Babies!!

"Cousin once removed" is a mouthful for a 2 year old - or even a 6 year old, so my cousin Tami's kids [Ellie, Jacob, Annette and Joshua] just call me Aunt. Sometimes. Sometimes they call me Aunt Lori, but that's only when they forget and start calling Aunt Lori "Grandma". (and oh does she love that. muahaha)

He *Claims* He's Never Been to Portland...

So, the other night when Rose and I went to dinner for my birthday we made this interesting discovery. We were walking down 23rd when we saw this tag. Suspicious, I'd say... Josh wants to come here to see the Pacific Ocean and all... maybe that means he's been to Portland before and now is using me to see the rest of the state. *gasp*
One never knows....
Or maybe he even lives here and just doesn't want to see me !
I mean - the people you meet at Bible school... I dunno.

"I am a hot little potato right now"

Nursery Rhymes

Nursery Rhymes come to mind
When I look at my floor and see
that my mobile slept in a shoe.
Like the Old Woman who lived in a shoe.
Though my phone is too proud to.

Lazy

This is how lazy I am:
I sit down at the computer (THE computer, not MY computer. Stuart needs a spanking) and what do I do? I check my email, but can't bring myself to answer any letters as much as I dearly love those who write to me. I check a few blogs, and though I find them interesting/funny/cool I don't feel I can expend the energy to post a comment. I glance at athena's hall to see if anyone commented, and on seeing nothing new (most likely because I have not posted in four days), I leave. I sit for a moment, thinking over the many possibilities of what I could or should accomplish while on the internet; I do nothing more than simply sit and stare blankly at the screen. The thought of posting crosses my mind, but I haven't taken any pictures since thursday, and it takes far too much effort to actually Write a post - involving words and sentences. So I finally force myself to sign in and click "New Post"- which brings me here, with no greater idea than to slowly expound upon the nothingless that already exists on the "Create" screen, and my lack of ideas and/or energy.

Portland in Pictures

Today I decided to not "kill time"... I had spare time so I took pictures (until my batteries died.)
Portland is quite nice. It makes me not dislike America so much.

This sign is the key to a whole room full of memories for me. Dressing up and staying out late to go to the Holiday Pops when I was little, that date with Alonzo, operas, musicals, symphonies with family and friends...

Indians playing chess. Am I right that it's usually just hippies? So strange.

Ahhh... what would Portland be without it's liberal, attitude filled publications.

"I love lamp!"

If this isn't forceful advertizing, I dont know what is. "You should sell art. You should buy art." Yes, I'll get right on it. (As seen accross Max filled tracks.)

Josh, what fabulous ideas you have. (Dang I'm a lucky girl)
SW Broadway slash Sister Maria's (only) sideview mirror.

Twenty-one and Still Not Grown Up

I think I like this birthday. So fun. Thanks to all ya'll who came to Bridgeport and made sunday night so fun and memorable.
[we only got a semi-group picture... the cameras really didn't come out till after we had left the restaurant. so not that I don't love the 6 or so others who came, they just managed to leave before the craziness began]

As Promised

I give you:
Pictures !!!

Everytime I heard tell of Mt St Helens erupting this year while I was gone, I was so dissapointed that I wasn't there to witness it. I felt rather cheated. And when I got back and it blew, it was a cloudy day, so I missed it.
Then saturday, while waiting at the light at the bottom of our exit, I happened to glance north to see this:

This was on the way home from Brad's dance lessons. This week's style: Swing.



Even before dancing lessons and erupting volcanoes, it had been a great last half of the week. I took a trip up to the Seattle area (Kent, side accidental trip to Federal Way, Samamish, Bellingham - all over) to visit my cousins and some Capers friends.
Cousin-once-removed Zoe (yeah, go try to figure that one out. haha).

"How does Julie's hair smell?" "Yucky!!!!". I have the cutest relatives in the world, btw.


Uncle Rick reads to the little ones.

Then on from the relies to Janice Rae's house w00t.
Court and Janice - hot at the mall *and* in the kitchen:


Up at Erin's house retrieving my gigantic suitcase.

Janice and I are SO excited for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince... and for nutella toast...

Austin was there, too... I just somehow don't have any close up pics of him or anything. But he really was there ! Here are he and Court.

