Five Simple Things (January 31)

 Hello.

What a crazy week. First there was rain, then it sleeted, then it rained for three days straight, then the sun came out and almost got the temperature up to 70 degrees. It's almost as if the weather can't decide what it wants to do. We are looking forward to spring here, though, because winters in the Willamette Valley seem to drag on and on and can sometimes, as I've stated in previous posts, affect your mood a great deal. When you're already a bit depressed, that weather change can definitely take a toll on you. Overall though, it's nice to know that better weather is on the way, and the sun will peek out for days at a time, instead of short moments at a time. That aside, here are five things that sort of made this week feel less blah.

1. This Rainbow.

One good think with all of the rain, there are a few rainbows here and there. We like to call rainbows we see, a sign that Baz is saying hello, or is with us. The day after he died, there was a bright, big, beautiful rainbow in the sky, and ever since then, we like to think it's him. It helps us through tough times where we miss him. People that don't like pets, or never had a pet, just don't understand that hole in your heart. Animals are only here for a short time, but when they leave us, it is so hard to fill that void. I will never be the same. Baz was my buddy and I miss him every day. The worst part of having a pet, is when their time is up and they leave us.

2. Lebanon Fire District.

Jeff was driving this fire truck and we randomly came across him when Skylar and I were headed out of town. It was kind of a moment of, "Hey that's Jeff!" He hasn't really been feeling the same enthusiasm for the fire department since 2018. He applied to be a lieutenant and other people, less deserving of that position, were chosen over him. There are certain times where it pains me to see Jeff upset, and that night was one of those times. He cried. A lot. And, said that he can't believe he wasn't considered. He goes on calls and takes over certain times when other lieutenants don't step up, he trains new recruits, he puts his time and effort into the department, and it was all for nothing, he says. It is upsetting, but the positive I told him is, take your skills and your knowledge, and apply at a different department that will appreciate you. No one deserves to feel unwanted, and unfortunately, the lieutenant testing with the LFD proved that for him. He will be putting in his letter of resignation sometime in the spring of 2021. I support him in his decision, but it is sad. Sad because, Jeff's passion is fire fighting and to be pushed aside like he was, is not easy to forgive. I hope in the future, the Lebanon Fire District at least remembers what a great volunteer they lost in Jeff.

3. This Sink.

We've been in the process of replacing broken, and older, items in this house. It's kind of a stressful situation, as we don't own this home and only rent it. Positive is, we are able to replace things slowly to what we like. Bad thing is, Jeff's parents owns this home and we actually pay rent to cover these costs. The bathroom is the first on our list of things. This sink is the new sink, and having to rip out the old, water-damaged, particle board sink and cabinet that were here, was no easy task. We will work on the bathroom floor next and also the floor overall. Followed by a good paint job and then the molding. One step at a time. Hopefully, when we move out into a new place, they will appreciate everything we've replaced, fixed, and spent our own money on. But, we never know with them, so fingers are crossed.

4. This Game.

I found this string game at one of the local thrift stores here and we are kind of excited to try it out. It seems like a simple concept, metal ring, on a rope, that you swing and try to catch it on a hook. Simple things like this are one of my vices. I foresee us having a lot of fun with this overall and I can not wait to play a few rounds.

5. This Shadow.

I couldn't help but take a picture of this perfect shadowed silhouette of Eleven on the bedroom door. She was looking up at the closet, probably contemplating whether she should just up there and knock a bunch of stuff down, but it was still the perfect silhouette of her and I love it.

Have a nice weekend.

Foggy Road Trip

We decided to take a road trip in and around Multnomah Falls. I love the fog, as proof here, but I was delighted to see so much of it around the falls and throughout the mountain drive there. It was almost like driving through a dream in some places, and Skylar and I really loved the view, as well as the drive through and around the foggy mountainside. Oregon has some beautiful areas and to have a chance to escape from the people of the city into the less populated areas is always nice. Road trips, even just day trips, are one of our favorite things to do, and Oregon never disappoints. 

