Happy Zombie

I know not everyone is as nuts about the Olympics as I am (or Laurie or Carol), so I warn you…. if 16 days of international love, peace, happiness and sports is not your thing… this is a very long post.  My sons, hubby and I are koo-koo for Olympic Cocoa Puffs.  When we learned 7 years ago that the 2010 Winter Olympics were going to be in Vancouver, BC… we said WE HAVE TO GO, whether we had event tickets or not.  Or not is how it turned out.   Seven years is not long enough for me to plan - I was too late to buy tickets.  So we just went to be there.   The world was going to be in Vancouver,  and by golly we wanted to meet the world.  Hello world.  I love you. 
Peace Arch

It was all very iffy when we were going and for how long. Lodging was one thing I was able to secure. So as it turns out, DH2’s school schedule changed. He was going, then wasn’t going… and then he was going - and that left us with leaving on Friday night and returning Saturday night. In the big picture of things, 5+ hours driving to get there is no biggie. Seriously. Live on a Hawaiian Island for six years - where a road trip means pulling out of your driveway, driving in a big circle… and ending up where you started. Roads trips like driving up to Vancouver are still very welcome - even after having left Oahu 10 years ago.

Check Point Charlie-DudleyDoRight

Entering Canada, we were greeted with beautiful Canadian border buildings and super friendly border agents who seemed genuinely happy to have us visiting. I think I found the Nordstrom of border crossings. Beautiful British Columbia lets us know where to find Hope if we need it.

As we get closer to Vancouver, the landscape is dotted with what’s to come… a beautiful international pot pie. Vancouver has beautiful flavor!

Go Canada Go on the freeway. The first one of THOUSANDS of flagged cars we’ll see.

The freeway suddenly turns into a city street.  Poof.   Just like that.  My Californian brain can’t conceptualize that we can get anywhere without a freeway… but look… there it is, we made it to downtown Vancouver on a city STREET!   No fuss no muss… and everyone was driving so friendly.

Along the way into downtown, I spot this condo complex. I have a thing for roof lines and pitches.  Roof-utopia.

Further down the street, this building reminded me of Germany.  My parents immigrated to the US from Germany via Toronto - and settled in California right before I was born.   I consider myself to be an Almost Canadian.   Go Almost Canada Go!

Go Canada Go at the Vancouver Police Department.

Gonad go!   Oh Canada, did you you do this just for meeeeee?!

Oh. All. Right.

Vancouver’s Chinatown. OH THE COLOR!!! I cracked up at the SHARE THE ROAD signs.  I SWEAR it’s Wayne driving the ‘76 AMC Pacer and Garth riding a bike.  Hmm… Mike Meyer’s IS Canadian.  Go Wayne Go Garth Go!

A fire station in Chinatown. I have a thing for doors too. I danno about firehouse… this screams quilt studio to me.

This ramp ended in a road block.  But worth it.   Oh the colors colours!  Go Colour Go!

A happy discovery… Vancouver’s Gastown District.

Charm, pride, history… I love the Gastown District.

I think I’m going to start having a thing for awnings too.

Million dollar (CAD and USD) view from where we parked our car. Yeeze… we could have had a picnic in our car with a view like this.

A steam clock on Water Street.

Crosswalk on Water Street. Go Crosswalk Go!

In a souvenir shop, DS2 does a shout-out for our family. Oi Oi Oi Team JoJoJo and Team OmiItoMarco!

My do-something-nice opportunity. Some thug punk a-wipe turned the flag upside down into the planter. I dusted off the dirt and replaced it properly.

I used to collect Olympic pins.  Before they were readily available like this (or on the internet).   I used to have to buy them through a broker with this thing called an envelope and this sticky thing we used to lick called a stamp.

Go Bus Go!

At Canada Place. More colour, colour, colour!

The International Broadcast Centre on the left.  BOB COSTAS & STEPHEN COLBERT… I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE!

Canada Place overlooking Coal Harbour.

The Welcome Centre at Canada Place.   Because I love typing like a Canadian… centre, harbour, colour. Downtown was peppered with volunteers - answering questions, giving directions, saying hello and welcoming visitors. What wonderful ambassadors they were to Vancouver and Canada. Thank you volunteers for making us so welcome in your home.

The Olympic Flame in all it’s glory.  Like Cinderella’s Castle in Disneyland… it looks much bigger on tv. Much controversy about the cauldron - it’s surrounded by fencing. The fencing was moved closer before we got there, but still bah hum bug over it. I think it looks like a captured alien being interrogated. FREE THE CAULDRON!  FREE THE CAULDRON!  Go Cauldron Go!

