Where's SSG?

FRANTICALLY trying to cross items off her Summer To Do List that no one else remembers except the people who LIVE IN HER CITY and KNOW HER PERSONALLY.  Which SSG is CURSING because it means she can't just PRETEND she has done everything.

Today's mission:  Ride a ferris wheel.

SSG and her trusty companion, Wah-dah-tay, headed to Oaks Park--a small amusement park on the banks of the Willamette River.   Since SSG grew up in Southern California, amusement parks to her mean places like Disneyland and Magic Mountain (aka "Wally World" from the '80's Chevy Chase classic film, Vacation).  She was prepared for LINES.  For HIGH ticket prices.  For CROWDS of people.  For ENORMOUS rides.

She was not prepared for an entrance that you got to walk into without even purchasing a ticket.  (She also secretly wondered if the entrance ever broke into a little ditty from the Nutcracker.)  She was definitely not prepared for being able to purchase a ticket to a SINGLE ride.  Or the ticket price--$2.25.  And she most certainly wasn't prepared for not only the LACK of line at the ferris wheel, but the LACK of employees running the ferris wheel.

"Maybe it's closed for the day?" SSG asked Wade.  

She decided to AT LEAST take a picture of the ferris wheel that belonged in a twee little Barbie Dream House because IT WAS SO SMALL.  Just as they were about to call it a day, a random guy walked across a small parking lot and asked if they wanted to go for a ride.

"YES!"  Wah-dah-tay and SSG responded in unison as the guy walked up to the ferris wheel controls.  Then SSG thought for a second and said "you do work here, right?"

I present to you fine peeps, the view from the TOP of the Oaks Park ferris wheel.  I will pause to give you a moment to take it all in. 

That was when SSG decided to take a photo of Wah-dah-tay and her together.  

With photography skills like these?  Let me just say, WATCH OUT Annie Leibovitz.

On our way to get manis and pedis ... well, Humdingers for corndogs, fries and milkshakes THEN mani/pedis with K-Dog, we saw this.  Which prompted Wah-dah-day to ask "WHERE is your camera?"

And um, side note to the dude in the Expedition?  I think about 99% of Portland's population is going to AGREE with you.  Well done.

Ado(red)

Many many years ago, during a time of fiscal responsibility, I made the decision to not buy anything unless I would cry if I left the store without it.  If I waiver, even in the slightest, I put the item down and walk away.  If over the next few days I keep thinking about it, I go back and buy it.  

It's a system that has worked well for me.  Which is part of the reason my house looks like I just moved in.  These things take TIME.  And everything I want for my house costs MONEY.  Money that I decided to use for a trip to France ... and oh yeah, my mortgage payment.

BUT!  I have been picking up a few new things for France.  A few things like ... shoes, jeans, jackets, shirts, scarves, books and music for IPods that I don't know how to work.  I started putting everything together, ahem, in HOPES I can shove it all into a carryon.  When I stepped back I realized I had a little THEME happening.  Would you like to see?

Sweet journal which will be full of SSG's innermost thoughts and feelings and drawings and who am I kidding, LISTS of the Pro's & Con's for staying and never coming back.

And then this BAG which will carry all of the delicious fruits and vegetables (read wine, cheese and bread) from the markets to the Seine for picnics.  All PROS.

Does France have Targets?  

Well they should.  CON.

And Netflix.  I loooove Netflix.  

(The only reason this has to do with France is because SSG is setting up her own little Cannes Film Festival Monday afternoon.  All the movies are set in Paris--DaVinci Code, French Kiss and some other movie she can't remember but knows it will be GREAT.)

And that's when she realized.  Everything is RED.  Red like her heart.  Red like passion.  Red like love.  Red like OPI's new nail color "Eiffel in Love."   And SSG has.  She just hopes France is ready for it.

Hey Fisher!

Want to move to France?

Huumanz, U reeley need 2 lern 2 playe hrd 2 getz. 

Wayt!  

I tink I herez cookeez ... 

And if any accountants are reading this and making the comparison to what RED looks like on a balance sheet?  

Yes.  I know.

SSG in the White House

I can't believe I'm going to type this, but ... I'm getting swept up in the Democratic Convention.

