Catching up with January - Part 1

and, hey, it isn't March yet.

Australia Day!

Kevin was still in NSW playing games.  No, that isn't true. He had moved to Canberra to play games and Zupe and I were still playing single parent goes crazy.  So, I thought I'd pack him up and we'd go for a museum day.  He still isn't (wasn't - or at least I didn't trust him to be) strong enough to walk it all day, so I brought the stroller.  Unfortunately, this really sucks.  He doesn't want to ride in the stroller.

Pointing at his lap where the blasted straps keep him in and then down to the ground.  Guhhhhhh.

But, when I let him out he takes off - as you would - and then I'm trying to keep track of a stroller with our semi-valuables and him.  I'm sure this is a scenario to which many can relate.  Still, I'm going to whine a bit.

And, he didn't really love the dinosaurs.  Who's kid IS this?

Still here are the highlights:

Unappreciated T. rex:

From January

Briefly appreciated Triceratops:

From January

Playing in the Queensland State Library (Thanks, Auntie Bhuva for introducing this to us!)

From January

GOMA  GOMA  GOMA

From January

Fire and Rain - James Taylor

For Renee.



They played it on the radio this afternoon as I took our boy to Nundah.



...I always thought I'd see you again....





Happy Birthday.

Well that photo wasn't particularly troublesome

but I can't recommend the experience.

First, there was the big red rubber band.  You know where this is going.  Wrapped around and around and around my toe.  OMG.  Throbbing, pulsating, twitching PAIN.  Follow that up with injection of local anesthetic and

"How's young Mr. Kevin?" the doctor asks.  He's got a crush on Kevin in that asexual, I've-never-met-a-person-like-you sort of way.

"Can we NOT talk?"

What can I say?  Still a bitch.  Grinding me up into table gripping, squirming pain doesn't make me any nicer.

I was lying down so I cannot tell you where those injections went, but does it really matter?  Could there be ANY PLACE on a toe where an injection of stinging lidocaine would feel OK?

I kept telling him, "I can feel that."

"Your nail is already off."

Oh, so that was the little chinky sound in the kidney dish.  I'm not surprised.

But, bonus!  There was another nail growing under the first.  This one was attached and required digging and more injections.

"Have you ever had an injury to this nail?"

"When would that have to have been?  It hasn't grown since maybe September.  I don't remember."

"Oh, it could have been 20 years ago..."  (That helps narrow it down.)

The ginormous bandage came off yesterday and I got to see my toe.

You can see the indentation of where the nail sat on the top of my toe for years and years and years and years....not that I am saying I'm old.  And, a deeper, redder indentation at the base of the nail and extending up about 25% of the way where the living nail, the replacement that "we" rejected sat.

And, a big bruise around the base of my toe.

Happy birthday dear Zelda (2/2/2015)

From Alphabetically Zelda

You'd be 18 today.

I would give you the entire watermelon.

And then, you could sleep on the bed.

It's the Mummy!!!!!

From January

Watch this spot for grusome image tomorrow

On Wednesday I called my doctor and asked casually if there were any appointments available for Thursday.

Amen!  Hallelujeah!  3 PM.

So, I made my list.

1. New prescription for B12 injections (despite the fact that I correct her every time she says "you're a vegetarian", she still believes I am and, given that my B12 was on the lower aspect of normal and I was complaining of fatigue - because I wasn't sleeping at night - she prescribed B12.  Three injections at 1 month intervals.  I picked up the first one from the chemist (pharmacist) in December.  They don't store prescriptions here but give you a revised copy with the number of repeats remaining.  I looked everywhere and couldn't find the "new" script.)
2. Two referrals for specialists for Zupe - the neurologist (who we see in 2 weeks) and his primary pediatrician.
3. MY TOE

Eventually I convinced her that it (my toe) was no better after 6 weeks of Lamisil though initially she pointed to that raised line and suggested the nail below it was healthy/growing out.  I had to remove the other shoe and point to that big toe and emphasize that 6 weeks ago these nails were the same length.  The nail on the left foot is quite long now but the the right nail length was UNCHANGED.  There is no growing out going on.

Guess what you win with that argument.

An amputation.

Monday.

6:45 AM.

Watch this spot.

By the way - those B12 injections come three to a packet.  You'd think she would have known that and said something in December like I'll store the remainder here for you.  Could she be selling B12 on the black market?  Bald Hills - hot spot of organized vitamin crime.

"Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris

From January

The take-offs were good to watch, as well.  But when the old airplane made her great arc to the North, it left him sad and empty and the air was acrid with goodbyes.  He learned to watch only the landings and hellos.

I'm getting Kevin caught up with Hannibal (the tv series).  This led to me decided to reread Thomas Harris's novels - well, at least Red Dragon and maybe, for the third time, Silence of the Lambs.

It's interesting to find elements of Red Dragon embedded in Hannibal.  Conversations - word for word- coming out of different characters' mouths.  And, now that I (at least for the next 15 minutes) know Red Dragon, I can also tell you of the plots disparities between Hannibal and Red Dragon, which if you didn't know, will be it's sequel.  (By that I mean the story of Hannibal (the TV series NOT the book) comes before (immediately before) the story of Red Dragon.  I could tell you about plot issues, but I won't.  It doesn't really matter and I can feel my knowledge of them fading quickly - even as I type.

