I've been holding some things back because I wondered if it was okay that I acted or felt this way. And then I saw this video:
I don't think I've adored Dooce.com more than I do today. Here's the thing. I feel so blessed to be pregnant. I know this is a gift and I'm so thankful that we will be adding to our family. I also lean towards paranoia and am constantly worried every day about Sticky Bun. In fact, right now, I'm actually concerned because I haven't felt her kick and we're now at 20 weeks. The Man swore he felt it the other day but I'm trying not to work myself up because I don't think I've felt her kick.
I beat myself up if I forget to take my prenatal pills because JEEZUS, those pills are to her what spinach is to Popeye! So I take them every day, and the days I've missed could probably be counted on one hand. And that is since October because I heard it was good for the baby to take them even before you try to conceive. See? Spinach to Popeye.
But there are certain things I will not do or have not changed. For instance, I refuse to buy more pregnancy books. I refuse to work myself up on the different ways I can kill myself or my baby. I have one very good book that The Man researched and bought for me. I read it cover to cover when I first learned I was pregnant. I refer to it every once in a while when I have a question or am curious about something. I also read the newsletter Kaiser sends me every week to know the progress of Sticky Bun and I share it with The Man and sometimes my friends. But that's about it. That's not to say I will not stock up on parenting books. I've learned from our pups that we (The Man and I) have to stay educated and figure out how to stay in charge. Especially if we have another one because that means we will not out number them and it's man on man defense!
But back to the pregnancy.
Here are my dirty little secrets. And I bet you I will sound defensive but hey, I'm airing them out. Most of my friends who talk to me on a daily basis know but it's not something I would have shared. But that video made me realize that I'm not alone and by golly, these habits don't necessarily make me a bad mama!
1. I drink iced coffee just about every day. That's right. Caffeinated. I sometimes drink decaf but believe me, there is a bloody difference. I figure that iced coffee is also watered down but the doctor SAID that I can have one cup of coffee a day.
2. My vice is McDonald's sausage biscuit meals. That's right, w/ the hashbrown and the iced coffee I mentioned in #1.
3. I walk 3-5 times a week. I should do more like walk every day. It usually goes towards 5 but since Piko has had her eye problem, we've been staying in. But I'm now doing prenatal yoga so that's one extra activity a week. And I usually feel like walking afterwards.
4. I was doing boot camp until my second trimester. Some people may have thought that was utterly ridiculous if not dangerous. I was just trying to keep up my stamina. I had become a fairly active person prior to becoming pregnant and I didn't want to blow up.
5. I am horrible about eating my veggies. Right now I'm drinking a smoothie that I learned to make that sneaks in spinach because I won't get my veggies in, otherwise. (By the way, it's 1c frozen mango, 1c water, 2 heaping handfuls of spinach and 1 banana. It looks like baby poo but it's delicious!) I'm hoping that once the weather heats up, I'll be more inclined to want my salads again.
6. I eat lunch meat about once a week WITHOUT warming up the meat.
7. I eat sprouts. Kidding. In the pregnancy world, that is basically like taking heroine. Damn things are deadly.
I'm sure I commit other pregnancy sins but those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. I'm not proud of them, particularly the breakfast weakness, but dammit, they are good. I've gained about 10 pounds total. I think that's normal but I guess the doc will tell me in a couple of weeks.
I like being pregnant. Granted, I'm not one of those mommies that relish in it and love it to pieces. But I like it. It's been a good one and I'm really excited about the end result - baby in my arms! I could, however, do without the gas, the lack of sleep and my pee coming out in a trickle. But I've embraced pregnancy, I LOVE my baby and I've certainly learned to like maternity clothes. Bless the soul that came up with stretchy waist lines and airy dresses. That's right, I'm working the baby bump ;)
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The big 2-0!
I love the weekly pregnancy e-newsletter I receive from Kaiser. Here are some fun facts about Sticky Bun at 20 weeks, IN. MY. BELLY.
