The one where Carrie sprains her ankle on the way to Mexico.
Abby wrapped my ankle. I didn't leave it like that for long!
So, do you ever have so much to say or do that you just can’t even start? That’s what’s up with me right now. . . I could write like 15 different posts today, but I don’t have the time or energy or inclination to do that to you all! So, in the interest of just getting stuff going around this here blog, I’m going to just write a whole bunch of random stuff here to get it off my chest/off my camera and then we can all move on to more regular posting (um, as regular as I get. . . wow, that’s almost some sort of poop joke. . . this is where my brain is. . . watch out!).
So, I live about 2 hours and one 35 minute ferry ride away from Seattle, which is our closest real airport. For us to get to Mexico, we have to go to Seattle and hence, we took a ferry the night before flying. I somehow missed the last step on the way down the stairs, fell to the floor and sat on my butt trying not to cry while tons of people got all backed up on the stairs. . . lots of folks tried to help me up, Abby ran out onto the ferry deck screaming “DADDY” at the top of her lungs and I tried not to swear.
So, yeah, 12 hours before flying to Mexico I sprained the CRAP out of my ankle. Tom and I have enough emergency medical training to know that it would be fine eventually, but that it needed ice, to be wrapped up and rested. I cried a little as I hobbled up to the hotel room that night (in Seattle, we were flying super early in the morning, so we opted to stay in Seattle the night before to make the morning easy). But, I bucked up and figured that Mexico was a decent place to sit with my foot up.
So, we watched the Food Network and went to sleep. Um, when we woke up at 4:45 AM. . . we were greeted with the wonderful view of the passenger window smashed in on our car. Yeah. So, I’m on this shuttle van with a sprained up ankle, 15 people are waiting to be taken to the airport to start their vacations, I’m sobbing, Tom’s trying his best to figure out what to do and some old biddy turns to me and says, “Jeez, I hope your plane doesn’t crash. . . you know these things always come in 3′s.”
Ahem. Who the hell says that to someone?! Who would say that to a lady with a busted ankle and a busted car on her way to Mexico!? Sigh.
In the end, we left the car. The hotel put plastic up on the window (and, incidentally, caught the dude that had broken into 7 cars that night), the insurance company towed it and got the window fixed. My mother (who’s an angel), took care of retrieving the car and by the time we were back, it was fixed, washed and vacuumed. Aside from the money part (which sucks really big rocks), the whole thing really didn’t impact us much.
And, I wrapped and iced my ankle, drank beer, read 4 books and 3 magazines, played endless games of backgammon with my sweetie, watched whales and hummingbirds frolic from my view for 6 days. Not bad eh?
View from our porch in Mexico.
When we came back, I went nutso again with the freezer paper stenciling:
Abby wrote some really cool stories. Here’s one. One of the others involved fishing vitamins out of a toilet with poop in it. . . um, based on an almost true story. I can’t find that one, but when I do, I promise to post a picture of it!
So, there’s a million other things I could say right now, but I have a small child pulling on my arm. She is in recovery from complete and total undivided attention for 7 days from her grandmother (which I would NOT trade for anything. . . kids need that sort of doting from their grandparents).
Hi Carrie.
This is such a lovely post. I’m sorry the bad stuff happened, but the good sounds wonderful. It sounds like Mexico was beautiful for you too. I didn’t want to leave. And now I want to take on new projects (just after I declared I WOULD NOT go into a yarn store for six months). What type of paint do you use on your t-shirts?
Welcome back! You should have face-pushed the plane crash lady. Not. Cool. I’m glad everything went smoothly after the first day! Also, LOVE that black birdy shirt.
the great thing about spraining your ankle or breaking your teeth in (or on the way to) mexico is that it’s MEXCIO and who fucking cares about ankles and teeth? those things are traumatic when it’s raining/snowing/dark/cold outside and you have to go to work/take care of kids. when all you have to do is read books, lay around, and find the right dentist, it’s real nice. real nice.
Love the bird shirt like crazy. Glad to have you back–I’m working on a visit up to PA. Dare I say, a sprained ankle in Mexico is better than healthy ankles at work in Washington and it’s snowing and it’s MARCH?!?
The only reason this happens to you is you can handle it like a trooper (and so can Tom). But good Lord, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone! I really can’t believe that lady, but it makes for a good story, and man, this is really going to be funny in a few years! Welcome home and isn’t the Grandparent thing the ultimate blessing when you have kids?!
Hi Carrie,
I’ve been enjoying your blog for the last few months (after Matt told me about it). I really want to try the freezer paper stenciling, but don’t understand how. Is freezer paper the same thing as “wax paper”? Would you mind explaining exactly how you do this? Thanks and I hope your ankle is healing well. Matt says hi too–
Sofie
The comment from the crazy lady has made my day- people are so stupid! I hope you are feeling better and feel somewhat relaxed.
can’t wait to compare notes about our trips! hope your ankle is better too!
Aouch… I’m glad your vacaction ended up being nice and relaxing after that start…
Is your ankle better now?
I love your bird shirt. I finally found freezer paper at the Safeway in Rainier Valley (?!). Unfortunately they only had a super-jumbo-size, so hopefully I will enjoy this new craft! That’s what I have planned for tonight!