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My favorite things - that you can buy

Lucky magazine used to have a monthly feature where celebrities would list out some of their favorite things.  Since Lucky is a "shopping" magazine all of the things in the list were things the average person (if they had enough money) could buy.  My niece (and excellent blogger) Michelle did a similar list on her blog, but she included a few "unpurchasables" .  So I thought I'd take a crack at, but my list only includes things you can buy....and you don't have to be rich to afford 'em.  Here we go!

1. Mezzetta's Napa Valley Bistro Italian Olive Antipasto

Filled with olives, peppers and garlic marinated in herbs, spices and chardonnay, it holds the best olives in the world.  Spicy, yummy....I'm sooooo glad Costco has been selling jumbo size jars of these!  About $5

2. Ammonium Lactate 12% lotion 

My dermatologist recommeded this for my winter dry legs.  It stings a little when you first put it on, but it works, boy does it work.  Buy it over the counter (I got mine at the Kaiser pharmacy).  A big bottle will only set you back about 10 bucks.  

3. Bluewick Hinoki Soy Candles

These are a little pricy ($24 - $40), but they last forever, scent a large room and smell heavenly.  My favorite fragrance is Passionfruit White Currant.  Not sure?  Buy one of their travel candle tins for only $8.00 to try out a fragrance or two. 

4. Dave's Killer Bread 

Local convict makes good with his line of whole grain hearty breads. This is a healthy bread that actually tastes good with a pleasing texture.  My favorite is the 21-grain...nutty, yummy.  Love it toasted with a schmear of blackberry jam.  More than Wonderbread, it's $5 at most grocery stores, but Costco sells two packs for the same price.

5. Bon Ami

Around forever, this is one of the best cleaners I've used...and it's recommended by environmentalists as a safe cleaner.  Toilets, tubs and sinks all sparkle.  And here's a secret a local antique dealer shared with me...it's gentle enough to clean your silver...and so easy!  Only costs about 99 cents.

6. Aussie 3-minute miracle conditioner

For only around $3 you get salon quality deep conditioning.  My hair tends to be dry so I use it just about every other day.  It makes my parched locks silky smooth and frizz free.

7. Merrell sneakers

A woman at work was wearing a pair that looked so chic I went and got my own and discovered the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn.  Now, I'm not usually one for comfort over fashion, but with these sneakers, I get both!  Don't pay full price for these babies...Nordstrom's Rack, DSW or the outlet mall in Woodburn has them at reasonable prices.

8. Postage stamp

It amazes me that I can't put something in an envelope, address it to my girlfriend in New York, and someone else will take it to her in just a few days...all for only 44 cents (unless the price has gone up).  It's a bargain...they should charge more...I'd pay a buck for this kind of service.

9. Mai Tais at the Original Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian at Wakiki

Eric introduced me to these on our honeymoon.  Sit at the bar, (outside right next to the famous beach) order the drink and what the bartender machete open a fresh pineapple to squeeze in your glass, topped with some other stuff and a generous helping of top shelf rum.  OMG...that is paradise.  It'll set you back about $10, but every sweet, intoxicating drop is so, so worth it.

10.  Bissel Pet Hair Remover Vaccuum 

We bought one of these about a year ago and I immediately gave it a test spin.  You would not believe the dog hair this thing picked up.  There was so much hair in the bin, you'd think I'd never vaccummed my house before (trust me I had).  If you have a dog, cat, or hairy spouse...get this vaccuum.  About $150.

His socks were covered in green mold

Saturday I went into downtown Portland for a hair appointment.  I parked in my usual spot on Broadway, across from the Oregonian, pulled an umbrella out of my car, turned up the collar on my coat, and began walking briskly the 3 blocks to the salon.  The rain was coming down in sheets, and the wind made it icy cold.  I kept my head down trying to keep the rain from hitting my face, and walked as fast as I could.

I passed an old church, and from the corner of my eye, I saw someone lying in one of the doorways.  With my head down, all I could really see were his feet.  He was wearing those plasticy slipper kind of shoes and I could see his socks.  They looked like they were covered in green mold.  This made me stop.

