A little labor now for next winters heat

Mom doesn't chop down perfectly good trees to heat her home. Instead, after a good storm she spends hours driving mountain roads looking for fallen trees. After she finds a tree that has fallen near or over the road, she calls the Forest Service who in turn sends someone up to inspect and approve it. After approval and acquiring a wood permit ($10 per cord), it's time to cut and haul away as quickly as possible. You never know when some unscrupulous person may go steal your legally claimed wood before you can get to it.

Mom was lucky enough to find a huge fir tree that fell across the road and up the mountain side. I noticed the tree trunk had sustained a significant bit of damage some time in the past decade and its death was inevitable. The tree trunk was located at least 25 feet down a steep canyon below the road and was so tall that it broke into at least four pieces across the road and mountain above the road.

You can see here where the tree split down the middle and broke off. There's no way we could get to it unless we have some logging equipment. Fortunately it will not go to waste as this 30 foot tall broken tree trunk (snag) will eventually dry up and provide food and shelter for insects, birds and small animals.

Apollo and Critter (yes, that's what they call him) watch carefully as Steve saws away at part of the tree up on the hill above us. Chunks of falling wood hit the log below until it was eventually dislodged and rolled down into the ditch.

Poor Steve told us he can feel the vibration of the chainsaw in his hands for days after working with it. We ended up leaving a significant portion of the tree behind him since the labor needed to get to it was too great and not worth any risks.

Critter climbs part way up the hill to take the chainsaw from Steve so he can descend safely.

After working on the tree above, Steve started on the log that was left in the road. At this point we had already hauled away one truck and trailer full of rounds.

The first day we went up to get the wood, we noticed it was very wet. I broke a splinter off and bit it, then sucked the water out of it. It tasted like fir all right! I just thought it was interesting how much water was in this tree. I suppose the added weight of the water combined with its weakened trunk may have had something to do with the tree falling as well.

My cousin Elaine used her small chainsaw to cut up some wood. Everyone else thought it was a waste of time but she thought it was more wasteful to let it sit there and rot. I agreed with her and helped load it into the truck.

Apollo and Critter break apart rounds that were not quite sawed all the way through. We left quite a bit of this log behind since it was teetering on the edge of the canyon. I'm guessing there were about six more rounds left on it. But it was too dangerous.

Apollo worked his muscles cutting through this green wood. It was amazing how the water forced our axes to bounce right off the wood! That's my Mom catching her breath after stacking partially cut rounds in the trailer.

Just as we had finished, we heard a screaming sound, then a crack, the sound of branches rubbing on other branches and then heard and felt a loud boom of a tree falling in the canyon below us. Honestly, it sounded like the tree was screaming in pain before it busted open and fell. And to answer the often posed question, I would say that if no one was around, a tree does make a sound when it falls in the forest. That loud boom and all the trees that still surrounded us were all we needed to let us know it was time for us to leave.

I found out later Apollo thought "going to get wood" meant driving to a barn somewhere, buying it from some guy and loading it into a truck. He was in for quite a surprise as we drove past a dead cow, up a steep mountain road and through five miles of pot holes on a deserted logging road.

We later discovered the plug which connected the trailer electrical system to our truck a mile down the road, broken off. That was a nerve wracking ride down the mountain.

The fog rolling in through an area that had been logged, burned and replanted. Mom's house is a couple mountains away, somewhere down under that fog.

It's amazing how fast the sun moves. It wasn't long after the last photo that I was able to catch the beginning of a sunset. It's always a good idea to follow up a day of hard work by stopping and taking in the beauty around you.

Taking in the view

We're back from another long day hauling wood off a mountain. On our way back to Mom's with a truck and trailer full of wood, we saw one bobcat, three different herd of elk, two red tail hawk and a beautiful sunset with the fog settling in. I wasn't lucky enough to get any photos of the animals or at least not any that show more than a speck of color in the brush.

After all our hard work, it was nice to stop and take in the scenery. I plan on returning for a trip through the mountains just for photo taking opportunities. Mike, you would die!

I didn't think we would be so tired but we're exhausted. Partially from our day but also from traveling back and forth these past two days. We finally found a route home from Mom's that we like (there's several to choose from, some involving flat top without any paint). It's only 67 miles each way and takes an hour and a half to drive.

