Gone fishin'

From Enterprise

Since Keith had the day off today, he suggested that we go fishing this morning. Of course my first question was, exactly what does one wear to go fishing-since I don't think I've been fishing since a Girl Scout day camp when I was maybe 10 and hooked a fellow Girl Scout in the ear-not a good history! Apparently you wear the same kind of clothes you go camping in-good to know since we got a whole year fishing license.

From Enterprise

Wallowa Lake was pretty quiet this morning for fishing, even though we got there a little late to really catch anything. I really didn't want to to catch anything today...I was so freaked out that we were going to tip over the canoe and well, fish are kind of gross-it's not like I don't get that the point of fishing is to catch fish-I just don't really like them!

From Enterprise

When we finally saw some fish-jumping out of the water right next to us, mocking our lack of fishing skills-Keith's phone rang. Of course he's on OB call and has to go in to the hospital-NO! we just saw those fish we need to catch them (I don't like being mocked-even by fish!). Oh well, it was probably a good thing, instead of being lazy and fishing all day I came home and did school work while Keith was a work. Hopefully we go fishing again soon!

Welcome to Troy, Oregon! Have a nice day!

Well, it sounded like the weather in Enterprise was going to be a little chilly and rainy this weekend, so Keith and I decided to head to Troy (where it is supposed to be about 10 degrees warmer) to do a little camping.

Renee and Craig had told us about their friends Corey and Dave's land down there-that it was right by the river (the Grand Ronde), that it had a huge garden we could help ourselves to, and that it had a wood fired hot tub that we could also help ourselves to-so that's where we went.

After about an hour and half drive down a windy dirt road we were there. We immediately walked to the river-we were told about some good swimming holes-and it looked great-expect for one thing-there was a dog just hanging out in the water and BJ decided to go nuts barking so we decided to leave since we knew about another place to go swimming and where Keith could put his kayak in.

So we're driving to the other swimming hole when we notice an animal on the road-I wasn't sure what it was right away but Keith did with his "Holy shit! That's a cougar!" I whip my camera out immediately, but by the time I get the lens cap off the cougar and it's roadkill snack have completely disappeared into the trees-scary!!

From Enterprise

We finally get to the other swimming hole and Keith puts his kayak in and we plan for me to meet him at the original swimming hole in a few hours. All is good-BJ and I are chilling in the sunshine on the edge of the river when a huge crash of thunder rips through the canyon-I look to my right and see dark clouds coming my way and damn Keith isn't supposed to be back for about another half hour and I just hope he's not going to get caught in this!

From Enterprise

I run back to where we're camping so I can pick some veggies for dinner before it starts pouring and by the time I get back to the river to meet Keith it starts pouring like crazy and doesn't stop for about two hours. So we (Keith) make dinner over the fire with the thunderstorm raging and us freezing and soaked-at least we had a little bit of cover since there was an outdoor umbrella handy and some wine too :)

This morning it was a bright clear beautiful day and while Keith had breakfast cooking (Moroccan oatmeal) he also got the wood fired hot tub going. A soak in the hot tub made it a much better morning! Of course no other cougar sightings made it a pretty good morning too!

From Enterprise

We also came home with a ton of veggies and Keith is at the store now getting a couple other ingredients for ratatouille for dinner (I'm supposed to be doing homework-which I will get to in a minute...) In all I'd say it was a pretty good weekend-never a dull moment here in Eastern Oregon!

What a difference a week makes

Wow, I've been here a whole week already! This week has gone by so quickly, but I have gotten so much done!

So, the fun stuff: we've gone to Wallowa Lake a couple times, but honestly I haven't gone in. The first time I was way too tired and the second time the water felt freezing! But we should be getting directions soon to a kind of secret swim hole there-yay! We've only been on one short hike, but we're going camping this weekend so I'm sure that will be remedied. If it's not too hot we're going to go camping in Troy-right on the Grande Ronde river that is supposed to be very warm and fun to swim in and should be high enough for Keith to do a little kayaking. We've been to TG's a couple time (such yummy beers!) and had actually good Mexican food. I still haven't been to New York Richie's for pizza-but there is always next week!