One of the improvements made was to set a “viewing area” atop this balcony.  Hey, let’s go up there! BTW, that’s me in the pink hoodie.  EVERYWHERE you see EVERYONE with “iPhone arm”.

Ha. I guess we won’t be going up to the viewing balcony. Oh sure, we can wait in the queue with 20,000 of our new best friends. I think the end of the line was at the entrance of Stanley Park. Back to the chain link fence we went. But it was fun. SOOOO many people speaking so many languages and everyone was so happy and festive.   It was an amazing experience I’ll never forget.  It really did feel like the center of the world there.  I say this EVERY Olympics… I wish the world lived in the same peace of the 16 days of glory - but doin’ it 365 days a year.

Go Canadian Doggies Go!

“Mom. Mom… where are you going? Mom!” - I was zombian’ over to the red and aqua container. I don’t know what it was… just that it was red and aqua and it caught my eye.  Wink.

More red. And a wish list for my yard.

On our way back to the Gastown. The sweet smells of Germany taunted us. The line was huge. HUGE.

As we headed back to the garage, we came upon an Old Spaghetti Factory on Water Street in Gastown.  We really wanted to go, but we decided we weren’t going to come all the way up to Canada and eat at an OSF  when we can do that in our Vancouver (Washington).  BOY do I regret it.  They had beautiful outdoor seating and a huge Euro vibe about it.  I almost wept. And the weather was 100% al fresco dining weather to boot (as you can see by my Winter Spring Olympic footwear).   It was packed, the final reason we nixed it. Look at this photo I found on flickr.  Yeah.  We passed that up - but we had a consolation… we found an all you can eat sushi place and WENT.  TO.  TOWN.  We’re going back to Vancouver and we’re having dinner at OSP on Water Street.  No ifs ands or buts.

I don’t know how it happened, but I became a Russian athlete/coach stalker - in hopes of befriending them and they’ll hand over their adorable red and white jackets/hat. Laurie has a great post about the US athletes attire at the opening ceremony.  While I love the Ralph Lauren outfits… I gasped when the Russian team walked into the stadium with the red/white swirliques on their hats and jackets.

I see Redwork.

I see felt.

Team Russia is using a German car with their red swirliques.  I take this to be a sign.  Swirliques and an Audi… this should be my car.

Why, hello Russia.

I go to a mall about once every 2 years.  I had no choice but to visit one in Vancouver - I had to go to The Bay if my life depended on it.  But it was fruitful and worth it.  Oh so worth it.

Coffee and dessert the Canadian way. Go Timbits Go!

The flip side of the Peach Arch as we head back into the US. The border agent asked us the standard crossing questions. He then asked us, “Oh please don’t tell me you drove from Oregon just to spend one day in Vancouver?”   Um.  Well.   Now my brain is thinking that clearly no matter what our answer is - is that we’re gonna look like Cocoa Puffs and the next thing you know our truck is being torn apart and inspected.  I did volunteer my apples for ag surrender.   Maybe that did the trick.  Doing the right thing is always best.  Plus the last time we crossed from Victoria I smuggled a few Cuban cigars into the US and I’ve been carrying the guilt.  In case the border patrol is reading this… I just made that up about the Cuban’s.  BTW… Dear US Government: Safety and security is job one and we’re grateful for the US Border Patrol’s service and dedication.  But have you seen how pretty Canadian’s crossing is?  Our border agents look like they’re working out of 3rd world outpost and it’s not looking too welcoming to our visitors.  I think we can still kick ass and look good at the same time - just saying.

A sure sign we’re back in the USA. Deep fired delicacies on wheels.  We are home.  And I miss Vancouver oh so much.  At least I can watch from afar via Carol’s blog and flickr.  Go Carol Go!

Thank you, Vancouver. We heart you.

It’s so hard to think of words as I bask in the afterglow of the most amazing quilt retreat ever. Our hostess Karen set up the most amazing retreat in what can only be called paradise. Our retreat was at the Falls Creek Conference Center near Raymond, WA.   Sarah, Sarah’s mom Kirsty and I set up shop in the center of the gym. The center of the quilting universe.

