This and That

Sometimes things just kind of get backed up on the plate and so it is time to share a few of the things that have been hanging around. For the last week a volcano in Iceland has backed up air traffic and it has been a hoot listening to various weather people trying to pronounce:

Eyjafjallajokull

pronounced

(ay-yah-FYAH-lah-yer-kuhl)

Well, leave it to the sharp eye of Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" to snag identify the first, Al Rocker. It was a pretty funny piece.

Next up, I know Easter was a couple of weeks ago, but this picture just makes me laugh:

It makes me remember to be sure to call Mick to be sure we are on for breakfast this weekend. It has been a few weeks since we have been able to get together. He lost his grandmother recently and so was down in St. Helen's the past couple of weekends and I was down in Portland. We are going to try a place called Hudson's as I have just grown tired of Shanty Cafe after several years. Sunday breakfast will be with Jodie and Rob to discuss our first wine matching dinner. We are kind of taking the concept of vintner's dinners and going simple and having 8 people come together 4 times a year and enjoy the bounty of the season and matched to wonderful wines. I also get to have the joy of seeing Helene on Sunday for dinner at Bizzaro in Wallingford neighborhood. Totally excited in that I have not been there since my birthday dinner and it has awesome food.

I have been having a lot of trouble getting my passport back from the government. I sent it in in December and they have record of receiving it and yet the check has not been cashed and well, I want to get it back soon. Why? Well, there is the lovely city of Victoria and here is a picture of a sunset from the Worldmark Condo's that is one of Markie's favorite places. Watching all the activity on the water with ferries coming and going plus planes landing and taking off plus there is an amazing little fish & chips place right down on the water to the left among the house boats that is just amazing! Anywho, it is now getting to be tourist season so will likely now wait until fall to go. It just cannot interfere with Fall-B-Que Tour '10!

And on that note, I am going to go have left over salad from lastnight and a bit of the leftover pork. Markie stopped by and I furnished the salad and asparagus plus cocktails while Markie brought clams and a pork roast. He steamed the clams in some beer I had in the fridge and what a delightful appetizer. Then the dinner was a delight. What a great way to cap off a rough day. Tonight I plan to just kick back and read. Have not had a reading night in a while. Much needed.