11/28/10 SWAG

This morning I stood in line for about 45 minutes to be one of the first 100 people to enter the "Give Handmade Sale." We got swag. And it was a pretty good haul. But the thing I really like about this sale is that it is all local Portland Artist goods. And at this particular show they donate 10 percent of their proceeds to the Oregon Food Bank. I brought some canned goods to donate and purchased some items. I got some things for me and some to share. I met some new great artists and visited with people I have been purchasing things from for years. I made sure to connect up with people I have bought things from and let them know how much I have liked my purchase and how often I have been complimented. People are all in a great mood. People weren't pushy or grabby. They were friendly. It was a good day. I look forward to the "Crafty Wonderland" and the "Handmade NW" sales coming up in December. Buy local, buy sustainable, buy recycled. I love when I can support my local Artisans and get something truly unique. I am very Portland Urban Hippie Chic. Dress skirts made from recycled T-shirts? I think so. Jewelery made from antique watch pieces? Yes, please. Everything is one of a kind. We are so lucky to have such talented people here in Portland!

I am thankful for the "Give Handmade Sale" where I can donate to the Oregon Food Bank in two ways, support my local economy and neighbors, and walk away with items that make me happy for what they are and what I have saved from a landfill.

kk

11/27/10 Fireworks

Bell Square has a shop that I haven't seen anywhere else. Fireworks is a store filled with great and unique things. On our way out of town, headed back home, I requested a special stop there. Going to a mall isn't always high on my list and also isn't always fun this soon after Thanksgiving. People are often rude, pushy and inconsiderate. And there are a lot of them. But I was willing to brave it today so I could go to my one store I enjoy. They had some things that were interesting, or funny, or neat. Mom got some cheese knives for Barb that seemed to be a hit. I didn't get anything but they had these hilarious cookie cutters. Ninjabread Men and gingerbread men who know Martial Arts. They are very fun. They always have quite an ecclectic mix of items to choose from. I really think you could find at least one thing for everyone there. They are a hard store to categorize but they are neat.

I am thankful for Fireworks, the super fun store.

kk

11/26/10 Eloise, Madeline, Charlotte, oh and Jennifer, Matt, and Meredith too.

Today I am still up in Seattle and I had a super fun play day with some friends from high school. I spent around 4 hours with my friend Jennifer, her husband Matt, and their daughter Eloise. We talked, we went to Larson's, we played with packaging and cardboard boxes. Pretty close to a perfect visit. Then I went to my friend Mary's, whom I call Meredith, and we chatted and played with her daughters Madeline and Charlotte. We had leftovers and part of the entertainment was watching Charlotte eat. I helped rearrange living room furniture in order to accommodate a Christmas tree and read books and played catch with a stuffed penguin. Also a super fun visit.

I am thankful for the times I am able to spend with friends who don't live in Portland. I don't get to see them as often so I cherish the time we get to visit.

kk

11/25/10 Happy Thanksgiving

Today I drove up to Bellevue with my mother in order to get together with my immediate extended family for dinner. We had a smooth drive and made it to my grandparent's house swiftly and safely. We had delicious appetizers and a great meal. I haven't seen my family since last Christmas so it was really good to see them. I had a great time visiting with people I sat next to but didn't get to talk to everyone so I am looking forward to Christmas. Plus some people were missing so I didn't get to talk to them at all. But after it being 11 months, it was a visit long overdue.

I am thankful for my family, and I am thankful that they are close enough that I have the ability to go up and see them, and I am thankful that I am not working at the restaurant anymore so I am available to go up and see them!

kk

11/24/10 Bagels

Today was the last day of work before the Holiday break. There were only going to be three of us in the office today, down from 11. And I was only going to be there a short time. I decided to bring us bagels as a treat. My boss brought the cream cheese and our front desk gal brought some grapes. On my way to Noah's Bagels on Hawthorne at 7:30 this frosty morning I was struck by how quiet it was as I walked back to my car. Being that the weather had been bad, people were not going into work or driving anywhere really. Being that it was the day before Thanksgiving, people were not going in to work. So there were almost no people walking around. Plus it was early. But there were also almost no animals anywhere. It must be too cold for them. Especially since the temperature dropped over night. It must have come as quite a shock to them. So not only were there no people noises, there were no animal noises either. It was a nice to just hear nothing. The stillness of the air was very relaxing and made me smile.

