My time in the sinuses. October 9, 2008 ~ 2:57 pm
Posted by Julie in : Da Cats, Rick , comments closedHey, you know what I got for my birthday? (Aside from that really cool Monday Night Football Steelers win over the Ravens in overtime that happened after midnight and thus technically on my birthday.) A cold! Actually, Rick got the cold that Monday when we were watching the game, and after I spent all day in the car with him driving back on my actual birthday, I got it too. Thanks, honey! He got me other, less germy things too, so I won’t complain too much. Also, the entire world and everybody on the internet has it, so it was probably inevitable.
Today is the first day I sort of feel like myself. I am very very sleepy, but I can think more or less coherently, and I have a drive to do things for the first time in a week and a half. This morning I actually emptied the dishwasher and reloaded it with the Leaning Tower of Dirty Dishes that had been sitting in the sink. And tonight I’m going to the laundromat, but that is more out of desperation for clean socks and underwear instead of a desire to be cleanly. I even have a desire to drink alcohol again, which must mean I am getting better. Because for a whole week all I wanted was juice. Lots and lots and lots of juice. I revert to a five year old when I am sick, and I rocked the Juicy Juice like a preschooler at snacktime.
Things happened in that dim time while I was on my sickbed, but all I can really remember is that Rick tried to teach Freddie his right from his left in an attempt “to evolve the species.” Rick also started making toys for Freddie out of pipe cleaners, which Freddie loves above everything on earth (including Humpy) and which invariably end up underneath the fridge. Freddie then moves through the stages of grief, piteously crying at the refrigerator, digging under it in denial of the fact that his paws won’t reach the toys, and finally attacks the refrigerator in rage, pounding on its door. He never does get to the acceptance phase, though. And Rick, cruel cat father, laughs at him and won’t retrieve the toys, claiming that Freddie plays with them by the fridge on purpose because it’s more fun to play in the “danger zone.” For someone who swears Freddie is stupid, I think Rick ascribes way too much intellect to the cat.
How I know Rick has been influenced by me. February 21, 2008 ~ 1:16 pm
Posted by Julie in : Coupledom, Rick , comments closed(Because that sounds nicer than: How I know Rick is well-trained.)
We were talking about Macbeth as we walked to the subway last night, and both agreed that it felt really long in the second act in spite of stellar acting. Rick then said “You know that really long scene between Macduff and Malcolm? They could have used a dramaturg there.”
Thank you, yes, they could have. This is the second only to last weekend when I showed Rick a scarf that I was knitting in a chevron pattern (which basically makes the scarf edge wavy instead of straight), and not realizing that it was designed that way, he commented “It’s really nice, but you’re going to have to block the hell out of that, aren’t you?”
He got some for that.
We’re mature February 11, 2008 ~ 12:04 pm
Posted by Julie in : Coupledom, Rick , comments closedSitting in traffic on the way home from Manhattan Friday night, I extended one finger to within an inch of Rick’s leg and said “Not touching you.” He quickly moved his leg so that I was touching him. I pulled my finger back and looked out the window on my side of the car, waiting for the red light to change.
The next thing I know, there was a flash of orange light on my left side and I looked over to see my boyfriend had ignited a lighter by my left leg. I jumped away from it, at least as much I was able to with a seatbelt on. “Not burning you,” he said sweetly.
“Dude, what the fuck?” I asked. “Why would you do that?”
“I’m just taking it to the next level,” he replied.
Many things flashed through my head, but in the end I said the only thing I could: “I am so blogging this.”
Finished by the skin of my teeth January 15, 2008 ~ 3:00 pm
Posted by Julie in : Craftiness Is Next To Godliness, Rick, The Girls , comments closedLast night I learned something. Sea Silk that has been dyed red? Bleeds red when you wash it. After three soaks and a final bath with a bit of white vinegar, I think I’ve stopped the bleeding. I wrote on the little note that accompanied the shawlette that it might need another vinegar bath and maybe she should think about not wearing it over white shirts at first as a caveat. Wouldn’t want to ruin any clothes with it.
As far as the fuck-up I wrote about yesterday goes…I don’t think she’ll notice it. She is not a knitter, and the chevron pattern combined with the variations in hue and the drapey nature of silk mean that it’s not as easy to see the fuck-up as it might have been had I used another yarn.
So, without further ado, I give you the project that went out in the mail this morning. Behind the cut, of course, because there are pictures. (more…)
December 3, 2007 ~ 8:34 pm
Posted by Julie in : Fambly, Rick , comments closedBecky’s gone. She went quickly in the end, which was a blessing, but if I’m quiet for the next couple of days (as I may or may not be), you’ll know why.
Send good thoughts for Rick and his brother Bill and their mother. To lose two of the four siblings in less than a year, it’s something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. And her kids, who are still very young (her oldest will be 21 next week), could also use some good thoughts.
Update December 1, 2007 ~ 9:37 pm
Posted by Julie in : Fambly, Rick , comments closedI’ve lost track of time in the last two days. I’ve spent some time at the hospital with Becky. Rick has spent much more time there. We go, come back, Rick goes again, comes back…between the repeat visits to the hospital and the shorter days here (the sun goes down a full 15 minutes earlier in Western Massachusetts than it does in Brooklyn, I swear), there is a lot of sleep at odd hours. I sent Rick to bed at about 7:30 because he was sleeping in a chair and almost fell out of it.
