Baker Bay Camping

I had planned a little camping trip and although I was unsure if I would be able to do it, I had lots of help from friends and family. I borrowed a walking stick from my mom, and just took it slow.

This was the infamous "nuts in my nuts" moment I believe. 

If it wasn't one thing it was another, my nose swelled up. 

The Concussion

I called the summer of 2018 "The summer of SUCK". Throughout everything else that I did, I had headaches, terrible dizzy spells, and randomly woke up to puke in the middle of the night. This was not helped by the stress of the end of the school year, and Ru and I had just moved into Cab Searcy's house, which didn't go well.

The concussion happened in the staff vs 8th grade basketball game when I either took an elbow or head, still unsure which, to my right temple. I didn't go down, but I was out for the rest of the game. It was on a Friday, and I proceeded to drive Ru to Brownsville, come home and be on the computer getting music ready for the next day and paying my bills. Then Saturday I had a gig. Sunday I fell apart, and Monday I was in the emergency room, nearly unable to stand due to the dizzy spells.

I started treatment the last week of school, was on "disability" all summer, and started back to work on a modified schedule in September 2018. I had many therapy appointments, physical therapy for the dizziness and pain, eye therapy because I couldn't focus close up, and lastly memory therapy so that I could do my job. I don't know that I'll ever fully recover. It's been over a year since the accident that I'm typing this, and I still struggle occasionally with the dizziness and memory issues.

Before the game

After the game before I realized I was so hurt

The players

Where I spent most of the next few months. In bed with cats.

I listened to a lot of audiobooks because they didn't want me to look at screens. 

Don't drink the water

Salem had an algae bloom in Detroit lake, the main water source. I drank and cooked with bottled water for months.

Cousin Haley's Wedding

Hayley and Jim got married in early June, and Mom and I went in hats. Hats for Hailey.
there had just been a royal wedding, and we were both fascinated by the hats.

Homecoming

Ruben gets to write this, I'm just adding pictures and getting it ready...

They went out to eat at Bentley's

43

This isn't really an Em and Ru post, it's an Em and Cab post but there isn't a webpage for that. This is all about my birthday weekend. Not for any blog readers, but for myself. To remember what a whirlwind of fun it was, and how amazing Cab is.

It all started on Friday after school, Cab asked me to dress up, we were going someplace fancy for dinner.
He arrived with a gift bag which contained super soft kitty pajamas, a card with rainbow kittens on it, another gift bag with my favorite ice cream, and a pineapple upside down cake he baked himself.

 He took me to a seafood place on the ritzy part of town and I had horseradish crusted salmon on a bed of herbed mashed potatoes with a salad and steamed veggies and a glass of chardonnay.
Delish. Cab got some delicious fancy chicken and a blackberry infused cocktail.

We came back to my place to change and then drove out to Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel. We had drinks and did some excellent people watching. The bands were really fun, the dancers were well rehearsed, and the audience was having a terrific time!

The night well partied away we crashed hard. Saturday after I took Ru to swim lessons and dropped him off with his dad, I came home and met my new neighbor. Then I quickly changed because Cab said he would pick me up at 2:30pm. I got ready quickly and he surprised me with a makeover at the MAC counter at Nordstroms. It was quite an adventure. My little makeup artist Gage was a little surprised when I told him I wanted funk singer stage makeup, but he did a great job. The transvestite next to me was also getting a makeover and we both looked terrific by the end. He gave me some pointers on which false eyelashes to wear with glasses. It was so fun, and Cab bought me the works!

Before

After!  We look Amazing!

I took a nap while Cab went to run some errands and he told me to leave the makeup on. I woke up about 15 minutes before he was going to show up and I groggily fixed my makeup and dragged some clothes on. He showed up right on time and took me to MY SURPRISE PARTY!!! It really was a surprise. How could he pull that off you might wonder? Cab often plans things to surprise me, so I'm pretty used to just dressing up and going out to have a fun time.

This time he had reserved the patio at a local pub, got my work friends by email, got my band friends from Elke, and he even drove to Raed and LeRina's house to invite them because he didn't get their number. So lots of people showed up and we drank, laughed, ate cake, smoked salmon, pizza, and crack corn. So much fun!

After the party died down around 9pm we went to a nearby karaoke bar and tore up the stage. Even Cab sang! (He says he doesn't sing but he did great.) Elke and Eric joined the crew and Elke and I danced to Eric singing "You gotta fight, for your right to paaaaarrrrtaaaaaay" We laughed and sang and drank till the midnight hour. 

Me and LeRina

I sang Filthy/Gorgeous by Scissor Sisters

Dancing

The eyelashes were getting pretty heavy by midnight

Sunday Cab cooked me scrambled eggs with sausage links and blueberry pancakes and send me off to dress rehearsal. The FBI has their first gig next Saturday, and we are going to have a great time. We ran through every song, some were better than others, but we know what we need to work on. 

Celebrate good times come on!

Before the rain really started falling hard Mom and Jeff came to listen to a tune and return Ruben to me. Thanks for the visit, card, and check! While I was rehearsing Cab did my grocery shopping and brought Ruben dinner.

Last song of the day, we were exhausted. 

I can't remember ever having a better birthday weekend. 

Thank you Cab. (insert emojis here)

Pictures of the new apartment's new living room

My Amazing friend LeRina came over today, and with a tiny bit of help from me she turned my living room into a place someone would want to live. Check this out!

Before

After

Before

After

Before

Before

After

After

And now for the After After! We installed the wall mural. It's a gigantic sticker. It turned out AMAZING!

Morning light

Evening coziness

Hugging my trees