The Saga 8/05 part 3

8/21
Technically, this is day 5, but since Wednesday was totally lost to travel it is day 4. The fourth day should have E and i back together as I instituted a three day rule early on in our relationship. On occasion there is little to be done about enforcing this rule, and I am ready to be back with my baby. Three days/nights I can handle well enough, beyond that, I just don't like it. I guess that means some retail therapy is required.

Truth be told, I don't like it for one night. I want her with me always.

So today is Sunday and we are meeting family at the Hilton in Lake Placid for Sunday brunch. If willie remembered, he made us a 1230 reservation and we won't have to wait. My sister Lynn and her son Ian will come down from Plattsburgh and Brenda and Bill who we have known long enough to make them family, will join us after church. Add Connor, my mom and maybe my dad to myself and we should be a party of eight.

William tends the omelette station for sunday brunch so that might be the required meal this morning. He said he will try to keep his chef's whites fresh for pictures that long.

It has been interesting seeing him after three years. Apparently he is quite put out with his father and refers to him as Duffer, his nickname, or That Crazy Man. I find it interesting because I have never said a disparaging word about him, and for the first 17 years of his life they had little contact. It is just another small affirmation to see him figuring this out for himself. He has lived with his father for nearly three years now and is in the process of finding his own place. There is an apartment house here which is the equivalent of the projects, but is actually fairly recent construction. It is state subsidized housing and Willie's pastor is helping him to get approved. At least he is not hinting around to come back to Texas.

So he has found god, too. That is a conversation I have managed to side step fairly easily. He had taken Thursday and Friday off so I saw quite a bit of him those days. Every time we stopped back at the hotel, he sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the bible and began reading to pass the time while he waited for me.

Interesting.

Connor has been relatively calm so far. His soul focus is on going target shooting with his pop. My dad says the only requirement is that he display a modicum of maturity. Connor is 14. A modicum is at times a stretch, but he is holding his own. My dad takes every opportunity to remind Connor he is supposed to be mature. It is much easier for him now that his brother has gone back to work. Oil and water, those two.

So Connor is very well adapted to taking my father's criticisms. He also takes every opportunity to mock my dad. This does not go unnoticed, and really, it seems the best way for him to handle my dad. I never thought of anyone as handling my dad, but Connor is already a master. He gives better than he gets most times, and my dad is so taken off guard by it, all he can do is laugh about it. It is perhaps the closest he will come to having a mini-me.

Life has been a comedy these past few days.

Ahh...civilization

So I found a goffee shop in lake Placid who makes chai lattes *and* has free wireless available. Woohooooooooo...

My oldest, Willie, surprised me at the hotel with a long hug and said as he was hugging, " Thanks mom for not leaving me fopr that crazy man to be raised."

Hah!

Vindication? Affirmation?

Two disappointments in one and so early in the morning

Two disappointments in one and so early in the morning

Yes, there is enough time to go back to the McD's counter and bitch them out for giving me the wrong breakfast sandwich before i board the plane. No, it just isn't worth the effort and I will chalk it up to fate telling me I was not supposed to eat that crap anyway. At least they got my water right.

That was one.

Now for two, WIFI signs all over the place making me think I can log on and blog my disgust with said McD's. When will I learn that "WIFI access" is not the same as "FREE WIFI access"?

I suppose it is the beginning of my week-long detox. I will be detoxing off of the internet, sure. My folks live in the middle of nowhere. They do have internet access, but they are not likely set up for wireless, and my Mac is not set-up for anything else. Planning might have dictated that I might prepare for that and set it up and pack the phone cord, but no. Didn't happen.

I hope to at least find a cafe offering FREE WIFI in Lake Placid, but I am not betting on it, so this might not even get posted until I get back to Houston.

A cafe. Sigh. I am not sure there is any Starbucks anywhere near my destination, either. I meant to do a search at their site last night but I forgot. I can at least do that on my dad's computer when I get there. I might suffer serious withdrawal. Or it might be a good thing. Spell check says that is the correct spelling of withdrawal. Not so sure.



Drama part 2
So I get off the plane in Chicago, and there is a voice mail from my son. "I overslept. I missed my plane but I am on the next one which comes in at 530 or something. I will try to call again you must be on the plane."

I called my mom to let her know we would not be arriving by 6 just so she would not be all wigged out. You see, my folks are 2-3 hours drive from the airport.

I then get back onto a plane and take my hop to Albany from Chicago. I am waiting in baggage claim for Connor and remaining very calm. Meditation and yoga are serving me well. I was debating whether or not to bring any DVDs with me as I know it drains the battery of my laptop, but I figured I would give it a go and see how season 2 of La Femme Nikita ends up. At this point I am glad I brought them, the last two discs for S2, and while awaiting my son's arrival, I found an outlet by a bench in baggage claim. I can watch *and* recharge.

Finally, my phone rings again. Connor tells me the flight has been delayed with an 8:28 estimated arrival time. Ok, I couldn't help it, I released a heavy sigh.

SIGH.

C: Aw mom, don't get mad. It is vacation afterall.
Me: Clarify please, you missed your flight, and the one you got put onis being delayed. Both those things happened, not just one or the other? It started with you missing your flight?
C: Yeah. I did not set my alarm because I thought dad was getting me up. Dad said I should have set my alarm. My fault.
Me: Back up. Who is the parent, you or dad?
C: Dad.
Me: So it is his fault. Period. End of story.

I have innumerable past experience that dictates that any transaction involving Steven LaMont Witcher, will be convoluted. He. Is. Not. Reliable. Herein lies the source of my calm. I *know* this. It is a lesson I have mastered with great proficiency.

So I was watching Nikita and it occured to me, during the previous conversation with Connor, he informed me the airline mandated he fly UM status, unaccompanied minor. This bit of info delighted my mother, "That means he's not alone through all this mess."

So this little light bulb going off told me that I would not be able to meet my son in baggage claim as we had planned. I would have to sign for him and meet him at the gate. This raised a small panic in that I had absolutely no idea what flight my son was to be on and no number to call him back at. Let's not forget, no unticketed peeps allowed beyond security checkpoints. And I am still looking at a 3 hour drive and I woke up at 5 this morning after a brief stint awake and restless at 2 am.

I found check in and the man looked up the info and gave me a security pass. I check the monitor for the flight he gave me and it is the one that should have arrived at 2:35. The monitor says it is still delayed in Philly. But that is the flight he was supposed to be on, the one he missed.

So I am sitting here at the gate with peeps waiting for the Philly flight to get here so they can go back to Philly. Or get to Philly to transfer to London. Makes me wait more manageable. I imagine hearing E tell me, "Listen to someone else's troubles and you will keep your own." I am glad I am not worrying about making a London connection, though admittedly, I would gladly go to London.

I just learned something new.

I was trying to figure out how to edit comments to remove the comment spam I got on the previous post. I looked around the Blogger dashboard but found nada. Zippo. Then, I just had the brilliant idea to go look at the FAQ page and search 'edit comments'. There it was simple as can be.

And this was all made possible by Dear Sweet Elizabeth who corrupted my desire to bail on my yoga class today. I think that I might not even be missed by my students. Well, maybe by three or four of the 15, but not entirely. I won't see them for two weeks now as vacation draws ever closer. The decision will then need to be made as to whether or not i go back to teaching them.

As E mentioned on her blog today, we have been teaching at a facility for troubled youth. A lockdown facility. She is teaching mural making, and i am teaching yoga. We are each with a group of 15 young women. Teenagers. High schoolers. We had been warned that all the volunteers who take ona program usually leave after three weeks. Of course, this is week three.

It isn't the kids that make everyone run or just not come back. it is the staff. Terri, our friend and the facilitator of all these programs, says it is because they are underpaid. Actually, most of the staff are just glorified babysitters. They are well paid for that position. There are obvious flaws in the system, and it is bothersome to feel like one of the flaws.

This is not something i willl really dwell on, but I feel there has to be some solution. Of course, the solution might be to not go back. I will reserve judgement til after vacation.




2

more

days

alternately

It will be about 60 days until it is officially official.

officially unofficial

156 days. I think that's correct. I was going to install a counter, but could not find one that
was sure enough in using in that it wouldn't fuck up my blog totally. So a random "xx number of days until..." will just have to do. And until it is officially official, that's all I have to say about it. So there.

Dried cantelope, sour cream, bagels, and rainbow sherbet

Is that a menu or what. That is actually my grocery purchases tonight on my way home from dinner with my friend Beth.

Earlier today, E and I went to the farmer's market and got some produce for the week. We scored two seedless watermelons, two cantelopes, red potatoes, bananas and strawberries. There are still squash and onions left from last week. When we are good about going to the market weekly, and good about cutting the produce when arriving home, we are pretty good then eating better, or healthier, through the week.

We also stopped at Costco where we got the nedded toilet paper and bottled water, dishwasher tablets, and eggs. We neglected to buy the also needed tamponskis and we added blueberries.

this is where the sour cream comes in, as a companion to the blueberries, breakfast tomorrow morning is already calling my name. The bagels i just knew we were in need of, and the dried cantelope and rainbow sherbet are pure impulse purchases. All in all, still a pretty healthful shopping day.

arnoldserious

arnoldserious
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

Back in the day...

My dad, sometime in the '50s. Musta had a hot date.

Don't wanna get up...

I am feeling lazy and sluggish and i really wanted to go to the beach this morning.

Wah.

i guess I was just not supposed to be there. History has taught me that yoga is where i need to be this morning, so I am getting my ass up out of bed in a few minutes, into the shower, and out the door. Hmph.

