Okay, more Sam Adams. Our illustrious gay mayor who is trying so hard to shake the image of being a child molester after "allegedly" kissing a 17-18 year old intern in City Hall's bathroom. It is still kind of gray as to whether the kid was 17 or 18, and this sex scandal won't go away.
I have to say, it gives me great fodder as a blogger to just sit back and watch.
So what happened this time? Well, it started snowing yesterday. In Portland, OR, it doesn't snow much at all. When it does, the weather forecasters generally let us know there is something afoot. Not yesterday. It started and it didn't stop. It put down about 3-4 inches of snow by evening time yesterday.
Here is the other thing....since it doesn't snow much around here, if there is even the slightest dusting of snow, the whole city shuts down. This Colorado bred girl was shocked her first winter here as the entire establishment shut down for something that would not even have gotten a late school start where I come from.
However, it makes it that much more important for the city to hit the road with it's gravel dropping equipment (not salt, can't hurt the fish you know, just gravel). There is probably more snow equipment in the city of Boulder, CO than there is in the entire state of Oregon.
So, it snowed, and it caught the city with it's pants down (tee hee!). I am happy to say I wasn't out driving last night, but the reports I hear on the local media.....it was a mess. Over 1000 cars left abandoned because they got stuck and couldn't get out. I hear of people sitting in traffic while their car just runs out of gas. I am hearing of drives that usually take an hour take 8+ hours. It was a mess, and could have been so different had the city been better prepared with crews.
Anyway, here is the mayor's response to the citizen's anger over the traffic snarl last night. If you want to have a good giggle.....read the comments from the readers toward the bottom of the article. You will see a whole lot of reference and innuendo to the mayor's public relations image relating to the City Hall bathroom allegation. Click here.
I can't wait until the next mayoral election.
Dec 30, 2009
Dec 23, 2009
Christmas Perspective
Have you had one of those holiday seasons like mine? One where all I want to do is hide somewhere to escape, and I am not kidding, the bickering. The bickering over who gets to use the red crayon even though we have a dozen red crayons, the bickering over who gets the most presents or over who is giving Dad the biggest present. Or how many pieces of paper we can use to send Santa our wish list, and who gets the red piece of construction paper to do that. Maybe your bickering might include what gifts should be opened on Christmas Eve as opposed to Christmas Day......and it gets infuriating, and you want to escape.
That is our household to the nines this year, and I am ready to pitch whatever is under our tree out the door. I am hoping the project I forced the family to participate in sinks in a bit. Here is the project from behind the scenes. It begins with our great Susie, at church, who spearheads this orchestra. First, she gets a list from the local elementary school of families who are in dire need this year if the family wants to have a Christmas. Our church takes on four families. Two of the families this year were displaced by a recent apartment fire and have been homeless since April. The family I am focusing on for this post is a mother and a ten year old daughter. They are homeless and couch hopping at friends homes while they struggle through the social services departments to get low income housing help. The plan was to deliver each family their load of gifts and food this last weekend, but for Julie and Sierra, they didn't know where they would be. It was hoped they would be in their apartment by Christmas. So Susie asked Julie (the mom), "Do you have a car?" Thinking that maybe we can have her meet us at the church to give her these things. Julie's response, "No, I have a cart." And then the tears flowed from all who heard that conversation. It was agreed we, the church, would hold onto the items this week to see if she got her apartment. It wasn't to be. So we delivered them today at a friend's basement apartment where Julie and Sierra are, again, couch hopping.
Julie and Sierra, you are gems. It was our honor and pleasure to be Santa for you this year. God bless you.
Sunday morning gift wrapping. Each station has wrapping, tags, tape, scissors. The table also has each family's gifts with each one labeled. Hats off to Susie!
Julie and Sierra's table.
After our great church members have come in and wrapped, it looks great. I also wanted to include this photo because it has a sliver of a certain teenager's bum
who wouldn't turn around but would only give me his best side.
Today, our sleigh (mini van clunker) getting loaded up.
No, the chicken feed isn't for Julie and Sierra.
Our van is full, and more was put in another vehicle.
I am so proud of our church for making sure these folks get a Christmas to remember.
JM and my hubbie loading into Julie and Sierra's current apartment.
And suddenly the bickering gets softer and softer and softer......
A whole lot of gained perspective.
That is our household to the nines this year, and I am ready to pitch whatever is under our tree out the door. I am hoping the project I forced the family to participate in sinks in a bit. Here is the project from behind the scenes. It begins with our great Susie, at church, who spearheads this orchestra. First, she gets a list from the local elementary school of families who are in dire need this year if the family wants to have a Christmas. Our church takes on four families. Two of the families this year were displaced by a recent apartment fire and have been homeless since April. The family I am focusing on for this post is a mother and a ten year old daughter. They are homeless and couch hopping at friends homes while they struggle through the social services departments to get low income housing help. The plan was to deliver each family their load of gifts and food this last weekend, but for Julie and Sierra, they didn't know where they would be. It was hoped they would be in their apartment by Christmas. So Susie asked Julie (the mom), "Do you have a car?" Thinking that maybe we can have her meet us at the church to give her these things. Julie's response, "No, I have a cart." And then the tears flowed from all who heard that conversation. It was agreed we, the church, would hold onto the items this week to see if she got her apartment. It wasn't to be. So we delivered them today at a friend's basement apartment where Julie and Sierra are, again, couch hopping.
Julie and Sierra, you are gems. It was our honor and pleasure to be Santa for you this year. God bless you.
Sunday morning gift wrapping. Each station has wrapping, tags, tape, scissors. The table also has each family's gifts with each one labeled. Hats off to Susie!
Julie and Sierra's table.
After our great church members have come in and wrapped, it looks great. I also wanted to include this photo because it has a sliver of a certain teenager's bumwho wouldn't turn around but would only give me his best side.
Today, our sleigh (mini van clunker) getting loaded up.No, the chicken feed isn't for Julie and Sierra.
Our van is full, and more was put in another vehicle.I am so proud of our church for making sure these folks get a Christmas to remember.
JM and my hubbie loading into Julie and Sierra's current apartment.
And suddenly the bickering gets softer and softer and softer......A whole lot of gained perspective.
Festive Lights
Peacock Ln in Portland. Started as a small block of houses 80 years ago who were just a little overboard on their lights. It has grown. Now, it is part of the HOA requirements if you purchase a house on Peacock Ln. You must deck your house with lights, these days, these nights, etc. You must also know that because of the crowds, you will not easily be able to access the front of your home during the holidays. Why? Because for eighty years, families like mine come and stroll the block enamored with such a light display. I hope you can imagine what we were able to see. If you live in the area, it's the best free light show around.
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