They aren't even there anymore . . .

Some of us were talking the other day about all the old clubs/bars we use to go to back in the day . . . Back when we didn't go to bed at 10pm, but when our nights just got started at that time! Here are some we remembered.

The Blue Maxx - at the Hillsboro Airport this was always a fun place to go with a group of girlfriends or other couples. My first exposure to the Chippendale dancers happened here . . woohoo! A semi nice restaurant, pretty decent music, but overpriced drinks and covercharge. I remember being entered into a dance off with some encouragement (too many drinks) from some girls I worked with at the time. Never been so embarrassed in my life. Remember I was only 22 -23 (my long life).

Earthquake Ethels - located in Beaverton on Cedar Hills Blvd it was THE PLACE to go for disco at it's peak. Friday nights were huge at Earthquakes when the Tektronix crowd (before all of their layoffs) would pack the place until the wee hours of the morning. Every hour on the hour they staged an earthquake, it was so stupid but it was the highlight of the evening. All of those Saturday Night Fever songs really kept that place going during it's short lifespan. They served very watered down drinks and the disco ball with the strobe lights was as cool as we all were back then.

The Faucet - a Beaverton hangout on Hillsdale Hwy (I think it's a Chinese restaurant now). This is where you went for loud and proud rock & roll music and pool playing. Live bands and lots of cigarette smoking, I seem to remember.

No Dogs Allowed - another Beaverton hangout, this was the place to go to if you were single, it was the true definition of a "pickup place" back in the 70's (not that I would know anything about that). Always had great headliner rock bands and couples that argued in the parking lots. Ha, don't know why I remember that.

Jekyll & Hydes - I hadn't even thought about this place until it was mentioned, but yes I know we stopped in there a time or two. It was also a Beaverton hangout. We didn't really go into Portland much back in the day, I guess Beaverton was our Portland.

The "O" (Oasis Tavern) - a FG landmark in the 70's it was THE spot to go in town. Huge gathering place during the summers with coed softball teams stopping by after games. There were always big pool tournaments happening at different times and a popular place to lay down your football pool bets. Many a break up occurred with friends of ours due to too much time spent at the "O". . ha! Great memories. The place was the "Cheers" of FG. Now it's a warehouse for an Espresso stand.

Where do they all go now?

Mmmmm puddin' cake . . .

This Saturday is our first at the OSU Beaver's tailgater and game for this season. We didn't make it down to the Hawaii game because we had a camping trip planned (but we listened to it on the radio in the campground!) and the USC game was on a weeknight so we gathered at the Boyle's house for an indoor tailgate party and had alot of fun, even lost my voice a bit. The game is starting at 3:30 on Saturday but as always this group makes a full day of it. The setup begins at 8:00am with the grills firing up around 9:00am! Our contribution will be preparing breakfast burritos for a crowd. Always a favorite, the combination of sausage, bacon, onions, peppers (for those who like), potatoes, eggs, little salt, little pepper, cooked together and laid on a warmed flour tortilla with a bit of shredded cheese and salsa. Now how could you not like that?? Of course, since that won't be enough for this hungry group, pancakes are also being prepared as well. As soon as the meal has been consumed, preparation begins for the pregame meal!! Got that right!! It's burgers, all the trimmings, lots of salads, desserts and all the various munchie dishes that everybody brings! All the while washing it down with some adult beverages (responsibly of course) for most of us!! Then it's rolling (I mean heading) over to the game, cheering on the mighty Beavs, then back to the tailgater during halftime (because it has been a full hour without food? and beverage). Then back to the game for the second half. We either cheer our way out of the stadium or quietly head back to our area. Then the cleanup and teardown begin, quite a process.

Well here is a cake I'm bringing, easy, good and thought you might enjoy the recipe . .

Banana Pudding Cake

1 or 2 ripe bananas

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1 pkg. jello instant pudding (banana or vanilla)

4 eggs

1 c. water

1/4 c. oil

1/2 c. chopped nuts

Slice bananas into large bowl, mash, add remaining ingredients. Blend together, beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into a well greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 - 70 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered suger.

Maybe I do need that hotline number?. . .

Uhhhhh . . could it mean you have a gambling problem if you have become an advertisement for the Oregon Lottery scratch tickets? . . No? . . Well, I didn't think so either, just thought I'd check though . .HA!

Black market chocolate . . .

