Monday, April 28, 2008

All fall down

Saturday was the first beautiful, summery day that I've really gotten to enjoy this year. It was hot enough that I wore only a skirt and a halter top when we went grocery shopping in the afternoon, and yet when we had hauled all the groceries inside, I was sweating and had to sit on the floor in front of the fan for a few minutes to recover. But even though I felt hot and sticky and gross, it was simultaneously enjoyable, because the breeze was so nice and the whole thing felt so summery.

And then on Saturday night we went out for dinner, and afterward decided to take a walk to enjoy the nice weather, which was great until it started pouring. We waited out the worst of it under an awning, but our best efforts to avoid damage were thwarted when I slipped in a giant mud puddle on our way to the Metro and fell--hard--on the sidewalk. I was fine in terms of all bones being intact and whatnot, but my entire left leg was covered with mud, and definitely smarting. At first I chalked it up to the initial shock of falling, but discovered that I had scraped myself up when I glanced down to see a charming mix of mud and blood all over my calf.

The Metro ride home was so awkward, and painful--all the dirt in my cuts was seriously burning, and lots of people were staring at me, which I didn't really appreciate since most of the stares didn't feel like the sympathetic, friendly type that I'd expect. They were more just stares of surprise and pure curiosity. I suppose it can be disconcerting to see someone covered with blood and dirt on the Metro on a Saturday night, but still. Come on.

Anyway, by the time we got home the dirt had all dried and wouldn't come off easily. But Torsten was so sweet and careful and helped me scrub the dirt off without actually screaming in pain, and then he very carefully applied Neosporin to the entire affected area.

Speaking of the affected area, I seriously considered posting a photo of it, but I decided that it really wouldn't be fair of me to gross you out like that, so I'll just tell you that it's a huge red patch (about the size of my hand, and I have big hands) on the left side of my calf, criss-crossed with bloody scratches that are each two or three inches long. And my knee is also red and has a big fat scrape on it too. It looks generally quite horrifying.

Anyway, last night Torsten and I switched sides of the bed so that I could sleep under the blankets with only my left leg sticking out, and can I tell you that it felt weird? I don't know how we each wound up with a side of the bed, but we definitely have them, and this was the first time in the course of our whole relationship that we had switched. Torsten didn't complain, though, and this morning he helped me disinfect everything again, and then arranged me on the couch and made breakfast for me, and then later gave me an extended back rub. Because he is a total sweetheart, and I would be a lot grumpier about this whole thing if it weren't for him.

Speaking of Torsten, you all had a few questions about him. First, Lara and Cady both want to know, How did you and Torsten meet?
We met on Craigslist. He posted an ad, I spent a few days deciding whether or not I wanted to answer it, decided that I did, and sent him an email. He spent a few days deciding whether or not he wanted to respond to me, decided he did, and wrote me back. The rest is history.

In a similar vein, Princess Pointful says, I wanna know about you and Torsten's first date!
About a week and a half after I sent that first email, Torsten and I met up for lunch on a Saturday at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. I was half an hour late and I am lucky that he waited for me. I underestimated how long the Metro would take. By the time we actually sat down at our table, it was nearly two o'clock. We didn't leave until after five. We also didn't eat that much. It wasn't until we went back to that restaurant on our six-month anniversary that we noticed that it actually wasn't very good.

Kat asks, What is the one thing about Torsten that drives you the nuttiest?
He has a tendency to overreact to small problems and panics easily. He learned this from his mother, who is an incredibly nervous person. For example, if there's turbulence on a flight, he thinks the plane is about to crash. Or if he has a toothache, he's already freaking out about having the tooth pulled and an implant put in. It scares me because sometimes when he panics, it's a legitimate problem, but it's hard for me to know when to take it seriously. He knows this is a problem, and he's gotten a lot better about it since I met him.

And finally, L Sass and Nicole Antoinette both want to know, When did you know that Torsten was "The One"? How?
There was a moment when I knew that I was in love with Torsten, but I'm less clear on whether there was a moment when I knew that I wanted to marry him. To be honest, both of us felt it even before we met, through our emails, but both of us dismissed it as being crazy, and maybe it was. I do remember that about a year ago, my mom asked me if I thought I was going to marry him, and I said yes without hesitation. And I was right!

