As Watoosa has reported, we arrived in Portland on Wednesday of last week. Unfortunately, our stuff was still in California at that time, which pretty much ensured that we'd have to wait through the weekend to get it. They now tell us they'll deliver it today after lunch, but I'll believe it when I see it.
It's been weird camping out in our own living room. We feel very disconnected from the rest of the world with no radio, TV, newspaper, or internet (I'm in the public library now). Luckily, we've got our computer, which means we can play the occasional video, and we brought a few books.
I've also been working through a Chess book that blakbuzzrd recommended: How to Beat Your Dad at Chess . I think it's already improved my game (which means I've gone from "Execrably Awful" to "Consistently Embarassing"). But it does have one serious drawback. When it shows an example (and it's filled with them), it either indicates "Black Moves" or "White Moves." The problem with the latter is that it sounds a lot like the title of that Bob Seger song, "Night Moves," which means the chorus from that craptastic ditty involuntarily plays in my head, and there seems to be nothing I can do to prevent it. Man, I already had a pretty strong aversion to Seger and his oeuvre, but now I hate that #@%*ing song like poison. And I'm only about three-fifths of the way through the book. Seriously, it's slowly driving me insane.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Disaster Strikes!
Well, not so much disaster as a series of annoyances.
1. We found out just today that ABF--who currently has control of all our personal property except for our car and what we could fit in it--doesn't deliver on Saturday or Sunday. That adds two more days of sleeping on the floor. Originally, we thought our stuff would probably arrive on Friday, which means we've doubled the amount of time we have to go without our stuff. And that in turn means I'll be wearing the same khaki shorts and blue Polo shirt for a total of 1.5 weeks. At least I brought enough undies.
2. Another nugget from ABF: our stuff is still in San Fernando, California. That was our first clue that it wouldn't be ready for delivery on Friday.
3. In just a few seconds, Greta changed our Hyundai into her own rolling litter box. She chose the armrest that separates driver from passenger for the honor. Luckily, it was (mostly) solid.
4. And since the Fates wanted to reiterate the old saw, "When it rains, it pours," it also rained. And, man, did it pour. Luckily, we had functioning wiper blades. Until we didn't.
Still, we made it to Erie, Pennsylania, our heads bloody but unbowed. Nothing can stop us now!
1. We found out just today that ABF--who currently has control of all our personal property except for our car and what we could fit in it--doesn't deliver on Saturday or Sunday. That adds two more days of sleeping on the floor. Originally, we thought our stuff would probably arrive on Friday, which means we've doubled the amount of time we have to go without our stuff. And that in turn means I'll be wearing the same khaki shorts and blue Polo shirt for a total of 1.5 weeks. At least I brought enough undies.
2. Another nugget from ABF: our stuff is still in San Fernando, California. That was our first clue that it wouldn't be ready for delivery on Friday.
3. In just a few seconds, Greta changed our Hyundai into her own rolling litter box. She chose the armrest that separates driver from passenger for the honor. Luckily, it was (mostly) solid.
4. And since the Fates wanted to reiterate the old saw, "When it rains, it pours," it also rained. And, man, did it pour. Luckily, we had functioning wiper blades. Until we didn't.
Still, we made it to Erie, Pennsylania, our heads bloody but unbowed. Nothing can stop us now!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Central Illinois...
...is just as mind-numbingly dull as I remembered.
But the Texans who proudly ignored the narrative of Genesis 11 and built the
The strategy behind these edifices is shrewd. The builders know that the drive from St. Louis to Indianapolis and from New Mexico across the Texas Panhandle is so agonizingly boring that it (a) induces a kind of stupor, thus lowering the mind's critical faculties; or (b) causes motorists to seriously question the meaning of their existence. Either way, they're just bound to make a few converts out of the people who stop by the accompanying gift shops (yes, you read that right--they have gift shops).
One thing the Texans have over the Lincolnites, though, is the generous offer of free 72-ounce steaks (free, that is, provided you eat it all in one sitting) at Exit 75 of Interstate 40. I seem to recall that there was a Simpsons episode about just such an offer, but I didn't realize it was based on fact.
The monotony of Illinois' share of I-70 has so diminished my creative powers that I am unable to write further.
*END TRANSMISSION*
Sunday, June 17, 2007
A Question for the Ages
I don't have much to add to Watoosa's account of today's journey. I'll just ask for help solving the big mystery of the trip thus far: Why are there so many interstate billboards advertising Vasectomy Reversals? Seriously, I stopped counting at twenty.