There is much debate within The Family over which route is the best but our favorite is the most traveled and is only four miles longer than the one The Family likes. Plus, I don't have to worry about cars illegally parked partially on the highway when I drive around a narrow hair-pin corner opposite a log truck. Someone, and if you read my blog often enough you know which loon I'm talking about, throws her rotten eggs at them. And yes, she actually saves her eggs by the bucket full just for this occasion.

The bad route also includes mud, land and rock slides which may take out the road at any time. And then there's innocent enough looking water which may result in water washing over your car obstructing your view for several seconds even with windshield wipers going at full blast. It turns out that slowing down to a seemingly reasonable 35 miles per hour is not actually reasonable at all. However, it did make my sister stop talking for several minutes. That, my friends, is an amazing feat.

We'll be trekking back to Mom's next week. I don't think chopping or hauling wood will be involved, maybe this time we'll scoop some of the mud out of Mom's spring (water supply) which is partially filtered with a bird cage.

You think I'm joking.

Fungus among us

Mom called me this morning and asked if we could come help load wood. It seems she found a fir windfall and was desperate to get to it before anyone else did. While she went to town to pick up the wood permit (the Forest Service had already marked it for her), I took a walk in one of the fields down by the infamous orchard (infamous due to it inhabiting bears that may or may not have been on a certain someone's menu-wish-list).

Yes, it appears grass is greener on the other side of the fence! The old apple orchard is on the other side of the fence towards the middle left of the photo. I try not to venture in this area after dusk due to wild creatures. Actually...I don't really go anywhere at Mom's after dark due to all the coyote, cougar, skunk and bear problems. I already have irrational fears of the dark and I don't need any real life situations to occur and make things worse. You see, I quickly jump on my bed every night because I can imagine a dried up brown, wrinkly hand reaching out from under the bed to grab my leg. I know it's silly but I can't help it, I start to get chills if I don't hop in bed right away. So if I were to unexpectedly see a coyote at night (you know, like if I wasn't in a controlled situation such as in Mom's car holding her rifle on my lap while she spotlighted the field looking for the coyotes howling over a new elk calf) I may or may not have an anxiety attack. And that would hurt.

During my walk I noticed several types of mushrooms growing in the field. There were at least three or four different types mixed in with the elk poop and grass. Ah, lovely elk poop! It was only a couple days old, I checked it. (And then there was that time I collected several elk poop samples in my pocket and took them to an Uncle to have him explain to me why some looked different than others. Hey, he was informative!)

This mushroom reminded me of that time in high school when Faythe and I were sitting at a campfire, laughing hysterically (OK there were thousands of times we laughed hysterically and mostly for no reason at all and no, we were not high even though everyone thought we were), and I accidentally flung my roasting marshmallow in her face. Oh, those were good times! You may be wondering about the connection...it looks like a roasted marshmallow, right?

These two mushrooms are just cute. It looks like the taller mushroom is trying to squash the growth of the shorter mushroom by leaning on him with his elbow. (The mushroom Man is keeping him down!) I also like the contrast of the barn roof, sky and grass to the neutral mushroom color.

Tomorrow, hopefully pictures of Paul Bunyan-like activity. Also a bonus Red Circle of Death story which involves a dead animal and a box of sugary snacks. Yum!

Starting at the bottom

I've started something new - cupcakes! You're looking at the bottoms of four cupcakes with one of the main parts in the background. (Is it me or do the cupcake bottoms look like nipple tassels?)

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed knitting with Debbie Bliss's Baby Cashmerino. After using sock yarn for so long, the cashmerino is a nice change. It's so soft!

Hopefully I'll have the cupcakes finished by the end of the week. The only thing thing that may hold me up is all the seaming. Other than that, it's nice to knit something other than socks.

Sunday

I haven't gotten as far as I'd like on my mitten. At this rate, it'll be too warm to wear them when I'm finished. HAHAHHAAHA Who am I kidding! It'll never get warm, I have plenty of time!

I really love the idea of color work but since it's so laborious (for me as a newbie), I'm having a hard time getting obsessed with it. But since I vowed to challenge myself with knitting this year, I'll keep at it. I've also already ordered more yarn for my next color work project.


