Room 107

On this luckiest day of the year, allegedly, I had a nice long drive through the state of Washington, on into Idaho for a couple of hours and then into Montana. I really don't like driving through mountains. It occurred to me around mile marker 5 that I was in a state whose name means 'mountain' in Spanish. The dismay set in. We drove and drove and drove. I'm not kidding either. This, I knew, was going to be the longest leg of the trip and it definitely felt like it! Going through Washington took six hours. Idaho took only a couple but Mountain took another six and we only stopped in Billings.

In Billings, I had the second worse driving experience of my life. Picture it: rain, a semi-truck in front of you and random lightning strikes on a pitch black highway (excepting the lighting strikes of course). Oh and I forgot to mention that the highway had become one of those both directions of traffic sharing two lanes deal. Also, and most ridiculously, I had not printed or even written down the directions to our hotel so we were just looking at signs for the Ramada. Luckily it was Billings' first exit and we entered into the most flooded and crowded hotel parking lot ever.

Apparently there was a motorcycle convention in town. In the parking lot were parked motorcycle trailers or just one motorcycle per space. Come on people!!

The room was such a let down from yesterday. The tub was stained and three feet long, the queen bed felt far too small for me and JC to share and the mugginess was stifling. Still, it was all we had, literally, as the town was sold out of rooms due to the aforementioned conference. C'est la vie.

Room 206, pt. II

What a day. Because we found out last night that my right passenger tire was flat and JC's truck once again not running. We laugh and make the choice to take care of business. I got four new tires (bye bye $450!) and JC and his dad fixed his truck (thanks free wrench!). I spent the rest of the day with D and the five children and the eight dogs that were in attendance. Man, I got in some more Wii time (I cannot wait to get one!!) beating Josh in bowling but then he got me back in tennis and once in golf. I spoke a lot with D and then JC and I went to get a nephew a birthday present and some other errands. These kids are seriously high on the adorable meter. I am especially partial to the babies and I spent a lot of time with both of them, one boy and one girl. Cuties!! I chatted with stepsisters-in-law (is that a term?) and had grilled chicken and a gigantic cesar salad for dinner. It was a great day. Long but great. Tomorrow morning we leave for Montana. I'm wondering what that'll hold. More updating from whatever room we'll end up in...w00 h00.

Room 206

Today began with a slow roll out the door of our previous mini-suite. Adios. JC and I have often discussed what hotel rooms we've stayed in are best. That one will rate pretty far up there.

I am now in the Silverdale Beach hotel in Silverdale, WA. I'm not sure what the beach is but can see the Puget sound is not too far. The room has a king (thank you!) and a balcony (again, thanks!). However, there's no wireless so I'll be in withdrawal and updating later on Saturday, hopefully. Oh wait! The tide has come in and it's beautiful! Josh's stepmom (Debi) and his dad (John..another JC actually) put us up here. Niiiiiiiiiiiice!

The trip here from the 'Couv was long. Longer than need be due to more truck problems, a flyaway tarp and bathroom breaks. I tempered myself by listening to some great hand me down "American Life" cds. I listened to one and half. I also made some phone calls and chatted with my sister. JC and I spoke for the last half hour. It's weird to speak to someone who you're trying to follow through traffic. He drives with some recklessness and thinks that going five over the speed limit grants him the right to drive in the left lane. Man, I love him.

We'll eventually see his dad and stepmom though I'm not sure when or what for. Tomorrow promises (I hope) a day of rest and double checking. I'll update again.

later....

Met up with JC's dad and stepmom and their family. They have three daughters who visit regularly. Two are twins and have five children between them. It's a treat to me to be there because I'm so rarely around children. They each have a ~5 month old baby. BABIES!!!! I love to hold and play with them but so far I do enjoy handing them back to their mothers. We got in some Wii bowling and then called it a night.

