Moops

Well everyone can relax. And by everyone, I mean my mom, and by extension myself, because when mama's not happy, nobody's happy. The lump is smaller!

The doctor told me that if it wasn't better in 24 hours, she didn't want me to travel. After 24 hours it wasn't, so I called my mom and her head exploded with thoughts of wasted cheese platters and mamosas. I told her it looked the same, though I must admit, it even looked a little worse. Baby shower attendance was shoty at best. But the doctor told me to call her Friday morning, which is technically 36 hours. So cursing my immune system, I popped another antibiotic and did a little "Shrink the Thing in my Leg Dance" and went to bed. And it's a Baby Shower miracle! Praised Be the benefits of sleep and smelly orange pills! Oh, it's still there, and it still hurts, but at least when I called the doctor this morning and told her it was better, I wasn't lying.

So now I get to fly! Which seems like it may be just a stressful as staying home. At least the little guy isn't around yet, or I might have to do shots of breast milk in front of long lines of annoyed travelers.

All this drama gave me a reason to blow off my crappy temp job today. I started yestederday and it was a nightmare! I am whoring myself out for $10/hr to help with a "mass mailing." I figured this meant stuffing envelopes. Whatever, I'm not doing anything else, right? Well, it was more like packing and shipping. Boxes of books and brochures to be packaged up and Fed Exed all over the state. I was on my feet all day, and lifting shit. Not good. The lifting wasn't constant, and I could tell the supervisor was a little concerned. But when you have to move a box to get to something, you don't want call some 50 year old over-weight lady over to move it for you.

(This is my plea to not yell at me for lifting boxes....believe me, I wouldn't do anything to jeapordize the little guy, it just sucked and wore me out...they were like 25 pounds and small...please don't yell at me. I know. I know.)

It sucked. My feet hurt, my back hurt and all I wanted was to sit. On the way out I told the supervisor I had a developing medical situation that I had to deal with today, so I wouldn't be in. She was super cool about it. I told her that I would understand if she wanted to call the temp agency to get someone else, but she said I was so speedy, I did two days of work already. I'm supposed to work for 4 days . I plan to go back on Monday and Tuesday. We did all the big orders first, so by then it should just be filling large envelopes, while seated. And don't worry, I plan to call my temp agency and tell them that I will no longer take jobs that require me to stand all day long.

I still don't know what is up with my leg. Bug bite? Hope so, that would be easiest thing for my body to fight. Bruise, I definitely don't think so. The most likely culprit is a bacterial infection of some sort that either entered through a Shingles blister (nice) or through my swollen cracked pregnant feet (even better). Apparently, my immune system is not up to the task of fighting off much of anything. With a lack of alternatives

I've taken to washing my hands alot and not walking around the house barefoot. I'm sure these steps will be effective as I breathe in recycled air for an hour and a half.

Just waiting for my teeth to start falling out

"Well, we ruled out a blood clot, though there is something there."

"Like what?"

"Could be a bruise, or something like cellulits."

"Cellulitis? What's that?"

"Its when you get an infection in...well, um..."

"Your cellulite?"

"Yeah."

Great. It's bad enough that I have cellulite to begin with, now it can get infected?! Of course, they don't know if that is, in fact, what is going on. Apparently, anything besided a blood clot is not worth worrying about...unless your me. I spent most of the time on the ultrasound table trying decide what event I would be good at for the para-olympics, because if it's not a blood clot, it's definitely a tumor and they will for sure cut off my leg. (I think Js hypochondria is rubbing off on me, this line of thought is more his style.)

I woke up yesterday morning with a pain on the side of my knee. It was sore to the touch and pretty much just felt like a bruise. I couldn't think of how I managed to bruise myselft there, but chalked it up as pregnant lady sleep flailing and hopped in the shower. I had my day planned. I was going to finish knitting a shower gift for a friend and then head downtown to shop for some cute maternity junk and hats to counteract the severe self esteem blow delived by a terrible haircut.

Well, half way through my stroll downtown my leg was really hurting. I felt the side of my knee and there was a distinct lump and boy, was it sore. So after my bandanna and hat purchase at Urban Outfitters, I head home and onto the internet.

Which is never a good idea.

The first scary thing I found was blood clots. Apparently pregnant ladies are prone to these, especially in the leg. So I call my mom, who tells me to call the doctor, who tells me to get my butt over to the office. She takes a quick look, furrows her brow and leaves the room. She comes back in and states she's sending me over to the hospital for an ultrasound of my leg...and since they are "squeezing me in" I could be there for hours. Which I was.

But luckily, no blood clot, which I guess could really be bad. So I was very relieved. However, now that we know what it isn't, I want to know what it is. It still hurts. It's definitely not a bruise...it's red and growing. It's about twice the size of yesterday morning. If it's an infection, I want it gone before it gets in the blood stream or anything...mama worry is kicking in full throttle. I don't have a 'regular' doctor yet, so I'm calling my OB today to find out what I should do.

So that's the drama. Geez, can anything else be up with me and my body? For real. Enough already. I really don't want this blog to become a dumping ground for my medical issues...first Shingles, and not to mention it's already named after my corn related digestive disorder. Did I tell you I have a zit on my shoulder?...well, I do. (and hairdresser from hell also stated I have "flake situation"...there, more than you ever wanted to know).

And now back to Matt in the Studio!

The self-image of a pregnant woman is a very delicate thing. There are times were the added curves make you feel more womanly, but most of the time, you just feel kinda fat. And feeling sexy? Well, fleeting instances at best. Therefore, accessories have become very important. I enjoy a cute shirt, have taken to wearing a little makeup and even some jewlery. I just bought a pair of oversized rock n' roll Nicole Richie-esque sunglasses, though I'm not completely convinced I pull them off. And to top it off, I have my new shorter hip hair do.

Well, at least I did.

I have been butchered. Ok, that language is a little strong. But honestly, I look like Dorothy Hamil. And no matter what I do, I can't get the funky cool bob back. Instead I have this strange urge to go to the Regal Beagle and open a flower shop


J and I went in for haircuts on Saturday (his looks fabulous, by the way). I opted for the more expensive "experienced" stylist. I told her I was new to this haircut and I just wanted a trim. I explained it should be a little shorter in the back than in the front and I wanted the bangs trimed up a bit. Other than that, a little reinforcing of the layers and some thinning out to reduce the poof factor, and we'd be done. She seemed to understand and she got to work.

The salon we went to is right on the water. I had a prime seat next to a big window, looking out over the docks and across the lake. So as she begun her work, she turned my chair away from the mirror and towards the window. That's right! So I couldn't see what she was doing...sneaky, I know.

Well, after about 20 minutes of babyname talk and criticism of my current hair maintenance regime, she turned me back. The first thing she said was "So, are you freaking out?"

Um, why would she ask me that? Clearly, she knew she deviated from the plan...

First thing I noticed was that it was really short. Like REALLY short. But it was still wet. It's hard to tell anything. She told me to let it air dry to keep the curl and put some goop in it, and ran her fingers through. She explained that if I didn't like something, just call and she'd fix it. That would be reassuring if I had any hair left. Which I don't, so needless to say, I won't be calling.

Anyway, as soon as I got home, I got to work. The front is shorter than the back. THE FRONT IS SHORTER THAN THE BACK. The exact opposite of what I said. It doesn't quite make it into mullet territory, but he front layers are short...no lenth at all. AAAARGH! And they're big chunky, thick short layers. All I can do is tuck behind my ears, which makes me look like...yep.



I'm just so sad because I really liked my new haircut. But now it's gone. I just keep reminding myself that hair grows and it could always be worse. I am going bandana shopping today to see if I can manage some sort of hair band, head shield device that will not make me look like a dork.

And no, I will not be posting a picture.

Shake my booties

I just dropped Tubbs off at the vet for his rescheduled EKG. I feel really bad...he was in such a happy mood this morning. I drank my morning coffee watching him roll around on the floor and growling trying to get me to play. Then I grabbed his leash and he went completely ape-shit. He bounded eagerly into the car, ready for whatever adventure lay ahead.

Then we got to the vet. He transformed into sad puppy. Tail down, ears back, hide behind mama's legs. Oh, the motherly guilt. At least he gets to hang out in air conditioning all day.

I am trying to muster the motivation to walk downtown to the camera repair store, but it's so darn hot. I broke one of my lenses. I dropped it. Stupid. It no longer wants to focus when zoomed in. Crappy. Wonder how much this will cost. Poop.

I can still take pictures though! But instead of using the focus I have to walk back and forth until I occupy the correct focal point to bring everything in clear. And since I'm again unemployed, I've been back on the knitting wagon!



Aren't they cute? A little 'coordinated' if you know what I mean. This is pretty much the color scheme I have planned for the nursery...a taupey tan, light blue and then also a nice vanilla white.

Ok, I'm going. I'm sweating while i sit here anyway, might as well be outside, in the hot, steamy, dog-breath of an atmosphere. Thankfully my shingles blisters are all popped and pretty much done doing their thing.

Later

Enter the Dragon

First, thanks for all the well wishes for me and my boob. We're doing much better! I think it will all be back to normal in about a week.

I am unemployed again. I just got the call from the people I've been temping for and they don't need me anymore. Too bad, it was fun going to work with J. The upside is now I will know all the people he talks about when he gets home from the office. Downside, I will have no money and will once again have to stay off the temptations of daytime TLC programming. Though I do miss Stacy and Clinton. I've told J that after the baby is born he should "turn me in" for becoming a frumpy mom so I can get a cool 5K shopping spree in NYC. I just have to be sure not to cry when Stacy throws away my brown hoodie jacket and tattered wicker flip flops.

