There is nothing quite like the luxury of a 5 day weekend. Friday involved a great hike discovering a new two hour hiking loop in the hills west of town. Saturday, we painted the garage in preparation for kayak winter storage and creating a space for woodworking tools. Sunday we took the kayaks out for one last foray paddling among Chinook salmon leaping out of the water in the rivers off the coast. Monday and Tuesday were more subdued, with me working on my conference presentation at the coast while S. was on call. Tuesday more of the same, but both days were interspersed with nice walks around the rural countryside.
Today my day is consumed with a doctor's appointment, hours of student appointments, and pre-debate preparation for our state representatives. I have been so busy, I helped schedule a public debate for our candidates only to realize last weekend that I would be out of town for the debate this Friday night.
Somewhere in this mess I have to get to the post office and order my new "smoking" computer. Apple just realized its MacBookPro 15 inch with the Intel dual core processor. And my name is on one of them. I love my current laptop as it has been with me everywhere for 5 years. But I can't use the newest versions of my editing software and I am constantly pushing the limits of the hard drive, albeit with pictures and music more than work related files.
So I have to do everything today before leaving for St. Louis tomorrow and a quick visit to a conference before coming home Friday night and another fun, albeit only two day weekend.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
**Fall weekend**
After a work-related retreat this past weekend (I would post pictures, but they are far too incriminating), I managed to escape for a lovely, even romantic weekend in Astoria. I have never visited before, but it now ranks as my current favorite NW coastal'ish town thus far. I say coastal'ish because it is not exactly on the coast, but on the Columbia river, near the bar.
This town boasts beautiful victorian homes, some of which have, not surprisingly, been turned into B&B's. The town has a walkway and trolley along the river, an impressive Maritime museum (I am told as we are saving that for the next visit) and an nice restored historic downtown boutique hotel where we will stay next time. This hotel, The Elliot, has a wonderful rooftop garden where you can hang out, enjoy the views, and stay warm with a gas fire pit. You can grab a glass of wine in thehotels wine cellar bar (it used to be the old family residence years ago) and head to the roof to enjoy the evening and watch the cargo ships move up and down the Columbia. Sea Lions bark and frolik along the shore and on remanents of the old docks.
The town has some awesome, funky restaurants. My personal favorite is the Columbian, run by Uriah since the 1970s. There are three tables and some bar stool seating. He cooks right in front of the bar. The dinner memu is determined by whatever he feels like cooking and whatever looks good when he heads to the dock in the afternoon. Very quirky and incredibly delicious.
We hiked up to the town's column at the top of the hill. You climb the 200 ft. to the top of the tower and then can fly balsam airplanes from the top (the are easy to find scattered in the woods below. When we got to the top, a storm blew in suddenly and we had to hold onto the railing at the top. It then dumped rain during the hike down. It is hardly troublesome as the weather is pretty temperate so one can be wet and not get chilled. I will try and post pictures if I can.
This town boasts beautiful victorian homes, some of which have, not surprisingly, been turned into B&B's. The town has a walkway and trolley along the river, an impressive Maritime museum (I am told as we are saving that for the next visit) and an nice restored historic downtown boutique hotel where we will stay next time. This hotel, The Elliot, has a wonderful rooftop garden where you can hang out, enjoy the views, and stay warm with a gas fire pit. You can grab a glass of wine in thehotels wine cellar bar (it used to be the old family residence years ago) and head to the roof to enjoy the evening and watch the cargo ships move up and down the Columbia. Sea Lions bark and frolik along the shore and on remanents of the old docks.
The town has some awesome, funky restaurants. My personal favorite is the Columbian, run by Uriah since the 1970s. There are three tables and some bar stool seating. He cooks right in front of the bar. The dinner memu is determined by whatever he feels like cooking and whatever looks good when he heads to the dock in the afternoon. Very quirky and incredibly delicious.
We hiked up to the town's column at the top of the hill. You climb the 200 ft. to the top of the tower and then can fly balsam airplanes from the top (the are easy to find scattered in the woods below. When we got to the top, a storm blew in suddenly and we had to hold onto the railing at the top. It then dumped rain during the hike down. It is hardly troublesome as the weather is pretty temperate so one can be wet and not get chilled. I will try and post pictures if I can.
Monday, October 09, 2006
**Jogged a memory**
I was reading another blog - from someone I have never met, but that I somehow consider a friend and to whom I am concerned about these days. She mentioned the imminent arrival of ex husband #1 and #2. I don't know the details of these relationships or the complications that arise with their visit, but it reminded me of the most bizarre Christmas I have ever spent.
