Take Offs & Landings

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

Winter is upon me here, and let me just say I am not prepared.
I've learned over the years that there is no such thing as bad weather.
--Only bad wardrobe. And right now I am suffering from bad wardrobe.

I remember the day I had to pack all my shorts into a box and put them under my bed to make room in my dresser for more winter-y things. What a sad day, to come to terms with the fact that I do in-fact now live where that's a practical thing to do. Boo. haha

It's not a particualry wonderful time of year to have a shattered driver-side window, I talked to my insurance company about it, and I have a $500 deductible. (LAME) and would have to pay $174 to have it replaced. I talked to a girl at work, her father repairs car windows/windshields for a living. He said he'd do it for me for the price of the glass...$55. Thank goodness, this seems like a way better option for me right now.

I talked to Ethan about my moving. It went okay. I haven't quite figured out how this is all going to pan out in the upcoming month. It's a difficult time of year to move, with the holidays coming and the winter weather, and being swamped at work because of those two things.

A friend, Katie, and I have talked about moving downtown together.
I think it would be fun to submerge myself in an environment like that, I've never lived in a city-city before. The lights can be inspiring...

I'm currently trying my damnedest to crank out some homemade holiday gifts, but shipping them is the annoying part, as I'm broke as a joke. But, that's okay. I'm hoping to find a cheap tree in the next few days, I could use some holiday spirits--it's good for morale, dontcha think?

Photobooth @ The Florida Room

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

Met a boy. His name is James and we're uuber cheesy.

You'd just hate it I'm sure. haha

My car window got smashed last week, awesome.

I'm so, so, so, so freaking broke and terrified.

Jan 13th San Francisco for a flight attendant interview.

Thank the heavens for a Southwest air credit.

I'm so excited about this I could pop, being a flight attendant is one of my dreams. As cheesy as it may be, it is what it is. Let's face it anyways-I'm made for that job.

I'm reaching the point of exhaustion with my current apartment. It's difficult because I love my room mate, Ethan and the apartment itself is a awesome location and my stuff fits well here. But I'm starting to feel like I'd be happier on my own, and there is just bad juju here after my assault. It's tainted I guess you could say.

I have to get out of here if I want to stay in Portland.

I'm looking for cheap studios, as for the same amount of money as I pay now I could live alone and be happier. Much happier. I'm nervous to tell Ethan about my desire to go. I know it'll be disappointing but I have to do what I need to do for me.

Please donate to my cause by sending good vibes to the west coast for me. :)

I want to start classes in January but time is sneaking up on me so damn fast, ugh.

I feel like I have other things to update on, but I forgot already...

Check out the Flickr.

Oh, Portland is expecting flurries this weekend. HOLY CRAP.

Seasons!

FALL

in Portland, OR

10/22/09

SUMMER

in Portland, OR.

08/20/09

Dyed my hair.

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

This is one of the before shots. Go to my Flickr to see the After.
Not a significant change, don't be worried.
First hair dying to take place is almost 10 months!

Downtown.

See why I adore this place? How cute is this?!

...I uploaded some new photos to the flickr.

POOKAH-ZILLA

No playing in the play zone.

...Not on Pookah's watch.

HAHA

Potted Plant Garden & Such

I finally scraped together enough money this paycheck to buy a couple flowers for out on our steps. It makes everything feel much cozier. And lord knows I need the comfort. Here's a mosaic of the photos, but check out my Flickr for the individual shots.

My friend, Jak, is coming from St Augustine for the weekend. It'll be so nice to see a familiar face here in Portland. Especially since the room mate is gone with his family on a vacation for his birthday in Washington on the coast somewhere. Jak has a website called St Augustine Pics that I visit daily because it's not only purrrty to look at but gives me my St Augustine-fix. You should check it out too.

A few months ago I was in one of the shots he posted.

And so was the yard sale at Loose Screws...

That's all for now.

How to sprout an avocado.

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

Buy an avocado and make something delicious to eat with it.
Rinse off seed, and sit by your sink for 2 days. (48 hrs)
Peel brown skin off pit and place 3 toothpicks/skewers around pit.
Place this inside of a jar of warm water, covering 2/3 of the pit.
Each day replenish with warm water.
When roots start to sprout place jar/seed in a window sill.
Voila!

