Thursday, August 31, 2006

No way! Trump fires Carolyn!


My reality television watching side* is going to come out for a minute here. But I just gotta say, dammit! How can Donald Trump fire his sidekick Carolyn? She calls it like it is on The Apprentice and is one tough bitch: without being a bitch. And to attain that as a woman in the business world is one fine line dance. Not easy.

But word on the street today is that Trump fired Carolyn. Happy labor day!

*Note that this post does not include any reference to the current happenings on Rockstar Supernova, Project Runway nor the upcoming race riots sure to break out on this season's Survivor.

On N. Killingsworth


On N. Killingsworth
Originally uploaded by Lelonopo.
The siding comes off, and there's a message from a long time ago. This was part of a 7-up ad painted on the side of a cafe. At some point, it was covered with new siding. Now that old siding is coming off and the 1901 Cafe and the 7-up signs are visible again.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Tea and bubbles


I finally tried Bubble Tea. Strange experience, and can't say I'll have it again. But I've been wanting to try these pop culture drinks for a few years. I was in Seattle yesterday and many shops advertised them in their windows. Lucky me, the one place we ran into to grab lunch had bubble tea, and I took the opportunity right then and there.

The "bubbles" in bubble tea come from the dark tapioca balls that gather at the bottom. The straw is especially wide so that you can suck up the tapioca. The flavors vary, and lychee and green tea were my options, along with watermelon, cantaloupe, and many other fruit flavors. I opted for pink. Which I believe was watermelon. Super sugary sweet, it's definitely a drink a child would like. If that child likes sugary sweet. Hello Kitty would have looked perfectly happy and at home on the side of that cup.

Yum, bubble tea.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Fun with headers

So is my new header irritating or fun? I've recently been going the clean and very simple route here at Lelonopo. Thought I'd throw in some jazz hands, or at least some spirit fingers. I figure I can change it out periodically. But I tend to post so many photos here. See my internal dialogue about this?
Love it?
Hate it.
Hate it?
Love it.
You tell me.

Has anyone seen Wink?

Wink? Can't find her. Maybe over here. Or over here? No. Why isn't she coming when I call her? Wink? Could she be upstairs? So I go up the stairs, and here she sits.
Anyone seen Wink?
Just staring at me. I know she can hear me. She doesn't want to come. "Maybe if I sit real still, she won't see me." Sneaky snake.

Friday, August 25, 2006

A late summer day off and a recipe for Caipirinhas


My list of to-dos in the garden today is long, and includes cutting back, deadheading, and watering like a fiend. It's supposed to get into the 90's again this weekend, and I'm trying to prevent a later summer fry-a-thon that could just take out the garden. Wink will join me, I'm sure, along with Frida and Picasso.

Other things I want to do? Grill some fruit tonight, and make some cocktails (well not today, but tonight). We grilled nectarines the other night: talk about delish.

The annual summer cocktail here at Casa de Lelo and AdRi is the Caipirinha, made from the Brazilian Cachaca (not to be confused with macaca). What? You've never had a Caipirenha? It's the perfect hot weather cocktail.

Caipirinha, pronounced Ki/pea/ree/nya is supposedly Brazil's famous cocktail and uses Cachaca, a powerful alcohol made from sugar cane. Take one whole lime, cut into fourths, juice it into a glass, and muddle the crap out of it. Add a tablespoon of raw brown sugar and stir it up. Fill in the glass with lots of ice, pour in a shot or two of cachaca, and top with a splash of sparkling mineral water or soda water. Stir and enjoy.

Oh, the garden is calling...happy Friday peeps.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Juvenile Glee


Oh the blogosphere. It does provide for wee bits of glee harkening me to become the sly and sneaky little girl I was in my tweens. At 10, or 12, my beloved boombox and I would spend many hours in my room. Listening and taping. Taping and listening. And when I turned the AM dial all the way to the right? That’s when magic happened.

25 years ago, cordless phone technology was not what it was today. 25 years ago, I could turn the AM radio dial all the way to the right and voila! There was a neighbor, from down the street, talking away to a friend about butterflies or whatever. And I could listen in. I didn’t just listen in. I taped these conversations. (I know it’s illegal today people!) And in my sneaky snarky 12-year old way, I would call them, and play their own conversations back to them. There was never anything incredibly juicy. But I did it anonymously. And it was satisfying. (Mom, Dad, I know you read this blog!)

