Thanksgiving

    A quiet day.  Had some family over -- good meal (If I do say so myself) -- talked -- looked at our trip pictures (dw has done a very good job of sorting, arranging and labeling the pics -- she didn't do a chronological  arrangement but more of sorting by subject -- A LOT of work)  and that's about it. 
   Otherwise not much has been happening.  I've raked the leaves a couple of times (including the street) -- and taken pictures -- to avoid Portland's absurd new leaf tax which seems to have been suspended anyway.  Another attempt by the city council to earn a 100% disapproval rating. 
   I didn't blog last Sunday because I had even less to say than I have today.  The upcoming Sunday is looking bleak blog-wise.  Perhaps I should make stuff up -- that seems to be the contemporary non-fiction way anyway.  DA
     Now I had a FABULOUS day after breakfast in bed, a pedicure, spa  bath, hair and makeup revamp, nip and tuck here and there -oh, no, wait, that was my dream last night.  Instead I'm making up for the quiet day by giving my body some metabolizing work as I consume piece after piece of apple pie and platefuls of SPAM MACARONI salad.  You didn't think we would visit the Spam Museum and then forget the spam?  Made it myself based on an old family recipe - boiled macaroni, can of spam, and peas married with an olive oil based mayonnaise (an Italian mayo, as it were).  Tossed in leftover chopped onions and celery and added pepper only (because there is enough salt in the Spam to salinize the ocean) and called it good.  Delish, of course.  I agree that perhaps it's time to be more CREATIVE here in the blog.  Will get back to you on that.  dw

Waiting Didn't Help Much

Another week with a dirth of excitement.  I finally got my bike back together so I'll start riding again.  I took it in for a new tire a week or so ago, and was told it really needed a tune-up.  At a cost of $100 I decided to do it myself.   So, it's done. 
   I'm still working on the steel sculpture, I'm still optimistic re: the eventual result.
   I've gone walking a few times.  Although it seems very "not green" to drive to an exercise place, I've been driving up Germantown road to the Wildwood trailhead.  Lotsa foliage, steep canyons (the trail maintains elevation when crossing them) small streams.  Nothing spectacular but a very nice deep-woods feel to the trails.  The trail is a welcome change from walking around the neighborhood.
   Dw may have an entry later in the week.  She took a couple of days of r&r -- went to Hood River and is lolling about with a view of the river and a bunch of knitting and other projects to do. 
   And finally, I bought a new computer (an HP) -- I finally got fed up with the old one freezing and otherwise showing its age.  -- There's not room at this desk for two old things.  -- It's up and running but I still need to transfer the files from the old one to the new.  It'll be easy enough, but I need to borrow a monitor to hook up with the old computer.  (I didn't get a new monitor) -- And I just noticed an instruction to read the "Safety & Comfort Guide" in order to reduce the risk of serious injury while using the new keyboard.  Another unrecognized peril in modern life.  DA

Wait, wait - I'm thinking

What's new since Halloween?  Dennis and I enjoyed a fine dining experience last night at friend David M's house-sitting gig.  After driving up and up the winding road behind Scappoose we found the address and arrived in enough daylight to admire the fabulous house.  It's one of those sprawling hillside homes 3-4 years new with a circular gravel/paved entryway, carport, driveway winding around and under the house to the garage, windows, more windows, giant wood entry door, rain chains from the overhangs, etc.  Lovely, lovely.  So was the evening as we chatted and ate and caught up on the news - sitting around the dining room table next to the kitchen.  The kitchen is the hearth of the home and I like that even in a giant home we hang around the kitchen.  Some things do not change.
     November has arrived with its variable weather -70 and sunny two days and then heavy rain, sun and rainbows the next.  The vacation photos are hunkered down in a big dishpan waiting for me to put them in order.  As winter previews with the rainy weather reading becomes a bigger draw and the photos are still waiting.  Soon, real soon.  dw
   I concur with all of the above re: the house and evening.
   I've been working on a sculpture (painted steel) which is coming along nicely.  And I've been tuning up my bike.  I'm not very interested in the bike job, but it needs to be done, and I need to finish it so I can get back to exercising.  Cycling has replaced running as my preferred exercise although I consider it a mediocre substitute.   DA