Back in

I'm back in it here at home in Portland. Back to work, back to my garden, back to cleaning the house, back to a sweet boy and unkempt crushes, back to roomies, and cooler weather.

Today, I made a salad from herbs in my garden plus lettuces from my farmshare, I went for a run with my regular running buddy and didn't sweat out all of the fluids in my body. Yesterday, I drank tea with a sweet fellow and walked amongst the eternal springtime of Portland. There are flowers everywhere.

While I was away my garden exploded. My tomato plant doubled in size and my squash isn't too far behind all of that. It is nice to remember how sweet the summer is. Bouquets have been picked and made in houses all over Portland from the sweet bounty of early summer. The next few months is going to be wondrous.

Of course, I miss the east. But finally, the winter here is paying off it's dues.

Flower season!

Things aren't going perfectly over here but when do things ever go perfectly? 

Here are some pictures of a vase full of flowers that I picked in my yard. Enjoy.

 

 

Held up

It's been a while since a blog update. I've been hanging out with that boy, Nick, some, starting my first day of work, and hanging out in parks.

Ups
1. I really enjoy dating this one and we flew a remote control airplane on a date the other day.
2. It seems like the people I'm going to be working with are really cool and I can wear whatever jewelry I want (good because I have a nose ring in right now).
3. The weather's getting nice!

Downs
1. That boy is leaving Portland in October anyways (there's no one out here for me).
2. Work is a pretty long commute from my house. About a 40 minute bus or bike ride.
3. There's no downside to nice weather.

What to do? Enjoy things while they last? Take some chances? Get really strong from biking at least one leg of my work journey every day? I don't know. Those all sound like decent options actually. Sorry, I've been held up from posting by life. I actually don't know what to write about to y'all right now. Hope this will tide you over.

Weekend "Adventures"

This obviously, isn't a picture of me (unless you readers who haven't met me believe me to be a 7 year old boy, then believe what you want). But, this is about how I looked like yesterday while learning to fly a kite. A short run, is good for ascent, is what I learned.

Why did I go kite flying you ask? I went as an adventure for the weekend. I was supposed to go canoeing with a boy that I met last week as a sort of date.
Unfortunatly it ended up being to cold to canoe so we flew kites at a local park when it got warmer. It was magical.
This picture and an article on flying kites are brought to you from http://www.dailycandy.com/kids/san-francisco/article/82847/Tips-for-Successful-Kite-Flying.

Aside from our kite flying adventures we went to a show on Friday together, out to get lunch the next day before my time at the Restore. We met up and watched a movie in the evening after the Restore and regrouped again for brunch and kite getting/flying adventures the next day.

We spent all morning hunting for a specific article of clothing at the mall, collecting a couple of kites (the first few places we went didn't have any), and getting chicken samples from the Mall's food court. Did you know you can do that?! I had no idea. It was weird to be in a mall but kinda fun to be there ambling aimlessly, looking at people, and eating free food. Afterwords we successfully tried to fly kites and then hung out with my roomie Sauce.

It feels like Romance is in the air. Though if could just be allergies. Don't get too excited people.

All the best,
Rachel

Restless

I am mad uneasy right now about getting up and going. I can feel the need to move pulling at me but I am torn up by the changes in my life that are about to happen.

I don't know how to give up the lead role in the day to day activities of my Mamaw's life but I am so excited to have freedom for my own day to day activities. I really don't know how I'm going to get over seeing her every day and being such a central part of her existence.

I am really, really hyped about seeing my friends back west but I almost can't bear the idea of leaving my Richmond friends behind.

I love the sights and sounds of a Richmond spring but I am so, so, so, excited to see spring in Portland. To watch my tulips come up, and plant a small garden, is such an exciting prospect. My heart quickens at the idea.

Lately, I've been craving the kind of trust that only people who don't really really need you can put into you.  I want my grandmom to trust that I'll clean up a mess or cook something right or fold something and put it away correctly.

If it's really important that those things happen because you can't do it yourself, it's very hard to trust that someone else will do them to your specifications. It's even harder (if not impossible) to let go of those specifications and let someone do things their way.

And I understand that, because I love to be in control. One of the things that I'm looking forward to upon my return to Portland is having complete control of my diet again. I might go temporarily vegan as a response to all of the meat that I've eaten since I was here. I can't wait to make beans and rice and curry! I haven't taken full advantage of the goodness of east coast beers since I've been here (I just don't have the right kind of free time to get some good beers in me as a general rule). So, I'm even excited to be able to drink beer when I'd like to drink it.

I'm excited for yoga and running regularly. I'm bummed that I have to leave the runner friendly city (and my great runner friends) of Richmond.

I'm saddened to leave any prospects of love that I feel like Richmond offers me and Portland doesn't. Why is that? Why would one city not want me so badly when another does? It's all in my head. Probably.

Restless. Yep, that about sums it up.

Flowers (again I know)

Don't worry, I'm not going to inundate you with flower pictures as is my usual desire.

I just realized that about 80% of the photos I take are of flowers (cell phone and camera both).. Is that normal? Is that me embracing my inner girly-girl without even knowing it?

I mean, in all fairness, everyone loves flowers-not just girly-girls. I find the idea that women appreciate flowers more than men hard to get behind. Because seriously, go outside and look at a flower and tell me that one gender likes them more than the other. It just doesn't make sense. 

