What a Freakin' Leap Day!!

Pardon my French, but this is the most eventful Leap Day in the history or Leap Days.  Seriously.  Since they decided to make "leap" for days/years.  Here's the quick rundown of this leaping 24 hours.

Firstly, I am COMPLETELY moved out of ye olde apartmente in Kenmore.  And as TJ likes to sweetly remind me, "Darling, we'll always have Kenmore."  Very romantic, I know.  I had my final inspection where I had to be present, and was so nervous.  For what you ask?  Why be nervous with the Resident Manager, Lyuda Gusar who is younger than myself is awaiting me with her husband, a boy that looks like he could be called Ivan, or Igor, accompanies us to the ispection...odd? Yes.  The silver lining on the could of nail holes in the wall and a little rust in the sink (that I tried to get out, but couldn't, I swear!) was that she was so youngish and naive that she gave me a sparkling inspection, writing the word "new" in all caps with cute squiggles coming down underneath.  Thank you, my sweet Eastern European Lyuda, and your husband for a star studded review of my lived in living quarters.  Much appreciated.

Secondly, Rowan and I checked out our first preschool today.  I love love loved it, and more importantly, she LOVED it too!  This my friends, is one helluva Leap Day miracle.  The day that my child decides school is something she'd like very much to attend.  Phewf! Dodged a bullet there.  I think it was glue and markers that sold the little one (because that's what she told me- "Mom, they have glue and markers!!"), but I'll tell you what sold this lady--TWO teachers from England.  With Accents!!

And lastly, and certainly the piece de resistance, my nerdy, sweet, cute as a button Mister Theodore John Berry is officially a divorced man.  Hallelujah!

It's a good thing they figured out that the earth only takes 23 hours and 56 minutes to do a full rotation...because A-men we needed this extra day to get all this stuff done!  

Hats off to you, early astronomers!

And, with no picture of Rowan this time, here's what I leave you with: 

Baby Otters!!

It's grey, wet, and in my new digs (which are TJ's long time digs) very, very muddy.  These things I don't mind.  What I mind is the fine mist of water that attacks me every time I open the door.  Here's what I wish we were working with instead:

Road Trip!

 We took a mini road trip last weekend.  4 days.  So fun. Many miles--1100 to be exact.  We did a big horseshoe in Oregon: Portland, Eugene, Ashland, Bend, Seattle.  With MANY little stops along the way, to pick up necessities like LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem album and things of that nature.  We saw lots of terrain and lots of faces, included but not limited too:  Chris, Alisa, Sedona, Win, Carly, Will, Sophia, Liam, Jarrod, Athena, Tejas, Vrenda, and the friendly folks who I offered to take a Polaroid of them at Stonehenge so they'd have a commemorative gift from a total stranger.  Good Times 2012!

. . .  portland

 We left Bothell at 10:30, just in time to meet up with the Poage Co. to have some lunch.  Tried to meet up with Jake, but no such luck,  we arrived 15 minutes after his break was over.  But I still got to play Santa and drop off all the Christmas presents he left up north.  Good deeds make the world go round ;)

Portlandia was short and sweet, but 

there was no lack of bicycle rights, shell art,  food carts, and native plants.  I really love this city!!  After a quick happy hour double round of fancy hippy cocktails at the Clyde Common with Wagner A. Po-wag,  we were back on the interstate to make a timely appearance for dinner at the Leavitt household in Eugene.

. . . eugene

Carly & Will's was a perfect pit stop for these weary travelers; complete with pizza, a comfortable sleeping place, a fire, Saturday morning cartoons with the kiddos, yummy breakfast and a hot shower.  They are quite a handsome specimen of a delightful family, and I really, really love them.  Sophia will be 5 in August, and Liam 2 in June.  Carly and I have been friends since we were 12 :)

. . . ashland

Ashland was great!  First time for me, and now I want to go back.  A quaint little hippy town with more plant eaters than carnivores, save for the mountain lions that have occasional attacks on people...yikes!  Here we had another nice bed to sleep on,  good food, a tutorial on Central America, lots of good blood cleansing tea, and nice long personal session of Egoscue from Athena's mama, Vrenda who is certifiably the most fit woman I've ever met.  

We were here for 24 hours before filling up the Suby with regular and heading northeast out of town toward Bend...home of logs, and beer!

. . . bend &

the last leg home


After 4 more hours in the car, we arrived in Bend at stayed at the Old St. Francis School.  We had a hot meal and an great soak in their open roof beautifully tiled soaking pool; watched a Mormon documentary and rested up for the full day of travel back home the next day.

Crater Lake

 This was by far the funnest day; open road, and no schedule.  We stopped wherever we wanted (which means wherever I wanted, and that was a lot of places) and saw a vast array of things and people.  Awesome.  

300ft Drop off

Smith Rock

The changing landscape made for some interesting snapshots, not to mention a pants-peeing view of Broken Top Mountain, The Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Mt. Hood, AND Mt. Adams, all that the same time.  It was Amazeballs, and like nothing I've ever seen in the Northwest.  

Banking, anyone?

Eastern Oregon

The roads seemed to go on and on without sighting of man nor beast, from ghost town to bustling cities like Biggs Junction (ha!).

Deserted

Desolate

   Shaniko is an interesting place...a one woman store with the world's most electic second hand knick-knackery I've ever seen.  Only breathing soul we saw in this town.

Home Stretch

Stonehenge

Of all the places we saw on this day, my favorite by a landslide was the view of the Columbia at the Stonehenge Memorial.  It was  early afternoon which meant a low sun in a clear day, with a perfect view of the mountain off to the west.  I felt like Lewis & Clark! And oh, those 30 other guys that were with them, that don't seem to get nearly the street cred ;)

Roll on, Columbia!

All in all, a successful journey of two friends in love with each other.  Here's to many more, T!