Just some good ol' boys...

...never meanin' no harm...beat all you ever saw, been in trouble with the law since the day they was born!

Today's knitting post comes to you courtesy of one of my sister's oldest and dearest friends, her hubby and baby Logan!

My sister and Becky have been "blood sisters" since kindergarten.  Becky and her hubby, Matt, have 4 munchkins.  Jacob, Grace, Nicholas and now Logan.

I have known Becky since she and Melissa were in kindergarten, however I've only known her hubby since my sister's wedding last year.  One funny funny man.  That, and we share an affinity for a certain 80's TV show featuring a certain orange Dodge Charger.  Yes, that's right.  Dukes of Hazzard and the General Lee.  (insert sigh of *OMGIFIEVERWINPOWERBALLIWILLFINDAWAYTOOWNTHATCAR*)

Anyways, that amazing car was the inspiration for my latest creation, that and the fact that Matt's company, The General Plumbing Company, has our beloved car as his mascot.  (If you need plumbing help, contact me and if you're in their neighborhood I'll totally send you his info!!)

All that story to lead up to the pictures of the finished project!  I had planned on stitching the famous "01" in the side, but stitching wasn't working so I tried to go to with iron on numbers...no dice.  1) the ones that fit didn't look like the true "01" and 2) I couldn't get them to stick.  So without further ado...The General!

"The General"

Up next on the needles: Someone's turning 1 and I found a great way to celebrate that as well as celebrate Daddy's alma mater!

For Audrey...

Hi all...yes, this is another knitting related post!  :)

I recently finished Baby Audrey's hat, and her proud auntie is taking it to her for me.

Without further ado, Ms. Audrey Leith's hat:

Front View

Side View

What you can't tell, that hat is TEENY!!!  The stack of Post-Its in the background...the orange ones are standard Post-It size...note to self...don't photograph finished projects on my desk...not such a great background!  I think this one is my most favorite yet...although I'm excited to get the next project going!  I'll post pictures of that one when finished.  Let's just say that the "General" would be flattered by the imitation (of sorts).  ;)

Crafty Crafterson...

Just a peek into what I've been keeping myself busy with lately...more to come as projects get finished!!!

J

Project #1 - Ratatouille Hat by Marly Bird

Umbilical Cord Hat - for Baby Braddock #4 (We weren't sure what this munchkin would be, I'm pleased to say that
Jake Braddock will soon be enjoying his hat!)

A version of the Umbilical Cord hat...w/o the cord - for Lia Wallman, my first time using self striping yarn!

I've been working on an afghan since October...and it's kind of my go to in between projects.  Eventually I'll finish it.  A friend of mine teases me that we'll be sitting in the nursing home in rocking chairs and I'll STILL be working on it...I'm trying to make it my Christmas present to myself, but we'll see!!!

I currently have another couple baby hats in the works, but since I'm tweaking the pattern, I won't post it until it's finished though.  Look out Baby Barkhurst and Baby Leith!!!  ;)

Top Ten Ways to Know Yo' A$$ Belongs In The Gym...or how I came to realize that I had fallen off my game...

So, yes...I am a fluffy girl.  Fluffier than I'd like to admit...and I've struggled with this for a while.  There is a part of me that would love to just blame the fact that the summer before my family moved to CO, when I destroyed my ankle on vacation, THAT was the downfall...but I can't blame ALL of my fluffiness on that.

Yes, screwing up my ankle was the catalyst...it ended any and all athletic career hopes I might have once had.  However, I'll fully admit, I've been lazy when it comes to working out.  My sister got married just over a year ago, and that bridesmaid dress...was some serious motivation.  I got a trainer (holy CRAP that wasn't cheap), was much better about what I ate and did really well...lost about 20 some odd pounds.  Yeaaah...amazing how when you aren't paying someone to get your butt to the gym things seem to come up and the gym goes by the wayside.  Now that I am at a point where I am not happy with that number on the scale, here is my top ten reasons I have been able to tell my butt belongs back at the gym on the treadmill or on a machine of some kind instead of only my couch.

