Return of the beast

There she is, in all her glory. Sam, the beast.
(Please ignore the laundry on the couch and suitcases on the floor in the background. Ugh.)
Sam is sporting a new collar, a gift from our former neighbors, Gosia and Laura, who decided that Portland had more culture than Redding. Hard to believe. Her collar is black with pink martini glasses on it. It's so appropriate, since we have been known to enjoy a martini. (And I even love the group Pink Martini!)
Now that the dog is home, it's official: Vacation over.

Home

We are home.
This has been an amazing vacation, but it's nice to be home. Even though the lawn needs mowing and there is a mountain of laundry waiting... oh well.
The neighbors came out to see the limo last night. We even talked the Haakes into taking a ride around the block.
There will be a few more pictures added later. My home wireless connection is unhappy that I've strayed. Tom is trying to talk some sense into it. But now it's time to free the beast, Sammy, from the vet. We're coming to get you, pal!

Portland

We are enjoying our stay in Portland, one of the best places in the world. My sister Laura lives here and she is a blast. She does lots of giggling.

Her husband, Tom, has the girls in line. He paid Kelly $5 for the tooth she lost this morning. He has ruined everything for the Tooth Fairy. Tom is also famous for reading Junie B. Jones books to the kids.

Today we went to Powell's, the bookstore of ginormous size. Tom also visited a tea store. Seattle is famous for coffee, but Portland is becoming the tea capital. Here is a picture of him enjoying a taste of my bubble tea.

We will be home in Redding very soon... see you then.

Biodiversity

I can appreciate different kinds of countryside. I loved the prairie. Idaho is lovely. But I struggled with Wyoming.
I feel guilty because I know there are people who think it is the best. But what I saw was a million miles of scrub, punctuated by natural gas and oil wells.
We stopped at a rest stop called Bitter Creek, where there was a big sign explaining the wonders of "Mother Sagebrush." OK. But from now on, I'm going to let someone else appreciate it.

Laramie

We decided that, after Minden, it was time to get a move on. So we drove and drove. Originally we decided to stop in Ogalala. (I'm sure I spelled that wrong. Yet it is the prettiest-named town I know.) But instead, we decided it wasn't far enough, so we headed for Cheyenne, Wyo.
Then we learned it is Frontier Days, when Cheyenne is full of cowboys who need hotel rooms, too.
So we find ourselves in Laramie, and in a really funky motel with statues of cowboys and whatnot out front.
Our limo caused a bit of a stir, too.
We were stopped at a light when a guy in the truck next to us rolled down his window and yelled to me "Are you REALLY from New York?"
I told him no, that we had bought the limo in New York and were driving it home to California. Then he says: "Hey, follow me."
I asked why, and said that we were headed somewhere. He said he wanted to buy us a drink. That's when I realized that he had probably already had a few drinks, and that I would let him drink alone. So I politely declined.

Mythbusters

My Dad was born in Minden, Neb., and he has a lot of stories about how people from Nebraska are something special. "Salt of the Earth," is what I remember. And I believe it.
But some stories are harder to believe. And today, I learned that some just aren't true. An example: He apparently didn't walk to school uphill both ways. In fact, I don't think I found ANY hills in Minden.
But Minden has really nice people who couldn't wait to help us with directions and general information about the town. A woman in the county clerk's office pulled out the marriage records from the 1920's to help find my grandparents' wedding date. And get this: I found my grandfather's name on the memorial to World War I vets outside the courthouse.
So I will continue to think of Nebraska natives as "salt of the Earth." And when it comes to the "uphill both ways" story I will have a strict "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Omaha zoo

Today we took the day off from traveling and spent the day at the Omaha zoo. Thank you, Thom G., for telling us about this amazing place. By the way, I've included a picture of a friend who misses you. He seems a bit cranky... it must be those windows that prevent him from throwing things.

This is a great zoo that includes a desert dome (picture above with Emma), a noctural creature world under the desert and a great aquarium. Kelly did something truly amazing at the aquarium: she touched a shark.

For those of you who know Kelly, you might remember how every trip to the Redding Aquatic Center includes an explanation of how no sharks can get into that pool. Kelly is really, really afraid of sharks.In the Omaha aquarium she walked under the sharks and looked at sharks swimming right at her. And she loved it! A corner is turned.

We walked for some six hours. Mom and Dad are tired. The kids still seem energized.

Tomorrow, Minden.