I have successfully grown avocado sprouts and plants, including the one that still lives in St Augustine that's now...over 2 years old.

Most folks don't peel the skin off or know to use/replenish with warm water, and that's where they go wrong. I think those are the key tricks.

I do have a recommendation for what delicious meal to make with the avocado...add it to your grilled cheese sammich, and if you're super fancy add feta cheese too. YUM.

Lewis & Clark State Park

We also went to the Lewis & Clark State Park while out on the coast last week.

Demi and I snuck off and found a cool trail out in the woods.

But to our surprise a lot of stuff was in disarray, trees were knocked over and it just seemed, un-natural for a state park to have a trail that walks by so much devastation? Maybe it was an unfinished trail or something. But even still, why would trees need to be knocked over for a pathway that already exists? Hmmm how curious.

& The Rest~

Astoria

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

It was sweet.

--uploaded some pictures to my Flickr

from my recent escape to the coast.

She's Crafty.

So I've been spending a bunch of time crafting lately as I don't have much $ to be going out, so I just sit in and listen to Pandora radio and paint and craft and dance around my room like an idiot. Also I've become a huge fan of whiskey. Does this mean I have cowboy in my blood? God, that would be awesome. haha.

So a couple months ago, actually in May on the same day I left for Texas adventure I bought a trunk at a thrift store (in St Augustine) with the intentions of painting it upon return of the trip. But as we all remember I came back and decided to move! So it got put on the back burner, and I even paid to have it moved here because I didn't want to pass up on the opportunity to paint a piece of furniture. It had so much potential! Well now, in September, 4 months and 3700 miles later I finally got to the revamp. Check out my awesomeness...

It started as a white with pink and purple sides and the lid was mutilated with some kind of terrible paper mache with what looked like brown paper bag? I sold my electric sander at the yard sale before I moved (why did I do that?!) so I couldn't paint over that crap. I instead opted to cover it in red velvet fabric that I inherited from my friend Ana a few months ago when I was still home. My friend Demi helped me prep it and then I took over the front. At the end of the slideshow there is 3 or 4 pictures of a apron I also saved from a Portland Free/Loot Box which had some kinda generic sauce advertisement on the front, I made a yoke of felt to cover it and voila! Purrdy apron to add to my ever-growing new obsession for aprons.

It's Friday night and I don't have to work tomorrow until eleven, so I should go be more productive.

New wheels.

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

I got myself a sweet new set of wheels. I love it, love it, love it.It's a vintage ROSS bicycle that I found on craigslist, for only $130!
I can't believe I got so lucky, haha. Also I purchased it from a licensed and insured bicycle mechanic and it's got a 30-day warranty.
I need someone to take a shot of me sitting up on top of it because it's so adorable. haha I need a little rack on the back for sure, and a light.
But I spent the last of my money on the bike (I know, I know). So I'm broke as a joke until I get paid next Tuesday. Boooo.

28th & Burnside

"SUBMIT!"

"THE NAMES OF IMAGINARY PLACES"

Submission:

(tehehe)

See all the other pictures from the area @ the Flickr.

Meow

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

Somebody is settlin' in!

Nearly a month

So on Thursday will mark a month since I arrived here in Portland. Holy crap!

What an adventure that has been so far, aside from the obvious physical adventures of traveling and existing in a new place, but an emotional adventure as well.

I sometimes wonder if I sub-consciously did this just to prove something to myself, because I genuinely miss the Cat Clinic, and my Purls and my clients. Ugh, I miss my clients!

I don't wish this any different, but I do see now what I had in Saint Augustine. And how much I miss it. But that's okay. It's not like it burnt down to the ground the moment I drove away.

I'm contemplating skipping my trip to TX in October, because I'm pretty sure Nature will let me redeem my work exchange anytime, even though I really wanna go and do the work on the house, and see Nikki and be tourist in Austin again but in the same breath it's money I have to spend on a plane ticket and then supporting myself one I get there for the two weeks.

Well a client of mine offered me a job sitting their two dogs for two weeks in November, right before Thanksgiving, and part of me would rather hold off on the October trip and go to

St. Augustine in November for two weeks instead and get paid to be there, and have a place to stay and get to see all my pals and all the other perks of being there. I'm not set in stone yet.

