Happy Birthday LIZ

Happy Birthday, Liz. I hope that today is filled with laughter, love and joy !!

Lunch Cruise on the Willamette River

Mike and Teresa were delayed in their flight to Portland last night so we couldn't pick them up at the airport until 1:00 a.m. After a fast night's rest we were up and ready to go to the dock this morning to board the Portland Spirit, an excursion boat that cruises down the Willamette River.

Included with the cruise was a delicious lunch and Teresa and Mike enjoyed seeing the residential areas and parks along the water.

Roger stayed at the condo to prepare food for a special dinner tonight to celebrate their visit.

The photo below shows a distant view of our condo building (the shorter one in the center of the background).

Iranian Potato Salad - Olivea -

Roger prepared an authentic Iranian dinner for our guests on Sunday. Kabob is an important item and the meat must be cooked on a charcoal grill, preferably on mesquite coals, so he prepared steak, lamb, chicken and ground beef kabobs with saffron rice.

Pictured is a dish that is similar to American potato salad but it has a larger variety of ingredients. All the items are precooked, then chopped and mixed with seasonings, mayonnaise and yogurt. Included are potatoes, diced carrots, peas, dill pickles, boiled egg, cooked chicken breast, green olives and celery. It's actually like a main dish so we enjoyed some lunches from the leftovers.

It has been a pleasant week with a variety of activities. Last night I attended a meeting hosted by Tri-Met to learn about the new MAX line that will run down Lincoln Street (right outside our condo). It will be wonderful to have train transport just steps away but there is also a noise impact that is being addressed. It's a four year project that won't begin until next summer so there's a lot more that we need to learn.

Now we're looking forward to a weekend visit with Mike and Teresa and next week Bella and I will fly to Sacramento for a short visit with Lodi and S.F. friends and family.

Weather is still cool and often also "drippy" but the trees are full of flowers and greenery so we know that nicer weather will be here soon.

The WEEKEND............

Almost every day seems like the weekend for Roger and I but things still seem like more fun on Saturdays and Sunday.

This afternoon we went downtown to the Newmark Theater to see the end of the season Oregon Ballet production. The theater is smaller so the audience feels like part of the dance. Today was exceptional with a variety of styles, music and dancing. Everyone's favorite was the last part that featured ballet danced to Samba music. We left the theater feeling like dancing ourselves.

The Heathman Hotel and Restaurant is nearby and it was happy hour so.................

We're back home now so it's time to get ready for dinner guests tomorrow night. The Sacher Torte is baking in the oven and Roger is doing the prep work for the barbecued kabobs so most of the work will be finished and we can join the party.

Happy Earth Day !

It's Earth Day so it's a reminder that we need to Recycle !

Today is the beginning of a stretch of about four days of sunshine so Allison and I celebrated by taking Alfie and Bella for a walk to the river where we had the best burger in Portland for lunch.

Alfie is a seven year old Doberman who gets stopped by almost everyone that we meet on a walk. Poor little Bella was unnoticed which came as quite a surprise for her.

Spring in Portland..............

We are enjoying warmer weather so the barbie is clean and fired up. In fact there are three barbies now; one gas, one small charcoal for picnics and one larger charcoal one for entertaining. (Ed, in Lodi - you'll appreciate that Roger is a charcoal fanatic like you...........).

Tonight we're doing corn on the cob and chicken. It has been a good week. Roger learned that surgery is not necessary for his back problem and he has an appointment Wednesday for an injection that we hope will alleviate the pain.

Thursday the complex had its annual dinner meeting where we learned about all the problems that condo owners share (like large assessments for unexpected repairs) but we live here because we love being downtown so it's a small price to pay for the convenience of being close to everything.

Ashley sent a hand made pottery bowl she made that is beautiful so it's out on the back balcony ready for a Spring flower. Roger continues to plant little seedlings so we have a "nursery" near the big sliding door in the living room and a few larger plants outside with the hopes they will catch a few rays of sun.

Yesterday Ann and I enjoyed lunch at the Heathman and the last Pops concert for this season featuring music from the "Fabulous Forties".

I would like to wish Kristen Friedli (my great niece) a very Happy Birthday and also a Happy Birthday to my great nephew, Sean, who is celebrating his birthday tomorrow.

Some Sad News........

Steven and Vicki wrote yesterday to tell me that Steve's dad had passed away. I remember many enjoyable occasions spent with Steve's parents. It's a difficult time when we lose a precious loved one so I send my sympathy and concern to Steve and his family. Rest in Peace, dear Marv .............