The Scarpetta Factor | Patricia Cornwell |
Rasskazy | Mikhail Iossel, ed. |
Total Oblivion More or Less | Alan DeNiro |
The Limits of Enchantment | Graham Joyce |
The Sea of Light | Jennifer Levin |
33 Moments of Happiness: St. Petersburg Stories | Ingo Schulze |
The Haunting of Hill House | Shirley Jackson |
The Orchard Keeper | Cormac McCarthy |
The Apprentice | John Grisham |
Eat Pray Love | Elizabeth Gilbert |
East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart | Susan Butler |
36 Views of Mt. Fuji | Cathy Davidson |
Got ‘til it’s Gone | Larry Duplechan |
The Passion of Alice | Stephanie Grant |
The Children of Mother Glory | CM Harris |
People in Trouble | Sarah Schulman |
Some of the Parts | T Cooper |
Stone Butch Blues | Leslie Feinberg |
Revelation Space | Alastair Reynolds |
The Magicians | Lev Grossman |
Verge | Z Egloff |
Zami | Audre Lorde |
Beloved | Toni Morrison |
Brightness Falls From Afar | James Tiptree, Jr |
Trouble and her Friends | Melissa Scott |
Fun Home | Allison Bechdel |
The Lost Constitution | William Martin |
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter | Kim Edwards |
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water | Michael Dorris |
A Grave Talent | Laurie King |
Nobody Passes | Matt Bernstein, ed. |
Sister Safety Pin | Lorrie Sprecher |
Southland | Nina Revoyr |
House of Sand and Fog | Andre Dubus III |
Blockade Billy | Stephen King |
Deliverance | James Dickey |
Under the Dome | Stephen King |
Buddhism: A Concise Introduction | Huston Smith and Philip Novak |
Just After Sunset | Stephen King |
Burning Chrome | William Gibson |
Calming Signals | Turid Rugaas |
The Accidental Buddhist | Dinty W. Moore |
Walking up to What You Do | Diane Eshin Rizzetto |
Spin State | Chris Moriarty |
Linux For Dummies | De-Ann LeBlanc |
Animals in Translation | Temple Grandin |
The Culture Clash | Jean Donaldson |
Pointing Dogs Made Easy | Steven Mulak |
The Story of Tibet | Thomas Laird |
The Russian Language: A Brief History | G.O. Vinokur |
The Changelings | Jo Sinclair |
Monday, December 6, 2010
Long time no blog
Yeah, I haven't blogged or anything in awhile. So here's what I read this year:
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Last fire update
This will be the last update, as Big Boy heads back to St. George tomorrow. This is the largest wildfire in the country at the moment.
The Twitchell Canyon fire was active on multiple fronts again yesterday. Active fire was backing down the mountain slope about five miles east of Sulphurdale, toward Interstate 15. A large smoke column was visible from many points in the area, as concentrated fuels burned. The fire continues to accomplish management objectives that include cleaning up brush, deadfall and litter on the forest floor. As it burns in a mosaic pattern throughout the fire area, overgrown vegetation is consumed allowing areas for new grass, browse and aspen regeneration. This will all lead to improved wildlife habitat and will help prevent catastrophic wildfire in the near future.
Beginning today, firefighters will use aerial and ground ignition to burn out vegetation from established indirect control lines back to the fire front in order to speed up the containment process in the northwest corner to keep the fire from crossing Interstate 15 and Interstate 70. Most of the resources are on the northwest flank of the fire to support operations. Protection of private property and infrastructure remain the focus with emphasis on firefighter and public safety.
The south flank of the fire continues to slowly back down the slope in Pole Creek. Two Hot Shot crews and two engines are in that area and are staying in a spike camp near the fire area to monitor and contain the fire. Fire managers continue to address concerns of homeowners in the North Creek area.
The Twitchell Canyon fire was active on multiple fronts again yesterday. Active fire was backing down the mountain slope about five miles east of Sulphurdale, toward Interstate 15. A large smoke column was visible from many points in the area, as concentrated fuels burned. The fire continues to accomplish management objectives that include cleaning up brush, deadfall and litter on the forest floor. As it burns in a mosaic pattern throughout the fire area, overgrown vegetation is consumed allowing areas for new grass, browse and aspen regeneration. This will all lead to improved wildlife habitat and will help prevent catastrophic wildfire in the near future.