I plan to use my free time this week to find a prenatal yoga class and birthing class. Also, finally do the research on cloth diapering so I can get my shit in order. Though working made me feel useful, it also made me feel too busy to do much else. And there is so much to do to get ready for this little guy.

Speaking of the little guy, he has transformed from a gurgly floppy swimmer to a kung fu master. His favorite target? My bladder. He's helping reinforce the old wives tale and is sitting low, very low. My bladder was already getting squished and now with this new actvity, time between bathroom visits is alarmingly short. While working I probably went to the bathroom at least 6 times a day. Maybe that's why they don't want me anymore. They realized how much they were paying me while I peed.

My Left Boob

In strange news (no, I'm not talking about Lance, which isn't really that strange when I think about it, in hindsight. Kinda like George Micheal. Though Lance didn't hop around in flouresent pink hot pants and where dayglo lipstick, so admittedly more on the DL than George) I have the Chicken Pox! Well, to be more accurate, Shingles. Though they are really the same thing, except with Shingles I only get the nasty rash on one single nerve and I'm ony contagious if my pustules ooze on you. Which the chances of are pretty slim since the nerve these nasty buggers have decided to occupy is right under my left breast (yes, I'm old enough and my boobs are big enough that there is an "under" section to my boob), around my ribcage and to my back. I have a stripe! Of red swollen blisters. Which is oh so pleasant when you factor in the humdity and a bra strap.

Don't worry, the doctor assured me the baby is fine. I just have to watch that I don't get Shingle juice on people who haven't had the chicken pox, so it's best to stay away from the little kiddies and those who aren't immune, especially pregnant ladies. So I guess I'll have to cancel the Soon-To-Be-Mama wrestling class I had planned.

In sadly less strange news, I am the worst friend ever, as I forgot Mrs. T's Bday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRS. T! I could throw out excuses (birthdays should never be on Mondays...ever) but in the end, I just suck.

Just added to my baby registry...a boat!

Js folks came up with his sister Amy and our nephew Henry this past weekend. If only the weather had cooperated a little more...*sigh*. So we spent a lot of time on the couch and going out to eat. Not exactly exciting, but it gave me a chance to kick some booty at The World Series of Pop Trivia! Boo yeah! It was so nice to have Amy around to just laugh and talk with. Sure, J's cool, but sometimes you need a girl around, ya know? Hopefully she got to relax a little with the Grandparents and Uncle J tag teaming Henry, keeping him engaged and happy. He's such a great kid and he did so well in a strange environment. It was nice to have a full house. Though I felt guilty that Js folks were sleeping on the couch. Not to mention Js mom spent most of the time we were driving around sitting in the trunk of the car. I swear, if I wasn't pregnant and super uncomfortable, I would have been more hospitable. Not that J's mom would have let me...she's cool like that. I felt like such a big whiner complaining about my back and constantly squirming in my seat. (God, and I still have over 3 months to go...and yes, I will be complaining here too.)

Amy and her mom got me some super cute presents! Included was a Boppy which works perfect for a back pillow on the Ikea chair until it's needed for other things. I also got some adorable blue outfits, nail clippers, a snot sucker and Amy knitted me some awesome maroon and orange longies! Oh, I should take a picture...to follow shortly.

And I wasn't the only person getting presents. Henry just turned 3, so we had a little birthday celebration. He's getting so big! He's talking up a storm too. It's hard to believe we're going to have one of those soon. It's quite sobering to see what attention and patience he requires.

I didn't take a single picture all weekend. Bummer. I charged my battery, but I never managed to get in the camera. But luckily that made it good to go for last night. We finally got on the water! A guy who J works and his wife with took us out on their sailboat. It was so nice. A sailboat really is the way to go. It was so peaceful that I felt bad for the people cruising by in their noisy, smelly motorboats.


This is them calling J to tell us where to meet the boat.


And we were off!


This island is a major landscape fixture, therefore I have taken a bazillion pictures of it. Getting on the water allowed a closer up view. And now I know it's called "juniper island." I can only assume that there are junipers on it.


Heading off into the sunset.


Heading back into dock as it's getting dark.

It was so beautiful. I now have a hankerin' to get a boat. I suppose we should be thinking about a house first. Getting on the lake definitely raised my opinion of Burlington. I really do like it here. I would say "I hope it becomes home", but let's wait until we get through a winter first.

Ultrasound for Dummies!

Became aware that some are having trouble figuring out the blob...so here's a little help.

So much for mother's intuition...

So that's the baby!

He kinda looks like Skeletor, but the Dr. assured me that's normal. Yes, I said HE! It's a boy! If you don't quite see it, he's on his side and that cirlce is his big round head! The top of his head is on the right. The dark areas are his eye sockets and his nose in the middle.

It was so cool! He was squirming while we watched him on the screen. At one point, he started opening and closing his mouth. The Dr. caught a picture...



I must admit, that's a little creeping looking in still form, but to watch it like a movie was amazing. We even saw him move his arms and open and close his hands. It's so much more real now. And as Amy pointed out to me, there's a penis inside of me...which is weird. It seems strange to think a little boy can be grown inside of a woman, but I guess that's how it's always done. And big bonus, we can forget about all those pesky girl names. If he only knew how close he came to being Mary, or Adelaide, or Eliza or the many others we couldn't quite agree on.

So that's the poop! Yay, no bow worries!

I cannibalize myself...Mmmmm, me.

Below is a post I did last week on my "family blog" (aka, The Blog My Mom Reads)... I would write something else, but I have to go to work! Sorry if some of it is repetative of other posts...I don't write a lot at the other blog so the cannibalization tends to go the other direction. I wanted to share my frustration with 'shopping for baby' here. Maybe some mamas out there will have some advice. Oh, today is our ultrasound...pray for 10 fingers, 10 toes and 1 head! I'll be sure to let you know if there's an extra appendage in certain other areas too...

Hello from DC! I've spent the last week here at my folks' place. Mon-Wed I took a Web Development class, which was very enlightening.



You can even click it! Not that it does anything.

I'm sure I can whip up something a little more exciting, but I don't have my cheat sheets here. So keep posted. Currently I am sitting at my Dad's office, waiting for my friend Dianne to pick me up. We're going shopping. I would be more excited about it if my mom and I hadn't just gone yesterday. It's not that it wasn't fruitful, just exhausting.

We started at the mall and hit the maternity store. My mom genoursly offered to buy me some new outfits. Which she did! Though I find some of the maternity wear a little poofy. Of course, I think once I get bigger, that poof will go away as the material strains to contain my expanding mid-section. I am at 20 weeks now and feel pretty big. Really big after chatting with a nice girl at the store who was also 20 weeks...she didn't look pregnant at all! Now I'm paranoid that I'm having twins. I know this is contrary to the single hearbeat I got to hear at 8 weeks. But the kicking and movement does seem to cover a lot of geography. The only theory I've devised that supports the twin scenario is that the babies take after their father and started a little rock band in there, and as a result, became synchorinized! We'll find out on Tuesday.

After the maternity store we head to Babies R Us (or BRU as the message board ladies like to call it). This was the main reason we were out in the first place...to get me registered for some baby gear. Well, after a significant wait at the registry booth, an attempt to placate us with coupons that expire in 4 days, we had our little scanner gun and were off!

There is so much stuff. Half of it, I have no idea whether I need or not. I know I want a breast pump, but do I need the Ferrari of breast pumps? or will the Kia suffice. And do I need the accessory pack, the bottles, the cleaner, the pads...who knows? Then it's car seat time. In hand I had a list of recommendations from various mommies on the internet. But there are so many. Really, sometimes too many choices is a bad thing (something I've learned from watching Super Nanny). After looking at my list, and seeing the pretty colors and evaluating the um, plasttic-ness of it all I resort to my stand-by method of product selection. Most expensive? No. Least expensive? Out. Middle of the road, Ok....now, which one is pretty...ok,SCAN. This is the method I used for the pack n play as well. And some other stuff. I bypassed the bouncey chair, the swing, the highchair...how many things does a immobile, motor-skill challenged infant need in order to sit there and do nothing! I suppose since a baby can't really do anything, you need things that do stuff for it, or to it.

In the end, I think I'm registered for 8 things. I figured I could go to the internet and register for the rest, once I figure out what those things are. We call it a day after my swelling feet begin to throb and my bladder needs some relief...not that BRU doesn't have bathrooms. The biggest sign in the store is for the bathrooms. I suppose if your store is full of pregnant women and little people who use their pants as a toilet, you better make it clear where the facilities are.

So, feel free to buy me some stuff! But you better do it quick, since there is so little on the list. It's just so overwhelming. I realize this is opening me up to individual interpretations of "cute" and "must-have", which is ok by me. I'll be sure to snap a picture of the new arrivial in whatever gets sent my way...but I can't promise to take the child in public. Especially if I get one of those headband bows...

Those poor little girls have enough trouble holding up their own heads, is it really necessary to raise their center of gravity just to be sure the world knows it's a girl. Honestly, the pink feathers get the message across. (let me apologize right now to anyone who thinks the headband bow is adorable and a necessary accessory to any baby girl...though I don't agree, I understand we all have our own taste. Afterall, I can't wait to get me kid in
this!