I lifted my umbrella and the rain pelted me as I peered a little closer to see this man's feet.  He was laying down, hunched in a semi-fetal position, his back to me.  He wore some brown cotton pants and a gray sweatshirt which covered his face.  His shoes had kind of come off a little, and as I looked, I confirmed, yes, the heel of his sock was covered in green mold.  I just stood there staring for a moment...wondering, how long must this poor man have been walking around in wet socks for them to actually mold like that....months?  years?

He lay there twitching, a Big Gulp cup at his head.  I wondered if he was ill, drunk, or just sleeping.  The doorway provided cover from the rain, but the wind was whipping around and I thought how cold and uncomfortable that must be on the hard cement he was laying on.  I wondered what to do.  Should I call the police to pick him up, take him someplace warm to dry out?  Should I awaken him and ask if he needed help?  I wasn't sure. 

I was late for my appointment, so I raced ahead to the salon.  As I pulled open the door, the wind grabbed it and I had to pull it shut, dragging my soaking wet umbrella behind me.  The salon was warm. Holiday music was playing. Scented candles were burning.  I was greeted by a beautiful young woman who asked me if I would like some water or hot tea or perhaps a hand massage while I waited for my appointment.  I stood there, umbrella dripping in my hand, and just stared at her.  "I'll be back in just a few minutes." I told her.

I raced out the door and ran down the street.  I ran past the homeless man in the doorway.  I ran to my car.  I opened the door and pulled out a blanket I keep in the backseat.  I quickly shook it out and tucked it under my coat to keep it dry and warm. 

I went back to the man in the church doorway, unfolded the blanket and reached over to put it on him.  I was a little apprenhensive...what if he awoke and was disoriented and maybe thought I was trying to hurt him.  I entered the doorway and knelt down beside him.  I was immediately hit with his odor...a strong scent of human waste and body odor.  I gagged a little from the smell, but didn't want to cover my nose and mouth in case I woke him...I didn't want to embarrass him.  I placed the blanket over his moldy sock covered feet and pulled it up all the way to the top of his shoulders.  I made sure the blanket reached down around his back to the ground to keep the cold wind out.  He moaned a little as I placed the blanket on him, but other than that he didn't move.

I walked back to my salon, asked to use the restroom and washed my hands and splashed warm water on my face.  I was shaken.  I was struck with the disparity between me and the man in the doorway.  Here I was in a warm, luxurious salon, with people waiting to pamper and comfort me.  He...he was unbathed, unkempt, and cold.  It shouldn't be so...shouldn't everyone have at least some food, a warm place to wait out a storm, and the basic human dignity of a place to get clean and go the bathroom.

I sat in the waiting area, thinking...holding back tears.  Thankfully my hairstylist was running late, so I had a few moments to collect myself together.  Whether or not the man had made poor choices that helped to land him in his situation...I was sad for him.

Two hours later, I left the salon.  I wondered if the man would still be in the doorway sleeping.  I turned the corner and approached the church.  I came upon the doorway, and saw he was no longer there.  The Big Gulp cup was gone.  A dirty stain remained on the cement where he had lain.  And the blanket...the blanket was neatly folded and placed in a corner.  He was gone, and I never did see his face. 

Eat chocolate chip cookies and other lessons I've learned from two amazing women

The older I get, the more I know I have so, so much to learn.  I've been blessed with many wonderful role models and mentors in my life, and I constantly seek to learn from others.  There are two women who have been in my life, whose lessons I particularly value.  One, my former mother-in-law, the beautiful Margaret (Peggy) Stickel.  Always the belle of the ball, Peggy taught me about the fine art of being a lady.  Not just in looks and manners, but much deeper.... by the way you treat others.  The other is my mother.  My mother, Johanna Ellis, was a true angel on earth.  She was the kindest, most loving soul ever placed on this planet, and I was lucky enough to have her as my mother.  She taught me about spirituality, about joy, and about love.  Their lessons are worth sharing.

 
Me with Mom on my wedding day. Look at her smile...you can tell this woman squeezed every joyful moment from life as she possibly could.

Lessons from my Mother:

1.  Don't say mean things about people.

2.  Enjoy life!  Eat that chocolate chip cookie, plant flowers, sit and watch a sunset, feed birds.

3.  A woman can never have too many scarves or too much jewelry.

4.  Tell your children you love them..every time you see them or talk to them.  (Hope I've done this...If I've missed a few times...Girls, I LOVE YOU!)

