The Summer of Smudge

"Lookit hun, a smudge," I sighed, as we lounge on the living room sofa, reviewing Vacation Day 3 photos. Something catches my eye out the window, and I glance up to see a hummingbird flitting to the sugar water feeder. Beyond her lies the last full mile of great plains before the land rises up into the jagged beauty of the Saguache Range. Awe-struck, I recall that this is the land, that in the 1850's, Major Gunnison surveyed and pronounced was "uninhabitable by man." This is the land of great explorers and adventurers; of extreme athletes, of gun-toting Republicans, of pretty, leathered ladies in cowboy boots, and yes, of Midwestern retirees. Flatlanders, to be precise, arrive daily in the Rocky Mountain State with their bikes, tortilla presses, and yak racks, dreaming of fourteeners, ice cream stands, and bear sightings. "I [heart] Colorado" keychains jingle at the Safeway check-out counter. Baby Boomers pant up hiking trails, nose to the GPS, wiping away the sweat with their microfiber bandannas. Local Saturday sidewalks are alive with Crocs-clad families, old couples in matching fishing shirts and mesh-pocketed pants, and the occasional scantily-clad, tan, river guide or kayak instructor.

Well that was fun! No segues here. Back to the smudge. Can you believe we went nearly the whole summer with a stinking smudge on our camera lens?! Folks, it doesn't matter who's name is on it if you can't see out of it.

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

Exhibit C.
-A

It Pays to Run

I'm not kidding; we might have a career in this! Actually, I should broaden it to 'getting outside' in the city. Paul & I keep finding cash $$$ money on our runs & other outings! I picked up a $5 Monday at 72nd & Harold - would have a photograph of it but it's already in the cash register at DQ. Paul has found a few singles and a larger denomination on the ground during a run and while walking to a cooperative work office. My biggest find was a $20, a couple years ago back home, a surprising rural find.
Nonetheless, we will not be calculating our hourly or per mile rate, or retiring any time soon.

-A

Insert Cheesy Slogan Here

Salida flowers, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Ahhh, home sweet home. Back from or rocky mountain high in the rocky mountain state, we're maxin' and relaxin' outside of our house.... scraping paint again. Enough about that though, let's talk about our Colorado vacation!

We flew to Denver and had reserved a compact car bound for Salida, which is about 3-1/2 hours SW of Denver. Well, we got a "complimentary upgrade" Monster Ford Escape, and were pissed for several reasons... until we discovered how many "2 wheel drive" roads we would be driving on that week. Let me tell you, if you have any jiggly spots on your body, they will be called out while driving/riding on 2WD roads, which are just 4WD roads minus the giant boulders: washed-out, dirty, rocky, wild rides.

Anyway, my (Anne's) dad & Sandi & Luke have a house just outside of Salida, which sits just east of Sawach range, and just northwest of the Sangre de Christo range. It's a beautiful place, with beautiful views, and hummingbirds everywhere. (Is that the CO state bird?)

We did a bunch of hiking. Also attempted a 14'er (Shavano) but the weather didn't hold. We got above the clouds to the treeline, and saw more clouds building. Then we never saw any lightning from the vantage of the house. Bummer.

We got to go mountain biking, not once, but twice. Once with Paul's Uncle Paul in Nucla on the Paradox Trail (BRUTAL!), and once up and down the Shavano/Tabagauche trailhead road with my dad (downhill is SO fast & fun!).

At the house we played lots of games, listened to music, and read (Harry Potter-heads). Paul got sick for about a day, so he got a little more house time than the rest of us. He would tell you that it is NOT fun to be sick on vacation.

We went to the local library regularly to make contact with the outside world (no phone/tv/radio to our knowledge @ the house). On our second day visiting, a cycling criterium was being held right outside its doors. I sat and watched, but didn't have my camera to document my first ever viewing of a Crit. Nobody crashed - and then the monsoon rains arrived during the last race of the day. We could hear it coming over the rooftops from blocks away! We raced for cover, and assumed that the Crit. ended early.

We ate some great meals at the house, and made our own candy-packed Blizzards with a grinder that Luke found at a yard sale. What crazy individual would give that up -- for $5?!
We played with doggie Bobber, of whom we regrettably have no photo.

We had a wonderfully scenic drive back from Nucla to Salida; saw Aspen forests, what appeared to be the whole San Juan Mtn. range - filling almost 1/3 of the 360 horizon, 6 very polite cattle, & 5 pickups heading the other way.

On our way back to Salida, we added another stamp to our National Parks Passport at the Black Canyon National Park. Those park rangers are smart... Pleistocene... igneous... magma... Cool.

That's our trip in a nutshell! We had a great, fun-packed time, earned ourselves a house key, and are missing everything/one already. More pictures are available at our flickr page, sidebar.

-A

Forgot the Address Book, so:

Digital postcard for everyone -

Hi guys,
We're having a great time in Colorado. Yee-haw!

A&P

We're Out

...again. Off to the mountains for the week.
Leaving you with this neat page.


Have a nice walk.
A&P

Back At It

I have 1 section (about 3 paragraphs) and the conclusion for my Literature Review left to write. Peanuts. Why is that so hard?


All I Need, originally uploaded by apkoski.

I did, however, turn in my manuscript for editing and (wince) scrutiny! Needing a break, Wednesday, I picked up some scrapbooking. My backlog is an embarrassment. 2004.

Meanwhile, our "summer project" has begun, receiving intermittent attention from Paul & I, despite the perfect paint-scraping weather;

and the garden has exploded (in a good way).

And finally, we're SO looking forward to vacationing in Colorado next week. We're especially excited to pee off the edge of another 14'er. :)

-A

OMG

Blue Skies, originally uploaded by apkoski.

I won - I won! This Love Forever drew MY name for Color Week. I get a cute-cute cupcake. Yahoo - Yippee!

Anyway, I though it might be in poor taste to win something without completing the exercise (I was out of town, in my defense). So, here's Friday: Blue or purple.

I love this picture because it is so striking, and because I can say, "I made that." :)

-A

We're Ba-ack...

At Lake Tahoe, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Color Week: Thursday

Orange, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Orange

Color Week: Wednesday

Yellow #3, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Yellow

Just A Test

As a writing break, I signed up for Blogger in Draft, a guinea pig Blogger for early adopters. Although I normally fit in with the early majority, I hear Paul in my ear, urging me to try it. So I have, and picked the feature I saw first (top of the pile), video uploads.
Welcome to our fmr. Little Blue House, which is miraculously still here. (This is the only movie file we have....)


Ok, for my next writing break I will go find something yellow.
A

Late Entry: Color Week

PB & Pear, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Since I haven't been too competent at writing actual posts lately, I thought this would be a nice goal: I joined Color week hosted by Love Forever.
This is Tuesday. (Guess what color!)
Wed. is coming - on Thursday!

-A

Break

Smiley Face, originally uploaded by apkoski.

After pretty much two straight weeks of analyzing data, writing, tracking down articles and committee members, and dealing with the Grad. Office, I couldn't take any more!

I needed a crafty break. Behold, a pear. Yummy.

-A

What are you up to?

Just writing...

New Stuff

A package? Must be French.
It's a table! (Specifically, an industrial steel-framed, 1-1/2" butcher-block food prep table).

"It literally Triples our work space!" Paul says.

New Work Surface, originally uploaded by apkoski.

We ordered this little number just before we began investing in Mr. G's chin (which we're cautiously proud to say is finally healing). Eating bean burritos and peanut butter sandwiches for a couple months is worth it!
-A

Absenteeism

Hooray!, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Sorry for my absence. I brought a note, forged the signature: been thesis writing. This is the 'break' week between spring and summer term, so I figured it was my chance to get stuff done while nothing is being expected of me. Next week it's back to analyzing data. Anyone know how to do a linear regression?

In the mean time, production of anything creative has all but ground to a halt. I have managed to make a couple baby gift sets, and do a few utilitarian tasks such as hemming jeans and altering a skirt.

Hey, think anybody would be interested in a tutorial on how to hem jeans without making them look hemmed & dorky? If I find time, I may put one together - the www. is virtual (or is it 'virtually') free information, after all! This is the enticing "before" photo.

-A

Summer Preview

Pops In A Tray, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Check out "All Songs Considered" for some summer listening recommendations (now in the Archives, left sidebar).

Also, mark your calendars: come help us paint the house starting on July 14th -- or you could just have fun helping us select colors.
Pick Colors: click "Start Color Smart." We like the green family.
Paint the House: Click "Launch Color Visualizer." Ranch may be as accurate as we can get. Here's the house.