Not that I'm not into politics.  I think ya know, Rock the Vote and all that.  I just find politicians so BORING.  So full of "scandals" that are no longer scandals.  Like really?  Another politician cheated on his wife?  With a dude?  In a men's bathroom at an airport?  Excuse me while I yawn and finish filing my nails. 

I want pizzaz.  I want excitement.  I want people to rock the SHIT out of speeches and debates.  I want Senators FIRED up when they go to Capitol Hill. I want people to believe in the American Dream again.  I want the middle class back.  I want every single person regardless of their financial background to go to college and to be able to get help if they're sick.  I want the KIDS in neighborhoods 15 minutes away from me to be ABLE TO EAT 3 meals a day.  I'd like to tell those people who don't believe in "hand outs" that by supporting THE CITIZENS of this country, helps not only them, but helps ALL of us.  Can you imagine this country with well fed, focused kids who were encouraged to read, write and think for themselves?  Who loved science and math and had bigger dreams than the dreams we have today?  And instead of having a select few of these kids, we have millions?   Can you imagine the progress, the change?  The unity?

Annnnyway ... wow.  Wasn't where I was originally going with this post, but HI!  As I started reflecting on this historic election.  Where Ted Kennedy with his Baastaaan kick ass politician self and Hillary crackin' ceilings and a little African American kid who was raised by a single mom is running for President, I say YES.  THANK YOU.  These were the dreams I grew up believing and they're now coming true.

I thought about what it would look like.  To have an African American family living in the White House.  And it brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes.  I wonder if they ever, in their wildest dreams as kids, thought that they'd wind up here.

And so the original post was to show you MY white house and ask for your opinions on colors for my kitchen.  But now that just seems so ... well ... MINOR in the grand scheme of things.

But if you DO want to weigh in still, feel free!  SSG believes STRONGLY in democracy after all.

We Haz Housgues

Dis my fren Riglee.  He liv nex dor an he sta wif us dis wek.  Den I sta wif him wen mom s n paRiss.  

Wayt.  U haz cookeez?  I sit nis n tall n kas u do.

Riglee n i play chays ... lots f chays and den mor CHAYSE.  Til we get tyred.  We sleep til da cloc sayz 3:45 amz.  An den Riglee an i agree to wak mom up.

She not hapey, but we wag taylez and den she lafs.  

I luv Riglee an will shayre my toyz, mi mom an me kat.  But I don share my cookeez.  Dis my bowl. K Riglee?

 

Welcom 2 my hous!

ooooo,

Teh Fish

(Long!) Weekend ABC's - D is for Ditching, Driving & Dahlias

One of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon is to hop in the car and just go.  Open road.  No itinerary.  Favorite music loud on the stereo.  The gas tank on full.  A warm vanilla latte in the cup holder.  Possibilities.  What will I happen upon?  What questions have I been struggling with that will suddenly be made clear?  Who might I meet along the way?

As I move away from the city and into the country, my shoulders start to relax.  My breath deepens.  I slow down.

When I lived in Seattle, it was on one of these drives that I discovered Mt. Vernon.  Mt. Vernon is famous for their gorgeous tulips and daffodils that bloom every spring.  I however, happened upon it in late summer, long after the season was over.  I was flying down the road, singing at the top of my lungs when I spied a flower stand.  I immediately slowed down and pulled into the driveway next to it, expecting someone to come out and help me with the flowers.   But the stand was unmanned.  Jelly jars were full of the brightest flowers I had ever seen.  They burst forth, fireworks of hot pink, yellow, deep magenta and purple.  I was smitten.  The cost?  $3 a bunch.  "Who do I give the money to?"  I wondered to myself.  And that's when I saw a coffee can full of money off to the side.  There was something so charming about the honor system that I took 5 bunches and left a $20 in the coffee can.  

I went back to that farm every summer and never saw a single person.  When I decided to move away from Seattle, that was one of things I knew that I'd miss--my secret little place where flowers were left on faith.

