After about a week of the "yucks", I'm back in the land of the living and calling out drinks and ringing up everyone's Ichiro cards. I've begun the countdown til "move day": the 10th or 11th. And I debut at the LC Starbucks on Friday the 13th. Fortunately, I'm scheduled for a midday shift so I can get familiarized with the store, learn how the wear the funny headset and hand coffee through a window instead of over a countertop. I am staring down a steep learning curve and exciting transition.

Le Rozel

Le Rozel
Originally uploaded by spigs.

A fickle surfspot up in Normandie France and my creative perspective.

the news

After 2 tries, our AA flight into Portland finally landed last night around 10pm. We were greated by emergency vehicles and flashing lights. I thought I might get to try my hand at opening the emergency door where we were seated but fortunately the brake temperature came out normal and the plane didn't burst into flames.

All our gifts arrived safely as well as Jason's boards and we slept pretty well, until 6:15am. Its now 10:15am and I'm ready for dinner... well, dinner in France. I'm going to try to hold out til lunch at noon.

Tomorrow I crash back into reality: Grandé nonfat, no-foam, latté!! Triple-venti sugar-free vanilla brevé light-foam latté!!

I also have more plans. I'll be packing up and looking for an apartment in Lincoln City Oregon. Starbucks is transfering me to be closer to the ocean and Jason. Isn't that nice?

Back in the Basque Country! It looks wonderful, I feel right at home. As Brigitte and Jean-Marc drove us home from the train station I felt like I had never left. Every thing is so familiar. Even the notes left by the door asking me to pick up bread for the déjeuner.

The flat Atlantic changed its face and brought in some nice swell today. By sunset the waves were clean and fun, ensuring a few nice rides for Jason on this, our first whole day in Biarritz. We went and saw Guéthary working and Jason finally suited up at Lafiténia. We'll try to get a photo up soon.

Ciao for now.

packing up

after a couple days of packing and planning, I think we have it all. Jason and I are ready to grab a few zzz's before tomorrow's flight to Paris. We arrive on Easter morning and hit the floor running. watch for info and photos as we cruise through Normandie and le Pays Basque.

Mt Rainier predicts the weather

Mt Rainier predicts the weather
Originally uploaded by spigs.

in the Bijou

in the Bijou
Originally uploaded by spigs.

this last weekend has been hectic as Walking on Water and Christian Surfers of Oregon premiered Noah's Arc. It received a warm welcome all over the coast and in Portland.

long day

Its been a long day.
My day started at 3:50am.
I left the house at 4:15am.
I arrived at work at 4:25am.
I started work at 4:30am and left work at 3:15pm.

A long day feels even longer when your pores are absorbing cafeine and sugar the duration of 10 hours. Not only will you thoroughly smell like a Starbucks retail location, but you will feel slightly high and extremely exhausted by the intake.

I have about a week more before I get a break. I'm excited to be headed once again for the Oregon coast where Walking on Water will be premiering its new film Noah's Arc from Lincoln City to Cannon Beach, and Seaside to Portland. Noah Snyder's testimoney is beautifully portrayed in this excellent piece of artwork.

the Camp

the Camp
Originally uploaded by spigs.

it will take you twice as long to climb out of the camp as it takes you to descend onto its pristine beach. I can't tell you where it is because the locals will throw a fit. Jason and I played a round of 'go-fish' and 'spit'. I lost- as usual.

elise5b

elise5b
Originally uploaded by spigs.

This is my friend Elise who lives in France. She has a beautiful voice and is cutting a record. We had such a blast last year shooting these photos. Miss you Elise!

1-26sunrise

1-26sunrise
Originally uploaded by spigs.

Yesterday GMA packed its 12th container. This was the sunrise as we loaded up to drive down to the warehouse. It took us a mere 4 hours to load 40' of container with medical supplies and equipment which we ship off to help small communities in Africa. Of course, we spent weeks sorting, inventorying and boxing everything that will be sent.

