O'Hare Airport - I curse thee

I am once again thwarted by O'Hare airport. I always get to the airport 3 hours early because I am so paranoid about missing my flight. I hate being late for things. So I get here, park in BFE, get my boarding pass, get a snack, go through security, and sit down at the gate. Minutes later they announce that all flights to Chicago are delayed. Delayed 5 hours! Something about fog. So here I sit. Waiting. I went and bought a Sudoku book. Mindless brain occupation. My battery will run out on my computer in about an hour. And the portland airport is not very good about having extra plugs laying around.

Don't we have new fangled technology that makes it unnecessary to have to actually see when you fly. Radar or GPS or something.

I just want to go back home and go to sleep with the dogs.

I just realized the other day... most banks around here do not have drive up windows. Some have drive up atm's, but you still have to go in to do your banking. Weird huh? I guess it is because of all the pedestrians and the fact that land is so expensive. It is so weird.

My new monitor

I love my work. They bought me a 24 inch flat screen monitor. SWEET! It is so pretty. I got it Friday, which sucks because I will not get to play with it until next week.

Sherman's a little mess maker

He kept playing in the water bowl if it had ANY water left in it. He would put his front feet in it and splash around. Now the deck is totally muddy, and so is the kitchen. Before I left I got one of those faucet waterers for the outside spicket for them.

Mom and dad's new home

The buildings are all modern looking. I really like the complex. I looks comfortable, and I have driven around in it at night and it feels very safe.

Nothing Better than....

... Watching the sun rise over Mt Hood while doing my thigh exercises. The gym I go to is mostly glass, and I was on the second floor this morning doing my weights and I got to watch the sun come up over Mt Hood. Now my thighs are sore because I stayed on that machine way too long.

I actually weeded this morning. I know... don't die from shock. I weeded my neighbor's yard actually. I can see it fom my house, and it is along my driveway. I just helped them out a bit, and I was tired of looking at it. Sherman helped me, he found a tennis ball in the blueberry bushes and her kept standing in my face and dropping the ball where I was working so I would throw it for him.

I got a nice girl from work to take care of the dogs. I was worried I would have this whole trip booked to Chicago for work and not be able to find someone. The dogs love her to pieces!

Mom and dad procured an apartment friday afternoon. I went over to look at the one they would be getting just to make sure everything was okay. It is in Andover Park, which was our favorite. The apartment is great. It is big, and has lots of nice windows. You can see the woods from every room. The two bedrooms have corner windows. It is really nice.

More Oregon City

Oregon City

It is a dirty little town with a cool horse shoe shaped waterfall. Te funny thing is it is across a small bit of the river from one of the most expensive parts of town.

And it smells like hell. Dad went with me to see it, and our noses burned for hours afterwards. Ick.

The blueberries are coming!

The blueberry bushes have started blooming. YEA! Aren't they cute?

The azaleas along the front walk

Yes... they are HOT pink.

Ouch.

An example of my least favorite flowering plant.

Wysteria!

My favorite!

What is making my backyard smell so good

Wow!

Mom and dad just sold their house!!!!! They close on May 25th, and they will be here by June 1st! Now all we have to do is get them an apartment.

I am going to go to Chicago this Sunday for a few days, I'm coming back Wednesday night late. Then Heather is coming in Thursday - WEEEEEEE!!! Luckily I will have a few days to spend with her. I hope the weather is nice.

This weekend is supposed to be gorgeous. I have alot of crap to do. Mainly getting the house in order.

I have quite a bit of travel for work going on during the next few months. I am James and the 'rents will be here to take care of the babies.

As you guys can tell, I have finally posted more photos. I am more or less caught up. Most of these are from James' visit last week.

Anticipation

One Happy Dog!

That's Better!

Silly Snarly

Undivided Attention

Look at that tail!

James is examining the drool muldoone left on his hands.

Doone-buggy is high maintenance

Muldoone thinks everything is love

Matilda LOVES her daddy

... and vice versa

Sweetie Pie

What a rough day

Pooped out

Hard Day in the Poop Mines

Coming in for lovin'

Die Bloom, Die

On the hunt

Vicious Matilda

She gets all worked up about the Camilla blooms. She will rip them to shreds.

Sitting pretty for the ball

The boys playing in the yard

Sherman loving on his bunny toy

While muldoone wishes he could destroy it.

Happy Birthday to Me!

You will have to ask mom how old I am today because I have been lying about it long enough that I have even accused myself. Of course it is in her best interests not to tell you either. If I'm old, she's older. Hahaha!

I worked a long day and then dad and I went to the fish house for dinner. It was yummy. Then we came back to the house and recooperated for awhile and headed out to Papa Haydn's for dessert. Double yum. Dad is still a bit sickie, but he was a trooper. I sure was glad he was here with me to celebrate my birthday.

Dad is heading back tomorrow morning. I don't what I am going to do with an empty house. I guess I need to start moving my stuff into my official closet. Thus far I have managed to take over James' closet in the master bedroom, so I think I'll just go through and organize them all. I have to get things ready for him for when he gets here.

What is in my backyard

I go out and stand with the dogs when they go out for their final potty break just to make sure everyone stays on task and doesn't dilly dally. And tonight the air was perfumed by all the flowers in the yard. It was wonderful.

Messin' with me

Our anniversary evening out

Muldoone sleeping in daddie's lap

Mattie is helping James read

Recap

James is making the long flight back to Indiana today. I sure will miss him, but I am so happy he is leaving…. because next time he comes back it is to stay. It is such a relief that this has all turned out okay. James and I were hurtling to the 1 year mark apart. I moved to Knoxville to work after graduation on June 6th of 2005, and we have not lived in the same place since then.