That mystery in turn raises an even larger one--Why do they offer money-back guarantees?!
That mystery in turn raises an even larger one--Why do they offer money-back guarantees?!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Journey through a Land that Time Forgot!
As Watoosa has reported, we've made it as far as New Mexico. The drive has been more or less uneventful. We spent last night in Barstow, California, on the edge of the Mojave Desert. Today's drive--approximately 600 miles--was pretty much all desert, broken up by the Colorado River and a brief cut through the Kaibab National Forest. We passed up some tantalizing diversions, like the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, and the big Meteor Crater that you've seen in photographs. But with a half-crazed (and wholly vicious) feline in the car, it's just not possible to stop.
It's not as jaw-droppingly impressive as our drive through central and southwestern Utah, but it was beautiful, all the same. And now I can color in another state in my map of states I've visited. Tomorrow, I'll be able to add Oklahoma.
The picture above is from the one moment of excitement today: a dino-attack. For another great picture, check out Watoosa's post.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Endgame
Posting will likely be pretty scanty in the next couple weeks, as Watoosa and I get ready for the big cross-country trek to Maine. We leave on Friday. Already, we have much of our stuff packed up, pictures and knickknacks pulled down from the walls, closets cleared out. It definitely feels like we're moving, now.
It hit me a couple weeks ago how much I will miss Santa Barbara. I had no idea I'd come to love it as much as I have. Except for the distance from our families and friends, it's just about a perfect place to live. Oh yeah, there's also the mind-blowingly exorbitant housing prices, too. But luckily we've not had to deal with that.
Last weekend, we had a couple "last time to do X"s. We went to the legendary farmer's market on Saturday morning. That was pretty much a weekly appointment for us. The market has an excellent variety of fruits and vegetables, but it also has other stuff like a New Age healer (i.e., a charlatan who makes you feel better about yourself), several musicians who regularly show up and play for donations (including a really great Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli string band), and the odd political protester. But really it's about the food. We've been able to eat so well here, in large part because everything grows in California. You can get fresh produce year round.
One thing we've gotten into is artisan olive oil. I had always figured oil was oil, but here we've been able to taste just how complex olive oil can be. It's like wine in that it can offer a combination of flavors in a single sip like pepper, citrus, and grass. We're hooked. So we bought one last bottle at the market. Luckily, most producers sell on the internet, now. If you are looking to get some of the good stuff, I recommend Joelle or Olive Hill Farm. Don't muck it up with vinegar, cheese, or herbs. It's good enough to stand alone.
We also made one of our favorite Santa Barbara meals on Saturday. We bought fresh local swordfish, grilled it up, and matched it with fresh greens and fresh bread (dipped in olive oil, of course). It's simple, and it's simply divine.
On Sunday, we went to our parish for the last time: All Saints by-the-Sea. We went there on our first Sunday in town, and we liked it so much we didn't bother to look at other parishes. It's been a great place for us, and we're going to miss it.
It hit me a couple weeks ago how much I will miss Santa Barbara. I had no idea I'd come to love it as much as I have. Except for the distance from our families and friends, it's just about a perfect place to live. Oh yeah, there's also the mind-blowingly exorbitant housing prices, too. But luckily we've not had to deal with that.
Last weekend, we had a couple "last time to do X"s. We went to the legendary farmer's market on Saturday morning. That was pretty much a weekly appointment for us. The market has an excellent variety of fruits and vegetables, but it also has other stuff like a New Age healer (i.e., a charlatan who makes you feel better about yourself), several musicians who regularly show up and play for donations (including a really great Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli string band), and the odd political protester. But really it's about the food. We've been able to eat so well here, in large part because everything grows in California. You can get fresh produce year round.
One thing we've gotten into is artisan olive oil. I had always figured oil was oil, but here we've been able to taste just how complex olive oil can be. It's like wine in that it can offer a combination of flavors in a single sip like pepper, citrus, and grass. We're hooked. So we bought one last bottle at the market. Luckily, most producers sell on the internet, now. If you are looking to get some of the good stuff, I recommend Joelle or Olive Hill Farm. Don't muck it up with vinegar, cheese, or herbs. It's good enough to stand alone.
We also made one of our favorite Santa Barbara meals on Saturday. We bought fresh local swordfish, grilled it up, and matched it with fresh greens and fresh bread (dipped in olive oil, of course). It's simple, and it's simply divine.
On Sunday, we went to our parish for the last time: All Saints by-the-Sea. We went there on our first Sunday in town, and we liked it so much we didn't bother to look at other parishes. It's been a great place for us, and we're going to miss it.
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