I think I have juuuusttt enough odds-and-ends to fill a quick post about the random things I’ve done to entertain myself during the pandemic this winter.
Super excited to say that I was able to get my first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination last week!
Another year, another dental insurance plan, another dental surgery!
When I tell people that — thanks to genetics — I don’t have wisdom teeth, they always crow about how lucky I am.
Ehhh… not so much.
While it’s true that I’m grateful I never had to have impacted molars removed, I’ve had a slew of other dental problems over the past three decades. I have hypodontia so I’m missing several teeth that I should have, and my remaining teeth are laden with issues.
I’ve had braces four (yes, FOUR) times, extractions (baby teeth fused to my jawbone), bone grafts, implants… you name it, and as long as it isn’t wisdom tooth removal, I’ve had it performed. I’ve had more bottles of that medicinal mouthwash prescribed than you can count.
So, my latest procedure? Gum grafting! Guys, lemme tell ya. NOT FUN. The periodontist had to cut an inch-long incision in the roof of my mouth to scrape out tissue to add to two places along my bottom jaw.
Plus, I’m a redhead. So local anesthesia just… doesn’t work on me.
Seriously… NINE shots of Novocaine and I could still feel the sutures going into my face. Argh.
Anyway. While the dental procedures suck enough, what’s even harder is being hangry and grumpy and relegated to liquid and soft foods for two weeks.
Alright: I am back to finish yesterday’s park with a second National Park of the weekend: Canyonlands National Park.
I’m continuing my quest to check off every National Park within driving distance of Flagstaff.
My friend Sara (who I met at the Trib) came to visit last week, and we took Presidents’ Day Weekend as an opportunity to book a hotel in Moab and spend two days hiking through both Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
Well, we made it! After a hectic cross-country move where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, I’m here in my new apartment in Flagstaff.
It’s been a few months now so I’m mostly settled, but I wanted to give you a sneak peek of my unit.
You guys know I love decor. (I’m a Libra.) And — since I haven’t really had a stable living situation in a while and am spending all my time in my apartment due to COVID — I knew that I really wanted to go all-out to make my rental truly feel like my home.
Love it when I wake up and Joe Biden is president.
Three-day weekends were made for adventuring, right?
I’m trying to make a habit out of making my government-granted three-day-weekends into longer trips. You guys know me. You know how much I hate how little vacation time we get here in the United States. You know how good I am at cramming as much as possible into a short trip. (See: Tulum, Berlin, Seattle, etc.)
So, the idea of driving somewhere eight hours a day for a day trip during a three-day weekend? Doesn’t sound all that bad to me. (That’s what I did for New Year’s weekend, if you happened to miss that post.)
Luckily, my coworker Jane has the same sense of adventure (she’s an RPCV too!) and she was also down to drive out-of-state to a National Park for MLK weekend.
However, life (AKA: COVID) had other plans. While we had planned to do either Bryce Canyon up in Utah or Joshua Tree over in California, COVID cases were amping up and travel restrictions were put back into place.
So, we decided to take a day trip up to Page instead.
Guys, I did a crazy thing. I passed firefighter training!
I know, right? WHAT?!
New year, New Mexico!
