Let's start with prom.

This was our date.  Our wonderful, WONDERFUL date.  

And gracious host.  And all around amazing human being.

This is what we did.  All night.

It was a New Jersey kind of week...

This week my NJ bff was in town.  He's amazing, of course.  I mean...he IS my NJ BFF!!!!!!  I flew down to LA on Wednesday and drove up to Sacramento with him.  That night we ended up at Cheaters where people were stamped, songs were sung and pieces of art were explained.  BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!!!

Thursday we hung out in Sacramento.  We hung out at my folk's place, got Sandra Dee's, got trashed at Cheaters, saw what some of our fair city has to offer and rode motos until bolts fell off. Literally.

Friday we hit up Santa Cruz.  We tried to go to the mystery spot, but all we saw was this:

There were people in there, but we had just missed out on the last tour of the day.  We left the spot of mystery and headed over to FU Tattoo and visited with Nick Vargas (another wonderful human being).  We chat, I discussed possibly heading back down in June, we left for coffee.  Because I'm an addict.  After wondering around the also closed boardwalk, we hit up the pier and peeped some seals.  I talked to my cousin and we met up with her for dinner at Saturn Cafe before heading back to Sacramento for more adventures.

Today we woke up a little late and headed out to San Francisco.  We saw the Japanese Tea Gardens, I possibly got peeped by some girl with short hair and a lot of tattoos, and then we went to Haight Ashbury for people watching.  After getting some punch from Hobson's inside Nicholas and Brandorz, we walked around a bit.  Eventually we headed back to the car and did some sight seeing while driving around.  A quick trip to Ben Sherman and we headed home to grab yogurt and a Black Velvet from Bonn Lair.  It's sleepy time now, as Nicholas has got to wake up early to hit the road back towards San Diego, a whale's vagina, to catch his flight home.

And for whatever reason I can't get this song out of my head:

Party time

Yesterday I flew down to LA to drive back up with my NJ BFF Mr. Nicholas Terzulli.  We had lunch at Doughboys and got coffee at Intelligentsia before we started the drive up.  We made it an hour before Garmin said we would and we immediately set in to a game of Dr. Mario.  Big time party-er's at our house!!!  We ended up leaving and going to meet some friends who were doing karaoke and ended the night at Cheaters.  Nicholas was in incredibly adorable form as was Brandorz.  Both of them were pretty hammered.  I wish I had video or could remember half of the things either one of them said.  I was referred to as Peanut by the end of the night.  It was a good day!

Dropping Brandon's Motorcycle

Haha...yeah I did.  Oops.  He didn't think it was as funny as I did.

So here's the haps:

We were out just taking a little putt while we had some time and the weather was nice.  Since my Suzi isn't registered and I'm mad frightened about getting 'er towed, Brandon let me ride his little Yammy.  We head out towards Jackson...we decided just to take a little trip about half hour out since I didn't have much time.

Apparently it'd been a while since I've ridden (before my last surgery) and I am such a retard that at one point I needed to shift up and kicked the shifter down.  Oops!!  I guess I thought I was riding an English bike?  Into second gear I went!!  I was thrown a little forward, laughed and recovered quite well without anyone the wiser.

We needed to stop and fill up both bikes before heading out.  As we go to leave the gas station, we have to do a routine little maneuver to get into the far left turn lane.  Brandon goes first.  I go to follow and as I'm trying to inch up next to him, I'm pretty much walking the bike with the bars turned all the way right to make my way next to B.  As I'm straddling the bike walking it up to the car, the bike starts leaning hard right (yeah...my good leg, what.the.heck).  I realize I can't keep the bike up, but don't want to just let it drop and hit the street hard, so I gently set it down.  It had to have been the most slow motion ridiculousness to watch!!!

Brandon's looking at me in disbelief.  I'm laughing in disbelief because not only do I actually set the bike down, I do it in the middle of the street.  Of a crowded street.  With a couple cars behind us.

