Shusli and I went to the big city this weekend, Portland, and visited our bud Chuck, whose gracious hospitality was wonderful.

On Saturday morning, we went to pick up Felicia. We dropped Shusli off with her friend, Paula, and Felicia and I took the time to reaquaint with each other while Shusli and Paula had a great time at the Goodwill Bins.

Felicia and I hit KBOO to see a few aquaintances there, then to Grendel's, William Temple House Thrift Store, Rich's tobacco...we all had a good time.

With all we were cramming into our weekend visit, we didn't really have time to visit all the folks we would have really liked to.

Sunday, we went to the Screen Door (24th and East Burnside) restaurant for brunch. We, like at all good restaurants in Portland on Sunday's, had to wait about an hour before we got seated. Chuck, Roger, Cedara, Maire, and Donovan joined us for one of the most wonderful brunchs ever. Half of us ordered friend chicken and waffles. I guess that is a regular southern dish, but it never occurred to us. There were three huge portions of tasty filleted and fried chicken breast on top of a waffle with a little powdered sugar on top. It was piled over 6 inches on the plate. It was well worth the wait.

We did a bunch of grocery shopping in Portland and Eugene because, well, Coos Bay has a...large lacking in good grocery stores. Shusli went to buy some beef the other day and asked an employee of the store where she could get the non-RBGH meat. "We don't have that here," or something like that was what the employee said. *sigh* We have too much freedom in the U.S. [hahahaha]
We went to visit our friends Donovan and Maire whilst in town. Donovan gave me this AWESOME Sporine (sp?) as a graduation present from my CNA class. Basically, and no offense intended, it is a Scottish man purse worn in front of a kilt. Donovan does awesome work. If you wish to have some leather work done by Donovan, I can put you in contact with the man.

Many thanks:

Thank You Shusli, for making this whole trip and my determination to become a CNA a reality. Were it not for you, Beautiful, I would not have considered being a CNA, which has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life. Thank you for the journey to Portland and the reaquainting with our daughter, Felicia. Thank you for sharing all the wonderful treasures you got last night. Thank you for being a wonderful and amazing human being and a marvelous nurse. I Love you, my wonderful wife.

Thank you Chuck, for hosting us this weekend. Your hospitality is immeasurable and your kindness and years of friendship have been a sweet and marvelous gift, as well as the cigars.

Thank you Maire and Donovan for your years of friendship and Revolutionary spirit. Maire, you are a voice of sanity in an insane world. Donovan, you are an artist beyond compare with your leatherwork and other arts. Thanks for the Sporine.

Thank you Roger and Cedara. You folks are such great friends.

Thank you Carol for the wonderful property in which to sweat and the horses that the folks Love so much.

Thank you, Portland, for decent grocery stores and decent meat. Thank you for housing many of our friends and keeping them safe and happy. Thank, especially, for the "Screen Door" and "Hoda's" (34th and Belmont).

To all those I haven't thanked...THANK YOU! You're awesome!