To the Great Northwest

The dog days are here -- I can testify first hand.  After my heart scare, I have been walking quite a bit -- either 2.2 or 3.3 miles each day around my 'hood.  Even in the pre dawn time, or post sunset, it's hot and YOOOmid, as Wifey says.

Last night, as  an aside, we went to the movies at the Falls -- our old stomping grounds.  We saw "Dunkirk."  I tend to dislike 9 out of 10 movies we go to see -- halfway in, I resent that they have stolen hours of my life on cliched crap, but last night was an exception.  "Dunkirk" was a masterpiece -- and one you really have to see in a big theater.  You are THERE in this one -- Wifey's stomach was in knots the whole time.  It was awesome -- the audience all applauded at its end.  And the theater was nice and cool...

But, in the way Ishmael knew it was time to put to sea when land living depressed him, I really like to escape to cooler weather in the Miami summer.  And Wednesday we shall -- we're off to Oregon and Washington state.

We're going with Loni and Mike -- and it's a real treat.  Mike and my buddy Eric are both frustrated travel agents.  When we go with Eric and Dana -- the itinerary is set, and included all things you really need to see and do in a given area.  Same with Mike -- as soon as we discussed the trip -- he came up with a plan that takes us from Portland to Crater Lake National Park, back to the Oregon Coast, and then up to Seattle.  Eric LOVES Oregon -- and he gave us terrific information about wineries to visit, as well as hotels and restaurants.

Mostly, I look forward to going outside and breathing in cooler air -- with less humidity.  I spent 2 nights in Seattle and loved it -- but the weather in January was comically bleak -- cold rain and the sun never shined.  Hopefully it'll be a little better in early August.

As for Oregon -- Eric ways Crater Lake might be the most gorgeous place he's ever been -- and he is by far the best traveled of all my friends.  So I look forward to that, too, as well as the rustic Oregon coast -- we have an inn booked with a gourmet restaurant -- and promises to sit listening to the crashing surf while drinking cocktails.

Loni and Mike and Wifey and I have been friends nearly 40 years -- we've shared endless laughter as newlyweds, new parents, and now empty nesters with elderly parents still under our care.  This should be a terrific trip.

Chris, Loni and Mike's boy, is back from USC and about to start UM Law.  He'll be house and pet sitting at his place, and will watch our house and dogs, too.  When we were in law school, Mike's Dad Ed would host pizza night every Thursday -- to give us law students an excellent break from the pressure of being 1 Ls... I intend to have Mike carry on this fine tradition with Chris and his new classmates as well -- I'll bring the pizza...

D1 emailed me when I sent our itinerary and asked about the "bean letter."  She knows me well -- I keep a list of our finances and tell the Ds where it is.  Wifey used to call it my "airplane pizza" file -- the info she needed if my many trips by air ended poorly, and I ended up looking like pizza. D1 said she assumed I would send the info if we were captured by a grizzly bear in the woods.  I reminder her I didn't need to outrun the bear -- only Wifey.

I hope for a successful trip, and then a return for the home stretch before the Big, Fat, Colombian wedding.

And, oh, that cool air...