Five Simple Things (January 24)

 Hello.

What a week. We went to dinner in Newport on Monday night, but after that it seemed like the week was just packed full of back to back engagements with hardly any time to take a moment and breathe. We were definitely glad to see Friday come and the end to a busy week. It seems like some weeks drag on and others just fly by so quickly. The old saying must be true, time flies when you stay busy. Definitely was true this week. Not much really happened other than staying busy, and I hate using that word. "Busy" is such a dirty word for me, especially when it comes to people. I never use the word busy towards anyone, unless I am actually trying to avoid them. I make time for people no matter what. But, some people wear the word busy out and carry it like a badge of honor. No one is every too busy for someone, we make time for the people that we want to make time for. Never take that for granted and never tell someone you are "too busy" for them. Because, overall, you may eventually run out of time. Here are five things that I made time for this week.

1. This Crazy Cat.

Eleven is so curious 24/7. She explores every hole, closet, nook, and cranny, and she still can't seem to explore enough. I've let her go outside a bit more lately and she is so curious about everything in the backyard. She is definitely one of a kind and we love her.

2. This Oil. 

 

Not the best thing for the environment, but I couldn't help but notice how pretty the rainbow colors in this oil drop looked. It was so bright and vibrate, it really caught my eye. Unfortunately, it started raining shortly after I took this picture and I couldn't help but think, all of that oil is going to go straight into the drain. If your car has a small oil leak, get it fixed. As pretty as this droplet was, it's still not a good addition to the water system, in any way. 

3. This Popup Book.

This popup book is on Harry Potter, and you can get one similar here. We used to love Harry Potter until J.K. Rowling said a few things that hit home from us on a personal level. It's really unfortunate that those in the "celebrity" view, use their platform to judge others and what makes others feel like they aren't enough in this world. For now, we will hang onto this popup book, but only because we are fans of the actors and not the writer behind the story. I hope, in the future, J.K. Rowling changes her views on other people's lives and choices.

4. This Kitty, Again.

Sleeping, face down, after a long day of playing outside in the backyard. Eleven is such a fun cat, I can't say that enough. She's really been coming more and more out of her shell over the past year and we are loving her personality. It's been said that animals take on the personality of their owners, and if that's true, we are some cool people. 

5. Another Selfie.

Still trying to step out of my comfort zone and share more pictures of my face. Although I look at this and see 500 issues and flaws, confidence is not something that was taught to me, or even encouraged, growing up, so it's a slow progress for my mental health. I do like black and white photos, though, so there's a positive.

Have a nice weekend.

Night Shots Around Newport, Oregon

A trip over to Newport, Oregon, for dinner prompted a nice view of the Yaquina Bay Bridge and the bay front for the evening. It was a nice evening and an even better dinner along the bay. I will never get tired of the Pacific Ocean, that's for sure.

Surf's Up

We're getting a bit better at balancing and with our popups. We've decided on some boards, but we aren't going to get them until after the spring. We want to make sure we are going to stick with it before purchasing what we need. But, I will be honest, surfing is addicting. It's almost like you crave it when you aren't there. The feeling of the water under the board, the determination, the excitement once you get up, there's nothing like it, really. We spent the weekend on the ocean, in a little town named Pacific City. The area we enjoy is Cape Kiwanda. We were there until the sun went down and before we knew it, nine hours had passed. I tell you, it's a great sport and I'm disappointed that we didn't start sooner.

Five Simple Things (January 17)

 Hello.

It's been raining almost constant this past week and we are so over it. The worst part of living in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, is the rain for days and sometimes weeks. There's no sun, no color in the sky, just gray and rain. It's quite depressing at time. I used to love the rain, but not so much this kind of rain. I enjoy thunderstorms more than just a downpour of water and grayness. With one sun break for about 30 minutes one day, the rest was wet, gray, and blah. Hopefully, before the winter season comes to an end, we might get some snow. Our fingers are crossed.

1. This Shadow.

The one day we had some sunshine and that was it. I had to document a bit of the sun, just so I can appreciate it later. I certain do appreciate it sitting here writing up this blog post. I'm a sun worshipper, so I say, bring on more sunshine!

2. My Car.

I'll never get tired of seeing how my car looks with surfboards on top of it. It just think it screams beach lover and almost looks like a postcard. We are looking forward to more days of surfing soon, if the rain will ever give us a break.

3. Avoiding Plastics.

We've been doing our part to eliminate plastics in our own home. We have switched from using plastic wrap and plastic containers, and switched to Bees Wrap and glass containers. If you want to make this switch, click here and take advantage of a Might Nest start. It's a great way to help you eliminate environmental waste in your own home and offers an item(s) each month to help you switch to more environmentally friendly options. 

4. New Running Pants.

 

 

I've been running a lot more lately and have almost dropped 60 pounds from it. (My current goal is being able to run five miles.) In the process of losing weight and getting more fit, new clothes are important. I've been slowly getting more pants and tighter shirts that actually fit me over ones that are a size or two too big. I am loving these running pants from Summer Salt. They have other colors, but the black ones are my favorite, at the moment. You can pick up a pair for yourself here.

5. THC/CBD For Anxiety and Pain.

With weed becoming legal on a state level here, I've been looking into using more THC and CBD products to help with my anxiety issues, chest pain, and panic attacks. I'm not really sure exactly what will work, as of yet, but with such a low tolerance to things, I am starting at the very bottom and working my way up. Here is the first selection of what I am going to try. I really hope I can find something suitable, because my medication is causing my body a lot of unnecessary harm overall. More on this later.

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (January 10)

 Hello.

The year is picking up quickly and getting back on track in the right direction, I think. Hopefully, it stays that way. I maybe having some surgery planned coming soon and I'm a bit worried about that. It's a surgery I've been wanting to have for awhile, and have just been too afraid. I'll speak more on this at a later time when I'm more comfortable, maybe. But, as far as for now, we are getting things cleaned out and figured out for the new year. One thing we've been doing a lot more of is simplifying things. What does that mean? Well, we are making everything in our house earn its place. If I can't find reason in keeping it, it gets the boot. If you're looking for ways to start your own process in minimizing down, there's a link at the top of my blog to help you, it's labeled Minimalism. I'll slowly be adding things over this year to that link in order to help others. Hope you find it useful. In the meantime, here are five simple things from this week.

1. This Cabinet.

We've been slowly, but surly downsizing more and more, and this filing cabinet didn't make the cut. Lucky, it went to an accountant that lives in Newport, Oregon. I was glad to see it go to a good place and be used for a good reason. Not sure what a bad reason would be, but all the same. It was a great piece from our homeschool classroom all these years, but with Skylar being in high school now, we've cut back a lot of homeschool paperwork. That was a chore, let me tell you.

2. This Kitty.

I realized today that I take a lot of pictures of Eleven and not a lot of Hardy. It's mainly because Hardy is so high strung he can't sit for longer than five seconds without having a "squirrel" moment.

3. This Daybreak Glow.

I am definitely not a morning person, but I do appreciate the light glow of my nightlight in the mornings when I get up for the day. Yes, I sleep with a nightlight because, even though I love horror, I don't like being alone in the darkness. Living in a city, it changes you a lot. The sounds you hear are not pleasant sometimes, and having just a small beam of light when those sounds wake me up, is nice.

4. In-N-Out Burger.

A new In-N-Out Burger location went in in Salem, Oregon, and we decided to give them a try. We've had In-N-Out before in Medford, Oregon, but we didn't really like it then, so we thought we'd give them another chance. And, nope, we are not fans. One thing, is sitting in the drive through for over 30 minutes, and the food has zero taste to it. Sure, it's a basic menu of items and would otherwise go fast, but the taste of the food was extremely bland.

5. Air Museum.

Skylar and I took a drive down Highway 101 and ended up in Tillamook. We stopped at the air museum to shoot this picture and then headed back home. We really enjoy taking off on a day trip just to explore. This was one of those times.

Have a nice weekend.