Vacation!

Two weeks since we got back from Oregon, and everything has been in a whirlwind with the end of summer and beginning of school. Here is a recap of our vacation:

--We arrived on Friday, Aug. 8, 90 minutes after our scheduled arrival time (thanks, United!) and then the rental-car place said they didn't have a car seat (even after Drew confirmed they would the day before). When the guy asked if she could sit in a baby seat, Drew just exploded: "Have you ever seen a CHILD before?" He finally borrowed one from another rental-car place and we were on our way. Result: We didn't get to our hotel and into bed until 1:30 a.m. Pacific Time, 4:30 a.m. East Coast Time. Did that faze Rachel at all? NO. The only hint of annoyance was when she muttered softly, "grumble grumble grumble," at one point. She is a GREAT travel companion.

--On Saturday we hit the Portland Farmers Market -- got a bunch of fruit, ate lunch from the food carts and had Ruby Jewel ice cream sandwiches, then met Rachel's friend Devin from preschool and Devin's mom, Linda (her husband, Jim, was completing the purchase of a new Volvo). We went to Linda and Jim's, and I watched the girls dress up and watch TV while Linda went to help Jim with the car purchase and Drew bought cupcakes at our favorite cupcake place, St. Cupcake, to bring to our friend Amy's that night for dinner. We all had about 45 minutes to catch up before we had to head over to Amy's -- and we all agreed that the visit was too short. Perhaps next year we can visit them at their vacation place in Bend. Then we went to Amy's house, and Rachel played with her sons Tony and Jake in their newly built treehouse while Amy and I caught up. We went back to our hotel to get a good night's sleep before the next day, when we planned to head to the Coast.

--On Sunday we had a quick breakfast and then a change of plan -- instead of heading to Florence, on the southern part of the Oregon Coast, we headed north to Cannon Beach. On the way we stopped for lunch and a tour of the Tillamook Cheese Factory (and ice cream, of course!) then spent the afternoon on surprisingly warm Cannon Beach -- the water was mild enough for walking in, if not swimming. By the time we got off the beach the clouds had rolled in and it was freezing, so we waited at a nearby hotel, the Tolovana Inn, for Drew to bring the car around. On the way to dinner at a place overlooking the ocean, we stopped by the side of the road and picked as many blackberries as we could from a bush growing wild. After dinner we headed back to our hotel. It was possibly the most perfect day of vacation.

--On Monday Drew took Rachel to Powell's (where against my wishes, they bought several books), while I met a colleague from The Post at Screen Door, a Southern-food restaurant I had always wanted to try when we lived there, but there was always a line (and the food wasn't even that good, I regret to say). They picked me up in the afternoon and then we got more cupcakes to bring to our friends Jeff and Erica (and their daughter, Sunny, who is Rachel's age and one of her few Jewish friends in Portland). They grilled burgers and corn, and the girls insisted on putting on a show for us (and Rachel dressed up in a green sequined dress that took my breath away). We stayed way too late, but it was a joy to catch up with them as they ponder whether to stay in PDX or move somewhere else for better job opportunities for Jeff, an insurance compliance specialist. Rachel had an especially good time playing with their guinea pig, Sir Cuddles.

--On Tuesday we stopped at a new donut place, Blue Star donuts, for breakfast treats for Anne and David, and then I noticed a shoe shop that sold children's Keens, so I bought a pair for Rachel (no sales tax, I might add). Then we got our last batch of cupcakes and headed to the Columbia River Gorge to show Rachel Vista House (where you get a great view of the Columbia), and Bridal Veil and Multnomah Falls (where my camera decided to stop working -- boo!). We got to Anne and David's quite late, but they were very forgiving and immediately whipped up salmon and rice (and oohed and aahed over the donuts and cupcakes).

--On Wednesday we thought of going to Lake Samammish, but the weather was terrible -- it rained and thundered most of the day, and Rachel was so terrified at one point that she brought her entire suitcase and book bag's worth of stuff downstairs because she was scared that a hurricane would destroy the house (she had gotten that idea into her head after hearing Anne say that the storm was very unusual -- and so, Rachel had assumed that this meant the End Times; poor kid!). We all ended up reading and taking naps while Drew went into Seattle (in the hail, at one point) to meet up with former colleagues from the Seattle Times. On the way back he stopped at Top Pot donuts and the guy gave him 6 free because it was so close to closing time. We had dinner that night with Ron Wiener, 2nd cousin to me, and it was great to meet him -- he is a super-nice guy and at one point turned to Rachel and said, "Is it legal in D.C. for kids to be as cute as you are?" Next time we hope to meet his family and spend more time together.

--On Thursday we went to Lake Sammamish. It was hot outside -- 85 or so -- but not humid. I went in the lake with Rachel three times and the water was cold but refreshing. The rest of the time I read and lay in the sun. I walked back to the car with my bathing suit top on and my towel wrapped around my waist, thinking how much I love being able to walk around in a bathing suit in hot (but not unbearable weather). I whipped up dinner that night -- mustard chicken and popovers -- and they turned out pretty okay.

--On Friday we headed back to Portland for a very early flight out on Saturday. We stopped at Pike Place and met Amanda and Jenn for lunch, then headed south to get to Kenny & Zuke's, our favorite Portland deli, right before they closed, and managed to squeeze in a visit to Ben & Jerry's ice cream for dessert. We were staying at a Holiday Inn close to the airport, so after a few hours' sleep, it was up and out to our plane. Never did Rachel whine or crab about the early hour -- it helped that the flights out and back were nonstop -- and when we got home, we ate dinner at our favorite Lebanese place and gelato at a nearby pizza place -- all for a soft landing back home.