Still sick

Since I have been neglecting my e-mail and blogging duties this weekend, it's a safe bet to think I'm still sick. I didn't go to work yesterday, and that's a good thing. Since Saturday morning, I've been camping out on my couch, trying to knit, but my brain just doesn't want to work with that, and trying to read, but that requires too much concentration for my zapped head right now. Sadly, I got sucked into a Bridezilla marathon and proceeded to just get pissed that there actually are people out there like that. My "favorite" episode was of an alcoholic bride from Wisconsin. Then there was the 18-year-old spoiled brat from Cali. And the "me-me-me-do-it-my-way-but-feel-sorry-for-me-because-nobody-knows-how-stressful-this-is" woman. Can't remember where she was from. Those poor hubbies. They're in for a ride.

Anyway, speaking of poor hubbies, C. has been working at the opera house this week as a manager, and he also did all the house chores yesterday (trash, dishes, ironing, cat box cleaning and feeding) while I napped. He tried to convince me to take a little walk for some fresh air, sun, get my blood flowing, but I looked at him like he had three heads. And though I didn't think I got enough rest yesterday, I made up for that by sleeping for 12 hours last night.

After feeling pretty "good" upon getting out of bed at 11 a.m., I decided to run some errands (well, two to be exact). After completing my second task of the afternoon, I started to feel queasy, hot and sticky. And dizzy. Maybe I'm not all better just yet. And I guess you know it's bad when your mom won't even come see you because she doesn't want to get sick, too.

I guess it's back to the couch. :-(

A song to cheer me up

I was driving to work today after an emotionally and physically draining morning (and I was only awake for a few hours), but after dealing with moronic drivers on the highway, I turned the station to Jack FM and just as I did, I heard Lowrider begin.

So I turned it up. Loud.

(This was the least cheesy of all the videos.)

Almost as an extra pick-me-up, the Weather Girls' It's Raining Men followed. Bonus.

Sunglasses update
Since some of you have asked, I'd like to report I mailed back my Bolle sunglasses, asking for the third style featured in my previous post. The fifth style was a decoy; I only wanted polarized lenses to help protect my eyes after having LASIK four years ago.

Sick in the summer?!

Nope, that "scratch" in my throat last night wasn't put there by a sharp piece of food from dinner.

It's there because I'm getting a little summer cold. Ack!

Being pregnant and all, I called my nurse to see if there's anything I should be concerned about. (Otherwise, I'd stick it out and complain every bit of the way...) I still plan to complain every bit of the way, but at least I can look forward to a throat culture Monday if this little "bug" doesn't leave over the weekend.

Until then, lots of fluids, juice, Tylenol if necessary and rest. And salt water gargles in the morning and at night.

Meme

I got "tagged" by a high school buddy, so here we go!

Two Names You Go By:
1. Doe
2. Josephine

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1. Big maternity jeans (oxymoron?!)
2. A digital watch

Two Things You Want In A Relationship:
1. Love
2. Respect

Two of Your Favorite Things To Do:
1. Yoga
2. Knit

Two Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1. To not be at work
2. To not have sciatic pain

Two Pets You Had/Have:
1. Booty, longhair white calico
2. Gabby, grey and black tiger striped cat

Two People Who Will Fill This Out First:
1. I always leave...
2. ...these ones blank

Two Things You Did Last Night:
1. Watched part of an Oprah rerun
2. Ate a Reese's brownie (it wasn't that great)

Two People That Live In Your House:
1. Me
2. My hubby

Two Things You Ate/Drank Today:
1. Cranberry juice
2. A popsicle

Two People You Talked To Last:
1. My mom
2. My hubby

Two Things You're Doing Tomorrow:
1. Sleeping in
2. Working

Two Longest Car Rides:
1. Denver to Minneapolis
2. Pueblo to Billings, Mont.

Two Favorite Holidays:
1. Thanksgiving
2. Christmas

Two Favorite Beverages:
1. Iced tea
2. Orange juice

This is getting amusing

This morning, I dreamed about having plans to move to the mountains, but C. said he couldn't go, because people who work downtown don't live in the mountains. I said, "I work downtown." His reply? "Not anymore." But he made me guacamole dip before leaving, saying it was for my going away party. And then he said he wasn't coming back, but to have fun.