More in music: we were honored to be e-vited to a Pandora Get-together to talk about the Music Genome Project. It's next Wednesday @ 7 PM at Disjecta, 5 SE 3rd Ave (at Burnside - just off the Burnside Bridge). I think all local subscribers were invited, & it has to do with 'free' feedback, but hey, I still feel honored!

-A

Dun, mostly

Stride

Boy, last week sure went fast!

I finished a bag (boho or hobo? Please fill me in after I post more pix).
I warmed up my new 1" bias tape maker and love it! The thing is a luxury, but making bias tape the old fashioned way was such a pain.

THat's My Bag Baby, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Saturday Paul & I ran the Helvetia Half Marathon available here on this very cool results page. Turns out he and I about equally above average in our respective divisions. Little fish, big pond. Another (selfish) reason I miss MS. Sigh.

I'm preparing for my final final in my PSU Grad program (besides the little Thesis thing). Test is on Tuesday. Drinks are on Wednesday. ;)

Paul & I bottled another case of beer after the race Sat., 5 gallons of malty porter-like stuff. We tasted his previously bottled batch on Friday, and are absolutely loving it! It must be shared.
The Great Gatsby saga drags on, so I'm getting better at creating kitty collars (a new use for Timtex). I might be able to market them by the time this chin thing goes away.

Oh, and I made the regular Sunday Granola and tried a batch of Lime Cookies from Everybody Likes Sandwiches, a-la How about Orange. They're shortbread cookies with a lime zest/sugar topping. I also topping some with lemon frosting + zest/sugar, but they're a little too sweet.
Thanks guys -- er, girls, I think. There are bunches more food blogs and recipes links on their pages. On the topic, I must again plug the Washington Farmer's Market Lifestyle & Blog happenin' in my hometown of Washington, Iowa; for the purpose of sharing low-mileage/local, garden, organic, or simple foods and recipes, and/or sharing new sources of locally grown foods.-A

Year of the Cat

Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
Exhibit C:

Which one worked? Ask me in a week (& cross your fingers for him!).

-A

Giant Sucking Sound

That is the sound of Gatsby's kitty acne reaching ridiculous proportions. Topical ointments, oral antibiotics, special soap, food trials, and a particular accoutrement have all been applied. If it doesn't go away, the vet wants to sedate him and get a biopsy. It's ACNE, for crying out loud! Granted, he's scratched away the fur & skin...
That blue thing is a version of the e-collar, traditionally known as the Elizabethan Collar. For Mr. G, it also doubles as a poncho, parachute, and if flipped up in traditional E-C fashion, a food trough. Anyway, that was our Saturday. When we weren't preoccupied with re-shuffling our finances and calming our traumatized cat, Paul & I spent a lot of time outside -- more specifically, enjoying ourselves and each others' company outside. I think that spot under the Pergola is my new favorite room. Last summer, the idea of sitting on the fmr. deck in the exact same spot just wasn't of interest to us. This past Saturday we sat out until the streetlights came on, about 9:30. Paul smoked a cigar, for no reason this time, and I sipped a Margarita.
The location is still a work in progress. We'd like to add a table, Paul would like a petite smoker/grill, and maybe a couple nice lawn chairs - for company -- and I really like the idea of hanging lights of some sort, maybe like this, this, or this. "When's the party," you ask? Soon, soon.Saturday after lunch, we also did a Home Depot trip where we got an axe, push-broom, a couple plants, and some paint (I know, exciting). Then, out we went. Paul seeded & watered the lawn, and I planted the flowers, pulled weeds, turned the sod pile - which is actually composing, hallelujah. Then our neighbor's daughter brought over some garden-raised rhubarb cake (just the rhubarb, smart-asses). I felt like we were living in a Norman Rockwell home, other than the kitty.

In other news, Friday was my last official data gathering appointment for my thesis. It took just over a month, but now I'm done with that! I was aiming for approx. (I love that word right now) 25 subjects, managed to schedule 28, of which 22 actually showed up to completed the workouts.
Pictured below is part of the contraption that was used to gather Oxygen uptake data. The Hans Rudolph one-way ventilation mask, complete with a 'saliva collector' (beneath my thumb), hooks up to a tube that connects to a gas exchange box. That thingamabob tells me how much of the oxygen that the person breathed in (21 %) is used, and exits as CO2 instead of O2. The fitter you are, the less O2 comes back out. It's an efficiency thing. Anyway, I digress. I like to describe the contraption below as a scuba mask/orthodontia headgear combo; and no, you won't suffocate.

