Woke up late today

Posted by Cory , Sunday, July 31, 2011 5:32 PM

Originally from an e-mail to my sister-in-law's father.

BFG,

Though Pine State has been on my mind since we talked about it, I have to admit that we only wound up going there for lunch today because the place we were attempting to go to originally (Blue Plate, also featured on Diners, Etc.) is closed Sundays. However, since we were (relatively) in the neighborhood, Pine State was definitely a suitable plan B.

photo 1

We got there around 12:30 or so, and there was a line out the door that had clearly been growing steadily throughout the morning. The front of the place is all windows, so you have a chance to read the menu before you get to the counter to order. We stood in line for close to 30 minutes, and I admittedly had to make a clutch decision when it was time to order because everything sounded so delicious. I opted for the McIsley (fried chicken, pickles, honey and mustard) while my boyfriend kept it simple with a chicken biscuit with sausage gravy and bacon. I also got some gourmet chocolate milk to drink, and Beaver got some Cheerwine Soda, which apparently is more of a midwest thing, so he was excited to see it here in PDX.

photo 2

photo 3

I've already told Beaver that we need to go back ASAP so I can try the other sandwich I was debating (the Wedgie). The food was incredibly delicious and super filling. The pickles and honey actually went really well together, and mustard added just enough spice. I tried a bite of the sausage gravy, too, which was just as tasty as you'd expect. All in all, it's a solid place to eat, and we're both grateful for the recommendation.

Cory

Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey

Posted by Cory , Saturday, July 16, 2011 7:57 AM

Things I WILL Do Today:

*Go to the DMV and finally (FINALLY) get my Oregon driver's license, as my Washington license expires on Thursday (MY BIRTHDAY) (I know, I know, Mom. I know). [And by that, I mean renew my WA license online because I'm a moron and could have sworn that the DMV had at least SOME Saturday hours. Eff]
*Visit the grocery store and at last get some food in my pantry (I do love you, payday).
*Put a little something up on my blog (hey, look at me go!).
*Keep the TV off and try to do something productive with my day.

It's a short list, but a valid one, I think.

At the red house

Posted by Cory , Sunday, July 10, 2011 2:10 PM

It has been suggested to me that I've been slacking in the blogging department (not that that is untrue, or anything), so here's some thoughts for today:

I spent a few days at my parents' house last month in between our spring and summer sessions at the center, and lo, it was glorious. June weather in PDX is not typically all that nice, at least not consistently, so I was especially excited to take in the amazing dry heat characteristic of central Washington. I spent at least an hour by the pool each day I was there, reading and attempting to upgrade from translucent to merely pale.

As it turns out, spending an hour in 80 degrees of sunshine tends to make one overheat a bit, so before I left I'd get in the pool to cool off a bit. I'd slowly inch my way into deeper and deeper water, acclimating to the brisk temperature until I was neck-deep. I'd float around, swim from one end of the pool to the other once or twice, then retreat back to my chair and towel for a while longer before packing up and heading back to the house.

It was a very grown-up method of swimming.

After Mass this morning, Beaver and I were looking for something to occupy a few hours before he left to hang out with a friend. It was getting warm pretty quickly, so we decided to head over to the pool at my apartment complex. My intention was to swim like a grown-up: lay out, get some sun, then maybe get into the water waist-deep or so.

Someone had other ideas.

In an odd fit of bravery, I decided to hop into the water in the "deep end" (I use that term loosely, as the max depth is five feet) and get the initial shock over all at once. After a moment of weenie-ness (I scooted to the edge of the deck and almost jumped in, then sat my rear back down on the pavement), I finally committed and in I went, maintaining my head-above-water, don't-want-to-get-my-hair-wet female mentality. Beaver quickly decided that this wouldn't do, and made it his mission to get my head under the water. We had a few close calls, and finally I relented and let him dunk me. After that, we swam around like a couple of kids, splashing each other, making stupid "Jaws" theme song jokes and cracking each other up.

I forgot how much fun just playing around in the pool can be! I loved growing up with a pool in our neighborhood, waiting all day for my parents to get home from work so they could take us swimming. I think I sort of forgot, as I got older, how exciting it was to splash around with my friends and forget about the cares of the world for a little while. I'm super excited to be living in a place where I have access to a pool again, and even more so that the weather is finally starting to cooperate and I'll actually be able to take advantage of it.

Finally: