Laughalot

To try and tell you all the fun I had this weekend with the boys would be impossible in written blog form. So Welcome to Pictoral Entry #2!!!! We had a ball. I did something I never do on the road, and I took a day off which was not a part of a vacation. Not only did I have Monday with Jim, Don and Joe, but I had Tuesday as well. It was just what I needed.


We woke up Monday morning and ate breakfast at The Bijou Cafe





then we got in the



and went to

(that's Mt. Hood people)


Where we went as high as you can go without ski's or extra gear by taking a



At the top Joe made a


and proceeded to squish it on Jim's head.



We went back down the mountain




And took off again in the Cruiser!




On our way off the mountain we ran into a

WE HAD TO STOP!!!!!


So we got on another

(that picture of Jim just kills me every time I look at it)


Which left us at the top. Only one way down....



I came down the mountain as well. I decided not to go back down again, after the four year old behind me got pissed at how slow I was going.


So it was back in the car.



The Spamalot family was having a BBQ, hosted by Nate at his place in Gresham. So I brought the boys over to meet the Spam Fam.



The most competitive game of Bocce ball was going on. They had a tape measure for the love of God.

we hung out there for a spell. Tons of fresh Crab and all kinds of food, games, music, drinks. The works really.

Soon it was time to go so we headed out



to go to the coast!



The Oregon Coast is beyond beautiful. I just don't think anywhere I have ever been even remotely holds a candle to it. When we got there we walked along the beach



Found a very expensive place to stay



got the most expensive pizza on the entire planet and played cribbage (40 bucks for a pizza, yo)



We watched the

(I took pictures but they sucked big time)

and finally went to


That was just the first day.
We woke up tired and crawled to breakfast.

I have to stop just for a second to tell you this was the strangest breakfast. There was a woman loudly and vehemently expressing her displeasure at the service the surferteens behind the counter gave her. We had a 65 year old Stepford waitress who thought Jim was going to eat his hand off and kill for coffee. My teacup had lipstick on it, and I figured it was mine until I realized 20 minutes later I wasn't wearing any make up. Then, I left a little bag of purchases at the place, and when I came back 2 MINUTES LATER to get it, the surferteens behind the counter had already divvied up the bounty amongst themselves and had to fork it all back over, seeing as I walked in on the distributing process. Nutty.


After that hilarious breakfast we walked along the beach for a spell, and played in the surf. Joe thought it was very cold.



Then walked around town. Jim fell in love outside the candy store.



So Joe and I surprised him later on!


Jim was very generous.




Don brought us to The Largest Sitka Spruce Tree in The U.S.

It was very beautiful, but apparently ill. It may not be here the next time I am here.









Next to that tree was another tree. Don was reborn through the Vagina Tree!



After a quick



We were off!, driving down the coast again!



We had planned a day of hiking but that quickly changed when we stopped to check how much it would cost to rent a boat. Turns out it was more than just a boat. For 70 bucks total, we got the boat, crabbing baskets, life jackets for all of us, and a bucket to hold whatever we caught in until we got back to the dock where they would cook it all up for us! It was a steal!



Before we got going, Joe did a little Oregon advertising



Then he lead us out



on the beautiful Bay



Crabbing aint easy, my friends. First you take your basket with stinky dead fish hooked on, and set it straight down overboard.



You hang out, chat, have some beers if you have them (we did not unfortunately) and then as fast as you can, you pull the basket up so the little suckers can't get out



YAY!!! CRABS!!!!



However there are many rules. You can't keep the girls and they have to be over a certain size. We had to throw back so many of them. They lived to see another day. Then we caught a biggie!!!


But after 2 hours of throwing back dozens of little girls, and spending a nice chunk of time rescuing one of our baskets whose bouy had sunk, well, this grandaddy crab was all we got.



It was so much fun! Just the best afternoon and when we got back to the dock, they cooked him up for us and we ate him right there. It was seriously one of the sweetest crabs I have ever eaten. Yummy.



One crab, however delicious, was not enough to satisfy us, so we stopped at this lil hole in the wall for dinner and had....CRAB!!!!



Then we drove to



Where we walked through the



to find the Octopus Tree.

Beautiful.


Then Don led us to the teeniest lighthouse.



Where I took my favorite picture of the day.



the sun was starting to set and we had a long drive back...so we had to get back in the



and head on back to



The next morning Jim flew back to NYC and Joe drove back to Ashland Oregon, where he lives. My room seems very empty now. Don lives here in Portland so, thankfully I still have a few more days with him, but he has to work too. Those 2 days with the boys were the highlight not just of my stay in Portland, but of the entire tour. Considering the four of us haven't been all together since 1994, I am so surprised how smoothly and easily it all went.
You know
actually
I am not surprised at all.

Sometimes it just works. I love them.