On the Road Again With Snacks

If you are reading this post (unless you work the early morning shift) we are on our way to California to kick off the Thanksgiving festivities. It seems like we were just making the reverse trip way back in September to settle into our apartment in our new city. Thanksgiving seemed like an eon away and I still can't believe that it's already almost here. Yesterday, we spent the afternoon packing and planning the menu for our near twelve hour drive. Menu you ask? Well, yes, we have a menu and thought quite a bit about it. Jesse and I have traveled together enough to know that full bellies make for a happy marriage.

I remember the first fight we had at an airport when I refused to take off my flip flops (I forgot socks) at the security line and the TSA employee made me step into the plexiglass room to be patted down. Jesse was quite embarrassed and refused to talk to me for at least an hour. (For the record, it is not illegal to refuse to remove your shoes, you just have to go through the extra steps of having all your stuff searched and your body checked for explosives. I gladly chose the long route in lieu of a rare foot malady from the thousands of bare feet that walk on those mats every day.) Anyway, ever since we have packed lots of food, which usually consists of turkey sandwiches, nuts, fruit, M&M's for emergencies, as well as four mini-bottles of gin or bourbon for long layovers (all TSA approved of course). This time though, we won't have the turkey sandwiches.

Since we are driving this time, we left behind the bourbon shooters, but put together an array of snacks (both substantial and light) to fuel the trip. Last night we made vegetarian Runsas for dinner with plenty of leftovers for the trip. Nightrain was worried about the lack of meat, but they are actually quite hearty and delicious. The wild rice has a nice chew and the mushrooms make everything delicious. It took a lot longer to make the vegetarian version, since I had to cook all the veggies in different stages to ensure the right texture and prevent the ending mixture from being too soupy to be contained within the delicate dough. Unfortunately, I forgot to put in the cheese, but they are tasty even without.

In addition to the Runsas, we have Pirate's Booty, Cheetos, mixed nuts, bananas, apples, some seltzer water, and of course, we brewed iced coffee last night to make sure we got out of the door with partially functioning brains. In addition to snacks, we have over 30 hours of audiobooks on our iPod, so I think we're set. If all goes as planned, we should arrive in Santa Cruz just around dinner time!

A Very Productive Friday

This morning I have another case of the hiccups (the third time in the last day or so). They are the deep, painful hiccups that make my whole body jump. Luckily, I have been able to control them with measured breathing, but they're a major pain in the butt. Jesse, however, likes watching me squirm. And takes photos of me while I am suffering. How lucky am I that he's chosen to document my existence in such a glamorous state. A very thoughtful husband, indeed.

Today I am finishing up my resume and cover letter (see glamour shot above) for temporary employment here in Portland. This week, after my spell of incredibly productive behavior while Jesse was out of town, I realized that I should probably channel my energy and brain power toward something a little more engaging -- and more lucrative. So I'm chop chop chopping my resume to make it appear as though I have some marketable office skills -- other than laboring over the trends of second-wave modernism in our nation's capital. Jesse was impressed at my handy work. Maybe the agency will give me points for creativity. I am struggling with the cover letter though, I'm not sure if I can bullshit my way through "Hey, I really don't want to work for you and will likely not stay very long, but I am bored. Please hire me."

After I finish my resume materials, I will skip over to the insurance agency to finally transfer our car insurance from California to Oregon. I seriously don't know why I didn't do it sooner, it was incredibly easy and painless. It is also noticeably cheaper. Oh, also, by changing the billing address on our cell phones from D.C. to Oregon, we each save $9 a month on taxes and surcharges. That's $18 a month! I really don't miss D.C. and their surcharges just for breathing.

Anyway, following my meeting with the insurance agent, I will run over to the grocery store and pick up all of the necessary ingredients for dinner tonight. We are making french onion soup (for the weekend) and a batch of Runsas for Friday Date Night. Runsas are little yeast buns that are baked with a savory filling. The traditional recipe, which we have made several times, are filled with beef, cabbage, and cheese. This time though, we're getting fancy and are going to make a vegetarian version with mushrooms, cabbage, wild rice, and spices. I'm excited to try it out and hopeful that they will be just as tasty as their beefy kin. Apparently, Runsas were popular with Russian migrant farmers because of their portability and the ability to stick to your gut. Since we will be migrating toward Santa Cruz for the Thanksgiving holiday, I think I will make another half batch of Runsas Sunday night for our trek early Monday morning.

