Too Much for Saturday (in a good way)

There were too many fun things to do Saturday; we tried to make it to all of them, but didn't quite. Warm, sunny day, and the first stop was the Portland Highland Games. A one-day event, and $20 per ticket, we almost didn't go. But we did, and I definitely got $20 worth of entertainment out of it: a little Scottish food (sausage rolls, beer, Tipsy Laird, etc.--no Haggis though!) pipe bands, other Scottish musicians, vendors catering to the shopping whims of anyone who might have a smidge of Scottish heritage that day, and best of all, the Caber Toss. Strong men with too much time on their hands try to run with a huge 150-pound log, and then, when that gets to be too much, they try to throw it. Not sure how they judge it, aside from maybe who can run the farthest with it, but it's fun to watch. Also, I saw my friends Annie, Corey, and Sarah there.
OK, that was in Gresham. Next event is in St. Johns, or so I thought. We drive all the way across town to attend a barbecue that I thought was in St. Johns. Once we're in the vicinity, I turn on the navigation on my phone, only to discover that the barbecue was, in fact, behind us in Kenton. Oops. So we stop for tacos at Taqueria Santa Cruz, and walk down to the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival. Drink some wine, relax, and then the mosquitoes come out. Time to leave. Maybe we can still make it to the barbecue? Maybe.
By the time we get back to the Kenton area, it's 9:30, and I'm guessing it's too late: the barbecue started at 4:00.
Time to go home. Fun Saturday.

Beckham!

David Beckham is in the center of the photo, #23.

Saturday, we had dinner at the Kells Pub on NW 21st, and then went to the Timbers versus Galaxy match. It was an all-around great night, due to the following events:

• We took the bus to the match, and it was easy! It was convenient! The stop is 2 blocks from our house. I'm so glad to have the option again to take the bus places, because my last home didn't have much in the way of bus services--none at all on the weekends, in fact.
• The new Kells is fun, and I had the best Shepherd's pie, possibly ever, there. Good whiskey-based cocktails too. 
• At the match, I got to see David Beckham score 2 goals in short order! Yeah! Beckham! It's like "Footballers' Wives" live! The Timbers lost, but that's too be expected (sorry Timbers Army). Also, Derek got me a cool Timbers t-shirt.

 

Finally

• Derek came home smiling tonight--always a good thing.
• Had a great evening: cooked a very nice Greek-themed dinner, watched the Timbers game (they won!), and walked up to Mount Tabor.
• Discovered a little cafe a few blocks from our house nestled in at the very end of Belmont at the foot of Mount Tabor.
• Can sleep in tomorrow.

Moving is Rough

Derek and I have been moving all of our excessive crap over the last two weeks, and it's been rough. Tired and grumpy. But it's over now. We just need to unpack everything, and it's coming along. So I'm finally back to the blog. Here's the day's roundup of pleasantness:

• Seeing Erik Spoelstra today across the street from my office when I was coming back from lunch. 
• The kitchen is almost entirely unpacked and ready.
• I can now go straight home after work instead of running to my old house, packing up the car with old stuff, and getting exhausted.
• I'm going to bed imminently.

Big Day Today

• We get the keys to our new place tomorrow morning at 8! Yay!
• I suddenly have a bunch of opportunities. Who knows if they'll pan out, but at least there's something to hope for.
• I got an A again in accounting this term. I'm taking it again next term. I'll have a second bachelor's degree in no time--this time a BS. But if you ask people who know me, they think I already have BS. Heh.
• Saw an old friend randomly on the street. That was nice. And since I have so much going on lately, I actually had something to talk about.

Monday

• My shelves are almost all packed, thanks to my parents.
• It was warm today.
• I washed my french press, so it's ready for me tomorrow.
• I will have time tonight to watch TV or read a book before bed.

Food, Friends, & Fun (Oh wait, that's the old McDonald's Slogan)

• Saw a friend I hadn't seen in years tonight.
• Tried a new restaurant that I've been wanting to for quite a while. (It was pretty good, but not all I hoped, but that's OK, because now I know.)
• Wandered around 1st Thursday a little bit. 
• The weather dried up for my evening outing!