I am thankful for the stillness this morning.

kk

11/23/10 Jolly Time

I work with a woman who schedules "Fend For Yourself" dinner nights a couple of times a year. She cooks every other night, but on this night everyone can eat whatever they want for dinner. Anything is fair game. The only rule is that you have to have a piece of fruit or a vegetable as well. I told her I wished I had that and she reminded me that as an adult I can make that decision for myself. But it isn't quite the same as having permission. I do have to say that I am a big fan of popcorn for dinner. Something I probably inherited from my mom. And very often I will have popcorn for dinner. It's better than having dinner and popcorn right? Who needs the extra calories? I am just replacing them. And although there isn't much nutritional value, it is better than having both so I feel justified. It used to drive John crazy.

One great garage sale purchase was my air pop popcorn maker I got at the sale through the Spanish Club at Clark. We were raising money to go to Spain and so I was working it. One of the other members brought it and I promptly put it in my car after paying my dollar for it. It has been great! See, also I am being healthy by having it air popped and not putting any salt on it. Tonight I had way too much dinner and then a little popcorn. But I haven't had popcorn in a very long time so I was very excited to have it today.

I am thankful for popcorn from my air popper. Delicious!

kk

11/22/10 Bert and Ernie

Bath toys are a big thing for kids. We get to play with boats, differently shaped and colored sponges, rubber duckies. One of the best toys I got for the bath was from one of the Gardner's. I don't remember if it was Eric, Mark, or Evan. Maybe they all got it for me. They came over for a slumber party. It was in the old house so I was probably around 7. I got a travel toothbrush holder shaped like an ice cream cone, I think I got a Hello Kitty mirror and comb, and I got some bath crayons. You can use them to draw on the walls, yourself, whatever, and it washed right off. How cool were those? I wonder if they still make them.

Two years ago I went to a Christmas party at a friend from college's house. We had a white elephant gift exchange. Side note here, why do we have white elephant gift exchanges? We buy gifts that we know people won't like? Maybe it takes the pressure off, but it also seems like kind of a waste of money. Anyway, I got ended up walking away with some small rubber duckies. One is a devil, and one is an angel. When you touch the silver connector thingies, they light up. They are very cool. I have them on the ledge in my shower. Although the devil goes almost three times as long as the angel which kind of creeps me out so I make sure to light him first so that they end closer to the same time and I don't have a devil ducky pulsating red light at me while I shower.

I am thankful for my light-up rubber duckies that make me shower entertaining.

kk

11/21/10 Learning = Living

This summer I took an acting class with Michael Mendelson. I am currently in his Fall class. Well, actually, today was our last day. I feel that his classes have been invaluable to me. I have learned so much about acting, in general, and about myself. I feel that I have improved and have been fortunate enough to work with some great people. I can't recommend him highly enough. If you are an actor in town, go go go take one of his classes.

I am thankful for my work with Michael and everything he has taught me thus far.

kk

11/20/10 Phew!

I was scheduled to go to some very important callbacks today from 12:30-2:30. After that I was to head over to a film shoot. Thursday I got an email from the movie director saying he would see the people on Saturday at 9am. I responded with an "I'm confused, please clarify" email and he said that they had changed the schedule and he hadn't talked to me first. I said that was fine if I could get everything done by 11:30 so I could be out of there by 11:45. I definitely did not want to be running of to an audition and be stressed about that. Especially when we had already set up a schedule. So we did the shoot. I don't feel very satisfied with my work. I think I was a little stressed about time so we will see how the movie turns out. But I was wrapped at 11:35 and arrived at my callback in plenty of time. I was able to change and breathe and just be there before I actually needed to be in a room reading.

I am thankful I got out of my film shoot on time today.

kk

11/19/10 Bad theatre can still be fun

I went to a show tonight that was, simply put, terrible. I was there on a comp, thank goodness, to watch a friend of mine interpret the performance. The show had been adapted to be set in a circus sideshow. So in the lobby were all different booths. I bought some tokens so I could support the theatre and also to get stuff! I bought a fake mustache. I got some fancy earrings. I ate some popcorn. And I had my fortune read. The fortune teller gave me a card "strength" to use in help deciding the order of the scenes in the show. So that was exciting too. I watched a woman turn into a gorilla. I saw a horse behind a curtain guess a man's birthday month. Then I sat and watched a really long hour and twenty minute show. I know it doesn't sound long, but it was torturous. I had already been warned that this was a bizarre and not quite awesome show so going into it I had no expectations and was able to have fun where I knew I could. The person I was watching the show with wondered why I was having so much fun beforehand. It was because I decided I would. I was having lots of fun with my mustache on a stick, I seriously contemplated feeding the hunger artist some of my popcorn, and the fortune teller told me when I would find true love. Only, really, she didn't. That was my question and basically she just told me that I was a great person and whoever met me would be a lucky man. That is not helpful Miss! Oh well. I had a great time before the show anyway. And it was fun watching my friend work. More fun than the actual show.

