Sandy

Damages from Sandy are estimated at $20 Billion. Millions of people are still without power. Many have lost their homes and loved ones.

(Via AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

I am grateful that we fared well, and am delighted to see that yellow ball in the sky this morning. With climate change is this more of what we can expect to see?

Fake Hurricane Sandy Photos

The worst of the storm has past, and we are fine. So many others are not. 25% of our town had no power this morning. There are trees uprooted in the neighborhood, and most of the leaves are down, but there is still a surprising amount holding on for dear life.

I am fascinated by how social media makes urban legends spread like wildfire. Do people actually check their sources before they post? Check out this article to see some of the junk that circulated.

Recent Reads

106. Graceling

It is always fun to find books with strong girl characters, and this YA book is an enjoyable read. A coming of age, and sexual awakening story. I especially liked the exploration of how to be in a relationship without losing yourself. I plan to read the other two in the trilogy. Rating: 3/5 stars.

107. The Third Gate

I was looking for a thriller/page turner for a trip, but was disappointed by this one. The story has interesting ingredients - Egyptology, treasure hunt, near death experiences, etc, but the plot was plodding, and the characters one dimensional. Rating: 1.5/5 stars.

108. The Graveyard Book

My 10 year old niece Bella is reading this for book club, so decided to read it at the same time so we could discuss it as well.

I am a Gaiman fan, so was expecting to love this book. Did not. Loved the premise - it takes a graveyard to raise a child - but I think my issue with the book is that it really is a collection of short stories, and I'm not a fan of short stories. The imagination and language is pure Gaiman, but I did not get swept away by the story. Rating: 3/5 stars.

Oregon Collage

We are as ready as we can be for Hurricane Sandy. We certainly expect to lose power, so in the meanwhile am playing with photos.

This collage captures the essence of the fun ramblings with my sister.

Hello Sandy

Look at the size of Hurricane Sandy! The eastern portion of the US has been on high alert since Friday. Landfall is not expected until later today, but we've been feeling her effects for the past 24 hours.

Here in the Boston area, we are hunkered down and waiting to see if she'll play nice or not.

Oregon Rambles Pics

Home again, and finally in the right time zone. Am slowly sorting through photos and videos from the trip. Love this mural I found on a Portland street.

Had a fun time catching up with my sister. You can see some of the pics from our rambles here.

BBF

A nice day for the Boston Book Festival. Every session so far has been in wonderful old churches. This is a view of the Old South Sanctuary where I'm waiting for the Graphic Novels session to start.

Frankenstorm

We are battening down for Hurricane Sandy. The boat is in the winter slip, and the goal today is to reduce her windage and put on storm lines. Doesn't it figure that today would be a fab sailing day?

Jane McGonigal: The game that can give you 10 extra years of life

When game designer Jane McGonigal found herself bedridden and suicidal following a severe concussion, she had a fascinating idea for how to get better. She dove into the scientific research and created the healing game, SuperBetter. In this moving talk, McGonigal explains how a game can boost resilience -- and promises to add 7.5 minutes to your life.

Click her to see her fascinating talk, and don't forget to play along.

Family in Vegas

I've been hanging out with my brother and his family in Las Vegas. It has been wonderful catching up. Heading home tomorrow. Feels like I've been away from home for a long time.

Something borrowed

Kids grow up so dang fast. Am loving spending time with my nieces. They ask such great questions. And guess what? I was able to borrow shoes from one of them. How fun. Check out our footwear for this evening.

Swimmers

My nieces are the next generation of swimmers in our family. Watching them doing drills reminds me of so many fun years of swimming competitively as a kid.

 

Attended a meet earlier today. Here are my lovelies before their heats. Love these girls. 

Journal page

Journaling while traveling is a fun way to spend time while waiting. And there is lots of waiting to be done. I find the movement of a pen and brush soothing.

Window seat

Leaving Oregon for Nevada via California. It is a lovely day to fly.

Powells

A city of books. My fave bookstore. Every time I visit Portland I spend several happy hours browsing the stacks. I would consider moving to this city just for this bookstore. Love it.

Portland, OR

Left the rainy Pacific Coast, for the rainy city of Portland. You know how you can identify the tourists in Oregon? We have rain gear and umbrellas, and in general are dressed for the weather. Locals walk around sopping wet in their cotton hoodies. Nuts.

Enjoyed a fab view of the city from Portland City Grill this evening. If you go you gotta try the Kung Pao calamari. Yummy.

Rain with a chance of rain

The weather is is enough to drive a girl batty. If I stay still I'm concerned that moss will start growing between my toes. Other than my first day, it has rained the entire time I've been on the Oregon Coast. 

Went to check out the Lincoln City Kite Festival today, and saw some interesting flying techniques. These are not the kites I used to make as a kid. Remember using newspaper and twigs and twine. Kites have sure been upgraded since then.

And if the rain was not depressing enough, the Patriots lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the last couple of minutes of the game. Sigh. Moving base camp to Portland tomorrow. 

Tillamook

The rain continues in these parts. The fog rolls in, and it is spooky. During our explorations today, had to stop in and sample the cheese and ice-cream. Came away with extra for later. Yummy.

Ahoy Matey

I'm glad I got around to exploring the area before the rains rolled in. It is pouring in these parts, and expected to rain until the day I leave. In the meanwhile am having fun catching up with my sister, and trying not to get flogged.

Pacific City, OR

A beautiful day to explore coastal Oregon. 

Arrived in town yesterday to hang out with my favorite sister. There is something magical about long walks on the beach. Sunset was lost behind the fog bank, but still lovely.