Happy Anniversary to Us

It slipped by, the demarcation of the move that gave way to starting this Blog, narrowly missing Katrina, finding our first home, and assimilating ourselves into a different way of life, community, and friendships. Two years, one month, and a day ago, we completed our 6-day trek from here to here. It was a long, interesting, uncomfortable trip. All 2,600 miles of it. Visible in the pictures above (which are not in chronological order), we traveled through LA, TX, OK, KS, CO, WY, UT, & OR, a-la Google Maps guidelines.

For the first 2 months in town, we stayed in an apartment in inner NE Portland, supplemented by the Gov't (so you, lucky readers). I was never so bored - going from working 40 hrs./week to no work at all. To boot, all our belongings less clothes & toiletries were locked up in a warehouse in WA.
Luckily, we were 2 blocks from Trimet Fareless Square, so W. downtown was free and easy to get to. We didn't know how good we had it! I did some exploring, but mostly got lost downtown (half the maps are rotated 90 degrees, so N/S was actually E/W). I remember taking a jog around the waterfront (on one of those rare, non-hailing days) on one of those early days, and seeing a city work truck on which the "r" had been scratched off to read, "Potland, a city that works." Fun times.
We're happy to be settled now. If its anything like my last 3 moves, in two more years this should feel like home (yes, I assimilate s-l-o-w)!

Hearts, Swirls, and Green

Greenback?
Nope.

Green around the gills?
Hopefully not for a while again.

Green in the Garden! That's right, spring is right around the corner here - stuff is popping up (which is good, because I forget what I stuck where last fall). Boy its been a long time since I've gardened!
Paul & I checked out plants at Home Depot this weekend - they're looking better now than they ever will for the rest of the year. I felt frenzied to get some good ones before everybody else in SE realized that they should be doing the same. The shrubs were pretty unappealing, but a couple specimen trees really caught my eye: Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, and The Salix discolor (AKA Pussy Willow). Unfortunately, they both carry a hefty price tag ($50 - $75). I am particularly in love with the Pussy Willow, because they remind me of the one we used to have in the side yard at my growing up house. Anyway, on to the hearts and swirls.

As you know, today is the overblown holiday of Valentine's Day (which oddly, usually comes out of my mouth as, "Thanksgiving.") Paul & I ruefully comply, citing that we could just do this on our own whenever we feel like it. So tonight we'll exchange little gifts, cards, and kisses (aw,) and we'll enjoy it, damn it.

'Swirls' refers to the design I toothpicked into the marshmallows I made for my Baby Boot Camp moms today. I wanted to bring them something sweet in honor of the holiday, without causing them to hold contempt for me. So I gave them each a marshmallow, recommending that they find a moment in the future to enjoy it (quietly, if possible) with/in a cup of hot chocolate. Mmmmm... they are awesome in hot chocolate - especially at a ratio of 1:1.

Happy V-Day
-A

Found: Favorite Shirt

I never would have believed it. A year and 4 months has passes since I started whining about a new shirt that I couldn't find. Now, this shirt had special significance. For one thing, it was my very my first purchase since we moved to Portland, less food, rent, and gas (which our friendly local federal government was reimbursing us for at the time). It was a guilty buy, as we were reeling a little from not-yet reimbursed moving expenses, and from dropping down to a single income. Saved by a loophole, I had bought the shirt to wear to a job interview.
The shirt was very soft, had elastic in many odd locations, and bore a pleasant but not peasant-y turquoise and blue flower print. It was cute-cute, a ruffly, stretchy, sophisticated thing that was displayed with Easter Sunday in mind. I couldn't remember the last time I'd owned anything so un-tomboyish, and I thought all that elastic made me look pretty good. Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

"Have you seen it?"