The business side of things (if there is such a thing): I have started volunteering at both the Wallowa County Library in Enterprise and the Joseph Public Library in Joseph. There is an Enterprise City Library where I am not volunteering, but it's not for lack of trying-with emails not returned I just went to the library and stood in line to talk to the librarian for about 15 mins and just gave up-clearly they need help, but I'm not going to stand there waiting when I have other stuff to do-like school.

Ugh that's right-I have school. I have to say this is kind of getting in the way of hiking, berry picking, going to the lake, going camping....it's just a big ole wet blanket! Not that my classes this semester don't seem interesting-they do-even though I only made it to one of my classes this week because of a crazy computer glitch that wouldn't let me into class on Monday. I think with Keith having pretty much normal schedule now that he's not in residency any more he sometimes forgets that I don't have a normal schedule...at least this is the last semester!!

How to spend the weekend in Enterprise

From Enterprise

First you go huckleberry picking-even though there aren't that many huckleberries left because it's near the end of the season. They're so small that they take forever to pick-but it's worth it come Sunday morning when you're eating huckleberry and walnut pancakes!

From Enterprise

Then you go to a Barn Dance/fundraiser for Wallowa Resources, where you eat great food, drink good drinks, dance, and most importantly get to pet goats! They were cheeky little bastards that kept trying drink our drinks-I think they were mostly after Keith's beer-but still they were adorable!

From Enterprise

I had to wait until Monday evening for Keith to make huckleberry cobbler, but at least the huckleberry walnut pancakes held me over until then!

From Enterprise

Yum! I'm ready for next weekend right now!

BJ the farm dog!

From Enterprise

BJ is making an almost seamless (and surprising) transition from pampered city dog to tough little farm dog!

You might not be able to tell, but in the top picture there are 3 horses, a chicken, a turkey-and BJ not freaking out! He's been playing with other dogs (gasp!!) and not chasing the chickens and turkeys around-and in general he has been pretty cool with this whole change.

There is the issue of him rolling in horse poo, which I would love to say that it's hopefully only a one time thing, but if we know anything about BJ we know it's not!

I also just loaded not quite a dozen other pics in Picasa so they should be in my photostream on the right-if they're not just click on the 'View My Gallery' and they'll be there!

From Enterprise

Ellen's first day in Enterprise...

...was yesterday!

I was hoping to blog then but I was just too exhausted. Susan and I were up at 4:30 am Ohio time (1:30 am Enterprise time) to get to the airport in Detroit, I then flew to Salt Lake City then to Lewiston Idaho where Keith and BJ picked me up! But all the flights were on time and I even got in a little early in Lewiston, so the flying wasn't too bad-just the time it took to do all the flying.

Keith, BJ, and I then had a beautiful 2 hour drive back to Enterprise, once there instead of say taking a nap, we all went to Wallowa Lake to beat the heat (it was in the 90s here yesterday!). After almost falling asleep on a bench at the lake we decided to grab dinner at the wonderful Terminal Gravity Brewing.

I finally made it to bed at about 9 pm and had almost 11 glorious hours of sleep-so now I have rejoined to the land of the living and am prepared to take in the beautiful place I will be calling home for the next few months. Where we are staying (Craig and Renee's house) has not only amazing views, but chickens, turkeys and horses. I hope to be posting tons of pics soon!

Good bye Portland......hello Ohio??

Yeah, yeah....I know what you're thinking: Ellen, what was all this talk of going to Enterprise and Arizona when you're just going to Ohio?!

Ugh-I know! So instead of starting our adventure (finally) together out in Enterprise, I get to spend less than 36 hours with Keith-most of which I have spent at work before spending all day tomorrow flying to Ohio.

OK-so my Mom strong-armed lovingly convinced me that I should spend some girl time in Ohio with the best sister ever, Susan (I know you're reading this!) and Mom. I think/hope is actually going to be fun-my first time in Ohio for over a year. Hopefully we'll just relax, spend time together (at H & M!!), get pedi's and just do other random girl stuff.