My new job is cool, I like it a lot thus far. But it is exhausting working with those dogs, and I happen to start on the busiest week in like 10 years. It's so busy because it's so hot outside and people don't want to leave their pets outside in over 105 degree weather. Because most people that live here don't have a/c because it's never needed, so this last week of intense heat was pretty crazy to the locals, and hell even to me it was miserable a night or two.

I don't even own a fan at this apartment! haha

Tuesdays & Wednesdays are my days off from work, so today feels like Saturday to me.

And I went out with Demi today, and we went out for lunch at this cool place.

We parked about a block behind the restaurant and around the corner. On this adorable little street with a huge painting in the middle of the street and neat planters and all the houses were so crafty and painted in bright colors, oh it was great! Portland is full of little neighborhoods like this, especially in the SE where I live. I adore the artsy fartsy feel.

So, I posted some other pictures to my Flickr.

I'm off to make something delicious for dinner and start doing something with all this laundry I finally did today. I was spoiled by having my own washer & dryer,

but now that I have to pay 1.25 a load it's easy to let the dirty laundry pile up. (ugh)

Plus I worked 6 days in a row, so I just didn't feel like it when I got home. haha

Arrrgh!

Run from the heat to the Coast!

Monday I went to the coast~ It was gorgeous!

I posted the pictures to my Flickr

& It was about 15-20 degrees cooler than it is here right now.

I've decided that I want to learn another language.

I just don't know which one!

There are so many to choose from!

I've always wanted to visit Sweden, or live in Sweden~

But it turns out most Swedes speak English.

Italian.

That'd be cool.

My first day of work at the new place was awesome!

I totally fit right in, my boss even said it felt like I had been there longer.

Now, I don't know if thats just silly flattery but I did step up to the plate to restrain a very angry cat and save her skin yesterday when she was trying to cut his toe nails, hahaha.

I have the scratches to prove it!

But anyways, I like it. I'm concerned that I wont get my first paycheck until the 15th though because it's one of those jobs that get paid on the 1st and the 15th. Ugh. I do hate that.

But I should be okay. Oh! and my new cards were in the mailbox when I got home, which is suhhhweet, they're adorable! I took them to a few spots yesterday and because they made an error the first time they sent me 500 instead of the initial 250 I ordered. So yay!

I'm off today but work the next few days in a row. So I'm staying home and organizing my closet, I found a awesome book shelf on the side of the street the other day.

Portland is known for it's free boxes and loot piles on the side of the street. I have never seen so many free 'yard sales' at all days of the week in my life, it's a thrifter's dream! haha :)

Oh, and in case you were wondering.

YES it's true Portland is having a very un-typical heat wave.

YES it's been 105 for the past 3 days.

NO I do not have a fan or a A/C.

Whew! I've been surviving on frozen (fresh) blueberries, mmm refreshing!

Multnomah Falls

So on Wednesday I went on a 10-mile hike at Multnomah Falls. It was very beautiful!

I took quite a few pictures, including the one I shared in my last post, which was probably my favorite. I mean, did you see that waterfall?! It's intense!

I ended my employment with Greenpeace on Monday, after a couple of days of in my opinion, retarded-ness on their part for hiring me for a position that is no longer available and then sticking me in canvassing. Which isn't what I was hired to do. Over the weekend I unpacked a box that contained my paperwork from my interview, and the print out from their website that I used to build my resume, with the job details. I took that in there as a "see?!" but it didn't do much...obviously. So, I no longer work for them.

I was so terrified after making that decision.

I mean, I'm supposed to stick it out, swallow my pride and get paid the $10/hr to pitch memberships to people on the sidewalk. -At least until I find other work.

But I'm sorry, I just don't want to do that.

What I am/was most upset about is the amount of energy I put into getting that position and how it all just kinda crumpled. But eh, it wasn't wasted at all. Was it? I mean, the most impressive part is that I did infact get the job.

And I even though the "unemployment rate is so high in Portland" -I've had 5 interviews this week alone! And I'll have you know the job that I wanted out of those 5, I got.

