The Journey Home From Hell--And I liked California

So I JUST got back from what ended up being twelve full days in California.  It was fantastic (except for the last part, but more on that later)!  

It was wonderful to be able to spend so much time with my aunt and cousins who I rarely get to see--and it was great to be able to see California, too!  We did so much, saw so much, and ate so much that I am not sure if I can get it all down with just words.  I am waiting on photos from the trip, taken by my darling little cousin, Alyssa, because--though I packed my ipod charger--I forgot to pack my camera.  And also my cell phone charger.  And toothpaste.  It's the important things I like to remember, people.  So my amazing memories from the trip will wait until I have photographic evidence to go along with them!  In the meantime...

You know that song that goes, "Well I would walk 500 miles...?"  Well, I nearly had to do that four times over to get back to Chicago from California.  For reals.  Why, you ask?  Well, friends, it was because American Airlines decided that I had most likely had too much fun in California and that they now needed to do everything in their power to give me a stroke.

So, in a perfect world, I would have left California (with many tears shed for my lovely family) on Monday at 4:50.  But this world is far from perfect, is it not?  It is not.  I received a voice message at 8am Monday morning telling me that my flight had been cancelled due to mechanical issues with the plane and that a ticket had been booked for me for Tuesday at 4:50 pm.  Obviously, I was, shall we say, perturbed.  After literally hours on the phone with American Airlines (which consisted mostly of "What do you want me to do about it, ma'am?" and "We no longer have the ability to give customers vouchers for free flights or upgrades to first class.  You have to write to Corporate Headquarters for that."), I ended up booked on a flight to Chicago that was supposed to leave Tuesday at noon, and also with frequent flier miles AND a $50 voucher--caught you guys in THAT lie!!

Alas, at 1:30 am--before the morning could even dawn on that fateful Tuesday, I received yet another voice message letting me know that that flight had also been cancelled.  Why?  Because there were mechanical issues with the plane.  I tell you, they sure don't bother to instill a whole lot of faith in their fliers.  So, the lady on the phone told me that I could be scheduled to fly out that evening at 4:50pm--the same time they wanted to fly me out before.  Fine.  Put me on that plane.  Jerks.

But no, the story doesn't even end there!  Mind you, at this point, I was a whole day and a half late getting home.  I had to arrange things with work, call my husband crying because I honestly thought I'd probably never see him again because I would have to live in California forever, and try to calm my nervous stomach.  Because, lets face it, no one with a nervous stomach wants to be in cramped quarters with lots of people and then have to wait in line to use the restroom.  

Aunt Janie told me that afternoon that I should call AA to find out for sure that my flight was still on.  I was like, "Oh, Aunt Janie, of course it's still on!  I haven't gotten a phone call yet!  Don't you worry!"  But I called anyway.  And I found out that the flight was delayed.   The flight was delayed until 5:45pm because they were still waiting on the part to fix the broken plane!!!!!!  That's right.  Alllllllllll this time they were booking me on the same broken plane. And this is where I. Lost. My. Mind.  I demanded that this lady 1) book me on another flight because their planes clearly aren't safe and reliable, 2) book that flight with a different airline and, 3) also check to see what LAX has to offer.  So I was put on hold for about 15 minutes where I tried to get my blood pressure under control.  This is pretty much how it went down:

Lady:  Ma'am?  I have a flight available through AA that leaves LAX at 5:45pm.  

This was my first indication that I was dealing with a moron.  She got two of my three criteria wrong right off the bat.

Me:  AA?  I asked for a different airline.  Whatever.  Is the flight at least on time?  

Lady:  No.  It's delayed.

Me:  Why is it delayed?!

Lady:  Because they are also waiting on a part to fix that plane.

Me:  ??!!??!!  YOU ARE TRYING TO BOOK ME A FLIGHT ON ANOTHER BROKEN PLANE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

Lady:  Yes, ma'am.  But it isn't broken.  They are going to fix it. 

Me: %@$^!(((^$%$(%$%(%!#$

So it was about here that she booked me on a flight with United that she told me--twice--took off from John Wayne Airport.  That flight wasn't going to get me back in Chicago until about 2am Wednesday morning, but, at this point, I figured it was my best shot.  We got to the airport and went to check in with United where no one had ever heard of me and had no record of a flight booked under my name.  Fan-freakin-tastic.  This is where I almost cry in public for the first time since like, first grade.  

So we ran to the AA terminal to see what the heck was going on with my life.  To make a long story short (ha ha) the lady booked me on the flight that I was originally supposed to have been on that was delayed.  But ONLY because she promised me that a new plane had just landed and the passengers were de-boarding.  Then she let me check my luggage without charging me.  And then I settled in for nearly 4 hours of turbulence so bad I nearly turned on my phone to tell Bart goodbye and that I loved him.  But, honestly, I wouldn't have expected any less for the last leg of my Journey Home From Hell.

As for now, I am going to change into my jammies, turn on the telly and make dinner for my husband.  It's good to be home <3

Oh...hello!

I know it's been ages since I last wrote.  I wish I could say it is because things are so busy here, but really, we lead a pretty boring life here in Chicago.  We go to work, come home, make dinner and go to bed.  Every night.  Our only excitement is going out to eat and trying new, delicious foods.

Anyway, there have been some changes since last time I blogged.  I turned 25 on May 18th and Bart made it such a lovely little celebration.  His first externship began just a couple of weeks ago, and so far he seems to really love it.  Just yesterday he was telling me how he had a patient with what looked to be a pretty sever eye problem.  Bart went to his attending optometrist to talk about the case and the optometrist told him to treat the patient like he was the doctor.  Bart went ahead and ordered tests and was able to diagnose the patient--all on his own!  He said it was the first time he has actually felt like a doctor.