Evidently I went hiking after that (or this is just one of those bizarre, no-logic turns in a dream) with my friend R., whom I haven't seen since my birthday party in February, and while scaling the face of a cliff with a wicked dropoff, I found myself climbing a rickety old ladder and tree, and a bat decided my hand looked good enough to take a bite out of. After flailing around and shaking the dang thing off my hand, and with R. sitting nearby watching but doing nothing, I guess I woke up or drifted away from such nonsense.

OK. Back to sleep for a couple of hours.

EDIT: Look at that! My ticker says only 100 days of pregnancy to go!! In a little more than three months, the little munchkin will be here!

Dreams

I just had a dream involving floating on wind currents, breaking and entering, UFOs, a funeral, police surveillance, a fitness club, amusement park rides, text messaging, and, yes, Justin Timberlake. Don't ask me how this all tied together, because I'm still trying to figure it out.

Next time, cheap sunglasses

If you know most of what is going on with me, you'll know I've been "fighting" with Bolle about these sunglasses I bought three years ago. They are the Morph, and they were pricey, but I like them. However, I've sent them back for factory repairs twice. And twice Bolle has replaced them with a brand-spanking new pair. Well, I got the latest pair back about three weeks ago, and ... wait for it ... they're broken. The left lens keeps popping out. So after calling customer service yet again, I found out I have to send them back a third time, but the rep suggested I ask for a different style this time.

EDIT: Now this is where you come in. Help me pick a new pair of Bolle sunglasses! Post your choice in the comments section, if you please.

Pictures

Here are the latest, but in the meantime, enjoy this sleepyhead goof I made.

I went to bed sometime after 2 last night, and I forgot to take off my earrings, remembering this fact after I jumped in bed. I took one off, put it on the night stand, and then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...

This morning, I saw that one earring was on my night stand, so I started searching frantically on the floor, in the sheets, under the bed. The cat knocked it off. I knocked it off. It's lost. (Mind you, it's not like they were my diamond earrings, but they were still purple and adorable.) After searching for a good couple of minutes, I had an itch on my left ear lobe. My second earring was just where I had left it yesterday. Still attached!

This one is from last week: 24 weeks.



This one is from this morning, 25 weeks, with sleep marks on my tummy and all. And how its possible I look paler is anyone's guess. Has to be the lighting. But the good thing is I got complimented yesterday three times on how I looked like I had gotten some sun. (These people don't know I've been sequestered in air-conditioned environments every chance I get, far away from the hot sun.) Light eggplant, yesterday's sun dress shade, must be my color.

Welcome

Dominic Orlando was born at 9:09 p.m. Monday to proud parents M. and D. in Albuquerque.

He was 6 pounds, 10 ounces and 20.5 inches long. Awww.

The 4-1-1

We went to the doctor's office yesterday for my 24-week checkup. I'm doing great so far. BP (110/60), weight (ha! like I'd really tell you that), urinalysis, fundal height and fetal heartbeat all check out perfect.

Except for one thing. My uterus is measuring "big," as Dr. B put it. Just then C. started laughing. Need I remind you he was an almost-11-pound baby when he was born? When Dr. B and I both gave him daggers out of our eyes, he told her why he was laughing. My OB said my fundus measurement was 3-4 centimeters bigger (and that seems awfully big!), but it wasn't alarming enough to change my due date to any time sooner. She also said the baby's weight goes more by what Mom was when she was born (that'd be me at 6 pounds and a half-ounce), but of course Dad has something to do with it, too. Pooh.

At any rate, my next appointment is in four weeks (Aug. 14). That is when the fun begins. I have to do my glucose blood test to check for gestational diabetes. (So far, no sugar or protein in my urine.) I've been hearing from other ladies this sugary drink they make you choke down is absolutely no fun. Then you have to sit and let it do it's magic for an hour before your blood is drawn.