Vacation in two week s will be nice. I hope. Haven't seen my folks in a couple of years and my youngest(14) who is meeting me in NY for a year, so it will be a nice mini reunion. My oldest(20) lives up there now and I haven't seen him since he left the nest 3 years ago. Interesting. He is training in the Lake Placid Hiltom to be a chef and has worked there since moving. I think he is currently a pantry man. I just learned from my mom that he has also acquired a tattoo gun. He is a decent artist, but i am thinking I would rather pay someone at this point. We shall see. E asked, "So he knows about how sanitary he needs to be?" My question exactly.

Which is worse?

I have a coworker who only works on weekends and as I in general do not work Sunday's, I see her at most once a week. Saturday is usually busy, so there is little, if any, chatty time, especially for a coworker I just don't really care for.

Today when I came in she actually made a point of saying hi to me. I did not think too much of it beyond noticing it seemed odd. She then said," I heard you sort of got remarried a couple of weeks ago and I just wanted to pass on congratulations to you and your husband."

Me: I don't have a husband.
Her: I guess that is where the sort of comes in?
Me: No, I have a wife.
Her: Oh.
(processing)
Her: Well congratulations anyway, I guess.


Then around 5ish, I was talking with two other coworkers, ones I at least like well enough to have a conversation with. As she walked by the desk, she stopped and was listening to the conversation trying to be part of those of us talking. I was relaying the latest drama about my wasband. I was specifically saying what I said to him before I had to hang up on him because he was talking to me in a totally inappropriate way.

Me:...So I said to him, "You know that I won't condone the way you are speaking to me by allowing it to continue. So just so you are not confused, this is not us getting disconnected again. This is me hanging up on you for real. I will call my son tonight when I get home."
Her: Maxine, that is so unChristian of you!
Me: I really don't know which is worse. You presuming I am heterosexual or you presuming I am a christian.

She paused briefly and turned and left the room. My two coworkers I was actually talking to had a hard time stifling their laughter.
CW1:No you didn't...
CW2:Yes she did...
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Kimi

Kimi
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

Could it be true? All the lesbians who meet Kim want to *be* Kim. She is the quintessential lesbian. It is really sad for you if you do not know Kim even as a mere acquaintance.

Me, well i am fortunate enough to be her bestest, so I really know Kim. She is a babe. All around goddess in the flesh. I actually got to have her here in the house, no wait, that doesn't sound quite right, now does it...What I mean to say is she was here in real time twice this year! Unbelievable. And my wife (have we settled on wife?) actually likes her.

Woo.

Happy Birthday, Ma

I can pretty comfortably say my mom is not a reader here, but I thought it fine to acknowledge it's her special day. I think she is 73 today and I might be struck dead by lightning if in fact she is 72 or, gulp, 71. I really should know this and when I call her later I will certainly ask.

I am going home in a few weeks and will see her then. I guess it has been two years since I saw her last and three years since I saw my dad. My mom is delighted that I have absolutely no agenda for this trip. She is thrilled that my bestest friend Kim has zero likelihood of also visiting her folks at the same time. That means I am available only to her. She really likes it. And, I will have a car. That means galavanting. In a serious way. I will rack up thousands of miles because I have no agenda. Also, because they live in the mountains of upstate NY and you rack up thousands of miles just going to the grocery store.

My youngest son will be meeting me at the Albany airport and I haven't seen him in a year either. My oldest son I haven't seen in three years and I figure he will be cooking me an omelette at the Hilton on Sunday.

I do want to have my sister alter a few dresses for me so I will have to arrange that. And Connor wants to hike into Copperas Pond so that will be a nice day event. Mom wants to do a yard sale on Saturday. Maybe I will see if there is some sort of VT day trip to a flea market or something for Sunday. I know mom is aching to get out of the house without the ball and chain.

And speaking of the ball and chain, E made a comment on Paulie's picture. Actually she was quoting him. We went to lunch with Paul and Fred last week. In discussing it, He sounded weird so I asked him if he wanted to lunch solo or with the ball and chains. He replied without a hitch, (hear Paul Lynde) "Honey, you know I can't wipe my ass without my ball and chain."

Barking dogs, gotta go.

Yawn...streeeetch...

So I just slept through the early yoga class, but there is plenty of time to get to the eleven o'clock class. Nola certainly likes it. She is just a manic mess on Wednesday mornings because noone goes back to bed after we get up to pee. I think she counts on me sleeping in on Thursday for her recovery.

Paulie

Paulie
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

Paul is just the finest man alive. He is the greatest. Paul is a dear.

Some day I might actually get past the pool hall pics from our unofficial bachelorette party. Or is it the rehearsal dinner?

Regardless, we had a lot of fun with our friends at the pool hall on Friday night.

Time for some CD inventory

Sometime during the last year, we bought some lovely silk photo boxes from the Container Store. We are repurposing them to be used for CD storage. Currently, they are holding the CDs loosely in bulk. Since I am between books, I think I might take a box of them to work today to get started on alphabetizing. I got some paper sleeves for them which I will use and the boxes come with dividers. I think a straight alphabetical without sub-categories will be the initial sort.

A few years ago, we had the bright idea to purge ourselves of the bulk of the plastic cases and put the CDs into albums. Not so good for us. I did keep the liner notes for most of them, so that will be step two pf the project, getting the liner notes back wiith their respective CDs.

Box of CDs, paper sleeves, Sharpie, all set to go.

Cafe Artiste

Sitting here and waiting to see if any writer chicks from Houston show up. I do the meet thing in a very informal leave it to the universe sort of way, posting an email to the group saying where I will be writing and when, and if someone shows, they show. I am not disciplined enough to properly facilitate a group. Also, I do not feel like I would want to be a babysitter nagging anyone to do this or do that.

E and I have been here nearly 2 hours and had a lovely dinner and doone some surfing in preparation for our fall vacation and she has a book with her so the time is not lost. I think it is time to go.

Oui, oui...hohon

Oui, oui...hohon
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

Not a vibrator.

Edible chocolate body paints. This will likely be the last time they are used on our faces.

Is it a vibrator?

100_0404
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

What is it about the pool hall that brigs out the phallic thoughts? Of course a bunch of lesbians shooting pool and drinking beer let's the energy wind up just a little.

Jenny and Cara brought us a lovely gift. That was so sweet of them. When I saw how it was being photographed, I was wondering if it was a hint as to the contents of the lovely package. Package...AAAAAAhahahahahahahahahahaha...

Who needs the Red Hat society

rockstar
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

While partying like a rockstar, C heard the call over the PA system at the pool hall.

"The next person to come to the bar in a weird hat gets a free drink."

Lightning speed ensued with C fashioning a hat from a napkin twisted into a bow and a pair of take out chopsticks. In true McGuyver fashion, she used her existing hair clip to secure the hat's position on her head.

Upon getting to the bar, the bartender said he said mint, not drink. She pleaded her case saying she came all the way to TX from NJ for the SLick Willies experience, and she ended up getting a free minty drink. It was a clear shot of something which with a little encouragement, she tossed back like a pro.

We now have a rep at the poolhall. (Like we didn't have one already, yeah, sure.)

Winding down

We survived The Grand Affair.

The band was fabulous.

The food was fabulous. (Yes, I rock!)

Hitaji was simply awesome.

And the company, well, the company was superb.

Fun from beginning to end.

More later.

The eye of the hurricane

I think that is how I am feeling at this very moment. Everything swirling around me and much to be done with barely a plan to conform to. But, ultimately, it's all good and I have faith in the unioverse so I am very calm about it all at this point.

Trisha arrived safely on Wednesday and Kim on Thursday. Today in a couple of hours my neice Crystal will be here.

Also on the agenda today, getting the chairs from the yoga center. I gure we need 35. There will be 30- seated guests and three chairs needed for the band and that gives us two extra. E and T will go get them this morning.

The cooking is to begin today as well. I am making pork tenderloin and chicken wings and mashed potatoes today and E is making lasagna. All of this before we go to Slick Willies for 7 pm.

Of course there was a trial run at Slick Willie's last night.

E has stopped bleeding but has the nastiest bruise on her arm. On top of that, she worked her ass off getting the shower mostly finished yesterday so it was sore on multiple levels. A few beers last night helped ease the discomfort along with some good food from Mi Luna. The FLamenco dancers were just beginning as we were leaving, but the pool hall was calling.

I was put out that we did not remember to bring the camera with us last night. We can be forgetful at times. Providence.

Head spinning

So, if your head spins around too many times at the possibilities of it all, it being life, I suppose, does it remain attached until you get to unwind?

Three trips to the airport this week, work today and tomorrow, yoga, picking up miscellaneous crap all over the place, pool, dogs to the kennel, paint and paint some more. OK, well the painting is E, but I have to watch her do it because I just have to watch her do everything because she is so damn cute and sexy. MMMMMMMMMMM and sex. All that has to be done in a coordinated effort this week. It will all work out fine because it's all good, and the queen of it's all good who scholled me in the philosophy herself, Trisha, will be the first to arrive tomorrow after work.

E's arm is still bleeding a little I think. It looks rather nasty what with tissue threatening to burst forth if she flexes her muscle at all, and she does because there is work to be done dammit. An inch further to the right, and the gash would be through her tattoo. Not pretty. As it is, the gash should have been stitched, three or four times, and the bruise is horrendous. It was visible almost instantly and rather than black and blue, it is pretty much just black.

I wish I had taken pics of the various hodge podge of bandaiding we did. First it was two or three regular size bandaids overlapping slightly. That did the trick for about a minute until they were saturated with blood. Then there was the thought to tape toilet tissue over the wound. More absotbant, yes, but would also stick, so no. Hmmmm...absorbant...blood...LET'S USE KOTEX!! Thus we make the transition from bandaids to panty liners. Whatever get's you through the night, s'alright. S'alright.