Falls Creek is an amazing place and our hosts could not have been more wonderful and accommodating. Great food, great lodging and great kindness. Having four days of the ultimate quilting weather (rain, hail, thunder and lightening) wasn’t too shabby either. The best part was being among such wonderful and amazing ladies - creating wonderful and amazing works of art. It was great to finally meet Michelle of Busy Bee Quilt Designs (who I’ve always referred to as “Hip to Be Square Michelle”). We also got to meet fellow bloggers Robin of Crafty Musings and Evelyn of Use the Loot (and her killer peanut butter cup cookies). And being among my friends like Carol-O, Judy, Robin & Mary, Laura & Susan, Mary & Teresa and Jane & Joan… that was gravy.

There were over 60 of us, but we were in a huge gym and we each had our own table - so there was plenty of elbow room. Sarah, Sarah’s adorable mom (aka MommaAnyoneCanQuilt) and I were in our own little table “pod”. Between Sarah’s imitations of Herbert from the Family Guy and my attempts to imitate Wendy Williams doin’ her “How You Doin’?“… it was far more a laughing retreat then a quilting retreat for us. There was also the My Little Pony drinking incident - but we’re trying to keep that hush-hush. Sarah’s got the scoop on it all.

Sarah’s mom looks on as her little girl and her little friend play with their toys.

After most went to bed… in the wee, wee hours… after way too much candy and coffee… it was then that Sarah spotted the roller skates. And then it happened:

(Works best if you pause it, let it load, and then play it. If the video does not appear, click here.)

As I mentioned in my previous post, Karen asked me to do a quilt-as-you-go demo since I’d done some QAYGing in the past (my Roly Poly quilt’s center). My demo was a mess - but it’s not like Carrie Ann, Len and Bruno were judging me. I don’t know who the genius is who thought up the QAYG method. I wish I did… so I could apologize for butchering his/her trick.

Quilt As You Go:
1.  For my 4-block quilt, I used two 1¾” strips (then folded) and two 1⅛” strips - the length of the backed and quilted block to make my rows.  To join my rows, I have one long 1¾” strip (then folded) and one 1⅛” strip.   After I measure my completed rows I will cut the strips to that length.

2.  Join a 1⅛” strip, rights sides together on top of the block and the 1¾” folded strip the back of the block (raw edge to raw edge). Join by stitching a ¼” seam.

3.  Flip top strip over. Press.

4.  With right sides together, I join the next block to the top strip.

5.  Raw edges together, join by stitching a ¼” seam.  Flip block over and press.

6.  On back side of row, flip over folded strip and stitch with a slip-stitch.  If you love stitching binding down… you will love this.  The technique is the same.

7.  Join your rows in the same manner as joining the blocks into rows.

8.  Press front.

9.  Flip back over and repeat step 6.

Bind it… and tah-dah - it’s done!

Well, it’s DONE if you quilted ALL of your blocks.

Yesterday in the Pacific Northwest - the weather was hot, sunny and A/C worthy. Herr Zombie and I took a little trip inland to Battle Ground, WA for Barn House’s 2009 Fall Harvest and for Beyond the Garden Gate’s Vintage Gathering (also in Battle Ground). My mini sequel to last year’s adventure (Part I & Part II).

A sweet day with just hubby and me - a nice drive, seeing my friend Karen from TheCityWho’sNameICanNeverSpell and buying some of her incredibly awesome Cardamom Bread, hoping to see my friend Laurie and finally getting to meet her IRL (please notice that I typed that in a non-stalker font)… and for seeing all the harvest goodness and getting my harvest groove back on.

This vendor (The Olive Kat) at Vintage Gathering had THE most beautiful Pyrex display I’ve ever seen - and I wanted it all to come home with me (and I brought my husband with me why?).   I sucked at taking good shots, but I found some photos of their booth here (along with gobs of photos of the entire event).

Next stop… Barn House.   The weather was sunny and beautiful, but I was jonesing me some rainshine.

Sudden craving for some baguettes, balsamic vinegar, basil…

I wish this was my barn.  And I’d live in it.  And I’d hang my hat here.

Of course I’d have to have my TV hidden behind it. I may be able to live in a barn - but I do need my TV. My fantasy barn comes fully wired.

Continuing on with my living in a barn fantasy… this would be my spa slash bathroom. My fantasy barn comes fully plumed. And with a housekeeping and kitchen staff.

This would be my craft slash sewing room.

Oh beehive.  Shout-out to Nanette and Lori!

