green thumb 4:54 PM

Black-Eyed Susan is the beautiful golden colored flower on the left.

Yesterday I had the sudden urge to plant something. Weird. So I went with the urge and drove to the Home Depot to grab some flowers for the big planter on our porch. Let me preface this by saying that the planter is cursed. Ashley has filled it with fresh vibrant flowers time and time again and they always die 2-3 weeks later. Always. It is the planter of death; all it grows is dirt. Ashley religiously sacrifices live flower plants to it. I am determined to break the curse.

At the Home Depot I was excited to find Black-Eyed Susan's and decided that they were the go-to flower. When I look at the Black-Eyed Susan's I wax nostalgic as I think of the California Sierra-Nevada's and Camp Richie. There they line the long dirt road and shine out against the tall green pine trees and majestic boulder mountains. I cannot think of a more beautiful place. I wish I were headed there tomorrow with my Dad and Birdo. But I digress.

Along with the BES's I picked up some pretty purple and white flowers that may or may not be their cousin. (I like to think that they are.) I figure if the BES's can survive the sun and heat and dry conditions of Northern California summers, surely they can survive the planter of death. I feel good about this choice. Wish them luck in breaking the curse.

"baby boy" B 12:22 PM

born 3lb 8oz at 30 weeks

Sarah had an emergency c-section yesterday and this little guy was born. He was taken by NICU helicopter to Fort Worth Hospital. Chris drove there to be with him last night and will be staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Chris said he looks a lot like Carson did when he was born. I think he looks like a fighter; he is going to be a cool kid.

Sarah, Carson and Sarah's Mom will join the men in Fort Worth when Sarah is recovered. They are expecting to be there through mid-September. Keep the little guy and his family in your prayers.

i did drugs 8:15 PM

Soon Ahhnold and I are soon going to have more things in common than a love of the Golden State. I did steroids. It was painful at first, but after a day and a half I feel awesome. In my defense I did not know that a cortisone shot was steroids.

I swear officer.

My doctor said it was legal.

Anyhow. I just wanted to profess my love of the cortisone shot. After three months of constant dull pain, sometimes sharp shooting pain, it is gone! I didn't know what a miracle worker this drug was. But now I know. And now you know. So if you ever get elbow tendinitis, and nothing else fixes it, do drugs baby. Do drugs.

mankini 10:29 PM

The biggest problem with Ed that I can tell is his choice in wardrobe. I got a call from John McEnroe and Larry Bird and they want their short shorts back.

— Chris Harrison

That angle of Ed's self proclaimed "green mankini" makes them look way longer than they are. Really they cover maybe 1/3rd of his lengthy thy. My favorite part is that when Jillian changed into normal clothes to meet Ed's parents and he STAYED IN THEM. Way to stay classy Ed.

Thanks to Shea for the quote.

wild pacific 11:40 PM

photo borrowed from here

There is a really cool show on Discovery Channel tonight and tomorrow (Monday) night. You should try to catch it on the DVR if you get a chance (times here). If not, hopefully they will show it again. The above picture is a Christmas Tree Worm. Did you know they existed? Me neither, but they come in a rainbow of colors and live in coral. The picture does not do the show justice (watch a clip here). It is a documentary about the Pacific. I am not really a documentary kind of girl, but I do appreciate beautiful pictures. They cover above and below the ocean as well as the making of islands themselves. And penguins. And chameleons. I have no idea how they get they shots they do, but they are amazing. AMAZING. I need to the Pacific. Right now. Maybe Palau. Or Bora Bora.

ppo 3:44 PM

Conversation last week:

Me: So who do I see to get a cortisone shot?

Other Person: Go to your primary care physician and get a referral to an orthopedist.

Me: Cool, I'll call my orthopedist tomorrow.

OP: Well, you need to go to your primary care doctor first. Then you can call your ortho.

Me: Yeah. I don't.

I would like to express my undieing gratitude to the person who invented the PPO. I have no idea what it stands for. I have no idea how much more I pay to have it. But I do know that it means that I do not have to make an appointment with a PCP and then sit there like a mindless drone waiting for the PCP to tell me the obvious answer of who I need to see and give me a referral.

I am not an idiot. I know that when I break a bone, I see a Orthopedist. When I get poked in the eye with a stick, I go to the Optometrist. When I start hallucination that I am hanging out with the cast of She-Ra, I go to the Neurologist. What I also know is that skipping the PCP means that I do not have to pay an extra co-pay and MD bill. Faster care, less co-pay. Seriously, why would you have an HMO when you can have a PPO?


PS, I have elbow tendinitis. Have had it since April and thought it was just something I had to deal with. But apparently you can get a cortisone shot and it will go away. I'll let you know how that goes.