Monday, December 31, 2007

happy new year's eve!

well, we made it up to the cabin and five minutes later I was back in the truck taking the dogs back into town because my little banana nose was showing signs of a bladder infection (excessive peeing with no pee) and I needed to get her to the vet. anyway, 4 hours and $200 later we (me and the dogs) were home and I was ready for a beer. I can't complain because in my ten and a half years with this now old girl she has been in very good health (surprising for a basset...our other dog is a black lab named coral). Anyway, I left greg up there because no sense in us both sitting and waiting in the vet watching our little bean bean shake and worry herself into a little don knotts character. yes, as you may have guessed, we have a bunch of ridiculous nick names for this dog (officially named cyenna...after the burnt sienna crayon but I rebelliously and half creatively changed up the spelling in my early college days). I learned very early on in her puppy hood that hounds are the most stubborn breed of dog that ever lived so it was very foolish of me to create a name greater than two syllables, regardless, I believe that no matter what you name a hound dog you have to possess some kind of voodoo magic in order to get them to come when you call them. Believe me, I've spent many a time at the beach or in the woods calling out "cookie??" just to try to persuade her. Ya...another little factoid about hound dogs...they're not as stupid as people think. I've concluded that they are likely one of the more intelligent of dog breeds...so much so that they've brilliantly convinced everyone of their doofy stupidness. She always knew when I didn't have a cookie and there were times when she actually stopped in her tracks towards some poor relaxed picnicking couple to look back at me, think about the possibility of the cookie and the consequences, let me get just out of her reach and with a little devilish glare in her eye take off like a little bat out of hell to go and bound all around these poor poor souls just trying to enjoy some peace in the great outdoors. Another little factoid about basset hounds...they're not as slow and lazy as people think. at least mine isn't. she's so speedy and with that low center of gravity can dodge my every attempt to lasso her. that coupled with the stubbornness has made for some hideous lucy moments along the way. BUT...I love her with all of my heart and am so glad she's feeling better. I missed out on the cabin but there will always be a next time. In addition, if I would have been at the cabin I might have missed out on running into that great orange volvo, pictured above. I also thought in my alone time (which, I treasure BTW) that I would share 5 random facts about myself:


1. I'm an only child (which, I believe, is why I so enjoy alone time with me, myself and I).

2. Leigh and Mandy, if you're reading this you're going to laugh. I have this weird way with books. Reading a book to me is not only the experience of reading it but is also very much the experience of feeling the book, the cover, the pages, the weight, the binding, and definitely the smell of the inside. I also, in a very obsessive compulsive way, like books to appear and feel unused and unread, when I begin and even after I'm done reading them. I'm SO careful not to hastily throw them in my bag, drop or over bend them while reading (sometimes becomes difficult when it's late at night and I'm really into the passage and trying to stay comfortably propped on my pillows), but, nonetheless. OH...and I prefer matte finish covers over glossy as glossy tends to accumulate fingerprints. Actually I prefer hard cover most of all because I like to take off the sleeve and see and feel the canvas and hard cover usually has a better paper quality inside which I like to feel with every page turn. I have friends who actually prefer books to have the well read beached look and feel, barely held together and full of little *gasp* dog ears where they or someone before them have held their place over the course. So this quirk of mine was recently put to the test when my dear dear friend, Leigh, handed me her copy of "eat pray love" to read for our upcoming book club meeting. This book was in great condition, particularly, since I believe it journeyed with them on their recent trip to hawaii. Anyway, in my attempt to dive in on saturday night I could not for the life of me read without angst. It's like little used book gnats enter my head and flutter about so much so that I can't comprehend what I'm reading. sick and ridiculous, I know. so, I went to powells yesterday and found a "like new" used copy and can't put it down. this is quite the dilemma for me because I looooooove hand me downs and used thrifted items but struggle with this book situation. I've had luck with powells though. It takes me a while but I can generally find a used book in new condition and then I'm the happiest camper of all. :)

3. I like to eat peanut butter and sweet pickle relish sandwiches. Have ever since I can remember. and now, I find them to go perfectly with an ice cold beer.

4. I am a fanatic about seeing things in a new light. I love to be inspired to see something extraordinary in something I previously viewed as ordinary. love.

5. I don't consider myself religious in the western sense of the term but feel that I am a very spiritual person. I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason and that life is but a mural of brilliant coincidences that weave together to lead us to what is meant to be. I often see these coincidences as signs from a greater power and take some of the most random little moments as roadsigns on my path in this life. moments that would otherwise just pass me by, but, instead they radiate in my mind and throughout my body. anyway, I'm too shy to share them here and now, but, will...another time.

I'm wishing everyone a happy happy new year filled with love, inspiration, fun and most of all sweet sweet life. xxo

Saturday, December 29, 2007

lost in a sea of christmas trees.

