The Goddamn Glory Of It All

The invites!

2009-06-30T21:02:00.001-07:00

Once again, I have to give MAD MAD props to Tracy and Michelle for designing and printing the loveliest invites a girl could ask for.

And even more letterpress printing..

2009-06-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

More letterpress printing...

2009-06-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

Princess Day!

2009-06-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

Hey!

I had a great Saturday - cheer practice, a dress fitting, got to see my invites being letterpress printed by Michelle, then a pride mani/pedi, bevs at Lime, and dinner with Jon, Leslie, YB and my love, Egan.

Letterpress printing plates!

2009-06-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

The months are flying by... The last time I blogged, Egan and I had just gotten engaged, now the wedding is less than two months away! Ack! I figure I should give blogging another shot since this experience should be a tad more interesting than my foot surgery. But you be the judge.

ANYWAY...

My good pal Tracy designed the invitations and they are BEAUTIFUL. They are currently be printed my my pal Michelle who is a master letterpress printer. Being a book geek, I couldn't help but photograph the printing plates. Hopefully I'll get some shots of Michelle printing them as well!

The pink plate!

The thank you card!

RSVP

Ok, I'm a dork.

Engaged!

2009-02-10T11:42:00.001-08:00

Wow, was my last post really September? Well, a lot has happened since then. First of all, I can walk! So hopefully my future posts will be a little more interesting, although I will still be updating you regularly about Louise's day to day life.

But the great news - besides walking - is that Egan and I are engaged! Here we are on the big night. the ring is Egan's great grandmother's and she must have had some seriously tiny hands. The ring has now been resized, fits on the proper finger and looks lovely and sparkly. We are shooting for late August of this year, so the planning is already underway. More to come!

Lucky 13!!!

2008-09-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

Louise turns 13 years old today!!!

I can't believe it's been so long since I adopted the cutest little black kitten on the planet. We've been through a lot since then - lived in three states, survived a fire, dealt with major kitty health problems. Two years ago, I almost lost Louise to complications from diabetes, but with the help of friends and family she is healthy, totally lazy, and with me today, just as cute as ever.

Awwwwwwwwww....

Louise has a lot of fans, but some special thanks need to go out to peeps for helping me in the last few years: my dad, Leslie, Tracy, Renee, yasu, and of course, my fave kitty daddy who helps me take care of her on a daily basis, Egan.

(Sorry honey, she likes your spot.)

Gotta Getta Goetta!

2008-09-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked my seventh (I think) venture out of the house in five weeks. Renee and yasu hosted a mid-western themed brunch, and being from Ohio, I had to represent. Egan drove me the three blocks, and Todd and Rand had to manhandle me up the stairs, but after that it was smooth sailing for a feast to rival any Thanksgiving. Renee and yasu always make too much food, but that's just part of their generous nature. And, you won't see me complaining about having too much deliciousness on my plate!

Mmm, goetta, hash, summer tomatoes...

I haven't seen the new 90210 yet, SOB! Renee and I used to watch the original religiously (+ Melrose, + Party of Five, + the ill fated Models, Inc). I see a new tradition starting...

yasuaki on his second plate - waffles were next. I have no idea where he puts it, I just know I'm jealous, because I wish I had that place. Or at least I wish that place wasn't my ass.

Hamster Love!

2008-09-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

Tony and Randi came over for a glass of wine Saturday night and brought a very special guest - Jasper!

The adults were too boring for him, but Jasper found a kindred spirit in Jose Luis.

Cat on a Hot Wood Floor

2008-09-08T13:22:00.001-07:00

Ok, I know I've totally discarded my mid-western roots when I start bitching about 80 degree heat. But, I'm sorry!!! It was freaking hot last week! Yes, of course, it pales in comparison to the 90-100 degree heat + 90% humidity days of my childhood, or worse, my mid-twenties spent in New York. Ahhh, memories of being trapped underground on a hot, crowded subway train at rush hour when a fight breaks out because someone got their toe stepped on and the other person claims to have a gun... those were the days. Sigh.

