Usergroup

Please join us!
Wednesday, December 6th - 6:00pm

Programmers, SEO-er's, Web developers & designers in Central Oregon... This is an opportunity to network and share ideas with others in your field! This month's topic is citywide wifi. (Big thanks to Ricardo for suggesting this topic!) Frank Miller from Bendbroadband will be joining us to talk about Instanet To Go and other exciting technology coming to Bend in the near future.

Agenda:
6:00pm - Pizza and networking
6:30pm - Presentation by Bendbroadband

The meeting will be held at Edge Wireless Corporate Headquarters, 650 SW Columbia Street (Directions / map).

Please RSVP by posting a comment, email me directly (jenblackledge -at- gmail -dot- com), or visit our announcement on upcoming.org and click "I'm Attending"!

Ace

1-2-3 Ace!

We heard this chant several times last night, as we watched Butthead's volleyball team win three straight matches.

This is her first year playing volleyball, through Parks and Rec. Her coach is excellent, and did a very good job of teaching the basics before their first game. They aren't afraid of the ball, and aren't afraid to use their kneepads! Butthead seems to be enjoying the sport... she is turning out to be quite the "jock".

The games are held at Highland Elementary. The gymnasium has a stage at one end which is where the parents sit and watch. Stinky and Boo kept themselves occupied by building an elevated viewing platform using mats and tumbling blocks.

Experiment

Via under the ponderosas...

OK, I will play along too!

Acephalous is conducting an experiment to see how fast blog meme's catch on and spread. He is going to present the results at a conference later this year.

Help him out by linking to this meme... and spread the word.

Miles

Stinky and Boo still attend school in Redmond, so I drive them up there every morning when they are at our house. This morning we awoke and found two inches of snow outside. They dressed and ate breakfast as usual while I brushed a LOT of snow off the car. (We really need to finish cleaning the garage!) Then I bundled them up and had them wear their boots, and we headed out onto the winter roads.

On a day like this back in Salem, the schools would have been closed. No question. But there wasn't even a delay for the Bend and Redmond schools. The city seems to have the roads pretty well under control. It was slow going, but we made our way north and eventually got onto Hwy 97.

Just before we reached the Tumalo Road overpass we saw our first wreck. Someone went off the road and plowed their Jeep into a tree. Whoops!

By the time we reached the Pleasant Ridge intersection, there was almost no snow. As we came over that last hill before Redmond we could see Smith Rock in the distance - beautiful and wintry white! But there was barely any snow in Redmond. There was a skiff here and there, and the major intersections had been cindered. My car stuck out like a sore thumb, with a few stubborn clumps of snow still clinging to it, compared to the bare cars parked in Redmond driveways.

Amazing, the difference in weather over a few miles. This takes me by surprise every year!

Ski

This winter marks twelve years since I last went downhill skiing. At the time I was still living in Washington state, and frequently ventured up to Crystal Mountain or Stevens Pass. Occasionally I would ski Hoodoo when I visited my mom in Salem, but I rarely made it as far as Bachelor.

Twelve years ago things were pretty different. Skis were longer, narrower, and pointed at the end. There were few snowboarders. There were no terrain parks and few tubing parks.

How long can you live in Bend and not ski? Well, it was apparently my "time". Yesterday Scott and I spent the day at Bachelor. I stuck with my "retro" pair of skis. I was teased about my equipment by other skiiers fairly relentlessly - but was having fun so didn't really mind. Scott rented a new pair. He said they were like a dream - all you have to do is think of turning, and off you go in the right direction.

Conditions were pretty good for the first week - though the weather was pretty brutal with wind and blowing snow. I lasted until about 2pm. Scott skiied until 3. Today I am hurting pretty bad, so I am resting up... for next time!

Yeup I am hooked on it... again. But I am thinking that instead of getting a new set of skis I might have to try snowboarding.

Broken

I never expected to see this... on a chair.


Seen at Sea-Tac Airport, October 2006

Divot

We have a new addition to our family... a little female black puppy (Black Lab & Golden Retriever mix). Her name is "Divot". She is full of squiggles and licks and has a very waggy tail.