1 - The shirt I bought on clearance that was a size too big, is now snug.
2 - I recently saw a picture of myself and got MAD...
3 - I'm not 20-something anymore.
4 - I have a job where I don't move around a lot, I sit at my desk, this definitely doesn't burn calories.
5 - My overall health and energy levels.
6 - Randolph.  (See THIS for further explanation.)
7 - Self esteem (yep, I'm a girl, and yep I'm insecure at times...deal with it...I do.)
8 - I've recently taken up a new hobby (knitting) and to make the fun things you find, you need a certain number of skeins of yarn.  When you are fluffy, you need more.  Depending on what you are making and what type of yarn you are using, this gets VERY VERY expensive!!!!
9 - Boys.  (See #7 for additional reasons this applies)
10 -I caught myself resting the remote on my tummy.  (NO NO NO NO NO!!!!)

I've been much better about cooking my own meals instead of running down the street (and lets be honest "running" means getting in the car and driving the 2 minute drive, not literally running) to get something at the drive thru instead.  (This is not only better for me, but apparently saves money??)  Which brings me to my most current frustration, fluffy girl on a budget who needs to eat better, goes to the grocery store and spends more in 15 minutes on fruits, veggies and other healthy things (I swear, this was not the trip that had that Snickers Ice Cream Bar in it...Scout's honor!) than I would spend in a WEEK eating out at Schmurger Schming, Schmendy's and Schmakdonald's.  Why is it that so many people comment how Americans are so fluffy, yet it's THREE TIMES cheaper to hit the "value menu" than go get 2 bell peppers and a cucumber????

You want me to start eating healthier?  Raise the price of crap food and lower the cost of my veggies...

The House That Built Me

So, Miranda Lambert has this song out right now, called "The House That Built Me" and it has resonated with me, especially in the last month and change.  I haven't been this homesick for Seattle since we moved to Colorado in 1994.  Below are the lyrics...below that are more of my thoughts.

I know they say you can't go home again.
I just had to come back one last time.
Ma'am I know you don't know me from Adam.
But these handprints on the front steps are mine.
Up those stairs, in that little back bedroom
is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar.
And I bet you didn't know under that live oak
my favorite dog is buried in the yard.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
this brokenness inside me might start healing.
Out here its like I'm someone else,
I thought that maybe I could find myself
if I could just come in I swear I'll leave.
Won't take nothing but a memory
from the house that built me.

Mama cut out pictures of houses for years.
From 'Better Homes and Garden' magazines.
Plans were drawn and concrete poured,
and nail by nail and board by board
Daddy gave life to Mama's dream.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
this brokenness inside me might start healing.
Out here its like I'm someone else,
I thought that maybe I could find myself.
If I could just come in I swear I'll leave.
Won't take nothing but a memory
from the house that built me.

You leave home, you move on and you do the best you can.
I got lost in this whole world and forgot who I am.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
this brokenness inside me might start healing.
Out here its like I'm someone else,
I thought that maybe I could find myself.
If I could walk around I swear I'll leave.
Won't take nothing but a memory
from the house that built me.

I can't seem to put my finger on what it is that is making me so homesick lately.  I have friends there from back in the "old days" that I would love to see...but more than anything, I want to take the time to explore the places I still remember.

The cul-de-sac I grew up on, the streets I used to remember how to navigate to get to a former friend's house and back, where I used to catch the school bus every morning, Elementary school, Junior High and High School.  The huge hill that leads from where our house was, right into the heart of the middle of our little town, and even further, to the waterfront.  I have distinct memories of how to get to 2 of my best friends' parents house.  It wasn't very far from where we met, at school, as well as it wasn't very far from our church I grew up in.