Beginning today, firefighters will use aerial and ground ignition to burn out vegetation from established indirect control lines back to the fire front in order to speed up the containment process in the northwest corner to keep the fire from crossing Interstate 15 and Interstate 70. Most of the resources are on the northwest flank of the fire to support operations. Protection of private property and infrastructure remain the focus with emphasis on firefighter and public safety.
The south flank of the fire continues to slowly back down the slope in Pole Creek. Two Hot Shot crews and two engines are in that area and are staying in a spike camp near the fire area to monitor and contain the fire. Fire managers continue to address concerns of homeowners in the North Creek area.
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 520 |
|---|---|
| Size | 39,883 acres |
| Percent Contained | 25% |
| Fuels Involved | 10 Timber (litter and understory)Primary fuel model is FM10, with a FM6 in lower elevations. |
| Fire Behavior | Active backing fire with mid-range spotting. |
| Significant Events | Fire continues to back toward I-15. The Interstates are currently open, however the potential for further closures exists with reassessments ongoing. Power corridor that parallels the Interstate remains threatened and is de-energized. The fire is currently active on the southern and western flanks. Multiple divisions continue to be staffed with necessary resources however, the current focus is holding fire spread to the south of I-70. Resources are assessing and constructing direct and indirect line on the northwest flank with the intention of slowing and checking the fire spread. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Burnout operation will be performed utilizing aircraft and ground resources. Resources will work to contain fire spread to the south of I-70. Protection of infrastructure and private property remains the focus with the emphasis being placed on firefighter and public safety. Direct and indirect line tactics will be used. Remaining divisions will be appropriately staffed with efforts being placed on monitoring and holding existing lines. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | High |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 20 mph SE |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 79 degrees |
| Humidity | 10% |
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
More on the fire
Firefighters worked diligently today and were successful in holding the lightning-caused Twitchell Canyon Fire from spreading north of I-70. I-70 was re-opened Monday morning at 10 a.m. to east and west bound traffic; however, the potential for additional closures remains as reassessments of fire activity is ongoing.
Windy red flag conditions again yesterday, along with existing dry fuels, caused more extreme fire behavior with 200 foot flame lengths observed and frequent spotting, especially on the eastern edge of the south flank of the fire. The Twitchell Canyon Fire area is now approximately 33,071 acres.
Firefighters completed line construction along the south and southwest edges of the fire near Twitchell Canyon with the intention of slowing fire spread towards private property to the west.
Another Red Flag Warning - a weather descriptor used to indicate the high probability for extreme burning conditions - has been issued for the fire area by the National Weather Service today with a possible chance of moisture in the afternoon.
Protection of private property with an emphasis placed on public and firefighter safety remains the focus of fire managers.
Ourada's Great Basin Incident Management Team 2 transitioned this morning at 0600 with Whalen's Great Basin Incident Management Team 2 who will now take over management of the Twitchell Canyon Fire.
Fourteen handcrews, six helicopters, two dozers, and 28 fire engines are assigned to the fire, bringing the total number of personnel to 520.
Castle Rock Campground remains under evacuation.
Windy red flag conditions again yesterday, along with existing dry fuels, caused more extreme fire behavior with 200 foot flame lengths observed and frequent spotting, especially on the eastern edge of the south flank of the fire. The Twitchell Canyon Fire area is now approximately 33,071 acres.
Firefighters completed line construction along the south and southwest edges of the fire near Twitchell Canyon with the intention of slowing fire spread towards private property to the west.
Another Red Flag Warning - a weather descriptor used to indicate the high probability for extreme burning conditions - has been issued for the fire area by the National Weather Service today with a possible chance of moisture in the afternoon.
Protection of private property with an emphasis placed on public and firefighter safety remains the focus of fire managers.
Ourada's Great Basin Incident Management Team 2 transitioned this morning at 0600 with Whalen's Great Basin Incident Management Team 2 who will now take over management of the Twitchell Canyon Fire.
Fourteen handcrews, six helicopters, two dozers, and 28 fire engines are assigned to the fire, bringing the total number of personnel to 520.
Castle Rock Campground remains under evacuation.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Update on Twitchell Canyon Fire
With gusts of up to 54 miles per hour recorded over the fire area, the Twitchell Canyon Fire made another significant run yesterday and the acreage is now up to 30,000. Such conditions make it very difficult for firefighters to limit fire spread; however, the exceptional work of the fire crews prevented the fire from crossing I-70. Multiple spot fires were quickly extinguished. The diligence of Utah Department of Transportation and Utah Highway Patrol in closing I-70 was imperative to the safety of the crews as well as the public.