Seven

This afternoon I was at home, in charge of SEVEN children. By myself. Scott was golfing with his dad. It was miraculously peaceful. They played together and got along very well! Boo and her friend even bundled up and rode bikes around the park - wearing hats, scarves, and gloves!

Then Scott's mom came by with the cousins... and then there were NINE.

I think that was where my luck was pushed beyond reasonable sanity. But still... everyone's alive and well so it must not have been too bad.

Backporch

A friend and I visited Backporch Coffee today. They are located across the street from Newport Ave Market, in the former Royal Blend shop.

It's a very pleasant shop - good colors and lighting, with large windows so you can just sit and watch the world go by. The employees (owners?) were very friendly. I didn't check to see if they offer wifi - but there were a couple of people there working on laptops so it might be available.

They don't serve "regular" brewed coffee, so I had a cup of the French Press. I generally like my coffee dark and strong. You know - the kind they might as well serve with a knife and fork. This coffee was lighter, but was almost like a wine. The full flavor doesn't hit you for a few seconds, and then WOW! It was excellent coffee, and I may go back to purchase some of their beans for home.

I would highly recommend stopping in and giving them a try if you are in their neck of the woods!

Beta

I am a member of the Beta group for Adobe Fireworks 9. I installed the application today, and found my first TODO items...

Repeat to self: "It's just a beta"

Peanuts

I wanted to change things up for dinner last night. I wanted to try something new, but couldn't find a recipe that suited my needs... so I took parts and pieces from several recipes and created something new! (Well, something new for me, anyways!)

Stinky helped. It was definitely an experiment. Everyone enjoyed their dinner though, and with a few tweaks (like waiting to add vegies until later) I think this will make it into our standard rotation.

Please note that measurements are approximate. I cook everything to taste, not to math. :)

Wind

Dear Mother Nature,

Enough with the wind, already. Your little storm on Sunday night was a good start. But it's Wednesday now. Three days later and I still am getting blown all over town. My hair is a permanently tangled disaster. I am ready for your next act. Change it up a bit, please?

Boots

The annual boot-fitting festival at Chez Fiveforefun results are in! All kids officially have boots that FIT... from the boot box. No shopping for boots this year. Why? Because Stinky has ski feet and he fits a pair of MY (barely worn) boots that were too uncomfortable for me but he loves. So this year... everyone gets hand me downs.

So to celebrate... I am getting new boots! (My current boots are older than Stinky... they are circa 1992 Raichle's!) I am thinking about getting these. I tried on a pair and they seem very comfy...

On the snow pants scene we didn't get nearly as lucky. Boo is the only one with snow pants so Butthead and Stinky will both have to get new ones. So... I hope it waits to snow again or they will be very cold and wet!

Martini

I heard that the Bendistillery is planning to open their new restaurant in the Old Mill district on December 1st. Woot! (They are not planning to close the Martini Bar downtown.)

We stopped by the downtown location on Friday night. Generally I order the Lemon Drop but decided to try something new, so I had a "Ginger Rogers". I don't remember seeing that one on the menu before. It was made with ginger-infused vodka and muddled lemon... and it was delicious!

Closets

We are finally getting around to finishing our closets - building and installing shelves, clothing bars, and so on. We started everything today, but only completed the pantry so far. It is wonderful to have so much shelf space. (We had a couple of old modular units set in there, temporarily.)

Tomorrow we'll finish up the bedroom closets and the other rooms. Not a relaxing weekend... but it feels good to get something accomplished.

Weinermobile

Today on the way to lunch, we spotted the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile. We were heading east on Reed Market Road. It went through the traffic light at 3rd Street and we had to stop... so I am not sure where it ended up.

Anyone know where the Weinermobile was going? Did anyone get a WeenieWhistle or a pin?

Mole

I judge Mexican restaurants by their "Chicken en Mole" (pronounced moh-lay). Well... not exclusively. Let's just say a good Mole goes a long way towards earning my stamp of approval.

For some reason this is tough dish to prepare just right. (Or then again, I might just be too picky.) It could be too greasy. The chicken might be too dry and chewy. The mole sauce might be too spicy. Even worse - the mole sauce might be too sweet. Or there just isn't enough mole sauce! It is a dish that I would like to attempt cooking at home, but for now I enjoy ordering it.

