State of the Health

Fridays are always busy. Yet, every Friday I wake up and think, "Today I'm going to go to my meetings, deliver my supplies, then mellow out for the rest of the day." Ha! Friday is always the busiest day of the week for me.

Yesterday, around lunchtime, I started feeling feverish. Flushed cheeks, chills, general fever-feeling. I thought, NO WAY am I getting sick on my 3-day weekend! I always seem to get sick on the weekend, or vacation. Not cool, man.

So I ate lunch and that seemed to help, then I got through the rest of my day still feeling borderline. Then, because nothing actually hurt, I went to the Miller Outdoor Theater with Andrea. Had a nice time sitting on the hill watching the performance.

After sitting in hellacious parking lot traffic, I made it home late and tired. At that point my throat was kind of sore, so I checked it out with a flashlight. Dread of all dreads: my tonsil looked red. Oh sweet baby Jesus, not the tonsils again. So I gargled with salt water and even dabbed a bit directly on it with a qtip. After the widsom teeth, I fully support the use of salt water to promote healing within the mouth. It helped so much.

This morning it's still sore, but thankfully has not gotten worse. I'm seriously hoping I can avoid a full-blown infection through the use of salt water and my leftover zinc supplements. I don't want to handle that intense pain right now, or ever again for that matter.

knock knock ding dong

I hate when people knock on the door. I get all nervous, like who could possibly be knocking on my door, and for what? And for a split second before I open it, I always wonder if it's someone coming to rape and murder me. I blame that bit of paranoia 100% on my father.

Only a few times has it been good- like when Suzy dropped by, or when the neighbor came by to introduce herself and give me an Avon catalog. Or the tamale lady.

Other than that, it's been my meddling neighbors, the lawn guy, or, tonight, two dudes who looked like they wanted to talk to me about God. It was already dark so I thought that was weird. They asked if a previous tenant was home and I said that he doesn't live here anymore. Then I paused, and they just stood there looking at me. So I smiled and said, "Have a nice night!" and they barely moved to leave. By then I was already closing the door.

I think I'll feel better about answering the door when Chris comes home. I'll just feel safer overall.

We can start a fire to sit around

Those Whole Foods frozen GF vanilla cupcakes always remind me of Jessica, probably because she loves them as much as I do.

That being said, I don't want dinner now because I'm full on cupcake.

OHMYGODILAUGHEDSOHARD

cap again

I've been home for 40 minutes. The pants already came off-- WHY am I still wearing a bra??

Shit, that's better.

Came home starving. The menu was for cold tuna salad, but I was craving something warm and cheesy. Tuna mac & cheese would have been ideal, but I do not have the ingredients for cheese sauce. Tuna melts it was. I love the extra sharp cheddar combined with the tuna & the relish.

I'm tired. Another day of trying to solve this problem that's been going on since go-live, and it's getting ridiculous. It's not something that I can fix- as usual, I have to rely on others and that's fun. My boss is out today & tomorrow and I'd love to have it fixed when she comes back and wow her with my competency. Or at least have made some progress. I don't think that's going to happen.

Had a good talk with my newest coworker today. Nothing particular- just about life. She's got a good head on her shoulders and I'm glad she's on our team. It's so nice to be working with competent professionals instead of bumbling idiots with their heads up their asses.

ruffle me up

This weekend's project involved curtains! I've coveted the look of ruffled curtains since I discovered Anthropolgie's ruffled ombre $120 shower curtain. Not to mention these "energy-saving" curtains I hung in my guest/craft room were seriously fugly. See? Yuck. They were just a cheap quick fix so no one could see inside-- they barely even fit the window.

Since every window in the house has these type of window treatments, I went with it and hooked the pretty curtains in front of the ugly ones on the same hook like I did with the master bedroom and the living room. They're still "energy-saving" & light-blocking for sleeping guests, but wayyy more attractive. One side done:

Total cost for these ruffle curtains was $12. TWELVE DOLLARS. Three twin sheets at only 4 bucks a pop. The cheapest ruffle curtains I've seen are nowhere near as cute, and are $20 for each panel. Pottery Barn has incredibly similar ones, same size, for $90 a panel. Holy cow.

I got the idea of using bedsheets from this chick. Although I did not use her measurements because I needed mine to be a different size, the concept was similar. Since the fabric was limited and I didn't want to make another trip to Walmart, I had to make darn sure I didn't make a wrong cut and ruin the whole thing. After coming up slightly short, I improvised and used the 'scrap' fabric to add a different kind of ruffle to the top. In the end, there was not a single piece of scrap fabric. Ballerrrr.

