girl at large

The Things We Say

A few memorable quotes from my trip to Palm Springs. Can you guess who said what?

1) "So why did you have to go to the Internet to find a woman?".       A) Tom  

2) "That's what she said".                                                              B) Paul

3) "I usually just lick it and stick it back in".                                    C) Mom

4) "I'm so dehydrated my pee looks like orange juice".                     D) Everyone, every day, all day

He Fits Right In. That's What She Said!

Being recruited to do renovation demo, a kitchen plumbing mishap,long drives in a rental car, the worst of the worst embarrassing family stories....The Boy has sailed through the first Mikkelsen family holiday with flying colors. And Mom is in top form. But she may have met her match: Mom, as he was mopping up the water on the floor from the backed up trap:"Has she had you down on all fours yet?" Paul: "Not in the kitchen"

Family Traditions

The boy wants to know if my family photographs every meal.

Sometimes It Is The Destination

I'm returning to the Deluxe Hotel in Portland, Oregon tonight for my friend Meg's wedding.

I stayed at the Deluxe my very last night in Portland, two years ago.
I had packed up the house, the truck had left, the apartment was empty
but it was too late and I was too tired to start the drive. So I
treated myself to one last night in my favorite place. They allow dogs
too so Miss Ruby was all cuddled up in the down comforter right away.
I sent out messages to my friends that I would be at the Driftwood
Lounge in the lobby for one last beverage. I expected maybe one or two
to come. They ALL came. It was a lovely night. Meg walked me up to my
room for one last Ruby kiss, then teared up when she said goodbye to
me----she's a tough cookie, not a crier. I will always remember how
touched I was.

I was excited to be moving on, but sad to have failed at yet another
business, another town. I was sad to leave the best, most "Kate"
apartment I'd ever had. I was happy to be returning to family, but
questioning whether I could really stand all the "Wisconsin" things
that I don't like about Wisconsin. I had hopes that I'd be able to
make my dream come true by compromising on the job (it was most
definitely not my dream job) and moving close to family who could
support me. I was planning on having a family someway, some
how---probably on my own. That would never be possible in pdx, so
there I was on my way back to moo town. But that was a stretch too,
the only thing I really knew was that there was no future for me in
Portland. And I wanted to be home.

I had a ten day drive adventure ahead of me, then a whole new life
with a new job I had no idea how to do, a new town I didn't know. I
had no idea what was waiting for me at my destination.

Turns out it was everything I could have ever wished for. And then some. I am a lucky, lucky girl.

Fruit or Fritter?

I dropped in at Dad's on the way back from a last-minute work appointment in Menasha earlier this week. My timing was excellent---they were going to have dinner at Cedar Lodge.

Cedar Lodge does what it does very well. Which is to say, it stuffs you to the gills with red meat and ridiculous extras while it wraps you in cedar-paneled Midwestern warmth. Ordering takes awhile.

Fruit or Fritter?

Lettuce Salad or Cottage Cheese?

Lettuce Salad---House, Ceasar or Bacon Spinach?

French Onion or cold Strawberry soup?

Potato, Rice or Vegetable? 

Potato---Baked, Mashed, Hash Browns or American Fries?

Baked Potato---once or twice?

It was the longest conversation I've ever had that started with "I'll have the tuna". 

Anthropologists Should Go To Summer Festivals

The people-watching at Summerfest was fascinating, sometimes it was also center stage. We were off in a shady secluded corner so the baby could nurse (dappled sunlight, wholesome families) when a woman stumbled over and threw up--big, classic liquid vomit arch. How she remained standing on those hight heel sandals, I don't know. Well, actually, the standing didn't last long. She then passed out in her friends lap. It was 2:30 in the afternoon.

The faithful friend dutifully rubbed the "sick" lady's (remember the presence of children) back, supported her floppy head, and was rather stoic in the face of stares and whispered giggles. With a straight back, she took her free arm, reached over the tanned backside of buddy into a tiny purse, pulled out a lip gloss and applied. 'Atta girl!

Middle of Somewhere

Despite the restrictive pinch of the Bible belt, the repetitive nature of rows of corn, and the vast distances traveled to obtain fresh produce; I enjoyed my visit to Nebraska.

Smarties in the kitchen drawer, a stray cat in the sawdust of the wood shop, the card playing buddies with lollies in their front shirt pockets, the rose water aunties and main street one-finger steering wheel waves...Edgar is brimming with childhood memories. Before Starbucks and credit card debt, doc martins and divorce, eating disorders and vitamin D deficiencies. 