Mac vs PC

I can tell you who's your daddy: the Mac Daddy! I can also tell you the source of your headache: a PC.

I just spent way too many hours trying to get a PC to work with me on the project I'd been asked to do. PCs are not your friend. This particular one likes to clunk at you, telling you what mistake you've made and that the administrator can help. In most cases the administrator scratches their head as well. Let's just say, I'm so in love with my mac. It's about 2 years old now and is missing a couple little footies which lets it rock back and forth. And its harddrive is close to maxed out but I boosted it with a nice little external harddrive. It syncs up nearly everything in it for ease in email, contacts, reminders and more. I surf internet without wire and like it alot. Its been through the crazy hiccups in life like the upgrade that fixed its eggfrying capabilities (no joke, the L wrist area would heat to well beyond comfortable). But I tell you, I love the mac. I have my eye on the newest stuff by mac including the macmini and the dizzying powermac G5 dual-processor (water cooled and all). Get used to it, PC world: the little Apple has always led the way.

Phil and Ayako

Phil and Ayako
Originally uploaded by spigs.

this is one of my fav photos of a couple friends who were married a few months back. May you grow in the grace of God!

sky and sea

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3 Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and He called the darkness "night." Evening came, and then morning: the first day.


sky and sea
Originally uploaded by spigs.

6 Then God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water." 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse "sky." Evening came, and then morning: the second day.

9 Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry land "earth," and He called the gathering of the water "seas." And God saw that it was good.

Rob Russo

Rob Russo
Originally uploaded by spigs.

Last Sunday I went to Lincoln City OR to watch some surfing. Here, Rob Russo, shaper in LC and friend of a friend, catches a nice wave in late sunlight hours.

new used car

we're very excited to have found our new used car today. I'll be driving around in it for work and trips to PDX and such. Its a '98 gold Camry- practically new with only 47K miles on it. I'll be looking for a nice car scent and probably an iPod with an iTrip to expand it's stereo equipment. My buddy says I could just slide a pound of markout under the seat for a great coffee scent. I'll use Verona if I do. But then again, I get a little tired of smelling coffee all day at work and will want a break once I escape the Bux.

our mountain

our mountain
Originally uploaded by spigs.

Mt Rainier gets a sun shower just before sunset. Zack is burning through some 8mm film that Grandpa gave him. I shot using Z's camera.

As life moves along, we still are hunting for a car for me. I'll work tomorrow at the Bux and will have a few days off starting midday the 1st to take a short trip to PDX.

Christmas was a nice time featuring a small gag gift from my dad to Grandmother: a rear-view mirror. Grandma apparently slipped and fell a few days back and when asked if she was alright, she replied that she didn't have eyes in the back of her head to see if she was really hurt... So we wrapped up a "rear-view mirror" for her... and she took the joke like a champion, even holding it behind her so she could see her "rear". I don't know, but it might have been the first time we ever dared to pull a stunt like that.

Merry Christmas

family
Originally uploaded by spigs.

The Spigers celebrated Christmas a little early this year. Here we all are, Happy included. You can get a feel for the farm and trees that we grow here.

schedule

3:55am- my alarm wakes up
0 dark 30- I drive to Starbucks and work til whenever
Whenever- I try to function for the rest of the day.

Just returned from Minneapolis Minnesota. We helped Andrea and her family pack up their house to move to Portland. Now Andrea and the kids are here at "Frampa's" house. Its been hectic and joyful at the same time. I'm so glad to be spending some time with them all. It will be nice to have them so close, whether I stay in Pierce/King County or move to PDX.

I just got the David Crowder's "Lime CD" and am takin' it for a spin. I think I'll get miles out of this one! I'm hearing for the first time "I Need You" the way it was written. I was pretty darn close but need to bring my guitar skills up so I can transfer it from the piano to the guitar. Ciao.