In other news, I planted garlic today. I know I'm a month or two late but I should still get something from them come this fall. (I had no idea you're supposed to plant it in the fall. It turns out the garlic benefits greatly from the frost and other climate activity.) What I'm really worried about is the soil which doesn't look like it has good drainage. To combat that potential issue, I planted the garlic seed in three raised beds about eight feet long. I'm concerned about rot and the occasional grub I found in the soil while digging.

This spring we're hoping to plant tomatoes, onions, potatoes, herbs and squash. Until then, I need to dig out last years overgrown garden and prepare the soil. I can't wait to reap our harvest!

Holly tree

Mom's house sits in an area where pioneers built houses in the "olden days." Consequently her property contains many old trees. There about five apple trees in her front yard (the elk constantly raid them), probably another five in her driveway and an apple orchard down by the barn. Amongst the more unusual of her trees is a huge holly tree about fifteen feet from her front window. Though I'm not a fan of its prickly leaf, it sure is beautiful in the snow.

Some things I've missed

In the early morning hours before Mom's paranoid guinea hen starts calling out warning cries or the dog starts barking hysterically at hawks hovering in the sky, the sun peers over the mountains chasing the fog off the fields.

I love mornings in the country. Everything is fresh, cool and damp. Even in summer. The ground is blanketed with dew and soaks through shoes when walking through grass. In the winter, inhaling morning air is cleansing and refreshing. In the summer, it smells of grass, the creek and moss.





Photos courtesy of Apollo.

Hidden gems in the garden

With our new home we inherited a rundown garden. We were surprised to see tomatoes, onions, strawberries, corn and more trying to hang on in the cold of November. It looked like the last owner, once she sold the house, let everything go. And go it did! Tomatillo's were running rampant in the garden, the yard and up on the fence. Tomatoes had escaped their cages and wandered aimlessly. Corn sat on the stalks, rotting away. After some rain pushed down weeds, we found waterlogged onions and squash oozing in random locations.

Yesterday, my Grandma visited and helped me pull out all the corn stalks. We tried pulling them back in November but the earth was too dry and the corn wasn't ready to let go. Thankfully, the rain has since loosened the soil and it was easy for us to yank them all up. It wasn't until then that we were finally able to see all these gorgeous looking partially decomposed tomatillo husks laying on the ground. It's amazing they've held up this long through rain, snow, sleet, hail and frost.

Their texture is beautiful and haunting. I couldn't wait to take photos of them today between rain showers.

Zoe reaching nirvana?

If you've met Zoe, you know what I mean when I say she's a scaredy-cat. Sounds scare her. The scraping of a shoe makes her jump two feet. A loud burp, knock at the door, or someone coughing in the hallway is all scary enough to cause her to jump in the air, turn before touching the floor and run in the opposite direction. One of her nicknames is The Blur.

Well, since we've moved, Zoe has finally learned what it's like to live in a quiet, peaceful house. She rarely jumps or hides now. Even when someone deliberately slides their foot across the floor when she's walking by. (I would never do that though. Not me!) She also greets perfect strangers and meows at them (demanding a massage). I've never seen Zoe sleep with her stomach exposed or legs stretched out like she is now. Yes, Zoe is loving life.

Fail!

Trying my hand at some colorwork

Matching unmatching socks

I dunno, but I kind of like them! Deliberately asymmetrical, they gave me a chance to work on changing color. They're Aimee's now, an appreciator of the funky.

Some photos I meant to show you earlier

When we first moved here, the leaves were turning bright, beautiful colors. This is a leaf from a Maple tree/bush thing in our yard. It looks like a tree that someone tried to cut down that has since grown back in the form of a bush (it still has remnants of a stump). I may be wrong, I don't know anything about trees.


I took this after our first snow fairly early in the morning before any cars had driven through it. I just love how snow blankets everything and peacefully muffles sound. I'm hoping it snows more this winter.

Apollo: not a fan of woman-talk

Poor Apollo, he isn't very comfortable when I start asking him his opinion about yarn or knitting. (Or anything potentially woman oriented.) You'd think I was asking him to make a life or death decision about which yarn to use for the toe of the sock I was trying to complete. Video footage available here.

I can hear Faythe chanting, "Rip, rip rip!"

I'm knitting some socks for my Aunt Lillian out of Colinette Jitterbug Moss but unfortunately have run out of yarn within a few inches of completing the second sock. After some surfing, I learned this is common with Jitterbug, the whole being a bit skimpy on the yardage issue.