 I just started at a new position at the clinic on June 1st (thank GOD!).  It's in Materials/Optical.  So far, I love it.  I don't have to deal with screaming, ignorant patients or nasty, petty co-workers.  I think my job will mainly be to process orders for the meds and the lenses/frames that the clinic needs, but right now I am helping my co-worker straighten out a filing mess someone else made at a Chicago Public School (CPS) site.  It's really hard, tedious work, but I do love actually being able to see the progress we've made there each day.

And do you know what else has come as a result of this new position?  SHOPPING!!!  You guys, I haven't shopped in for-freakin'-ever.  I just haven't had the money, what with saving for the wedding, then Christmas, then birthdays and such.  And Bart and I eat out waaaay too much, but that is beside the point.  Anyway, since I don't have to wear black dress pants and a black blazer anymore (yessssssss!) I am free to shop for nice clothes that I can have fun wearing even outside of work.  I spent quite a bit of money at Old Navy on things, but, in my defense, they were ALL on sale AND I got an extra 20% off and free shipping.  Bart, bless his heart, is so happy to see me happy and loves that I am finally buying new clothes after years of wearing the same old things.  I just hope that I don't get back into my old habits of shopping constantly.  Yikes.

Trying something new

 

 

 

1. what's something you've eaten and liked, but didn't think you would?

     

     Chicken feet.  Bart and I went out for Dim Sum in Chinatown when I visited Chicago before I moved here.  They looked like the feet of dead chickens, but man were they good!

 

2. plastic surgery..yay or nay? 

 

     Yay!  I definitely plan on buying myself boobs after I have kids.  I'd really like to feel womanly confident in a bathing suit at some point in my life.

 

3. 2 things you love about spring are.....?

 

    Warm weather!  And seeing the world come alive again after a long, cold winter.

 

4. when's the last time you went on a picnic?

 

     Last summer.  Bart, Tommy, Jason and I all had a picnic dinner (complete with two bottles of wine and paper cups) on the lawn at to listen to the outdoor symphony in Grant Park.  It was one of the best nights of my life.

 

5. what's your favorite app?

 

     I am way behind the times.  I don't have a smart phone, so no apps.

 

6. who does the grocery shopping in your house?

 

    I do the grocery shopping.  If Bart does it, he gets the wrong brands, the wrong type of item (i.e. pork ribs instead of pork chops) or completely random stuff!

 

7. would you rather take a spin class or zumba?

 

     Whichever would whip my body into shape fastest.

 

8. how often do you go out to dinner?

 

     Sigh.  According to our bank account, too often.  But there are so many great restaurants here, how can we help ourselves???

It's Official...

we're staying in Chicago until September.  I didn't want to stay, but I also didn't want to leave Bart behind to deal with his externship and stuff alone.  So, I prayed and prayed about it, and I feel that I am supposed to stay here with him until we can go home--together--in the fall.

Things sort of worked out in his favor, which is really the only consolation we have right now.  He was able to get five hours (per week) of clinic time in Cornea/Contact Lens.  We wanted ten hours since he wants to do a residency and specialize in that area, but beggars can't be choosers.  The other five hours will be filled in Pediatrics, which makes Bart visibly cringe every time he says it out loud.  He loves kids, but you try taking a little one to an eye doctor and see how much fun it is.

Bart had to tell the people who wanted our apartment that we were staying, but it looks like they are going to move into the other apartment on our floor.  I was so happy to hear that it was still open so that they didn't have to suffer as a result of this whole mess, too.  Well, at least that little bit of stress is over!

As for me, I'm going to begin looking for jobs today and hope that I find a halfway decent one ASAP so I can get out of the job I have now.   And I'll be dreaming, daily, of all of things we could have enjoyed if we had been able to go home.

In case you haven't heard enough whining...

Bart and I found out this week that his first externship site got canceled.  But at least they were nice enough to give us less than two months' notice.  Jerks.

We are pretty much heartbroken over this news, for so many reasons.  This site was his V.A. site, which is required for him to graduate.  They bailed on him because (after he personally set this site up with one of the O.D.s there) they were given more budget money and decided to hire an extra resident.  The extra resident takes up the room they would have given Bart, but more importantly, the resident takes up the exam room Bart would have used.  The only other sites left?  One in Alabama and one 2 1/2 hours outside of Chicago--to which Bart would have no transportation.

Clearly, I'm also furious with these people.  They never gave him a heads-up, and they have also completely put his education in jeopardy.  I wish there was something we could do, but there isn't.  We just have to try to switch things around, hope that the V.A. can take him in the fall, and hope that his school approves all of the maneuvering.  If we do the switch we are praying for, Bart would miss out on 10 hours per week of Cornea/Contact Lens care.  This is the area he wanted to specialize in, so now he could be getting screwed from two different directions here.  Probably the worst thing we are up against is the fact that no one at his school is particularly helpful or reliable.  It is as though we are standing alone and trying, frantically, to make some sense out of this mess.

This now leaves us asking where I will end up.  We had planned on going home to the east coast in May, where I would stay permanently, and where Bart would be except for one quarter here in Chicago in the fall.  Now, I'm not sure what I should do.  I HATE my job.  I actually almost quit this past week because it has gotten so bad (but we need the insurance, so I'm stuck).  The only thing that has kept me going is that I knew I was going to be out of there forever in May.  I honestly CANNOT stay there longer than that. Bart and I were so thrilled to be leaving this city behind us and heading back to our families, friends and country life.  People, we had such fantasies.  I had envisioned eating dinner on the deck as the sun went down with my family; listening to the tree frogs and the crickets at night, and smelling the good, clean air.  I dreamed of having dinner with Bart's family at their home and after, sitting in the twilight on their enclosed porch and talking and laughing.  We had planned to go fishing, kyacking, walking, picnicking.  And now, we might lose a whole summer of that happiness with our families.

The Fight

Things have been tough around here for a while now.  I'm not talking about the little things, the medical things, or financially (although that can sure be tough, too).  I'm talking about my relationship with Bart.

