Christmas 2008

Andreas made us some delicious Danish rice pudding this year. Normally, I'm not a rice pudding fan myself, but I tried his and really liked it. It miracuslously disappeared from our refrigerator in a short time.

We had a wonderful Christmas this year, though it didn't quite turn out like we expected. We had planned on celebrating in southern California, where it would be warm. This seemed especially wonderful when snow hit Portland, almost two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the impact crippled the city and the airport. Curtis and Andreas were due to fly out on the 22nd. Despite a valiant effort to get to PDX with suitcases in tow (in the snow!), their flight was canceled. Alaska Airlines said they could not be re-booked until the 26th. I was due to fly out on the 24th after work on Southwest. I never checked to see if my flight left or not (unlikely), as I wasn't going to spend it apart from my guys. I was sad to not see my parents and sister Brenda, though.

I got off early on Christmas Eve and rode the MAX downtown for some last-minute shopping that Santa needed to do. I hit Abercrombie, Macy's, Safeway, and Rite Aid. Curtis had invited some friends over for a Christmas Eve dinner. We were delighted that we weren't the only ones in town. Kevin, Sam, Rick, Henry, Daniel, and my sister Tina joined us for a wonderful dinner of salad, ham, green bean salad, mashed potatoes, gravy, and dessert. We then shared Christmas memories, read Luke 2 from the Bible ("Just like dad does," Tina reported to me), and sang some Christmas carols. It was a good time spent with some good people.

Curtis, Andreas, Tina and I walked in the snow to midnight mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in NW Portland. There was a good turnout, but not as full as it normally is. The music was fantastic and enjoyable! By the time Santa was done with his work, it was 3:30am! Tina slept on the couch.



Surprisingly, I was the first one up (around 9:45am). We opened our stockings first, then took turns handing out presents and opening them up individually. I thought Tina had been naughty this year, but Santa brought her some gifts anyway (she was to receive many more later at Aunt Kim's house). I got a bunch of good books and movies this year. Andreas gave me "Dark Knight" and a Joker bobble-head, as well as a Blockbuster gift card. Curtis gave me a very nice duty bag for work. I also received "Into the Wild," a wonderful movie made from the great book of the same name. I got a new scarf, too! Aunt Kim gave me gift cards to Red Lobster and the Cheesecake Factory (does she know me, or what?).



The next highlight of the day was dinner at my Aunt Kim's house. I hiked down to PSU and picked up an all-wheel-drive Subaru. I picked up everyone at my condo, then we headed out to NE Portland. The roads were good. Once we arrived, heavy snow began. We brought lots of Martinelli's and made some spinach artichoke tartlet appetizers. Kim and Brian did the rest. We feasted on ham, Mormon potatoes, green bean casserole, jello, and more I can't even remember. Dessert was pies (several kinds) and Christmas cookies.

After dinner, we came home and watched "A Christmas Story," which has to be my favorite Christmas movie. One of Tina's co-workers came and picked her up, since she had to be to work at 8am the next day.

Our original holiday plans didn't work out, but our holiday was awesome! I am grateful to have family in Portland.

New Cooking Toys

We recently attended a cooking party/sales presentation put on by one of Curtis' co-workers. She sells for Demarle at Home, which is a French professional cooking product line. We spent almost $200 on products, which we told ourselves would be our Christmas gifts to one another.

One of the items we bought (and have used the most so far) is a tartlet tray. We bought an a cookie cutter-type tool and a shaper and have been in the appetizer business ever since. We took some spinach artichoke tartlets to Christmas dinner yesterday and they were a hit. We've also made some sweet tartlets using raspberry preserves. Here is the tray, which is flexible and non-stick.

Here is how we make them (the pie dough is pre-made and comes in a roll from the grocery store):

Snow Pics

Curtis and Andreas enjoyed the snow. Here is some proof.

Did Mother Nature Confuse Portland, ME with Portland, OR?

