Pillow Talk

Let's put the month of thanks to bed tonight and await the month of tradition in the morning. With that, my final of five things I will miss while on our journey- my pillow.

When it comes to pillows, I have what some sleep study specialists refer to as Goldilocks Syndrome. I like my pillow not too soft, not too hard. I like my pillow, you got it, just right. So, when packing my 44 liter pack, I need to compromise. Feety pajamas or pillow? Puffy jacket or pillow? All righty then, just the pillowcase. Heck, it's lightweight, compact and has more functions than a Swiss Army knife. Let's see, it can be a picnic blanket, a laundry bag, a turban, a beggars basket, a snorkel gear tote, a peace flag. There must be hundreds of uses for my pillowcase. Hmmm... Do they trick-or-treat in Thailand? I'm packing it!

When traveling like a vagabond, I may never know where I'll lay my head at night: a guesthouse, a hostel, a couch, a train station, a lap. At the very least, I'll have my pillowcase. For that, I'm thankful.

Green Thumb

Green Thumb

Every Friday morning, I bring in my watering can and water every one of our indoor plants. Takes less than 10 minutes. Once a month, I offer up a shot of nourishment for my fine foliage friends~Miracle Gro. Then I rotate the container a quarter turn to balance the growth. Pretty simple.

Yes, I confess, I dote on my plants. I have to. I have a green thumb and every one of these plants has a story. Many of them represent milestones in our lives. There's the ficus tree upstairs I've had since college. The umbrella plant, now relegated to the front porch with the bucket of umbrellas, we've had since getting married. An African Violet in a little ABC ceramic pot that says, BABY on it. Our three Christmas cacti that bloom twice a year~~right about now and Easter. Oh, and the clover from Karl that we've brought back from the brink several times. Story is, this lucky clover is from Karls' college days?

Umbrella Plant

I  have been know to give bare root roses as gifts on special days rather than a lovely bouquet. More practical, plus one day they'll have a story to tell. I dug up our Carli Girl rosebush when we moved seven years ago and it blooms pink all summer. And my favorite annual, the fuschia, trails flowering marshmallows from Mothers Day up until just a couple weeks ago.

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Tending to our plants is just a small chore and am thankful for the joy they bring today and everyday. Someday soon, however, we'll need to let them go. We'll probably put them up for adoption to local friends before we begin our journey. Under one condition, we get visitation rights.

Thanksgiving Carlism

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Where's the bird? Why is this turkey platter empty? The last time we used this platter as our Thanksgiving centerpiece was seven years ago. Our first Thanksgiving in our new(circa 1922) home. We had 17 guests, 2 tables pieced together, a pot luck of side dishes, and a 24 pound turkey.

All had gathered around the table and before digging in, we thought we'd have an interactive blessing. I started from the head of the table stating something I'm thankful for that starts with the letter A. I'm thankful for ALL of you seated at the table. B, C, and so on, around the resting turkey...

Nearly all the way around we got to Carli and the letter Q. Hesitating, sheepishly rolling her eyes from side to side, she twists her finger to her dimple and says, I'm thankful for being cute(Qt). It worked, and she took the house down. Continued around the table, then started passing around the turkey platter.

I'm Thankful For...

Carli was 14 years old the last time we used this platter. Haven't used it since. Won't use it today. Definitely won't need it in two years, so we gave it to a young Jewish couple celebrating their first Thanksgivukkah today. Afterward, they can put their turkey platter away for another 80,000 years or so.

Happy Thanksgivukkah Everyone!!

Cheers!! l' chaim!!

Lucky Thirteen

 Lucky Dog???

Today is Carlos' birthday. Still frisky(at times), loyal, and, at times, annoying-this guy is thirteen years old. So, I asked him(me, being the dog whisperer), What would you like for your birthday, 'Los?
And this what he requested:

Forget the material goodies, dawg. I've got bouncy balls, squeaky pork chops, stuffed animal nests all about the house and yards. At my age, I dig consumable gifts. How about you fetch Tanner, my best buddy, BBQ beef back ribs with all the fixins', and Monday Night Football in the man-cave~~~just the boys? 

All right dawg, you got it!

After the game, beggin' for a Niners win, we'll have a sleep-over. Move over Hali, it's gonna be a three dawg night.

Two Reasons

As promised, I was going to elaborate on why our toilet is one of a handful of things I will miss while on our journey. There are two reasons I am thankful for our toilet~~

 Two Reasons

Number one~
I clean our toilet so I know it's clean. Our toilet is reliable and efficient so I can count on it doing the job it is intended on doing. Our toilet is always in the same place so it's easy to find. Our toilet is surrounded by our own personal niceties, like a pen and the daily crossword puzzle.