I roll my eyes and make the usual jokes about Jesus and overalls and pick up trucks. But I wouldn't tease if I didn't love. That little town is dying. One of my great-great aunts arrived there by covered wagon with her parents. I said "..I understand the coming, it's the staying I don't get...". It got a laugh, as intended. But as the fields turned to strip malls and parking lots on the way to the airport, I understood a little about the staying.  

Kindness Stings

A few of my favorite gems from the family gathering last week in Edgar, Nebraska:

"But she's so pretty! I just can't imagine why she's still single" (Yes, I was standing right there).

"So are you bunking with Stella since you're single?" (Stella is my 5 year old niece).

"You seem really comfortable with who you are. You know, you seem ok with it". (That started out good...)

Replies to the "No" after "Do you have kids?" and/or "Are you married?":

    -"Don't worry, Jesus must have other plans for you".

    -Silence. More silence.

    -"But you're so pretty!" (Well, if I'm pretty enough to be married, but not, I must be a total bitch.)

    -Pained look, then silence.

    -"That's ok". (I hope so--what, is someone rounding up the childless for an internment camp? Are there cocktails?)

More Little Fixes

Gotta love eBay! I found replacement headrests for the Jetta's back seat for 20 bucks! I'm not sure I even want to know why two of the three rear headrests were missing in the first place. 

But between the serious cleaning, the new antenna and the new headrests, it's looking a lot less ghetto. Next up: doing something about the torn upholstery. 

Sweater Weather

Suzanne took this shot when we were up in Door County for Pumpkin Patch Weekend a few weeks ago, enjoying the fall colors and layering up for the season.

Welcome to Edgar

Dad and I took a road trip together this past week to his hometown of Edgar, Nebraska. We swapped Starbucks for Sanka...until we discovered a cafe in Nelson that served fully-leaded, real coffee. Thank god for small miracles. Thank god for small towns.

Someone Will Eventually Create Frozen Beer on A Stick. Beercicles, Why Not?

I missed seeing one of my all-time favorite bands last night because....it was past my bedtime. Erin and Doug came into town yesterday so we could all go to Summerfest. I've never been before, but from what I saw, it was your classic midwestern summer festival: beer, walking about, eating food on a stick, beer, people watching, sunburn, beer, beer, beer. Erin and Doug had Kiss tickets, they aren't my kinda thing, so I didn't go. I found out in the afternoon that the BoDeans, the afore mentioned all-time favorite band, was playing later in the night--but not until 10:00. I almost made it back to the grounds last night to see them, but I was sun-tired, carb-overloaded and well, 10pm is my bedtime. And it was raining. How pathetic?! Next time, I'm dragging my tired ass out no matter what. And how could the The BoDeans, Milwaukee's GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC OF ALL TIME, have a 2nd rate stage, lousy 10pm slot?

Happy Place

A big part of a Memorial Day Weekend in Door County is spending it with those you love. I really enjoyed my time with the likes of Pancake Pajama Peg, Mosquito Netting Mike, Jean the Salad Queen, and Grandma in a Blanket. Gotta love 'em, the characters. But the best time of all was just being there at all, me and my dog.

The more things change, ...

My favorite place on the planet is the thumb of Wisconsin. I can't explain it. Maybe it's the smell of wood burning fireplaces, the sound of the waves of Lake Michigan, or the feel of sand in the sheets. All I know is I'm so lucky to be back.

Adventures in Turkey

Mom saw a Whirling Dervish. As a child, I thought that a 'Whirling Dervish' was an animal, perhaps related to the Tazmanian Devil. On her blog, Mom worries about tidying up before Marco arrives on the boat---she worries about keeping house in between photos of camels and dervishes and boats on a stormy Mediterranean sea. I suppose some things never change, despite an exotic locale.

Wisconsin: It's Not So Bad

That's this year's motto. So far, in the "Not So Bad" column, mostly food: -Sendik's -the Butter Burger at Culver's -Frozen Custard (take your pick--Kopps, Michael's, or Gilles) -Milwaukee Art Museum -the Lakefront -Leinenkugel's

Cheese Head Travels Home

All Packed Up, Mount Shasta California, The Grand Canyon, Big as Texas, Grandpa Bunny

