Category Archives: TIMBERS!

We Demand Paper Towel Parity!

Well, my boyfriends lost last night. We had a great season. Lots of great moments. We’ll be back next year. I already saw notice of pre-season games starting in February. Yay.

The above is from the restroom in our section. We complained about the meager paper towel stub on our season ticket holder survey and we could swear the following game it was even shorter.

Meanwhile, this is from one of the restrooms in the club section. We sit over there during reserves matches.

After I prepared the photos for this post I realized there’s no way to tell whether that’s really one hand-wave. I could have cheated. But I didn’t.

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These Are The Dahlias You’re Looking For

I think I picked the wrong photos yesterday and these are the ones I divided. I’m sure I’ll mix them up before this is all over so really they’ll be surprise bulbs.

Remember last year when I wrote about loving the last place team?

Tonight I am going to my first western conference championship. We’ve got a little hole to dig ourselves out of, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility. I will be cheering my face off, and also wearing a lot of layers.

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Crafts Time

This is the view from the office window. Not today. Today it is raining sideways. When I was driving in to work at one point it was like a fire hose was blasting me from the side. My car was shaking.

I drove because tonight is my first ever playoff match. I have all my plastic gear with me and I’m going to buy waterproof shoes today to make my feet happy. I’ve lived in the PACNW for over 20 years and I do not own waterproof shoes. I have no idea why.

I started putting my Timbers photos online. I’m only up to July but I took fewer photos in the second half of the season. The iPhone camera is not that great for Timbers. I might have to buy a new camera next season which is turning into an annual tradition.

I’m working on my Thanksgiving menu. I’m probably going to keep it traditional except for spatchocking and I think for dessert I’m going to try a pumpkin bread-pudding recipe. We’ll see.

My Mother-in-law saved me an insert from the newspaper that has a lot of holiday recipes and crafts. I will be taking a closer look at some of the recipes (although not the pumpkin jello bars) but the crafts are ridiculous. It’s like a bunch of people sit around with a giant box of wine and then dare each other to make up something more ridiculous than the next.

“Soften a candle in a low temperature oven and then press shards of broken crockery into it for a lovely centerpiece.”

“Collect giant leaves and cut a square out of the middle and turn it into a clever picture frame.”

“Take plastic bags that you brought home groceries with and scrunch some together and tie with a glittery ribbon to make a stunning flowery thing for the mantle.”

I have an orange candle from last year to use as my centerpiece.

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Great Match Day

Ticket partner was selected for Deal or No Deal at the half so we got to go onto the field at the end of the first half. We got to watch about 5 minutes of the game from the sideline. They scored a goal while we were down there.

He had to pick a suitcase and could win between $25 and $1000 dollars.

Jumbotron! He won $300.

And after we won there was this.

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It’s Everything I Wish I Didn’t Know

Hey, check out these little watermelon sproutlets, surging toward the window.

I keep promising myself that I’m not going to write about being busy because, d’oh! Everybody’s busy.

But holy avalanche of documents and activities, this week has been another crazy one. Lots of stuff going on and an unusual blip at the office that has resulted in a bunch of stuff needing to be happen at the same time. On separate occasions, both colleague and I stood in front of our desks and stared down at the piles and said: I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing right now.

But, I think we’ve got it under control. (Unless by writing that I just jinxed myself.) I still have plenty to do but all the pieces are in place.

Rainbow of Piquionne (name of our player who scored 4 goals in 45 minutes at this game. Yes, it was awesome to watch.)

On Wednesday my team played the first round of the U.S. Open Cup which is a competition among all the teams in the US Soccer Federation. Last year’s game was an abomination and a forbidden topic.

This year’s game was not. I have never seen my team score 5 goals in one game and I liked it very much. This is separate from Major League Soccer. I’m telling you, soccer is a part time job. The boys have the weekend off for the international break (That’s for competitions among national teams, so above and beyond the league and the US federation. There’s also a regional federation. No, I’m not messing with you.) so we only have a lady team match to go to this weekend.

Here are a couple other updates:

I still don’t have a shower door. I’d tell you all the missteps but it’s too exhausting. The latest snafu is that the glass was the wrong size.

Now they’re saying they can install next Wednesday. Everybody think good thoughts.