It seems like the most trying time of our years together happened right after we got married.  Bart was Trustee of the AOSA, and that duty took up so very much of his time between the day after our wedding to around Thanksgiving.  Once Thanksgiving rolled around, studying for the National Board Exams began to take over his life.  I hate the Boards.  Even though Bart has taken them and is done studying, I still harbor an anger and resentment toward them and him that is surprising even to myself.  

From Thanksgiving to March 17th, the only times I saw Bart were when I served him dinner, kissed his sleeping head goodbye in the morning, and when we came home in the evening.  I almost always ate by myself (Bart studied in his office while he ate), went to bed alone (Bart stayed up most nights to study), and spent all of my free time alone.  We never had much time to talk or to love on each other because he was in such a rush to study.  And I understood that the Boards were a big deal.  I mean, who wouldn't be freaked out by 500 questions and TWELVE HOURS of test taking over a two day period? 

After Christmastime, I began to really feel disconnected from Bart.  Like we were roommates or something.  I told him about my feelings, which resulted in a fight, and he said that "after Boards" we would go on a date.  As February approached, I began to resent Bart for spending all of his time studying.  I told him that our marriage needed some effort on his part, too, which resulted in a fight.  He told me that "after Boards" things would get better.  In early March, I felt completely disconnected.  I felt like I had nothing in common with my husband and, if pressured, I wasn't sure I could give someone many details about his likes/dislikes, etc. even after over five years together.  And I was scared.  Again, I voiced my concerns, which resulted in a fight, and Bart told me that "after Boards" we would be happy. 

Well, the Boards came and went, and I wasn't feeling any more confident about our circumstances.  I began to wonder if getting married wasn't a mistake.  I wondered if Bart had become so distracted by school and exams that he fell out of love with me.  We went out on our first REAL date since Thanksgiving on last Friday, and it was nice, but I felt completely awkward the whole time.  We just sat in this weird silence and stuttered out sentences to each other.  After a while we seemed to be able to make small talk to last for the rest of the dinner.  And he seemed completely oblivious.  It was devastating.  And I was so overwhelmed by hurt, confusion and anger that I didn't know what to think.

This past Friday, we had a fight.  The kind where you finger-point, scream, cry, hurt and shock.  It was terrible.  I told Bart how alone I had been, how far apart we'd grown.  I told him of my resentments, mainly the one that our lives had revolved around him and optometry for so long that he had completely forgotten about me.  I told him how deeply I was hurt a neglected as a result of the Boards and how shameful it was that we had lost each other while LIVING together.  I told him that he had led me to believe that something magical was going to happen to us on the day after the Boards were over, and I still felt worthless.  I told him that there was no way I could go on trying to, single-handedly, keep our marriage together; that it was his job, too.  And I told him that I wondered if he even loved me anymore.  I cried so hard, and for so much that I felt we had lost forever. 

But you know what?  He heard me.  For the first time (because I guess boys are dumb like that).  He told me he wasn't aware at how scared and lonely I'd become, that he loved me more than life itself, and that he was going to do everything it took to make me feel like I mattered again.  And he did.  Friday night (after the fight, a cry, a cuddle and a shower) we had a wonderful date night at home.  We talked for so long about so many different, trivial things.  We even discovered some things about each other we didn't know.  It was heaven, pure heaven.  And we did the same on Saturday after work and all day long today. 

We finally feel like we are back on track, though we still have a lot of time and love we need to give to each other to be where we ought to be.  I think, right now, I am really rather grateful to find that we were strong enough to get through this rough patch.  And that we *both* understand the importance of listening to fears that the other is having. 

Shots

I've been going to the Chiropractor and physical therapist for about a month now, and while I haven't had a migrane or much jaw pain in a while, I am still having neck and back pain.  It has really depressed me that I've spent so much time and effort trying to get better and the muscle issues causing my problems won't seem to go away.

When I heard that I would be getting a massage three times a week (after therapy) I was so excited that I bragged to everyone who would listen (mainly Bart).  And the massage is now the WORST part of my therapy.  The pain I feel when they massage/press on my "trigger points" literally takes my breath away.  Like I CANNOT breathe when they work on me.  Apparently the muscles aren't "letting go" like they should, and so I'm getting some relief from symptoms, but none from the real issue at hand.  It's frustrating.

At my appointment today, the PTs, Dr., and NP told me that they believe my muscles have been so strained, tight and just out of whack for so long that scar tissue has built up around the trigger points, which means that it could take a year for them to be able to let go.  Before I could feel devastation, Dr. Crunch told me he wanted me to begin receiving injections in the trigger points from the NP.  So, today I had my first injection of Sarapin, which is a "distillation of a suspension of powdered Sarracenia purpurea (Pitcher Plant) which is well known in the holistic world for providing pain relief.  Anyway, the NP pushed down with her fingers alllllll over my back in order to locate my trigger points.  It hurt.  And you know what else?  So did the (FOUR) shots.  It was like a wasp sting.  With my muscle "jumping" on the needle every time it went in.  And on a side note, I am TERRIFIED of needles, so this should give you some indication of the pain I'm dealing with here.  Then I got tortured massaged again to help the Sarapin penetrate the muscles. 

All in all, I'm feeling pretty sore, but I am so excited about this treatment.  The NP said that most people only need a total of eight injections given over the course of a month to loosen the muscles enough for the PT to work.  Here's hoping it does its job!

Pain in the Spine

So recently I've been having some pain issues.  It began with my teeth, oddly enough.  I had a cleaning and sealants at the dentist just before Christmas, and since then I have been having terrible pain when I drink/eat anything cold and, lately, when I chew anything on the left side.  I can't even TELL you how many times I've been back to the dentist while he tried to figure out how he "threw off" my bite.

