Hitting the Road

I spent today in Salem, getting lost, and signing papers at my new office. Salem, though it has it's detractors, does seem like a nice enough place. The apartment I looked at was beautiful, the back wall was floor to ceiling windows directly over the Willamette River. It was a bit on the costy side, so I doubt Molly and I will be calling it home, but, man, it was nice.

I leave tomorrow at midnight for a week in Costa Rica, to spend a week at language school, and then a week at the beach with the family. Because I really don't like people that much, spending the first week on a homestay in a little mountain town makes me a little anxious. I can't make small talk on a good day, let alone in another language. Most of my past Spanish experiences involve asking about flujo, or locating the cause of an itch. I keep telling myself I can do anything for a week. Right?

Walking the dog

I'm walking in Forest Park and the Hoyt Arboretum whenever I get the chance- the main trail, the Wildwood Trail, travels forty miles through wooded areas weaving in and out of the city. You can be in the wild, and then come upon a road with a city bus stop. The first photo is of a Monkey puzzle tree, on the Bristlecone Pine Trail.
This is the city, bathed in light, and the Willamette River, from the Wildwood trail near Pittock Mansion.

Heavy moss and lush green in January- Wildwood Trail, again, near the Sequoia collection. I have a goal of walking every trail at the Arboretum, and I'm completed about 2/3 of them so far. None of them are very long, but they wind around with switchbacks and loops, so you feel you've gone a long way though it's over a small area.
And there's the dog herself! Looking very sporty in a new trim, and quite slim, because she walks two miles to my one.

It's a new day

What a wonderful thing it is to see that even while we remain at war and haven't been able to overcome our most atavistic impulses, that we can still have a peaceful change of government in spite of the radically different tenor of the new administration.

Congratulations to all of us!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KApWOAefKCs

new addictive game

With more than enough time on my hands, I got hooked on an online crayon physics game- hours went by while I tried to move the little ball towards the little flag. Now that I have completed all the levels, I have enough time to add this post.

Magic Pen Collect the flags with the red ball to complete each level.

Play this free game now!!

There; go forth and play, I promise it'll make your brain grow. You can get very creative, and there's no down beat music when you fail. I appreciate that as I fail quite a bit.

Today (between games) I went to PT for my wasting away left foot, went tanning for my upcoming trip to Costa Rica, had a manicure- the girl was new and she had nothing to do, so I said ok, and then got a haircut. This may have been my most active day since I came out here. Pretty pathetic, but I work tomorrow and Friday at the family practice job, and I leave next Friday for a week doing a medical spanish class in Turrialba, Costa Rica, and then a week at the beach with the family. For a life in which everything has gone wrong of late, it's still pretty good.

And, Lysse just called, and she's bringing home Thai for dinner.. What more could I ask for?

knitting this week: too much time after surgery

A new Molly coat:
















A scarf/shawl:


Scaruffle (for Lysse):

Winter comes to the west coast

They said it would be dark. They said it would rain. They said if it snowed, it would be gone in a flash.

They lied.

Since last saturday, it has been snowing on and off and cold. Not as cold as Maine, but cold nonetheless.

And it snowed, all day yesterday, and finished up with a thick coat of freezing rain, so the snow is encased. The whole city has shut down- 911 systems off line, roads closed, urgent care centers closed, the airport full of stranded travelers.

Here we are, down in a valley, only one road out, which won't be plowed till wednesday if we're lucky. They still use chains here! in fact, they are mandatory now on all Portland Metro roads. I didn't know anybody still made chains- I thought they were obsolete.


Here's Molly in her Santa Suit. She had a great time outside this morning, skittering across the top of the frozen snow, and I wa able to let her off lead since no vehicles can travel our road.

Wednesday- snow day

So, here we are, Wednesday, december 17th. I am now 5 days out from my microdiscectomy, and doing pretty well, I think. The leg and foot pain disappeared immediately, leaving only incisional pain, which is way easier to deal with than the nerve pain.
Snow has arrived in PDX, started Saturday, paused for a couple of days, and now has returned. This is a rare commodity here, and they are not prepared for it. days after the first storm, the roads are not plowed, and schools are still closed- 3 inches fell over the weekend, and it's still a mess. When it does snow, chains are mandatory on the main roads, though many people of course don't have chains, or they decide to apply them only after they've spun out of control on a highway overpass. the news feeds are filled with people leaving their cars, and walking these overpasses, while other cars slide towards them.

I am home, warm and happy, with a sufficient supply of percocet, chocolate, yarn and sappy movies. My roommate, Lysse, has gone into work today, and since I didn't see her car on the exit road, I can only guess that she got there.

Cannon beach- Goonie alert!

Lysse and I went over to Cannon Beach for a few days over Thanksgiving.

Surprisingly, a lot of people had the same idea, and the hotel, beach and roads were pretty full. I'll bet it's nothing like summer, and that's fine with me. It was beautiful, with long stretches of open beach with these incredible rock outcroppings, and the constant roar of the surf.

Molly ran free on the beach, and almost got used to doggie etiquette, but was pretty overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of other dogs lookin' for a good time.

Anyone who has seen Goonies will recognize this beach- it's a wonderful place to visit, and there's so much more to the coast that I haven't even seen yet.

Living things!

A cyclamen from Lee, which is also the first plant we bought together, during a long cold winter in New Hampshire when Lysse was two, and a Rue from Jensi and Carmen, to protect me from the evil eye as I go through all these changes. I can't thank the three of you enough. Mille grazie

Just when things are looking down...

I am reminded that I have a wonderful family, thoughtful and generous kids, good friends.
Thank you all.

(Flowers from Scott- they're beautiful! thank you again)

It was the best of times, and also the worst

Here's a shot of Mount Hood from a hill near our place. Actually it's from a cemetery nearby, Lysse drove me up there on Sunday, since I was going a bit stir crazy at home.









On a smaller scale, this is a shot of a romanesque broccoli we bought at the farmers market on saturday. It was almost too pretty to cut and eat, but we did manage to, and it was great.




Last but not least, here's a rose from the bouquet Lee sent me when I was feeling my worst :

Sunday-Funday!

today's sunday fun started with a walk down the road to the club house, where I spent some time in the sauna and the hot tub. I was feeling great until I walked back into the apartment. Unfortunatly, while I was gone , Molly had a little meltdown, and woke Lysse up (my soak was at 7:00). So, after reading up on separation anxiety, I found a local vet, who turned out to be very caring, and took lots of time coming up with a plan for Molly's transistion- new house, people around, her love interet on the other side of the country. Start on Valium and prozac- just what I would have suggested if Molly had come to me, more or less.

So now we have valium, and a crate, and I may still go ahead and have someone come in for daily walks- Now for my transition plan.

My ankle looks like a ripe plum. my hip is screaming at me, I cry at the slightest thing. So far, all is going according to plan.

Vamos a ver.