So It's been a great trip so far. I'm looking forward to hanging out with some friends tonight...if I can stay awake. I'm in danger of losing my status of "party girl", but had to happen sooner or later.

I'll be sure to update after the ultrasound on Tuesday. I'm predicting GIRL.

I got a job!

I guess all it took was for me to leave town and stop looking. J is the one to thank for this wonderful occurance. The place he works needs someone for 2-3 weeks to do some basic editing/proofreading/formating stuff and he put my name in for it. I start Monday!

We have a pretty strict rule of not working at the same place, but since this is short-term and I don't want the Gap Police to come after me, we figured the potential colliding of worlds is worth it. I'll actually be sitting 20 feet away from him. I suggested that we pretend I'm the 'new girl' and that we're having a torrid office affair...

The only thing I am actually worried about is my back. It hurts. When I sit for more than 2 hours it begins to throb. I'm thinking this is not so much because of my growing belly, but my growing boobs. They are weighing heavily on my posture. Right now I am sitting in my class (waiting for it to start) with my blue travel pillow wedged behind my back. Yes, I walked into class with a travel pillow. Obviously everyone thinks I am the coolest person in school.

Look at what I can do

Quick hello from DC. It's my lunch break! I'm taking a web development class. Today is class #2...going well so far. I have learned some stuff I didn't know.

Do you find this to be...


facinating

shocking

stupid

Excuse me while I go watch some paint dry


Wow! Aren't you impressed...I suppose if you selected the last option, probably not. Now I can have mindless surveys and take quantitative analysis of Nacho readership opinions! Ok, well, maybe not. But I can also make a button..look.



I haven't really learned how to make it do anything yet. I know the grey standard "god, why does every button on the internet look like that" format is oh so exciting.

Well, I better get back to the learnin'!

Live to stalk another day...

Ho Hum. Trying to get motivated to get out the door. I have some arrands to do this morning. Post Office, Bank...try to find some buttons. I don't want to drive if I don't have to, but I think I'll probably have to go to Michael's to get buttons. I'm toying with the idea of heading by Baby Gap and picking up a couple summery shirts with my gift certificate. I still haven't gotten my bill from my last visit, but surprise! I did get my GAP credit card. So I can spend, I just can't pay for it. Dangerous. I see the card right now and I'm seriously considering cutting it up. I'm for sure not bringing it with me.

Two more days and I'll be in DC! My flight is as 6AM...ugh!! That means I'll have to get up at like, 4:30...god. At least it's a direct flight. My poor Pops has to pick me up at the airport at 7:48, so he'll be getting up early too. I'll probably hug my folks, unpack and then crash on the bed for a few hours. Bliss.

Only bummer about the trip is that I'll be missing this. Sounds like fun :-( J and I could relive our younger days. I'd be curious to see the crowd it draws too. It hasn't been greatly advertised so probably just some local folks. Could be my chance to meet Trey and become best friends with his wife, though I think he's still on tour with Tom Petty, no? Hmm. I guess I'll have to wait until next time.

Can it stop now?

(how great of a picture would this have been if I had remembered the clip that connects my camera to my tripod...)

The 5th of July...hopefully marking the end of bottle rockets and firecrackers that are annoying the hell out of the dog, who, as a result, is annoying the hell out of me.

But not as much as the freakin' car commercials! I don't know about anybody else out there, and whether Toyota has purchased as big of a chunk of air time in your market, but the Summer Sales Event is ON people! Let's go for a ride, it's summer time! Oh, and I don't know if it's in a Chevy or Ford, but American Idol dude goes where he wants, and does as he pleases...in case you didn't know.

This morning Tubbs was to go to the vet for his expensive heart scan thingamagiggy, but the traveling doctor-with-scanner cancelled. Did they call to tell me? Um, no. They waited until I loaded Tubby in the car, drove there and walked in the door. Needless to say I was a little annoyed, but the dog was happy to make a quick getaway. Poor guy. With all this vet activity his enthusiasm to get in the car is beginning to wane.

Perhaps I should change the format of my blog into BAD NEWS, and GOOD NEWS...since I always seem to start with the bitching? So what's some good news?

I finished another sweater! Actually 2. Yay! My super smart SIL mapped out the VT logo so I could put it on the plain white sweater I made. Awesome. I decided to do an outline instead of a solid, so I kinda messed it up. The V part looks a little thick and I may tweak, but check it out.


I also made a super-cute lilac cardigan for a friend of mine who is having a girl in September. I need to buy some cool buttons for it. I love this sweater. I'm thinking of making one with white body and navy sleeves as a little Red Sox jacket. The baseball theme works so well with the raglan sleeves. This is the first thing I've ever knitted where the seams aren't all wacky. I feel like I'm actually progressing!





I just started another cardigan, a two-toned V-neck. Not sure if I'll finish before I leave for DC on Sunday. If so, I'll have to figure out another project for the plane ride. I am SO looking forward to going home. I think it's because I haven't seen my folks since I've been pregnant. Hopefully my mother will want to go shopping! For me, not baby...I need some shirts that don't reveal the big stretchy belly panel on my pants. Slim pickins around here...there isn't even a Target. And I haven't worked up the desire to return to Baby Gap.

Tubbs' Ticker Trouble

I just got back from dropping Tubbs off at the vet. He is having a chest xray and EKG today. Ugh. Hopefully this will illuminate what is causing his breathing issues. He can breath, he just pants all the time and has a kinda nasty cough. And with me being on the internet all day I have discovered that this, coupled with some other syptoms he is exhibiting (can't get comfortable lying down, pacing ect) are signs of congestive heart failure. Yesterday they listened to his heart and said he had a murmur AND an arithmia. Poor kid.

Ok, they just called. They finished the tests. The xray shows that one of his chambers is a little enlarged, nothing too big to worry about (at least that's what she said). The EKG results won't be in until Monday. Depending on what that shows, he may have to have an ultrasound. Which is very expensive. Not that I care, but you know, unemployment blah, blah, blah.

I go to pick him up at 3 and I get to go over it all with the vet then. I just want to know what can be done to make him more comfortable. Last night he just paced around the bed. I know that most heart conditions are not curable, but are treatable. He's an old guy. I just want him dumb and happy like always. He doesn't need to be running marathons.

All this makes me sad. I would hate for the new baby to never know him. He's my first baby boy...I really don't know how I would handle losing him. Ok, now I'm overracting. He's doing ok. He's not on deaths door or anything, but it's really made me think about how he won't be around forever...or even that much longer. I can't imagine a life with out Tubbs around. Hopefully we won't have to worry about that for some years still.

Pallets of Super Fudge Chunk are breathing a sigh of relief

Yesterday morning I was awoken at 8:30 by the ring of my cellphone. I was sleeping in because yesterday was the day of my job interview. Well, it was them. "We wanted to call and let you know that we have filled this position, so we don't need to interview you today." Bah! Oh well. At least I could stop stressing about how they were going to react to the news that I am pregnant. But it also means that I was dismissed solely on my merit...or lack of merit...or unimpressive amount of merit compared to whoever got hired. Boo.

Then I called the temp agency to follow up on the job they had for me. She was going to call the company to see if I can start a week later, since they wanted me to start the week I will be visiting mom. Well, the answer is no. Double Boo. Part of me wants to blame that one on being pregnant too...how? After all, it's just a temp job, what would they care? Oh, they would care. If you were them, would you let a pregnant woman have unfettered access to your product...and I was sooooo close.

Hi...I can't think of a title for this post.

Pretty much right after I published my post yesterday, I got a call from both The Cable Dude and the temp agency. Cable dude was on his way over and temp agency had a job for me, sorta.

The job is working for a pretty big company around here. It will last for about a month. Only catch is that they want me to start the week I'm going down to DC. The temp agency knew about this trip, but I guess they weren't looking at their info. Anyway, they're going to check back with the company to see if I can start the week after...no word yet. I hope it works out. I think I could do a really good job. And temping really will be the way to go. That way, if I get super uncomfortable or if something comes up medically, I won't feel guilty about missing work. But let's hope that won't even be a concern.

And the cable guy came and left. He was here for 2 hours! What did he do? I have no idea. But when he left he said "ok, you're all set" and that's good enough for me. Not good enough for J, however. He wanted to know all the happenings and tweekings of cable man, and sadly I could not produce. I do know that the sun theory proposed by the phone cable guy is somewhat ridiculous, at least by the look on the in-my-house cable guy's face when I relayed it him. All I know is that the internet did not go out yesterday, so seems like we're in business.

J and I are going to have lunch today! Orginally, I suggested it so I could finally see where he works, but that got the kibash right away. He doesn't want me to go there. "Significant others never stop by." Well, are they unemployed and pregnant and bored? I don't even want a tour, just a "this is where I work. And no, that 22 year old girl who sits next to me rarely sits on my lap, and the jello shots are kept in that fridge over there." You know, the quick tour.

J, do you still read this? I don't think you do...do you? If you do, I love you. (Oh, and email the landlord about putting carpet on the stairs.) My blog is multi-functional...pout, adoration, nag.

Monday Morning Meanderings

Sitting around, waiting for the cable man. I have the 10-12 window and they are supposed to call first. No call. And you know who else hasn't called this morning. The temp agency. Boo.

