Coburg speed trap at it again: but this time, nabs Steely Dan crew.

I laughed when I read that the crew for Steely Dan was pulled over and fined for speeding on their way to a concert in Vancouver. I didn’t laugh because they were pulled over, but because of WHERE they were pulled over. Coburg, Oregon.

Coburg police are notorious for their speed traps, and insane focus on racking up the tickets for speeders on the portion of I-5 that goes through their teensy town. For example:
Since at least 2001, Coburg's city government has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for its budget through speeding fines at an I-5 speed trap located outside of city limits. By 2003, the city was raising nearly half of its $1.7 million annual budget through traffic fines; the $755,000 in traffic fines that year amounted to more than $750 per resident; it more than covered Police Chief Mike Hudson's salary of over $124,000 that year, which is more than the salary of the Oregon State Police superintendent.

Welcome to Coburg, Oregon! Now here’s your ticket. Thank you for funding our fancy bikes and weapons!

Random photo

Chubby pickle. That is all.

You missed me, didn't you?

What? You didn't know I was gone? Oh, with my handy laptop, I'm never really gone. But I was in Philadelphia for 24 hours. Didn't see one iota of Philly landmarks. Just a suburb. And mainly interiors. Actually, I think I may have spent just about as much time traveling as I did in actually being there. Damn. Travel is sexy.

But the crem de la crem? Meeting a fellow blogger on my layover in Vegas! Purple Twinkie hiked on over to meet me at the airport for chit chat, dinner and of course a self portrait or two, and I don't think I've ever had such a great layover. Thanks for dinner Purple Twinkie! I hope we get to do it again....

Why I get a kajillion hits a day from google image search

I have a photo on my blog that shows up in the top 10 google image searches for "lowrider." I don't know if someone hotlinked to me and now it says custom cruisers, or if I hotlinked it or what, but I get hundreds of people a day coming to my blog because of this image. Sometimes they look around, other times, they're just there to see my lowrider. I'm not bothered by it, but they don't ever leave a comment. Not once. It's like a bunch of voyeurs looking into my bedroom window while they walk by, and there I am in my underwear, dancin' in front of a mirror to Bruce Springsteen. Oh wait. That really did happen, but it was my mom who saw me and I wasn't in my underwear. Yes, I was practicing the white man running technique, probably to Dancin' in the Dark and I was 16. Don't hold it against me, okay? I was getting ready for the Sadie Hawkins dance to which I'd wear my red vans with the red and white checkered laces. Wait. I got off topic.

Back to lowrider. Here's a new choice pic. A lowrider bicycle. Now don't tell me this doesn't kick ass. Odale!

The Tea Horse!

So Portland. So lovely. Communi-tea.

The Tea Horse

"The T-Horse is one of the original projects that catapulted the idea of The City Repair Project into existence. Born from the 1996 Sellwood T-Hows, the T-Horse takes the tea house on the road. Using a 1979 Toyota pick-up, the original group transformed the truck bed into a kitchen-like space and added four 20 foot attachable wings, with pillow and rugs for seating underneath."

We lived in Sellwood during the original T-Hows time, and would walk to the corner originally sited with this concept often. We'd take friends and family with us, and revel in the wonders and beauties of living in Portland, Portland bohemia, and life. Good times.

Heat means popsicles

Heat means popsicles
Originally uploaded by Lelonopo.

And popsicles mean jokes on the sticks. I'd forgotten about that. I thought this joke was particularly appropriate for my other half.

Life is unfair

This is the view from my brother's workplace right now. Where the hell did I go wrong?

It's July and Portland is sold out of air conditioners

Help me understand. High summer season and evidently there's not an air conditioner in this city available for purchase? I know I jinxed myself yesterday over at Radio Gretchen's by announcing in response to her post about the pending heatwave that we would be purchasing an air conditioner in preparation for the sweltering 105 degree+ weekend. Ha! That's a good one! Lowes, Home Depot, Fred Meyer: they don't even have to check if you call them or show up to ask any employee. The known line is: all gone.

How can this be? Summer just begins to crank it up come mid July in Portland, and they're already sold out with no known date for when they'll have them? It is so rediculous that I'm thinking this must be a test of my retail prowess and am prepared to start working the phonelines, intent on finding one.