I know the actual arrival of Fall is still weeks to come - but I could really give an ess what the calendar says. Why?
1) My friend The Queen of Cuteness, aka Jenny - has released my long awaited dream blog, where I can live in AutumnLand year round at Owlsorts. Three words - Ooooh. Emmm. Geeee!

2) Fall at Casa de Zombie starts when I take a certain someone out of the closet and recycle him.

Jack’s coming out of the closet (again)- from 2006’s Halloween.   I know… it’s kind of like handing out stale left-over candy from last year.

No dust, no rot, no seeds, no funny smell.   Just Jack.  For your own recycled Crayon Jack, click here.

Tingle on Wayne… tingle on Garth.

I teased about it here - that something was up.  A lot of laughing and trunky-business… and now the cat’s out of the bag and our story will be told.  Our day at Alex’s - she interviewing Pam, Elizabeth and me for the Daily Blog at The Quilt Show.   I cringe seeing myself on video.  For certain I thought I looked like Heidi Klum as my parents have told me… only to discover it’s not true… is so very painful.  So, so, so very painful.   Grab some popcorn, Red Vine’s and Milk Duds… and enjoy the six part series of the Blogging Queens Adventure - Part One.

Bonus features…  behind the scenes.  Or more appropriate… behind the screams.

Pam and Alex prepping for production. That’s right.  TV lingo.

Alex and Pam prepping.  More TV lingo… Monica:  When does the craft services truck come?

Pam and Alex get Pam’s quilt hung on the wall.

Elizabeth (and her quilt) gets hung on the wall.  Don’t worry E, those pins should stop hurting in about 5 minutes.

Alex posing for her Al Roker shot.

Elizabeth gets interviewed.

Pam gets interviewed.

Dueling interviews. Alex interviewing Pam who’s interviewing Alex, and so and so forth and they told two friends who told two friends…

No relevance to the story… just a cute shot of Pam.

All three of us getting interviewed. This was my favorite part, as Alex had us place our blogging arsenal in front of us. If only we had had ONE MORE camera to take a photo of it all. Good thing Alex was armed with a video camera. My other favorite part was saying my blog was ad free… and poof, I now have an ad! I should have said my blog has no X-5. POOF.

As it turns out, the entire morning was one big rouse for me to pay up on my TQS membership.

“No, no, no… we don’t take American Express“. Later I was flogged, tarred and feathered.  I’m thinking that entering Pam’s contest might be in order. Or dig out my Visa… because I want full access at TQS.  And besides… these #@$%! feathers hurt.

Behind the screams… Elizabeth & Alex = trunky-business.

How nice… Pam even provides a complementary ¼ full bottle of water for her trunk *quests*. You know you’ve arrived when you’ve landed in Pam’s trunk. You know you’re an A-Lister when you’ve been served a ¼ full bottle of PKM water.

Blogging Queens Adventure:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6 Fin

Recently the Girl Gang and I went over to sistah Karen’s at AnnaLenaLand to fold, cut and bag fabric. Regardless that we suggested we help, and regardless that we had so much fun and it was so relaxing… it just wouldn’t have been as much fun if I didn’t whine and gripe about that four-letter word (work).  Sistah’s helping out a sistah… all funnin’ and lovin’ - we all do anything for each other (especially if there’s lunch involved).

My stack of Karen’s Daisy A Day. Just as I’d get to the bottom of my fat quarter stack, the warden would come with new rocks Karen would come with a freshly cut stack of fat quarters for me to fold.

There was even some stripin’ goin’ on. BrownChickenBrownCow.

Lunch break at Full Circle Cafe in Ocean Park, WA. I had the Bog Salad, which is loaded with Craisins, cheese, turkey and more - drizzled with a cranberry vinaigrette. SUPER DELISH.

Back to work.  Every available flat surface was filled with stacks-o-goodness. Sewing machines… not just for sewing.

Sooooo cute. But will it fit in my purse?

Connie chipping at her rocks happily folding her stacks.

Robin was promoted to Supervisor - and in no time flat she’s writing my performance review. Hope I don’t get a pay cut. At $0.00 an hour - I can’t afford to misbehave or use my *enriched* language.

So naturally I’m trying to make Employee of the Month, arranging my bundle just so.

My bundles are done. All pretty and ready for Northwest Quilting Expo in September.  Expo = One big shop hop all under one roof.

The sun was setting on another wonderful Girl Gang day. Another generous meal from our hostess with the mostess - dinner at the Depot in Seaview, WA. And then we all went home. Smiling. Hearts, spirits and bellies full.