I'm pissed. It is 2:30 in the afternoon and I NEED a piece of chocolate, and I need it NOW. As I take my dollar bill and roam the commons to find the vending machines, I cannot believe what I see. They have removed every piece of "candy" out of the machines and replaced them with things that have granola, raisins, whole wheat, fruit, nuts, yogurt, oatmeal, aaaarrrrrghhhhhh!!! Where has all the chocolate gone??? PEOPLE . . don't you understand!!!! women over 50 are required to have chocolate everyday, it doesn't have to be much, just a bite or two of something chocolate!!! I soon learn (from my boss) who is in charge (that conspirator . .ha!) of the vending machine contracts, that it has been mandated by the Oregon Dept. of Education that children now only have access to "healthy snacks" instead of products containing the dreaded EVIL sugar in them. JUST FINE! hmmmppfff, I will go to Costco, buy my own box of Hershey Chocolate with Almonds bars and sell them secretly out of my desk drawer.......ssssshhhhhhh....I know there is a market and I will make a killing! There are other desperate women lurking the school hallways with similar faces of pain that need the cure. I will be their savior.

I have to tell somebody . . .

I'M GONNA BE A GRAMA AGAIN!!!!! YEAH!!! After waiting patiently since the news in September from Chad and Nicole I can't stand it any longer and I am blabbing it on my blog. Most all of the family has already heard but wanted to brag about it to the world (like Gramas do you know) that I get to spoil another little one soon. Due to arrive sometime in May, maybe on Uncle Josh's Birthday May 2nd?. We couldn't be more excited and Lucas will be such a good big brother, he already has the kissing babies part down!! I think it's time for the shopping to begin, oh and you know how I hate to shop . . . HA . . .NOT!!!!

Remember when we were little . . .

and there was such a thing as "do overs", well this past week in football brings that idea back.

Thursday - The fans of Beaver Nation were saddened by the no excuses loss to Utah 31 -28 after an astounding win against USC the week before. We watched the entire game and painful 4th quarter on some new cable channel called VERSES that took a few scrolls with the remote to finally track down. Let's hope our upcoming home game this Saturday against Washington State puts us back in the W column! We know the food will be good!!

Friday - The mighty FGHS Viking football team loss to the Tigard Tigers 49 - 6 on a rainsoaked night at Hendricks Stadium, that wasn't fun.

And if THAT wasn't painful enough . . .

Saturday - We are in Monmouth for Parent's Weekend with Andy and attended the Wolves matchup with Western Washington University, there we witnessed the WOU football team lose 24 - 13. In the aftermath of that game we returned to Andys' house where we watched the Ducks game (for hubby, the single Ducks fan in our family). AND the streak continues, the Ducks 44 - 10 loss to USC caused my husband to want to turn the game off early, which is a big NO NO at our house. Good thing we had those beer drinking games late into the evening to help distract us from our sorrow . . right Andy!!!

THEN FINALLY Sunday TODAY - There was redemption with a WIN by the Chicago Bears over Detroit 34 - 7. GO BEARS!

This is very sad, I think we may be a completely obsessed football family.

Oh, if you only knew . . .

. . the items that high school kids lose on any given day. I am the keeper of all items lost and yet not found. My desk drawer (smaller items) and a big bin in the office are where the following can be found . . .

iPods, Cell phones (many, many cell phones), Jackets, Jeans (how do you lose your pants?), hoodies (lots of sweatshirts), tshirts, shoes, flipflops, cleats, notebooks, folders, planners, school books, library books, backpacks, watches, necklaces, gym bags, rings, purses, earrings, waterbottles, bras (yes, bras), digital cameras, sunglasses, journals, keys and wallets.

Most of the items brought into the lost and found are items left in the cafeteria at lunchtime, lockerroom (unlocked items) or items found by someone in the commons area of the school. We aren't talking about cheap stuff either, we are talking about very nice stuff. What really floors me is I rarely have a student that comes and checks for any of their missing items. Except, for the kids who have lost their cell phones or iPods, those seem to be the only things that put them into a major tailspin if they are missing. I take 2 huge garbage bags into a storage area in the back of our locker room at least every 2 weeks. It's unbelievable. After storing these items for approximately 6 months, we send them on to Goodwill. Very rarely do I have to take a student into the back storage area to try and "find their jacket" or whatever it was that they lost. I think they have either told their parents that it was stolen (not true) or that it's just lost and they can't find it, without even checking our lost and found. Now I see why everybody goes to Goodwill these days, it's where they sell all of the good stuff.