Basil Baby

Day 182.

I have been dying because we really don't have room to grow much in our apartment. I bought this little growing kit out of the bottom of a clearance bin at the craft store a few days ago with out much hope of it actually sprout anything, but look at it go!

There were a few really cool things about this kit:

1. The soil came in a super-compressed disc that expands to 10x's its volume when you add water. I would buy another kit like this just to watch that.
2. It came with the little pot - very apartment window-sill size appropriate.
3. It cost me a whole $1.99.

I am obsessed with checking on this little guy.

Hungry Eyes

Day 181.

Moments before the blizzard gets passed through the drive thru window at DQ. Can you feel the desperation?

A word of advice: When the pumpkin pie blizzards come back, get them.

Purple Green Onions

Day 180.

Today at the Farmer's Market: stuff to make your breath awful and your soup good. I bought Walla Walla sweet onions and purple chives (or green onions or scallions - what is the difference anyway?). They were featured in a take on Italian wedding soup.

Hiding Spot

Day 179.

Sometimes, I think it would just be easier to hide back here. Being "grown up" is hard.

The Swedish Consolate

Day 178.

A certain someone and I argued about workspace this morning. Our solution? Go to IKEA and see what might work for us. The miracle that followed? Finding exactly what we wanted in the As-Is section of the store & saving $100. The bitch? Taking only enough pieces off a fully assembled desk to fit it into the truck bed w/ the canopy on.

Stay tuned for the made-over "spare oom."

Bad Jeans vs. Good Jeans

Day 177.

I LOATHE shopping for jeans. SO I ordered the same pair I bought last time online. They arrived yesterday. Of course they didn't fit because the pairs that they sell online are outsourced to a different tiny Asian nation than the ones that they sell in the stores. Ack.

Today I went to the store to return the ill-fitting dungees, and for the first time ever buying jeans was not painful. It took about 5 trips to the dressing room, but I found two pairs that I really like that fit and everything. Yay!

P.S. It still makes me a little nauseous that size 0 (don't get me started on 00) exists! Oh well.

Pancake Nirvana

Day 176.

Blueberry-corn cornmeal pancakes with blueberry syrup, made w/ local blueberries (that we picked) and local super sweet corn. This is hands down the best stack of pancakes I've ever made, and one of the best breakfast-for-dinners I've had in a while.

Oops!

Day 175.

I put the wrong sealant on my samples and it dissolved the ink I used. Ef.

Closing Time

Day 174.

Today was closing and strike. It was epic.

The Podling

Day 173.

We're hanging out with the podling again. He's so funny!

Flowers from Friends

Day 172.

My friend brought me some roses at the show! So sweet!

Prototypical

Day 171.

I'm working on lots of little prototype ideas.

Fat Lip

Day 170.
My family is blessed with superior whining skills. Today's whine is brought to you by 90 degree apartments and very terrible movies. Before we saw the terrible movie (G.I. Blows) we watched District 9. It was probably the coolest alien movie I've ever seen. I was surprised by how much it shook me (in a humanitarian way) and impressed by the storytelling. The website for the movie is also pretty cool, although I'm not sure it makes much sense unless you've seen the movie.

Then... we watched the abysmal writing in that other movie. They should have had barf-bags in the theater.

Yes, going to the movies is still a great way to beat the heat.

Crafting Continues

Day 169.

Tonight I got together with some ladies for cheese and knitting (in my case crocheting). We had been trying to schedule a time for MONTHS. The saganaki couldn't have come soon enough.

Shrinky-Dinking

Day 168.

I'm working on some crafty ideas. Stay tuned for completed projects.

Saturday Market kind of Sunday

Day 167.

We started the day off right at the Portland Saturday Market (which is open on Sundays too!). No purchases were made, but I have to point out the work of two of my favorite vendors there. The blocks and pendants at LittleputBooks are very fresh, clean and dangerously easy to purchase. I am also inspired by the gorgeous prints over at Appetite, and I think I may be purchasing a new wallet there soon.

