Can You Hear Me Now?

Okay, here we go, longest entry ever. LOTS of pictures! I had the most amazing weekend, which could have been even better if I hadn’t missed about 6 hours of hanging out with everybody because of my intolerance to heat It reached about 35°C on Sunday and that sucks for me! However, aside from that, I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend or greater people to spend it with.

I arrived at the airport around noon, checked where the band’s flight was arriving from, and took a seat near that gate. I TM’d Rob to let him know I was there and where I was. He wrote back that he was in the rental car line-up and would be down to meet us as soon as he could.

I saw a bunch of people wandering by the luggage carousel, so I figured the flight had arrived and wandered to that area, pushing my wheelchair that was loaded with a couple of my bags and stuff. The first person I saw was Scott, who was peering at me as he got closer. I think I “eeeked!” or something as I gave him a hug, it was so great to finally meet in person. Next I met Alex, who is adorable, followed by Adam who is just a teddy bear of a man, and whose muscles would come in handy when pushing me in my wheelchair all over what turned out to be VERY rough terrain at the outdoor festival. (Mine was the only wheelchair there I believe, and I can understand why!)

Anyway, we all took a seat and waited for Rob. It was at this time that Scott presented me with a beautiful pair of earrings from his wife’s handmade collection - “Stacey made these for you last night”. How sweet is that?? I LOVE them:

When Stacey has an online store or something I will definitely link to it - she has photos of her jewelry on Facebook and it’s all beautiful, unique, and funky!

The line-up at the car rental place was so long, I guess Rob decided to leave and go back later, so he met up with us on the lower level. I was hoping our vehicle would be HUGE, because there was more than just my wheelchair and a couple guitars… although Alex would play a cello provided by the Fair and Adam the main stage drum kit, there was still a lot of instruments and gear. We brought everything up to the car rental place where Scott and Rob got in line and the rest of us went off to eat in the food court.

When we got back, they had just reached the service desk. Due to a mess up on the car rental agency’s end (of course), we received a free upgrade to a Volvo wagon. It sounded big enough, but once everything was loaded in, Scott, Alex and Adam still had to sit in the back seat with one of the guitar cases across their laps! I, on the other hand, got the front passenger seat. Just the first example of how wonderfully I was treated all weekend! They even let me have the air conditioning on the whole 2 hour car ride… I, too, sneeze and get headaches from A/C, but it is a necessary evil when it’s hot!

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I’m working on an entry allll about my weekend at the South Country Fair with the Rob Szabo band. It’s very long and rambling so I don’t forget anything, and there are lots of pictures to sort, resize and upload. All will be here eventually! I had an awesome time.

So, until then, (a day or two at most) here are some cat pictures to tide you over.

Today the weather is soooo much better out there! It’s only about 25º C today, I’m wearing a spaghetti strap top, and fans are blowing all over my apartment. It is finally livable in here! Won’t last long, though… temperatures start inching their way up again on Sunday and into the 30’s again next week. I get all the late afternoon/evening sun blasting through my windows and my apartment becomes a sauna. Blech.

Tomorrow, however, is going to be a great day!! I’m meeting Rob at the airport as he drives in from Edmonton, and then his band’s flight arrives just after noon. I will finally meet Scott Cooper! (And Adam and Alex, but, it’s Scott I’ve been talking to for ages and am most excited to meet!) Then we all pile into the rental vehicle, which is supposed to be a station wagon or something big enough to hold all five of us, my wheelchair, and a couple guitars, drive out to Fort MacLeod, check into our hotel, and head out to the South Country Fair. The weather is supposed to be similar to here, so hopefully I won’t get too hot! At least the hotel has air conditioning I’m bringing lots of water, sunscreen, a little battery-operated face fan and some cooling ties. And, of course, a hat and sunglasses. Must be prepared! Rob doesn’t go on until after 10:00 pm, so it will be a long day. Luke Doucet will be there too, which means I’ll also see his wife, Melissa McClelland, which I’m very excited about. We’re probably all at the same hotel because it’s all organized by the Fair. Yeehaw!

On Sunday Rob has a couple songwriting workshop thingys (one with Luke, so I best be there!) and then I’m not sure how much longer we’ll stay. I think the plan is to drive back to Calgary and go for dinner before everyone has to catch their flights back to Toronto. Then I will come home and sleep for the next 20 hours.

I’m sooooooooo excited!! Wheeee!!

