So, what does one write about when there's nothing enlightening or exciting? The Farmer's Market, of course .
Roger and Bella are waiting for the streetcar and this time, Roger isn't taking any chances with tomatoes. He already has several plants struggling on the balcony (it's been very cool at night) so now he has three more to plant this weekend. The fresh mint plants that Orlan and Sheila mailed to us are growing like weeds so it's nice to see something surviving the cool climate.
Note that Bella is yawning - probably because she's still experiencing "jet lag" from the busy time that she had in California.
Following the Farmer's Market we headed down to the river to have lunch - our favorite cafe where we can eat the best burger in Portland at an outside table. We Portlanders are euphoric because the temps reached the mid 70s today.
Now it's time for Spring cleaning and window washing so it will be a busy weekend.
Meanwhile, I'm still unpacking and cleaning my purchases from the auction so there's always something to do.
The trip to California was a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and also take care of business. I took Bella with me as an experiment to see if it would be feasible to fly with her for a longer vacation and she did very well. She was nervous on the flight to Sacramento but the return flight went extremely well - plus she was excited to see Roger at the airport.
Bella and I were treated to a lamb shank stew when we returned home so, even though she was exhausted, she took time to chew on her special bone before she crashed into her bed.
The Bonham's auction was fabulous so I bought a huge amount of things; some packed in my luggage and three large boxes that I shipped from Sacramento. So - - if you're wondering what I'll be doing the remainder of the month - I'll be chained to the computer while Roger helps by polishing all the sterling. Starting today, we'll set up a small workshop to clean, take photos, research and sell.
I didn't bring California sunshine back as I had hoped but it's still very early and the forecast is for the lower 70s so right now, I'm ignoring the cloudy sky.
A special thanks goes to Lori and Pam, Liz and Ed and Ron and Rosanna who housed me, fed me and pampered me. It was an enjoyable trip !!!
It's great to get back to California sunshine but tomorrow and Monday, rain is expected and my friends are blaming me for bringing Portland weather with me. If it's true perhaps I can bring some California sun back to Portland when I return next week.
Bella was a brave airplane traveler but she got slightly sick during the flight. I obtained some medicine that took care of the problem so she's back to being energetic and excited with all the activities and attention.
We started out in Sacramento with dinner at WaterBoy Restaurant for an early celebration of Lori's birthday. Friday I took Aunt Viola to lunch so we could catch up on family business and after a visit with John and Lenis, I enjoyed a delicious dinner with Ed and Liz and stayed the night.
This morning, Bella and I headed for San Francisco where I previewed the Bonham's auction that will be held tomorrow. We had time to stop at Perry's for brunch and I was lucky to get a sidewalk table so Bella could join me.
Now I'm writing this from Ron and Rosanna's where we just finished a delicious Italian dinner. I'll spend the next two nights here before returning to Sacramento.
The auction tomorrow has some amazing sterling and silver that dates as far back as the late 1700s so I'm very eager to buy some gorgeous antique treasures.
It will be nice to spend some time in sunny California and to see long-time friends and family. Tonight Lori, Pam and I will be celebrating their birthdays at Waterboy, our favorite Sacramento restaurant, and tomorrow Bella and I will head to Lodi to reconnect with friends.
Happy Cinco de Mayo, a day to enjoy good Mexican food and, here in Portland, a great reason to get out and celebrate at the Festival down on the river.
We had Mexican food over the weekend so tonight Roger is fixing my farewell dinner of lamb because I'll be in California until next Tuesday.
Bella was groomed today and the Vet gave her a certificate of health so she's ready for her first airplane ride.
The auction in S.F. is going to be a wonderful opportunity to buy a large amount of antique silver so I've left lots of room in my suitcase to pack things to bring on the return trip.
Happy Birthday, Liz. I hope that today is filled with laughter, love and joy !!
So, what does one write about when there's nothing enlightening or exciting? The Farmer's Market, of course .
