Elizabeth & Brendan

So I had an appointment with my plastic surgeon and we are going into the last phase of the reconstruction.  So all limits are off.  Meaning I am free to work out.  So my excuse of “I can’t wear a sports bra yet” are gone.  Gone. Gone. Gone.

I went for what may be my first run in a year and started with the method I used when I first started running (the EJB method which I guess is not the EJbC method).  I walked a minute and then ran a minute for a total moving time of about 25 minutes.  Let’s just say it was not my finest performance.  But I did it and I am patting myself on the back for that one.

Okay so June 25 came and went and Brendan and I were getting the house ready for the big move. Then July 11th came. Moving Day. Awesome. We had a large truck and a cast of movers including us, Kim, Kevin, Karen, Keith, Jen, Hugh, Alett, and Paul. We started around 9:30 and ended at 12:30. We couldn’t believe a) how hot it was and b) how quickly it went. Then the BBQ started. Then around 1:30 some people left and around 2:00, the rain started. We watched the rain fall and laughed at the fact that Jen and Keith had just gone for a run. Jen returned first and she was soaking. Then Keith came home. We continued the drinking until a knock on the door came. Turns out the street was flooding and Keith’s car was in danger of getting wet. We then watched the waters come down the street and laughed. I went down to check our basement and just some water was there from the bulkhead. We go back upstairs and more drinking ensues. About an hour later, we realized that there was about 2 inches of water in the basement. We just moved. And now water. So Jen, Keith, Kim, and I begin to bail out the basement while Brendan and Paul go to Home Depot for a Wet vac. 2 hours later Brendan returned. As he was leaving, he ran into our neighbor Bob. Turns out Bob had about 2 feet of water in his basement (Bob says it was the second worst he has seen it in the 25 years he has lived here. The streets were so badly flooded, traffic wasn’t moving. (We later learned that a tunnel got completely flooded and 2 people had to swim to safety). Once we had the wet vac and the water began to subside, it took a few more hours but it was dry. The next night it rained again and panic ensued. Brendan and I were afraid to see if water was coming in but it wasn’t and it hasn’t anytime it has rained since moving day.

We later found out that most of Somerville was experiencing bad flooding. The police station lost 3 cruisers to the water and had to chain motorcycles down for fear they would be taken with the water. They estimate the damage to residents and the city at $10 million so far.

As I told Brendan, we seem to get done with all the hardships earlier than expected – major illness 7 months into marriage, flood one month into home ownership. That is how we roll I guess.

I find it interesting that on this Friday (June 18), we were cleared to close on the house while one year ago on that Friday (June 19) I was told I have cancer (which I then met up with Kristen and JB and said “I have cancer.  So let’s get drunk.”  And thanks guys for taking the commend seriously and getting drunk.  The night ended in a dive bar with the entire bar singing along to Baby Got Back.)

To celebrate just how far we have come, Brendan and I cashed in a christmas gift and went to erbaluce for dinner.  (We both wanted what we got last time but branched out.  I got the steak and Brendan got the poached lobster)  And in talking, we both never thought that 1 year later we would have a dog, be buying a house and Brendan at a new job.  And while I am still technically “in treatment” and still finishing up the reconstruction, we are doing tremendously well.

And we have to thank you for all your support, cupcakes, well wishes, food, babysitting, prayers, etc.  We couldn’t have made it to this point without you.  And I am serious.

Eli has had some GI issues which cause Brendan to get up several times a night and us to worry about coming home to an “accident”. There have been a few of the latter.

Also, we had a rock hit the car while I was going to work one morning causing a nice 10 inch crack. We visited the tax person and that was not very pleasant and was a bit shocking.

Hopefully this weekend will be an improvement of things.

We are back from NYC and had an overall good time.

We drove down Thursday and after about 2 and a half hours, Eli got a little whiney. So we stopped, gave him some food, walked him and then I sat in the back with him for the rest of the ride to Long Island. We arrived at Rich’s and Eli finally met someone he didn’t like. He growled and barked and growled some more. All night long. It was fun. And he didn’t go to the bathroom (because he won’t go off leash).

Friday started with Eli going to the bathroom and we were happy. Next we visited Grandma, Aunt Betty and Uncle Billy. Eli was a good pupster. He was calm with Grandma, cleaned up her crumbs and stayed off the couch and away from the wires. Aunt Betty offered to watch Eli for the afternoon and we should have taken her up on it. Later that day, when we went to visit Billy, we left Eli behind at Rich’s. About 3 hours later we get a call from Rich’s friend and landlord. He was in the backyard and saw Eli RIP THE SCREEN WINDOW AND JUMP OUT THE WINDOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! He landed on the AC and then ran into the yard. Brendan and I rushed out of the hospital and drove back to Rich’s. Needless to say, I was a wreck. We found Eli waiting for us on the porch. I was so happy he was okay but still. HE JUMPED OUT OF A WINDOW!!! So instead of going out to dinner, we took Eli over to Kathleen’s and ate there. Kathleen remarked how nice and calm Eli was and then Rich came in. More barking and growling. We calmed Eli down and then James came home. Eli went over to sniff and lick him and was fine. So it seems to be just Rich. Kath thinks that someone resembling Rich hurt Eli. Maybe. After “the incident”, things were fine. Eli slept in our bed that night and growled alot less.

