From the Pacific North Wet

Coming to the northwest corner of the contiguous United States usually means arriving in the Pacific Northwest. There is a reason it is always so green up here. Wet. So today, Don said we are in the Pacific North Wet.

Even in the rain, there are lots and lots of attractions in the Portland/Vancouver area. We are across the Columbia River from Portland in "the other Vancouver." When we say we are going to Vancouver, people often assume Vancouver, B. C. Our daughter Dana and her son Kal moved here more than a year ago.

So what did we do today? We didn't visit anything important. We visited our daughter and grandson. That is why we came. We will be cooking and playing board games tomorrow. Alan wants to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. That's a typical Thanksgiving for many Americans. No football. That's the only thing missing.

Don and I each forgot something to wear this trip. Don travels extensively on business. This is the first time in memory he has forgotten his pants! He only had the pair he came in. I forgot a nightie! Vancouver Mall is right nearby so we were some of the first customers this morning. I'll bet you didn't know that someone has to turn on the escalators in the morning, did you? When I went to step onto the escalator, it wasn't moving. I asked a clerk to show me to the elevator. She remarked that she would turn on the escalator for us. We like J. C. Penney and the store was having a one day sale. Don got two pairs of pants and I got a nightie. We were out of there in half an hour.

Once we got to Dana's, we decided we needed to go to the Safeway at the end of her street to get lunch foods for Alan. We picked up some other essentials, including a Marionberry pie for tonight and a pecan pie for tomorrow. Don went off to the plumbing store with Kal to get a new kitchen faucet. When Dana, Alan and I got home with the groceries, Don was half way through installing it. While Dana got lunch, he finished up. She must be relieved to have a new one that doesn't leak.

Right after lunch, Don and I and Alan went back to Safeway to pick up the prepared turkey dinner and some wine. These will make our traditional meal nicely. Dana is a vegetarian. Guess what we forgot to get? The Tofurkey. She went back later to get it.

Next, Dana, Alan and I went to Target. I needed some more socks and we picked up a birthday present for Kal to be hidden until his early December birthday. One more thing off the to-do list.

We went to Blockbuster to return and pick up games for Kal's X-Box. When we got home, Kal and Don had gone back to the plumbing and lighting store. Don says it is his new favorite store in Vancouver. They got one full spectrum bulb. We had also got one at Target. We can replace more now that we know the best place to get them is the plumbing and lighting store.

Dana made tacos for dinner. She lived for a long time in Texas and California, so tacos are a simple meal for her to get together that she likes and we all enjoyed.

Did we see any attractions? No, unless you count the cherished faces of our loved ones. Don has a few more items to repair at Dana's house. Tomorrow, we will make lists and play games. I have challenged Alan and Kal to see who can last longer on the exercise machine Uncle John and Auntie Val picked up free for Kal. It is kind of a cross between a cycle and a rowing machine. It ought to tire them out pretty well. We will likely also go for a walk outdoors in the neighborhood in the rain. It will be a happy Thanksgiving. I hope your Thanksgiving is happy, too.