of fresh baby spinach

1/3 cup of pesto sauce

15 ounces of alfredo sauce (I just used a white sauce)

1/4 cup of vegetable broth

20 ounces of cheese ravioli

1 cup of Italian style cheese

Basil or Italian spice blend, parsley (to taste)

Chop up the spinach...

...and toss it with the pesto sauce.

Mix the vegetable broth with the alfredo sauce.

Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a lightly greased pan .

Spread 1/2 of the spinach mixture on top... 

...and 1/2 of the pasta on top of that. 

Repeat those layers (spinach, pasta) and top with the remaining sauce mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes!

While waiting, I tossed the cheese with the basil. After the 30 minutes is up, place the cheese on top of the lasagna and bake for 5 more minutes.

Wah-lah!

Honestly it turned a little salty for my taste, so I'd recommend a low sodium alfredo sauce and maybe a little less pesto sauce. But still delicious!