bad people

This very real and very sincere text conversation just occured between my sister and me:

K: We went on a hike and grandpa fell off the trail. It was amazing.

C: What?? No!!!! I can't believe I had to miss that!!! How many people got to see? Was he bleeding at all?

K: Dad, Maren, and I got to see him clinging to the side of the mountain, but none of us witnessed the actual fall. His elblow had a gash in it. Needless to say, we ended the hike early.

C: Of course he was off by himself doing something against the rules. Did Dad have to go save him? I'm guessing there's no chance you took video footage or else I'd already be watching it?

K: I was cursing myself that I didn't bring my phone with me to snap a picture of Dad helping him back up. It would have made a great blog post.

Normally I'd try to explain how you wouldn't be so horrified if only you knew Grandpa Dick. But this conversation looks pretty awful, so I'm just throwing in the towel and admitting we're going to hell. Meh.

Update: Mom's response: Wow, sounds that almost worth going on a hike with him.

lunch break

New client sites often mean new food carts to try. Here is today's adventure:
I'm missing the company BBQ this afternoon, so I treated myself to a brisket burger for lunch. Amazing. Next time I'm trying the pizza.

This little wood pile next to the cart let you know this guy is so not kidding about the wood fired part of the sign.

coasty

I really love living within an easy day trip distance to the coast. Despite all the responsible things I should have done this weekend after a week out of town (and a general lifestyle of negligence to chores) I cleared my entire Saturday to head to the beach with some friends.
It was perfectly sunny and mid 70s all day. There was quite a bit of wind, but that just allowed the kite boarders and wind surfers to come out and it was a delight to watch them. I'd never seen either of those sports peformed in the ocean before, just on rivers and lakes!

We spent the day in Manzanita, stopped for dinner in Rockaway, then drove home through Tillamook so we could visit the cheese factory. A childhood favorite that was long overdue for a re-visit.

Learning about the cheese-making process and observing the machinery was *almost* as impressive as the cheese samples at the end of the self-guided tour.

original gangsta

You know I planned this photo the minute I got word I'd be heading to Detroit.

imported from detroit

I must say I've been pleasantly surprised with Detroit. I've been having a nice little business trip, and last night finally checked out downtown. Atrocious humidity aside (for real though, how do people even function in this weather) the Motor City is kind of nice.
GM building, isn't it cool-looking? Also, this statue commemorates the underground railroad. Did you know Detroit was a major stop on the underground railroad? I sure didn't.

Oh hey. This is the closest I would get to the camera-- I'm a sweaty mess. Downtown Deroit is really quite big and quite spread out.

We had dinner in Greek town at Pegasus. So delicious.

We also took the People Mover around, which was fun. Think Disney monorail meets public transit.

there are so few things i love more

Than a hot afternoon spent boating.

Kirstin, me, Whitney.

kayla and courtney do the rose gardens

My childhood friend Kayla and I had one day of overlap in pdx with me not working before I headed to UT for the holiday weekend. We chatted, brunched, and took photos of ourselves. It was lovely.
The Portland International Rose Test Garden is so close to my apartment, I'm not sure why I don't go there more often. Like every week. I don't even have to get on the highway (and anywhere you can get to without driving on a highway is naturally very close).

It was sunny and warm, and a little breezy. Every time the wind picked up we got a whiff of delicious flowers. Such a perfect place to spend an afternoon.