We have had unusually harsh weather this Winter. If my eavesdropping ears heard right, we have had 16.5 inches of snow in the past two weeks. Our car is snowed in and hasn't moved in over a week. We have a steepish driveway that still hasn't recovered from last week's ice rain. Even our neighbors with SUVs have not moved them or are parking on the street and hiking up. Schools in Portland and Beaverton closed for a full week prior to the normally-scheduled Christmas vacation due to the harsh weather. I have had to drive my patrol car around with chains on.



My secrets to getting around this Winter have been:

1) Not driving (except at work). I have taken the MAX (Portland's light-rail train) to work every day since the storms started. The system has been very reliable, particularly the leg I use between home and my office.

2) If you must drive, and your BMW sedan just isn't cutting it, take a Zipcar all-wheel drive Subaru for a spin. Having a membership with Zipcar prior to the harsh weather allowed us to make some much-needed escapes from downtown (Christmas dinner, for example). If you would like to join Zipcar, I would love to refer you!



3) Good quality footwear. My Danner boots, made to order in Portland, Oregon, have done an awesome job in this weather.


4) Yaktrax. They do for shoes what snow chains do for car tires. They have been invaluable, both at work and at home. Have some ready for the next time this kind of weather strikes!

5) Columbia Sportswear gear. Waterproof and weatherproof. Enough said.

Let There Be Sight II

Since I last wrote about my eyes, I have been to a consultation for all-laser Lasik vision correction surgery. I am a candidate. After extensive testing, I learned that it will cost $3,598. As part of the testing, the nice lady put drops in my eyes to dilate my pupils. They really dilated! With my pupils that dilated, I couldn't see anything up close. It was scary. Fortunately, Curtis was there to drive me home.

I have a tentative surgery date of 1/8/09. I might move that back a week, but it's nice to have a date set.

Snow = We Don't Need No Education

There has been no school this week due to the snow and ice in Portland. I drove to work on Sunday and everything was fine, though cold. During briefing, it began snowing. It has been on and off snow ever since then. With the freezing temps, the roads have been perilous. I'm not a fan of snow, as many of you already know. I had to have chains put on my patrol car on Sunday. I ran around, going from crash to crash, until it got really, really old. Cars are so well-built now that I didn't see any serious injuries. I worked "the road" Monday and Tuesday, as well, assisting several more people who had crashed into cars, other stationary objects, power poles, etc. I was glad that I had training scheduled for Wednesday. A reprieve from crashes!

There has been no school for Curtis or Andreas all week due to the snowy and icy roads. They have had a blast playing in the snow, sledding, and building a snowman.

Another Movie Recommendation: "Derailed"

Starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen, this gripping thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. What starts as an innocent introduction on a Chicago-bound commuter train becomes a passionate, psychological thriller with some unexpected twists and turns (unless you're a movie critic, apparently). I recommend Derailed.

Christmas is Coming!

We got our lovely tree last Saturday (they're only $15 in Oregon where we go) and it's all decorated and pretty. I also got our Christmas cards out in the mail today. We're slowly getting ready for the big day.

An Apology over Proposition 8

I got this emailed to me and liked it. I did a little editing. The original source is http://forgivenessfor8.blogspot.com/

What more can be said? I'm sorry I'm sorry.

I am sorry to my gay and lesbian friends in California that we Mormons got involved in an issue designed specifically to deprive you of the social and legal comforts that marriage can bring. I am sorry that we Mormons live in a world of contradiction.

On the one-hand we condemn the homosexual community for its supposed instability, promiscuity, and immorality, while on the other we seek to deny you the very institution which, according to our own heterosexual world-view, would provide the stability, commitment, and moral fortitude we claim you lack. I am sorry because we claim that that children have the "right" to be raised in a home with a father and a mother.

We are so committed to this idea in fact, that we would rather see those children already born into difficult and non-ideal circumstances languish in foster-care and other flawed systems, rather than be given the love and stability that your homes are so ready and willing to provide. Oddly, we claim that children have this "right" to both mother and father yet our own divorce rates would indicate that many Mormon children do not enjoy this "right."