The cable man (or woman, sorry to be so presumptuous and sexist!) is coming to look at our internet connection. It often goes kaput. The modem starts doing a blinking thing and I'm cut off from the outside world until it decides to stop and work properly. Incidentally, this is usually around sun down. And it usually goes out around 3:30 in the afternoon. As a result the cable dude on the phone thinks it's related to the sun. Like the rays are kryptonite and our wires are Superman. Once the sun goes down, all previous super powers are restored. I'm not sure if they're going to be able to tell squat since it overcast and rainy right now.

Though I'm bummed the agency hasn't called, I must tell you, I have a job interview on Wednesday! I won't go into detail, since it is NEVER a good idea to blog about the workplace, but I will say I am very qualified for this position. I can't help but think this would be a slam dunk if I wasn't pregnant. Now, will that matter? Probably. Alot? Who's to know. I'm now 4.5 months, that means baby is coming in 4.5 months. Do they want to hire someone who will be going on a "leave" in 4 months? Probably not. But it's worth a shot. I've been trying to come up with the perfect verbage for the interview. My dad suggested waving all benefits and that they view the pre-birth time as a "trial period"...which sounds good to me, just not sure how to put that idea out there. I just want to work. And if it's something I think will be interesting and I'm good at, perfect! But I'm having a hard time being optimistic.

But in the meatime, I sit. I sit with Tubbs while he bites on his butt. There is a mosquito situation in the backyard (it's not really a yard, more of a patio) and he's all itchy. J put his medicine on him yesterday, but I think the damage is done. Hopefully it's keeping him from getting MORE bites, but the ones that are there are driving him crazy. And I hate that "chewing on my flesh" noise...it's gets all wet sounding and his tags add a tamborine-like jangle accompaniment and then I yell. Oh, if I itch, I'm allowed to scratch, but not YOU. YOU must suffer with the itchyness. See, I'll be a good mom, I have the "do as I say, not as I do" thing down like a champ.

Tubbs has started his Old Man medicine. Joint relief supplements! Watching him sllooooooowwly go up the stairs and strain was making me sad. So I'm hoping these pills will put a little bounce in his step!. And we got him an orthropedic bed! Which cost $60 and he doesn't like. He still lies on the hard, but already there and free floor. We're hoping he'll warm up to it once it doesn't smell like pet store anymore.

I guess that is all. Oh, I made banana bread! My first ever and I must say it is very yummy. And I'm thinking of driving out to that yarn store, though I don't want to. It's in Essex Junction and that old lady who hit me was from Essex Junction. Maybe I'll just go to Michael's and see what they got. I need some Maroon and Orange. I'm making another white sweater with the left over yarn from the other, but don't have quite enough, so I'm going to supplement with Hokie - ness!

Have a great week everyone!

If I admit I'm idiot will you stroke my ego?

Well it seems that I'm pretty much a moron for not knowing that the purchase at the GAP would be put on that card. But in my defense, I have never gotten a store card before. Thinking back, I did realize it was a credit card, I just thought I would have a choice of when to use it. Live and learn.

I am wearing stretchy maternity pants and I LOVE them.

And I'm afraid I posted two posts so quick that no one saw the sweater I knitted. I need some positive reinforcement to keep me going. Go down there. Look. Say something nice. I'm unmotivated.

Well that was a short trip...

The pixels are barely dry on my previous post and here I come with another whiney complaint. Though I'm not sure this one can really be considered whiney (does whiney have an 'e' in it?)...it's legitimate. Hm, I don't think that's how you spell that word either, perhaps I should have gone slang and said "legit." But I would like to say that though previous post evidence is to the contrary, I can spell unemployment...see...I'll do it again. UNEMPLOYMENT. There, now give me a job.

But I digress...on to the bitching.

I haven't been to the PO Box in a week. I've been procrastinating, but this morning, I decided I'd better go. As I was preparing to leave, I remembered that I have a GAP gift card that my MIL gave me for my birthday. So even though I've been avoiding it, I figured it's finally time to do it...buy THE PANTS. You know, the stretchy kind? With the panel? Because my jeans, though they still fit in the thighs and butt (sorta) are beginning to cinch into my expanding mid-section. I am uncomfortable. And the downtown mall has a Baby Gap, with Maternity Gap in the back. Oh, World of shirts that don't rise over my belly button, here I come!

And there I went.

It went pretty well. A little too well, if you know what I mean.

I don't know if it's the little baby belt/fanny pack pillow thing they have in the dressing room to help you see what you'll look like in 3 months, or the fact that I wear a size 10 in maternity pants, though in regular pants I wear a 12 (that is probably it). But when it's all said and done I have a pair of jeans, 3 pairs of cacky-type pants (for that job I don't have), 2 shirts and 2 tanktops.

I realize that the gift card is not going to cover all this expense, but THEN I remember the AAA Visa gift card I got for xmas! That's $200!! So, I can buy all this crap (that I'll only wear for 4 months) without actually spending ANY money. Brilliant.

So I head to the register. I explain my bizarre methods of payment to the nice girl behind the counter. In total, I have $300...$100 from the Gap gift card and $200 from the Visa (God, now that I'm typing this, I am such a moron). She rings it up - $323. Crap. But the nice girl has a solution!

"If you sign up for a GAP card, you get $15% off."

Perfect! So I sign up for the card. She gets her supervisor to come over to perform the complicated procedure of inducting me into the world of GAP card ownership. Then, she puts a receipt infront of me, showing me where to sign. I sign. Then I hand her my gift cards.

"No, we charged it to your GAP card"

"It's a credit card?"

"Yes, you'll get a bill in a month"

WTF? Did I not just explain to you that I have no job, and I have these great gift cards so I can spend all this money I don't have, without ACTUALLY having to spend any money at all!!!

"Can I use my GAP gift card to pay my GAP credit card?"

"No"

Now, we proceed to try some complicated returns and credit things, but the computer is not being cooperative and after looking over my shoulder at the other pregnant, and somewhat cranky women behind me in line, I say fuck it. I'll pay the stupid bill.

So in the end, I should have just paid the extra $23. Instead, I owe the GAP $278. And I don't have a job.

But I still have my cards, which are worth $300. So, in the end, I'm up $22? Yes? Whatever.

On an up note, walking back home I saw a help wanted sign in a store front window. Where? ANN TAYLOR. I'm trying to convince myself that since I'm pregnant, I would not spend my paycheck on awesome clothes I wouldn't normally be able to afford. I would be immune to the seduction of the employee discount. And being a new mommy, an Ann Taylor wardrobe make no sense anyway, right? Or am I just kidding myself.

It would be like J working at a snowboard company...oh yeah, nevermind.

A venture into positivity

Ok, unemployement and yogurt disappointments aside, things are pretty good around here. The 'not working' has let me relax quite a bit and get some things done that otherwise might have caused me stress, or at least pushed life deeper into the hectic realm. Other than the small issue of "not bringing in any money" I must say I have felt no stress at all. Well, besides the "pushing a person out of my girly area" in 4 months thing. But not to dwell on the physical trauma, it will bring joy and cuteness and perhaps more of these:



My first baby sweater! Or my first item of clothing other than a hat or scarf for that matter. Do you like the little bear? His name is Rufus the Mangnificent. How about his manly grey chest patch...that is my amateur attempt to cover the seam. Without it, it looked like Rufus had just had open heart surgery.

So, you may be thinking, that is one nice looking sweater. Ok! I'll sell you that sweater for...$200!

That is approximately how much I would have to sell it for if I wanted to make minimum wage in the effort. Unlike my knitting whiz sister-in-lawAmy, (go look, super cute!)I am not quick, nor very advanced. And my work has a few, um, unique traits. I figure that sweater took me at least 15 hours...probably more. Especially at the beginning. That criss cross pattern is a first for me and created some difficulty. Also, that yarn was pricey...it was an indulgence on the way out of town, my last visit to Webs. Oh Webs, I miss you, *sigh*.

Speaking of yarn. There is not a yarn store in Burlington. At least not that I can find. I'm sure there is a crafty type Micheals or something out in the burbs in Williston, but you would expect a cute little yarn shop amongst all the boutiques and specialty stores downtown, but no. There is one in Essex, but I would have to DRIVE there. No thanks!

So, THAT is going to become my newest pipe dream. Open a yarn store in Burlington. It does not matter that I know nothing of yarn. And that those ladies who talk of "fiber" annoy the crap out of me. I figure I don't even need a high rent fancy store -front. It can be in the fringe of downtown. Things like yarn don't count on pedestrian traffic. The knitters will find you.

If you build it, they will come.

I will try not to let this place become a dumping ground for my bitching

I'm about to run out the door to go to a Spherion interview, complete with typing test and Excel evalution (ugh, can't they just call Westaff and get the 2 hours of tests I already took over there?). I realized I hadn't eaten much this morning, so I grab a yogurt out the fridge. Normally I get Stoneybrook Farms yogurt, but the Price Chopper yogurt was on sale. So I open it up and dig in. It's good. I couldn't remember if I checked to make sure there was no aspartame in it, so I check out the lable. "Lowfat Yogurt"...99% fat free (that's why I got it too, I don't go for the good stuff when it comes to yogurt, I save the calories for good ice cream)...or at least I thought I did.

240 calories!!! WTF?

Don't you think it's slightly deceiving to put 'fat free' all over the place, then have THAT many calories? God, if it had fat in it, well, I might as well have a Whopper! Well, maybe a Whopper Jr...

Maybe I'm just being picky because I am currently going through a period of expansion.

The only kind of wine I'm allowed...