Brandon shakes his head, sort of smiling and goes to ride his bike back across the street to the gas station so he can pick up the bike I'm no longer on. 

He stalls.

His bike is kick only.

He's gotta push it across 2 lanes of traffic.

He finally makes it back, picks up the Yammy, pushes it across the street and just shakes his head in disappointment.  Once he finally gets the bike running again (I flooded everything), he decided we needed a safer Rijel Route. 

The rest of the trip went off without a hitch.  I finally got to ride and I've now dropped a bike for the second time!!!  I'm an iiiiiiiiiiiiiidiot!!!!!!

Holy crap LEGO

I don't even know if I can explain how in LOVE with this I am.  It's $90, but I'm probably going to break down and get this masterpiece of square sex.  I also need to go back to Pennsylvania and see this bad boy IRL.

 

This would be pretty sweet too.  Really any modern art design buildings in Lego form would be amazing.


On a different note...if you haven't read this amazing blog, where the fuck have you been?  And no.  I'm not trying to be his one true love, get into his pants, win him over with my ego stroke, or any other kind of stroke for that matter.  He truly IS a gentleman, a scholar and an incredible human being.  So, if you happen to know a highly educated, heavily tattooed babe with an ass that makes Beyonce think she left the junk out of her trunk...send him a message.  No, seriously.

After surgery amazingness pt. 2

RIJEL!!!!
How was surgery?

I miss you.

Here's a shapeshifyer on the kooseand they're gonna get me

Hahahahaha! That's hilarious! Miss you!

Why aren't you online? Iow do j hey my grutxhes?

I will go online later, and I bet you're feeling really good!

U have a double chin and I can see it

I'm trying to cdeod chat with Brandon

And I can see hmthr I have like 5 chins

It's awful

Ummm. Idinnoif baand is bringing myceitches

Whaaaaat???

I nee crutcheshbbbbbbn

Oh crutches!

That's what I sad!!!!

I need to Take off thisprotectiln. ISA yyo smell your face.

Reallyehat?!?!?!?!

Not drunk on alcohol!!!!!

Risky from the mess!

Horatio cane is the worst. They bneed to take him off tv. Andhustjeave is glasses o

His look is the worry that's why I had to change it. Supernatural now. With a gin and 7th heaven

I heart Jessica Beil.

She is a babe shedid JT and got naked in a movie sorry of

Yeah. Hot.

Yeah. Of I were a boy I'd thru to slide it in for sire.

Me too! Lol  How's your knee?

It's phat. Pretty hot and tempting.

I need totals this dumb xcreenprotectoroff it's awful

I think Brandin needs to bring me myceitches

Nice. Are you done now? Or do you go back in again?

Mom says one more. Dad says he didn't say that. I don't rmemeber taking to anyone except the angel that maenads me tea

NY eyes are heavy

But tv is on. Howdi I resist that !?!!????

I bet! Lol get some rest dork.

Is itcause you tole her to eat a dick? 

And now she's hungry?

uiour'43 supposed to be my sebt friend

i have a aawlker only
and it sucks
i'm not 893452 years old
why the fuck do i need a walker?!???!?!?!?!?!

i need pinecones
cun you bring my brutches

you whine
you're hte wordst


i thought your dad took your internet away!

he tried
i condtested
and said
no white man
i lose the interet
you lsoe the stach


supernatural was on
an i think the shapeshifter
stole my mom's body

Shoes.

I've got a small problem.  I like shoes.  A lot.  And these are my new lust.  I also just found them on sale.  But not in my size.  I think that's a sign I don't actually need them.

Too bad all that means is that I'll be looking all over the interwebz to find them in my size at the same price.

One more reason my mother is amazing

Surgery on Friday, back to work tomorrow (Monday).