I start my first full day on Tuesday @ 7 am.

It's for Kennel Manager at a Boarding & Grooming place.

I started thinking a little more like my crazy free-spirited self over the weekend leading up to my final day at Greenpeace. I started feeling like you know, maybe this job was just the ploy to get me out here, because let's face it I wanted to make the leap, but the job did put a little momentum behind me. And so what, it didn't work out. I'll be happier doing what I know anyways. And I love working with animals and their owners, call me crazy.

+Plus what better way to plug into my business?

Speaking of which, Caitlin updated my business cards for me ♥

And I had them printed once, but they made an error and I had to call and get it fixed, and they were shipped out yesterday so they should be in my mailbox this week. YAY!

Which will be great, because I'm trying to get back into that soon.

So in just a few minutes I'm leaving for the coast. It's going to be in the 90's here today so it'll be a good 15-20 degrees cooler on the coast, which = perfect. And I certainly doubt I'll be doing any type of swimming, the water is just so cold! But I packed a suit just in case I get crazy.

Don't worry, I had my camera on the charger all night so I'll take plenty of pictures I'm sure.

I'm heading to Seaside, which is a cute little town about an hour and a half or so from here.

But I need some coffee first, and maybe some kind of breakfast.

I made sure that my new job knew about my plans for October, to go back to Texas. And they don't mind, I need to write down the exact dates for her and I really should start pricing plane tickets. I'm looking much forward to this trip. I know it's trouble though. Everytime someone puts me in a tent in the woods for days on end with good people I get all crazy in my head.

I mean we all know what happened last time I went there.

--It's when I first got the itch to move.

Fortunately I cannot drop everything and move again like I did this last time, I have to stay here long enough to save enough money to take off again, haha.

I've been throwing that flight attendant thing around my cranium a lot more lately.

10 mile hike

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

Yesterday I went on a ten mile hike up into the mountains.
It was phenomenal.
See the rest of the shots @ my Flickr, the details will be posted later.
I have to get ready for a interview!
♥

Putting the walls up

All day long with the unpacking, sheesh!

& What's more distracting than all the bright & colorful decorating opportunities? Sponge Bob! Curse the person that thought today would be an excellent day to host a marathon of Sponge Bob on Nickelodeon. They know I have to watch! haha.

I went to IKEA finally and took care of the bed situation, and it is so awesome now that the bed is set up. I just got done dressing it with all my great sheets and Pookah has already made herself comfortable on my grandmother's quilt.

Last night Ethan and I went out for a few drinks, and it made for a merry time. We stumbled home, after I had some very delicious beverages. OMG Hazelnut Ale = Amazing.

Mmm.

Now that my things are starting to come out of boxes and be put up on the walls I'm starting to feel more like this is my home, and not just a temporary dwelling. It's so hard to grasp the concept that I LIVE here, and will not have to get up tomorrow morning and go to the Cat Clinic, or something. I just feel like I'm on vacation or something.

Man, I do miss everyone though.

Today when 1 o'clock rolled around, I thought how I'd be with the Black Purls, stichin and bitchin,

like we do every week.

Anyways check out the rest of the so-far decorated parts of the house on z' Flickr account...If you'd like

VooDoo

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Originally uploaded by Mermaid Hair

I uploaded some more photos from the last day Bethee was here, and I took her to VooDoo donut. Which is such a fun place! I love the Grape Ape donut, which basically tastes like grape Kool-Aid. I know, I know, most people think that is disgusting, but mmmm not to me! haha

Also my stuff did in-fact arrive on Tuesday and everything is accounted for except for the mid-beam to my bed frame, which totally sucks anyways, and I can't believe I moved with it. So I had to go to IKEA to buy a new bedframe, but they gave me the wrong size flats (Full instead of a Queen) so now I have to go back to exchange them, except my receipt is somewhere in the region of my room that is now the catch all until I get the rest of the house put away. Bah!

I had a little snag with work when all this stuff got delivered, and I'm also now having a hard time with the canvassing aspect of my new job. I've been applying for other things, mostly pet-related positions, because thats what I know, and love. I had a mini interview with a boarding facility fora Kennel Mgr position, which I have all the qualifications and more for. And it's closer to my house, and pays just as well. So, let's just cross our fingers. haha But I'm sticking it out for now.

