Thanksgiving

    A quiet day.  Had some family over -- good meal (If I do say so myself) -- talked -- looked at our trip pictures (dw has done a very good job of sorting, arranging and labeling the pics -- she didn't do a chronological  arrangement but more of sorting by subject -- A LOT of work)  and that's about it. 
   Otherwise not much has been happening.  I've raked the leaves a couple of times (including the street) -- and taken pictures -- to avoid Portland's absurd new leaf tax which seems to have been suspended anyway.  Another attempt by the city council to earn a 100% disapproval rating. 
   I didn't blog last Sunday because I had even less to say than I have today.  The upcoming Sunday is looking bleak blog-wise.  Perhaps I should make stuff up -- that seems to be the contemporary non-fiction way anyway.  DA
     Now I had a FABULOUS day after breakfast in bed, a pedicure, spa  bath, hair and makeup revamp, nip and tuck here and there -oh, no, wait, that was my dream last night.  Instead I'm making up for the quiet day by giving my body some metabolizing work as I consume piece after piece of apple pie and platefuls of SPAM MACARONI salad.  You didn't think we would visit the Spam Museum and then forget the spam?  Made it myself based on an old family recipe - boiled macaroni, can of spam, and peas married with an olive oil based mayonnaise (an Italian mayo, as it were).  Tossed in leftover chopped onions and celery and added pepper only (because there is enough salt in the Spam to salinize the ocean) and called it good.  Delish, of course.  I agree that perhaps it's time to be more CREATIVE here in the blog.  Will get back to you on that.  dw

Waiting Didn't Help Much

Another week with a dirth of excitement.  I finally got my bike back together so I'll start riding again.  I took it in for a new tire a week or so ago, and was told it really needed a tune-up.  At a cost of $100 I decided to do it myself.   So, it's done. 
   I'm still working on the steel sculpture, I'm still optimistic re: the eventual result.
   I've gone walking a few times.  Although it seems very "not green" to drive to an exercise place, I've been driving up Germantown road to the Wildwood trailhead.  Lotsa foliage, steep canyons (the trail maintains elevation when crossing them) small streams.  Nothing spectacular but a very nice deep-woods feel to the trails.  The trail is a welcome change from walking around the neighborhood.
   Dw may have an entry later in the week.  She took a couple of days of r&r -- went to Hood River and is lolling about with a view of the river and a bunch of knitting and other projects to do. 
   And finally, I bought a new computer (an HP) -- I finally got fed up with the old one freezing and otherwise showing its age.  -- There's not room at this desk for two old things.  -- It's up and running but I still need to transfer the files from the old one to the new.  It'll be easy enough, but I need to borrow a monitor to hook up with the old computer.  (I didn't get a new monitor) -- And I just noticed an instruction to read the "Safety & Comfort Guide" in order to reduce the risk of serious injury while using the new keyboard.  Another unrecognized peril in modern life.  DA

Wait, wait - I'm thinking

What's new since Halloween?  Dennis and I enjoyed a fine dining experience last night at friend David M's house-sitting gig.  After driving up and up the winding road behind Scappoose we found the address and arrived in enough daylight to admire the fabulous house.  It's one of those sprawling hillside homes 3-4 years new with a circular gravel/paved entryway, carport, driveway winding around and under the house to the garage, windows, more windows, giant wood entry door, rain chains from the overhangs, etc.  Lovely, lovely.  So was the evening as we chatted and ate and caught up on the news - sitting around the dining room table next to the kitchen.  The kitchen is the hearth of the home and I like that even in a giant home we hang around the kitchen.  Some things do not change.
     November has arrived with its variable weather -70 and sunny two days and then heavy rain, sun and rainbows the next.  The vacation photos are hunkered down in a big dishpan waiting for me to put them in order.  As winter previews with the rainy weather reading becomes a bigger draw and the photos are still waiting.  Soon, real soon.  dw
   I concur with all of the above re: the house and evening.
   I've been working on a sculpture (painted steel) which is coming along nicely.  And I've been tuning up my bike.  I'm not very interested in the bike job, but it needs to be done, and I need to finish it so I can get back to exercising.  Cycling has replaced running as my preferred exercise although I consider it a mediocre substitute.   DA

All Hallows Eve

   Dw got a phone call from Dennis S. earlier.  He said he had checked the blog to see if there was an up-date, which, at that time, there wasn't.  So I'm noting that I will almost always write the Sunday up-dates in the evening.  This practice will give me another day for something to actually happen. 
    On Friday I  went to the gym with grandson Josh.  I think in the future I'll have to insist that he stay at our house until I retire to bed.  That way he can carry me upstairs.  Boy howdy was I reminded that I've been sitting on my butt for nearly two months.   It's a win-win for both of us.  The young women will think it's sweet that's he's climbing with his granddad, and I'll have a young stud to tow me up climbs.
   Otherwise, dw and I played HalloweenScrooge this year.  Instead of doing candy we turned off the lights and went to Powells.  Bought a couple of books and then stopped at Widmer's (a brew pub -- for those who don't know) for dinner.  We aren't really that bad.  Last year we had fewer than ten kids ringing the door.  In this neighborhood all of the tricker-treaters are attracted to Portsmouth St. -- it crosses our street a few blocks to the east and there are five houses in near proximity that do elaborate Halloween decorations.  They draw all the local candy-hounds.  Driving home we passed one or two hundred people on Portsmouth.  That scene started twenty or more years ago with one house, and over the years their neighbors have joined in.  It's all very interesting, but better them than me.  DA