So I have three options here:

1) Buy a whole new hank of yarn to complete the second sock.

2) Rip out the toe on the first sock and hope it's enough to complete the lace of the second sock, then use a different color to knit both toes.

3) Rip all the way back to the leg on both socks and shorten the leg, therefor guaranteeing I have enough yarn for the foot. I'm just crazy enough to do this, too.

Well, I don't think I'll buy any more, even though I love the yarn. Let the ripping commence!

Alien cats suck out your soul while wishing you a Happy New Year

I don't think it means what he thinks it means.

And no, it's not a prison tattoo. At least, that's what my cousin said.

Snow, steak and disbelief

Much to most people's surprise, we got some snow this month. Because we're in the valley, we usually only get rain, rain and more rain. But a week or so before Christmas we got three inches of snow on two different occasions. The city was practically paralyzed in disbelief and most people stayed home.

I love the snow because it's so beautiful and because I don't have to drive anywhere in it or feed any ungrateful cows in snow and ice after dragging bales of hay half a mile up the road and wheelbarrowing water brought up from the creek in buckets. Not that I am bitter. However, there's a reason I do not live near a cow and love a good steak.

So while we had snow, we didn't drive our car because we don't have studs or chains. Instead, Aimee took the opportunity to drive her jeep (otherwise known as Roger) on errands.

One day she asked if I wanted to ride along with her to finish up some Christmas shopping. Of course I was game, I wanted to check out all the snow! As I packed up the sock I was knitting, she said, "I think the sock will be here when you get back." I was stunned as I realized the magnitude of the statement she had made. Obviously, I had failed her somehow as a knitter! I could see that she has some way to go before knitting is truly a drug of choice and she is fully addicted. Needless to say, the knitting went with me. I peacefully knit while waiting outside for her in the jeep, watching people skid by on ice and children play in snow.

The next day we went to a yarn store where Aimee bought the yarn for her Oregon Duck scarf and some nice Malabrigo for a hat. It may take some time but I'm sure Aimee will catch up with the rest of us addicts!

Looking forward to February

On Black Friday Mom and I drove straight to Sears where I was able to buy a washer and dryer. We got a great deal on a set of front loaders, with a savings of about $600. The bad part of the deal is we have to wait until February to get them. Meanwhile, off to the laundromat we go!

Above, Aimee waits patiently for her laundry to go through the wash cycle. She's working on an Oregon Duck scarf, a popular color theme in these parts.

Thimbleberries

I picked these berries while visiting Mom last summer. They're delicious but you have to watch out for bugs which like to hang out in the cupped part of the soft, lightly fuzzed berry. I can't tell you how many berries I've spit out when I felt something crunchy that didn't belong.

The other good thing about thimbleberries is their leaves, which are large, thick, soft and fuzzy. They make great toilet paper when you're stuck in the woods! Not that I would know anything about that.

Apollo showing off his assets

Apollo didn't realize I was recording him, he thought I was holding the camera up to take a picture. The "boobs" are outdoor faucet covers.

Note Zoe running by in the beginning of the video. She does this whenever someone knocks on or comes in any of the doors. This should have been Apollo's first clue that someone was there.

Mom's newbie chicken egg (with grooves)

Some Christmas goodies

I wanted to add something to the presentation of the socks and these vellum labels with a simple bow in the middle seemed to be just the touch I was looking for. Information about yarn content and care is written on the back of the label. More photos of each project can be found in my Flickr account.


Sweetheart Socks knit with Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Gerber

River Rapids knit with Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Red Willow

Moon River knit with Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Plum Glace

'Twas the night before Christmas...

...and all through the house, not a creature was stirring except for one naughty ginger cat. Before him stood a huge green tree where shiny items dangled, taunting him. His whiskers twitched and his pupils dilated. Before he knew what he was doing, he reached out a soft nubbin paw to touch a round ruby red globe. In slow motion he saw it fall and break into pieces. The sound it made was like thousands of lids peeling off canned food all at once. This was even more interesting, so the ginger cat walked through the shards of red and silver. The house maid picked him up and checked his feet for injury and then put him down while she cleaned up the sparkling bits of treasure. He then sniffed the bits in amazement and walked through them again, even as the house maid attempted to sweep them up and pushed him away. (The nerve!) After a third trek through the pieces, he lost interest.