Almost my 2nd day.

Dude. Someone explain to me why it is that silly things happen to me, that make my existence very stressful from time to time. Like how someone as punctual as I am, and by that I mean I hate being late. I'd rather not go somewhere than be late. Being on time is late to me.

And when someone or something stands in between me and a designated appointment I have I definitely turn it into silent turmoil.

Yesterday I was told by my movers that they'd be here between 8-11 and that was cool with me, because I don't go to work until 11:30 but as it turns out this first week we have to be there at 10 everyday, and it takes me about 45 minutes to walk. (which I obviously prefer to driving).

Ah, that wasn't no biggie either because Ethan (my room mate) is off during the week and could accept the delivery and give them my money order. Except yesterday after I got home from work he had taken off to the coast for a few days to get his car fixed and stay at his parents. DOH!

Obviously all of these things are out of my control so I just tried my damnedest last night to just believe the movers would come early and I'd still get to work on time and all that. Nope.

I got a call this morning that they'd be here at 10. So I swallowed my pride and called work to explain to them that I was going to be late, on my second freaking day.

AH! And of course I apologized, and explained how embarrassed I am that I'm having to call in late on my second day.

Oh wait!

It gets better.

I only got voicemail of both of my team leaders and at 9:30 I still hadn't heard back from them so I got all freaked out and called Beth nearly in tears, and started looking at job postings on Craigslist, just in case! haha

I know, I know. I over react a little bit, eh?

Well at a little after 10 when the movers got here, Mike (my TL) sent me a text explaining to just come in tomorrow at 10 and everything was alright, and blah blah blah. WHEW!

Thank freaking heavens.

So in a bizarre twist of events, I now have the day off to unpack all these dang boxes in my living room. So I should take advantage of that. And "practice" my soap-box speech for work so that tomorrow I at least can pretend like I didn't skip a beat. Bah. What a crazy day already!

AHHH!

I start work in an hour and a half! Holy crap, I'm nervous and excited.

Right now I'm drinking my hazelnut coffee, updating my iPod for the walk and doing my make up.

My wardrobe is very limited right now because all my stuff still isn't here.

BUT! This morning I got a phone call from the driver, and he should be here tomorrow morning before I head to work @ 11:30. Which is great. Then Ethan won't have to deal with it, which I really feel like is unfair to have him do. And then of course the other great thing is...Finally it will all be here! And I can start putting the pieces back together. I'm not a fan of this transitional phase. And I've done rather well settling without actually having my belongings. But this will really help me, just as it did when I moved to Weeden St. I'll work all day and come home and unpack all night. Too bad I don't have any dear friends here to help keep me smiling through it.

Zach came to Portland yesterday and ugh, it was so nice to see him!

And to have a last day of quote-un-quote "freedom" before I start my job today.

We went to the Gardens, and to see Food Inc

Pookah is starting to get restless in the house, I can tell.

She wants to be outside. But I get nervous because where we live is a lot more busy than what she's used to. This being said, Pookah is not a dumb cat. She's probably the wisest one I've had to date. But she's needed the time to adjust to the sunset here because thats how they find their way back home. Her and Ruben haven't become FRIENDS yet, but they live together. She kinda just keeps away from him and hangs out with me in my room all day. Which is sweet, but I know deep down she'd rather be outside chasing lizards or whatever all day. I think tomorrow morning I'm going to take her out into the courtyard with the leash/harness just so she can get a taste for it, and then we'll start with supervised outside time, and before I know it and she knows it-she'll be on her own! Cruising the streets, stealing cars, vandalizing property, and whatever other shenanigans cats get into during the daytime hours when we are at work.

Well I've spent too much time on here, I need to start my walk to work now.

Wish me luck!

EEP!

Craft Time

I found out today that my stuff is going to be arriving later than I had originally thought.

Which pissed me off, that's for sure. But what can I do?

It'll be here next week, and there is nothing I can do to speed up the process.

Bah!

Beth & I had craft time today with some wine and I painted an owl on my wall above the heater thingy-ma-jig. We need to give him a name! Any ideas? Hmmm

**entry is back-dated

Japanese Garden & Playing Tourist

Bethee & I went to the Japanese Gardens and the Rose Gardens in Washington Park today.

