It's funny how one small thing can lead to something really big. Or sorta big. Today we decided that we had had enough of our crappy HP Printer (actually, we made that decision a couple of weeks ago) so we checked the BLACK FRIDAY ads yesterday and found a decently priced printer that got good reviews. arkham4269 went out bought our shiny new printer this morning and brought it home. We determined it would not fit under our desk where our old printer sat so we started on a massive (and long overdue) re-organization of our office. I am now sitting in a room scattered with random boxes, piles of papers, and a file cabinet that needs a home. We are taking a break from the mess and I found this meme and stole it from dryad271.

( Cut for those who STILL hate memes )

Here's a picture of Grendel.

It seems as though, to quote Ricky Ricardo, I got some 'splanin to do.

I haven't haven't fallen off the map or joined a religious cult. I've been hiding a little and re-grouping.

Why?

Well, about a week ago I lost my job. The company I worked for "changed their business plan" and "eliminated my position." I can't say I didn't see it coming. Rumors were swirling for two months that "changes were coming" and work was becoming a pressure cooker. I was hurt and sad but I'm really OK with it. I'm relieved to be out of a negative environment which will give me time to regroup and figure out what it is I want to be when I grow up. Ian's living expenses money finally kicked and I got an OK severance package so we'll be fine.

On the plus side I have an interview with Powell's on Tuesday for a seasonal customer service job!!!!! Wish me luck!

Last week Ian and I focused on getting a lot stuff done that we either didn't have the money for or were ignoring. We cleaned out our storage unit and canceled a few memberships we weren't using. I did a lot cleaning and it felt good.

So that, as they say, is that. I went to the Portland Art Museum last week and checked out their China Design NOW exhibit. I chose the right day because it was Family Free Day. The place was overrun with kids but I was happy not to have to pay. I did, however, pay $5 to see Raphael's painting The Woman with the Veil. The China Design exhibit was incredible. It was an interesting look at life in China and design aspects from print making to running shoes to clothing and videos and movies. I would like to go back when there are less people so I could fully enjoy it. Raphael's painting was beautiful but it was in a small room with armed guard (not really) and I felt like I didn't have enough time to look at it.

I couldn't take pictures of the exhibits (duh!) but I did take some outside of the building.

( Cut for your scrolling pleasure! )

And we drove off into the sunset and lived happily ever after.

It's time once again, for the blog post I eventually get around to writing.

This week, I made my monthly pilgrimage to my "blond boyfriend" and had him cut my hair. The NW 23rd area of Portland is not an easy place to find a parking spot so I often have to park many blocks away and walk to my appointments. I take pictures of the houses and anything else I find along the way. This week I took a picture of the trees and the fall colors.



After my appointment, I did not want to buy groceries or do any of the domestic chores on my list, so I drove up to the International Rose Test Garden and took some pictures and enjoyed the quiet.

My first stop was this fountain in Washington Park. No one was around and the air was heavy with fog. It was quite lovely.



Then Sacajawea posed for me before I drove to the roses.



There weren't many people there and parking was easy for once.





The amphitheater had someone sitting and meditating. I wanted to join her but it was too wet.



Portland even posed for me.



I have a list of stuff to get done this week including meeting with the NEW chair of our neighborhood association and showing her the ropes. We're having new friends over for dinner this weekend and the house needs a good scrubbing.

The wind and rain took up residence in the Pacific NW yesterday and along with it, the crud invaded my body. Luckily, I caught it early and if I go to bed tonight around oh.. 7, I should have it beat.

Last Tuesday was our 9th wedding anniversary and we celebrated by going out to McMenamins On the River for dinner. Most would find it unromantic but it has history with us, especially about 20 minutes after we got married. It was a gorgeous night and we watched the sailboats and toasted each other.






Enjoy the intermission with this random picture of Grendel:


On Sunday I attended the first of many plays for the 2009-10 series at Portland Center Stage. A couple of months ago a pushy sales person from PCS called me at work and quoted me a nice price on season tickets. I was weak so I bought them. I go on Sunday nights and that's fine because it means PARKING. I saw Ragtime and enjoyed the production. The set design was sparse and gorgeous. They used moving panels and chairs to make their points and the costumes were fabulous. I went up to the lobby balcony during intermission and took this picture:



Next week I get to see Ben Franklin: Unplugged. Can't wait!

In a couple of days I throw in my tiara as neighborhood leader and hopefully someone else will catch it and take up the reins. If not, then that's fine. My work here is done.

