Some Fabric Notes

Ugh, let's not even get started on how I feel, okay?  I have a zulu of a cold (see: 12 Angry Men) and I currently can't taste anything but I'm so hungry.  Why would my body do this to me?  Because it's mean, that's why.  I still can't trust it.

Anyway, just a few things.

Yay!  Heather Ross Far Far Away III!  I could only afford 1/2-yard of each of the fabrics shown because the prices are insane, but worth it.  What should I make?  I'm still on the fence about having kids, and I'm convinced I'll only get boys (curses!), so I'm hesitant to make something and put it away.  Any ideas?  Truth be told, I'll probably just make Ice Cream tops out of them and call it a day.  

Shameless, free promotion: I bought the Girls with Horses print at Pink Chalk Fabrics, and the other three are from Alewives Fabrics.  I love Alewives because Rhea, the owner, is pretty much living out my dream, owning a fabric store with her mom and being awesome.  Sigh.  One day.

Also, in an effort to make myself feel better, I took advantage of the Ann Taylor Loft sale online last week.  Did you know that I have, like, five different sizes from that dumb store in my closet right now, and they all fit?  Tell me, how does that make sense?

That's me at the office today in my new embellished linen shift.  I love linen but it'd be so much better if it wasn't a mess as soon as I sat down.  I don't know where that pimple came from, because it wasn't there when I was doing my make up this morning.  Anyway, I just wanted to show off the beading.  Full disclosure: I was totally wearing Spanx under that (I said it fits, not that it fits well!  Or maybe it fits a little too well...)

Anyway, I've gotta figure out what to eat that won't make me feel bad for missing out on the taste.  Oatmeal?  Lame.

Repent!

Ugh, I'm so sorry it's been forever.  Last week was the kidney infection, and just as my insides were starting to feel good again, I came down with Nick's cold.  So I've been dealing with a sre throat, hurty eyes, headaches and sinuses that just won't stop.  All in the middle of summer!  Aren't I lucky.

Subsequently, not a whole lot has been going on.  I did throw out tons of produce yesterday--we bought it the weekend I got the kidney infection and I didn't feel like eating for almost an entire week--including two pints of cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, limes, a cucumber that was actually growing mold, potatoes that smushed in my hand...it's really sad and I feel awful when that happens, but I just didn't feel good.  Now we have no produce and I'm not going to Safeway until this weekend, dammit.

I haven't sewn in a few weeks either.  Either I haven't had the energy or I haven't had the motivation, but both are linked to the awful insides I've had lately.  I finally sat down and read a pattern last night (for the Oliver + S Playdate dress, if you must know), and I'm hoping to work on it this weekend, but, sigh, I'm just tired, you guys!  I've had a lot of work to do lately and very little sleep and I'm just not feeling it.

Anyway, so right now my mind is on the near future.  We're trying to decide what to do for Thanksgiving and Christmas, because Nick won't have the time to go home for both holidays.  I'm hoping someone will make it up here for one of the holidays and we can go home for the other, but people in Florida are just so unwilling to leave!  (Dad.)  (This is all guessing, but I'm also guessing I'm right.)  I'm also trying to narrow down Christmas presents, as I'd like to make something for everyone.  However, how will that play into the spending limit, if there is one, and will everyone think I'm lame?  Most likely.

As you can see, you haven't missed much.  One last note: if you have a ton of cherries you don't want to throw out (yay, I saved something!), make this.  I didn't use sour cherries, just bing, and I made it in an 8 x 8 pan so it's a bit fluffier and more like coffee cake.  Delicious!  Nicholas has banned me from taking any to work because he said he wants to eat it all.  So far, he isn't doing a bad job.

Have a great 4th!  Tell me exciting stories!

Why I no longer trust my body

Since my last post, a few things have happened.  I had a great weekend, bought a pair of madras shorts, and Nick tried the lobster roll at Panera.  (I know, it sounds weird, and it kinda was.  Instead of a butter sauce there was remoulade.  Ew.)  But I also got a bad kidney infection.  I've never had one before, so this is new, very scary territory for me.  Sunday afternoon I was nauseous and just thought maybe my Kashi Heart to Heart breakfast was bad?  It was a stretch, but I didn't have another explanation.

