One year! or.. 12 months! or.. 52 weeks! or 365 days..

Peter came back into my life 3 years ago tomorrow. July 1, 2007.

The final day at my new job is one year from today. June 30, 2011

My target move date is one year from tomorrow. July 1, 2011

It's so close I can almost touch it. I have so much to do in the next 365 days. My Two Year Plan of Escape (TYPoE) is now a One Year Plan of Escape - OYPoE. Not nearly as cool of an acronym.

Of course I have Goat Shop Dream things to do and prepare for - but first I have things that need finishing right here. Tomorrow begins my "last chance" phase.

The Oregon State Fair is held just down the street. This will be my last year to go!
Portland Street of Dreams. My last chance!
NewPort Seafood and Wine festival. Can't miss that!
I haven's seen Bush Mansion yet (on the inside).
I want to see the Mission Mill Museum!
I've been meaning to get to the Hallie Ford Gallery.
Can't forget the Melting Pot in Portland.
Champoeg State Park and Museum.

..and a Gazillion other things. I know I'll be back here someday, at least to visit - but these things are here now and I need to do them. Why is it we never play tourist in our home town? We should.

This next year should prove very interesting and exciting. Especially since the last one was such a roller coaster ride!

Oh and Peter? I love you! Thanks for a wonderful 3 years! It couldn't have been any more better.

Chickens smell..

...and not because they have noses. After three weeks of having Carmen, Lucy and Carmen sleeping and living (and pooping!) in my garage.. it began to smell quite.. uh.. icky. Yeah.. icky is a good way to describe it.

Peter was here over the weekend but he had to learn about brains all weekend so he wasn't able to help me finish the coop and get my chickens outside. He did help me see his vision. As beautiful as it was - I could not quite implement his "exact" vision. I understood it.. but still.. so temporary coop #2 is now in place. At least they are OUTSIDE. And quite happy and safe - I believe. And Sparky - who liked them just fine when they were in the garage seems quite perplexed that they are now outside.

Last night Jill (and two of her friends) and me (and one of my

friends) went to see the Lion King in Portland. It was fabulous. It was in honor of Jill's 17th birthday. What a fun way to celebrate!

I highly recommend this play. Go. Have fun. Don't let the elephant step on your toes!

Work, work work work...

And Edna. When last I was in Lynden Peter and I camped out at Edna's house so that she would not be alone at night. Peter continued to camp there after I left. Edna passed away this morning about 6:30. Peter was able to be with her. I'm glad. I liked her. She could be cantankerous and grumpy, but she was a good person and I bet she was full of mischief and a ton of fun in her younger days. Although I did not know her well I shall miss her.

And knitting! I'm knitting a "shrugigan." Not felted. Not difficult. Just a lot of knitting. I'll show you when it's done.

And work. I'm winding up my second week at the new job. Up until today it's been a lot of "hurry up and wait" and planning, reading and preparing for the unknown possibilities. Just trying to keep busy while the foundation get's built. Not my favorite thing to do.

TODAY was different. I had a 9:00 am meeting with my pilot project owner. She was full of ideas. I left her desk with a long list of things to prepare, on my way out I stopped by my software admin's desk who informed me the software was up and we were ready to start testing! How exciting.. so much to do so quickly! I got back to my desk and there were 5 e-mails from my boss! I hadn't heard from him in a week and now this?? Where has he been for the last week and why did he choose now to surface??

I'm now Project Manager on two other projects - one of which I've never even heard of before.

I had all these meetings to arrange and groups of people to gather. I am not up to speed on groups and gathering places. I went in search of assistsance. Guess what?? It turns out I have someone to tend my calendar and make my appointments. How cool is that?

Today went by so very quickly. I know I was at the office for 9 hours.. but it seemed like 1/2 that. I like it. The next year should go very swiftly and then I can put all this "work" behind me and live the life of luxury I deserve tending goats, plowing field, weeding gardens, building a house, planting hosta's, making wine & mead & beer, knitting, felting, tilling, digging, raking.. Man! I can't wait to quit work! :)

Job Report

First.. knitting report. I believed knitting was not a summer activity. It's true. But what it's REALLY not is a new kitten activity. now.. job report..