Holy Mackerel!

It was absolutely amazing. We couldn't have for a better day to go.

And it was just what I needed after such an emotionally charged adventure.

A little peace, a little om in the midst of a storm.

I sat down at one point, and my body sighed.

I realized that this was the right move.

The best move.

I became aware that my fear had become my flight.

First Day in Portland

Bethee & I arrived in Portland on Monday (July 6th) at about 5:30 in the morning.

I had a hard time getting sleep, despite us being up alllll day and driving allll day.

Because by the time we arrived the sun was coming up to greet us.

We were going to camp in Northern California, but it ended up being a low of 50 that evening, and we were just not prepared for camping in that climate. So we decided to be CRAZY and drive the whole freaking day. Just to give you an idea of how long that drive was we left Jenni's house Sunday morning at about 8:30-9 am. Yikes!

When we "woke up" and we were both ready to start our day,

we made a list of things I needed to do.

#1. go to Ikea and buy a bed/mattress

#2. go to Home Depot and buy paint for my bedroom

#3. Grocery store/Target for Pookah supplies

#4. Goodwill (woohoo!)

Then we started painting my room, which turned out gorgeous.

To see the rest of the pictures, and see how it turned out go to my Flickr.

**entry is back-dated

California Dreamin'

We made it from AZ to San Diego in just a few hours, arriving somewhere around lunch time.

We arrived on 4th of July, and made our way over to Pacific Beach to meet up with Jenni and her momma for lunch and I had a delicious mojito. Mmm. Minty Limey-ness.

With us traveling, her mom just landing the night before and Jenni having duty the night before, we were all a bunch of lazy-pants, haha. But it was nice just to relax, and the weather was so purdy. Only it was so dang busy out and about with all the crazy Fourth of July folk that I was totally distracted by all the pedestrians. 

....Some guy in a banana suit told me he liked the color of my car.

And I told him I liked the color of his banana suit. HA

Oh my goodness it was so nice to see Jenni, parting ways I cried for a good couple miles down the road. I miss her. But now we are in the same time zone! And flights to San Diego are:

 a.) cheap b.) short & c.) worth it

We originally planned on camping somewhere in Northern California, but come to find out the low was 50 at night, and we weren't prepared for cold-weather camping.  Sooo we decided to be crazy and drive all the way here. Which is about 18 hours or so drive. 

We got in this morning (Monday) at 5:30 am. We left San Diego at about 9:00 am.

Whew! We were exhausted. Except I was also on some kinda adrenaline/the-sun-is-coming-up-so-I-can't-sleep kick, and stayed up a few hours later, and then crashed for a wee bit on the futon in the living room with Bethee, because my movers haven't been here yet. I woke back up at around 8:30-9 and tip toed around the apt and took a much-needed shower, and started looking at furniture to buy at ikea. I need a new bed.

I could spend a fortune in that dang store. It's like a candy store for decorating folks.

Mmmm

Yucca

We've made it as far as Arizona today, we're actually about 3-4 hours away from San Diego now. But last night we got a little tired of being in the car and decided to settle in for the night at a really cute, kitschy motel in the middle of the desert, Yucca Motel. The blinds are the color of pepto bismol and the air conditioning is intense! It's like an igloo in here. Whew.

--Night before we stayed in Roswell NM at the most over-priced hotel ever. But we all really needed a good night's rest after not sleeping anymore than 3 hours each since we left on Tuesday. We woke up and walked around downtown Main St in Roswell before heading out on the road again. The desert is absolutely breath-taking. Beth and I were just in awe as we drove through the mountains/desert. 

We'll be spending 4th of July in San Diego with Jenni & her madre. And then we're heading up the coast of California. The plan is to camp somewhere in Northern California and then wake up and be into Portland within a few hours. We really are shooting for arrival Monday. So that Bethee can hang out for a few days, before her plane leaves on Thursday. 