I remember it began at Thanksgiving. I was sitting around a big table with the kids, a lovely international grad student, and my dear friend/colleague and her E.R. physician husband. I can't remember if my ex called (not really likely as it didn't happen often) or if my son just came up with the idea on his own, but during dinner, my son asked if his dad could AND SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH US. In spite of a near irrepressible urge to simultaneously laugh at the absurdity of the prospect and burst into flames at the mere thought of him crossing the threshold of my front door, I had to swallow all the primal impulses and say, "why of course #1," (my longstanding name for my son in honor of Star Trek: Next Generation). After my response, I immediately turned to the doctor sitting to my right and said, " you can start filling out the Valium prescription NOW, thank you very much."
Now to add to the difficulty of the holiday arrangment, my buffer and general support system when dealing with my ex, namely my long time on again, off again partner... the "he's-just-not-into-you-guy" as described by my niece, was, at this time, off again and had been for the better part of a year.
And so, the holiday came. My ex showed up at church midnight mass (sans wife and dog) and then planned to come to the house at 7 AM Christmas Day with his wife (still sans dog, thankfully). I barely slept. But in the wee hours I remember looking at the clock and thinking I could get one more hour of fitful sleep before sucking down coffee in anticipation of the morning from hell.
I layed in bed and -no kidding about this - I saw, in the darkness, the shadow of an adult person in my doorway. My immediate horrific thought - a thought that shot through me with fear that exceeded the possibility that the shadow belonged to a mass murderer - was that my ex husband was standing in my doorway.
Son of a gun, if it wasn't the missing on again, off again partner, who drove all the way from Texas, non stop, knocked on my son's window to get let in and wandered into my room, just to see if...
I went through the day like a deer in headlights. The shocking image of now on again partner in my living room combined with the nightmarish image of my ex sprawled across my couch. No hallucinogen in the world can produce a trip as weird as this. And it is more evidence that if something like this can happen on the celebration day of the birth of the messiah... there cannot be a god.
I remember it began at Thanksgiving. I was sitting around a big table with the kids, a lovely international grad student, and my dear friend/colleague and her E.R. physician husband. I can't remember if my ex called (not really likely as it didn't happen often) or if my son just came up with the idea on his own, but during dinner, my son asked if his dad could AND SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH US. In spite of a near irrepressible urge to simultaneously laugh at the absurdity of the prospect and burst into flames at the mere thought of him crossing the threshold of my front door, I had to swallow all the primal impulses and say, "why of course #1," (my longstanding name for my son in honor of Star Trek: Next Generation). After my response, I immediately turned to the doctor sitting to my right and said, " you can start filling out the Valium prescription NOW, thank you very much."
Now to add to the difficulty of the holiday arrangment, my buffer and general support system when dealing with my ex, namely my long time on again, off again partner... the "he's-just-not-into-you-guy" as described by my niece, was, at this time, off again and had been for the better part of a year.
And so, the holiday came. My ex showed up at church midnight mass (sans wife and dog) and then planned to come to the house at 7 AM Christmas Day with his wife (still sans dog, thankfully). I barely slept. But in the wee hours I remember looking at the clock and thinking I could get one more hour of fitful sleep before sucking down coffee in anticipation of the morning from hell.
I layed in bed and -no kidding about this - I saw, in the darkness, the shadow of an adult person in my doorway. My immediate horrific thought - a thought that shot through me with fear that exceeded the possibility that the shadow belonged to a mass murderer - was that my ex husband was standing in my doorway.
Son of a gun, if it wasn't the missing on again, off again partner, who drove all the way from Texas, non stop, knocked on my son's window to get let in and wandered into my room, just to see if...
I went through the day like a deer in headlights. The shocking image of now on again partner in my living room combined with the nightmarish image of my ex sprawled across my couch. No hallucinogen in the world can produce a trip as weird as this. And it is more evidence that if something like this can happen on the celebration day of the birth of the messiah... there cannot be a god.
**Ah, the beginning of the week**
On the heels of a wonderful weekend, another week of work begins. This weekend included a day in the city wandering around in beautiful weather. Wrapped around that trip was the painting project. Nothing luxurious - just the garage. It is brightening up nicely and S. will be able to move his woodworking tools in there for the winter. I am hoping new hardwood floors may be one of his winter projects. The cleaned up garage also makes for a good clean place to store the kayaks for the winter. My apologies to my son who lobbied for black as the interior garage color of choice. While I agree the color would be awesome under blacklights...
This week, much teaching to be done. Then there are the meetings... for promotion... for school re-accreditation and preparation for a weekend work retreat.
This week, much teaching to be done. Then there are the meetings... for promotion... for school re-accreditation and preparation for a weekend work retreat.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
**How frighteningly ironic**
That this is breast cancer awareness month... and I noticed Dooce's new masthead... and the Today Show has been featuring breast cancer stories with abandon... and tonight I notice a lump.
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