Oregon Thanksgiving Recap

Wow, I'm not sure a trip home has ever gone so quickly, at least in my mind, but this one sure did. I really miss my mom and my friends and my time up in Oregon these days, in a way I haven't felt since I first left the state in 1998. I can't believe I've been away for 13 years already. It still holds my heart in a vice grip, but I suppose that is what home is supposed to do.

It was really special to have Scott up there with me this time. We had a lot of great family fun, drinking and eating and watching tons of football. It was incredibly relaxing and all too short.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well. Here is our adventure, in snapshots.

First, some introductions:

Spencer:

Barney:

Bella:

Rufus:

And then there's my awesome mom. I think this is my favorite photo I've ever taken of her. Stepfather Larry isn't shown, because ... well, I failed to get ANY photos of him somehow! Yes, I failed. Anyway, my mom:

THE FOOD...and wine:

MOAR CATS & ASSORTED STUFF/FOLIAGE/AWESOME from Thursday (Thanksgiving):

On Friday, I finally got to take Scott to Big Al's, a combination bowling alley/arcade/sports bar literally one block from my mom's condo. It's truly a place of sensory overload. I'd never been in the sports bar before, though, and we decided to go there and eat some lunch, drink beer (um, a pitcher ... at 3pm) and watch some football on their huge screens:

After we left the sports bar, what was left but SKEE BALL, only my favorite game EVER, and other assorted arcade games. Scott and I both managed to aggravate our "old skee ball injury" from, you know, childhood or something. You know. Actually its true, though, that my arm was basically useless and sore the next day, and Scott's shoulder almost fell off that night. Are we getting old, or what?

Full disclosure: our only Drunk Arcade Spat™ came while we were playing air hockey. Scott kicked my ass & then, upon my whining that we had a second game paid for, the game was abandoned. Abandoned! Drama queens, we are .... :P

Meanwhile, back at my mom's...

On Saturday morning before we headed to the airport (boo), I went to the store to buy potatoes for breakfast, and on the way decided to take more nature shots (of course):