My clothes from eBay are arriving like crazy. Every day is Christmas! I’ve received everything I ordered from Holy Clothing, and I have to say, these are the most beautiful articles of clothing I have ever seen, owned, or worn. I highly recommend that store and their clothing. Gorgeous. I still have lots to come, and lucky for me some get stuffed in my mailbox, or if I have to go to the post office, at least there are different people working every day, so no one thinks I’m nuts. I haven’t had to pay any customs fees, so that is a relief!

Oh, I decided that the white cotton Gypsy dress I got, that is soooo gorgeous, would make the perfect wedding dress to get married, barefoot, on a beach in Hawaii (or Mexico, I’m not picky). Sometime this winter, maybe? There, I put it out there, now it’s up to the Universe to bring him on over.

So, I mentioned the other day that my Quantum Release Therapy is really working. It is! My last session was the best so far. After Kevin was so frustrated the week before that, because energy was blocked and he couldn’t get through, he was a happy camper last week. So was I! Energy was flowing like crazy and even I felt the tingling. Kevin had to keep stopping to take a deep breath and let it out, which he has never had to do before (and no, it wasn’t just for show!) These are the little improvements I have noticed:

• My right hand opens easier and isn’t clenched into a fist as often; it’s definitely more relaxed;
• My right foot isn’t dragging like it was before, and I can wiggle my toes a bit;
• I get up from my recliner a LOT easier, no struggle, first try;
• My balance is improved so that I’m not losing it when simply standing still (as often);
• My attitude about myself, my body, my weight, and all the emotional crap that used to get to me has turned around;
• I feel as though my energy has shifted, as in, it’s lighter and I’m feeling so much better. If it wasn’t so hot, I’d feel a lot better.

My hope is that I at least get back to the state I was in before the botched surgery, the broken wrist, and the gallbladder surgery, all of which accumulated to make my mobility and MS symptoms so much worse. I’d be so happy to be able to head out regularly with just my cane and not need my walker. Pat the Psychic swears I’m not going to need it, and Kevin so much as dared me to “skip it” for a day, but I guess I’m too chicken at this point. I don’t feel THAT balanced yet. Plus, the weather has been so hot, I can’t really experience my improvements normally until it cools down. I feel like I’m living in a bowl of hot soup, and that intensifies the bad stuff!

Karate Kitty!

Water, cordless phone, remote control, cute cat. All set for the night!

I’ve been working on this off and on over the past few days, as time and heat in my office permits (nights are a lot better! Too bad I’m not a night owl). I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it tonight.

This is my first attempt at creating and editing a video in Windows Movie Maker. I’m quite proud of it! Could be better, but hey, I learned a lot, so the next one will be better. Next up, I’ll do one for Pepper.

ETA: There is music - so turn up the volume, or wait until you’re not at work to view it

If we weren’t in the middle of a heat wave that has turned my apartment, particularly my office, into a sauna, I would be able to sit here for a long time and write a real update. I would be able to tell you about how well my Quantum Release Therapy is going now and the improvements I’m noticing. I’d be able to tell you about how my mom spent the weekend here, and despite the heat, we managed to clean out and organize my closets. I’d be able to tell you about my shift in attitude about myself and my body. I’d be able to tell you that most of my windows are now covered with tinfoil and how attractive that is from the outside. I would be able to tell you about all my new Ebay clothes that have arrived, how much I am looking forward to this weekend, and how cute my cats are (because you never hear that).

However, there shall be none of that talk, because it is just too hot and I can’t sit here for long; I need to lay down with a fan blowing directly on me 234536546757 times/day. I need an air conditioner… there are only so many trips to the mall a woman can take.

In the meantime, here is a video of the Polyjesters from the Lilac Festival in May. It’s a part of their performance of St. James Infirmary (I love it when Jason does the Louis Armstrong impression!) and I get a kick out of the drunk dancing lady.