Body is about 8 inches long.
Weight is about 10 ounces.
Lanugo hair covers its entire body.
Eyebrows and lashes appear.
Nails appear on fingers and toes.
Activity increases with increased muscle development.
Heartbeat can be heard with a stethoscope.
Crazy, right? Here are some fun facts about weight gain!
Breast increase: 1 - 3 pounds
Blood increase: 4 1/2 - 5 pounds
Maternal stores: 4 - 8 pounds
Placenta: 1 - 2 pounds
Amniotic fluid: 2 - 3 pounds
Fetus: 7 1/2 - 8 pounds
Uterus increase: 2 - 5 pounds
The recommended amount of weight you should gain throughout your entire pregnancy is about 25 to 35 pounds. This varies, of course, depending upon your pre-pregnancy weight.
Go ahead, you know you want to say it. You're at least thinking it. OK, I'll say it for you. What the ****, man! 5 pounds of blood? 4 pounds of uterus? And what the EFF is a maternal stores? It's a polite way of saying FAT. Isn't the break down of pounds crazy?! I can't wait to show The Man.
Body is about 8 inches long.
Weight is about 10 ounces.
Lanugo hair covers its entire body.
Eyebrows and lashes appear.
Nails appear on fingers and toes.
Activity increases with increased muscle development.
Heartbeat can be heard with a stethoscope.
Crazy, right? Here are some fun facts about weight gain!
Breast increase: 1 - 3 pounds
Blood increase: 4 1/2 - 5 pounds
Maternal stores: 4 - 8 pounds
Placenta: 1 - 2 pounds
Amniotic fluid: 2 - 3 pounds
Fetus: 7 1/2 - 8 pounds
Uterus increase: 2 - 5 pounds
The recommended amount of weight you should gain throughout your entire pregnancy is about 25 to 35 pounds. This varies, of course, depending upon your pre-pregnancy weight.
Go ahead, you know you want to say it. You're at least thinking it. OK, I'll say it for you. What the ****, man! 5 pounds of blood? 4 pounds of uterus? And what the EFF is a maternal stores? It's a polite way of saying FAT. Isn't the break down of pounds crazy?! I can't wait to show The Man.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
My next step ...
I've enrolled in prenatal yoga and start this Tuesday. I'm nervous and hope I like it.
I loved Vinyasa yoga and took it for years. Some people may not consider it yoga because it was less about meditation and more about challenging the body in difficult poses. But the intensity (and yes, pain) was like meditation for me because I couldn't think of anything else but trying my best to keep my ass from falling over. But scheduling and a very bad shoulder made it difficult to keep up my practice and then my chiropractor discouraging me finally did me in. She, like me, thought yoga was wonderful but said that there was a clear connection between my shoulder pain and yoga classes. So out went yoga and in came boot camp.
Well, boot camp is now on the back burner because of Sticky Bun (who has a name now, by the way.) The whole "Yippee! It-kicked-my-ass-but-in-a-good-way!" feeling disappeared in my second trimester and was replaced with the "Oh-dear-Jeezus,-please-don't-let-me-throw-up-while-I'm-lunging-with-weights-and-I-cannot-believe-there-is-still-45-minutes-left-of-class/ I'm-really-going-to-vomit" feeling. That actually surprised me because I thought I was going to be in even better shape then my doozie of a first trimester. When I told my doctor that boot camp was getting very difficult, she said she was wondering how long I would last in that class. Nice. She recommended I switch to low impact workouts and low impact boot camp was NOT.
Anyway, back to the prenatal yoga. I'm nervous not because I haven't been doing yoga for a while but, well, this will sound totally cocky so I must apologize in advance. But what I'm worried about is that it will be too easy and I will get bored. When I started taking yoga and tried out different classes, there was such a thing as too easy of a yoga class even though I was a beginner. And really, I stand by that. Maybe "easy" isn't the appropriate word but I just don't want a class that's about breathing through one nostril, out the other, and chanting. I'm okay with the breathing but give me a workout, too, for crying out loud.
