P.S. hanging with the guys in Portland

This was pretty much every day on the trip: Cobra snuggled in Papa Tom's lap

Skyler with his ukulele, Pancake the kitten, and Jade's soccer ball

Amon with Skyler's second ukulele

Friday, January 24, 2014: Snowpocolypse in Austin!

We awoke to snow on Friday morning and the news that my office would be closed for the day.  Whoo-hoo!

The deck from the kitchen.  That's the solar-powered double prism in the foreground.  Around noon daily, rainbow flying saucers zip all around the kitchen and living room.

Snow steps with paw prints

Wednesday, January 22, 2014: on our way home

Soaring past Mount Hood, on our way home.  Bye-bye Portland!  Until next time . . . .

Tuesday, January 21, 2014: trip to Hood River Valley

On Tuesday, Skyler had work, Otis had school, and Amon took Jade to Mount Hood to play in the snow.  So LaWanda, Papa Tom, and I headed to the Hood River valley in search of apples and pears from the local orchards.  We stopped for lunch at the Big Horse Restaurant in Hood River.

Although the town is named Hood River, and the Hood River is nearby, that's the Columbia River outside the Big Horse Restaurant.

Hood River is a hilly town.  Here's a short cut from one street to another.

The Big Horse Restaurant was a dance hall back in the day.  After the building burned down around 1975, the owner reconstructed a duplicate of the original structure.

We stopped at an orchard outside Hood River.  Alas, pear and apple trees are bare in January.  But Papa Tom found some local apples at a grocery store a few miles up the road.

Around the bend, we took in a wine tasting at the Cathedral Ridge vineyard.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Day: January 20, 2014

After working up an appetite at the trampoline park, we headed over to Otto's Meat Market where the brats (as in German sausages, not children) were being grilled right out on the sidewalk.

LaWanda's brat and sauerkraut, fresh off the grill.

Otis and I drew Mt. Hood and added numerous family members zooming down the mountain on snowboards.  Otis got to snowboard at Mt. Hood recently with his after-school group.

Oh yes, this is a meat market.

Or maybe it's a sausage kitchen.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: January 20, 2014: Trampoline park

Before heading to the "jumping place" (trampoline park), Jade gave Cobra a ride in the doll stroller.  Amon did her gymnast pony tail for her.

Jade, Otis, and Amon at the trampoline park.

Otis and Jade seem to be mesmerized--or is it baffled?--by my trampoline dance.

Jade and Amon

After flipping and jumping, it was time for a game of pinball with Papa Tom.

I watch Otis bounce across the park.

Otis catches more air.

Sunday, January 19, 2014: Seahawks v. 49ers at Columbia City Ale House, Seattle, Washington

So on our flight to Portland on Saturday, January 18, we were musing about how we should go to Seattle some time and Tom had the idea that we should catch the Seahawks v. 49ers game at a Seattle sports bar on Sunday, January 19.  We checked out sports bars online and came up with Rookies.  But Rookies' patrons had been there since 9 a.m. Sunday for the 3:30 p.m. game; luckily, the Columbia City Ale House, around the corner, was great.

Happened to have a sea green sweater in my suitcase.  Heard that some sports bars in Seattle were charging a $10 cover charge for 49ers' fans but letting Seahawk fans in for free.  I'm totally a Who Dat fan but on January 19, rooted for the Seahawks.

What to have for lunch?  I chose the goat cheese salad with grilled salmon.  Delicious!

Papa Tom had the crisp apple salad with andouille sausage.  Incredible!

The game!  Seahawks won and will play in the Super Bowl on February 2.

Papa Tom is very, very happy.

Epoch Coffee: our favorite coffee house in Austin

Great coffee, great music, and great pizza.  Fox approved!

Not alligator luggage, exactly, but Battle Gator is on his way to Portlandia

We're headed to Portland on January 18-22 with Jade and with Battle Gator, who Amon also misses.

Here goes Battle Gator, into the suitcase!

Plenty of room for Battle Gator to nap on the trip with space left over for some of Skyler's sketch pads.  Remember R. Crumb traded a suitcase full of his sketch pads for a French chateau? Hang onto those drawings, Skyler!

Reading with Papa Tom

Thanks for the Christmas books, Emma!  

Happy 27, Amon!

Happy 27 to Amon on January 5th!  Such a happy, expressive baby!  Still having fun with you!  Love you! Mom

Guitar corner

My guitar corner in the Princess Room, starring the new Fender Champion 40 amp.  Still haven't named my guitar a la B. B. King's Lucille.  The CD player is for playing along with  the Blues Guitar Unleashed CD.

New Year's Day party

We had lunch at Trudy's with Anjanette and Jade before going to our neighbors  Suzan and Steve's New Year's Day party so everyone could have their black-eyed peas and cabbage for a year of good luck and prosperity.  Steve is a sculptor.  Here is one of his pieces.  I had no black-eyed peas or cabbage at the party (did have black-eyed peas at Trudy's) but did have a couple of s'mores thanks to Suzan and Steve's backyard fire pit and feel pretty lucky!

Fox drew on her Ninja skills to face off with one of the neighbor kids.

Jake and Roy's meditation tepee.

Happy 8 months to Piper!

Ready for the holidays!  Happy 8 months, sweet Piper!

Merry Christmas from Emma!

What does the Emma/leopard/cat/panda say?  "Merry Christmas," that's what!