Dad has been sick the last couple of days. Poor guy… he sounds so bad. I think all this running around outside and trying to keep up with my constant running has taken its toll. At least he has had great weather... I think constant rain would have only made it worse.

I think we have some good apartments lined up for him and mom. It is none too soon… they showed the house 6 times this weekend. Wow! Mom and Ariel had to flee the house each time. From what I gather they spent a lot of time together in parking lots. There isn’t much else you can do with a howling kitty. I think they ought to get a dog when they get out here. You can bring them nearly everywhere. They have lists online of businesses that welcome them. We have seen them in the hardware stores, small shops, target, grocery stores, patios of restaurants, and this weekend James and I saw one waiting in line at Banana Republic. Sweet!

James and I went on the great hunt for clothes for his new job. He has to dress a bit more business-like than how he does at work now. You know, nice slacks and dress shirts. No more flannel and chinos for him! I think it is great… he looks so smashing all dressed up! What a cutie pie! I had a hard time not pinching his cheeks when he would try on stuff for me. Smart, funny, sweet, AND cute – how lucky am I!

Friday night we went to Mio Sushi for James’ version of our anniversary, and we ran around a bit. Saturday – you know… the REAL anniversary – we went to Mingo and had a great meal. They have outdoor seating, indoor seating, and then they have seating that is inside, but completely open to the outside. That is where we sat. The little area that Mingo is in is a crescent of businesses with loft condos on top, and there is a light rail stop and a amphitheatre type park with large grassy steps. It was a nice evening, and we sat in the restaurant for a really long time, just enjoying each other’s company. After we were done we went out to the park area and sat on the grass and watched all the little kids run and play. We were amazed how quiet they all were.

Ball Found!

The boys were happy, but Mattie didn't care once the excitement was over. She went back to snarfing around in the mulch.

Ball Lost!

Sherman lost his ball under the deck. He went for it and surely would have gotten stuck. So James went after it with a broom.

Good thing we have some lattice that we are going to put up around the bottom of the deck. I have just been dreading doing it, but it looks like I need to get on it.

Ta-da!

The track lighting is up and beautiful.

It is so bright in the kitchen, it makes it look bigger.

Anyone need any surgery?

Okay James: Happy Anniversary!

Note: I have back posted pictures so they would be more or less chronologically relevant. So go back and check ‘em out. I guess I went back about a week.

James and I have a running argument – he swears that we were married on April 21st. Um…. No. We were married on the 22nd. A) why would I agree to get married on an odd numbered day, B) the 22nd is earth day, and C) the 22nd is National Jelly Bean Day! He swears I have doctored the license and paid off all the people around us. His argument is that the 22nd was on a Tuesday, and why would we get married on a Tuesday? We have argued about this forever. So today I will celebrate our 10 years minus 1 day anniversary, and tomorrow he will celebrate our 10 years PLUS 1 day anniversary.

Dork, but I love him. Either way we get to celebrate twice.

Dad and I have been having a good time. We have been getting in a lot of quality time, and it has been fun hunting apartments with him. James and I are trying to teach him all the coolest dance moves, and we have successfully taught him the “throw your hands up in the air and whoooo-whoooo”. He is a natural. He is such a fun, smart, lovable guy. And I am glad he is my dad!

He has been getting around great! I think he is getting his bearings, and I don’t worry about him so much running around on his own. He sure will have years of exploring to do once he gets out here.

Speaking of that. Mom and dad’s house went on the market today. The sign went up this morning, and it is being shown tonight. How exciting!

I think dad and I have narrowed down the apartment choices quite a bit… there are probably 3 or 4 that they would pursue. They are all pretty close by.

The last few days the weather has been awesome – sunny and warm. Ahhhh this is what spring should be like.

I am so relieved that James is going to be here full time soon. I seems as if he has landed a job he will really enjoy. I hope all his years of working for the DOT is paying off. He is such a sweet exceptional guy, and he deserves the best.

I am not biased or anything!

Well I am having fun at work, and enjoying all the projects and the people. It is hard to believe that I have been here for a little over 2 months. Time is just flying by.

I am thinking about taking some classes. My company has a good education reimbursement and I think I might take advantage of it. I am going to try to apply for a grad program for next fall. I think I will try to get some classes under my belt before then though. I am not setting my heart on a phd, but I might try going that direction.

Mattie loves the living room

She loves the squishy soft carpet (I do too). She has taken to sleeping on the ottoman. It is just her size, and she doesn't get run over by the boys playing.

More Couch Lovin'

Couch Lovin'

My baby

With his wild eye lash!

Sherman wants to be invited on the couch

And of course I do.

More Lounging

Lounging About

The world's biggest bowl of Hot n Sour Soup

Dad got this HUGE bowl of soup. This photo was taken after we finished the meal... he barely made a dent in it!

I love the look on his face - he is such a ham!

James actually ate Curry!

... and liked it.

Kinda... too many bean sprouts!

Woweeeeee!!!!!!!

I am proud to announce that James was offered a job last night. And he accepted.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited and relieved! It will be so awesome to have us all together again. And mom and dad's house goes on the market... so they will be out here soon too. How great is that! Bucky just needs to get his butt up here!

Other good news.... Heather is coming for a visit May 4th. I can't wait! We always have a great time together. What a pal! There is a great many reasons we have been friends for 17 years!

I still have photos - I know guys. These fellows here have been keeping me on the run from morning to night.

Lookout!!!

Dad is eating Sushi!

He liked it.. almost as much as mom did. This is a site I never thought I'd see. Yoohoo we have converted them!