Thoughts Spawned from a Day at the Coast.

A can of Lysol sitting in a phone kiosk/Apparent inability [of others] to understand the purpose of the Left Lane/Rubbish bins that are multiplied like rabbits/Icy water numbing my toes/Signs posted begging us to not drive drunk/despairing in the view of clearcut timber/Wind filling my ears with sand/NW mist surrounding the Haystack/Re-learned multi-tasking: reading Mrs Pollifax, eating bagels, soaking up the sun/Singing with my sister while Sister Maria attempts to pass a typical Oregonian, driving 3 miles under the speed limit

"Reportedly: 'The old Hungarian runic symbol for H depicts a fish, called HAL. HAL can also mean death, fish and as HA it means if.' "

Milicent is Confused

Has this happened to anyone else? :
I was trying to get to Joshy's blog and it kept taking me to the McDonald's site.
WHAT the poo.
I don't even want to start thinking about what sort of conspiracy that might be.

My birthday present from Trace ! 

What do ya'll think? 

Hm. Yes.

I just showered and now am soaked with sweat.
No, this does not mean I have moved to some tropical location or the South or something. It just means that I'm a little dumb and forgot, when I awoke, that it's best if one runs First and then showers. Ahh... Yes, that is the usual order of things. Not today. Haha. Nasty.

Makes One Think

Recently I have been reading "The Blood of the Moon, understanding the historic struggle between Islam and Western Civilization" by George Grant. And Grant, being just as great a writer as he is speaker, has such a grasp of the English language that one could quite possibly take any line at random out of the book and it would be eloquent and lovely to quote. Also, he possesses the skill to recognize other great writers and qutoes, which are inserted in this book. But as there is such a thing as time, space and attention span, I will only give you a few of the quotes that I found especially interesting/sad but true/appropriate for the week/hopefully encouraging.

"In once sense, Babylon is the acceptance of matter as the only meaning, the source of all mystery. That man could accept the shell for the total meaning, that his vanity could lead him to believe that he could control matter and hence life, is the ultimate folly. It is the perennial sickness of sin. It is the great conflict of Ishmael over and against Isaac." -Andrew Nelson Lytle

"Islam is the religion of militant individuals who are committed to truth and justice. It is the religion of those who desire freedom and independence. It is the school of those who struggle against imperialism. Weapons in our hands are used to realize divine Islamic aspiriations. The more peopel who die for our cause, the stronger our Ji'had shall become" -Ayatollah Khomeini

"All those intentions were good. But even the road to hell is paved with good intentions." -pg 98

"Love, friendship, and respect do not unite people as much as a common hatred for something" -Anton Chekhov

"Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet, Till earth and sky stand presently at God's great judgement seat." -Rudyard Kipling

"We belong to quite as many regiments as the German Kaiser. Our regiments are regiments that are embattled everywhere; they fight an unending fight against all that is hopeless and rapacious and of evil report. The ony difference is that we have the regiments, but not the uniforms." -G.K. Chesterton

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever." Psalm 111:10

"We must have a passion for souls (2 Cor. 5:11). We must take every opportuity (Col. 4:5), expend every energy (2 Cor. 6:4-10) and riske every expense (Acts 4:29)." -pg 62

Today in Portland it rains. 

I Love

-Good old friends.
-Lonely people.
-Friendly people.
-Art.
-Photos of places I've been in Europe.
-Frothy, warm, caffinated goodness from Torre.
-Black and white Shih Tzu puppies.
-Quality food in an old Bibo location.
-Laughter.
-Unexpected phone calls.
-Creative street musicians.
-Warm, good smelling nights.
-Old builings and new buildings together.
-Promptly answered prayers.

First Thursday in the Pearl with Emilina and Me. We've been planning this date for over a year... and it was worth all the hype. So Fun. Emily regards the menu with the greatest of intrest. Good stuff. Mmm. 

"I love lamb"  

This is what remains after Emily and I attack our Lebonese food. Mmmmmm. Aren't you hungry now 

I am so stoked about these colors. I have no idea how they appeared in the picture, but I was gleeful to capture something I didn't know was there. 

Whoosh whoosh 

Becoming one with the wall.