Kitty and Marni Weekend

Ron has gone to Vegas to meet up with some old friends. He wanted me to come along and since I am leaving in 19 days, I was tempted for about 7 seconds. But seriously, I couldn't bring myself to go for the following reasons:

A) I don't want to cramp Ron's style and if I went he'd want to hang out with me and not go nutz with his friends. Plus I'd be reminding him to take his meds and watch his sodium intake. Total. buzz. kill.

B) I can't stand the heat. It was 112 degrees there today. Last time I had to lay on the cold tile floor to cool off. My head almost exploded!



C) Vegas is gross and quite possibly my least favorite city. Some of you may of seen this pic already- its an oldie but a goodie. Underpants, cigarettes and hair in the streets of Vegas.



So, its just Kitty and I this weekend. We already took a nap together and are planning a good snuggle for later.



Oh, I was out for a run this morning and I saw a stingray get accidentally caught by a fisherman. He unhooked it, but then was just gonna leave the poor beast there on the beach to suffocate! I got some other dude with a shovel to flip it over. I was too scared to flip it with my foot, given the great sting of '07.



Night.

Achievements

This week I:

1. Got my new computer! I don't know why I get so upset when my old puters die, since the new ones are always so comparatively awesome. Must be some weird computer amnesia syndrome. My new one is small and light and bright and has a 12HR battery life. Sweet!

2. Tried 'Heavenly Cupcakes', which is supposed to be San Diego's best cupcake shop. I got one double chocolate cup to eat-in and one to go. Eat-in was good but take-home was much better, as I put it in the fridge overnight. Neither were "Joan's on Third" or "Sprinkles" good, but I would definitely go back in a pinch.



3. Went out AT NIGHT. Ron and I were a bit embarrassed to realise that this was the first time we had been out AT NIGHT in downtown San Diego. Right? Even through all my yawning, it was super fun! We a) got me cupcakes, b) saw Adam Corolla at the House of Blues, and c) got to see all the costumed-up Comic Con peeps. Seriously, this is a big deal for me... I haven't made midnight on New Year's Eve since 2000! Here we are all out and about at 11pm:



4. Got a permit from the CDC to bring lemur poop into the USA. No poop smuggling for me!

5. Filed a lawsuit. Back in 2008 Ron and I got rearended in that horrible LA traffic. I sprained my neck and had to go to the chiropractor for a few weeks. Bastard insurance company won't pay my medical bills, so poor Ron get's to appear for me in Small Claims court in LA in September.

6. Tried to relax a bit with the leaving-Ron-and-Kitty-going-to-Madagascar-and-have-a-million-things-to-plan-must-freak-out. In the wise words of DVG, "Don't worry. In forty years you'll be f%#cking dead."

Later.

Thanks, peeps!

Well, Ron and Kitty talked me down off the figurative bridge last night. Also, I received some great comments and emails will much appreciated info and advice. Thanks all!



Today, I finally got to have some Miho Gastrotruck for lunch. Its a "farm to street" food truck serving whatever is fresh and yummy. I had a organic grass fed beef burger on freshly grilled brioche with roasted heirloom tomato and blue cheese aioli. Simply delish!


















Also, I put out a FB call for pics of Malagasy carnivore scat or tracks, which inspired all sorts of creative responses (poop is very informative, people!), along with some good genuine photos. Ron made the following for me while he was at work today.



Apparently someone was walking passed and asked if he was "drawing poop." Must be why he makes the big bucks?!

Big weekend coming... We are seeing Adam Corolla at the House of Blues tomorrow night. At night!

Fear of the unknown

So I have 27 days till I leave and all of the unknowns are starting to add up and get scary. Like how long does it take to get from EWR to JFK, and where is the visa office in Tana, and how do I get to Jumbo Score now that my Jumbo Score was burned down, and where is the US Embassy now, and how much rice do you buy for 3.5 people for 8+ months, and where do you keep the rice for 3.5 people for 8+ months, and how much is the rice for 3.5 people for 8+ months going to cost, and how many pots should I buy, and will I be able to find a cook, and how will I get water, and will I be able to find the lemurs, and will I be able to tell the lemurs apart, and will I be able to find the lemur poop, and will I get the lemur poop back through customs, and how will Ron be, and how will Kitty be, and many many many other things.

