Pedi Cure

Disclaimer: The above photo is not of my feet. Although the nail color is the same, unfortunately the actual photo of my feet seems to indicate that I not only have fat toes, but that my feet also have wrinkles. I may have to take my camera in for service because I'm SURE that my toes aren't fat and my feet don't have wrinkles in real life.

Ahhhhh. Is there anything better than a pedicure? Not for me. I've been putting it off all year for one reason or another. In fact, I've put it off for a couple of years without realizing it.

I'm definitely going to be making it more of a priority in the future because it definitely has a way of curing whatever ails me.

Except apparently for fat toes and wrinkly feet.

How About a Cocktail?

My tip for today is as follows. . .

If someone hands you a green and foamy drink and says it's a GI cocktail, just say no.

This lesson is brought to you by my trip to the emergency room last night for a scary, but fortunately not serious, although yet to be diagnosed medical issue.

I can only plead ignorance, however, on the GI cocktail. So enthralled with the offer of a cocktail at the hospital, I grabbed it and gulped without fully hearing the nurse's words "This is going to taste really bad."

Just as those words were registering, so was the idea that with anything labeled GI, it's a pretty sure bet that something is probably going in one end or coming out the other within a matter of minutes.

Luckily, neither turned out to be true and it was merely to rule out any gastro problems as a source of my pain. However, the vision - and taste - of that green and bubbling nastiness will stay with me for quite some time.

And one final bonus tip for the day - keep your legs shaved because you never know when an emergency trip to the hospital will involve care by Nurse Aaron and Dr. Hottie.

Island Bound

Lately we've been doing a lot of talking about the possibility of moving out of the country to an island in the Caribbean. It's all talk at this point and wouldn't be for many, many years down the road, but it still makes us think what it is about that lifestyle that we crave.

Other than the obvious beautiful weather and scenery, it's the laid back lifestyle that appeals to us. Entire days of enjoying life and doing whatever our mood moves us to do that day.

That leads to the question of why we can't create that life for ourselves here and now.

Of course, we can't recreate the beautiful weather. Illinois weather being what it is, describing it as beautiful at any time of the year would be a huge lie.

And the scenery isn't much to look at unless you like miles and miles of corn.

However, there really isn't any reason that we can't spend days doing whatever our mood drives us to do.

Vern's work schedule is such that he has several days in a row at home between his work shifts, so that's not the obstacle that it is for most people. We have flight benefits and can fly almost anywhere we would want to fly, and we both love driving trips, so the ability to travel isn't the issue. What is the issue is getting tied down with the house.

Realistically though, it's not the house itself. It's the stuff that is in the house. So much to take care of, so much to maintain, and so much to deal with. Frankly, we spend so much time dealing with the stuff of life, that it sucks the enjoyment out of life itself.

Our garage sale has been pushed back to mid September. Vern's work schedule for the next few weeks is going to be hectic, and we are just doing what it takes for him to get through that.

The positive of that is that it gives me time to once again reevaluate the things we have. What do we really treasure and what is merely "stuff" that is taking up space, collecting dust, and creating work.

So, as I work through each room in our house over the next few weeks while Vern is at work, I intend to put on my favorite sundress, throw a little Bob Marley in the CD player, make myself an icy margarita and pretend that I'm clearing things out so that we can live that island style life that we want so much.

Minus the beautiful weather and scenery.

Garage for Sale

Not really, but if the price was right, it probably could be.

Our long needed garage sale is approaching in a couple of weeks. We started setting up and unpacking boxes. It will take several days of set up, cleaning, and pricing, and I really don't want to do it all at the last minute in case the weather turns hot as it usually does this time of year.

For now, though, everything is a disorganized mess. I have no idea where all of this junk came from.



On a related note, we snagged three Ethan Allen chairs and a wooden office chair that were sitting at our neighbor's curb. Vern will probably use them in his shop.

Did I already mention that I'm not sure where all of our junk comes from?

Our Visit to Dr. Funsucker

Remember how I mentioned that one of Vern's recent tests had come back with some abnormal results?

After our meeting with the specialist this week, it seems that there was not one abnormal result, but FOUR. They all point to a high probability of kidney stones.

This was, of course, news to us. I'm sure glad we went through four months of hell only to have someone tell us that he has a high likelihood of forming kidney stones. Because we couldn't have figured that one out on our own.

Anyway, back to the fun part. Here's what Dr. Funsucker told Vern.





No soda. No chocolate. No meat. No other women.


Okay, I'm joking about the "other women" part. I paid the doctor to tell him that.

Another Completed Project

Pattern: Waterlily Top by Katy Ryan (Interweave Knits, Spring 2006)
Yarn: Ornaghi Filati Bazar Le Fantasie - Egyptian Cotton


Of all the projects I've finished so far in my (very short) knitting life, this is by far my favorite. It fits perfectly, the yarn was a dream to knit with, and best of all it took less than a week from start to finish.

I'll definitely make this one again next summer, probably in a plain color.

My only complaint is that like most other tops that are in style recently, it treats everyone to a peep show unless I wear a tank top underneath.

Mission Accomplished!

I am proud to report that the desk, filing cabinet, and hutch are fully assembled and ready to be put into use. They don't even wobble a little bit.

Just one question.


Do you think it's bad that I hid the leftover parts?

It Just Keeps Getting Better

I knew it was too good to be true. I knew that this whole kidney stone business wasn't over.

Last week we got the news that one of Vern's tests had come back with abnormal results so they were referring him to a specialist. We have an appointment next week to deal with that issue.

