Sunny Day(s?) are Here Again!

I've been slacking off big time in the blog department.

We've had yes some more big life happenings here in PDX. We put an offer in on a house and they've accepted it, so we've started the rounds of inspections, tracking down old bank crap, etc. They house is DOPE. Yes... DOPE. I've called it the "Party House"since I first laid eyes on it. Why, you ask?

Let's start with the hot tub on the back deck. SWEEET! Anyone that knows me well can appreciate my love for water, pools, lakes, ocens, rivers and especially HOT TUBS. My parents started Melissa and me early on swimming lessons. We were in Texas at the time- I was 3 and she was 5. We caught on quick, moving onto years of Satuday's spent at Los Rios Country Club at swim meets. I digress.

My house in Winooski was awesome. Good first house for a first time house owner to have. Had a few big issues right in the beginning. Luckily I had a plumber living across the street but it was a good house to cut your teeth on. This house doesn't have shag blue carpeting or wallpaper that was stuck to the wall with rubber cement or a kitchen floor that came from 1968. This baby is good to go, move-in-ready... Withstanding a few wall color changes- there isn't anything we have to do other than move in and then figure out how to furnish the joint. I still have the futon furniture my parents got me upon graduation from college. Lots of good naps have been taken on this futon couch, but it's time to graduate to down filled cushions and kiln-dried wood. Don't be suprised when you come over though if you have to sit on a beach chair for awhile.

Anyhoo- back to the Party House. It's got a pocket door, 2 french doors, built ins upstairs, clawfoot tub ( i love! vin hates!). It's also got a nice little nook in the basement that we're turning into a studio for me (stoke!) and to top it off- a dog door! I'm not sure how to go about getting the dogs to USE the dog door- but I'm betting Suki will figure it out first. The back yard is big- slightly intimidating for a semi-beginner green thumb. Nothing a few books from Powell's won't fix.

What's the best part about it is that we can finally "settle in". Not have to worry if the dogs scratch the floor or can hang things on the walls where we WANT them as opposed to where the holes in the wall already are. That sort of thing.

Vin and I have decided/pledged that there will be no more big life events for at least another year or two. We've had some biggies in the last year- proposal, quitting jobs, starting new ones, selling a house, buying a house, moving far away, spening a week in an RV that smelled like hot dogs with 2 spazzy dogs and THEN getting married (followed by a fantastic trip to Fiji!) So we figure that's enough for now.

On a different note- we had an awesome Thanksgiving. Celebrated over at the Lewis' house- we brought the turkey. And I must say it's the best turkey EVER MADE. I've only made one before it- a la Martha Stewart style, complete with cheesecloth and basting on the half hour. This time I decided to brine. The night before it wallered in a giant zip lock bag filled with salty, maple-syrup, infused water. Then the next day we popped it in to the oven. It was the juiciest turkey I've ever had in my life!!! Some comments from people that shall remain nameless "This is the best Thanksgiving of my life". It was great!