All of this brings back a memory from when I was 8 years old, in the hospital for an appendix-related malady (but I didn't have an appendectomy), and I had to drink this "grape juice", as the nurses tried to sell it to me. First off, it was this nasty purple dye crap that tasted worse than moldy liquid cardboard/carpet. As soon as it hit my esophagus, I started spitting it all back at those clever nurses, a la Linda Blair in The Exorcist. I can't remember how they actually got me to drink that poison (I probably blocked out that memory for good reason).

Tids and bits

This photo gave me a giggle. Don't ask how I found it.

---

I also forgot I could blush so easily. I got a compliment (well, more than one), on some fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants design I did tonight at work, and the kudos made me turn red.

But inside I was jumping up and down for creating something that people will be talking about (at least in the office).

Baby knits

Here is a bib I made last night. I got the pattern from the Mason Dixon Knitting book, which I recommend for anyone. I've already tested out at least five patterns from the book and have my eyes set on many others.



If you're wondering about the funky colors, I used ball of a variegated yarn that was almost nil, and thought I'd experiment with another bright color in between and on the strap ends. And this cotton yarn washes up like a dream. So easy!

Geometry

I walk past this scene almost every day on my way to work, and if I am on the right side of the street, the tip of the Denver Art Museum "touches" the top of the Denver Public Library. It just doesn't work from the opposite side of the street.

Today, I snapped a pic with my cell phone and e-mailed it to myself. I thought I'd share a sunny, blue sky from Denver today.

He's joining in the fun, too

C. had his first baby dream last night.

He was changing the baby, which was a girl by the way, and he said her diaper was dry. Just as he picked her up from the changing table, she started peeing on the floor. There was a puddle on the floor, and somehow she ended up peeing on a lady standing in line across the street (?). He said, "Just tell her it's water."

After the peeing episode finished, he put his hand under her butt to put her back on the changing table, and of course, she started pooping in his hand. Just then, he said he started yelling, "HONEY! I NEED AN EXTRA HAND HERE!!"

---

Yesterday's "seen"

A bike "bumper sticker" that read: "My other bike is a bike."

Really?!

Not even the cops

This sign is posted next to the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Building downtown, catty-corner to the Rocky's building. Pedestrian traffic is "urged" to flow adjacent to the Webb building, not along the nearby sidewalk next to Colfax Avenue. Where Colfax takes a jog around Civic Center Park, that sidewalk is for wheels only. (So the opposite of the sign above. No peds. Bikes and blades, OK.)

Mind you, nobody pays attention to these signs; as you can see from my vantage point in the photo, they're not at eye level.

And today, just as I crossed Colfax Avenue and Bannock Street, two cops on mountain bikes ignored the sign, riding straight into the pedestrian flow! As if!

In a front-loader, to boot!

I'm kicking myself for not taking any before pictures, but here is my new felted tote bag!



For those of you not familiar with felting, it's basically the same thing that happens if you've ever machine-washed a wool sweater. Oops! It comes out looking like it will fit a teddy bear. Items are knit or crochet much larger than the desired size and out of 100 percent wool. Before felting, I hung the straps on my shoulder, and the bag nearly dropped to the floor (about 8 inches above). And here's the finished product on the back of a dining-room chair.

The problem with front-loading machines is once the door is locked and the wash cycle begins, the item cannot be checked several times during the various wash cycles, like a top-loading machine. Using a front-loader is like "blind" felting (though I did a few practice swatches beforehand). I'd have to say I'll likely be felting blindly more often!

Lazy Tuesday

I was thinking of completing one giant task today but decided against it when it required a shower, change of clothes and driving. (More on that later.)

Today, I ate a bagel and fruit for breakfast, a dang quesadilla for lunch and now I'm thinking I just might make those enchiladas for dinner (that, too, involves driving, though).

But the best part is just about to come.

Trash TV. OK, I know it's not Jerry Springer, but my lineup includes Dr. Phil, followed by Oprah. I've already watched part of The Young and The Restless, one Baby Story, two Bringing Home Baby episodes and one and a half Take Home Chef shows on TLC (I only watched one half of a show since it made me hungry).

But since I'm actually finishing a smaller task at home, I can feel guiltless about watching the boob tube. I began making a felted bag months ago, and now all I have left to do is assemble the bag and knit the two straps, attach and felt! I'm still experimenting with my front-loading washer's felting capability, so wish me luck. I'll be sure to post a photo of the finished product.