Yikes! Is it really almost Thanksgiving already? Time certainly does fly -- even when you're unemployed.

When the Husband's Away, the Wife Will....

...work like a dog.

Ok, ok, so I played a little too. J had a whirlwind business trip to Florida this week and I had the apartment all to myself for three days. I dropped him off at the airport on Sunday and had a "play date" with Carolina, a good friend of my friend Ann in D.C. Carolina and her husband moved to Portland this spring and she is quite the avid knitter and jewelry maker. We had an afternoon of crafting and I made quite a bit of progress on my cathedral windows blocks for the joint quilt that my Mom and I are making.

On Monday, I was still in the crafting mood, so I spent most of the afternoon finishing up that mystery project (the one with curved piecing) and working a bit more on the cathedral windows blocks. At the same time, I finished up season 4 of Grey's Anatomy and indulged in a few episodes of Dynasty that CBS is now streaming on their website. Dynasty has a warm spot in my heart, partly because I know the theme song by heart from listening to it as a child, but also because I spent one of the best Halloweens ever dressed as Mrs. Krystle Carrington. My friend Lauren dressed as Ms. Alexis Carrington (Krystle's nemesis) and we thoroughly enjoyed the spotlight. As a side note, it was one of Jesse's least favorite Halloweens because he said the red jumpsuit creeped him out. Whatever. I was fabulous.

I knew that the fun couldn't last and was determined to be productive around the house before J came home. I woke up early on Tuesday, had a nice hearty breakfast and got pumped to clean and organize. I was so busy yesterday that I never slowed down, hence the lack of posting. Aside from the the normal duties (like loads and loads of laundry, vacuuming, etc.) I also finally sorted through our pans and hung a shelf above the stove. It felt pretty darn good to step back and see everything finally in its place. J was quite impressed at all of the improvements and we are excited about having a tidy apartment again.

After his long trip, J needs a break. Luckily for him, instead of putting him to work washing dishes and making the bed, we can focus on something fun. Like finally making those holiday cards!

Friday Night, or Why I Am Not Hip Part 2

We hopped on the #20 bus to Doug Fir on Friday night and were chatting about the concert and our dinner and how sweet it was to get out for an evening. We sat in two empty seats near the back of the bus, right behind a plastic partition that separates the lower level and the stairs. Unbeknownst to me, my feet were wreaking havoc on a young man's soul as we enjoyed our ride down Burnside. Just as we crossed the bridge he ripped off his headphones (that were blaring music) and yelled at Jesse to stop kicking partition because he could feel every kick on his body and it was driving him "batshit crazy" (I think he threw in a fuck or two for good measure).

Ok, first, Jesse wasn't kicking the partition, I was -- the space was tight and I guess I was shuffling my feet around. Secondly, the jerk-face was leaning on the partition and lounging over four seats like a couch, so if he sat properly in his chair this wouldn't have been a problem. Finally, there was a bus full of empty seats that he could have moved to, but instead chose to yell at a perfect stranger. I didn't say anything, and neither did Jesse, because clearly he was crazy. However, I couldn't help tormenting him just a little for being such a little shit. We only had about four stops to go, so intermittently I would kick the partition really hard and would see his shoulders tense up. Then, as we neared our bus stop and stood up to leave, I made sure to do a drum roll with my feet. I know, I'm also a jerk, but it was fun.

As I mentioned earlier, my concert at Doug Fir was sold out so we walked over to the East End determined to have a fun night out. People watching was an experience. There were quite a few more dudes than ladies at the East End and they were all dolled up in their Friday night best. Clearly, I am no fashion expert when it comes to what the cool kids are wearing these days and was puzzled to find a surprising number of men walking around dressed as early 19th Century country gentry. If you swapped out the breeches for a pair of insanely form-fitting black jeans (tight to the point of possibly having to grease their ankles to slide them on) and cut off the tails on their waist coat this figure would be just about right. As a form of entertainment (for myself), I started imagining which A&E miniseries they would be most suited for, if I had full control of casting.

Most of the characters were not dashing like Matthew Macfayden as Mr. Darcy, but were more along the lines of A&E's version of Mr. Knightley -- complete with awful hat hair, but lacking the top hat as an excuse. I was pleasantly surprised when the lead singer of the second band turned out to be the guy I pointed out as Mr. Willoughby (good looking, but a bit of a cad) from Sense and Sensibility. I have no idea what he's like in real life, but in my East End narrative, he definitely will jilt Marianne (dancing seductively in front of the crowd) for a chick with a giant yearly allowance.