So, anyway, back to the whole falling down and scraping up my leg thing... I do have photos, even though I haven't posted them. Do you want to see them?

50 comments:

  1. So sorry about your fall! People on the metro can be really annoying. They will stare at anything and everything here.

    And yes, would like to see pictures. (I know, I'm weird.)

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  2. Argh, sorry about your fall! Torsten is being so, so sweet though :)

    And, umm, no. I don't want to see your cut. Sorry dude. Does that make me a bad friend?

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  3. Torsten sounds so sweet. People on the metro though... I find it hard to believe that not one of them had a baby wipe/wet nap to offer you. Rude.

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  4. Oooh, sounds like a horrific fall in the rain. Boo! And if I were with you on the Metro, I'd have some choice words to say in your defense to all the rude strangers. What's up with that.

    I vote for you to show the picture, even though I'm not a huge fan of guts and gore!

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  5. I totally want to see the photos. I think I might be a little disturbed, huh?

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  6. That has to be one of my worst fears, falling down, scraping myself up, and having to go out in public and get stared at by everyone. Ugh. Sorry you had to go through that.

    Heck yeah I want to see the pics!

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  7. Ooh I hated nasty falls. But I have a morbid want to see the pictures! :)

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  8. Ouch! And now I'm all morbidly curious about the photos.

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  9. I want to see it! I love cuts. Hopefully it scars!

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  10. oh heck yeah! put those pics up!

    Sorry about the fall though! ouch!

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  11. Ouch! Two posts in a row that left me shuddering... hope your leg is feeling better!

    And hell yes post the pictures. What are bloggy friends for if not to post a multitude of sympathetic comments after viewing your eviscerated limb? :)

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  12. Ow! At least Torsten came through in the caretaking department! Kudos for him!

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  13. Oh no! I HATE when that happens! I'm pretty klutzy so I know how you feel. I hope your leg is feeling better. Also, Rob does the same thing as Torsten about getting panicked over minor things. It drives me BATTY. Good luck with that - may your patience be stronger than mine.

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  14. I'm sorry about your fall and so glad there are no broken bones. I love the way Torsten takes care of you! May it be that way forever...

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  15. Ouch! Sounds like that really hurts! I remember the good ol' DC metro and I am surprised people stared at all. Most of the time people seem to zone out and ignore everyone. My roommates and I decided that we could have probably been dying and no would have helped us. DC is friendly, but not the metros, well, most of the time. Hope your leg feels better soon!

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  16. I want to see photos!

    And also: you are the first story I've heard of something working from Craig's list. So sweet!

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  17. YES, POST A PIC.

    That is so sweet about you and Torsten...awww.

    I fell once running in a parking lot before going to a Twins game and spent the whole night with shredded jeans and a bloody kneecap.

    Anytime I scrape a knee, it's always the right one. Which knee did you hurt? And are you right-handed or left-handed? (I have it in my head that you're left-handed for some reason. I'm curious if people fall a certain way based on their right-handedness or left-handedness.)

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  18. aww, torsten is so sweet. i'm glad you have him.

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  19. I want to see pictures!

    Hee, when I read your first paragraph about wearing only a skirt and halter top, got the giggles thinking about you running around going commando all day. I'm such a grown up.

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  20. stupid mud & stupid metro. but yay for torsten :-) it makes me a little sad, though, because the only time i've ever thought i'd found the one obviously didn't work out so hot ;-P

    i say post the pic... on flickr. then us morbid freaks can click on the link and ogle, without offending the sensibilities of your readers with more taste ;-)

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  21. We have certain sides of the bed too and Mr. J. periodically tries to convince me that a switch is necessary to maintain marital harmony. My argument a happy, well-rested wife if much better than a cranky insomniac wife usually wins - I just can't sleep on the Wrong Side!

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  22. That's so terrible about the fall, but I'm loving the weather too and knowing that summer is right around the corner. Torsten sounds great, and I can't believe that you guys met on Craig's List.

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  23. Too bad that seafood place wasn't that great. But clearly it didn't really matter all that much.

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  24. Oooh, ouch. I can totally relate; I am a faller. I have two huge scars on my knee from falling - as a grown up.

