What the...?

This has been a bizarre week.

My mother went into the hospital last Thursday to reattach things... she had surgery for diverticulitis in October and had some of her intestines and her colon removed. This surgery lasted for 2 hours longer than it was meant to, and her immediate recovery was not progressing as quickly as the doctors hoped.

She was in the hospital for about a week, and things seem to be going well now. I'm happy to announce that she is home now and doing well.

My niece was born on Tuesday. My sister-in-law had a really difficult labor and ended up having a c-section. She is doing okay now (physically) and will be released from the hospital on Sunday.

My niece, however, is still struggling with some medical issues. I don't know details (my brother and his wife are being very private about this), but she is in the ICU and is dealing with some serious problems.

I am amazed, being an aunt for the first time, how worried I am about her, and how much love I have for this child I have never met. I am hopeful her doctors will be able to help her (and her parents) and she will be able to go home soon.

In addition to family hospital drama this week, LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN SEATTLE YESTERDAY...

That's right, my friends, that is snow.

Am I repulsed? You betcha.

In other news...

I'm happy to announce today is the day my hedge will finally be shorn. My dear friend Tamara has organized a hedge chopping posse... because my arm is still (and chronically?) busted, she gathered a group of folks to come to my house and help me with yard work. Being that I am absolutely incapable of asking for help, I welcome the posse and am very thankful for Tamara's kindness!

And, yes, they will be working in the snow...

I'm an aunt!

I am pleased to announce the birth of my brother's first child, Charlotte. She was born this evening after 24+ hour labor and a C-section (my poor sister-in-law).

I am very excited to be an aunt (it's my first time) and I'm thrilled for my brother and my parents.

More later...

Hope you are all well.

The Single Gal goes to (another) wedding

The wedding this weekend was truly lovely. I have to admit that due to recent (medical) events I was a little grumpy about driving down to Oregon, but I sucked it up, traffic wasn't bad, and even if it was, I wouldn't have missed this wedding for the world; I had a spectacular time.

And I did not have a date.

I have gone solo to many weddings. Swingin' it on the solo side forces you to talk to people and I love meeting new people. A good thing, in my book.

Of course, there were hilarious self-imposed debacles over the course of the weekend. Let me bust them out...

1. I brought my dog with me to Oregon because I have begged too many people to dog sit for me in the past 3 months and I was too lazy to take Daisy to get her kennel shot. Therefore, with Daisy in tow, I got to stay not in the deluxe and fab locale of the wedding, but in lovely Travelodge. Which was surrounded by barbed wire. Daisy didn't like the Travelodge. She paced constantly, and if I left the room for one second, she FREAKED out. So, I had to sneak her into the NO PETS NO PETS NO PETS wedding campus. I told her to hide in the car.

2. I made a bad call on my shoes. They were totally cute and they matched my dress... The 9 (my usual size) was too tight, so I tried on the 10. It was dreamy (with my socks... um...duh) so I got the 10. One freaking second out of the car I had to take the shoes off. They were flying everywhere when I tried to walk. One literally flew across the parking lot. Good thing it didn't roll under the car. That would have sucked. So as a result, I learned a valuable shoe lesson -- actually, 2 -- don't buy shoes that are too big for you, and try them on with HOSE. That's why there is a bowl of footies....

3. There was no seating chart for dinner. At first, this caused me an immense amount of anxiety. Where do I sit, am I 11? I knew a few people there, but really didn't want to cling to the guy I dated 10 years ago and his lovely lovely (truly -- they are awesome) wife... so, I just threw my coat down on a random chair and called it good. I think that was the best way to handle it... and was WAAAAAAY better than being stuck with some lame lame yuck yucks at the "singles table" -- goobers a plenty slobbering all over themselves. Wait... am I one of them? Of course, this doesn't happen all the time, but it has and it has been painful. For hours.... I applaud the non-seating chart.

4. Dancing. Oh, the dancing. I love to shake a leg. I wouldn't say I am the most graceful (ha ha ha!), but dancing is fun as hell and I will kick it on the dance floor any time anywhere. I don't even need to be drinking ... unfortunately, my shitty and somewhat broken arm limits my dancing abilities these days, but I generally cannot be stopped. On Saturday there was a fair crop of people out dancing. Good times! I joined them. Whoo hoo! And then I suddenly realized that it was not a group dancing but COUPLE DANCING (to hip hop) and I was the only single person on the dance floor. I laughed about it for a second, then realized that I needed to get out of dodge.