I think today E is back to bandaining with the larger one inch bandaids. Whether we had gone to the drug store for the proper bandaids in the first place or whether we go to restock which we now need to do, we still need to add the drugstore to the head spinning to-do list.

Countdown mode

Just one more week until The Grand Affair. Whoosh. My mom sent a contribution and in her letter, said it was from her alone and not to be thanked for in email or phone or anything. This means my dad does not know she sent the check.

So now the question of the day is did he see the invitation and know about the party? If so, there is a likelihiid that he will also send a check.

My mom also said she would take care of the hotel when my son and I come visit for a week in August. I was pretty sure she would, but it is nice to have confirmation.

At some time over the last decade, my mom has gotten very sentimental and emotional. It is nice and touching, of course, but it is still odd to me to notice these qualities in her. She has always been very flat to me. Not quite stone, but certainly some hard edges.

E's observation is of the emotional side as she met my mom about 5 years ago. I wonder if I will ever see the same change in my sister. She is less stone, more angry. She has issues and we are not really close in a way that I know what they are, but I know she has them. My neice has enlightened me a little on that and she and I are closer than her mom and I will ever be. Part of that is that I am closer in age to her than to her mom and she was around a lot when I was younger.

Time for work.

Yes, Nola, you're such a good grrl.

I have to suppress the urge to shudder and scold every time, but my dearest Nola tried to bring me another bird today. "That's such a good grrl Nola," I lied..."Now DROP IT!"

She listened immediately and then I pointed away until she went over to the side lawn to squat and pee, which was what we went out for in the first place lest the new carpet tempt her. The bird was sitting there perfectly still, not moving, looking as if the wing was mangled.

After peeing, Nola took the long way around the yard back into the house hoping it might distract me enough for her to slip by and regain her quarry. Once we were back inside, she was laying on the couch and watching her bird. It did not move for a minute or two. I went in to wake E from her nap and asked her to come help me patrol for the bird. I wanted to be sure it was not in the grass anywhere.

Vanished. Gone. Hasta la vista, baby.

Nola is a MinPin. Bred to rid estates of varmint. She is just doing her job, man.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Untitled-14_3
Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

I think my dad has the right idea here. This is exactly what I feel like doing.

Is it really morning?

I just read about the new Blogger Image feature and while it doesn't directly say it is not available for Mac users, it is not. I do not have any of the feature buttons available like spell check, the link button, none of it. Thankfully, Flickr is easily usable. As for spell check, the occasional mis-spelled word will have to be tolerated.

I need a better night's rest. I have been very restless for about a month now and it is really getting tiresome. If not up every hour looking at the clock, it is close to that. Tiresome about sums it up.

I added a few recent reads to my list at the left and a sI go through the bookshelves to straighten them out, I might fiond a few more. Today it will be alternating between doing the books, the laundry, and watching more of season two of La Femme Nikita. I had even considered hitting the beach today, but since I am not already there, that won't be happening. Maybe some chair time in the backyard.

And then it was July

I have been experiencing a weird sleep schedule lately. Not sleeping well and then waking later than normal, though perfectly normal a few years ago, is leaving me feeling somewhat disoriented in the mornings.

I think over the past 2-3 years, I have gotten accustomed to being a morning person. It really is ghastly on some level. It is not really that I like mornings, but I can get and be up with little difficulty. Lately, if I do not have to be somewhere, I have been getting up between 9 and 9:30. And feeling totally blech.

As for getting ready for bed, If I have had a particularly challenging day at work, I am ready for bed by 11. Otherwise, 12:30 or so seems good, and quite often I have been awake and cruising the clock between 2 and 4 AM. I guess I should be getting up and doing something then as I used to when I was restless.

Time to take a book outside for some sun. Maybe that will help.

Just shoot me now

That way, I will never have to work another Sunday. It is so dreary and tedious working the desk on a Sunday. I don't know how Drayson stands it every week. There were about six stylists on and the salon was awash in negative energy. Three of them are outright negative energy as a way of life and the other three where normally not so much negative, were negative because of these three. It was nearly unbearable.

I had two crochet projects with me and a book and I still nearly went mad. It is also tiresome to have to tell anyine who calls after noon that we are booked and I cannot accomodate them. Their dissatisfied huffs add considerably to the negative energy.

Vicious

Doddering old men named Lu

I have had a second occurence of an old man named Lew crossing my path recently. The first occurence was when I worked at Oildom. A senior editor was hired on who was near 60 and no one really knew why he was there. It was basically a professional courtesy for him to be able to retire in a few years. He has a great history within the industry and contacts I am sure, but he really was doddering. There just is not another word coming to mind to better describe Oildom Lou. My involvement with him was fetching things. He might have been the only person there to consider me 'his' secretary. I was the adminiastrative manager for an office of about 10, but Lou really liked it if I would 'please get the coffee going' or "please stock up his stationery'. At least he had manners and wasn't too muich of a pest.

Yesterday, I made a new doddering old man acquaintance named Lew. As I was leaving for the night, I walked past catalog and there he was. He was asking
Beverly(think of Marge Simpson's sisters here and hear them speak) for help in clocking out. 'I'm not the trainer. Didn't Sue show you how to do all this? You been here a week already and you can't work the time clock?" She is just about the rudest bitch in the place, and it really bothered me to witness this exchange.

Here I was ready to hit the door running. My purse, laptop and bag of other miscellaneous stuff slung over my shoulder or in my hand and in my other hand a bottle of water and Rice Krispy treat. I went over to the catalog counter and said excuse me to enter the conversation. Lew, dutiful (new) JCP employee that he was had his nametag on. Reaching my hand to shake I said "Hi, Lew. Maxine from the salon. LEt me help you with the time clock." In no way was I being a suck up or anything less than genuine, and it was a definite feel good moment. I was genuine with my offer to help. Lew was genuine with his appreciation. Beverly was genuine with her slack jawed look of disbelief as she said under her breath "Well I was gonna help."

Then as I said good night to Lew as we passed by catalog, Bob the bossman walked by and said "Thanks Max, Noted." I love it when he catches me going above aand beyond, and he always does. I think it might be time to hit him up for a dependent discount card for my lovergrrl.

I just hope I haven't created a monster in Lew.

Interesting read

Go read it!

weirdness

I usually work 9-6 on Wednesday but due to our other receptionist being at college orientaation, I am working 11-7. That is just weird. I am sure it is because my boss did not want to dump another 1-9 on me this week, but still, it is odd.

Training begins with the new receptionist today who is taking Mitu's place after next week when she leaves for school. Dana has worked for JCP for years, but her previous position was dissolved. She took the severance and has been gone for about 6 months. It will help that she is up on the JCP way. Really all she needs to learn is the new register/computer and the way we book people. She will be a pro by tomorrow I think. I am pretty sure she is in her 40s, so it will be nice having more maturity at the desk. I also wonder if she might be family. Maybe on the down low as she is married with kids. But I know first hand that it is still possible.

The three of us on the desk being gay. That could be interesting.

Once again

We are once again a two functioning toilet household. My lovergrrl is so butch she can fix anything. But what a jewel that she is a handy toilet refurbisher. She is a babe. A goddess.

And she's all mine!!

I spoke to Paul today, first time since right before Easter. He actually answered his cell phone. Will wonders never cease?

I have been calling. And calling. I bitched him out royally for not calling me as I was growing very concerned. I even told him I was going to call one of his evil neices tomorrow if I did not get him. "Glad I answered sugar. You know I don't know how to work this damn new phone."

He was surprised it has been that long, and I cut him all the slack in the world because he is going through a lot of shit to rebuild a life that was callously stripped away from him. And, well. And because he is Paul and I adore him. We shall see him Saturday for dinner.

Too many friends have some crap being flung their way. Time for some Metta practice.

Monday morning blah

I hate feeling uninspired. Even when it is a fleeting moment. Brief. Just. Don't. Like it.

The thing is, I am not totally sure that is what I am feeling. It is a general blah of feeling I am *this* close (hold fingers nearly touching to illustrate how close) to some sort of epiphany. Knowing it is coming, whatever it is, makes me feel a little manic. Monday morning blah makes me feel a little depressed. There is medication for this, I know, but I am not in need of anything more than discipline.

Work in progress.

Ooooh..Ahhhhh...

Last night's milky way was more like a white russian. Nearly perfect. I think it could have been a little heavier on the chocolate and maybe even a slight bit more espresso. I chose half and it was pretty good. Easy to drink. Heavy. Cream.

E is so sick today. Isn't that sad? No, it isn't. Not. She has a new toy and is playing hooky to bask in my presence as well.

I am so damn fine.

As irritating as Rachel Ray can be...

She had a one pot 30 minute meal which I have become quite fond of. Chicken and rice. No boredom here, you can tweak the recipe at will and make it different every time. Here is my basic version:

2 skinless boneless (raw)chicken breasts chopped up
1 large yellow onion
Olive oil
seasonings
15 ounce can chicken (or beef or vegetable) stock
8 ounce can tomato sauce
8 ounce can of water
1 1/2 cups dragon rice

Thats the minimum ingredients. You can also add anything else you like vegetable wise when you saute the onions, and you can certainly sub beef for the chicken or make it vegetarian. I usually add baby carrots and bell peppers and celery. Not tonight though.

The dish evolves depending on what spices you add. I have used homemade sauce and Italian or mexican spices. Tonight I am using sweet curry.

I chopped up the chicken and tossed it with 2 tablespoons of curry powder. Then I browned it (not fully cooked it) in olive oil in the largest pot I have, 8 quart I think. Remove the chicken to a side dish and add the onion and a little more oil to the pot to brown and soften the onion for a few minutes.