Extreme fire behavior was observed yesterday, including sustained running fire through the tree canopies. For the fourth consecutive day, a Red Flag Warning - a weather descriptor used to indicate the high probability for extreme burning conditions - has been issued for the fire area by the National Weather Service. Today winds are predicted to start off strong and decrease through the afternoon. Temperatures will be slightly cooler today and tomorrow.
Fourteen handcrews, six helicopters, two dozers, and sixteen fire engines are still assigned to the fire, bringing the total personnel to 485. Additional engines have been ordered. The current management team will transition with another team tomorrow morning.
It is unknown when I-70 will be reopened. The most current information can be obtained by dialing 511 within the state of Utah or 866-511-UTAH (8824) outside the state. Castle Rock Campground remains under evacuation. Additional roads have been closed to provide for public and firefighter safety:
Forest Road 119 Indian Creek Road at Pole Creek Junction (Forest Road 589).
Forest Road 114 Shingle Creek Road intersection with the Paiute Trail Mud Flat Road (Forest Road 583).
Forest Road 113 Mill Creek Road (Kimberly) at Mud Springs (junction of Forest Road 116 Sevier Canyon Road).
Forest Road 591 North Fork North Creek at the intersection with Tanner Hollow Road (Forest Road 654).
Forest Road 589 Drag Hollow Road where it intersects with Hell Canyon Road (Forest Road 520).
Forest Road 123 at the Poison Creek gate (just north of Big John's Flat).
Forest Road 113 Beaver Creek Road at the Forest Boundary west of Marysvale.
Forest Road 475 Max Reid/Dry Creek Road at the Fremont Indian State Park.
Forest Road 476 Dry Wash from Old Hwy 4 - Clear Creek Road.
Forest Road 474 Deer Creek Road from the eastern boundary at the Hwy 89 rest area.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Twitchell Canyon Fire
Fire Information Report for Twitchell Canyon
Wildland Fire Incident
Report Date: 16-SEP-10
| Burnt Area: | 20,870 Acres (17% increase from yesterday) |
| Location: | Beaver County, UT (7 Miles East Manderfield) |
| Cause: | Lightning |
| Incident Team Type: | IMT Type 2 |
| Team Leader: | Ourada |
| Containment Status: | 0% contained |
| Expected Containment: | Unknown |
| Fuels: | Primary fuel model is FM10, with a FM 6 in the lower elevations. Extreme 6013158.00 563PRIM |
| Large Incident: | A wildfire of 100 acres or more occuring in timber, or a wildfire of 300 acres or more occuring in grass/sage. |
| Wildland Fire: | Any nonstructure fire, other than prescribed fire, that occurs in the wildland. |
| Wildland Fire - IMT2: | Wildland fire; Type 2 Incident Management Team Assigned. |
Current Situation (updated 23 hours ago)
| Total Personnel | 86 |
|---|---|
| Size | 17,891 acres |
| Fuels Involved | 10 Timber (litter and understory) Primary fuel model is FM10, with a FM6 in lower elevations. |
| Fire Behavior | Overall, extreme fire behavior observed over entire fire area. Rapid rates of spread, flame lengths observed of over 200 feet, 1/2 mile spotting with large ash landing over five miles northeast of fire area. |
| Significant Events | Fire made significant runs and exhibited extreme fire behavior. Fire moved in high rates of spread to the north and is currently posing significant threats to a Power Corridor parallelling I-70 and to I-70 itself. IMT overhead along with local resources are currently gathering intel and discussing strategy and tactics. Mobilization of desired resources are critical to success. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Gather intelligence relating to fire perimeter, begin point protection for power corridor and I-70 Corridor. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Medium |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | Voluntary evacuation of Castle Rock Campground is in place. Additional resources have been ordered. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 10 mph SW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 76 degrees |
| Humidity | 14% |
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Too ambitious
Not something that I'd ordinarily call myself.
I'm not ambitious. I've always hated the "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" interview question. Honestly, in 5 years I'd like to be 5 years older, still happy and still having the awesome friends that I have now (but maybe in better shape, looking no older than I do now, more cash in the bank, more vacation time, having read more books, my mind a bit less flabby, sons who both act respectful and still speak to me...). My 5 year plans have nothing to do with work other than either continuing to be gainfully employed (or being suddenly independently wealthy).