OK

• I started off all excited and motivated this morning...but then it wore off. But at least I started off that way, right?
• I made a good dinner: kale & pecorino crostini and panfried tilapia. Served with a nice Italian white, of course.
• I got my $125 free money from Chase for opening a checking account with them. Yay!
• "French Fields" is a very funny Britcom from 1989 about an English couple who move to France on a whim when the accountant husband gets offered a job there. I found it at the library, and have been watching an episode or two every evening. Very enjoyable.

I Remembered!

• My friend got a new car! Actually, it's his first car ever, and I'm really excited for him! It's an Acura TL. Sporty!
• I sat down and worked on the cover letter and my resume. Now I can goof off and watch TV.
• Three years ago today, Derek and I went on our first date. He chose the place, and I thought at the time that it was a good sign that he picked Le Happy, since it was a place I already went to and enjoyed. I got there first, and when he walked in I thought: "Yay! This guy is cute! Finally!" (I had been on several first dates with guys that were NOT cute in person.) We chatted, ate crepes, and decided to go on to another bar--ended up being Muu-Muu's, and some crazy guy sat down at our table outside and started talking to us. Derek walked me back to my car, and kissed me goodnight (yes, that's right a kiss on the first date!). I instantly wanted to see him again. I guess it worked out so far. :)

Yeah, Yeah, I Totally Forgot Again

So, considering all the stuff going on, I really forget about this. But here's the latest:

• Fantastic SE Asian dinner last weekend: Cambodian chicken noodle soup (to put it mildly) cooked by Derek, and Vietnamese cabbage salad from me. It was a hot, spicy evening. ;)
• Keys on the 15th (or have I already mentioned that?), moving on the 16th, and the kitties on the 17th. Derek will come a little later.
• Escape from New York pizza, Manhattans, and Mad Men tonight. The taste of that pizza reminds me of when I lived off of NW 23rd. I was super angsty then, but it really was the best time ever. Lots of money (relatively speaking), boys, friends, going out, and acquiring fancy new things during that time. I hope that my new place will acquire certain flavors associated with it that make me just as happy.

Hippie?

[Photograph: Heidi Swanson]

• Did an hour of yoga again today (unfortunately got interrupted 3 times, but it's better than nothing).
• Made a super delicious dinner of Pan-Fried Tempeh with Mung Beans from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day. Really, really good. And healthy. I'm looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow.
• Got all the move-in date stuff settled. June 15th we sign the rental agreement and get the keys. 
• Warm in a pleasant, muggy kind of way when I left work tonight.

Take 3

Yes, I'm trying this again. Listing at least three good things that happened today. It sounds trite. Whatevs. I think it's good for me. Here goes:

• My San Diego sunburn is turning into quite the nice tan, especially on my face. I look healthy.
• I got home on time, did an hour of yoga, cooked dinner, cleaned up from dinner, and made my lunch for tomorrow. I like feeling on top of things.
• It's supposed to be 77 tomorrow.
• My photos from the trip turned out quite nice (see above).

I remembered again

• Warm, sunny day finally.
• Fun afternoon and evening with Derek at Chinese Garden, dinner at Ping, and then Blazer and Timbers games on TV.
• Washing feather pillows in the washing machine turned out fine.
• Got registered into the online accounting class for the term.

This Week

I slacked this week. Honestly, I just wasn't feeling it. But I'm trying to feel it dammit, so here goes:

• Boyfriend is extremely patient about me being tired and low most of the time lately.
• I got farm-fresh eggs from a coworker today.
• I'm going to make this for dinner tonight.
• Snow is still pretty, even when it's March.
• Tomorrow is Friday.

Weekend Combo

• Seats in perfect view of the TV for the Timbers game at Blitz (yesterday)
• I made a perfect apple crisp today
• Relaxing, dozy afternoon

Yeah, I skipped yesterday...

even though I went out with my friends and had a good time.