I'd ask Paul. Of course not. What man knows the whereabouts of all his wife's clothing? On occasion I pined for the thing, especially when such requisite apparel was appropriate. Then winter came and I forgot about the shirt. Another summer went by (2006), and I thought of the thing a few times, wondering if I could ever bring myself to move on and seek out a worthy replacement. When the fall rolled around again, I was over it. No more super-cute shirt. There will be others; just give it time (not so pretty and not quite right, but others nonetheless).
OK. So then last week Paul put on a sweater that he hasn't worn for a long time (obviously, because...). He didn't even decide to wear it; he was just trying it out, maybe making sure that he still wasn't too fond of the thing. Folded and tucked very neatly in its pocket, hid that very cute shirt. Now I know that I was the one who unscrupulously 'borrowed' the sweater and then placed my favorite shirt in the pocket. The story surrounding it's new temporary home is a mystery to me. My description of finding the shirt would not contain the words overwhelming, bittersweet, or beautiful, but boy was I happy to see it. Yay favorite shirt!
-A

I realize that you see a picture of my arm, mostly -- the whole darn thing can be seen here.

Christmas Accomplished

Aftermath
Originally uploaded by apkoski.

Well, we did it.
Packages unwrapped, bird cooked, fireplace utilized, traditional holiday movies viewed, stocking chocolates tasted before breakfast, kitties hiding in boxes and piles of paper eating plastic & ribbon, stack of Christmas cards for former residents of 2 years ago stacked neatly by the front door, and a bunch of new loot to try on, read, play, drink/eat, admire, test out, and generally put to good use. Check!

Good Day Sunshine

Backyard series #4
Originally uploaded by apkoski.

Ahem.

Doo-doo-dooo, dooo, do-doooo.
Doo-doo-doo, doo, dooooooo-dooooo.
La-da-dooooo, doooo, dooo, da-da.
Happy birth-day to me!

Thank you everyone for remembering my less-than-graceful entrance into my mid-thirties (31) during such a busy, stressful, and wonderful time of year. This morning I am longingly admiring my nice collection of gifts (wrapped in non-Christmas paper, to boot!), but have been fairly warned of the consequences of getting busted napping amongst a pile of torn paper and ribbon bits, wearing a chocolate schmear chin. Can't wait 'till this evening!

Thank you Paul, for making me feel so very special on my birthday, a day that you have successfully excavated out from within the Christmas vortex.
Love you,
Anne

Made it!

Okay folks, we're a little hesitant right now, but I suspect the jitters will pass as the new year rolls around. Anyway, the big news. Ahem.
Team Bubba's $1080 check was cashed this past week for a spot in the 2007 Hood-to-Coast relay! We can't wait to reunite with our MS/LA comrades, and enjoy another fun-filled day-1/2 of running and stinking. :)

...the part you can't train for.

Our Anniversary (in PG)

Paul & I had a wonderful day together yesterday. It was our sixth anniversary -- the forgotten one between the big fiver and the "seven-year itcher." After workouts, groceries, and a stop for Peets, we spent the better part of the afternoon working in the yard, enjoying the non-precipitating weather. He spread gravel and whacked pavers for the patio. I planted squirrel-resistant Allium bulbs (in hardware fabric) and transplanted a couple things. It was so Norman Rockwell of us!
Then we cleaned up and spent the rest of the day focusing on each other. We exchanged cast-iron gifts (kitchen goods all around), enjoyed a romantic homemade dinner, went out for the most amazing dessert & champaign (not sparkling wine!), and then lounged away the last hour of the day.
It keeps getting better every year.
-A