If that wasn't bad enough, yesterday Vern got a call from his doctor who wants him to go back to the hospital for yet ANOTHER x-ray. The last CT scan showed a dense area from his kidney out through his back, roughly following the path of where the nephrostomy tube had been. This is the tube that they had so much trouble getting placed because of the size of his stone. And this is also the tube that, once in, was left in place for a couple of months.

Now it seems that there is an issue related to that tube. The area of denseness could simply be calcification because of the length of time that the tube was left in place. However, it could also be a trail of stone fragments that dumped out of the tube when it was removed. Ironically, it could also be part of the tube left behind.

I cannot believe that I am writing about this damn stone again. It's time to move the book about this whole ordeal from the "medical mystery" to the "medical horror" section of my bookshelf.

I Have a Point To Prove

You've seen my desk. Or rather the trashed out buffet table that is acting as my temporary desk.

It's going to be a good long time before the office is finished. It's just not as large of a priority as, oh say, the kitchen. Or the bathroom.

In the meantime though, I still have to try to function in my faux office on my faux desk.

Yesterday we picked up a desk, hutch, and file cabinet on super clearance at Office Max. They don't match but for $20, who cares. Not me. It's better than a buffet table with paint all over it. And it's just "temporary," which in my world means "probably will be that way until we move to a new house."

But. . .

do you know how many parts these types of things have? Me either. But it has to be at least twenty kajillion bits and pieces and parts.

And silly me - who has never assembled anything more complicated than putting a role of toilet paper on the roller - decided that I was going to prove I was "woman hear me roar" and could assemble these things while Vern is at work this weekend.

There are pieces all over, I've managed to slice open my finger, and my hands have blisters shaped like a screwdriver.

But it's too late to back out now. I have a point to prove. I will figure this out.

Even if in the end, it's probably going to look like something the Unabomber would have in his shack.

Lost in a Sea of Desperation

Also known as the Driver's License office.

It's a ritual of the residents of Illinois. Drag yourself into the closest Driver's License renewal facility, stand in line for 20 minutes just to receive a number so that you can sit among the unwashed for another 2 hours. All so that you can hand over $10 and get a new driver's license. Rinse and repeat every 4 years.

I'm happy to report that I'm all set for another 4 years.

However, I do feel sorry for the guy who must have been the temporary worker operating the camera today. He is SO going to get fired when they find out that he was actually taking photos that do not look like mugshots.

If It Wasn't Monday

I would swear it was Friday. The 13th.

Let's chalk this one up to a very bad, horrible, no good day.

Lincoln, our black lab who is never sick, has a large lump under his neck that needed to be biopsied by the vet.

We had a bad storm and our internet was out for 12 hours.

My computer got a virus, couldn't be recovered, and I lost almost 3 years - yes I said YEARS - of work, photos, files, and documents. (So if you don't get a Christmas card this year, it's because I don't have your address.) Of course, "back up computer" was on my list of things to do. The list is somewhere on my desk.

Vern's doctor called and some of his test results came back abnormally so they are referring him to yet another specialist. I guess it's time for a new chapter in the Kidney Stone Drama series.

If you don't hear from us, it's because we are hiding under the covers. And not in a good way.

Edited to add: You want to know how crappy of a Monday it is? It was such a bad Monday, that it actually happened on Tuesday. Somehow, somewhere, I lost a day. That's okay. The universe can keep it because I'm sure it was shitty too.

A Few Finished Projects

Yes, I actually followed through on my goal for July of finishing at least four projects.

Drifters Shawl

Yarn - Eros Drifters (3 skeins)
Pattern: Basic triangular pattern (k1, m1, k to end)

Gosh I hated this project. It was destined to be a cool summer scarf when I purchased the yarn but after frogging it about 15 times (and spending an equal amount of time detangling the f-ing yarn), it ended up as a simple triangular shawl. Surprisingly, I don't hate it now that it's done. I don't exactly have a time or place to wear it, but at least if that time or place ever comes up, I don't hate it.

Bonsai Tunic

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease
Pattern: from Interweave Knitting

My first constructed project. My first chart. My first completed sweater.

For so many firsts, I'm actually very happy with this tunic. The fit is almost perfect. There are some small areas where my knitting could have been improved, but overall, it's a completely wearable project and I'm very happy with how it turned out.

Clapotis

Yarn: Southwest Trading Company Soy Silk

Pattern: from Knitty.com

I don't know if there are any knitters out there who haven't made Clapotis or at least plan to make it. It was an interesting knit and one that can be worn a lot of different ways.

Dean Street caps

Yarn: Acrylic (for washability)

Love, love, love this pattern. It looks so much harder than it is. These hats may or may not be Christmas gifts for family members who may or may not read this blog.

Mission accomplished - finished at least four projects during the month of July.

Let's not discuss the progress on the desk though - okay?

Can I Get An "Awww"

Remember this cabinet over our kitchen sink?

I found a picture on my camera that Vern had taken before he installed the trim, light, and valance.

I'm pretty sure I don't deserve him.

Rock On

Tonight we watched Shrek the 3rd.



We're rocking now. . .

In our rocking chairs apparently.

I Concede

con·cede \kən-ˈsēd\

1. To acknowledge, often reluctantly, as being true, just, or proper.

Remember how I made fun of the yarn bra?

I take it all back.

It's probably the single best knitting related purchase I've ever made.

I was wrong. Vern was right.


And as his reward, I'm knitting him these

Knit Tits.

Always perky and no bra needed.