Room 106

JC and I decided to leave Portland. The residents at Lafayette court had bonded together to supply us with $50 worth of gas cards and $50 in cash. It was too much for my already tired and sad being. Fully aware that we were the ones leaving, we had decided enough was enough. JC came home right as I'd finished a good cry. Adding to my sadness was the news that Dot, the woman who'd done my wedding make-up and my sister's good friend, had succumbed to stomach cancer. May she rest in peace. JC said, "let's pack up and get a hotel room in Vancouver". I nodded and the frenzied packing of our cars began. An hour and a half later we left for the 'Couv. We secured a mini-suite in the Shilo Inn at a price so reasonable it was pretty unreasonable. Know what I mean? We left then to have a 4th of July indian dinner courtesy of JC's friend. We had a great time. It was late though and the place was just east of Cornelius Pass. We got back and crashed.

Truly, it was not a good day. I had spent most of the morning preparing for Lafayette's picnic/going away party. It was hot and emotional- draining to say the least. My sister called with that news and then I was done. JC also had a rough day as he dropped his phone and broke it (it works now), the truck didn't start (it's semi-working now) and got bit by a dog. Poor kid.

We'll be on our way soon. Good thought and prayers are appreciated.

Tag, I'm it

The rules:

* Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
* People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
* At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
* Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.


1. In my thirty years on the planet, I have had thirty different addresses, lived in eleven different cities, in five different states.

2. Loving others never came easy to me. Feeling on the outside was the norm until my niece was born. She has no motor skills and, ironically, that proved to me the goodness of God. It forced my heart open and she was my first true love.

3. My first dentist visit was at age 24.

4. People always say you should pursue a career in what you would do for free and for me that would mean: watching movies, napping and kissing on my husband. I'm not sure anyone is hiring for those.

5. When I was six, my uncle asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, "A singer and a dancer", I replied.

6. One of my favorite memories is of my mom packing all five of us in her minivan and not telling us where we were going. She took us through back roads around town so that we couldn't guess that she was taking us to the "big city" mall. We were all so full of anticipation, we were quiet and nice to each other and that was rare.

7. I'm not a cat person. Sorry.

8. In college, I lived a month off of $1 bags of Wal-mart popcorn and water.

"...are you watching Oprah?"

Ocean's 13 Long story short- I liked it a lot. I wasn't expecting anything after that fiasco that was called Ocean's 12. Ugh. This time it's just the guys with the exception of a very plasticized Ellen Barkin. They're back in Vegas because Rueben, played by Elliot Gould, has just fallen ill. He's been shafted by Al Pacino's character, Willy Bank, in a development deal gone all wrong. I said long story short so I'll honor that. The movie harked back to what was so great about the original: sparse though witty, quick dialouge, handsome men in even more handsome clothing and a whole slew of ganster vocabulary that we all think we understand but who does? What's so great about the movie is that you don't care. You just look forward to the next time George Clooney tilts his perfectly coiffed head, smirks and says something about Susan B. Anthony. b+

"it's called jew"

knocked up.



a comedy from the guy who brought us "40 year old virgin" that tells the story of an improbable one night stand that ends in pregnancy all the fallout that comes of it. that's about the long and short of it. though it definitely felt like 'it's all been done before' it was truly funny. i wasn't expecting much but then i heard the director, judd apatow, and the star, seth rogen, on npr and i decided i would go see it. the story is minimal but the actors, including katherine hiegl of 'grey's anatomy' fame, bring a surprisingly serious tone to the picture. it's rare i truly laugh in a movie theatre but the laughs kept coming and i seriously missed two minutes of dialouge because of a brutally hilarious scene. it's simply a good time with good heart.

b+

"you're full of piss and vinegar son, ain't ya?"

harsh times. run, don't walk, away from this movie. it's actually on our tv right now as i type this. i think it's possibly one of the most awful movies i've ever seen.

"i'm feeling like a better person after watching this movie"
"it's so bad it's good"
-my friend virginia

i haven't heard so much gratuitous swearing in awhile. i realize it may very well represent a lot of people's lives. christian bale portrays a anti-social, borderline psychotic, Gulf War veteran who is trying very hard to break into law enforcement. mostly though, he travels around los angeles with his buddy smokin up, drinking and just generally fucking around.

i'd recommend not viewing it but if you must just don't expect a lot. but don't watch it alone - it's definitely for groups to laugh at together. good times. wrong title.

d