Then, me being me, I thought I'd watch both the movies of Red Dragon - Manhunter (1986) and Red Dragon (2006)-   but I only started them both (simultaneously - reason #552 you're glad you didn't marry me - I'm watching movies at night before bed in 20 minute segments).  I stopped watching them when Kevin reminded me I was supposed to wait for him.

It will be fine, Kevin.  I'm sure I'll forget everything I saw before you get home tomorrow.

Not for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs.

From January

Yes.  That is my toe.

Why are you still looking?  I am hideous.

The nail has not grown since August? September?  Nails grown on dead people!  My toe has gone beyond just dead!!!

I have been to the doctor and I've now taken 6 weeks of an antifungal medication.  The result is what you're looking at..  (WHAT?  YOU are STILL looking at IT???!!  Turn away fool!  It might be contagious.)

I'm pretty sure it looked better 6 weeks ago.

I called last Monday (the 19th) to schedule a follow up with my doctor.  She's been away skiing in Colorado since Christmas.  (Why can doctors leave their practice for weeks at a time but veterinarians can't? don't?)  The first available was February 2.

My foot may drop off by then.

Happy Australia Day!

From January

I momentarily considered adding a little flag.

Four days ago I got an email reminding me that Australia Day was in 5 days and I needed to get busy acquiring and sending out my A-Day cards.  Hmmmm.  I've never seen an A-Day card.  I don't know what they look like.

Maybe they all have tree frogs on them.

Yours does.

Evening visitor

From January

It has been raining here in Brisbane.

Raining a lot.  Not only does that mean that I've been able to turn off the air conditioning for hours at a time BUT that cute little tree frogs turn up at the front door.

Sure beats finding them in the toilet.

Though, I suppose I prefer a frog to a snake or a rat.  When one of those turn up, or I get a huge huntsman in the car with me, I will be grabbing my bag and heading back home.

This one is free

From January

though you might feel compelled to send money to me, anyhow.  Really, it is THAT wonderful that you'll feel an immediate rush of gratitude to the world... and to me.  Ok.  You CAN send me money.  Or, more spinach.



Spinach Burger

Cook hamburger to desired level of doneness.  Keep it pink if you like the thrill of a possible food borne illness.

Saute spinach in butter and onions.

Place burger in pan with the spinach and pile the spinach around burger.

Lift it out of the skillet as a unit.

Garnish as you like.

You might even want to consider wrapping it in bread or a nice bun.

One more reason you should be glad you didn't marry me

From January

Kevin fortunately loves me.  And, he tells me the truth.  I am hyper-critical.  Yes, yes, yes, I want to be easy going and always find my world to be copacetic, but I cannot turn off the "evaluator": not even when I am reading lovely, warm-fuzzy books to my son.

Take the quote above and now look at the illustration:

From January

Yes, the cow is in milk but she is not a "milk cow".  She's a beef cow.  And, if anyone wanted to milk her, they would not let her nurse that calf.  Maybe this is a bit of a stretch.  Maybe any cow with a distended udder is a milking cow.  Maybe I am wrong here.

But, what about:

From January

I know my rodents.  That is not a mouse.  

From January

It is a gerbil.  

From January

And, here -

From January

I think this poor fawn may have hydrocephalus.


Edited to add :  Kevin says, "How do you know I still love you?"

The end of an era

From January

I figured it would happen sometime.... a smart phone has been moved into our house.  It is Kevin's.  And, those are Zupe's bananas.

I am now the last of a lost tribe... the phoneless.

Is there any wonder why I wake up at 5 AM?

From January

Don't worry.  I didn't see any birds, either.

Hmmmm - the video doesn't play when you push the arrow, but takes you to where it originates.  You have to repeatedly push play to get to see the video.  Sorry.  That is true for the video below, too.  Erggg.

Year in Review - thanks to Google

Merry Christmas

and Happy Boxing (Rebellion) Day at the Goma!

In my next career move, I think I am going to be

From December 2014

a ninja.  Yep.  Not only did we whip WuFang's butt despite early expense of yin-yang tokens, but I have decided to embrace my superpower and go with it.  I can walk up to automatic-open doors without triggering an automatic opening.

Ninja.

Why did it take so long to figure this out?


Edited to add:  Kevin reminds me that we are playing CHINESE Ghost Story and, therefore, those are not ninjas.  Fair enough.  They are not ninjas but I AM.

We are having something of

From November 2014

a tea party revival here at Hibiscus Circuit.  No one is exempt - not bear, not doll, not mom, not dad.  Whether you can actually reach the table from the chair makes no never mind.

From November 2014

There will be plates and bowls and cups and lots of spoons.

From November 2014

You are invited.  Bring an appetite.

As we move ever closer to Christmas

From November 2014

it is time to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

A Cautionary Tale

From November 2014

There is so much going on here.  Consider what it might be saying about Australia...  about the rise of the mammals and the extinction of the dinosaurs...

Then, consider that a few minutes later while eating lunch, the stegosaurus toppled the koala off the high chair tray...to the ground with the marsupial! The fall was not good.  Two legs were lost.  A koala that doesn't stand isn't long for this world.  He was ushered into the rubbish bin.

 Consider what it might be saying about Australia...  about the rise of the mammals and the extinction of the dinosaurs... about the fall of mammalia...