I would like it very much if I could spend all day writing notes to myself.

Today's Facts so far:
-I am so severely incapable of managing my finances that my brain might actually melt and flow out of my nostrils if I have to even think about it for one more second today.
-I do not have ADD. I took an online quiz and it told me I didn't.
-My fax is working again. Which is brilliant, because now when it rings something happens besides just ringing and ringing and ringing...
-I thought my lovely Jesse was going to be bursting with stressed-outedness when he got home from a very long day at 'the office' because the bank called him about my inability to manage my finances, but not two seconds after he informed me of this AWESOME phone call he is sitting, fully relaxed, in his chair, playing virtual hearts not even worried about the brain melt I am now having. He is truly amazing, and I am truly envious.
-As stressful as banking can be there is something so wonderfully old fashioned about it. In this world of virtual communities and online banking there still exists large echoing halls of finance: with brown tweed waiting chairs, stone pillars, water coolers, women in nylons and name-tags, and paper trails...
-Dinner tonite will be roasted pork loin, leek and garlic mashed potatoes, and fresh brocolli.
-The light outside is magic.
-Fall is sneaking in, the air smells different, the sun is quieting, and I desperately want a new pair of boots. I'm ready mr. autumn, bring it on.

Such great heights.

Btws.
Tall Cousin has a name, Mark. I made it sound as though his only great achievement in life is his tallness when in fact he's very successful. And he actually is an amazing hunter, like with arrows I believe, which is quite a feat. Also, he isn't the only one with great height advantages in the family. He is by far the tallest, but my own sister in law is just under 6 feet tall, and if you look closely you'll see that Aunt Weisy has got the wing span of a condor. Cousin Lisa and Uncle Dennis both have height on their side as well. And my mother in law's five foot ten frame is nothing to take lightly. I was particularly awed by how tall 'tall cousin' was in comparison to his tall family. Especially since the tallest one in my family is my dad who just hits six foot one, and my grandmother is of the especially small side barely hitting four foot eleven.

My interest in great heights started with my brother, Houston, who at a very very young age was enamored with Robert Wadlow. Wadlow is the tallest man in the history of tall people. He was eight feet eleven inches tall. Actually, my brother Greg, Houston and I were always fascinated by any record breaking feat. The largest, the smallest, the most, the greatest. We would sit together, Houston, Greg, and I, and pour over the Guinness record books. Always wondering which records we would have a chance at breaking. If I could just quit the annoying nail biting habit would I be able to grow my nails out to curling lengths? None of us will ever reach the heights of these people, but boy, what would life be like to be so extraordinary? I think some people think we have a freak show interest in these subjects, my brothers and I. We don't see it like that, we aren't curious because these record breakers don't seem real to us. It's actually because they are human, they are just like us only better. And we are equally fascinated by the geniuses, the greatest poets, songwriters, artists. And in a different way we are fascinated by the other-worldly and the animals, the aliens, the Sasquatches, the dinosaurs, the Coelocanth. We are, simply put, fascinated by the exceptional. As kids we dreamed of being so out of the ordinary that we would be written about in a book, so intelligent we would defy what everyone knew about the human brain, to discover something no one had ever even dreamed could exist. We were living vicariously through the lives of these exceptional human beings. If it weren't for Robert Wadlow would we have been content to stop at average? Probably, and average just wouldn't have been as much fun.

Thank you Mr. Wadlow, for being so damn tall and giving us someone to look up to.

Tall hopes.

Remember tall cousin?
I was freakishly excited to meet him because who doesn't love really tall people? And I am crossing fingers Jesse and my children will inherit the tall gene. Well, it turns out tall cousin isn't very, um, how do I describe tall cousin? He's a nice guy, terribly typical country guy, actually reminded me a lot of my family in Texas, to be honest. Played a lot of cards, drank a lot of beer, likes to hunt, and slips in really disgusting comments at very inappropriate times. Mostly, I just got the vibe that he didn't want to be bothered too much. Even though I desperately wanted to sit down and pick his tall brain, he's the closest in age to us, of all the cousins and second cousins. But worlds away. He's kind of like Sasquatch, you've just got to catch him in action. I suppose I should've expected that, seeing as the only photo I had seen of him was of his back.

So, this is what I got. Tall cousin in action, being tall.

Despite my lack of bonding with tall cousin I was pleasantly surprised with this little(big) gem in the garage of one of the neighbors. It must be something in the corn, everyone is a giant in Iowa.

Wheatland, Iowa pt.2

The Schneiders (Ted's family) have been in and around Wheatland for 100 years+. The Langes (Alice's family) have been there just as long. According to David an afternoon with the Schneider aunts can feel like 100 years. I had a great time.