I am thankful that I am able to find a way to have fun even when I know the 'task' at hand may not be so enjoyable.

kk

11/18/10 Chugga Chugga Choo Choo

I grew up in Redmond, Washington and went to Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. During breaks, I would take the train home. I didn't have a car the first two years so it was really the only option to make it home without a family member driving down to pick me up and then driving down again to drop me off. I had never taken the train before. It was great! I would take the four hours to watch the scenery, nap, eat, read, and get my homework done. I didn't have to worry about doing homework over the break since I had used my travel time so wisely. Whatever I didn't quite finish, I could do on the train ride back and back at the dorm Sunday night. I didn't have to worry about driving and paying attention to the road. I didn't have to worry about other people driving and paying attention to the road. I didn't have to stop for gas, treats, or a bathroom break. This is the only train riding I've done. PDX to SEA.

Barb took a train to Minnesota or some place when she was in college for a project during J-term I think. I remember thinking that was so cool. A cross-country trip. I think they ran into some bad weather so it may not have been awesome 100 percent of the time. But growing up watching movies like "From Russia with Love" always made me want to take a train ride which required me to have a sleeper car. How fun. The traveling itself would be part of the adventure! I've taken cruises and they aren't the same. I don't particularly care for them. But a long distance train ride seems fun still. I'd like to take the train up to Vancouver, Canada and spend a weekend there. I'm not sure it's overnight though. Maybe I could visit my dad in Alaska. I am sure that would require a few days.

Today while walking I heard a train whistle in the distance and it reminded me of the traveling I've done and would like to do. I was filled with good memories and excitement at the same time. I live about 20 blocks away from a train yard and I don't hear trains almost ever. Every once in awhile. It is nice to not have to hear their loud engines or whistles all the time. I don't think I would enjoy liking right next to the train yard or train tracks, but I do enjoy being able to hear them every once in awhile.

I am thankful for train which offer a way to travel to a destination other than flying or driving where you can really enjoy the scenery. Not to mention the added bonus of more leg room!

kk

11/17/10 Is there any water left in the sky?

It has been pouring buckets! Here is one thing I do love about when it rains so much in such a short amount of time, especially when all the leaves are on the ground and clogging up drains: standing water. I know, I know, it can be very dangerous. There is a place on the freeway where it is very scary. I meant more like in areas that you drive that aren't too too busy or fast. I also know that as bad as it is for my car and I shouldn't do it, I love driving through them faster than I should and having the water spray every where!

I kind of want to get drenched like they do in those movies where nothing is going right for our poor lead character and this is just the last thing that makes their day suck. Of course, I really only want it to happen when I am able to laugh at it and not actually have to be somewhere and perhaps I can have a change of my clothes in my car so I can be dry again. I'm not sure that that perfect scenario will ever happen. Either I will never get sprayed, or it will end up sucking just like in the movies. But it is still fun for me to drive through them. I kind of want to spray someone too. But I wouldn't want them to be super sad so I don't ever do it on purpose even though there is a small part of me that really wants too.

Wouldn't it be fun to just have a wall of water shot at you as a surprise. Although, it is probably gross icky, oily, nasty road water so maybe that wouldn't be fun at all. I guess perhaps I need to be in a movie where this can happen with clean water on a set? I'll work on that.

I am thankful for driving through big splashy puddles on rainy days.

kk

11/16/10 Lady Giraffe

My friend Renee Rugh has a photo above her bed which reads "Hope." Each letter is a different picture and is formed using iron work you would normally see around town and not think twice about. The "H" is formed from bars, the "E" from the swirl at the end of a bench. I love iron work and I love thinking about things in a new way. This picture is right up my alley. And on this particular day it very much speaks to me about Renee. I don't know how long she's had it but it is something that I feel is important right now.

A few months ago Renee found a lump in her breast. She went in for an appointment and had some tests done. X-ray, Ultrasound, lots and lots of doctors poking and feeling while she stood there exposed. Nothing showed up as a problem, but based on the size they decided to do surgery and remove it. Just to be on the safe side. She would have to go in for some follow up appointments, check the other breast, etc. So the day came when she had her follow-up appointment to plan the following appointment schedule. Thinking that this was an appointment merely to set up more appointments,

Renee went alone.

The doctor told her it was cancer, they hadn't gotten it all, and would have to do another surgery.

She had more tests, both breasts. Still nothing showing up as cancerous. Renee feels the spots that are showing up on the second breast seem questionable though. They did a second surgery and it came back as positive for cancer on three sides. There was more.

The doctors are somewhat dumbfounded. They have never seen anything like this. The tissue doesn't look cancerous to the naked eye, it isn't showing up on X-ray, it isn't showing up on the Ultrasound. They don't know how much more there is. He has taken this case to a board of doctors to get their opinions. She has her blood drawn to see if she carries the gene for cancer and is told her options.

