We interrupt our tour of the apartment for a visit from Casey Parks!

Last Wednesday Casey flew in just after 9 p.m., Portland time. Her plans included staying with us a week and going to the final-ever concert of one of her favorite bands, Sleater Kinney, here in Portland's Crystal Ballroom. Thank goodness she landed before the terroist arrests, etc. in London; no telling how long we'd have had to wait just to get her if that had happened while she was in the air.

Thursday evening we went to Happy Hour at the Riverplace Hotel, the one where Lamont used to be sous chef and where he met his girlfriend Lindsay. We had a cocktail, some food from the bar menu, and watched people. It was fun for all three of us, Casey, Mama and me. We sat outside, beside the Willamette River. Loads of people went by, running or walking for exercise, or just strolling. Still more came walking along carrying wooden boat paddles, wearing life jackets. They were on their way to dragon boat practice. In fact, a whole crew stretched in a small circle right across the sidewalk from us. John Healey, one of Lamont and Lindsay's friends who also bartends at the Riverplace Hotel with Lindsay, said that the dragonboat people keep the riverfront going all through the winter. The photo I've included is one I found at http://zamboanga.us/, the site for one of Portland's dragon boat clubs.

Yes, we do have on a jacket that zips (Casey), a big sweater (Mama) and a denim jacket (me) because it was so cool outside last Thursday evening. The high that day was 77! On Sunday it was 88. The next few days it'll be between 84 and 74, I think. This is so great!