Last night Scott and I went to the new El Rancho Grande restaurant in the Cascade Village Mall. We sat in the "cantina" where Paul Eddy, an acoustic guitarist & singer, was performing. He was playing older tunes from the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, and Tom Petty. All songs that I recognized from the first few chords, and had I been in the car with the kids would have been singing along. At one point he asked for requests; we asked to hear
  ...anything by Ben Harper
    ..."Treetop Flyer" by Steven Stills
      ..."Cotton Jenny" by Gordon Lightfoot
        ...and (of course) "House of the Rising Sun"
But he didn't know any of them. He also performed a couple of original songs, which were pretty good. Scott and I each had a Negra Modelo to drink, munched on chips and salsa, and enjoyed the music.

Then my Chicken en Mole appeared. It was served on a huge plate with rice and beans, and accompanied by a container of flour tortillas. The beans were covered with just enough shredded jack cheese. The rice had bits of red and green bell pepper. Everything was prepared exceptionally well... including my Chicken en Mole. The chicken was tender and surprisingly flavorful. The sauce had just the right combination of sweetness with a "kick". There was just a hint of chocolate flavor - but not overpowering.

We will be going back to El Rancho Grande. Scott also enjoyed his meal. The staff was attentive. The salsa that came with the chips was spicier than other restaurants - and very good. And - last but not least - the Chicken en Mole was outstanding. I would venture to say it's the best in Bend!

Connect

Adobe is offering a free trial for their conferencing product, Acrobat Connect (formerly Breeze).

In a nutshell, this product gives you a way to connect with others and hold meetings over the Internet. There are chat, notepad, and screen-sharing tools. A conference call phone number is provided too!

This is similar to other web conferencing tools, so if you are familiar with NetMeeting or the "GoTo" product line then it's pretty straightforward.

Ready to give it a try? Click here to get signed up!

Buh-bye!

Adios, Mr. Rumsfeld.

Baby

What are the ad agencies in Central Oregon smoking? Who are the ad wizards that come up with this hogwash?

Yesterday I posted Stinky's reaction to the Jerry's Outdoor radio spot for snow blowers.

Then I heard the new ad for Norwalk (the Furniture Idea).

A woman is welcoming her hubby home from work, with the announcement that she is pregnant. Very pregnant. Yes boys and girls it's a miracle, she went from skinny jeans to a seven month belly in a matter of hours.

She indicates that now that she is preggers they need a newer, comfier bed. And more calming decor. They need the best for their baby, after all. And where can they get all this? At Norwalk, of course!

But there is no baby. She has stuffed a pillow into her shirt in order to trick her hubby into buying the new furniture. But don't panic! It turns out that the hubby happened to see the bedroom furniture and likes it too, so they can run right down to Norwalk and buy it.

After he reminds her to remove the pillow.

Oh but that isn't the worst part of this ad folks. Not by far. After hubby agrees to go, the woman asks:

"While we are out, can we get a baby too?"

I can't tell you how loud this ad makes me want to scream. They have got to be kidding, right? Not only does this ad not inspire me to visit the Norwalk store... I avoid it altogether!

Shopping

In honor of Election Day... I am not posting anything political. Just vote, OK?

Yesterday, while I was driving the kids home from school, we heard an ad for Jerry's Outdoor. It's that time of year, when we Bend-ites need to consider our snow removal needs. (Hopefully some time before that first big storm!)

The spot started with a woman observing that it was snowing hard, and there were already six inches of snow in their yard. She tells her hubby that the forecast is calling for two feet of snow. She insists that he should really start shoveling.

So that tomorrow she can get her truck out of the driveway and go shopping. (That's right, shopping. Because no one in the target demographic for that ad in Bend actually has to get their car out of their driveway to go to work or drive kids to school on a snowy morning... apparently.)

The ad continued, with the announcer describing the benefits of having a snow blower (purchased from Jerry's) so that darling hubby wouldn't have to miss a moment of the big game showing on his big-screen TV.

And that's right about the moment when Stinky asked,

"Why does he have to shovel the driveway? Why doesn't she shovel it herself? She's the one who wants to go shopping!"

