Hair, hair, and more hair

Okay so here’s my new hair. Upon seeing the photo I realize I need to make it bigger.* Joan Jett had bigger hair, didn’t she? I’ll work on that. Next year. I’ve been singing rocker songs all day. In particular I’ve been channeling Motley Crue, Blue Oyster Cult, Journey (when the lights, go down, in the sit-tay), and even a little Foreigner. Keep on rockin’ in the free world people.

Was in a furniture store today (City Liquidators, to be exact) and overheard a woman exclaiming to another customer that she had had a conversation with The Lord. (!!!!) She was talking louder than most folks. I looked over at AdRi and she had already sat down on a couch within earshot of the recipient of The Lord’s Voice so as to hear more of this amazing story. It turns out, The Lord told her to change her hair. So she did. But she took about 10 minutes to get to the point. “The Lord told me! So I did! I changed my hair!” Wow. I can’t say the lord told me to cut my hair, but I think Joan Jett did. Thanks Joan!
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There was a request for a photo of Wink in the Santa suit, so here you are.

It also features the bow. This is a lovely holiday portrait RSG snapped. But let’s talk about that bow for a moment, shall we? AdRi said the bow reminded her of how she wore her hair when she was a little girl. I looked through some old photos and you know what? She’s right.


Just for kicks:

That’s good times, isn’t it?

Well, here’s to a Happy New Year to ya’ll: see ya on the flip side.

*You’ll note I used what is called the Dutch Angle for my self portrait. Thanks Rozanne!

I cut my hair.

I have long hair. I haven't always had long hair. I used to always have short hair. Or, in the 80's, I had big hair. In the early 90's, I had really huge hair. Thanks to my friend, Sebastian.

So I didn't cut the length. I just changed the style. Hmm. Layers. Around the face. I was going for this look:

It's "in" again, you know. Joan Jett.

I don't know how I feel about it yet. AdRi compared it to a mullet. It's different in the front than in the back. I said okay, I could handle that, but unlike the mullet that's business in the front and party in the back, my layered new "do" is rocker in the front and elegant in the back. That works, doesn't it?

But it's the end of a year, the beginning of a new one. What the hell. My hair grows like crazy. If I want to cut it, so be it. It will grow back within a few months. Back to the "big sexy hair" that was my goal before. (smirk) In the meantime, call me Joan. Joan Jett. And watch out for my Blackhearts.

Yo yo yo: Wink is in da howze!

Look who made it home! Wink has had a very exciting week over at Gingers . Learning all kinds of new tips’n’tricks and playing bitey-face with her sister. Aah, good times. But we are so glad to have her home, and look at what she has! A bow in her hair! I can’t bring myself to take it out. It’s too frickin’ cute. She even came home with a new necklace, a santa suit (!!!!), and more toys. That poor Wink. She NEEDS new toys. (!!!) Even my mom and dad sent her chew bones from Texas. Please!

But here’s the real scoop. Wink spent all week at Recovering Straight Girl’s, with her and her wonderful daughters, and her biological sister, Ginger. They loved her and she licked them (I’m sure) and we are so lucky to have had this amazing care for Wink while we were away. Thank you, RSG, for taking care of Wink like she was a part of your family.

Now, it’s time to nap. Here we go.

The corner gentrification forgot: the worst paint job in Portland

This is a new business in our neighborhood: Lucky Mart. They’re on the corner of North Portsmouth and North Lombard. And this is the corner that gentrification forgot.

This used to be St. Johns Video. Alas, they didn’t make it, and the building sat empty. But then work started to be done. Bars went up on the window. The awning announcing yet another convenience market featuring BEER and CIGARETTES. At least it didn’t say CHEAP BEER like the one just a few blocks away.


And then the paint job happened. Can you believe this? It’s been like this for months. At first I thought okay, it rained while they were SPRAYPAINTING the lucky green color. It doesn’t appear as if they plan on doing anything about this and the burning of my retinas everytime I look at it every single day, several times a day. Streaked, dripping, uneven bright green paint.

I moved to this neighborhood 8 years ago, and have watched the metamorphosis like many of North Portland’s neighborhoods. The bars on windows have come down, the gardens are growing, the new paint and roofs: gentrification is a double-edged sword I know. But the corner of Portsmouth and Lombard? Thanks to Lucky Mart, we’ve stepped back 10 years or so. (And I’m not even posting photos of the opposite corner, home to Fabic Wod. And yes, the letters are missing in their sign.) Sigh. Here’s to gentrification coming to Portsmouth and Lombard, or, at least a visit from the city about that horrid paint job.

Hobby Lobby, Take Two

Ja'AmLo and I ventured out. In Wag-A-Bag land, Hobby Lobby land, and Sac'N'Pac land. Though the movie in the earlier post made it hard to see our experience, it did have a soundtrack of Tom Waits and Chocolate Jesus. Hmmm. Now that's a combo. To better view our adventure,visit the FlickR set, made just for you.

Hobby Lobby

Ja'AmLo and I ventured out. In Wag-A-Bag land, Hobby Lobby land, and Sac'N'Pac land. Jesus. There you are.
What to do? Bright green? Or bright pink? Thomas Kinkade? Or Guadalupe? I think you know the answer. But if you don't, check out our movie. And enjoy. Shopping the day after Christmas at Hobby Lobby in Georgetown, Texas.

