jr face

Thursday night, I took Jr out to let him run around the apartment when we noticed that his hind legs had suddenly stopped working. We took him to the vet and discovered that he had Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome, which is a neurological disease that paralyses the the hedgehog's hind legs and works its way up through the body. The vet did everything he could, but there is no cure for WHS and Jr died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday night and was in no pain.

I've been having trouble concentrating since this happened, so here is a personal essay I wrote for Morkan's Horse about the day I got Jr:

"Californians drive to Nevada to buy hedgehogs and ferrets so often the Vegas pet shop gave me a pre-printed map highlighting a path that would take us around the border check on our way home. The dusty road it led us along seemed pointless. We passed perhaps two houses and a lonely, implausible, Post Office. Mike was already snoring in the backseat, and Nick was driving, so I opened the cardboard box to take a peek at my new spiky friend. He’d burrowed under a layer of shredded newspaper and was curled in a tiny ball of pointy anger.

I closed the lid and reaffixed the tape. I placed my hand level to the bottom of the windowsill and crossed it over the box to make sure it was out of sight. It was, after all, contraband—even if it was just an apple-sized creature."

You can read the rest of the essay here.


R.I.P my grumpy little guy.




much love,
hedgie

things happened in april

Some things happened in April. Here they are:

I found a sign that simultaneous makes me happy and terrified:

New friends with new board games:

This is the inside of Ikea furniture:

We found Addie's new happy place, Fort Funston:

Fort Funston--It's a ton of funs.

 And Nick caught a live crab with his bare hands.

 Addie's first reaction was to stick her face in it.

 Dog graffiti.

 Follow the leader.

 The fog rolls in:

Trip to Brea Vista Park:

Farmer's market:

 Bubbles = best time.

 Golden Gate Bridge:
 She makes the best faces.

 Despite the man-made wonder, tourists kept taking pictures of us because Addie has to know what is going on at all times.

  Favorite.

 Straw, where Nick ate a hamburger with donut buns:

 Smuggler's Cove:

 Fire. Because why not?

The Ferry Building:

 I think I might need this book.

Musee Machanique:

Picasso!

Fort Funston again. Addie chased a hang glider:

 Andrew starred into the void.

 Escaping the cold.

The Stinking Rose. Garlic ice cream:

 These faces are exactly how it tastes.

That time I went for a walk with Addie and randomly found one of my childhood heroes wearing a muscle suit and emceeing a dog competition:

 I got to meet him afterwards and shake his hand:

We tried to take a picture of Addie with this guy, but he freaked her out and she was having none of this human/dog monstrosity.

Finally found one!:

I think Nick and I might need help:

 Heidi gets accepted into the pack:

 Jr doesn't really care that much:

much love,
hedgie

johnny cash project

A few years ago, my Dad heard about The Johnny Cash Project, which asks people to draw a single frame of Cash's "Ain't No Grave" in whatever style they desire. "Strung together and played in sequence over the song, the portraits will create a moving, ever evolving homage to this beloved musical icon.  What’s more, as new people discover and contribute to the project, this living portrait will continue to transform and grow, so it’s virtually never the same video twice." You can vote for your favorite frames, watch the video by art genre, and even watch a time-lapse video of the frames being drawn.

I drew a few for this, but even after a few months of waiting, my frames are still "waiting for approval". In the unlikely event that they do someday get put up, vote for me or add your own work.

Frame #1240

Frame #794

Frame #1223

Here's hoping someone other than just me will see these on the site someday.


[UPDATE]: Okay, it is definitely no longer monitored, but you should watch the video anyway because it's awesome.




much love,
hedgie

i love tacos

After living an hour away from the border of Mexico, I have become accustomed to a certain level of Mexican food. Every time I move, I have to have a zealous search for a place that can serve me a decent taco and the further away I move, the harder it is.
Since I am still in California, I'm sure there is a number of great places out here somewhere. I just haven't found my place yet since people keep visiting me and come here to drink and explore instead of eat Mexican food.

http://www.foodpeoplewant.com/tacos-de-barbacoa/

I'm starting to fear that my lack of tacos recently is creating a hole in me that nothing can fill. It's starting to seep into other parts of my life. Nick and I were driving to Ikea when we had this conversation:

Me: I really need a taco. I think I have an addiction to tacos.

Nick: I have an addiction to you.

Me: ...

Nick: Heather?

Me: ...

Nick: HEATHER.

Me: I'm sorry, what did you say? I was thinking about tacos.




Someone just give me tacos already.





much love,
hedgie