And the words "go shopping" were in a snobby voice, mimicking the snobby lady in the ad. That's my boy...

Zurt!

We had the cousins over for dinner this weekend. Dinner was a "Coke Roast" with vegies, potatoes, and Caesar salad. Everything turned out well... but dessert was the big hit of the night. I made Brownie Pudding Cake and served it with Moose Tracks ice cream.

So... Very... Delicious!

Ice cream aside, this cake is nothing short of fabulous. During the baking process, the batter separates. The cake rises to the top and the cocoa pudding goes to the bottom, forming a rich and delicious sauce. The Gilmore Girls might dig into this during movie night (but only if Sookie baked it for them). Best of all... it's simple to prepare!

Brownie Pudding Cake
Ingredients
1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder*
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. milk
3 T butter, melted
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 c. boiling water
1 T powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine flour, 3/4 c. sugar, 1/4 c. cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add milk, melted butter and 1/2 t. vanilla; stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in baking dish. (I use a stoneware baking dish like this one, so I'm not sure if it works as well if baked in a metal pan.)

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 c. sugar and 1/4 c. cocoa; gradually stir in boiling water and remaining 1 t. vanilla. Carefully pour mixture evenly over batter in baking dish.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

*Unsweetened cocoa is not the same as cocoa mix or instant cocoa that often contain sweetener and/or dried milk. It's found in the baking aisle, and it is useful when flavoring other dishes including meats. I always keep a container in the pantry!

Recipe found in Delightful Desserts.

Book

The rules:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next four sentences on your blog along with these instructions.

So... I admit it. I like kids' books. And not just "Harry Potter". I like novellas, and other "juvenile fiction". I grew up with Ramona, Fudge, and Harold (and his purple crayon). I dreamed of attending Sweet Valley High or living in a "Little House" with Ma, Pa, Laura and Mary. I especially love picture books. (Ever read, David Gets In Trouble?) That doesn't mean I don't read and enjoy "grown up" books... there is just something comforting about kids' books to me. (And we seem to have an unending supply of them around!)

I picked up Flipped (by Wendelin Van Draanen) at the kids' school book fair. It is a fun, fast read.

That evening my mother announced that the Bakers would be over Friday night at six o'clock; that the menu included poached salmon, crab risotto, and fresh steamed vegetables; and that none of us had better weasel out of being there. My dad muttered that if we were really going to do this, it would be a whole lot better to barbecue because at least that way he'd have something to do, but my mom positively smoked him with her eyes and he dropped it.

So. They were coming.

Via Jen Pondo

Otis

The results are in...

Otis, the 1073 lb. pumpkin contained

(drumroll please)

(can you feel the excitement)

367 seeds

I wonder how much each seed weighs? Otis was a monster pumpkin... I wonder if the seeds were huge, or the same size as you might scoop from your everyday, normal jack-o-lantern variety? The guy at the store didn't say... but they did mention that there were pumpkins growing inside Otis... white ones. Weird.

At any rate... none of us were even close to guessing correctly. Boo was actually closest with her guess of 999 seeds. Butthead won a prize from her raffle entry... and got a Miller Lite t-shirt (that would comfortably fit the whole family at once).

In Otis' honor, I give you a recipe:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. melted butter or oil (olive oil or vegetable oil work well)
salt to taste
Options To Taste:
garlic powder
"Johnny's" seasoning
cayenne pepper
seasoning salt
Cajun seasoning blend

Preheat oven to 300° F. Clean off any major chunks of string or pulp (it's OK to leave a little for flavor). Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with melted butter and seasonings. Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Bunco

Bunco is a dice game for a group of twelve. Back when I lived in Salem my family was part of a group that met and played monthly. Last night I "subbed" and played with a group of women in my neighborhood.

Bunco is pretty simple to play. If you are interested in learning about how the game is played you can click here to read the rules.

But in my experience Bunco groups are not generally "just" about Bunco. They are about groups of friends (or families) setting aside time to get together. It's a time to relax and share what's going on in everyone's lives. The game is simple enough that everyone can carry on a conversation while playing. As winners and losers rotate between the tables everyone gets a chance to chat as a smaller group as well.