AND Finally, Friday our Sodium Chloride Containment Unit arrived from Alton Brown himself. (Well, I guess his signature could have been printed.) We have been looking for something like the SCCU it in cooking stores for literally years! I guess it never occurred to either of us to check with the guy who originally tipped us off to its existence. Anyway, even though it's a little bigger than we anticipated, we are very satisfied with it (see the picture on the left-hand side; that's a glass dish in a stainless frame, with a little thumb lever lid lifter) - anything beats that darn tupperware box. Don't forget to toss some over your left shoulder.
Parenthetically speaking,
A

Make Me a Mix Tape

Non-runners, take solace. Paul & I are doing your share right now, prepping for a half-marathon in 2 weeks, and then the Hood To Coast Relay in August. I think Paul said we've been getting in 30 miles a week, but I've tried not to think about it.

So with that unfair share of running comes a fair dose of PLD music - on solo runs, anyway. As unprofessional and dangerous as it is, my 512 MB Mp3 player is sometimes the only thing that gets me through those 8+ milers. I guess that's why I've been thinking so much about playlists. I started running after I graduated from high school, during the summer I spent in Spain. I usually brought music along, beginning with my walkmans, then a now-obsolete MD player, and now my Mp3 player (love - love it, b/c my left arm is no longer that much stronger than my right - only weighs a few oz.).

My current playlist has been shuffled & tidied, eliminating some 'auditions,' and missing some over-played classics. I've also somewhat successfully tried to manipulate some songs using Audacity to match my running tempo, 90/180 beats per minute. Some only need a little tweak:

'Scent of a Mule,' Phish
'In 3's,' Beastie Boys
'Coming Back to Life,' Pink Floyd
'Classic Girl,' Jane's Addiction

Others are out of the question b/c - where's the beat? (Case in point, most of Bela Fleck.) Then there are the tracks that just make me feel like running. They're rambling songs that sound like a train chugging down the tracks, or feet pounding the cinder... at cruising speed.

'Airline to Heaven,' Wilco
'Jesusland,' Ben Folds
'God's Country,' Ani DiFranco
'The Light, II,' Mason Jennings
'Cornflake Girl,' Tori Amos
'Did you ever look so nice,' T/Samples

(notice the odd spiritual theme? Maybe thats b/c sometimes running makes me feel like I'm about to die!)

....................................................................................

Now I'm actually in the basement looking through the cardboard box labeled "Anne's Tapes." I found the one titled, "Best Run Tape Ever." I need a tape player.
I need a tape player! I realize we just threw out the last in a spring cleaning effort 2 weeks ago - Paul's Boom Box from the '80s (one of the cats knocked all 20 pounds of it on the ground & broke it). I can't remember exactly what's on that tape, but I remember playing it a LOT in college - running through the streets of Kirksville on a Sunday night study break, oblivious to the 'Jethros,' 'Blakes,' and 'Britneys' (and serial rapists, etc. - sorry Ma).

The Tape Box is actually like a photo album for me, & includes:

...the one I bought in Spain, by/called(?) "No Me Pises Que Llevo Chanclas,"
...the one I dubbed from Mimi when she was in high school (so it has the Grateful Dead, Sting, REM, B-52's, & Poi Dog Pondering.
...the one called A/M Mix, from Matt's collection, with Live, Dave Matthews, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Soul Coughing, & Bela Fleck.
...my "Hangin' Tough" tape (NKOTB).
...OTBT recordings (a late night radio show, 'Off the Beaten Track,' with Mary in the Heartland, that ended up being my introduction to Grunge & Nirvana)... dubbed over Crash Test Dummies.
... New Mexico, a mix I made for the family car ride during our summer vacation to NM. - Was doing okay until Green Day sang the f-word.
... Mom's Records, dubbed from her collection of Dylan, Joplin, Guthrie, Baez, NRPS, CCR, Hooray for Captain Jane stories, etc.

Enough reminiscing! I think it's almost time to go run.

