Things that have happened this week
My parents left on Tuesday for a month-long trip to Europe (including 8 days on a bike trip - dear god, I hope they survive!). As a consolation prize, my dad brought the remains of the food left in their fridge. The contents included:
- a dozen yogurts - including 1 that expired 4/22, 3 that expired 5/8, and the remainder expired today.
- 2 stalks of celery, 2 stalks of broccoli & one romaine
- some blue cheese that “just needs this bit of mold cut off” - uh, thanks, Dad, how do I know which mold??
- a tupperware of boiled potatoes & cooked salmon
- five eggs, one with a crack
- 1/2 a block of Tillamook cheddar cheese (possibly the only “score” from this delivery)
- some sad strawberries & dried up oranges
Can you tell my Dad was raised by a Depression-era mother? I hate to sound ungrateful, but some of this did not need to leave his house! I am proud that I was able to make a decent frittatta with the eggs, potatoes, salmon & cheese, and I saved the strawberries by blending them up to make strawberry balsamic salad dressing.
On Wednesday, I attempted to pay the Arts Tax that our city passed last November. I have to admit I voted against it, because the collection system seemed ridiculous. It’s $35 / person - you have to pay the City directly. It’s not on your property bill or taken out of your paycheck. The website crashed yesterday, but it somehow managed to charge me the 99 cent “convenience” fee TWICE (for using a credit card online) but not actually take my $35!! Yup, this is precisely why I voted AGAINST this. I will pay for arts, but this payment strategy is silly.
Today is Thursday, but it’s my work Friday. Hurray! I’m totally a boring adult now as I am psyched to go plant shopping this weekend!
Are we sharing favorite Office moments? That’s a thing today?
haygirlhay:
Here are the two that matter to me most:
Thanks to haygirlhay for finding the exact two gifs I had in mind! My favorite moments as well. I am a sucker for good ole physical comedy. (See: also “van down by the river” on old SNL).
People are weird.
I should be used to it by now in Portland, I guess.
Last night we went out for dinner for the boyfriend’s birthday (and it was oh so good). There was a girl dining with her parents at the table next to us. When she left, she dropped a note on our table in front of me.
At first, I wondered if she was hitting on me (us? awkward!). But no, her note said she had overheard me talking about wishing I had a backyard pizza oven (wouldn’t that be awesome, right?). Her partner works at a pizza place (one of my faves, tbh), and they want an oven, too. From the note “No Experience! But very willing labor!”.
Uh, ok? I don’t really know what she’s offering. Do they want joint custody of my pizza oven if they come help build it? I just don’t know. How am I supposed to respond to this?
This is why I hate talking in restaurants, as the tables are always so dang close & you know everyone’s eavesdropping (I’m guilty, too).
Ooh I like those! Where are they from?
Hey, thanks!
So far they have been really comfy. I got a small blister on my toe the first day but was fine after that. They are really lightweight & easy to walk in. They are fairly narrow (see reviews) but work with my feet.
{photo via}
I’m trying to get into the groove this Monday after a most wonderful weekend. The weather was perfect - 70s and sunny. I spent most of Saturday & Sunday playing in the garden, getting dirty weeding & planting.
We are working on getting a backyard habitat certification through the Audubon Society. Part of that requires the addition of native plants, so this weekend we added:
- yellow monkey flower (photo above)
- sword fern
- snowberry
- kinnikinnick
- lupine
- yarrow
- phlox
- mock orange
- sedums
A few others, but I’m forgetting the rest right now. We also have columbine, bleeding heart, more ferns, and wild ginger still to plant! It’s so fun watching our yard get filled up. I can’t wait for the plants to grow more and start filling in.
This weekend also included trips to multiple plant nurseries, dishwasher shopping at Lowe’s (ugh, but it will be so nice to get a new one!), an awesome dinner at A Cena (Italian), and happy hour at our neighborhood pizza joint.
Man, I wish weekends like this didn’t have to end!