Also, I'm sorry that all of our attention has been focused on you and not on preventing single persons the ability to adopt, or stripping children way from single mothers or widows and who are depriving their children of this "right" to both mother and father. I'm sorry that we have spent so much time and so many resources in this "moral" battle while ignoring other battles of equal, if not more certain moral concern. For a church that has, for at least one given reason, engaged in the Proposition 8 fight to protect the will of the voters, we have been oddly silent about troubling provisions of the Patriot Act, for example, which clearly violate the rights of voters and citizens.

What more can be said? I'm sorry.

Let There be Sight

I got a letter in the mail from my employer's Human Resources department. It invited me to a meeting where Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) would be discussed. They had also chosen a new, different provider, and questions could be answered. I read more about FSAs and attended the meeting after processing the information.

FSAs provide a place for pre-tax dollars from my paychecks to hang out until I need to be reimbursed for an approved health-care related expense. Medical/dental appointment deductibles are eligible, as are purchases of home health care items, and laser eye surgery. An employee can contribute up to $2,500 per year for their own (or for their dependents') care. The money does not get carried over from year to year.

Laser eye surgery? I have been needing/wanting to have this procedure done, but was never quite sure how to squeeze it into the old budget. By setting aside a certain amount per pay period, I can pay for the procedure with money that otherwise would have gone to taxes! At the meeting, I also learned something even more intriguing: I can have the procedure done before I have contributed my full amount. That part shocked me. But sooner is better. My eyes have been getting worse with each new prescription.

I have two appointments scheduled with different clinics to see how their services/rates compare. OHSU's Casey Vision Correction Center quoted me $1,975 per eye (!).

Movie Recommendation: Proof

I watched a fantastic movie the other night called Proof. There was brilliant acting from three of my favorite actors: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins. Also, Hope Davis does a fine job as the voice of reason and efficiency. The movie deals with mathematics, mental illness and genius. I highly recommend it. It's even PG-13. For those of you still not convinced, my friend Eric, a professional movie critic, gave it a B (for proof on Proof, see here). When critics give something a B, it means that normal people would really enjoy it. So go see it.

Warren's Masterpiece

My cousin Warren has some fancy camera. Check out this masterpiece shot of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands. Pretty fancy, eh?

German Christmas Tradition Continues

Our second exchange student, Alex Herzog, surprised us again this year with a neat tradition that he and his family do: a German advent calendar, complete with delicious German truffles and candies. Each day, we get to devour one of these wrapped candies (they are numbered). Here is a picture of this year's edition. Thanks so much, Alex and Sabine!

Sister Tina Turns 25!

I haven't been very good about updating my blog lately. Life has been so busy and hectic. On November 21st, I got to spend most of the day with my sister, Tina. She turned 25. She moved across the country recently, has bills to pay, and is new at her job. Her birthday wish was as humble as it was pragmatic: "Can I get my oil changed? I haven't had it changed since before I drove across the country." It didn't seem very festive, but that's what she wanted. Curtis and I paid to have her oil changed. Aunt Kim joined us for a birthday lunch at Round Table Pizza (very yummy!).

Tina then wanted to get her hair cut, so I drove her to the Beau Monde Salon in downtown Portland. That must be French for extremely slow, as we were there for THREE hours. To be fair, she had some coloring or highlights done, but still. She ended with a different look. What do you think?

Before and After (sucky iPhone pictures)

Two of her friends joined Curtis, Andreas and me for dinner at the Courtyard Restaurant at McMenamins' Kennedy School. We then had everyone rendezvous back at our condo for birthday cake and ice cream (see video below). Curtis and Tina then went out for a night on the town. I chauffeured them to and from their selected establishments.

Almost-Annual Thanksgiving Trek a "Great Success!"