Then add 2 tbs more of curry, 1 tbs paprika, 1 tbs cinnamon and a few dashes ginger for the hell of it. Add more olive oil. Just a bit to moisten.

Add rice and stir with all the spices. Add all the liquids and the chicken and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook covered about 20 minutes til rice is done.

It smells so good in here. E will have to tell y'all if it is any good or not. I have never really used curry in this quantity so we shall see...

And the first week of June is gone...

How does this happen? I know it has been June for a week because I physically checked the calendar last Wednesday to confirm it was First Wednesday and Meteor night (for Professional Women's Networking Happy Hour). I also have to tell people all day at work when they need to write a check or record debit card use (yes, people actually DO both those things often). So I have known it is June. But tos ee a whole week of it slip away is somehow disconcerting.

This means the first half of 2005 is nearly gone.

Pfft.

Over.

It is just disconcerting. I am not sure how else to describe it. Not very writerly of me, I know, but it is all part of the disbelief.

I suppose half gone also means half still to come. I am feeling that in a big way as well and trying toget back into a solid writing schedule. I think I will make my first effort something manageable and shoot for 30 solid minutes a day. If I do this in the morning, I am likely to have more consistent results, but it isn't always feasible. I hate not having spell check on this. I am still undecided on whether blogging counts toward time writing.

I think tomorrow needs to be a Milky Way day. Can't you hear it calling?

Toasted Marshmallows

I want some. Really.

I made a slide show using iPhoto and I wanted to save it to a disc to send it to my dad. It is a show of photos he took 50 years ago. I just think he would like it and from what the book says, I should be able to do this. I am just not following and there is a little bit of vagueness surrounding the directions.It could be nothing more than that the file is too big. I will have to see about that and maybe redo it. But I am not quite sure where to see how big the file actually is.

Laundry awaits.

Make mine a Milky Way

The recipe:

Hazelnut, Caramel and Chocolate syrups in the bottom third of a pint glass.
Add ice to near full.
Add heavy cream leaving about an inch of room.
Add espresso.

And yes, that is still way too coffee tasting for me, but with some extra syrup I somehow managed to finish it with no reluctance.

E remains a skeptic and is curious to see if the espresso keeps me awake tonight or not.

I like the flavors of coffee well enough and I like the smell of it brewing. I just always find it way too bitter in a you can't add enough cream or sugar sort of way. The Milky Way certainly is an admirable effort. I think I will try it again and ask for the espresso on the side. Then I can add just the right amount. The counter boy will look at me as if I am insane to be sure. Maybe I will try a half espresso Milky Way. Maybe I just need a splash of espresso. Yes. That is likely the ticket.

And then there were two...

Wrecks is on his way to a new family. We are once again a house of beings on Goddess time. Sawyer and Nola are well versed in the ways of the Goddess. They decidedly know how to chill, and there are no signs of depression of the loss of their pain in the ass pupp.

Maybe now I can refocus my energies and get back on track. There are stories to write. Paintings to finish. Felting to be explored. The beach calls.

Yes, certainly plenty else going on around here.

finished wrap

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Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

I thought I would post a pic of the finished wrap and scarf I made from the yarn I bought in New Orleans before I started documenting the new project. Something decidedly Virgo about that. Maybe.

I love my new scarf and wrap!

home sweet home

So Wrecks' vacation was short lived. He was gone less than 24 hours as Fatima deemed him just too big. Reall, our only problem with him is that we have two other dogs. Two dogs that we actually went looking for and wanted, too. Not two other dogs who just showed up and stayed. What was I thinking. Yes, this is definitely my fault.

I still have a list to post a needs-a-good-home email to and I think I might post the same on the bulletin board at work. Maybe even go to petfinder. This is a mess I want to make a double effort at cleaning up.

On the fiber front, I finally went out looking for yarn shops in Houston. Ironically enough, a salon client dropped an article from the paper about the renewed interest in knitting. The shop I went to, Yarns 2 Ewe, was the one the paper mentioned. From what I understand it has better prices than the other local shops, but the selection beyond compare is at Nancy's (next on my list). Yarns 2 Ewe had a very unobtrusive staff, perhaps unattentive might better describe them. It was Saturday and they had a few people in there, but no hi or welcome or even a thank you afer I dropped $120. That just irritates me a little. I might email them and let them know of there slight.

You might have figured out, they carry Manos del Uruguay yarn. Ahhhhhhh. I just am in love with this product. The saturated colors, the merino softness, both draw me in to this particular yarn. I first found it at the shop in New Orleans, but Y2E has it for a bit less, so that was a perk. I got some to make a blanket for Hitaji as a thank you gift ofr blessing our union. It will definitely be done by our party. I started the blanket at work last night and worked through one of the 8 hanks of yarn. I think the finished size will be that of a throw with fringe. Pics to come.

I have recently read about felting and that the Manos yarn is a good choice for this. I saw a felted purse at the shop and need to find out if this can be done with crochet rather than knitting. If not I want to learn the process anyway, so knitting might come back for me. The purse is a small enough project. I need to research the process and I am sure Y2E has directions available. I think it involves boiling the finished product. Has anyone done this?

Wrecks takes a vacation

Wrecks is off tomorrow afternoon to a sleepover at a prospective new home. One of my coworkers is taking him. Actually her daughter is trying him on. she has always insisted she would have a Rott, and as her mom has a bit of large dog anxiety, they are trying him on. I assured Fatima that he is indeed gentle and really unaware that he is a dog. I told her I would come pick him up at any point if it just wasn't working, and E added tonight that we will take him back if they get to the point, as we have, where they realize keeping him might not have been the best decision. An unlimited doggie warranty. Can't beat it, really.

girls night out

Just in from the pub. Actually, tonight began as a side jjob for me as I went to Beth's to cut some hair. Irina had to work late so she will get done Monday night. Mimi had a humidity awakening, it was 96 degrees today, and realized she should wait to cut her naturally curly hair until it is a little longer or a little less humid. That left Beth and her sister Julie. Julie drove in from Austin for the experience and was back on the road minutes after I set my scissors down.

After hair cuts we went to Onion Creek for hot dogs and beer. E and had a late lunch at Pappasito's so we just went for the company and the beer. It had cooled to about 84 degrees and was a nicenight to sit outside on the patio and shoot the bull.

Prior to all this but after our late lunch, E and I went to target to pick up a back yard covered gazebo thing. tomorrow Beth is coming over to brunch to help E set it up. It's nice to have a friend who likes to help out in this way. See previous post!

Friendship

Cris over at That Side Of The Moon asks:

• how do you choose your friends?
• how do you know someone is a friend?
• what are your expectations for those you consider friends?
• what do you give to friendships that make you a good friend?
• how do you define friend?
• where do you find friends?

I once was in a women's group where we were challenged to have an intentional relationship with another group member. It worked ok for about 6 months to a year and as it turned out, I had been paired with another lesbian close to my age so we had things in common, but it just wasn't sustained longer than 9 months to a year. I would not be surprised to get an email from her out of the blue, but it has been long enough to say the effort was not a success. In lieu of that I suppose I follow fate when it comes to friends and let fate choose them for me. It is a matter of instinct really. I meet someone and there is an instant recognition. One of my friends says this means you have found someone from your soul family, but that is a rather involved explanation for this entry.

My bestest friend Kimi and I met through mutual friends at a bar when I needed a new roommate at 20(omigod that's 20 years ago). We have known each other half our lives now and We lived near each other just those forst three years, but ours is a friendship that sustains itself unconditionally. I feel fortunate that she is in my life.

I have another best friend Trisha. She and I met while working in the salon at JC Penney, me as a stylist, she as a receptionist. I think we have known each other eight or nine years now and she also falls into the unconditional sustainability (maybe I am onto something here). For a while, It struck me as odd that Trisha and I had this bond because where Kim and I are just a week apart in age, Trisha is about 10 years younger than I am. There is just something there that makes it work.

Beth is another friend who I know falls into this pattern. I met her from an ad I placed on an email list for a Gossiping Goddesses dinner out. I put an ad out blindly saying the GGs were meeting at a local resaurant and any local women on the list were welcomed to join us. The more the merrier. Beth showed up with another friend and we had a nice time socializing. The GGs were just E and I wanting to meet other lesbians when I was new to Houston. We have been friends now close to 7 years. Beth has been there every time we have moved. The first move, about three "friends" said they would be there to help us pack and load the uhaul. Beth actually showed up. That is how she got into the club and earned the friend crown.

I guess next on the list is Paul. I met hime here in Texas again at JCP. He is near 60, so older by far, but there is something again unconditional involved. He does make it a chore at times, perhaps due to circumstances beyond his control, but we always pick up right where we left off.

As far as expectations, my number one rule in life is no expectations = no disappointments. I think the key to adopting to this is to not be attached to the outcome. It is where the unconditional comes in. I amnot sure I have the mind to explain this further at the moment, but any questions or comments left are always replied to.

I give to my friends unconditional love and support. I am a good listener. Anyone who knows me even as an aquaintance, knows I do not gossip visciously. I give confidence.

A friend is someone you call when you hit bottom or are in jail and need to be bailed out.

Friends seem to find me.

So of course I have more than these four friends, but true friends like these are a precious rarity and I appreciate them and am grateful.

I think a lot of people fall into the habit of confusing friends with aquaintances. Drama erupts eventually, Sometimes they learn, sometimes not. And for the most part. Your coworkers are just that, period. Sure, sometimes and aquaintance or friend emerges from the crowd, but please, no blind presumptions about coworkers being friends.

So what do you have to say about friendship?

Flickr Rocks!!!