5.  Take comfort in your religion, but have your own relationship with God.

6.  Believe in angels.

7.  When it comes to Christmas decorations, leave no surface unadorned.

8.  Forgive.

9.  Don't use foul language.  It makes you look ugly and sound unintelligent.

10.  Love eternally.

 

 

Margaret (Peggy) Stickel.  Elegant and beautiful.

 

Lessons I learned from my former Mother-in-law:

1.  Dressing monochromatically makes you looks taller and leaner.

2.  Put on hand cream every time you wash your hands.  (Peggy's hands were like bunny fur...as soft as soft can be)

3.  Take vitamins.

4.  Get plenty of sleep.

5.  Be kind to the people who provide service to you.

6.  Stay out of the sun.  (I don't do this as much as I should.)

7.  Be humble.

8.  The legs are the last thing to go.  Show them off as long as you can.

9.  Be your spouse's best friend and biggest fan.

10.  Love eternally.

Joan and David and an amazing day...communing with nature and all.

 

David and Joan...how cute of a couple are they?!

 

So, as I mentioned before, our good friends, Joan and David from New York, came to visit over Labor Day weekend.  Day one was awesome...day two was "awesomer".

  


Yaquina Lighthouse.

After breakfast we decided to first head back over to Yaquina Lighthouse in hopes of being able to climb to the top this morning.  We arrived at the lighthouse only to find out the wait was about 2 hours.  Not wanting to wait that long, we just decided to stroll around the grounds a bit.  Joan spotted a whale (our first sighting that weekend), which we watched for a bit, until the flies got to us.  There's something odd about this particular lighthouse.  Every time I'm there, it's swarmed with flies that buzz around you and land on you.  Eric thinks the place is cursed, and after about 5 minutes of being attacked by flies, Joan agreed.

  


Lady of the flies.

We left the lighthouse to head for the Nature Conservancy Trail.  We read about this in a Hikes of the Oregon Coast book.  You'd never know it was there, if you didn't know where to look.  The book told us to go up a particular road, then look for a gravel road and yellow gate to the left.  Amazingly we found it and drove in about 3 miles to the trailhead. 

 
 
Joan and David hiking the Nature Conservancy Trail.

The trail is closed from January to July because it is a wildflower and butterfly preserve.  We got out of the car, stepped into a pile of mud, and began the 1 mile hike through the rainforest...which would lead to a huge alpine meadow high above the ocean with incredible 180 degree views from forest to coast to ocean.

 

The view that awaited us at the top.

The open meadow was sunny and warm, and we did see many interesting butterflies that I'd never seen before...plus some hawks, and even spotted some sea lions waaaay below us.  The view was nothing short of breathtaking.  We had packed a picnic lunch, so we found a spot at the very top of the hill, sat down and enjoyed a feast of cheese, meats, olives, bread, wine, and brownies (ya gotta have chocolate!).  It is by far, the best view I've ever had with a meal.

 

Joan, me and David.

 

Eric was our pack mule...he's got my camera equipment on his back and our lunch around his shoulder.  What a guy!

After relaxing on the mountainside for a few hours, we packed up and headed back down to the car and back to Otter Crest.  We had 6:00 pm reservations at the Bay House.  The Bay House is another one of our favorite restaurants at the beach.  The food is of course fantastic, but it's the atmosphere and the hospitality that give this restaurant such high rankings for me.  Nestled on the edge of Siletz bay, The Bay House is cozy in a Nantucket sea captain's house meets Portland funk kind of way.  The sophistcated grey walls are the perfect backdrop for the art, and the big windows frame the view of the bay. The four of us enjoyed a leisurely dinner, sipping wine, watching the sunset, talking, laughing.  I loved sharing this little corner of the world with Joan and David.

 

At Bay House.

The Bay House limo drove us back to Otter Crest after dinner.  As we were walking up the hill back to our place, we noticed the sky was absolutely littered with stars.  The air was sea-clean, salty, and crisp and we breathed it in deeply as we walked.  David, made me laugh when he said sarcastically, "Gee, how can you stand it here...it's one crummy thing after another".  I had to agree...it was an amazing day...nature's bounty had surrounded and astounded us over and over.

 

Wow! I haven't seen you like, in 30 years

I finally did it.  After missing my 10 year high school reunion, and my 20 year high school reunion, I finally went to my 30 year high school reunion.   Yes, Milwaukie High School, Class of 1980. 