Oh well, may as well enjoy my Organic Dark Chocolate Coconut Bliss bar while I can! Night.

Do-it-yourself-dentistry

Hmmm. My 'Emergency Dental Kit' arrived in the mail today. Not sure which is scarier: A) Do-it-yourself-dentistry, or B) Having the dentist do it.

Speaking of teeth, here are 3 of my 4 wisdom teeth:



The 4th one had to be pulverized and sucked out... I suddenly have the urge to compulsively floss.

Beach Bag LaFleur

I'd like to introduce the newest and most patriotic member of our gang, Beach Bag LaFleur. I thought it would be super adorable to get a pic of Kitty in Beach Bag LaFleur.

So I showed her the inside



but she decided to play cute



and then play cuter



so I brought bouncy mouse into the mix, which got her attention



just long enough for her to kick the sh*t out of the top of Beach Bag LaFleur



but then she went in!



BUT, she came out so quick that the only shot I got was of her BUTT.



So, the Beach Bag LaFleur has retired as a Kitty prop and taken on full-time beaching.

SHARK WEEK

Shark Week.

Shark Week. Shark Week. Shark Week. Shark Week. Shark Week. Shark Week.

SHARK WEEK.

Its Shark Week in San Diego and I am excited!

Bad teeth

I hate the dentist and I have terrible teeth, which is a particularly unfortunate combination. There is always something wrong with them and every time I go to the dentist, which is frequently, I need major work. I was supposed to have a crown put on my right maxillary M2 today, but luckily got to postpone my appointment because of an insurance thing.

I think I may of had the worst root canal experience ever... Back in 2006 I had a tooth that had been aching on and off for months, so I agreed to have a root canal. My dentist, who was new but very nice, froze me up and got down to business with the drilling. The tooth was very sensitive, even after all the freezing, so she stopped a couple of times for extra local anaesthetic, but explained to me that there might be some infection/inflammation in the tooth which would make it difficult to impossible to freeze. So we continued. Until I experienced the most unbelievable white light excruciating intense pain. It was so so horrible. I nearly passed out and was sobbing in the chair. The tooth started bleeding a LOT and pools of blood and tears were dripping down my face, collecting in my ears and then splashing on the floor. The dentist was still trying to work, but with all the blood and crying, she decided to patch me up and refer me to a specialist. It was so so horribly painful.

So, I went home and bled for hours. I called the office a couple of times and they said the bleeding was "normal" and to suck on some tea bags. I chose to suck on some wine.

When I finally made it to a specialist, I was so scared that I started crying just waiting for him. I did take Gary with me though, so that helped. Anyhow, the specialist took this pic of the tooth from the inside of my mouth:



The upper dark space is what a root canal should look like. The lower large dark gaping hole is what Dentist #1 did, presumably by accident. She had actually drilled from the centre of the tooth completely through the and perforated the front, through my gums and into my maxillary bone. So it wasn't that I had an infection or inflammation, just a psychotic dentist who decided to wildly drill through various non-anesthetized parts of my mouth. And then send me home with "normal" bleeding. WORST.EVER.

Dentists suck. What kind of a sicko becomes a dentist anyhow? I should ask my dentist. In fact, next time I am there I will ask. hmph, this is making me all verklempt. Think I'll go to the pool.

Devil cat

Don't let her fool you. She is the devil. Once in a while Kitty does this yowling thing when she wakes up. Its kinda like she wakes up and has no idea where she is, and is scared, so she starts yowling. Last night she decided to yowl most of the night. I did some research of this night time cat yowling and it can be as a result of a number of things including: hyperthyroidism (Sammy had that and Kitty most definitely does not, given the size of her belly), hypertension (which I doubt because she has none of the other symptoms), dementia (which I also doubt, but who knows), and anxiety disorders (bingo!). The only thing that calms her down is hugging and bum-tapping. So, I get up and bring her to bed and give her a good hug and a bum-tap. But eventually, I fall asleep and she gets up and starts all over. I spent over 3 hrs doing the hugging/bum-tapping. Poor little devil is all tuckered out today and sleeping like a rock.

