Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas City anymore

Amen to that & thanks to Deb for the title of today's post! We finally made it out of Missouri today, but it took longer than I thought b/c our directions took us north, right along the border of Kansas, but we never actually went into Kansas, which is too bad b/c I had my ruby slippers all ready to go.

Today was another long day of driving across a lot of flatness & we discovered the reason they're called 'the plains'. Because they are! We completed Missouri, then went through Iowa, Nebraska & Wymoing. We were only in Iowa for a short time before we crossed into Nebraska. I've never been to Nebraska before & it was another state that took a long time to get through. I think I've seen everything I need to see of it, including the 'penis of the prairie', which is the tallest building in Lincoln that stands above everything else so you can see it for miles. It's not as tall as the CN Tower, but it's even more phallic-shaped, hence the name. John told me about the building...he knows a lot of stuff...he's like a cross-country drive encyclopedia!

Since there wasn't much to look at today, we had lots of conversations instead. Mostly, we talked about when people first came to America to settle & made the same trip we're making, but in covered wagons & on foot! I can't imagine what that must have been like. When you're out in the middle of such vastness, where you can see for miles, it's hard to believe that you'll ever make it out, even in a car! It made me think of Laura Ingalls & Blind Mary.

I was feeling the need for chocolate this afternoon, so when we stopped at a rest area in Wyoming to use the bathroom, I brought a handful of change with me in case they had vending machines. Some rest stops are better than others & not all of them have vending machines. Well, this one did & when I hit the button for a Whatchamacallit, I hit the jackpot! Seven candy bars came tumbling out of the chute! I looked around to see if anyone saw what happened, but John & I were the only ones in the vicinity, so of course, I took them. Come on! You would have taken them too! We ended up with a little chocolate feast of 3 Reese's peanut butter cups, 2 KitKats & 2 Whatchamacallits. Nice!

Tonight, we totally lucked out in the hotel department. It was getting late when we finally decided to stop for the night & we went to the first place we saw in Laramie, Wyoming which was an AmeriHost Inn & Suites. It looked like a fairly new place & when we went to check in, we found out it was only 3 months old. The pool was closed for repairs, so they offered us a king room with a jacuzzi in it for the price of a regular room! Do you know what the word 'jacuzzi' sounds like when you've been on the road for three days?! Heaven! They also had fluffy white robes for us to wear & the fridge was stocked with complimentary drinks & microwave popcorn! Complimentary!! I felt like I was at a spa. It was a great place & if you ever find an AmeriHost in your travels, I'd recommend staying there.

Now, I never used to have fond feelings for Wyoming b/c when Laura & I did our vehicular tour of the U.S. so many years ago that I'm afraid to actually count (ok, it was 14...holy crap!), we had an unfortunate incident in Cheyenne that involved a gross vacuum cleaner saleseman at the mall. Well, really that WAS the unfortunate incident....he didn't do anything other than act weird, but it totally creeped us out & made us decide that all of Wyoming sucked. But, my chocolate bar vending machine experience & our hotel stay seem to have counteracted that! Thanks Wyoming!

Later,
PortlandGirl

Missouri = Misery

We had a long drive today & covered a lot of ground. In 12 hours, we made it through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois (but only a tiny bit through the bottom) & some of Missouri. The drive didn't seem to go as quickly as yesterday's...maybe it's b/c the excitement of the first day on the road has worn off. Or, maybe it's b/c Missouri sucks! If anyone reading this is from Missouri, I apologize, but you should really find a new state in which to live. We spent most of our time here trying to get out, but we had to stop for the night in Kansas City due to heavy rain. So tonight, we're staying at a La Quinta inn which, according to John is Spanish for 'next to Denny's'. Now, you may be saying, "Well, if you made it to Kansas City, then you made it out of Missouri.", but no! Kansas City is IN Missouri. What the hell? Who named that one?