Bunco consists of four rounds; after the second round the Salem group observed a half-hour "halftime". Everyone brought a potluck dish and all the families would dig in and taste from a wide variety of dishes. It was a chance to regroup with the kids (who invariably wander off and play together) and your "date" (sometimes your spouse... and sometimes not!). As kids and adults mixed, talking and laughing, the volume would grow. As halftime wound down everyone pitched in to help clean up, corral the kids, and get ready for the final two rounds.

The group I played with last night didn't have halftime - but the need to regroup wasn't the same since it was just the girls. There was still plenty of food, lots of laughter, and fun.

Someone asked me, do you like to play Bunco? There are really two answers to this question. As far as the game goes... no. I prefer to play games that involve strategy or imagination. But as far as events go... yes. Bunco is a fun way to get to know your neighbors, keep up with busy friends, and relax and have a good time.

NaBloPoMo

In celebration of National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo)... I've accepted the challenge to update my blog every day for a month. So... if there's anything in particular you would like to see here, now's your chance! De-lurk and post a comment with your topic suggestions, and maybe I will blogify them.

Costumes

Apparently Halloween is "banned" from schools because it might offend someone. Also a claim has been made that the costumes are "distracting" in the classrooms. There is no educational value, they say. I remember back in Elementary school, we were allowed to wear costumes... but they had to be based on a book character or an author. Did I have the only creative teachers out there, that could turn this "traditional" Halloween activity into something educational?

Trips to the pumpkin patch are still around. Last year Boo's (1st grade) class went to learn about "harvest" and collect pumpkins so they could measure them as part of a math lesson. I have no clue how running through a corn maze teaches anyone about "harvest"... but OK... whatever works. Butthead's (4th grade) class went last year too... but then we had to pick her up from school because (get this) the kids are not allowed to take pumpkins on the school bus. EH?!

Whether a holiday is celebrated by their family or not... does it harm a kid to learn about traditions practiced by others... be it at home or at school? I would have no problem with the kids learning about traditions from other countries and faiths. It seems like that would serve to promote the understanding, respect and tolerance that are sorely missed!

Goblins

The kids had a fun Halloween. Unfortunately our camera died during Stinky's Lego club (I was taking pictures for their website)... so I have no pictures of the girls' costumes. :(

Butthead wore a long black dress with sort of a diagonal-cut skirt (higher in the front, trailing back to a train in the back). She had a crazy, long pink wig with a leopard print headband... and vampire teeth. She made everyone try to guess who she was (no one could). She told everyone "I'm Stevie Nicks, but I was bit by a vampire!"

Boo wore a yellow dress with sequins and a flowered neckline. She had a cute, bobbed pink wig with pink cat ears. Some of the guesses as to her disguise were "Jem", "Spice Girl", and "Britney Spears". According to Boo, she was a ballroom dancer.

Stinky did not wear a costume this year. But he was wearing his big winter coat (with hood) and track pants... so everyone though he was "Eminem". Eventually he joined in and started telling people that's who he was.

The girls changed into their costumes at the school, while we waited for Stinky to get finished with the Lego club. We went straight from the school to Edge Wireless, where they host an annual trick or treating event. Butthead had her picture taken with "Frank" in the lobby. There were many spooky passageways with plenty of treats, and they had a good time.

On the way home we stopped at the "Expressway" market to see "Otis" - the 1073 lb pumpkin. The kids entered a contest trying to guess how many seeds were in Otis. (I feel sorry for whoever has to count those seeds!) The girls made random guesses. Stinky had a theory that pumpkins have a certain number of seeds per pound, so he did the math and entered the result as his guess. The store was also giving away full size candy bars to trick or treaters so the kids were EXTRA glad that we stopped there.

When we got home the kids hit the streets for more trick or treating. It was pretty cold so they didn't last long, but netted a LOT of candy.

At home, we had more trick or treaters than ever! We bought 3 bags of candy which is usually more than enough. After the kids got home they supplemented the goody bowl with the treats they didn't want... but we still turned the light off at 8pm after a SOLID 2 1/2 hours of trick or treaters at our door.