Anyway, a few weeks ago, I started having migraines.  Bad ones.  The kind that last for at least three days.  And I NEVER. GET. MIGRAINES.  My neck was constantly killing me, my left hip was making a knocking noise when I walked, my jaw was clicking when I opened my mouth wide...it was chaos, people.  So, I decided I'd head up the block and to the Chiropractor to see if he could fix me.

This is what a healthy spine looks like.  Mine?  Well, picture the side view with the curves going the opposite directions.  The front view?  It leans to the left.  My jaw?  Out of whack.  The neck part?  That is beginning to curve the wrong way, too, which is making my head hang out an inch in front of my body (gross).  And no, I don't have Scoliosis, which is about the only bright side in this whole mess.

Long story short, I have to have an adjustment my my doctor, we'll call him Dr. Crunch because of the sounds my back makes when he works on me, and PT three times a week.  Until mid May.  Which ends up being about 40 sessions.  Yikes.  But, the good news is that the migraines have stopped already--and I've only been going for two weeks.  Wish me luck!

Terror On The Brown Line

Ever since moving to the city of Chicago (and probably just because I come from a small town), I have been wondering and waiting for the day I was going to get mugged.  Because, let's face it:  some of the people here are scary.  I had prepared myself as best I could.  Pepper spray key chain, keys themselves, cell phone always with me, and I always turn my rings in toward my palms when I get on the Green Line train.  Always.

This past Tuesday, I got out of work, walked to the Green Line (turned my rings in and kept my pepper spray in my hand) and calmly read a book for the ride into the Loop.  It was pretty uneventful.  Like usual.  At the Loop, I have to transfer to the Brown Line to get home.  I sat on a bench, read and waited for the train to come.  Now, I always feel safe on the Brown Line, mainly because the people on it are all college students and business people.  Why would they do anything to hurt me?  

 The train finally came, I got on, got a seat, opened my book, and tried to settle in for the twenty minute ride.  Just before the doors closed, I noticed two men, dressed in black sweatshirts with the hoods up and carrying black bags jump on the train.  As soon as the doors closed and the train started moving, one of the men shouted, "Can I have everyone's attention."  He didn't say anything else for probably 5-10 seconds and I thought:  

Dear God, I'm going to get robbed.  Well the day I get robbed in Chicago is finally here.  A year and a half was a pretty good run.  Hey, I've got the pepper spray Dad gave me!  Crap.  It's in my zipped coat pocket.  Okay.  I have no cash, so that is good.  Wait, my wedding rings and Mom's opal ring and necklace are all hanging out!  He'll have to pry those out of my cold, dead fingers.  He looks like the kind of guy who'd be willing to do that, though.  Do I have time to hide them?  I could put them all in my mouth.  No, he'll see and take them.  Maybe I can put up enough of a fight for someone else to call the police...

And that was when the guy said, "Is this the Green or the Brown line?"  PEOPLE.  Can we take a minute and talk about the heart palpitations and chest pain I was having at this point?  A lot.  And for a guy who scared the crap out of EVERYONE on the train because he wasn't smart enough to look at the color and destination of the train before he got on.  Anyway, the guy pulled the emergency stop/door open lever, jumped off the train with this friend (we hadn't even made it away from the platform yet) and took off.  We all just sat in the car, completely silent, completely stunned, until one lady said really loud, "I thought they were going to rob us."  We all had a good laugh, though I'm sure more than one person--myself included--was on the verge of filling their pants.

This Was My Day...

I am a receptionist.  

Apparently, this means that all I do alllll day long is have meaningless conversations with patients.  

Patient 1

Old Man:  Do you have anything to eat back there?

Me:  What?  Like a cafeteria?

Old Man:  Do you have anything to eat??

Me:  (Looking behind me) Like in the room back there?

Old Man:  Yeah.

Me:  Um, no.  That is where the people taking appointments are.  We have vending machines by the windows behind you.

Old Man:  Do YOU have any food?  Like your lunch.  You must have lunch.  

Me:  I didn't bring my lunch today? (Question mark because I have NO idea what we are talking about at this point.)

Old Man:  What about her? (pointing to my coworker) She looks like she brought something.

Me:  You have to use the vending machines.  I'm sorry.  If anyone here brought food, it is because they need to eat it for their own lunch.

Old Man:  I don't want to put a dollar in those machines!  Do you have a dollar I can have?

Me:  No!

Patient 2

Me:  Okay, I'll just need to see your referral, your ID and your insurance cards.

Lady:  I didn't bring my referral.  I don't know where my ID is.  I don't have insurance.

Me:  Ma'am, we can't see you without your ID because you're new.  And your insurance won't pay for your visit without the referral.

Lady:  I don't have insurance.

Me:  Well, how do you pay for your medical care?

Lady:  I don't.

Me:  You have to pay something.  Do you pay cash?  Do you have a Medicare card?

Lady:  I don't have insurance and I don't pay anything to see the doctor!!!

Me:  Ma'am, you have to have insurance to see the doctor who referred you here. 

Lady:  No.

( In case you're wondering, YES, the lady had insurance.  We had it faxed over, along with the referral, from her medical doctor)

Patient 3

Lady:  Can I use this phone to call my home?

Me:  Of course!  Just dial 8 to get the outside line.

Lady:  Dial 9?

Me:  No, 8.

Lady:  Dial 1?

Me: ...?

And that's about when my brain melted. 

Superbowl Sunday

This is pretty much what our own little Superbowl "party" looked like.  Please pardon the mess and the sheets stuffed in the window (I broke the plastic seal thing and this was the best I could do to keep the blizzard out, OKAY?!)

Roscoe was almost as bored as me, so he made his own fun.

 

 

 

We also had the BEST guacamole EVER.  I wanted to take a picture of it to post with the recipe, but Bart, sneaky husband that he is, started eating before I got the chance.  And then I wanted some.  And then I forgot all about my camera and only focused on the deliciousness that was in this bowl.   It was so good that we (clearly) ate it all.  You can still see a smudge here and there.