It was 2 days after the official "we're moving" decision was made that we found out I was pregnant. After much thought, I devised what I thought was a perfect professional plan for myself. I would temp! I am well over-qualified for admin work, so I didn't think there would be much trouble getting assignments to take up the next 6 months of baby growing. Sure, these jobs wouldn't be resume builders, but I would be bringing in some money and keeping busy. Also, it would afford me a week off to take the web development class in July I signed up for. This class is to advance my grand scheme of becoming a freelance web developer from home! It was all going to work out perfect!

Well, I've been here for over 2 weeks and I haven't heard squat from the temp agency I signed up for. I spent the morning shooting off my resume to some other agencies as well as a few job listings I've come across. Hopefully this will bare some fruit. The full time jobs I have applied for are office/admin 9-5 jobs that should be well within my reach. God, at least give me an interview! If I do get called in, I'm not 100% sure how I will handle the pregnancy issue. Legally, I know they're not allowed to ask, but it seems unethical (or at least deceitful) to not inform them that come November I will be taking um, 'time off'...possibly indefinitely?

This is the reason I hesitate to go after the "good jobs I'm qualified for and would build my career." AKA, jobs in the construction industry doing project administration and the like. I feel guilty in the idea of filling a position when in November, I really have no idea what I am going to do. I know I'll take at least 8 weeks off. But frankly, I'm not sure if I will go back even after 12 or 16. I've never had a baby before. I have NO IDEA what I'm going to do. I have a real hard time imagining handing over my child to strangers just so I can bring in a little money. I'd rather take the financial hit (if we can afford it, that is...if I have to work, I have to work...don't want anyone to starve). It's more important to me to have someone molding and caring for our child who really loves him/her and has a clear vision of what our values and priorities are when it comes to development and behavior. Not to mention, it's very important to me that I breastfeed for at least 6 months. And most importantly, I don't want to miss anything! All the cuteness? All the hugs and kisses? Oh god, I'm tearing up already...hormones.

That said, the current climate in the temp world has me looking around more. I have compiled a pretty signifcant list of general contractors and architects to send my resume to. Though I think that if I get responses, as soon as they find out I'm pregnant, our conversation will be over. But I can't NOT tell them, right? I mean, I can, but come on...when they find out, they'll probably be kinda pissed. And I don't want to work for people who are pissed at me. Help me internet people, what should I do?

And before you say it, there aren't even any retail jobs downtown. They've all been gobbled up by the college kids. Right now, that is. Who knows what may come up in a few weeks after Suzy is discovered stuffing her purse with Old Navy Madras in the break room.

Ok, bitch-fest is now officially over.

On a side note - Damn! it's really raining outside. Early afternoon thunderstorm...cool. Hopefully behind it is cool dry air. And maybe we'll have an extra pretty sunset...

This is where I am

Some of you who frequent another blog I participate in will find this post redundant...but uploading photos is a pain in the ass, so efficiency is king.



Since I still don't have a job, and finally found my computer cable, I figured I get out and take some pictures of our new town. First, I headed down to Church Street to get a Seven Days (local free paper) and sit and knit a while. Well, I had planned on taking pictures, but it was so jam packed with people...I always feel like a weirdo taking photos with strangers in the mix. Perhaps I am too self conscious. For instance, there was a mom who paid "balloon guy" to make crazy knotted balloon hats for her kids. Would have been great pictures (super cute kids), but what if the lady was like " hey, why are you taken pictures of my kids, are you some kind of pervert?!" Though my new zoom lens allows me to be a little sneaky, I still didn't have the nerve.

So, while sipping on my Decaf mocha and knitting in the sidewalk cafe, all I managed to get was a stain on my shirt and a sunburn.

After a while I headed out towards Battery Park, figuring I could take some pictures down there, which I did!

Battery Park Path

The car ferry that departs for New York every hour had just left the dock...

I decided to walk down to the docks, which is the offical "waterfront." There I figured I walk the bikepath back home.

This is looking down towards the waterfront from the path as I walked from Battery Park.

One of the greatest things about Burlington is the Bikepath. It connects one end of the city to the other, with a large stretch of it along the waterfront. J got a old bike from his dad and is in the process of fixing it up. Once he's done, he can bike to work!



The Spirit of Ethan Allen is a big boat that has dinner cruises and hosts other excursions on the lake.

I hopped on the bike path and headed south towards our house. I get off the path at Perkins Pier, which is a dock and small park at the bottom of our street.


Boats docked at Perkins Pier.

There is a small island you can see from the shore. I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know what it is.


J and I walk down here a lot for the sunset...



Now, I'm not trying to be all "Aren't you jealous, look where I live"...remember it's only this nice 4 months out of the year. Also, I didn't include the pictures of the homeless shelter a block up the street, nor the rotting couch someone dumped on the side of our driveway. But the lake and mountains sure are pretty. And lately, the weather is just gorgeous. I'm loving it so far...if the temp agency called with an assignment, then all would be perfect.

Feels like the party's getting started!

Yikes, I'm getting big. Soon, people will start knowing for sure, not just thinking I'm fat. I'm at 16.5 weeks and have gained 5 lbs, but it looks like I've gained at least 10. blah.

In bigger news than my stomach... I felt movement last night! Not a lot and not a crazy kick or anything, but with my hand on my stomach, I felt it! It was almost like a single short muscle spasm...that's how it felt to my hand, not to my stomach. I don't really feel anything by itself, without a hand there. But I was so enthralled that I laid there for probably over an hour waiting for it to happen again. I got some flutters, but nothing substaintial. I took a while to finally settle and go to sleep.

It's kinda crazy...that there is something moving in there, and like, doing stuff.

I am praying that my unemployment boredom will soon come to an end. No, I still haven't heard from the temp agency I signed up with, but I found what could be a FANTASTIC job. It only runs from July to mid-October...um perfect?! Don't know what it pays, though. I'm kinda over qualified, but hopefully the will interview me and I'll have a chance to explain how I just moved here and the timing is just what I'm looking for. Keep your finger crossed for me.

Still no pics...camera chord still MIA...will get to Staples at some point.

I'm having a torrid affair...with a Pontiac.

I have just returned from the body shop and Enterprise rent-a-car with my ADORABLE loaner car...a Pontiac Vibe. I must admit, I was not aware of the existence of theVibe. But it 's quite the zippy little hatchback. Boy is this thing peppy! And it only has a hint of that ugly, bug-like grill of the current Pontiac design. And it's red! It reminds me of my old Honda, The Tomato...I dare say I like it better than the Green Monster that is currently getting an overhaul. Don't get me wrong, the Volvo is a very nice car, it's just so big and heavy. This little vibe is much more my style. I wonder if it's available in 4 wheel drive?

Isn't it cool?

As I was riding to the rental place with my Enterprise rep (Steve? God, I'm so horrible with names) we had an interesting conversation about Vermont drivers. He was saying how bad they are. What would make him say that? "They give each other too much room." He is from New York.

See, I actually enjoy the less hurried, give-you-more-room, style of the common Vermont motorist. MUCH better than the GET OUT OF MY WAY OR I WILL DRIVE UP YOUR BUTT style taken by most in southern New England, including my husband. A trait most likely passed down by his father - a wonderful man, but homicidal maniac behind the wheel. (Ok, maybe not homicidal, but I do recall him once shouting, "why don't you get off the road and go have a stroke" to an old lady who was driving too slow in the left hand lane. All within the confines of the vehicle mind you, not to her face). Yes, Road Rage is being handed down to my unborn child. It's in the genes. (To be fair, J has gotten much much better in the past few years . Mostly likely in order to stop my mantra of "you will not drive like this with a kid in the car.")

Anyway, whether safe driving can be construed as "good" or "bad" is a silly debate. I've concluded that the level of neccessary risk is relative to your geography. People who move here become frustrated because they are used to claiming every inch of asphalt as they can, in the hopes of getting 10 feet closer to their destination than they would otherwise. They come from a place where "commuting" is a MAJOR undertaking and a significant portion of the day. But this is Vermont people! If you're in a traffic jam there is a good chance it ends in 100 yards or so. Unlike Northern Virginia, where the roads are just one big parking lot. Where that 10 feet can make or break your abilitly to get home in time for dinner. You need to check your frenzied urban driving at the state line.

I would also like to put forth a theory that the careful approach is needed here because of the utter lack of descent transportation planning. Lanes you are crusing in inexplicably become "Turn only lanes" with little or no warning. There are left hand turn lanes without arrows, where there is never, NEVER a break in oncoming traffic in order to turn. And don't even get me started on the parking lot designs! They're set up like go-cart tracks...

How do I get out of here. Oh, THERE's the exit, um, but what is this median here for? Oh, I guess I'll have to go around. Do Not Enter. Well, where the fuck do I go? Ooooh, over there. Damn, all these other cars are trying to get there too! Please let me in! Can I turn, please! Well, shit, maybe I'll just go hang out at TGI Fridays until this all settles down. Crap. My Ben and Jerrys is melting.

I wonder what percentage of car accidents in Burlington (oh, and WILLISTON, the home of the WORST parking lots ever) take place in parking lots? Worth looking into. But I'll take the frustrating shopping plazas over white-knuckling it, while an SUV tries to give me enima, in Massachusetts.

I am fully aware that my statements about "safe" drivers completely flies in the face of the fact that I got smashed up by some absent-minded geriatric Vermonter last month.

Where's Nate when you need him?