Yesterday, I realize I don't have anything that will be comfortable to wear to work.  I bring it up to Jeannie Mae to see if she has any khaki or black skirts I can wear (since I'll have to be in "uniform").  She doesn't.

So what's this saint do?  She goes out and buys khaki material.  What is she doing right now?  Making me skirts to wear to work.  She is a dream boat.  And one of the most wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure of having in my life.

Even doctors don't move

So being on crutches and actually getting out of the house for the past 2 months you get to see how friendly some people are and how much chivalry has gotten lost over time.  I LOVE automatic doors because trying to get in a regular door (while easy now) takes some getting used to.  Especially those crazy heavy doors.

At the grocery store no one seems to offer up a place in line for the girl on crutches who's foot is obviously discolored.  While crutching to and from physical therapy twice a week people don't seem to take notice of the crutches and continue their conversations without moving or stepping aside to make much needed walking space.  EVEN THE DOCTORS DON'T MOVE for me and you'd think of all people, THEY would know better.  So in the past 2 months I've gotten used to not getting the special attention one would hope for.

Earlier tonight I went to the movies and even though I know better, I had 3 glasses of water at dinner.  I try my darndest to avoid using public restrooms when I've got 2 healthy(ish) legs, let alone have to use one while I've only got the one good leg.  Going to the bathroom on crutches not only means fighting to get the door to the bathroom open, but trying to maneuver in the stall itself.  Someone had a genius idea of making the toilets in the handi stall like 2 or 3 inches taller than the regular stalls and since I'm not exactly on the tall side, I usually prefer the regular stalls (even though they lack those sweet unsanitary bars to grab hold of in case I decide to "hover").

Tonight was no exception.  I headed to an oversized "regular" stall and after putting down 2 or 3 ass-gaskets I felt safe enough to put my disease free bum down and took a much needed tinkle.  When I got into the bathroom there were 2 other women in stalls and during the time it took me to get all buttoned up after peeing only 1 woman was left.  She was in her mid-twenties wearing a white shirt, brown cardigan, skinny jeans and some brown knee high suede boots, indie-ish, but not "hip."  She lingered around and stared at herself in the mirror while I hobbled over to wash my hands.  Since I've been on crutches, I'm always slightly nervous about washing my hands while other people are around.  Because I'm on crutches I've got to dry my hands thoroughly so that way I don't slip and I always worry people thing I'm a tree hater because I use so many paper towels.

Anyway...I finish washing my hands and as I move toward the garbage can the woman in the bathroom heads toward the door and this is always where things get awkward.  Like, are they going to hold the door?  Will the let it close on me 4 feet away?  Will they sigh as they wait for me to hurry?  Will they rush out like they didn't see me?  This beautiful woman gets to the door while I'm about 10 feet away (more than enough time to go through and skee-dattle without having to see me after I get out) and she holds the door and waits for me.  At this point I realized she hung around the extra minute or two deliberately.  I pass her on my way out and say, "Thank you very much!"  She smiled at me and with an air of confidence I get a, "You. Are welcome." 

I was stoked, obviously.  She was a cool chick who was down to help and I can't wait to pay it forward.

TWO DAYS.

A tree fell on Amber's house.

I went to bed super late yesterday (6:30am) and woke up around 11.  I went to physical therapy and worked out.  You think I'd be tired and want to retire early, right?  Apparently not.  It's 6am and I'm wide awake.  Luckily I have nothing that needs to be done tomorrow.  I have a few phone calls that I should make, but nothing pressing.

The day was packed full of Etsy and other craft sites that kept me busy the majority of the day.  Well, that and chauffeuring Brandon around.  I think Alissa should get an award for all the transport she does.  Not only did she take me to and pick me up from PT, but she also took B to school today and I went along for the ride for funsies.

