Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
There's always a crazy one at social hour
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Are you jealous?
Click it to see him in action.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Is the sale fun? Or are they selling fun?
Is the sale fun? Or are they selling fun?
Gosh, how irresistable. We'd better turn left and check it out!
Monday, August 17, 2009
The 17th
With the new job and all, I'm pooped.
Besides August 17th is on a Monday and I just never feel like doing anything on a Monday.
Blah.
We're going to start up our thing on the 17th next month. Stay tuned for more info on joining us at Oktoberfest in September in Mt. Angel (September 17 is their first day!)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Dizzy Dish
A couple years ago I went to one of those "Paint Your Own Pottery" shops. They had a ladies' night where for just $10 you could have dinner - girl food, of course (shrimp caesar salads) - lots of champagne, and chocolate cake, and they let you paint and giggle and dish until close.
I figured that if I was drinking and painting, there's no point trying to get my lines straight. What I ended up making has been one of my favorite dishes, ever: my Dizzy Dish.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Naked Emperor on the Singapore stock market?
The other day I was looking at my flickr stats and saw that someone found my photostream through a blog called CashBench.
Curious, I clicked to find out that CashBench is, at the owner states, "An Asia-focused blog from Singapore on money tips & news."
He's using this picture to advertise his new blog's facelift.
Huh. That's pretty darned funny.
So now I wonder:
Does he know the story of The Emperor's New Clothes?
(He's got an MBA, so he's pretty smart. But he's from a different country, so maybe he just doesn't know...)
And at the same time I can't help but ask:
Who's the real fool? The person who gave the blog a facelift? Or his readers for pretending they see the new design?
Monday, August 10, 2009
The 17th...
A few years ago, when we lived in an actual house, we would invite everyone we know to come over for pot luck dinner and board game night. It was always a lot of fun. In our dinky condo we just don't have the space to invite more than two or three people over any more, and it stinks because we have a really hard time getting everyone together.
Rachel and I have hatched a plan to kind of revive the regular parties...
- Every month we would invite everyone we know to join us or meet up with us somewhere to have some fun. This would be on the same date each month, so the day of the week (and time of day) would vary. That way if you can't make it to the event one month, there's a chance you could make it next month. Also this makes it easier for people to know when the next event will be held.
- Events need to be inexpensive and no hassle in getting there.
- Events need to be family friendly.
- We picked the 17th of each month because it doesn't interfere with any other holidays (except St. Pat's Day and occasionally Easter.) Plus it's a prime number and for some weird reason that appeals to us.
Our first event will be Monday Aug 17th. Following that, we have Thursday Sept 17, Saturday Oct 17th, Tuesday Nov 17th, and Thursday Dec 17th.
Where will we meet up on the 17th?We've had a lot of great suggestions including many (ok, most of these) from my friend Todd:
- Game wise, I vote Apples to Apples one night! I even have a big party hardy game pack thingymabobber. Ooo another thing is like some sort of card game competition, like a speed war or something with rounds and the winners of each battle battle away until only one is left standing…there can only be one highlander!!…oh man. Fun stuff.
- Billiards at The Cue Ball (they're open to all ages)
- Bowling
- Hiking at silver falls
- Picnic at Minto Brown park possibly a scavenger hunt
- This mini golf is old school. Auburn Center Miniature Golf at 220 Center St NE Salem, OR 97317-3219 (503) 363-4404
- Of course there is always Best Little Roadhouse and Garden Golf
- We could all grab hold of our inner child and go to Pietro’s for pizza and mini golf.
- Go to a movie (Pam's note: I vote to go to The Palace Theatre in Silverton!)
- Go to the Northern Lights Theatre Pub
- Listen to Live music at Whatever Lefty’s is now known as (Pam's note: it's Roxxy)
- Do a barbecue in a park with one of those grill thingies
- Frisbee Golf
- Game night … but please save this for the crummy winter months
- We could do a murder mystery party our group seems eccentric enough for this
- We could go to a play at Pentacle Theatre or The Elsinore
- If 17th falls on a Wed, Elsinore shows movie classics for just a few bucks and frequently has live pipe organ music prior to the shows
- We could do wine tasting at a vineyard
- If it falls on a weekend we could make a run to the coast. It's only an hour and we could carpool
- Oh yes Spirit Mountain Casino
- Restaurant lottery, you make a list of unique restaurants you would like to try and draw one out of a fishbowl at random.