David on the bicycle in front of Aunt Weisy's home, the Schneider home (notice the 'S' above the front porch).

An afternoon of story telling with the aunts. Aunt Weisy is in red, her shoes were amazing.

Upstairs at Weisy's was the most exciting part of the day. She hasn't been able to get upstairs for years and has a local teen come over to dust fairly regularly. I'm not sure when the last time any of these beds have been slept in, or when the chairs have been sat in. It was amazing.

Aunt Clara, 92 years old, still drives and takes care of her son. From the looks of it she seems to be excited for the afternoon sweets. In reality none of us were, there were two servings each the size of my head and all of us had to finish our plates. You don't want to offend the host.Lovely Aunt Milly and her afternoon coffee.
Amazing Grandma Alice, at home in Wheatland. She has lived in this home for 33 years, and it is impeccably clean but comfortable. The closets are mostly empty save for a few collectibles, photos, and enough linens for company. She was giving away her extras, I walked away with a beautifully ornate silver serving spoon (given to me after she found out I made mashed potatoes on a regular basis), a pair of onion soup bowls, and a votive holder. She doesn't want to burden her family with the chore of cleaning out her home when she's gone.

Wheatland, Iowa pt.1

Population 772, size .56 sq. miles, there are 7,339 books in the local library, Curtis Memorial Library. The mannequin you see has anatomically correct nipples.

Tipton, Iowa

Population 3155. 1.82 square miles. 62 people in nursing homes.

my husband.

is radical.

Donde esta mis pantalones?

Today's fact so far:
-Costco Carnitas are better than their tamales.

I'll tell you why.

Because I have been working a lot. And by a lot I mean almost all of my time. When I am done with the working I don't really want to get back on the computer. And by working I don't mean my regular work which allows me the time in the day to drop thoughts off. This kind of work is the kind not at my house/office, this kind of work isn't even happening in my lovely Bellingham. We are prepping for the big Seattle gift show that starts on Wednesday and I was down here all last week helping out and am back again today. The show is from Wednesday-Tuesday (even the weekends, oh!). When the show is over I will treat myself to a pedicure and a bloody mary.

Mostly, I miss Jesse.

Today's facts so far:
1. Gemini's are totally Gemini's.
2. Costco tamales are surprisingly tasty, especially smothered in salsa brava. Although my tummy is a bit grumbly.
3. Fred Meyers is my new favorite store. My first love was Home Dollar on the AVE, then it was the dollar store at Sunset Square, and of course there was Daiso (still very high on the list), I dig Target but only for clothes and accessories. But I have recently rediscovered the wonders of Freddy's.
Examples:
-If you run out of time in the day to get an air mattress for your friends visiting from Ireland and you simultaneously run out of ink in your printer while you are printing your mother-in-laws 60th birthday invitations and it's 10:30pm on a Friday, you can go to Freddy's and find all you need.
-If you only packed one pair of work shoes for a week of work and they bust a hole in them the first day but you don't get off work until 9:30 and you kind of look like a homeless person in the holey shoes, Freddy's will have good work shoes for you, I promise. (and comfy sweats too)
-If you not only want to do the grocery shopping to prepare a bunch of meals for your lover for when your gone and you want to buy the tupperware to store them in, Freddy's will do.
-If you and gluten are not best friends and you need some snacky's and dinners pronto but your not at home or near Manna Mills, Freddy's is your one stop gluten free shopping heaven.
-Mostly, if you just feel like shopping but it's kind of late Freddy's will always satisfy.
4. Maybe I should've changed the header to "Freddy's facts so far"
5. I will not forget to write about the midwest and post pictures. There are some good pictures.
6. I have to go read Breaking Dawn now. Yes, that is the fourth in the series of teenage vampire novels that started with the phenom Twilight. Did I mention I was reading those? Cause I am and they are radical.

Baby got back.

As in, Baby got back into town yesterday. I recommend to everyone ten days in the Mid-west if you have grown up in the Northwest. It was a trip in so many ways.

Today's Facts so far:
1. I finally caught up on sleep, albeit on a blow up mattress with a lead dog under toe.
2. I uploaded all 1200 pictures to my computer. Next step, sort.
3. Movies are like real life especially when they take place in corn fields. "dear god make me a bird so i can fly fa' fa' away"
4. I will write in depth travel entries in the next coming week, with pictures!
5. Tonite is going to be radical. Celebrating SeaFair bitches. Jealous?
6. When you spend 10 days proving geographical stereotypes you deserve to come home to rain and good coffee.
7. I like Iowa.
8. My mother is right now making Okonomiyaki for breakfast. You wish you were here.