Happy Birthday to Me!

Even though I paid these people to come to my house and pretend to like me, it was still an enjoyable party. We ate food and some people drank hooch and then we played a game called...can't remember actually. Pictionary maybe, but there weren't any pictures, so maybe it was something else. Ahh, who cares, right? We had fun and stuff.
In other news...we got a glabilionth of an inch of snow the other day and the entire town went insane. Not like eating other people insane. But school was canceled for the kiddies and tons of people took the day off. I road my bike to work (5.5 miles one way!!) early so I could shovel the snow that ended up not existing in the parking lot. Total hype. Anyway, enjoy the photos and see ya later



LELKO

Hey, we live here now, again. (here being Portland)

I know what you're thinking; "whatever happened to those crazy kids who drove across the country the day after Christmas?" Right? I mean, that is what you're thinking, is it not? No? Huh. Really? Damn.
Well either way, we (Honey Bunny, me, Clyde the truck and Viola and Kenny the cats) now reside in our favorite stomping grounds, Portland Oregon, aka Stumptown, the Rose City. We live in a great little house with a swell backyard that we get to garden in (so far I built the compost bin and Emily has gathered most of the wood for the beds) and we had a roommate briefly (less than a week and then she split with her cats, not sure why) and I've got a steady job and ride my bike to and from work and I get to play D&D every Sunday night.
Good stuff if ya ask me. And you did. Above you see the extra cats in this catpile.
This is our house as viewed from the rear. I aspire to paint some of the trim 'cos right now it's a bit plain for my taste. Not complainin', just sayin'.
One of the advantages Portland has over most of the rest of the US is the winters are fairly mild, so flowers and cabbage and grass are all still hanging around and daffodils and other bulbs are startin' to jump out of the ground.

I took a whole series of weird photos of me around the house, supposedly to show the house, but they really just show how weird I am. For instance the above photo is the least creepy of the lot, and shows our big, but weirdly designed, kitchen in all of it's natural light beauty.
More later. Until then check out These Two blogs for more about Portland.
Word.
Lelko

Home and back to work

On our last day of our Epic Cross-Country Drive we finally found some good weather, and it was (surprise...) along the coast of California! So North we headed on Surf Route 101, through the Redwoods and along the ocean. Not the fastest route, but the safest and by far the coolest.
And yes, that is an elk in the above photo. One of three that were standing next to the road. But the crazy thing is, there were three or four cars stopped on the shoulder and half a dozen very stupid people standing not more than 15 feet from these elk! Now I'm pretty sure elk are quite peaceful creatures, but those stupid humans were really asking for it, and a small part of me (not saying which part) secretly wished they'd get their fat asses beat by the fella in the above photo.
This is me actually making that wish.
By the end of this week of driving this was about as clear as I could see anything. Not bad, really.




So long Pennsylvania. See ya next time.

Lelko

Merry XXX-mas!

One last round-up of photos from our eastbound adventure before we embark on our return journey. Unfortunately we'll be leaving a day late 'cos a storm will be blowing through on Sunday, but what the heck, one day ain't no big thang! Let's go on that stroll down memory lane....







the Kalamars, sans Gina

Next up we got a few weird old motels along the old Lincoln Highway, not a one of which we stayed at, but don't they look cool?



The only thing I know about the Dairy Shack is it was closed.



If you'll remember, the summertime is the HOT time!


I don't think I mentioned this, but a few months ago a Masonic temple near our house was having an open house and Emily and I were the only ones to show up, of course. Anyway, we got the grand tour of the place and let me tell you, if there was ever any doubt in my mind that Freemasons rule the world it left me that day. Unfortunately the temple we were in was NOT the one pictured which is in Rawlins Wyoming, but this one is way cooler than the old fire-station they use as a temple in Catasauqua.



Also in Rawlins...


More motels that someone other than us stayed at.




Viola and the cow........

Awesome 15ft tall art in the middle of a corn field!

Ladies and gentlemen, Ken Tucker!!!!!!!!!!
.

This is somewhere out west (it all sorta looks like this out thattaways).


Yeah, I think I've posted this sunset before but, c'mon, it's awesome! Stay tuned for note-from-the-road, as we make our way back to the town we'd like to think of as Home.

The Best of Lelko Blog...outtakes

Remember when...

This is where we got off the interstate and on to Route 30
The arrival





Old houses in Catty


That's our building in the foreground on the right
Out of shape- They don't call it Bushkill for nothin'


old town Bethlehem



Can you spot the weirdo?


Not one of my better looks, but the shoe house... I mean, c'mon!



Not up to code




See ya next time with a few more memories before we head off into the wild, blue yonder.
Lelko