Option 1: Have a third lumpectomy and hope they get it all at the risk of removing even more tissue which will leave her breast somewhat deformed.

Option 2: Mastectomy. Followed by reconstruction.

Renee is 25.

The blood results come back as negative for the gene which is good news. But doesn't put her in the clear. New options.

Option 1: Lumpectomy including checking lymph nodes for cancer. If there is cancer in her lymph nodes she will have to undergo radiation and can't continue with reconstruction until radiation is complete. Apparently it affects the implants and makes them bumpy or something. Which means after everything goes through ok it is yet another surgery. She will have to take menopausal medication for the next 5 years to help reduce her risk of the cancer coming back. She will have to have check-ups every 6 months, for, what? ever? I think so. She is still at a high rick for the cancer to return.

Option 2: Mastectomy including checking lymph nodes for cancer and following the same plan. Medication and check-ups and still considered a high risk. The medication causes a slew of uncomfortable side effects. Mood swings, hot flashes, profuse sweating, weight gain. It also can cause blood clots, which go to your heart and kill you. On the plus side, one option in reconstruction includes taking your own fat from your own body and using that instead of implants. She could do some chosen body-shaping if she wanted. But this would leave two surgeries to recover from.

Option 3: Double mastectomy. Again, checking lymph nodes for cancer. No medication and her risk drops to about 1%. Check-ups not nearly as frequently. Reconstruction of both breasts to make sure they are symmetrical. And really, to a size of her choosing. Downfalls? She's 25. She doesn't have any kids and it eliminates her possibility of breast-feeding. Some people may not feel strongly while others do. It is still something to take into consideration and come to terms with. Some women can't breastfeed anyway even if they want to, but that usually is discovered at the time of, not by eliminating the option. She would be removing a part of her body and that is hard to do. I feel it is a bit better than having to remove a leg due to gangrene or a hand because of frostbite. But many women have a strong identification of their femininity with their breasts and so it is still a hard thing to decide. I also learned that then you have no nipples which can be tattooed on but some of the pictures we were looking at did not look so good and so I think that can be a bit worrisome. No one wants to look different or strange. However, living is the most important thing. But when they can't say for sure how much cancer there even is, or where, how do you make such a monumental decision?

I saw a show many years ago about women who had had single or double mastectomies and had since had gotten tattoos on their chests. One woman even had shirts specially designed for her to show off her left pectoral area. They were beautiful! We looked up pictures of tattoos. Some were so awesome. I think a person most definitely has to go through the grieving process for the loss of a part of their body, in whatever capacity of loss she may decide upon. But then I think it is so important to look at this as an opportunity. Making the right decision and having the best possibility for survival. And then being able to choose the breasts you want. An opportunity we don't get naturally. (An opportunity one pays for dearly if they decide on breast augmentation.) An opportunity to use your body as a canvas to celebrate your beauty if you so desire. An opportunity to remain strong and be a beacon of hope for all those around you.


I am so thankful for my dear friend Renee Rugh.

kk

11/15/10 I know that light

This morning looked like snow. I know it isn't cold enough but the clouds and light just look different on a day when it is about to snow. I started to get very excited at the possibility. I think there is some in the forecast for next week too so that is very exciting.

My mother likes the snow. As long as it is only on people's lawns. Then it is pretty but you can still drive safely. Can you imagine if it only snowed in convenient areas? That would be kind of cool. I like it to snow everywhere. I don't like when people don't know how to drive in it and become crazy scary drivers. But I live in a place that is within walking distance of many things so I can get most of what I need without driving. The only thing I would have to drive to would be work and if school operations are suspended I don't have to do that either. Let's hope for that. If school classes are canceled I still have to go, so pray for suspended operations. Thanks.

The actual snow is exciting, sure, but the anticipation of it is seemingly even more so. And the light on the clouds when it is about to snow is something that I don't see any other time. It is the best.

I am thankful for the special sunlight that accompanies the clouds of pre-snow!

kk

11/14/10 Fog

This weekend has had some very interesting foggy weather. I have seen it rolling though the valleys up on pill hill, driven just under it on the freeway by the zoo, like being in a room with a low ceiling, and driven through it where it was foggy on second and then clear the next even though it was the same elevation. The fog was hanging out in very localized areas. It was all very interesting and especially so since it was so varied. I suppose I don't really like fog on windy, unlit, back roads at night, but other than that I find it very fun and interesting. I especially like watching it roll along. I like climbing Saddle Mountain and hiking through the fog and clouds and breaking through. Watching the valley shrouded in white is very interesting. Not every time though, I do enjoy seeing the green too.

