I haven't blogged in a very long time. My sincere apology, I know you have all been desperately wondering what's been going on in my exciting life. :) All 2 of you that follow my blog...
Allow me to use photographs and some lengthy narrative to catch you up...
One of my dearest childhood friends, Sarah, came for a quick visit in early October. We spent a couple days catch up, reminiscing, talking about our stressful jobs (she's a med/surg nurse), and delving into the burning question we have discussed for so many years and which has become even more frantic as we advance into our 30's... kids or no kids? We took her to one of our favorite dessert places in Portland... Pix Patisserie. The selection of desserts are both beautiful and amazingly delicious! I do not remember the names of all our choices...only that mine in the lower right corner is the Amelie...and it is heavenly!
ELECTIONS
Tre and I voted. In Oregon we do mail-in ballots...no waiting in long lines at the polls, just mark your ballot, put a stamp on it and mail it or drop it off at a specified location. With all that built-in convenience...Is there really any reason NOT to vote?
Needless to say, the elections are now over! And not a moment too soon! I will not in any way miss the political radio smears, or slanderous television ads! Why can't politicians play nice? Did they miss out on that important lesson in kindergarten?
While I could indulge in a political rant here, all I will say is that while I am ecstatic about our new President-elect and I am inspired by his vision and quest for change, that is not to say that the road will be paved in gold and fall before us, the nation, with ease. Like all things that are hard-won, we will have to work as a team, red or blue, to get America rolling again. So, however you voted...that has already been decided. What is ahead now, is how each of us chooses to play a part in this new Presidency.
THE PUMPKIN PATCH
Every year, Tre and I go out to Sauvie Island to go to the pumpkin patch. There are probably about 5 on the island and we usually go to the same one year after year. This particular patch has a hay ride, a small petting zoo, a corn maze, a veggie market and some fresh tasties like corn on the cob, hot apple cider and carmel apples.
The downside is that most of urban Portland also likes this patch...and they descend on this tiny little farm in their huge SUV's and high end rubber rain boots with their ill-behaved snotty children. They treat the pumpkin patch as if it were something to check off their "to do" list rather than an adventure and precious time to spend in nature and with their families.
Case in point: as we were driving out to this particular patch, one driver several cars in front of us was driving rather slow...perhaps taking in the beautiful scenery or breathing in the fresh air or simply enjoying the rain-free, rather warm and gorgeous day. The car behind us, on the other hand, was in a hurry...he passed both us and the car in front of us. He arrived at the entrance to the pumpkin patch exactly 30 seconds before us. Idiot! So, we didn't go to our usual patch this year because I was afraid I would feel it necessary to tell him...well, let's just say it would probably not have been too appropriate. :)
So, we went up the road another couple miles to a farm that we pick berries at in the summer, and found pumpkins that were bigger, more varied and a lot more beautiful than those in the other patch. Na-na-na...take that, Mr. big-SUV-passing-people-to-go-to-the-pumpkin-patch!
We enjoyed our time at the patch, enjoyed the beautiful weather and found ourselves the perfect pumpkins for the season!
The 'kids' in the cart with a ghost pumpkin.
Tre with the kids
The kids in the back of the car with all the autumn treasures
HALLOWEEN
Halloween is never a big holiday in my world. I like harvest festivals or autumn celebrations...but the whole dressing up thing has never been my gig. But since everyone at work was dressing up...I was kinda peer pressured into it.
I was a butterfly...and not a beautiful especially dressed up butterfly. I wore all black with wings...yeah...it was pretty amazing! :) The women at my work got pretty creative though. There was a pregnant, cigarette smoking nun, a rather large woman who had lost her dog in the backside of her dress, a mad scientist, and a crazy cat lady. So, while in costume, we still had to perform our nursing duties. My giant butterfly wings kept poking patients in the face as I was trying to start IV's on them...so eventually I got rid of the wings...and then I was just a pupa/grub.
The pups dressed up for Howl-o-ween
The lady who is missing her puppy (note furry mass in the lower left corner), the mad scientist and the pregnant cigarette smoking nun
AUTUMN ON DEPAUW ST.
I remember a year ago when Tre and I were touring houses for sale in anticipation of buying. While looking at another house in the same neighborhood, I stumbled upon the house we eventually ended up buying. I fell in love with the outside instantly...cute Cape Cod that backs a city park...heck, yeah! When we finally toured the inside, I knew this is where we were supposed to be.So, imagine that when we were touring the house, the two GIANT maple trees in the front were all ablaze in color! I had that whole 'curb appeal' thing going for it...and I could see nothing buy the idyllic autumn trees and the cute house. Now, imagine that we were moving in a month later and there were massive piles of leaves in the yard, on the street, pushed to the side, spilling out of the compost bins, etc. I remember Tre looking at me and asking if he could buy a leaf blower. My hippie sense made me tell him "No...we'll rake them! Why kill the environment when you could use a little self-propulsion and rake them up? COME ON!" After you look at the pics below I ask you: Is it too late to concede and go for the leaf blower or will I lose all credibility and my hippie sainthood?
So, this is our yard before raking...the lawn, sidewalk and street are COVERED in leaves, not to mention any car that happens to stay under them for longer than 10 minutes.
This is our yard after spending 1 hour raking, bagging and composting the leaves. Do take a look at the canopy of leaves still up in the tree. Yeah...so the night after doing all that yard work, our yard looked like the previous picture...absolutely covered in leaves.
HAPPY COUPLEDOM
A recent pic of hubby and me. Those self-portraits where one person holds the camera never fail to make people smile...usually cuz they're so goofy! ;)
Thanks for checking up on us and our goings-on...