As mentioned previously, there's not much going on in Missouri, but I did make note of 2 things today. First, there's a town called Knob Noster, which just made me laugh so much I had to write it down. I wonder if people who live in Knob Noster get laughed at when they order address labels? And, second, apparently, there's some type of problem going on with men in Missouri b/c there were numerous billboards advertising vasectomy reversals. If anyone would like the number, just give me a call.

During the rainstorm we had to drive through tonight, we found out that the windshield wipers on the truck don't work in heavy downpours. Thanks for the safe truck U-Haul! We'll be having words.

Earlier today when we made one of our pit stops for gas, which seems to keep creeping up closer to $3.00/gallon, much to our dismay (the truck has a 60-gallon tank...you do the math), we met a pretty cool guy on a motorcycle (not a'biker' kind of guy, just a laid-back dude) who was going the opposite way. He had just helped his friend move out to L.A. & was riding back to Illinois. Can you imagine making such a long trip on a bike?! I couldn't, especially in the rain. He was very nice & wished us well on the rest of our trip. Being on the road is cool that way b/c pretty much everyone is just really nice. It's fun to strike up conversations & learn about what other people are up to. Later on, I found myself wondering how far he made it today.

So far, it doesn't feel weird to have left our house in Florida in the morning & not returned the same night, as I had thought it might a few days before we left. Actually, I feel more like I'm shedding my Florida mentality with every mile. I think that's a good thing.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Are We There Yet?

8:00 a.m. OK, this is it! We are officially on the road. Everything we own in the whole world is on 6 wheels. Our car looks a little forlorn to me, relegated to the back of the bus as it were. I feel sorry for it! We've got snacks, water, magazines (ok, I've got magazines), CDs with a portable player, toilet paper (why, I'm not sure) & various other necessities in the cab of the truck with us. It's a cozy little home, but I wish it came with massaging seats b/c in a few days (or hours), we're probably going to need it!

9:00 a.m. Houston, we have a problem. So, we're now pulled over on the shoulder of the Florida Turnpike with a broken serpentine belt - ironically, the exact same thing that happened to our car a few weeks ago. The red battery light came on, so we had enough warning to know that something was up. U-Haul provides an emergency hotline number, so we called & now we're waiting for Luke Skywalker to come & rescue us. John says they should be able to fix it quickly once they get here, but it's already 10:00 a.m. & we're still waiting for someone to arrive. I hope they get here soon b/c I have to pee (thanks Starbucks) & a toilet is one of the few things we don't have packed in the back of this sucker. I'm not going to consider this little delay an omen of things to come - just as something that falls in the 'Shit Happens' category.

10:30 a.m. Still no sign of our rescuer & I couldn't hold it anymore. I just used the back of the truck as my own private bathroom & my used Starbucks cup became a toilet (I now realize why we've got toilet paper up front, but I wish I hadn't left it up front)! It was a much better option than going at the side of the road b/c a) nobody could see; & b) I'm pretty sure if I squatted where we're parked right now, an alligator might pop up to bite me in the ass. No thanks!

11:30 a.m. Back on the road. Thanks Mr. Mechanic! I think we handled that situation pretty well. Only one swear word was used.

9:52 p.m. Florida - check. Georgia - check. Serpentine belt still serpentin-ing - check. We've reached Tennessee & we've stopped for the night. We're staying at a Comfort Inn that feels wonderful after a sticky day in the truck. We decided to drive with the windows down instead of running the air conditioning so that we might save a bit on gas. I like driving with the windows down, but it makes for one grimy person! I've had a shower though & now I feel much better. The shower in here is totally cool! The rod curves outward in an arc shape, so when you're in the shower, it feels much bigger b/c of the extra space at the top. We may have to incorporate this at our house!

I'm so happy to be clean & lying on our big bed, watching TV. Since Bright House turned off our cable early, it feels very strange that we haven't seen any TV since Friday. We could have missed some very important stuff going on in the world! But, now I see that all we missed is the birth of the Jolie-Pitt baby. Ya, very important stuff.

