I spy

I was out on our deck this evening and looked over into our neighbour's yard, and look who was watching me

The Past 2 Weeks

Oh poor neglected blog, I have been so busy and had no time to even think of something to write, never mind actually spending the time to put the words down.

The silly places cats sleep

She is fast asleep in a Tupperware container full of bubble wrap...

(Belated) Happy New Year

5 days into 2009 and I am finally able to get around to wishing you all a Happy New Year!

I had a wonderful Christmas in New Zealand with my parents, brother and cousins.  It was wonderful and beautiful.

 

I am now living in a new apartment with fantastic views of Mount Hood, I still have a little unpacking to do, only 2 boxes, and I hope to have them done soon.  I was supposed to be back at work today after my vacation but a tummy bug that I picked up from somewhere has me at home.  I am feeling better than I was yesterday, so hope to be back there tomorrow.  I feel like I've been off work for ages, it will be odd to be back, especially been as I started my new role right before I left for vacation.

With being sick, all I have really done the past couple of days is watch Heroes, I am still on season 1, but am little addicted already. 

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn at work

Seasons are a changing

I was waiting for the shuttle at work and took this picture, I can hardly believe its autumn already.

Autumn here is really pretty, its much nicer when the sky is blue though, unlike today.

Foto Friday

I love butterflies, I saw many on my trip back home, but my mums dog scared most of them away before I was able to get a shot. I finally manged to get one.

My past week in pictures

Yummy/Scrummy

Last night after work, we stopped by the Hotel Monaco to see a friends photographic art exhibition. His photo's are incredible, and if you are in the area you should go and check it out, his work will be on display I believe until August 31.

Once home I made a scrumy lamb dinner. A person at work raises lambs, and I bought half a lamb from him, last night we ate scrumptious lamb steak and a vegetable medley. The vegetable dish that I make in one of my favourites, as it's so easy and tastes so good. I chop up a variety of vegetables (carrots, onion, mushrooms, potatoes, celery, bell pepper), place them in an over dish, cover them with olive oil, white wine, herbs and garlic, then stick them in the oven for over an hour. They taste so good.

For some reason I am very tired this week. I am not sure if its due to the busy weekend, work, emotional roller coaster or what. Realistically, its more than likely a combination of all the above, and some other things that I just can't think of right now. I am fueling myself with coffee, and hoping that helps. I think the excitement of going to the UK is also adding to things.

I spoke with my mum this morning, we are trying to get plans all worked out, so that I actually get the best out of my time there. I want to see my friends, but I also want to be able to spend some quality time with my mum, dad, brother and granddad. Its my brothers birthday while I am back too, and I have no idea what to get him, I mean what do you buy a 17 year old that has everything?

Swan dance

I said I'd post a photo of my wrapped up food... well here you go - my drunken swan

To Wish Impossible Things

So I am sure you are all keen to know how my weekend trip was.

It started off great, we took highway 101 down the coast, and saw some incredible views. The Oregon coastline is impressive, the sheer number of trees, the high rising Cliffside and craggy beaches, as you travel south the cliffs turn to long and high dunes, like I’ve never seen before. We spent the night at Coos Bay, and left early for Crater Lake. The drive to Crater Lake was also impressive, especially as we started to move into the mountains following the Umpqua rivers.

We stopped off at Diamond Lake for lunch, I had a little splash in the Lake, then back in the car. I can not describe Crater Lake well enough to give do it justice, nor do the photos give it justice. Ryan and I discussed this a little, and decided part of the beauty and awe of crater lake, is that as you drive through the mountains to get to it, you’d have no idea it was there. Its not until you get to the top of the rim do you see it. Its incredibly blue. Crater lake was created about 7,700 years ago when Mt Mazama erupted and collapsed in on its self. Over time, the crater has filled with rain water and melted snow, the Lake is 1.963 feet deep, and about 5 miles across.

We spent a few hours driving around the lake, getting out of the car at every opportunity to take photos and enjoy the scenery. One stop was at the pinnacles, they remind me of the architecture created by Gaudi, but of course were created long before his time. They were created when Mt Mazama erupted. Hot gas was pushed through the ground and fumaroles were created. Over time as rain and melted snow etched the landscape the pinnacles were revealed.

After making the round trip of Crater Lake we headed to Chemult for our lodgings. Chemult is a small town of 75 people. Our motel was the first on in town, so we pulled in checked in, then headed out for dinner. We ended up at the Chalet for dinner, we had a great rib-eye then went into the bar. We expected to just be there for an hour or two… well how wrong could we have been… it was 1am by the time we left and many drinks later. There wasn’t many people in the bar, but the people that we there were extremely friendly. The karaoke was in full swing within no time at all. If you’ve been to my blog much before, you’ll be aware of my feelings regarding karaoke and my ability to sing… well, with enough drinks I was up there singing a duo with Lea, I don’t think it was too bad.

As last call was called, Ryan and I left and went back to our motel to rest up for the long drive the next day. We this is where the perfect weekend turned sour. We got into a conversation which lead to Ryan telling me that he is not in love with me. He told me he wanted to be, that I am what he wants, but there is just something missing. So that’s it, the wbf becomes xbf.

The drive back home to Portland yesterday was long, I spent the whole time with tears rolling down my face trying to piece it all together – when the cure song “To Wish Impossible Things” pops up on Ryan’s iPod, it just seemed to sum up the whole situation perfectly.

Now we are both trying to figure out what happens now. We are tied into the lease, and neither of us can easily afford to pay the rent on our own, so at least in the short-term we will still be living together.

I know that the pain I am feeling at the moment will disappear with time, and I am just looking for the positives and opportunities that will arise from all this.

More photos:

The Rose

Don't have much time to write today, so instead you get a photo of a rose, taken at the rose garden last weekend.

Last Friday

Last Friday I headed up to Mt St Helens with the wbf and his dad.

It was such a gorgeous day.

Beaver Lodge - first time I've ever seen one of these.

Beaver Dam - Also the first I have ever seen.

A view of the mountain taken from the hummocks.

Get your Pride On!

This past Sunday was Pride Festival here in Portland. I walked in the parade again for the 3rd time.

It was a blast.

About 125 people from my work showed up and we walked through the streets of Portland. There was a great turn out, both of people walking in the parade, and people on the streets.

Its a sunnier day today

Walking to the bus stop today was much more pleasant. Its' sunny! Woo Hoo!

Gloomy day but pretty flowers.

I was walking to the bus stop, and its a rainy gloomy day in Portland. I looked over where I was walking, and saw the flowers, even though its a rainy day, there's still a splash of colour, and I know the brighter days are just around the corner.