- Do a Halloween Haunt there are several through October
- Oktoberfest in September in Mt. Angel (September 17 is their first day!)
- Oh Mission Mill at Christmastime is very special
- Hallie Ford Art Museum
- The new Kroc Center will have water slides
- We Could do a Themed potluck; there are some good cooks in your group
Our answer: Yes, please!
So... d'ya want to join us? Mark your calendar for August 17 and stay tuned here to find out where to go!
PS: Comment here if you want to join us or if you have more activity suggestions...
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The Banana is in
This is why I love Oregon.
(Notice his cup is full of ones. So he's been busy today.)
Come see us at Salem Saturday Market
Mention this blog for 10% off your purchase.
Today's Market also includes – Salem Friends of Felines. Friends of SSM will continue with their food preservation classes. Old Time Fiddlers will entertain from 10 am to 2 pm.
Other upcoming events:August 15 – Marion County Dog Shelter and the Salem Chamber Orchestra are the non-profits. FSSM food preservation classes continue. Oregon Valley Boys will play from 10 to 2.
August 22 – Habitat for Humanity will be our non-profit; FSSM will hold our annual Tomato Tasting. Andrew Kendoll and Madison Hall will be the entertainment from 10 to 2.
August 29 – Master Gardeners and YWCA will be our non-profits. Roundhouse Band will entertain from 10 am to 2 pm
September 5 – Hope’s Haven will be our non-profit. Bluebonics will play from 10 am to 2 pm.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Mt. Jefferson
Of course, there's a little story about how we stumbled upon such a majestic view...
Our road map showed a "shortcut" from Foster Lake, Oregon to near Detroit Lake, Oregon.
You'll really need to look at the look at the map to see where this shortcut goes. (Then you'll know this was stupid before we got on the road.)
We pointed the car in that direction and drove uphill on the one-lane mountain road.
Each hairpin turn was followed by a steep incline as we climbed from about 800 feet above sea level to an elevation of about 4000 feet.
Yes. We climbed 3200 vertical feet in about 10 miles.
Although we didn't see any other traffic on the road, there was an occasional campsite with a tent at the side of the road.
The road follows Quartzville creek most of the way, so there were steep mountains rising up from the driver's side of the car and steep forested drop offs (no guard rails) on the passenger side. We either stayed to the middle of the road or hugged the mountain as we ascended.
After about a half hour of driving up and up and up... and starting to get bored and just a little worried that this was maybe not such a smart idea... we rounded a sharp curve and were rewarded with this stunning view.
At 4000 feet above sea level.
Maybe our worries weren't too out of line; this is a view of Mt. Jefferson... with MT. COFFIN somewhere in the foreground.
(Hmmm... I wonder how Mt. Coffin got its name?)
RE: SHORT BUS
Nikki’s Random thought:
When you hear the words short bus you think slow children, special education. At least when I was in school the special education children rode a short blue bus to school because they needed a special driver. I just seen a short bus that said Police training (something else-didn’t catch all of it). I am not feeling very safe.
Nikki’s random thought. Nobody asked, nobody cared, but I shared anyhow. J
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Uncle Bob!
Because of the copyright, I can't blog the picture, so just click the link below and scroll down to see my comment.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41675651@N00/3449547793/
And check out the rest of this artist's "Photochopsuey" if you want to be really amazed!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Omg finally!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Where should we go? What should we do?
Actually, that's what the 13 year old tells me.
If you're from Salem, please comment with a list of inexpensive things a family with a 13 year old would be interested in doing. She's a tomboy who likes punk rock, dogs, and artsy fartsy stuff. DO NOT mention the Carousel or Wunderland. Those have been done to death.
My sister Sharon once referred to a family outing as "Super Family Fun Day!!" I first heard this when the kids (hers and mine) were grumbling about whatever kids tend to grumble about when the family's trying to have some fun.
We don't go have enough fun, and really need to find cheap or free things to do for a Super Family Fun Day. On a couple Sundays each month, when all the chores are done, we pile in the car and hit the road with a goal to go play.
Even if you're not from Salem, got any cheap or free ideas for a Super Family Fun Day with a teenager?