My Epic 27 Hours in Portland, Oregon

Friday, December 27th
Arrive in historic downtown Portland from Kent at 2:15 p.m. We are to meet Scott and Natalie nearby at 3:00 p.m. We park the car, easy street parking, pay the meter and walk to the riverfront. It's December, it's low 40s outside. We go back in the car and wait. I watch the people carrying their pink bakery boxes across the street. I then look up the address and realize we are two blocks from Voodoo Doughnuts. That was on our list of things to do on Saturday.

Natalie and Scott arrive early. We put their luggage in the trunk and walk over to take our place in line for doughnuts. I have had Voodoo Doughnuts once before when my son Wayne brought us home a box. We stood outside in line for about 20 minutes, then it was our turn to enter. Once inside there was still a small line. We carefully selected one dozen donuts and a key ring. The dozen included flavors such as maple bars with bacon, Mexican chocolate cake donut, Arnold Palmer and various chocolate iced variations.

We enjoyed doughnuts in the car as we drove to our hotel in the Nob Hill district of Portland. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express which offered free parking. It was a nice hotel.

4:50 p.m.
We leave the hotel to meet Scott's family for dinner at Kell's Brew Pub. Which according to my GPS system would take us about 8 minutes to get there for our 5:00 p.m. dinner reservations. As we approached a nearby intersection we had a split second to make the decision of going straight or turning right. We made the turn which we then discovered, just circled us back around to where we should have been to go straight.

It also took us to a train track right as the flashing lights came on. The bar was slow to lower and I was tempted, but I had passengers with me and I wanted to see them another Christmas. So I stopped and waited for the train. And waited some more. Then we saw the train. And then we waited while it slowly inched down the tracks. It was the longest freight train I have ever experienced in my life of driving.

And then it stopped on the tracks. And then it crept slowly. Then a lady got out of her car to go see if there was an end in sight. And the train just kept on creeping down the tracks. Scott contacted his family who by now were seated at the restaurant to inform them we would be late.

After approximately 25 minutes of train watching we were then blessed to move across the tracks and on our way to dinner. I might also add I was the first car at the track and there was a center barrier which made it difficult to simply turn around and find another route.

Dinner was very, very good. There were 9 of us. It was fun to visit with Scott's parents, sister and nieces. For 9 people we actually only ordered 3 different menu items plus appetizers. I would highly recommend their Irish Nachos. They are kind of like extremely loaded potato skins. For dinner I had a sausage roll over mashed potatoes with a glaze sauce. Others also had that as well as fish and chips and shepherd pie. I can't wait to go back there. I guess we have a Kell's in Seattle at Pike Place. I'll be sure to go there sometime.

From there we headed back to the hotel where in the process of making a "hard left" turn as instructed by Scott in the back seat, I proceeded to run a red light as announced loudly by Natalie, also in the back seat. Luckily the drivers in town were very patient, they honked but no one had jumped the green light so we were safe and protected.

There was one brief moment after hearing Natalie shout, "red light" where I looked out my driver's side window and saw nothing but headlights. What they saw in my face, I will never know.

We decided to drive around in the Nob Hill area which was very fun. The trees on NW23rd all had lights on them, restaurants were open and shop windows were decorated. We then drove up to Pittock Mansion. Natalie and Scott had toured it earlier in the day. At night time, the drive was interesting, it was very dark. We got up to the driveway of the house and then drove back down the hill. But I can say I've been there now.

Saturday, December 28th
9:00 a.m. we were meeting to go down the street for breakfast. We arrived about 9:30 to put our name in at Besaw's. We were told about a 25 minute wait. We walked around the neighborhood a little bit. Then found Wally a warm seat to wait inside. We waited one hour to get our table. The food was delicious. And I learned about pullman Brioche. Pullman is the style of pan it's baked in so the top stays flat. I will be buying me one of those loaf pans.

Their breakfast potatoes are made with rosemary. I had Croque Madam which is thin sliced ham in-between slices of Brioche with a gruyere sauce served with eggs on top of it. With the potatoes. Very good.

From there we went to Salt and Straw. It's an ice cream parlor in a really old movie theatre building. Cute little place. I know ice cream after breakfast is not the norm. However, we knew we wouldn't be back in that area so Natalie and I indulged. It was very good.

From there we thought we might drive around a little bit. Natalie and Scott needed to be to the airport about 2:30 for their Saturday afternoon flight home.

I asked my phone how to get to Forest Park (not really knowing what or where it was). And we followed the GPS directions along the river in an industrial area where we saw lots of oil companies and a cool bridge. We continued to drive on a little winding road going up and up into the side of this hill. We got to the top and there were houses. And that was it. Just houses. So Scott turned into one of the driveways to turn us around to go back down the hill. And the car died. And the car would not start back up.

We are in someone's driveway, it appeared they were not at home. We were at the top of a very narrow winding road and they needed to be to the airport in 2 hours and we had plans to drive home that afternoon.

We popped the hood and the four of us stood around looking at the engine. Isn't that what you do when your car dies? We tried to start it a couple of times. Then Natalie says to me, "Mom do you want me to check you in?" Humor to ease a tense situation. I had been sure we did a Facebook check in for all our restaurant adventures.

I stood there in front of my old trusty 12 year old Toyota and offered a silent pray pleading for assistance and safety. I took the car keys and sat down and turned the ignition and it started. We immediately all hopped into the car and Scott took us down from the side of the hill out to the main road.

We then made our way back to the downtown historic district. We parked and walked along the river and took a few photos. It was a gray overcast day, in the mid 40s, but pleasant.

We then found our way to the airport and dropped Natalie and Scott off, way early. Good thing they had their iPads to keep them entertained.

