StevenLaura

Dreams

I just woke up from a lovely afternoon nap. I dreamed I was deciding to possibly moonlight as a mascot for the Minnesota Twins. Not one of those down in the field, mind you, but one that walks around the bleachers, waves at people, and gets ones picture taken with people. I’d have a costume with a big huge baseball head and a MN Twins uniform.

I understood, even in my dream, that there were some geographic limitations to me living where I live, and working for the Minnesota Twins. I didn’t think that’d be a big deal, though. The only problem, as I could see it, was that when the high tide came in, the entrance to the stadium was submerged. I have developed a bit of a fear of under-toe, lately I’ve found that I can’t do any athletic activity, I assume this includes ocean swimming, without becoming a bit more tired and a bit more out-of-breath a bit more quickly than usual. I wasn’t sure I wanted to swim out to the gangway to get an application.

So, alas, my job as Minnesota Twins big baseball head mascot has come to a close, before the fun even began. If anyone can interpret dreams, have fun with this one! I assume the MN Twins reference comes from skimming a high school friend’s blog a little too often.

Freon does TOO smell!

"Freons are colorless, odorless, nonflammable, noncorrosive gases or liquids."
At least that's what this web site states.

And perhaps it's true. FOR NORMAL PEOPLE. I've recently learned first-hand that pregnant people are not normal people. I was first introduced to the SMELL of freon early in my first trimester, which corresponded with the beginning of the hot hot NC summer. I'd walk into my apartment, smell the ickiness of many things (including squirrels, etc.) and, of course, have the box A/C BLASTING to bring in some fresh air from the outside. Eventually the squirrel and attic smell subsided, but thanks to the blasting A/C, a weird, very light, but unpleasant smell remained. To be objective, the smell really isn't THAT unpleasant, except that (perhaps because of when I was introduced to the smell) I associate it with this sort of car-sick, nauseated feeling. (hm, first semester blues, anyone?)

I couldn't figure out what the new smell in my apartment was, all I knew was that I hated it. Then, while driving a bit later, I blasted the A/C in my car. "Ick!" I thought, "It's that SMELL again!" -- then I realized what it was. FREON! I kept finding the smell in all sorts of places. I open the freezer, there it is. My co-workers bring out their frozen dinners for lunch, it clings to the cardboard coverings.

So, I now can say something that I'm sure dogs everywhere have known for some time: Freon DOES have a smell.

Furthermore, pregnant noses DO get uber sensitive. And this isn't a good thing.

Finally, I'm EVER so glad to be in the NEW apartment now (quick update for out of town friends: we moved on Saturday in to a two bedroom apartment that does not also house squirrels. It's very nice, and thanks to the help of friends, all our earthly goods were transported into the new place in just over 2 hours flat.) The new apartment has CENTRAL air, so the smell sort of disperses throughout the apartment, and doesn't attack your nostrils head-on.

One last story, quick, from the move. I walked into the old kitchen where my faithful friends were taking a food break before heading up to the new place. Matt was eating a strangely large, whitish vegetable, almost the size of a child's football. "Wow, where'd you get that huge cucumber?!?" I exclaimed the moment I walked in. "How'd you know what it was?" someone remarked, surprised. That's right, folks, the uber nose strikes again. I knew Matt was eating a cucumber before I SAW the cucumber, because I could SMELL it from half way down the hall.

[For those dying to know the answer, Matt got the cucumber from David who got it from his garden. Thanks David.]

THE END OF MY ALASKAN VOYAGE - IN ONE PARAGRAPH OR LESS
So, perhaps I should finish my blog series about Alaska before I move on to current events, but truth be told, you've seen most of the really cool pictures. There are more, and if you're interested in them, please do let me know, I'd be happy to show you. The highlights of the rest of our trip can be summed up like this: running on a treadmill in the excercise room at the front of the boat, watching a pod of killer whales swim right toward you and then past you is AMAZING. Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC (That's Canada, eh?) is BEAUTIFUL! I recommend both. Also, I meant to blog about spending the weekend with our favorite Seattle couple (you know who you are), but more pressing blogs await. So, Tim, Lorraine, you rock. It was fun shoveling mulch with you. As much of an adventure as that was, though, a bigger adventure began about a week after we returned home.

And this adventure is summed up with the other pictures that I'm DYING to share.
Actually, I'm not dying. That's the point. My genes will live forever... or at least another generation.
Alright, enough toying. This picture was taken last Thursday. There's a heart beating 121 bpm inside of me, and it's not mine. Kind of weird.






The white ring thing inside the black thing is just a yoke, the cool thing is right underneath it, that fuzzy/blurry speck that is only 6 mm long. Yeah, that's the really cool thing, located at about 5:00. I guess by now it's the size of a garbonzo bean. At least that's what the calendar my sister-in-law (the newest and coolest version of Laura the Bliss) made for me says. She said she used the internet to make it, so the facts on it must be true, right?

In other news, next month we move into a two bedroom.

Coincidence? I think not.

Due Date? Not confirmed (will be on Wed) but my best guess is Feb 18-20.
Scary? You bet.
Masters in Library Science? Um... erm, guess not?