I am long overdue for an update. Truth be told, nothing exciting is really going on these days so I haven’t had much to write about. So I’ll take notes:

• I’ve replaced getting a latte at the mall with getting Yogen Fruz (nonfat w/bluberries & strawberries), at least for the summer. It’s yummy and refreshing, healthier, cheaper, and I still have my lattes at home so it’s not like I’m missing anything.
• MyEbay clothing purchases are starting to arrive, and so far I am loving everything I bought! I highly recommend Ebay for clothing, especially us plus-sized gals who don’t have the easiest time finding cute things at good quality and prices most of the time. I’ve never seen anything like most of the stuff I’m getting in a store here! This dress was $20 including S&H and is absolutely gorgeous in person.
• Pita has broken two of my best mugs in the past two weeks.
• Pursuit of Happyness is an awesome movie; Jiminy Glick is not. And it had so much potential, if it stuck to “small-time talk show host makes it big and now gets (hilarious) interviews with major celebs”, instead of that whole murder/mystery/David Lynch plot.
• Tomorrow is quite possibly my final Quantum Release session. Kevin told me last week that there is some major emotional blockage he can’t get through, and he’s not sure he will be able to, so no sense in wasting my time and money. I think I may know what he is talking about, and if it is that, I want it to stay repressed forever, I don’t want to remember it! Other than that, I am very happy with my QRT and how much better I feel emotionally, and I hope it rolls over to better improvement in my physical health over time.
• Last time I saw Kevin, Pat the Psychic was at the front desk and I asked her, “so, how am I doing, Pat?” She said I’m doing really well, that I’m releasing a lot of anger and she honestly does not see me with a walker. I demonstrated my walking to her and how I do need the walker, and she brushed it off with a “don’t worry about that - I don’t see you with it. You won’t need it.” I hope she’s right! She also said “July 21 is a really big day for you! Very eventful.” I asked, “eventful, how?” And she answered “For your heart! Really good day for your heart.” July 21 is the day Rob Szabo is here and I’ll be meeting Scott Cooper in person for the first time (we’ve been chatting online for eons). Rob, Scott, the band and myself are driving out to Fort MacLeod for the South Country Fair. You bet your ass it’s going to be a great and eventful day! And when I see Rob and meet Scott, my heart will explode, so there ya go.
• I’ve been doing my usual weekly trips to the chiropractor, meals out with the folks, my brother coming over to help me out with cleaning and shopping, work, etc.
• My brother is coming over tonight, and this weekend my mom is coming to stay with me. Our projects include dying my hair and cleaning out my closets. I need to make room for that new wardrobe I’ve got coming, bit by bit, in the mail. I have a feeling my next Ebay adventure will be selling a bunch of my own clothes I no longer wear!
• My friend Michelle is leaving for Vietnam tomorrow. So last night we went out for dinner and then over to Starbucks for beverages and hung out for a few hours, to get some social time in before she leaves. Have a great trip, Michelle!
• Our weather is SO HOT these days. This weekend we are expecting temperatures around 31-33º C (high 80’s, low 90’s F) which may not sound like DEATH, but it seems so much hotter. Must be the global warming thing. Anyway, it’s great for the tourists who are here for the Calgary Stampede to know that we don’t really live in igloos in Canada.

Anyway, that’s about it. I’ve forgotten any little anecdotal stories that may go along with any of that, or can’t be bothered to type it all out because it’s too hot in my office and I want to get back to my fan in the living room.

I’ll be back for a real chat when it cools down in here! (Bob brought me some sun reflecting paper for my office window that should be up either tonight or by the weekend. Hopefully that helps!)

“What can I break?”

“What can we break?”

Aw.

Sometimes I steal captions because I can’t think of my own.

Happy Independence Day, American readers!

I think I’m pretty much healed up from Saturday. Today is the first day I can get up from a chair without my quads screaming in pain, and it doesn’t hurt much to touch my nose. Seriously, my quads felt like they had done 100 million billion squats! To which one friend responded, “well, that’s GOOD!” But - uh - no.

Yesterday I went and signed the papers for my rent subsidy. I am very happy about this. I just hope I actually put the money towards credit card debt and not spend it all buying clothes on Ebay. I spent some money there last night, my first time Ebay shopping, and I could not believe the deals I found!! It was hard to stop, until you realize, hey, this is real money that will be withdrawn from your bank account within a couple of days, so, STOP. I’m getting loads of summery dresses and tops for about $200 (including shipping) and I found a new favourite store - Holy Clothing. I hope their stuff looks as nice in person as it does on the site! As I mentioned last entry, it is time to clean out my closets. No more new clothes for me, for a long time!