To go along with Miranda Lambert's song, I go back and forth as to whether or not I would want to walk into the house I grew up in.  I can still remember the back yard, the front yard, the front porch my dad built, the look of the floor in the entry, the stairs, the playroom upstairs and to the right, the bedrooms upstairs and to the left, the view from my bedroom window, the sunken living room, the kitchen, laundry room, garage, every inch of that house.  How as kids, we would pile our bean bag chairs in the landing and on the slickest sleeping bag, slide down the stairs into them, peals of laughter coming from all three of us as we did it.  I know that as kids, that house felt huge.  They say when you go back and look at the place you grew up in, it seems SO much smaller.  Part of me wants to keep my memories intact...the other part of me wants to walk in and touch and feel that house again.

Where I went to Junior High and High School has the most beautiful campus, and I loved every minute of it.  The front lawn, where we played frisbee during lunch (trust me, Seattle doesn't ALWAYS have rain.), the tree that my mom would always pick me up at (if it was one of the rare days I didn't have to ride the bus home)...the list is rather lengthy.  

More than ANYTHING though, I have been craving a trip to the coast, where our family vacationed every. single. summer.  The sights, the smells, the s'mores.  Yes, I've Googled the location where we used to go, and yes, the cabin of my youth is still there.  With less than 300 yards from the porch to the beach. 

Part of me wants to go with someone who would appreciate that this was part of my past, part of what makes me, well, me.  The other part of me wants to simply go by myself, spend time soaking in the city that I love and the parts that I remember and the parts that I want to be able to remember more of.  

Anyone up for financing my dream vacation?  

...won't take nothing but a memory...

What is it about TV Shows that sucks us in?

What is it about our favorite TV shows that suck us in to their lives and make us identify with completely fictional characters that have no actual day to day interaction in our every day lives?  (I am in no way passing judgement...I have a slight obsession with a couple shows myself.)  I find it hysterical that I myself (in life BEFORE my DVR) would schedule my night's activities around a TV show.  Now, thankfully, DVR has changed that radically.  Oh, and I'm talking about NON-reality TV people...I'm talking about the shows that have characters where writers bring them life, not teenagers stuck in a house and "start getting real".

It's finale week, time for cliffhangers, wrap-ups, and character killings.  Tonight, as I write this, LOST is airing it's series finale.  I personally never got into LOST...but I understand people who have gotten attached to shows.  Lord knows I threw a full on party for the end of my favorite show, Friends. 

I know that there have been shows that have been a part of my life, (Friends having been the biggest one) and that there are shows on now that folks embrace in their own lives.  How is it that we find ourselves completely enraptured in these fictional lives and discuss them at work with co-workers the next day?  However the writers manage it, they do a damn good job at pulling people in!

Back to topic, since it's finale week, I thought I'd touch on a few that instantly come to mind when I think of series that throughout their seasons had touching season and/or series finale episodes.

• Friends - (like you didn't expect me to start with them, come ON) Wait, if Rachel is preggers, then who is Rachel's baby daddy??  Is it Tag or is it Ross?  (Finding out was HYSTERICAL the next season.)  Then there was the series finale.  Saying goodbye to 10 years of Chandler, Joey, Monica, Pheobe, Rachel and Ross...  (Okay, okay, I'm moving on...)
• ER - when Dr. Green finally succumbed to his brain cancer.  I have a distinct memory of my roommate Jen and I sitting on the couch, watching this episode, literally SOBBING and sharing an entire large box of Kleenex between the two of us.  To this day, whenever I hear that gorgeous ukulele version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World, I get goosebumps and flash back to the two of us sitting there crying like babies.
• M*A*S*H - (yes, I know I didn't see this one when it originally aired, but hey, re-runs count) When Radar comes into the OR, and announces that Henry didn't make it home, instead his chopper crashed.  Holy cow.  I heard that the cast didn't even know that was the outcome of the episode until the moment that the actor playing Radar came back into the OR on set.  (THAT is good writing!!!)
• Grey's Anatomy - when they finally at the last minute figure out it's George, and then there's Izzie in her pink dress in the elevator and George in his Army uniform...good LORD pass the box of Kleenex again.