I walked around a little yesterday. It turned out to be too much. I was too ambitious thinking that I could substitute the distance I'd travel in a day on crutches with the same amount of distance on foot. My foot was aching pretty good by the end of the day. I spent the evening on crutches again. But, what an evening it was! After a somewhat excruciating search in the land of 10,000 lawyers, C landed a job!!! She's going to be working for the Feds. Government attorneys, aren't we great?
I'm not ambitious. I've always hated the "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" interview question. Honestly, in 5 years I'd like to be 5 years older, still happy and still having the awesome friends that I have now (but maybe in better shape, looking no older than I do now, more cash in the bank, more vacation time, having read more books, my mind a bit less flabby, sons who both act respectful and still speak to me...). My 5 year plans have nothing to do with work other than either continuing to be gainfully employed (or being suddenly independently wealthy).
I walked around a little yesterday. It turned out to be too much. I was too ambitious thinking that I could substitute the distance I'd travel in a day on crutches with the same amount of distance on foot. My foot was aching pretty good by the end of the day. I spent the evening on crutches again. But, what an evening it was! After a somewhat excruciating search in the land of 10,000 lawyers, C landed a job!!! She's going to be working for the Feds. Government attorneys, aren't we great?
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Habits
 |
| Slightly angled view of my left foot, 9-8-10 |
This x-ray makes it look all better. It's not really, but there's bone growing in there. The surgeon looked me over yesterday. He said I could wean off the crutches and walk with the boot and then walk around the house wearing shoes (I might have already done this. I can't confirm or deny anything.). Walking with the boot on makes my right hip hurt a lot, in a sick toothache sort of way. Stretching doesn't make it any better. So, my doctor-of-laws (but not of medicine) opinion is that I shouldn't stress out the structure any more than it already has been (I've been to the chiropractor twice since the race). Plus, the boot makes it really hard to drive my car.
I'm allowed to bike, but not to take walks (elliptical is out, too, but then I don't do the elliptical). Until I go for my next follow up and x-ray in a month, I'm going to stick with what I've been doing for the past 10 weeks, which is get around only as much as necessary: around the house, from the handicapped parking spot at work into the building, limited grocery shopping, stop and rest when it hurts.
The new habits I've picked up during my time on crutches feel a little strange now. Driving my own car (manual transmission) and doing it without pain felt oddly liberating. Since I couldn't put weight on my left foot, I had to swing both legs out of the driver's side door when getting out the car so I could use my right foot and the crutches to stand up. And, of course, the crutches got out of the car before me. Just getting out of the car felt weird. Not using the automatic door at work and opening the door myself felt slightly naughty. I feel really light, not having to haul most of my body weight around with my arms and one leg. And it feels kind of wrong, like I shouldn't be allowed to just walk on two legs. Despite the fact that my foot aches if I'm upright for too long (and gives me some nice stabbing pains if I try to walk too far) and I'm not completely steady walking on two feet, everything suddenly feels too easy.
 |
| Top view of my foot |
You can see from this second x-ray that the break is still visible, but it's all fuzzy with new bone. It's not done healing, but it's definitely not two distinct pieces of bone connected by a pin any longer. This is the view that shows the fracture the best. However, it doesn't really show how the pin is placed. Although I can't get an MRI, I'd have loved to have seen the break in 3D.
Forced crutching does interesting things to your arms (and your hands and your spine), but without it, they'll be back to their old lazy selves in no time. So to replace my crutch habit, this morning I did 100 push ups (25-20-15-15-25). I can do about 25 at a time without falling apart. Crutching up and down stairs also works your abs quite a bit. Instead of crutching, I made myself do 100 crunches. I may still crutch up and down the stairs a bit, because lifting your entire lower body with your core is a lot more work than just crunching your upper half. Maybe I'll have to try the pull up bar in the garage...
 |
| Side view. Who knew than pin went in almost vertically?! |
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Maybe I answered the questions wrong...
You are The Wheel of Fortune
Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success
The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Best award of all
I've been cheating this weekend and have been taking little walks around the house. So far, so good. I was also Not Completely Useless (tm) yesterday and helped C cut up some trees in her yard.
