a really fine week!!

Anna with the grape crushing/wine making crew... Jim and James

it's been a year since Anna and i have gotten together... too long between visits!  she arrived last wed. around noonish and we headed straight for Maggie's Buns in forest grove, one of our favorite places for excellent food, indescribable chocolate creations, and an interior decor which is whimsical, arty, tacky,  and the staff is always welcoming.  they catered my dad's memorial event and i can't say enough good about what they did for us!!  so, we had a huge and fabulous lunch, and took home some dinner for jim and chocolate treats for us.  after over-stuffing our faces, we thought there was no way we'd want anything else to eat for the day.  but we managed to make room for cheese and crackers and wine for supper and that was perfect!

on thursday we went to portland center stage for the matinee of "Oklahoma!" and i loved it just as much as the first time i saw it 3 weeks ago!!  this has never been one of my favorite musicals... until this production and i gotta say it was outstanding and fabulous!  in his researching of the history of the Oklahoma territory in the 19th century, the director, Chris Coleman, learned that there were over 50 all African-American towns and that one in three American cowboys was black.  he decided to do this production with an all African-American cast and boy howdy did he come up with some high caliber talent.  the bios in the program of the cast and creative team are amazing... and they proved themselves on stage.  in case there is any doubt... i really really loved this play!

after the play we made a visit to the Penzey Spice store where i always find more spices to add to my pantry.  Anna found some, too... like how could she not?  by then we were, of course, hungry again so stopped at a sports bar for juicy burger and tater tots.

the rest of our time we mostly spent shopping and eating... good will, some "antique" (junk) shops, mexican food, art sales gallery(Valley Art), Thai food, a community theater play which is best forgotten, brunch at the Hands On Cafe at the Oregon Art School, perused their gallery and found nothing i could remotely afford.  we spent one rainy day just hanging out at home watching movies... and snacking.  the week also included a nap on most days, which we desperately needed after all that shopping and eating!  also had time to discuss our lives, adventures, opinions... and to put forth our solutions for all the problems of the world.  it was a productive and satisfying time and i was sad to see Anna leave.