Seven Weeks After ACL Surgery

Doctor Lowe said I have the knees of a teenager.  I'm healing up nicely and should be back to at least endurance skating in January.  I still have some swelling and some bruising and my thighs are different sizes, though I don't think it's terribly obvious.  I'm doing physical therapy twice a week and I'm able to stationary bike and get on the elliptical and some basic squats and stair step things.  I have a little spot that remains numb and the scar isn't terrible, you can click on the pic and zoom in to see.  I'm able to get around pretty well and I no longer have to wear what affectionately became known as the iron maiden on my leg.  I'll get a smaller one just for exercising, late next week.

Steppin' Out Art Gala

November 3rd 2011 at the Houston Museum of African American Culture, the Steppin' Out Art Gala and Silent Auction.  

Sixteen out of two hundred and fifty artists showed and auctioned their work, proceeds went back to the museum.  Two pieces were chosen to represent Houston at Art Basil in Miami.  Al Saulso was the photographer selected and the artist selected was Rachel Stephens. The party was sponsored by Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and Bombay Sapphire Vodka who entertained us with masterful drinks all night.  There were lovely horderves too, though I never made it close enough to pick up anything other than a grape off the table, instead I just stole all the snacks Kiki had on her plate. Also, thank you Fred or Tiffany for taking the first picture (above,) I really adore it. 

I showed two pieces (below) and chose not to sell them, mostly because I like them and I want to keep them.  I think I also gave the worst interview in the history of ever, stuttering something about "liking the exposure because I liked it" or some such awfulness, oh wait... I should know I give bad interview and subsequently only offer them in writing (see "Certain Searches for Certain Subjects")  Later after a few drinks seeing all the art, I got quite obsessed with people's shoes.  I took about a dozen pictures of shoes, (maybe fancy shoe post coming.) I wish I'd taken more photos that made sense, but you add vodka into the night and suddenly I'm all magpied up and wandering around blathering about shoes. 

The dress I wore with the iron maiden on my leg

Hi Mom!

"Kiss" & "Prime Rib" by me

Sam, Kiki, Christine, & Erin

Tiffany & Fred

Sara

More beautiful people

My eyes are open!

Clapping for the winners

There's my name on the glass!

Gratis drinks

The band who's name I don't know

more pretty people

"Supertheory of Supereverything" - by Rachel Stephens

"The FBI is Hiring Con Men and Sell Outs" & "Ilham" - by Michael Carter

Fashion Emergency! Help, Advice Kneeded

On a whim I entered a contest I saw advertised on Facebook.  I picked a tiny drawing I liked and submitted it. You can still go vote for it here http://bit.ly/oYozZj  voting continues through 11-13-11 so you can keep going back every day and voting if you like.  This lead to an actual show at the Houston Museum of African American Culture.  I submitted two pieces. Bombay Sapphire Vodka Artisan Series is sponsoring the show and the afterparty in conjuction with the grand opening Gala of HMAAC.  It's a juried show and two artists will be selected to participate at Miami Basel this December.

These are the two pieces I submitted

06.02.11

04.24.11

They are from the Tiny Drawings series and the only way to appreciate exactly how small they are it to see them in person.

I think I'm going to go to the after party.  The question now is; what does one wear to her first show, down-town, in the Museum District, in the fourth largest city in the nation, where people are likely to be wearing sparkly evening gowns, and the party is thrown by a vodka company, and the prize is an entrance into the biggest art show in the country, and she is wearing a leg brace hip to ankle?  I mean really? What the hell do I wear? Do I get all Lady Gaga with it or just opt for a quiet little black dress cut very short?   One thing is for sure, high heels are out.

Frankenee

In which I talk about my surgery (not very exciting unless you've googled ACL injury/are about to have the same proceedure.)

The bone patellar bone ACL reconstruction surgery I had after the complete tear in ACL from playing roller derby, performed by Dr. Walter Lowe in Houston, TX, went very well.  I've relied on wonderful friends and neighbors to get through the first week despite my desire to do everything on my own.  So, if you're at this blog post for insight before you have it done,  please get someone to help you for the first week, you will need it.  I had the proceedure on Thursday I went back to the doc today and they gave me a 60° bend in my brace and unwrapped the gauze.  It feels wonderful to be able to bend it some and even better to have all the wrapping off.  It wasn't as scrambled as I expected it to look under there and I'm a week away from getting the stitches out and being able to have a good soak in the tub.  Here's what it looks like 5 days after surgery (today) while the brace is off.  You can click to embiggen.

Thank you Kiki, for going with
 and taking the gross photo.

