Re-Branding

Dear Portland,
I am sorry. I have been out of touch and out of my mind. I have been working almost everyday in the last week or so. I have also been brainstorming like mad for a name for my Etsy shop and a new tittle for my blog since I am no longer living in the dreamy time zone of Mountain Standard.

I have been baking a little here and there. Made my first flour-less, dairy-free, chocolate cake for a friends birthday. It was a sort of failure in looks but tasted awesome. I made pudding today which is absolutely delicious, just not quite thick enough. I fear I may be out of practice...

So I just wanted to give notice that I am alive and well and will be returning to the blog world very soon.

p.s. I went to see the Dirty Projectors last night and if you kinda like them recorded you will LOVE them live. It was stunning.

Pay special attention to the amazing voice syncopation around 2:45 minutes in! 

Chocolate x3

Dear Portland,
I finally did some baking today!!
I came home in the late afternoon with a strong urge to turn on the oven and make me some happiness (even with the 80 degree weather bearing down). After I returned from figuring out some work shifts I will be covering at Flora, I sat down at my computer and looked through cookie archives on some of my favorite baking blogs. And then I found it.
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES.
Yes. Absolutely tempting just from the title. I read through the recipe and wrote down a couple things I needed and drove to the store just as fast as my little truck could take me. It took a little longer then I had hoped because the sunshing seems to be turning everyone into horribly mad drivers and I was contiuously avoiding almost accidents.

I came home read through the recipe again and put on a podcast from How Stuff Works called "How Traffic Works" and away I went. It was wonderful to be back in that world again. A house to myself, learning about something completely irrelevant, and creating chewy goodness.
They came out great, if I had a flour sifter they would be perfection. But for now, greatness will have to do.

Upon Return

Dear Portland,
I thought that running away from you I would have time to figure out our relationship. I though that while I was away I could heal and think and organize. I thought that I had done all this. I have returned only to realize that not only am I mistaken but I was completely naive to think that the time I spent in solitude would suddenly make everything okay. I still have a lot to learn about you as do you about me. I have high hopes though. I think I am more willing to work it out. There are times that I absolutely feel like running away again and not dealing with a single thing, it's easier you know? But I know now how I think, how I process life, and how to control myself. At least I'm starting too.

Things are finally starting to settle down it seems. The overwhelming feelings are starting to recede while the feelings of dissatisfaction are brewing. I will get ahead of it all. I'm ready for you this time and I planning on proving it.

I would however like to thank you from the bottom of my heart Portland for being here, exactly the same, waiting for me. While there are things that have changed; skeleton buildings where two block holes once were, old coffee shops becoming new ones that seem to only have new graphics, and people who are new to you but the same to me, I'm glad that you are around. And always will be.

Adjustments

Dear Portland,
You SURROUND me.
I am home.
I don't feel very homey though.
I am busy doing important and unimportant things.
I will start writing again soon.
I just need a little bit of time to finish getting organized.

I spent 4 days in Veneta. At the Oregon Country Fair. It was wonderful as always. 

Hiatus

Dear Portland,
I fear I will be taking a short hiatus in the next week or so. My sister has arrived in Montana and we are very busy having awesome fun sister time and making up for the past 5 months.

It is so great to have her here. We cook all our meals together and are baking a bit too.
We made pudding yesterday.

Reunited

Dear Portland,
My Dad and Sister have traveled far away from your wet streets to visit me! They got in around six this evening. We went to dinner and got some ice cream. Then we enjoyed a family past time that we have not done in a very long time, played cards. A little poker, a little gin, a little go fish. It was really fun.

Tomorrow I'm taking them up to Glacier before my last knitting class and before has to leave later tomorrow night. Hopefully the pass will be open and we will get to see a real life glacier. Hopefully.

To Close For Comfort

Dear Portand,
On my way to class I came frighteningly close to being attacked by a dog. Well almost a dog. A doxen to be exact. I don't know why these sad, pathetic, little excuse for a animals hate me so much but they really do. I was walking down the street totally minding my own business, when this angry little creature started charging at me with his ears flat to his head, teeth showing through tiny vicious growls and barks. I am not ashamed to admit it totally freaked me out. I started to walk away from him faster but this seemed to just make him more angry and determined to latch on to my unprotected ankle. I turned around and told him to go home and stopped. I walked on, he charged again. This happened a several more times (him getting closer each time) and with each charge I had to advance towards him yelling louder, waving my arms more flamboyantly, and adding a stomp here and there. Finally, when I was at the end of the block and he was in the middle of street (prepared to block my crosswalk I'm sure) I gave him one last yell, point, and thunderous advance and he was off, down the block back to his asylum.

After the freak out passed, I could not help but think; "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE TINY DOGS IN THIS VALLEY?!!"