Danny and I were talking and it seems we may be some of the worst bloggers ever born to this earth. Danny posted pictures to his last post and never even explained what was happening in them. I was given the task of doing so but spent my whole post explaining why I'm not as evil as Danny makes me sound and thus, never explained the pictures either. Because of all this, I'm turning over a new leaf. I am going to try to do my best to actually tell you what we're up to. Simple enough right? Let's see if it will work!
Well now I can't remember what all of those pictures were of.... The one of my by a beach is at a place called Cape Lookout on the Pacific coast. We went with my parents while they were here. We're actually only about an hour and half away from the coast so we hope to go camping there soon. Oh another picture was in front of the Tillamook cheese factory which was in a town on our way to the coast. I felt so terrible going there betraying my homeland of Wisconsin. But for future reference, their cheese has nothing on some extra sharp Wisconsin cheddar. Nothing.
As for other adventures around town we've had some more lately than before. We've been doing a lot of hiking/biking around town since I got a bike and since Danny's cousin and her husband lent us a book called "Afield and Afoot" that has ALL of the hikes around the area. As mentioned in a previous post, biking with Danny is hard. In order to avoid his frustration with me, he biked to the trailhead of one of our hikes and I drove and met him there. It kind of defeats the purpose of biking and saving gas but when the trailhead is near the top of the city and my legs have not yet developed into the hamhocks I need them to be this seemed like the best option for all involved. The hike was great as it was in a park just outside of a residential area but it had been really well preserved into still being in its natural state. We hiked up along a creek and then proceeded along a second trail that took us up another 500 ft to the Pittock Mansion.
We walked over with Danny jumping and clapping the whole way and got to see some birds of prey that they take care of there for injuries and whatnot. I felt dorky being one of the only people that was not a parent or over 55 but you know, sometimes you just have to embrace your genes (my parents are avid ornithologists and Audobon members) and say hey, I like birds too. Overall a great day!
Our other more recent hike was out on Sauvie Island just north of the city. We had heard about it from a few people (my new hairstylist lady and the cable installation man) and our super awesome hiking book detailed a route that Danny thought was fit. Well, let me tell you, it was an adventure. First of all we had to drive along a gravel road past this ridiculously packed beach which also doubled as a nude beach further down. Since it was Labor day I don't think many people chose to be nude due to the HUGE population of people visiting the beach that day. Side note: Sauvie Island is on the Columbia River= amazing! So we finally made it to the end of this super dusty gravel road, parked, got out, and then I came to the awful realization that the trailhead to our trail began on the OTHER SIDE OF A COW PASTURE!
Sadly because it was Labor Day weekend, everyone with a jetski, speedboat, motorboat... was out on the river. Nonetheless it didn't poo on my parade too much and we enjoyed the sand and sun for a while before heading back.
Not before picking a tupperware full of blackberries, though, of course :) Fortunately when we got back to the cow pasture the cows had dispersed and I felt better about crossing their territory.
The next day was my first day of grad school! My first class was an intro to Marriage Couple and Family Therapy (MCFT from now on) as a profession. It went pretty well and although the information is somewhat boring because its a history and a foundation, it was still nice to meet some more of my classmates and learn a little more about them. I also have begun biking to school so that made the day even more exciting. Danny rode with me because he was bored but it was like 90 degrees that day so by the time I got up to campus (I say up because as there are many hills on the way to campus, campus itself is on yet another hill..jerks) I looked like a tomato. What a great way to make first impressions I know. I'm sure my beauty was the first thing my peers noticed about me and my smell was probably the second glorious thing they learned about me. The same thing happened yesterday when I rode to class but I just hope people see my helmet and understand that I don't just naturally sweat profusely. I did bike home last night though in the dark and considering most of the roads I take to school don't have a bike lane it's kind of nervewracking. I'm sure most of the traffic I meet doesn't appreciate me biking after dark either but there's not much I can do about it besides cover myself in blinking red lights and hope for the best while I go up the vertical hill in Marshall Park in first gear sweating balls in the process. Hopefully as my legs develop into dinosaur legs I'll go faster and faster until one day I'll keep up with traffic... I can only hope...
Well that's most of the news from Lake Wobegon! Today we're off to my bank to deposit a check because it's cookie Friday and then we're off to eat vegan bar-b-que from a foodcart downtown. Yes that's right, vegan bar-b-que. You heard me right, now pick your jaw up off the floor and say "yummmmmm, I like alternate sources of protein in my diet". You know you want to try it :)
Oh and I should notify you all that our neighbors probably think Danny is crazy considering he dug a bucket out of the garbage the other day and walked down to the creek behind our complex and dug up a sad looking fern, put into the bucket, and now has chosen to raise it on his own off our deck. We also have a compost bucket Danny started that he decided needed more sun so we have a stinking bucket of compost sitting in our parking spot for all the neighbors to enjoy with us. I'm sure if there was a contest we would be voted most awesome normal neighbors ever.