I am thankful for interesting and mysterious fog.

kk

11/13/10 Humor

I got my younger sister's wedding invitation in the mail this week. It is not your traditional invite. It is quirky and fun. On the outside is a very nice picture of her and her fiance. On the inside is a picture of them together making goofy faces. I think it is great!

My family has a very different kind of sense of humor. It is witty and goofy but also very intellectual and logical. People have a hard time telling me jokes because I tell them they aren't funny because they don't make sense. They've told me to just laugh because it is a joke. And I reply "But it isn't funny." We all find humor in semantics or the misuse of language by people who say one thing that means something else. It probably started when we were young and we asked our mother to make us a sandwich. Her reply was "Ok, what kind of sandwich would you like to be?" We learned quickly to phrase things correctly. If you just listen to what people are actually saying you realize that often we don't say what we mean. But in everyday speaking we know what they mean even if it is incorrect. But if you actually think about what was just said, it is quite comical.

It is hard to find people who actually "get" us then too. Especially since we are such a mix of what is thought of as funny. But I really enjoy our humor and that we all "get" it.

I am thankful for my sense of humor.

kk

11/12/10 Bird on a Wire

On my drive to work in the morning I am always interested in the one lamp post on Mcloughlin Blvd that is extremely popular. There are, of course, lamp posts lining the street but this one is the only one that has birds sitting on it. About 20 birds sits as close together as possible in order to all fit on there all facing the same direction. They are surrounded by other posts, buildings, signs that would all serve well as places to perch as well, but they all pick this one. I find it very funny and amusing. Maybe they do that to keep warm? Maybe they are choosing to be surrounded by friends so they aren't lonely. I am not sure but it always makes me smile as I drive past.

I am thankful for all the birds that line up on one lamp post.

kk

11/11/10 Red, White, and Blue

I have many family members that have served our country in the military as well as many friends and acquaintances. I am grateful for them. They have an extremely hard job that is often met with disdain from civilians who disagree with the politics of war. It is often a thankless job, extremely dangerous, and emotionally, mentally and physically difficult. We have services to help vets but they often come back from war and have a difficult time finding work and integrating back into civilian life. It is a job that I don't think I could ever do myself and I am so glad that there are people who take the responsibility of joining the armed forces.

I am thankful for the service men and women of the United States of America.

k

11/10/10 Lifesavers

Do you remember the lifesavers commercial from the early 1990's where a father and young daughter are sitting on a hill watching the sun go down? The father says "Going, going, gone." And then the little girl turns to him and whispers "Do it again Daddy." I love that commercial. It reminds me of It's a Wonderful Life when Zu Zu hands her broken flower to Jimmy Stewart and says "Paste it Daddy." So cute.

It is interesting to me how the sunsets can be so different from day to day. Depending on the weather, the time of year, and unfortunately, the amount of pollution in the air. Sometimes they are just absolutely breathtaking. The lifesavers commercial is one with a fantastic sunset that is shared. And isn't it so much nicer to share things and experiences? Today's wasn't quite spectacular but it was a pretty good one and it reminded me of how amazing some are and I look forward to seeing more. Hopefully that will happen once in awhile to help get me through what is shaping up to be a pretty cold and gray winter!

I am thankful for beautiful sunsets.

kk

11/9/10 Running

Portland is home to a relay race that is extremely popular internationally. So popular that they have to limit the number of teams that can enter. If you've ran the race the year before you have a good chance of being allowed to continue, but I don't believe you have a 100% guarantee. But you can fact check that. New teams are put into a drawing to see who will be allowed to participate.

The Portland "Hood to Coast" is the largest relay race in North America and happens every year toward the end of August. Often on my birthday. This coming year it will be the 26th-27th. Teams of 12 driving in 2 vans runs legs of anywhere from 2-7 miles from Mount Hood to the Portland coastline. It takes two days. You alternate through your team taking turns until you complete your 197 miles.

Last year I joined a new team but we didn't get selected to run in 2010. You register for the following year in October and we just heard back today that we made it in for 2011! Now I really need my foot to heal so I can start training again. I didn't get to participate in the Portland Marathon this year due to injury so I'm excited to be able to do the relay next summer.

I am thankful our team was drawn to run the Hood to Coast next year.

kk

11/8/10 Headstone Rubbings

In sixth grade I went to outdoor ed. It was so cool. I took archery. I learned how to cook a mini pizza pocket in a fire. I decorated a sweatshirt. I played capture the flag. I participated in a fun skit. I built a shelter in the woods to protect myself from bad weather. I made a wilderness survival kit in a big metal band-aid box. I took rubbings on designs from the cemetery stones nearby.

These rubbings were pretty cool. We used paper and crayons. Mine was green. People have done different processes to come up with a similar result. People use indentations or raised designs to color over to make a design on another sheet of paper. People use the sun to take the designs of leaves and flowers and "burn" them onto paper.

At Clark, the leaves from the many trees fall all around campus. Down on the lower campus is a sidewalk that is lighter in color. The leaves lay there and the rain drains the leaves of their color. The leaves eventually blow away or disintegrate. Left behind is the color of the sidewalk where the leaf used to be, surrounded by the color of the cement. It is like a stencil. Sometimes the look is pretty uniform. It is as if the leaf is still there. And sometimes it is like someone brushed the color mostly off to one side and you can see the leaf sliding away.

The leaves fall at many different angles from many different trees and have many different shapes and sizes. I like to look at the art that nature has provided in a semi=permanent way until the color finally washes away. Everyday I notice a different area that looks neat.

I am thankful for the natural leaf art on the sidewalks around campus.

kk

11/7/10 The Ol' Hitchin' Post

I had these two solid, hard plastic horses growing up. I have no idea who I got them from. They looked like real horses, not Barbie horses. One was a mama horse, and one was a foal. I never played with them. I don't remember liking them very much. But I had them on display on my shelves because I had got them from someone. Thinking about them now, they were way cooler than my other cheap ones. I wish I had appreciated them more when I was younger. A few years ago I sold them at a garage sale to a little girl. I was so happy she liked them and I knew she would play with them. And even though I had never played with them and didn't particularly like them as a kid, there was a large part of me that was sad as I watched her carry them away.

One of the great things about the streets in Portland is the occasional metal ring in the curb of the sidewalk. When I first moved here I had no idea what those were for. And then I saw a toy horse tied up to one once. How cool, I thought. Turns out that that is exactly what they were used for. People used them to tie their horses up outside stores while they went in to shop. There are even some on residential streets. They aren't everywhere any more. As curbs have been replaced by the city, I do not believe that they include the metal rings again. I feel like finding one is like finding a treat. A nice way to remember history. Some of the rings are still in pretty good condition and some look fairly mangled and deformed. And every once in awhile you see one with a horse tethered to it. These are the best rings of all to see. I wish I had one outside the front of my house. I would definitely find a horse to tie up there.

I am thankful for the toy horses tied to rings outside stores or houses around Portland.

kk

11/6/10 Long, thin, slimy ones. Short, fat, juicy ones.

Yesterday in the little bit of time that I had between things during the break in the weather I did some weeding in my front yard. I remember how my mom loved gardening. I hated it. The one great thing about developing Spondylolisthesis in high school and wearing a back brace for 6-weeks was that I didn't have to help weed any more! It hurt my back.

I have discovered that although it sucked weeding while growing up, I thoroughly enjoy it now. I think it makes a difference when it is your house. I do enjoy the immediate gratification I get from seeing how much of a difference I have made too. And another great thing is that my mom lives only a few miles away and she sometimes comes and helps me weed. For hours. I figure it is my gift to her to allow her to weed, since she enjoys it so much. But really she has helped me a lot over the past three years getting my beds into shape and that has really been a gift for me. Plus we get to hang out and chat and so we have fun. And I have no idea where to trim rose bushes or tree branches so she helps tell me where to trim and I put in the manual labour of sawing tree branches or trimming my butterfly bush a perch a ladder.

Yesterday, I came across a few worms and tried to move them to a safe place where I wouldn't shovel them.

In junior high school we had an assembly with people from the Seattle Science Center. They had an aquarium full of dirt, some lettuce leaves, and a few other things, including several worms. I believe they asked us what we saw. They told us that they had only put produce in there and no dirt. So why were we saying that we saw dirt? Turns out that the worms made the dirt. Which is both cool and gross to think about. I have remembered that assembly ever since. That's the only part I remember but it has fascinated me ever since. I have a composting bin in my yard, but I really want a wormery for my deck. How awesome are worms? They create soil, which is something good, by eating my old produce scraps, which is also good. I don't have to throw my scraps away, I can recycle them. And I can use good quality dirt without having to buy fertilizer.

I do feel bad for worms though too. What a tough and dangerous life they lead. On days like today where it is pouring down rain, they run the risk of drowning. So they crawl, slither, inch...what do worms do? to the surface so that they can breathe. Here they become prime targets for bird food and if it gets too sunny too fast they burn and die. And people step on them. And on regular days of just chillin' in their homes they run the rick of having someone come and dig in their area and chop them in half. Worms should move to the forest where there is a nice canopy to shelter them from the sun and too much rain. Less foot traffic, less digging, and less likely that they would need to escape to the surface and then become a bird's breakfast. But I am glad that there are worms who have decided to live at my house and increase the quality of my land. I do try and be good to them.