Bits and bites

We have been saving our "Hitching Post" Highliner for a special occasion, but in true Sideways fashion decided to make last night a special occasion by cracking the Highliner. mmm...

A few quotes from the week that I find worthy of note:

~ Chrissy Russo (the weather girl on the morning news) while interviewing the producer of 'The Ultimate Wave Tahiti', "Sure you learned about surfing, but did you learn anything about friendship or science?"
friendship or science??

~ Some kid on 'Wife Swap' when his new mom suggested he wear something other than black clothes, "You think that if I wear bright colors life will be all flowers and sausages?"
flowers and sausages??

- Marni giving her DOB to the pharmacist, " March 13th, 1938."
'38??

Ron after walking in on Marni using the lou, "That's a crazy faucet!"
faucet??

On the Name Game, I can now add:
- Mary
- Marinie

Happy Sunday eve!

America's Loonie

Holy sh*t! America got a Loonie! What on earth shall we call it??

Dirty.little.secret.

I take food fairly seriously. I like really good quality ingredients, which are preferably local, organic and of course, preferably in season. I can tell the difference between spring vs fall parmigiano reggiano and Venezuelan vs Brazilian chocolate. Whole Foods is my 2nd BFF and I heart any good farmers market.

The Beverly Hills Farmers Market:



My edible organic local herbal bouquet from the Little Italy Farmers Market:



When traveling, some people are into art or architecture or people, but for me its really about food. That being said, Ron and I have a very dirty little secret... When we go on a long day trip or are traveling any distance in the car, although I do map out the best spots for grub along the way, we almost always squeeze in one trip to... Sizzler! I eat all the super saltly salad bar tidbits like baby corn and smooshy olives, and then I always have some of the soft-serve ice cream and jam-like topping. mmm, Sizzler ice cream jam, mmm.



On the name game, I can now add "MARVIN LAFUUR."

Desert

There is something about the desert that scares me. Take this sink for example:



Outside of the desert = just narly
In the desert = terrifying and only used to clean up after murders

Or this dog skull:



Outside of the desert = adorable
In the desert = gives me the willies

Or these Corona:



Outside of the desert = tasty
In the desert = tasty yet frightening. Also, the deer is wearing antler "earings" that say 'kiss me, I'm Irish.' That'll scare the crap out out you.

BTW On our jont through the desert yesterday, we got stopped by Border Patrol. The officer LAUGHED when we said we were Canadian. He then raised a brow and asked "what are you doing here?" Is it that weird that a couple of Canadians are cruising through the desert?!

Phone Pics, 2

As promised...

Calgary airport. Dinosaur hockey. Adorable.



Kitty being a spazz. Note our 13" tv on an ironing board. Ron was so embarrassed when the cable dude came that he (lied and) said the "plasma" was on its way. A plasma would have been tricky on the ironing board. tee hee.



Kitty action figure!



Kitty, chillin.



CU Boulder at 4:20 on 4/20. There was actually a plane flying overhead wishing all a "Happy 4/20." Its taken very seriously in good 'ol BoBo.



Yet another "good morning" phone pic from Ron. This time I had time to get my finger out.



I was out for a run in Boulder and stumbled across a herd of goats. Weird.



Condom up a tree. Yes, its a condom up a tree.



Happy Saturday!

Phone Pics

I was deleting some pics on my phone and thought I'd post a few today and maybe a few tomorrow...

Some dude beside me on some flight.



The name game continues with "Muvni."



The hand of an orangutan which had been in an old freezer of Hale for eons.



Super scary blue devil horse at the Denver Airport. Incidentally, it killed its creator. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_8961169



The most American of all stegosaurs.



Ron takes pictures of me (with my phone) when I am sleeping or when I've just woken up. I really love when he does it.



Awesome dancing cat video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG71klJSPPI



Happy Friday!