Another great Christmas. Jasmine got a lot of accessories for her guitar including a stand and a whole lot of pics. She also got a light up mirror for her vanity.
As usual the cats were quite helpful. Penny made a great attempt helping Jeff unwrap his presents and he got exactly what he wanted for Christmas lots and lots of chocolate.
We ended the day at our friend Beth and Tony’s house celebrating Christmas with their family.
Just some random moments from John’s visit. We took ‘The Dam Tour’ (Bonneville Dam) where cool electronic artifacts from the 20’s and 30’s were displayed as well as interesting sketches of a proposed entrance hall that was eventually discarded for a more sedate design.
I found the vampire hunters kit displayed at the Peculiarium fascinating. Not just the completeness of the kit but it’s history/. I invite everyone to read the card.
And while walking around Portland we came upon the BrewCycle. A dozen or so drunk people pedaling a huge bike from bar to bar. What could go wrong…
John requested a visit to Gustav’s German restaurant so he could binge on sausage, bread and cheese. And strudel. We made the sojourn to Big Horse Brew Pub in Hood River to partake of home brew Root Beer. I also felt a visit to Portland’s genuine English Fish and Chip Shop was in order. John got to try Vimto soda and Jasmine showed her uncle some of her trick shots on the pool table.
My brother, John, came into town with a few requests, a visit to Powell’s bookstore, Gustav’s German restaurant and “someplace weird”. Since the city’s unofficial official motto is “Keep Portland Weird” I knew we would find something to do.
First was the odd Portland tradition of taking a picture of the carpet at PDX airport to announce the your arrival. The carpet is getting replaced soon which has caused an uproar. Portland is weird.
But weirder still was this wonderful place called the Peculiarium. A small pocket of massive weirdness. Part museum, part gift shop. It basically falls into three categories:
Horror
Aliens
Everything else.
Well, it happened. I turned 50. Made much easier to digest with loving cards from family and an ice cream cake. My friend Beth and her daughter topped the day by putting together wonderful items of love including a jar of dark chocolate kisses and an arrangement of “50 suck’s” suckers and lolly pops. As for the basket of ‘old people’ ointments and tablets… I have already used the Aspercream on a sore knee…
Getting old sucks, but as Goldie Hawn said “It’s better than the alternative!”
