Monday, October 17, 2011

Bragg-ing

Went to Fort Bragg a few weekends ago with Jessie Rae and Reid, my Olympic team. Little did we know that the town was in the middle of a full on manhunt for a 2x murderer. We did not get murdered and had a fantastic time. Pretended we were an earth conscious bicycle gang during coastal clean-up day. I was very grateful for Reid's ick stick when I found a sleeve, ripped off and abandoned in a private cove. I once dated an oyster farmer who joked about being stuck out on the flats at low tide with no TP. The ripped off sleeve was his favorite solution.Ran from a snake while picking berries. Reid may or may not have seen it and failed to give notice. He was just jealous that I picked twice as many berries as he and the missus put together.

Visited the North Coast Brewery. I felt their beer selection was one of the best I've seen at any brewery. And they have heavenly waffle fries with garlic sauce. Their abbey style Belgian, "Brother Thelonius" is delicious and Old Rasputin, Old Stock, Red Seal Ale, Pranqster and Scrimshaw are also very tasty. I got the sampler, ok. They're mini glasses, don't judge.

Ate a ton of delicious food raised and cooked by the members of Portuguese communities between Rio Vista and Fort Bragg. The gathering was for a festa and to celebrate my friends' engagement. Someday I'll actually make it to one of the festas but this time I just lazed around the campfire, ate goat, drank homemade wine and wished I spoke Portuguese. I do know "dĂȘ-me dois beijos" which means "Give me two kisses." Jessie taught me to say it to an old man at an SF restaurant. And I got two kisses.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Home Sweet Home

Joined a hiking club. Met some good, fun people from the club and from work. I like where I live, alot. Like my students and my coworkers. Still love being a speech therapist but feeling the need for some inspiration. Hopefully I'll get that at our annual conference next month in San Diego. Work has been taxing, tiring and trying but really I just need to kick it in gear.
Here are the long ago promised photos of my cute little cottage. Decorations, curtains, basically everything you see by Older sister.
Love my Wedgewood stove and vintage sink. Still love my Alaskan brewery pint glass collection.
Love my bargain living room. Love my couch and extra storage coffee table. Everything bought second hand for $145. Top that.
Love my Formica table and the pink chairs Sister just happened to have sitting at her house. Don't love the ladder but getting used to it. Love the butcher block with drawers in the kitchen.
Love all the windows. Love that my dresser from my SF apartment makes a nice entry with more storage. And that it was free. Love Hieronymus Bosch painting in my old art book.
Love my Ball Jars as a solution for food storage. Love my tobacco tin as spice storage. Love my antique yellow fruit bowl. Love how my handmade by The Sister curtains let the light in. Love the view from that window. Deer, ravens, blue jays and squirrels like to hang out there. LOVE the stackable washer and dryer on the back porch.Love my split personality home. My pink alarm clock and my "side table." Don't really love the air mattress but a rug under and a memory foam topper were a big help.Love that my down comforter was retired and has been camping all through Alaska but made the perfect comeback in my tiny bedroom.
Love the view out the back row of windows. Love thinking that I'll have a fire with family around it at some point. But most of all, love that the beach is two blocks away and the sibs are two hours away.

But, don't go getting any ideas. I'm here for a good time, not a long time.