PSA for the Day

Oh, crap, I think we just joined the club. When do I get my magic wattle and swollen ankles? How long 'till all of Paul's hair is gray and he's lecturing me about reading in low light? Maybe the impressive caliber of the event and it's surroundings will counter-balance the former. Alright, let me back up.
Last night we went to a show at the Aladdin Theater with our friend Karl. We saw Mute Math w/Shiny Toy Guns & Jonesetta. For hardly recognizing any of the tunes, it was a great show! We were out 'till 11:00 -- on a Wednesday (hey, not bad!).
The questionable, age-altering, weak moment to which I'm referring above occurred before the show as we were walking to the theater. Karl pulled out a package of ear plugs and offered us each a pair. I accepted immediately, recalling how annoying my ringing ears were during the arbergola-building earlier this month. The 31-year old resisted a little and then agreed, shoving a pair in his pocket. Well, I have to tell you that those things saved my ears' lives. I took them out of my head a few times to hear the crowd and the sound level, each time confirming that they turn the volume up too high! Plus Paul & I agreed that the ear plugs helped hone in on the singer's voice and bass line (which wasn't always a good thing). And then later that night I didn't have to lie awake waiting for the "deafening" hum to subside. I guess the only thing I didn't like about the plugs was that if I felt the urge to 'woooo-ooooo!' or whatever, I wasn't comfortable b/c I could hear myself a little too well. Just applauding felt pretty dorky too - moreso than doing nothing at the end of each song? Not sure. Concert-going experts...?

What a couple of old bags, huh! Luckily I had my hair down so there was no risk of anybody seening the flesh-colored foam sticking out of my ear. Getting them in and out without gaining attention was a little more involved. Poor Paul couldn't hide them at all. No face to save.... maybe we'll thank ourselves (& Karl) later.

-A

H2C, 4TR

So last weekend Paul & I completed the final Oregon citizen hazing ritual, the Hood to Coast relay. (Don't worry mom, I'm always an Iowan first.) Despite our unexpected adventures, we still finished, albeit not yet officially (a race official misplaced our timer form).
Allow me to break it down.
-- 12 people per team, divided into 2 stinky, crowded vans.
-- 197 mile of road are divided into 36, 3-7.4 mile long segments.
-- Each team member runs one of 12 legs, repeated 3 times total, relay style.
-- Teams start on top of Mt. Hood anytime between 7am and 7pm, and take between 16 and 35 hours to reach the beach in Seaside, OR. Our team was somewhere in the middle: 27 hours, I think.
Okay, first of all, if you've never done or seen the event, It's Crazy, in Paul's words. Imagine about 15,000 people in 2000 vans constantly picking up and dropping off runners, traversing across northwest Oregon -- through Portland too, mind you! Some of these teams have been doing the race for many years, and have vans designated for just that purpose (sort of like the Mardi Gras floats of the South). They strap on blow-up dolls and stero speakers blasting Elvis (for example), spray paint slogans and "road kill" tallies, and decorate with trinkets and party supplies. WE ended up in U-Haul cargo vans, to our shagrin and relief. Four days before the race our other van 'contract' left us high and dry. Despite our nifty, prominently placed "Dam Runners" (get it?) magnetic signs, we continually fielded the question,"Is it really only $19.95 per day?" We'd decided that U-Haul should have paid us to advertise for them!
Personally, Paul and I were satisfied with our performances. We love each other's B.O. so much that we chose to ride in the same van for the duration. To boot, I always handed off the sweaty bracelet (baton) to him. We both did about 15 miles each, over some pretty tough terrain (but I have to brag -- since I'm writing this -- my segments were the tougest rated and had most miles! Why am I excited about that?...). Still, Paul kicked some buttocks, ending up with the second-fastest times on the team (not to me...why does everyone think I'm faster than him?)! Sore, under-fed with tummyaches, tired, and likely smelly (however not stinkier than that one guy!), we had a good time.
Looking back, I'd say the secret to successfully completing all 3 legs is to get a little sleep, eat smart, and find things to distract yourself from that inevitable looming sense of dread. In our case, that distraction came in the form of a 'pop.'

"I heard it pop."

Then it started to roll, picking up speed, heading for a (possibly hard of hearing) Supermaster runner, the highway, and more runners. All we could see inside the van was our first legger Dave bouncing around in the back! As we continued to holler at the Supermaster to get out of the way, our amazing driver Matt jumped onto the step, reached in the window and swung the steering wheel to the right. This sent the van into a shallow, weedy ditch that happened to be a dumping ground for leftover asphault. Was it a crash? The van made a crashing noise as it trampled the blackberry bushes and weeds. That counts, right? There the van sat, and would for several (6?) hours, waiting for a tow truck that wouldn't come. Two of our teammates and driver kept it company too.
Meanwhile, Kimberly, myself, and Paul hitchhiked ahead to the starting points of our segment of the relay. All of our 'rides' were so accommodating, offering water and Gatorade, cheering us on during our runs, and referring us to another potential ride. So nice! In all, I hitched 4 times, which means Paul must have taken five. That was a fun adventure. :)
Then we had a beer and went home. I'd do it again. The end.