And so to the present day. And the ability to comment anonymously on blogs. I don’t do it very often. But I recently had the urge to do so, so I did. There was an opportunity. I seized it. And I’m proud to say I know He’s a Fucktard. I believe she got her start on the AM dial a long time ago.

Monday, August 21, 2006

I saw royalty today


San Francisco twins
Originally uploaded by davegolden.
Mary and Vivian Brown, the famous San Francisco twins, and I walked together around Union Square this evening. When I first saw them from behind, I knew we were approaching something very, very special. Two older ladies, dressed up amazingly glorious, in furs and hats and exactly alike, walked arm in arm. Their hats even had netting, and their makeup was HOT.

Did you know they have spent their entire lives together, except for a few weeks when they once took separate vacations to see what it would be like to be apart? They have dressed alike their entire lives.

I've seen royalty, people! Royalty!

Thursday, August 17, 2006

You won't believe this

Direct mail campaign gone wrong: AGAIN! You may remember my post about the Portland realtor who mailed a mess of a direct mail out to a list of people paired with the wrong names. Long story short: her direct mail firm screwed up and paired couples incorrectly on the mailing. So it was addressed to me and someone I've never ever heard of. Her follow up mailing was still wrongly addressed.

Guess what came in the mail today? You guessed it! Another postcard from this same realtor, suggesting we plant trees in our neighborhood. But it was addressed to me and this other woman whom I have no idea who it is! It's kind of freaking me out. It's gotten to really be the direct mail company, or list, from hell, and she should just dump the list and start all over. If I wasn't such a happy-go-lucky person, I'd be pissed off about it. But you know me. Hahahhaahhahaaha. Sigh. Good times.

UPDATE: Okay okay. I was being sarcastic in my little quip there about being a happy-go-lucky person. BWAH! I'm so not. AdRi read my blog and totally called me out on that. SARCASM people. I was being sarcastic. That is all.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Been thinking of getting a tattoo

But it won't be this one:


I love those beautiful vibrant colored tattoos. For example, see Superinky's gorgeous tattoo here. How frickin' lovely is that?

A few weeks ago I saw a woman in a skirt with a beautiful flower and vine winding its way up her leg, from the ankle up to her knee or so. Gorgeous, bright, beautiful. Thinking I'd weave sunflowers, 4 o'clocks, morning glories, sweet peas and other favorite flowers into it.

But I don't know if I could handle the pain. We're talkin' a large tattoo. I have zero tattoos. But if I'm going to do it, what the hell. Shouldn't I just do it?! I'll think more about it, and really I just wanted to share that amazing photo of the idiot with REJECT on his forehead. What an idiot! For more lovely facial tattoos and odd booking photos, check out JaAmLo's recent link here.

Monday, August 14, 2006

What's that sound?

...It's the sound of another bible beater crashing to the ground. Lou Beres, head of Oregon's Christian Coalition, has admitted to molesting family members, including children. Wow. For the whole story, head to gayrightswatch.

Now remind me, Lou. Who's the real threat to the well-being of children? Oh, that's right. Not the gay and lesbian couples, but it's YOU! Nice. Well done. LOSER.

Kudos to gayrightswatch for the exclusive story and police report.

P.S. Don't miss the link to my previous post over there on this same topic, It's For the Children!

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Wink's sister is in da howze!

How lucky are we to have Ginger visiting for the week? Ginger's mama stopped by today for a nice visit in the garden and to drop off Ginger before heading out on a lil' vacation. Yes, I promptly put dresses on both of them and took some photos. And can I just say I was **very** impressed with a Dog Whisperer technique RSG applied with Ginger when she started her visit by growling and snapping at Wink. Using a calm and assertive approach she held Ginger in a subdominant position until she behaved. P.S. Cesar Millan has a blog!

How can you not love this little girl?
Hey look! It's Ginger!

Here are the sisters, hangin' out in their summer sundresses...(I can see you rolling your eyes!)
Sisters hangin' in their summer dresses

It's funny how they do things together...
Sisters must do the same thing at all times

A nap sounds good, doesn't it? I actually won't get to see Ginger much until Thursday as I'm off to Texas and Chicago until then. Can I tell you how NOT excited I am to fly while there's an Orange Alert? And to think I'll be without my lipstick, mouthwash, perfume and hand lotion while airporting, well, whatever. ***Ugh.*** I don't know if I'll feel any safer, but perhaps my dried up fingers and hangnails will help me with that.

