Food and Family in Portland

Ahh, Thanksgiving. A time to reflect, on those things in life which we are thankful for.

Like food.

But above food - yes, even above cranberries, gravy, sweet potatoes and pie - is family. Family and friends. And for this Turkey-Day, I was thankful for all of the above. And more.

* Let it not go understated that I am immensely grateful for this opportunity *
* and for the good fortune I've had thus far *

Seeing the cousins in Portland was its own grand adventure - and at times misadventure. It had been years since I'd seen these folk and there was much to catch up on. My cousin Jane took me in, and my second cousins took me out. I bonded with each of them, and it was about time! I mean, it's family, so you always know and love them unconditionally - but the "know" part often varies in its depth and intimacy. And that variation, I've found, only increases with physical distance! But that part is kind of what this trip is for, right?

Between the bright lights and taxis of Portland, it was nothing like the typical drive and dive night up in the mountains... And my (second?) cousins and their buddies were a hoot. I won't have to worry about them, although I'd love to get'em up Vermont way...

When my (cousin?) Jane took me for a walk in the neighborhood park, I was taken aback by the view; the scape in Oregon is quite different than what I've known... Oh, most of the same trees are there, and the terrain is quite similar in some places... but the forests here were old, wet and mossy, and eerily beautiful. When the sun spurt through the clouds you could catch a silver tinge lining every spot of green you could see.

But, I'm getting road-weary and homesick. You understand.

So I ate heartily, enjoyed the company of some great people, and took off North-West, to dance on the Washington border and bid farewell to the Pacific.


The Fam:

Okay, so pictured here are second cousins, cousin, and cousins' parents; a ten-cent piece for the one who can correctly identify the proper verbiage for such a thing...

Me with my beautiful second cousins... or if they're my father's cousin's kids, then are they my third cousins??