Wow, I'm a horrible blogger. I keep meaning to remedy this but I don't. Too many distractions. At least I blogged on my anniversary.

Anyway. I like lists so I'll make a list.

1.Things: Good and busy. I've been feeling more creative lately and have a project I've been mulling over lately and I think the final piece came together tonight. I can't wait.

2. Health: Good, but I need to find another event to do because getting up to exercise in the morning is getting harder and harder now that it's getting darker and darker.

3. Work: Slowing down the for the year which means I can breathe again.

4. Visitors: Last week muzikmaker21 was in town visiting our fair city and having the time of his life. I think many of us may have convinced him to move here. We met up for dinner and got caught up and I think we even solved a few of the world's problems. I got to meet Lee Freaking Moyer and he gave me a couple of his Lovecraft Festival posters because I gushed. He was so nice and I wanted to stay at his house and hang out under his desk with his dog and watch him work. But I had to go home. I hope to see him again soon.

5. Visitors Pt. Deux: My mom and grandma came to visit a few weeks ago and we had a blast. We shopped, ate dim sum, Saturday Marketed (on Sunday!) and went to the 'shoa. I even took pictures.

( Wanna See? )

So, life has been good. I'm happy. Carry on.

Nine years ago today, arkham4269 and I stood in the Clark County Courthouse looking like two deer caught in headlights and got married.

Happy Anniversary, Ian. I love you.

It's really too bad that Facebook has eaten so much of my blogging time. I need re-learn how to write more than two to three sentences at a time and get in touch with my inner paragraph. I know there are a few of you (at least two!) who come here to look at my pretty pictures and I apologize for slacking on the job.

( Click for more! )

Growing up, my parents weren't the type who planned summer vacation trips or quick jaunts out of town for family picnics. Most of the time, they were working and busting their arses trying to get the hockey school up and running. We went on ONE family vacation on a long hiking trip in Montana and then drove through Wyoming and SoDak and back home. There were a few times my parents threatened to leave us on the side of the road along the mountain passes to breathe the thin air and forage for food.

The point of this is that we weren't big Holiday Weekend Planners. We mostly just hung around the house or found friends to go out of town with to enjoy their family vacations. This weekend, I decided I wanted to PLAN something and go do it.

So, yesterday Ian and I drove to Hood River, Oregon for the day and had a ball.

( I took pictures! )

I have not updated my LJ since the triathlon and I apologize to my millions of fans. Life got busy and barely had time to write two sentences. I don't have a whole lot to report but I am getting excited because my mom and grandma are visiting at the end of the month. Yay!

Last Sunday I woke up with the weight of the world on my shoulders. The ocean was calling so I threw caution to the wind and drove to the Coast for the day.

( I took pictures! )

Yes, folks I swam in the Willamette River and lived to tell about it. So far I haven't grown any new appendages or turned green, but dammit, I FINISHED!!!!!

( Click for Pictures Of My Sweaty Arse! )

It was a good day.

This was the last hard week before the triathlon!! Yay!!! I found myself getting tired of my exercise schedule and I am so looking forward this race so I can do something else. It was a good week for the most part. I was supposed to do a brick day on Thursday and I had a great ride but when it came to running my body just wasn't having it. I was sore from breaking in a new bike and my motivation was hiding with Grendel under the front yard tree. I ran for about 15 minutes and gave up. Yeah, it was lame but I just couldn't get into it.

I went on a long bike ride yesterday full of steep hills and long gradual uphill slopes. I did well and stayed strong through the ride. I was quite happy with myself when I was done.

I have to run today and I'm hoping my body will cooperate this time.

The week I was sick I plowed through 4 books. All were very good. But I find myself standing at my bookshelf again looking at the "To Read" shelf and not getting very inspired. It's full of heavy reading that should be saved for when it's raining outside and the mercury is hovering around 55 and I can drink heavy red wines again.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'll provide book reports when I'm done!

After not exercising for a week, it was a little difficult to get back on the saddle again. My runs were OK but there were a few days when the humidity was high and my allergies were flaring and I had a hard time running. Bikes were good. Swim was good.

I swam in Klineline Pond this week to get some "open water" swimming in before the race. I forgot that swimming in a pool and swimming in "open water" are two different things. I was a bit sore and tired when I finished. Next year I am going to try and get to the pond at least once a week. It's good training and I can do it on Mondays so I don't have to fight with the old farts at the pool. My co-worker told me about a couple of triathlon groups and I'm going to join one of those next year. It's much more fun to have someone to train with than doing it by myself.