And it was much easier for me to stay home today since I had a near accident last night on my way home from a friend's house. All said, I'm OK, but it really scared the poop out of me and I'm a little afraid to drive on the interstate. I think I'll be sending C. to get the Nissan those new tires we promised to get after our trip to Taos.

Gotta run. Can't keep Dr. Phil waiting much longer!

Blog junkie

I'm back and borrowing this idea from MomOf3.

64%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Weekend update

Another weekend at a wedding, another weekend of belly rubs and pats.

Good news, though: I have yet to have a belly-rubber offend me. The word out there is if that comes to pass, I should reach right out and rub the belly of the offender. See if they like it (sadly, they probably would)!

In other news, I wasn't feeling well to end the week. I had lots of cramping, more contractions and decided to take a day off sick Thursday. I couldn't stand up for longer than 20 minutes at a time without feeling the pain, so I stayed home on the couch, knitting another blanket for Junior (this one is a log-cabin throw made of cotton) and watching TV, mostly tennis.

I had to strategically plan my 20-minute bursts with meaningful tasks: bathroom breaks, beverage refills, snack preparation, a little e-mail and sometimes a chore or two (but nothing too serious). I had C. do all the heavy lifting (laundry baskets, ironing board, even watering the flowers and running an errand to REI for los novios), and all without protest (as it should be!).

Luckily, I made it through, rested and ready for my busy weekend.

A cruel way to think of dessert

Never before had a vanity license plate made me hungry until last night.

We were driving back from Estes Park, where we had been for a wedding and reception at the Stanley Hotel (yes, it's where The Shining was filmed!).

About 25 minutes from home, I spotted a white Nissan Altima, shiny and clean, and the Nevada license plate read

BAKLAVA

Mmmm. Flaky layers oozing with flavor, melting in your mouth, making your fingers sticky. Sweet. Crunchy. Flaky. Soft. I really want some!

Happy

The seen

A middle-aged black woman at the grocery store, wearing what appeared to be a curly wig, big eyeglasses and carrying a black, patchwork purse. As I walked past the customer service desk, I saw the back of her shirt and had to look again.

So fly

Those were the words air brushed to the back of her red t-shirt. It was evident they had been made for a group of some sort -- I started thinking of bowling shirts, high school band shirts, even my old dance studio shirts -- but my eyes didn't read past the distinct lettering.

It made my day!

Sorry, dear

Last night, I had the most glorious night of sleep since, well, I can't remember when. I slept seven hours straight - 2:20-9:20 a.m. - and the only caveat was I was walking to the bathroom hunched over like Igor because I usually get up at least once in the middle of the night. But seven hours ...

...and C. wasn't even here to experience it.

Nope. My hubby is away in Oklahoma, and I had the whole bed to myself. Well, it was me and my five pillows.

P.S. Lest you worry I didn't get enough rest, I slept about another 90 minutes after that!

Shameless contest plug

The Pinks & Blues Girls Blog is having another contest giveaway, and by golly, I'm going to enter.

It features Body Shop coconut butter and a Vera Bradley purse. And you know I love my purses! (Haven't bought one in more than six months! Help me out here!)

Anyway, here's the other required link to Sheena Williams' Body Shop site. Great stuff to be found, no doubt!

If you yourself are a blogger, why not enter?

I can't believe I'm doing this

Since I got pg., I've been trying to "document" my size by taking weekly (but sometimes I forget) self portraits. Here I was at 14 weeks (two months ago):



Mind you, I thought I was getting "big" back then. Now look at me. Here I am at 22 weeks (just a few days back, as confirmed by my ticker):



It's not easy to get all this flesh into the viewfinder any more.

Anyway, stay tuned. I'm sure more humiliating belly shots will be available as the weeks roll on. (And I roll on...)

The trifecta

By popular demand, here is the finished seahorse!



I wish the tail was longer. That's something I can experiment with as I make more. I already made a second crab; it's just not assembled yet. I gave the first one to a friend for his daughter. He said she would get a kick out of it!