But still, for a delicate flower like myself, I felt...wilted. Terribly... so...so terribly...wilted. And I wasn't the only one in our household who felt that way.
Louise moved from spot to spot, ignoring her usual comfy places like her quilt, the bed, the carpet, stretching herself out to cool off.

Egan came home with a headache.

United in suffering.

An exciting 48 hours!

2008-09-04T12:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, this deserves a blog. I got to leave the apartment more times in the past 48 hours, than I have in the past two weeks. I went to Chow twice, got my eye brows done (thank god) , went to see my doctor for a 4 week check up, AND went to see The Mommyheads last night!

First, the doctor's news...
My foot is healing really well and is beginning to look less like a monkey paw and more like a foot. The x-ray showed amazing straight bones, so I no longer have to wear a splint and that is helping with the swelling.

Unfortunately, I still can't walk for another three weeks. But it's my hope that come September 23rd, my next appointment, I will get a walking cast and be able to walk on my birthday the next day. (Eh hem, the 24th...write it down.)

Now, The Mommyheads:
Later that night, Egan and Renee and I went to Cafe du Nord, which seemed daunting at first due to the stairs, but they have a very secure railing which is good not only for me, but for all the drunks they probably deal with on a nightly basis. Renee and I have been major fans of The Mommyheads since college, so we had an awesome time reminiscing and singing along. Egan had fun too, although he wasn't so hip on the name and thought they should be called something like "Savage Thunder." Anyway, The Mommyheads broke up 10 years ago, but recently reunited to play a handful of shows to promote a new album.

Since this was their first live show in 12 years, and their only SF show, I wasn't going to let my gimpy status stand in the way. Lots of great tunes. You can hear a sample and buy their album here: http://bladencountyrecords.com/

Oh, and can you believe I didn't somehow find a way to post a picture of Louise?

Boy, oh boy, oh boy!!!

2008-09-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Egan gets back from L.A. tonight and I can't wait to see him! He's been gone since Thursday and although we've talked several times a day, I still missed him a ton. So did Louise. In fact, I spent a good part of yesterday sending him photos of Louise...

Ok. I know, I know. I need to stop with the cat pics, but she's so cute and I am trapped inside! What is a girl to blog about in such circumstances? Yes, you should worry.

Egan's parents sent me an Oregon State stuffed beaver last fall. Louise is a fan.

See! How could I not share this?

Ok, I need help. Someone get me out of the apartment before I am past the point of no return.

Sunday

2008-08-31T22:57:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning...

2008-08-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

I was brought to the window by the cries of a rather desperate sounding tranny, ("No, YOU don't understand, I lost my purse!!!!!") and this is what I saw.

Not only has someone defaced the Oak Fair Market, but there is a garage sale not even a block away. Can I make it? I want to... And I just saw people carrying stuff. Stuff. That's what I want. I don't need anything, but I want something. Something to break up the lying in bed watching movies and VH1. But I'm not sure I can get there. And, if I did, how would I carry anything back? Maybe a stranger would take pity on me, but do I want a stranger in my house? And, god forbid, what if the garage sales sucks? I don't want to spend 20 minutes getting down the stairs for some asshole's dirty pint glass, or stained tupperware, or shitty George Foreman grill that they're totally ditching cuz it sucks to clean. Been there, done that. I guess I'll settle into the last half of "Empire Strikes Back" and pretend I still have a life... or maybe I'll blog about my cat some more.

Scaredy Cat

2008-08-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

Louise is at her breaking point. For the past three weeks, every time I approach her on my crutches she freaks out and scrambles out of my way as if the crutches are going to come alive and hunt her down. Last night, Egan got out his suitcase, a sure sign of impending abandonment. And now...now?!?!? The cleaners have come, and they brought a noisy, scary vacuum cleaner!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

There's nowhere to go! Nowhere to run!