Back home

   This week has been reacclimatizing to our ordinary lives.  We picked up our mail on Monday and included was a notice to appear for jury duty (for me).  I was expecting it (though not so soon) since I had been called earlier but had postponed it for my angiogram.  Went in on Tuesday.  This was for a federal case in the Hatfield Courthouse.  (I didn't even get to the voir dire of jury selection)  But for the first time I did see the inside of the courthouse.  There are  some  interesting art things:  In the entrance hall are three water features.  A very thin layer of water flows down a section of wall / pillar / clear glass panel about three feet wide.  The section is slightly inset and is corrigated like a piece of cardboard  with one side peeled off.  Irregular ripples form in the flowing water (scarcely deep enough to wet your finger) that look like bubbles flowing down instead of up.   It's a nice effect.  On the ninth floor is an outdoor seating area with five 15 X 15 foot planted areas (among other things, each area has a couple of madrones) and several sculptural groupings.  Stylized animals (mostly beavers) engaging in a trial, being tempted by a snake, etc.  All sort of justice related.  It's in interesting installation.  Worth seeing (maybe) if you want to go through the  security screening.  There's also a large tapestry which I didn't see. 
   This afternoon I was going to order Thai for dinner.  Changed my mind since I didn't want to order for dw (she was napping) so I was going to order a pizza when dw came downstairs and we ended going out for pizza. 
   None of it very interesting except I have wanted some Thai since we were in Bismarck N.D. when dw suggested we have some, but (at least according to the yellow pages) Bismarck HAS NO THAI RESTAURANTS.  What's up with that?  Bismarck also has -- and I have photographic evidence -- parking signs at the state capitol building that say "visitor parking" with an arrow pointing to the right, and a one way sign directly below the visitor parking sign (on the same post) with an arrow pointing to the left.  dw and I thought "HUH?"
   And with all due respect to North Dakota -- where we saw some very interesting things, and the people we talked with were very friendly -- their capitol building looks like a generic, anywhere in the world,  20 story office building.  DA

Back in PDX- dw

Safely home and all is well.  Arrived 9pm Sat. 10/16/10 in time to unload the car and watch British comedies on PBS (I have my priorities!).  The 520 mile drive from Twin Falls, Idaho was smooth sailing as there wasn't much wind - frequently an issue in southern ID and the Gorge - and cruise control allowed for driving long hours.  That and NPR and Dave Barry "I'll Mature When I'm Dead" - pretty funny, even listening to it the second time.  I wanted a special end to the trip so we stopped in Hood River for dinner at Brians Pourhouse - a place of delicious food and excellent service.  Tried the chocolate martini and I'm in trouble now!!!!!  No wonder martinis are so popular - they can be a taste treat.  Didn't interfere with my fish taco and pear cobbler dessert either.  The ambience of Brians was enhanced by many high school prom persons - dressed to the nines and texting each other during dinner, while standing in the doorway and on the sidewalk waiting to get in.  Hood River Harvest Festival was also going on so H.R. was crowded and hoppin'.  It was still very enjoyable (perhaps enhanced by the chocolate martini, but I only had one!).
     The drive from Hood River to Portland was the first night driving in a long time.  I usually avoid it because you miss the sights and I'm not fond of driving at night.  It went all right but I was happy to see the lights of Portland.  Even if it meant I lost the bet.  I said it would start raining at Cascade Locks and Dennis said it would not be raining at all.  The pessimist and the optimist return home... He was right.  I paid him the $1. 
     Arrived to the welcome lights of home - thank you Jackie.  Now the work begins.  Cleaning the car, clothes, camping gear and putting away the brochures, flyers, books, maps and souvenirs (Dennis-rocks from the Gaspe, Dianne-needlework project from Vermont).  Tomorrow I'll pick up the "held mail" and spend a great deal of time sorting out the junk from the real stuff.  Five and a half weeks of mail is a lot of mail.  Then I will gather all my internal and external resources and download the photos off the camera onto the computer.  Or go to Walgreens and have them make a CD!  I'm leaning toward Walgreens...  Good thing I don't work until Fri Oct. 22 - thank you Nancy!
     Thank you for reading, hope it brought a smile or two to you.  dw
P.S.  Data will follow after I figure it out i.e. average gas mileage, etc.  Have to do the conversion of liters to gallons for the Canada portion.  I will mention we covered 9697 miles in 5 weeks, 4 days of travel.  dw

Home again, home

   Again, jiggedy jig.  Another driving day.  We were going to take a couple of small side drives today, but the driving was easy and we came straight home.  --  With a stop in Hood River for dinner --
   This morning in Twin Falls we could have stopped at an info center and seen Evel Knievel's jet-powered motorcycle that he used in his failed attempt to jump the Snake River canyon.  The info center was on the wrong side of the road and it didn't seem worth the trouble (it was a 4-lane street).  From a canyon viewing platform, however, we could see the dirt ramp he built for his attempt.  I think he got what he really wanted:  someone talking about him 30 years later. 
   Also in Twin Falls:  a cemetary of dead combines.  About 30 of them in a row, rusting away.  I enjoy them more perched on a hill-top.
   Just west of Twin Falls are sited -- just next to the freeway -- four or five huge feed-lots.  Perhaps it's a multiplying effect but they seem to smell more fetid than other feed-lots we've driven past.
   Finally, we're going to keep this blog going -- Probably with just one entry a week (Sun. P.M.) -- just so we can keep the title "danddontheroad".  DA