Weekend trip report--Chapter II

Once we finally made it back to the hotel, we watched TV for a bit and then went to bed. Getting up in the morning was a challenge, as our budget hotel did not include such frivolities like a clock, shampoo, or this thing I've heard of called a "towel." There were tiny pieces of cloth intended as such, but they were quite sad. Dishtowels, more like. (As you may have guessed, I am less than thrilled about this chain.)

We ate a fine breakfast where I refrained from throwing pieces of bacon to my stepfather-in-law's guide dog.

Then we navigated the back roads/main drag of a tiny southern Oregon town to the church where Mrs. GFR's uncle has been pastor for years. Now I'm not... the most religious-themed unit in my manufacturing group. So a full-on Baptist memorial with lines like, "This is a celebration of her homecoming," or, "Isn't it great that she's with Jebus now?" or whatever do not sit very well with me. I had no idea there was such an alternative world for Christian media. They have books, magazines, videos, posters, dating services, etc., etc., etc. So it's a new world to me.

Then it was back to the middle of BFE for yet more eating.

After we finished eating, we looked at pictures. And looked at pictures some more. Then it was off for more eating.

Devil, when I called him later, told me that a wake was mandatory.

"What's the nationality?"
"We've been thinking about that all day. English, Dutch, a little French."
"If it's European at all, a wake is mandatory. Go find some booze."
"I am in the middle of nowhere. There is no booze to be had on a Saturday night."
"Go find some booze. Some of the best vacations I had recently involve gas station beer."

Alas, no beer was to be had. However, I did get to see the clerk and manager of the hotel interrogate a prospective lodger as to the size of her dog. Luckily, he was smaller than she thought and they were able to let her stay the night.

We woke up to Clinton talking about his book on C-SPAN. Booknotes is a fascinating program to me. I must be getting old. But it was interesting to hear him speak again. I'd forgotten what a coherent president could sound like. Then it was off to an aunt's house for (what she termed small but other people would call "gargantuan") breakfast. We met a cat named Spot who weighed something like 18 pounds. He liked us.

We eventually hit at Dutch Brothers coffee stand on our way back to the Rose City. I gather they're making inroads to this part of the state. I gather the store is named after the Dutch heritage of the family that started the company, but it also reminds me of "pass the Dutchy on the left hand side," if you know what I mean. There's a factory somewhere that stamps out slacker dudes to work there, I think.

Eventually we arrived home, where we examined the progress made on painting the house. We took off for the Kennedy School and then off to the airport. Yes, more eating. But at least there was booze.

That's mostly how we spent our weekend. Now that I'm back, I'm going through new employee orientation (even though I've been working here two years.) But hey, I have all my insurance coverage started. And that excites me more than it should. I really must be getting old.