I'm sure that there are others out there that I will think of immediately after hitting the "post" button, but hey, those are the four that come to mind off hand.  Thoughts? 

You're Always On My Mind...

Okay, so there's not really a "you" on my mind to go with the title...but it definitely sums up my head lately.

There are a lot of different things running through my mind.  Stressful ones about bills; medical costs (mine, not the world's in general); frustration with people; frustration with myself; the stressful list definitely outweighs the frivolous list most days.

One of my thoughts within the last week, is how much I crave interaction with other people.  You would think I get more than enough of that during a work week with my daily interactions with patients and co-workers, and when I'd get home be THANKFUL for the peace and quiet.  There are days, that is exactly right.

Then, there are the days where I'm tired of the crap (can't we all just get along, really??) and I get home and want nothing more than to have someone to talk to, so entering my empty apartment is frustrating.  I have only lived with family and roommates, this is my first venture into living alone.  Dont' get me wrong I love it.  Really I do...but there are days, where I would kill to have someone I could talk to (in person instead of via phone, IM or some other virtual reason). 

Just a random set of thoughts that were running through my had this week...

Giggle-fest 2010 (Day 2)

Yes, this was taken from an actual virtual conversation today...

C: I have SERIOUS ADD problems these last couple days.... ooh shiny....

J: BADGER PANTS!!!

C: Don't joke about it... I was afraid of napoleon this morning. PTSD I am telling ya

C: Hey wait... do they make shiny badger pants? That would be awesome

J: Only if they can still make the sound....

C: I imagine shiny badger pants are for a whole different purpose other than badger mating pants. It's only logical... really

J: For ADD Badgers??

C: STOP THE HATE! DON'T DISCRIMINATE!

J: I wonder if you can get those paid for by insurance...you know...as a learning tool for badgers with "special needs".

J: Louise...

C: Roger that... I am going to need a LOMN

J: I'm on it...would that go under DME or as a high tech radiology procedure, and do you have the correct CPT and ICD-9 codes?

C: Do you have any idea how frickin' weird we appear to "normal" people?

J: Pfff..."normal" is boring...look how much more fun we're having!!!

C: true... back to DME.... how durable do you think badger pants are? I figure they are pretty feisty creatures... I bet they are hell on pants.

J: Doesn't Sears make those "re-enforced" pants? I wonder if those would qualify. We'll have to see if there is any study documentation on this though.

C:  Sears Associate: "I am sorry Ma'am? You are looking for Badger sized re-inforced, shiny pants?" (snort)

J: Hmmm...good call...I wonder where Smokey the Bear gets his pants...I'm sure he has a great contact. His are probably even made of fireproof fabric...so no shiny corduroy fires can start.

C: Scruff McGruff might also be a good person to check too.

J: Hey I think he's in Chicago, Illinois, 60653 right?

C: 6065-TWO ... HELLO haven't you heard that all the million times I have? Sheesh.

C: Thanks for bringing me back to reality. It's amazing I get any work done with you around :P


*And THIS is why I love working with C...conversations like this really, truly, happen.*

The Many Adventures of Two Front Desk Jockeys

In order to stay sane at work, folks resort to many different tactics.  Some healthier than others.  My good friend C and I have worked together for a total of almost 2 years.  We worked together in the same office, yet for different practices and now, we've worked together for the same practice for 3 months.

We share daily life outside of work stories, laugh at things that probably aren't funny to anyone but us, listen to patients' families and the "interesting" parts of their lives that never cease to make us wonder which crazy tree folks fall from.  (Trust me, we're our own brand of crazy too, so we don't pass judgment, just are thoroughly entertained.)

If you are friends with either of us on facebook, you would see that we both update often with some of the funniest things that happen in our office or something absolutely dumb our boss has said.  After today's latest installment, I decided I had to compile some for a blog...if you don't get them, no biggy, some are inside jokes anyways...but oh how we laugh...I think it's how we have stayed sane (if you can call us that) while working with cancer patients.

