A Year

On September 1, 2012, I woke up and couldn't walk.  Couldn't walk well, at least.  I put on one of my favorite tank tops and used Matt as a crutch so we could enjoy a 1pm brunch.  I even managed to get my fall wreath on the door.  The next day is when I decided I needed to go to urgent care because this was like Ron Burgundy.  Kind of a big deal.

Has it really been a year?  September was spent on the couch soaked in steroids.  October was spent learning to walk again.  November/December were spent catching up on alllllll that I missed while incapacitated.

My March MRI showed new lesions in my brain that put Baby Watch 2013 on hold for another 6 months.  In May/June, both sets of parents came for a visit.  We visited a few wineries on Hood River and Carlton and my sweet, sweet dad used some wine terms that were completely off-base and it was adorable.

June also brought job loss in the Everett house and it has been both cool and COMPLETELY UNCOOL.

The end of August brought a beautifully stable MRI, but also the discouraging news that I'm now JC positive.  The JC virus is the ONE virus that can get through the blood brain barrier on this MS drug I take and it can cause PML.  Which results in either severe disability or death.  I was JC negative for a year and it was awesome.  Now that I'm positive, I fear that Baby Watch 2013 will become Baby Watch 2014.  And it's a bummer.

BUT.  It's September.  My fall wreath is on the door, my Pumpkin Cupcake candle is on the mantle.  We have 2 Fantasy Football drafts today.  Ella has fur.  On her legs, at least.  So this September is already light-years better than the last.

Things

Things haven't been particularly great these last few months, but the Everetts are powering through.  And thankfully, our least favorite month is almost over, so our favorite time of year can begin!

And because I'm trying this new thing where I'm an optimist, here are a few things I'm looking forward to:

1) The arrival of my "Leaves" candles from Bath and Body Works.
2) Hanging my fall wreath on the front door and laying out our fall table runner.
3) PUMPKIN BEER.  There's only been 3 fall beers at our grocery store so far ( I know it's August!) but fall ales are my favorite and I need MORE.
4) Football!!!!!!!! College, NFL and Fantasy.  The dynamic of the Everett house totally changes during football season and it's really some of the sweetest, coziest times.
5) Making soup!!!  I make an awesome mushroom and roast garlic soup AND a great French onion soup and it's been far too long since I've made them.
6) Wearing hoodies!  I almost put on  my favorite hoodie when I went up in the hills Friday, but alas, it is still too dang hot for a hoodie.  RIP Trayvon.
7) Hearing the heat kick on.  I MISS hearing the heat kick on and it gets extra cozy in our living room/bedroom.

I'm going to stop at 7 cause it's the number of perfection.  Plus I'm watching season 9 of Grey's Anatomy and they're playing "Time to Run" by Lord Huron so I'm hypnotized by their awesomeness.

I'm also ready to buy a few pumpkins and carve them with my love, because even though I live with him, I just cannot get enough of him.

Oh my ears and whiskers...

I guess I've been on a posting hiatus.  It's mainly because posting on a tablet is a PITA, but I'm also lazy.  Never forget how lazy I am. 

I really can't think of much that's happened these last 3 months...

We saw Muse play and it was awesome AND it was on a weeknight, so we proved we are still as cool as the young cats.  And people.  I didn't actually see any cats there.

We also saw Frightened Rabbit again in March and the girl standing behind me at the show got her boyfriend to tap me on the shoulder and tell me that my ponytail was in his girlfriend's way.  I stared at him incredulously.  And of course, I immediately hacked off my ponytail.  I mean, it was in this poor girl's LINE OF VISION. 

The humanity.

I also got a new tattoo.  On my still-numb arm.  And it was still unpleasant.  But worth it.


On a serious note, I have had the sadz lately.  Like can't-climb-out-of-this-hole-might-burst-into-tears-at-any-second kind of sad.  Nothing really has happened.  There was some stressful weeks at work.  But everything is ok now.  I just can't get un-sad and it's starting to get really lonely.  I'm pretty good at being fake-happy when I need to be, but it gets tiring and I find myself being nonchalant and dismissive when people talk to me.  Then I feel like a jerk.  And that makes me sad(der). 

I just needed to say that somewhere.  When people at work say "Hey, Sommer, how are you?" I know they're just expecting a "I'm fine!"  Not a drawn-out sob story about teetering on the hairy edge of a nervous breakdown.  That's not well-received in a corporate setting.  Even if the kegerator is out.

And today, the kegerator is NOT out.

I can't end on such a glum note. 

Here's good news:  Ella has some fur growing back!  Fuzzy, soft baby furs!  She no longer has a back that only a mother could love.

Soundtrack of 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To be honest, I mainly make these lists so I can go back and listen to old songs when I'm feeling nostalgic.  Which is 80% of the time. 

Which reminds me, I have to turn 30 this year.  I just can't.

I was suprised that my 2012 list has no: Death Cab, Mumford, Arcade Fire, Frightened Rabbit or Eisley.

I blame Portland.

In chronological order!!

Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
From Finner - Of Monsters and Men
The Coming Days - Hello Echo
To Build a Home - Cinematic Orchestra
We Are Young - Fun.
Somebody that I Used to Know - Gotye
Video Games - Lana Del Ray
Born to Die - Lana Del Ray
Blue Jeans - Lana Del Ray
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
Ride to California - Paper Tongues
Tongue Tied - Grouplove
Hold On - Alabama Shakes
Off to the Races - Lana Del Ray
Sister Wife - Alex Winston
Fire Ant - Alex Winston
The Fold - Alex Winston
Choice Notes - Alex Winston
Lolita - Lana Del Ray
Bonfire - Childish Gambino
Fire Fly - Childish Gambino
You See Me - Childish Gambino
LES - Childish Gambino
New Slang - The Shins
Envelopes - Sleeping at Last
When We Were Young - Sucre
Lightshow - Plants & Animals
People C'mon - Delta Spirit
3 Rounds and a Sound - Blind Pilot
The High Road - Broken Bells
All Your Light [Times Like These] - Portugal. The Man
Get It Daddy - Sleeper Agent
Nantes - Beirut
Werewolf - CocoRosie
Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
All Alright - Fun.
End of All Time - Stars of Track and Field
Static Waves - Andrew Belle
Coming Up Easy - Paolo Nutini
Emmylou - First Aid Kit
Slow It Down - The Lumineers
I Found a Way - First Aid Kit
Carnival - Shovels and Rope
Brother - Lord Huron
The Lion's Roar - First Aid Kit
Stubborn Love - The Lumineers

I've been listening to First Aid Kit, Shovels and Rope, The Lumineers and Hospitality almost exclusively.  Guess they'll make another appearance on the 2013 list.

I know you can't wait!!!!!

Mistletoe and holly...

I didn't use any mistletoe or holly in my holiday decorations. The title is a lie. *Shame.

I call this year's Christmas decor "Desperation and Apathy."  I'd planned to do a lot more, but got sidelined. NEXT YEAR.

 Christmas mouse in the window.  I've since turned it so that it's looking outside.  Less creepy that way.

We finally have stockings!  Only been together 5 years and we finally have stockings to hang with care.

 I have a slight obsession with snowman.

And a slight obsession with putting ornaments in jars.

 And a more than slight obsession with this critter.

I didn't make that bow.  :(

I think I'm bordering on too many ornaments.  Good problem to have.

There's a lot more pics on the Instagram.  @sommereverett
That's where I post all the embarrassing stuff.  And by "embarrassing" I mean "embarrassing for Ella cause 99% of the pictures are of her."

Feliz Navidad!

Frosted window panes...

So I've been M.I.A. for a while.  Thanks to this cursed disease. 
Here's the Cliff's notes version of the last 3.5 months:

- Woke up September 1 and couldn't use my left arm or leg.  Hobbling ensues.

- Labor Day: Finally go to urgent care and (bless them!) they scrounged up IV steriods for me.

- 3 days of steroids. Still hobbling.  And also unable to eat or sleep.  Purchase a 6 pack of Ensure and a cane.

- Sob hysterically due to hunger and exhaustion.  Fall out of bed during the night and can't get back in.

- Get prescription for Ambien.  That shit does not work.

- Start taking Ambien with a glass of wine.  That shit does work.

- Sept 13: Return to work for half days.  Start pounding muscle relaxers.

- October: Muscle relaxers start causing insomnia.  Ambien and wine no longer effective.

- Have a panic attack at work due to muscle spasms and exhaustion.  Boss holds me and strokes my hair until I calm down.  Decide I have an awesome boss.

- Go to weekly physical therapy sessions to learn to walk again.

- Start a new drug that involves one monthly IV infusion instead of daily shots.

- Decide new drug is awesome

- Manage to go to a nice anniversary dinner.

- Say "eff it" to the muscle relaxers.  No negative effects noted.

- Lose a lot of Fantasy Football games.

- A Thanksgiving with just me, Matt, two big steaks and a bottle of whiskey.

- A week in north Louisiana and Dallas with family.  Feeling good enough to slide at the park with my niece.

- Today, I'm feeling better than I have in a long, long time. 

It's good to be back.

Au-gust I'll Make a Blog Post...

That was a bad, bad joke.  Sorry.

My parents were here for the first week of July and then Matt's parents were here for the second week, which means Matt and I had to actually do some of the things we'd been saying we would do.  However, I only took pictures at the Oregon coast.  The rest are on my phone and I'm too lazy to upload.

It was WINDY.  And smelled so salty fresh.

We finally got some chairs for our living room...they came precisely after all of our guests had left.  Hmph.

I was watching "Shawshank Redemption."

I also made some curtains for our patio door.  Ignore the mess that is my sewing corner.  I don't actually sew.

This is the first room either of us have painted IN OUR LIVES.  Still have lots of stuff to hang on the walls.  Color check: Sherwin Williams Baize Green

I painted the half bath one Sunday afternoon.  It's definitely more purple than it shows here.  I was going for a purple/gray but in natural light, it is a light light purple. Color Check: Sherwin Williams Destiny

I can grow the heck out of some house plants.  And dahlias apparently.  Maybe in October I'll post the pictures of taken of our yard/flowers/grass.  Obviously, I'm a blogging slacker.