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May 15, 2006
a quick rundown 
Well, it's been a big couple of days around SBA.
- Lara of Running in Place is coming to Portland. Hopefully we're going to get some time to hang out. We're having insanely excellent weather right now—couldn't ask for better, really. I'm hoping to show her how Portland is paradise, what with beautiful cycling and walking facilities, gorgeous gardens, and cold and colder running beer.
- I loaned Pinky to a friend for a day. It made me so happy to see her riding off into the distance.
The next day, when they came back, N. was wearing a femmy outfit with a floral patterned skirt that totally coordinated with the bike. Too cool. She also brought me some salted caramels which are so #$%^ good. It was only through considerable willpower that I was able to stretch out the eating of said caramels until yesterday.
- I worried about commuting to the suburbs for nothing. I got the Dear John letter and mourned it for a couple of days. Sometimes, you don't realize how much you want something until it is denied you.
- I'm going to be a bit choosier about where I apply in the future
- Fuggles, the world's cutest kitten, has become a bit of a problem. The other morning, I let the dog out and as usual, I had to coach him through his bodily functions (what can I say, he's pretty and sweet, but none too bright). He's mid-squat when up sneaks Fuggles, and starts slashing him. Sigh. So I try to run off Fuggles, and try to get Echo to go back out into the yard and finish what he had started, but he refused to leave the porch.
Once I let him back in the house, I went to feed Daphne, and brought the bowl of cat food out to see Fuggles sitting right by the cat food dish spot, waiting for me to put it down so she could eat it. Sigh. So I pick Fuggles up and she starts making demon noises and trying very hard to slash me (she succeed too).
- I had some great days of bike commuting last week. One morning, I walked into work. Now that is luxury!!
- Saturday was the St. John's Parade. St. Johns is an area of town that is fairly far from downtown, and which was one of the last communities incorporated into Portland. It's a working class place with a real small-town feeling. It's gentrifying, but the character isn't changing too rapidly.
I have become more and more enchanted with St. Johns since I've been hanging with the scooter club. It, like the club, seems unpretentious, hard working, family-oriented, and a bit wacky.
The morning of, I put on a dress with a huge long dramatic skirt, put on some makeup, and headed up there. The parade was all ready in formation, waiting. And about a third of the parade were politicians, hoping to catch a few more voters before Tuesday.
All around us was goofiness. The Belligerantes, a Schwinn bicycle club, were there in force. There were shriners on ATVs, Beater Queens, and people playing odd pieces of metal.
We didn't talk about what we'd do once the parade started but once the parade started, we all started hot dogging. Figure 8s, conga lines, slow racing, seeing how low you could go on a turn, we were all doing this. I stood up on the scooter once or twice, and laid down on it.
It all could have ended in tears. We had a couple of new scooterists who weren't very good at indicating where they were headed, which was exciting. But fun.
I went home, and found that I had the worst sunburn on my neck and shoulders that I've had since I was a teenager. I've been feverish from the sunburn. I had forgotten how awful a sunburn could be.
Posted at May 15, 2006
Comments
Hey, say hi to Lara for me. She's terrific, and you all will have a great time!
Posted by: susan at May 15, 2006 6:23 PM
Sounds like good times!
Posted by: neca at May 16, 2006 8:20 AM