I'm taking it through Kaiser so the classes are relatively inexpensive and it's only once a week for six weeks. There is a yoga studio across town that teaches prenatal yoga but I wanted to try Kaiser first because it takes all of two minutes for me to drive there and it's less expensive. We'll see. Across town takes 15-20 minutes (I cannot believe street traffic sometimes) but it's twice a week and because it's at a studio, it may be a little more challenging. But I have plenty of time to figure it out. I've paid for the next six weeks at Kaiser. Hey ... wouldn't it be something if I go to my class on Tuesday and totally get my ass kicked? Like a deserving cocky mother effer? We'll see ... I'm hoping I'm not THAT out of shape!
The Man and I will also be attending a baby preparation class in July. Here is the description: The time for your baby's arrival is drawing near. We'll help you and your partner get ready for the labor and delivery experience. That means being able to recognize the early signs of labor and to know when to call your doctor. We'll discuss what you can expect in the hospital, your options for pain relief during labor and delivery, and how to care for yourself after the baby is born. We encourage you to take this class when you are 28 to 34 weeks pregnant. This class does not take the place of Preparing for Childbirth.
Evidently we will be enrolling in the Preparing for Childbirth class, as well. I'm debating if I should take the breast feeding class because I was told by a couple that the one person who should be taking the class is the one that doesn't - the baby. I'm sure you're thinking, what's the harm in taking another class? These types of learning classes are 2 1/2 - 3 hours long! And as I steadily get bigger, the less excited I am about sitting anywhere for that long period of time unless it's well worth my while. And you bet you're sweet patootie that I'm bringing snacks and water. Maybe even a pillow.
I loved Vinyasa yoga and took it for years. Some people may not consider it yoga because it was less about meditation and more about challenging the body in difficult poses. But the intensity (and yes, pain) was like meditation for me because I couldn't think of anything else but trying my best to keep my ass from falling over. But scheduling and a very bad shoulder made it difficult to keep up my practice and then my chiropractor discouraging me finally did me in. She, like me, thought yoga was wonderful but said that there was a clear connection between my shoulder pain and yoga classes. So out went yoga and in came boot camp.
Well, boot camp is now on the back burner because of Sticky Bun (who has a name now, by the way.) The whole "Yippee! It-kicked-my-ass-but-in-a-good-way!" feeling disappeared in my second trimester and was replaced with the "Oh-dear-Jeezus,-please-don't-let-me-throw-up-while-I'm-lunging-with-weights-and-I-cannot-believe-there-is-still-45-minutes-left-of-class/ I'm-really-going-to-vomit" feeling. That actually surprised me because I thought I was going to be in even better shape then my doozie of a first trimester. When I told my doctor that boot camp was getting very difficult, she said she was wondering how long I would last in that class. Nice. She recommended I switch to low impact workouts and low impact boot camp was NOT.
Anyway, back to the prenatal yoga. I'm nervous not because I haven't been doing yoga for a while but, well, this will sound totally cocky so I must apologize in advance. But what I'm worried about is that it will be too easy and I will get bored. When I started taking yoga and tried out different classes, there was such a thing as too easy of a yoga class even though I was a beginner. And really, I stand by that. Maybe "easy" isn't the appropriate word but I just don't want a class that's about breathing through one nostril, out the other, and chanting. I'm okay with the breathing but give me a workout, too, for crying out loud.
I'm taking it through Kaiser so the classes are relatively inexpensive and it's only once a week for six weeks. There is a yoga studio across town that teaches prenatal yoga but I wanted to try Kaiser first because it takes all of two minutes for me to drive there and it's less expensive. We'll see. Across town takes 15-20 minutes (I cannot believe street traffic sometimes) but it's twice a week and because it's at a studio, it may be a little more challenging. But I have plenty of time to figure it out. I've paid for the next six weeks at Kaiser. Hey ... wouldn't it be something if I go to my class on Tuesday and totally get my ass kicked? Like a deserving cocky mother effer? We'll see ... I'm hoping I'm not THAT out of shape!