But, being the SSG, last fall after a grape stomp at a local vineyard, I was driving home and got lost.  I found myself in downtown Canby, a small town about 25 miles south of Portland.  It has just over 13,000 residents and the cutest little downtown with a park right in the center.  It's one of my favorite kinds of downtowns too--on a grid, where the streets go in alphabetical order with names like "Grant, Holly and Ivy"  The park has a large white gazebo and hanging flower baskets adorn the street lights.  I wound through the quiet residential streets, very happily lost, admiring white picket fences, crisp red front doors and houses set back off the streets.  And then I turned a corner and found it. 

Swan Island Dahlias.  

Instead of my Mt. Vernon cut flowers in jelly jars, there were FIELDS of dahlias.  Row upon row of different varieties with names like "Bodacious", "Wildman," and "Harvest Moon."  I couldn't believe it and got out of my car to wander around dumfounded.  When I finally made my way back to the car, I passed a stand where you could buy cut flowers.  And in this case, just like Mt. Vernon, it was on the honor system.   

I took a personal day today and had no idea what I was going to do.  As if by memory, my car headed for Swan Island.  It was me and BUS LOADS of senior citizens.  I happily chatted with them as I wandered the rows of such spectacular color, I was kicking myself for not having a better camera.  

And so that settles it, you all are just going to have to come visit and see for yourselves. 

Aside from dahlias, there is nothing that makes me happier than hand painted signs.  On my way out of Canby, this one caught my eye.

I pulled into the parking lot and was met by an older gentleman wearing a plaid, short sleeve, button up shirt with suspenders and a straw hat.

He has lived there since 1959.  Falling in love with the Willamette Valley, he left Illinois bought 20 acres and hasn't left.  We chatted about tomatoes and corn before I said goodbye.  As I turned to walk away, I asked him if he took care of the farm on his own or if he had help. 

"Oh no, I care for it on my own.  It's just gardening."

"20 acres is just GARDENING?!" I exclaimed. 

He chuckled and tipped his hat, sauntering back to his stand with a wave and a smile.  I pulled out of his driveway happy that he knew nothing about the double shot of espresso I require to muster up enough energy to sit behind a desk all day.

The dahlias now sit in vases throughout my house.  Tomatoes have been cored, halved, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and are currently slow roasting in a 250 degree oven.  And this well rested Serendipitous Girl is about to go make herself some corn for dinner.

Wer FiSHeR iz?

I go 4 ryde n kar.  We go get cookeez?

No cookeez?  Oh!  We go to dah beech!  Hi beech!  

I chayse tenniz ballz n play in deh wahter.  I tink dat guy on serfbord haz cookeez 4 me?

Maybe der cookeez in herez?  I help dyg.

Bye beech!  Time 2 go hom.  Tank u fer fun!  I tyred.

But maYbeE u haz cookeez 4 me?

xo,

Teh Fish

Countdown x 2

Two weeks from today I will be on a flight to Paris.  

A flight.  To Paris.  FRANCE.  Please hold while I go faint.

Two birthday fairies--my sister (hi Winner!) & Wade (hi Wah-dah-tay!) gave me some fun little prezzies that will accompany me on my travels!  Would you like to see them? 

Please check my mad photo and staging skillz (Conde Nast Traveller, my services are available).  

That cutie cute little book will have addresses to send postcards and various other notes and instructions, flight info, etc.  I'm still on the lookout for a journal though, because I have a feeling I'm going to have A LOT to write about ... like a little thing called WINE ... and oh yeah ... CHEESE and hopefully lots of things called JEAN LUC and FRANCOIS.  Side note to Winner: Should this little book maybe have been black?

And THEN, that sweet little cupcake make up bag will have my new favorite item--Maybelline minerals foundation (thanks Digs!).  I'm strictly a Sephora and department store makeup snob, but when I tried Digs' version of this stuff in San Diego a couple months ago I fell in LOVE.  And bonus!  It's one less thing I have to cram into a sandwich baggie and pray that TSA doesn't see it's 3.2 ounces and not 3.0 ounces.  Just kidding TSA!  Nothing to see here!  

Moving right along ... quickly and with all liquids UNDER 3 oz ... check out my new little red I Pod Shuffle from Wade & Jimmy!  I've named her Coco.  As in Channel.  Because she's hot and a classic.  Kind of like SSG wants to be.  Coco will be JAM PACKED with music ... once SSG figures out how to open the package ... and oh yeah ... put music on it.