We have crossed into a new time zone - central time. I forgot about that part of the trip! Or, more to the point, didn't think about it at all - like we'd just switch to the 3 hour difference all at once when we reached Oregon! Anyway, it made it feel like we got back 1 of the 2 hours we lost this morning while waiting for the truck to get fixed.

I made a discovery about myself tonight...staying in a hotel makes me feel rich! I love that I can leave my wet towel on the floor & that I don't have to put the bathmat back on the edge of the tub; I can use all of the moisturizer in the little hotel bottle if I feel like it; I don't have to make the bed in the morning & I don't have any chores to do. I can just relax & as John said, "Paris Hilton-out" for the night. I can be lazy & messy & not have to worry about the consequences! What a great feeling. All we have to do now is sleep, get up tomorrow morning, enjoy our complimentary breakfast & do some more driving. So far, this is a great adventure!

Later,
PortlandGirl

Movin' on Up

Our stuff is packed into our home for the next 5 or 6 days - a 24' U-Haul truck with a trailer attached for towing our car...it's long! We're camping in the living room on a mattress on the floor - the only piece of furniture left which we'll stash in the back of the truck tomorrow morning when we head out. It's a day later than originally planned, but the day of rest in between packing the truck & actually hitting the road should serve us well for the long journey ahead.

We spent our last night in Florida at Kirk & Chris' house in Winter Park. They're the closest thing to family we've had down here & it will be hard not to have them around anymore. Over the last 4 years, we've all become very good friends & I'm grateful for that. Becoming re-acquainted with someone you've known all your life is a great thing & I highly recommend it should the opportunity ever present itself to you.

So, to you Kirk & Chris (& Cliffy!), we say 'so long', but not goodbye b/c we can't wait to see you in Portland some day soon! Thanks for the perfect going-away dinner & movie night...even though "King Kong" is really sad & made me cry AGAIN! We love you guys.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Getting Oregonized - Unplugged

Bright House Networks seems to be anxious for us to leave the state since both our cable & our high-speed internet connections went berserk today. So, we're officially unplugged for the next week. It feels weird b/c I didn't get to say my online farewell from Florida. Sometimes, even with the best laid plans, things don't always go the way you'd like.

Diane I had our last 'ladies of leisure' luncheon today. We thought it was fitting to order some 'Caribbean Coolers' at The Cheesecake Factory; these are concoctions of rum, tropical fruit juices, coconut (no mum, you wouldn't have liked it) & strawberries. Quite tasty & one of those dangerous drinks that doesn't carry any hint of alcohol taste. They also came with tropical fruit attached to the rim, so we were happy - doesn't take much! We agreed that the best part of our drinks was that we got carded! I honestly don't remember the last time I was asked for I.D., but I'm sure it was a time when I didn't appreciate it as I did today. Either Diane & I look pretty young for people in their 'twentyteens', or we're fairly immature when we go out together. Hmmm...I wonder which one it is!

We had a fun lunch which we ended with two huge slabs of cheesecake (the portion sizes at The Cheesecake Factory are fairly out of control). Diane had lemon raspberry cream & I had German chocolate (again mum, no, you wouldn't have liked it!). We both had about four bites before declaring ourselves full, but we got to leave with little styrofoam boxes of leftovers to save in the fridge for future enjoyment. I'm really going to miss Diane & her smiley, up-for-anything attitude. I only wish I had met her when we first moved down here, rather than towards the end of our stay.

Today might have been our last visit to our beloved Super Target where I have practically made a second home (ask me where to find something & I'll tell you what aisle it's in) & do you know what we saw in the parking lot? A rainbow. A full rainbow, right across the sky....& it was facing west.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Here Comes the Bride & There Goes the Groom

How is last week over already? It must have been a few days short or something b/c I swear I was just getting ready for Jode & Jeannette's wedding about five minutes ago. I'm not even sure where to start with the summary of our trip, but I know if I don't write something now, it will be another week before I sit down in front of the computer again.