 

 

Guacamole (from foodnetwork.com)

 

3 avocados, halved

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1.  Coat avocados in lime juice .  Drain and reserve juice.  (I actually just squeezed one half of the lime in at this point and didn't empty the juice out)

 

2.  Add cumin, salt, cayenne and mash.

 

3.  Fold in onions, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic (I used roasted garlic powder I get at this spice shop on our street.  It's really potent, so I knew the flavor would be okay).

4.  Add 1 tbsp of reserved lime juice (This is when I squeezed in the whole other half.  I tried to measure it out, and before I got tired of holding the measuring spoon and squeezing, it was about 1 tbsp anyway).

5.  Stir and let sit for one hour before serving.  But if you live with Bart, you only wait 30 minutes because he is like a 2 year old and CAN'T WAIT MUST HAVE FOOD NOW!!!!

We were hoping to have some of this left over to spread on wraps for lunches, but oh well.  At least you know it's good!!

I hope you all had a wonderful, relaxing Sunday/Superbowl!

Dreaming...

...of two weeks...


...on the Cape...


...with Bart <3

THE Coat

Ladies and...ladies, today I finally bought that coat I keep talking about! You know, the one I've been eyeballing since Christmas. And let me tell you what a crazy hunt it has been!

Last week when I went to have my wrist checked out by the orthopedic surgeon, I stopped at the Northface store since is was basically right next door. I saw the coat, tried it on, loved it and was then told that it would be ON SALE on February 3rd. Well, what was another week? I'd already waited months and for days where the temp was 12 degrees. I could get by in my fleece/peacoat double-up for one more week.

Fast forward to today. Could life get any better? I was going to buy the coat of my dreams and I had the day off, which gave me plenty of time to hop a bus and get to the store. Right? I woke up, called the store, and they were SOLD OUT OF THE COAT!!! And not only was this store sold out, but they were sold out NATION WIDE as of two days ago. Okay, I thought, I'll just order it online from the website and pay full price. Whatever, that's what I had originally planned on doing anyway. Well, guess what? They were sold out on the website, too. So I googled the coat. Every. Single. Site. was sold out of the coat. They had alllllll the other colors in allllll the other sizes but mine. I tell you--If I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all.

I freaked (because c'mon, I've been fantasizing about that coat for a long time) and Bart tried to search different sites too. We looked at about 15 in all, with no results. I was broken hearted. Then Bart had the greatest brainstorm ever! He offhandedly mentioned ebay! The ONE place I hadn't looked yet, because, seriously, who uses ebay anymore?

Well, I found the darn coat in my size and bid on it. It was full price, but whatever. A girl needs to be warm and look good, too, right? And I won it! It's mine! It should arrive by Tuesday, so I'll post pictures of the beauty then!

SNOWMAGEDDON!!

So, you might have heard that we got a little bit of snow here in Chicago over the last couple of days. Normally I hate snow just as much as the next person, but this was just awesome. I got out of work at 2pm on Tuesday and won't be back until SATURDAY! Yes, people, that is how bad it is out here. The official count was 21 inches at O'Hare airport, but I think we got more here by the lake. Anyway, I've got pictures (we braved the blizzard for you, my fine readers!) and some interesting little tidbits about it all. Here goes!

1. The clinic where I work was closed, Wednesday for the first time EVER. And we just found out tonight that the clinic and Bart's school are closed tomorrow, too. ANNND Fridays are my day off, so you can just imagine the level of love/excitement I have for this storm right now.

2. We had 50mph winds All. Night. Long.


This is what it looks like in the middle of a blizzard at 11pm in 50mph winds.


3. It was almost total white-out for hours at a time because of the wind and snow, which was falling at 2-3 inches per hour.

4. Lake Shore Drive (a major city road that is 3 roads over from us) was closed down while drivers were still--trying--to make it home. Most of the drivers started their commute home at 5pm and we saw them on the news at 11pm still sitting on the highway. They were averaging 20ft per HOUR. Nearly all of the cars had been abandoned at this point since people had run out of gas or just needed to get home. There were some reports this morning of people spending the night in their freezing cars.

5. The wind was so strong that it was actually shaking our building. We have french doors on our bedroom, which were shuddering like someone was pushing against them and the water in our toilet was actually sloshing around in the bowl.

6. We got to experience "thunder snow." It's seriously JUST as cool as it sounds--when a blizzard is really bad, you actually get a thunderstorm, lightening included, right in the middle of it all! It is super weird to look out the window, see nothing but snow, and then have thunder and lightening flash and boom.

7. Chicago Public Schools were closed yesterday for the first time in 12 years. They are closed tomorrow, too.

8. I am REALLY glad Bart and I don't have a car right now. I do, however, wish we had a dog sled.


It Begins:
The view from our back porch(ish) thing at about 3pm on Tuesday.



This was at about 9pm on Tuesday. This is the door to the entry way with the other door to get out to the street. Apparently the street door no longer fits the jamb, because alllllll of this snow had been blown in through the crack.


Clearly, I couldn't resist going outside in the snow--I mean, how often do you get to see an almost-record-breaking/close-everything-down-for-days snow storm?


Taken this morning at about 10am. Still snowing. Unfortunately, this is also what Bart's snow day looks like. Studying for the Board exams--yuck.


The Aftermath:



This is the back stairwell that goes into the alley where we put the trash. It's enclosed on three sides and we had about 3-4 inches of snow in there.


This is our street! It's a side street, so they won't be officially plowing until Lake Shore and the other major roads are plowed out. There isn't too much snow because this street faces the lake and the wind blew most of it further down.


Isn't it nice when the plows push the snow onto the sidewalk at the intersection? It sure makes trying to cross before the "don't walk" sign starts flashing exciting.


One sidewalk that was ACTUALLY shoveled clean!