Oh, if you're missing the whole Mix Tape thing too, check out Tiny Mix Tapes.

-A

Ubiquitous Pictorous

They're funny, they're everywhere! They remind me of those 'captured: unintentional phallic photos' page in the Maxims Paul used to bring home from his surveys (hey, if you hang out with a bunch of sailors, that's what you get!).

This one is a "what's wrong with this picture?" picture - taken from a fitness professional clothing catalog I receive.
So, what's wrong with it? (Think along these exercise-related lines).


And this one... well this one is just funny (nothing 'wrong' with it).
It would be even funnier if there was alcohol offered. Now THAT would be one happy hour.
Oh, props to Portland Picks.

- A

Get a Grip

Double & Capital WOooo-Hooooo! No wait, Yeeeeeeee-Hawwwwww!
I just signed up my 25th subject!

Now a moral dilemma - only about 20 have actually shown up to their appointments. Do I solicit for more people? Again? I've probably responded to close to 100 people. Ugh! Sigh. All I have to do next is write it up. Jeez.
There's a stack of data, a binder of 'literature,' and a pile of spit-infused towels to wash. Gross (those are clean).

In other news, Paul & I got out a little this weekend to help stimulate the economy (not that we're Bushies or anything). We visited the lovely Farmer's Market at PSU, checked in at REI (a week late - Anniversary Sale is o.v.e.r.) and the Pioneer Place Mall. Then went home and made Spring Rolls with a couple nearby friends. Then we ate 'em -- all but 2. Paul also racked his beer (a dry-hopped something-or-rather). We're gonna bottle that batch & take it to Paul's family reunion in Tahoe. Apparently they're a bunch of lushes (just kidding guys).

I still have not stitched an inch in 2 weeks, but have been motivated to cut out parts for a doll quilt, with a pattern slightly more intricate than 3x3 squares, inspired by this.

Found: One Package

Vintage button swap, originally uploaded by whiterabbit21.

Contents:
12 *vintage buttons (pictured here)
2 vintage spools of Belding Corticelli Mercerized cotton thread
1 hand & machine-stitched fabric box

Location: N. Vancouver, Canada

Finally, after 3-1/2 weeks of traveling through a reportedly "slow postal system," my Vintage Button Swap Deux box found itself at my swap partner's doorstep! And thankfully, too, because (1) I had already received her package, before the mailing deadline

(2) this was the first swap for each of us - we need good memories

(3) I hadn't documented my package contents, so it was nice to see them again (and prove that they actually did exist)

(4) and finally, I think the fun of anticipating and reading their swap partner's response is 1/3 of the reason people participate in these (plus 1/3 the adventure of shopping & preparing the package, & 1/3 the surprise of opening your partner's package). I almost missed out on 1/3 of the fun!

- A

* Had a nice conversation with the folks at the Emporium about what exactly qualifies as a vintage button. The answer? "It's all relative."

Not Nothing

Shirt, originally uploaded by apkoski.

Well, I haven't been up to much except fielding interest from research subjects, testing subjects, teaching BBC, and transporting myself to and from home-school-parks, etc.. I've amassed over $10 in parking downtown this week alone, which is huge for us - we are Public Transport. believers. I need a break from this stuff. I will say that I'm getting research subjects, though slowly.
That is not to say that I've ONLY been doing those three things over the past 2 weeks. No, I'm also taking my last grad. course; I helped teach a super-fun Mother's Day BBC class, attended by 60 moms; Paul and I test-made another 1/2-bake and freeze meal (coming later); and I made myself the shirt pictured. I forget I'm a size smaller on top (or a size bigger on bottom - which sounds better?), so yay me, I get to try again in a sz. 10. Oh, and we also fixed a special popcorn and ice cream dinner Thursday night. Sound familiar to someone?
And if you're wondering, yes, this is the famous Simplicity 3887 pattern that everybody in Blog-land is making. [Hey, let's all start Simplicity 3887 Flickr Group! ...er, maybe.] Anyway, I personalized it a bit - quilted the collar and added contrast lining - for my eyes only, I've realized.

Also, you girls who have been asking, I found that page where I learned how to make my own banner/header on Blogger. It's so easy (once you find the 'false')! http://bloggeruniversity.blogspot.com/2006/11/blogger-beta-using-widgets-for-your.html

Ok, back to not work!
-A