Zippity do dah! Channeling warmer weather.

Spent today freezing our arses at Daughter's gymnastics meet (nice video below) because it's supposed to snow tonight in the temperate PacNW!   Naturally, mind wanders to warmer times.....like Orlando last month.

We are walking to Epcot.  It's only 98 degrees!  What happened to my head?  So much for auto crop.

H has a new hobby:  Surreptitiously photographing me.  It's a *little* funny because he knows I have a photo cache titled "people taking photos."  It's a good collection.  I might, but probably not, share it at some point.  Obviously, he wasn't too covert above (that's him in the shadow).  But below...ooh...caught on film.

Probably around 101 now!

Ok, good, now we're warm.  Am loving "off with my head" photo above (and this was not intentional, but isn't it great when things work out like this?) but looky!

Daughter was the Red Queen of Hearts (as interpreted by her) from Alice in Wonderland for Halloween.  Yeah, this photo is too pro to be by me.  My friend took this at her Halloween Party to benefit Oregon Food Bank.

Here is the link to her floor routine from the cold front.  No editing (much clearer on the phone!)....generally, H is a real FFC with the video.....but it was post game day.  Go Beavs.
That's all.  Do something lovely for yourself.
x,
A

Why yes, I did make a little change.

Thanks to all who noticed! (it means something....  kinda like when you get a new haircut...or even better...a new pair of boots(!).  Just a new name (url remains the same....because I can't for the life of me figure that one out).  Yeah, perhaps it sounds a little like a panty liner advert...but I don't care. I like it.  My friend/hair stylist said something of this nature to me awhile back.  It stuck.  I altered it a smidgen and am running with it.
Ooh, am also figuring out the Pages feature (above left hand corner).  Why is it an option?   Am I late to the dinner table again?

Notes from Scottsdale

I saw an owl.  For real.  Wow.  I hear them at night in my backyard and have NEVER seen one in the last 12 years ...that's why it's a wow.
Here's a pretty lame pic (I don't have the new iphone4...obviously).

Not for the squeamish:

I've been on the lookout for rattlers since Tuesday.  Hadn't really seen one (although everything looks like a snake: seed pods, sticks, leaves, lizards when you are running the trails in Arizona) until dinner (not at the resort)  last night.  Yeah, dinner.   Snakes in an aquarium at the restaurant.  At the restaurant.  Had the good fortune (?) nerve (?) to ask the bartender who feeds them.  That would be "Joe"...he feeds them mice after hours.  Mice after hours.  In the restaurant.  Does anyone else see a problem with this?  Skipped dinner..... had a big breakfast this morning.  Bacon!
Enough on the wildlife.....have to hit the pool.
Do something lovely for yourself!
x,
A

Skills

It comes naturally to him.  He even stops traffic on walks.  Yeah, ok, he's special.... despite his disdain for black poodles.

Parade, Pizza and Navy Blue

Sunday night:  We made pizzas for dinner.  What a mess.  By the time we ate every last piece, we had the hiccups from laughing so much.  Completely worth it.


















Friday:  Back to school shopping with daughter (we giggled that everything was navy. Uniform.), lunch out, and a quick visit to Alex and Co. Watchworks.  If you find yourself in Portland, do stop by this special shop to buy something for your special someone.  Lucky for me (sort of), I got out of there with only a cleaner watch.  But I absolutely, positively, cannot get all the lovelies perched just so perfectly in the cases out of my mind.  No matter how much I try.  Buy me.  Buy me!  Buy me!!

Saturday:  Movies with H (now dreams will make sense or they are being hijacked, right?) and exercise in the park.  Oh, and the parade.  Are you all parade people?  I'm not.  But daughter's gymnastics team cartwheeled, danced, and, yes, back handspringed on concrete (total spike in blood pressure upon witnessing that move) in the Multnomah Days Parade last Saturday....so I had to go.  It turned out to be more fun than expected.  Love it when am pleasantly surprised.



















Jump back to Sun. morning:  When H asked me what I wanted to do today, I looked right at him and said, "Laundry."

Metal is the modern gift.

