What a difference a day makes

So last photo of Ollie was taken on Sunday. This photo was taken on Monday. And to think we are supposed to get a couple more inches of snow tomorrow.

Yesterday I walked around my neighborhood with my snowshoes. One of the other benefits of the snow is that the line at the main post office yesterday was super duper short. Only 3 people in front of me. Now, I have been there before a holiday before only to turn and walk away as the line can be 60 people deep with another 20 people deep at the self help machine.


I often keep my blinds closed given the close proximity of the building next door. However, I have been opening the blinds up a bit this last week so I could watch the snow fall. The fire escape is pretty much the view I have.

This is a first

I started working for a bank shortly after college. It was always a big, national bank and so we always were open during normal business hours. Maybe a few branches would close but there was a work around. But I now work for a regional bank. It is the largest one headquartered in Oregon, but it is still regional. As a result, when a region is beset by inclement weather, the entire bank feels it. At first they announced all of Portland/Vancouver and Puget Sound locations would be closed all day. Then an our later, they changed the rest of the bank from an 11am start time to closed all day. My ENTIRE BANK IS CLOSED! This is just weird.

Snowy blessings

One of the benefits of the snow we have been getting in Portland is that I have been able to work from our downtown office and walk to work. Chains have been required on metro area highways and wouldn't you know it, but little Ollie doesn't have chains. In fact, Ollie has been hibernating this last week.



The view from my temporary office is out at the West Hills.











I find myself occasionally staring out the window at the beautiful snow fall.






Yesterday I went walking around for several hours and saw that I wasn't the only one finding it easier to walk in the street versus the sidewalk.




I am also grateful for friends who generously fed me. Melinda and Marcus on Saturday and Julie and John on Sunday. Plus the emotional boost hanging with their kids gives me. Both couple's kids are just so dang cute.


Pascal gets a major shout out for taking me to their homes as both couples live on the other side of the West Hills.





As far as we could see in front of us, no other vehicles. We wondered about the fairly clean freeway until we came up 4 plows just as we got to the tunnel.



Plus, he let me drive in the city last night. Now I understand why he likes driving in this stuff. With his vehicle, it is fun! (No photos of this. Instead, a night time view from the elevators on his floor as I retrieved laundry from his dryer. Yep, I am thankful for P's washing machine and dryer too!

Dogs are cute until...

...they move in next door and they bark incessantly for HOURS on end in a young, high pitched yelp. How they manage to do so without getting tired I do not know. What is weird is how loud it is. I would think I shouldn't be able to hear it through my closed window and theirs. Maybe my neighbor in the building next door (it might even be the building behind mine) keeps their window open. If that is the case, well, then my patience may wear thin for the owner.

Jon Stewart and the conservative "machine"

I love the fact that this clip was forwarded to me by my Aunt Deede who lives in Tromsø Norway.

What have you done with your life?

Saw this on my cousin's blog and thought I would do the same. Every item in BOLD is something I have done. It is amazing how much I have forgotten. Plus I gotta say that several of the items I have yet to do I have no desire to ever accomplish.

200 Have and Have-nots!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing (only if you count a rock climbing wall)
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain (have I really not done this one? Man, I've got to get on this :)
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions At least I think I contributed to it.
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you (But I have been the subject of art that got sold to someone I didn't know before I could buy it myself)
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (Only if mini-golf counts?)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon (I am counting this since I walked one)
136. Learned to surf (well tried to learn)
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers (I hope so! Oh wait, I was thinking of the british definition!)
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime (only if you count Clue)
200. Commented on a friend's blog today.

I fancy someone :)

As I watched again The Taming of the Shrew the other night I was reminded of how much I like Rufus Sewell. I don't think it is too much of a stretch for me to say that I fancy him. I do. I forget about him a bit, and sometimes he takes a back seat to Clive Owen. But in actuality, I think I like him a bit more than Clive. (gasp!) They both have the ability to be complex, can play darker roles, usually pick intelligent and interesting characters, look good in jeans and in suits, but the relaxed humor Rufus can exhibit isn't one that is seen by Clive. Rufus is a bit quirky and I like that the most. Well, and the fact that my adoration has sustained itself since I saw him perform in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia at the Royal National Theatre in London on Monday, April 5th 1993! Yep, I found my play bill and ticket. I didn't see Clive until Croupier in 1998. So there you go. I fancy Rufus.

Oh crap. As I went to find links for Clive I found his fansite and now I have to rethink who I fancy more. Oh dear, what a quandary. Hmm, maybe Rufus by a hair. After all, he is at least available. :)

ps. Apparently the blank boxes are photos that won't show. But if you click on them, they take you to photos from IMDB.

So yo mama writes some postcards?

As I was perusing some random blogs, I somehow found myself clicking on a link to this site. I have to tell, you I crack up at these emails. The gist of the site is that people submit actual emails or IM chats from their mother.

So great. They make me smile. It quickly got added to my reader.

Can only go up from here, right?

I don't get sick. I sometimes wear this statement like a badge of honor, but often it is just fact. I don't. I get minor colds that last a few days with each symptom arriving separately. Other than that, I get bronchitis every 5 years or so. Well this year, thus far, I am making up for lost time.

1. Kept up with the zicam and held a cold off for a couple weeks. It finally reared its ugly head just as I was heading into the 3 day MLK weekend. Thought it would be a run of the mill cold until Monday. By Friday, I was able to go to work. Yep, MLK was a gorgeous day and that whole week was sunny and lovely, or so it looked from outside my windows. The cold took me under for 4 days and then I had a week or so to recover before a friend came into town.

2. A few days after the main beast of the cold leaves my body, I get dealt another blow. My Uncle Ed passed away at home while taking a nap on Monday afternoon. The family was all able to gather at the house and say our final goodbye's before he was taken away. He will sorely be missed. He was a one of a kind man who knew who he was and lived his life according to his values. He didn't have a work personality and a home personality. Everyone who knew him, really knew him.

3. So my friend is in town for nearly a week and goes home on a Thursday. That night, I meet up with friends for dinner at a new cool restaurant. My plans to go to work on Friday (so as to avoid wasting a vacation day that would entail me laying around my house doing not much of anything) were thwarted. I woke up at 2:45am not feeling very well. By 3:15am, the first of MANY "episodes" occurred. At least that is what the nurse at my doctor's office kept calling them. It sounds so much more civilized than what I was actually going through. But the consensus was I had food poisoning. This was only the 3rd time that I (or my mother) can remember having "episodes". Once when I was 16, a couple years ago and earlier this month. See, I really don't get sick! I am not just making it up.

If I am being generous with my caloric intake, I consumed about 200 calories that day. Definitely do not recommend it as a good weight loss plan. Slowly drinking water and gatorade. Who knew 4 saltines and a single slice of a banana would be so filling! Also, I never knew I could savor a saltine so much that it would take 20 minutes to eat it. No joke. But I slowly added food and within a few days, I was unfortunately/fortunately back to my usual appetite.

But I figure I have had a lot of time to think and process some things that I otherwise would not have done. And really, the year can only get better right? I mean, I think I crammed all my sickness into one tight time period just to get it over with.