Outside our house was a flooded.  Starbucks lost all their patrons to Peet's because the drain on the Starbucks side was clogged and the street was flooded and water was probably around 6-8 inches deep.  Sabotage?  Maybe.  On the way to drop Brandon off there were multiple limbs and branches strewn about the road.  It was also very windy and the rain hurt when it hit my face.  After I picked Brandon up from school (what the frick, am I a mom?) we went and got food for dinner at Safeway.  The parking lot when we pulled in was flooded.  The shopping carts looked as if they were stuck in a lake.

Oh yeah...and a tree fell on Amber & Chris' house.  Luckily it didn't damage their place, but it DID damage their neighbor's.  There wasn't anyone living inside the place, although rumor has it that the place had just been remodeled inside and was about to be rented.  Brandon was gonna call and see how much cheaper rent would be with the new add-on.

I stole all the pictures from Brandon's Flickr.  Tomorrow I might crutch down to see and conquer this tree.  All wheel crutching.

Where the Wild Things Are comes out Friday.

Oh yeah...and 7 days and counting.

75 percent. Win.

When I wake up I will be at 75%.  That means in 14 days I will be (hopefully) walking and ruling the streets on two wheeled dream machines.  I need to start seriously rehabbing my knee and getting it prepped for my first steps.  I need to stop being so dang lazy.


I keep having the feelings of being able to walk already.  Sometimes as I sit straight up or go to re-position myself I get day dream glimpses of myself standing up and walking over to grab something or using my left leg to lean on.  Then reality hits and I realize these are fantasies.  At least these dreams will be coming true shortly.


Today I ate some delicious pizza and key lime pie all during a Bones marathon.  I think I watched about 14 episodes today.  It was AMAZING.  A nice day to sit around without much to do.  I hope I wake up early enough tomorrow to accomplish a semi-long task list that seems to keep growing.

Grandma gives good advice.

Since Gma was in town, I went over to Mom & Dad's to hang out for a while.  Just as expected, as soon as I got there Gma had her hands on some yarn and a needle.  She was attacking some needlepoint my mom had been working on for a Halloween present.  I asked her why she wasn't working on her own project and she tells me, "Ohh...you know your mom don't do right.  I fix!!!"

Now...my mother is a FANTASTIC craftista.  She can do every possible craft that involves a needle and thread or yarn AND she does it very well.  But whenever Gma comes to visit Mom finds all her latest unfinished projects and other items she couldn't get JUST right.  Then, grandma being grandma...she sees these projects, throws her hands up in the air baffled and goes, "Oh my gosh.  YOU do dat?!"

We concede.  Tell her we'll never be as good as she is (which is ridiculously true) and hand over the project.  Not only did we spend over 2 weeks to start and get to the point where we stopped, but we thought we'd done a pretty good job.  Grandma.  Grandma takes the project...gives it a once-over then tears the entire thing out.  Before she leaves for home (sometimes only a 2 day visit) she hands us back a finished product.  Better than it was when she was first handed the project.

As Mom, Gma and I were sitting around crafting on Saturday night I asked my dad to get me a pair of socks since my foot and toes were on the cold side.  Gma asked if it was circulation that was keeping it blue and I told her it probably was.  She stops and puts the needlework on her lap.  She looks me dead in the face and says, "Then you need to get up and walk around.  Stop be so lazy all da time!!"

"Grandma.  I'm on crutches!"

She starts laaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuughing!!!!!  It was the most darling laugh.  Her and my mother couldn't breathe because they were laughing so hard.  Then again...neither could I.

Grandma's gambling habits

Last night around 9 (WAY after grandma's bedtime) I got a phone call from her number.  I figured it was my uncle Michael solidifying plans for me picking up my gma, but on the other end I hear an asian woman with a thick chinese accent.

"Wiiichoool.  You can't pick me up tomorrow."

"Umm...why not grandma?"

"Because I gamble on Fridays and you pick me up in Quincy means I no gamble.  I need to keep my routine, so you no pick me up.  I go to Oroville and gamble with Michael."

"So do you want me to pick you up in Oroville?  After you're done gambling?"

