Satisfaction, I Got Some

It's a bright sun shiny first day of the new year! Also, it's cold. Really cold. There's ice on the lake cold.
Last night was a nice quiet evening spent inside watching movies. And opening birthday gifts. My birthday is tomorrow, but Rooster thought I should open them last night. Season one of "True Blood", a collector's edition of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", a set of salt and pepper shakers (green glass George Washington busts) and a CD from Starbucks (covered with thousands of teeny tiny birds). I'm very close to starting the "True Blood" marathon, and will now have to go find season two so I can stay current.
My father sent me a gift too. This is nothing short of amazing since we don't have the best of relationships. Mama Bird can attest to that being the understatement of the century. Anyway, my father sent me a set of Melmac (trademarked) cafeteria style (think 50's or 60's) tea/coffee cups, saucers, and dessert plates with a sugar bowl and creamer. It's all this great shade of lime green that will actually go perfectly with all my orange stuff. It's really cute and I love it!
I don't have any resolutions, I would likely break them in a week anyway. But I can say that already, this year is better than the last. Last year this time, I was alone. Last year this time I was depressed. This year I have someone to share time with, someone to watch movies with. Someone to just BE with. It's nice.
Last year's depression had little to do with being alone, and everything to do with being dissatisfied. Dissatisfied in general. The last part of this past year has been great, and it looks to only get better.
So I hope that everyone had a great New Year's, and that the coming year is the best one yet for everyone.

--Little Bird is satisfied

ORANGE!!!

Christmas came to my nest early this year. My grandfather sent me a HUGE check, and that really helped me finish purchasing all the rest of the gifts I needed to buy for others (of course, now I am committed to go to a family reunion in the summer). I didn't manage to finish Roosters "craft gift" (a cross stitched throw pillow with his favorite Star Trek quote) and he already knows what it is as we have already exchanged gifts.
For Rooster I bought a leather messenger bag, it sorta has an Indiana Jones vibe to it and looks as if it will last forever. He also received the movie "Inglorious Basterds" and two tiny books - one of dirty limericks and another of weird factoids - both for the bathroom.
From Rooster I received the first season of "The French Chef" with Julia Child (!) and two sets of salt and pepper shakers, and then he blew me away with the totally perfect dove stick pin! It's a prop replica from the movie "For Your Eyes Only", and when we watched the movie, I saw it and told him I would love to find one of those because of this blog and my failblog name. AND HE FOUND ONE!!!! He totally gets brownie points for being so thoughtful!

For my step-father I picked up a stainless steel liquid soap pump. He had this ugly plastic bottle on his bathroom counter. He has very good taste in the things he chooses to surround himself with so I thought that maybe he'd appreciate something a little less... fugly. I also got him a jigger for when he and Mama Bird make martinis, and some black gum. He always gets something black from me, it's a long standing gag with us. But I don't think I'll ever top the year we found black toilet paper!
To Mama Bird I gave a set of black micro-fleece base layers. Basically long underwear, but slightly nicer than that. She too, will get a cross stitched pillow. She has requested the quote from Alice Roosevelt Longworth -- If you don't have something nice to say about someone, sit right here by me. Yes, she already knows, and we looked up the quote together so it would be right.
FROM my parents, I received a 6 piece set of Le Crueset cookware!!!! A stock pot, a sauce pan, and a 4(?) quart french oven!! Each one has a lid (and the lids count as three of the pieces). And they are ORANGE!!!!!! I can finally throw away my old, beat up, no-longer-teflon-coated pots and pans!!! And the new pieces look so pretty in my kitchen with all my other orange stuff. I haven't cooked anything in them yet, but I will tonight.
Gift giving was done early this year with Rooster because I will be out of town on Christmas proper, and I wanted to share that moment with him. My family and I exchanged gifts early because no one wanted to lug a 6 piece set of enameled cast iron across the country, and some of the items might not have made it through airport security.

So now it's just one more day to go, and then it's onto a train and one week of quiet, crisp New Mexico mountains. I think I'll take fried chicken to eat, and I picked up peanut butter filled pretzels for snacking. Along with the soda, beer and propel packets. Maybe I'll find some candy of some sort to also bring along.
I've been packed for two days already because it's one of my little quirks, I want to be prepared. I don't want to forget anything. I always forget something anyway. Also, this train will be ridiculously packed, and I need to make sure I have what I need to have a pleasant train ride. Here's hoping I don't get stuck sitting next to a creep. Also, here's hoping I can get a window seat.