The Man and I will also be attending a baby preparation class in July. Here is the description: The time for your baby's arrival is drawing near. We'll help you and your partner get ready for the labor and delivery experience. That means being able to recognize the early signs of labor and to know when to call your doctor. We'll discuss what you can expect in the hospital, your options for pain relief during labor and delivery, and how to care for yourself after the baby is born. We encourage you to take this class when you are 28 to 34 weeks pregnant. This class does not take the place of Preparing for Childbirth.
Evidently we will be enrolling in the Preparing for Childbirth class, as well. I'm debating if I should take the breast feeding class because I was told by a couple that the one person who should be taking the class is the one that doesn't - the baby. I'm sure you're thinking, what's the harm in taking another class? These types of learning classes are 2 1/2 - 3 hours long! And as I steadily get bigger, the less excited I am about sitting anywhere for that long period of time unless it's well worth my while. And you bet you're sweet patootie that I'm bringing snacks and water. Maybe even a pillow.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sticky Bun is a GIRL!
I think our baby read Kim's comment to my previous entry because she was dodging that ultrasound technician like no other. I will probably have to go back for another one too!
This was my third ultrasound and each experience has been different. The first one was with the paddle-like probe that went up the hoo-hah. The secone one was in the Gynecology department and was the best one because there was a monitor specifically for the mama to watch while the technician took different images and measurements of the baby. This third one was in the Radiation department (I know, strange, right?) and was not as serene as the second. Lots of noise outside and there was no monitor for me to look at while the tech worked so I was bored. Plus, the pictures were not nearly as good as the one I received at three months. I don't even know if it's worth scanning and posting. One image has half of the baby's body where she's sucking her thumb. But the legs are hidden so they look like they're missing. The second image was very unclear and pointed to her labia. No, seriously, there is an arrow pointing to what no one would be able to identify as a labia and reads, "Girl!"
While the appointment itself was a lackluster one, I was so jazzed to find out the baby is a girl! Of course, without a genetics test, we could very well be one of those parents that had a tech misread the ultrasound or the baby somehow tucked away it's bits that identified him as a he but we're pretty sure we're having a girl. A girl!
The Man was a little stunned. I know he's probably thinking about all the thoughts he had about girls as a pubescent boy. Hehehe ... during our drive afterwards he wondered aloud if he could find something that LOOKED like a shot gun that he could polish in front of her teenage suitors for when she eventually starts dating.
I start thinking about girlie baby clothes, he starts thinking about fake shot guns. We all express our joy in different ways.
This was my third ultrasound and each experience has been different. The first one was with the paddle-like probe that went up the hoo-hah. The secone one was in the Gynecology department and was the best one because there was a monitor specifically for the mama to watch while the technician took different images and measurements of the baby. This third one was in the Radiation department (I know, strange, right?) and was not as serene as the second. Lots of noise outside and there was no monitor for me to look at while the tech worked so I was bored. Plus, the pictures were not nearly as good as the one I received at three months. I don't even know if it's worth scanning and posting. One image has half of the baby's body where she's sucking her thumb. But the legs are hidden so they look like they're missing. The second image was very unclear and pointed to her labia. No, seriously, there is an arrow pointing to what no one would be able to identify as a labia and reads, "Girl!"
While the appointment itself was a lackluster one, I was so jazzed to find out the baby is a girl! Of course, without a genetics test, we could very well be one of those parents that had a tech misread the ultrasound or the baby somehow tucked away it's bits that identified him as a he but we're pretty sure we're having a girl. A girl!
The Man was a little stunned. I know he's probably thinking about all the thoughts he had about girls as a pubescent boy. Hehehe ... during our drive afterwards he wondered aloud if he could find something that LOOKED like a shot gun that he could polish in front of her teenage suitors for when she eventually starts dating.