Sunday night I went to bed early, after suffering on the couch.  I had a fever, chills, extreme nausea and couldn't explain any of it.  I was freaked out and scared.  Yesterday morning, at 4 AM, I woke up and felt like I was dying.  Everything hurt.  I looked up the symptoms, and all signs pointed to a kidney infection.  It also said I needed immediate medical assistance, so of course I worried that waiting the 12 hours or so since the first sign of symptoms would surely lead me to the grave.

I lied awake until 6, when I woke Nick up.  He was tired and also didn't feel good, so he was less than sympathetic, though at 6 AM, it's hard to be anything but pissy.  I talked to my mom, drove Nick to work, and after finding out my usual doctor didn't treat them, got an appointment with another doctor, who confirmed my suspiscions: it was a kidney infection, and it was bad.

So I'm still suffering.  I'm taking antibiotics but they haven't kicked in yet (or they haven't kicked in enough).  I worked from home yesterday and left early today because I had felt like I was going to keel over since about mid-morning.  I barely have an appetite thanks to this, so I can count on one hand what I've eaten in 48 hours.  I'm hot and cold, nauseous and fine, and today, I was pretty sure my right kidney was heading for the hills, because something in there was kicking its way out.

I heard that kidney infection pain is on par with early labor pain, and honestly, that scares the crap out of me.  I just laid there and cried for hours yesterday, it was so painful.  Maybe this is the final adoption straw?

Here are some pictures from the weekend.  I'm sorry there are no kidney pictures--believe me, if there had been a sonogram, the pictures would be here.

The Nationals vs. Orioles game.  Nats won!

Dippin' Dots!  I don't even know the last time I had these.

Nationals Park

Nate, Nick and me.  Nate came up from base in Virginia Beach to join us at the game.

Giant-headed Abe Lincoln

Ben's Chili Bowl at Nationals Park (Nick's second lunch in 1 hour)

Abe and George, together at last.

The Geico Gecko, my personal hero.

District Taco in Arlington, VA.  I love this place!

Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD

Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD

Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD.  This is an old church that has been converted to law offices.  Irony.

Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD, and my ghost purse

Time to go rest.  Eleanor's a pretty crappy nurse, but she'll have to do until Nick gets home.

Purl Soho is the Plastics

The women at Purl Soho in New York make me feel like an unpopular teenager again, and I've never met them.

I read the Purl Bee and love love love everything they make, even if it's a little weird.  (I'm pretty sure my dad wouldn't wear monogrammed cufflinks, and I don't really want to make myself a garter, but I'm glad the options are there!)  And I always feel inadequate.  Remember how my last Purl project turned out?  Yeah.  What a mess.  And everything they do always looks so great!

For that reason, I feel like, if I were to meet them, I'd be totally in awe and they'd immediately cast me aside, like I'm back in middle school.  What?  You can't believe I was unpopular in middle school?  Well, let me tell you, red hair, the body of a twentysomething and five years' worth of braces do not equal happy teenage times.  Just trust me on that.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand, last night, famed Purl blogger Molly posted her version of the Lisette Traveler dress.  A dress I've never even considered.  And now?

I want it.



Source

 In all its Liberty Lawn glory, it's gorgeous and I'd bet it feels amazing.  I'd also bet a mere mortal attempts this dress (see: me) and it somehow makes her look even dumpier than a potato sack.  Hmph.

Anyway, you can read the rest of the glorious dress here.  God, why can't I be as cool as she?

Happy Friday, yall.

Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips

Please tell me you've tried these.  They're my absolute favorite.  In fact, I just spent $1.10 on a teeny bag of them in the cafe downstairs, and if I had actually thought about it, I probably could've bought a whole bag for that price while grocery shopping over the weekend.  Oh well.

I'm just really hungry, and when you're hungry, all logic goes out the window.

You know what else went out the window?  The plans for our anniversary.  They were cancelled before they even began.  So now I'm at a loss for what I should get Nick.  Do you think he'll accept dinner, cake and a tie and think it's the best thing ever?  Or will I be seen as a cheapskate?  I ponder as I fit an entire Sun Chip in my mouth. 

I also worked on the Sew Mama Sew Pretty Blouse last night.  It's free!  Why not!  Why not?  Because it makes me look like I'm six months pregnant.  That's why not.  Oh well.

This has been the longest week of my entire life.  I just want to be in bed.