I never really felt much of a pull to go to a reunion before.  I had been a transfer student at Mil High, arriving my junior year when my parents uprooted me from my funky Hawthorne Blvd. life in Portland to suburbia.  At the time I thought my life was over.  How would I possibly make new friends...what about my old friends...and what the hell did people in Milwaukie do for fun when they lived so faaar away from Portland?  To a 15-year old girl, it seemed like the worst thing that could possibly happen to me.  I was wrong.

I actually found Milwaukie High School to be more my speed.  There were fewer students and less tension (there were lots of racial issues at my former high school which escalated into knivings in the cafeteria and beatings in the bathrooms...no wonder my parents were eager to move). The students were less cliquish, the teachers less traumatized...it was a bit of Norman Rockwell, it seemed.

I made a few friends...not the easiest task when everyone else has been friends since kindergarten.  As my life is today, my life was back then...I was friendly with everyone, but preferred to have just a few close friends, and I made friends with boys easier than I did with girls. 

Right after high school, I got pregnant, got married and moved to California (in that order).  My life was...well...challenging.  After 10 years in California I divorced, got remarried and moved to New York.  My life had changed so drastically over the years, I really hadn't kept in touch too much with anyone, and I just didn't see the point in going to my reunions.

But this time, I was back in Portland.  I was feeling nostalgic...I was curious...and so I decided, this time I would go to my reunion, but it was not without a bit of trepidation.  Would I remember anyone?  Would they remember me?  Would anyone I knew be there, or would I be surrounded by relative strangers?  My husband, Eric, was kind enough to come with me....our plan was to make an appearance, eat dinner, and unless we were having a really good time, leave early.

 

High school crush, Brent and I.  He's an accomplished writer and incredibly sweet guy now.

We arrived at the reunion and walked to the registration table.  Everyone was hugging and laughing...I was holding Eric's hand and whispering in his ear..."Yup...I don't know any of these people".  We got in line, I got my name tag, turned around, and there to greet me was, Brent, a boy (obviously now a grown man) I had dated in high school.  He looked at Eric, asked if it was ok to hug me, and gave me a warm hug and told me he was glad I was there.  I immediately felt relieved...and welcome.

Inside I ran into Denise, and Tina...two of my favorite girlfriends in high school. I was so glad to see them...after all the years, I still felt a connection to them.  I met others I knew...like Mike who was such a sweetheart, and Diane (she was pretty, smart, popular and nice back then...still is today), and Paul, another boy I dated, who always was, and still is, the life of the party.  I loved seeing them all..seeing how they'd changed, or stayed the same..and laughing about old times and sharing our current lives with each other.

 
Girlfriends Denise and Valentina...both looking gorgeous!

There were the popular kids, there were the unknown kids...some reverting to their old roles and place in the hierarchy of high school...others finding their new niche and place in the group.  But overall...an air of friendliness and the camaraderie that comes with being in a group of people you've shared an intense part of your life with was present.  I now understood why people go to these things.  It's not to relive your past glories or revenge your past hurts...it's more about being with a group of people who have a shared history....and about feeling a bit of the resurgence of the youthful spark that comes with recalling a moment in time, so long ago.

 

A walk in the Pearl

Piper and I got up EARLY Sunday morning and headed to the Pearl to meet up with some of my photographer pallies to take advantage of gorgeous morning light.  Here's my favorites from the day.

 
 

Last bbq of summer

We've had a not very "summery" summer this year, so when, 3 weeks ago, we planned a "Last BBQ of Summer" party with our friends, I wondered if it would end up more of a "Fall Kick Off" party.  But, after some clouds this morning, the sun came out and we were able to actually enjoy our party in our backyard, instead of crammed around my dining room table looking out at the rain.

We have a group of friends that gets together, oh about every 6 weeks to two months to plan themed dinners.  Awesome cooks, all of them, each dinner, is a culinary treat.  For this barbecue dinner, Eric smoked an 8 lb. brisket all day...I'm sure every dog in the neighborhood was salivating smelling it cook throughout the afternoon.  He also made some grilled corn and we cooked up some vegetarian baked beans (our friend Norma is anti-meat. :-) ).  Bill and Norma brought cucumber, tomatoe and onion salad and tofu sausages (and regular ones); Barb and Rod brought fried chicken, biscuits, and sweet potatoe tarts; and Terri and Christine brought non-vegetarian baked beans and some "set-your-mouth-on-fire" cheese stuffed jalepeno's.  We finished the meal with s'mores around the campfire....what a great way to toast the last bit of summer!