I thought about not hemming the edges, letting the ruffles fray, and going the shabby(er) chic route. It would have cut the labor way down and given me a few extra inches of fabric to work with.

I eventually decided to stick with the clean & polished look and hem all of the raw edges. I'm glad I did, because they do look more polished, and because I have a feeling that they will eventually need a go in the washing machine... I'm looking at you, cat who loves windowsills. P.S My newly made-over nightstand makes a cameo appearance in the above picture. I'm still letting the paint fully cure before setting anything on it.

I love these curtains. They're light and airy and pretty. They give the room a whole new feel. Plus, I think it's fun making ruffles on the sewing machine. [Longest stitch length + highest tension = instant ruffle.]

By the way, I don't think I've introduced you all to my guest room/ craft room. It's still a work in progress. Here's a shot with the rug. I love that rug. I think it was 40 bucks or so at Garden Ridge.

On that note, it's after midnight and I have no idea how it got so late. I'm going to go stand in that room and admire my curtains for a minute. :o)

pain,projects,pants

-I'm having these daily sinus headaches again and there's no pollen so I can't figure out why. Barometric pressure? No clue. Not only are they annoying, at times they get so bad that I feel nauseous. It's getting quite* annoying. All I want to do is close my eyes until they go away.

-Started working on another project last night and stayed up late. I hate stopping; I like to keep going until it's done! However, this one wasn't going to be completed in an evening. I'm really excited to see how it's going to look.

-Made some perfect pancakes for breakfast. Seriously, they were pretty. I haven't made pancakes in a while; just haven't been in the mood.

-Funny- as soon as we ordered a new modem, the internet stopped going out. Not a single problem since it was ordered. I think I have to go pick it up today.

-I got a gift card from work for being a badass, and I decided to buy non-ill-fitting pants with it. Then I found out that Old Navy is discontinuing my favorite pants! I did get one pair in blue, because they don't have the other colors in my size. That just figures; I find a pair of pants that fit perfect and they stop making them. I got some in a similar style and I hope they fit. I'm so tired of pants that don't fit right! P.S. The blue is my first pair of "colored" pants. I'm excited!

-Merh I have to pay bills. That's no fun.

-It's impossible to think that I might possibly have my husband back by year's end. Like, BACK. For good. As usual I say I'm not keeping my hopes up, because it's all rumors and hearsay and nothing's final. But Oh, that would be nice. So nice.

*I've recently learned that while Americans use the word to mean "very," the British use the word to mean "fairly/slightly."

Nightstand

Got that weird "hungry but belly is upset" feeling. Don't know if I should eat, or if it will make me feel worse. Merh.

Finished up my project. Here's a little before & after:

This was purchased at Goodwill for $15 several years ago. For a long time it was used for kitchen storage. Since I have real kitchen storage now, I decided to use it for a nightstand in the guest bedroom.

I chose grey & white because it matches my rug and we happen to have grey bedsheets for the guest bed. I was thinking about mint or teal, but I figured I'd leave it a neutral color and look for a pop of color somewhere else. I sanded the top a little because there were water rings, then applied 4 thin coats of Zinsser primer. [It's so hot & humid out that I didn't want to do anything too thick and risk forever-sticky paint.]
Then, I applied 2 coats of white eggshell interior paint. The grey was the same type, but I got the tester size tinted since I only needed a small amount. Spray-painted the existing handles black.

With all this extra primer & paint, I think my next project will be that orange bookshelf, which is currently acting as a bar. I never did like that orange color, and the paint never cured right so everything sticks to it.

fish oil

When I worked at my last job, there was an employee of the hospital that would come to the lab to get some tests ran.

The first time I ran the test, his serum was so cloudy with fat that I had to dilute it twice to obtain a triglyceride result. Of course, I didn't need a machine to tell me it was off the charts.
When I handed him the results, I reminded him that he should be fasting and those results were probably not accurate, and to lay off the burgers and fries and sticks of butter right before having blood drawn. He replied that he was indeed fasting, for about 12 hours. Holy crap. I'd never seen anything like it.

I imagine he had some sort of serious hereditary lipid issue; he was a trim man who ate decently and exercised.

A few months later, he came by and had us run some more tests. This time, his blood was still a little lipemic, but I was able to obtain a result without dilution. His test result was less than 1/4 of what it had previously been.