The wind blew the snow through the screen.


Huge pile of snow at the other end of our street. Hope no one wants to go anywhere!



This is the newsstand and BUS STOP near us. There is no way to get to the bus. At all.



It's just a yucky mess out there.


There you have it! We've survived, I have the next two days off, and we are loving being snowed in!

Sunday

Today I woke up to a cold, gray day. You know the kind--where the light that comes in through the windows is at the same time very clear and almost dark. I don't know why, but I love days like this. Maybe it's because when I was growing up, my Mom would always say how wonderful it was to be in a nice, warm, cozy house when the weather outside was terrible. I, like her, also love laying in bed and night and listening to the wind howling outdoors--it makes me feel so snug in bed.

So, I got out of bed, had a little breakfast and got to work on dinner. I decided to use my crock-pot to make Chicken and Dumplings (Bart's favorite) instead of waiting until dinnertime to cook because I wanted the whole apartment to smell like boiling chicken and onions. Because, clearly, the delicious smell of food cooking is the only thing that can make a wonderful cold, gray day even better!

I have spent the rest of my day on the couch watching PBS' The Agatha Christie Code which was AMAZING! It discussed her writing style and experts and scientists agree that it seems she actually was able to hypnotize her readers with her words enough to put them into a sort of trance--the kind where you think you've only been reading for ten minutes, but look up and see it's been an hour. But I digress.... Anyway, they are also having a mini-marathon of her stories that have been made into movies. I've just watched The Blue Hyacinth and I'm now settling into Murder on the Orient Express!

Isn't it the most wonderful feeling when everything about your day just falls into place? It isn't often that I have a truly exceptional day like this and I don't intend to waste it!

Things I'm Loving...

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, so I thought it was about time I put some of my favorite things up here.


This was one of the best mystery novels I've read in a long time--and another of my B&N Bargain books. It's set England during the mid-twenties (I looooove period novels) and there are thrills on every page. "It is the story of an aristocratic family, a house, a mysterious death and a vanishing way of life, told by a woman who witnessed it all and kept a secret for a lifetime." Love, betrayal, murder, lies, secrets--this book has it all!



People might think PBS stinks, but I LOVE it! Masterpiece Theatre and Masterpiece Mystery are my absolute favorite things to watch. Why? Because nearly all of the films are PERIOD films!!! What's great about Masterpiece Theatre? British period films from my favorite novels, like Pride and Prejudice (not the crappy and completely tainted Keira Knightly version), Emma, and Tess of the d'Urbervilles. And the best thing about Masterpiece Mystery? Eighty percent of the films shown are Agatha Christie's stories. If you like murder-mysteries, you must read Agatha Christie. She is still known as one of the literary world's best crime novelists.



Just tell me what is not to love about $2.99 bottles of wine that actually taste good. And organic and exciting/exotic foods that are super cheap--who doesn't want that? There is so much great food to try and the prices are so great that I never feel guilty about buying something just to taste it.


I couldn't find a picture of my favorite sushi restaurant, Sushi Para II, but I did find this photo of some of their sushi. I could literally sit there all day long and order plate after plate of deliciously prepared sushi--which is, in fact, what I do when we go out to eat there. Why? Four words, people: All. You. Can. Eat. For $18. AND it's BYOB. I swear these people cringe when they see me walk in the door.



Bart and I won this game at this Christmas' "White Elephant" Christmas party with the Student Association. It doesn't look like much, but it is a game that we CANNOT stop playing. It's super easy to play, and since all we need are the dice, paper and a pen, we can play it in bed or on the floor with Roscoe running around (because, apparently, the only thing he isn't interested in chewing on are the dice).

Now, if only I could be playing Farkle with Bart, stuffing my face with sushi (but not sharing with Bart, because, come on, it's sushi), while watching Masterpiece Mystery and eating some Trader Joe's snacks, then ending the night with The House at Riverton, life would be just about perfect!

Feelin' Good

Things are kind of going down the toilet around here:

1. One of my co-workers is going out of her way to make my life miserable. Too bad she doesn't get paid based on how big of a butthead she is.

2. I hardly get to spend any time with Bart (we basically just sleep in the same bed now) because he is constantly studying for the Board exams he will take in mid-March. Our weekends are gone, too, because he is at school from 8:30am-9:30pm at super expensive review sessions and test-taking tutorials. I live for the day after Boards.

3. I have two redbox DVD's that I rented TWO WEEKS AGO that I still haven't returned, so I will now be charged $30 when I finally do return them. So much for saving myself money. Sigh. (Thank you, broken wrist).

4. The doctors can't decide if my wrist is broken or not. The fracture is on one x-ray, but not the other, etc. so I have to keep going to tons of appointments and getting more x-rays. I'm terrified to see what my bills are going to be like.

5. I haven't been grocery shopping in over a month. For. Serious. So, don't get sick with the flu and a sinus infection and then break your wrist because you'll end up paying through the nose for take-out, or live on chip crumbs and oatmeal.

But you know what, people? I am feeling GOOD! I am just a few days in to this Bible study and it is already fueling me and uplifting me in ways I had certainly not expected! Last night, Bart even read the day's verses and we talked about them before we fell asleep. It was wonderful because it helped us open up to each other and connect in our few moments together. I am also feeling more peace at work, even with my HORRIBLE co-worker being her HORRIBLE self. How can I even express how amazing that is?

Bible Study.

I know, two blogs in ONE day--you lucky, lucky people!

Anyway, I am going to participate in an online Bible study through a blog I have been following, Raising Redheads. I am SUPER excited about it, mainly because we will be going at a nice, slow pace--which is great for a beginner like me! We will be studying only two lines of scripture each day using the S.O.A.P method: Scripture-we write down the day's scripture in our journal; Observation-we write down what the scripture means/its significance; Application-we apply it to daily life, and then we end with a Prayer!