I love flickr almost as much as I love my new wool. It is fabulous. I know, I said that already. Just loving it. It is soft. The colors are nothing short of delightful. Saturated. Compelling. Pink.

The wool is from The Garden District Needlework Shop. It;s linked in one of the previous posts if I did it correctly. This particular wool is from Uruguay and is "handcrafted kettle dyed pure wool. It is a Merino/Corriedale blend.

From the tag:
"Manos del Uruguay, the Hands of Uruguay is a non-profit organization comprised of more than 400 artisans in cooperatives scattered throughout the countryside of Uruguay. The organization's mission is to bring economic and social opportunities to rural women.

Manos yarn is spun from a luxurious blend of Merino and Corriedale wools. It is hand dyed in large kettles to create a marbleized, striated effect, sometimes subtle, often dramatic, and is available in more than ninety glorious colors.

No two skeins are exactly alike and there are no dye lots. We therfore recommend buying enough yarn to complete a project and to alternate knitting two rows from one skein with two rows from another to give an overall blended effect."

Loving it.

Halfway home

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Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

I have been taking my time and working on this at work when it is slow. It will be a meditation wrap to avoid a chill with the occasional trek out on the town just because it is so fabulous. Did I already mention its fabulousness? I did, I know. But it is so fabulous it merits repeating myself.

The width here is about eight inches and it is roughly half done.It is long enough to go around my shoulders and will have pink-hot-pink fringe.

Swoon.

The colors and textures

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Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

I wanted enough of the multicolored to make a wrap, but there were just three balls of it available.

Then I spied the pink. Double woo. IT's hot and sultry. I luuuuuuuuv it.

The Wool

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Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

While at the yarn shop in New Orleans, I took some time to look around and see what they have to offer. I had made a few selection to choose from and then was ready to decide which of the choices I wanted.

Around the last corner of fabulous selections I went and my eye caught this. Finally, *the* yarn for a meditation wrap for me. My own. Woo.

Butter Balls

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Originally uploaded by queenmaxine.

I picked a random photo off my laptop to test out flickr and see if I can figure out how it works. More time spent than I would have liked, but I present "Butter Balls" as taken by T at Tavern on the Green.

Who knew?

I discovered a new button in my iTunes program last night. Shuffle. Duh. I put on my ear buds and hit play in my music library and then the shuffle button. Since I have loaded only artists I like, the resulting shuffle is pretty awesome. Interesting to go from Sinean O'Connor to Dead Can Dance to Sting to Sarah McLachlan, etc. I don't know why I haven't pushed the shuffle button before. I guess the graphic being different it just didn't strike me to see what the button does.

I am going to yoga this morning and to see my friend Hitaji this afternoon. Hitaji does a radio show on KPFT called Earth 101. There is an archive link that has audio files of past shows that you can listen to. She will be officiating at our gala in July and we are going to talk about what she will actually do. It will make for an interesting ceremony, whatever "it" is.

Other than that, I think it will be a pretty light day. I noticed that my work in progress link is on a page that I no longer remeber the password for, so I might begin to transfer that content to a different page. Also pics coming today of the new projects. That's the plan.

Promise.

mmmmmmmmm

fresh strawberries and fresh whippede cream...pure d evil

Reply cards are a-flying

So far the partay is shaping up nicely. At least guest response is shaping up nicely. It just might be a regular pyjamma-jammie-jam weekend slumber party.

One of my purchases in New Orleans was from a yarn shop. I bought some kettle hand dyed merino wool. $80 bucks worth in fact. A small little bag for my dollars. I was drawn to the saturation of pink and orange and maroon and tan. I had to get it. There was no choice.

I was hoping I would have enough to make a meditation wrap for myself. I crocheted my ass off pre-xmas and while I can share the blanket and wrap I made for E, they are hers. So it is only fitting that I make one for myself. I have been waiting for the right yarn to call my name.

Today I was working with this wool while at work. I am absolutely falling in love with it. Ok. I already am in love with it. I will post a pic soon because I am loving it that much.

XO

Home sweet home

The whirlwind New Orleans tour has come to a close. A little bit of jewelry, a few t-shirts, lots of new art, consumerism is alive and well in the state of Louisianna.

And did we drink a few beers? Yes, just a few.

Saints and Sinners was as good an excuse as any to hit New Orleans. I really enjoyed the events I made it to, and I enjoyed talking with Toni Amato. She might be just the person to get me headed in the proper direction with my writing. I went to a workshop she did with Amie Evans and enjoyed the discussion immensely.

I also went to a mystery workshop with Ellen Hart. If you have ever peaked at my library link on the left, it is clear I have read a book or two of hers, as in nearly all of them. She was very gracious as were all the conference-goers.

I did not attend any of the readings. The ones I wanted to go to were on Sunday and we were just ready to get home by then. It was late in the day after check out time, and just not feasible when we had a 5 hour drive in front of us.

I saw an ad in the local freebie mag for a yarn shop and dropped just a few $$ there. I think the wrap I make will be divine.

Enough update for now, yawn...

Vacation all I ever wanted

Time for a little adventure. We head to New Orleans today and will be back on Sunday. I am still curious as to my attendance at Sasfest and how much I am a fan vs. a writer. I think it is pretty balanced, but it will be an interesting (at least to me) observation. I learned that Kristi Helms has had to bow out from attending and I was looking forward to meeting her finally. After reading her book and blog, linked left as 'Dish" for some time now I feel as if I know her already, but I like the association of flesh to this online world.

I have experienced this having read Susan Stinson's blog and books and then seeing her at a reading at BookWoman. It was somewhat surreal, and I now hear her voice when I read her work. It is an interesting phenomenon.

So I have to confess. I am a New Orleans virgin. Nice to be a virgin of something, but I will have to seek out virgin status once again after this weekend. We are staying within walking distance, I think, of the French Quarter which is where all the conference activities are centered. There is an informal pre-party tonight, the opening reception is tomorrow, and the closing reception on Sunday. I am sure there will be goings on for Saturday night, too.

Off to get E's car belatedly inspected, then to yoga and then to the post office to mail party invites. Whew, that's an agressive morning for a vacation day.

Just two days...

The weekend was thoroughly relaxing, and now I have just two days to work this week before heading to New Orleans. I have registered for Saints and Sinners and I am trying to keep myself from having great expectations. About the conference, about the time off, about my first trip to New Orleans. Yes, all of the above.

Sasfest is the third annual LGBT writer's conference. It is hard to know without having been before if I feel I am attending as a writer or as a fan. Certainly a little bit of both. There will be many of my favorite authors in attendance, and I find it odd that there is not more excitement on their sites for, if nothing else, to generate attention for the event. I plan to attend a couple of workshops and panel discussions and a few of the readings. It seems the authors I would want to see are all later in the day on Sunday and we might be on the way home by then, but it's all good.

So I have to work today 1-9 and tomorrow 9-6. I am hoping my boss is in a better mood. On Saturday she was in a bit of an odd mood. At first I thought it was me she was put out with for having been sick (um, yeah, really, I was soooo sick) on Friday. As the day wore on, I decided she was just in a foul mood otherwise. As that does not happen all too often, it was just kind of weird.

The laptop will travel, and I will be sure that E brings the camera, so we will be able to document yet another adventure via travelog on EP. Woo. Hoo.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...

I am just back from dropping Kimi back off at the airport. Sigh. It was a fabulous weekend starting with a bit of time to visit after Kimi arrived on Friday. Then it was off to ladies night out with friends. There were eight of us all together and we met at St Pete's for Margaritas. We had appetizers while we waited for everyone to arrive, then we headed around to the other side of the block to Cabo.

Once we got to Cabo we had to wait a bit for a table. Once seated, the Margaritas were again flowing. I had shrimp tacos and they were just right. After Cabo we went down the street to Char Bar. It used to be Duke's Tailors. Tailoring still goes on and just inside the door there are two or three antique shoe shine stands where you can still get a shine if you need one. Of course, Margaritas were an offering there as well.

I thought we were going to go to another bar across the street. The eight of us were standing on the corner ready to cross and discussing what to do next. The bar across the street was calling and we could have been standing in there with a drink discussing. I decided to cross the street thinking everyone would folllow. Four of us ended up across the street and the other four had simultaneously decided we should drive to Chances.

We caved and went to Chances. It ended up being a good decision and we had a good time there. A couple of beers and dances later, four of us decided it was time to go home. That was around midnight. The rest of us were not convinced and decided to stay out. Afterall, we were at Chance, *and* we were having a good time. That does not often happen, and if nothing else, we learned that Chances is best braved as a group.

Those of us who stayed toured the rest of the bar and then decided to go over to Slick Willies to shoot some pool. We had parked over there and had a beer when we arrived, but then told Scott, the manager we would be back before the evening ended for another. So along with a few more beers, Kimi and I both did four shots. Scott is such a bad influence. He bought us a round of Lemon Drops. Now Mimi and E both declined. E always declines liquor of any kind with Amaretto straight up being the only exception. So that meant that Kimi and I were forced to consuime 2 shots each in rapid succession. A little pool and a lot of silliness later, we had eached had two Red Headed Sluts. Yumm.

We gave Mimi a ride home, luckily, E had the sense at some point to stop drinking. We got home and hit the bed at about 2:30. I had to get up at 6 and work 8-4. Ahem. I made it and was tired, but fortunately for me, I just don't get hungover. I did take a moment to evaluate if I was ok to drive, and after a shower to wake me more fully, I knew I was ok.

On Saturday night we went to a lovely dinner, just me, E and Kim, to DiVino. We sat there and had a lovely time eating and drinking. I had the most perfect meal that night and after hopping around the menu there over several visits, I might never order anything but the beef tenderloin salad again. Beef, baby spinach, mixed greens, walnuts, glazed figs, gorgonzola. It was just perfect.