I then took Wally to yet another landmark site in Portland, Fabric Depot. It was my second visit there. they boast 1 1/2 acres of fabric, notions, crafts and more. And everything in the store was 20% off. And Portland does not have sales tax. I did my job and boosted the Oregon economy.

Then it was a late lunch for Wally and I then we hit the road again to head home. We stopped off at Cabela's. I'd heard a lot about it but had yet to experience it. It was quite interesting. Then we were homeward bound and created by very thick fog when we arrived in Kent.

It was a great short trip and very fun to visit and explore a new city and to spend time with Natalie and Scott.

And that was my epic 27 hours in Portland, Oregon.

12/15/13

Ten days away from Christmas. The house is decorated, the tree is in it's stand in the living room, but it's naked. Tonight it will get it's lights and some decorations. This December has been a whirlwind of busy activity. But I like to say it's all good. And you know it's not the end of the world if the cards are late, or a package someone doesn't even expect to get shows up late.

I'm taking a relaxed attitude this season and I'm enjoying it. I've been taking my camera along with me for a few days looking for the letter "L" and of course I found it in my own backyard. I have a super long list of things that need done, gifts that need wrapped and boxes that need shipped, baking and treat making to complete. But hey, I have 10 more days (minus the shipping time).

To explain why I needed the letter "L", I'm doing some alphabet photography for a friend for Christmas and I'm slowly acquiring my alphabet and didn't have an "L". Here is a picture of it. I think it's great.

Hope you are all enjoying this holiday season, taking it all in and enjoying time with friends and family. Here are a few holiday light pictures I captured one day on my way home from work this week from downtown Kent.

Kent Regional Justice Building

Missing Missy

The on line ad said "1 year old blonde cocker terrier mix". We drove out to Tacoma where Missy was on a clothesline type of set up in the back yard. The story we were told was that another lady had her but she got too big for the trailer home the lady lived in. The people that currently had her were just helping to find her a home. They traveled for work and couldn't keep her.

She was beautiful. Long legs, brown eyes, blonde with white markings and a big fuzzy tail. When you looked straight on at her face she always reminded us of the dog in the movie The Neverending Story".

Wally's comment when we saw her was "we can't leave her here". She was bigger than we expected but we put her in the truck and brought her home. That was 13 1/2 years ago. She was a wonderful companion. For the last 9 years I had my own morning routine with her when I would get up to go to work.

When she was young, she was quite the runner and jumper. She kept me on my toes. She had me trained quite well.

About 4 weeks ago we had to put her to sleep after a long year of health problems. The vet determined later that she had tumors in her vena cava artery. In the end her abdomen was full of fluid, she was losing muscle mass and she struggled to get up. Even though she was sick she was still a sweetheart to the end.

She is greatly missed. Here are some pictures of her over the years.

I write this mainly for myself. I didn't share on Facebook that she had passed away and for a few days at work I didn't want to talk about it. Sometimes in the house I will look over where her dog bed used to be in the living room and I talk to her. I know she's gone, but she left an impression on me and a small hole in my world.

Missy was born in 1999 and our grand daughter Gisele was born a year later. They played together for over 12 years.

Snow dog

Christmas 2012 - her last one.

Christmas tradition - rope chew toy.

You Should be Dancing!

Last night I attended a Bee Gees tribute band concert. It was hard finding someone to go with me. My friend Chris accepted the offer. Chris and I met at college in 1976. We were both from Idaho and we both loved dancing back then. For a little while after college we even had an apartment together. I might be one of the few people that can say I love disco and the 70s. So when the chance for this concert came up I wanted to be there.

It was held in a small venue in Kent not far from home. Chris and I met at Red Robin for dinner and to catch up. After all these years we both ended up living in Washington State. We try to get together every few months.

The concert was surprisingly pretty empty. But those of us there had a great time. The band was very good. Of course there was a disco ball and some dancing at the end. It brought back a lot of great memories.

Music can do so much for a soul.

Keep on dancing!

September Morn

Let me just say up front that this post will involve a lot of rambling. It's September, I had my 56th birthday one week ago. I was born on a Sunday morning at 16 minutes after midnight. The day before my Mother celebrates her birthday. She always told me that the doctor said to her, "gee Lc if I would have known it was your birthday you could have had the baby that day". And she always told me she wanted me to have my own day.

It might be because of my birthday that I have always loved the month of September. It starts out as summertime and ends as fall. Even though it might be 70 or 80 degrees you can feel fall in the air. It smells different, the leaves start changing, school starts back up. And my wardrobe gets much easier since I have way more cold weather clothes for work then warm weather clothes.

Another sign of September is the Kraft caramels I'm eating as I write this.

With the gradual change of seasons comes a big change in our lives. After being empty nesters for almost two years and seeing my son get married this summer, my husband's daughter has moved in with us from California. It's a temporary thing until she finds work and gets an apartment.

I understand the drastic change for her from living in San Francisco to moving into the suburbs with her Dad and step Mom. She hasn't lived with her Dad since she was about 11 years old.

We just completed week 1. And it came with many challenges and lots of work. Today was very close to being the final trips to the storage unit after unloading the UHaul into the garage one week ago. But it appears we have one more box and a small night stand.

This week the job hunting for her begins. I resume my normal schedule of going to the gym in the mornings and going to work and being involved in my church activities and my hobbies.

Wally has his shop in the garage back. Onward now with this new phase in all of our lives.

Wedding of the Year

Saturday July 27, 2013. My son, my youngest child Wayne, married Andrea. And with that wedding I have two more grand daughters, Annelise and Avea. We are all just thrilled for the new family and wish them all the best. Here are some of the pictures I took that day. The wedding was at the Pine Valley Chapel in the small town of Pine Valley, Utah, outside St. George. It was followed by a backyard reception in Washington, Utah.