Isn’t this a beautiful staircase? It’s from the Japanese Gardens. I’ll get to that in a sec.

So having my own garden opened up an entire world of gardens to me. I’ve always loved to peruse community gardens and of course the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. But I also always had this idea that a garden was somehow something beyond my reach. Like, my house plants always died, my potted herbs always withered away. But it occurred to me that that happened in my twenties. Nothing worked for me then, not least of all because I didn’t water it.

So it’s been with much awe and relief that my houseplants are now flourishing (Water!) and my herbs are blossoming like little flumes of magic smoke. Or like a really nice herb garden. I already feel like an expert, with my little bottle of homemade insect repellent and my gardening clogs. Justin is doing all the hard work, like tilling and weeding, but I get to plant pretty flowers and they grow.

Portland is almost like one big garden so having actual public gardens seems a little superfluous. But I wanted to check out the Portland Classical Chinese Garden in downtown Portland. It’s supposed to be an oasis in the middle of the city, according to the website and my tour guide.

Most cherished in this mundane worldis a place without traffic;
truly in the midst of a city there can be mountain and forest
-Wen Zhengming (1470-1559

My tour guide explained that the mayor of Portland visited Suzhou in the nineties, thus striking up a friendship with the city and building a Suzhou style garden here. I think the thing to appreciate about the garden is the architecture. I did a quick walk through by myself and was kind of confused so it was cool that I ended up doing the tour, which is something I normally wouldn’t do. But instead of just seeing a tree, I learned that the tree was 120 years old and the only one of its kind on Portland. What I’m trying to say is that there aren’t many flowers here, it’s not exactly that kind of garden. It’s more about the serenity of the pond and the beauty of the woodwork. And my tour guide kept mentioning scholars.

He also mentioned the Japanese Gardens, which he said is the most beautiful one outside of Japan. Justin and I visited a few days later. The idea behind the Japanese Garden is to use the terrain as a canvas, to build into the hills and stuff. So the Japanese Garden was more up my alley. In fact, upon entering I kind of felt a profound change in my psyche. I had never seen anything so beautiful, I don’t think. It was nice to feel like we stumbled into paradise on earth for an hour or so. East coast visitors, be warned. We’ll definitely be making a trip here.

Justin made some bagels yesterday under my careful eye. I have pics but I didn’t upload them yet. I also planted some of the starters in the garden; butternut, pumpkin (just one because I hear they are difficult and take up too much space), hot peppers and tomatoes.

We started watching Battlestar Gallactica on dvds but then the video store didn’t have the next disc we needed, which was upsetting because I was really into the idea of a video store as opposed to Netflix. Not only because I am banned from Netflix but also to foster community. Because the video store employees really want to be part of a community with me. Anyway, it’s a really engaging show. I don’t remember being so engaged, since, I don’t know, that TV show called “Lottery!” (exclamation point theirs.) Oh, okay, I just searched for it on Youtube and found this medley of TV show openings from 1984.

It’s amazing how much the 80s TV opening informs the sense of humor of anyone over 30. Without it we’d all just be staring at each other and watching “According To Jim.”

Eating too many waffles.

Talking a little bit slower.

Having conversations with cashiers at the supermarket.

Waiting to cross the street.

I guess just looking at the start of this list, most of it has to do with patience. And I think a lot of my anxiety comes from my lack of patience. And living here has made me realize that I need to calm the fuck down a lot of the time.

So mostly we’ve just been settling in to the house. I’m working on the cookbook and Justin is involving himself in house projects. The cats absolutely love all the space. Fizzle thinks he’s an outdoor cat because I let him out in the backyard on a leash. Avocado is a little too curious for that, but I might try it with her. She’s pretty much returned to her aloof self, giving a little love whenever she sees fit. I sort of miss when she was locked up and sooo happy to see me.

My favorite thing is that I can now buy gardening magazines! We planted an herb garden, plus a few containers of herbs. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. But there is nothing like going outside in the middle of the night with just a robe on and sitting in the yard with Fizz and just inhaling. I can’t believe it took so long to get here.

Lilacs.

Baby herbs.

Fizz on a leash.

Ruby in the park.

We were in a complete lock down on I-80 for 8 boring, frustrating and sometimes frightening hours. The only way we had any idea what was going on was by calling friends and family and having them look it up online. When it was over, all hotels in the area were booked, and the only way I found out that they were taking refugees at a rec center was from speaking to an operator at Motel 6. When I spoke to the highway patrol woman on the phone about what we should do, her response, and I quote, was “I don’t know, I’m in a basement.” And then she directed me to an automated phone recording. I’ve been in snowstorms both in snowy Vermont and Minnesota. I’ve never seen anything as ridiculous as the way Wyoming handled this.

