We have arrived in Portland!!! It is so beautiful here-flowers everywhere! Roses of all colors and some plants that I have never seen!! So green and lush, so much grass-this is more like it!!

I especially like Jenny, she has the best smile and such a soft touch. Nathan is OK, I like his garden area mostly, lots of places to sniff and pee.

Carol and Barney turned on cartoons for me to watch and spread out my favorite quilt while they went to eat dinner at Vindalho last night and let Nathan cook their dinner-they both had a cocktail while waiting (something they NEVER do anymore) and this morning they have had a hard time remembering just what it was they ate-they just know it was great! Nathan baked some chicken and rice for me (without the lamb-I was really getting tired of lamb) and Barney brought a bit of his Tandoor beef to add to it and it was extra tasty!

So, after a late nite of talking, tickling and playing, we all went to bed and slept real well-Nathan picked me up and put me in bed with Jenny, she woke up real happy!!

So now everyone is busy trying to fit everything into the van so we can get on the road to the beach-whatever that is! Nathan is showing his new kite to Barney and Jenny brought a big pot from work to cook the fresh crabs for tonight's dinner-sounds good to me.

I'm trying to catch a few winks before we get going, but Carol keeps trying to get me to eat-later, just too much going on for THAT.

I'll report more soon, but for now, I'm off to explore new territories.

See ya soon-Jack

Oh, it was another long drive yesterday from Idaho to here, Madras, OR. It happened again, Carol should of printed a topographic map for the drive through eastern Oregon, because of all the huge mountains, up and down switch back roads-the full and running stream always parallel to the highway- a beautiful site around every corner, but that means stopping and staring and ooooing and ahhing.
I am really getting the hang of things now-Carol found some food at the Subways that I really like and yesterday they found a great little cafe at Austin Junction. They were so happy when they returned to the car and after Carol unwrapped my treat, I understood why-we were all happy campers all the way through the forest-listening to Peter Gabriel and Eric Clapton-what a show!!
I heard Carol on the phone, trying to find someone to give me a bath-and I only thought this was a vacation!! Seems I am to make the acquaintance of some really special people today and she wanted me especially soft and cuddly-so we will see.
We are headed north around the Mt. Hood area and then into Portland by this afternoon and then back into the car with the "kids" for a short ride to the beach (whatever a "beach" is) tomorrow.
Well, I'm going to finish my chicken treat and take a nap before I have to be bathed.
See ya at the beach!!

I finally saw a bison!! The first one was white and really gave me the cold shoulder..and cold everything else for that matter. Then the brown one...didn't really see anything to get excited about so I ate a cookie. The island was nice....the air smelled real strange...kinda like that pile of shrimp tails I tried to eat once. But lake was really smooth and blue-very peaceful. We had hamburgers at the top and these loud birds started hopping around the car after Carol threw some bread out the window (she always says "white girls shouldn't eat white bread".) Of course we stayed alot longer than we had intended so Carol was on the phone changing the reservations when we started north towards Idaho.

With a new destination and fortifications, we hurled towards Mountain Home,,ID and arrived at the Best Western about 7:00. We all had salad and pork chops from the cafe next door, except Carol, she had something in a glass.

Idaho is very quiet looking, people watering everywhere-potatoes-for McDonalds no doubt!

We have a new destination tomorrow-Madras, OR--we'll see-they are talking about the fossil beds that are near by....so we will see.

Lets,see, no cabin by the snaked rive, no fish-just a great piece of pig! works for me!!!!!

We will arrive in Portland on Saturday, Jenny and Nathan will be at work. They are to have all their clothes ready and food for us, because we will all leave Sunday morning for Cannon Beach where this wonderful ocean view home awaits us for a few days. Then we come back and stay with them for about 7 more days--yea!!! what fun--new people to love and hug on me!!!

goodnite Jackson

ps. Hey Charley, i can't wait to meet you soon-and try on that Harley suit of yours!! jack