With the shiny pieces gone, he walked over to his dent in the couch, exhausted by the last five minutes of exertion. With a few licks to his fur, his tummy exposed to the night air and all four paws up in the air, he dreamed of the worlds softest fleece bed, rooms full of furniture he could scratch and pee on whenever he felt like it and of biting his sister who was sleeping quietly in her carrier.

With a start, the ginger cat woke. He realized a stranger was in the kitchen opening a can of the stinkiest, wet, fishy food. The stranger called to him and waved the can in the air for several minutes, but he only laid there and stared. Though he wanted the food, the naughty ginger cat was still in a coma-like trance, as he had only slept 18 hours that day. With his eyes slowly closing, he heard the red and white clothed human quietly leave the house, whispering (so as to not wake any of the kitties), "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

AIEEEEEE!

I'm back online! Well, I've had Internet Access for a couple weeks after we upgraded from dial-up but I always felt like I was bugging Aimee when I used her computer. It may have had something to do with the constant staring and heavy sighs coming from her direction (just kidding). My new computer arrived yesterday and today I've spent hours uploading photos and checking websites I haven't read in months. I feel human again! I can finally contact all my friends back home, check my bank accounts, track packages, upload photos, peruse knitting patterns...yes, life is good!

I've never owned a Christmas Cactus before because they make me think old ladies (shut up Faythe, you're next!). But I couldn't resist the delicate yet brightly colored petals and picked this one up at a local hardware store. In contrast to the snow we got last week, they provided a nice punch of color to the view of our backyard.


The small glass bottles on the sill contain seeds from a squash and various peppers. Mom gave us dried peppers with instructions to separate the seeds for our garden. I'm not sure if we need this many peppers but I dutifully separated the seeds and consequently got welts on my face from oil contamination. I even made a concerted effort not to touch my face but within five minutes I had burning pink welts in various areas - some too close to my eyes to make me comfortable. Needless to say, I am not a fan of the peppers.

Anyway, I need to get off this computer. I can't stop sneezing and I SWEAR I'm not going to get sneeze juice on this monitor like I did my work computer. Ha!

I forgot about the cold

I don't mind the rain, that's not a problem at all. But nobody warned me about the cold! (Or maybe they did and I was oblivious to it all.) And fog - there's a log of fog around here too. It will just take a little while to adjust to. And by little while, I mean the fall and winter of '08 - '09 and maybe 2010. The cats have stopped shedding and are busy growing their winter coats for the first time in their lives.

Yesterday Apollo and I drove to Joël's in Waterloo. It's a cute community not far from basic amenities. Rather than taking The Five (known as I-5 around here) we drove through several small towns like Sodaville and Brownsville via a shortcut recommended by our Garmin. Apollo was nervous while we drove the 25mph speed limit through those small towns. The kind of nervous that is accompanied with the sound of dueling banjo's in the background. Obviously we will not be taking that route again.

Well, I think I'll head on back to my place where we have a wood stove burning. Aimee's home is cold because she's a regular Oregonian now and is numb to it all. I, on the other hand, will probably take a while to acclimate and am freezing cold. You'll know when I'm acclimated because I'll stop complaining about it. Now, off to knit some wool socks that I suddenly have use for!

Settling in

Phew! We made it in to Oregon where it's cold and raining, just like everyone promised! The tree's welcomed us with a display a of beautiful yellow, orange and red leaves. I was stunned at their magnificence and kept talking about them to everyone. They've started to fall now and we're joining the neighbors in endless raking of leaves off our lawn and onto the street into large piles, since the city is going to start picking them up. This has yet to happen but nobody has given up hope and continue to add to the piles.

I'll be honest, both Apollo and I are homesick. Apollo more so since he can't just walk down the hall or street an hang with someone he knows. I didn't think I would miss apartment but sometimes I do a little. Just when I miss the camaraderie of people near by I remind myself of all the noise and lack of privacy. That usually does it. Just the same, I admit that I am a bit scared at night. It's strange being surrounded by darkness. Our streets don't have any lights which makes for a very dark night.

We also don't have any furniture other than a dining room table, a couple chairs and matching dresser and bed. I splurged and got a Sealy bed with a pillow top. It's a lot more comfortable than the air mattresses we spent our first two nights on but then again, anything would be more comfortable than rolling off cold air in the morning. I also bought a bed frame which we expect to be delivered Thursday or Friday.

