Enjoying Or-a-gin

First, please note that, the locals pronounce their state Or-a-gin as opposed to Ora-gon, which is the way it is prounced by many mid-westeners. It is like Bray-vo and Brah-vo or even Raak and Rock; you get my drift. The joy is, of course, the kids.

We have been staying at Amy's while Brendon is in Dallas, and while the floors are being done at Meridian; that means 24/7 with the boys. It is not like we haven't been here before, but they now are very used to us and we are beginning to strike our stride with them, so to speak.

Today, Tru and I went to the motorhome and checked it out...started it and looked for water since it has been below freezing since we have been here and I did not "winterize" it at the suggestion of my RV mentor-guy here. All looked good. Then we went looking for a guy to change the oil and give it a 5,000 mile check-up. We located the dude who had been suggested to us and he was quite nice...gave both of us an ice cream bar. I realize that I would not have received an ice cream bar if I were alone, but when he saw Tru he asked who my partner was and when I said that he was my grandson, Truman, well, that did it. A conversation about grandkids followed, which led to the ice cream bars.

Next we got the oil in the Jeep changed and then we went for lunch. At each place we were greeted with smiles and questions. That boy attacts lots of attention.

Last night (Wednesday) Aleene and I ventured to the Rose Garden which is where the Trail Blazers (NBA basketball team) play. I was given tickets for a suite from one of my November students who works for the Umpqua Tribe. So off we went up I-5 at rush hour into the unknown of down town Portland. We really did quite well finding the place and only had to orbit the parking garage once to find the right entrance (at $13). The Rose Garden is big and beautiful...wow do they zing up a baketball game. By the way they beat the Lakers by six points with the outcome undecided until the last ten seconds when the Michigan State guy stole the ball from Koby... For me to like an NBA game is something, but it was fun. We had a great time in the suite although our host was the only Native Amican there...lots of guests for various reasons.

When we got out of the game we spent a half hour getting out of the parking garage and about twenty minutes getting home once clear of the garage...you can really fly around here in the evenings.

Tomorrow is another busy day...Amy is on the road again so Aleene has Asher duty and I have Truman school bus duty...reminds me of the early seventies when I trucked Amy, Robin and Kristin around for preschool when we were on split sessions...where has the time gone?

The floors get the final coat tomorrow, then we wait 48 hours...back in on Sunday afternoon...
more later.