Saturday we went to Queens and visit with Eileen, Kevin, Emily, Lowell, George, Nancy and Debbie when we got there Eli peed and pooped. Everyone was kind to indulge us in our elation and dog-obsession. After awesome food and even better conversation, we drove to Brooklyn.

Because Eli rolled around in something that smells less than lovely we decided to give him his first bath. And it was not too bad. He jumped out of the tub once but that was it. And he smelled a lot better. A lot. We then hung around Brendan’s parents’ house. Eli met Lucy and they played. They chased each other around and around the table, wrestled, jumped and lunged. It was fun but then it got anxiety-ridden. For me at least. I kept waiting to hear something crash or the dogs to yelp in pain. It never happened. Everyone was surprised to hear that Eli wouldn’t go to the bathroom that night and we would just take him to the park in the morning.

Sunday, Eli proved once again he can really hold it in.  We took him down to Shore Road Park and while walking on leaves, he did it.  HE WENT TO THE BATHROOM ON THE LEASH!  Brendan and I praised the crap out of him when he was done.  We were so excited.  Probably more than we should have been but we have had a rough couple of months and this dog is our life.   We walked into the park and then he went #2.  It was a great morning.

Brendan and I dropped the pup off at the house and went to Dunkin’ Donuts for coffee and to watch the start of the marathon.  We saw the elite runners (including eventual winner Meb).  We stayed a bit longer to cheer on the “regular” runners.  Cheering people on in the marathon is a lot fun.  And makes me want to run one again.  Maybe.

Eli was on 93rd street missing us.  But he was being very good around Haley and letting people rub his belly.  He loves that last one a ton.

On the ride home, we had to stop at a rest stop in Connecticut.  I was walking Eli on the grass and he stopped and peed on the leash again!  Twice in one day.  Amazing.  So now we know he will do it, he is just stubborn.  While he started to get bored, we all made it home.  Eli ran around to make sure everything was still in its place.  He is now asleep on his couch.  All is well again his world.

We will be taking him with us for Christmas but may board him from time to time.  I am emotionally drained.  I cannot believe he jumped through a window.  This dog is crazy.

These past few days there have been some updates.

1) The decrease in drains have increased my mobility. I have now walked up to the Square and even to Dunks a bit further down.
2) I am now sleeping our bed.
3) I have been left alone for a few hours when Brendan was at work and Kim had left.
4) Brendan has returned to work.

We may even venture out to friends’ this weekend but we will see.  Also a long walk of the dog is on the agenda.

My mani/pedi is a no go as I have to remove all nail polish prior to the surgery. As if having breast cancer was bad enough but now they are ruining my pampering day! I guess I will just find something else to do.

With all that has been going on, Brendan and I have had some slips in mental capacity. With the several screening appointments we have had we have been eating easy to make dinners.

One night, Brendan had hot dogs. The next night I wanted hot dogs. Now I had just bought two packages of Nathan’s because they were buy one, get one free (I only buy Nathan’s or Hebrew National) and there was one package of Nathan’s in the freezer but none in the fridge. I searched high and low but couldn’t find the hot dogs. Brendan came into the kitchen and searched the garbage. We were getting concerned that they were somewhere in the kitchen and we would find them months later. Brendan remembered he put them in a ziploc bag. So he opened the drawer and found the hot dogs.

The next day, I arrived at work with the home phone in my purse.   I wanted to walk around the office like it was an early 90s cell phone.

Cue Gloria Estefan…

So I have been hibernating for awhile given the health issues I have been dealing with and waiting on results for (still waiting at the time of posting). But fear not faithful readers, I will begin to post again with delightful tales of farm fresh veggies, my tomato plants, how the stress of everything affected Brendan’s ability to put away hot dogs, Kristin’s visit up north and whatever else has happened.

Please know I appreaciate everyone’s kind words and positive thoughts these last couple of weeks. Fingers crossed the good news continues!

What Brendan and I need to do during the winter months is go some place warm.  We have yet to get that figured out.  This winter we had little excitement.

January: B’s parents came to visit so we had fun shuttling through the cold together.   We did get through all the wedding photos for the alblums.  Although, I have yet to order them from the photographer.  (Seriously, since the wedding we have not wanted to anything wedding related.  We have yet to watch the DVD.)

We joined a CSA in January and now have a farmer, Farmer Steve Parker of Parker Farm.  What he lacks in computer skills I am confident he makes up in farming.  A CSA is community supported agriculture and it is like buying stock in a farm.  In this analogy, the dividends are the veggies of the farm so we will get a box of fresh vegetables each week starting June 1 (and running until about the first week of November).  We also will supplement this with our own little patch of plants (peppers and tomatoes).

February: We had fondue on Valentine’s Day and I am sure it was cold in Boston.  Otherwise there is nothing else to say about February.

March: We went to Chez Henri for my birthday and it was great!  Really good food and a very strong mojito.  Then on March 31 I left for Switzerland and that will be the topic of the next post.