That's it for now. I need to get back to the Main House and make sure the wood stove isn't out of control. Photos and more regular blogging to follow when we have broadband!

I guess this is it.

It seems this is the last time I'll be blogging until we get into Oregon and are somewhat settled in. Of course I'm addicted to the Internet so I'll probably be online before I even have my dishes unpacked. Except Aimee has a dial-up connection right now and that freaks me out like you wouldn't believe. Dial-up!! Which means I'll have a box unpacked for every page that loads.

I just tried to use my phone and it's already disconnected. I called the cable company and they said that rather than disconnect me at the end of the day I have paid for, my bundled services will be disconnected randomly throughout the day. Apollo is freaked out by losing his TV and I'm upset about losing access to the 'net.

Meanwhile, I'm going to visit with Chad and Shawn today. Good friends are hard to find. I'll miss them. :( Shawn is going to give me another piece of his original art. It's nice to have some paintings that will remind me of him every time I look at them.

We're planning on leaving early Saturday morning. I think we may have a problem with Big Mac who I expect will continue to try to talk us out of leaving up until I pull out of the driveway. Poor Big Mac!

So that's it. I'll be talking to you from the rainy beaver (lol) state next time. Bye!


ps - Since I'll be Internet deprived, I'll be Twittering as much as possible!
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Visiting Jen and her kidlet

We visited Jen and Peanut in Mission Viejo yesterday. After lunch, Peanut grabbed Apollo's hand and they walked around the fountain in front of the restaurant for about ten minutes. As Jen and I were walking to the car, she raised her hand to waved at us and we saw all the dirt she had accumulated from rubbing the fountain as she walked around. Apollo and Peanut made a cute pair!

It was great catching up with Jen, she also gave me some delicious Chinese tea and a bag of hair clips she made that I'll give my baby girl cousins. Thanks Jen, I'll miss you!

Saying goodbye

Lately I have had to say goodbye to friends and coworkers that I probably won't see ever again. I hadn't thought of it that way before. I didn't know it would be so hard or uncomfortable! I am heart broken.

A penny saved is a penny in my gas tank!

Last night I rolled up all the pennies in my piggy bank and came up with $18.50 worth! I also have a pile of foreign coins and another $13 of miscellaneous US coins that I don't have enough of to roll up. This collection (aside from the foreign money that I've been holding on to since my trip to Europe) has taken years to build up. It just goes to prove that saving your pennies is worth it! This is going to go towards our gas money for the trip to Oregon. At the going rate, the pennies alone should get me through LA.

Simba's carrier

We packed up Simba's basket and switched it out for his cat carrier with his old furry mattress I made inside. He sleeps in it all the time now. I just want him to have some good memories associated with the carrier so he isn't really freaked out when we start our trip. I've yet to convince Zoe that hanging out in her carrier is a good thing but I think that as long as it's quiet and dark, she'll be happy. This combined with the kitty-downers we got from the vet should help make it all less stressful for both of them.

One box left

Looking around the room, I think I have one box left to pack up. OK, well not just one, we have to pack the grill up. Oh, and then there's all the books I decided to ship rather than pack into the trunk. That's three boxes. Anyway, it seems empty in here with all our most valued possessions packed up in eight huge boxes sitting in the dining room.

Our neighbors have turned into little scavengers. We leave items we can't bear to throw away in a box outside our door. Within minutes to hours, they're gone. One guy, Rob, is going to have a yard sale after we leave. I hope he makes a few bucks off our stuff.

After packing up the last box, we'll clean and get rid of the furniture courtesy of Craigslist. Our move date is so close but yet so far! I'm aiming for October 27th but only if I get to properly visit all my friends before then.

Meanwhile, did you hear that Mervyn's is going out of business? We went shopping today to look for some good deals (just the same sales so far) and the cashier told us they'll be open until December 31st. Get your goodies before they close! We already packed our new clothes into one of our boxes, using them as padding to protect a radio.

Well, I should go. Zoe is meowing at me because she supposedly has no place to sleep since I packed up her bed. Night!

