No more wisdom for me.

I like to moan and groan about my teeth a lot. More specifically, my dentist. But this post will be moan and groan about the dentist free! But it shall still all be about my teefies! Or the lack there of now. Two yanked five years ago. Two more yanked on Thursday. See? Proof!
Tim didn't have to work til 9:45, and my appointment was for 8am. Its not like its brain surgery, aka, it super quick, so he drove me to the appointment, met Mom there. The nurse was beyond amazing, really nice and just awesome in comparison to the heinous ladies at my dentist. Especially when I was one of "those" patients, and asked if I could get the IV line in my hand instead of my elbow. I felt bad, but it just eases my mind a lot. No problems. Waited maybe three/four minutes for the doctor. Lovely man. I asked right away about how soon I could work out, and he seemed surprised, but amused by it.

Our only other conversation was me asking if I could have the teeth if they came out whole (yeah, I know, its sick, but whatever). My arm hurt and then burned when he injected the sleep stuff. Then my wrist felt like someone snapped it, but then I felt it hit my heart and spread crazy fast, I remember maybe two or three images between that sensation (8:10am at the latest) and waking up on my couch at noon. Trying to write on a piece of paper. The car. Those two images are literally like someone took a picture of the event, and then showed me once, three months ago. So those are super fuzzy. I remember slightly better walking in the garage. Then Tim coming in and telling mom he bought pudding and changing my gauze cause apparently I kept saying that I was choking.

Thats it. Then noon. Not five minutes after I woke up, my GLORIOUS Mommy came over with a marshmallow peach shake. Total treat of awesome.Even though I didn't eat it until 4 or 5. She stayed for maybe 20 minutes. But once I woke up, I was totally awake. No more lethargy. Just very cozy on the couch. Complete with round the clock care by a very attentive nurse.
Tim later said that when they got taken back to the recovery room, I apparently asked for my teeth about every five minutes, and then as soon as the doctor came in to talk to mom and Tim, I asked him AGAIN when I could work out. I still have my paper of me trying to communicate. Lots of squiggles. Pretty much every legible scratch involves me liking drugs. One is just a heart with drugs written in it. And another says, David, I like drugs. And I do not remember a single part of it. Ill just be thankful for that part.

My mouth barely hurt, but maybe only slightly more than an aggressive dentist visit. Tim didn't force drugs on me as soon as it was over, knowing I would just pass out anyway, and by noon I decided it wasn't bad enough yet to just take them. So I didn't, and never ended up taking any at all that day, which pleased me, since I havent actually taken a painkiller in probably a few years. Although yesterday morning, waking up, after having probably clenched my jaw all night...I popped those babies in like candy!

A side effect I didn't expect was how bad my hand and arm hurt. I have a tiny bruise and a rather large prick hole on my hand from the injection, but my arm has been pretty nasty feeling all day, all the way up to the elbow really. Like I had held my arm up and it just got blindsided by someone in a Geo Metro. A small, yet still large metal automobile. But no puffy face! At least I don't think so. Tim says a little bit, but I sure can't tell.
So that's that. Four teeth out. Here's hoping I'm not a shark relative and won't be finding any more rows of teeth back there anytime in the near future....or ever.

Throwback Thursday: Take Care of Me Mommy!

I feel like this will be recreated tomorrow, only fastforward 2.5 decades. I get my top wisdom teeth out. Tim works all day and I need a babysitter. Mommy to the rescue! Had this been a few weeks ago, there might have been a TOTAL recreation complete with Bears shirts, but alas, we will not talk about that defeat.

Can I just say I would like tomorrow over with?

Although I spent the past two days in St Louis, so look for a post on that coming up, it should be written while a drug induced stupor...so pretty entertaining at least....

The way to my heart: My stomach.

My Valentine's was spent at one of my new favorite restaurants downtown. It's not typical for around these parts, it thankfully seems to forget that not only is it just styled like a diner, but also that it's located in the midwest. Simple food, but prepared with great skill and conceptualication. Anyways. They were having a six course Valentine's dinner, and I pounced on that like kitties on catnip.
Totally cute set up, it's a quaint diner/cafe atmosphere normally, but add candles everywhere, white linens, hints of Valentines red in places. Even better was the fact that there were only eight other couples in the whole place, so it was killer service and we got the chef's talk before the meal explaining all the courses and running us through the five different entrees.

Course #.5: Champagne

Course #1: Scallop with reduction.