The pain of the first two days after surgery are something to sleep through.  The physical therapy regime is full and difficult but will get me back up and going fast so I'm eager.  In an earlier post, I misspoke, I do have two screws in there, one will turn into bone eventually and the other is titanium and MRI/metal detector safe.  I'll keep posting the progress and the evolution of the scar that I don't think I'll mind.  I'm viewing it as one would view a tattoo, it's a permanent reminder of a time in my life that I loved (more on that later when I can wrap my head around my gratitude.)

Art Cars at Trader Village

From a low angle

 

Partly Sunny

Something Green

Because of the drought, there is a lawn watering restriction in effect.  I don't mind, it's less lawn maintenance when the grass doesn't grow.  Though playing in the yard worries me because it's not as soft and lush as I'd like.  Oh, the sad problems of the first world I deal with.  I hope for rain.

I only have one thing I do in the day that is imperative and scheduled.  I mean of course it's important to upkeep the household and the health and well-being of the children, but if I skip folding the laundry there is none to yell at me but me. My only Monday through Friday must, is picking up the kid and the neighbor kids from school in the afternoon. It only takes ten minutes, unless it rains.  On days it rains, apparently, everyone runs around the school asking each other if they should let the kids go or not, despite the form I signed that said "the kid will not melt in the rain, nor will she shrivel up in the cold and I'll let her outrun the tornado if need be, just let her go out the door at the end of the day" or something like that.

Today I stood under a tree in the school yard trying to shield the baby from the freak ten minute monsoon blowing through by wrapping my body around him and his shivering blue lips while the grade schoolers peered out the window and across the field at their waiting and drenched parents.  After which they only released kids to the parents who trashed their shoes trudging across the big field of mud, with baby in arms and mascara running down their cheeks like a Tammy Faye Baker.  Yes, there was more than one of us that said to each other while walking up to the school "Oh look at this freak little grey cloud." "Maybe it'll rain for five minutes or so." "This could be fun!" and "Shouldn't be too bad.  Good for the plants."  

***

Middle Class Problems
First World Problems
First World Problems Rap

Spider

I yelled over to the second lifeguard,

"There's a really big spider in the wading pool, can you get a net and come get it out?"

The young man took his time walking to the pool house to get the net while I was doing my best to corral my squiggly toddler to the non spidery end of the wading pool.  As he strolled over to us he rolled his eyes and sounding annoyed, asked me

"Where's the spider, lady?"

to which I replied

"Oh! You will see it when you get over here!"

When he dredged the water logged body of a three inch tarantula from the bottom of the pool he said

"Holy crap! I knew they lived here, but I've never seen a wild one."

We all peered into the bottom of his net looking at the furry little thing.  We beckoned lifeguard number one to stop watching the kids in the pool and come see it before he emptied the net into the garbage.  The drought has all sorts of wild animals venturing into populated places in search of water.

***

Story about Texas tarantulas during drought
Texas Drought: Fish to be rescued from River
Cattle Boom on Market
Drought Could Be Causing Uptick in Rabies Cases

These Boots Are Made for Taking the Garbage Out

We are cleaning the entire garage this weekend. I have to. I don't think I can sleep until I do. I took the garbage out last night through the garage and saw a cockroach so big that it made a noise when it ran. It stopped skittering across the floor for a moment and turned to look at me, it's little arm throwing some sort of gang sign at me; it's other little arm grabbing its crotch, all the while yelling "What what! These are MY wet boxes motha fuckah!"  Had I a can of Raid, I'm sure I coulda popped a cap in his ass, but all I had was a longish t-shirt barely covering my bum, a bag of tasty garbage and flip flops. I could have stepped on it, except I had the feeling that I would have felt it's little cockroach muscles flex through my squishy, wimpy, foam flip flop pushing back against my foot and then I'd have to flex my toes into the floor to actually squish it. I couldn't do it. I just slowly backed my way out the side door to the garbage can where I fought off the urge to run and turn over the whole house, furniture, kids, food and dog to the roach. Instead I'm fighting back, armed with various chemicals, a broom and big black boots, every box gets put away, every hunk of garbage is going out and every unwelcome animal obliterated.

Danger

My pal Kiki, over at I Still Hate Pickles posted today about the wildfires and it got me thinking about what I wish I'd grabbed when we started over in Texas.  George Bush Park was on fire last night, right in the midst of Houston.  The smell of smoke hung heavy and ash rained down over our dry dead grass and brittle pine needles.  I realized, while sitting atop a giant pile of kindling, of all the things I left in Illinois that I wish I kept, a hose might be trump.