His & hers therapies. I’m so happy to say that Mr. Zombie is finally home. And thanks to modern medical marvels, aka the PICC line (a “diy” IV system) - the Infection-Zombie gets his RX treatment at home - rather then spending 6-8 more weeks in the hospital. That just blows my mind.

The hospital (OHSU) was fantastic and they couldn’t be more pro-family and made a bummer situation so much better. And perks that scored big with me… the staff of course, but also the 24/7 cafeteria with really good organic/free trade coffee. But home is best, not to mention I can do without the daily almost 2 hour drive each way.  Mr. Z’s infection (in the donor bone) will take a while to rid of, but he’s on the right track and we see progress each day. Our heartfelt thanks to all who bestowed us with good wishes and thoughts, comments and emails… now THAT was truly the best RX - for both of us!

Physical therapy starts again soon for Mr. Z. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was picking up my “prescription” while I was in Arizona.  Ahhh… Arizona.   I had blast with my girl-gang.  I want to go back.  This was my second time in Phoenix, and I need a third -  I want to visit my sweet pals Jona and Bren… and a trip up to Sedona is in order too.

I love the Arizona flag - I’m just gaga about it.  It’s so graphic and bold, and very, very cool.   It has an art-quilt quality and fantastic branding to it.  I want to cut up some fabric and make one for myself.  I love the flag of my home state (California Republic) and my adopted state’s flag (Oregon) is a snooze… but Arizona’s flag is King of The Flags.  Top flag dog.

Beauty found in a Phoenix strip mall.

Surprise!   Or as I like to say… Supplies!  This never got old for me, even though I drove the girl gang nuts and was threatened with getting kicked out of the car.  Arizona has the best names for cities and towns.   I love these names… Bumble Bee, Happy Jack, Carefree, Grasshopper, Christmas and Sunflower.  And these towns/cities say “Arizona” all over them… Skull Valley, Iron Springs, Black Canyon City and Maverick.  Best flag.   Best city names.   And a ton of In-n-Out’s.   Sigh.  You rock, Arizona.

At a JoAnn’s in Phoenix.  Merchandising the HZ way.

Sure is loud in here.  Ahhh.   That’s better.

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) and Calavera de Azúcar (sugar skulls) are not an easy find here in the Pacific Northwest. I KNEW I’d score big in Arizona!


Another score were the tiles I found at Hobby Lobby.   And what a score Hobby Lobby is!  So jealous they’re not on the West Coast.   I first heard of Hobby Lobby via Blogland… and I must say that I really liked it.   It’s as if Micheal’s and HomeGoods had a night in Vegas… and 9 months later a little Hobby Lobby was born.

And then there are the fabrics that came home with me - even though there was already some of it at home.  For the I-Just-Can’t-Get-Enough-Of-These files.  There’s always room for more Sandi, Tanya, Heather and Jennifer in my cupboards!  We visited Quiltz - a shop being featured in the upcoming Quilt Sampler.  We had high expectations, and boy did Quiltz deliver.  I can see why it made the top ten in Quilt Sampler.  Beautiful store and wonderful shopkeepers and staff.   The store was heavily peppered with my favorite fabrics (in my realm of unreality, I know they set the store just for me).  A definite e-ticket of a quilt shop, and the small world part - was that the owners were from Scapposse, Oregon… just up the river from me.

Fabric shopping is all good and fun, but there’s nothing better to make your husband’s-having-emergency-surgery-and-you’re-out-of-state-scrary-sucky-day… then to come home and find that your sweet friend Nanette has sent you some cotton love from her stash.  A total OMG moment.  LOOK at what she sent me!   Talk about vintage goodness, and all the better because it’s from Nanette’s cupboards-o-joy.  Just dreamy. Nanette has a knack for vintage fabrics. She’s THE vintage fabric whisperer. I’m just waiting for the day she gets gobbled up by a fabric company as a repo designer - and we can all have some of her vintage joys in our cupboards.

But wait, there’s more!  Nireko sent me these beautiful Lecien bundles of Mrs. March’s 30’s.  Sooooo stinkin’ cute.  Nireko sent me some other goodies, like the darling box she made - and filled with tiny little Japanese treats that are Triskit sized.  Saving that for another post.  Just too darn cute.

And now that we’re settling back in to “normal”, and the big scare is on it’s way out… time to focus on some more fun stuff!