Big Boy is likely headed back to the midwest in early October. Fire season hasn't been too bad this year and his crew is getting laid off at the end of September.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
50 days
From and including: Saturday, July 3, 2010
To and including: Saturday, August 21, 2010
To and including: Saturday, August 21, 2010
It is 50 days from the start date to the end date, end date included
Or 1 month, 19 days including the end date
I've been on crutches for fifty days. My next follow up appointment with the surgeon to check on bone growth is on September 8th. That's another 19 days to be on crutches.
I'm not super happy today, and in general I tend to say things I regret later when in such a mood. Discretion being the better part of valor, I shall refrain from talking about what's on my mind and instead regale the innernets with cat pictures or something.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Tonks and Luna
It's funny that I have more pictures of Tonks than of Luna. Tonks hides a lot and pretends to be shy when people come over. Luna is everywhere, in everybody's business, and despite being kind of slothful and lazy, it's hard to snap a pic of her sitting still.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Adventure
These morning glories are probably more fun to look at than the results of my latest adventure. At my follow up appointment two weeks ago, after three and a half weeks on crutches, the xray showed that the bone hadn't healed. The surgeon took a look at it and thought it wasn't too late to go in and reduce the fracture and put a pin in the bone to hold it.
I spazzed out for a week until surgery day. The hospital experience wasn't as bad as I was anticipating. C (the gf formerly known as TODL) picked me up in the morning and took me to the hospital. A couple of funny things... the nurse who took my vitals proclaimed that I did not have "Minnesota arms" (the blood pressure cuff was mondo huge), in recovery I kept setting off some alarm because although the oxygen content of my blood was 100% my pulse was 48. Another nurse asked if I was "an elite athlete or a runner or something." After copping to be a runner, she said that she'd turn off the alarm cuz I'd just keep setting it off.
The surgery part has been conveniently erased from my brain. They put something in my iv on the way to the operating room that made me a little nauseous and slightly out of it. I don't even remember when they knocked me out, which they had sold as getting me "a little sleepy." They also gave me something to make me forget everything, so even if there was something to remember, I've forgotten. The next thing I knew was someone waking me up and they were xraying my foot, which was all wrapped up.
The bandages are still on and I'm rockin a big black boot. I don't have copies of the xrays yet, but there's a pin in my toe now. My chart says this:
An oblique fracture at the base of the fourth toe proximal phalanx extends diagonally from the proximal diaphysis into the midarticular surface of the fourth MP joint. This large fragment has been internally fixated with a short pin. There is anatomical alignment.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Just hanging out
Tonks helping me get dressed (or maybe just approving my wardrobe choice).
Blue hanging out on the deck.
(Luna has a new place to lounge, but I haven't caught her with the camera yet.)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Mmmmm, naps
The cats and I were having a really nice nap under the ceiling fan while Blue kept watch. Then the cats decided it was time to be War Kittens.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Spazzy perhaps, but...
And this could be a randomly generated author, especially since I had it analyze a couple more paragraphs and it came up with this:
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Tired pup
Week one of four on crutches is done. My foot is still greenish and puffy and intermittently really painful (when I forget the Tylenol). I'm better at hopping up and down the stairs, but sometimes it's kind of scary.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Ouch
or, Beware of Invisible Stumps.
Here's a map of the Afton Trail Run. This is not an easy run in the woods.
I met up with J and M and C (the most awesome running sherpa/tographer) about 7 on Saturday at Afton State Park. We were determined to have a little hike with some running thrown in. Not that we're overly competitive or anything, but we ran quite a bit and hiked up the hills. Or, in some instances, just about crawled up the hills. There were some flat spots, as evidenced by the following:
We did spend quite a bit of time swearing about the course, but when we were able to look around the scenery was beautiful. There were many references to the fact that this could be a Push, Pull or Drag event and we'd all get across the finish line somehow. Some of the downhills were just crazy.
Here's an elevation profile (this profile isn't exactly this year's course, but it's close enough for government work).
See that section after mile 12, the Meat Grinder and the last aid station, but before the Snowshoe Loop? We were running along a 6 inch wide path with foot high grass on either side. Everything was going pretty well, considering it was in the mid 80s, the sun was shining right on us, M had fallen once flat on her face (nothing broken, no skin lost!) and I had tripped and fallen (but rolled well, nothing scraped even!). J, our intrepid leader, was out ahead, M and I were following.
