If Your Name is Nicole, Do Not Read This Post

I woke up on Sunday morning with that awful twitch/throb feeling in my lip. I turned the bathroom and linen close upside down, looking for my magical cold sore cream, to no avail. All I could do is wait wait wait (tick tick tick) for the inevitable to happen. Which it did, in mere hours.

This is the worst cold sore I think I have ever had in my entire life. Actually it is two cold sores that are slowly merging together. Nice. My upper lip is so plump at it curls up my lip a little and exposes my front teeth, like a chipmunk. It hurts terribly. I haven’t had one in a very long time. I think this monstrosity came because I just got my flu shot, and even though my doctor told me to up my Vitamin C to compensate for my temporarily-deficient immune system, I didn’t. So I imagine my immune system is slightly compromised and boom, this thing blooms. Good thing they only last for a week or two (yes, I am being sarcastic).

In other health news, Avery’s hand surgeon appointment went well. The doctor confirmed that her cyst is of the safe variety. He said it will most likely get bigger and bigger, so we will need to remove it at some point. She would indeed need anesthesia, but he was very reassuring about that, saying that there was zero risk of side effects. Yes, he said zero risk of anesthesia aside effects. I thought there were no absolutes in medicine? He said Nicole and I just had to decide when we were comfortable doing it. That could take a very long time.

So Christmas is 17 days away and I am still wondering what to get Nicole. She is a very difficult person to shop for. I am so easy: You could buy all of my gifts at the drug store and I would be thrilled. I have hobbies that require many accoutrements, so there is always an endless list of things I will covet. And, of course, there is always diamonds and pearls and the Mac store.

Nicole is not easy at all. She typically buys what she wants and needs, and that said, she doesn’t want and need much. I am trying to think of the last recreational thing (besides clothes) she bought herself and I am drawing a blank. Probably a book, and I most likely bought it for her. In addition, Nicole has few gift-able hobbies. She watches football, but that doesn’t require accessories. She plays golf, but her golfing days are limited, between work and the girls and life in general. She likes to read, but books as gifts lack that wow factor. She doesn’t wear jewelry, and I have already indulged in her cuff links desires over the past seven years of birthdays and Christmases and anniversaries. How many pairs of cuff links does one girl need?

In a bold move of originality and way-out-in-left-field ridiculousness, I have been thinking about getting her this mainly because she has shown an interest of late in this and I am so desperate for her to develop an interest in something that can be useful in gift-giving occasions that I am willing to jump start it. But I am not sure she will be thrilled to bits, and that is what I am going for. And this product has a very interesting return policy, so I need to make sure she will like it if I buy it (if you send it back, unopened, you still fork over 50 bucks just for the honor of having it in your home).

I know the holidays are not about gifts and all that, but all the same I wish I could think of something spectacular to get her. She goes out of her way to find amazing presents for me and I just want to be able to do the same.

I have been a crappy blogger of late. I need to update more.

Pictured above, the weekend. I have a whole series of pictures of Avery running into Nicole’s arms. Too cute. And Avery with her newly older cousin. Also pictured, my crazy lip, taken with my computer camera. Yes, I posted a picture of me with cold sores. Hopefully the other pictures balance the ugliness out. Be glad you aren't me.