19 through 23-Aug, 2021


My Mom came to visit!!!

In previous years, before COVID, She’d come to visit most Februarys, after finishing her conference… but it’s been a while since that’s been possible, and these last years have put a pretty large damper on how often we can see each other.

But this year! This year, COVID had calmed down just enough to make it possible! Granted, it was starting to swing upward again… but we had the window, travel was safe, we took all precautions we could, and we finally got to visit!



It was beautifully low-key. We did a ton of fun stuff, but also made a point to take the evenings quiet – It’s been so long since I’ve been able to just sit on the couch and read, or lay back and watch a movie with family… I’m getting misty eyed just thinking about it!

So what did we do, you may ask? Well, without going too poetic on this, since it’s kind of late tonight…

She arrived on a Thursday – I was able to take some time off work, but did have to run back into the office in the afternoon again… thankfully though, it was a quiet day, and I was able to head back early enough that we could make a lovely fun dinner of bucatini, asparagus, and sopressata. With Burrata, on top, obviously.

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Friday, we took a quiet morning and then drove up to Mt Hood to have a simply amazing lunch at the Timberline Lodge. Then we did a bit of hiking around, before heading back into town and having a nice quiet evening. With ice cream, obviously.

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Saturday, we visited a coworker of mine’s farm! He raises Alpacas, among other critters, and one of the Alpacas had just given birth – Something I rightly guessed that my Mom might enjoy. The Alpacas were so fluffy!! Then more home, relaxing, and anotehr amazing dinner – this time, salmon Cesar salad!

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Sunday was, unfortunately, our last full day. Sad face! But we made good use of it – a full eggs-benedict breakfast, followed by some lovely walking around town, and… more ice cream! Reading, relaxing, and sitting out and enjoying the changing seasons… we’re not cold in Oregon, by any means, but we’re a heck of a lot cooler than we were back in July with those 117° days!

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Monday came along far too quickly, if you ask me… but it arrived just as you’d expect it to. An early morning breakfast, a drive to the airport, and the whirlwind was over.



It was lovely, and a good reminder of what I’m missing in my life… visiting with friends in Boston earlier in the year reminded me, and this just reinforces that feeling. I’ve enjoyed Oregon, but I’m very much missing family as well…