Well, unfortunately, (posted by Lani)

are not the two words you want to hear your doctor say. So well, unfortunately, I still have my kidney stone, and it's hardly moved, and well, unfortunately, this would be why I still hurt and (TMI alert!) am peeing blood and popping more pills than your average skid row drug addict. This also means I get to take yet another medication which has as a side effect dizziness and drowsiness (this makes 4 if you're counting, each of which makes me a certified zombie), and I wait another week with my fingers crossed, and if there's still no progress "which we need to realize is a very real possibility at this point" then "we'll need to consider our options".

As an aside, why do doctors say "we"? Is she going to share this kidney stone with me? Maybe have the procedure done in my place? Not that I wouldn't happily donate half of my pain to somebody but I'd prefer it to be someone I dislike and she actually seems rather nice, and well, unfortunately, I don't really think that's what she meant. Obviously what she meant was "and if it hasn't moved by next week, well, unfortunately, the payment on my BMW is coming due, but if I send you for ESWL that'll take care of both of our little problems!" Or something along those lines, anyway. Unfortunately.

Frankly the name of the procedure that looms in my immediate future isn't really all that comforting either. Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy. It sounds like something the Ghostbusters would use on particularly nasty critters, doesn't it? Stand back! Charging the Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripser!

On the up side Steve, Jesse, Pippin, and all three cats are hale and hearty and happy. I've actually crocheted about 6" on Mel's baby blanket, this time without frogging (my last effort at medicated crocheting led to medicated frogging and medicated cursing).

1/3 of a blanket and 2 ruffles to go. At this rate her baby will be lucky to get this blanket for her first birthday. Still, progress is progress and I'll take what I can get.

What's underneath the partial blanket? Why, funny you should ask! I actually left the house yesterday for more juice and bottled water, and went to the thrift shop down the street from the grocery store because I've maybe got a little bit of cabin fever. Is it a bad sign when thrift shops know you by name and call you over to see goodies when they see you walk in? Because lo, they had gotten a whole collection of Louis L'Amour books, the ones that are bound in what resembles leather if you close your eyes and squint a little, and they were behind the counter and did I maybe want them, there are 61 of them and aside from being a little dusty they've never even been read and ... yeah. Hi. Welcome to Lani's Home for Wayward Books.

Oh yes! The console table for the living room was delivered, and I love it, and every single DVD and VCR tape and video game is hidden away quite nicely with room for more. And I was bored and awake yesterday long enough to play around with The Rasterizer and we've decided to do a rasterization on the big blank living room wall; what you see on the wall in the picture below is the image we'll use, but it will be about twice the size, printed on canvas, and mounted on foam core (as opposed to small, printed on cheapo printer paper, and scotch-taped to the wall). Best part? If we get it up there and totally completely absolutely hate it, or even just get bored with it down the road, the total cost for all materials is under $40.

Note the reflective running shoes: A Design Feature seen in all the best living rooms!
I'm all about cheap, baby.

I keep flipping back to that picture of your Steve's feet. UGH. How many baths did you make him take before you certified him as clean? Don really made some great progress on the "garage", too. Keep pictures coming! And y'know, Ann ... your guys don't have such a bad life there. If they complain, tell 'em they can come live here and eat hot pockets with my Steve (just kidding! I've actually cooked the last 2 nights!).

As for your knitting stories ... you've about got me ready to try a ballband dishcloth from the pattern I found online instead of waiting my turn at the Mason-Dixon book (SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE: IT'S LANI'S TURN, SEND HER THE DAMN BOOK RAWR!). I wonder if medicated knitting works better than medicated crocheting? If that woman on the train had ever even once tried a real knitted or crocheted cotton dishcloth, she wouldn't turn her snooty nose up at you knitting one. I completely heart mine. And the sock story? I LOVE it. As though raggedy-ass Walmart socks could compare to socks with love knitted into them.

Wow. I wrote a book. You'd never know I'm a wee small teensy bit stircrazy here, wouldya?