Course #2: Romaine with garlic bacon vinagrette and shaved parmesan.

Course #3: Lobster bisque.


Course #4: Scoop of lime sorbet.

Course #5: Pork w/ risotto and sauteed spinach. Breaded chicken w/ grilled zucchini and a thyme waffle.

Course #6: Poached pear w/ cheese plate (aged cheddar, bleu, and brie).


Course #7: Trio of chocolate. Coffee chocolate mousse, triple chocolate ice cream, and a white chocolate covered strawberry.


Delicious food. Great atmosphere. Something different for Valentines Day. Good times.

And to top it all off, a Macy's Gift card, but personalized, with Nessa's mouth wide open on the card itself, and a card explaining that she wants me to use it all on her, but that Myla and Nessa disagree. Too cute. Well executed! Much better than my gift of crab cakes kit, thats for certain!

Some Cutie Pie Kit Kats.

Just a friendly internet reminder that I hate kids, because cat's have way more perks and way less annoyances. Plus, they have souls, unlike any human under the age of twelve....

They throw the pigskin, we eat the pig flesh!

Mother Nature. One of my biggest pet peeves during winter is parking at the rec, so if you could just avoid that parking lot when you preceipitate between October and May, that would rock.
Mom likes the crusties of the pork.

So what if I like watermelon....alot.

It's not a Super Bowl without Sprinkles cupcakes! This year was banana with a maple frosting.

It's Only Six Days.

For anyone that reads this on a regular basis, you might have the idea that I am kind of a body conscious person. I'm not even skinny, but I am pretty food watching sensitive, I workout like a fiend, and just in general try to keep it all in check. Mainly, so I don't end up like this tragic mess again.

Point being, my aunt and uncle have been participating in the Clean Program, and have had crazy results. My dad bought the book, mom read it in a matter of days, and they started yesterday. Well, I have a little bit left of the book, but we are starting tomorrow. The whole program is three weeks. But most people have to start at one week and then give it a rest. We are heading to St Louis on Tuesday, so we will only last for six days the first time, but I get my wisdom teeth out the day after we get back, and I wanted to at least give it a go before Disney World. So if all goes well, we will at least have one more round after this one before we leave in March.

The book is super easy to read and understand, but its all about how our bodies are virtually toxic with all the crap that we eat these days, and the three week cleanse should be a good relief to that stress. It's pretty simple actually, just quite intense. Simply put. There is a list of things to eat, and a list of things you better not touch with a ten foot pole. And its not just things you normally think are bad. Yes, cheese, yogurt (all dairy) are out. As are all breads and cereals basically. But also no tomatos, grapes, bananas, grapefruit, peppers....its interesting to read the science behind it. No eggplant either! Or coffee.... (eek).

But of the Yes List, you eat a liquid (smoothie or soup) for breakfast, a solid lunch, and then a liquid dinner. There must be 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.

That's pretty much it. I think the hardest parts are going to be actually eating lunch (my first actual meal isn't usually until 7pm) and then not eating after dinner. And the coffee. And no juice packets. And no chocolate. Pretty much just going to suck. I just must chant, its only six days. Its only six days.

And then....First Watch breakfast in St. Louis!!! That part, shall rock.

Addendum: Also helping is knowing that my mother, my father, and Tim are all sharing in the misery....

Slow Down, its moving too fast....

The next six weeks are shaping up to look quite awesome. Well, a few less awesome and more just eventful. But still. Keeping busy feels nice. And then summer doesn't exactly slow down....

Week #1-Valentines Day, normally eh. But this year involves a six course dinner. 4 Queens opens. Last Mens Bball game of the season!

Week #2-Two days in St Louis of eating and shopping and Ke$ha in concert. And then getting my top teeth yanked out, thats the less than awesome event....

Week #3-Dropkick Murphy's show in Des Moines. And the last two Womens Bball games of the season!!! Yay free time!

Week #4-Get psyched up (as if I'm not already) and leave for Disney!

Week #5-Best week of the year of Nordyke family craziness at DisneyWorld.

Then June brings (MAYBE) a mission trip to another continent with mi madre. No more on that until its locked. I'm already far too excited for only being in the works.

Perhaps another summer vacay with the fam in Colorado sometime in July....

Throw in five weddings, one being in South Dakota and another in Massachusetts, and you have one poor, yet happily busy and socialized Clare!