I asked him what he'd done differently, and he said that he had not changed one thing, except he started taking fish oil supplements. That's it. That's all he did. No drugs, nothing else.

I was amazed. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, and performed the tests myself, I probably would not have believed it.

I personally have had some struggles with blood lipids. Nothing as dramatic as that, but it could stand to improve. So today I saw some supplements on sale and decided to give it a go. I should probably get my blood drawn before starting them, but I don't want to come into work fasting.

I figure it couldn't hurt to try them.

security

Well, that would explain why I saw the secret service in the hallway after lunch today. Only, at the time I just noticed guys with earpieces mingling about, and figured there was a VIP in the building. Only later did I learn who they were. Now that it's in the news, I feel like I can mention it.

few weekend pics

1. Calvin interested in the pictures on my hand.
2. Work wardrobe update: 6 tops for 37 bucks. Kohl's.
3. Coffee with Pumpkin.
4. Project near completion

pants & electronics

I installed 2 hooks near the front door. They currently hold a light jacket and some tote bags.

I'm thinking a pair of pants might need to join the ranks. Several times now, I've had to delay opening the door to go put on pants after someone knocks. By the time I'm to the door, they're halfway down the walk.

The internet is spotty again. Apparently our brand new modem is outdated already and "can't handle the speed" so it just simply goes out. Uh, huh. So, I'll be off to Best Buy this morning to get a new one. After I've had a nice big cup of coffee.

Life Tip

When a little old Mexican lady rings your doorbell selling tamales out of a rolling cooler, buy some.

During the transaction on my front walk, I asked her if she was one of my neighbors. She replied, "Mondays, Wednesday, and Thursday."

Ohh yeah, that's how I knew they were going to be good.

They came in a foil packet, piping hot and spicy and delicious. Right on, little old Mexican lady. You keep coming back.

Starting the wedding weekend festivities tonight. Other cultures are so cool and fun and interesting. I'm so glad I get to be a part of this.

keep on keepin on

I'd love to take a late-summer vacation with my toot. Soak up some of the lingering summer sun in a locale that doesn't swelter. Drinking frozen vacation drinks and smiling at each other from under sunglasses.

Tonight I made pork loin that I marinated overnight in italian dressing. Not the craziest of dinners, and it made the house smell like vinegar while it cooked, but the the resulting tangy sauce was quite good.

That's it for now.

california with my toes in the sand

I sometimes get the most random, intense cravings for frosting. Not cake, just frosting. I fully own the fatty fat fatness of that statement.

I never, ever thought in a million years that Chris and I would argue about sex. I figured money would trump all arguments, especially because we have different views about it. I also figured that we'd evolve in our communication skills so that we wouldn't continue to have the same. pointless. argument. over and over. I suppose that will be easier to do when our relationship isn't 98% verbal.

Not to mention, these particular arguments wouldn't even be happening if we were together. A quick boob flash can pretty much end any argument. While effective on Skype, I imagine it'd be even more effective in person. I can't wait to test that theory on a regular basis.

Long distance can only be done for so long, even in the strongest of relationships. I'm so over this shit. I'm scared at how easily I've adjusted to him leaving this time. I still miss him every day, but it's more normal for him to be away than it is for him to be here. That's scary.

Got some rosemary potatoes roasting for dinner. I've never roasted potatoes before. I hope they turn out good. I always forget how long potatoes take to cook until I stick a fork in them and they're nowhere near done.

Spent yesterday afternoon over at Ash's with Frank. Calvin is interested in his toes, rolling over, and Frank's iPhone.

body

The belly has been really ishy this week.

Definitely no gluten. It was probably due to my diet of hot dogs, lunchmeat, and chips. Of course, there were plenty of salads because I had lettuce to use, but I think they were no match for all the other horrible things I ate.

I drank lots of ginger ale this week. While pepto is great initially, it tends to have after-effects that make the recovery process from a belly ache last much longer. Ginger ale doesn't work as well, but it calms things down a bit.

This week it's back to cooking fresh meat, veggies with every meal, and healthier snacks. (Plums and grapes were on sale!) Hopefully the belly will calm down. I got some fresh ginger and I'm putting it in my tea, because I feel like the bubbles in the soda probably make it worse.

I'm also considering yoga but I'm pretty on the fence about it. I know for a fact that once the weather stops feeling like the surface of the sun, I'll be motivated to work out. It happens every fall. The change in weather urges me to get outdoors.