An update on packing

My goal of shipping everything to Oregon for $400 or less is almost a reality. I'll get a confirmation on rates when I take my first box in to FedEx tomorrow. Then plan is to have them come pick everything else up on Monday. Let's hope the FedEx guy is wearing a back brace since each box weighs just under 70lbs!

If there's one thing I've learned from all this packing, it's that I've purchased a lot of crap that I didn't need and forgot about. Hopefully I'll be a better spender in the future!

A trip to the vet

The cat's went to the veterinarian today for check ups, vaccination and a prescription for a kitty downer for the trip. They both meowed quite a bit at first, Zoe stopping after a couple blocks. Once at the vet, Simba kept meowing and started to get hoarse.

Zoe, on the other hand, buried herself into the cat bed in her carrier and looked at me with eyes that said, "I trusted you!"

Other than a semi-truck honking its horn as we were leaving the vet office, freaking out both cats, everything went great. I thought they would be mad when we got home but they're acting normal, Zoe isn't even trying to hide and Simba hasn't peed on anything. Success!

Nothing in the alley today

We are a few steps closer to moving. Today we opened a FedEx account, bought and packed four extra-large UHaul boxes. I managed to pack all our dishes into our comforter, blankets and yarn.

We also threw away a lot of crap. Some of it was still good but we're at the point now where we just don't care. I foresee a lot more not caring in the near future. I just want to get this stuff shipped off so I can spend time with my friends before I go.

Oh, and the bedroom set we left in the alley the other day? Gone by the next morning.

Getting rid of stuff

We put our bedroom set (dresser, two bedside tables and mirror) in the alley tonight. I expect it to be gone by this time tomorrow night. At least someone who really wants it will get it free of charge!

Our place is starting to get real tore up with stuff everywhere in boxes and bags (things we're throwing away). It doesn't look like we're moving, it just looks messy. I'll feel better when all the furniture is gone.

A Meme About Firsts

Faythe tagged me. I let a poop story sit on my blog for a bit before I posted - it's a must read, do scroll down! Also, don't forget to check out the Red Circle of Death for stories about other crazy people I may or may not be related to.

Who was your FIRST prom date? Um, Faythe? *ashamed*

Do you still talk to your FIRST love? No. Bastard!

What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? I don't really remember. After my first drink there was a lot more drinking, everything is kind of fuzzy around that time. Maybe tequila? Or Boone's?

What was your FIRST job? I worked at the Forest Service as a receptionist via Looking Glass, a program designed to help poor kids realize there is more out there.

What was your FIRST car? My Uncle Scotty dropped off a Pontiac in our parking lot at school one day, saying it was mine. I was a bit freaked out, I didn't know how to drive and Mom refused to teach me. That may have had something to do with her fear of us finding our freedom. Anyway, we ended up selling the car after my uncle's so-called friend took some of its parts to use for himself. I didn't learn to drive until much, much later though I did drive Mom's truck around later. There may or may not have been at least one incident involving a tree, the truck and a scared shitless dog.

Who was your FIRST grade teacher? I don't know, I think it was someone at Brattain Elementary though. We moved a lot.

Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? San Francisco.

Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with them? Faythe - we chat almost daily online. I already rue the day I am employed again and am not allowed to go on line. I just know that will happen to me since I am addicted to the Internet.

What was your FIRST sport played? We weren't allowed to play in sports because we 1) lived too far away, 2) it cost money and 3) grew up as Jehovah's Witnesses and were not allowed to do anything that may take our attention away from that religion.

Where was your FIRST sleep over? I'm not sure. Does sleeping at Grandparents count? Because we moved a lot, I don't remember any sleep overs until we settled in at Indian Creek. We stayed at Emily's and Faythe's quite a few times.

Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? Jamie and Virgil from college. Jamie and I were fellow flutists. I think her Mom hates me. This may have something to do with the dress they made me wear last minute, after I purchased a different dress, and my refusing to pay for it. Look, I cannot be held accountable for people changing their minds last minute, especially when I am on a budget.

What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? Weighed myself and sneezed. A lot. Damn allergies. I got some of the special type of Sudafed today that can be used to make meth, it took about ten minutes just to get my name in the system for one box!

What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? I can't remember his name, but it was someone who was in daytime soaps. The concert was free at the county fair.

