[sharonpdx]

one year later.

'tis the season for giving thanks.  and for birthdays, it seems.  lauren's was last Wednesday.  lots of wine  at her house, then cosmos @ Vendetta.  a very  fun, very tipsy night.

 

this weekend i was dogsitting for the most amazing dog in the world, Hamlet - a 73lb English bulldog who answers to Ham, Hammy, even Hambone.  isn't he handsome?  we had a great time hanging out with him and taking him on adventures.  for the record, he's not a fan of the farmer's market.

 

   

thanksgiving came early for me this year - at least, the feast did.  because i'll be en route to Maui on the actual day [yep.  tomorrow.  wow.], and because i just moved into a new place, i decided to throw a pre-Thanksgiving dinner-party-slash-housewarming on Sunday. i made the turkey, everyone else brought their favorite traditional [for the most part] side dishes, and we hung out for hours eating and sipping warm cider + wine + beer.   yum.

evan brought chocolate-covered bacon.  joe brought tofurky, and everyone debated whether the "x" shaped thing that came with it was a tofurky-jerky wishbone or a dog treat.  drea and ashleigh came, which was awesome; BT couldn't, which sucked, but we sent some leftovers to him.  and, in the true spirit of friendship, joe suggested to kynthia, tiffanie, lauren, & doug that everyone pitch in with the dishes at the end - how nifty is that?

the party marked also my 366th day living in Portland.  it's been an entire year.  i don't feel like waxing poetic; let's just say i know i've got a whole lot to be thankful for.

a very happy holiday to you & yours. 

on family, and the loss of.

sending warm thoughts of peace and comfort to the Padgett family in Arizona, upon the passing of my uncle Paul, my father's brother, today. 

i didn't know my uncle well.  but i've heard many stories, and i know he was a loving husband, and a caring father, and a good brother.  the last time my father spoke to him, in fact, he was calling to check in on my family during the fires in San Diego.

please, if you are able, keep my aunt Kitty and their family in your thoughts - and my father as well, as he travels to Arizona for the funeral soon, and says goodbye to his brother in his own way. 

thank you.

casual friday

outside, the sky is cloudy & grey, and when i left the office at lunch time the  rain was sharp.  a far cry from the warm fall weather we had last Saturday, when Doug, Joe, Joe's dog Murphy, and I hiked to Mirror Lake and Tom, Dick, and Harry mountain. 

 

 

it was a long, fun week spent mostly in Chicago, where i got to catch up with friends from work, collaborate on a successful presentation, and experience a fantastic place for drinks in Wicker Park called The Violet Hour.  and, despite the travel, i think i'm about 90% recovered from my cold.

so i declare today casual friday, where instead of me sharing my friday 5's with you, you share yours with me.  post 'em if you've got 'em, folks: i want you to tell me the 5 things making you happy right now.

friday 5's [11/2/07]

five happy things for the friday before Daylight Savings Time ends.

1. the weather was fantastic for my weekend with mom...  [which was so much fun!] 

2.  ...and, our aforementioned Ikea trip was a great success.

3. these arrived at my office on Monday and brightened up my desk-  and my week.  [aren't they gorgeous?]

   

4. today i attended "Grandparents and Special Friends Day" at Woodstock Elementary School as Franchesca's special friend.  [she's in the Chinese immersion program there, and was teaching me to speak and write some basic phrases.]

 

5.  it's the weekend.  [i feel a cold coming on, but i'm hoping i can fend it off with zinc and some rest - that extra hour on Sunday will be nice!]

enjoy your weekend, too.