AH called and burst my bubble about it, though. I was gushing about my great deals (like this top, for 99 CENTS, and with shipping it was still only $9.00 CDN) and he reminded me that when you buy merchandise from the U.S., you are often charged by Canada Post or UPS or however they are shipped for taxes, brokerage fees, customs crap or whatever. ARGH! I forgot about that. Once I ordered a T-shirt online for $12.95 and had to pay $16.00 just to pick it up from the post office. Damn. I hope that part doesn’t break me!!

Last time I went to see my doctor, I asked him for a referral to the Clinic for Mind/Body Medicine. I finally received a call from them the other day, and you know when they can get me in? June 2008. That’s NUTS! I can’t believe the waiting lists we have here. I can only imagine how long the waiting list is for the other place I requested a referral to, which hasn’t even called me yet.**

I FINALLY took my camera and USB cord in to get looked at today. At first they treated me like a dimwit who knows nothing about her camera… “you need to load the software onto your computer”… “is the battery charged?” before they realized that I have been using my camera for months and know how to, I just need to know if it’s the camera’s fault or the cord’s fault that it suddenly stopped being “recognized” by my computer. I already checked my USB port with my scanner, so I know it’s not my computer.

Turns out it was the cord’s fault, and they asked me why I even use the cord, when I could get a Card Reader for cheaper. The cord came with the camera, and now that I have to wait possibly weeks to get a replacement, I picked up a card reader. So I was able to finally transfer everything off of my camera, but I still prefer the cord. The card reader’s plastic coating makes it too big, and I either have to unplug my mouse or keyboard to plug it in the back, and also, I don’t like having to get down on my hands and knees to fiddle with the back of my computer every time I want to transfer images. Screw that. I like my cord, it’s longer and I can keep it plugged in all the time.

Therefore, I can start uploading newer photos and video. You’re welcome.

**I called them. “In 6-8 months you will receive a letter letting you know how long the waiting list is to get in at that time… I can’t even begin to tell you how long it is now…” Sigh.

Is that… uh… uh…

A DOG?!?!

Perhaps the dog chewed off Pepper’s front legs?

Lots to ramble on about today! For starters, the wonderful Maggie tagged me as one of her favourite Female Bloggers who Rock. Awww, thanks Maggs! Now I have to list five Female Bloggers who Rock. These women have amazing blogs/journals that I click on daily, hoping for updates.

Robyn - I’ve been reading Robyn for so many years, I feel like I know her. She inspired me to get Pita and Pepper and take buttloads of photos of them! She’s a crazy cat lady who lives in Alabama and has a zillion cats, plus fosters baby kittens, volunteers at the pet store, helps out the no-kill cat shelter, etc. etc. She recently moved to this awesome house in the country and now they have chickens, too. Robyn does more before 9:00 am than I do all day.

Shauna, a.k.a. Dietgirl - I started out reading Dietgirl several years ago, and eventually found her other blog as well. Now she is famous (many magazines/papers have written about her because of her huge weight loss) so she can no longer keep the two identities separate! Shauna has transplanted herself from Australia to Scotland, found herself an adorable husband, lost oodles of weight, and is an inspiration to everyone. She’s funny as hell and I can’t wait for her book!

Kate Harding - A recent find and fast favourite. She talks mainly about feminism and Fat Acceptance. She really knows her stuff. She is smart, funny and awesome.

Jane - Damn, this woman is a riot to read. She’s a working mom and wife, living in Kansas. That may not sound like much excitement, but you’d be surprised. Her writing is spectacular and she has a huge following for good reason!

East Side Girl - Also a fairly recent find. Sometimes her posts are only a sentence long, but they say all that needs to be said. She has a way with words like no other, and is what a blogger is supposed to be!

I don’t think any of these ladies read me (Robyn does, but probably just for the cat videos haha) so I don’t expect them to know I tagged them. I just wanted to mention them because they are all amazing and you should all be reading them regularly.

I mentioned awhile back that I ordered myself a Twister Sweeper. Can I just say, if you’ve ever wondered if the items you see advertised on TV work as well in real life, you can be assured that this one works BETTER. It is the absolute most amazing thing ever invented. It’s light as a feather, picks up anything and everything, works on carpet and floors, great for picking up spatters of cat litter without needing to pull out the vacuum, gets that broken glass right away, no dust pan needed, easy to empty… and if you’re prone to dropping your bottles of pills on the floor and watching them spatter all over your 70’s yellow camoflauge linoleum which hides everything you drop (and really, who isnt?), you’ll be glad to know you can run the Twister Sweeper across the floor once, remove the bottom and then pick out your pills in about 20 short seconds. My mom loves hers too, my brother uses mine and wants one, and my mom’s co-worker decided to get one after my mom brought hers in to work because vacuums are so darn heavy. Honestly, if you have so much as considered getting one, if you hate dragging out the heavy vacuum all the time, if you have pets, (great for cat hair too), if you hate trying to sweep into a dustpan… just GET ONE.