"Yeaaah.  Yeahh...that sound good."

"Okay!  What time should I get you then?"

"Ohh, I don't know.  I don't know when I run out of money or when I be done.  Maybe you not pick me up at all."

"No grandma...you're coming down to Sacramento tomorrow to stay the weekend.  What time do you want me to pick you up?  4 or 5?"

"Um...yeah.  I get dere around 12 o'clock.  I think that will be enough time for me to gamble.  Maybe I not go to Sacramento at all."

"Grandma, please put Michael on the phone."

After about 15 minutes we figured everything out and I'm picking her up at 6 because she needs to keep her routine of blowing cash on some machines and getting a McDonalds flurry for lunch.

Ruler.

Although I wasn't incredibly busy yesterday, I was very tired today.  Maybe it was from when I went to the DMV and got my perma-handi pass finally.  I'm not sure why, but I was tired looooooong before I went to PT today even.  Kip and Melissa's kids must've worn me out.  Even though it was Brandon who was doing all the baby tossing activities.

Physical therapy in the water today.  The knee hasn't caught once today (so far) AND I got to do squats in the pool!!!!!!  They didn't hurt, but I could definitely feel the burn in my quads and it felt FANTASTIC!!  I crutched to and from PT and it was quite a work out.

I had a dinner date tonight and had amazing convo's with some peeps I hadn't seen in a while and miss hanging out with.  Once I got home Brandon and I headed over to Golden Bear.  Brandon got in and I handed the door guy my ID.  He said I couldn't go in.  What. The. Heck.  I was JUST at the DMV...why didn't they tell me my ish was expired?!?!?!  Oops!!!  Looks like I gotta go back again.  Luckily I've got crutches that make my DMV visits extremely speedy.  Oh yeah...and up front parking.  Life rulezzzz.

Number six? Really?

Or am I just making mountains again?


For the past 2 weeks or so, as my knee has been catching and locking up on me, I've become more and more concerned with my healing...which has led me to small pity parties with only me in attendance.  Luckily, they only last as long as I am alone.  Once someone comes over (or home) or when I get messages  it usually cheers me up enough to not think about my knee.  I've got extraordinary friends and family.  Even when I don't think I seem like I'm putting out a Debbie Downer vibe, someone seems to know the right things to say or do.


The catching that's happening is obviously something deep inside my knee and it's cause enough for me to have called the doctor just before 5pm today.  Apparently he works pretty late and shows concern for his patients because I received a call back from him around 9pm.  Once I explained that my knee is now catching multiple times throughout the day and causing me pain on the regular he asked me to go in tomorrow morning so he can take a look at it.  He reminded me that there's probably not a whole lot he can do, especially from just taking a look at the outside of the knee.  We quickly talked about an MRI to check if we can see anything as far as progress goes.  He also indicated that it's possible he'll have to go back in arthroscopically.  Fortunately I still can't walk yet and arthroscopic surgeries are cake.  There would be little rehab for the procedure.


My gut feeling is that this surgery hasn't taken.  Wow.  Writing that down makes it real, doesn't it.  Maybe if I strikethrough that I still have a chance?  Ahhh...that feels a little better.  Still not quite reality.  


Other than that silly knee thing, today was fantastic.  I woke up late, got lunch made for me, was dropped off at PT and even though once I'd crutched home the doors were all locked, Brandon showed up soon after I had gotten there and let me in!!  I got great news earlier and I'm going to try to make it up to my grandma's on Friday.  She's a guaranteed "pick-me-up!!!!"  What else is a fantastic pick-me-up?!  


SHOPPING.
Handmade sweater jackets

I'll need these for my "uniform" for next year

I need these just because

This is funny and matches my wallet

Who DOESN'T want a mustache?

Upon my search of stuff for Jody and Amanda

I found things like this

But I can make things like this

But not like this. Link 80, go crazy.