Really Hooked

About two weeks before Christmas, I finally had a great idea for a present for my dad and stepmom: a throw blanket. But not just any blanket, one crocheted by me. I hunted out a pattern, bought the yarn, and got to work. Given that it was (and is) about 15 times larger than anything else I've crocheted, two weeks was not a lot of time (especially given that it had to be mailed).

So I proceeded to eat, sleep, and drink crochet. Luckily, I had a couple of helpers.



In the end, I ended up getting really sick with only a few days to go. It ended up being a few days late, but at least I did it! (And then I've had the wisdom teeth nonsense, so I just finally got confirmation that it was received a few days ago. Hence the post about it almost a month later.)

Movement

Aside from not being able to eat real food, part of the trouble with my nerve damage has been that I haven't been able to move my face a lot. Hence, the swollen, botox-looking "smile" in the picture below, taken on January 3.

But thanks to a very, very kind coworker, I got an hour of physical therapy on Friday, and a list of things to keep working on. Just that one hour on Friday made a world of difference:

Did you know that your jaw is supposed to move in six different ways? Well, it is, and mine does again now! I'm still numb. I still can't chew. But I have my face back! 

Oh, and I'm a little slow, but I just discovered the magic of Bloglovin. I highly recommend it. Follow my blog with bloglovin

Shhh!

I still can't talk very well, and my mumbled speech causes the ouch. I can't chew. Additionally, I've been banned from chewing until at least the 20th. People at my dentist and oral surgeon's office keep telling me I'm swollen; I can't tell anymore.

That being said, if anyone has some good (vegetarian) ideas for food that doesn't require chewing (or can be food processed into oblivion), please send them my way. Thanks!

Thousands of words...

Yowsa, it's been a long week! As I mentioned in my last email, I had my wisdom teeth extracted last Tuesday. In addition to the usual fun of such an event, I have some as-yet-to-be-diagnosed complication that's resulted in the front right corner of my mouth being numb & pins-and-needles-y for a week. I basically talk for a living, so I've missed three days of work. And I can't chew, so I've been living on a diet of soup, yogurt, applesauce, instant mashed potatoes, and kombucha. Oh, and I can barely move my mouth, so I look like I got botox (see below). And I sound like I have "marbles and cotton balls" in my mouth when I talk. Like I said, It's been a long week.

So, I've decided to combine my lack of coherent speech with the idea that a picture is worth a thousand words, resulting in the plunge of a 365 picture project. From my calculations, this will save my broken mouth 365,000 words.

I'm posting all of my pictures to my Tumblr in case you're interested.

(Monday's picture - me trying to smile.)

(I can promise you many pictures of cats!)

Adios, 2010!

This year definitely had its ups (getting engaged, getting a new kitty, mini-vacations, starting a new job) and its downs (getting my wisdom teeth taken out on Tuesday). And while the way I feel right now is definitely skewing my outlook to the negative side, I think the good outweighed the bad by far.

We got Oops right around the first of the year and it was such a good decision! She's such a nice fluffer and her and Romp get along so well.

We went on lots of adventures this year: trips to High Springs & Destin, Bonita Springs, tour with Yip-Yip and All Leather, St. Petersburg, St. Augustine...

Did I mention we got engaged?

I'll be drinking my food and in a little bit of pain to ring in the new year, but I still think 2011 will be a good one! Here's wishing everyone a happy (and safe) 2011!!!

Three more days till Halloween, Silver Shamrock!

Two-headed girl, 2007.

(With my grandmother, Killer Doctor, and my aunt, Killer Nurse)

This year is one of my least favorites, I must admit. This Halloween happened a couple of days before the end of my five years working at a beauty supply store. I stared at those styrofoam heads and that cheap fake hair all day. And then suddenly this idea hit me. I had to make it happen while I could still get my discount. Hot gluing 99cent hair a very unpleasant task. The closest thing I could equate that hair to is cheap fake spiderwebs. Gross.

Four more days till Halloween, Silver Shamrock!

In these final days leading up to Halloween, I think it's appropriate to share my costumes from Halloween's past, leading up to this year's monumental costume.

Killer Raggedy Ann, 2006

(with my aunt, Wonder Woman)

This is one of the costumes I'm most proud of. I found the plaid dress in the children's section of a thrift store. It was paired with a quickly sewn apron and red/white striped stockings. I ripped the dress and glued on stuffing, as if I'd been in a struggle. I made the wig myself with a scrap of fabric and red yarn. My favorite part: the handmade decapitated Andy head...that doubles as a purse!