Pumpking Launching

It's that time of year again! The time of year to go out to Plumper Pumpkin Patch and launch pumpkins as far as we can using trebuchet's and air cannons. It's always a good time. This year our friend Joe brought out his newly modified cannon. It was a big hit. He had spend the past couple weeks adding a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the elevation of the barrel as well as giving it a full camouflage paint job. It had amazing distance, or height, depending on the barrel's position.

The map below shows where we were and gives a general idea of where the pumpkins were going. The distance to the landing area of the pumpkins from the trebuchet are about 300 feet away, uphill. The cannon was in the 1000 foot range.


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Enjoyed the show

We went to see the Kings of Leon last night at the Schnitz. We really like their first 2 albums so we bought tickets. Then their 3rd album came out a few weeks ago and it's gotten mediocre (if not poor) reviews. So we went to the concert with low expectations. The two opening bands were ok and the Kings were really good. They only played 3 or 4 songs off the new album so it was fun!

What wasn't fun was getting into bed just before midnight and then getting up to go to work this morning. I'm beginning to think that we might be getting to old for the week-night-concert-scene! Or maybe we'll be the grey hairs who are always in the audience.

I can't believe it's only Wednesday evening! The last few weeks at work have been really tough and I'm completely exhausted by this time in the week. It's going to take everything I have to make it through the last 2 days...
Well, Gabe's falling asleep next to me here on the couch so I'd say it's time these nearly grey hairs get to bed!
-h

Rally Weekend

Well, not a full weekend, but a rally none the less. The annual Mt. Hood Rally was Saturday, and Doug and I placed 7th overall out of 23 cars. Not too shabby. Heidi, my dad and Joanne came up to spectate and hang out for the weekend, which was nice. They finally got to see the car go through a spectator area at speed. Last time I was at a rally we weren't so lucky.

Today, we explored the Parkdale area, buying some apples and pears and the having lunch at the Elliot Glacier Public House. I also drove everyone through one of the stages from yesterdays rally. I explained how I make calls to the driver and what kind of information I give him.


Update, video added!

Another year...

Today is our 4th Anniversary. It's hard to believe that it's been 4 years already! Gabe and I were talking last week about how quickly the years are going by and how happy they've been. We've really been sooo blessed.

The 4th Anniversary gift is a little on the lame side. It's the fruit and flower anniversary. It sounds perfect for us since we both really love plants but I've been working for months to come up with something meaningful. For the last 3 years we've had things monogrammed or engraved and I really wanted to keep that up. I had this wonderful idea to get a flower pot engraved and then pick out a flower to plant. Well, I had very little success finding what I wanted and had to settle on a small flower pot that I was able to have engraved. I found this website that will engrave almost anything. Now we still haven't decided what to plant in it. I guess that might have to be discussed over dinner tonight. Any ideas?

I'm really looking forward to enjoying an evening out with my wonderful husband (and then probably coming home to watch The Office).
-h

So that's where all the leftover containers are...

Gabe came home this evening and announced that he brought home all the leftover containers he's been "collecting" at work. I was working on my mid term exam for my class so without even looking up I just said, "Wonderful...I noticed we were getting low." I guess I didn't really realize just how low that was until he loaded up the dishwasher with them all. This is what I tried to put my dinner dishes into:
That was some collection he was making! Seriously! Where was he putting all of these? I just had to laugh...
Since we got married (and maybe even before) I've "encouraged" Gabe to bring his lunch to work. Being the thrifty spender I am, that shouldn't be a huge surprise. So I guess I shouldn't discourage him, but there's really no reason to keep these at work for so long. Remember he was gone in New Orleans last week so these are all older than that! My question is...where does he keep all these? And why don't his co-workers complain. Maybe they do...not just to me! It's like stinky middle school lockers!
-h

How to catch a mouse

Step one:  Don't use a cat.  They are worthless.  Although they do alert you to the presence of a mouse.  But will do nothing to actually catch the mouse.  Nothing more than keep you awake all night trying to get it out from under your bed.

Step two:  Feed them lots of peanut butter.  Directly off the trap.

Step three:  When you're folding laundry and you see it scurry across your bedroom and into the bathroom, lock it in!  Of course your cat still believes it's hiding in the corner behind the laundry bin.  (see step one)

Step four:  Accidentally let it out of the bathroom to roam the house freely.

Step five:  Trap it in the spare bedroom and hope that he'll actually not just get a free meal off the peanut butter on the trap.

Step six:  Hope for success when you hear the trap finally snap 12 hours later.

As you can tell, we've been trying to trap a mouse this weekend.  A few weeks ago Jupiter alerted us to his presence in the heater vent, so he's been hiding in there for awhile.  Well, we had to finally turn the heat on this weekend and he quickly found his way around the traps we had set and into the house.  He's been a difficult guy to catch.  Jupiter tried his hardest but the mouse alluded him, and us, for several days.  Now we'll need to spend our Sunday making sure we've clean up all his wonderful droppings!  I really hate mice!  Why can't they just stay outside where they belong?

The Big Easy

New Orleans, that is. As some of you may know I was down in New Orleans over last weekend and for the first part of this week. The picture above is the Mississippi River with downtown to the right side. The bridges are the Crescent City Connection.

I was down there for work, the American Trucking Association was having their annual conference and exhibition. I was there to work our booth in the exhibition hall. It was a good show, and we got some (hopefully) solid sales leads.

During my free time I got to explore the part of the city I could walk to. Basically that meant I could see the French Quarter, including Bourbon Street. The city is still pretty clearly depressed, lots of boarded up buildings. There is some pretty neat architecture in the area though.

It's always fun to see new places, especially some place with the history that New Orleans does, but I'm also glad to be back home.

Finally...The Office

No, not the funny show that wasn't on tonight for some reason, our remodeled office. This is the last installment of the "back room remodeling" series.

The video speaks for itself.



You can click on it and then click the "watch in high quality" link under the video to see things a bit better if you want.

-G