this is mt. hood and you can see it pretty well from my folks' little town in oregon...

alex & i got to portland last night at 9ish and checked into a hotel downtown. (thank you susie & jessi for bringing her and talking your way past sercurity...loved having dinner with you). one of these trips, i'd really like to go explore the area of portland. downtown looks very cool...my mom and aunt were at a 'celtic women' concert, and were staying in town for the night. we got up and rode back with them this morning.

it's good to be here and see my sammie (it's been a week), and hang out. alex napped and now we're about to go check out a glass blower in town who does really beautiful work. rich has been doing odd jobs around the house and is on his last project now. nice sense of accomplishment.

tonight we're having 'mother's day dinner', and tomorrow is my cousin's son's first communion at the local catholic church. we're heading over to my auntie's after for brunch and then off to the airport.

at some point i'll have to tell you about the crazy, whirlwind trip...if i had been on candid camera it couldn't have been any crazier. from a jerry garcia look-alike shuttle driver, to losing my headphone cord, iPod and phone (i got them all back) to my off-road taxi driver, the celebrity voice impersonator/flight attendant, and of course the girl two rows who 'totally had a peanut stuck in her throat" (she was 'totally serious...totally...').

back soon....