Geeeeeeezzzzzz...Blogger is soooooo sloooooow. I hit the "Create the Post" button, waited...waited...um, waited...went to the kitchen heated up some leftover dip...and finally! A dialog box to type in. I can only imagine what's going to happen when I hit "Publish Post." (Spellcheck is having the same problem...so this post will contain many, many spelling errors..because, well, I can't spell...at all).

Moving on...

Unpacking is slowing reaching its final stages. Right now the biggest dillema other than closet space is how to handle the carpet color in the guest room. It's maroon...kinda a purpley maroon. Actually, it's not too far off from the VT "Chicago Maroon" so I toyed with the idea of making it a Hokie themed guest room. But after considering what it would actually look like, and whether it would be welcoming to our guests, I thought better of it. Perhaps if it was our second guest room, or perhaps a basement bar room? But I swear, nothing goes with that color. Except white. So i put our bright white down blanket on the bed and it looks ok. But then Tubbs decided that this is his favorite new spot to hang out. He can sprawl out at the top of the bed, rest his chin on his paws and stair out the window. As I type now he is there, observing all that is new and exciting on our busy little corner. I suppose I could just shut the door, but he's really so happy. I would take a picture but I still haven't found that damn cable to get pictures off my camera. I guess it's time to find the computer/camera/gadet store...aka Radio Shack.

Yesterday I went to the DMV to get my new Vermont drivers license. I was there for 3 hours!! This is partly due to their stupid policy of only taking cash, checks or money orders. So mid-transaction, I head to the shopping center next door to find an ATM. When I locate it, there is a line. The line is completely comprised of other DMV patrons who neglected to bring the $115 it ended up costing to be deemed worthy to drive legally in a vehicle now sporting the bright green plates of the Green Mountain State. But everything worked out ok. I have my license (honestly, theWORST picture I yet to have on a form of identifcation) and my pretty new plates. I'm thinking of trading them in for some vanity plates. I was thinking GO HOKIES, but then J suggested VT HOKIE which is cool because of the whole double meaning thing. I would think these may be available...can't imagine there are a ton of Hokies around.

Which brings me to my next idea. A Burlington chapter of the VT Alumni Association! We could head it up, no? As long as the members understand that it will mostly revolve around football. That is if there are any members. J saw a VT sticker on a vehicle in his office parking lot, but doesn't know who it belongs to. There must be a few Hokies around here...yes?

Long post. I need a job. And some people to talk to.

Greetings from Burlington

Well, we made it. And I finally got this stupid computer working so I can tell you all about it. First, hiring movers is definitely the way to go...that is if you're a millionaire, or lucky enough to have a 3rd party pay for it (we, unfortunately, fit into the latter category). Three guys just whizzed right in, newsprint and boxes were assembled jammed and neatly taped, and bam! All done. Leaving me in a empty echoey house with Tubbselweeds* the size of well, actual tumbleweeds. After a day and a half of vacuuming dog hair, painting and figuring out how the hell to make the baseboard covers look normal (which, by the way, I had no luck with) Tubbs and I hit the road and headed off to our new, yet to be seen, abode.

I love it. Its a big (big compared to our house in Northampton) old rickety and slanty, but incredibly charming and airy house. It has wood floors, a stained glass window and 3, count 'em, 3 whole bedrooms! Sadly, what it has in spaciousness, it lacks in storage. There is not a single closet downstairs. Not one. Which with our boxes of crap has lead to an unpacking stalemate. Sure, we must keep that tub of Lego and that box of 20 yet-to-be-developed disposable cameras from our wedding, but where do we put them?! I'll tell you where, in a big pile in that corner over there. Yes, perfect. Or even better, Lets make our precious 3rd bedroom into a music instrument, golf club, disposable camera, Lego storage area! What? A baby is going to live there? Oh, yeah. Time to rethink. So it's not a storage room, merely a staging area.

Js folks came up and helped out. They were a God send. After weeks of packing and cleaning, the process of unpacking and cleaning even more was too much. The extra hands were just what the doctor ordered. Js mom cheerfully unloaded boxes while J and his Dad quickly found a project that would require many trips to Home Depot and debates regarding proper fastening techniques. The big round shower curtain holder that hangs above our clawfoot tub (where I will be soaking luxuriously nightly) no longer falls down. Which is wonderful if, by chance, you don't want water all over the walls, or to display your naked body to the dog.

I could go on, but this is getting pretty long, so I'll save it for another post. I have a long list of things to accomplish today. Unfortunately an important one requires talking to people in Cali...so I have to wait untill 1 for that one. But I have successfully lined up some renters insurance and an appointment at a Body Shop where they will fix my Old Lady induced damage. Now its off the to bank, the dmv, and the grocery store. Out of these 3 destinations, I only know the location of one of them. Ah, the joys of a new town!

*I don't think this really needs much explaination but Tubbsleweeds are Tubbs dog hair balls that blow across the floor... in the manner of a tumbleweed. Aren't we precious.

Table 11 baby...

I'm not in Vermont yet. I am still here on Williams Street sitting amongst a conglomeration of boxes, bags and dog hair. I know I said I wasn't going to update until I was up in the new abode, but I have one more day of internet access, so here I am. Also, when I get there I'll be talking about the move, and I wanted to share a little bit about my weekend.

As some of you already know, last weekend J and I went to Boston for a wedding. We've known the groom (Johnny!!) since Freshman year of college. In the 8 years that followed he was roommate to either J or I, or both of us. He found a super cool chick and they got married!!! I will be taking some credit for the pairing...Allow me to share:

• At J's and my wedding (what is the proper way to say that? Come on you English majors, school me), Js friend A-Girl and my friend P-boy meet.


• A-Girl and P-boy begin to date and A-Girl moves to DC to be with P-boy.


• P-boy and Johnny are in the same circle of friends.


• A-Girl's best friend G-Girl visits and meets Johnny.


• G-Girl and Johnny hit it off and begin dating.


• Johnny moves to Boston to be with G-Girl.


• Johnny and G-Girl got married last weekend!!!

So, yes, I expect many thanks and accolades, as it is clear without J and I's existence the 2 would never have met. And P diddy, I don't want to hear you try to trump my clear and concise pathology with your own...Nacho's interference is primary and therefore more causational (is that a word?) But if I hog all the credit for Johnny's happy outcome, I suppose I must take responsibility for the A-Girl P-boy result as well...um, not as happy.....I dare say somewhat tragic. But this site is to air my own dirty laundry, not the innocent unmentionables of others, so ZIP! My lips are sealed.

Well, the wedding was truly beautiful. And it had the bonus of gathering some of my most favorite people in the world in one location. Both Pdiddy and Mrs. T were there and reinforced my belief that I am blessed with some fo the best friends a girl can have. Though our time together was a little more tame than usual, as a pregnant Nacho does not get to partake in cocktails, there were many laughs and lots of hugs...Perhaps a few tears. (Tame on my end...I sipped appreciatively on my Shirley Temple while Pdiddy, Mrs. T and J slammed 'carbombs' at The Black Rose. )

I discovered my boogie is somewhat attached to the booze and my dancing shoes did not get much action. I realized how much wine is a social lubricant for me...sobering. Well I was already sober, but you know what I mean. But don't worry, it was still a blast. I wish I had some pics, but I left the camera in a cab...good job Nacho! As if the weekend wasn't expensive enough....argh.

Even though I didn't experience the kind of hangover I am accustomed to, I am now dealing with a "Friend Hangover"...it's the melancholy feeling that always follows good times with good friends that you don't get to see very often. It's a combination of heartfelt appreciation and regret. Appreciation for having people so wonderful in your life, but regrets that the limited time together could have been spent with more gusto...or more awareness...or something. Or maybe just that you wish there was more time. Or in this case, less distance. But there is always the next time to look forward to...and the hope that there will always be a next time.

Ok, enough of the sentimental crap. My ladies rock, and the dudes aren't too shabby either! nuff said.

Quote of the Weekend

"White creamy stuff? I can't get enough."
-P Diddy

(Get-your-mind-out-of-the-gutter-clarification: In response to Js aversion to products with such attributes...in particular, salad dressing)

Hello...goodbye!

Wanted to let everyone know that this may be my last post for a while. J is coming home tonight and we're going to be packing up the computer...so I will have no access for a couple weeks. Not that it's been a flurry of activity here. I thought that once I stopped working my creative juices and need for outside interaction would bolster my blogging, but no. Sadly, I think my updates have been fewer and farther between than ever. Probably most because one can only say so much about boxes, paint and dust.

I'm beginning to feel a little preganant. It hasn't completely sunk in yet, which is weird, I figured it would have by now. But my stomach is definitely sticking out...way more than last week. This has me a little worried since I just dropped some money on a new outfit for a wedding. I've been trying it on everyday to make sure we're still in business...so far so good, but it is starting to cinch a little. This wedding will most likely be the one and only time I'll ever get to wear it. And perhaps be my last non-blimplike appearance at an event! It's also the single greatest reason I have for not giving into my Whopper with Cheese cravings. I haven't had a Whopper in like, 8 years or something, and all of a sudden I'm having to convince myself NOT head to the drive through. Mmmmmm, Whopper...with Cheese. If I give in, I'll do the Jr. Whopper though. Smaller portion, same fat saturated yumminess!

A friend of ours just had a baby girl! Haven't seen her yet, and I'm not sure we'll get a chance before leaving town. I hope we squeeze it in. Another friend who is pregnant just found out she's having a girl. All these girls make be think our odds are better for having a boy, but that doesn't really make sense. I'm sure J would be happy to believe that logic. Two more months until we find out.