Ticking Off

It doesn't interest anyone else, but I'm a list person and an "achiever", so I feel better (literally physically better) when I can mark things off my to-do list: Yesterday and today were "Technology" and "Tune Up" days respectively. I picked up a cheap-o cell phone for the road trip in case of emergency. Don't everyone get all excited that they'll now be able to reach me on my cell phone! I'll be lucky if the little piece of plastic lasts through the road trip. Though I will have to have a Blackberry for the new job, so my time of living Cell Phone Free is certainly coming to an end. I also finally pulled the trigger on a Garmin Nuvi navigation system. I am IN LOVE. This little device with the pleasant voice and confident directions was MADE for people like me. In just two days, I've already tooled around more of Portland than I have in the past four years. I'm a confident driver, but unless the destination is off a flat, corn-lined highway, I can't find my way out of a paperbag. What was I waiting for, why didn't I get one of these gadgets sooner? The little Jetta made it through her 50k tune up this morning, fairing much better than I feared. A new oil pan, tire rotation, the usual adjustments, a new headlight, and a repaired Cruise Control---and now I'm road ready. For an upgrade from the previous ghetto look, I also opted to replace the missing hubcap. So sexy. For being a good girl, I treated her to a wash on the way home. The car insurance is up to date, I've updated my AAA membership and downloaded a list of must-stop roadside eateries from RoadFood. I am good to go! Tomorrow is "Dealing with the City" (moving truck parking permits) and "Awkwardly Saying Goodbye to Co-workers I'm Not Going to Miss" Day. Tick! Tick!

Equipment

I got my snow boots today. They are hideous, so of course they are warm, supportive and incredibly comfortable.

A Long Strange Trip

I'm planning out the road trip, and it's going to be a strange one...heading down to LA first to see Tom , and my friends Kristan and Steve...then across to Nebraska to visit Grandma Eileen and Grandpa Bunny, which takes me through Colorado, so I think I'll stop in Boulder. Then through the plains and up to Milwaukee. Any stops I should make along the way, let me know!

You Can't Take It With You

I can't move everything with me across country (again), so here is installment one of "You Can't Take It With You". Bidding is now open, more items to come. Items in the "smaller than a bread box" category will be posted in a few weeks as packing commences. Email me at katemikkelsen@aol.com if you want something, first come first serve! -Twin Bed--mattress, low profile boxspring and metal hollywood frame. (mattress pad and two sets of sheets included) -Glass Lamp with mocha-colored silk shade, three way 12" d, 24" h -Kitchen Butcher Block Cart 24" w, 20" d, 35" h -Kitchen Table 42' d, 30" h white laminated wood top, aluminum base with leveling feet -Outdoor Chairs set of two, stackable in weather proof woven vinyl -Stone-topped Spot Table 13" d, 20" h -Bookshelves 54" w, 12" d, 85" h dark brown rift oak, disassembles

A Message From The Universe

Dad sent me four pre-paid B&W photo development envelopes from A&I for Christmas this year, very thoughtful. I have a dozen rolls of film in my kitchen junk drawer--rolls I have transported from home to home and state to state (and even abroad!) for years and years. They languished next to twist ties, duct tape and Ikea allen wrenches, forgotten and undeveloped. Back in December, I sent off four rolls I thought might be from five or six years ago. The very same week that I returned from the World's Longest Interview in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, two of the developed rolls arrived in the mail. Both were all shots of Wisconsin! Pictures of barns, rows of corn, cows, the lake...all taken more than 10 years ago when I went on a 'farewell' tour of my favorite places in Wisconsin, including Door County (where I stayed at the Valmy Hotel).

It Will Be Good To Be Home

It's amazing--I never knew I still had so many friends still back in Wisconsin! What a perfect time to join Facebook---I've been 'friended' by so many familiar faces! I'm searching high and low for an apartment in Milwaukee. Portland is so dog-friendly, I'd forgotten that other towns aren't so keen on your four legged friend sharing the apartment. The right one will come along, but it's frustrating to be turned away when everyone knows that dog owners are far superior people, and very desirable renters. Who else will pick up steaming poo first thing in the morning? Isn't that just the kind of person you want as a tenant? For those who don't know, I'm moving back to Wisconsin. I had to leave my current job, the market being what it is, and I've been wanting to get back to 'home' or at least near family for a few years now. I was originally aiming for Chicago, but the dart landed a little higher, and a little closer to a dairy farm. As it turns out, I'm probably going to love Milwaukee. Because we lived in Fond du Lac, and visited Chicago so often for our 'big city' fix, we rarely went to Milwaukee when I was growing up. As a third grader, I toured a brewery on a field trip, but that was about the extent of my knowledge of the place. The more research I do, the more I see that it has a heck of a lot in common with Portland--they are such similiar cities in fact, you could call it Portland North. The same population (Milwauke is 20k bigger), similiar demographics, similiar industry/business base, similiar neighborhoods (Pearl District=Third Ward, Riverfront=Riverfront, Shorewood=Sellwood, Brady Street = NW 23rd, Downer Street = Hawthorne, and on and on). Swap the mountains for the lake, rain for snow, and you've got the same place! Bonus, it's only an hour and half from Chicago...and all the Quinlans!

You Can Go Home Again

I'm going to need sweaters. Lots of sweaters.

