Outdoor Room

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to attend the Portland Street of Dreams.  For those of you not in the know, it's 5 or 6 homes in the million dollar plus range that are open to the public.  For a not-nominal fee you can just wander around through them admiring and in theory, coveting, the million dollar lifestyle.

Usually the houses are huge.  Like 6000 square feet huge.  There are mother-in-law apartments, nanny suites, outdoor basketball courts, indoor gyms, theater rooms, outdoor rooms, open floor plans.  Every year there seems to be some new trend.

Despite all these "wonderful" features I have to feel a little sorry for the future owners of these monstrosities.  These people are living in houses and denying themselves the pleasure of living in a home.  They are denying themselves the pleasure of stripping wall paper and wearing barn boots.  I suppose they COULD wear barn boots - but it would be kind of weird.  I can't imagine children or pets running around these homes.  So much stress in keeping things pristine!  "No Johnny, you may not fingerpaint!"  "Honey!  The dog is in the house again and hair is getting on the sofa!"

That is no way to live!

But that is just my humble opinion. Despite my feelings, the outdoor room IS something that calls to me.  Back in Salem I had my pergola.  At the little house on the ditch I have the promise of a future pergola.  Of course, that is still some time away.

For the here and now I have a real outdoor room.  It may be temporary but it's just lovely.  Peter and I have pitched a tent under the trees by our pond.  We moved in a bed and ran an extension cord out there so we can have all the luxuries we need:  Electric light, alarm clock, real sheets.  If we stay much longer I think I shall need a few more things like a bedside table, a chair, maybe a rack to hang a few clothes on.

I guess I am living in my own version of a street of dreams house.  How about that?

Imaginary blogging

I recently had conversations with some friends who wondered why I had stopped blogging.  It seemed like such an odd question because I felt like I HAD been blogging.

But I hadn't.   I assured them both that the next post was coming and it was going to be very entertaining.  Let's hope I succeed!

My process for blogging goes something like this:

Something happens that is interesting and I decide I should blog about it.  Then I spend some time pushing words around in my head.  I think about what I want to say, how I want to say it and I ponder the clever and entertaining aspects because heaven forbid I should be boring!  When I'm done pushing the words around, I dig out my laptop (because it's really the only time it comes out of the cupboard anymore) and I plug it in (because the battery is completely fried and it wont work without it) and I start it up.  Then I must go through a gazillion updates, error messages and spontaneous reboots.  THEN I fight our lousy internet (ever hear of ClearWire?) and eventually I put all those words down in what I hope is the right order and push the publish button. Where upon I immediately think of more clever ways I could have said something.

It's exhausting really.

Totally by accident I have stumbled upon this new and better way to blog:

Something happens that is interesting and I decide I should blog about it.  Then I spend some time pushing words around in my head.  I think about what I want to say, how I want to say it and I ponder the clever and entertaining aspects because heaven forbid I should be boring!    Then I just forget to do the rest.  I think I I've blogged, I feel like I've blogged and I don't have the frustrations of the computer and I never worry that I have made a typo or wasn't as clever as I could have been.

Apparently this new system doesn't work for everyone.

The cliff notes version of the posts that I have penned in my head in the last few months include:

Alpaca Maintenance:

Toenail trimming turns tragic! Cadbury kicks, drives trimmers through Peters hand.  

Alpaca Shearer wanted:

Looking for someone to help us shear our girls.  Called Camelot farms.  No response.  Called Shearers are Us.  No response.  Called MoonShadow Farms - referred us to Camelot farms (gah!) and SumFunShearing.  No response from either.  again.  Contacted The Camel people.  No response.  Contacted a girl in Olympia.  No response.  

New Handler Syndrome

Chupa has it.  I am sad.  

Applied for a new job!

No response.

Drowning in Zucchini

Zucchini bread.  Zucchini stew.  Zucchini boats.  Zucchini chips.  Zucchini salad.  Zucchini Zucchini Zucchini. 

Goats are NOT us

Seeking loving family for two high-maintenance goats.  Must promise not to eat them.  If you don't PROMISE you can't have them but you can have some zucchini.

Sparky has a personal chef

My beloved pup is unwell.  It is hard for her to eat so I am her personal chef.  She get's cheese omelets.  Chicken, hot dogs, fried dog food (not a hit), cat food, ice cream, cheese, zucchini..

Going to College

Taking an online food preservation course.  Learning how to can and freeze and dehydrate.  Not only do I get college credit but it will certainly come in handy for the zucchini.

Chicken update

We now have a thriving population of 12 chickens ~ 10 hens and 2 roosters.  Loving them!  

B&B

Pondering opening a bed and breakfast.  We only have one room but I've found a great zucchini fritatta I could feed guests for breakfast.

Sightseeing in Seattle

How many activities can YOU cram into a day in Seattle?

Master Jack, Ruler of the Universe

My grandson.

Imaginary Blogging

This one.  Except this post actually made it to the blog.

If I had actually managed to get these typed up it would have been a lot of blogging.  It sure felt like a lot of blogging.  I shall endeavor to try harder to do ALL the steps in successfully publishing posts.  Wish me luck!