Pookah is taking the trip quite well. The first two days she was on valium, but the second day she seemed really out of it, and I didn't like it. So yesterday I experimented and tried no valium, and she handled it quite well. Actually you couldn't have asked for a better cat to have in the car in my opinion. It was rather adorable. She hates wearing the harness, she acts like it's a straight jacket so I compromised with her and took it off. haha. So now I have a perfectly content cat, driving in the car without a harness and without meds. Awesome. I mean, she hates it. She'd rather be outside chasing lizards and all that. But she has managed. 

I've uploaded everything to my Flickr, up until this point. See them all here.

We're outta here! On the road again...

Farewells, Packing & Yard Sale

I finally got the rest of these photos up~check out the whole set here.

Moving Day

Today is the real moving day. 

I'm leaving this apartment and this town and the bluejay outside of my window right now in >1 hour. It's crazy. It doesn't even really seem real to me.

The movers came and took everything away on Sunday.

It was so weird handing over all of your possessions to a bunch of strangers, who then will pass it along to another stranger and so forth until it arrives at my new place. It's also interesting when your stuff is in transit before you are. It's a new kinda trust in some respects. 

Yesterday was my last day at work for the Clinic.

It was rather difficult, to say the least, to try and keep up with my actual 'work' in addition to the cake and sweet little gifts I received.  Though I'm sure they weren't expecting much of me either. Mmmm Starbucks giftcards & red velvet cake :) 

So I ended up bartering my surfboard to Crowbar at Trendkill Tattoo (also my office manager's husband) for a tattoo. So I loaded the surfboard in my car last night at about quarter ta' 9 and headed to Palatka. I didn't even get in the chair until about 9:45 or later, and headed back to town at around midnight. It looks amazing. And it was totally worth the trade. And now I don't have that damn surfboard to deal with while driving across the United Stiz-ates.

I have some photos I need to post from my yard sale Saturday, and Packing and all that. But right now I need to give Pookah her travel meds and start hitting the road to go pick up Bethee. I'm so glad she's coming with me now. It's going to be an awesome adventure.Good thoughts everyone.Namaste'

Home Sweet Home

**this entry is back-dated from May 24, 2009

We left dock @ 4:30 in the morning.

It was so beautiful to greet the Chesapeake Bay again.

I caught the first, and largest rockfish--booyah!

Home Sweet Home.

Waiting Game Paid Off~

**this is a back-dated entry from May 22, 09

Holy crappers, I just found out that Greenpeace is hiring for the Portland area.

That's fucking awesome.

So I called the number and left a message explaining why I'd like to work for them...

I'm pretty sure I sounded either overly nervous or overly excited on that voicemail.

In-flight wifi! Say what?!

**This entry is back-dated from May 21, 2009

This is suh-fucking-weet.

~I just discovered there isn't not one, but TWO cat-only vet practices in Portland.

I just sent a email and my resume to the second one...from a fucking airplane dude!

I mean, the world we live in today. It's crazy.

You can just be 10,000 feet in the air and still apply for jobs.

...And listen to Pandora radio because this inflight shit is just that...shit.

I land in BWI in about 30 minutes or so.

Texas Work Exchange May 2009

**this is a back-dated entry from May 2009

See them individually: http://http//www.flickr.com/photos/mermaidhair/sets/72157620046878508/

I've been overwhelmed with a lot of feelings as of late.I don't want to go back to work. I don't want to go back to my apartment.I don't even want my car anymore. I just want to let go of everything and start fresh.

I mean, I want my owl collection and all that awesome clothing in my closet of course. (wink)

But the rest of it. What does it mean?

Right now it feels like it doesn't mean a whole lot. This is a scary thing to think about right now as I have some money in my savings account. I'm torn between so many places. I want to stay in St Augustine. There are things I love there so much, that I could never imagine not being a part of anymore, but I also want to move to Oregon or Savannah or New Mexico or Austin or to be honest even Maryland. I just want to be wherever it is that I can do whatever it is I want to do right NOW.

I've always lived like I needed to settle instead of the on the go lady I struggle to be on a daily basis.

Isn't it time to live for me instead of living for the potential of settling down?

These are my golden years!

There isn't a better time to go!

Be the gypsy you were born to be.

Salt Run Paddle

**entry back-dated from May 2009

Paddling on Salt Run, near Lighthouse Park--St Augustine, FL
May 2009