I am thankful for worms.

kk

11/5/10 Power lines

I attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, which is how I ended up here. I came for school and never left. It was here that I remember my first time seeing shoes thrown up to cling to power lines. There were always at least one pair, if not more, in between the Spruce and Ponderosa Dorms. I don't know what it is about shoes dangling from power lines that makes me smile. I'm sure the power company doesn't like it at all. I'm sure there must be some kind of danger to them being there. Although if birds can sit on the wires, why can't shoes? Despite the annoyance I am sure some people feel, it makes me pretty happy to see them. I always wonder who threw them up there? How long did it take, how many tries, before they were successful? Are they throwing their own shoes, or someone else's? Do they not need them anymore? How did they happen to be carrying a pair of shoes? It must have been a plan, right? So then, how did they pick this location? It is fun to see all the different kinds of shoes that people throw. Different styles and different colors. Though they are all also very similar in a way. Too bad people can't decorate power lines with stilettos or slippers or boots. Boots are probably too heavy. Probably hard to throw too. But I would like to see some high heels hanging from some lines. That would be different and exciting. I guess I will just have to keep my eyes peeled for a more creative artist.

I am thankful for the shoes that randomly decorate power lines.

kk

11/4/10 It's a bird, it's a plane

This year has been very strange for weather. What is nice about recently is that there is some unseasonably warm, dry, and sunny weather. Part of my goal for this blog is to really be aware of all that is around me and take in the natural beauty that we take for granted everyday.

I have been noticing the sky recently and how amazing all the clouds have been. I must learn how to upload pictures from my new phone to the site here. I'm still learning how to use it. It is funny to me how often I see the sky and think that it doesn't even look real, it looks like a painting. I guess I should be thinking "Wow! Those painters sure were talented. They captured the sky exactly right." But I don't. It is either "Yep, that's the sky," or an amazement of how it doesn't even look like anything real. What is fantastic about being here in Portland is that we have mountains that help to make that skyline very interesting. And the city itself has some cool structures that add to the beauty, yet it isn't a very large city with so many tall buildings that you can't hardly even see the sky.

I am thankful for the clouds and how different they can be adding to the interestingness (can I make that into a word?) of the sky. There are so many different types of clouds and much like snow flakes they are seldom the same from day to day now and so it is always a delightful surprise to see what I see.

kk

11/3/10 Crunch, Swish

It has been dry for more than 24 hours so the leaves have dried out on the walkways and parking lots. I love to hear them crunch as swish as I walk through them.

Growing up on Education Hill meant that the high school was 5 blocks away. The elementary school was just a few more. The junior high school just beyond that. Another elementary school down to the right. A pre-school down to the left. A private elementary school across the street from that. And another elementary school at the bottom of the hill.

One fall day when I was in junior high, my mother announced to us girls that we were going to go to Hartman Park and play in the leaves. We were mortified. Erika was in elementary school and Barb was in high school. The leaves that fell from the trees at Hartman Park that we drove past everyday were on the main drag directly across from the high school. How embarrassing! We were forced to put on our outdoor play clothes and boots, and walk to the park, and carry rakes to rake them with. We made it there and raked them into piles like we had to and then ran and jumped in them. I don't know how long we were there. Hours. We had so much fun. It started out as this horrible idea that my mother had to force us to have fun and enjoy ourselves. Lo and behold was she ever right. Amazing how moms do these kinds of things. So we quickly forgot about any kind of street traffic and played in the leaves.

We didn't have a lot of money and so I think my mom did what she could to provide us with entertainment and fun as well as creating family bonding time without it being dependent on 'stuff'. I did get 'things' I wanted but I can say that most of the enjoyment I remember about my childhood was the activities that we did and time we shared and how much fun we could have doing free things. We played in the leaves. We had water fights with hoses, guns, and balloons. We played tennis against our garage doors. We played baseball in the front yard. We played hand ball in our hallway. We had family game night where we played board and card games for hours.

My mom taught me that we can be grown-ups and be mature and responsible, but we can also do things that some people label as "kid-play" like play in the leaves and get over ourselves and have fun. I still like to swish and run through the leaves kicking them up as I go along.

I am thankful for the dry leaves that are swirling about this time of year and today particularly.

kk

11/2/10 Bridgetown

I grew up in Redmond, Washington on Education Hill. Driving not very far would take you to Snoqualmie Falls, Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, Puget Sound, large bodies of water. I love Portland, but one of the things I miss most is all the water. The Willamette is not quite the same. I loved going to Kirkland or even just taking the 520 bridge. I love how, as a floating bridge, it divides the water into rough and smooth. Depending on which way the wind is blowing will decide which side is choppy and which is like glass.

