Amy and Kurts Wanderings

  Although I just spent a couple days in Oregon with my sister I guess I was not yet sick of her! Dee came to spend the week with Mom and Dad and I thought we could a girls night out.  I picked her up and we headed to Downtown Sioux Falls. We went to Blarney Stone for supper. I had my favorite beer, the Paulaner, and Dee had a Voot Beer. I'm not usually a fan of mixed drinks, but I must admit, it was quite delicious! It was a mix of root beer (1919 of course), vanilla vodka, and whipped cream. It tasted like a root beer float and could be dangerously good because I think I could have a few of those! After dinner, we went to "The Wonder Bread Years" at the Orpheum Theater. It was a hilarious stand-up act that reminisced on the wonders of childhood. It brought out so many great memories and lots of laughs. Highly recommended! They redid the Orpheum a couple years. Great little theater! After the show we had a Spotted Cow while chatting with Mom and Dad. The following mornin...

  Today's breakfast was compliments of Dee. I really am rethinking going back to reality! In order to get a reasonably priced air ticket at such short notice, my flight home doesn't leave until midnight. Considering Dee was my chauffer and still had quite a drive after dropping me off in Portland I had a half day to spend in the city. Kurt wasn't a big fan of me roaming on my own so I ended up booking a half day tour. Dee dropped me off for my Columbia River Gorge and Waterfall hiking tour. (Thank you for your duties as tour guide and being my chauffer, Dee! I am so glad I was able to come!!!)  The first stop on our tour was Vista House. Oregon wanted to increase tourism so they built the Columbia River Highway to bring people out to the gorge and by all the beautiful waterfalls. The Vista House was built in 1917 as a place for people to rest and refresh (a potty).  Originally about $4,000 was raised for the project but the architect spent almost $100,000. So it was dubbe...

  Another great night of sleep and another breakfast by Holly! I am really starting to get used to this! Went to church with Holly this morning and met some of her friends afterwards. She seems to have found some great ones! Was good to see the number of young adults and how they all hung around afterwards just to chat, usually it seems it's the older folks hanging around and the young ones out the door. After church we met her friend, Em, for lunch at TapRoot Cafe and Lounge. It was a funky little place back downtown. I am pretty sure our waitress was high but that just adds to the ambiance, right? I had the Chipotle Ranch Tacos - so yummy! Got to know Em, an amazing young woman. She is helping to get a camp going for adults with disabilities. They were devasted by a fire a few years back and are trying to rebuild. Holly said she is a recreation director but it sounds like she does a little bit of everything! After lunch went back to Holly's to change clothes and headed back t...

I had another wonderful night's sleep! Breakfast was leftover egg bake and zucchini bread—I'm truly being pampered! The day began with a bit of drizzle and fog, but Dee promised this was common and usually burned off late morning. On our way to Tillamook, about an hour and a half on winding, narrow roads, the sun came out and we were treated to a beautiful day! Our first destination was the Tilamook Creamery. Holly joked that when she was here before with her friend they were here over 3 hours. I think we matched that. What a great place!  We got there around lunchtime, so we kicked things off with a meal. This also gave us time to digest before indulging in ice cream! I opted for their take on Poutine, which included fries, cheese curds, fried pork belly, roasted tomatoes, and cheese sauce, accompanied by chocolate milk. Dee chose pizza, while Holly went for the mac and cheese. Everything was delicious! Dee also tried a fountain soda with various flavors; we sampled each one. ...

I slept so well! I woke up at 4:45 and was concerned I wouldn't fall back asleep since it was 6:45 back home, but I managed to doze off quite quickly and didn't wake up again until 7:45! I must have been sleeping deeply because when I got up, the foyer had been cleared out. I joked with Holly that she had been robbed. It turns out she had rearranged everything to its proper place after I had gone to bed. I didn't hear a thing! Holly made us breakfast for us this morning, an egg bake, apples, and zucchini bread made by her new landlord, Denise. Everything was delicious! I don't usually have breakfast, and I joked with Holly that I might just move in with her! After breakfast we started unpacking. My project was the kitchen and pantry. As someone who is organizationally lacking I was pretty proud of the pantry! Holly had an interview this afternoon, so Dee and I visited the Oregon State Mental Hospital. The hospital is still in operation, but the museum is housed within t...

  I had some vacation time to use, and Kurt suggested I visit my niece in Oregon. I hadn't planned on it, but when Dee mentioned she was going to help her move, I decided to invite myself along. I found a good deal on flights and signed up for the United card, which gave me a $300 credit, a free bag, and two United Club passes. It turned out to be a great deal! Woke up at 3:45 to head to the airport. Just time for a quick shower and brush my teeth. No time to do the hair or makeup. At least I didn't stink! The flights went smoothly. I had a quick breakfast in Denver and sampled some empanadas, which were delicious! The flight from Denver to Portland was packed, and my seatmate had a lap child. Initially, I braced myself for a lengthy flight, but to my relief, the little girl was so good. She slept for most of the flight. Although she got a little fussy, sharing my animal crackers with her kept her happy. The views of Mount Hood as you approach Portland are stunning. I think it...