Circa 1994

I asked for nothing and he gave me the Golden Gate Bridge* (well, next month.....schedules you know). Swoon.

*way lovelier than Silver Holloware.

Resilience

Yesterday:

In skinny jeans, 95 degree "humidish" heat, and saying goodbye (for about 333 days) to her best friend since she was four. We are counting down the days until we see them in Beirut next summer.

The Portland French School does the Waka Waka

Pretty cute and catchy.

When it comes full circle/ nature photos by me!

Ok, this is weird stuff. It was last October (or the previous April?) in Paris, when I noticed these asteroid images on buildings, but didn't get a good pic of one (the one above is borrowed...ooh, and they are all different). Why were they there? What was it? a game? a sign? a secret code? For a few days, I poked around Parisian publications, asked questions on the streets, but didn't get answers. Eventually, they lapsed into grey-like brain matter. Seriously, how much time can one commit to street graffiti questions?

My point: Today, 1 or 2 years post invader spottings (note above reference to time) I am watching Exit Through the Gift Shop at the Fox Tower, not really knowing what it would be about and the Space Invaders show up!!! I couldn't believe it. The invader question is answered. Evidently, there's a cult following. Mmmmm, not going to follow! Rather, just feeling satisfied and amused how often the answers come once you forget about the questions.

On a completely separate note: Lovely nature in my yard.

Front courtyard. Now the power cord is hidden in the base of the fountain!

Back yard:

That's a heron. Usually, we'll see them on the lake, not in the pond. I took this today from our second tier landing. Neither Fenway nor the construction across the wetlands scared it away.

My bike is old enough to buy beer!

OK, so we are cracking up here. My bike is 21 years old (still has a UO bike registry sticker).

Have been riding it often, and am totally laughing with H about how long I've had it and how it's held up so well.

Few words, but I have pics!

You know how it goes...there are times when the words are all jumbled up in your head. Stuck. Below are a few pics from the last few trips. Carolinas, San Diego and Shelton. I did what I always do. Eat, take photos of signs, shop a little, and sight see.

Friendly Californian snapped a picture of us in Balboa Park.
Speaks for itself!
All you can eat (even bacon!)southern style breakfast.
Bucolic Greensboro, NC.

Lunch on the way to SC and breakfast in Greenville the next day. Yes, twice. Lucky me.

Sunset in San Diego from the top of the Hyatt.

Porcupine and Pandas in the San Diego Zoo.

Balboa Park.

And lastly, lovely photo of bird's nest daughter found while climbing a tree at her great Grandma's in Shelton.

Thanks for looking.

Do something lovely for yourself. You know you deserve it!

Little, pretty (and cute) things

Above photo taken on a cold morning in Chicago last month. Cute.

Been in general shut down mode lately (too much to do, think about, deal with...really, shouldn't these longer days be for lounging around reading books and walking the dog?). But anyhow, enough pooh. Here's a quick summary of the good, lovely stuff that always finds its way into my world:

Delivering pretties (taken with iphone in my car!)

Finished(!): this little pretty. Took 2 years (looks easier than it is). Daughter adores it... and tells me she will take it to outdoor school and "shove it in the bottom of her sleeping bag to keep it safe." Hmm, thought I should take a photo of it now...as it will never be the same again after the trip.

And lastly, a pretty photo of Lake Michigan on another cold morning in Chicago....taken while I was running very far..... as I ate like I was dying while I was there!!!!! This should not be underlined. There's a bug in this program.

The Book in review

Reading book reviews can be addictive. This novel came up again and again. A few friends (whose opinions are usually spot on!) recommended this book too. So, I picked it up......

Whoa...it was so good I couldn't put it down, but didn't want it to end. I finished it tonight, and it didn't end (so I should be happy about that?)*.....but rather, set itself perfect for a sequel (brilliant author). I have mixed emotions about the non-ending...but, nonetheless, have already ordered the Girl Who Played With Fire.

*Kind of like the French movie Cache (Hidden). I've seen it twice. To me, it never really ENDED and I still can't figure it out.

LOVELY!

Ooh, my family just got home. I need to get them fed and in bed. Sounds a bit Seussical.