Maybe the best way for me to describe J&J's wedding is to say that I cried during the ceremony. I didn't cry at my own wedding, or during Kate & Ryan's, but Jode's face was just so cute & his voice so sincere while saying his vows, that I couldn't help it. I'm sure Jode will love the fact that I'm using the word 'cute', but I don't know how else to describe it. He & Jeannette ARE cute together. They bring out the best in each other & everyone can see it. I'm so happy for both of them & I'm especially happy to have another sister in Jeannette. How many people can say that their sister-in-law got married in a 1930s-themed wedding with a Princess Leia hairdo?! Actually, scratch my first description of the wedding b/c the Star Wars side buns pretty much say it all. Jeannette...I love that you did that! You really DID look like a princess.

The 1930s were alive & well in Toronto on Saturday. All of the guests did such a great job of dressing to fit the era; it was like being in a time-warp. J&J & Company did a FANTASTIC job of turning the Opera House into a 30s club with some very simple, but very effective, touches. The outfits, the venue, the band, the car, the food, the drink, the speeches...everything was just perfect. If I were more technically inclined, I'd be posting photos right now, but alas, I haven't quite figured that part out yet. If anyone has some simple, three-step instructions, please send them my way!

In an unfortunate twist of timing in a Murphy's Law kind of way, Jode had to leave on Monday for a 10-day long rock tour of Europe, but he'll be back soon to settle down (although with J&J, it will be more like settling up b/c they've always got fun things on the go) with the new Mrs. Brumell. Happy First Days of Marriage you guys!

The rest of our week-long visit was a whirlwind of highlights that included visiting Kate & Ryan's brand new house in Whitby (it's BEAUTIFUL & smells like David Brumell Carpet Limited, which is a good thing...kind of like a new-car smell); going to the Grace Academy dance show & cheering our loudest after all of the numbers; having the chance to visit with so many friends & family members; getting a manicure & pedicure as well as getting my hair & make-up done with Deb; spending the day with Deb & Dado on their anniversary; getting a call back from the one place in Portland I was really hoping to hear from employment-wise (I think it went well & my instructions are to call again once we've moved to set up an interview....yay!).

The lowlights were few in comparison, but they were big ones....no Marn, no Merd & no chance to visit with Steffan & Nelson. Oh ya, I also wiped out in Deb & Dado's gravel driveway & hurt my ankle b/c I was acting like a jackass. Marn...if you had been there, you would have laughed & it would have been ok with me!

Overall, it was the best possible way to spend our last week on the east side before we head to the left coast. I'm filled with happy memories, love & hope. And now, I need to finish packing!

Later,
PortlandGirl

Girl's Night Out

I meant to post on Saturday, but in the midst of packing for our move, cleaning the house & getting ready for our trip to Toronto for Jode's wedding, things got away from me. Anyway, last Friday night, I went out for a going-away dinner with my friends Diane & Adrienne (whom I met during my indentured servitude at HCCA).

Diane has been my kindred spirit in the 'life of leisure' I've been leading for the past few months b/c she quit work the day after I did...from the same place, the same job & the same bi-atch of a boss! Isn't she cool? Yes, she is. Adrienne still works there (her manager is slightly less of an a-hole), but we're trying to get her out! She gave me the cutest red journal with a polka-dot ribbon belt tied around its middle. Lover of blank writing journals that I am, I was overcome with happiness & gratitude. Adrienne is one of those people who always comes up with the perfect gift for you...she's very thoughtful & fun. She also laughs so hard she cries sometimes & I love that!

We went to such a cool place that I have to tell everyone to go there should they come across one. It's called 'Cafe Tu Tu Tango' (www.cafetututango.com) & it's this crazy combination of bohemian tapas restaurant, art gallery, dance studio, fortune teller & any other creative pursuit you can think of! It's more of an experience than a restaurant; the atmosphere is totally incredible & the food was a great combination of tastes. Here's what we all shared:

Roasted Pears on Pecan Crisps (so delicious it could have been dessert)
Oriental Marinated Steak Skewers w/Ginger Soy Aioli (this sauce ruled)
Dijon Chicken Skewers (these tasted like summer, fresh from the grill)
Beef Napoleon (a stacked affair that was beautifully presented)
Cajun Chicken Egg Rolls (another ruling sauce)
Mango Duck Quesadilla (I ate duck!)

