3,000 Miles to Kowen

On the back it says: "It's a great day to be sitting at the gate for 4 and a half hours!"

Exorcising the demons of rollerskating with two of the worlds cutest bananas hanging off of me was not exactly what I had in mind when I packed for my Portland trip, but it wasn't far off either. Later, laying in bed under a stack of homemade quilts, in between teetering trips downstairs (damn you, red wine!), I pecked away the following rambling impressions of Portland on my phone:

The house and the neighborhood and even the bars are cozy. It's been raining for days straight, quite possibly years straight, but yet there is this great... warmth. Not just from the mega octane espresso served out of the window of the drive-through trailer, but that too.


Bedtime for the girls made my heart (and ovaries) swell, especially when Violet pretended to become invisible under the covers and her dad looked everywhere for her even behind the bedroom door, calling "Violet! Violet! Where is Violet?" while the blankets jiggled and giggled. I didn't want to intrude but also couldn't tear myself away; kinda like the E! channel.

Right now, Edie's sick; from my bed I can faintly hear her bawling and I'm so sad for her little trembling face and hands that I too am near tears *insert pouty lip*. Didn't even know I liked little girls until today. And here I am, falling in love. Wish I could help but ...I am just visiting. Wouldn't know how. Just stepping out of my life, just for a few days, just an observer on a series of "sleepovers". This is a job for momma. