sunday ping

sunday ping, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by Elaine (standing on a coffee table) of Fooqua and I playing ping pong in the basement Sunday night.


Portland, Oregon

king fooqua

king fooqua, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

his crown is one of those crazy head massager things. They give me the shivers, in a good way. I'm in the background retrieving an errant ping pong ball.

photo by Fooqua, obviously

ping pong in the basement Sunday night

porch singers

porch singers, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

blowing in your beer bottle makes Riley want to sing. He's a good singer!

After a very rainy Saturday, Sunday was unexpectedly sunny and warm. We sat on the porch drinking beers in the sun, watching the mountain turn pink, cooking asparagus and steaks on the grill and ending with ping pong in the basement. my kinda Sunday night

so much love for such a little girl

so much love for such a little girl, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by elaine. Baby Hailey and her new aunties: Melissa, Gina, me & Elaine. This little girl will never be short on love.

and she really isn't such a little girl at 9 lbs 10 oz. everything is relative! She's a big newborn baby but a little, little person.

We realized that at 15 hours old she already had more baby photos than all 6 adults in the room combined. The wonders of digital...

soft girl hands

soft girl hands, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by elaine. I hold Baby Hailey and Melissa and I marvel at how amazingly soft her skin is. She's a beautiful, healthy baby. Her parents are so thrilled to have her.

the first time I held her

the first time I held her, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by Elaine. I hold baby Hailey, just 15 hours old, for the first time! Melissa looks on and beams. What a beautiful little girl!

mom and dad!

mom and dad!, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Terry & Erin in the hospital after a long night of labor. Hailey was born at exactly the stroke of midnight, a time that the hospital's computer system won't accept so they had to choose her birthday, March 24th or 25th. Since Erin's birthday is today (the 26th) they decided to go with the 24th to have a day in between. Everyone is healthy and happy and tired!

welcome to the world!

welcome to the world!, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Baby Hailey, 15 hours old! Erin is a mama! Terry is a papa!

9 lbs 10 oz

She's the youngest person I've ever met! Here she gives us all us a raspberry!

baby girl and the new aunties

baby girl and the new aunties, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by Elaine. We went to the hospital to meet Hailey, the new daughter of our friends, Erin & Terry. She was born at the stroke of midnight at 9 lbs 10 oz.

She's a beautiful, healthy baby!

me, gina & melissa holding hailey

keep portland weird

keep portland weird, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

there's a "Keep Portland Weird" movement. You can buy bumper stickers & pins & t-shirts. The point is to keep Portland its odd, quirky self. This person is living the dream.

what the hell? leaving lunch at Cha Cha Cha on Hawthorne we passed this bizarre scene on someone's balcony. Apparently it's been there for some time and they keep adding to it. I'm sure the neighbors love it.

I do love weird Portland!

gina's head hurts

gina's head hurts, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Gina was a block away from her house, reaching to put on her seatbelt when a car turned in front of her and they crashed. Her head hit the windshield. She wasn't bleeding but she does have a good size bump on her head. Her car is totaled. We had to convince her that she should really go to hospital to get checked out. She agreed and is there now with sushi dinner waiting for her when she leaves. car accidents are scary...

when boys move

when boys move, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Today I helped my friend Jess & her fiance Mike move into their new home (I wanna buy a house!). I was amused by the random, unpacked items in the moving van from Mike's house.

a saw, an ax and the fountainhead. of course

friday night pong

friday night pong, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Elaine, Kyle & I played ping pong in the basement. so fun!

friday looked promising

friday looked promising, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the day started off sunny and mild but the clouds thickened up, the mist started falling then turned to plain old rain.

the rain isn't done with us yet.

Mt Hood from Sunrise Park in Troutdale

Baby Hailey is here!

Hello everyone!

I had a great weekend. Friday night I went over to Elaine and Gina’s house for dinner. mmmm pocket bread! The three of us played cards and later Kyle came over and we played ping pong in the basement which is always fun.

Saturday after I showered and ate some breakfast I drove to my friend Jess’ apartment in Sellwood to help her move. Jess and Mike just bought their first house and I’m so excited for them. Jess’ brother and some other friends were there to help also. We filled the moving truck and I filled my car with Jess’ many plants. We then caravanned over to their new house in northeast Portland. We unloaded everything then Mike and Josh went to load stuff from Mike’s house while Jess & I stayed behind and began unpacking. We ordered a pizza from Hot Lips for lunch and made remarkable progress with unpacking and organizing. Josh and Mike got there and we helped them unload the truck and again the house was full of boxes. I left Jess and Mike to continue making their new house their home. I’m so envious of their home ownership!

I had just gotten home and put on my fleece pj bottoms, ready to lie on the sofa and watch a movie when I got a message that Gina had been in a car accident. I was horrified as I read it but Elaine’s message ended by saying that she was okay. I immediately called Gina, who didn’t answer, then Elaine who gave me the rundown. It happened just a block away from their house. She was reaching to put on her seatbelt when a car suddenly turned in front of her. It was one of those Best Buy Geek Squad VW bugs so they definitely have insurance and it was solidly his fault as he just turned in front of her. He said to the police officer that “she blended in”. Hmmmm it was daylight. Her car was totaled. The worst part though was that Gina’s head hit the windshield (which broke) and while she wasn’t bleeding she had quite a bump. She was reluctant to go to the hospital so I drove over to her house, looked at her car, gave her a hug and talked to her, trying to convince her that she really should go to the hospital. She agreed and left with Scott to go get checked out. I stayed and hung out with Elaine and Fooqua for a while before heading back to my house where I ate dinner, did all my ironing and watched Babel. Shortly after midnight I got a message from Elaine. The baby was finally here. Our friends Erin & Terry had been patiently waiting for their daughter to be born. Her original due date, later determined to be incorrect, was March 11th. One previous attempt at inducing did not work but at exactly the stroke of midnight Saturday night Hailey was born. She’s a healthy baby girl at 9 lbs 10 oz. Elaine was in the delivery room!

Sunday morning I finished the book I was reading (Fahrenheit 451 which I’ve now read 3 times in my life). After I showered I went over to Gina’s house. She had messaged Terry to figure out a time to come meet the baby. They were getting some rest so we agreed to come to the hospital in the afternoon, everyone together, so they could rest after we all left. Gina and I drove down to Hawthorne to eat lunch at Cha Cha Cha (mmmm chimichangas!) before going back to their house. We stopped by Walgreens so Gina could fill some prescriptions, painkillers for her accident, then we were on our way to the hospital. Elaine & Gina’s parents met us there as did Melissa who had been at the hospital the night before. We walked up to the maternity ward and found Erin’s room. She had just taken a shower so was feeling better for that but she was still exhausted and on lots of painkillers. There were happy to have visitors and we were all so excited to meet Hailey. We each held her and took a zillion photos and ooohed and aaahed over her cute nose, her soft skin, her long fingers. She’s a beautiful baby and she’s gonna be LOVED! We realized that Hailey, at 15 hours old, already had more baby photos than all 6 adults in the room combined! We’re all so excited for our friends and their new daughter! We left the hospital grinning and amazed by the new little person in our world.

Elaine and I went to the grocery store while Gina picked up her prescriptions. We headed back to their house where we sat on the porch enjoying the sun then began prepping for dinner. Kyle and Fooqua came over and we sat outside while Elaine grilled up asparagus and flank steak. The mountain turned pink and we all went in to eat. Dinner was wonderful and after doing the dishes we went in the basement for some more ping pong. It was a great day and except for Gina’s accident (we’re all so relieved that she’s ok!) it was a great weekend also. Please let me know how you are and what you’ve been up to.

xoxo,
carolyn

lincoln is talented and kind

lincoln is talented and kind, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

my friend Lincoln plays mandolin and sings in a great bluegrass band called Cross-Eyed Rosie. St Patrick's Day at the Goodfoot.
Jason on stand up bass

st patrick's day is for drinkers

st patrick's day is for drinkers, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by my sister, Sara. A great night of music, friends, dancing and beers! Elaine, Melissa, me & Jeremy at the Goodfoot Lounge to see Cross-Eyed Rosie play.

ali's getting married

ali's getting married, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

the lead singer of Cross-Eyed Rosie had just gotten engaged earlier in the day and was beaming with happiness.

Goodfoot Lounge

digestion hour

digestion hour, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by my sister, Sara. After dinner I take photos of Camille & John doing amusing things with super strong magnets.

camille and the zingers

camille and the zingers, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Camille plays with the super strong magnets from the refrigerator

dinner with the family

dinner with the family, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by my sister, Sara. Dinner at Elaine and Gina's house, another incredible meal!

grilled flank steak, fresh pasta with alfredo sauce, grilled veggies, caesar salad and lots o wine.

vegetables before the meat

vegetables before the meat, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Elaine grilled up a huge pile of veggies: peppers, onions, eggplant and asparagus (tossed with salt, garlic, balsamic & olive oil) before cooking two huge flank steaks. Caesar salad, fresh pasta & lots of wine. Another great meal with my friends!

another meeting of the portland porch society

another meeting of the portland porch society, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

my favorite bar in town is my friends Elaine & Gina's porch. We hang out drinking beers while Elaine grills up veggies and steaks.

rounding the reservoir

rounding the reservoir, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

My sister Sara & her boyfriend Jeremy walking around the upper reservoir at Mt Tabor Park.

I like to drink cold water in the dark while I'm half asleep

I like to drink cold water in the dark while I'm half asleep, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

looking down into the upper reservoir at Mt Tabor Park. This is my drinking water.

the saturday sun has left us

the saturday sun has left us, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

walking around the upper reservoir at Mt Tabor Park. Sara & Jeremy in town for a visit.

The blazing sun of earlier in the day was blanketed over with clouds but it was still mild and lovely outside.

spring brings color

spring brings color, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

winter in Portland is very green and gray. I'm happy to see the flowering trees and plants bursting into blossom.

upper reservoir at Mt Tabor Park

driveway spa

driveway spa, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

70 degrees for St Patrick's Day! My visitors from the north (she lives in Bellingham, WA & he lives in Vancouver, BC) were not expecting such sun and warm temperatures. I drove Jeremy to the store so he could get some shorts & flip flops. We drank beers in the sun and Jeremy got some sparkly blue toenails. Sara would end up slightly sunburned when the day was done. Sunburned on St Patrick's Day!!?!

ping pong for one

ping pong for one, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

John plays against the wall. Elaine and I are pretty evenly matched (and we're good!) but John kicked our asses. Growing up with a ping pong table helps.

ping pong long

ping pong long, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by John. ping pong in the basement with Elaine & John. music, beers, good stuff

sunburns for St Patrick's Day

Hello everyone!I had a really fun weekend with Sara & Jeremy in town for a visit. When I got home from work Friday it was a fantastically beautiful day out. We hung out in the back yard for a bit before heading over to Elaine’s house. We sat on her front porch with Elaine & John soaking up the last of the sun before it dropped below the trees. We had one of Elaine’s delicious calzones for dinner. We started playing Shanghai Rummy but after a few round the game began disintegrating. Sara and Jeremy were beat after their long drive down so they walked back to my house to get some sleep while I stayed. Elaine and John and I headed into the basement where we played ping pong until calling it a night around midnight and going home.

Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous day. We spent the as much time as possible sitting outside in the sun. I called my mom to wish her a happy birthday and talk for awhile. After getting something to eat Jeremy and I drove to the store to pick up a rat trap. It seems we have a little creature living in the small roof above our stoop. We’re guessing it’s a squirrel but I don’t know since I haven’t actually seen it. We can hear it scratching in the roof and it’s making a tremendous mess of shredded paper and leaves and other debris sifting down. After the hardware store we stopped at another store so Jeremy could buy some shorts and flip flops as he was totally unprepared for the exceptionally warm weather. Back at the house we set up the trap in a box with a hole cut in it, not wanting to accidentally get any of the many outdoor cats in the neighborhood. Camille joined us in the sunshine and we talked and drank beers, marveling at the fact that it was 70 degrees on St Patrick’s Day. Sara would end up slightly pink from the sun!

Later in the afternoon it began clouding it up but remained very mild. We went up to Mt Tabor Park and walked around the upper reservoir then headed down to Hawthorne Ave. We stopped at Pastaworks to buy some fresh pasta for dinner that night. We went Elaine and Gina’s house where Elaine was already grilling vegetables for dinner. She would grill onions, eggplant, asparugus and green, red and yellow bell peppers. Camille and John came over too and we all hung out on the porch drinking beers and talking. The last thing on the grill was two huge flank steaks then dinner was served. It was a phenomenal meal with the fresh pasta, a huge Caesar salad and delicious red wine. After dinner we cleaned up and after hanging out for a bit (John and I got another round of ping pong in) we all piled into cars and drove down to the Goodfoot Lounge.

Our friend Lincoln’s bluegrass band, Cross-Eyed Rosie was playing and their shows are always a great time. Melissa and some other friends were already there. We ordered beers and talked and listened to the opening band, who ironically enough were from Bellingham, where my sister lives. When Cross-Eyed Rosie played I danced and took photos. They are such a fun band to see live! We left late and I slept like a champ.

Sunday I woke up and showered. We made some food and hung out. Sara and Jeremy were itching to go out while I was feeling very tired from a long week. I gave them some basic directions and they headed off to Hawthorne Ave to explore while I stayed home and watched Netflix and read my book. When they got back we all watched a movie together and ate a dinner of snacks: hummus, tzatziki, nuts and cheese and salsa. We headed over to Elaine’s porch where we hung out drinking beers and talking until bedtime called.

So that was my weekend! I had a great time with Jeremy and Sara and the warm, warm sunshine! Please let me know how you are and what you’ve been up to!

xoxox,
carolyn

soon you will be salty

soon you will be salty, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

a little fresh water stream tumbles over the cliff at Boiler Bay before joining the Pacific Ocean. I love the colors on the cliff walls.

the starfish and the slime

the starfish and the slime, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

you really gotta watch your step. Beside the possibility of crushing tons of little creatures some of the rocks are unbelievably slippery.

Orange starfish, pink lichen & kelp in the tidepools at Boiler Bay

potholes

potholes, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

strange rocks on the beach at Boiler Bay

tidepooling

tidepooling, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Giant Pacific Anemones in the tidepools at Boiler Bay on the central Oregon coast.

pacific purple

pacific purple, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

purple starfish and purple sea urchins in a tidepool at Boiler Bay on the central Oregon coast.

gina's first oyster

gina's first oyster, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

At the Rogue Public House in Newport for dinner, Gina decided to eat her first oyster. We ordered the shooters which were served as two oysters in one fatty shot glass with cocktail sauce and fresh lemon. She was a bit worried about the size. They were quite large. mmmm oysters! I love getting oyster shooters, especially on the coast. Delicious!

saturday at the beach house

saturday at the beach house, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Gina takes a nap in the huge cushy window seat leaving me the giant sofa all to myself. Beers and books for a Saturday afternoon

the knot and the mirrors

the knot and the mirrors, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

on the cobble beach (which I LOVE!) at Yaquina Head, an official "outstanding natural area". Who comes up with these names? The cobbles make the most amazing sound rolling around at high tide. I didn't realize until just now that I'm reflected in each of the wet rocks. The knot was from a long strand of kelp or some such sealife.

tiny tentacles

tiny tentacles, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

close up of a Giant Pacific Anemone in a tidepool at Yaquina Head. They are strangely sticky when you touch them but they quickly retract. The green coloring come from an algae that lives inside of them.

Newport, Oregon

cape foulweather indeed

cape foulweather indeed, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

view from Devil's Punchbowl, north to Cape Foulweather, named by Captain Cook in 1778.

Lousy Smarch weather! Our kinda gray, kinda misty day took a turn for the much windier and wetter. We soon headed back to our cozy beach house where the fireplace and tall beers were waiting.

Central Oregon Coast

salty girls

salty girls, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by gina. Us on the rocks at Boiler Bay on the Central Oregon coast between Lincoln City & Depoe Bay. a great weekend at the coast.

explorers and fishermen

explorers and fishermen, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

photo by Gina me walking along the rocks at Boiler Bay. The tide was coming in and hampering our tidepool exploration. Nothing like running away from big waves on huge slippery rocks. The fishermen knew where to put themselves out of harm's way.

a great day exploring the coast

giant pacific chiton (looks like a nerf football)

giant pacific chiton (looks like a nerf football), originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Gina pokes the chiton as we explore the tidepools at Boiler Bay. Very weird, very big and red. I looked it up in my tidepool book to identify it.

wash your sandy hair

wash your sandy hair, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

ragged logs from the ocean washed up at Boiler Bay.

Oregon coast

lucky bird

lucky bird, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Boiler Bay on the Oregon coast. The tide rolls in.

strange things live in the sea

Hello everyone!I had a fantastic weekend on the Oregon coast. Gina and I left right after work on Friday afternoon. Traffic was hideous as we tried to get out of the city. Finally we just stopped and at dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Traffic was far diminished when we left and we arrived in Newport with no problems. Mark, a man I had dated briefly and remained friends with, has a beachhouse in Newport. It’s currently for sale so I was very grateful to be able to stay there before it’s sold. Gina & I unloaded all our stuff, turned on the fireplace (flip the switch!), mixed up some drinks and settled into the comfy living room. Gina took the huge cushy window seat leaving me the gigantic sectional sofa all to myself. We hung out talking while Gina worked on her crocheting. We went to bed early, excited to get out on the beaches.

