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'