Well, after long thought (OK, 17 seconds) I've decided the Hinkelgruber family menu should be brought to the web. A couple of things for you to remember: no substitutions (Charlie's not a short-order cook, after all), and change is inevitable - Charlie may not feel like cooking kim chee on a Tuesday! Oh, and there is one request: if you're joining us for dinner, please either call or text the Scary Lady (you know the number - if you don't, you're really not invited).

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Nya, nya, nya, nya, nya, nya!

If you've been following along with us, you know that there's been a complaint filed against us with the city. Well, today, the inspector called and, as it turns out...our addition is NOT UNPERMITTED! Turns out, there IS a permit on file with the city for our addition. Oh, and there is not an un-permitted  ramp (there's no ramp!)...and, we're not the only ones on the block funneling rain water off of our roof/yard into the alley. Thank goodness! So, long story-short...we've not done anything wrong!

Can you imagine anyone being so petty and passive-aggressive to want to block a house from selling that they would file a grievance with the city so that said persons could not sell and move away?!? 

You know what? I'm gonna go get another martini!


Saturday, May 1, 2021

It's May Day!

 It's May Day! May 1, 2021.  So, the house is still on the market. We've been shown more love by neighbors than I could possibly believe. 

So, let's get real here. We had a truly viable offer. Donaleen screwed us over. Her "there are drainage issues with this property" (not so!); "property line disputes" (only with her - we never argued over the property lines!) killed a truly good offer: young family with two kids who would have loved living here. Charlie went over and told Donaleen and John that if they really wanted us to leave, to not say anything to anyone. Donaleen's response was, "I don't want you to move; I want you to behave." Apparently, she believes we are twelve year olds rather than 65-year olds. And, she did not elaborate on how we were "misbehaving." I'm done - I'm out. Please, let a developer come and give us an offer - because, if someone wants to buy our place and build one, two, three... or god-forbid...a McMansion...I'm ALL in! 

But, back to our lovely neighbors...we've been gifted a week at Sun River by one of them. And, Melissa, thank you! So, Monday, we head for Sun River for a week of relaxing and riding bicycles. 

In the meantime, I hope Ron finds a viable buyer for our house and we are able to move to Clackamas County!

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Chico, here we come!

We're leaving for Chico to see Nick on Friday. Well, actually, we're leaving Thursday. We'll head to Central Point so Duane can take his dad to the doctor on Friday, and then, we're headed to Chico to see Nick! Woohoo!

The house is still on the market. We missed our opportunity on the first house in Milwaukie - but that's OK. There's always another house out there. (We're told that the inventory is slim, but that just means that the right house will really be the right house!) 

I'm so glad our realtor, Ron, hasn't lost faith in our house or in us. Duane was worried there was a "toxically wrong" with our home. Ron assured us that no, there wasn't anything toxically wrong; that it would be the "right" person to purchase it and yes, there were things that needed work, but they were "next owner projects". I love him!  

Once we leave Chico, we may actually head a little way further south - we haven't told anyone yet, but we may just go on an exploration. 

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

It's your house - but not your HOME...

 So, did you ever want to feel like you lived somewhere, but it really didn't live there? Sell your house. Or, put your house up for sale. 

We put our house on the market April 9 for $900,000. We cleared out (and to quote the younger son) a butt load of crap, gave away another ton, some trash to the land fill over nine days. On April 8th our house went on the market and we went to the beach for the weekend. 

I've never felt more under the gun than doing this. So...we got a bid ...$825,000...terribly low for our original offer of $900,000. We're not going to settle for anything lower than $850,000. Soooo...perhaps we're not selling after all. The good news? We've cleaned out the house! 

Thursday, March 11, 2021

BEST NEWS EVER!

President Biden has signed the COVID-19 stimulus bill this afternoon that will provide direct checks to Americans, provisions for schools opening, a plan to help families with children and more vaccines! That was news this morning. 

Then, just now, at 3:30pm PST, it was announced that the President would announce in his address this evening that he was going to direct all states to make vaccines available to ALL adult people who want a vaccine by May 1!  He has directed the supply be ramped up to the point that everyone can get a vaccine within fewer than eight weeks! For us, that means Molly, Sam and Nick will be able to get vaccinated! As long as we can get them an appointment (and I think that will mean any pharmacy will make them available) they'll be getting vaccinated! That light at the end of the tunnel is coming - and it's NOT a train! 

On another topic completely, Molly and I are at the beach - weather is gorgeous; we've seen deer and birds - no whales yet, but I continue to look at the ocean for spouts. This is my fourth trip to the beach since November 2020 and each one of them has had beautiful weather! Beautiful to the point I didn't need a coat to go outside (good thing this trip, since I forgot to bring one). 

Friday, March 5, 2021

We got our first COVID vaccine today!

 It happened! We got it! Charlie and I drove to Salem to the Oregon State Fairground and got our first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. How does it feel? There was utter relief...giddiness (truly!)...and I don't mind telling you...I think I see the end of the tunnel.

I was skeptical when a friend told me she was going to Salem. I waited until two other friends went down and was successful. And, may I just say - the Oregon Army National Guard is FANTASTIC!  This is what the National Guard was meant for  - taking care of the citizens. 

Three more weeks and we're covered. Now....we just have to get Sam and Molly vaccinated - and our bubble is compete. 

Friday, February 5, 2021

What I'm going to miss when Covid-19 is over...?...?...?