Since I am an old lady, around 12:30 I was ready to go home, but needed swing by the restroom before our bus ride back to the northwest. The line was insanely long and I found myself standing behind another "man of leisure" who was a dead ringer for Mr. Collins (the buffoonish clergyman from Pride and Prejudice). I think he caught me staring at him and he asked me if it was normal for four women to go to the bathroom at a time. This was as we watched a second group of ladies exit together from the single-toilet restroom. I shrugged my shoulders and told him that sometimes it helps to hold hands while you pee. He nodded his head (in earnest) and stroked an errant hair from my face. Really. He touched my hair. Mr. Collins then asked how I kept it so straight and shiny and complained about the little curls that were springing up around his ears from the humidity. I told him Static Guard. He adjusted his (popped) collar and seemed indignant about his styling product that cost a fortune, made his hair look unwashed, and yet would still not contain his boyish curls. I told him his curls were charming and he let me cut him in line for the bathroom.

Maybe Mr. Collins isn't such a boor after all. Weird, yes, but a perfect gentleman.

Friday Date Night or, Why I Am Not Hip Part 1

This was an awesome Friday. We had delicious food, good drinks, and great entertainment. I have to say that this may have been one of the better evenings that we've spent in Portland so far. Jesse and I made a pizza that was surprisingly good. We had drinks that were delicious. And we went to a concert that was sold out, but ended up at another concert that was pretty cool.

Despite how awesome I think that I am at home, tonight's concert venue solidified that a) I am old b) I am totally not hip and c) if given enough bourbon I can envision a rich fantasy world that nullifies both (a) and (b). But first, the part where I am a rockstar and my husband is a total dork -- in our own apartment making dinner.

I made the pizza dough earlier in the day and Jesse helped out by chopping onions, mushrooms, and olives for the topping. He then proceeded to make a killer pizza sauce while I figured out the Portland bus schedules (to get to our initial concert). His chopping technique is only intensified by his sense of style in the kitchen. Not a tear was shed over onions this Friday night.

In D.C., we often held true to our "pizza Friday" tradition by cutting out of work a little early and getting the happy hour special at Duccinis. Since we have yet to find such a deal in Portland, we decided to take a stab at our own version at home. Miraculously, the pizza dough turned out really well and I can't imagine a more fabulous tasting alternative. In fact, we have plenty left over for breakfast tomorrow. Both Jesse and I can't wait to go to bed so morning will come that much faster!

After dinner, Jesse prepared a little treat to keep us going through the concert -- two glasses of "Cunningham's London Fog." It consists of really strong coffee, bourbon and vanilla ice cream. Once given a half-hearted stir, it turns into a delicious, creamy treat. As we enjoyed our pre-concert beverages, we talked about the day and how I managed to convince Jesse into escorting me to an all-woman-singer concert.

Then, the night took a turn. We arrived at the Doug Fir to a sold out concert -- MY all-woman-singer concert. So, we walked down the street and ended up at the East End to see a band that Nightrain recommended earlier in the week. We headed to the bar, grabbed our drinks, and retired on a couch to people watch. It was at that point that I realized how much I missed in D.C. (in terms of the 'eclectic' hipster youth) and how un-hip I really am.

Look, I acknowledge the fact that I am an old man at heart, but seriously, I was out of my league this evening. I didn't have the right (Daniel Vosovic) hair cut, my jeans were not nearly tight enough (or awkwardly hung on my butt), I lacked a studded (and/or giant white) belt to hold up my non-tight/awkwardly fitting pants. Oh also, my face was not pouty, my feet didn't turn inward when I danced, my shoes weren't flat enough, and I was missing a bracelet (or fifteen) on my arms. Don't get me wrong, Daniel Vosovic rocks the coif, but it's not for everyone. And I do mean EVERYONE.

So, that concludes why Brasilliant is not hip Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2, which includes: provoking a jerk-face on the #20 Trimet bus (in my own passive aggressive way), my comparative (and pictorial) analysis on hipster style and Jane Austen characters, and a colorful conversation from the bathroom queue.

Goodnight. And Happy Friday.