More shared photos, if you're interested.
Also our Flickr!

The dorks went over the moun-tain

To see if they could ski!

Mt. Hood is a popular destination, especially on federal 3-day weekends. We jumped into the Mt. Hood Meadows caravan & got to the top in less than 90 minutes. The parking lot was neary full at 8:30; the park opened at 9:00!
I was a little tentative at first, and then lost all confidence as we got off the Cascade lift, only to find ALL blue ("harder") courses. I fell down 4 times, & snapped my ski out of the binding once. Whew! We spent the afternoon skiing green ("easier"), which I enjoyed much more.

Paul experienced a little drama too - had a close call. He slippedand almost fell, jamming the butt of his pole into his eye instead. Luckily he was wearing his goggles, so it deflected onto his cheek. The rest of the day he looked like this:











...except he only had one rosy cheek, and a bloody letter "D" was imprinted smack dab in the middle of it! Lucky for him, it didn't affect his skiing. He didn't fall down once!

We took the "Fruit Loop" road home, driving through Hood River to catch the interstate. In June or July, there is a huge Fruit Loop drive promo - so many roadway miles of fruit farms & stands, arranged in a big loop. We couldn't tell what kind of fruit they were growing, b/c all the signs just said "Fruit," and their orchards were bare. What grows in an orchard? Apples, cherry, pears, ??? Maybe we'll get to find out this summer, potential visitors & sightseers.
In Hood River, I made a quick stop at *$$ (Starbucks, notated in the checkbook log - it just takes to long to write it out every time), and we were home by dinnertime.
That was our fun, bank-breaking weekend!

- A

Oh, to be 29 again!

Last night was wonderful! (don't worry, you can keep reading.)
Paul said I could open my gifts before we went out to dinner, so I did! I loved all of them, noting several times how thoughtful everyone was, especially with Christmas right around the corner. I'm okay with getting dryer sheets or hotel soaps, if that's what's financially allowable. I got some really cool exercise clothes and gear, a neat recycled clothing kitchen rug, and a little spending $$.
For my B-day dinner, Paul took me to the Bombay Cricket Club, a restaurant on Hawthorne Blvd. that serves excellent lamb & other Indian dishes, and shows cricket games on TV for atmosphere. The meal & service were great, but their desserts didn't sound too spectacular. We headed out to the cat store to pick up some White Lightning Catnip, and then on to Trader Joe's for travel snacks & some REAL dessert, chocolate in pure bar form.
When we got home, I made 2 little catnip toys for the boys, and then we watched them go wild! Catnip has crazy powers over cats, sort of like the ring & Gollum; Gatsby attacked Bosco like a wild animal, just so he could have both toys. This morning the toys are drenched in kitty drool. I've never smelled such potent stuff - really primo at only $5/oz.

So now that I'm closer to 40 than I am to 20, what's a girl to do? I feel like I'm in limbo. I've compiled this list recently, and added to it today.
- Annoyed by the person next to me in the restaurant saying, "Shut the F-up!" to her dining buddy on several occasions during my very nice birthday dinner (linen tablecloths & napkins and everything!). Should I scold her?
- Doesn't particularly jive with Old Navy-style or Eddie Bauer/Land's End-esque clothing. What can I wear?
- Can't get down with clubbin' (just one, for that matter). What is hip-hop fusion?
- Fervently searches for & plucks her 6 gray hairs. It costs how much to color?
- Senescene. It starts @ 28, not 30.

That's it for now. I've only been 30 for a day!
-Anne