Throwback Thursday: Beach!

Speaking of beaches.... However, I am pretty sure I don't want to have to wear pants and a jacket to the beach I go lounge at for a week.

But this is Coney Island Beach. I would like to go about 2000 miles south...Please. I'll even take daddy if he wants to go! If he promises not to wear the leather jacket...

Cedar Falls Police. Get some manners.

So both of my parents are sicker than death right now. To a degree that my dad left work at noon. Which is UNHEARD OF. And it's currently 11:30pm, and I get a call from their house.

Dad tells me that the police just called to ask if the red Civic had been moved from downtown because the snow plows were going to start working.

Ok, backing up. I had been at the salon this evening from 7:15-9:15. During that time, the cops had come in and told everyone to move their cars from the side streets. Well, thats like 20 cars. But the Tom Green show was tonight, and tons of people were downtown to see that, and eat and whatnot. And its 8oclock on a weeknight. People aren't going to be moving their cars anytime soon. So I just left my car and kept watch to see if other people moved.

By the time I left a bit after 9, half the cars were still there. No biggie.

BUT TO CALL MY PARENTS TWO HOURS LATER?! Please note that this street in particular is TWO BLOCKS from the police station. They werent even claiming that the car was still there, just calling, at 11:30pm on a weeknight, that the car had been moved within the past two hours.

Morons. Completely rude morons.

I do miss the Sun.

This time last year, I was about ready to pull my brains out through my ears. I would say eyes, but having a total eye phobia that I do, the mere thought of that cues my gag reflex. But yes, winter had taken it's toll and I would have done anything and everything to escape its bleak misery. That's when I decided to move to New Zealand.

But this year, while I am still nowhere near a fan of the cold icy gray skies, I am not in the depression that I was last year. I am alive and surviving Old Man Winter, and feel like there is an end in sight, spring will eventually be here.

However, my yoga instructor just got back from Aruba. Enter Clare's jealousy. And I am not one of those people that really looks forward to doing nothing. I like to have my vacations planned with activities and stuff. But right now, sitting on a beach for a week doing NOTHING but relaxing sounds amazing.

So I spent my stretchy stretchy time working not only on my ham strings, but on my beach side fantasies. Here's what I came up with between Opening Mountain Pose and Savasana.

- Bike ride around the island
- Walk through the markets
- Yoga class on the beach
- Big bowls of fruit salad with yogurt and granola for EVERY meal
- Adding fresh fish from the ocean to my dinner bowl
- Reading all the books I haven't had time to read in a hammock in the breeze
- Or in a big chaise lounge in order to avoid sandy syndrome
- Sangria watching the sun set

Yesterday it was -9 here. Just sayin.

Dentist Doom

This entry includes the sentence: My mom is just excited cause I will draw her pictures that resemble a four year olds masterpiece while still totally drugged up and seeing unicorns again. (See? Now you want to read it).

Last week I went to the dentist. I have NEVER had even a neutral experience there. See: Bruising and Torture.

And of course, this past visit was no different. I actually was meant to go in quite awhile ago (its probably been a year), but with our New Zealand extravaganza, I just kind of ignored it. Well, my top wisdom teeth are all the way in, and the only way to get them out is to get a referral. So once again, suckered into the dentist.

That being said, when I got my bottom wisdom teeth out near a decade ago, he told me that there were no top wisdom teeth on the x-rays, and by that age, they should be at least visible in x-ray by now, so I had been lucky enough to escape top ones. CLEARLY WRONG.

There's more to that part of the story, but I feel like I should share the beginning of my lovely day at the dentist. It's typical to be in the office for close to two hours between all the waiting between steps that you have to do at my dentist, he beyond overbooks and is always late. But I arrived around 9:50 for my 10am appointment. Checked in, sat down.

Waited. 10am hits. Two guys walk in within five minutes of each other, both are taken back to their rooms before they can even sit down in the waiting room. I get annoyed that I have been there ten minutes and they just get to walk in. So I go up and "check" to make sure my appointment was at 10 (read: reminding the community college graduate behind the desk that I was still waiting).

She responds, "It's only 10:05"
"Well, yeah, but those two guys walked right in so I just wondered...."
"They have different hygienists than you, yours will be done soon"

All with immense attitude. I sat down and contemplated the concept of pre-assigning the hygienists and the complete annoyance of such practice.

