wedding rehearsal woop woop

Boy oh boy. What a day! I got a horrid night sleep, so rolling out of bed at 6:30 was already a bad start. Showered and put some makeup on and then looked at the clock and then started getting rushed. Buttered some bread. Drew out directions. Then I had a mild panic when I was trying to wrangle my brain around where the heck Kingston is. Dad ended up driving me to the ferry, and got there in perfect time. It was gray and cold and I was waiting in the cycle area in front of the cars. I was in a dress and a light jacket next to guys on motorcycles. I was shivering a bit, but was ever hopeful the weather would improve.

It was a short ride over to Edmonds. I biked up the hill to 9th, which got my blood pumping. So even though it was gray, that was good because if it was warm, I would have been drenched in sweat.

Arrived at Janet and Steve's house a bit early, but that was fine. Time to drink some tea and collect my breath.

Did I mention what I was in Edmonds for? No? Yes? I was there for my second cousin Carmen's wedding rehearsal. She is marrying this dude Josh tomorrow.

Anyway, met Josh. He is a nice dude. Brian, Shawn, Kirsten, and quite a few other people arrived on time. They set up outside all this nice fancy equipment. I'm not part of the full wedding party, I am one of four poem readers. I get front row seating. Booyah. They did their little walk throughs. It will be a really nice ceremony. I'll have to try not to cry, but I probably will. After a couple run throughs, we headed down to Five (a bistro) for the rehearsal dinner brunch.

My appetite is gargantuan after so many pudding days. Scarfed the salad, the sandwich, the chips, and even had room for tiramisu. It was fantastic. Everyone in the Carmen+Josh crew is so nice, and since I've done all that art for Odd Owl, they are familiar with me. I had a great time chatting and eating and getting to know more awesome people.

I left my bike at Janet and Steves, so I got a ride back with them and pedaled down to the ferry dock along the waterfront. The sun had come out and it was positively warm and brilliant. I bought my ferry ticket and parked at the front. Being first on is pretty awesome.

Ma was scarfing a crepe when I disembarked from the ferry. I drove home so that she could continue to eat. I computered it up when I got home and mom gave me the evil eye for computering it up. Because now my computer habits interfere with her habits thanks to the monitor probems. Mmm.

Nathan flew up from San Jose tonight. He'll be here for the weekend.

There will be a break in portraits till we return from Pulali.

Josh and Carmen's wedding tomorrow! Yaaay! I wrapped my present up real nice. Yup.

Todays Portrait Is: Haruki Murakami.

running around and staying put

Had to get up really early (7:30am!) to follow mom to the Toyota dealership. The Prius needed some product recall switcharoo. Another nice day wasted by the temptation of indoors.

Didn't get around to doing the portraits till late. Finished my quilt. It looks fantastic! Drove mom back to the dealership. On the way back, I swung by Trader Joe's and got some treats. Mmm treats.

My teeth still clench a little bit funny and my jaw doesn't quite open wide, but the swelling is very mild. But yeah, yaaay healing!

Nathan comes over for the weekend tomorrow. Dad came back from Houston tonight.

Tomorrow is a busy day. Better get to sleeping!

Oh, also, I registered for Beginning Flash, Beginning Illustrator, and film directing at Olympic College. The rest of 2011 will be spent at home. Now I need to find a way to earn some money to pay for gas (my old job at the library is not available).

Todays Portrait Is: Ryu Murakami.

hair like impending autumn

A lovely day outside. Went to my dental check up. Everything is looking and healing fine. Hurrah! On the way back I impulsively bought hair bleach. At least my impulsions are cheap. I'd be a bad stock broker. Anyway, I spent the afternoon attempting to ombre my hair (a style where the lightest part is at the bottom and it gradually fades to your natural color). And these were the results:

It is a bit more...orange than I'd like. In another month, once my hair has healed (or rather, been moisturized tenderly) I might toss in a light brown color on the bottom, just to soften it up a bit. The good thing about this, is that it is the ends of the hair. The stuff that is first to be cut off. All the good and healthy bits are still good and healthy. Because doing henna one day and bleach the next is not that good of an idea. Still, it worked! It has to settle a bit before I'm used to it, but generally yay hurrah!

