Phase two: Oregon and the art of being lost

What a lovely day for an adventure and a perfect day to get lost.
The day after I quit my job I went to Oregon for a few days ro rejuvenate and spend some quality time with friends and family. I even managed to adult-nap Jessi Duke and put her in my suitcase.

It was great fun. We surprised everyone with her arrival. There were laughs, hugs and quite of a few tears. Truly, there is nothing fabricated about that statement. It was refreshing to be back with familiarity and be with a handful of people that know me. I miss that.

For the weekend, there were two teams. Team 306 and Team Ritz. It's not like there was really a competition or anything of the sort, it's just easier for clarification. Team 306 consists of two of my best friends, Jessi Duke and Bethany Lomas. Jessi Duke is the map master and Bethany Lomas and I, not so much.

Adventure One: A superbowl party in Albany, Oregon with the Marks Family. 

Let's be honest. I don't care about football in the slightest. Although the Destiny's Child reunion was worth it. Guilty Pleasure.  I have a lot of adopted families that take me in as their own. The Marks' family being one of them. Team 306 and Team Ritz set out. We mapped the location and got to a place where Beth said, "I got this." Miscommunication happened. I thought she knew the rest of the route but "I got this meant" she know how the interchange worked. We ended up 20 miles out of the wrong direction. Eventually on the right track, and a few messages inquiring about our ETA, we managed to get there. Spending the afternoon eating and hottubbing and watching the concert with a football game. Then we were off.

Adventure Two: Saint Helens, Oregon.

"Sam, Are we supposed to be in Washington?" Bethany asks.
"No, but the map says we are going the right way." I say.  "I think we are going to cross back into Oregon.

Lesson learned: Always trust your instinct. Especially if you've been there before and all of a sudden going a completely different route than normal.

Normally the "map master" would have charge of the map but her phone fell down a toilet and she  was using one of those non-smartphones. About an hour later, we find ourselves driving in the middle of nowhere, surrounded my darkness.

"Do you recognize where we are going" Bethany asks.
"Oh sure, I think we are really close." I reply.

To be honest, I had no idea where we were but I continued to follow the directions.
Then began to look at the map.

If you are noticing something wrong you are absolutely right.

"Beth, don't be nervous but I would recommend driving slower. We might be running into a body of water soon. I'm sure it's just me misreading something though."

Nope, I was reading correctly. We were in fact running into a body of water. Wazemaps, There is no bridge!

We get to our final stop where we cannot go any further and I make a phone call. See the thing about that body of water is, it's the distance to where we were wanting to go, which was less than a mile. If we would have flashed our lights, my family across the water would have been able to see us.

This little mistake cost us over an hour. We were not supposed to be in Washington, we were supposed to be in Oregon. But it's the little things that keep us with an adventurous spirit. Plus, it was quality time with some of my greatest friends.

After a while, we made it. Greeted with laughs and wine with friends and family. Later graced with Team Ritz, we spent the rest of the night chatting, drinking wine and hot tubbing.

I always love going to my family's house. They have this amazing house that overlooks the water and it's the perfect retreat. We didn't get to go sailing this time around. Sadly, there was no wind but we did get to take a boat ride and enjoy the day.

I could get used to waking up to this every morning. 

Adventure three: Portland hiking. 

Another scenario of finding ourselves lost and no idea where we the actual trailhead was. Once we made it, it was lovely but we only have 40 minutes to spare. But it was nice to be in the woods with the cool air against my face. 

It was a perfect four days. Thanks to all who made the weekend a success. 




In the air. Northern California.











\\

a little get away

a retreat, if you will. 

The Oregon trail.  I've seen a lot of people on the way from Lindsay Jo, to Diane, the hair stylist, to Oregon Family (Marks and Mitman.) Destination Wedding. Today's Destination: Saint Helen's, Oregon. Overlooking the harbor with mountains, trees and sailboats. Last night consisted of steak, halibut cakes and fresh green beans harvested from the garden and booze. Then an hour in the hot tub with sporadic rain while watching a family of raccoon attempting to find food.

Thanks my Oregonian family, I love you. 

(I honestly should snap a few photographs but I'm just a bit lazy at the moment and that also means putting my coffee down. We all know that's not going to happen.)