One of the bands on Coco will be Randori, who SSG heard about thanks to ANOTHER birthday fairy Lys over at Just Another Gal, check her out here.  Lys is friends with the band and kindly sent SSG some of their stuff.  SSG loved it and MAY have made a comment to send the band a round of applause.  And then MAYBE made another teensy weensy little comment that if SSG were in Philly she would probably throw her panties on stage.  SSG never expected Randori to HEAR about the alleged comment, which SSG intelligently PUT IN WRITING.  But Lys passed it along, because she's a former PUBLICIST.  And then SSG was BLUSHING from the other side of the country.  So she frantically checked out their MySpace page just to make sure that they weren't trolls or anything.  And learned that um ...

SSG would TOTALLY throw her panties on stage.

Speaking of panties!  We have ourselves another countdown!

SSG is on DAY # TWO of avoiding Bikini Coffee!   She's hoping that she can get through 5 more days because then her co-worker goes on vacation for a week and then SSG will be gone for TWO weeks and by that time she thought her co-worker would probably forget who SSG EVEN WAS, let alone that she owed him a cup of coffee.  

But then she remembered.  It would take A LOT more than 3 weeks to make a guy forget about BIKINIS.  

Haaaaat News!

We have a WINNER peeps!

Tuesday's movie was GOTCHA!  Starring none other than a young, hairy Anthony Edwards.  

I v.v. secretly wrote down the two people who guessed the movie correctly:

Then I crumpled the papers up and put them in front of my "random integer" generator.

I not genrater.  I dog.  R dem cookeez 4 meez?

I tink dey cookeez.  Uh oh.  Mom seys no dey not.  Deh weinner iz: 

 

Congratulations Bob!  I mean Frita ; )

And one more bit of haaaaat news:

Talk about TIMING!  A Bikini Coffee type place up in Seattle had a FLASHER dressed in ladies lingerie that made the news today too!  I take this kind of stuff very seriously and yay for the girl who doused the guy with boiling hot water.  But I must admit it struck me as funny when the employees tried to get the guy's license plate number but couldn't because it too had a pair of panties blocking the numbers.  Read more about that here.

On Bets and Boys

So at the baseball game last week I bet one of the guys I work with that a balk gets a runner to first base.  Any major leaguers reading?  Because I find conflicting information and we have YET to settle the bet.  And if there ARE any major leaguers reading?  

Hold on, let me fix my hair real quick.

Ok!

Wait, wait ... and let me put some lipstick on.

Hiiiiiii!  (Blink blink ... hair toss ... giggle.)

Ok, so the bet was a cup of coffee.  Which, no biggie.  Until my coworker upped the ante by saying when he wins I have to go with him to BIKINI COFFEE.

Bikini Coffee is a new coffee shop that opened up downtown and the people (read:  ladies) who work there steam milk, brew espresso and serve up your bevvie all the while wearing a bikini.

(Cue crickets.)

Have I mentioned that I live in Portland?  Home of the 364 days of RAIN?  

I wholeheartedly admit to being a feminist, equal pay for equal work and all that business.  And the main reason I consider myself a feminist is to promote women having choices, regardless of whether or not it's something that I'm into.  So even though I find it ODD ... and more Southern California, Miami or Hawaii than OREGON, if you want to get in your bikini and serve dudes coffee?  Sweet. More power to you.   I'll be fully clothed down the street huddled over a balance sheet.  (Which is equally haaaaat, right?)

So as we were determining if I'd actually GO to Bikini Coffee if I lost the bet, I needed to take all factors into consideration.  I asked the simple question "do their cups have the logo splashed in big letters across them?"

Co-worker #1:  Wait, what SIZE are their CUPS?

Co-worker #2:  HUGE.

Co-worker #1:  Caution.  Contents HOT.

Someone PLEASE tell me a balk gets a runner to first base.  

Meet Me at the Cafe Freidrickstraza

So we went from a 104 degree weekend to a 74 degree rainy Monday.  And really?  There's just one way to combat Mother Nature's blatant disregard for SSG's feelings.

And that way?  Is by watching one of her FAVORITE movies.  Like this one, circa 1985.  

