...and relax
This is really the first weekend Rachel and I have had to relax for well over a month, so we have elected to do virtually nothing!
Stayed with Julie and Ben last night (they have a flat in the area of downtown known as the pearl district, or simply "the pearl") and took the opportunity to go bar-hopping. Found a great martini bar called "the vault" with an enormous selection of the aforementioned: the lemon-basil martini was particularly fine. It will take a while and some dedication to tick-off the entire menu, but I intend to give it my best... Have found two excellent dedicated cocktail bars so far, plus two wine bars that really just serve wine - plus the odd bit of imported cheese. Top.
This morning - after a suitably substantial breakfast - we took a walk through the woods near Rachel's parents before driving to Petmart to buy some toys for Conker and Peanut, who are a bit down re their current confinement to barracks. I have now constructed a cat fishing line using a mop handle, some string and a Brazilian looking (yellow and green) mouse toy with a bell inside. Some preliminary interest has been shown.
Rachel's folks have gone to Seattle today to watch the Boston Redsocks play the Seattle Mariners. The redsocks are inexplicably popular here - inexplicable, that is, until you realise that about half the city are exiled Easterners. I probably would be prepared to watch overweight American men play a dull game for absurd sums of money - were it not for the six-hour round trip involved. One day I will take a trip up to Seattle though, if only 'cause it's not too far from the double-R diner (Twin Peaks fans). I shall wear a suit, buy a slice of cherry pie and a cup o' coffee. And I will have a photo taken as evidence. No doubt the staff are sick of that, but hey, it pays the bills.
Work is going to be okay, I think. The first couple of days were extremely intense; it's a pretty big operation and there are an enormous number of people to get to know, systems to comprehend, business concepts to digest and marketing strategies to realise. Most everyone seems pretty friendly though, if focused and unselfconsciously 'eager' in a very un-British way. Overall it's no bigger a job than the one at the University, just with a very different emphasis - so I think I can handle it. The hours are on the long side; they are published as 8 to 6 with an hour for lunch, but in fact most people don't arrive til nigh-on 8.30. So that's a 42.5 hour working week. The commute's not too bad from Lake Oswego, about 40 minutes in the Audi (nice motor by the way, by far the best car I've ever driven, will be a shame to have to give it back when we move out!). At the moment it's knackering because it's all so new and there's so much to take in, but I reckon it will calm down after a bit. The worst thing about the job by far is the working environment: a big, open-plan office with offices around the perimeter for the top-brass (who therefore get all the windows) and harsh fluorescent lighting. All furnishings are grey. It's just a matter of time until Kraftwerk shoot a video here.
On the subject of music, the weekend after next should be great! On the Friday we're going to see Franz Ferdinand and on Sunday - presuming we can get tickets - we should be seeing Muse.
The house is wonderfully peaceful today... most of Rachel's family stayed on after the wedding and the place has been a madhouse. It's been great seeing everyone, but it's good to just have some time to flop too... The wedding was great by the way - really good fun. Ben and Julie are really good together and the ceremony and reception were on the relaxed side of formal. I even made a speech - not sure what got into me there (apart from the booze, of course).
And, sooner or later I'll get some pictures posted here! Love to you all...!
Stayed with Julie and Ben last night (they have a flat in the area of downtown known as the pearl district, or simply "the pearl") and took the opportunity to go bar-hopping. Found a great martini bar called "the vault" with an enormous selection of the aforementioned: the lemon-basil martini was particularly fine. It will take a while and some dedication to tick-off the entire menu, but I intend to give it my best... Have found two excellent dedicated cocktail bars so far, plus two wine bars that really just serve wine - plus the odd bit of imported cheese. Top.
This morning - after a suitably substantial breakfast - we took a walk through the woods near Rachel's parents before driving to Petmart to buy some toys for Conker and Peanut, who are a bit down re their current confinement to barracks. I have now constructed a cat fishing line using a mop handle, some string and a Brazilian looking (yellow and green) mouse toy with a bell inside. Some preliminary interest has been shown.
Rachel's folks have gone to Seattle today to watch the Boston Redsocks play the Seattle Mariners. The redsocks are inexplicably popular here - inexplicable, that is, until you realise that about half the city are exiled Easterners. I probably would be prepared to watch overweight American men play a dull game for absurd sums of money - were it not for the six-hour round trip involved. One day I will take a trip up to Seattle though, if only 'cause it's not too far from the double-R diner (Twin Peaks fans). I shall wear a suit, buy a slice of cherry pie and a cup o' coffee. And I will have a photo taken as evidence. No doubt the staff are sick of that, but hey, it pays the bills.
Work is going to be okay, I think. The first couple of days were extremely intense; it's a pretty big operation and there are an enormous number of people to get to know, systems to comprehend, business concepts to digest and marketing strategies to realise. Most everyone seems pretty friendly though, if focused and unselfconsciously 'eager' in a very un-British way. Overall it's no bigger a job than the one at the University, just with a very different emphasis - so I think I can handle it. The hours are on the long side; they are published as 8 to 6 with an hour for lunch, but in fact most people don't arrive til nigh-on 8.30. So that's a 42.5 hour working week. The commute's not too bad from Lake Oswego, about 40 minutes in the Audi (nice motor by the way, by far the best car I've ever driven, will be a shame to have to give it back when we move out!). At the moment it's knackering because it's all so new and there's so much to take in, but I reckon it will calm down after a bit. The worst thing about the job by far is the working environment: a big, open-plan office with offices around the perimeter for the top-brass (who therefore get all the windows) and harsh fluorescent lighting. All furnishings are grey. It's just a matter of time until Kraftwerk shoot a video here.
On the subject of music, the weekend after next should be great! On the Friday we're going to see Franz Ferdinand and on Sunday - presuming we can get tickets - we should be seeing Muse.
The house is wonderfully peaceful today... most of Rachel's family stayed on after the wedding and the place has been a madhouse. It's been great seeing everyone, but it's good to just have some time to flop too... The wedding was great by the way - really good fun. Ben and Julie are really good together and the ceremony and reception were on the relaxed side of formal. I even made a speech - not sure what got into me there (apart from the booze, of course).
And, sooner or later I'll get some pictures posted here! Love to you all...!
posted by Richard Tammar at 3:26 PM
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