***

Heart Attack Jack has the uncanny ability to find the most dangerous thing in the room.  This morning he climbed the stairs to Ella's lair of pink, sparkly, fluff and found the single thumb tack residing in the corner of a night stand drawer and decided it looked pretty tasty.  As I found him teetering down the stairs with a tack in his mouth, I decided that he would make a good bomb squad member, he'll be able to immediately find explosives with his special danger-senses.  

Texas Fires

There was a haze in the air this morning and the smell of smoke. I found a lovely sunrise and no fire out the window but turned the news on anyway to make sure Ella had school. They are evacuating Magnolia. The fire is moving South-East with the wind and some schools are cancelled, not ours. I closed the windows, turned on the fan and let it filter.

The Seventeenth Floor

I went to physical therapy yesterday and it was glorious. I hadn't straightened my knee out in a week. I was convinced it was locked and there was an obstruction. There wasn't. After an hour of exercising and stretching I was able to get it almost straight and am working on a regime of stretches and squeezes to get full range of motion back. Next, I see the orthopedic surgeon. They say ALC surgery is an art. I want the Rembrandt of Joint Surgeries working on mine. I did a little lopsided celebratory dance when I found he was in network. I see him on Tuesday afternoon. His office is downtown on the seventeenth floor. I've never had an appointment on a floor higher than four before. One day I will take the stairs to his office.

First Trip Around the Sun

Fragile

I’m packing things up today. For the first time ever we’ve hired movers. As I pack for the third time in eighteen months and realize how tired of schlepping things from place to place I am, broken things I meant to glue or sew are getting tossed, little slips of paper that remind me of something that normally would get hoarded away into a nook or the bottom of a desk are going away. I am tallying the last eighteen months as I put it all into boxes again and I keep just marking FRAGILE on everything.

The Bombadee Report

We are moving again. This time from the coast, inland and my address will officially be Houston, TX instead of a the little town next to Houston, TX. We found a house we like and so we're packing up for Christmas and moving the week of the 27th. We'll miss the kids at the apartments, but we've had over 25 days (not in a row) with either no water or no hot water and just after Thanksgiving I hit my limit of broken pipes in the complex and called a realtor. It was when I just changed a particularly messy baby and turned to wash hands to find the water just off, with no warning. At that moment I decided that even camping would be better because at least I would have water.

The new house has 4 bedrooms (so ya'll can come visit) hard wood floors, a two car garage, and is about five houses down from the neighborhood pool and toddler splash pad. It's twenty minutes from Dan's job and the skate rink and forty-ish minutes to downtown Houston. It's an hour and twenty to the beach. We'll have big trees and bike paths and I'm sure all new kids to play with and best of all, we'll be closer to everyone we know in Houston. Somehow, every friend we've made through work, gaming or derby have all been Northsiders. So yay for being able to visit people without the hour drive.

I don't think I have enough furniture to fill the new space. We really paired down for apartment living so 2011 will bring with it furniture shopping and auctions. I need a couch, bar stools, some patio furniture, a grill (is that furniture?), a chair, a china hutch and maybe a few rugs. Oh, and a washer and dryer but that's really less exciting than couch shopping (Craig's list.) Then when we get there I have to get the Kid registered for school, plan a birthday party, find an exterminator, and a lawn guy and get ready for my first away game since 2009.

The Extra Special Super Duper Seventh Birthday Sleepover Extravaganza will take place all at the new house. We're going with traditional cake, ice cream, balloons and party games and then her best pal will sleep over. My first baby is turning seven. There will be more on this later.

I've joined the Houston Roller Derby Knockouts, we're a travel team but not THE travel team (The HaRD Knocks.) At the beginning of January we're going to Baton Rogue to play against Red Stick Roller Derby. I'm pretty excited about it. We decided instead of schlepping the whole family out for one night, just I am going to to with my team mates. On top of moving to the new place, it's the best Christmas present ever. Yes, sometimes a woman, a mom, and full-time housewife who loves her family dearly, enjoys time off. Thank you Husband.

Texas Skies

When we drove into Texas in the moving truck I said "Everything really is bigger here." I was so inspired I started a series of paintings revolving around Texas Skies (I haven't finished the first one yet*.) Well, I'm not the only one who is in love with the skies around here, my pal over at I Still Hate Pickles is starting a wonderful project called Texas 365. She's posting 365 Texas Skies, and is asking for participants from wherever you are in the world. You just post a sky on Friday and link up & put a comment on her blog. Ok, ok as usual I'm late.

On the way to practice Saturday morning, taken with my phone.

