Monthly Archives: September 2007

Look what I did yesterday. I rolled coins. That’s not even half of our collection. I emptied the laundry coins and rounded up the bureau coins. Plus we both have our own coin cans and I made a pile from both.

I put back all the quarters and we still have tons for poker.

That’s $50.50 in coins and it’s all going into the orange Mini account. (Orange is my online savings. I probably want a grey or silver Mini.)

The money on the counter reminded me of some advice I saw on a website. Do you ever see advice on a website that is so beyond stupid that you want to call your Congressman and have the Internet repealed? I just looked for it to make sure I didn’t make this up in my head and I couldn’t find it so this could also be the product of an overactive imagination.

The article had to do with your home being robbed and they said that every criminal knows that everyone has a big wad of cash hidden somewhere in their house and no matter where you hide it, that criminal will find it. So they suggested that you “hide” a decoy wad of cash. A smaller amount and not so deeply hidden so that the criminal will think he found your money and be on his way leaving your real stash safe.

We don’t have a big wad of cash hidden in our house. I didn’t even know “everyone” did this. There is about $50 in coins not hidden and if the criminal is in such dire straits that he’s willing to cart off 10 lbs of change I wish him well.

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In addition to my busy day yesterday rolling coins, I also made a pie and worked on my myriad of never-ending projects which generally refers to organizing things, and I watched a movie called Half Nelson. It was very well reviewed and Ryan Gosling got an Academy Award nomination for his performance. I enjoyed it a great deal but I don’t know how to describe it. It’s about this teacher who’s an addict and his friendship with one of his students who’s also having a hard time and how they help each other out. But it’s a quiet movie. Worth tracking down.

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I think our next door neighbors are moving. (Have moved?) The house next door is a rental and the first tenants lasted about 3 years and were completely invisible. I talked to them two times. Once when our netflix was delivered to their house and they brought it over and once the day they were moving. For the record, I’m not the friendliest person in the world. Not to say that I’m unfriendly. I wave and say, Hi and recognize lots of neighbors but I very rarely run over and stand in the street and visit, and organize block parties and have neighbors over for BBQ.

The invisible people moved and a man moved in with his son. We introduced ourselves and said hello when we were watering the yard or whatever. At some point man’s girlfriend moved in and then it got weird and I’m not sure what went on. I think the son had a girlfriend there for awhile. Then another girl moved in who I think is a daughter. (And never have you come across a more charmless young woman.) And then another younger guy moved in.

And the original man disappeared. I actually was worried that maybe he had a terrible illness. A couple of weeks ago I saw him in the wee hours of the morning hitching the boat from the yard and driving off.

The main reason we pay any attention is the large collection of cars they have. If four people live there (girlfriend, son, daughter and other young guy) that means there are four cars. I’m not sure what any of the individuals does for work but I’m guessing restaurant or something involving shift work because cars come and go at all hours.

I’m not trying to say this was a bother because they aren’t noisy nor do they do any other anti-neighborly things. I wonder how they manage because these are awfully small houses for 4 adults. Also there is no sign of anything resembling air conditioning and I’ve never seen an open window.

On Saturday they had a truck with a trailer and they loaded up boxes and then the truck and all four cars disappeared. For the first time in 3 or 4 years there isn’t a single vehicle next door.

Photo: Bob waits his turn at the drive through coffee place.

This was not at all the day I wanted to have. Bob and I got up early and went for a walk and I did a good yoga practice. But I’ve had a persistent headache all day long. Just enough to be annoying and/or distracting.

My energy went plotz and I ended up taking a nap even though I thought I was well rested.

I spent the day reading including much time outside. I thought the sun would cure me. I puttered around the house and baked some bread.

Oh well. A nice relaxing day. Tomorrow will be the no computer day.

Photo: Vancouver trainyards at Fourth Plain overpass.

Last night we went to dinner with some friends. It’s kinda a long story but I ended up being in charge of picking the place.

Bob and I don’t go to dinner much in Portland and when we do, it’s usually in connection with a downtown event and between lunches and our events, I know downtown restaurants pretty well. I wanted to try something different not located downtown.

We have the Oregonian diner guide and I went through that cover to cover and ended up choosing Podnah’s Pit Texas Style Barbecue which is a strange choice seeing as how I eat about 8 oz. of meat a week.

I had a plate of beef which I cleaned off and a beer and we split a piece of the best pecan pie on the planet. I was too full, but happy full and I slept 10 hours and woke up feeling like a million bucks so I think this beef has miraculous powers.

Of course, today I felt my need to eat meat sated until the next millenium. Bob said there were sausages in the fridge and I said: GAK!