The good news of the week is that I am now the proud owner of a Trek 1.5 WSD 52 cm bike!! Los In-Laws offered to help me buy a new bike so I found one and bought it yesterday. I got a screaming deal on it and I highly recommend going to The Bike Gallery. I got good service and the staff was helpful and answered all my dumb questions.

It is SO nice to have a new bike and such a nice difference from my clunky mountain bike. I am going to give my mountain bike to a co-worker who is trying to get in shape. Yay!!!



I have to do my brick training today and I have no desire to do it. I should probably get off my arse now and get it over with. At least I'll have an exciting new bike to ride!!!

I'm so glad to see The Pride of Petroleum County has a live journal account and added me to her friends list.

Your sister is not allowed to get married. That's wrong. It makes me feel old.

Luv ya luv ya!

I can see the end of my vacation drawing near. I have important matters of state to attend to and no desire to do anything but slack. I have a long overdue neighborhood newsletter to write and dates to change for our meeting and people to notify. I am having much more fun sitting in my backyard reading and taking an occasional break to check e-mail and blog. Ian has left me to go see Star Trek at the Kennedy School. I told him I would weep until he got back. I don't think he believed me.

Yesterday I wandered around downtown Portland for a few hours to avoid doing any sort of domestic chores.

( I took pictures! )

So, it was a good day. But then any day that ends with cupcakes is fine with me!

There was no exercising to be done this week as a cold moved into my chest and took over my head and sinuses. I might try and exercise today but it's going to be 94 degrees and I'm not sure how ready I am to get dressed and go for a bike ride.

I have three weeks left until the triathlon. This week will still be hard but the last two weeks taper off until the event.

I finally registered for the Portland Triathlon and had the same level of panic that I did last year. I haven't trained enough, I'm not ready, etc. etc. But I stopped and took inventory and realized that I AM ready for once and I trained really hard this year. I also had to remind myself that I'm doing this because I want to do it and not because I'm competing against the 300+ people (gulp!) who have already registered.

So that's this week's report. I'm hoping next week will be more productive.

We went to a wine tasting tonight at Mantra. After tasting some interesting Malbecs, we came home and Ian pulled weeds while Grendel supervised.





Amazing how he can balance wine and pull weeds!

I really didn't mean for these pictures to come out so dark.

The day dawns not as beastly hot as it has been the past few days. It's only supposed to be 99 today. Break out the parka!

For those of you who don't follow me on Facebook, I woke up Sunday morning with a sore throat and the sore throat moved into my sinuses and gave me a lovely head cold. A cold combined with 100+ degree heat has not been fun. The good news, however, is I am on vacation this week so I could stay up as late as I wanted and not toss and turn and worry about having to go to work. The other news is that the heat and my cold slowed me down. It's been a nice relaxing week. I watched movies and read books. I went to 'Moon' yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I checked out Vagabond by Colette and read it while sipping good Portland beer and taking advantage of the air conditioning at Mantra. So, not a bad week.



Last Thursday was my mom's birthday. I celebrated by bringing baked goods to Knit Night at the Naked Sheep. I was popular for a few hours. People sang happy birthday.

Today is my dad's birthday today. I should probably call him since I didn't send a card or get him a present. Not on purpose. I just didn't have the energy. He likes calls more than he likes presents. OK. I need to get a few things done before it gets hot again.

Today is Day 1 of my vacation. I am taking next week off to recharge my batteries and rest. I wanted to go to the coast for a day but with the expected inferno next week, the last thing I want to do is sit in a car on asphalt. So I shall find something else to do.

Last week went by in a blur. Work was busy and somewhat frantic. Thursday was my mom's birthday and I celebrated by bringing tasty baked goods from DiPrima Dolci to Knit Night at The Naked Sheep. I was popular for a few minutes. A few people sang happy birthday to my mom. :)



It was too hot last night to do much of anything so we sat outside and ate grilled quesadillas and drank some good white wine. Grendel decided the new lasagna garden bin was the Place To Be and reigned from inside the box.





He got annoyed with me taking so many pictures.

I'm listening to French rap music at the moment. It doesn't work. I'll change the channel. I have to go on a bike ride and buy groceries today before it gets too hot. That means I have to wake up Ian. Might be scary.