Number two~~
When moving from place to place, a toilet can be a crapshoot, literally. If you've been to a rural train station in Italy, like Pisa, you know what I mean. In Amsterdam, we stayed in a guesthouse where we shared a bathroom. In there was a box of matches, a placard, and a toilet. Written on the placard, Please burn after heavy business.  Wasn't sure what constituted heavy business?  I burned one anyway. In the Swiss Alps, we stayed at the legendary Mountain Hostel. Here there are co-ed bathrooms for 60 co-eds, young and old. With four toilet stalls, the nightmare can be in the morning, if you get my drift. For a $5 bunk, world-class hiking, a COLD alpine shower, and a million dollar view, it's worth it. We've stayed twice.

Heavy Business?

Two toilet tips while traveling~~

Number one~
Sometimes the nearest toilet is not the best toilet. Our little secret-->100 meters down from the Mountain Hostel is the gondola station. Toilets here are always clean and rarely used.

Number two~~
When touring, use the public facilities at museums, libraries, post offices, schools. You never know when then next opportunity will knock. In a pinch, drop into a Starbucks. For the price of a cup of coffee, you can take care of business and sit down for FREE wifi.

By the way, for a HOT shower at the Mountain Hostel, take a hike up the mountain--> Our little secret.

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D'Oh Canada

Last week, while having lunch in a tourist area of Vancouver BC, THIS happened...

An expensive lunch bill

THIS didn't happen because we're Americans.
THIS didn't happen because we had Oregon license plates.
THIS didn't happen because we were tourists.
THIS didn't happen because we were targets.

THIS happened because we were careless.

THIS happens in secure parking garages.
THIS happens in church parking lots.
THIS happens in our neighborhoods.
THIS happens EVERYWHERE!!

So, here is a note to the person who did THIS...

Person(s) with no regard for other people's property---

THIS was my property, now it is yours. Please enjoy the daypack I use for my sweaty hot yoga gear. You now have my fleece pajama bottoms adorned with footballs and the words, "NICE BALLS" printed down each leg. A pair of socks. My snowman boxer shorts. A three year old iPad that you might be able to sell at Fred Flintstones Pawn/Rock Shop(he's got stacks of these stone-age tablets on his shelves) for $2.78. There's a turtleneck where the neck is torn from the turtle and a flannel shirt with a pen in the pocket. My toothbrush, hairbrush, and some tums. Also, enjoy the paperback book in the outside pocket- Sorry, no pictures. You also have MY travel journal that I started at the beginning of the year. Fortunately, most of my entries have been documented on this blog, although many "butterfly thoughts" were not. Tucked inside that journal were a couple www.passportsandpostcards.com postcards intended as Thank You's for my gracious hosts at the Douglas Guesthouse B&B(www.dougwin.com). Those postcards are yours. Please, Please, Please enjoy this blog-lots of pictures-and while you're at it, PLEASE sign the guest book. It's the least you could do. And as long as we're still enjoying this month of thanks, you didn't get our passports, and for that I'm thankful.

Peace, Woody

Journal and Postcards

$72 Canadian Dollars And Change

 $72 Canadian Dollars and change

Last month I was pawing through this tiny tray of foreign currency and it occurred to me, there's some Canadian money here, let's drive five hours North and spend it!

We've been through Canada a couple times the last ten or so years but haven't spent much time money visiting Canada. So we planned a weekend getaway to our neighbor up North. Our goal, to see how far $72 Cdn and a handful of change will take us.

First stop, lunch at Steamworks in Gastown. Although the view here overlooks the train station, the snow capped peaks surrounding the bay were stunning. A couple beers, seafood chowder, fish tacos-$40 Cdn.

Next full day, a long walk exploring Olympic Village, Coal Harbour, Stanley Park, and Yaletown. 3 sleeves of beer, Korean noodle bowls, 4 postcards, maple leaf patch-$18 Cdn.

Our Canadian Friends

The last day, Remembrance Day in Canada, we honored our Canadian friends who have sacrificed alongside American servicemen in every conflict we've been engaged since the American Revolution. A haircut, change for the parking meter-$16 Cdn

Happy, Happy? Haircut

  

Thank you Canada for your neighborly hospitality. You do make a tasty poutine but why not come visit us in Portland for a proper pint of IPA-eh?

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Cut It Up, Dude

I use tools everyday that are neither in my toolbox nor in the garage. These tools are kept in a kitchen drawer. These tools are sharp, clean, and ready to use. My kitchen knives are my favorite most useful tool so working in my kitchen is more enjoyable with good sharp knives and almost more important, proper cutting boards.

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These kitchen knives were a wedding gift from my father-in-law thirty years ago. Karl was a firm believer that if you invest in quality tools, take care of them, they'll last forever. I've been gifted other knives but nothing even cuts the mustard as these Chicago Cutlery knives do. Sure, the food processor does the job, but by the time I pull that out and put it together, I'd have a few cloves of garlic, an onion, celery, and carrots chopped with Benihana chef efficiency and precision.

