Fun times at Sassy Jacks! 

Dave, Dave, Steve and Jimmy at Sassy Jacks Friday night. 

Getting in some frisbee golf in the afternoon sun. Gina at Pier Park on Friday. 

Spring is here!

Hello everyone!

It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend here in Portland. Spring has definitely arrived early this year. All the flowering trees are in full bloom and perfuming the streeets (including right in front of my apartment). It was sunny and warm (in the 60's) all weekend!

I was lucky to have a dental appointment scheduled for 2 PM on Friday so I got to leave work early. My teeth were all cleaned by 2:25 I had the rest of the sunny afternoon to enjoy. I met up with Gina and we drove out to Pier Park to squeeze in 18 holes of frisbee golf before it got dark. On our way over the St Johns Bridge we saw Mt St Helens steaming. We discussed how this illustrates the point that people can get used to ANYTHING. It's no longer a big deal that there's a nearby volcano that is regularly sending huge plumes of steam thousands of feet in the air. It's two friday afternoons in a row now that I've seen the mountain steaming. I'm so lucky!

After frisbee golf we stopped at the store to pick up some food for dinner and went back to her house. We ate and then I went with Elaine to see Dave and his friends play at Sassy Jacks. There were 2 guitars, a mandolin and an accordion. They sounded great and I had lots of fun talking with everyone.

Saturday morning a big group of us went to Dabney State Park to play frisbee golf. There were nine of us so we decided to play doubles best ball to speed up. Matt was my partner and he is an excellent so we won! woohoo! We stopped at the Tippy Canoe for lunch on the way back to town. In the afternoon I took a nap and that evening I watched LA Confidential with Elaine, Dave and Gina.

Sunday I watched "A River Runs Through It" in the morning and then drove around looking at apartments. Nothing good so far but Camille and I have a few weeks before we need to move. In the afternoon Gina & I went out to Pier Park for more frisbee golf. It was very busy with lots of people out on the course but we had a great time and we're each getting better. We went back to Gina's house for dinner and to watch "Waiting for Guffman" and the end of the Oscars. Has anyone actually seen Million Dollar Baby??

So that was my weekend. I'll post more pictures tomorrow from the rest of my weekend. Please let me know how you're doing and what's going on with you!

xoxo,
carolyn

Mossy trees at Timber. Heavenly! 

Playing frisbee golf at Timber on Tuesday. Yes, that is a horse behind us! Notice the short-sleeved shirts! Is it February?!? 

Sunday morning...blue skies and sunshine at Dabney State Park. 

Saturday morning light streaming through the trees at Pier Park. 

Thanks to rush hour traffic I got some great pictures of the St Johns Bridge! 

Afternoon light through the cedars. 

In Pier Park, North Portland 

Friday at Pier Park with Elaine and Gina. 

63 holes of frisbee golf

Hello everyone!

I had a great weekend here. The weather was spectacular all weekend long. It was the first Saturday of the year that it hasn't rained at all so it was welcome. It's actually been really dry here but it always seems to rain on Saturday.

My weekend started early actually. I left work at 1 PM on Friday to go frisbee golfing with Elaine and Gina. It was Girl Golf Day! On my drive to their house I saw Mt St Helens spewing some white steam thousands of feet into the air...kind of distracting when you're driving 65 Mph. First Elaine and I stopped to buy a few more discs and then we drove out to Pier Park in North Portland. The weather was beautiful and we had lots-o-fun playing in the sun. Afterwards we had to drop Gina off at O'Malleys for her pool league (she's obsessed) and Elaine and I went to Pho Van. It's a great Vietnamese restaurant which we can't get enough of. Paul and Brian met up with us and we had a wonderful meal. We then went back to O'Malleys to pick up Gina. We stayed for some beers before heading back to their house to watch a movie (Dogtown and Z-boys).

Saturday morning started with an early round of frisbee golf at Pier Park again. This time it was Elaine, Terry and me. It was so beautiful out again and we had a great time. We played 18 holes and then decided to play 9 more best ball where we each throw but then only play from the best throw so it goes faster.

I went home and showered and cleaned my apartment. Later I went back over to their house. I played Scrabble with Erik and Terry and then we grilled up shish kebabs. We had veggies, beef, chicken and pineapple and a huge caesar salad. It was the perfect day to grill out! Later that night we watched "The Jerk" before calling it a night.

Sunday...guess what?? I went frisbee golfing in the morning! This time there was a group of 6 of us and we went to Dabney State Park. It was a little windy out there as it is the beginning of the Gorge and thus the east winds. It was another beautiful, sunny day out. The wind did mess up our game some but it was fun nonetheless. We went back to their house and had a great lunch of bento from the left over kebab fixins. We then watched "Airplane" before I went home. I read and watched movies at my apartment. I baked some banana bread too. Elaine called me around 9 and invited me to come down to Trivia Night at the Basement Pub. I got there for just the last few questions but I was able to contribute a couple answers. We then went to a different bar nearby to play some shuffleboard before calling it a night.

So that was my weekend! Obviously I've really been loving the frisbee golf! Let me know what you've been up to!

I'll be posting lots of pictures tomorrow.

xoxo,
carolyn

Per Erin's request...me in my red sweater with my waxed eyebrows! hahahaha 

Old lady Fluff 

Rhododendrons blooming on campus! 

Camellias! How I love thee! 

Daffodils! 

I don't know what this flower is...any thoughts?? 

Crocuses! 

Primroses! 

The sunset Sunday evening as Jess and I walked to the movie. 

I'm wearing a red sweater today!

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend! Friday night I went to Sassy Jacks again to see Dave and his friends play. This time there was a banjo player! I had lots of fun talking with my friends and listening to them play. Gina and I walked back to her place and started watching a movie. Sleepiness overcame us both so I just stayed in their guest room up stairs.

Saturday we had our morning coffee and then I went with Gina to a salon and had my eyebrows waxed for the first time! Don't worry...I still have eyebrows...they're not freakishly thin or anything like that just cleaned up a little. I didn't think it was particularly painful either. I went home to make myself some lunch and shower. Jess was in my neighborhood so she stopped by to hang out for a little while. We've registered for a snowshoeing trip through Portland Parks & Recreation in a few weeks so I'm really excited about that!

In the evening Gina and I went to Ichidai for some sushi. Gina made some remarkable progress in her consumption of rolls that contain seaweed. yeah! She hasn't been the biggest fan of seaweed in the past. The sushi was divine and we ran into Camille and her friend Greta who had just eaten dinner too but the restaurant was so busy we didn't see them. Gina and I both like sitting at the sushi bar so we can watch them making their magical creations! yum!!!! We stopped by Gina's house for a bit before going to a friend's house for a party. They had a crazy spread of food including a make your own salad/spring roll bar. It looked great but we were stuffed with sushi. I had a nice time talking with people both friends and strangers.

Sunday I volunteered at the art museum. It was moderately busy due to Portland International Film Festival. Some of the movies are being shown at the museum so there were some crowds for that. There's also a new exhibit of Japanese woodblock prints which I LOVE! In the evening I drove over to Jess' house in Sellwood. We walked to the old theatre near her house and saw the movie "Sideways" which we both really liked. On our walk we were amazed by the number of flowers we saw blooming: daffodils, crocuses, primroses, camellias and daphne. I'm so excited for spring to really get going around here. Yes I know it's February but it's already starting! Later that night I watched a documentary on Frank Lloyd Wright (he sure did like the ladies!) and read my book.

So that's my weekend. Please let me know what you've been up to and how you are. Supposedly they've improved the way people can leave comments on my blog so feel free. I'll be posting a bunch of photos tomorrow.

And to all of you lovers out there (and of course little Valentine Pagel)...Happy Valentine's Day!! boohoo I'm single on Valentine's Day for the first time since I was 15 but I'm really fine with it. no really. I'd like to find a man whose company I enjoy but I don't feel compelled to have a date because of a holiday. I just feel corny because I wore a red sweater today not realizing that it was Valentine's Day. I don't like holiday-themed outfits. ah well...sometimes a red sweater is just a red sweater.

xoxo,
carolyn

Dave on guitar, Dave on accordion. So many Daves.... 

Where I spent my Friday night. 

Feel the music man! 

I love the accordion!

Hello everyone!

I had a pretty laid back weekend. Friday night I went over to Elaine and Gina's house. A group of us then walked down to their local bar, Sassy Jacks (also referred to as Slop Jacks). Dave and a group of his friends have a standing Friday night gig there. There were two - three guitars, a mandolin and an accordion and all of the guys can sing too. We all hung out and drank some beers, played pool and listened to the music. It was fun and I'm sure I'll spend more Friday nights there.

Saturday I met up with Elaine around noon and we drove out to Dabney State Park. We met up with Josh & Lindsay and the four of us played 18 holes of frisbee golf. I really need to work on my form if I'm going to improve my score. Either way I think it's tons-o-fun. I stayed at Elaine and Gina's until 8:30 or so playing game after game of Scrabble with Erik, Gina's boyfriend, and Terry. Erik beat me every time. He's some sort of Scrabble master but playing him will only make me better.

Sunday I watched movie after movie (The Party, Ray, Say Anything), cleaned my apartment and talked on the phone with people (Veronica in Chicago and my sister). I saw the last 2 minutes of the Super Bowl which was good enough for me. I met up with Gina to go get some dinner at Pho Van. It was very tasty. mmmmm crispy spring rolls. Gina and I then watched part of The Surreal Life on TV. Mini-me was drunk and naked and Peter Brady was trying to reign him in. It was highly entertaining and useless.

So there ya go! Let me know how your weekend was and what you've been doing!

xoxo,
carolyn

Back in Portland with a beautiful sunset. February 1st. 

Beautiful blue-green waves and a headless bird! hahaha