Awake

Mid-week weekend wrapup

Spent last weekend up north in Lacey and Portland/Beaverton. We celebrated Jackie's birthday at Seth and April's home in Lacey with a photo scavenger hunt that April very creatively organized. Some of us wore (at her request) our fishing vests to go with the "adventure" theme and she made little backpacks (filled with snacks and water), paper binoculars (for finding the clues, of course), and a paper compass too (very handy, it was). Everyone was assigned roles (I was "Tracker Chic") and we split into teams. (Even Grandpa Doug tagged along in the car and got out for for photos, too.) Jackie got to open one of her gifts before the hunt. What was it? The long-awaited fishing vest, of course! (And from Cabela's, no less!) Jackie chided that *now* she really feels like an accepted member of the Himes' clan. (I'm a little jealous! My vest's pockets have holes in them from overuse...looks like I'm just gonna *have* to go to Cabela's myself and get a new one! Darn it! ;-)

I drove up in my car, separately from Mom, Dad, and Grandpa so that I could stay an extra night with the Fun Squad. I finished crocheting a duckling for Kylia and I took Adalie to the Wal-Mart to pick out some pink yarn for her bunny, which I started on Saturday night and finished on Sunday evening. Seth and I played a lot of Indiana Jones on the Wii, which was a ton of fun. (Can't remember the last time I lounged around playing a non-Mario-Kart game with my brother. Man, I really would love to own a Wii. Someday, perhaps. New camera first.

Drove back to the Homeplace (mom'n'dad's) Sunday evening (late) and spent the next morning with Grandpa and my Dad at the construction site at Village. (Pictures over here.) They tilted-up nearly all of the walls for the new worship center that day. It was quite a sight to see:

On Monday evening, I went to the Schitzer downtown (Portland) to see the Oregon Symphony and Edgar Meyer perform. It was a great concert. I enjoyed every minute of it and discovered new music as well. I had just decided last week that I wanted to go and when I bought my ticket online, asked for the cheapest seat. Well, being single and a last-minute concert-goer does have it's advantages, because as it happens there was a single seat in the 5th row on the Orchestra level! I was in such disbelief, that I actually walked all the way up to the Upper Balcony. But the usher said, no, you're down there. "Down there?" I replied. So even though I love the acoustics in the upper balcony at the Schitz, it was great to be so close to the soloist! What a treat. I hadn't been to the Symphony in years. It was so refreshing and exciting to be downtown going to the Symphony again. Went up to the stage at intermission and said hello to my former junior high and high school orchestra conductor (she plays in the first violin section). It was a lovely night and made me miss being in the big city. (Even though it's just a city that thinks it's big.)

Maybe it's time for a change. A new adventure, perhaps?