FIRST tattoo or piercing? Tattoo - a heart with a music note in it. I know, it's so blah. But it was a symbol of freedom from my childhood. Plus I got it at a discount because the tattoo guy had the hots for Faythe. She got a spider. Mom had our ears pierced young. I think I was four or five. I still remember the earrings too. She had a friend pierce my ears with a needle and a potato (used to sandwich the lobe, I think).

FIRST foreign country you went to for vacation? Amsterdam. After college graduation, I took a three week trip to backpack through Europe. I had no idea where I was going or what I was going to do. I had a Euro pass, a ticket to Amsterdam and a copy of "Go Europe." I chose countries on a whim, to get away from mosquito's and dropped in on unsuspecting relatives, one family of which did not speak English.

What was your FIRST run in with the law? I was pulled over twice in one night because my tail lights were out. The first time, the sheriff told me to drive home with my emergency lights on and get the tail lights fixed as soon as possible. He was pleasant to talk to. The second cop, the one cop in Monmouth, saw me coming and waited for me on the border of the small town. He had a real attitude and looked for anything he could give me a ticket on and even called in to see if my story about the sheriff was true. He said it was illegal to drive with your emergency lights on. Eventually he let me go but not until I gave him some attitude and played my Prince music loudly while he talked to me. Oh, I was such a rebel. LOL.

When was your FIRST detention? Let's see. Was it because our entire senior class skipped school, using permission slips from our parents and having the balls to ride in to school on a school bus before walking off campus past the principal who warned us? Or the time I got in trouble because I was head camp counselor and I knew several people snuck on camp grounds, had a party and ate some food in the kitchen without permission? Oh, I didn't get detention for either of those, I chose suspension instead.

What was the FIRST state you lived in? Oregon.

Who was the FIRST person to break your heart? Sigh. Let us not speak of it.

Who was your FIRST roommate? Carrie, a classmate from high school. What a horrible mistake that was! We weren't even friends in high school, I don't know why we thought it would work in college. She said I caused her to have high blood pressure. Whatever! At least I didn't spend all my time sucking up to all the popular kids. Plus, I tested out of math (so much for all those extra math classes she took from community college during high school) and I graduated with a real degree.

Where did you go on your FIRST limo ride? I vaguely remember a limo ride in high school but beyond that, nothing. Maybe I was with Faythe and Matt? I must have drank those brain cells away.

Who will be the FIRST to repost this? Jen or one of the other Rayleen's? Hey, you other Rayleen's....leave your blog URL! :)

The Crazy

A few days ago at Ghetto Albertson's, Apollo helped rescue a baby in a parked car. It was strapped into its car seat, screaming its head off. It has been pretty warm lately and I'm sure it was VERY hot in the car. He used a brick to break a window and got the baby out.

Apollo just got in from Von's, another local grocery store. He said a homeless guy was picking his butt in the store and walking around aimlessly. Apollo and another shopper were talking about how nasty it was when suddenly, the guy pulled down his pants and took a poop! Right there next to the cat food!

Why do I always miss The Crazy? All I have to say is the hippies up in Eugene better make up for all the entertainment we're leaving behind.

Moving!

I can finally officially announce that we're moving! Apollo was having a hard time telling his friends so I gave him some extra time to do so before I blogged about it. There are a few people who have read my blog that know him and I wanted to give him the chance to say something first.

We gave notice on the first and are aiming at the third week in October. The plan is to get there before Halloween and before the roads get bad in Northern Cal/Southern Or because we're driving up. Yes, with two angry cats! It should be an adventure. Plus, since we'll be moving into a house in a real neighborhood, we're looking forward to seeing all the kiddies on Halloween night.

I'm excited about this new chapter in my life but it will be sad to leave my friends behind. Hopefully we will all continue to keep in touch through the magic of the Internets.


Apollo is looking forward to Oregon too. While the obvious change in seasons helped to win him over (we have two seasons here in San Diego: warm and fire season ), in the end it was my loving hyperactive genetically crazy prone family that clinched the deal.

I'm sure the next couple weeks will be stressful. Especially since I haven't gotten over my job yet. This morning I had a dream I was helping our new customer support people troubleshoot an end-users issue. I guess the reality of it all hasn't hit me yet.

Well, I need to get back to packing and throwing things away!


Photo taken at Mom's, January 2008.

Ooooooooh, "Glass" Cleaner!!

Seriously, this shelf arrangment made me do a double take.