I haven't always been this way about the heat. I love the sun and a good heat wave is super summer fun, most of the time. But in a 100-year old house, with 2 cats and a dog, trying to get ready for a swarm of overnight guests and visitors, I'd like to try and get some decent sleep, beyond what my little window fan can provide. Yes, we'll do the backyard hose and swimsuit extravaganza while watering the garden and hoping the hanging basket doesn't curl up and fry to brown. No room for a slip'n'slide but the thought is tempting. The kiddie pool is a thought, but then once the heatwave is over, where am I supposed to put that thing?

Okay, enough bitching. I've got phone calls to make. I'm going to find an air conditioner for sale. And if anyone knows who may have them, for gods sake, let me know!

Ultimate Punishment

I don't have kids. But if I did, and they were misbehaving, I'd threaten them with sending them off to this camp. Instead of "don't make me pull this car over right now!", I'd shout "You're going to go speak in tongues and be forced to praise hajeebus for 16 hrs straight if YOU don't straighten up right now!" I mean, really, come on. WTF. Isn't this considered child abuse in the name of god? Wrong, people. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I'm all for vacation bible school (you know I can sing This Little Light of Mine) but Waves of Glory camp? Uh, no.

Feeling wigged out?

Hair getting to you? Feeling tension? Feel like sticking your finger in a socket? Try this instead.

P.S. Does my blog look weird to you? Like the template is gone? WTF?!

Monday blathering

Ahhhhhhh.......am traveling again. No, people. It's not into the wild glorious world of Chicago, Washington DC, or even North Carolina. I'm in Tacoma tonight. I know I know. Calm down. I know it's exciting.

If you haven't checked out the linky link below to the portraits of the original Freedom Fighters, stop what you're doing and go stare into the faces and eyes of people who were incredibly brave in their convictions, and who took steps that others were scared of. Go now. Get. I did a post below.


For another moving NY Times photo slideshow, visit here. Child brides of Afghanistan: girls sold to repay gambling debts or because of poverty. Women continue to be bartered and traded and sold in this world. Children. But look at their eyes. Deep stuff. Go look at those photos now.

So we did a little project at the homestead this weekend. A rainchain made into a fountain and an area sparkling with blue and green tumbled glass in the mulch. It's a little magical new place in our garden. Go check out the pics!
But come the end of the weekend, oy vey. I was spent. See? Here I was last night....


Greetings and salutations from Tacoma: have a good week ya'll.

Summertime haircut

And then there's the best part....the bows. Not one, not two, but three...

The power of photography...

...and the tool that it can be. Take in this beautiful project of portraits of the original freedom fighters. I love the juxtoposition of their jail photos, and their faces today. Beautiful, beautiful portaiture!

I love my cheerleading bears...

...and did I ever tell you I was a Toro in junior high? Best mascot ever. But I digress. Check out my favorite Friday video...

Dressing up for the Fourth of July

Wink dressed up for you in her new denim dress. Yes, my dog wears dresses. And she looks damn good in this one. Note the hot pink ribbon I added as an accent...I couldn't find a red one. So she's sassin' it up today with a dash of hot pink. We went for a long long walk today and she's spent. Me? I'm enjoying an amazingly lovely long weekend. I'll be making Rosanne Cash's Potato Salad a little later (thank you, epicurious.com) and we'll be BBQing dogs and chicken. And I couldn't help myself with this one...

Does anything display my patriotism more than the dedication it takes to make layered Jello desserts? I didn't think so. That's Berry Blue on the bottom, and Wild Strawberry on top. Hope to share these with a neighbor a little later.

We're layin' low this weekend, and working in the garden. (You can see photos of our gardening craziness here.) It's a good time to be outside, and we've been spending our evenings on the front porch, playing Uno by candlelight and laughing. It's a good feeling. Tonight, we'll blow the crap out of a bunch of fireworks in the street and hopefully won't start any fires doing so.

And finally, here's a true patriotic gift for all you Hasselhoff fans. He has a new video for us. And it's a doozie.
Damn. That link isn't working. Try it here!

Frida has a message for you

Relax this weekend. Learn something new. Nap. Pause. And listen. Breathe the sun. Sweat in the garden. Stand with the hose, with the sun on your shoulders. Walk your dog around the neighborhood. Visit. Laugh with friends. Breathe the green grass. Smell the flowers. Drink cold beer. Laugh more. Tell those you love, that you love them. And stare into their eyes while you say it. Do something nice for yourself. Do something nice for someone you love. Make a phone call to someone you haven't spoken with in a long time. Watch Battlestar Gallactica. Snuggle with your cat. Daydream. Fully exhale. Make your backyard a welcome retreat. Calm. Watch the plants grow. Eat juicy berries. Eat fresh. Breathe deeply. Love summer. Love life. Love yourself.