.missing.

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with all the chilly rain in portland today, I am really missing the islands in thailand

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+.peace.love.warmth.+

.donate (if you can!).

I tried to donate blood today through the American Red Cross. I guess traveling by land in Thailand is considered "at risk" for malaria, but flying from city to city is OK... dang!

If you can donate, try! I know that the Oregon blood banks really need donations, and I am sure all around they do! One donation could save three lives :)

Go here and find a donation site.

.+~peace.love.life~+.

.bottling the IPA.

The day has come. The beautiful IPA that has been fermenting in our closet is finally being bottled!

Sanitation is the most important part so nothing infects the beer. The bottles are ready!

Here's the secondary fermentor. The dry hops on the top just look yummy!

Bottling the beer takes the longest. But here's Ben almost done, just doing the capping!

The beast likes it too. mmmmmm.....

.+~peace.love.IPA's~+.

.kiddie kimono.

Back into crocheting, I whipped this little beauty up for a fantastic friend in Houston having a little baby girl any day now :)

.+~peace.love.newbies.~+.

.we love to walk.

Having Ben home only on the weekends makes us really take advantage of the city every minute we can. Last weekend was beautiful for walking around and we really love the fact that we CAN walk around the city very easily from where we live.

Along the way we saw a new MAX car that was not in service. We took some time out to observe people trying to get on it and talking about the differences between the generations of MAX cars we have been on, so interesting!

We hiked up into the west hills and got some awesome views of the city.

VooDoo donuts was tempting but the line was around the corner of the block so we just kept walking.

Signs of spring are all around. A little later this year than normal because of the colder weather, but it's coming!

Then an Amnesia brew at Laughing Planet where the dinosaur almost got it!

.+~peace.love.portland~+.

Ok, I lied

So I didn't keep up with the blog on our travels. However, my awesome travel-mate husband did on our other blog: http://dontnotice.blogspot.com - Check it out. We made it to Thailand and Laos... and what a fun trip it was! I can't wait to head that way again someday... Speaking of someday...

I am going to be volunteering in India for three months. And I leave super soon! I was so inspired by the people and culture, I had to fulfill a need within me to help others. India is one of the most populated countries with one of the highest poverty rates in the world. Helping the locals help themselves is what I want to accomplish while I am there. Teaching is a beautiful tool, when used correctly can enhance peoples' lives! And I am super pumped to be a part of it! April 18th I am taking off from Portland to Delhi for a cultural week full of classes and sight-seeing, then will be shipped up to Palampur (close to Dharamsala) for the next 12 weeks. A host family in the village is providing me with a room, shower and three Indian meals a day. I will be working 6 days a week, so at the end of my placement I scheduled 2 weeks to travel around since I am there! Hopefully this is when Ben can join me :)

Peace. Love. India.

P.S. I got told on the street today that I look like an actress named Vanessa Redgrave... I had to post a photo... do you see it? I don't!

.I'm back (I hope).

Well, well, well.... I come upon my blog and realize it has been almost a year since my last posting, tisk, tisk. As Facebook and plain old emailing took over my life, I am a little ashamed to see that I haven't updated my blog. Well, now's the time, right?

Another month sabbatical is upon Ben and I as we take our world trekking ambitions to SE Asia. We leave Sunday and are staying around for a month! No plans have been made other than our flights (In and out of Bangkok, with a layover in Tokyo)... and we love it! Adventure here we come!

+.peace.love.travel.+