Our house is apparently a portal for giant hairy flies. There is always 1 giant hairy fly in the house. It lurks in the kitchen when I’m cooking, the bedroom when I’m trying to sleep or nap, my room when I’m on the computer or on the TV when I’m watching a show. If I follow it around with a fly swatter until I kill it, the next time I go into the kitchen there will be a giant hairy fly. Is there a way to monetize this?

Yesterday I participated in a rally for the Klamath salmon. Coverage here and here.

The power company has agreed to take down the dams but Congress needs to take action to make it happen. An Oregon senator is committed to the cause so the rally was to reiterate that there are still people who want this to happen.

A whole bunch of my family was up from California so it was fun to be with everybody and show our support.

Update on the windowsill sprouts. Look at these pumpkins growing like crazy. it’s warm and dry this weekend so everybody is going to be planted outside. I have a spot out front where historically, the pumpkins have done really well. I also am going to put some in back where I’ve had mixed results. I need to get out there and see what’s going on. It looks like there’s already some stuff bolting and the volunteer sunflowers are still coming on strong.

That’s the update for now.

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By Any Other Name

Did I mention we have a lady team?

I’m not completely sold on this iPhone camera yet. But since I am learning to use the phone on the 5 minutes a week schedule, I’m hoping there are some tricks that I haven’t figured out yet.

And sadly, as it turns out, this additional set of home games is the straw that is breaking the camel’s back.

If I had no interest in writing, or my butt size, or how clean my house is, or how weedy my yard is, or how much sleep I get, I could do all this.

Or if I was independently wealthy and didn’t want to work.

But as it turn out, I am having a tough time managing all these games along with all the other things that I would like to accomplish in my life.

I love the team. The goalie is my new girl crush. But I am learning that sometimes it’s okay to skip a game. This includes the U-23 games and at least one exhibition game. Next year when it’s World Cup, it’s going to be crazy.

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Green Machine

Today the Portland Timbers did a Make-A-Wish event where they played a game against the Green Machine, a team of 8 year olds. The event was in honor of Atticus who found out he had cancer when he had pain while playing with his team last year. He missed their final match because of his treatments.

He wanted his wish to include his teammates.

3000 fans attended the match which was during lunch hour. The supporters group made special banners and signs and revised the chants in favor of the Green Machine. There is no way to convey how amazing it was to be a part of this event.

There’s a great video recap here.

The Oregonian has a terrific photo essay here. There’s also a Facebook photostream here.

Even Deadspin couldn’t come up with anything bad to say about it.

A few highlights:

The Green Machine won 10-9 with Atticus scoring 4 goals including the game winner.

The post game remarks note: “It was the first loss for the Timbers since March 9.”

When the Timbers came onto the field they were booed and serenaded with around of “Go home you bums.” They also got booed every time they scored. The Timbers team captain Will Johnson was busted with a couple of fouls and was booted out of the game with a red card while his teammates protested.

In the first half the Timbers fielded 4 players and I don’t remember how many the Green Machine had, maybe 8. In the second half the Green Machine’s entire bench was on the field and it was hilarious watching the Timbers try to do anything when surrounded by Green Machine players.

At the end of the match, the team captain traded jerseys with Atticus and then put the tiny jersey on.

Updated to add: Here’s a better video clip. The whole thing is great but the bit when the Green Machine see their locker room is priceless.

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The Saturdays

This is from the reserves match earlier this week. We sat in the club seats. There was rain, hail, cold feet and a pretty sky. You can kind of see the hail in this next one:

Last week was another busy and tiring one. Apparently at my advanced age I can’t do everything all the time.

Yesterday I had some downtime. Last night I slept like a champion. And today I am trying to do everything again.

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Season Opener

Great opener yesterday. Perfect weather. We came back from 3-1 at the half to tie New York 3-3. It’s going to be a great season.

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It Has Begun

Here’s Kalif, back in action.

Timbers preseason started yesterday. Yay.

I was going through my photos from preseason last year and wondering why I took so few photos. Probably because I was freezing my buns off and didn’t want to take my hands out of my pockets.

Yesterday wasn’t gruesome but this lizard girl was a tad colder than she would have liked. At least it wasn’t raining. Still was super fun being back at the stadium and saying hi to all the familiar faces from last year.

We have an extra-crazy busy schedule for the next month or so. I am preemptively freaking out about it today. Posting here even scarcer than usual.

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