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  25. Ohgoodness! I'm so sorry! Hope your leg heals soon!

    xox

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  26. that sucks, i'm sorry you were hurt. i can't believe you guys met on the internet!! that inspires me to keep an open mind :) he sounds like a good one!

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  27. Oh you poor thing! That sounds so painful.

    I love hearing about you and Torsten. I had no idea how you met on CL, that's so cool. You two sound so sweet and perfect for each other.

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  28. That is so something I would do. I fall ALL the time. My legs have battle scars. :) I'm glad you have someone to be sweet to you.

    I met my boyfriend on line too. But not on CL. :)

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  29. You gotta show the picture.... even if other people dont want to see it, put it in a fold or something.

    As for the way you and Torsten met.... sound a lot like LJ and I. See me next week for a post.

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  30. show us the cut!!! : )

    and i love that you have such a good story from CL. i wanna meet my future fiancee from CL too!!

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  31. Ooh, falling down... I can't think of too many things that are worse. Banging my head on the corner of an open cabinet is one of them, but falling down... cripes. You feel so out of control and helpless. Ok, at least I feel out of control and helpless when I fall.

    Um, as for the pictures... I saw enough of that kind of thing when I worked in the healthroom of an elementary school. If you post them, I'll just skip over the pictures.

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  32. Ouch, on falling down!

    Yeh, on how you and Torsten met. Nothing better than an I-know-it's-crazy-but... story!

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  33. I'm sorry you fell down! I think you should post pictures. I actually have a story about falling down (complete with pictures!) on my own blog here if you feel like checking it out. I hate falling, but later it's really funny. :)

    And I went and read that story... so cute.

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  34. Umm, not sure I want to see the boo boo, but I would have given you the biggest sympathetic look ever!

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  35. I'm so sorry you fell and shame on the Metro riders for not being sympathetic. I swear, manners seem to be a lost cause on the general public lately. Torsten? Sounds like an absolute sweetheart. You are so lucky!

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  36. I am jealous of your lovely summery day. It snowed a bit here on Saturday. :-( I am NOT jealous of that nasty scrape, though. Glad you are OK!

    When I was actually dating somebody long term, we definitely had a specific side of the bed, but I think it was based on nothing more than that we each had only one nightstand, so we each slept near our nightstand in our own bed. (I figure it's my bed, so it's my right to be near the clock, the Kleenix, and my lip balm!)

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  37. Bummer about the fall! Glad you weren't hurt too badly and that you have someone to take care of you!

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  38. Ouch! You poor thing. I once fell on my way into a movie theatre and powered through the entire movie only to have a lovely scar on my knee now to remember that day by. I hope you heal quickly. And I'll pass on the picture. I'm a bit of a baby and can't even watch CSI without wanting to gag.

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  39. i do! hahahaha...i'm nuts! sorry about the fall!! but yeah, i'm loving the summery weather too. last weekend i tanned in the yard. this weekend? not so much- it's cold and rainy again!

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  40. You poor thing! I want to see pictures too, because I'm special like that.

    I once fell UP the stairs in the tube station and landed on someone else's feet. I got some strange looks too.

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  41. Yay spring!
    Boo muddy puddles and metro riders...
    Yay Torsten! for being such a caring husband-to-be.

    The story of how you met was so sweet!
    oh and sure, show the photo- that way we can all feel extra sorry for you.

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  42. Not really that keen on seeing the photos. Really enjoyed learning about you and Torsen. Best of luck to you both.

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  44. joe and i have our own sides of the bed too. i can't sleep on his side. funny enough, his side used to be the one that i *had* to sleep on. i hope your leg is feeling better! torsten was pretty sweet. :)

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  45. Aw, I love your "how you knew he was The One" story. I think we often try to dismiss that initial gut feeling, but it's accurate!

    I am sorry that you fell!! Ouch.

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  46. Oh no re fall! I know already that there's a photo in the next post, but I would have said yes to seeing it.

    Paul and I successfully switched sides of the bed during one of my pregnancies: I like to sleep facing OUT, but also I had to sleep on my left side, so we switched.

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  47. Oh noooo it's horrible to hurt yourself like that. But so lovely of your Torsten to help clean it up.

    I can't imagine people just staring like that. Why wouldn't they ask if you were okay or say something polite??

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