Sunday brought the breakfast run and a trip to the farmer's market. We had Kolaches from Olde Towne and Chai from Starbucks on the way to the market. We got mostly fresh fruit to carry us through to Thursday when we head out to New Orleans for the weekend. We were then home for a litytle while before heading back out to the Galleria where I got some tea from Teavana. We walked the mall for a bit then scored a seat at the bar at the Cheesecake Factory. There we had avocado eggrolls and panfried dumplings.

We went home after that and I made cookies. Then we hit Empire Cafe for dinner and went to Beth's for the L Word.

This morning was sad because Kimi had to go, but she will be back in July with her gf Susan.

Woohoooooo.

bestest weekend

Woohooooooooo. I am off to the bakery to pick up my sample cake for the party in July. I picked this weekend for the sample because Kim is coming to visit. After getting the cake, it will be off to the airport to pick her up and she is here through Monday morning. I haven't seen Kim in about 5 years, so it will be a grand weekend. We are meeting friends tonight at 7 at St Pete's for margaritas and then going on a mini pub crawl down and around Market Square. The current plan then takes us to Cabo for dinner, but that is flexible and we could easily end up somewhere else. I was thinking Ambassador, but the logistics are not prudent given that we will have been drinking. I think there will be 8 of us. Should be nice.

Tomorrow I have to work in the morning, but Grupo Fantasma is playing in Galveston at 10 so we might go down after work for some beach time then dinner and Grupo.

Sunday is still up in the air. If we do not head to Galveston tomorrow, we will likely go early on Sunday. Then we can hit the farmer's market on the way home, or maybe make it to West Oaks Birra Poretti's where Ginger and her band are playing Sunday brunch.

The weekend will fly by all too quickly, then it will be time for Kimi to go. Wah.

But she's coming baaaack...for the party in July. Woohoo!!

vying for a tie

This morning I had to go do my upper GI series. I think it is a pretty close tie for the worst experience ever with the colonoscopy prep. Here honey, drink this barium cocktail. It's not so bad. Really.

Worse than actually having to do it is the thought that I could have to repeat this at my doctor's whim. I am truly at her mercy, and she thankfully, does not appear to have a sadistic streak. I am holding on to the hope that These are just diagnostic tools and that they will be used sparingly.

Today's treat was a thick creamy substance which might be better if served well chilled. There is an attempt to improve it with a fruity sort of flavor, though I think mint or chocolate would be a better choice. About 20 ounces was just divine.

There were no dietary restrictions, but I am glad I chose to not eat because I am not sure I would have been able to keep it down. In addition to the unpleasantness that would have been vomiting, I would have had to drink more cocktail. Ugh.

On the table for an x-ray. Sit in the waiting room 15 minutes more. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Ok, I think you're ready honey. Roll to the side a little, a little more don't breathe, a little more, breathe, don't breathe, roll back, there, don't breathe...waiting room for 15 minutes more, repeat.

It was exhausting. Then, for me trouble, I was given some apple juice and a pack of cheese and crackers and a pack of graham crackers. Graham crackers only in the future, please.

And the nice lady at the desk gave me a double parking validation which means at least the parking was free.

The staff at outpatient imaging was somewhat more pleasant than the staff at the doc's office, but there is still work to be done in that area. There are signs all over the place that say they, the hospital staff, aim to provide 5 star customer service. Unfortunately, they hover between one and two star with the occasional exception. Not good enough, IMO.

TMI part two

As we left our brave heroine on the procedure table...

When you get a colonoscopy, the doc is examining your whole colon or large intestine. Not just the lower part just inside the anus. If you would for a moment, consider that the colon runs from the anus up the left side of your torso to just below the chest. Then it traverses across to the right. then it runs down the right and turns again toward the belly button where the rest of the intesting picks up, the small intestine. Altogether, the large and small intestines comprise about 32 feet of intestinal tubing. I would estimate the large intesting at somewhere around 4-6 feet.

The doc told me before the procedure that I tested negative for Colitis antibodies, but positive for Crohn's. Testing positive does not mean you have something, just that you are somehow predisposed for it. As E has learned, Jews of European descent are 4 to 5 times more likely to have Crohn's, so I am doubly predisposed. The colonoscopy gave the doc 90% certainty that Crohn's is what have and now she is waiting for final confirmation from the pathology of the biopsies she took during the procedure.

I suppose I could ask E to scan the pics of my colon that the doc sent me home with, but honestly, I have not even looked at them yet. Crohn's is usually confined to the small intestine so the lesions in my large intestine are extremely rare. I am just so increasingly special. Tomorrow I get to go to the doc for another less invasive procedure. I get to drink some radioactive stuff, and then get a scan of my small intestine t see what is going on there. Whoopee.

Onto the meds. The goal for the meds is to heal the lesions currently present, and then to maintain the colon outbreak free. Mesalamine is the first drug of choice. ^ pills daily that are designed to stay intact until they get through the small intestine and then burst so the medication can coat the colon. Just in case that is not enough, I get to adminster an enema of the same medication nightly for at least a month to introduce the meds from the other end. Or rather, E gets to administer for me my medication. She loves me so.

The meds are not nearly as bad as they sound. After a while, the enema literature says, You should be able to retain the medication the entire night, but please retain it for at least 30 minutes. I am so proud to say that I was able to retain the medication all night on the first night. However, last night we learned it is not advisable to play footsies in bed after medication has been administered.

Yup.

Eeeewwwww.

Alcohol is discouraged as it might aggravate my disease. I am willing to risk it for now since I rarely drink to excess.

Pineapple, I discovered, is evil. Pout.

With insurance, a 30 day supply of Mesalamine enemas is $10.00. Without, it is $414.00.

The Mesalamine pills are $179.00 a month with insurance, $227 without. That would be generic Mesalamine. Name brand, the pharmacist says, is *A LOT* more.

Donations graciously accepted.

Nurse Colleen gets a gold star...

The prep was truly far worse than the colonoscopy. The rest of the office staff need to take notes, bnecause frankly, they suck. If you are a client at a digestive disease center, well, just a smile and a kind word would go a long way. Nurse Colleen is well aware of this. The rest of them...aren't. I cut a bit of slack to LaDon, she was my procedure nuirse and other than the fact she could not get my vein on the first two tries, she was at least pleasant.

In addition to the less than accomodationg office staff, the doc was running behind. Hah!! I just made a funny. My procedure was scheduled for 11:30 and I was supposed to begin the intake setup at 10:30. I was taken to a bed at 11:45. Late.

As I already mentioned, Nurse LaDon missed my vein. Twice. Another colleague came over and got it on the first try. The last time I needed an IV I had remembered that my veins roll and I should always ask for an expert. That was 10 years ago and there was too much else on my mind, so I forgot. Ooopsie.

Soon after my IV was in I was wheeled tot he procedure room. The doc was ready and waiting by then. As she was asking if my meds had been in long enough to be working, the nurse said they were not in yet. I never felt any noticable difference, but the procedure was uncomfortable in a subtle way. Not torturous. Not painful. The worst part of it was the air they shoot in to keep the colon from collapsing.

Gaseous. Gaseosity. Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffttt.

Lest I be accused of blogging to avoid the joy that is my new medication, That's all for now...More soon.

Pinning all my hopes on the nurse...

Let's just hope she knows what the hell she is talking about. She advised me that the worst part of the procedure is the prep the day before. I already knew what a nightmare that would be from the detox I did with Dr Rob. Feel my shudders.

I want to go to the fridge and bury myself into the container of buttercream icing. Not because I really want it, there is no appetite. But it would surely be soothing. Ii might be ravenous in the morning, but at the moment I am surviving on the cup of chicken broth I had for lunch. That was pre cocktail.

My cocktail consisted of 3 tablespoons of Fleet's phospho soda mixed into a can of ginger ale. I think ginger ale might stay forever on the no list of foods not being friendly to my body. As if the 3 pm cocktail was not bad enough, I had to have a second one at 9.

More shudders.

The ama circulating in my head is enough to make me see double. Shuddering more. and Is it cold in here, or what?

One out of four

At least the laundry is done. Mostly. I still need to do some linens and towels.

I am sitting here contemplating washing my car. I don't have to work until 1, so there is time, but am I feeling it? Not really.

Wrecks will be 7 before he calms down from puppyhood and learns how to just chill out. Nola and Sawyer do try to school him, but he just isn't getting it.

Comedy.

Just enough sun

I am fresh from the shower having just returned from the beach. Fabulous. Glorious. And not too pink. I might not be pink at all. I won't know for sure for a couple of hours. I have gotten a little bit of sun here and there in the past couple of weeks, but also, I was a good girl and wore sunscreen. 30 SPF even. I am not sure the brand,Neutrogena I think, but it is a new kind or newer, that is billed as dry sunscreen. I like it. Once rubbed in, it has no greasy residue at all. Also no overpowering fragrance.

I also emailed my bestest reminding her to pack her suit so we can head down to Galveston when she is visiting in two weeks.Woo. Hoo.

Laundry.
Gardening.
Car washing.
House cleaning.

Things to do...

Interview meme

I found this over on Susan stinson's site. She is a wonderful writer, very literary, so go check her oout and buy her books!

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

I was bored tonight the last hour or so at work...

Consequently, my nails are now what can only be described as hiliter orange. I think the name of the color is Osaka-to-me orange or something equally silly. In the bottle it did not look quite as flourescent as it does on my nails. Nena, as she was leaving for the night, took one look and dug her sunglasses out of her purse.