Shoes. Shoes and boots. And sheets and towels. Next on my list of things to sort through and donate what I can. Clear up some closet space and get real about the shoes I actually DO wear (Crocs and a few select others) and the ones I don’t or can’t (anything with a heel or laces). Also, bedroom closet. It’s overstuffed again. It happens so quickly!! If I would just stay ONE SIZE for awhile, perhaps this would not happen…

Reasons why yesterday sucked:

1. I cut my leg while shaving. Usually, a little nic in the shower while shaving is no big deal and all you need to do is put some pressure on it for a second and it stops bleeding. These ones were cuts in several places (because me and left handed dexterity while shaving are not best friends) and WOULD NOT STOP BLEEDING. After a couple hours I finally gave in and put bandaids all over my cuts before heading out with my friend Pam.
2. At the restaurant, we sat on the patio in those cheap plastic flimsy green patio chairs. Now, when I get up from a chair, I am quite rough on it - pushing and pressing hard on the left arm because that’s just how I have to do it. This chair did not take kindly to that, and the left leg started breaking underneath me. Pam tried to save me from falling on my ass, but she is all of 100 pounds soaking wet and I’m a big girl, so two people from a nearby table ran over and helped, and eventually we got me up to being seated on my walker. I had to sit there and catch my breath for a few minutes… get over the embarrassment and give my legs a rest. They worked very hard trying to keep me from falling and are sore as hell today! Pam tried to make me feel better by insisting those chairs are pieces of crap and it had a bit of a crack in it already, and just needed that push I gave it to break down. I choose to believe her.
3. We went to Starbucks after dinner. Last time I was there I sat in a big cushy chair and had no major problem getting out of it by myself. I was about to sit in the same chair, when two people came along and sat at that exact table. So I chose the one beside it, with two different styles of cushy chairs, and the second I sat down I thought, “I’m not gonna get out”. Way too low. I drank my latte and didn’t worry about it until it came time to leave. I struggled to get up, and I just could not. Pam was going to help me, but again, tiny person! A woman at a nearby table asked “do you need some help?” and I said “yeah, actually, I do” and she came over. Her and Pam helped lift me up from my right arm while I pushed on the chair with my left. Done deal, easy enough. But still… all attention on you when half the customers are helping you get out of a freakin’ chair.
4. By the time I got home, my legs had pretty much given out on me. I settled in to watch a movie (Stranger Than Fiction - I really liked it) but when I got up to go to the bathroom, I stumbled and fell forward against the sink, basically landing on the top of my nose between my eyes, on the edge of the medicine cabinet that is just above the sink. It hurt like HELL. I bawled like a baby and sat back down with an ice pack and sniffled. Now I have a lovely, sore red bump there. And my legs hurt like hell, have I mentioned that?

Now, to put a positive spin on the evening, I have to point out that Pam was gracious and wonderful, and wasn’t the least bit embarrassed to be with me; it was great to get out with her; the weather was nice; the food at the restaurant and the latte were delicious; I didn’t fall and break anything, and I certainly could have broken my nose in the bathroom if I’d landed a little differently, yet I DID NOT; I really enjoyed my movie; my friend Shawna called from Winnipeg. So, not all bad. Plus I have cute cats.

OH! Biggest, bestest News of the Week. I finally heard back from Calgary Housing and they are going to subsidize my rent! I’m part of a new program in which my actual suite is not becoming a subsidized unit, but I as a person am subsidized. So I pay my regular rent and Calgary Housing sends me a cheque every month to help out. It basically cuts my rent in HALF, which is awesome!! I sign papers on Tuesday and it goes for a year before I’m reviewed again. So the only downside is, if my rent goes up within the next year, (which it most likely will), the amount of my cheque will not until I am reviewed again. I’m okay with that, because it will still be more than I had before.

Oh my goodness, this is long. So I’ll end it. But not before saying Michelle and I saw Emm Gryner on Thursday night, and she was wicked-awesome.

Oh yeah, and Happy Canada Day!!