I'm SO ready to take down the christmas tree, however, no time today. greg, the dogs and I are headed up to mt. hood to go snow shoeing and enjoy some cabin life with some great friends of ours. I haven't been to their cabin yet, but, I'm picturing a cozy warm glow that I can't wait to jump into.

anyway, this morning I stumbled onto this fabulous blog with this picture in a recent posting linking back to a fun little french blog that I can't understand but it's very cute. it also got me thinking about a goal of mine to learn to speak italian and how great it would be to find a fun italian blog to read regularly.

Friday, December 28, 2007

photobooth friday!

my dear dear dear friend from australia, james, brought his dear dear dear (and lovely) friend yumi to portland for the holidays. we met up with them last night for dinner at masu (good sushi, but, great drinks and fabulous atmosphere). anyway, it's perfectly located just about a block or so from the ace and I was SO delighted that nobody was a deebbie downer about swinging over to hop in the booth. particularly delighted because I needed a photobooth friday posting as my stash of photobooth strips was dry. OH...I even remembered my glamorous eye wear that we all strategically modeled. james most definitely receives the award for the sassy glasses pose in the last frame. xxo :)

Thursday, December 27, 2007

craving...

pink, candy, sparkly things, tulle, shiny shoes, lipstick, sushi, vintage handbags, lucite, makeup, big hairdo's, painted toes, big mod eye wear, hearts, smiles, bubbles, flashbulbs, dazzling night lights, maraschino cherries, kisses, cupcakes and the perfect scarf for the perfect occasion. I'm delighted that we're almost to the new year and the evening that's devoted to celebrating it.

these are some of my recent favorites from flickr. I'm just overwhelmed and so inspired by all of these amazing photographers and artists!

1. Crush, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. Love is everywhere!, 5. Winter converse...es...er., 6. eu gosto, 7. northbaltimore_hampden_122307_cafehon04, 8. Release., 9. Bling!, 10. My Little, 11. table for two, 12. la notte ti penso, 13. intrise di rosso, 14. sparkle and shine, 15. View from the bar, 16. red rain bokeh, 17. Untitled, 18. One of my favourite moments of last year.., 19. I'd put money on this heart not caring anymore, 20. Put on that dress.., 21. 13:51, 22. Datsun, 23. crisp beauty., 24. Nov 26, 25. pine nut and candied orange peel cupcake with christmas spice buttercream

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

downward facing dog.


it's been exactly one week since I've practiced yoga and I'm having a serious craving for some down dog. I have no excuse, I'm holding onto 5 classes here and know my vinyasa by heart so can and should work on my self practice. I did a little self practice while we were in salt lake city this last week-end but it's just not the same love I get from the class. I'm SO excited because I just read on her blog that she'll be in Portland for a workshop in January and I'm counting down the days until her first video comes out! I just love her...she's the coolest!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

merry christmas!


Full of mulled wine, egg nog, fondue, a lovely homemade split pea soup lunch and a German inspired dinner and thinking of family and friends near and far and sending all my love and well wishes this Christmas Day. I love this picture of my grandparents, my two uncles and my mom and it makes me think so warmly of family.

We were thrilled to have a beautiful snow here today and were even more fortunate to share the day with eachother and good friends.


Monday, December 24, 2007

eve.


we spent this last week-end in utah with some good friends of ours. greg and his friend shawn work for a company based out of salt lake city so greg and I and shawn and his wife, hilary, decided to go to the holiday party and make a fun little week-end out of it. we must have done something right by the snowpeople because we couldn't have asked for a better winter wonderland! it snowed the morning we arrived so all of the trees were flocked with snow and the sun was out for the entire week-end. we went to park city on saturday to sight see, take some pics and have some lunch and we all agreed that we should go back. my vote is to return for this or this.

in the airport on the way home yesterday I picked up this book I've been SO anxious to read and can hardly put it down and I highly, highly recommend it.


now, we're just enjoying these lazy days at home filled with music, movies, food, reading and friends and of course loving thoughts of our families.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

our new addition.


my mom and step dad were here this week-end on their way back to montana. their visit was such a gift in so many ways. we laughed, visited about friends, family, gardening and books, looked at pictures and old ornaments, cooked, ate delicious food, watched a few movies, and did a little shopping.

they brought us a bottle of wine from northern california, some homemade olives and a bag of handpicked dried italians from my great uncle and aunt, mario & maxine. what more could you ask for...wine, olives and treasured mushrooms! well, there's more...my mom brought me old family pictures and they thoughtfully gifted us a 1950's floor lamp for christmas. we are in looove with the lamp and are so delighted to have this addition to our living space! ever since I can remember, my mom has gifted me with the most thoughtful and fantastic treasures each year. some of the most memorable (I only wish I still had all of these items in my possession!) were a little purple radio with their tape in my stocking; of course...one of these; a my little pony barn; a pair of these; oh...one of these; and a swatch watch with a one pink and one green band that I wore upside down because I saw everyone wear their watches upside down when I went to the world's fair in vancouver b.c.. MOST of all, she has gifted me with everlasting sweet sweet love and I am SO thankful!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

humboldt.