--Little Bird has achieved cookware nirvana

Of Trains and Crocs

It's official. I am a nerd. I just watched the first few minutes of "The Big Bang Theory" and one of the geeks (the head geek) is particularly excited about an upcoming train trip. And he knows to much about the route. Sigh. It sounds way too much like me. And seriously, the rest of the guys are like nearly every other guy I've met on the train. Well, OK, I've met a few guys that were very likely convicted felons too. That being said, I still prefer train travel to plane travel. I don't claim to really understand why.
My weekend house guest was lovely. We had stir-fry and much wine. Then it was mexican food with some of her other friends that live here. Friday, we spent pretty much the entirety of the afternoon at the beach. It was the best afternoon I think I've had in a very long time. Also, the best part of all of that? I DID NOT HAVE TO WEAR MY BRIGHT ORANGE CROCS!!! I did however have to wear my earth shoes. To the beach. It was slightly weird. All in all it was a good time. I did realize that I have issues with the beach. I will almost always be the one in long pants.
That's all that's new, except for the fact that I did pound the crap out of the new shoes with a hammer and they are nearly wearable now. The blisters are almost healed!


--Little Bird has accepted the truth

Blister Woes & Fungus Among Us

OK, first things first. The nail thing? Not cancer. Might, MIGHT be a tumor. A very very specialized type that has a name that is 18 syllables long and that I couldn't begin to say, let alone spell. This type of tumor is associated with Neurofibromatosis. Apparently. I was prescribed an anti-fungal/cortisone cream for now. And have to wear a cotton glove, the cream and Vaseline on that hand/finger for about ten days. Goody. If, in two months there is no change (or there is a bad change), we figure something else out. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
The doctor was very nice, and actually seemed to listen to what I told him. Something that isn't always known in a doctor. I happen to have a zit or two right now and he didn't comment once on them. Brownie points to him! He did ask me if I had any skin issues to report or ask him about. And when I said that I didn't, he didn't even blink. Everyone gets a zit now and then. Nothing new about that.
Now. The other portion of todays post. The blisters. Those shoes I bought? They came in the mail yesterday. Being me, I had to put them on and go for a walk. A two mile walk. Think about that a moment. New - BRAND NEW- shoes + two mile walk = MASSIVE BLISTERS. I cannot wear any shoes that have any sort of back on them. I had to cut up my crocs (the strap off the back) in order to make it to my doctors appointment. I do not like to wear those "shoes" outside of the house. For reasons you can understand, I hope. So. I had to go buy burn pads, these wonderful soothing pads designed for burns, scrapes and bites. You know, areas that are missing skin. These are made by 2nd Skin and I love them. I use one for both ankles (cut in half) and then slap a huge band-aid over that. I can hobble around with this set-up.
Of COURSE this would all be the day before my bestest friend comes into town! This would never happen when I have no plans. I will have to venture out into the streets and BARS of Chicago in my screaming bright orange crocs. Can I tell you how much I am not liking my footwear options for this week?
The shoes will not be worn until there is once again skin on the backs of my ankles/heels. I may ask the dry-cleaner in my building (who knows a shoe repair guy) to see what can be done. I think the ankle support area is just really stiff. I am considering taking a few whacks at them with a hammer. To sort of "distress" the "leather". Mama Bird may have issues with that idea. We'll see.

--Little Bird WISHES she could fly!

Negative 2

I HAVE A BLENDER!!! And it is orange! Yippee!! Now I can make milkshakes! And daiquiris! And, and... well, I'm sure I'll find plenty of things to make. It came in yesterday, this Christmas present of mine. And like the frydaddy, has yet to be used. Primarily because it is -2 outside and I am trying to not go out there. And my cupboards, while not bare, are not all that well stocked. Tonight is the night I am supposed to do dinner with the folks, but seeing how that would require me to walk to the store (about 4 blocks, in a town where 8 blocks = a mile) I don't see that happening. Unless my mother goes to the store on the way home and calls to find out what we need. But as cold as it is, I hope she opts not to do that. So tonight's meal will likely be whatever I have in the house. Pasta. As usual.
Let me explain the weather situation here. I have ice on the insides of my windows. LOTS of it. INSIDE. And my room is actually warm. The heater is over-enthusiastic. I think that caused condensation on the windows (which are directly above the heater) and the insanely low temperatures outside caused that to ice over. But really, ice? Inside?
I'm thinking I should be making soups with that new blender. Anyone out there have any good ones?

--Little Bird is attempting to stay warm