Why God? WHY?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?

Put the blanket back, you FOOL! You're going to get us KILLED!

At the three week mark.

2008-08-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

As of today, it's been three weeks since my surgery. Here's what my foot looks like at this point. A little less creepy than before...

My foot is definitely less swollen and less purple.

I still can't put any weight on it and won't be able to for another 4-5 weeks. But at least now I can get a better picture of what my new foot will eventually look like.

The path to freedom...

2008-08-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

If you notice at the end, Tiff walks off with my second crutch.

Folding Cranes

2008-08-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

Today I've been folding cranes for Renee and Yasu's Cincinnati wedding reception. They had over 2,000 cranes at their wedding last month! It was gorgeous, and touching that so many people gave their time and folding abilities. I was sad to stop folding, so when Renee asked if I could fold some for their Ohio party, I was thrilled! It's so relaxing and an honor to be able to contribute to their special time.

Renee, the lovely bride, with a lovely crane!

Renee gives her crane the breath of life.

I'm a believer

2008-08-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

After another tasty slow cooked pork meal, I have no choice but to sing the praises of the slow cooker. If you don't own one, you must buy one. Last night Tiff and Mel came over for some bbq ribs, and they were pretty amazing if I do say so myself.

Tiff made corn pudding.

Mel brought a very special little guest, Owen!

Egan, with a mouth full of ribs, joins the cult of the slow cooker.

I'm a lucky gal

2008-08-24T16:02:00.001-07:00

Egan is my knight in shining armor. Only he's not really dressed in armor, that's just a figure of speech. But I guess he's still kind of shiny... Anyway, he's been taking care of me as I recover from surgery, which I imagine can be somewhat trying, especially on my cranky days. And especially given that this the second time in a year that he's taken care of me after surgery. Yup, I am one lucky lady.

How Louise spent Saturday...

2008-08-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday is a lazy Saturday for Louise.

Lazy Saturday...

2008-08-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

In a show of solidarity, Egan spent most of yesterday lying in bed with me watching movies. We watched Bull Durham, which I had never seen, and actually liked more than I thought I would, a fact I grudgingly admitted to Egan. The Susan Sarandon / Kevin Costner scene at the end where they finally "do it" and then dance around her living room was a little much though. We got it, you like each other...enough already.

We also watched the Obama and Biden speech.

Egan reacts to Biden.

For dinner, we had mahi mahi, corn on the cob, chard and ice cream with fruit for dessert. Yum!

Mmmm, corny.

Later we watched Singles. Singles does not hold up. It was dreadful. Cameron Crowe is a fucking sap. I think except for Say Anything, I can safely say I hate all of his movies - especially Jerry Maguire. Do not fucking get me started on Jerry Maguire.

Frankenstein foot, part 2

2008-08-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

So, I just got my stitches out.
Maybe I'm a complete pussy, but once they took off the tape and I got a look at the long incision down the left side of my foot, I got mega-queasy. Then I got lightheaded and felt like I might faint, so they had me lay back, drink water, and take deep breathes. When it was time to start snipping the stitches, the doctor told me I would feel "a little tug." Well, I can assure you, it did not feel like a "little tug." It fucking hurt. One of the stitches in my second toe had wedged itself into my skin like a soldier hunkering down in the trenches who has pledged that he won't be taken alive. That one was the worst, and I actually cried out, "FUCK!!!!!!!"

The angle is a little odd, because I still had my head back in the weird podiatrist chair contraption. But, my guess is you can still tell where that little soldier was.

Again, my pedicure still looks good!

Louise's favorite spot...

2008-08-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

Louise is one lucky kitty. She has her own quilt made by my friend Todd's mom. Egan and I put it on his desk chair when we moved in, and from that day on, there's been no doubt, that the chair is no longer Egan's.

Pretty...

2008-08-19T18:13:00.001-07:00

The lily by my bed opened. Pretty...