I just rode in on my donkey from Tejas...

...to wish you Happy Holidays. And notice I'm not emphasizing the Christ in Christmas. But if you celebrate it, like I do, Merry Christmas!


I sure hope Wink is behaving herself...

What's missing from this picture?

Can you figure out what's missing from this photo?

Hint: I assume the missing link will appear in the next 24 hours.

Can you guess where I am?

Aaaahhhh....we've left Portland, and I don't think I've written here on the blog where we were planning on going. So here are some photos from our day: you guess where we are. If you know me IRL you probably know the answer, but that's okay. You can still play. There is a clue in one of these photos for sure...good luck! (be sure to click on the last one to see it in FlickR: it's a lovely photo!)

There's a message on my voice mail from my dog.

She's gone to camp for a week. I'm having separation anxiety. Is it pitiful? Probably. And yes, yes, she's going to have lots of fun, and she's so lucky to be able to go stay with her sister, Ginger, and their wonderful household. And yes, they'll run round and round and round that ottoman until they just can't run anymore. And RSG and her girls will love Wink and take good care of her. But I'm still going to miss her!

Here are some photos courtesty of RSG of the last time the sisters got together: they had a blast...


Be good, Wink. I'll see you in a week!

My god. I feel like a mother on the first day of school.

Oh, and Wink? Please don't crap in their shoes, okay? KISSES!

King of Inflatable Christmas Displays

Those blow up inflatable Christmas display things are whack. You know what I’m talkin’ ‘bout. Those big power generated inflatable Santas, snowmen, and new this year, snowglobes!

They’re more than likely not inflated, especially if it’s bad weather or it’s not plugged in. And then they just feel worn out and sad. Christmas decor defeated by the elements. I don’t feel the holiday spirit when I see the inflatables. Not like when I see Christmas lights. I just feel overmerchandised and cheap. I’m sorry if you love them. But I just don’t get them.

There are lots in our neighborhood. AdRi says she likes them best on roofs. It looks like something giant has landed there. The new snowglobe thing is interesting. If you could get inside one of those giant snowglobes, would you? Do you think you could feel the Christmas spirit better within them than from outside? Do you think they play Christmas music inside of them?

So there’s this guy who is really into the inflatable things. And you know they’re not just for Christmas, right? Evidently, he has them out for lots of holidays. Including Super Bowl Sunday. Check this:

Nothing says Happy Holidays like a house disguised by massive amounts of inflatables. He is the king, you know.

Snow, Holiday Tradition, and Sopa de Albondigas

All of these things happened in one day. The annual watching of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...


The first major snow in Portland of the season...



Wink's first snow with us...

(which, by the way, it should be noted that she totally loves the snow)

And Sopa de Albondigas...a tasty Mexican soup perfect for cold days....
Recipe is as follows...
8 cloves garlic
1 lb ground turkey
2 eggs, beaten
3 tsp salt
4 T uncooked rice
1/2 cup or more finely chopped italian parsley
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 Tsp oil
1 tsp lemon pepper
2 containers of low sodium free range chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
2 cans garbanzos, undrained
2 cans tomatoes ( 1 can whole, 1 can stewed Mexican)

Peel garlic, mash 1 clove garlic, combine with turkey, egg, 1 tsp salt, rice and 4 T parsley. Shape mixture into 40ish small meatballs and set aside. Chop remaining 6 cloves garlic. Cook garlic with onion, with oil, covered, over med. heat until tender but not browned in a qt. saucepan. Add remaining 1 tsp salt, lemon pepper, broth, water, carrots and celery. Bring to boil. Drop in remaining] balls and simmer 20 minutes. Add undrained garbanzos, tomatoes and remaining chopped parsley. Cook 10 minutes.

Aaah. And there you have it. The ingredients for a perfect Sunday Winter afternoon. Enjoy!

Miscellaneous and a Meme

I was tagged for a meme by Brett. I’m going to cheat. Because the meme is about concerts I went to in high school. And I didn’t go to too many. So I’m combining AdRi and myself into this meme, and I think the contrast is striking, and a whole lot more fun.
1. The Pretenders, opened by The Alarm
2. The Judds
3. Whitney Houston
4. Steve Miller Band
5. Oingo Boingo
I’ll let you guess which ones are AdRi’s and which ones are mine.

On to other news. The cute, sweet little puppy known as Wink ate something that’s giving her the poops. In fact, last night I found her near the back door pooping all over the place, the majority of it in my shoe. Nice aim there Wink! It was not a pretty sight. It was a Dansko clog. Hmmm. I’m sorry, I didn’t get a picture of it.

Wink would like to see more projects like this in downtown Portland. I love this concept. Taking back a parking space and putting in a park. Even if it’s temporary. A little green space never hurt anyone…Do check out that link to the very fun Park(ing) project.

Speaking of green space. We have a new park in our neighborhood. And now that I’m walking Wink, we go there just about every day. McCoy Park is one of Portland’s newest parks, and it’s part of the New Columbia . There’s a basketball court, climbing wall, public art, community garden, and lots of cool play equipment—not for Wink, but for kids. And it’s all shiny and new. For this neighborhood, that’s pretty ding-dong* cool. Here’s some pic’s for you….



*Happy Yule!