Finally being shown into a room, forced into small talk where I showed my heinous side of how unhappy the dentist makes me in order to shut the woman up so I don't have to talk with her hands in my mouth, I tell her about my top wisdom teeth. She pulls up my x-ray and says,

WAIT FOR IT

"Oh yes, I see your bottom left tooth poking through"

Yup. Remember up to the top of the story that I had my bottom wisdom teeth removed years back. They don't exist. And this moron of a lady is claiming to see them on my x-ray. I swear its to get me to like her and stop being so angsty.

I don't care. I judge her ferociously and continue the rest of my visit. Ugh.

Then there was quite a glorious argument with the lady scheduling the surgery about my insistance about going under during the extraction. I think by the end of it the lady understood that if I was this bitchy awake and at the END of appointment, no one should have to deal with me during the process of terrifying me half to death and making me bleed from the mouth.

My mom is just excited cause I will draw her pictures that resemble a four year olds masterpiece while still totally drugged up and seeing unicorns again. The humor she finds in my pain.... *sigh*

Two weeks from tomorrow I will be short two more teeth. I am now accepting get well gifts, cards, as well as poetry. ESPECIALLY since Tim will be working during my recovery, and I will be left at the hands of my mother, who clearly has shown her sympathy traits above....No really. Feel free. ;-)

Throwback Thursday: Girl Scout Week Apparently.

Speaking of Girl Scout cookies. I was a Girl Scout. Yup. My mom was a leader for awhile, or helped out a lot, clearly my memories aren't that crystal clear. But I DO remember meeting in the art room after school and certain activities that we did. I remember learning batik dying of eggs. As well as a Mary Kay lady coming and showing us how to "take care of our skin".

It's kind of weird though. I was in Daisies, Brownies, and a full on Girl Scout, and I really don't have any memories past those. Im sure there were sleep overs and other outtings. But those two things. Oh, and of course going into my dad's business friends offices and sitting at the kitchen table calling people to ask them to buy cookies. That memory is QUITE strong. Church was a big seller too. And one over night at a camp. We made the pie things were you cram a piece of bread into the tin, pour pie filling in, cram another bread, roast it over the fire, and eat it.

Ok, so thats four memories. For probably 5-6 years of activities? Clearly it was life altering.... ;-)

Is there Working Out Anonymous?

I think I might have a problem. An addiction if you will. So we are in the middle of the snowpocalypse, blizzard, average snowfall for an Iowan February, whatever you want to call it. Schools are closing, people are driving like they were taught by Mr. Magoo, and stores are running out of eggs and milk (because clearly thats all we need to survive the 12 hours we might be stuck inside).

But my phone rang moments ago. Unknown local number. I screen my calls (because I'm deaf and have a hard enough time understanding the people I know and love that call me) but Tim decides that he'll answer it for me. Well, it turns out it was one of my instructors at the rec center (mind you, NOT my personal trainer) calling to let me know that her class was cancelled for tomorrow morning and she just wanted to let me know personally so I wouldn't risk my life coming in thinking I would be able to work my nonexistant (yet still somehow sore) triceps.

Now, it might not seem like its a big deal. But this woman isn't a friend of mine. We don't hang out. We've never hung out. I didn't even know she knew my name, let alone had my phone number to call me at home to let me know that I dont need to come in that early. This is a sign that I might be there a little too much. Instructors know i am there every possible second I can be, and will be there no matter what.

Case in point the fact that I was at the gym three different times today. In the morning for pilates and some biking, in the afternoon for more biking, and then this evening for bootcamp class. Those are Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays and Wednesdays are worse though. Upper body class, yoga class, biking, and abs class. Fridays are personal training and biking.

The sad part is that I would be there even more if I didn't have both a treadmill and elliptical in my house....

Thin Mints are totally cliche.

I stocked up on Tim Tams during the holiday season. And shocker, they are already almost gone. Despite having put them in the freezer to keep them out of sight and out of mind! :(

I am usually not one to buy girl scout cookies. But this year...if one seems to find me...I won't be heart broken.

Like I said, I usually don't seek out to ruin my diet of late, so I don't buy them myself, but if anyone else comes offering, I am quite partial to those new(ish) Thanks A Lot cookies. Its like a grahmy cookie with the bottom dipped in chocolate. However, I really want to try the berry ones and/or the dulce leche ones. Both of which you cannot buy in the midwest. Silly regional cookies only.

What's your favorite kind? (Poll to the right ----->)