And chatted up some new friends.

The wedding was beautiful, and I was so excited to be there with and for my friends. They are wonderful people, and I congratulate them and wish them all of the best from the bottom of my heart.




2.

Did I mention I got a new camera?

Daisy has had enough...

Some photos of the backyard

I got some really bad / annoying / frustrating news about my shoulder yesterday and I have resorted to shopping therapy and art making therapy... that is, until I figure out what to do next. What an ordeal... I hate car accidents.

So, yeah, I need to mow my lawn and rake the leaves and cut the fucking hedge... but instead I bought a new camera and took some photos of my lawn in its glorious disarray.

And the photos.

Daisy in action...A sign of spring...

My new bamboo windchimes... does this mean I'm zen?

A lilac bush pre-bloom...

I like my new camera.

Here's hoping you are well.

-- The Single Gal

I need to get out...

I drew this when I was 3. I think I was in church. My grandmother kept it. I wonder what it says about my past lives (or my current one)?

To me, today, this drawing says: I WANT TO GET THE FUCK OUT.

Coming off of the Finnish death plague which forced me to lie around my house for over 2 weeks, I have developed a new sort of plague -- cabin fever. I need to get out.

I need sunshine.

I need palm trees.

I need to not wear a coat.

Up here in Seattle, it needs to stop raining, I need to stop buying gifts for the home, and quit making gluten free brownies from Trader Joe's (they are good for you if you use applesauce, right?)

I've decided my goal for this week is to try to take a bike ride, (I NEED A BIKE RIDE) despite my busted arm and my screwed up back (gee, thanks again stupid lame ass fake blonde woman for t-boning me last summer! love ya!). I think a lovely bike ride might just be the ticket out of cabin fever hell.

Just don't tell my physical therapist.

Or my massage therapist.

Or my doctor.

Or my surgeon.

random photo slide show #1

My last post sounded completely bitter, whiney and l.l.pathetic.j.
So, to buck myself up, I present to you the inaugural random photo slide show.
Enjoy!
As per all of my posts... if you steal my photos, I will be mad.
And you do not want to incur the wrath of the Single Gal.

The flood gates open...

I called my friend the other day to say hello and chat about the what what. And suddenly, during our conversation, I started bemoaning my existence as a single woman. I had no idea I was holding in so much frustration, fear, anger, blah blah. And my poor married friend had to hear the brunt of it.

I suppose the flood gates opened because I had asked my friend to help me with some yard work (you know, the shoulder injury) and instead she decided to spend her weekend helping another random person (who she didn't know) move out of her house. Noble, yes. But I am her friend and I asked for help and she didn't help me. Even though she has been promising for 6 months that she would help me with my yard work.

I suddenly realized / remembered that I have plenty of friends who will lend a hand when it is convenient, but no one who I can count on. It's sad to know that I am not a number one person in anyone's life.

Sad, isn't it?

But, it's true. And I'm not being overdramatic. Just realistic.

So, of course, I can sit around and bemoan my existence, or I can do something productive. I may not be able to change my current circumstances, but I have the choice about how to react to them.

Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is, I'm tired. I have tried. Hard. A lot. I have dated a lot of people. I have been in a lot of relationships. I have tried a lot of different techniques / ideas / places to meet the right person, and nothing seems to be working. At the moment, I'm feeling very frustrated.

And, I'm in pain. The car accident recovery has been difficult. I can't really exercise. My arm hurts like hell most of the time. I'm going to have surgery. Being in pain is exhausting. I spend a lot of time at the doctor. It's not fun.

But, somehow, I am assured that I will be fine. Regardless of what happens, I know that I will be okay.

I know it. And I believe it.

On my recent trip to Finland: a tour of Vaasa

In 1992 I lived in Vaasa, Finland with a wonderful family. Amazingly, we've kept in close touch ever since; we've seen each other several times in the States, in Finland, in England. Talked on the phone, emailed, text messaged, and shared tragedy and joy with each other.

Over the course of 16 years, we have become family.

I went to Finland a few weeks ago for my dear Finnish sister's (Pia) wedding.

On the first full day I was there, the younger daughter (Nea) and I went to run some errands. We first went to the university where she is currently studying...

