Wander Life

Promised Pictures

Well, as promised, here are some pictures of N&K's visit to accompany my last post.  Better late than never, ay?

We got 1) dinner with my fam [N&K are in the foreground; everybody else is family...and that's minus my little bro and my brother-in-law]; 2) playing on the zip line; 3) fun with motorcycles.  Just another party at the Family Farm....  : )

Tomorrow I head down to California to do a little apartment hunting (and seeing D!).  Then back on Wednesday.  Then hanging out with my pal, L.  Then packing and seeing people.  Then my cousins visit from Pennsylvania.  Then packing up the little CRV and driving my stuff (and self) down to So. Cal.  All in a week and a half.  Good times.  Maybe I'll even get remember to take some pictures.  Maybe.  : )   

Updatey

I know, I know.  I should have some great pictures.  Since I last wrote, I've 1) played in my college alumni soccer game; 2) had N & K [my former China teammates] visit me (during which time we ate, rode motorcycles, ate, went to Multnomah Falls, Powell's bookstore and REI [classic Portland stuff], ate and had a bonfire; and 3) met a couple of my former summer China team members for lunch.  Oh, and the cabin is getting pretty close to done.  And, um, I accepted a job in California and will be moving in a week and a half.

So, yeah, lots going on.  And where are all the pictures to prove it, you ask?  Well, in my defense, my camera doesn't seem to be working very well at the moment.  All fuzzy on the right side.  Of course, I still should have taken more - there's no excuse for lack of pictures, really.  Luckily, N & K got some from their visit...we may just have a to wait a while before we get to see 'em 'cause, well, they flew back to China yesterday.  Once they get settled back in, maybe they'll e-mail some.  If I'm lucky.  : )

Anyway, I hope that explains my blog silence a little.  The alumni game on Saturday was a good time - I didn't even break anything!  We (alumni) lost 2-1, but seeing as how some of us are 10 years older than some of the current players...I don't think that's too shabby.  I count it as a success that I was only sore for two days afterward.  : )  And the job I'm moving to?  Well, it's for the organization that I taught in China with.  But now instead of being in a classroom in China, I'll be in an office in LA.  Compared to Brush Prairie, Washington, though, it might still feel like a cross-culture experience.  Fortunately, one of my Florida pals (D to the aphne) lives down there, so I'll have one familiar face to look forward to seeing.  I'm sure I'll make some new friends, too, but, you know, the whole "I'm moving...again" thing isn't quite as bad as the "I'm moving...again...and I don't know anybody" thing.  : ) 

So...that should pretty much bring us up to the present.  Like I said, I wish I had more pictures, but I guess you'll just have to use your imagination.  I do have two from the past week and a half, so I guess I can include those.  Better than nothin'.  The funny thing is that the one of my meeting with two of my former summer China team members is that I'm wearing the same shirt as in the fair pictures AND the one with some of my former college friends.  I really do have more than one shirt...but not too many more.  I haven't really done much shopping since I went to China again, so I guess it may be time again.  Once every three years - that's my motto.  : ) 

Ok, so here are a couple of pictures to leave you with - China friends and college soccer field.  Hopefully, I'll have more next time.  We can always hope....  : )   

All is Fair in Love and...Clark County, Washington

So, yeah, I did the whole "good aunt" thing and went to the fair with my nieces (and brother and sister-in-law).  Good times.  Then this past weekend, I kicked it with some old college friends.  My annual college alumni soccer game is this coming weekend, so this past weekend was kind of a warm up for that.  I haven't made the alumni game since 2003, so it should prove to be fun (and interesting, seeing as how I haven't touched a soccer ball in several years).  If the event doesn't totally polish off my already-less-than-stellar knee and end up laying me up for a couple weeks, I may even get some pictures up from it.  But, till then, here are some fair picts and one of "the ol' soccer gang," part 1 (Dale [AKA Amy], Wendy and Alyson [whose gonna have a little dudette in November - hoorah!]).

       

Oh, and I liked the duck with the tuft on top of its head 'cause it reminded me of one of the ducks we had at ECHO (when I was living down in Florida).  Good ol' Tufty.  : )

Life Around Portland

Well, it was a 10-year-high-school-reunion-having, friend-from-China-visiting, little-brother-26th-birthday-celebrating, family-picture-taking kind of weekend.  And yesterday, my dad, little bro and I spruced up the farm garden.  I'd take a picture to show ya, but...it's rainy today.  Hmph. 

So, anyway, that's what's going on.  I also saw the Bourne Ultimatum last night, and that was pretty good.  Actiony and all that.  That makes two movies I've seen this summer - that and the latest Die Hard.  Classic summer flicks.

And on Saturday, I went to Multnomah Falls with a friend who lives in the same province of China as I did.  Good times.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Portland area, the Falls is one of those things that visitors just kind of have to do.  That and the beach.  And Powell's bookstore.  And maybe Mt. Hood.  I don't know what the Lonely Planet guidebook would say about it, but, anyway, that's kind of the Andrea Top Four List of Sights Around P-Town for ya. 

Hope you're all enjoying your own local areas, as well.  Till next time, here are a couple picts:

Cabin Fever

Well, this is what I'm spending most of my time on, so...this is what you have to read about.  : )

If I were living in Florida again, I may be talking about impending hurricanes or some such thing, but, as it is, I'm relatively safe for the moment here in the northwest.  Except, perhaps, from brothers or nieces who may attempt to shove me out of the loft when I least expect it.  Sure, they look innocent enough here, but...you've got to watch 'em.  Especially the little ones.  : )