2011 in review

Happy 2012! Every year, I try (oh boy, is that ever a key word) to post a year in review. By try, I mean that I created such a post for 2009 and began, but never finished, another such post for 2010. Ah, well. But here it is, 2012, a new beginning, and here, for your reading pleasure, is 2011 in review.

January began, not very auspiciously, with some winter blues and sleepiness.

We also saw (and loved) The King's Speech, Creature had a seriously unfortunate poop explosion, and this incredibly charming thing happened.

In February, Miss Kathayoon Khalil and I started a design blog (still going strong!), Creature helped us celebrate Valentine's Day, and Mr. Chris came to town!! (Please excuse the poor quality of this photo. It was dark).

In February, I also officially became a vegetarian. It's been good. 

In March, I presented at my first ever conference, Ross was in the midst of reading the Harry Potter series in Polish, I wrote some acknowledgements, and we had some more friends come to town:

We also celebrated Earth Hour by playing candlelit boardgames, which was lovely. 

In April we went to the cherry festival, I wrote (a lot) and I traveled to Salt Lake City for a conference and to see my family. 

We also broke ground on a garden we made with some dear friends. 

In May, we had an amazing day with yard sales and good stuff, I didn't blog (at all), I started my wretched job, and best of all, we went to Charleston and Savannah! 

There were also ducks in May. 

In June I missed the zoo, and hated my job (although Creature liked the materials end of it):

Also in June, Ross' brother and family moved away. June sucked. 

July was awesome, though! In July we went camping near Harper's Ferry and got our Civil War reenactment on.

My birthday was (and remains) in July, and Ross took me here for an amazingly delicious dinner and then surprised me with tickets to Harry Potter. Which was awesome. 

August was busy! We drove to Chicago to visit Ross' grandparents and got to see the city from Joe's boat. (Can you find Ross-first picture-and the two of us?) 

For Ross' birthday I staged a scavenger hunt, and Ross' obsession with plants hobby began to really take off. 

Oh, also, there was a hurricane which wasn't, really. Not for us, anyway.  

I didn't blog at all in September or October because I am the worst. Also, because I was trying to be super student. But we still did stuff! 

In September we went to the National Arboretum...

and I went to the National Book Festival... 

In October, we spent our second anniversary in New York. 

Also in October, Ross gave me the best present I've ever been given. I'll try to blog about it soon (it will require me to come to a better place with our scanner). 

Also also in October, we celebrated Halloween with our new friends, Katie and Evan. I went as a fox...

Ross went as three hole punch Jim. I didn't get a picture of Ross, but this is kind of what he looked like:

In November I went to a really boring conference (but at least it was in Miami)...

we hung out in DC...

and we drove Shenandoah with our friend Chris. Can we talk about Shenandoah for a second, by the way? People here LOVE it and think it's the most amazing thing ever, but the three of us--spoiled Northwesterners all--were somewhat unimpressed. Anyway, here are some pictures:

In December I wrote like a madwoman for a while, and then we left for Portland, where we visited beloved people...

(Next two photos by the fabulous Nicole Dewey)

and places...

It was the best.

Since we've been home (January bonus!!!), we've been doing a whole lot of blissful, wonderful nothing. Lots of movies, lots of books, and lots and lots of food. Last weekend the weather was incredible, so we went rollerblading at a park near the University of Maryland. It was, as the kids say, "rad." 

Happy New Year!  

super double bonus

Miss Jessica (and Mr. Chris)

Miss Amanda

Today I got not one, but TWO missives in the mail from two of my favorite people, Miss Amanda and Miss Jessica. Whoa. It was a loving friend mail palooza. Miss Amanda sent a postcard from the Chicago Zoo and Miss Jessica sent a Portland mug and some other goodies from my much-missed PDX. Each was sweet and wonderful on its own; the combined effect was AWESOME. Dear friends, I love you So. Much. (Also, thanks to Donilee for the card she sent me weeks ago that I kept meaning to mention here and never did). Anyway...I just got home after a long day and need to eat, but wanted to mentioned the best mail day ever. Thanks, ladies. I sure like you.

goodbye portland*

*Things I said (maybe out loud, maybe while crying big wet tears) as we drove to the airport this morning

Goodbye NW 23rd

Goodbye Everett

Goodbye pedestrian Ross didn't stop for

Goodbye Burnside

Goodbye Fremont Bridge

Goodbye Broadway Bridge

Goodbye Mount Hood

Goodbye "Made in Oregon" sign

Goodbye dog park in the Pearl

Goodbye Willamette River

Goodbye OHSU hill

Goodbye Powell's (Oh! Goodbye Powell's)

Goodbye ghetto Gresham

Goodbye Rocky Butte

Goodbye bridge that looks like a fish on the way to the airport

Goodbye Max

Goodbye Portland Airport, voted the best airport in the country, like, ten times

Goodbye Powell's in the airport

Goodbye "C" terminal (the best terminal, since it has the aforementioned Powell's)

And some things I didn't say, but am saying now

Goodbye Yogi and Tazo teas

Goodbye Ken's Artisan Bakery

Goodbye Zoo

Goodbye rain rain

Goodbye apartment

Goodbye incredible neighbors: Heather, Patty, and Scott, the emperor of Portland

Goodbye tomato plant

Goodbye Whole Foods in the Pearl. There will be other Whole Foods, but they won't be the same

Goodbye Street Roots newspaper and salespeople

Goodbye lovely commute

Goodbye Central Library

Goodbye Creature

Goodbye friends and family

Goodbye Ross

See you later, alligators. I've got a plane to catch

quick story

There's a group of guys who like to come and sing in front of my house. They're not busking, they're not selling CDs... as far as I can tell, they're simply doing it for the sheer joy of it (which I LOVE, no matter what the "it" is). They're each very different. One of them looks like a thirty-something hippy, and one of them looks like he does something technical at Intel. They sing old a capella standards and are very reminiscent of the Coats (formerly the Trench Coats). Anyway, as I was getting out of my car today I thought I'd let them know how much I appreciate them. I caught them in between songs and explained that I live right across the street and that every time they come to 23rd I open my window and sit and listen for a while. "You're the girl in the window," one of them said. "Yup," I said. "I'm the girl in the window. You guys are swell." As I walked away the big hippy said "Aww."

I love, love, love, love, LOVE this crazy, lovely life.