the reconstruction

With the installation of the air conditioners in time for the first hellacious heat wave of summer, sleeping has become not only easier but something of a much anticipated treat, nightly. Until today. It seems my landlord thought it a good idea to assemble a very vocal posse of men, armed with chainsaws, to hack back the tree in the yard outside my veranda door. They would then chop up pieces of the trees outside my window, yodel, then throw them to the ground and then move them to the chipper-shredder to make copious amounts of deafening mulch.


troubled © Laura Kicey. All Rights Reserved.

I guess I ought not lament so much as the month of June is being hailed as, among other things, Recovery Month, Sleep If Off Month and also as No Income Month. This weekend I am in training for later this month. Finally The Butcher and Dr. GI Guy have given me a clear assessment. Having seen all the results, Dr. GI told me that without running anymore tests on me, he can say that there is only a very small chance that I might, some day, present with Crohn's. But he doesn't want to run more tests and the surgery that The Butcher is planning on performing is one they would use on people with my condition who also have Crohn's, so it would still be an effective measure to take.

The Butcher and I sat down at discussed the finer points of what would be my 7th and most major surgery to date. The Advancement Flap. We did not start with this procedure even though it has a higher success rate than the 'plug', because it is more invasive. It will be inpatient, my first, and primarily for pain management purposes, which made me shudder. In past The Butcher has warned of grave pain which later turned out to be more bearable than he suggested, but he suggested I take two weeks off of work to recuperate. And to take the pain meds he gives me because I will need them.


heatwave © Laura Kicey. All Rights Reserved. music: Le Fil Du Temps (ft. Ami Sioux) (Piano Version) by Poni Hoax


Nurse Mom, Michael and I have been planning the first week, so that I won't be alone, I will be connected, comfortable, fed and hydrated... and probably entertained when I come to. I have quite a few people threatening to come visit me in the hospital, so much so that I might have to arrange for catering. They might be disappointed to find me unconscious the entire time.

So while I was processing the financial damage of not working for two weeks, I was also having a etsy sale dry spell, and a design work dry spell, much to my dismay. I've heard that sales have been slow everywhere, and it is summer, notoriously slow all round, but I can't help but get especially nervous, when I will be lucky to have 5 days of income this month. So if you've been putting off purchasing a print, anytime between now and June 15th is a super time to do it. hint hint


euphoria © Laura Kicey. All Rights Reserved.

The ideal plan for the three weeks prior to surgery included excesses of shooting, and getting out and frolicking. High leg kicks. Maybe trapeze routines. Actually if I really wanted to I just found out I could... but I don't function optimally when upside down. While this weekend starts a five day hot hot hot of heat index in the high 90s-100s, last weekend blessed us with one perfect day. Sunday. Miss Beaver and I had been plotting a styling/fashion shoot for c few months, basically since our last shoot together... y'know the saucy lingerie shoot on the coldest weekend in January. For some reason, the Saturday before the shoot, I had an inexplicable feeling of dread with regards to the shoot. I had this suspicion that we would get caught on entry. Or we would get hurt. Or it would rain.


flights © Laura Kicey. All Rights Reserved.

Miss Beaver and her coworker (and our model for the shoot) Melissa showed up on the gorgeous afternoon and we slid into The House of Smoke and Mirrors completely undetected. While I realized too late that I had forgotten my tripod and we were haunted by the frenzied scurries of a squirrel on the other side of a locked door in the house, the shoot went off completely without a hitch.


visitation © Laura Kicey. All Rights Reserved.

In fact it was probably my favorite fashion shoot to date. Melissa is stunning, the clothes were sizzling, and the house sang for me. Having only discussed this with Gwyn, both she and I have found that that particular house seems to create inexplicable color and lighting effects in-camera. Tints of yellow, green, lavender appear in shots that are not visible in the room.... dramatic cars appear where there seem to be none.


recovery © Laura Kicey. All Rights Reserved.

It is a truly special place and I will really miss its offerings when it is demolished, which will be quite soon. Truly magical and quite surreal. A home that under different circumstance, I could see myself inhabiting.


willing © Laura Kicey. All Rights Reserved.

I hope in the next couple weeks I can squeeze a few more photographs out before I am bedridden, but even if I don't, the glee that came with the results of this shoot are sticking with me. I am truly proud of what we all created together on Sunday. We are quite a team.

On a lighter notw, I'm not one for gimmicky tech items but sheeee-yit, I am totally in love with this itty bitty digital rollei. I actually really want it. I've been wanting a little point and shoot even though I can't really afford such luxuries right now since I should use the economic stimulus check on groceries and well, gas. But I lust for this.



How friggin cute is that!!