Colle vs. Butters - Battle for Alpha Cat

Now that I am through staring out the window waiting for Garrett to return, I can blog.

I will be keeping you updated on the ongoing "Battle for Alpha Cat: A Colle and Butters Story." So far, I think Colle has thrown the most punches. Butters hasn't flinched, though. He took it like a man.
Colle: 20 points
Butters: 5 points

Here is another Portland-ism that we have encountered:
Instead of just asking you for a dollar, as is customary by the hustlers in Birmingham, we were actually offered a dollar for our leftover pizza and treated to dirty jokes as payment when we refused the dollar.
As a bonus, we got the man's life story which included involvement in the Irish Civil War and publishing two bestselling books, (the proceeds donated to charity, of course).

Other things we've been doing:

-Looking for jobs
-Eating alot of great food
-Drinking local wine and microbrews
-Seeing the Wild Sweet Orange guys play at Wonder Ballroom
-Watching Wet Hot American summer at the Mission Theater with a Q&A with Michael Showalter
-Going to lots of parks
-Missing all of you

*Photo taken (via cellphone) at Mt. Tabor Park. I did a little hiking and lounging here while Garrett was in Florida.







A Long Time Coming

Well, we finally made it. After a journey that included 12 states, 2900+ miles, and 2 chewed-through cat carriers, Helen and I made it to Portland on April 28. What have we been doing in the four weeks since our arrival? The first week and a half was spent with no furniture while I studied for and passed the Series 7 securities licensing exam. The rest of the second week was spent unpacking and arranging our place. I spent the third week in Jacksonville, FL attending the wedding of Mr. James McDonald to Miss Jesse Fritsch, while Helen spent it sitting by and staring out of the window awaiting my return. This past week has been spent getting our ducks in a row and finally settling in to our new home. The cats (Colle, Vicious, Thor, and Butters) have spent the entire time eating and sleeping with the occasional hiss.

Portland has been a great city so far. Everything is very green and beautiful. Roses grow here like weeds. Our apartment is better than we could have imagined and our neighborhood is incredible as well. Everything in the city is relatively close, so we are able to walk most everywhere.

This blog will be used as an outlet for Helen and I to communicate our goings on with everyone not in Portland. We will also use it to share little oddities and quips about Portland and Oregon that we find interesting so that when you come to visit you will not be surprised. We will also be taking and uploading pictures very soon. Until that time comes, you can chew on this little bit of knowledge:

Did you know that it is illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon?

Well, neither did we. The law was passed in the 1950's and is still around today for some reason. Some people say it creates jobs. Others say it prevents people from spilling gas all over the place and blowing themselves up. Whatever the reason, I'm sad to say that if you come to visit, we won't be doing any of this (feel free to fast forward one minute):