 
Almost too pretty to eat...but, uh, I managed to eat it...all!

Barb, Rod, Norma and Bill.

 
The best part of camping is the campfire...especially when it's in my backyard with friends!

Although you can't tell it from this picture, Rod got the award for the messiest s'more maker.

Bill making his s'mores.  Norma the vegetarian passed..telling us marshmellows had cow hoofs in them....hmmmm...I may never eat a marshmellow again. :-)

Oooey, goooey, yummy, s'mores!

As the party was winding down...two party crashers snuck in through our open gate in the backyard.  Max and Maddie...two lively, sweet, puggles!  Liberty was none too happy about it, but Peanut thought it was great that a couple dogs stopped by to join the fun.  Maddie had a phone number on her tag.  We reached the owner who told us she was in Seattle, but she called her daughter to come and get the dogs.  Turns out Max and Maddie had wandered about 100 blocks away from home...amazing!  I think they probably smelled the brisket cooking and just followed their noses till they found our house.

Maddie eyeing our dog's food.

Max helps himself to a drink of water.

Liberty didn't want to be anywhere near the two party crashers...jumping into whosever arms she could.

Live from New York...it's Joan and David!

Day One:

Our good friends, Joan and David made the long flight out from New York to spend Labor Day weekend with Eric and I.   We decided to spend the weekend at our beach place at Otter Crest.  I had fretted about the weather forecasts, but as it turned out we were blessed with sunny skies and temps in the low 60's. 

We started Saturday with a walk over to Devil's Punchbowl for the views and wine tasting at The Flying Dutchman Winery.  After that we walked along the Otter Crest beach where Joan hunted for seashells to bring back to the kids...unfortunately our seashells aren't exactly the prettiest.

Next we hopped in the car and headed to Newport, stopping to see Yaquina Head Lighthouse along the way.  We strolled the waterfront checking out the sea lions (who were incredibly loud and active..mating season perhaps?) and the boats on the pier.  We finished our walk with bowls of world famous Mo's chowder (grilled cheese for Joan who loathes seafood).

On the way out of Newport, we shopped in Nye Beach and then stopped at Yaquina Bay Lighthouse to take the tour, but unfortunately the tours were done for the day, so we just walked around a bit and planned to come back on Sunday morning to climb the tower.

We ended the evening with an amazing dinner at Tidal Raves in Depoe Bay and cocktails at the ever-kitschy, and fun, Sea Hag. 

View of our place from Devil's Punchbowl.

Joan collects shells at the Otter Crest beach.

Wine tasting at the Flying Dutchman Winery at Devil's Punchbowl.  Joan liked the raspberry wine best...much to Eric's utter confusion.

The beautiful Yaquina Bay bridge in Newport.

The Chelsea Sea was selling fresh tuna right of the boat down on the docks.  We didn't buy any, but it was amazing to watch the skillful fishermen filet the tuna.

Eric and David on the docks at Newport.

I love the sign over this bar on the Newport waterfront.  One day, I've got to go in and actually sit at the bar and have a drink to make me an official "riff raff".

 
Joan at Yaquina Lighthouse.  Probably one of my favorite pics ever of her....love that smile!

We finished the day with cocktails at the Sea Hag....girly drinks for us.....

"Perfect Manhattans" for our perfect men.

Sunday at the Beach

A couple weekends ago, Eric and I and the two dogs headed down to our beach place.  It seemed like forever (really just a month) since we'd been, but our last trip the weather was awful.  I so wanted a little summer sunshine this trip.  Saturday...it was cloudy and cool, so we went hiking, enjoyed a nice dinner out and then a relaxing evening by the fire.  On Sunday I woke up with hopes of sun, only to be greeted with thick fog....what a bummer.  So we loaded up  the car and figure we'd head home a little early since the weather was not cooperating.  On the way out of town, I told Eric, I just couldn't come out to the beach for the weekend, and not spend any time actually ON the beach.  He agreed, so we pulled over at Gleneden beach for a stroll.