For a few years, I kept these sharp with a standard knife steel. Again, the wisdom of Karl prevailed, and I invested in this Chefs Choice high-end diamond honed sharpener. I pull this out a few times a year to sharpen my knives and now, before the holidays, is the perfect time.

The first slot removes the old edge while the second and third slots sharpen and hone the knife blade. In a few minutes, the blades are like new and I'd challenge any kitchen knife to a chop-off. 

Today, and every day, I am thankful for these knives and take pride in keeping them clean and sharp. Nothing is more impressive than a dinner guest helping prepare a salad by slicing through a beautiful tomato, like butter, with my knife.

Water, Pure and Simple

Last time I traveled through the airport in Portland, I saw this ~ FREE WATER! Wow, what a concept. Now you can fill your own water bottle and keep that $3 in your pocket that you were about to spend on a bottle of water, and fill your own bottle for FREE.

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When I travel, I carry this refillable, reliable, inexpensive little metal bottle and clip it to my pack. I check this web site ~www.canidrinkthewater.org~ to see if the water where I'm traveling is safe to drink. Obviously, common sense will override if the water looks iffy. Otherwise, I go with the flow, and drink like a local.

While browsing this site~www.canidrinkthewater.org~ I was also schooled on bottled water facts.  Americans spend $31 billion a year on water infrastructure(monthly water bills)~ water treatment, city water lines and maintenance. Another $29 billion a year on bottled water. Yes, that's billion with a b, and yes, every year. Then I learned that 60% of bottled water comes from a municipal source. That's $17 billion a year for water we've already paid for. Imagine paying a monthly fuel bill for your car and then paying again at the pump. That's crazy talk! All this for the safest most regulated water in the world?

Then we have to address the disposal of 50 billion plastic water bottles every year. For a few of us, it's simple, just toss them in the river or in the local park. C'mon man, this is your river, your park. Take care of them and they'll take care of you.

C'mon Man!!

Today, in this month of Thanks, I'm thankful for that delicious Oregon drinking water. With that tall glass of water I keep on my night stand, my bed water, I can sleep at night.

 My Bed Water

As we take to the travel, I will miss that tall glass of water more than FREE wifi, more than Monday Night Football, even more than my pillow. So before getting on that plane, I'll fill up my trusty water bottle(why not,I've already paid for it), and savor every sip.

A Handful of Thanks

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Hali recently asked me, what five things I would miss the most once we set off on our journey? Which tangible possessions would be hard for me to give up? Without much hesitation, I listed these five things:

• Our delicious Oregon drinking water

• Our kitchen knives

• Our toilet

• Our garden and house plants

• My pillow(s)

Throughout the month of November, I will elaborate, why I can count on one hand, five things I am most thankful for.

Dia De Los Muertos

In Mexico, the day after Halloween is celebrated as Dia de Los Muertos- Day of the Dead. If you can plan a trip to Mexico this week, you are so lucky, or are you? Depends on what's on the menu.

On this day, locals are baking a traditional bread with the Mexican version of a scull and crossbones and other dishes inviting their dead guests back for their favorite meal. Today, in honor of my brother Dave, who needs a taste of real Mexican ethnicity(Dave believed Taco Bell was Mexican food), I'm making a molé(rhymes with olé). Typically, every Mexican family has their own recipe for molé. A kitchen ritual that keeps long past love-ones coming back, every November 1st.

Dia De Los Muertos- Butternut Squash Mole

I love butternut squash this time of year, so butternut squash molé is on our menu tonight. The buttery, nutty flavors of this salsa can be slathered over anything: beef, pork, chicken, veggies. Or you can eat it like you would chocolate pudding, in a tiny ramekin. For Dave, I'll pour this molé over house made chicken enchiladas.

Put on some salsa musica, or Dave's favorite, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and vamanos(Let's Go)!

Here's what I'm putting in my molé, pretty much in this order:

Olive oil

Garlic, chopped

White onion, chopped

Cumin

Cinnamon

Cloves

Allspice

Fresh oregano and thyme

A handful of chocolate chips, okay, 2 handfuls

A cup of strong brewed coffee

Golden raisins, 2 handfuls

4 cups chicken stock, low sodium

Ancho chiles, if they are dried, like mine, soak in water 30 minutes, seed, purée

Simmer together 1 hour

While the salsa simmers, roast butternut squash and almonds with a little olive oil. After roasting, stir into the simmering salsa and take off heat. Let rest for 1 hour while the wonderful spice and rich dark colors infuse in this molé. Reheat and ladle over the whole enchilada. Garnish with lime and 26 pepitas(Mexican pumpkin seeds). Why 26? Dave's lucky number.

Welcome back, Dave~~~

There you have it, salsa good enough for a Pope~~~Holy Molé!

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