I can't wait to begin familiarizing myself with the scriptures. It's something I've been wanting to do for some time now, but I just didn't know how. And the best part? Thanks to this journal-style studying, I'll always be able to look back to where I began in this spiritual journey and see how much I've grown!

Ow, My Wrist and Other Adventures at the ER

You've all heard that I broke my wrist this past Tuesday. Here is the tragic story:

I was on my way to the "El" when I slipped. You know how some sidewalks are elevated and have a super steep ramp thing to the street? Well that is what I slipped on. Just two blocks from my apartment. Because it was covered in...BLACK ICE! No one had salted. No one had sanded. And I went down like a sack of potatoes. Cartoon-style. You know, flailing arms, feet flying and face appropriately set into a mixture of surprise and horror.

Suddenly sitting on my butt with my legs in the street, I had initially thought that the only thing hurt was my pride. By the time I stood up and crossed the street (ever so carefully!), I was covered in sweat and felt like I was going to vomit. That's when I knew that I was hurt.

I called Bart, who was about to take a test, to tell him the news. He wanted me to try and get to work/school so I could have it looked at by the M.D. at the clinic and so he could see me after his test. Neither of us knew how hurt I was since nothing was swollen at that point. Anyway, I got on the train--standing room only--annnnd started to pass out from the pain. A very nice man saw me start to get wobbly and gave me his seat. This was about the time I figured that I couldn't make it to work and that I was going to have to get to a hospital.

A very nice cab driver got me to the ER super fast, which was good since I was trying not to cry from the pain. The triage nurse right away had to help me pull my engagement and wedding rings off because the swelling in my wrist and fingers was getting so bad. Talk about painful!! After that, I found a seat in the waiting area where I made friends with a crying girl who had her arm in a sling and with a lady in a wheelchair whose kneecap skin was hanging onto her leg by a string. They, too, were victims of the black ice.

In the next two hours, I had x-rays taken and was processed. I finally got a sling and an ice pack (which did nothing to help with the pain) and I watched the waiting room fill up with people clutching body parts and/or limping up to the counter. A middle aged woman sat across from me and just sobbed and sobbed while holding her wrist. The lady next to her had fallen and broken her shoulder. Cab after cab came to the doors dropping off injured people who had fallen on the ice.

FINALLY, I was taken up to a bed (along with kneecap skin lady), was given a Vicodin, and had more tests done. I had an EKG because I had fainted. Since my heart looked normal, they decided that I should take a pregnancy test, you know, just in case. Well. That was just going to be the cherry on top of a really fantastic day. So, I peed in the cup, handed it over to Barb, my nurse, and waited. And waited. AND. WAITED. At this point, I had almost completely forgotten about my wrist because I was certain I was pregnant and the nurse was waiting for Bart to arrive before she told me. Folks, I don't know the last time I prayed so hard.

And God must have heard my fervent prayers, because an hour later, another nurse asked my nurse, Barb, if I had taken the test. Then she said the four most beautiful words I heard that day: "Yup. It was negative." Phew! Barb wrapped up my wrist and hand (all the way to the elbow) in cotton, molded a plaster splint to my wrist, and then wrapped me all up in ACE bandages, after which I went to sleep. Then Bart, having missed alllllll the excitement, finally arrived and brought me home and put me to bed. Let this be a lesson to you all to WALK CAREFULLY.

I got my first blog award from a very talented blogger, Stacy at Life as I see it. What an honor!

I'm supposed to pass this award on to 15 other bloggers that I enjoy. I don't really follow too many personal blogs, but I'll see what I can do! I'm also supposed to write seven (hopefully interesting) facts about myself. Here goes!

1. I love pickles. And I mean LOVE with a capital L. I eat them nearly every day and even drink the juice. In fact, I'm eating pickles right now! Anyway, I can't help myself. I eat them along with pretzels, saltine crackers and popcorn. It makes me wonder what kinds of food combinations I'll eat when I'm pregnant. Ha!

2. I still sleep with my stuffed animal (and blankie). Every. Single. Night. His name is Stuffins and he probably my second most prized possession. I would never give him up for anything, even though I know it's super childish to still need him. But I'm lucky Bart is willing to share our bed!

3. I have a (hopefully not weird) fascination with pregnant women. They all look so beautiful with their big bellies/little bumps! It's the most amazing thing that a woman's body can grow another life inside of it, right under her heart! We won't even get into how excited and anxious I am to be pregnant and become a mom (A LOT)!

4. I require a lot of sleep to be able to function. I need at least 9 hours every night, and, honestly, life would be grand if I could catch a nap at around 2 every afternoon.

5. I'm not a huge fan of candy. I really only eat it when I'm on my period. I think I don't care for it too much because I have always preferred salty/savory foods.

6. I have monkey toes. Literally. And I can't believe I'm admitting this. I can spread them out like the fingers on my hand. And I can use them to pick up a dime off of a wood floor. Gross, I know.

7. Every night, I watch at least one episode of either Everybody Loves Raymond or The Golden Girls. My two favorite shows, EVER.

And--here are the blogs I wish to award!

My Soul Sings

The Sphors Are Multiplying

A Little Bit of Sunshine

...Told you the list would be short! The other blogs I follow are all great, but I don't know the bloggers personally. And they don't follow my blog, so they wouldn't know that they'd been awarded anyway. I do, however, recommend each one!

Home Alone--Chicago Style!

Tonight marks the first time Bart and I have been apart since we got married. It's also the first time I've had to be alone in this apartment--yikes! Bart had to go to an American Optometry Student Association Board meeting in St. Louis since he's is the Trustee for his school. I can't tell you how much I miss him and how frightened I am to be left alone here.