I have to be honest-I REALLY don't want to spend any time in Norwalk while I'm in Ohio....nothing there ever changes and there's no need to revisit crappy childhood memories! Let's just make new, better memories-right?!

Oh, and there may be no new posts for a while, I know they have indoor plumbing in Ohio, but I'm not to sure about WiFi ;)

Josie the Cat/co-founder of Sloth Club

 

This week I am not only saying good bye to Portland, I am saying goody bye to Josie-my adorable cat-who is now Christine's adorable cat.

Josie and I have been together for over 8 years. We met at a farm when she was just a baby, the runt of the litter. She wasn't like the other kittens there-she needed people. She would sleep in the pockets of our sweatshirts and constantly demanded attention. I brought her home and she decided that loved to sleep on Keith's head at night. She'd follow me from room to room and beg for food like a dog (pasta sauce is her favorite!)

Sloth Club was created shortly after Josie came home with me-it consisted of me laying on the sofa with Josie curled up on my chest/belly watching movies and reading-life doesn't get much better!

Now 8 years later Josie no longer fits in the pocket of anything since she has gone from runt size to Jabba the Hut size and now Sloth Club doesn't really exist since BJ came into our world.

Josie is going to be SO happy with Christine-I bet she's going to go back to her old self of demanding attention, people food and following Christine around her apartment.

I am going to miss Josie so much, but knowing she is in such a good home makes me so happy for her and this new part of her life.

Only a few more days!

I can't believe that I only have 4 more days here in Portland and 3 of the next 4 days I'll be working!

I've been working at Tigard for less than a year and it has gone by too fast! I vividly remember the day I got offered the job-I was SO surprised! Keith and I were spending a month in Baker City and when I found out I tried to call him but he was in Halfway (aka the Middle of Nowhere) with no cell service and I couldn't tell him until he got home from work! Since I couldn't tell Keith, I had to call Sara Piasecki-librarian/friend/mentor/one of the reason's that I think I got the job in the first place to spread the good news.

Today I went up to Historical Collections & Archives to say good bye to Sara and Karen Peterson (archivist/friend). I was so lucky to get to know them and to work with them. I learned so much from my time there (about 2 1/2 years!) and I am going to miss them so much.

Ugh-sometimes I think I am just not ready to leave Portland!

Packing, packing, packing

From Drop Box

I'm sitting here at abut 9:30 Tuesday morning in an almost completely empty house eating cereal out of a plastic bowl.

Over the past two days Christine and I have cleared out this house with astonishing efficiency. We both thought packing was going to take longer than it did-but once we were finished packing we started moving the non-essentials into the garage-at least we still have the sofas and TV in the house! It looks like today is going to be a day of cleaning.

It is so strange to be packing up the house without Keith but it needs to be done. I wonder if it will be weird for him to come back this weekend for such a short time to an empty house after being in Enterprise for a month.

The only friends I get to take with me

Well here they are-my comrades for traveling.

I've got a little bit of philosophy, a few classics, some supernatural, a little bit comedy-OK-a lot of comedy!

I have to take as much of my fav author with me as possible-Christopher Moore! I've got Bloodsucking Friends: A love story and it's sequel You Suck: A love story-which I hope/expect to be a hilarious story of vampire love. I also have Island of the Sequined Love Nun-I can't go wrong if the book is as good as the title :)

I've got George Orwell's Burmese Days, Animal Farm, and 1984-I'll be reading Burmese Days for the first time and Animal Farm and 1984 for the first time in years.

I also have Raymond Chandler's The Big Chill-I recently read The Lady in the Lake for school and loved it-so I've just got to read more!

And last but not least is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance-which I have to read because Keith loved it so much and wouldn't stop talking about it-maybe at some point he'll read World War Z: An oral history of the Zombie Wars that I wouldn't stop talking about (I have a sneaking suspicion he won't).

Hopefully these last me a few months! While I'm happy to get to take these with me, I'll miss my real friends more than words can say and I wish I could take all of you with me forever!