• Japanese crepes (yesterday)
• Hanging out with friends (yesterday)
• Grandpa's Cafe (Polish restaurant, with lots of Polish speakers!) (tonight)
• Brackets!
• Friendly people at Maui's (tonight)
• After all the upheaval yesterday, the Blazers won tonight against the Bulls, who are the #1 team in the East.

Work, Mostly

• A coworker gave me a thank you card saying she appreciates all the help I'm giving everyone, and that if I wasn't there, they would be buried under work.
• A supervisor was impressed with all the attention to detail I was showing while doing a mailing, fishing out all the recipients with undeliverable addresses. I guess other temps wouldn't have cared if they were correct or not. Bonus points for me, hopefully, when I'm able to apply for a permanent position.
• I had lots of time to read "The Leopard" tonight.

Marginal Improvement

• I finished my homework for next week tonight, so I won't have to think about it this weekend.
• My payment plan for my taxes is reasonable: $100/month--for the rest of my life, basically.
•  I finished everything by 9:00pm, so I'll have time to read my book before I go to sleep. I'm reading The Leopard, by Jo Nesbø, a Norwegian thriller. It's pretty good.

That's all. Seriously.

• I finished my homework by 9:45 pm.

No. I can't think of two other good things that happened to day. Zilch.

Small Stuff Today

• Kitchen is clean.
• Enjoyed eating other half of my Muffaletta sandwich for lunch while watching a 1980s British miniseries starring Judi Dench.
• After much trial and error, I think I'm finally getting chapter 7 of my accounting homework.

• Went to Waffle Window for breakfast, and shared the Spicy Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno waffle (pictured above) and a fruity one whose name I don't remember, but it had whipped cream, raspberries, strawberries, tangerine, and lemon curd. So good! And so cheap!
• Drove around getting ideas of what's available in terms of rental homes for when we're ready.
• Derek was able to shuck oysters without too much consternation.

Setback

• The vacuum cleaner I bought a couple of months ago is super great. It's a Dyson, and it sucks EVERYTHING up, and I really enjoyed using it today.
• I made Tom Kha Gai soup for dinner (Thai chicken-coconut soup), and it was excellent.
• Had a quarter day at work, so I was able to meet Derek for lunch, which was fun.

Today, I got thrown another obstacle. I was expecting it, but it still sucks.

First Warmth

Today's plusses:

• Eating lunch outside on the balcony IN THE SUNSHINE at work while reading a new Scandinavian thriller. Plus, I got half a donut because there were leftovers from a meeting earlier that day.
• Our first barbecue of the season (pictured above): mojitos, grilled Moroccan lamb brochettes with tomato and cucumber salad and Syrian bread. Thank you sweet cook named Derek!
•  Hearing that the health problem of a friend's husband isn't as dire as it could have been.

Blog Reborn?

I pretty much gave up on this blog, since it seemed like for a while, it was just an outpost of my complaints, and no one wants to read that. But I have a new idea.

I recently finished a book called Radio Shangri-la by Lisa Napoli, and early on, before she journeys to Bhutan, she participates in some sort of self help group where the leader tells them to write down three good things that happen to them that day, every night. I've been having a hard time lately, (OK, more like for the last several years) and often get stuck in a "poor me" attitude. But, if I'm being objective about things, I'm not actually doing THAT badly, and need to remind myself of that. So I've decided to try to write at least three nice things that happened each day, every day. Thus, blog reborn. We'll see how long this lasts, but whatever, it's a good exercise for me.

So here's the inaugural list (in no particular order):

1. It's team appreciation week at M Financial (where I'm working as a temp), so today they gave us all ice cream in the afternoon. There was even chocolate sauce.
2. Had a nice chat with Daphne, the other temp, about Hawaii, Asian food, Spam, and restaurants while eating aforementioned ice cream.
3. It was still light out when I got home from work.
4. Since I get most of Friday off due to team appreciation events that temps can't participate in, I made an appointment to get my taxes done. Relief.