What a way to end the year...I found out this morning that a guy a took multiple undergrad and grad courses with (and worked on multiple projects with) was sentenced to 13 months in jail for having an inappropriate relationship with one of his high school students. I just don’t even know anymore...

The word you didn’t know you needed is fremdschämen. Those Germans really know how a craft a great word.

I ditched Portland for the S. Oregon coast a few years ago. Now I get the best of both worlds beer-wise! Numbers 1, 2, and 3 on your map are some of my go-to bbq/camping beers.

Don’t feel stupid. There’s nothing wrong with trying to see the best in people even if it’s something small.

Ugh, that sucks. I hope you get some sort of resolution from all of this, even if it is just knowing for a fact that your family members are poops.

Not to be crass or anything, but can you turn the receipt issue around on them? Given that you’ve been living there, it should be expected that some things belong to you. Perhaps the estate should have to prove up instead.

One of my students gave us some elk tenderloin for Christmas. My husband said that it was some of the best meat he’s ever eaten. He said it was probably due to it being Roosevelt elk instead of Rocky Mountain.

It’d be right up his alley then. Someone is Oregon probably sells it...

My husband wants to know if they’re more on the moose side of gamey, deer side, or elk side.

Good question! She acclimatized eventually, but that first year was rough. I know she moved back to CA for grad school. I guess Iowa winters and summers were not her long-term idea of a good time.

Spokane in the summer isn’t too bad, but the further south you go on 395 the more miserable it gets. The urban sprawl of both the Spokane and Tri-Cities areas doesn’t help. I do love the summer thunderstorms, though. We drove through a great one a few summers ago that rivaled any fireworks display.

During my freshman year at Iowa I had several classes with a young woman from San Francisco. She broke out her full winter regalia when the temps hit the low 60s. We were all like: Oh, honey. It’s going to get much worse.

My husband and I used to stay in either the Tri-Cities or the Spokane area on our way back to Oregon after our trips to the IA/MN to visit. I will take E. WA in the winter over E. WA in the summer. I can’t handle that dry heat.

My part of the Oregon coast is in the mid 30s right now, which is very cold for us (normally 40s - 50s in the winter). It’s supposed to be below freezing again tonight. I really can’t complain, though. My hometown in Iowa had a high today of 3º, and the low tonight is supposed to be -18º. No thanks.

I made Martha’s pumpkin cheesecake tonight. I can’t wait to tuck into it tomorrow. Have you ever looked at her mushroom/shallot quiche recipe. It’s delicious and easy to make.

Lesson I learned years ago re experimenting with GBC: don’t substitute Funyuns for the fried onions. They disintegrate into a soggy mess.

I’m thinking that like a Flaming Moe’s, it needs fire to taste better. My vote goes to Drumpfster Fire.

One of my 8th grade student aides was eating Nutella straight from the jar this week. He looked like a toddler with it smeared all over his face and all up in his teeth. It was ridiculous, and I appreciated the laughs.

That’s sounds absolutely disgusting! Maybe light it on fire first?

Thank you, Morning Gloria, for continuing to brighten our days. Many of my friends and I have decided to donate more than normal to Planned Parenthood this year for numerous reasons.