I start thinking about girlie baby clothes, he starts thinking about fake shot guns. We all express our joy in different ways.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day gift ... one day late
Tomorrow we find out if Sticky Bun is a boy or a girl. Yes, I'm the kinda gal that wants to know, oh, I don't know, YESTERDAY!
The stories, though, that people have told me about misread ultrasound do not help at all. Like when my boss told me that one of her girlfriends thought she was having a girl and boop! Out pops a boy. After all the baby girl clothes were purchased and the nursery was done up for a girl. Or the other stories I've been told of when the baby has crossed his/her legs or mooned the camera are of no comfort either. Because, in case you didn't know, hospitals don't let you have ultrasounds at the drop of the hat or at your whim or fancy. Evidently they're a bit pricey! So I truly hope it's as clear as day when we go to our appointment tomorrow.
OF COURSE I will be happy no matter what as long as the baby is healthy. All along that has been my main concern and my greatest wish - that this baby be strong and healthy.
But dammit if I get tricked by a misread ultrasound! Hahaha ... I'm hoping that those are rare and that I get a doc with a good track record.
I am also excited because it's The Man's first time seeing an ultrasound. I've had the pleasure of seeing two (remember the evasive first?!) and I think that is the moment when everything felt real to me. And, to be honest, when I fell head over heels in love. And, unlike The Man, I at least have the opportunity to experience the baby inside of me whereas he has been sort of removed from the whole thing and has to experience things second hand.
Funny ... I actually see my pregnancy as an opportunity when that is pretty much what freaked me out for so long. But it is, for all the uncomfortableness, an almost unreal experience. Although I know there is this living, growing person inside of me, I have yet to feel kicks or movement. So when I went to the doctor and got to hear the heartbeat or, better yet, got to see the baby move around, that's when I felt really connected. So I can understand how it's hard for a Daddy-to-be to feel part of everything. And the whole realness of it all. I cannot wait to see what The Man looks like when he gets to see our baby. (If he cries, which would be a shocker because I've only seen him cry once out of emotion and once out of pain, I'll let you guys know. But shhh, don't tell him!)
So what do you think? Boy or a girl? I have my suspicions but I won't write them down because if the baby is not what I think it to be and then reads this blog 13 years down the road when he/she is in puberty, the little hormonal teen will think I didn't want him/her. And I can't have that held against me on top of the so many other things I'm sure our kid will already think :P (I'm hoping this SB will be a lot more reasonable than I was as a teen. Because, at times, I was one piece of work!) On that note, Happy Mother's Day to my mama!!! I can't believe she did this three times. And then had to raise all of us. That woman is tougher than nails.
The stories, though, that people have told me about misread ultrasound do not help at all. Like when my boss told me that one of her girlfriends thought she was having a girl and boop! Out pops a boy. After all the baby girl clothes were purchased and the nursery was done up for a girl. Or the other stories I've been told of when the baby has crossed his/her legs or mooned the camera are of no comfort either. Because, in case you didn't know, hospitals don't let you have ultrasounds at the drop of the hat or at your whim or fancy. Evidently they're a bit pricey! So I truly hope it's as clear as day when we go to our appointment tomorrow.
OF COURSE I will be happy no matter what as long as the baby is healthy. All along that has been my main concern and my greatest wish - that this baby be strong and healthy.
But dammit if I get tricked by a misread ultrasound! Hahaha ... I'm hoping that those are rare and that I get a doc with a good track record.
I am also excited because it's The Man's first time seeing an ultrasound. I've had the pleasure of seeing two (remember the evasive first?!) and I think that is the moment when everything felt real to me. And, to be honest, when I fell head over heels in love. And, unlike The Man, I at least have the opportunity to experience the baby inside of me whereas he has been sort of removed from the whole thing and has to experience things second hand.
