(no subject)

mmmmm, I'm very tired.

We went to karaoke tonight. boy left early (he has to go to bed earlier), but alex and i stayed to giggle, laugh, and watch kevin sing more songs.

earlier, we went to the scottsville farmer's market, where we all bought goat cheese and I chatted with one of the vendors I recognized from last summer. we also showed alex where we lived last year.

tomorrow, we all set off for dc. I think alex is staying with angldst. i'm pretty sure i'm staying with the guys, but i learned today that boy neglected to remind jonah and fil. quix, have they mentioned anything to you? if not, i know the folks over at Terrapin Gardens will welcome us with open shells. we're definitely staying there (Rockville) sunday night, as sarah is going with us to the Tomahawk concert. I had planned on staying with jonah friday and saturday and boy was either going to stay with me or go over to Ken's... no idea. since i'm not *awake* during the day, he was supposed to take care of this.

for folks who want to attempt to monopolize my time: ;) we will be visiting with Kenn and Eleanor (greenbelt) Saturday afternoon. I love them dearly, but if they want us to come over, I will *not* be able to stay long, because they are cat people. If the weather's nice, I'll convince them to go to a local park. Sunday evening is the Tomahawk concert. We'll leave at some point on Monday. We're mostly broke, since I was bad and forgot to pay for the hotel on the credit card (I used the bank card), so no massive bouts of eating or drinking or clubbing or shopping. In fact, we probably won't even go to the Brickskeller. *sob* I won't be keeping my normal hours, since any place I stay will be both foreign and brighter than home. In other words, I'll be awake before 3pm. ;) I'll probably be awake by 10am.

I *will* be coming back up in a couple of weeks, since I am out of tasties I need from Trader Joe's. I could easily do supper/drinks then. I'll likely have xiane with me. We *might* go to Ikea, if I can convince boy to let me buy a new CD storage thingie after he gets paid.

stuff

A few weeks ago, I replaced the wiper blade inserts on our wipers. If possible, they worked *worse* than before I changed them. Mind you, I think the previous inserts were the car's originals. The wipers certainly are. Well, earlier this week, I went to Advance Auto to buy better inserts. I misspoke, however, and Jimbo helped me find the blades themselves. He only had one in that day, so I went back the next evening and he led us through the labrynthine back rooms to his crates of stuff just off the truck. He dug out another blade for me.

So today, I replaced the *blades* themselves. Wow. The difference is drastic. I might be able to *see* out the windshield when it rains (it's been raining for two weeks now).

I don't know if I should keep the original blades that came with the car. I doubt it's important, since I'll likely keep this car until it dies. It's a 95 Buick Regal and it's still running well. I need to clean it out and get it washed, but the rain won't stop. I had to stand out there in the drizzle today, simply because I couldn't face that windshield for a two-three hour drive up to DC tonight.

In other news, the ortho podiatrist I saw told me I have screwed up feet. He was very brisk and abrasive, but in a no-nonsense way. Unfortunately, I was having a bad brain fog day and he was less than impressed at my inability to remember who referred me to him. I gave him the damn consult sheet, the name was on there. At one point, he said, "Well, you don't know *anything*." I just dryly responded, "I do have a degree in Russian, but we seemed to have skipped the anatomy of the foot sections in that program." Okay, I only spoke the first part of that... I should've said the rest. And when he commented on my inability to think at another portion, I did actually speak up and say, "I did write fibro and cfids on my chart. You seem to be familiar with them--they both have a rather significant amount of cognitive dysfunction as a primary symptom." He looked surprised.

Anyhow, I have bunions, which I *thought* I did, but the previous two orthopoedists and podiatrist said I did not. Apparently the one stretch I've been doing for the past year has eliminated my equinus contracture (stiff foot, shortened achille's tendon). He doesn't know whether I have neuromas, but my feet aren't level and they're very skewed. I also have evidence of a break or two (in my big toe!!), but those can't really be helped at all. I have a couple bones that not everyone has, but those shouldn't be a problem. And he commented on some kind of bone anomaly in my arch that was really weird and he seemed bemused by it. I have a feeling he's going to have to go look through the books for that one, because he said, "I have no clue what's going on here."

He was really upset about my latex allergy, because all of his quick treatments involve adhesives, gum rosin, elastic, etc. His nurse called about some metatarsal bands. These are supposed to be latex-free, but they smell suspiciously rubber-like and my feet have been itchy. No hives, so maybe it's not latex, but it could still be problematic in the long run.

So I'm wearing these metatarsal bands, which will bind my foot to keep it from twisting and spreading and skewing about. And they have a little lump beneath where I can place it at the point my foot drops and the nerve pain is greatest. It mostly seems to be working as a counter-irritant, though if I wear it just right, the worst of the nerve pain is abated. However, it makes my toes ache and sometimes the elastic hits a nerve on the edge of my toes.

I know that he's one of the best foot guys in town. *sigh* His nurses are cool, though. And they're going to try to convince my insurance to cover orthoses.

And while I love rain, I'm actually missing sunshine. And I need to wash the car. And my sinuses are plotting revenge.

(no subject)

i actually got some yard stuff done yesterday. i weed-whacked the back quarter of the yard and the fence line... i cleared some more garden space and planted some purple beans (and teepee'd the stakes over them). i also planted and mulched around some foxglove, delphinium, and dianthus seedlings. Yeah, a little late for those, but they'll be okay, i hope. i still need to find places for the candy lilies and lupine. and for another bean vine... and i should scatter some more morning glory seeds.

i'm mostly packed for the trip north. ismene needs to go to IY, so i should probably find clothing, though i'm tempted to just go out in my house-jammies... batman pajama pants and a psysheep tshirt are stylin', right?

(no subject)

i'm in dc, where jonah was kind enough to mix up a gin and tonic. i'm tempted by the pizza, but it might not be soy free, so i'll be good.

praxis_loki is really drunk. we sent him to the confessional to await his doom. *giggle* haven't seen fil this toasted in a long, long, long time and i really can't remember the last time, because i was probably toastier.

i should go now. rrrar