I have returned from the land where...

People love to live in communities behind elaborate gates...





When you put the hose into your gas tank, a disembodied taped voice comes out of a speaker saying: "Welcome to Shell, it's good to see you." Then they play a five minute video, because why in the world would you ever want a moment without some kind of stimulation?

You can sit by a fake waterfall (with plastic rocks!) while you get your gas pumped or your car washed.

And you can never,

ever,

ever,

make a U-turn.

An Adolescent Crush and Growing Up Behind the Orange Curtain

I had a sweatshirt similar to this in the 1970's. I used to wear it while I mowed the lawn. And pretty much all the time, come to think of it. Every once in awhile, I let my mom wash it. All these decades later, I still have a thang for Al Green.

Keep in mind that I grew up in Orange County, California. The county that votes 98% Republican in every election. The county where a chapter of The John Birch Society was on my college campus (UC Irvine). The county that even The West Wing made fun of. When I registered as a Democrat at age 18, there was quite an uproar. After the shock wore off, my parents were sort of okay with it, but didn't dare tell my Grandpa Otto. They thought it might kill him.

In college, when I volunteered for the Mondale/Ferraro campaign, things got worse. One time at the Bank of America, a woman HIT ME with her purse because she didn't like my 'MONDALE for President' button.

So you might say it was a little "liberal" to wear a shirt in public with the likeness of a soul singer who was also black. Looking back, I think I might have done it just to piss people off. 'Cause even at 11, that's the kind of girl I was. I sure wish I knew where that sweatshirt was now. I might have to ask for a new one for Christmas.

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I'm off to Orange County (yikes!) to visit my family and help look after my dear dad who is having cataract surgery. Please send good thoughts and I'll be back soon with more stories and (if all goes well) more junk!

7 Things You Don't Know About Me

My pal Carol from Old Glory Cottage sent me this award recently. Thanks Carol!
It's a good thing Carol lives in Illinois because, if she was a local junker, I would so push her out of my way at estate sales. We like the same stuff: Jadite, vintage holiday swag and happy kitchenware. Most importantly, Carol has a concrete poodle named Fifi. How can you not love a girl with a concrete poodle?!

Carol's instructions were to write 7 things about myself...and then tag 7 other bloggers. So here goes....

1) I believe in Heaven but not Hell.

2) Bagdad Cafe is my favorite movie. It's a quirky and sweet story about an unlikely friendship, and the soundtrack is gorgeous.

3) My first job was delivering newspapers from the back of my yellow Schwinn 10 speed bike.

4) Please don't ever invite me to go skating. Ice or Roller. I'll say no.

5) My pre-school boyfriend was Bobby Brown. But not the one who was once married to Whitney Houston.

6) Sweet or Savory? Sweet. Every Time.

7) I don't ♥ hot tubs. I feel like I am being boiled alive. I'd like the water to be about 80 degrees, which I believe would classify more as a "warm" tub.

Instead of tagging 7 others...I hereby invite all of you to jump in here and play along. Write a post on 7 things about yourself (secrets are really fun) and then comment back here. Then we'll start a frenzy of linking and get to know each other a little bit better.

P.S. Please use the 'Kreativ Blogger' badge if you want to....my theory is that if you blog, you're "Kreativ". So there.

Portland at Twilight from the Marquam Bridge at 45 MPH

I am Thankful for Vintage Turkeys

In honor of Vintage Thingies Thursday over at Colorado Lady, here are some shots of the explosion of poultry that happens every November on our mantel.




My favorite is the roasted one in the first photo ~ a gift from my sister Kathy. Which one do you like the best?

A Trip to the Coast ~ Part 3

After my meatloaf sandwich, I rushed into Tillamook to get to the Kit & Caboodle.

I remembered that they close at 3:00. I almost always find something there...Alas, not this time. But hope was soon restored as I turned the corner and saw this thrift.

I found some glittery holiday stuff...

And look who needed a ride back to Portland!

A piece of history in my underwear drawer

I published this post earlier this year. I decided to re-run it since today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I have a story related to that glorious event. Here goes....

In 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, I was working as a TV producer in New York. I so wanted to go and be a witness to it, but the network big cheeses chose another producer named Steve to make the trip. I asked Steve to bring me back a souvenir, and he outdid himself. He brought me back a piece of the wall. An actual piece of the Berlin wall, painted rust and pink and green, a symbol of a country made whole, families reunited and lives intertwined. Today I was scrounging around and found it in my lingerie. Well, not lingerie exactly, but my Hanes Her Ways.

Not long after the wall fell, some fabulously inspired person shipped 5 sections of it to New York (and to many other places around the country, I have since learned) where it was re-assembled in a public square off 5th Ave. @ 53rd St. During my lunch break, I used to sit there and slurp my Pasta Fagiole purchased from the soup cart guy around the corner. The square is one of my favorite places in New York. I hope you get a chance to see it someday.