Hilary Booth... of course!

Dear body,
You can stop hurting any time now. You can also feel free to get some rest. No really, Nano has been for over for a week, you can reset to our normal sleeping pattern. This insomnia stuff is for the birds and I don't mean the Orioles or Ravens. I realize you're older and you're not what you were, but please give it a try.

No love,
a very tired and sore me

So I continue to be a medical mystery. I went to the dentist this morning to see if my condition was teeth related. Aside from the jaw pain, I look fine. No abscesses, no weird swelling, nada. The only thing my dentist could suggest is that maybe my lymph nodes are going nuts. But we're no closer to figuring out why. And so it goes.

I'll post more on the needlework class this weekend later. Off to earn a "living" wage. Can you call it a living wage if you feel like death warmed over?

The whole DC area is watching the skies. Snow is expected this afternoon and that invariably means everyone goes into a panic. Hmph I say.

The good news is I have a job! I had the interview today which went exceedingly well. They turned around and offered me to started on Monday morning. I'm a little nervous about it being such a small library. They're foreseeing the assignment as long term, but it's only four days a week, rather than full time. Having Friday off is going to be very odd indeed, but it may make MediaWest easier, if I only have to take one day off. (They're supposedly sending out hotel confirmations, but I'm still waiting. *taps foot impatiently*)

I also saw a doctor about my nagging pain in my abdomen. It's switched sides from before, so it's worrying. They're doing a bunch of blood tests to see if we can narrow things down and then we'll have a chat with the GI.

I'm off to have late lunch, take pills and find some comfort movies.

The glories of the coming of the new prescription. Lately I've noticed just enough of a blurring of my distance vision to make me concerned. I'd had it checked a few years ago, but it hadn't been that different, but I did wind up with new reading glasses. Finally last night I hailed out to Seven Corners to get checked out at my venerable eye place. I think I've always gone to that location, even before it changed to Pearle. Have I mentioned I loathe the glaucoma test where they puff air at you? They tell you not to blink, but it's a reflex action. The actual exam was pretty painless, just an adjustment of the old prescription. "Is one or two better? Is that worse?" They do think it'll make my vision a little clearer. Then I went to find new spectacles. I hate picking out the right frames, so I'm glad the opticians are so intuitive on what works and what doesn't on my face. I wound up getting two pairs, one regular and one sunglasses.

I took a quick stop across the way at the Barnes & Noble for new manga. I picked up the latest volume of Gunslinger Girl, which ADV is finally releasing. I have the anime on my Netflix. I also bought the first volume of La Corda D'oro, a shoujo book set in a music school. I was curious after seeing an article in the last Shoujo Beat on some of the classical pieces mentioned in the series. I may regret picking up the Dark Horse translation of the Dirty Pair book. They're definitely an acquired taste.

I discovered to my horror they'd changed the bus stop at that shopping center. I'm not wild about the new location. That led me to getting home too late for the "Heroes" premiere! Horrors! Thank god for dvrs. I have to reset my brain to "tv watching season", because it's been on summer saving time

This icon is getting a lot of use already. Appropriate given the downpour we had earlier this afternoon. Given that the weather is unhealthy hazy hot and humid, it's not surprising thunderstorms are also in the equation. We're supposed to get more tomorrow when my apartment building has scheduled the window cleaning. Why do they always schedule it for the crazy hot summer?

Henman surprised everyone and outlasted Moya in five sets, only to play another charming Spaniard today. Or he was supposed to, but it's Wimbledon, therefore the weather is subject to change at any moment. He only got in two games of the first set before the rain came in. At least he'll have more time to recover from the five set match, but he has to regear himself up for this match.

I saw an ENT yesterday. Pretty anticlimatic there. He examined my sinuses and after some time gave me a stronger medication to see if it'll clear up the infection. At this point, I'm just hoping it works, because June has been utterly miserable thus far.