A certain someone took these shots and asked us to make funny faces. I think we delivered.

Big Day

Day 166.

Today was a busy busy day. First, drop off the sissy's car for an oil change, pop in at the Japanese Garden, go to a secret place (to be revealed tomorrow), lunch at another surprisingly good Mexican joint, Cha Cha Cha, hit one theater, Powell's, dinner at Pied Cow, run the show, pick up the car, watch Big Love, and collapse in bed.

It does exist!

Day 165.

Since little sister has been in the middle of nowhere for months, we have been trying to treat her to all the conveniences of the big city. Today: Mexican food. Being from the land of Tex-Mex which is (in my opinion) the best food in the world, I am always skeptical of "Mexican" food so far from the border. Por Que No! delivered big time. It was a major hit on a chilly day. The sister liked it too!

Succulent Envy

Day 164.

We went to the little red bike cafe for breakfast. I want to say it sucks. I want to say it was the worst place I've ever eaten because it was so !#@9*&$2ing amazing. We were lucky to be there when it wasn't crowded. They have the cutest collection of succulents in their front windows. My little baby succulent isn't display quality yet, but it has grown quite a bit in the last few weeks. I think the heatwave that killed two other plants did it some good.

But seriously, the food was so good. Very very flavorful without making you feel like you ate your weight in bread and eggs. Totally lives up to its reputation.

Sissy time in Stumptown

Day 163.

My little sister arrived today, and we all finally went to see the new Harry Potter movie. Note to self: don't reread the book the week before you go to see the movie.

Shut it. Or I'll shut it for you.

Day 162.

The past week has been a carnival of noise around the apartment. In the back, there are drunks, shopping carts with broken wheels, cars being worked on and people just having friendly conversation. In the front, there are people using leaf blowers to tend POTTED PLANTS, family reunions, children (2-4 at any given time) playing, a variety of small yippie dogs and a talking parrot. A parrot - really?

I feel like I should be getting paid to babysit because I can hear that much of what the kids are doing. I think I'm about to increase my rates.

Getting fancy with the marinade!

Day 161.

It was a tough decision, but we went with honey-garlic. Prior to this shopping trip the fridge had only 3 white onions, soy milk, 2 bottles of wine, pomegranate liquor, condiments and a brick of blue cheese. That's what happens when you only go home to sleep for three weeks!

To Tat?

Day 160.

My sister has me thinking about getting a tattoo again. What do you think? All in blue? More stylized? Smaller?

For some reason, should I get one, I want it on my wrist.

Finally! The Farmer's Market

Day 159.

I love farmer's markets! My neighborhood has just started one this summer and I finally got to go. I got beautiful basil, parsley, brandywine tomatoes, white and green eggplants, July Flame peaches and a cucumber. I made dinner based on this recipe. It was actually quite salty, but not unpleasant and the fresh flavors were amazing!

Opening Night

Day 158.

A technical clusterfuck, brilliantly acted. It was one of the most agonizing 85 minutes I've ever spent, but it felt good to be open.

Delicously sticky

Day 157.

The seams we had puttied were cracking, so we covered them in glue-laden strips of muslin. This makes for some serious monster hands. Ah, the last minute details.

Warning signs

Day 156.

Either it's because we're staying in a smoker's house, or I'm hardly sleeping and highly stressed, but my throat is telling me to go to bed. NOW!

Eyes on the Prize

Day 155.

It never fails. If I take my eyes of the prompt book for a moment, I will miss a cue. So I have the play memorized, but never get to watch it. Cruel huh?

Late again

Day 154.

This was taken a day late because a certain someone was a slave driver.

Current Elf

Day 153.

Why is this branded into the ladder? No idea. It was an amusing feature of a long day of building.

Space pod

Day 152.
This is Little Man Rue, my boss's dog, that we're pet sitting. He has two good legs, and uses wheels to get around. He is also the smelliest weirdest sounding dog of all time. We like to call him 'hot wheels' or the podling. He can also be quite adorable at times.