Suddenly, SMACK! A tree stump on the left side of the trail, hidden by the tall grass... I smashed all four of my small left toes right into that stump, bending them straight down. Given my minimal footwear and the speed at which we were running, I stubbed them pretty hard. M says to me, "Hey, you're limping, what's up?" We stopped and I wiggled all my toes, thinking ok, they all move, nothing broken, let's go. I did a little slow hop running for awhile, whining that the endorphins could kick in at any time to keep my foot from hurting. They sort of did and we finished the last 3 or so miles. There were still a couple of vicious hills to get through. We weren't last!
There was lemonade and more potato chips! I put some ice into my water bottle and stood around with that on my foot. Once we finally figured out where to go for brunch, I walked back to my car to change into some non-sweaty clothes. That was a pretty slow walk, but I'd just run over 15 1/2 miles and the pavement was hot. More icing at the restaurant and my foot seemed fine as long as I didn't move it. Or stand on it. Walking to the car that time was really, really slow. I didn't enjoy shifting gears, either (how far can you go using only 2nd?). I realized that my foot was actually sort of blue once I'd washed all the dirt off my legs. I felt like a wimp, but I thought I should go to Urgent Care and have it looked at. It was probably nothing, right? TODL came over to drive me to the clinic. The doc would tell me that I'd sprained my toes...
Not so much. That's not my x-ray (or my foot), but the black mark on the 4th toe is where mine is broken. Yeah, that part of the bone is broken right off. All jagged and painfully crunchy looking, apparently this little hunk of bone will fuse itself back to where it broke off. Of course, in the meantime (4 weeks), no weight on the foot at all (why are crutches only fun for five minutes?), lots of elevation and ice, a little vicodin here and there, and tons of help from my friends.
Here's a map of the Afton Trail Run. This is not an easy run in the woods.
Here's an elevation profile (this profile isn't exactly this year's course, but it's close enough for government work).
See that section after mile 12, the Meat Grinder and the last aid station, but before the Snowshoe Loop? We were running along a 6 inch wide path with foot high grass on either side. Everything was going pretty well, considering it was in the mid 80s, the sun was shining right on us, M had fallen once flat on her face (nothing broken, no skin lost!) and I had tripped and fallen (but rolled well, nothing scraped even!). J, our intrepid leader, was out ahead, M and I were following.
Suddenly, SMACK! A tree stump on the left side of the trail, hidden by the tall grass... I smashed all four of my small left toes right into that stump, bending them straight down. Given my minimal footwear and the speed at which we were running, I stubbed them pretty hard. M says to me, "Hey, you're limping, what's up?" We stopped and I wiggled all my toes, thinking ok, they all move, nothing broken, let's go. I did a little slow hop running for awhile, whining that the endorphins could kick in at any time to keep my foot from hurting. They sort of did and we finished the last 3 or so miles. There were still a couple of vicious hills to get through. We weren't last!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Before and After
My old bed - just a little too big for the room. There was maybe a foot of clearance on either side of the bed. Maybe.
I'd been thinking about getting a queen to replace this king for awhile (well actually, as soon as I set it up in the new house over a year ago). Let's not get into my reasons for getting such a ginormous bed in the first place (and I'm sure not going to talk about how despite not really wanting even one king-sized bed to begin with, I've actually purchased two in the past dozen or so years). My main hesitation was making another mattress mistake. See, the mattress above was super comfy in the showroom, but ended up being too soft in the real world. Plus, it's just too darn big. The hotel bed that I slept on in Madison was so comfy that I fell asleep on my stomach and woke up hours later without my back hurting (that hasn't happened in years, so I stopped sleeping on my stomach!). I went on a quest to find that mattress. Turns out it was a Serta Concierge Suite Plush, which is made for hotels but you can order one online. Here's what Serta says about that:
These mattress sets are not available at retail stores as they are built specifically for the hospitality industry. The following prices include the mattress, box spring and delivery to your home: Twin Set $900, Full Set $1100, Queen Set $1300 and King Set $1500 (not including sales tax). These mattresses are custom and made to order, so returns will not be accepted.
Shipping includes environmentally safe disposal of old bedding (except in states where removal is prohibited) and GOLD service delivery, which includes; two person delivery, unpacking, set-up and debris removal. Delivery to your home will take up to 3 weeks.
$1300 was a bit more than I wanted to spend, especially since I don't want a box spring. Getting a queen box spring up my stairs might be a little impossible, too. Sam's Club has it, but the Firm, not the Plush (close, but less quilting something-or-other on the top). Also, it came in a mattress/box spring set only, but it was cheaper at $1124.