It’s a lot of ups and downs here. Rick was told early Wednesday morning that she probably wouldn’t make it. A few hours later, and the supervisory doctor said no, they would keep her on antibiotics and observe her for a while. Yesterday afternoon, she seemed to be failing again. This morning, Rick went to the hospital with Becky’s husband to put Becky on “comfort measures,” which basically means to take her off the machines and everything, and the doctor says that the x-ray is a little better (it ain’t great, by any means - she’s got abscesses in her lungs in addition to the pneumonia), and everyone should just wait until Monday morning when her attending is back on the floor. When we went this afternoon, her hands were cold again and her vitals were down again as well. I can see the roller-coaster taking its toll on Rick and everyone else, and I can feel how easy it is to fall into thinking that warmer hands or slightly improved vital signs are a sign of improvement, because that’s all we’ve got. But although Rick and I talk to her when we’re in the room with her, and although I did her hair last night with some ribbons their mom sent over, it doesn’t really feel like Becky’s in the room with us.
We just keep putting one foot in front of the other…
Drained November 28, 2007 ~ 4:53 pm
Posted by Julie in : Fambly, Rick , comments closedThere is a lot going on in the world of Julz, not the least of which is that Rick’s sister is in the hospital. Her cancer came back, and then she came down with pneumonia and sepsis on top of it. She is not doing well, and my thoughts are in Massachusetts with her and the family. If you could send your good vibes that direction, too, I’d appreciate it.
He’s not a doctor, he just plays one… November 6, 2007 ~ 11:35 pm
Posted by Julie in : Coupledom, Rick , comments closedJulie: So is it wrong that after I had a pelvic exam I was thinking of you?Rick: Um………….I hope that the pelvic exams I give you are more pleasant than the one the gynecologist just gave you.
Julie: Definitely.
Rick: Okay then.
Bananas are HOT. October 23, 2007 ~ 10:45 am
Posted by Julie in : Coupledom, Random Insanity, Rick , comments closedThere are no pictures of Rhinebeck here today because…well, Rick and I went to our favorite Mexican place in the city and our friend Sergio is now head of waitstaff and made sure our margaritas were strong. And then he got us free shots of pineapple tequila. We love Sergio.
Conversation with Rick this morning about my matching yellow bra and unders (I never ever have matching undies. I basically make sure the that bra isn’t going to show through the shirt I’m wearing and grab whatever unders my hand meets first in the drawer.):
Rick: Wow, that’s nice! You look kinda like a banana. (Realizes that this is not, in fact, a compliment, and tries to rectify it.) You know…in my imagination.
Julie: That is so not sexy. That is perhaps the least sexy comparison I’ve ever heard. Bananas are not sexy.
Rick: Well, you look like a hot banana!
Yes, because that made it all better. I only wish I could blog the earnest look on his face as he said this, trying to make amends.
It’s fall, I’m sick. October 2, 2007 ~ 2:09 pm
Posted by Julie in : Coupledom, Craftiness Is Next To Godliness, Rick, Urban Family, photo safari , comments closedI blame the baby. She has a cold, and after spending several days around her this past weekend, I think I have a cold. Which resulted in hardcore post-nasal drip, which resulted in…well, in me puking in the wee sma’s this morning. Yuck. So I am home today, recovering. Recovery involves drinking a lot of EmergenC and watching America’s Next Top Model. Hey, whatever works.
But hey, guess what? There’s a picture of me over on Mason-Dixon Knitting. (If you’re a knitter, you’re jealous.) Top picture, left hand side. That’s me in the Steelers cap and aqua hoodie, concentrating very hard on my spinning. The Spin-Out was a lovely way to spend Saturday - I walked up the hill to the fountain, and suddenly, there was a crowd of my people! Even better? There were a bunch of people spinning on Lendrums! We’re a cult! (Check the Ravelry groups if you’re on, we really are a cult now.) I spun for about five hours with a few trips to the bathroom and to get food, made a bunch of new friends, and got a few lessons (and a lovely birthday present) from my friend Jenny. (She is a miracle worker. The superfine merino top that I was spinning up as crap last week? Now looks like real live yarn! Even Rick couldn’t believe the difference!) Kids were spinning, guys were spinning, girls were spinning, and we became quite the tourist attraction. Really…the rickshaws were stopping beside us and pointing us out to tourists. Same with the carriages. I made some wonderful new (look at the picture of me, it makes me laugh) friends who I will see again at Rhinebeck later this month, and I just really enjoyed myself.
Afterwards, Rick and I met up with J and Thabs and Samang for dinner at a German restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. We ended up sitting right next to another table that was celebrating a birthday (Librans are everywhere, I must have run into about twelve people with birthdays on or near mine this year), and so there was a lot of talk back and forth, and a lot of beer.
The next morning, I woke up to…well, continuing proof that Rick is the best boyfriend ever. When I woke up there was a handmade card and a small wrapped package. I unwrapped it and found a memory card that didn’t fit anything I own. I thanked him for it, but said “What do I use this for?” He said “Well, you can always use more memory. Especially if you have this.” and pulled out a Nikon D-40. There will be a steep learning curve, especially as I find myself reaching for the non-existent zoom button, but I love my first SLR very very much.
We then went over to Prospect Park for a little birthday party with some friends. Jordana, Thabiso, and Samang were there of course, and the girls took some time out of their schedules to come out, and Jessie, Andre, and Zula joined us as well, but the person who gets the biggest amount of points for showing up? The Retropolitan, who not only came from his distant Bat Cave, but came out to help celebrate my birthday when the only person he knew there was me. No pictures were taken of Retro, because he is so mysterious that he cannot be captured on camera, but now you are all jealous of me, knitters or not. It was an amazing birthday weekend, and I am just thrilled to have all these wonderful people in my life.
30? It ain’t so bad. Pictures here to prove it.