Sweetest dreams, once everyone is sleeping.....will probably dream of Sweden(!).

Another update!!!!

Here's the updated link to the organization I am working with. Same people, purpose, drive, just a different name.

Thanks for reading and your continued support!

Andrea

It's cold...and windy (but not the political kind).

Above photo I took from the museum (see below) gift shop. Read on!
In Chicago for business (and pleasure....of course!). Today, my plans were to visit the Contemporary Art Museum, but instead found myself at the Art Institute of Chicago. There's a newish art wing and during February, admission is FREE! I love free. Here's a photo (they would not let me take pics in there):

Am experiencing surprise interest in contemporary art. It makes no sense to me, I don't understand it (huge apologies to all my Museum Docent friends....you know who you are) but I love to look at it. I mean, a big rectangle all glossed out in red lacquer paint, on a bed of plank wood with some lighting to make it look even better is curated in a museum? Crazy stuff.

More Chicago:

Taken from my iPhone.

Above photo shows some of Chicago's famous architecture and a super freaky large face mural. It's different. You can only make out the face from afar. When you get close it disappears. Hmmmm.

Well, it looks like it's going to snow. Goody.

UPDATE: Sale on Friday only

We had such a terrific turnout today, there isn't enough left to hold the sale tomorrow.

Good stuff for sale Feb 19 and 20, 9-2

Come get some goodies for little girls (there's some stuff for boys too) this Friday and Saturday here. Books (many in French!), games, puzzles (lots of Ravensburger), computer learning games (in French!), clothes (Mini Boden, American Girl, Hannah Andersson, and yes, some from France!), this gently used bedding, twin sheet set and duvet cover, and polka dot sheers, from Pottery Barn Kids, a jogger stroller, and more. Items most admired by children 2 through 10...except for the jogger stroller(!).

Even if you don't find anything to buy (unlikely, this is good stuff), you'll get to see all the beautiful photos in the studio and the halls. It's worth the trip just for the photos. My darling is on the wall...and you know I'll point her out! Ha!

Thank you, Linnea, for generously opening your studio for this event.

Hope to see you there, especially if I haven't seen you for awhile...hey! Come by for a hello.

Oh, here's the link to the craigslist post:http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bab/1600819486.html

P.S. If you know me personally and want an advance preview at my home, just send me a message and we'll work out the details.

There's so much Fenway here. And. At. Home.*

I looked everywhere for a vintage postcard like this today. I spotted a similar one in Gourmet Productions (they have a cool display of interesting postcards on their wall) last week and loved it! Never found this postcard (although I can buy one on the Internet. Pooh, not the same), but I found new earrings, lipstick (Yes! a detour from Chanel), souvs for daughter, and art for the blank office wall (you have to come in for a root canal to see it). Hmmm, the postcard hunt turned out to be a spendy stroll down Charles. But, hey, it's OK, because it's perfect for the spot. I subscribe to the philosophy that "you know it when you see it." I didn't have to think twice.

Back in Boston, for a visit with friends, time for myself, eating too much, sightseeing, and OK, a *little* shopping. Back home early tomorrow with plenty of time to rest and watch daughter's gymnastics meet. It doesn't get much lovelier than this...except my darlings aren't with me.

*Fenway J. L******

Is there such thing as Blizzard Burn?

Postcard perfect: This pic isn't from our recent ski trip, but of two super special guys skiing in Tahoe a *few* years back.

Despite the surprise snow, we made the New Year's ski trip to Bend and had an absolutely lovely time...despite (and I will capitalize here) EXTREME weather conditions on the mountain (therefore, no pics because how could I take my gloves off to take a shot of snow falling parallel to the ground?? I couldn't even unzip my pocket). But we didn't care! We had so much fun skiing that the pelting of ice snow type crystals on our faces in high wind didn't register until a day later when I still had bright red cheeks and a peeling chin. Hmmm...to think I liberally lubed all of us up with SPF to avoid sunburns. H claims he's never heard of a "Blizzard Burn" but I definitely got one, so if it doesn't exist, then I have just coined a new term.

Hope the New Year turns out lovelier for everyone than they hope. Do something great for yourself. You deserve it!