Arctic Blast 2008!!

1. Watching the kids use the Max like a chairlift, riding the train up to the top of Washington Park with their snowboards, riding down, doing it again.

2. Walking into downtown and confirming that they don't plow in Portland AT ALL. not one street or sidewalk, so far as I could tell. Only a handful of businesses shoveled their walks. It seems that Portlanders have a very hands-off approach to this kind of weather. Close down, go home or to a bar, wait for it to be over. The amtrak station is closed because the switches are frozen, the airport is closed, and POWELL'S is CLOSED! In Portland, that's like closing the hospitals. What are people going to read?!!? I was planning to buy xmas cards at Powell's. So if you don't get a card from me, it's because of the weather.

3. Shuffling over to Clyde Common which was open and warm. I sat by myself at the bar and ordered The Board. Its sort of like a happy meal for foodies. Its a plank with a hole bored into the corner. My board (it changes) had a some toast, braised pork belly and pickled romesco. In the hole, I found a little manhattan in an ice cold little shot glass. Not bad for $13.

It's nasty out there, y'all. Last night it snowed about 5 or 6 inches. This morning, freezing rain landed on top of it. So all of portland has a frozen coating, and I'm stuck on my hill. I'm doubtful about how I can even walk out to civilization. The weather lady says it won't thaw today. I have discs 1 & 2 of the first season of The Wire. I have several cans of sardines and oatmeal, but no half and half. I'm out of firewood but I'm getting caught up on laundry. I'm hunkered down in hoodie on couch and slippers for the foreseeable future.


Whispertown 2000 - Old Times