No 'Girl's Night Out' is complete without some type of dessert, so we obliged by ordering the Molton Chocolate Cake w/vanilla cream. I think my taste buds had been overloaded by that time b/c I thought it would taste more molton-y & more chocolate-y. Perhaps the sangria I drank had something to do with it.

We had a great time talking, laughing & ignoring our waiter when he came to take our order b/c we were too busy catching up. There is also so much going on in there, it's hard to pay attention to one thing at a time! We saw belly dancers, breakdancers, a couple doing the tango, flamenco dancers, some type of dancers w/lit candelabras on their heads (I'm not kidding!), a jewelry maker, a characaturist (why is this word not in my dictionary?), a sculpter & a fortune teller. It is such a sensory-filling place & I think it's fabulous. Thanks Diane & Adrienne for such a fun Friday night!

Later,
PortlandGirl

Happy Mother's Day

In honor of Mother's Day, I'd like to dedicate this post to my mum. She's one of those mothers who now seems like a rare breed...the one who probably just took a batch of chocolate-chip cookies out of the oven...the one who knows the importance of good manners, writing 'thank you' notes & sending cards just because...the one who's doing 800 things for other people today (& every day)...the one who makes special & fantastic dinners...the one who loves her own friend's kids as much as she loves her own...the one who actually DOES the thoughtful things that others may only think of...the one who understands that a haircut, a pedicure & a new pair of shoes are some of the greatest joys in life...the one who knows how to be a good friend.

I don't know what other people's mothers are doing this week, but here's what my mum (& dad) will be doing: helping with any last-minute details for my brother's wedding on Saturday (can't wait J&J!); preparing some of the food for the wedding; helping my sister & her husband move into their brand new house; hosting out-of-town family & guests; attending the Grace Academy dance show b/c the school is owned by one of my friends (hi Heid!) & my dad (who is the cutest little man in the word) will be tap dancing in it; celebrating their OWN wedding anniversary on Saturday; holding a morning-after wedding brunch at their house.

How's that for a crazy week?! And I'm sure I've missed about 20 other things. I'm so happy that I'll get to be a part of the craziness b/c spending time with my family & friends right before we move seems like the perfect send-off.

Mum...a very special & happy Mother's Day to you! I hope you can take some time today to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING & just enjoy being the wonderful, thoughtful, funny, creative, loving person that you are. I love you & I can't wait to see you on Tuesday (you too Dado!!).

xoxoxo

p.s. I posted the above message about an hour ago. Then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized an addendum was in order. Aside from my own mum, I've been fortunate enough to have several other moms in my life. Most of my best friend's moms have been like second mothers to me for a very long time & I'd just like to wish all of them a Happy Mother's Day as well. I'm not going to list names, but if you're reading this, you're probably one of them. xoxoxo

I'll have a grande Emotional Frappuccino

Every day we get closer to our actual departure date, the question, "So, are you excited about your move?" gets asked more & more. While it seems like an easy enough question to answer (that would be "Yes"), I don't think 'excited' is the right word.

Here's a closer approximation to how I've been feeling lately....
1) take four parts positive emotion - joy, excitement, happiness, anticipation
2) add two parts apprehensive emotion - fear, anxiety
3) sprinkle in a dash of craziness - are we REALLY going to drive a moving truck across the entire U.S.?
4) put them all in a blender & puree for two minutes

The resulting mixture is a combination of feelings about everything that could possibly go right & everything that could possibly go wrong. Most of the time, my mind automatically stays on the positives, but every once in a while, I have a little freak-out session, full of "what ifs", "oh my god, it's far away" & "who am I going to play with?". I'd say it's a 90/10 split.

