boobs

Had my first mammogram today. Apparently when you reach 'that certain age' one of the rights of passage is to have your tits squashed by a rotating machine in a cold room. I personally think that the Sweet Sixteen party is a helluva lot better, but hey, aging ain't for sissies. I've been told that if you take a boob and close a door on it a few times, that approximates the mammogram experience, so I wasn't really looking forward to it at all.

Anyhow, it was a strange strange experience. I was invited from the busy waiting room into a tiny dressing room with doors on either side by a guy and told to 'take off everything above the waist'. The guy left, and I commenced disrobing and then went through the second door (not the one into the hallway, obviously). It's a very strange, disorienting and slightly dreamlike feeling to walk through a door into an unknown and previously unseen space with no shirt on. I mean, who knows what is on the other side? There could be an auditorium full of people, or it could be a door to the outside that locks behind me and there I am, holding my boobs in my hands, wondering what the hell happened? As it is, it was freaky enough to walk through a door into this unknown room knowing that there was probably a guy in there and here I was, half naked and with my clothes in the other room.

Well, I 'nutted up' and went through the door to be met by that guy, and there in front of me was the mammogram machine I had heard so much about. It didn't look too threatening. I mean, there weren't any severed boobs laying around, no lost nipples, no blood, no passed out or hyperventilating women. Nope, just a silvery machine and me. So I approached it and the guy gently grabbed a boob and hoisted it onto the metal plate for the first of four mammograms.

Now, really. What kind of job is that? Boob lifter. All day long, you grab boobs and hoist them onto a tray and then squash them. You either have to really LOVE boobs or really HATE boobs to do that all day long. The only job that is worse would have to be being a gyno or a proctologist/urologist. Seriously. Boobs. Boobs boobs boobs all day long.

Anyhow, he had a very gentle touch, and I didn't find the exam to be at all uncomfortable, in fact, I wonder if he squashed hard enough, actually. It was kind of funny to look down and see my tit through the clear plastic 'boob smasher plate' all elongated and pointy, and I remember thinking that this was just not dignified at all, really.

Anyhow, my girls got squooshed vertically and then horizontally, and then he told me I could go. I was all, "Hey, that's not bad at all", and then he said "You'll get the results in a week or so".

OH, yeah. I forgot what this was all about. Breast cancer. Shit. Not really a humorous experience at all, but rather a dead serious and possibly life saving exam. Fuck.

I hope the results come back ok. I mean, I don't have any reason to think they won't, but then, some of my friends didn't either, did they?

vase.jpg

vase.jpg, originally uploaded by karlakp.

I am unreasonably happy with this vase I bought at Goodwill. I love the design and the feel of it. It feels good quality, too, and is signed. It seems pretty traditionally Norwegian, what with the girl in the bunad, but I don't know. Any collectors out there who might have any info? Has anyone seen anything like this?

early spring oslo view.jpg

early spring oslo view.jpg, originally uploaded by karlakp.

springish? springesque? springlike?

Today felt, dare I say it, Springish. Sunny! Somewhere around 15C, (50F?) Like, not too cold, almost warmish! So much so that on my walk home I was too hot in my dress, sweater and coat and had to remove the sweater and walk with my coat open. I walked home today from work, first time I have done that in a while, and it was almost ice free on the sidewalks. Yeay!

We aren't out of the woods yet, I have seen it snow well into late May, but there is a definite sense that winter has lost its ferocious hold on us and that we might in future have some warmth.

Ah I can't wait. Can't wait at all.

thighs

Big day in Oslo, well, for a certain crowd.

Today the Irish in Oslo celebrate St Patrick's day with a parade, and then later in the day (by coincidence) is the England-vs-Ireland rugby game. The pubs will be PACKED with howling screaming English and Irishmen rooting for their teams.

Me? I love rugby. SOOOO much better than American football (yes I know coming from a Texan that is treason, so come get me, whatever). No padding, no stupid helmets and no crashing into each other head first like rutting moose. Nope, just manly men, sweaty, STRONG manly men, sweaty, strong manly men in SHORTS, sweaty strong manly men in shorts with all those muscles heaving and those THIGHS with the .... um...where was I?

I lost the plot at the thighs. Sigh, I love their thighs.

Ok, anyhow, I find rugby much more exciting than American football. I understand it better, I get the plot, and it's over fast and it's usually a thrill a minute. There is also some sportsmanship and some gentlemanly stuff going on there, the crowds are usually pretty nice and everyone is in for a good time and a few Guinesses.

As for who I root for? If England and Ireland are playing, I root for Ireland. Otherwise I cheer for Ireland or England against anyone else. Especially against the French......We always root against the French.

:-)

Oops

Tuesdays are always a busy morning for me as I have an early meeting and invariably end up running out of the house helter skelter and in a panic to get to work on time.

Today was no different.

It was only around 4:30, when yoga class commenced, that I realized 2 things: I forget my yoga clothes (no real problem as I was wearing leggings and a stretchy dress that I could hike up as needed), and I forgot to put on deodorant.

The deodorant issue was only realized during a particularly bendy and armpit-adjacent pose.

Oofda, as we say in Norway.

Monday survival kit

Multimedia message, originally uploaded by karlakp.

I need this.

Fw:

Fw:, originally uploaded by karlakp.

All the energy I can muster after a crazy busy week. G'night, y'all.

best to enunciate clearly

Multimedia message, originally uploaded by karlakp.

Clear communication is key.

Random photos from Jordan

This is along the 2 km walk to the start of the city of Petra. You walk through a long 'siq' or gorge, to get there. No cars allowed, only carriages and horses.

First view of the Treasury from the siq. (Well, first tourist free view, anyhow.) The colors of the stone are amazing.

The siq is lined with remnants of the water delivery system to ancient Petra. They had a pretty advanced system!

Camel's eye view of the Royal Tombs, in the city of Petra.

Camels and the Treasury. I guess it is necessary to say all photos here and on this blog are copyrighted to me and taken by me.

Richard and I outside the Treasury. We spent two days in Petra, spent the night in the town of Wadi Musa, just outside. Petra needs minimum two days, don't even try to do one of those one day tours.

We also went to Wadi Rum, where Lawrence of Arabia spent a lot of time. The colors there are incredible, look how the sand changes colors along a defined line!

Relaxing on the beach on our last day. Our flight wasn't until 4 so I had plenty of time to sunburn myself before heading back to Oslo!

Me on a red sand dune at Wadi Rum. That sand is so cool.


Before I post, just wanna say, Jordan treated us right. We felt very safe, absolutely no problems, and everyone was very nice. We really got the feeling that they wanted us there and were happy to see us. So, if you want to go, JUST DO IT.

best vacation ever.jpg

best vacaton ever.jpg, originally uploaded by karlakp.

Last few hours of sun before going back to real life.

Best. Holiday. Ever. Thanks, Jordan!

first view of petra.jpg

first view of petra.jpg, originally uploaded by karlakp.

The picture does not do justice to the amazing colors in the sandstone. Reds and pinks. This is the most amazing ancient site I have ever seen.

I'm floored.

(If your comments aren't posted it's because I am blocked from my moderation host. Sorry. They will be posted on my return!)