My bags are packed.
Liquids are in 3 oz. bottles.
The entire girl-gang has shaved their legs.
The dogs have been feed, brushed and de-pooped.
I’ve stocked up on corn-dogs, pizza rolls and Hot Pockets lovingly prepared meals for the boy-folk.

Camera… charged.
iPhone… charged.
iPod… loaded.
Flip-flops… on. (they’re always on, so that’s not a clue)
Dogs… sad.
Triskit… ready to go!

The girl-gang+Triskit is hitting the road. Or rather the skies. Where will we land?   No one knows (except Pam!).

Because I’m a 12 year old trapped in a 40mumblemumble yeat old body … and because playing hide-n-seek is my favorite game (hubby and I even play it with our dogs)… I’ve enlisted Triskit to play hide-n-seek with me. I will be iPhoning Triskit in secret locations throughout our girl-gangpalooza trip and uploading them to my flickr. First person to guess our location (or nearest to our location) by Tuesday morning (April 7th) wins a kitchy airport prezzie that I’ll pick up from there.

- Guess as many times as you want.
- One guess per comment please.
- Yes, I’m 12.
- Comment here.
- Follow the clues here.
- TAG… YOU’RE IT!

Following our trip to Barn House, we ventured where the signs told us to go next.

Second stop was a place where I had trouble remembering the name.  I still can’t remember, and will edit it in later.  I do though remember it was in Battle Ground, WA (don’t get too homesick Nanna Jamma).  Super-size-me photos on a slide-show here for flickr peeps.

After many turns and twists, we are lead down this drive-way not knowing what awaits us.

A little enchanted forest with a village (someone’s home with lots of little buildings and goodies to buy inside them).

The doorway to Autumn paradise.

A cute little “shop” with folk artsy goodies.  Karen picking out for each of us a darling felt pendant with a cute Halloween critter on it to remeber our fun day together.  I could have gone to town in here. Actually, I did.  I had an armful of stuff to buy, got the counter… and the didn’t take debit/plastic (oh well, I was tightening the belt anyway).  Paula and I both did manage to get some adorable little fabric pumpkins (I see pumpkin making in our future).

An enchanting little grove and parts of it were lit up with twinkling lights.  I can only imagine how magical it must look at night.

And THIS is what brought me to my knees and prompted a 100+ photographs.  Amanda, you better sit down - hope you didn’t get a new barn yet.
I.  LOVE.  THIS.

One more time:  I.  LOVE.  THIS. I love this. I love this. I love this.

I took 100’s of photos to show my carpenter - for him to draft up a work order (aka my hubby and a honey-do list). I would LOVE to have this little sanctuary in my yard. I could envision so clearly friends coming over… having tea (or margaritas), stitching, yacking. Just being together hanging out and having respite, creativity, laughter, and of course… snacks.

Right side of the sanctuary:

Left side of the sanctuary:

Next stop… Beyond The Garden Gate, also in Battle Ground. Impressed with myself for remembering the name… I got lucky and captured the sign in one of my photos.  The highlight of this stop was nature’s wonders and farmishy stuff on the property. LOOK at this tree!!! I ’bout drove off the side of the road when I first saw it (shhh… don’t tell that to Robin).

My girl gang accused me of a reach-a-round.
And I did.
And I liked it.
And it felt like cherry chapstick.

Barntastic art.

New stuff inside to buy, but I’m more into vintage pre-loved stuff or handmade.  I did like their window box with the pumpkins (the mint green star on The Juice, not so much).  Something else to put on my “work-order”.  I see a trip to Lowes in my hubby’s future.  Okay, okay… I love the star too, and want it on the side of my one-day barn sanctuary.  And painted in aqua.

I did manage to drop some cash and picked up some cute iron gardenishy stuff.

After our vintagepalooza through Battle Ground, off to lunch we went.  For dessert we went to Kalama for antiquing and scored, scored, scored. If you’re ever traveling up the I-5 between Portland and Seattle, and you love antique shopping… Kalama is a great little town with many little stores to choose from. The locals here call it “ka-LAM-a”. But I know better and refuse to buckle to inaccurate pronunciation… it’s “ka LA ma” when I comes from my mouth, mahalo very much.

Paula and Robin getting ready for Halloween at the antique mall.

And before we knew it… it was time for dinner, and even more fun was had. And then it was time to make the trek back to the coast. I got home just after 10pm… and off to bed I went, dreaming of the magical day with the best friends ever… while sugar plumbs and little barn sanctuaries danced in my head.