Spent the rest of the nice day indoors finishing up my quilt. A movie (the hilarious and lewd Mystery Team) some Red Dwarf and The Last Enemy later, and it is all put together! I just need to do the border and then viola, it is complete! Sure it doesn't look like they most professional of quilts. Far from it. But it is full of heart and love.

Gah, gotta get up early because mom is taking the Prius to the dealer for some car stuff. Will finish the quilt and do portraits tomorrow. Yes. That sounds nice.

Todays Portrait Is: Paul Auster.

mother knows best

Woke up at 10am, without my alarm clock. Didn't feel like sleeping in, so I got up. Had an egg and some tea for breakfast and then got to grinding up my last remaining henna. I'll let my hair go natural from now on. Put it in my hair and then did my hair up in a plastic wrap turban to keep it from oozing everywhere. Then I got on with relaxing. The swelling in my cheeks has all but visibly disappeared, though my jaw is still tight and I can feel the swelling in my mouth. So it did end up being a long recovery, all though not so totally bad. Not a lot of pain, just discomfort.

I pieced my quilt together and it is now resting on the quilting frame. After I go get my checkup tomorrow, I shall sit in front of the television and finish it!! Hurrah!

I can't tell the difference in my hair so much, but it normally takes about a day before the full color comes out. And anyway, henna is a soft shift. Think I might try and ruin my hair with at home ombre style highlighting next. Mmhmm.

Anyway, made myself some pasta for dinner. Ma came home at around 8 and we watched Tangled. Which was really fun! A lot better than I was expecting (though I don't know why I thought less of it from my first impressions).

Busy next couple days.

Todays Portrait Is: John Burdett.

out of it

Saturday:

Woke up pretty swollen. Like a chipmunk. At this stage I switch from ice packs to heat. Packed up my car. Chilled my face. Off we went to Pulali. Brynne and Dan were visiting for the night, so that was awesome. I spent a large chunk of the day napping on the couch, because the meds knocked me out. Was very swollen. Brynne whipped me up some creme cheese and salmon on soft crackers. Dinner was soft pasta and steamed vegetables. Other people had sausages and burgers and food that I couldn't eat. Some other stuff happened, but I was both out of it and can't quite recall. Talked with Dan about books a bit. Slept soundly.

Todays Portrait Is: Daniel Clowes.

Sunday:

Worked my way slowly through some pancakes for breakfast. Mmm. Then took another nap while Brynne and Dan kayaked and Mom and Dad did something else. B & D left early. Only one night at Pulali for them, but I'll see them in a week so that will be nice. Nibbled my way through some food. It is hard to eat because my mouth doesn't open that way. Slightly less swollen though that isn't saying much. Ma and pa continued to eat food that I couldn't. This included some afternoon s'mores. Boo! Took a little hike with Celia and Ma.

Had a very restless night sleep.

Today's Portrait is: Chris Ware.

Monday:

I look less swollen, though my cheek is bruised from it. Just a little bit of pudge in the cheeks, but I feel it pressing against my teeth and it is hard to eat or work up an appetite. Left Pulali at around 11am. Arrived home and unpacked. I checked up on what was happening on the Internet. Mom made me an egg salad sandwich that I had to cut into little pieces. I was feeling ill, but the sandwich and some ginger ale restored me. Hurrah!

Took it easy for the day.

At 6:50ish we three went into town to see Cowboys & Aliens. It was good. Nothing like AHHH PHENOMENAL SO COOL. Good. Stunts and effects were well executed. Excellent actors in nice costumes. It was good.

Dad is off to work for a quicky. Tomorrow I simply must get a big part of my quilt finished.

Today's Portrait Is: Michael Chabon.