Topaz

Big Changes

We had just been talking about this concept of being kid-like, and then things went all crazy and I got a kid, so I updated the board.

His schedule alternates, so he doesn't have every subject every day. I really like the idea- gives you time to marinate.

Yes, there is a lot more to his family, but all that was getting pretty wonky, and for the purposes of this form, it's a short and simply kind of answer, but... it still makes me verklempt.

Just driving. Listening to my iPod, cruising along, going somewhere.

This was my birthday! I invited the friends I hang out with regularly, so I took some crap from people I still love, but don't see that much. We did mini golf, but it is overwhelming with that many people, just FYI. They took all kinds of stupid pictures of me interacting with the course that I haven't seen and really, I hope it remains that way.

When we finally exhausted our quarters, we moved on to Flowing Tide to eat terrible food and drink beer. Alonso and his girlfriend showed up around 10ish, and everybody got to know Cristine and Kristen. It was a nice night.

Here I be at the Shakespeare Tahoe thingmabobber to watch Romeo & Juliet. It was really neat to be outside watching this, and the set and the lights were awesome, but the real scenery was prettier, so I was just oogling nature until it was too dark to see. Then I was struck by the play and how R&J Ant and Kirsten are. I felt just like all the adults in the play. What I'm learning is that it's not that I have forgotten how it feels to be a teenager. I do remember- it's just that something more important supersedes it. At least, it feels more important... are the concerns I have at the age I am now actually more important, or do they just feel more important? Will I continue to have contradictory changes of heart as I age? That feels like a poorly drafted Sex and the City question. Nevermind.

Homemade ice cream for dogs: Equal parts creamy peanut butter and plain Greek yogurt. Mix and divide into ice cube trays, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze. Dump cubes into plastic storage bag, keep in freezer. Dole out as needed. If your dog is a frigging vacuum cleaner, shove the treat into something that will prevent her from trying to swallow it whole.

Here's my new insulin pump. It's pretty exciting. I'm getting used to it, but it's definitely bizarre. The current challenge is figuring out where to put the pump. Short pockets will eject it, and the belt clip is susceptible to car door frames, gravity, and life. Working on it.

This damn dog is my little girl, and I just don't know what I'm going to do when she can't get around anymore.

Burner bikes!

I thought you might like to see some Burner bikes on their way to Burning Man.

Let me drive to SF real quick

During softball games, I was constantly absorbing the scenery. This didn't get it at all, but just try to imagine standing on the dirt, looking at that crisp outline of the hills and comparing that rich blue to the warm, baked yellow light on the field.

I offered, of course, to go pick up Amanda and Nataliia from the San Francisco airport upon their return from Ukraine. We parked along the Embarcadero and walked straight to the Hog Island Oyster Co., where we whined in line for a very long time to cram in at a tiny table and stuff our faces with some seriously amazing pork belly sliders. I also tried oysters. Apparently they are very good.

When I posted this on Facebook, I said it would be my new dating profile picture. I am probably not kidding.

Banana Jenga! I bet you didn't know there was a proper way to stack your bananas. You do now.

I know.

This was clearly not that night, but I have one more picture to show you, and this was in the way.

VODKA. I don't even know. One of them is basil. I think. So far, they deliver a swift kick in the pants. Also, I don't own a shot glass.

Old Friends and Girl Groups

Now that I am TWO MONTHS overdue, let me catch up on these blogs.

It was really nice to see Camille and Jesus (Hello!) and we ran around and did much talking, driving, listening to music, and sightseeing.

One day we walked around midtown, bought chocolate, and checked out an antique store. I turned the tag so you could see the inventive spelling.

We checked out the museum at the Nevada Historical Society and got lots of Camille & Jesus' questions about Reno answered, but not the one about why I was not allowed to try my luck on the giant slot machine.

One night we bought food and went to a drive-in movie theater. I think this was Noble Pie- is that right? Anyway, Jesus ordered the Hey Zeus. We saw Fantastic Four and Ant Man. Dad told me that I have surely been to a drive-in before, but not that I remember. That was pretty awesome.

Jesus' sister's wedding was in Tahoe, and I took this picture for Mom.

There was some smoke in the air, but it cleared up before the wedding.

We had plenty of vegan restaurant options for Jesus, and I tried lots of new things. I don't remember what this was, but it was very good, and the picture's not bad either.

As is customary in my world, I like to cram as much into a day as possible- the less realistic the goal, the better. Thankfully, Camille and Jesus were game. This was from our busiest sightseeing day. We stopped for chocolate at the Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory (I like car trips with people who have their priorities in order.), and sampled it out front before we got back in the hot car and slalomed up to Virginia City. I ate this for Mom (the sacrifices I make), because I would normally bypass caramel, but this sounded so good and she is so right. I ate some nuts beforehand to slow any spike, and I enjoyed every moment of this thing. The sign cracks me up, though, because no matter where you put the "LIGHT," it sounds silly. I'm pretty sure there's nothing light about this whatsoever.

Camille and Jesus are both big into history, so we were trying to hit as many interesting places as possible. Virginia City (and Gold Hill, Silver City) is a neat place to go look around. I'm giving you the breakneck slide show right now. Actually, that's what Camille and Jesus got too. It's hard- there are so many things I want to show visitors!

We stopped to look around as much as possible, but on this day, we had to get them back up to Tahoe by early evening, so we were moving pretty fast.

Because this was two months ago and I don't retain information well, I forget all the details about this house. What I do remember is that this top floor was used as some kind of meeting space, and the participants would use the stairs and climb through the window. That seems asinine, but that kept them from galavanting through the rest of the house.

This is the entrance to the house from the street above. So weird, right?

This is that staircase from the lower street.

Here's the front of the house. The stairs are to the right.

This is the rearview of several stores from the street below. From the front, they're all old timey and look much better. I like this view. I will say, though, that seeing the sagging balcony of a popular restaurant made me less inclined to eat outside.

Again, this was one day. I added up my miles when I got home. I tend to get a lot in when people come to visit, but this was impressive!

Camille and Jesus, it was really neat to see you- I'm so glad you were able to come out here. I think of our conversations often. I had a really good time, and I hope you did too. I'll have to figure out a way to get to Boston so you can show me around- even if it's at breakneck speed.

Camille, it was awesome to have you in my passenger seat again. I missed that a lot.

Until tomorrow

I miss black pepper popcorn immensely.
I love not needing to stab myself in the leg right before going to bed.
Tonight I had drinks and beer cheese with Sarah, then got a haircut, then found a longsleeve workout shirt at Kohl's that I immediately loved and decided to buy no matter the cost. (Though we all know that's bullshit- I'm not spending $40 on something to sweat in.) I tried on all kinds of things, and decided on that shirt and some clearance jewelry. With the sale, my coupon, and a $5 reward, I walked out of there for $7.50. Niiiiiiice. Then I ate popcorn and watched a movie.

I also accidentally ripped out my first sensor. I'm guessing the arm's not going to do for several reasons.

What's in here?

We're all like, "Oh, I remember this room!"

Technically not Saturday night anymore

Spent the day preparing for tonight's dinner. The obliger classification I got from the Happier podcast rings so true- can't clean up for me, but I'll work miracles to clean up for company. I'm so tired right now that  eyes are maybe more than hakdbdut. Ñ