Well, I guess that's all for now. Next time I write, it will be from Vermont!

WHAM! then BAM! WTF...Ma'am?

Well I'm back! I took some pictures, but I did not get the accessories required to get them from the camera to the computer. But I can describe them. You might expect pastoral landscapes of white farmhouses and red barns, or perhaps picturesque lakeshore views? Nope. Try crumpled side door of Volvo.

An 80 year old lady hit me at a 4-way stop...twice. TWICE!! The first time she kinda t-boned me in the side passenger door. I hit the breaks when I felt the impact, then WHAM! she hit me again on the back bumper. Don't worry, I'm fine and luckily Tubbs wasn't in the car. The lady was completely freaked out and I felt kinda bad for her. Anyway, now I'm dealing with insurance adjusters on top of all the other crap I've got on my plate. Fun!!

In some good news, it seems that the Kay Jewlers Mother's Day commercial has been shelved, or at least I don't see it anymore. It has been replaced by the slightly less annoying "Peek-A-WOO" Kay Jewler commercial. Isn't it funny how all the Mother's Day commercials are geared towards husbands and not kids...I guess you gotta go where the money is.

I know I haven't been doing this lately but...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Well, it's that time of year, we just got super busy.
All the old people are back from Florida. They're hitting shit left and right."

-State Farm Insurance Adjuster ...20 minutes ago.

Headin' out

I'm on my way out the door to head up to Burlington for the next few days. There is still plenty to do around here, but I am unmotivated, so what better time to drive 3 hours with the dog and keep my husband company? And while he's a work, I can go shopping for a smokin' dress for the wedding we have to go to in a couple weeks. Yay! I'm bringing my camera this time so I'm also hoping to get out and explore a little more and take some nice pictures...though I still can't find the card reader or cable in order to download. Maybe I should put that on my shopping list too.

Well, I better hurry, Tubbs is whining and pacing and knocking stuff over since he saw me put his dog food in the car.

More proof I've been watching too much TV

Katy's comment about crying at commercials got me thinking. I, too, have shed tears at sappy commercials, but strangely not lately. If anything, commercials have begun to really annoy me. I suppose I've always had somewhat of a critical eye when it comes to such things. J can always expect some unsolicited commentary along the lines "what ad wizard came up with that one." Which is probably more annoying than the commercials.

Allow me to share the TV ads that are currently stuck in my craw:

KFC...I've started calling people 'side hogs' just to see if I come off as obnoxious and bitchy as the girl in this commercial.

Remax...How far did that guy have to relocate to buy that treehouse? I can't imagine they are available in most American communities. You know, I've always dreamed of living in a house made out of recycled newspaper and hub caps. I'll wait for your call.

Beneful...dude, you're the one who bought the dog food, you know it's dog food, even if it has peas in it.

And the one I dislike the most, and luckily the one that will only be on for another week is...

Kay Jewlers Mother's Day commercial. This is the one where the lady who played Bobcat Goldweith's girlfriend in one of the Police Academy movies is a mom and her husband opens the garage and there are like, 13 kids who launch into a "you're an awesome mom" song. Complete with precocious little girl on lead vocals and maracas. What gets me most is that those kids sound like they're in a freaking studio. I believe they are harmonizing. It is obviously voiceover and way out of the abilities of the average family band...they ain't the Osmonds. And even if by some miracle these kids did pull it off, there is no way this little performance could have happened with out ALOT of practice...which mom MUST have heard...in the garage. And the song, I don't know, just BOTHERS me. I cringe. Make it stop. Oh, and just so you know, a little diddy isn't good enough for Mommy, be sure to stop by Kay Jewlers and get her some DIAMONDS, ok?

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing one or all of the above commercials, just tune to TLC and watch the Baby Story, What Not to Wear, 10 Years Younger daily shmorgesborg.

What has made me cry in the past week...

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Global Warming Documentary on HBO

Oprah

The above were mostly just tearing up a bit (well, except the Traveling Pants. Not a very good movie, but still, kids with lukemia, what can you do). But the winner for blubbery, ugly cry is...

A Baby Story on TLC

I'm not sure if it's coming from a happy place or a terrified place. Probably both. One thing it's taught me is that the majority of nurses need to shut the fuck up!! I swear, if there is some middle aged woman in there with me YELLING at me to push, push push, I will clock her. And she better not have that patronizing, 'oooohhh, your doing so grrrrreeeeat' sing songy, kindergarten teacher voice. I hate to say it, but it's made me understand the virtue of 'silent birth'...but not for me, I'll be screaming, just everyone else needs to be quiet, unless they have something really important to say...like, well, anything I can think of that's "important" is scary, so lets just say everyone shut up, ok?

No, hormones are having no effect on me whatsoever.

So much to do, so much time

I have come to the conclusion that I quit my job prematurely. I have plenty of stuff to do around here, but more time to do it than it really requires. Everything would have worked out perfectly if we had gotten a lease for May 1st, but we didn't. June 1st. That's 4 more weeks of sitting in this house...painting, packing and purging. There isn't really 4 weeks worth of that to do.

If I was still struggling with pregnancy induced comas, perhaps I could see needing the extra time. But as I creep ever closer to the second trimester I find my energy level stabelizing. I can make through and entire afternoon without a nap!

I plan to gobble up some of this time by going up to Burlington. In Burlington I can see J! and go shopping! Well, I must take it easy on the shopping since, as I stated, I have no income to contribute at the moment, but we are going to a wedding and I am in the need of a cute and sassy little number. Don't know if my belly will be bigger by then? It's the last weekend in May. I'll be around 13-14 weeks. Will I have to accommodate a bulge? I suppose I should wait to purchase something to be sure it fits.

I find myself wanting a belly. It seems that it will solidify the fact that I am pregnant. So far I haven't gained any weight, but I can no longer suck in my stomach. And my boobs are bigger. And hurt. Like, A LOT.

In non-boob related news, my mother has taken quite nicely to the Grandmother role. My sister has welcomed a new member to the family as well! Currently, the little one is staying at my Mom's house. My sister is excited to be a new Mama. My kid will have a little competition in the cute department, that's for sure. Hardly fair.


Nugget. 9 week old Chihuahua Pekingnese mix.

I am the Owner of the World's Smallest Ponytail

Things are progressing. I have finished painting the backsplash in the kitchen so our renters don't have to look at the Colonial Blue vine and magenta flowered wallpaper. I know it is not advisable to paint wallpaper...but believe me, it's much better.

In other news, I have cut my hair. Perhaps 'cut' isn't the right word. More like chopped...hacked...WHACKED. For those of you who didn't know, my hair was about... um, I don't know...long? like to mid-arm...2-3 feet? Not that you would know it. I never wore it down because it was kinda unhealthy and always tangled. I've been avoiding a 'salon' because they always make me look like a Ms. America contestant...or a news reporter. I have very thick hair and they always poof it up and I look ridiculous. But between not being able to upkeep on the grey because Nice and Easy is not the best idea in the first trimester, and not having my hair cut in 2 years, I was looking a little ragged...and kinda old. I was feeling frumpy.

My coworkers gave me a Chamber of Commerce gift certificate as a going away present so I figured, what the hell, and called the fancy salon downtown (if you check out the link, be sure your volume is down, they have music...crazy jazz flute music.) So I told Sarah, cute and young stylist (whew!) that I wanted to cover the grey if it was possible that it not touch my scalp too much and a new cut. She said she could to foils (that aluminum foil stuff...I felt so fancy) and would be sure to be careful.

Then she asked about the cut.

"I've been threatening to go short for a while"

"How short?"

"I still wnat to be able to pull it into a ponytail"

"Like a bob?"

"Yeah, but with layers, kinda funky."

"I think jaw length would look good on you."

I was sold. Tell me I'll look good, and I'll do whatever you say. After all, she's the professional. So she takes a rubberband, puts my hair in a low ponytail, and SNIP! gone. Then there was the coloring, then the shampooing, and then more cutting. She thinned out my hair so I wouldn't have a mushroom, did that cool attack the end ends with scissors thing I've seen on Blow Out. My hair was still wet, but I liked it...then she started blow drying.

She used a big ass round brush. My funky little do was transformed into a brunette hat. I kept thinking of that scene from Steel Magnolias when Sally Fields looks at herself in the mirror and says "it DOES look like a brown football helmet."

I mean, it looked good....if you're Katie Couric. Not really me. But it's a good cut and I think I can work with it. As soon as I got home, I wet it down a little to get rid of the poof. I haven't taken a shower yet, so we'll see what happens when the natural curl of my hair is released.

Ok, you probably want a pic. But the chord to the camera is lost in packing hell, so I had to take one with a web cam. Here it is. Do you like my blue mug?! A mug to cover my mug.



I will kill anyone who says Soccer Mom.

The Official End of Winter

Well it's happened! Most people mark the end of winter by warming temperatures, the appearance of blossoms or such archaic tools as calendars, but for me, nothing says Spring as the timely removal of winter sediment from brown and dingy gutters. Yes, today I was honored with the loud booming noise of the street sweeper. Like a much needed exfoiliant, it spins and scrubs, removing many months worth of dirt and grime. Oh, the pure grey of the asphalt. And I find myself wanting it to rain, as if the final rinse will make it complete. How I wish to see April showers flow mudless in the gutter!

