Dentist update

Well, I finally had my dentist appointment for my toothache. The dentist did all sorts of tests to figure out where the pain was coming from and finally discovered it--OUCH!! She felt a root canal was the best way to go since it was a tooth that had periodically bothered me through the years. Who am I to say no to two hours of drilling and picking? And now I get to have another session later this month to complete the root canal. What I can say is right now, I feel the best I have in four days and when this is done, I shouldn't have any more discomfort. But, I do get to have the pictures! I've always wanted to get a picture of me in a dentist chair. Why? Just because...

I've got a toothache!

Saturday night, while at work, my tooth started hurting a bit. I thought it was nothing, maybe just a temporary soreness due to biting on something. I took some ibuprofen and didn't think about it. Sunday night, it got worse. I couldn't get to sleep; I'd get close and then the pain in my tooth would wake me up. Monday morning, 6am, I woke up and knew I had to get some help. I called in sick and then called the dentist. They could squeeze me in at 9am--relief!! They discovered a bit of decay under an old crown. They gave me an appointment for 2pm Wednesday to get it fixed. They also gave me two prescriptions, one for Vicodin to help with the pain, and one for pennicilin, in case there were any infections. I've spent the last two days taking that medication and it really seemed the Vicodin had no real affect on me. For most of the past two days, I've gotten very little sleep and the pain in my tooth would come and go. I couldn't go to work on Tuesday since I could barely see straight at times-maybe the medication was having some sort of an effect after all? So, the past two days have been spent at home with Karen. She's been great, tending to my needs. I've spent my time sleeping whenever I can, reading two books from the library, watching some TV, and having great conversations with Karen.

I'm really looking forward to going to the dentist tomorrow. Maybe I need a root canal, maybe not. Whatever happens, I just want to be able to sleep without pain and not worry about any side effects of medication.

Thank you, Karen for all you've done the past two days!

Block Party

Tonight, Karen and I went to a neighborhood Block Party. My friend David and his family were co-hosting a block party at their home just a few miles from us. I thought it would be lots of fun to go and I'm glad we did. Karen made some delicious and spicy chicken wings and we also brought some fruit salad. When she was making the marinade for the chicken wings, even she was affected by the Jalapeno Chili Peppers! I wish I had a picture of her with her face all contorted--those things are stronger than onions and black pepper combined.


We had a great time, getting there a bit early to help set up tables and the food. There were lots of people there, from at least 8 houses in the area. Two propane grills were brought out for cooking and the tables were full of food.



The street was blocked off, allowing all the children to ride their bikes and draw with chalk on the streets without fear of cars. We met most of the people there. laughing and talking. They would ask us which house we lived in and I would tell them that we were friends of residents, but that we were also 'auditioning the neighborhood' since I know at some point we will be buying a home--maybe in this neighborhood? It reminded me of my own childhood in Salem, Oregon where kids could play in the streets without worrying about strangers, cars, or whatever, and everyone knew everyone else.




Thanks David and Susanne for inviting us!

Devil's Curry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"Devil's curry (also known as curry debal in Kristang or curry devil) is a very spicy curry flavoured with candlenuts, galangal and vinegar from the Eurasian Kristang (Cristão) culinary tradition in Singapore and Malacca, Malaysia. "

My first, not so successful attempt at making some curry devil.
Way too spicy.
I could almost handle it but did not chance it on Chad.

Thank-you, Rhonda for getting my mom's recipe in the Family recipe book wedding gift and thank-you Mom, for the on-the-phone extra tips.

I did not think I could do it, but I did. I made some, just like my mom makes it. Well, perhaps not EXACTLY like my mom makes it, but close enough. And it only took two tries to get it 'close enough'!

My second attempt.

Lets explore!

Wednesday was such a fun day. Karen and I woke up early because we wanted to get out and explore the region on my day off. After a blueberry pancake breakfast, we headed up north. My plan was to show Karen the eastside of King County, where the smaller towns and berry fields are. She's seen a lot of Seattle already during her driving lessons and since we had all day, I wanted a road trip! We started up in Monroe and went south from there. Going through the cute towns of Duvall and Carnation, we stopped at Remlinger Farms for lunch. I also wanted pie, since I really enjoy their frozen pies at home. But, they didn't have any available to eat(just a huge warehouse of frozen pies!). We continued south to Snoqualmie, past Snoqualmie Falls. Entering in the town, there was a stand selling cherries. Big sweet cherries, two big boxes for $11. We got two boxes of Rainier cherries, which are not as common as other kinds.


After we got the cherries, we stopped at the Snoqualmie Train Museum. Walking around the trains, we ate cherries and spit the pits at each other, just like I used to do to to Mark, Scott and Linda when we were all children. We found out that on the weekends, there are train trips around the area--I wish I could have weekends off from work!



After enjoying the trains, we continued south when Karen said, "I'm thirsty. I want something cold." Well, I knew where to go!

Starbucks? Not this time! In Issaquah, there's an iconic restaurant called "XXX Drive In." I'd only been there once, but loved it. They make their own root beer, which may be the best I've ever had. Great burgers and the best onion rings. But, we actually weren't very hungry, just thirsty. What to have? Lets have a look at the menu, shall we?


Karen: "What's a XXX root beer float?"

Chad: "How about a milkshake? They make 'em big and good here."
Karen: "Which flavor? Chocolatecherryraspberryvanillaoreo...there's a million here! I think I'll just get a chocolate one this time and get a different kind every time we come here."


Chad: "You get a milkshake and I'll get a root beer float."



Karen: "I want both!"

We got a chocolate milkshake and a root beer float, both which were yummy! We shared them, and also shared the sugar buzz afterward.



After a stop at Gilman Village to explore the cute shops, we headed home. How can a whole day have gone by already?

Forward!

It was yesterday. An email update from USCIS. These two lines caught my attention:

Application Type: I-485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: Card production ordered.

In 30 days, I expect to have that green card in hand. This means that, I can travel without an Advance Parole, visit Canada and not need a Visa, settle what needs to be settled in Singapore so I can do my Masters, and the to join the workforce.

The waiting period has been like being in a state of limbo in some aspects for me. Especially in terms of education, job and career. Not being able to go forward or backward. All we could do was wait. Not knowing for sure how long. The wait is almost over.

Where do I go from here?

Forward!