Without further ado...some of our gems...
(PS: I reserve the right to update this as time goes on only because I can't even begin to imagine that this is the end of our hysteria...)


J: "C! Say Chicken Fajita!!!!!" BAAAAAAAAH HA HA HA HA HAHA!!! C: "SHUT UP!!!"

C: it was just a toxic toot. J: A what??? BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH H AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA!! C: I swear! That kid rivals a 13 year old boy!! J: (collapsed in hysterical laughter)


J: you do realize we're missing one key thing right? C: I already told you I have a plan for that!

J: M=me P=Patient: M -"Help yourself, there is hot water for tea, or just plain water, and if you like we can make some more coffee." P -"What, no beer?" M -"No, sorry, they caught on and wouldn't let us tap another keg." P -*sigh* (He is officially my new favorite...)

C: Me: "I never got that email" P: "You never got that email?" Me: "No" P: "So you didn't get the email?" Me: "No, I never got the email" P: "I sent it at 7:56" Me: "I didn't get it" P: " Oh, I guess I sent it to the wrong address"

C: Patient's are often like my 14 month old daughter. They argue for no other apparent reason that to argue. Hmm...

C: My boss: "So what's this about today? Office helper day?"

J: Napoleon is wearing the badger mating pants!!!!!!

J: From now on...you are Louise.

(For the record, we were reading back on these and laughing so hard, tears and snorts abound...)

J: Ever since Legally Blonde (moreso the Broadway version than the movie), whenever the UPS guy comes into the office I almost lose it giggling...

J: $23 mouse for the doc? Denied. $260 headset for me? Approved. ????

C: ...and short sleeve pants!

J: what's that? Two grown women laughing (and admittedly yes, I snorted) at a name like we're 12 year olds? Yes, yes we did.

J: Actual question from an insurance company: "is the patient experiencing symptoms?" No, we just like to zap people for no reason, especially in the BRAIN. YES the patient is experiencing symptoms, why do you think she's seeing a doctor????

J: bootlegging, birthday suits, suitors being run off by crazy aunts...nope, not watching an episode of Dukes of Hazzard, instead, listening to the folks in my waiting room. I swear Boss Hogg or Roscoe P. Coltrane is about to come waltzing through my door.

And THAT is Why You Get A Second Opinion...

Okay, I won't torture you...I won't drag it out to the very end of the blog.  In fact, you can't even really call this one a blog since I'm not going to go into huge detail, only because Mom wants to be able to link to the blog, and get her email out to her folks.

I DO NOT NEED BRAIN SURGERY.  (If you had just seen how many times it took me to get the minor typos out of that sentence though, you'd wonder. HA!)

When I saw Dr. N and Dr. M, they were ready to slice and dice...when I asked Dr. O about the other "crowding" that was on the MRI on the right side, he very easily explained that...my brain isn't doing what they thought, and it was the angle of the MRI slice.  Well, glad I didn't go with Dr.'s N and M!!!

As it turns out, Randolph, is a wanna-be Chiari.  According to Dr. O, a "true" chiari starts at 5mm.  Yeah, good ol' Randolph stops at 4.  He got close enough and gave up. 

What does this mean?  This means I have another test to go through with my eye doctor to check the pressure in my skull to make sure that things aren't under too much pressure (all kidding aside) and then a follow up with my regular doctor.  I already have my regular doc appointment scheduled, we will be having a looooooooong chat.

The thing that is going to help reduce any pressure I already have and what is causing my current headaches (besides stress) is getting up off my booty and moving more and being better about what I eat.  (We all hear it from the regular doc, and we all know how fun that is...imagine hearing that from your NEUROSURGEON.)  Ok...got it. 

Okay, that's all I'll say for now, but will update later.  I'm making mom and dad take me out for steak and margaritas.

Take THAT Randolph.