Anyone up for a little movie trivia?  

Two college guys go to Paris over spring break to see the sites (i.e. have LOTS of sex).

College Guy #1 meets a Czech woman who he sleeps with a minute after they meet.  They then fall in love during the 90 second movie montage. 

Czech girl talks him into going to Berlin.  But this is 1985 and remember that pesky little thing called the Berlin Wall separating East and West Berlin?  It was STILL there.

But College Guy #1 was too in love to question why his new Czech girlfriend needed to go to EAST Berlin (read:  his little head was doing the thinking).

But Czech girlfriend turns out to be a ... SPY!  Luckily she's given him a "code" (and that's not a euphemism).  If she calls him and says "meet me at the Cafe Freidrickstraza" he's to get out of East Berlin.  STAT (and that MAY be a clue to College Guy #1's identity).

College Guy #1 gets out of Berlin by dressing up like a punk ... or a dominatrix, the jury is still out.  He then is able to return to his serene college life in L.A. where he meets back up with College Guy #2.  Only problem is?  He's unknowingly carrying a roll of film.  The Russians REALLY want that film.

But they're on this bad boy's COLLEGE campus, where he's been playing paint ball and shooting his buddies for like A YEAR.  So he kicks the Russians' asses all over the place, while his girlfriend the American spy posing as a Czech courier watches.  And then never mind the fact she's like THIRTY and in the CIA and he's like NINETEEN and in COLLEGE, they're in LOVE.  And they live happily ever after.

What movie is this?

Drop the answer in the comments section and I'll have my random integer generator pick a winner.  And by random integer generator, I mean Fisher will choose a number written on a piece of paper out of a hat.  Here's to hoping she doesn't eat it first.  Let's make the cut off 10:00 p.m. Tuesday August 19th.

And the prize?  This movie is from the '80's peeps!  I've got a Sam Goody gift card with your name on it.  Doesn't Sam Goody make you think of malls, Orange Julius and big Aqua Netted bangs?  Me too.  Good luck!

(Disclaimer:  The Sam Goody gift card has probably been around since the 80's.  I THINK there's $20 on it.  Who do you think I am?  PW?)

Weekend ABC's - W is for Wants, Writers & Wishes

Ok, first of all.  How ridiculously CUTE is this birthday card from my little sister (through Big Brothers & Big Sisters)?  

Second of all, the rest of the card was WIDE OPEN white space, which I think is even MORE adorable.  Because lately?  I understand that feeling of wanting to cram everything in.  Even though you may not necessarily need to.

A couple of weeks ago I put together a rough draft of an itinerary for Paris.  It helped me get the lay of the land, highlight what was most important to me and to make sure I had enough time to write, sketch, drink wine and eat baguettes until my ass requires its own passport to spill over into Germany.  

I stepped back and realized I had us seeing ALL of Paris in a day and a half.  It wasn't due to a lack of things to see, it was due to a lack of wanting to WAIT to see them.  I didn't want to wait until day 5 (!) to see the Louvre.  Wait until TWO HOURS after I land to see the Eiffel Tower?  And don't even get me started on having to WAIT to get to the Ile Saint Louis which has existed in my dreams of Paris since I was a wee tike reading about Madeline walking across the Pont Neuf and falling into the Seine.  I almost asked the CAR service that's picking me up from the airport if they had a HELICOPTER available for a quick spin around the city instead?  And can it land on TOP of the Eiffel Tower? 

Patience?  I SO have it. 

Luckily I rebounded quickly and adjusted the itinerary to be more accommodating of important things like food ... and sleep ... and maybe ENJOYMENT of a VACATION.  At least I thought I had adjusted it until Mrs. Bob rightfully wondered if seeing the Louvre, its nearby garden and getting in line for another museum by 12:30 p.m. was a bit too ambitious.  (We should totally make it like 1 p.m. right Bobby?)

And then this weekend, I started getting everyone's guest blog posts.  And I felt the same way AGAIN!   I want to post them RIGHT NOW!  And okay if I can't do it RIGHT NOW, how about NOW?  Now?  Okay, what about NOW?  Okay, how about ALL of them the first day I leave?  