///edit/// I ran out of coffee. here's a photo.

Bring me flowers, talk for hours.

Ohhh I like you. 

Song inspiration: Bring me Flowers- Hope.

Thursday Night-- This is the first Thursday night, well any night really that I do not have a plan. This is fantastic. I worked from 9-4, had an appointment at 5, went to the gym, and came home. Now, I am checking off things to a never ending list but all important things that I have been putting off. 

I mix some Oregon Chai and decide that it is time for a distraction. 

But a distraction of mine became one of the greatest conversations of all time. Only lasting a mere 9 minutes and 23 seconds. I would love to reveal the mystery guest but I fear that she may kill me. 

Dear friend, this is dedicated to you. 

I dial the number. Not even three rings later.

"I'm drunk,"  she said. "Oh my gosh, It's not even 8 o'clock yet, I'm drunk." 

A phrase that she repeatedly mentioned to me. The highlight was that she couldn't use her rather large vocabulary to expand the word drunk.

inebriated, sloshed, tipsy, et cetera.

My first thought was to laugh. I did, in case you were wondering.. She explains herself. She explains how she's been drinking whiskey since 5:00 PM.  With good reason of course, she met someone who produces all this great liquor from her housemate. 

"I just picked you a Purple flower," she said.

The reasoning behind the purple flower was so that I would come live in Portland sooner.

"I'm squatting on the sidewalk right now, because I'm acting like I'm sitting," she said. 

This scenario is priceless, picture this tiny hippie chick squatting on the sidewalk, most likely barely able to keep balance although she probably assumes she's doing a kickass job.

"I'm going to pick you a rose," she said, with far more excitement than the purple flower. "Dammit, I pricked me finger."

I'm sure this Portland night is great, I would very much like to have been there. I'm sure the last thing you would like to read is a drunk persons conversation but the fact that it was this friend of mine, made my night. She is an intelligent, beautiful entrepreneur--fairylike too.

Which makes this next statement rather shocking.

"I'm standing on people," she said, "no I'm not standing on people. I'm standing, watching people-- staring at me drunk holding flowers-- please get here.

I was given a mission, get to 7th and Lincoln. I have eight hours to get there and all the while she will be waiting. She said she can arrange for someone to pick me up. This seems valid right?

My friends explains to me that she has two flowers one is pink and one is purple. She is working on a painting at the moment and she is going to put these flowers on the painting as a sign of dedication to me. Somehow because of this moment.

"I'm picking a wish and putting it into the painting," she said.

All because of me and the flowers. I must say I swooned at this moment. How many people can you recall that pick you flowers and dedicate paintings to to you. Slim to none, my friends--- slim to NONE.

"I'm trying to wish. I can't pick a wish because they are all blowing away," she gave here final remarks. 

She is calling me soon, so we can have a more intellectual conversation.

[If anyone is on 7th and Lincoln in Portland, Oregon-- bring her flowers.]

Its fro outou

the inscription to my beautiful flower.

When given the option to escape

Seize the day.

I mentioned in my last post that I took a spontaneous trip to Portland. 

All these options appeared out of thin air for the weekend. 

Here is the recap of possibilities: 

HikingKayaking... Actually sailing, but I did watch my Uncle Kayak. Wine.. Mike's Hard... that has to count for something. St Helens to visit Rachel and Dustin
Uncle Wilton and Aunt Nancy Combined forces with Dustin and Rachel The lovely Marks family Minus Sterling and EmPowell's bookstore  Oh this place has my heart 
Andy Christensen-- so sad. Heath Black  Lunch at East Burn. I hadn't seen this character in years. 

and a possibility of driving to Washington to meet Jon Chittim's baby and family.

Surprising additions:

Boating with the Marks family

Voodoo Donuts is always a must

Distant Relative from Holland who just so happened to drive back to California with me 

Breakfast with Stacie North at the Waffle Window 

Night 1. Driving through the night, I took a short hiatus at a flying j. As I woke up, this is what I woke up to. How can a smile not form across your face when you are driving through this. It was all so serene and breathtaking-- not in the metaphorical.