Alongside the coming of fragrant blossoms, I am also appreciative of the arrival of my brother Jon-Mike. It is obviously a great joy for Mamaw to have him visiting and I am pretty happy myself having him around. I look forward to a time when I can see more of my family too.

Flower Power

Mamaw's yard is full of these beautiful flowers. They are so plentiful that even picking three vases full and then a tiny vase did not even make a dent in her yard display. Here they are so you can enjoy them too.

Sleeping In

Spring is certainly in the air and what makes me feel like summertime is on the way more than being lazy and sleeping in? I can't think of anything. Today I woke to a face full of sunshine which really got me out of bed in a good mood. I might start sleeping with my blinds up all of the time so that I can enjoy that morning sunshine as much as possible.

This evening, if it doesn't start raining as forcasted, I'm going to go get some tennis in with my buddy Marika. I'm pretty excited about it.

I hope you all are enjoying your springtimes as much as I'm enjoying mine.

All the Best

Fun Plans

Today is beautiful.

I'm going to try and conserve money by not stopping by this garage sale that I saw being set up on my way home from work and instead I'm going to spend that money ($4) on renting shoes for tonight as I'm going climbing with my roomie tonight.

Another fun plan that I have set up for tonight is a date! That's right folks. I'm out and about in the dating world again. Wish me luck finding some cute sweeties :). I'm just joking. I don't need luck.

Hope you all are doing something fantastic with your Friday.

two week countdown

I looked at the month's weather forecast today.

I know that's a silly thing to do since it probably isn't going to be at all accurate. But, I have decided that two weeks from today it's going to be consistently warm. So, I am going to make my work pants into cutoff shorts and my nice pants into work pants. I'm going to welcome summer into Portland with some sweet new duds. I'm pretty excited for this to happen. I do have a backup pair of non work pants just in case the weather runs amok again. It's always good to have a backup plan.

Other than that, my friend, Jamie, who has been considering visiting me for a bit has jumped over the last hurdle of deliberation and is going to come visit me in June shortly after I get back from family vacation. I'm pretty excited about both the family vacation and having a visitor (a cute one at that).

Tonight is cheap brews with friends. Hope you all are having a swell evening.

Thursday's update... one day late

Hey all,

Sorry about the lateness of my updates this week. The problem is that once I'm thrown off schedule at all I'm a mess trying to get back on one.

This week's been great It started off with a bang working through the weekend and a passover/easter dinner on Sunday. Jon-Mike and Jackie got here on Saturday night so they got to come to dinner at my friend Natalie's house. Monday was more work and some running and my roomie Sean took the family to his climbing gym with him, Tuesday consisted of volunteering ( a good day for Jon-Mike and Jackie to explore the city on their own), and then some cheap brews and tasty delights at East Burn (the place we go for $2 tap beers on Tuesdays). Wednesday was my day off so extra sleep was had and cookies were made- and then promptly devoured and running was done. Thursday my second shift serving and Jon-Mike and Jackie's last day here. I got back from work and hung out with the family for a couple of hours before the two honeymooners continued on their adventure. Friday, today, I hosted but just for a little bit before heading back home to chill out for a bit before my evening run which I am looking forward to. Tomorrow and Sunday bring more hosting and then Monday starts me off with another serving shift. Work is plentiful and spring time is heading in our direction.

Hope you all are staying busy in an equally delightful way and are greatly enjoying the weather from where you read.

milkshake

I'm not eating an official milkshake but I am slurping up something delicious that's pretending to be a chocolate banana milkshake right now. Other than that I don't have a whole lot of excitement to report on.

I bussed today and made myself some tips. I host tomorrow and Sunday. Jon-Mike and Jackie are supposed to head into the area sometime in the next two days. and Sunday night there's going to be an Easter/Passover themed friend dinner. Monday is my first day serving alone. Tuesday I volunteer at the Restore, Wednesday I have off (hurray!), Thursday I have my 2nd serving shift and then Friday I start hosting again for the weekend. It's going to be a delightfully busy week. Hopefully I can step up to the newly busy schedule I now have. It's going to be different than I'm used to. I also have a hankering to start an art project or at least do something creative and I've got my regular running to keep up as well.

So, that's what's on my plate for the next few days. Hope you all are keeping delightfully busy and not getting too crazy.

Working hard at hardly working

Hey guys,

How's it going out there? I've been at work for the past three days which is still a new feeling for me. I also work Monday and Tuesday, although probably not very many hours. It's, actually pretty nice to work at a breakfast restaurant. You can work every day and still have every night free. Tomorrow, I don't even have to be there until 9:30 so I might even get my run in before work (but if not, no biggie. I'm just training to serve which isn't hard).

Last night, I went to a show that my friend's band played. It was pretty fun to get out. It was nice to meet some of my friend's friends too. I feel as though, I'm starting to settle in even more as a part of Portland. Knowing people to spend time with, and even meeting members of their friend group. It's a good thing for sure. The nice weather is really helping me feel at home here as well :).

I'm recruiting people to visit me this year. As you know, Dan came for a visit, which was awesome. I'm looking forward to Jon-Mike and Jackie coming down to visit me after they visit in Seattle for a little bit. I'm trying to get my friend Jamie to come visit me in June and I have a friend Monica who is planning on taking a trip up here from the bay area sometime this summer too. I am looking forward or hoping for each and every one of these visits to happen. It would be great to get all that visiting in.

I hope that all of you have some exciting plans in store for the spring/summer time frame.

Toodaloo!