Enjoy the cuteness of the world's most adorable dogs. In dresses. Napping. Snorggle!

***BONUS LINK: Community College Hosts Lesbian Career Day****

Friday, August 11, 2006

Now here's a horrible resume...

...I don't think I'd hire someone with a resume like this one. Here's a lovely synopsis of the career of the president of the United States of America...

GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

LAW ENFORCEMENT
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.

MILITARY
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.

COLLEGE
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.

PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas, in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, I was elected governor of Texas.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money. I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history. With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT
I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week. I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury. I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history. I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period. I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market.

In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.  I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleezza Rice, had a Chevron oil tanker named after her. I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History, Enron.

My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision. I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip- offs in history.

I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history. I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history. I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of theUnited States' government.

I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history. I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission. I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law. I refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S.election). I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television. I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. I garnered the most sympathy for the U.S. after the World TradeCenter attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.

I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.

I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community. I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families-in-wartime. In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends. I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security. I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD. I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden [sic] to justice.

RECORDS AND REFERENCES
All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.
...
Props to my dad for sending this on: thanks DeLo!

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

I'm fascinated with the tourists at Multnomah Falls

Camo
I can't believe I went to Multnomah Falls in August on a weekend. Tourist mecca for the state of Oregon. If we had taken I-84 we would have been stuck in the back up on the off ramp of people waiting to park in the parking lot. Good thing we took the scenic route along the Historic Columbia River Highway, stopping to see and walk in to all of the beautiful falls along the way. How can you not take a first-time visitor to Oregon to Multnomah Falls? It's really not possible. And the only day we could it was Sunday.

So there we were among the throngs of people. I think I could have sat on that bench for hours just watching the tourists, wondering where these people come from. Families, couples, teens, old folks. You name it. They all throng to Multnomah Falls. To hike to the top. To stand on the bench at the base and have their friends take pictures of them with their mouths open, so that when they look at the picture, it looks like Multnomah Falls is emptying into their mouth. (You know, kind of like this.)

And then I saw the FUG. The family that dresses alike in camouflage. Pants, shorts, hat. Cami. You got it. I just wish I had been faster with my camera and snapped a pic of the huge man with a tank top that said Pitbull. Enjoy.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Estoy cansada

Mariachis at wedding
(I am tired.) I'm ending my week of vacation with much better spanish (I can actually understand conversations around me now: yeah!), and completely exhausted and tired. I need a vacation to recover from my vacation. Super wonderful to have AdRi's family here from Mexico City, Kenya, Chicago, San Diego, Pendleton....but AdRi knows, I'm familied out. Done. Here, in a rambling of palabras (words), are the cosas (things) we did this week...I know you're jealosa de mi Spanglish, yo se.

bridal shower, dad's retirement party, gaston, bbq, driving, switch cars, contractor, call new contractor, drop off laptop, shopping, farmer's market, lincoln city, beach, fire, s'mores, bikes, kids, go boom, laugh, laugh more, outlet stores, new shoes, can old navy get any cheaper?, AdRi's birthday, foot massage, barefoot sage, having thai food with someone who has never tried it before, wedding rehearsal dinner, bbq, cell phone calls, more shopping, nap, wedding, photos, more photos, more family, stress, fun, laugh, drama, mariachis, dollar dance, symphony in the park, farmers market and the world's brightest gladiolas, fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella (is there anything better to eat in the summer than this?), muchas palabras y mas espanol, taking family to Target for the first time (the $1 spot aisle was muy popular), walking, sleeping on an air mattress, AdRi to PDX yet again, not sleeping on an air mattress, Columbia River Gorge, waterfalls, Wink goes hiking, parents for dinner, upload photos...tiempo dormir? Tiempo dormir. All is well.

Here are some photos that go along with my blathering of words.....
Wedding at Jenkins EstateSo romantic
Familia from Mexico City, symphony at McCoy Park
View along the Historic Columbia River Highway
Classic Oregon photo
Wink goes to the GorgeWink goes to the Gorge 2
Wink goes to the Gorge 3
Visiting waterfalls in the gorge

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Viva las vacaciones

small town hall
A very different kind of vacation: family here from all over the country, and the world. Thought I'd pop in and share a few photos from one of this week's celebrations: a party in small town Oregon.....
knights
Can you hear the music?
norteña