date

So yesterday I had an impromptu meeting with a Portland photographer whose work I really respect. I got to meet him and show him my book. When I asked him to give me some real feedback he was a bit taken aback but totally delivered me some great input on the book. One thing that I'm doing right now is planning a new book, already. I'd like to have it printed soon. Okay to the point of the post. Since my meeting landed me in the Hawthorne district, and Cait works in NW, we met up and had some happy hour grub at McMenamins. Then we took a walk around NW and scored some Moonstruck hot cocoa. Great night. I love Portland. As a good friend in ATL says: Peace, Love, Portland!

23rd and Pettygrove

Im sitting in a coffee shop called Vivace on Pettygrove and 23rd in NW Portland and I am happy. I'm thinking about what it would be like to live up here. We could walk or ride bikes to ANYthing we could need. Caitlin could walk to work. I would be able to go to Pro Photo Supply within minutes, and there are plenty of neighborhoods for us to walk the G-dog. Hmmm. Dreams. Anyhow, I need to get to work trying to get work. But I thought I'd throw that out there.

Home, the kid, and lies.

I'm Home. Alright. So I'm a liar. I told Caitlin that I wouldn't be getting home until Christmas Eve. Even though Nate and I had made some good time and Caitlin knew that, I led her to believe that I still might only be home ONE day early. The fact is that I was planning to be home one day early ever since we made it past our first destination of Abilene Texas, all the way to a place called Sweetwater. For the record, I don't know, I didn't taste the water. So Nate and I were ahead of schedule by one day and I was planning on staying the night with Nate and his family in Fullerton, CA, that would still get me home on the 23rd. But once we got to his place I was just tired and wanted to get home. I love Nate and his family and wanted to hang out with them all but my desire to get home was greater. So I stayed and we had a great lunch and then I took off, up to Woodland, CA. Now I was TWO days ahead, and she had no idea. I left Woodland on the morning of the 22nd and hit the 5 north. This story is getting too long...the fact is that I am home, two days early, here are some photos of Nate and Lisa's kid Blake, and I am a liar.

Cute huh?

New Orleans to LA.

Okay, so there has not been much of a chance for me to do any blogging because Motel 6 has not had any available internet. Now that I am at Nate's house in Fullerton, CA I'll just use his internet. I'll thrown in all the photos from NO to LA here because that whole stretch is pretty much the same.some jazz in New Orleans

yoda on the job

we went to Dallas, Texas to see Nate's house and the tenants have a new puppy, cute, eh?

sonic for brunch

Gunnar while waiting at sonic

80 mph speed limit...nice

a lot of this...

...and this...

oh this was great! I was on E, really really on E, and needed gas. This was the first gas station we came upon. They were only serving Super, at 2.99, so I bought. Then down the road like a quarter mile, another station, and yes they had regular at like 2.39...go figure!

We think this is Mexico!

we KNOW this is Mexico

us

entering Cali!

if your looking to the blog to see my cross country travels

You may not get any more than this. I have had bad luck with internet access since New Orleans. If this one works it will be a miracle. I will try to facebook it from the phone.

My day in NOLA!

So first off, New Orleans is a beautiful city, and I want to bring Caitlin back to enjoy it. I took Gunnar to a doggy day care place called Fleur De Paws and he had his own room! It was great and they loved him. He had never been at a day care before and I guess he did really well. The reason I did that was so I could walk around all day and make some pictures. So here are some.

Gunnar's doggy day care.

This was across the street from Fleur De Paws at the Mardi Gras World, they make the parade floats there.

The first time I try to park my baggy of change broke and dumped everywhere.

I just thought this one was interesting.

How could I not go into a hat store in the south?!

Wall of hats.

There is a cool train system down Canal street.

Peace Y'all.

Lots of VooDoo.

I made some portraits of an artist and got a deal on that red piece.

Cafe Du Monde, world famous Beignets...so good!

...end school...

They begged for thier picture to be taken.

...yeah, he was playing AC/DC...

Sunset on the Gulf.

the road trip

ATL to New Orleans. Today was a drive day for sure. I left ATL around 12:30 and landed in New Orleans at almost exactly 8:30. The exit of Atlanta was sad, but my focus is on life in Portland now. The weather started to suck and never stopped, so here is a photo of the window to my room, all rainy.the old front door in atlanta

OK, it is time.

I am sitting on my floor, my bare, empty floor. In the corner. For just about two years our bookshelf lived right here. full of books, and boxes and decorated with a couple pictures in frames. You know the one of us on our honeymoon, on the beach with the catamaran behind us, the frame has a little airplane and camera on it. Anyway, it's gone now: the bookshelf, not the picture frame, it sold for $50. So, while I clean and pack my laptop sits here playing Pandora, the Live station, it is currently playing 'If you could only see' by Tonic. I am ready to go home. I am sad to leave ATL and my ATL family. ATL family, I will miss you, a LOT! But I am ready to go home. Ready. Now I am rambling, but I really am ready to road-trip my dog back home and see Caitlin. Caitlin, I miss you and can't wait to come home and see you. I must cut this short because i have to continue cleaning and packing so I can leave tomorrow morning. New Orleans here I come! I'll do my best to Blog the road trip.

FAQ

One of the questions we are being asked a lot now is: "So, when can we come visit you (and God's country in the northwest)?" Parenthesis mine. The answer is: "Whenever you want, you are always welcome!"

Thanksgiving Sunday?

So we always have our small group meeting on Sundays and do lunch together. We all believe in gathering around food. This particular Sunday not only included Thanksgiving lunch, there was also some gift wrapping. We, as a group, participated in Angel Tree this year. If you are unfamiliar with it, you should look at it. http://www.angeltree.org/angeltree-home Also, our friends were being sneaky and creative, they were making something for us, but we cant see it until we get it in the mail later...way to keep a secret y'all!

The best nap, ever!

Silly girls, they did a serious one too, but this one is more fun!

Keith was in rare form!

Sarah actually held that face for me...