Christmas Quotes

me: "Your shampoo did something weird to my hair." Tom: "I don't know what you used, but I don't have shampoo in that bathroom." Tom: "I don't know what 'gluten' is, but it sounds DELICIOUS! Can you just add it to stuff?"

Out Of The Snow, Into The Smog

It was still night, and it was still snowing. One change of clothes in a backpack, a layer of tights under my jeans, I made my way through a foot and a half of snow (sandwiched between two layers of ice) down the hills to the train station at 5 in the morning. I'll be damned if I'm not going to make it to Los Angeles for Christmas! And I'll be damned if I'm going to miss this train just pulling up because I don't have time to buy a ticket! The flight to LA boarded on time. Those of us fortunate enough to have purchased last-minute, cheap-o tickets hung our heads, not in shame but to hide our glee, as we walked through the gate crowded with hundreds of holiday travelers who'd been stranded at the airport in some cases, for days. As we were being de-iced (that poor bastard, I hope someone filled his stocking), the white stuff began to fall again in ernest, one hundred squeezed-in strangers held their collective breath. As the plane took off, only 30 minutes behind schedule, it was the first time I heard an entire flight of passengers clap at departure! Of course, I may have over-anticipated the joy of actually being in LA for Christmas --I spent most of Christmas Eve day cleaning my brothers house.

Anticipation Is Exhausting

Stella was soooo looking forward to the wedding, and then, three minutes into the ceremony, completely konked out.

A Broad Abroad

Mom's in Greece!

In Touch

Check out Mom's new blog!

Bachelor Aid

Tom adjusts to the new location of 'his spot'. Ruby stands guard. Before After Tom's new place is great, big and light and roomy. All the family pitched in to send him furnishings--from Grandpa's prints to Mom's rug to John and Molly's redo of the chairs to Aunt Peg's couch, table and bed. He worked on Friday, so I spent most of the day cleaning, organizing and arranging furniture...sounds so familiar. Was I on a break or still at work? I have a problem--even 1000 miles away, I still want to put things in their right place. Favorite conversation with my brother (aside from The Lightbulb Story): Tom: sniff, sniff "Did you wash my sheets or something?" Me: "Yes, I washed your sheets, the toss pillows covers..even your duvet cover." Tom: "You can wash those?" Did we not grow up the same house? At least I was spared the Easy Mac--he had that for lunch when I was out enjoying my time in LA...by visiting a furniture factory.

Next Time I'll Pack a PB&J.

There's nothing quite like hitting the open road with your dog--sun in your face, wind in your hair... steering wheel gripped with your knees as you struggle at 65 curvy miles per hour to open a jar of peanut butter so your dog can lick it off your fingers when climbing through the pass at 4000 ft elevation so she won't whine about the discomfort in her ears she doesn't understand but knows she doesn't like...holding the jar with your thighs, flinging the lid on the floor where it lands sticky-side down, then holding the wheel with one hand as you contort your other hand--wiggling a peanut butter-gobbed finger behind the seat at the general direction of the back seat where the only other passenger is looking back at you in the rear view mirror like the crazy woman that you are.

California Is A Loooong State.

Favorite government-issue exit sign, near Stockton: "Rough and Ready Island"

Road Trip

I'm heading back to Oregon later today...been in sunny, smoggy Los Angeles for a long weekend with brother Tom. Managed to fit in a few factory and showroom visits too, so it's a working, write-off weekend. But it's been relaxing as well. Lunch with friends and their new gorgeous baby girl Violet (can a baby ever be old?) in Santa Monica, downtime with Tom's friend Devon. I never get too far from work--there's email, the cell phone my boss made me take (though they didn't call, good for them!), and of course, one full day cleaning, organizing and rearranging my brothers new loft. It's a great place, comfortable with an interesting city view over the Staples Center. Ruby is terrified of the elevator and the stone-floored lobby, and check in later for an entry on Ruby vs. Roomba. I'm off again in a bit, putting the little Jetta to the test on the I-5 (whew, she's dirrrrrrteee!)

Vegas Baby

Last week, I went to Las Vegas at the last minute to attend two days of the World Market Home Furnishings Trade Show. I went to Vegas, with my boss, to work. Contain your excitement on my behalf. We stayed at the Luxor, said to be visible from space. The Great Wall, the Amazon and ...The Luxor--what a planet. In short, my impression of Vegas is summed up in this story: One evening, walking back to the hotel from dinner, enjoying natural air and a moment devoid of casino-din, my boss said to me: "Wow, look up at that moon!" It was full; perfectly round and full and glowing with celestial beauty. My reply, with a tone of intense disgust: "Which hotel did THAT?"

dog day road trip