Saturday morning I showered and started the coffee. Gina packed lunches while I made us breakfast. We drove 8 miles north on Highway 101 to Boiler Bay. This has been my favorite spot on the coast for tidepools since Greta and I randomly stopped there on one of her visits several years ago. The tide was low but was on its way back in. I’m always mindful of such things on the coast and we were being chased off the rocks and best tidepool exploring by the advancing waves. We saw a teenage girl get totally overtaken by the waves. Her mother was shouting at her from the beach as a large wave rolled in and advanced well past the rocks she was standing on. She wasn’t knocked over but suddenly she was in sea water up to almost her knees. She made it back safely to the beach where she proceeded to dump water from her galoshes. Gina and I spent a few hours poking around and taking photos. We finally climbed back up the steep, rocky cliff and headed back south. We stopped at Devil’s Punchbowl, a sea cave whose roof long ago collapsed. We then stopped at Yaquina Head. The lighthouse seems to draw most people here but the cobble beach here is my favorite. When the tide is high enough the waves roll the smooth black rocks around, creating the most mesmerizing sound. The weather was getting increasingly windier and rainier and we were hungry so we decided to head home.

Back at the house we quickly changed out of wet, dirty jeans and back into comfy pj bottoms. We ate and relaxed. I read my book for a while then took a nap. In the evening we drove down to the bay front to eat dinner at the Rogue Public House. I had eaten here several years ago and had a horrible experience (worst service ever) but Rogue beers are some of my favorites so I was willing to give them another chance. We had a very friendly, very attentive waitress this time so all was good. Gina ate her first oyster and pulled it off without even a sour face, and it was a big oyster. They were delicious! My smoked salmon melt was wonderful as was my mocha porter. Yummm! We bought some big beers to go. Back at Mark’s house we watched Borat, totally ridiculous and entertaining. It’s definitely a “see it once” kind of movie for me. After that we watched a Wanda Sykes stand up act. I think she’s hilarious. We ended the night watching Ferris Bueller on Bravo but the editing was so ridiculous (you can’t say herpes on cable tv??!?!). We went to bed and slept like logs.

Sunday morning we woke up and had coffee and breakfast. We packed up all our stuff and cleaned the house before loading up the car. We headed north to Boiler Bay again but this time we timed it so that tide was low but was still going OUT so we didn’t have to worry about being chased off the rocks. We spent hours exploring the tidepools: sea urchins (purple & red), starfish (orange & purple), little crabs, beautiful anemones and endless other sea creatures. We saw several Giant Pacific Chitons, the looked like red nerf footballs, such strange things! In the afternoon the tide began coming back in and we felt satisfied with our exploring so we started working our way back to Portland. We stopped in Lincoln City to buy some salt water taffy and then headed inland over the Coast Range and back to the city. It was a wonderful mild day and the city is positively bursting into bloom with the plum and cherry trees covered in white and pink blossoms and daffodils smiling all over the place. I got my photos of my camera then went home and unpacked. I ordered some Thai food from the place up the street and Camille and I watched a movie, Apartment Zero. It was terrible and we laughed and laughed. It was supposed to be a thriller not a comedy. Spare yourself and save two hours of your life! I read my book before going to sleep.

So that was my weekend. Please let me know how you are and what you’re up to!

xoxo,
carolyn

sunday clearing

sunday clearing, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Go away clouds. I miss my mountain. March is giving us a wee bit o sunshine in gray Portland.

View from east side of Mt Tabor Park.

the white salmon is green

the white salmon is green, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

The road from Trout Lake back to the Gorge follows along the White Salmon River until it joins the Columbia. The river is a beautiful blue/green color and very popular for kayaking and rafting. Damn that water is cold though! On the hottest day in August jumping in still takes my breath away and makes me literally scream. tingly cold

fireside music

fireside music, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Wampler (accordion) and Jimmy (guitar) and a guy whose name I forget (mandolin) playing music around the campfire on Mt Adams.

jason and the big tube

jason and the big tube, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

Jason, the constructor of this winter wonderland (snow fort, fire pit, sled run) prepares to go down the steep hill on an innertube.

A great night on the mountain

winter fires

winter fires, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

campfire in the snow on Mt Adams. Cora (the dog), Wampler (sitting) and Amanda (standing).
a great night on the mountain

by the light of the moon

by the light of the moon, originally uploaded by carolyn_in_oregon.

long exposure on Mt Adams with bright moonlight (shadows even!) and lots of stars before the clouds rolled back in