Among the many things I hate about going to Costco is parking. I usually park very close to the end of the parking lot. And that gives me a nice long walk and a close-up look at interesting things in the lot such as this RV that was primed for adventure.
At least one of those bikes is an ebike, and it looks like there are at least five (and maybe as many as seven?) types of boards that go in the water. That’s a lot of cash, just riding on the back of the vehicle.
You will note that the postmark tells us that this postcard traveled back to Northern California from Idaho before making its way north to Portland. Sara also gives this information with her opening greeting. She reports that it was nice to be back in the Treasure Valley for two weeks.
The song “Forever Young” came into my life in the spring of 1991, when I was a sophomore in high school, and the seniors were getting ready to wrap up and head off into their futures. I first heard the Alphaville version, and it seemed like a kind of timeless song. With several decades of hindsight, I can tell it wasn’t a terribly old song. It screams early 80s. The internet tells me it’s from 1984.
But it’s the kind of song that does well with covers and I enjoyed both versions that Peggy LaPoint played. And you can listen to them too!
I enjoy when the Sunday Brunch playlist doesn’t have an album cover for the song playing. Hip and obscure.
For the first time in a long time, there isn’t a movable shed sitting in the church parking lot near my house. That must mean that the Habitat for Humanity homes are finished. Now I wonder what will become of the house that sits between the church and the new homes.
Here’s the end product. The second building built is on the left side of the photo.
While I was waiting to meet up with a friend tonight, I purchased two catnip toys for Sentinel and Antares.
They were interested, as you can tell by Antares searching under the couch for his, but the toys were a bit too short for them to really dig into them. Alas!
As we’ve been driving back and forth to Wednesday square dance lessons, I’ve been watching this bridge’s construction. Tonight, I ride!
But first, a photo!
I took no photos on the way over, but midway there is a gorgeous view of downtown Portland. And it kicks you out close to the convention center and makes for a quick ride home. I’m going to enjoy this new connection to SE Portland.
My former coworker Zoe is off to graduate school this fall, but she had time to write one last report for DHM. And that meant she had one more time to make me laugh via text about focus groups.
Because I’m a Kiriki Press sampler club member, I get a small bonus. Aside from the floral bun, I also got to stitch up these pretty poppies. I do love poppies.
I got to learn pistil stitch, and I chose to do figure-eight knots rather than French knots. Figure-eight knots are more reliable than French knots.
This is from Zoe. She opens with the news that she’s never toured Alcatraz but this was that best postcard on offer.
Zoe tells me that it’s been in the 70s every day. This is in contrast to the Portland weather which has been Very Hot. She also reports that her new neighborhood has an amazing local grocery store, “but also the most deranged Whole Foods I’ve ever experienced. Overall hippie levels somewhere between Eugene and PDX.”
I laughed.
As putting this embroidery in a hoop is a no-go, I went in a different direction.
A while ago I read Badass Cross Stitch’s post about framing your embroidery in a square frame and I vaguely remembered the instructions, so I cut out a square of cardboard from an empty box of laundry detergent and then decided to cut out a second square from the same box and tape them together with masking tape so they wouldn’t curl. I got started pinning the embroidery to the cardboard. Then I went back and looked at the instructions, and I discovered she was using foam board.
Having no foam board and not wanting to get any, I proceeded as if I did have foam board. I also used safety pins instead of straight pins to anchor the fabric around the edges of the cardboard because I was too lazy to go in the other room to get my straight pins.
It all worked out just fine, as you can see above. I’ve got a strong square of cardboard, the material anchored down, and even a slightly off-kilter felt backing and a string to hang it.
Yay for vacation time that allowed me to get this done. I’m quite pleased with the result.