Ladies lunch!

2008-08-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

I got to go outside again today. Thank god, because I was on the verge of seriously losing my shit. Mel and Tiff took me to lunch at Frankie's Bohemian Cafe and we had burgers. Frankie's is a special place for us as we had our first squad dinner as a threesome there three years ago. We also came close to getting egged on the way home that night, but that's another story.

Mmm, bbq bacon cheesy goodness for me

Mel got a turkey burger. She *hearts* ketchup.

Tiffany's turkey burger better say it's prayers.

It boggles the mind...

2008-08-18T18:09:00.001-07:00

Last night Renee, Yasu, Todd and Rand came over to have dinner and play games with Egan and me. We played Boggle and Catchphrase... I realized that not only do I suck at Boggle, but my handwriting is dreadful. Guess which answer sheet is mine?

It's Renee's birthday in a few days, so we had cupcakes to celebrate! My favorite was the lemon, followed closely by the chocolate mint. Yum!

Awwww...

2008-08-17T18:13:00.000-07:00

Ahh, pulled pork...how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

2008-08-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

Before

After

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-17T11:00:00.001-07:00

Inspired by our fancy drink at Absinthe, Egan made us Sazeracs at home last night as a treat! Tracy came by for a visit and joined us in a little libation.

Little did she know, she was about to see the showdown of the century!

Awww shit, bitches! Someone call the WWF!

In this city by the bay, we are about to witness the final chapter in an ongoing rivalry that has taken the world of Oak Street by storm! In the left corner, we have the invincible fighting feline force, Louise!!! In the right corner, we have the tiny but mighty, hamsterific power Jose Luis!!! Who will rein supreme? Will Jose Luis once again humiliate all of kitty-kind and make off with a pouch full of diabetic cat food? Or will Louise finally bring THE PAIN?!?!?

Meanwhile back at the homestead...

2008-08-16T18:39:00.001-07:00

Louise takes over stalking duties. I expect a full report this evening of what happened at the Oak Fair Market while we were gone.

I got to go outside today!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, fresh air. A change of scenery. What a difference these things make. I've been out of the apartment only 3 times in the past 10 days. It's kind of an ordeal to get down the stairs, and it's harder than I thought it would be to go very far on crutches, but it's still worth the effort.

Egan and I went to Absinthe for lunch. We both got fancy cocktails, Frenchy sandwiches and we shared some freedom fries!

Egan looking handsome and sophisticated with his Death in the Afternoon. Oui!

I had a Bloody Mary. Not exactly French, but it was tasty. And did I mention that I got to leave the apartment? Double Oui.

Even Louise doesn't care about Jennifer Love Hewitt.

2008-08-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Olympic Spirit

2008-08-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

Sure, she might have won the gold. But how many cold cans of Diet Coke can she carry stuffed in her underwear at one time? Huh? Huh? Yeah... some gold. Let's get back to reality people and focus on what's important. Ahhh, a refreshing beverage...

I wonder what Joaquim is up to today...

2008-08-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Jose Luis gets a clean cage!

2008-08-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

Little J.L. is a pretty lucky guy (even though, she's actually a girl.) She's about to get a clean cage and alfalfa snacks thanks to Egan. Plus while her house gets all "just so" she gets to run around in the hamster ball for a little exercise. In the recent past, the hamster ball has also meant "great escape." Last time she pulled a major Houdini move, we found her sitting in Louise's food bowl with her pouches totally stuffed full of diabetic cat food. Louise was... asleep.

An update on Louise...

2008-08-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

Louise is holding up ok, just FYI. It's been a hard day for her...

Frankenstein foot

2008-08-13T17:29:00.001-07:00

Well, I've had my first post-op doctor's appointment. All went pretty well, except I fell on the last stair in our building on my way out and whacked my cast. I didn't do any damage, but it fucking hurt, dude.