This trip was exactly what I needed, it was due time that I get away from things for a bit. My mind is all over the place. My heart is no where near home.  My feet are waiting to go. But glue is a funny thing. 

Day 1. Getting to Portland. I stop at rest stop. See a homeless. He was genuinely in rough shape. I handed him a FiberOne bar and four quarters. As a drove away, all I wanted to do was sit and talk to him. My heart actually broke as I did drive away. To be real honest that was more important than the four quarters. Still, I drove away. I still think about it. 

75 miles until Portland. I officially can no longer drive. I've been 

awake for over 24 hours, and slept 4 hours the previous night. Took a detour to Albany to visit my other family. I chatted with Doug a bit. He cooked me one of his world famous omelets and I showered.  He then told me to take a nap except he was so excited I was there that he wouldn't let me sleep. I went to Des' room, wide awake I layed there and texted. Until one moment, I was no longer wide awake and I was being gently woken up. I was out. 

That night Des and I went to a great little place, a bike ride away. We talked for hours and were food for mosquitoes (at least sixty mosquitoes just on our backs combined) 

Day 2. Adventure-- ready go. 

Des and I woke up and spent the morning with Thor and Charlie, as well as Jessica Porter-- one of the porch house beauties. Des made a great breakfast with eggs and vegetables and herbs from the  garden. Then an exciting thing happened. Heath Black. 

That's right my friends, in the flesh, Heath Black from Bartlesville, Ok. I mean that's how I remember him-- currently he is all over the place and doing crazy things like starting a company tied to facebook and writing a poetry book. He went on a book tour and sold every last copy. I had the chance to meet him at East Burn for Lunch and catch up and swing on the patio swings.

 

Then off to the sailing adventure with the family in St. Helen's. My Oregon family is great. I like them a lot. Sailing was beautiful. After sailing-- ate a feast and drank mike's hard lemonade and beer. On that trip some of the funniest quotes were created. 

"Was that my sewing machine?" Uncle Wilton said. We took a quick turn and a loud bang game from inside the boat. The machine is still survived, the case is not.  Waking up on a sailboat was amazing and I would be okay living on a boat. Maybe I will someday. 

 

Day 3. Bring me to the lake. 

 knee boarding, attempted wake boarding, wake surfing, rock climbing, swimming and the Marks. What a perfect combination. Oh, plus fried chicken. The weather on my trip was beautiful and I couldn't be happier.

I will own a boat when I have a family.  I know this seems like a big investment but I would rather spend the money on something the family could do together outside rather than all the other things that seclude. Given this is far down the road but at least I know now. 

Day 4. The Portland Musts. 

Visited the cute children at the treehouse nursery and now wish I worked there,  Powell's books and Voodoo donuts bought some inappropriate donuts. Said my goodbyes, picked up my distant distant Holland relative Velaska and off we went all the way back to California. 

Passing through the California borders, the hills and the valley's caught my eye. I kept think of the verses about being a light on the hill and what that truly looks like. The light looks different to everyone but still still has one purpose that constantly remains.  Guidance. 

SALT AND LIGHT. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

 Matthew 5:13-15

The practice of Poetry

Sylvia Plath, E.E. Cummings, Elizabeth Browning or your local artist.

My dear friend, Desirae and I stumbled upon a fun idea based on a dumb scenario last year. After a random bout of text messages and the phrase "No where my sweet lips go"; we decided on the poetry challenge. We both would take this phrase and create a poem and see what we both came up with. It was difficult but exciting.

After a year or more of being hidden, here it is.

This is dedicated to you Desirae Marks, Portland Native at heart, wonderful entrepreneur of the Treehouse, and the truest of the trues when it comes to friendship.

The Peak

In the garden
My fingers grasp a bouquet
Delicate daisies intertwined with lovely lilacs
A perfect fit
For tiny hands

In the garden
My toes graze a pasture
Leaving nothing
Untouched
Leaving nothing
Undiscovered

A delve Columbus would have admired

In the garden
my head rests up on your trunk
your limbs as a guard
your leaves as shade
the air that caresses through your branches
sooth and speak
chimes that move

Every remain of body
Has been complemented
Every remain partnered
Except
My mouth
Until
The flawless appears
No where my lips go