Funny ... I actually see my pregnancy as an opportunity when that is pretty much what freaked me out for so long. But it is, for all the uncomfortableness, an almost unreal experience. Although I know there is this living, growing person inside of me, I have yet to feel kicks or movement. So when I went to the doctor and got to hear the heartbeat or, better yet, got to see the baby move around, that's when I felt really connected. So I can understand how it's hard for a Daddy-to-be to feel part of everything. And the whole realness of it all. I cannot wait to see what The Man looks like when he gets to see our baby. (If he cries, which would be a shocker because I've only seen him cry once out of emotion and once out of pain, I'll let you guys know. But shhh, don't tell him!)
So what do you think? Boy or a girl? I have my suspicions but I won't write them down because if the baby is not what I think it to be and then reads this blog 13 years down the road when he/she is in puberty, the little hormonal teen will think I didn't want him/her. And I can't have that held against me on top of the so many other things I'm sure our kid will already think :P (I'm hoping this SB will be a lot more reasonable than I was as a teen. Because, at times, I was one piece of work!) On that note, Happy Mother's Day to my mama!!! I can't believe she did this three times. And then had to raise all of us. That woman is tougher than nails.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Oh ... the J-O-B!
I haven't written in a long time about my money maker, my J-O-B, because of all the changes going on in my life. Well, over all, I still love it. It's been a challenging year in the Bean Finder industry. But hasn't it been challenging in just about every industry? Anyway, despite my numbers being abysmal, everything else is peachy keen. I know it's a little sick but I really do love my job. Weird thing to write because it's not my DREAM JOB (my dream job would be a travel channel host who goes to tropical locations ... or be a movie star) but I do love it.
There are those days, though.
One of the perks I have is that I can work from home. I'm not officially a telecommuter but something pretty close to it. I don't have a conventional work schedule. Although I can work from home, I travel 85% of the time during my work day to various customers and potential customers, depending on the year. I put a lot of mileage on Gertie and although she's a 2008 model, she's probably seen more action than cars a little older.
While I love my job, there are always pet peeves or a downside, right? Well, a glaring downside for me is the driving. And I don't complain most of the time because I knew what I was signing up for. But HOT DAMN. In the past 2+ years, I've gotten a moving violation ticket so I took traffic school to get it cleared. But then there was a big mess with sending it to DMV and NOT the court so it actually did not get cleared and now I have a point. Then I got into an accident which I will totally own up to and admit was my fault. Another point. My insurance is now double. Then I got a flat tire that needed to be replaced. For $280+. That really ticked me off because I thought I could get at least two for that price.
And then yesterday. Yesterday I'm driving with The Man to take care of some errands after work and I hear something that sounds like a seat belt is flapping in the wind. Odd because my car is new enough that the belts retract pretty well. Once we get to our destination, I look for something sticking out of my rear passenger door. Paper bag? Seat belt? Nothing. Huh.
I then see a BIG ASS NAIL head sticking out of my tire. I am not kidding, it was over a 1/2 inch in diameter. This thing was HUGE. I show The Man who remembers all to well how much the last tire cost. We go to a tire place and, thank goodness, they say they can patch it up for $30. I am conservatively excited as I've had to end up replacing patched tires in the past. But hey, I'm willing to kick down $30 with the hope it will work.
Christmas on a Cracker, people! All this driving around has made me susceptible to so much more than I'm used to! Oh, let's reflect on all the crazy things that happen to me where, luckily, my car and/or I don't get injured. I've had two canoes come off of a car in front of me on the freeway going 80 miles an hour. Thank goodness they bounced in opposite directions instead of directly behind the car because that's where I was! I've also seen what appeared to be two dead bodies in unrelated incidents (I think one was a motorcycle accident and the other was someone who committed suicide on the railroad tracks.) I've had a van next to me, again on the freeway, have its tire closest to me EXPLODE. No, I'm not exaggerating. Luckily, they were able to maintain some control and veer to the left shoulder instead of to the right (where I was) and, while parts of the tire did hit my car, there was no damage.