Ironically I was going to post a "state of me" post this weekend. For a change, my health has been pretty good. The new IBS meds have been doing what they're supposed to. And then last night happened. It was a pretty much a repeat of the previous ankle injury, except this time I was wearing tennis shoes. I was curled up watching television and finally decided to make dinner. My left foot had fallen asleep a little. When I stood up, I misstepped and felt my left ankle painfully collapse again. I was hoping it was a little "owie" that would go away. When it didn't, I dug out the venerable old aircast out of the closet. Hopefully that will stabilize it until I've had a chance to see a doctor tomorrow. As bad as it feels, I'm a little afraid I've broken something this time. I'm crossing my fingers for the best. I swear I'm the clumsiest person I know, if I can injury myself this badly by just standing up off the sofa!

The weekend hadn't started off that badly, all things considered. I had paid a few bills and spent some money at Barnes & Noble. I joke that I only become a country music fan for the two months of "Nashville Star". Not quite true, but I do seem to buy more of that music then, if only because I'm exposed to new music, like Little Big Town. I also picked up one of Alison Krauss' albums I'm missing. I also bought the first of Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" books. Already I can see the massive differences between book and tv versions of the characters, but I'm not as attached to either versions yet.

Writing wise, there's not much to report. I left the Thursday writing group earlier in the month. It just seemed like the right time.

I'm home. I'm only moderately awake. The sedatives make you a little out of it, but not nearly as much as I remember for the wisdom teeth. Pretty painless and quick. I literally blinked and was done. They took you into this recovery room that reminded me more of a beauty parlor with large easy chairs. The results are mostly expected: gastritis with a hiatal hernia. The latter is what caused the heartburn there. He took a bunch of tissue samples to see if anything is really out of the ordinary. Dr. H does think I have a slow stomach based on his readings. He doesn't think I need the stomach emptying test. We're still a go for the colonscopy, so hopefully that'll explain my other issues. At least we know part of the problem.

Now I just want to sleeep. And something to drink. And maybe someone to finish my Nano for me?

It's freezing cold outside this morning, so of course the first thought is ice cream, right?

In the past, I've mourned the loss the Bob Peck Chevrolet and the disappearance of Hechts, so it was nice to see the reappearance of a local institution: Gifford's Ice Cream. After disappearing in the early 1980s, they're back and opening new stores in the DC area. The Arlington ice cream parlor used to be right up the street from me as a kid, the current location of the Joe's Pizza at Lee Harrison.

Not that I could have ice cream these days without help from Lactaid. My stomach fu has moved down into my internal plumbing, causing all kinds of havoc. I'm still trying to find a doctor to see me and praying that it's something managable. Ironically that lovely time of month reared its usual bloating and cramping at the same time, if only because I could deal with that pain. I understood that discomfort.

So I saw the doctor yesterday. For a change, it actually looks like the winner is strep, rather than the usual URI or allergies. I don't know whether to be grateful or just hide under the covers. My stomach is rather partial to the former idea. I'll probably split the difference and curl up on the couch and watch my tennis. *ignores the World Cup*

And apparently we're having an up-up-up! today in Florida with the Discovery launch.

Happy Canada Day, my Canuck friends! When I was in Victoria for B.C. Day a few years ago, I remember one of the tour guides at the castle saying they could see both Canadian and American fireworks celebrations from where they were.

I'm back at work. I'm feeling much better. The head still has its moments, but the doctor did say the symptoms would hang around for a week or so. Believe me, I'm not pushing it.

I taped the Tonys. I went in with zero expectations this year. I wasn't familiar with many of the nominees. "Jersey Boys" unexpectedly won my heart with their performance, which isn't really surprising. My mother was a massive Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons fan, so I grew up on that music, even more so than the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. Needless to say, she was pleased the boys did so well. I liked the "Drowsy Chaperone" too. I was amused at a Canadian group doing an old fashioned American showstopper. Part of me is glad Harry Connick's verve is rubbing off on Broadway, but I'm still always wild about his singing choices. Too much of a traditionalist in some ways...