Trying to figure out how to space these babies out is PAINFUL, they're all SO good and SO very much the embodiment of the people that wrote them.  You guys are in for a TREAT.  I know they're going to bring smiles to your faces, just like they've done mine.

I wish I could be a little fly over your shoulder as you read their posts and are introduced for the first time to some of my favorite people.  Because then you will realize, what I have known all along, that I in NO way would be the SSG without them.  

(P.S.  The SSG is hoping that this same philosophy of not having to CRAM things in due to the abundance of SPACE still applies when it comes to her suitcase.)

Where's SSG?

At the oasis known as Wade & Jimmy's air conditioned house.  Happy 17th Anniversary guys!

But as she wandered around their yard and listened to the babble of fountains and koi fish swimming in the pond, she realized she could cross #25 off her Summer To Do List also.  She had returned to a favorite place.  And lucky for her she gets to return often.  

At least she hopes that's still the case, she had Hurricane Fisher with her this time.

 

I not hurrykane.  I dog.  Wayd an Jimeez u haz treetz 4 me?  Wut abowt mor breckfest?  Hapi Versry!

A Birthday in Photos

To prepare for my quick jaunt to NYC courtesy of Big Hair Envy and her awesome readers, the day started out with my requisite stop at Stumptown Coffee Roasters for my iced Americano and croissant.  (And P.S. this Volvo sta-wag and bikes?  SO Portland.)  

Preparing for France, courtesy of Ems & A.

Little outdoor cafe action with the squad for lunch.  Those flowers are still on my desk and smell DELICIOUS.

I was on the phone and happened to look up to 8 faces like this peering over my cube wall wishing me a happy birthday.  The person on the other end of the phone didn't think it was as funny as I did.  But he just couldn't see the bunch of floating heads with no bodies attached. 

On my way home, I stopped to pick up Fisher from doggy daycare and attached to her leash was a prezzie from Wade & Jimmy--a hot little red IPod shuffle that I want to marry.  But more on SSG's birthday booty later (because hint:  SSG was SPOILED).

The day was peppered with phone calls and e-mails, text messages and mail from friends and family.  I don't know that I've ever felt so much love in one day!  I wrapped it up by spending the evening with a friend and wrote myself a nice long letter that reflected on last year and the year ahead.  SO many changes--big and small.  And so very much to be grateful for.

Thank you all again!  Have a fabulous weekend my lovlies!

xo,

SSG

Thank You!

More to come on what turned out to be one big bad SSG birthday extravaganza!  But I just wanted to say THANK YOU so much to everyone--parties at Serendipity in NYC (!), birthday cakes, lemon drops, baseball playing firemen (!), lunches, coffees, I Pods, gift cards, phone calls, e-mails, funny text messages, special items for my trip and mementoes of Paris.  I am one LUCKY (and spoiled!) girl.

You guys are incredible, thanks so much for thinking of me yesterday!

xoxo,

Becky

Happy Birthday to Me!

I celebrated last night in proper SSG fashion--with a baseball game.  

It was "Bark at the Park."  Fisher didn't come, but another little doggy showed his Padres spirit.

The Padres AAA team beat the Fresno Grizzles in game one of a double header.   Don't worry, we weren't the only ones there.  It just LOOKS that way.  There were AT LEAST ten other people.

I was even able to get the closest thing to a lemon drop I could find--Grey Goose Lemon and Sprite.  No one said SSG isn't crafty! 

I don't think anything else epitomizes summer like a warm evening at a baseball game.  Cocktails, laughter, friends and hot guys in tight pants.

Doesn't get any better than that.

Not Quite Ready

Summer came late to Portland this year and though I can't stand HOT weather, I'm not quite ready for it to be over.  Though the next couple of days are supposed to be SSG melting temps--97 & 95 degrees (SSG tends to melt any time it gets above 80)--I'm happy to see P-Town still has a little bit of summer left in her. 

However, this morning?  The light and crisp air?  They were fall.  Does this happen to you guys too?  Where all of a sudden shadows hit the ground just a little bit differently, that breeze is decidedly cooler and all you can think of are scarves, hot cider and the color orange?

It got me to thinking--this whole Summer To Do List business was kind of fun.  What if I did it for FALL too?  