This nail, which was actually a big ass BOLT, was the last straw for The Man. He asked me if, once I'm back from maternity leave and the economy starts looking up again, I can look for another position within the company. I told him that I could but none would allow me to work from home. He said he didn't care, that I drove too much and we would come up with a way to get child care so that I could work 9-5 in the office. (People, this bolt was ginormous. He has no idea how I could have gotten it in my tire other than the freeway.) He has had enough.
Me? As long as the $30 patchwork holds up, I'm OK. But I get where he's coming from. I do drive an awful lot. And in addition to all I mentioned above, the wear and tear on my car is a bit much. If I stay at my job, The Man said my next car should be a tank. I argue that the mileage would be bad.
We will see. I understand his point but I love my job. But if I see one more dead body or another object poorly tied to the car in front of me that just flies off, I may have to start inquiring within my company.
There are those days, though.
One of the perks I have is that I can work from home. I'm not officially a telecommuter but something pretty close to it. I don't have a conventional work schedule. Although I can work from home, I travel 85% of the time during my work day to various customers and potential customers, depending on the year. I put a lot of mileage on Gertie and although she's a 2008 model, she's probably seen more action than cars a little older.
While I love my job, there are always pet peeves or a downside, right? Well, a glaring downside for me is the driving. And I don't complain most of the time because I knew what I was signing up for. But HOT DAMN. In the past 2+ years, I've gotten a moving violation ticket so I took traffic school to get it cleared. But then there was a big mess with sending it to DMV and NOT the court so it actually did not get cleared and now I have a point. Then I got into an accident which I will totally own up to and admit was my fault. Another point. My insurance is now double. Then I got a flat tire that needed to be replaced. For $280+. That really ticked me off because I thought I could get at least two for that price.
And then yesterday. Yesterday I'm driving with The Man to take care of some errands after work and I hear something that sounds like a seat belt is flapping in the wind. Odd because my car is new enough that the belts retract pretty well. Once we get to our destination, I look for something sticking out of my rear passenger door. Paper bag? Seat belt? Nothing. Huh.
I then see a BIG ASS NAIL head sticking out of my tire. I am not kidding, it was over a 1/2 inch in diameter. This thing was HUGE. I show The Man who remembers all to well how much the last tire cost. We go to a tire place and, thank goodness, they say they can patch it up for $30. I am conservatively excited as I've had to end up replacing patched tires in the past. But hey, I'm willing to kick down $30 with the hope it will work.
Christmas on a Cracker, people! All this driving around has made me susceptible to so much more than I'm used to! Oh, let's reflect on all the crazy things that happen to me where, luckily, my car and/or I don't get injured. I've had two canoes come off of a car in front of me on the freeway going 80 miles an hour. Thank goodness they bounced in opposite directions instead of directly behind the car because that's where I was! I've also seen what appeared to be two dead bodies in unrelated incidents (I think one was a motorcycle accident and the other was someone who committed suicide on the railroad tracks.) I've had a van next to me, again on the freeway, have its tire closest to me EXPLODE. No, I'm not exaggerating. Luckily, they were able to maintain some control and veer to the left shoulder instead of to the right (where I was) and, while parts of the tire did hit my car, there was no damage.
This nail, which was actually a big ass BOLT, was the last straw for The Man. He asked me if, once I'm back from maternity leave and the economy starts looking up again, I can look for another position within the company. I told him that I could but none would allow me to work from home. He said he didn't care, that I drove too much and we would come up with a way to get child care so that I could work 9-5 in the office. (People, this bolt was ginormous. He has no idea how I could have gotten it in my tire other than the freeway.) He has had enough.
Me? As long as the $30 patchwork holds up, I'm OK. But I get where he's coming from. I do drive an awful lot. And in addition to all I mentioned above, the wear and tear on my car is a bit much. If I stay at my job, The Man said my next car should be a tank. I argue that the mileage would be bad.
We will see. I understand his point but I love my job. But if I see one more dead body or another object poorly tied to the car in front of me that just flies off, I may have to start inquiring within my company.
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