I left work on Wednesday at 3pm. Curtis left work early and Andreas already had the day off. Andreas had been afraid of being late (good man!), so he was at the light-rail station by my office at 2:30pm. My trainee and I picked him up in my "company car" and drove him back to my office. He obviously had to sit in the back seat, which we didn't think was a big deal. As we turned into my office driveway, though, 40+ elementary school kids saw him in the back seat and wondered what this dangerous Dane did (how's that for alliteration?).

We left my office and headed south. Traffic was reasonable, but not as good as we had hoped by sneaking out a couple hours earlier than normal. We drove south, alternating between Curtis and me, stopping only for a brief dinner. We arrived at the Sacramento Hyatt, relieved to have reached our destination.



The next morning, Curtis was out jogging when Andreas and I woke up, so we went swimming. Curtis re-joined us and we met our friends Jinnie and Collin and other assorted friends and family for a Thanksgiving breakfast at a joint called Lyon's (similar to Denny's). We then hung out at Jinnie's house until the big meal was ready. I got to help the effort by peeling potatoes and later by doing dishes.



We had a delightful, picture-perfect meal, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, etc. Curtis and I provided some Marie Callender's pies and Thrifty ice cream for dessert.

The next morning, we met for a group photo at the California state capitol. We arrived before the rest of the group and happened upon a small group protesting the passage of Proposition 8 (see my earlier blog post here). We happily joined them and stood with them for 30 minutes or so.



We bought some of their "Fight for Civil Rights" wrist-bands. We went into the capitol building and Collin placed us all for one of his perfect group photos. After that, we all went to Tres Hermanas (a delightfully spicy Mexican restaurant) for lunch. Andreas and I strolled Sutter's Fort very briefly.

We headed off to San Francisco for the second half of our trip. We stayed this time at the San Francisco Hilton on O'Farrell. What a great location this turned out to be. We were steps from Union Square, which was hopping with activity. We arrived just after 5pm and the city's tree was to be lit at 6pm. We walked through Macy's and several other stores. We then walked to Chinatown for some shopping and dinner. The three of us drove into the Castro district, but most of the stores were closed. Curtis and I dropped Andreas off at the hotel and then returned to Castro.



The next day, we had plans with my cousin Warren and his new wife, Teeny. It had been years since I had seen Warren and we had LOTS to talk about. I had never met Teeny, as the two of them just reached 14 months together. What a wonderful, happy couple they are. I haven't seen two people that much in love for quite some time. It's refreshing to see. It was great to see Warren so happy. They have known each other for many years and have quite the love story.

Since they were running late, we headed out and drove to Lombard Street, showing Andreas the zig-zaggiest road in America. A short time later, we got fetched at the hotel by our SF guides. Teeny is a native (or as close as you can be - she grew up in Fairfield) and knows the place like the back of her hand. We drove to Golden Gate National Park (state park?) and parked.



We then walked around, enjoying gorgeous and scenic views of my favorite San Francisco landmark. We then walked around the Palace of Fine Arts, but it was closed.

We had lunch at Fisherman's Wharf (I love it!) then admired the barking seals (I was reminded of my former barking beagle, Demi) at Pier 39.



We then headed over the Bay Bridge onto Treasure Island for a photo op. Next, we headed over the Golden Gate to the Marin Headlands. There was a road and trail I had never before seen. The views of the bridge as the sun was setting were breathtaking.

We next parked in Castro and walked around as a group. An admirer approached Andreas and spoke of his admiration for him, but then quickly walked off. This was good, as I became quite protective of the kid and was eager to speak my mind to this fellow. We had some Mexican food as we prepared for our Greek dinner. The new Sean Penn movie Milk, which debuted on Castro, was still playing to sell-out crowds.

We had 9:45pm reservations at Kokkari, a Greek restaurant. We all enjoyed the fine feast of appetizers. This was a great recommendation!

We returned Sunday evening early enough for Andreas to proudly show us one of his new favorite movies (and the first movie he saw on American soil), Tropic Thunder. It was silly, but funny. [I just checked my friend Eric's web site and found a rarity. Tropic Thunder happened to be a movie that he liked more than I did!]