we've finally hooked ourselves up with wireless internet! woo hoo! why oh why didn't we do this before?! getting online meant sitting awkwardly in the very corner of our bedroom underneath the window to hop on the neighbor's wireless (thanks CL & Leigh!) although the distance between our houses made the connection very poor and when they went away to hawaii for a week, we were without even that. we did have cable internet all along, however, it meant unplugging everything from the wall and booting and rebooting computers because, well, not really sure why -- something about the internet compatibility with greg's computer differing from mine. anyway it was a pain but the wireless is here now and we have affectionately named it humboldt (greg and I met while attending humboldt state in northern california) and I am thrilled...although...I've turned into one of those people I've always thought strangely about. I'm watching TV and am online at the same time. it's the seinfeld festivus episode and between sentences I'm laughing about festivus feats of strength, festivus miracles and the human fund. still, it's strange and I should be reading, but, I'm letting myself be taken away by convenient entertainment.

OH...lastly - I received a few more ornaments from the swap. I'm overjoyed with delight when opening each one.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

yum.

am dreaming of thai food. particularly tom som and pineapple crab fried rice from e-san...oh and a singha.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

oh christmas tree.


The house smells sooooooo good and I've had a healthy dose of jazz music and ornament therapy! I can't help but find things to do outside so I can come back in to discover the smell all over again. When I went away to college my mom helped me to separate and package up all of the ornaments I had received growing up. She even gave me one of her old "christmas" ornament storage boxes (just a plain cardboard box with "where in the world is carmen san diego" logo on the side). My mom loves to use and reuse and reuse again and again and I love that about her. She cares for all of her possessions as though they were antique treasures, even special cardboard boxes, so I'll treasure that box for as long as humanly possible. :)


My grandma jan made me an ornament each year until about the time I hit high-school. I loved receiving her little christmas gift in the mail, mainly to see what ornament she had made for me. This elf she made when I was two.


Friday, December 7, 2007

Photobooth Friday.

We stopped by the Matador on Burnside last Saturday afternoon inbetween lunch and errands. We opened the curtain to find abandoned and forgotten drinks from the night before still sitting along the back wall. I love these shots of greg, so much so that I don't mind that my cute scarf turned headband missed out on the photobooth fun. :)

Pro and Con about the Matador. Con - Smoky. Pro - photobooth strip collage on the side of the photobooth. drinking merry people + late night in a bar + photobooth = um...you can imagine!

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

relationships.


relationships are like gardens. you need to pull the weeds by their roots. we're weeding right now and it feels sooooo good.

Monday, December 3, 2007

randomness of today.


Today had some randomness that I thought I would share...

On my way to work listening to morning talk radio I heard that the 750 year old, 200 foot tall famous Oregon Sitka Spruce perished in this week-end's wind storm. I had to have a moment. I'm an old growth tree lover from Northern California with a great respect for these beings. 750 YEARS. I can't help but feel that something alive for 750 years must have a great spirit. Anyway, anticipating an end to this tree the Willamette Week wrote a "pre-bituary" last January you can check out here.

This sadness was offset when I arrived to work to find that coffee drinks were on the house in recognition of the Livestrong Foundation. I don't quite get the connection between free coffee drinks and the Foundation, nonetheless, this made me very very happy, ESPECIALLY on Monday morning of a VERY busy week and especially after hearing of the Sitka Spruce. Yes, I also find it a little strange that coffee can turn my day around, but, it's Monday, super windy and pouring down rain and I'll go with it.

I went to the post office in the very rainy and windy midday to stick our holiday cards in the mail AND get my ornaments out to my swap group. Research told me that international shipping would likely be the cheapest at the post office. Research did not tell me not to go to the post office at lunch on a December Monday. I like doing things like going to the post office, but, I am SO not post office savvy and this was ever apparent today. I waited in the loooongest line with my bag of boxes, tote full of christmas cards, umbrella, big puffy coat and scarf to find out that they don't tape up your packages or print the nice little labels for you...this needed to be done before you arrive. So, sweating now, I was sent off to tape and address, but, was given a hall pass to cut in line once I finished, so that was good given the state of things in line. As I was in the back filling out my forms, labeling and taping my boxes I was overhearing a conversation between a mom and her little daughter about how the little girl shouldn't be teasing her little brother, who looked three (both VERY cute BTW...she looked fiveish). Anyway, it was my observation that brother was taunting sister just as much, but, sister, being the older one, likely gets the "talk" a little more often. The little girl kept trying to explain to mom that he was doing this and he was doing that and her mom says, "listen...I think you need to get with the program", and the little girl replies, "but I don't WANT to get with the program". HA. You said it sister, niether do the rest of us most days.

Now, it's evening and I'm feeling good...the holiday cards and ornaments are off and I got A LOT done at work today thanks to my giant soy latte.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

hello december!



Woke up to snowflakes this morning, which, was particularly fabulous since it's Saturday so I took a step outside to take a few pictures and enjoy.


Then came back in to warm my hands around a hot cup of coffee. :)




Now...Greg and I are off to Asher's b-day party at Avalon Theater and photobooth. yaaay! Later...address Holiday cards, box up ornaments for the swap and RELAX!