I dunno, I feel so funky lately and I'm trying to drag myself out of it.

"entertainment"

Last night after work I was feeling a little down. I really didn't want to go home and sit alone in my house--Again. Although the urges are fewer and more far between, I wanted to go out. To be in public. To be around people. To eat dinner alfresco. To sit in a coffee shop for a couple of hours. Something out of my norm lately.

Alas, last minute plans tend to not work out. Then Mom called me and said they were all drinking on the back porch. So, I went. I stopped at the store to buy two bottles of wine and didn't get carded. Merp. I suppose that's all ending now. I swear working at my last job aged me 5 years. People have started guessing my age accurately lately.

Anyway, it was better than sitting alone in my house watching What Not to Wear and being sucked into Say Yes to the Dress.

My Aunt and I can always talk about books. (Or how movies are lame and unoriginal nowadays.) But, more frequently, books. We both agree that we haven't read anything really great lately. I recommended Like Water for Elephants, and she still has not read the Harry Potter books. We'd both like to read the new one that she wrote under a different name. I've also recently read the Percy Jackson books.

We started talking about shipwrecks, all the stuff that's under the sea that no one knows about, and then discussed that maybe that should be our new book theme. Start reading books about shipwrecks. I'm sure there's a bunch out there.

My problem with books lately, much like movies, is that they're so predictable. It's like reading the same basic plot over and over, but with different characters. I did read a free Kindle book the other day that was not very well-written, but the story was just original enough to keep me reading. Also I was watching Orange is the New Black, and I couldn't predict many of the plot twists. That's what I want. I'm tired of the same old crap.

I'm also starting to see, slowly, more scripted tv shows. I stopped watching tv for a while there, because I'm so sick of the reality shows. I don't care about the kardashians or the duck men or the jersey shore or pregnant teens or catfish people OR people trying on wedding dresses and arguing about it.
Hey, MTV, how about actually airing things related to MUSIC? I haven't seen a music video on that station since TRL.
Instead of following idiots around with tv cameras and calling it entertainment, how about give some talented writers jobs,and start filming something that took some effort? Something that doesn't numb my brain and make me wonder what's wrong with the world?

I have no idea how this turned into a rant. I really just wanted to talk about books.

So, what are you reading?

dried up muse

I figured I should put something here, but I don't have anything to say.

I haven't been drinking lately so maybe that's it.

on weddings

Last night we attended Serenity's wedding.
It was absolutely lovely. She looked beautiful and radiant. As expected, it was full of bling, peacock feathers, twinkly lights, draped fabric, and a great DJ. Open bar, candy bar, amazing food. Most importantly, it was full of kind words, congratulations, clever speeches, sweet vows, and many near-tear moments. That couple is so loved- by each other and by the family & friends in attendance. They are going to have such a great life together.

Throughout the night I found myself, of course, missing Chris. Not only as my party companion, but as my husband.

I have told myself it's no big deal if we never have a wedding (in my opinion, we got married; we didn't have a wedding. There is a difference.) In reality, it's just a big expensive party, but I do like big expensive parties. :o) I did figure that, getting married the way we did, I'd probably feel like I missed out on some things. This is just the first time I've had a chance to experience those feelings firsthand.

So I watched this couple share all of the traditional rites: First dance, cutting the cake, etc. I thought about how Chris and I can't look back on our first dance as husband and wife, because we literally haven't danced as husband and wife.

Not that they make a marriage any stronger, but I feel like these things might be more psychologically important than I initially thought. These rituals are all part of the wedding celebration for a reason. They're part of our society's wax seal on marriage.

Of course there were many factors contributing to our particular sequence of events. Some of them I agree with; some I don't. There is no sense in wishing things were different because you never know what else might have happened instead.

I also need to remember that while other wives dance at their wedding receptions and fold their husband's underwear, mine is out being a sniper while I wash his "blast-protective undergarments." Jesus.

I don't know if Chris and I will ever have a wedding reception- I don't know if we'll have a better use for the money, or even feel like planning one. I don't know if I will eventually realize that these things are overrated, or if I will always wish I had gotten to experience them.
That's just the thing; I don't know.

Either way, I'll continue to enjoy other people's wonderful wedding celebrations, and feel happy that I get to help celebrate their big day. And dress up and enjoy the free food and booze. ;o)

And-- enjoy my marriage to my perfect-for-me husband.

P.S. On an unrelated note, I'm watching Orange is the new Black. It doesn't have me completely obsessed, but it's good enough to keep me watching.