Anyway, they took some X-rays and gave me a new cast. I was hoping it would be a little lighter, but no dice. Regardless, I was happy to see that my pedicure made it through the surgery relatively unscathed.

What Louise is up to

2008-08-13T12:51:00.001-07:00

Rear Window or Back Door? What was Hitchcock really trying to say?

2008-08-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

Oh come on, you knew I would make that joke at some point. Perhaps I'm just being influenced by watching the Annabel Chong Story. It's kind of a depressing documentary, so I'll have to follow it up with something a little lighter.

Et tu, Louise?

2008-08-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

Louise just peed on the bathroom rug.

Thanks. Oh no, really. Don't get up. I've got it. Please... do not trouble yourself. I need the exercise, and I enjoy standing on one leg. You've clearly had a hard day. No... oh please, come now. I won't hear of it. We were going to do laundry tonight anyway.

from steve

2008-08-12T15:10:00.001-07:00

My Money Minutes

2008-08-12T14:55:00.001-07:00

What are the rules about blogging more than once a day? Is it a no-no? What about blogging about things that happened in the past? I don't care. This is my fucking blog, goddamn it. I need to talk about my Eddie Money experience. Settle back in your easy chair by the fire...

Last month Egan and I went to the Alameda County Fair with some friends to see Eddie Money.

We've seen Eddie Money live once before, but this time
I came to one major realization: Eddie Money is needy.

Egan thought he was totally drunk. I wasn't sure, and
we all speculated that he might have been on painkillers
instead. There were a few times when the microphone stand
tipped over and needed to be righted by a roadie. Now, it's
true that Eddie is pushing 60, and not terribly graceful. He
would occasionally do that signature spin move, but mostly
he lurched around the stage with his arms outstretched,
practically begging the audience to reassure him that he
was indeed,their "Money Man." And the fans did love him. He
shook people's hands and at one point a woman even ran up on
stage for him. It's hard to imagine why, as Eddie looks like
a melted wax figure, but to each their own. Who am I to judge?

From the opening lines of "Two Tickets to Paradise", it became
clear that Eddie would not actually be *singing* his songs.
More, he just kind of enthusiastically talked through them, or
let the audience sing them for him. During "Take Me Home Tonight"
Eddie's daughter Jessie sang the Ronnie Specter part which, in
my mind, is a little creepy. It seems like a father/daughter line
that shouldn't be crossed. But I digress.

Throughout the night, Eddie kept up a relentless banter with the
audience. After his first inane comment during "Two Tickets", which
was, and I quote, "Give me some Whoa-Whoas," I decided to take notes.
These are some of my faves...I hope you enjoy.

To quote Eddie Money:

"The Money Man Loves You!"

"I say we get that rock-n-roll train rollin'."

"Give me some ba-das!"

"I love the 80s!"

"I want to thank my probation officer! He and his wife are in the audience tonight."

"That was three rehabs ago for me."

"If you've seen the price of gas, give me some ba-das."

"Eddie Money never had fans, Eddie Money had friends."
(Yes, he refers to himself in the third person.)

"All my ladies from the '80s... I wish my wife was a fan."

"I need some clean urine."

"Give me some 'Ohs'. I need some 'Ohs' back there."

"I just got my license back."

"Come on, give me some na-nas."

"Give me some ya-yas."

"San Francisco...Great Chinese Food. Who cares?"


Ahhh, Eddie. Thank you.

Eddie's touring any number of county fairs this summer. If he comes to one
near you, go.

My first post!!!!

2008-08-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

So I'm beginning to think that starting a blog might have been a better idea before I was stuck in the apartment due to foot surgery. This is all bound to be pretty Rear Window, but without the wheelchair. I wish I had a wheelchair... sigh. It would make it so much easier to spy on Joaquim, the owner of the Oak-Fair market across the street. Now I can only hope that he comes to the front of the store to dust off the crates of Fanta that accumulate a layer of dirt from the street. Double sigh.