So, I know we're all waiting for this f--king pandemic to be over. But, let's be honest, there are some things we're going to miss...for example: 
  • NYT's "At Home" section of the Sunday NYT. We've gotten more delicious menu items from this section of the NYT, than we have in a long time; 
  • Staying home - be honest...we all wished we could have an excuse to do nothing, at home, for awhile...but, enough is enough! I'm ready to go places;
  • Going to the gym...ok, ok, ok...there are many of you that who really want to go to the gym, but to be able to say, "Uh, no, I really can't go and work out because of Covid..." was liberating!;
  • Binge TV watching. In all honesty, I've been a binge TV-watcher for years! But, with Covid, I didn't have to justify it - you all just finally caught up; 
  • Hanging out on the front porch. So, Charlie and I have spent more time on our front porch in the past year than perhaps more years since we've lived here. (And, we've lived here almost 37-years!)
Now, that's what I'm going to miss. But, what am I looking forward to? Oh, there's a whole host of things. Here are a few:
  • Eating at a restaurant (without a mask!) - I really want someone to bring me food and a cocktail (Hendrick's martini, please, with a twist?) 
  • Las Vegas - again, without a mask! - I want to sit next to a stranger at a Blackjack table, sit next to some stranger at a bar, stand next to a stranger at a Craps table and have a good time!
  • Seeing people - I mean, anyone, anytime, anywhere we can! Indoors, outdoors, underwater - well, maybe not underwater, but you know what I mean!
  • Flying to anywhere! So, maybe in the first time in history, Americans can't go anywhere they want - Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia...I want to be able to go to Canada! I'm looking forward to going to Canada and Europe. We have friends in Canada and in the UK. I'm looking forward to visiting them. 
So, that's it for now. 

Sunday, January 31, 2021

It's February....2021....

So....2021 is fully in the swing. And, it's now February (well, it will be tomorrow). There are at least three vaccines - maybe as many as five that we might be able to get. That's IF they have enough...IF we float to the top of the list...IF...IF...IF...IF... Still drinking too much, but since I'm really posting this on January 31, tomorrow's a new day... and a new goal. Let's talk about the state of the state/country...I had high hopes for Kate Brown, but how could she be so dense? Do you really want to figure out stuff? There's no shame in asking our neighbors to the North (Washington State), can we piggy-back on your stuff? Contract tracing - WA state got it right over a month ago. How do we do vaccine distribution? (Oh, here's a hint NOT A 27 MEMBER TEAM THAT HAS TO COME UP WITH A WORD OF THE DAY BEFORE THEY START THEIR F---ING WORK!) And,then there's the Dems in Washington, DC...KILL THE FILLIBUSTER! Take the bet - run the gamble. Kill the fillibuster (and, yes, when the Repubs are back in charge, they will exploit it to the full extent!) but, in the meantime, pass the Covid relief package you want and make that the bullet point Dems can run on in 2022 - and you just might get a solid House and Senate majority! Is it a risk? YEP - it is, but it's one at this point I'm willing to take! FUCK THE RIGHT-WING, REPUBLICAN NATIONALISTIC COWARDS!

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

All hail Joe Biden and Kamala Harris!

I'm here in my pajamas, drinking sparkling wine/prosecco and reveling in the fact that Joe Biden is the new US President! We did survive (barely, and only some of us) that other guy (like Stephen Colbert, I refuse to use his name). It was a beautiful inauguration - Lady Gaga was phenomenal, Jennifer Lopez made me cry (really, ask Charlie!), and I've become a poetry convert by Amanda Gorman (when is she going to publish a book?!?). I have hope again...But let me assure you...here is something everyone should remember - this is not safe. Do you want to keep credibility at the forefront? Ask questions! Here's the first one for you: "Many people say..." Here's what to say in response, "Name three..." If they can't name three you believe are credible, take a side long glance. Now, to segue...I have said to Charlie many times since the election was called, Barack Obama's election was historic. I will never discount that. But, Joe Biden's election was important. Important because these assholes who could not accept a Black man as President of the United States (oh, boohoo, you're white and now have to prove yourself!) now have a white man who accepts that his "legacy" is not threatened! Kamala Harris is our Vice President (both a woman and a woman of color - oh, boohoo!) As I watch CBS News' coverage of the the inauguration, they are talking about how this administration plans to help the country, they invoke the fact that the Repubs are talking about the National Debt. I say, "Are you giving money to OUR citizens? Or are you financing the military industrial complex (thank you Dwight D. Eisenhower(R))? Because if this money is going to help OUR citizens, give them cash! There's an easy way to get it back from those who really don't need/deserve it - make them pay it back on their tax return! Not a difficult calculus! Everyone seems to think it's really more difficult than it really is. Finally, good on you Joe! Good on you Kamala! I'm with you - ask me to do something - I'll do it!

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Some irony...

In six days, we'll have a new President (thank goodness!). But here's some food for thought - - A man who is perhaps the most gentle and kind person to be elected President of this country in a very long time, is having to decide if the people of this country can be "in person" witnesses to his innauguration. - The same man is perhaps the one man who should be most in fear of his life to be innaugurated to the position (let's face it, there are white supremisists and Trumpists who would find it the utmost honor to see to it that he never served a day as President.) - Fifty state capitols are battoning down their hatches to make certain they are not overrun by those same people. - I am beginning to wonder if the USA is still the country everyone should aspire to be a part of. Six days, my friends...

Monday, January 11, 2021

Nine Days...

We survived (did we?) January 6. January 6 is known as "Three-Kings-Day", Epiphany, the last day of the 12-days-of-Christmas. This year, though, it meant "An insurgency, a coup-d'etat, they're fucking storming the Capitol!" Today, we still survive. In nine days, Joe Biden, (and I will be referring to him as President Joe - not to be disrespectful, not to lesson his position - but knowing that he is my President and that he will restore the position to where it should be) will be inaugurated. I am so proud to be an American. Please...Joe, continue to make us proud...make us what we were meant to be. Kamala, I pledge myself to you as our first woman President, to be whatever you need me to be as an OLD american woman.