Currently on the list:

• Apple picking
• Dress up for Halloween
• Carve a pumpkin
• Make the chicken parmesan that's on Bon Appetite's September cover

And that's all I got.  Are you guys ready for summer to be over?  And if so, what are your MUST do's for fall?

Simple Changes

I started my new job just over a year ago.  I love everything about it.  I love its flexibility--as long as you work an 8 hour day and show up sometime before 10, no one bats an eye.  It you show up after 10 ... which ahem, I've NEVER tried ... someone just says "we were wondering where you were!"  I love the people as you guys have seen PLENTY of here.  I also love what we do.  Since most of it involves accounting and writing reports, I think I might be an even bigger nerd now than when I started.  But I do hate one thing.

The COMMUTE.

Door to door, my house is 10 miles from downtown Portland.  If I could fly?  I'm sure it'd be WAY less ... and WAY cooler.   But GETTING there?  It's a struggle.  YES, Portland has a nice public transportation system, but it FILLS up during rush hour.  So you're stuck like a sardine.  Usually amongst smarties reading the Wall Street Journal while you're reading Bitter is the New Black.  And I have to DRIVE to get to the train.  Which if I'm already DRIVING 5 miles to the train, why don't I just drive the extra 5 and be at work already?

I've tried all possible combinations and finally found one that worked.  If I got up at 4 a.m. (!) I could be at the train by 6:15 and still have a couple hours at home to putter around and have a cup of coffee.  I got to work at about 7 and left in time to catch the 4 p.m. train home.  And I could actually sit down like a civilized human being.  An exhausted civilized human being.

And that was the problem.  I was a ZOMBIE.  Who goes to bed at 8:30 p.m. except for 8 year olds and probably not even them anymore since it's summer?

Last week I finally said screw it.  I made my peace with driving in.

I don't leave until after 8 a.m.  I get to work by 9 and stay until 5:30.  I miss all of the traffic both ways and I have a few hours of sun in the morning to walk Miss Fisher, eat breakfast and ENJOY the morning which is my favorite time of the day.  It is HEAVEN. 

And I am happy.

Have you guys done something like this--made a simple change that makes all the difference in the world?

Weekend ABC's - P is for Pastries & Pink Cigarettes

This is a little pastry place in Portland.  The Bobs were in town from Seattle and we spread out our guidebooks to put the finishing touches on zee France plans.   Less than 4 weeks away peeps!  I took a picture of all of our guidebooks.  I almost posted it, but then realized it was a video.  You would have heard me saying "Hello?  Did you take it?  OH!  How about I switch it to PHOTO instead of VIDEO."  I'd much rather WRITE about my own ineptitude.

After the Bobs' freed themselves from my vice grip around their ankles, they headed back to Seattle and I promptly drove to Wade & Jimmy's.  It's Wad-ah-tay's birthday tomorrow!  He'll turn a fresh as a daisy 29.  Again.  

On your birthday, people are supposed to take care of YOU.  But I walked in, threw down my purse and Wade was blending up margaritas in his new margarita maker.  He said he was "testing" a lot of recipes.  So I sat down and promptly said "keep 'em comin', I'll let you know when you get it right."  No rest for the weary, Wade.  Or is it wicked?  Whatever, both apply!

One of his presents were these pretty pink cigarettes.  And no, I didn't have one, but TOTALLY wanted to.  It would have looked haaaaaat while I made my first attempt at Guitar Hero and promptly got booted offstage to PAT BENETAR no less.  I think I might need to hand in my rocker chick card which I've been carrying around in my wallet, but obviously just for pretend. 

Hope your weekends were your own blend of perfect!

xo,

SSG

Where's SSG?

She just got done climbing a MOUNTAIN.

And while yes, she admits mountains don't typically have pretty manmade lakes and fountains at the bottom next to a Starbucks, it was a MOUNTAIN all the same.  

And okay, it really was a hill by her house, but it FELT like a mountain.

Dat wuz not mownten. 

Yu haz treetz fer me?

xoxo,

Teh Fish

P.S. I haz no furth fut?  Oh, I sit on it.  Yu haz mor treetz 4 me?  Wut abut cookeez?