Day: January 29, 2017

Food Trip

Winter has worn me down. I feel it in my palate. Snow has dissipated, the ice has faded and the temperatures are rising. (We’ve seen over fifty degrees Fahrenheit two days in a row!)

A little town fever is settling in. Town fever is just like cabin fever. It’s a sensation that you just got to do something different. The walls are slowly collapsing. The ceiling is sinking and beginning to crush me. And yes, I know the town has no physical ceiling, but it’s this sense grabs you that, “OMG help me I’m gonna go nuts where can we go to get the hell away from our routines and tedium now now NOW?” 

freedom-mel-gibson

I began simply, thinking, Grants Pass is just forty-five minutes away by speedy auto. We can go there, do a little strolling about, eat somewhere – wasn’t there a new place recently opened?

But I’ve been to Grants Pass not long ago. It’s a nice city but not the balm for this itch. My move floated toward Eugene! 

Eugene, just about three hours away and three hours back, is doable. We’ve done it a few times every year, just a little escape to shop, walk around, and…you know…eat somewhere different than our usual Ashland haunts. Mind you, Ashland has good food, and we can escape to Talent, Phoenix, Medford and even Jacksonville to find some relief.

But this is a mad, mad itch. Corvallis would be even better than Eugene. Or Bend! 

Oh, Bend. Now we’re talking. Bend is a more difficult day trip. Though the snow has diminished here in the valley, getting to Bend will probably require us to traverse some snow and ice. But there are so many great places in Bend, places like Next Level Burger.

nlb

Hmmm…burger. Cheeseburger, with a beer and fries. Deschutes Brewery is located in Bend.

mirrorpond_new

Oh, yes.

That would scratch my winter itch.

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The Guest Appearance

I’m a fan of the sitcom, ‘The Big Bang Theory’. I haven’t seen them all, partly because I thought the show lost some of its earlier luster, but I still catch re-runs once in a while. Still, I was surprised when Sheldon, Leonard and the rest appeared in my dream last night.

I was primarily interacting with Leonard, played by Johnny Galecki. We were at school, he as Leonard, me as me, working on science experiments. We were working close together, that is, our lab stations were close by one another, and we were talking about our projects. My work was secret; I never saw it and I didn’t explain it. His work…well, I don’t understand it now. I understood it in my dream but it’s a different matter once I cracked my eyes apart for daylight.

I do remember, though, that we lined up with our experiments on a polished floor like the one we had in high school. We were ‘on our marks’. I was at the front of the line with Leonard. Then we moved forward to a judging area. Then, I remember telling Leonard, “Your experiment is incomplete. Based on what you’re saying, you would need to do the experiment at least one more time to verify your proof.” As Leonard, frowning and squinting, was thinking that over, Raj, Sheldon and Howard all pondered my comment. Then, one by one, Raj, Sheldon and Howard agreed, “He’s right, buddy.” This displeased Leonard. He thought he was done. Shoulders slumping, he said, “Oh, nuts.”

And that basically, was the dream. It makes me laugh, recalling it now. It seems so silly.

2

Sunshine Blogger Award

I love winning something out of the blue, especially when it comes from someone admiring or appreciating what you’re putting out there. Thank you, Mel Hopkins! I enjoy her blog, and the attitude she exhibits through her words. Please check her out.

This sort of thing takes me out of my comfort zone, so it’s taken me a few days to respond. I prefer not to have attention. I know, it’s odd for someone who writes and posts things on the net to also like privacy and anonymity. It’s all as clear as mud mixed with sand and oil to me. Disclaimer aside, here we.

Here are the rules:

·         Post the award on your blog

·         Thank the person who nominated you

·         Answer the 11 questions they sent you

·         Pick another 11 bloggers (and let them know they are nominated!)

·         Give them 11 questions

I have to admit, when dealing with eleven questions, I kept flashing back to ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ and the Bridge of Death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV0tCphFMr8

 

Mel presented us with eleven questions about travel. Here are the questions she posed, and my answers.

  1. How many countries have you visited in this lifetime?

Twenty-two.

  1. What is your favorite country? Why?

I can’t choose a favorite country any more than I can select a favorite book, food or piece of music. My desire for each and appreciation for them shift with my moods. I’d need to visit each a few more times to gather more information. If I had to say today, I would say, Wales, because I’ve never been there.