I think this kind of last-minute, second-guessing HAS to be normal. I mean, is there anyone out there who can make a big decision, such as moving to a new place, switching careers, buying a house or having kids, without even a drop of self-doubt over whether it's the right decision? Even when you know in your heart-of-hearts that it IS the right decision, there's still that smidgen of wanting to stay in your own comfortable little world without rocking the boat too much. At the same time, rocking the boat is precisely what makes it all so exciting! Trying new things is good. Being brave is fun. And it's good to shake things up every once in a while.

Later,
PortlandGirl

p.s. I just noticed that I've received my first comments! I feel so special! Laura & Steffan...thanks for your words...you rock!

Follow the Signs

It's amazing to me that when you make a decision to do something, or you're in the middle of trying to make a decision, there are lots of signs that point you in the right direction or give you the confirmation that what you're doing is ok...you just have to pay attention. I'm not saying anything earth-shattering here, nor have I come up with a new concept, but I've certainly noticed lots of signs since we've been working on our Oregon move.

Once John & I decided that Oregon was the place for us, it has made itself known through TV shows, magazine articles, various conversations...it just pops up everywhere! When we first moved down here from Toronto ('here' being Orlando), we met another PortlandGirl through friends of ours, so we've even got a friend out there already...what are the odds?! The craziness of karma makes me smile every time.

This all hit me last night while watching the second-to-last episode of "The West Wing"...a show I've loved since it first came on the air & I'm sad that it will be ending soon. It's had its ups & downs if you listen to critics, but I don't really pay attention to the more harsh reviews. To me, the show was always smart, thought-provoking, funny & a good escape for an hour. Mainly smart though...just ask John how many times I had to ask him questions during a show!

Anyway, last night, one of the characters, Will Bailey, discussed the possibility of moving to Oregon to run in one of the political races out there & it looks like he may do it...again, what are the odds?! A show that I've watched from the very beginning is ending next week (after 7 or 8 years) with one of the characters moving to Oregon a week before we move there ourselves! Isn't that cool?! Yes, I know Will Bailey isn't a real person & we can't hang out with him when we get there, but it's still nice to know that out of all the states the writers could have chosen, they picked Oregon. It made me smile.

Later,
PortlandGirl

Work it

So, a week has gone by & I've done nothing more than pick a template. Well, that & wonder why I feel the need to even have a blog. And here's what I've come up with...I like to write, but I never really do it. Why is that? Why do I put it off like some horrible chore to get through when really, it's something that brings me enjoyment? It's like exercise....you put it off & put it off, then when you actually do it, it's not as bad as you thought it would be & you wonder why you don't bound out of bed every morning to do it. I'm hoping that this blog will become my regular brain workout.

I use the word "regular" rather than "daily" on purpose b/c one of the reasons I've hesitated to start a blog is that I'm one of those "all or nothing" people who feels all uptight & anxious if I don't keep up with something I start on a constant basis....then I get burned out or bored & just forget about it. Instead of making myself write something every day, I'm giving myself permission right now to write when I feel like it. No guilt, the end.

What's with the title "Getting Oregonized" you ask? Well, my husband & I are in the final stages of preparing to move cross-country to Oregon at the end of the month. It's definitely a crazy time, but an exciting, adventurous one too. This blog is a way for me to let family & friends learn about our new surroundings & share stories about the joys of job-hunting, apartment neighbors and, above all else, cool new places to shop!

To make a long story short, I've been off work since February (horrible manager + too much work for not enough pay = stress overload & not the best working environment for me, so I left). Having three months off has been the best thing ever! It's been such a great opportunity to get refreshed & prepared for our move while giving me time to think about what it is that I really want to do (since I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up). It has also made me realize that going back to work, whenever that day comes, is going to be harsh! I'm totally out of the Monday-Friday, 9-5 lifestyle & I'm not that anxious to get back into it. So, I'll just keep buying lottery tickets in the hopes that we'll win within the next month....then I won't have to worry about work! Ya, whatever.

Later,
PortlandGirl