"Girly" was all she said in her heavy Spanish accent before she turned and walked out of the salon.

I am not at all thrilled with the color and likely will not keep it beyond midday tomorrow, but I think it has pushed me over the decision edge toward yes. As in yes, I will be getting nails again and soon. Maybe it will be a post colonoscopy treat.

Morning comes

I am really liking it when Wrecks sleeps in his crate. He is a restless one otherwise. Last night I went to bed at about 10:30 and he went right in with no drama and he slept through til this morning at 7ish. I just like that. I suppose I might feel badle about it tonight after he has been in his crate from about noon to 9:30, but if I am up late enough I mmight try it. Maybe I will let hime stay out tonight to see if he settles down. If so, and if he doesn't, into the crate he goes.

I think tonight I might try to layout the inserts for the invitations so we can get them into the mail when E gets back. The invitations themselves are done, but we were limited to three lines of twenty characters each. It is looking like a guest list of about forty with us limiting it to family, and I am not sure we can manage that many, but we certainly can't cut it any closer than we already have. Who knew a simple blessing of our union in our home would be such a challenge!

I just made a CD for Ginger of Double Coyote. That is the music for our soiree. She asked if there was anything we would want them to try to learn and Dance Me To The End Of Love as done by Madeleine Peyroux was what came to mind. Otherwise, they are a trio who does jazz, samba sounds and we like whatever they choose.


Six more days...

sigh

solo til thursday pm...that is when the boy returns, at least for his car...his momma, she who is dear *and* sweet, does not return until sunday...don't like it...dealing with it...

Don't like it...

Last time it happened, I didn't like it either. General Hopspital has brought iin a new Carly. When Sara Brown(I think that was her name) chose to pursue other avenues and left the role of Carly on GH, I just didn't like it. Then the new grrl, very young and early in her acting career, Tamara Braun, began to grow on me. Now I have a hard time delineating the time between the two actresses and the character has become her own entity. I realize it is Carly that I like, not necessarily who plays her.

I am no longer as invested in soaps in general and I rarely watch TV anymore in an invested manner. There is currently nothing on TV which I have to watch. GH and carly included. If I am home when it is on, I will watch it if I think about turning on the TV.

So today, I see a new Carly. She looks like a man. Or rather, like she was a man. I went to look up on the GH website to see if this was temporary because the actress was ill. Nope. This is a NuCarly. At least that is how she is referred to on the message board. The biggest complaint there seems to be she sounds like a man. There is an uncanny resemblence, more like this woman might be the old Carly's mother. Or Father.

I will give the character a chance and see down the road what I think. If I think about it further at all.

Austin here we come

Off to the Austin Art Car Parade.

Woohoo...back soon!

And I'm Dreaming Again...

Norah Jones sings..."Lately I just haven't felt myself at all, it's heavy on my mind..."

I am not quite sure what that means in relation to having been feeling out of sorts, but quite often lately, I find that song just roaming the corridors of my brain. Usually when that happens, I dig out the CD and listen to the song on repeat in the car. It makes for an interesting ride to or from work or wherever else I might be heading. Today I will be heading to the lab to give blood and pick up containers for my stool study. Yee. Haw. And then to the post office. My mom is actually going to receive her package this week. Amazing.

Also in the mail will be issues of the current Emerald Pillows, the March second anniversary issue, which will be heading off to four bookstores, BookWoman in Austin, Bluestockings in New York City, Lambda Rising in Norfolk, and A Different Light in San Francisco. Hopefully there will be response, but even if not, we will send to those four bookstores for a while to see where it takes us.

There is a need for some sort of focus, but I am just following my brain on any tangent that pops up on the path in order to find it. Conflicted?

Embracing the neti pot

The neti pot has been prescribed by my ayurveda doc to assist in the reduction of mucousy crud I have been experiencing lately. Actually, he says it is one of the five simple things one can do daily to improvegeneral health. One of the five must-dos for everyone on the planet. Additionally, my yogi has long been an active supporter of the neti pot offering frequent demonstrations.

It has taken me months to get past the eww factor and get to it. I have reasoned it away as me being so much less allergy affected this year then any year recently, and just been saying soon. Elizabeth is braver than I am and has been using it somewhat regularly for a while now. Maybe since the yoga retreat last May, though I am not quite sure that is when she got it.

You fill the pot with pure water, nuke or other wise heat it to a warm body temperature, and then add a half teaspoon kosher salt. I find that for our microwave, 30 seconds is just about right. If that feels too warm, then I just add a little more unheated water. You then tuck your chin and tip your head sideways over the sink so your nostrils are lined up one on top of the other. The spout is placed at the upper nostril and gravity facilitates the hot salinated water on its journey. It is not recommended that you begin this when you are already plugged up. The hot water virtually melts the snot right out of your nose.

Really.

Then you pause with your head straightened out over the sink for water to drain back and do the other side. I have tissue waiting. Even though I thought I was clear, I still had a decent stream of snot running out of my nose.

"...down her nose
(snort, snort)
down her nose
(snort, snort)
and she whistled while the (snort) ran down her nose..."

A special prize to anyone who knows the name of that song!!

The worst that can happen is you don't tuck your chin enough and the warm salted water runs down your throat.

Our next foray into my as-of-late medical life experiences will be the colonoscopy tour. Woo!

Home Sweet Home

Safely.

Sane.

I got so distracted

I meant to post about my newest of guilty pleasures but got distracted by the topic of that fucker who hit me.

E! Entertainment Television has some pretty bad shows. One of my favorite E! guilty pleasures was Howard Stern. Politically incorrect always, but I just think his ability to be frank and mostly uncensored is funny. Sure he's a sexist pig, but he is so blatant and honest about it and my inner sexist pig finds him somehow refreshing. But in small doses.

I also got addicted to the Anna Nicole show. All Anna, all the time. I was intrigued mostly because she was able to sustain a show for two years and she is just so vapid. Bad, bad, bad TV. I don't really watch TV anymore, so for something like this to catch my attention, if nothing else, ammuses E (my partner not the channel) I am sure.

This past week I have not one, but two new E! shows which have my attention. The Gastineau Girls is a mother daughter socialite duo, yes, vapid x2, and I am hooked. Hooked is of course, a relative term. I won't exactly seek it out, but I will watch it when I come across it. I am not sure, but the other show, Love Is In The Heir, is either a jump up or down the vapid ladder. Princess Anne Claire is a hoot if only because she aspires to be a couintry singer/songwriter and she is just awful.

Train wreck TV.

If I wasn't on vacation in 20 hours I would be so much more pissed

Sumbitch in his new infinity hit my front bumper this afternoon. I imagine he would argue I hit his front bumper, but he would be wrong.

While waiting to exit the bank, a kind driver faery was going to let me turn left past his single lane of traffic waiting to enter the freeway feeder road. Single lane.

Douchebag in his new infinity suv pulls around crossing a double yellow line to get ahead of traffic. He was going like no tomorrow. I was virtually still. Crack.

Really, we barely hit, but both opur bumpers suffered similar cracks down to the metal and I want my new car fixed. soon. will have to wait til after vaca.

I called his insurance right away on the advice of my insurance lady so we will wait and see what happens.

Fuckers, the whole lot of them i wager.

We have the March issue of EP out the door and distributed around town, and today we made extra copies to take to NYC. Thinking global.

And it's morning

I am not quite sure what is flying around in my being this morning. The craminess from last night subsided before I went to bed so at least that has left me for the time being. I am feeling it is time to commit myself to geting some writing going on in book form and I am not quite sure if that means plugging away at fiction, possibly expanding "Alex", or if it might mean a collection of memoirs. It is my hope that I figure it out soon so I can just get on with it.

I have been reformatting some files recently and I suppose this is where all this stems from. When I got the MAc, I transferred everything I had recovered off my old laptop which ended up being a bit of a chore. I actually had to open the files on the desktop pc from a cd the Mac would not read, and then I had to email them all to myself. I then took the email and usin a Word trial offer, turned them all in to Word documents whhich I was assured would be readable by the Mac even if I chose not to buy Word for MAc.

Well, trial over, Word for Mac is $400 and not, IMO, worth it since I am just writing. I do not need all the formatting bells and whistles and MAc offers two different programs which do more than enough for me.

So, the dilemma is now this: All the Word documents a couple hundred of them, are needing to be opened with a different program rather than a one click on the file to open them. It is aggravating to say the least, but the text was not lost, so I am not compaining too much.

I might send a note to a publisher I know and ask her how I might resolve the issue of which type of book to pursue. And I might just start doing it and see what unfolds before me in a muse following sort of fashion.

Or both.

Are ulcers genetic?

Maybe all my problems can be blamed on my pop. My medical problems that is. I have been wondering lately if perhaps my intestinal woe is nothing more (or less) than an ulcer. My boss and I were discussing this yesterday and she said I was the last person she would suspect of ever having ulcers. I am just too calm.

But isn't an ulcer better than anything requiring a colonoscopy to diagnose?

[Picture me shuddering]

I have had little variety in my diet since the big purge on Sunday. Today, I got home and decided a bagel with a bare minimum of peanut butter would be an acceptable risk. Last night I had pasta with spinach, shrimp and sundried tomatoes, not a good risk, so a bagel seemed harmless enough.

I ate it without incident and also had some mango. Then I took a nap and before going to see Beth and Irina tonight, I had a second bagel as I was still a little hungry.

We went to see our friends because it was time for me to hilite Irina's hair. While there we also watched the L Word (yawn) and Fat Actress (chuckle). While sitting there I started getting these crampy feelings in my stomach. It was definitely up in my stomache, too. Very localized. I was able to breathe through it much like you might breathe through a labor contraction.