  1. What is your favorite travel haunt?

Such a difficult question. I lived in Half Moon Bay and remain partial to it, with the amazing food opportunities, its delightful downtown and great ocean scenes, so I will declare Kelly Beach in Half Moon Bay, with a good book, a San Benito House deli sandwich, and cookies from HMB bakery.

  1. In your travels, what is the oddest tourist attraction you’ve seen?

Well…that would be the Dick Bar.

Yes, we were crass but we were military and this was around 1989. This was a bar high on a mountain in Sicily. It was a gorgeous location, with views of Roman amphitheater and fort ruins, Mount Etna, and the tip of Italy’s boot.

We called it the Dick Bar because phallic systems were everywhere – walls, as décor on tables, for sale in glass cases…did I mention the walls? The phallic symbols were made of stone, granite, wood, marzipan. Walking up the steps was a challenge because an erect phallic symbol stuck out from the wall on each step. The steps, with a high riser and narrow tread, would’ve been a sufficient challenge without worrying about getting a pecker in the ear.

It was a great place. We sat out on the roof drinking Italian red vino for several hours, until the owner cut us off for fear of one of us falling down the steps.

  1. How many states, (or provinces, territories) have you visited in your home country?

Thirty-three, that I can remember. To be fair, I traveled by car often, so some of these were merely rest stops or visits to scenic overlooks.

  1. What was your favorite travel destination in 2016?

The ocean, whatever ocean I can find, wherever I find it.

  1. Where will you travel to in 2017?

Plans are on hold due to personal issues. We want to take a train from Vancouver, BC, to Quebec City. Our fingers are crossed that we’ll be able to pursue this, or take one of the tours offered by Roads Scholars.

  1. What’s your favorite transportation mode of travel?  Planes, trains, automobiles, bikes, motor home, cruise ships?

Car. Traveling by car has a romance and freedom I experienced when driving with my parents across the country.

  1. Do you prefer physical adventure travel such as hiking, camping, mountain climbing or relaxing by the pool or beach?

I like reading by the beach, preferably with a glass of wine or a pint of beer.

  1. Hot or cold weather travels?

Give me warm weather, please.

  1. How far have you traveled from your home base?

Well, my home base shifted around the United States and the world throughout my life. The longest travel done in one day was from southern West Virginia to St Louis, MO, and on to Okinawa, Japan, by way of Alaska, via car and aircraft.

Now, I must nominate eleven bloggers and notify them. 

Hmmmm…. This is the toughest part of the entire exercise. So many deserving bloggers out there. I also tried eliminating previous winners.

Thomas Weaver at North of Andover

JR Handley

Elizabeth Rose

Ed Lehming at Ed Lehming Photography

Marcus at Survivor Road

Daniel Kay at This is Youth

Gigi at Rethinking Life

Kecia at Muninn’s Memories

Kent Wayne at Dirty Sci-Fi Buddha

Jenn Moss at Rough and Ready Fiction

And now…their questions:

  1. If there is one food you can eat every day, what would it be?
  1. What’s your favorite libation?
  1. What’s your secret favorite all-time movie, that you could watch over and over?
  1. Is there a song that makes you cry?
  1. What is the best book you think you ever read?
  1. Is there a year that you considered the most wonderful year of your life? Why?
  1. Where would you like to spend more time in 2017?
  1. What actor/actress in any forum, medium or era do you think is greatly unappreciated?
  1. Please name us one fictional location you’d like to visit, and tell us why.
  1. Skittles, Milk Duds, M&Ms or Junior Mints?
  1. If you could be a professional athlete, what sport would you choose?

If you’ve already received this award, congratulations! Carry on, regardless.

1

Today’s Theme Music

As with many things, I blame Mom.

Actually, I’m embellishing that. I blame Mom for my love of reading, learning, walking and eating, so it’s actually a short list. I do blame her for some of the music I know, too. Blame isn’t the correct word, of course; I credit her.

Staying with a walking theme for my theme music, I recall one song that I sang when I was younger. By Roger Miller, it must have seemed odd to anyone noticing that a ten to twelve year old was walking, snapping his fingers and singing, ‘King of the Road’. I know Mom had this album; I vividly recall its cover. But more, I saw him perform this song on television. I have no idea what show or what year it was, but I remember it. Of course, I have an active imagination, so perhaps I just imagined it.

Anyway, from 1965, Roger Miller and ‘King of the Road’. 

 

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