I did a little more internet stalking of this mattress and found a flyer with the specs. Then I looked at every Serta mattress style I could find until I found one that had nearly identical specs. Perfect Sleeper was close, but there are many trim levels and I couldn't seem to get good information about which one had what. Then I hit on US-Mattress.com. It had a display model, mattress only, and the specs were just about dead-on. It was the closest mattress I could find. To top it off, I found an internet coupon for 25% off. Score!
Serta Concierge Suite Plush | Serta Perfect Sleeper Regal Suite Pillowtop |
800 14 3/4 Gauge Continuous Wire Unit 9 Gauge Border Wire Posturized Center Third Perimeter Edge™ Foam Encasement Head-to-toe Helicals | Coil Gauge: 14 3/4 Coil System: High Profile Continuous Coil Border Rod Gauge: 9 Perimeter Edge Foam Encased Edge Support |
(1) Layer of Pillo Fill Plus FireBlocker® 7/8” Zoned Convoluted Foam 1” Quilting Foam Patented Advanced Comfort Quilt® | Temperature Control Pillo-Fill Fiber FireBlocker Fire-Safety Certified 7/8" Zoned Convoluted Foam 1/2" Quilting Foam Advanced Comfort Quilt |
1 3/8” Zoned Convoluted Foam FireBlocker® Insulator Pad | 1 3/8" Zoned Convoluted Foam FireBlocker Insulator |
C O I L D E N S I T Y Approximate Mattress Height 12 1/4” Queen 800 | Coil Count Mattress Height 11 1/4” Queen 800 |
Serta $1,300 Sam’s Club $1,124 [including unwanted box spring] | US Mattress $851.00 Coupon discount (-25%) -212.75 Subtotal $638.25 |
Now having found the mattress, I needed to find a bed frame. I also have this thing about not liking box springs and not being a fan of having to climb up into bed, so I prefer a platform bed as opposed to a traditional bed frame. But which platform bed? The one I was replacing turned out to be taller that I thought it would be (when you were on the bed, you'd be even with the window in my room. The cats loved it, but me, not so much). I looked around a bunch. I found some that I liked, but of course, I have a color preference (light natural wood, nothing dark) which eliminated some acceptable frames right off.
It looks like this, sans tatami mats and headboard. I may get the headboard at some time in the future, but it seems fine like it is. It's solid rubberwood and the pieces are cut to fit each other. There are only three screws in the whole thing (there's a center beam that is attached at the head and foot by screws and a support block for the beam that attaches with a screw), the rest of it just slides together. Yes, the sustainability of the wood is likely offset by its having been imported from Indonesia, but what can you do? For having traveled thousands of miles, it arrived in perfect shape.Of course, I had to do more internet sleuthing to find the best price. One place had a decent price, but it got some negative reviews and had some issues with customer service. I ended up getting it from tatamiroom.com and I'd order anything from them again (they have some really cool stuff, too). I ordered it on the 16th and it arrived on the 23rd.
The mattress was a different story. I ordered it on the 7th and it wasn't delivered until the 26th. The delivery guys were late, which was annoying, but when the one dude hoisted an entire queen mattress onto his shoulder single-handedly and carried it to the door, it was almost worth it.
I've sold a couple of things on craigslist and found my dining room table there, too. I wasn't sure that there was a market for a five year old mattress and platform bed, but it turns out there is. I had two people interested within a couple of days and felt a little desperate when they flaked out on me. I checked into mattress disposal and donation. Some nonprofits will take donated a mattress, but you have to get it to them or they pick it up for a pretty large fee. Minneapolis will pick up a mattress if you leave it out for the trash, and while free, it seemed really wasteful, since it really was in pretty decent shape. I got a call Saturday morning from a woman who wanted to look at it, but offered a little less cash that I'd advertised it for. Seeing as I was looking at donating it for a fee, I was happy to take what she was offering. She and her husband and cute redheaded toddler came to pick the whole thing up a couple hours before the new mattress was delivered.
Since a queen mattress is nearly a foot and a half narrower than a king, it seems like I have much more room in my room now! No more hitting my shins on sharp bed corners. The sheets are way easier to fold (how could I have forgotten that?). Best of all, it's really comfy. More than you ever wanted to know about mattress shopping and my way of shopping in particular, isn't it?
Sunday, June 27, 2010
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