Jim came home today! Hooray!
While I was waiting for him, however, my coworker Scott and I drove to Corvallis and hiked Marys Peak. Says the forest service:
“Mary's Peak, at 4,097 feet, is the highest point in Oregon’s Coast Range and the most prominent peak viewed westward from Corvallis. On a clear day one can see both the Pacific Ocean to the west and many of the Cascade peaks to the east across the Willamette Valley.”
We couldn't see the ocean, but we could see a whole lot of mountains popping up in the distance. It was a great, long & gorgeous hike. Good way to spend a Saturday. The day was perfect, too, no clouds and not cold and not too hot. Just perfect. Afterward, we stopped in Corvallis (where I had never been but where Scott went to school) and ate at American Dream Pizza. It was very funky & very delicious.
I've been busy since my last blog, too. Dave left at work. Bye, Dave- and happy birthday! I was surprisingly productive the first day of his absence- something about not constant babbling between the two of us, I'm guessing. But Friday, which is always very busy, was tough. In the meantime while they're trying to hire someone, tho, Scott is coming over one day a week from the news desk. So that'll help a little. And then I'll have someone to babble at again.
Apparently people still are setting off fireworks. And apparently it freaks out Brody even more when I'm not here. He has *eaten* our front door. Yum yum. Yikes. I guess we'll have to drug him the whole week next year. Poor crazy little pup.
My former news editor, Kate, came for a visit last night. It was great to see her. She's now working at NPR in D.C. as their first ever online copy editor. She likes it. She works with (sorta) Ted Koppel. And other cool NPR people whose names and voices I know. And she puts together the daily “Most e-mailed stories” podcast that I love listening to. Very cool.
Tomorrow we're doing our third HouseClub project at Melissa & Adam's house. We're stripping, repairing and priming their front & back porches. Should be fun!