We parked the car and walked down the short path to the sand.  It was warmish, but still foggy, as we began walking along the long stretch of beach that extends to the Salishan Spit.  The further we walked the fewer and fewer people we saw...until we had the entire beach to ourselves.  And, lo and behold, the fog began to lift and the sun came out.  I raised my face up to the warm sun and gave God a smile for giving us this little bit of glory he bestowed upon us.  We walked for quite a while and saw several sea lions "body surfing" in the water (well it looked like they were body surfing, but they were probably fishing). 

Eventually we got a bit tired so we found a log to lean against and laid down in the sunwarmed sand, holding hands, not speaking just watching the waves and enjoying the moment.   No cell phones, no laptops, no traffic, no TV, no chores, no other people....it was a bit of heaven...and something I decided we should do much more often.

The fog starting to lift. 

 
Smiling and squinting into the sun!

I couldn't resist taking off my shoes and putting my feet in the ice cold ocean.

 
Eric takes a nap, using the log for a pillow.

Liberty rested her head on the log too, but she refused to take a nap.

 
I love this billboard in Lincoln City.  Every time I see it, it makes me smile...it's so kitschy in a 1960's sort of way!  I figured out a way to climb up on it and convinced Eric to take my picture.  (He wasn't too thrilled about me standing on his shoulders to get up there, but he's a good sport....even helped me down, he did.)

Who's to blame for Steven Slater?

Unless you've been in the wilderness the last few days, you've heard the tale of Steven Slater, JetBlue flight attendant who snapped after an encounter with an airline passenger.  Apparently, the passenger had been fighting with another passenger for the overhead compartment space and when Steven came to assist, she swore at him and clunked him on the head.  To this, Steven grabs the intercom, swears out the rude passenger, thanks the polite passengers, says"I quit", grabs a beer, deploys the emergency slide and slid his way to freedom (and unemployment).

Steven, of course was arrested.  So now his attorney, Howard Truman, is trying to figure out his defense.  I heard him on the radio this morning blaming the incident on the "loss of civility among airline passengers", that poor Steven had all he could take.  True, airline passengers have become increasingly less and less civil...but who's to blame for that?

I've been flying at least several times a year for about 25 years now.  Last year, I flew Air France to Rome.  It was my most pleasant flight experience ever.  The plane was roomy (comparitively), the seats were comfortable, the flight attendants spoke softly and politely, there was plenty of overhead compartment room.  On the overnight flight, I was given champagne before take off, a hot dinner with wine (served with real silverware and plates), a "faux" cashmere blanket, pillow, earplugs and eye mask after dinner, and in the morning, a hot breakfast and warm towels to wipe the evenings grime from our faces and hands. And, no, I didn't fly first class...this was coach!  I arrived in Rome relaxed, calm and refreshed.

Compare that lovely experience to my flight in June on US Air to Boston.  We had to pay $25 for each bag we checked (we checked one, and carried on two..usually I prefer not to carry on luggage...too much hassle).  The seats were so cramped, I had to actually contort my body to climb into it, there was zero leg room.  This too was an overnight flight.  There was no food being served but we could buy "snack packs" filled with junk food for a mere $7.  When I asked for a pillow and blanket I was told that would cost $12, (but hey they offered free used headphones for the movie).  Since none of the passengers wanted to pay to check a bag, everyone was trying to cram their overstuffed rollies, backpacks and duffel bags in the overhead compartment.  And...through it all the flight attendants tried to help, and apologized for the cramped conditions and penny-pinching policies.  It was a miserable flight and when I landed in Boston I was tired, sore, sweaty, hungry and cranky.

So, who's to blame for the lack of "airline passenger civility" and therefore to blame for poor Mr. Slater....the airlines themselves.  They've turned what used to be a glamourous and exciting event into nothing more than dignified than being crammed like cattle into a rail car.

To Steven's lawyer, Mr. Truman, I would say your best defense tactic for Steven would be to attack the airlines for turning the passengers into snarling, exhausted beasts which Steven had to deal with for 20 years therefore causing him to have a little breakdown.  And, heck, while you're at it, I'd launch a lawsuit against JetBlue for the pain and suffering Steven had to endure because of their inane, cheap a** policies.  In fact, why don't you add my name, and the name of anyone who's flown any US airlines in the last five years to that lawsuit as well.