It got me to thinking about when I was a kid and my dad was never found without a bottle of Mylanta in his upper shirt pocket.

Re:[shudder]

So I am going to put peanut butter on the no list for the next bagel and see what happens. Then, I am going to concentrate on vacation and its close-but-not-close-enough proximity. This time next week I will be better, I swear (NYC awaits!)

Detox update

So I made it a day. The detox gave me the worst headache I have ever experienced. Maybe one of the worst 5 anyway. I know it is a normal side effect of the process and can last up to three days and here I am, day three, with that damn headache lingering.

I waited until I was really hungry to eat on day two which was yesterday. I ate about half a bowl of the Kitchari and decided I just could not do it. I graciously accepted defeat in the form of a couple of plain english butter cookies. About an hour later I worked up to a banana and then I made myself some pasta around 7pm.

When E had her evening bowl of gruel, the smell was nauseating to me.

Nauseating.

In yoga today I had a hard time concentrating to work through poses. A couple of time I felt somewhat dizzy and ended up feet up the wall resting. My yogi knows I have some crud invading my peace, so she told me to just go with it and do what I could, and if my body says rest, that I should listen. So, I listened.

I am at Panera at the moment having just had a cup of tea and not really being hungry for anything else, so I will wait to eat. I am thinking maybe just wonton soup from PF Chang's for lunch/dinner when I get my break around 4.

Maybe some chai, yes, that sounds right.

24 hours and three rolls of toilet paper later...

I have had this intestinal crud (that is the polite description) going on since about xmas. I went to the doc on February 23rd and she did bloodwork and an exam and gave me a referral to a GI doc whose first appointment is April 7th. My bloodwork cam e back great, the only concern being that I am still(duh) anemic.

I have also begun seeing an Ayurvedic doc. That would be Dr. Rob. He and Ayurveda were introduced to me through my yoga center, and rather than airy-faery quackery, a lot of it seems to make sense to me in theory and a lot of it is a sort of preventative medicine. Take care of yourself in the first place, and you might not get sick.

Dr. Rob's first order was to cut out milk. This made a huge difference, but did not eliminate the problem entirely. When I say Dr.Rob again, he saud I needed to do a detox. This is something he recommends between seasons to everyone or at least once a year as a spring cleaning for your body.

Squeaky clean. That's me.

The detox begins witha Fleet's oral enema mixed with water. Drink it down and follow with lots of water. "Expect 4-5 watery bowel movements thoughout the day" Umm...let's just remove the y from watery and stay on the throne all afternoon.

The detoxincludes eating nothing but Kitchari, an Indian rice dish made with spices which continue to draw toxins from your system. Kitchari only for 7 days. I could stand it for one day. I might be able to stand it for three or four days. Seven days is way more than optimistic.

It was such a delight to wake up this morning and pee. I did my business and then pfffft...I farted. Wow! No more water(y) bowel movements.

Yesterday, E and I decided it was our last chance to get the fig tree down. It has been long overgrown into the neighbors yard. Not in itself a problem, but it was about 10 feet tall and that portion of the tree was robbing the rest of the tree and it began to rot and weaken in places. It was also growing further into some wires.

During the process of removing cut limbs, the first one I removed actually, I found a hole in the front yard. I found it by turning my ankle and falling. Badly. Never a good plan when you are detoxing. "Nuff said.

I went inside and cleaned up and the horror of the fall hit me and I just sat there and cried. It was a good cry. Not had one in a while. Ah, release.

If Wrecks flops his heavy bony ass on my hurt foot one more time he might find himself in his crate for the day.

Time for some mindless TV and Nikita.

24 hours and three rolls of toilet paper later...

I have had this intestinal crud (that is the polite description) going on since about xmas. I went to the doc on February 23rd and she did bloodwork and an exam and gave me a referral to a GI doc whose first appointment is April 7th. My bloodwork cam e back great, the only concern being that I am still(duh) anemic.

I have also begun seeing an Ayurvedic doc. That would be Dr. Rob. He and Ayurveda were introduced to me through my yoga center, and rather than airy-faery quackery, a lot of it seems to make sense to me in theory and a lot of it is a sort of preventative medicine. Take care of yourself in the first place, and you might not get sick.

Dr. Rob's first order was to cut out milk. This made a huge difference, but did not eliminate the problem entirely. When I say Dr.Rob again, he saud I needed to do a detox. This is something he recommends between seasons to everyone or at least once a year as a spring cleaning for your body.

Squeaky clean. That's me.

The detox begins witha Fleet's oral enema mixed with water. Drink it down and follow with lots of water. "Expect 4-5 watery bowel movements thoughout the day" Umm...let's just remove the y from watery and stay on the throne all afternoon.

The detoxincludes eating nothing but Kitchari, an Indian rice dish made with spices which continue to draw toxins from your system. Kitchari only for 7 days. I could stand it for one day. I might be able to stand it for three or four days. Seven days is way more than optimistic.

It was such a delight to wake up this morning and pee. I did my business and then pfffft...I farted. Wow! No more water(y) bowel movements.

Yesterday, E and I decided it was our last chance to get the fig tree down. It has been long overgrown into the neighbors yard. Not in itself a problem, but it was about 10 feet tall and that portion of the tree was robbing the rest of the tree and it began to rot and weaken in places. It was also growing further into some wires.

During the process of removing cut limbs, the first one I removed actually, I found a hole in the front yard. I found it by turning my ankle and falling. Badly. Never a good plan when you are detoxing. "Nuff said.

I went inside and cleaned up and the horror of the fall hit me and I just sat there and cried. It was a good cry. Not had one in a while. Ah, release.

If Wrecks flops his heavy bony ass on my hurt foot one more time he might find himself in his crate for the day.

Time for some mindless TV and Nikita.

Wrecks claims a victory

Mother fucker. Can you hear him chanting nanny-nanny-boo-boo?

Last night when I went to bed I was nearly sleep walking. I neglected to take my day's booty out of my pocket. This morning E came to my side of the bed to kiss me goodbye when she left for work.

E: Ooh, there's some money on the floor here (picking it up)
Me: Oh, I forgot to put it away last night, must have fallen out of my pocket when I undressed (not even opening my eyes)
E: Ooh, a lot of money!

Well, E picked it up and put it on the shelf. When I got up about 10 minutes later, there was indeed a pile of cash there. It was $40 short of what I knew I had. That means it did not fall out of my pocket, but rather it was taken out of my pocket, likely by Wrecks.

I did not totally condemn him on the spot. I went looking under the bed and around the house but no cash to be found. Then, I was sitting on the toilet and in walks Wrecks, mother fucker, with a twenty in his mouth. I took it from him successfully and then told him to go get mommy's other twenty. Mother fucker.

So I concede, it is better to be missing $20 than $40, but that fucker either ate or still has stashed somewhere my booty. Updates as they occur.

how many days off can you request from a reasonable boss who likes you before she goes off on you?

I just monday put in my day off requests whrough june. Working a 4 day week, most requests can be accomodated by switching schedules around among the three receptionists without terrible difficulty. Especially since I mostly ask early. Way early.

NYC for Easter(March 24-28) was approved in November. Then there is April 7 for a doc appointment and April 15 and 16 for the Art Car Parade in Austin. Followed by May 13-15 for Saints and Sinners, and May 27 to seePink Martini, again in Austin. We take a break for the month of June and July 16th we will be blessing our union so I might want a few days then other than the 16th.

So now I find a retreat with Pema Chodron in August (5 days in Denver) that I really want to attend. I can safely consider all my previously requested days approved, but am I pushing it to ask for a few more days so soon? The key here is that I have to send a deposit soon. ASAP, even. And while we are at it, there will be a trip to Las Vegas tentatively the weekend of August 14, as well as a week vaca in Oct (destination TBD), and Thanksgiving and possible Xmas in Dallas. Whew.

What's a girl to do?

None of my days have yet required that I use any PTO, though I am perfectly willing to do so. I think maybe I will do August as PTO and October. Maybe I should just ask if I am asking for too much, but I do not want t consider that the answer could be yes.

it's only a number

Cholesterol...I had mine checked as part of my blood work with the doc a fewweeks ago and boy, is E pissed. You see, we eat a lot of rich foods. Creamy sauces, full fat infredients, the works. Let me clarify, E is put out because mine is not as high as hers. Mine is actually rather low. A respectable 144.

My blood pressure was high, for me. It was 124 over 80. I am usually pretty consistent around 110 over 70. I think the drama of being something less than well might have been enough to elevate the blood pressure. That, and a fever of 100.6.

Doc: Have you been feverish all along?
Me: Not that I knew.
Doc: Hmmmm...
Me: Of course I was not aware of it til you just told me today, either.

So my appointment was on the 23rd of February and the doc decided to refer me to the GI specialist. The first appointment she has available is April 7th. Joy.

In other news, I secured the Mansfield Collection as new accoutrements for the new bed. It is a dark chocolate color mostly and microsuede. Very rich, very soft. It is nice to see our new grown up bed fully dressed with new bed things. I got the drapes from the collection, too, and they really contribute a lot to the cave effect I am going for in the bedroom. We will have to rely much more heavily on the alarm now. I am going to look today for a couple more accent pillows, and then this room will be virtually done. Not including the bathroom part, but the bedroom part is closing in on done. Oh, except for bedside tables. Not found just the right ones yet.

I have to work 1-9 this afternoon. I decided to bring my laptop in an effort to go with the creative flow. I have been mostly transcribing notes from journals I used when on vacation. I have been thinking more on putting stuff together in a book format lately. Will it be fiction, memoir, etc. All I can do is keep at it until it happens. More or less. Hopefully something at Saints andSinners will further inspire me.