Hopefully Danny and I will keep up better with this thing! And I hope you all enjoy hearing about our "stuff" we do out here!
And Now More From The One and Only Danny Dunn
Obviously this blog cannot continue without the corrections and or creative twist on things that I am able to bring. First I disagree with the Tilamook Cheese factory and lack of enthusiasm in discussing its existence. If I go back out to the coast I think another visit is in order. First there are innumerable flavors of delectable ice creams to choose from where I found myself saying "the blueberry tastes like blueberry, the mulberry tastes like mulberry" and so on and so forth. And who could forget the comment on the hours of historical reading material about the Tilamook valley and their cheeses! I learned so much like... well I read it not that I need to remember. And the reason I am an easy sell--> Free Cheese samples! BOOM! I love the place! "3 or 4 servings of samples for me thanks," needless to say I didn't leave hungry.
Now real life. I personally believed life was going to be much more laid back and happy, but somehow I find it so easy to fall into a sad stinky funk (for real all I hear about is how bad I smell, usually I blow it off but after a while even I'm getting self conscious, as a psych person I believe Caitlin should realize the long term repercussions her attitude towards my B.O. is going to have on me). My days have all begun with a little green tea, purchased loose leaf and in bulk mind you, with oatmeal. If there is any more depressing meal to eat every single day let me know, because a bowl of oatmeal just screams you lack flavor, spice, and excitement. I ingest my meal as I browse the craigslist category for schmucks looking for any job that says "Have no marketable skills? Well sign up with us and you may get one or two!" Fine print then says minimum wage. Darn.
It really isn't that bad. I usually don't get much done because I run into an interesting job that requires 4,5,6, or 7 years of experience and I sit and daydream about how glamorous it would be to be a pastry chef at a downtown Portland bakery. As customers line up at the door I can say "nice day friend" (I am yet to meet really anyone I can even call an acquaintance yet, but there's still hope right?) then in a sing song voice I reply "Only because I baked raspberry cream tarts this morning!" If it is really a rough day on the online job market, and as I fill out an application it logs me off because I took too long, Caitlin may ask "Want pancakes this morning?" Only for me to get red in the face and say "NO *&^$#%^ pancakes!" As my body pulsates from breathing way too heavily all she can say is "Rough day?"
Luckily, as Caitlin has pointed out the priority of finding a job has not yet killed our adventures. As you can tell from me being in an old chimney from above. One adventure being at the Audubon Society, but I need to point out my favorite person there. We just happened to be by this guy the entire time randomly and I loved his demeanor as the volunteers explained the birds. As we looked at the Kestrels the volunteer would say "We have Alice here because she is missing part of her back tail feathers." Only to be responded with "Ah its left rectix," but like he is talking to himself and not bragging, but nonetheless I may have chuckled when they pointed out the bent back claw and he said "the hallux" if only I had things I could properly educate people about.
There also was a dream come true. After many hours of being forced to sit and "enjoy" watching the food network there actually some positives coming out of it. "Diners, Driveins, and Dives" has all these fairly small and reasonably priced "joints," as Guy Fietti would say, featured on the show which includes a good deal from Portland. The shack like restaurant called Pok Pok specializes in Thai food. Delicious, and it gave me the opportunity to butcher reading my food choice, which always drives Caitlin crazy. The only really odd thing was how many male servers worked there. Not an issue but I felt it was noticeable, because it has never been like that before.
Overall everything seems to be going great. I eat my share of black berries daily and exercise regularly so I stay pretty content. I also desire to complete my little projects. Unfortunately scavenging through a dumpster and digging up your backyard is weird now, I guess I missed the memo. Come on. And my bucket of dirt doesn't just have ferns in it. There are other plants too, and I planted the pit of my Peach (hoping for the best but I have my doubts). So what if I do that and follow up by skateboarding in the parking lot and falling over. I skinned my elbow and it bled really bad. Besides I only cried a little.
So to finish things off the Vegan BBQ was pretty solid. Somehow the tofu really had the texture of meat to it, crazy! But keep us in your thoughts and prayers, especially Caitlin, because if she continues to allow her empty cups she used to drink ULTRA PULP OJ to lie around and lets the pulp dry to the side and I have to wash it... There's just no telling what I may do. Probably drink it and I bet you know how protective she is with her food.
You two are so funny. I am really going to enjoy reading this on a regular basis, or as regularly as you post anyway. It's so funny because I can just hear the two of you! Take care, you two, and have a wonderful adventure.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Aunt Ginny