All I can think about is the crime rate in the city. I used to feel safe since we live on the third floor (who wants to climb five flights of stairs to rob someone, anyway??), but a co-worker, who also lives on the third floor of her building, told me that she was robbed twice!. And you know what? I don't even have a bat or a golf club here to defend myself with. It looks like I'm going to have to sleep with my biggest kitchen knife next to my bed for a little comfort. Wouldn't it be nice if I was creative enough to come up with do-it-yourself bad-guy catcher stuff like Macaulay Caulkin? Sadly, we've put all our ornaments away and I don't own matchbox cars.

On the other hand, though, I think it will be really great for us to have some time apart. Like I said in an earlier blog, Bart and I have been spending waaaay too much time together. I mean, I love being with the guy, but it is so hard not to get on each others nerves when we are together constantly. So tonight when I got out of work, I came home, changed, and went to the grocery store to get some junk food (which I'll regret come Sunday...) and TWO DVD's from the redbox!! And there is Period (like time period, people) movie marathon on Ovation this weekend, which I will be watching in full with zero grumbling from my darling husband! I'm a wild woman, I know.

My Mother's Necklace

A friend, in her blog, recently wrote about her most treasured possession. Her story was lovely, as were the items she chose. Ever since reading that post, I can't stop thinking about my most treasured item: my mother's Immaculate medal.


This is a necklace that I wear every day. I never take it off. It has hung around my neck almost since the night my mom breathed her very last breath. I wear it because every time I feel it brush against my skin, I think of her. Every time I grab hold of it, I think of how I used to trace it's circular shape when she wore it. It is the closest thing I have to having her with me.

The necklace was always our special thing. I remember the day it arrived. She was so excited and it looked so beautiful shining on her neck. The gold chain glittered, as did the cut rim around it. The Virgin Mary was so very tiny, yet so detailed that you could see the benevolent smile on her little face. I memorized the prayer written ever so small in the halo around her: O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee. I would breathe in the scent of Mom's perfume while I stroked the gold chain and laid my head on her shoulder. Of course, since she loved it so much, I did, too. I would constantly nag her to let me wear it to school or when we went out as a family. She nearly always let me and it always made me feel so special to be able to wear something so fancy. It's selfish, but I always loved that she never let Traci wear it--only me.

Now, I am going to make a confession. Something I never told anyone about because I was too ashamed. When she was sick, she couldn't wear the necklace anymore. And I took it from her jewelry drawer. I wore it to a family friend's house when I was babysitting their kids. I took it off to go swimming, you know, to keep it safe. And I lost it. It could have gone anywhere. The kids were little, one could have grabbed it and thrown it in the toilet, garbage or grass. It could have fallen into the pool and been sucked up by the filter. And the worst part? I couldn't remember where exactly I had put it! There are no words to describe the terror and heartbreak I felt. And how could I tell?

I know it sounds crazy, but I found it just after she died. In the bag that I brought with me that day I went babysitting. In the little attached change purse. The one that I had already searched a million times before. A place I knew I hadn't put the necklace. But there it was. That day, I put it on, and it has left my neck only a handful of times since.

I wore it the day I graduated from high school. The day I found out I got into college. I was wearing it the day that Bart proposed to be on that little beach at the Cape and I wore it on the day of our wedding. It's silly, but it is like she's been there with me through each moment. I didn't even cry for her on my wedding day because I didn't feel like she was missing. All I felt was sublime happiness.


Now, when I look at my mother's necklace, I don't think it's as fancy as I thought it was when I was small. It is simple and beautiful, very elegant. Just like my mom.

Plague.

So I'm sick. Not just the "I don't feel well" kind of sick. I'm talking about the whole-body-hurts-plugged-head-raging-fever-sore-throat-up-all-night-blowing-your-nose-and-coughing kind of sick. I really think it's a combo of the flu and a sinus infection, so you can imagine how last night I was praying for God to just take me so I could get some sweet relief.

Anyone who knows me knows that I HATE to be legitimately sick. I do, however, like to feel kind of yucky so that Bart can baby me and I can drink ginger ale and eat pickles all day. But to be really sick? I'll pass every time. There is nothing worse than having a head so stuffy that you can't think straight or lay down flat.

BUT...I must say that I still love the babying I get from Bart! Last night when I got home from work (on my day off by the way--but that's a whole different story) Bart made us dinner and then we watched the Green Mile. All day today he has been bringing me drinks, medicine, and anything else I want. It does make being sick just a little bit more bearable!

Alone.

Sometimes the loneliness I feel here is more than I can bear. I have my Bart, but there is no one else I can really talk to or do things with. It can be so hard. It's one of the reasons why I'm so thrilled to be moving back home in May. I can be around people I have known my whole life--friends I'm missing and family, mainly. And it will be good to be in the country again. City life just doesn't agree with me. Or maybe it's this city that doesn't agree with me.

It will be so nice to have plans again. Plans that don't include Bart and his friends. I love being with my husband, but sometimes a girl needs to get out and be with her girlfriends, you know? Bart and I can get so short with each other because we spend practically all of our free time together. We were never a couple who wanted to spend every waking moment in each other's company because we tend to, after a while, get on each other's nerves. But, I don't want to be left here alone all the time while Bart goes out and has fun with his friends, and Bart feels bad leaving me by myself and is torn between going out and staying home. It's just a stinky situation.

I get so moody being stuck here in this apartment. You might think it is super easy to get around this city, because, you know, I'm sitting right in the middle of it, but it's not true. The blistering, blinding wind/cold are enough to keep anyone indoors. It doesn't help that, since we don't have a car, we have to stand in the cold wind to wait for any kind of transportation to take us from A to B. And when I do get out, it is usually to the grocery store (NOT my favorite place). If I go to a store where I actually want to shop, Bart is with me and he hates shopping in general almost as much as I had grocery shopping. He usually ends up at a cafe or bookstore to hang around while I shop alone. It's sad. I feel like I don't have anyone to really enjoy things with. Well, not the girl things, anyway.

It's so hard to be removed from everything you know and take comfort from to be in a place you don't like.