Excerpts from the Peanut Gallery: August 2005

Rachel and i hiked Diez Vistas partway and then descended to Sassamat lake "out in the boonies" oh yeah we are hikers.

yeah you're right kiks, i should look at that over there... (now you ALL wish you had looked over there!...But WHAT is over there? )

huh. wow, look at that over there...

i think it looks like a bunny, what about you?

respecting and learning all about culture...so cultured am i...

Stricking a pose on our O-town adventure

O-Town or bust! Heck yes!

Wow, I think I may have just passed the best weekend of the summer, I have had some pretty mean Saturdays and even a few great Friday nights, but this was the whole package, Saturday and Sunday, right from sun-up to sunset. I went to Olympia, Worshington with the Matt Brown to visit one Caitlin Chisholm. Let me tell ya something, did we ever hit O-town at its best, I mean, this is the weekend to be a tourist there. Matt and I left Langley at 7am (who's idea was that again??) and squeaked through the border even though matt had no passport and no birth certificate. Matt did have one trick up his sleeve though. But don't worry buddy, your secret's safe with me, I wont tell a soul...Anyway just as we come out of the customs lane on the Washington side a white dove flies up in front of the car and flutters away. Yap, it was a sign, "my work here is done, you will not need me any more, flutter flutter I go to the heavens from whence I came."

So Matt and I roll into Olympia just in time for the (I kid you not) 72nd annual Pet Parade. The pet parade is just what you think it is, but I assure you, you cannot possibly imagine the wonder of it. We're talking bulldogs dressed like Elvis with a 10inch tall wig on his head. Ponies dressed as lambs, and ferrets running everywhere (I didn't realize people still had ferrets as pets...)
And the fun didn't stop there, we went to the artesian well and drank the sweet waters which flow out of a plumber's pipe in an empty parking lot. On top of that, we met a very nice young fellow who hailed from Bishop California, which, I am told, boasts the longest non-motorized procession in the world, for its annual Mule festival. Interestingly enough, people from all over, Japan, Europe, South America, will bring their mules to participate in the Mule festival. Now that is a certain marketing demographic that few have tapped into these days: the very rich, travelbugs who also just happen to own mules.

The next day we met up with Nels for the 15th annual Blueberry bash. Its everything you hoped it would be and more folks. Blueberry pie, blueberry shakes- oh the works. After this we got to go for our second trip to Batdorf and Bronson, the premiere coffee house that side of Seattle I am told. And while it was everything I had hoped it would be and more, I couldn't help but pursue a conversation on how Bodum French presses always made me think of a beday. -say it to yourself and you understand, now it will likely plague you too.

Finally, it was sadly time to bid our American friends adieu (until they come home next week for school!) and Matt and I spent a melancholy trip home listening to a terrific CD entitled "Songs inspired by the motion picture 'Matt and Kiki drive home after visiting Caitlin, summer 2005'." That'll be hitting stores soon, prepare for an "ecletic" mix of today's very best blues, pop, country and classic rock.

Memo to all staff: Euro-Trendy is the New Bohemian

Hello all
just a short memo in case anyone was still uncertain. This will serve to give all notice that Euro-trendy is the new bohemian-chic. Please act accordingly.
Regards,
C. Tegelberg

My dear friend Susan has of late, become my inspiration. she inspired my new puma shoes, she inspired my desire to eat falafels (which we still have not yet accomplished...) and she also inspired the joy of wearing sweatbands, especially those bearing one's national colours and/or pink. Sus inspired soemthing else. Recently back from the far away lands of Sweden (which has recently inspired us with such inspirational items as swedish meatballs and furniture that can be assembled sans tools as well as fabulous techno for all occasions, thanks to trailblazers of the disco genre like Abba and Ace of Base), ahem, yes recently back from the far away lands of Sweden Sus discovered what is taking the globe (or a small minor part of it that has more money that all the rest combined) by storm. Euro-trendy. Here we come sleek lace-less runners and off the shoulder layering-tees, get ready for us mock-neck zip-ups and back off bald heads, the trendy euro hat is here. Regarde around you and pense.