Please note: there is snow. There is ice. There are bikes. And people ride them. On the ice? And the snow? You've got to be kidding me.

The answer: snow tires. I don't know if you can see it from this photo, but there are studs (metal studs) on the bike tires.

I want some too.

This is student housing (don't you want to live here?)

And these are some shots from the center of Vaasa.

The next images are: a Lutheran church where I once went to Christmas Eve service, a government building, and the last image is of a pharmacy.

This is very similar to my Finnish family's house (it's right behind it - I took this photo from the kitchen window). The building to the right is the sauna.

This is an old church about a block away from my Finnish family's house. It was built in the 10th century? and burned in the 17th century. There are the ruins of an old school and other buildings near this church. I have been sledding here, in a black garbage bag. Good times.

This was an old church which became a town hall (or vice versa, I can't remember now). It's at the end of a long street lined with birch trees. It's really beautiful.

Next time I'll talk about the wedding...

Hope you are all well.

-- The Single Gal

On Facebook, part 2

My God! Cyber life is bizarre.

So, Mr. Beautiful is apparently in a relationship (as per the updated Facebook page) with someone else I know -- who is fabulous, by the way. I am really excited for both of them. Great pair.

Anyway...

I returned to work today after a week and a half of laying on the couch. It was rough. Everyone was very nice to me, but I don't think I was well enough to put in a full day. With that and the fucking lame ass pacific daylight savings time crap, it was a rough go of a day.

HOWEVER

I received an unexpected check in the mail today (for some serious money) which was very welcome and seriously brought a tear to my eye.

All is good in the world.

Now, if President Bush could just get out of office... life would be grand.

Oh, yeah, Finland... more on that later.

Hope you are well.
-- This Single Gal

On Facebook and Finland

I have mostly recovered from the Finnish death plague.

It sucked.

I hate being sick.

When I'm sick I tend to hide. Friends call, offer their plague remedies, want to help. It's nice and all, but let me publicly say this: when I'm sick, stay away from me. I want to sit on my couch and watch horrible judge shows and talk to no one until the plague goes away.

And that's what I have to say about that.

Because I have been home sick this whole week, I have been whiling away my days doing lovely things such as coughing, sneezing, blowing my nose, laying on the couch, sleeping. And, in the last few days of plague-dom, I have started playing Scrabulous on Facebook. Which, by the way, is incredibly addictive. I'm sure you have heard of it -- the big scandal with the Scrabble people? I'm now determined to beat my friend Ben who consistently kicks my ass, and makes me feel like I am not smart enough to be called doctor.

Facebook is a bizarre thing. Have you checked it out? It's a fascinating social experiment. Time evaporates. Worlds collide. All of the people you have known from different parts of your life are all on one web page. Random people find you. People you haven't talked to in 20 years. I mean RANDOM people. Like... the mother of two kids I went to day care with when I was in elementary school. I haven't talked to her since I was 7. She is my Facebook friend. People I knew but didn't really know in high school. Old neighbors. People I met at a wedding. They are all my Facebook friends.

And then... there's Mr. Beautiful.

So, yesterday, in my Facebook glory, I got a friend request from Mr. Beautiful. You have to understand -- this is HUGE. Mr. Beautiful was the guy I was madly in love with for 7 years of my post-moving-out-of-the-home-nestness. The guy who ended up married to someone else.

Yep.

Him.

We haven't talked in 11 years.

And now he's my Facebook friend.

I find out: he's now divorced.

And I'm all a tizzy.

Totally ridiculous, isn't it? Can you tell I am SINGLE? No dates coming up. Just SINGLE. And, apparently, looking for signs where there are no signs.

Am I 17?

Pathetic.

And I blame Facebook.

This entry was to contain crap on Facebook and on Finland, but I don't feel like writing any more. So, I will write on my trip to Finland in future entries. Until then, suffice it to say it was a fucking fantastic trip, I had a great time and I tried to upload a photo but some weird shit happened... so... imagine something cool here.

Hope you are staying healthy...
-- The Single Gal

The plague

I have returned from Finland (with many stories to tell), but am laid up with the flu. Once I can sit up without feeling like I'm going to pass out, I'll regale you with said stories, but as of now, my bed is calling... this is a horrible horrible strain of the flu. Bad stuff. I hope you don't catch it. Take care of yourself,
The Single Gal