Tubbs is not as excited by the visit from the DPW. Well, perhaps he is excited. Excited in the way that he barks incessantly every time it makes a pass. Which causes me to yell at him. Yes, I say "Shut up" to the dog. I know it's not polite, but I figure he doesn't really get that. Sometimes I say "Please be quiet!", but it has the same effect. None. So 'shut up' is usually the default... because it has less syllables.

Update on the packing. It's more done. Does that make sense? Well, more of it has been done. Yes, that sounds better. Yesterday I emptied the kitchen island drawers and the side table? um, side board?...ok,the white thing by the stairs. Today it's the bathroom drawers and kitchen cabinets. But somehow, the more I do, the more chaotic the place looks. Thank god I'm not nesting yet, or this might drive me insane. Or perhaps I would be done by now. Which clearly would be a indication of insanity. So it's actually good that so much is left to do, no? Yes, I will go along with that.

Postscript: Oh! I must tell you. Though my news is exciting, my friend Sexy has perhaps what could be even more exciting news...truely every girls dream. Please wish her a heart-felt congratualtions! Click here.

A turkey won't be the only thing coming out of the oven this Thanksgiving

Oh, my poor neglected blog. So sorry I haven't been attentive as of late. I can blame it on the move, the packing, the organizing, but the truth is...I'm tired. Extremely tired, which is making me a little lazy. Well, maybe not lazy, I'm busy...um, when I'm not napping. Yes, in between my comatose spells on the couch I am a flurry of activity.

God, I'm exhausted. And I've been feeling a little sick. And I've been knitting up a storm. Um, and my boobs are bigger....

Why should you care? What does this all mean. Well, you've probably already guessed it, I'm pregnant! 8 weeks! I thought about keeping it secret until 3 months, as tradition calls for, but pretty much everybody already knows, so now you do too.

We found out 2 days after J gave 2 weeks notice at his old job. So the joyous smiles were coupled with slightly furrowed brows as we realized that our already big change was now exponentially more complicated and huge! But wonderful! Extremely wonderful! Yay!

So, no more drink, no more smoke, and a lot more ice cream. I figure the calories I used to consume in red wine are kinda like a credit...sitting there waiting to be spent. And pregnant lady is not supposed to lose weight, so bring on the Ben and Jerry's. Don't worry, I'm not going to use pregnancy as an excuse to eat everything under the sun and get all fat and bloated. Well, there's no gaurantee against the fat and bloated thing, but I'm going to keep it under control as much as I can. So far, no gain. Though I look a little pudgy around the middle, the number on the scale is the same. We'll see how long that lasts.

So there it is! A Thankgiving baby! Everyone is telling me to pray for a Sagittarius, not a Scorpio, especially if it's a girl. But I know a Scorpio lady (Hi Auntie!) and she's awesome.

So be prepared for a lot of baby talk and TMI to come. It's my blog and I'll bore if I want to.

Volvos are so punk rock

Boy, reading my last post I kinda sound like a bitch. Well, I guess I was a little fed up at that point. I have a feeling the Quote of the Week is going to fall by the wayside. I'm a little overwhelmed. I am up to my eyeballs in bank statements and IRA printouts. I am slowly going through about 4 years worth of paper that banks, governments and various financial institutions are nice enough to send us to let us know what is happening, and we are nice enough to ignore and put in a pile. Well, that pile ain't moving with us! So I have visited the office supply store and gotten some folders and paper clips...look out, Nacho's gettin' orgaznized!

Oh! and I almost forgot to tell you...guess who I saw coming out of the Office Supply store? Well, those of you who know where I live, probably know I live in the same town as a couple famous folks. Well, one couple of famous folks in particular. Well as I stepped out of my super yuppy Volvo station wagon, out of the glass door walksThurston Moore. And where is he going? To his own same year, same model Volvo station wagon (only white, mine is blue/green). Ha! I feel so much better about my mom-mobile knowing hipster rockers like Thurston Moore are driving the same.

I've seen Thurston at the grocery store, post office, airport (with wife Kim Gordon) and now Whalen's Office Supply. When we first moved here I said we would all become best friends. You know, dinner parties, Coco's birthday picnics, exchanging recipes for spicy Thai dishes. Sigh. Now I guess I'm off to befriend Trey Anastasio...some hipsters may not approve, but works for me. Or perhaps these dudes need a 4th for golf. I'm sure J can make time.

Quote of the Week #10 (I hate moving)

I'm am frazzeled people. So I don't have time for this crap. And to top it off, I picked a freakin' LIVEJOURNAL user as the winner last week. What was I thinking?!Therefore I did not contact the winner from last week, and therefore, I do not have a word for this week.

So I'm making this shit up right this second.

I will pick a theme and see what comes up...and that is it. Good or bad, we'll see what turns up. And that theme is:

I HATE MOVING

Time to do some searching etc, list making. God, I hate moving.
http://alchemistjames.livejournal.com/

First, I hate moving and second, I hate moving.
http://blog.myspace.com/14463682

UGGGHH!! I hate moving!!! I have a nice mountain growing.
http://mom2cbt.blogspot.com

I hate moving. I like to stay in one place and be settled and get everything the way I like. ... I hate moving! I feel like I've been screwed. If God really wanted me to be here why is he having me move again so soon.
http://norcal707.livejournal.com/


I hate moving! Packing usually gives me a migraine, but fortunately this time I had a very nice...um...shall we say DISTRACTION...mmm...Irishman...tasty...
http://blog.myspace.com/ruadhreul

I hate moving my stuff from one house to another, i hate i hate i hate
http://egyblog2005.blogspot.com

I hate, I mean beyond hate, loathe, despise, moving! Hate it! And I hate moving with someone that doesn't move like I like to move.
http://blog.myspace.com/anniekh

Purely for her ability to turn it around and be positive (and because everyone else is myspace or lj) I give you:

THE QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I hate moving. I'm covered in bruises and my muscles are sore (even my forearms which is a very odd feeling). However, we're starting to get settled and our place is really cute!
http://thepinkkitty.blogspot.com

Honorable Mention

moving sucks. bigtime. ...
http://blog.myspace.com/bstothep

My stomach says hello...

God, I just INHALED a chicken parm sandwich from Spoleto's. Ugh...too much food.

Anyway, how is everyone out there? Good? Good. I'm good too.

Tomorrow is my last day of work. Though I agreed to come back a few days next week to help train my replacement. Always fun.

No, the paper clips don't go there, they go THERE.

Oh, what will they do without me?

I am stressed because the Casa La Nacho is not rented yet. I need to find someone to pay our mortgage soon. My stomach juices are beginning to eat away at the lining and soon I will be leaking acid out my intestines. Some girl is coming to look on Saturday, so let's hope it meets her approval. She has a dog AND a cat, and we said ok to that, so maybe she's desperate! A lot of landlords aren't cool about pets. But I am...but not because I'm desperate. No not me. Not at all. Cat pee?Love it. Oh the distinct smell of ammonia and animal waste! Hair matted into my new carpet? No, problem.

My stomach just let out one of those hiss gurgle noises.

My bedmate and protector

I couldn't get to sleep last night. Which is a huge change. Lately I've been going to bed at 8:30. But I managed to stay up for Sopranos and even Big Love and still wasn't sleepy. I tossed and turned until about 1:30. YAAAAaaawwwwn. I am beat.

Probably because last night was the first without J. Though Tdog was happy to take up the space. J took his pillows with him, which had Tdog a little perplexed. He kept doing that spin around in a circle thing up by where the pillows usually are, as if his repeated foot traffic would make them miraculously appear.

Also, on Saturday I watched the Exorcism of Emily Rose. Not a particularly great movie, but definitely has some creep factor. Not the movie to watch right before you are about to spend 2 weeks all by yourself. The wind slammed the screen door as I was walking up the stairs to bed and it scared the shit out of me! I slept with the door locked. Though if demons wanted to possess me, I don't think that would have helped.

I'm so glad I have Tdog. Though he's not really scary or protective, he's got a big dog bark. Not bite, just bark...and lots of butt wiggles.

The beginning of the end beginning!

I just got off the phone with J. He was calling from somewhere on the side of the road near White River Junction, VT. He got pulled over. He is patiently...well, ok, not so patiently awaiting the trooper to return to his window with a ticket. Not exactly a great way to start.

J starts his new job tomorrow. I'm still back here finishing up work (Friday is my last full day) and trying to tie up the many loose ends. It was sad to see J walk out the door...I won't see him for 2 weeks. So it's just me and Tdog.

There is so much to do! Not just all the packing and throwing out of useless accumulated crap, but contacting all the people/companies/debtors/magazine places to tell them where we will be if they want to still get money from us. Insurance, cellphones, banks! Life is so full of crap to keep track of. It's a wonder anyone ever moves at all.

The most important thing is finding someone to rent our house. Because we can't afford to pay for it AND rent a new plact in VT. Not that we've found a place to rent. That's kinda up there on the list too.

I'll let you know how it's going...since I'm all by my lonesome maybe I'll post more? I know I'll be watching a lot more cheesy movies. J usually turns his nose up at such things. Heaven something movie with Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffallo here I come! Mark Rufalo? Mark Rafolo, Ruffulo? Sorry Mark, you're a cutie, but I don't know how to spell your name. And I don't have the patience to open another window and google it. Since I know someone who checks in here is a fellow Mark Rooooffalooooo admirer, perhaps I will be enlightened in the comments.