Of course, you have to feel lucky to be alive. A few minutes slower or faster and we might have been caught up in it. In fact, we recognized the trucks that sped ahead of us as some of the players in the accident. And the people at the rec center were great, handing out blankets and smiles, plus coffee in the morning. So, yes, I am appreciating things a lot more than I did 2 days ago, but I am also still pretty pissed. But I am still pretty happy. But I am still pretty pissed.

As far as the kitties, we brought them up front with us in the cat carrier. The rec center wouldn’t let us in with them at first – a cop said they would be fine in the truck in 9 degree weather! But after many tears we got them inside and set up camp in a cozy area by an entrance way. We met a couple with a cute dog named Isis.

We’ve been recovering a hotel in Rock Springs Wyoming, and hopefully we’ll make it to Idaho today and Portland by Friday. I gotta’ get out of here and get on the road!

Here’s what the truck looked like after the fire, when we were finally able to drive by 8 hours later.

My sansevieria is looking worse for the wear. Or whatever that phrase is. What is that phrase? Some of the leaves have downright collapsed, other just feel very rubbery. And this sounds like no big deal but I made a promise that I wouldn’t let this plant die. A promise to the plant and to myself. So I brought it into the hotel and apologized profusely. I hope that it comes back to life a la ET.

We’re in a La Quinta in Cheyenne. It’s the nicest hotel so far. The one we stayed in last night was nice in an old man plaid and chandelier sort of way, this one is nice in a traveling businessman sort of way. Fizz is on my bed along with my plant and Avocado is on Justin’s bed.

The road has this affect on me, tell me if it happens to you, too. Whenever I hear something on the radio, say, about teachers, it makes me want to be a teacher. Something about the power of suggestion and the hypnotizing effects of miles of highway. So I had downloaded all of these This American Lifes, and with every segment I was having sudden career changes. Astronaut, lawyer, scientist – and then after awhile I just took Ira Glass’ job and became host of This American Life. But it’s not like I’m taking these jobs lightly, I very diligently map out my road to success in each vocation. My humble undergraduate studies, my ambitious and unlikely applications to Ivy League colleges and my subsequent acceptance and graduation.

And instead of snapping out of a fantasy I have to somberly talk myself out of it. “Cook.” I tell myself, “You just have to cook.” These are the sacrifices I make. But I will always regret missing my true calling.

This is the parking lot of the biggest truck stop in the world in Iowa. And there’s the back of the truck opened up to reveal our traveling kitty cat hotel. I had all sorts of worries and thought if worst came to worst they’d wind up in the cat carrier up front, but so far so good. Click here for the flickR notes and a little more detail. It’s fully carpeted with two balconies and an “extension” that contains their litter box. But really they prefer hotel floors to take care of their business. Justin built the entire thing from scraps: the wood, the carpet, the chickenwire – even the latch for the door was reused.

To make sure they were comfortable, we kept the hotel in the apartment for a few days before leaving. We put their favorite toys inside plus familiar pillows and cat nip and they totally fell for it. They spent plenty of time in there and got adjusted to it before we even left, none the wiser to our hidden agenda.

We stop every few hours to check on them and give them love. They always seem happy to see us so that’s a good sign. You can see them lounging here on their favorite balcony, looking all sleepy. Their eyes need time to adjust to the bright sun after being holed up in the dark, but I think they look so cute when they’re all squinty like that. You can see the entrance to the extension underneath them.

I couldn’t get a good shot of Avocado, so this will have to do.

When we get to Portland I’m hoping to take them outside often, they seem to love it.

As for us, we’re in a motel in Des Moines watching the Lawrence Welk show on PBS. There isn’t much going on, we hope to make it across Nebraska tomorrow and into Wyoming. And that’s as boring as it sounds.

But about the kitties. We let them into the room last night free roaming because yesterday was such a hard day. It’s so sweet how quickly they acclimate. I had no idea that they had this potential. Maybe they have always wanted an adventure? It’s weird how people aren’t usually placed in situations with their cats, especially indoor cats. You are just kind of used to them swatting at their mouse toys, rubbing at your feet, cleaning behind their ears. To see them rise to the occasion and grow as kitties is pretty awe inspiring. Avocado jumping on the furniture as high as she can get, Fizzle sprawled out all over the bed.

I woke up “parched” at 5 am and haven’t been able to get back to sleep. I started thinking about the NY Times article I was quoted in, and – this is how it always happens – kind of mapping out a brilliant response, and before I knew it I was wide awake but absolutely in no shape to write something brilliant. Or really in any shape to write something at all compelling about cats. And now here we are. I’m sitting in the hallway by the vending machines because the guy that works here is taking up the couch in the lobby, smoking cigarette after cigarette and putting them out in a browning cup of water, watching Romy And Michelle.

I don’t think we are too far off schedule, really. And schedules don’t really matter when you have no special reason for going somewhere. But no one wants to be Southbend, Indiana. No one.