*Promises to post the painting when it's done.

Downtown Aquarium in Houston

We managed to get ourselves dressed and fed and ready by the crack of noon. We drove into the city for an afternoon at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston last weekend. We pulled into parking ($6.00) and found the third spot empty and waiting for us which was wonderful because the temp had already climbed to a sweltering ‘melting any ambition you felt in the air conditioning into a puddle of goo.’ We approached the aquarium and were delighted with the fountains and waterfalls kiddo exclaiming “Wow! I’ve never seen a waterfall off of a building before!” Dan and I stood in line while the spray from the big waterfall rained on us, we were pleased, cooled and excited. We bought the all day adventure pass ($15.99) so we could do everything, ride the train, the carousel, the gondolas, and anything else we hadn’t seem yet.

The aquarium was cool and dark and the fish beautiful. We wandered in and out of the exhibits staring at all the creatures. In comparison, it’s much smaller than the Shedd in Chicago however it didn’t have that aquarium smell. The same smell you experience in a small pet shop. I even commented to Dan about how clean and fresh it was and he agreed. This you’d think wouldn’t matter that much but a good smelling aquarium allows one to linger and let the kid watch the Blue Tangs for as long as she likes without feeling like you’re breathing grossness. It also wasn’t terribly crowded for a Sunday afternoon. We were able to walk right up to the glass at every exhibit and though Kiddo could have she didn’t opt to pet the sting rays or the house shoe crabs.

Next we entered the cool tunnel leading up to the white tigers who upon rounding the corner, we found wrestling on the floor not five feet in front of us behind glass. This was the first time we had a hard time seeing through a group of people so Dan lifted Kiddo high onto his shoulders. They are beautiful tigers and their little apartment behind the glass is immaculate. After a few minutes the crowd thinned and we were able to sit and watch the big cats lounge before heading out into the midway where we hopped onto the carousel without waiting. Kiddo road a lovely little seahorse and I a shark and the breeze from the ride cooled us. We managed to work up quite and appetite and before we rode anything else we decided to walk a little and have some lunch. So I asked and employee where to have lunch, of course he suggested right there but I explained the aquarium was only serving drinks and horderves in their restaurant and we wanted lunch. He pointed towards the Hard Rock Café next door and said there were restaurants that direction.

We walked a block and found the Hard Rock Café and some fancier places, I glanced at them as we strolled past and saw one had $45.00 entrees listed on the menu posted on the glass. Though I would’ve like sushi, Kiddo was calling for macaroni and cheese so we resigned ourselves to the Hard Rock discovering it was loud even at lunch. This is when I considered the fact that I might be old and fought back the urge to say to our very nice server “Cripes sonny! Is it always this loud in here? Can’t we turn this rock noise down so we can get a word in edgewise?” I didn’t, instead I bopped along munching nachos to “I’m Gonna Be” by the Proclaimers, who proclaimed they’d walk 500 miles feeling old. After recharging we headed back to the aquarium to ride the Gondolas and train.

The Gondola ride was a bit of a wait, and since I wasn’t expecting to be outside so much I began to worry for Kiddo’s skin. I didn’t smear her up with sunscreen that morning expecting we’d be mostly indoors, so I stood between her fair skin and the sun and the three minutes it took to get us boarded felt like ten. It was neat to reach the top and see out over the highway and try to guess what each building was, and again we liked the breeze the ride offered. It’s an opportune place to take pictures with the city as a backdrop. We almost left at this point and then Dan reading the map of the park realized we hadn’t seen the sharks yet and the way to do that was to stand in the long line for the train. I groaned, but we cued up and stood there dripping sweat waiting our turn and thankful to at least be in the shade for the wait. It turned out to be worth it, we rode into a little air conditioned tunnel and watched gobs of sharks swim over and next to us. Cameras snapped and when we’d had our memory cards full, the little train chugged on back where the kids next to the fountain squirted us in fun with water.














Upon Kiddo’s request we did one more trip through the aquarium revisiting the fish we liked best and discovering an African Grey who delivered a hearty wolf whistle at Kiddo garnering him the title of her “favorite animal at the aquarium bedsides the white tigers.” I liked the jelly fish, I could sit and watch them all day laze about the water. We were also able to meet the Eurasian Eagle Owl that resides there and the staff answered some hard questions about why the owl was big and had so many feathers from my five year old. Perhaps when Kiddo is older I’ll send her to one of the summer camps and she can feed the tigers and learn about animal rescue one of the many occupations she insists she will do (next to cowgirl, actress and helicopter mechanic.)