The Ultimate Beach Party

Well, the Big Date Night finally arrived.  We started out at Por Que No? Taqueria on Mississippi Ave.  If you go there, try the Bryan's Bowl. 

 Pre-concert people watching was the best.  We saw Fin Hats, Margarita Dresses, and lots of cool sunglasses. 

Crazy hats of all kinds...

 People brought their pets... 

 Attack Parrots... 

Some people even wore their Habits LOL...

 All in all, it was a fun Date Night!  Jimmy Buffet gave a rousing performance, two encores, with only one small break!  We left thinking of a tropical escape from the gloomy Oregon winter ahead! 

Date Night-Margartaville Bound

It all started three years ago when our Dear Husbands planned a weekend getaway for my Soul Sister and I.   We all enjoyed the surprise (to us), weekend in Astoria, visiting shops, dinners out, a visit to a Comedy Club etc.  The idea was that we would reciprocate in a timely manner, and the guys were getting antsy for us to treat them to a surprise weekend or date. 

We never intended to wait three years, and so when SS heard that Jimmy Buffet was coming to town, she said that we had to get tickets.  She said that he put on a great show, people had tons of fun, acted crazy, and the guys would love it!  So...we made the guys wear Hawaiian shirts and drove them to the 'secret' location.

We couldn't just give them the tickets, we had to make the presentation special somehow, so...SS masterminded a a dinner out at this cute restaurant on the Columbia River, that's only opened from April through October.  We only had a week until they closed, so we couldn't wait for a sunny day.

We had the guys sit under the surfboard, and the whole time they were thinking that the little hanging bag held one of the clues.  We knew it wasn't part of our surprise, but couldn't figure out what it was, until the waitress said it was to keep the bees away.  When they fly in, they think there's already a hive there, so they go someplace else...who knew!

The party planner extraordinaire!  Drinking something with an umbrella, of course!

I don't know what all these ducks do off season, when nobody's there to throw food for them.

SS took clues from the song, Margarataville which she wrapped and had the guys open one by one until they 'got' the date:

Nibblin' on sponge cake

all of those tourists covered with oil

A Mexican cutie (orange)

I blew out my flip-flop

Stepped on a pop-top

Searching for my lost shaker of salt

The concert is tomorrow night...stay tuned, and I'll report how the evening went!

We'll be back Island Cafe, when you re-open in April!

Game Day at the University of Oregon

Wow, is there anything more fun than a college football game on a beautiful fall day?  We're big Oregon Duck fans, and there is no better time to be a Duck than now, when they are No. 2 in the National Rankings. We've followed the team through thick and thin, going to the games rain or shine! Of course, the mantra in Oregon, is that "It never rains in Autzen Stadium!" 

Looks like Darth Vader, but it's actually a colorful guy advertising the Oregon Bookstore.

Tailgate parties were in full swing.  Someone had actually hired an Elvis impersonator, and he was in the parking lot, belting out tunes. 

It was a special day to have both of the kids with us.

Dear daughter and I!

It's always a rush when the Mascot Duck roars out of the bunker on a motorcycle, with the team behind him.  The crowd goes wild!

Beautiful sky!

ESPN'S Game Day was on campus earlier in the day for their morning program, College Game Day, and they returned after the Ducks beat Stanford.  The first half of the game was a nail bighter, but the team came back second half to work their magic!

Setting up for the evening game recap show.

Everyone swarmed around the announcers as they set up for the broadcast...reminded me of the ant farms that my kids had when they were little.

When we returned home at 1:00 AM, we discovered that we'd been 'Flocked'  with green flamingos by our good friends, the Johnson's.

 

The Bad Boy is Back. Five Tips for Getting Your Scared, Escaped Indoor Cat Back Home!

Tucker the escapee on the left, with his sister,Tuxi, in our daughter's room where they like to hangout.  Thankfully, he's home safe and sound after four days on the lam! 

It was a warm summer day and we had the kitchen door open, the dogs were asleep, and Tucker seized the opportunity to take a freebie.  Since he's an indoor cat, we did some research on the Internet, talked with the Vet, the Pet Shop and even got some advice from the ETSY community.  Here's what I learned on cat rescue:

1.  Indoor cats will typically stay close to home-within a 5 house radius.  You need to think like a cat, and look for safe havens like a porch, or deck where they might hide. Sit outside and softly call their name.  They may recognize you and come close enough for you to pet them and ultimately bring them inside.

2.  Once they are out for a day or so, they will be so scared that they will find a safe spot and freeze in place.  They won't come to you during the day when you call, even if you have food or rattle a treat bag.  Wait until night comes and when it's quiet, set out a Kitty Buffet.  Tuna, treats, and catnip placed near the point of escape, will often entice them to come home.

3.  OR, sleep on a sofa with the door open and then food set inside and wait for them to come in.  Of course, you risk enticing other critters to come in also.  After I found a mouse on my patio heading for the treats, I decided on another approach!

4. Open a bedroom window, place a chair nearby for them to jump in and have a fresh can of tuna opened. For three days, Tucker yowled around the house too scared to come in, but the chair near the window did the trick.  He finally got close enough for me to pet him, and then I was able to reach down and pull him inside.

5.  Last resort, get a humane trap.  The Pet Shop suggested to put greens on the bottom, so the metal won't scare them.  Set the trap, place their favorite food inside, and then wait up for the cat to step inside.  The cat will be terrified, so you'll need to be awake and able to bring them inside quickly and release.

Hope one of these tips work if you every have to initiate a cat rescue!