Despite my best intentions. Despite my dire predictions - I am really liking my new job! It's like I am a professional, I was hired to do a job and I'm being allowed to do it!! How weird is that? Earlier this week I made a recommendation on something and you won't believe what happened.. they DID it! There are just a couple things I don't really care for. My cube is in the basement, behind the elevators, around the corner, w-a-a-y back in the back. There are three other people that work back there. They are application developers - by nature, quite, introspective sorts who seem to have some vocal issues or permanent laryngitis. They seem like fine people. They rarely speak. I ate a cracker with lunch the other day - the sound my crunching made was deafening. I find myself opening drawers very slowly and deliberately - don't want to make extra noise. It's weird.

It's quite depressing for this very social butterfly. :(

As you can see from the picture above my cube in the basement is very gray and dreary.. but here is the funny part, below is a photo of the bathroom on my floor. It's loud. It's orange. It cracks me up. It seems the last time it was remodeled was the 70's.

And yes, I'm aware tha this is the THIRD time I've shown a bathroom photo in this blog. I'm sure I have a problem.

I have chickens. Carmen, Carmen and Lucy spent some time outside. They seemed to like it. A lot. Lucy is the blonde one on the left.

Coop de temporary villa

My chickens have a new, temporary, home.

As I suspected - I didn't quite understand Peter's vision when assembling the coop. Over the phone he explained that I needed to replace the wire with plywood, cut a hole in the front, build a door, hinge the lid, cut a hole in the side, insert the nest box, attach a hinged lid, put in the box support, put in a heater and air conditioning, don't forget the plumbing and a roof. Add a jacuzzi, french doors, refrigerator, plant hanger, square dance... I was lost. I have created this makeshift coop from my original attempt. For the next two weeks I will move Carmen, Carmen and Lucy to the yard in a make shift pen under supervision. When Peter arrives HE can finish this vision. I'm lost.

But.. don't they look so big now?

On another note - I start my new job tomorrow. It's so scary.. starting something new. I'm excited and a nervous wreck at the same time. I'm worried about what I'll be doing. What the expectations are. Where I'll eat. Where the bathroom is. Who I'll be working with. What I'll wear - I think I may get my ID photo taken tomorrow... A picture that will haunt me for the next year if it's less than flattering. With any luck they will use my previous id picture - it was a good one and I was 50 pounds lighter and looking "HOT!" As if I've ever looked hot. hahahahahaha...

I'm home.

Again. I'm home. I think it get's harder to leave there every single time.

Of course, the fact that I left there with a car FULL of stuff didn't make it any easier. It was packed to the gills. I really thought I was supposed to be moving my stuff that direction - but no, my car was laden with goodies. I had three chickens in the back seat, chicken feeders, chicken feed, all the parts of a chicken coop, two rolls of wire, a five week old kitten, a bag of yarn (Lynda's was continuing with their going-out-of-the-yarn-business sale), my luggage, cat litter, cat litter box, cat food, cat food bowl, water bowl, extra water for the creatures...

The kitten, Joie, wasn't very inclined to stay in her designated spot and Honda doesn't make seat belts that tiny. She yowled at the top of her little kitten lungs for 45 minutes. She tried to climb through the holes of her laundry basket/car seat. Then, she slept. Then she yelled. Then she slept. and so forth - for 7 hours! Apparently it's exhausting to be a high-stress kitten.

The chicks travelled pretty well. They were nicely situated in a large rubbermaid container. The car was warm, they had food and water and seemed quite accepting of the entire adventure.

I spent today trying to assemble the chicks new domicile. Peter & I had cut all the pieces out and labeled each one appropriately. We went over how to put it all together and I was sent on my way. It's such a challenge to put together someone else's vision. I'm not done yet and I'm pretty sure I didn't quite get HIS vision - but Carmen, Carmen and Lucy should be happy in their new little house. I'll post pics as soon as it's done.

Sparky should be embarrassed...

My dog is afraid of the new kitten.

I'm so ashamed for her.