When I was living in England I traveled in Amsterdam for several days. First I was giddy when I walked out of the train station and saw all the bikes in the parking lot. Insane. They were every where. I'd never seen anything like that. It was such a shock and it just tickled me. No cars, just bicycles. But then I was increasingly happy to walk across all the bridges they have in town. I watched people travel by boat down the canals, people living in their boats. It was so great. I think I would like Italy. I must go there.

Tonight, driving to OBA! for dinner as it was just becoming dark, I was memorized by the beauty of the city lights but also all the city's bridges. The St. John's, Freemont, Broadway, and Steel to my right, and the Morrison, Hawthorne, Marquam, Ross Island and Sellwood to my left as I crossed over the Burnside. Although Portland doesn't have large bodies of water, it does have some great bridges.

I am thankful for the many different styles, types, and sheer number of bridges Portland has.

kk

11/1/10 A Winnie-the-Pooh kind of day

Today was quite blustery. It reminds me of the time I was living in London my Senior year of college. I was on a study abroad trip and one long weekend I decided to take the ferry over to Ireland to get on a train to go to Waterford. My soul purpose was to see the countryside on my way to buy my mother Waterford china from Waterford, Ireland. This was not the countryside I was expecting or hoping to see so I think I shall have to travel along the other coast next. I think I am more interested in the south and the west...

I arrived in Waterford and then took a taxi to the factory making sure to tell the taxi driver that I was meeting friends there. Just to make sure he knew people were expecting me so he couldn't kidnap me. I wonder if he knew I was lying. I went on the tour and it was fascinating. I purchased a small butterfly for my mother and then went to Rosslare Harbour to wait for the ferry back. I checked into a hostel and walked along the bluff. It was incredibly windy. But not cold. My favorite kind of weather. Well, I suppose I like the sun and warm weather too, but there is something about the wind that really invigorates me. As long as I am warm. If I am cold, then I am not a happy camper. I think one of the things I like so much is my fantasy of being in a movie on the top of a bluff in some very windy weather wearing a long flowing white dress. Maybe that is already a movie. I'm not sure. But I think that would be fun to film.

I am thankful for the wind that blows about and makes me happy.

kk

10/31/10 Longshore Woman

I have told this story several times but it never ceases to surprise me.

My younger sister's birthday is July 27th, mine is August 23rd. Erika wanted some yellow rain slickers for her birthday. My dad was currently living on a sailboat and I'm not sure if she wanted them for there or if she wanted them just for 'cause. When her birthday rolled around she got a pair. My dad was super excited and asked me if I wanted some for my birthday. In a way that I thought was very clear I said No! I do not want any. Do not get those for me. Guess what I got for my birthday? I don't think my dad didn't hear me. Perhaps I wasn't clear after all. Perhaps he forgot. Perhaps he felt as my father, he knew what I needed more than I did. I'm not sure the reason. Nevertheless, I got some firsherman slickers for my birthday. I was not happy. You should see the picture of me trying them on. It couldn't be any more obvious.

Now I think these are pretty expensive. Maybe not, I don't actually know. Maybe that just makes my story seem more dramatic. As a pack rat I didn't throw them out or give them away. Instead I saved them, unworn, for years.

My ex-husband and I started a window cleaning business. I washed the inside, and he washed the outside. I also did the pressure washing, which was probably the best part ever. Did I not have the perfect ensemble in my possession to pressure wash in? Yes! I pulled out my slickers and have worn those countless times pressure washing driveways or sides of houses. The pants are good to keep your legs dry and when it is also raining, as it tends to do here in the Northwest, the jacket was great. Add the sealskin gloves and a knit hat and you're good to go. I have been so grateful for those slickers since.

I was reminded of this today when I was cleaning the windows at the country club. By some divine intervention it stopped raining and I was able to clean without my jacket on, but everything was still wet. I tramp through lots of ivy with a 25 foot painters pole trying to reach different windows. I always get hundreds of fiberglass slivers in my hand from the pole, but I am never wet. I wear my slickers. Today it was especially good to have them because I was washing a window in the grille, right next to a table with a older couple at it, and walking up a hill of ivy backwards. In the ivy are a bunch of decaying leaves all brown and slimy and slippery. My legs shot out from under me and I fell right on my behind and was basically lying in the ivy. The woman at the table got up and looked out at me with a look of concern on her face. But I couldn't see her yet. All I could see was the man craning his neck and watch me laughing. I smiled to show I was ok and he smiled back. As I stood, I saw the woman and she slowly sat back down. I think it must have been obvious that I fell, not because they could see me, but rather that my squeegee must have hit the window quite loudly.

But I stood up and was completely dry. Thanks to my slickers to got as a gift around 15 years ago.

Today I am thankful for those slickers.

kk