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Weekend recap

I started this weekend with a Friday-night MRI at the Civic. I got the ‘quiet’ machine this time. They have one noisy old clanger (I got that one the first time) and one more subdued, newer machine. It’s still noisy, but at least it’s not unbelievably noisy. I was more than eager to get out when it was over, but interestingly, the headache that had been pounding my skull for two days got sucked out of my head by the giant magnet. Or something.

They inject a dye during the MRI, but they can’t use my right arm anymore for IVs and blood-taking, because my nodes have been removed on that side, so there’s a risk of lymphedema. I’ve always been a bit of a challenge for nurses and phlebotomists, but now it’s getting ridiculous. My left arm has clever, skittish veins that hide when they see a needle, and retreat and collapse when poked. I got poked five times on Friday night – four times by a technician, and once by an ER nurse who was eventually summoned to deal with me, and also to deal with the woman next to me who was having similar problems, only hers were compounded by a needle phobia.

The MRI took over two hours from beginning to end, which cut deeply into our plans for the evening. We ended up just doing drive-throughs at both Octopus Books’ 40th birthday party and Raw Sugar’s first birthday party. By then we were famished and we went to the highly recommended 24-hour Elgin Street Diner for a late-night snack.

Saturday morning we went to an art show (Art Expo) which was very good. In the afternoon I had my complimentary facial at Oresta’s, which left me feeling almost woozy with relaxation.

Saturday night we went to a Halloween party.

Normally I don’t do Halloween parties. I can’t get myself together for it. It’s too hard. But the stars were aligned this year. I found out that my favourite band in the whole world, Astronaut Love Triangle, was going to be performing at this party. Then, David Scrimshaw posted something soothing about Halloween party costumes. Then, with the pressure reduced, my sleeping brain actually came up with a costume idea.

Interactive collaborative work of art in progress

Interactive collaborative work of art in progress

My costume was a sandwich board of two blank canvases. GC wore a beret and an artist’s smock with pockets full of paintbrushes and magic markers. I was an interactive and collaborative work of art in progress. Other party guests were invited to use GC’s tools to work on me, and many of them did.

The extra added bonus is that I now have two pieces of art to hang on my walls, created by beatniks, cowgirls, cabaret dancers, nuns, sexpots, variations of the swine flu and various other assorted creatures.

hw09The party had everything you could possibly want in a party: interesting guests, dancing, food, wine, excellent live music performed by heavily made up almost-naked people, and Astronaut Love Triangle, amplified! They only performed four pieces, and I wanted much, much more, but they were brilliant as always and the crowd loved them.

We couldn’t stay late because Nanowrimo was starting at midnight and we had novels to write. I wrote just over 3,000 words on Day 1. I’m much happier with the quantity than the quality, but that’s about what I expected. (What I didn’t expect was for the book to completely ignore its outline and go off on a tangent of its own. I don’t know whether to try to rein it back in or to follow its lead.)

6 comments to Weekend recap

  • Gramps

    I trust you will be distributing autographed copies of this work when it is done

  • Oma

    I would see where it took me if I were you … much more interesting and lively … shows that your characters are alive … you can always rewrite if necessary … but my experience has always been that it’s best to allow the first draft lots of latitude. You can be boss when you are rewriting and editing.

  • That’s an awesome hallowe’en costume!
    Contrary to popular belief, authors don’t really write novels. Characters take on their own lives…. let it lead and you won’t be sorry

  • I really liked your costume. I think it was the only interactive one at the party. I can see that the point I made came through loud and clear.

    – RG>

  • Julia

    GC told us about your costume when he came over to wish us happy birthday to Uma on Saturday. (Even if she IS gone, it was always her special day.) It sounded very clever! I didn’t have a beret that he could borrow, sorry. Where did he find one?

    I totally have the same vein issues. I am going to try to remember to drink gallons of water before my next sticking, whenever that may be – let it be a long time from now. It plumps the veins up, all that water.

    Today, I had my first mammogram since last summer. Ouch! Much squishing of boobs. But it’s over too. Maybe I should ask for an MRI next time.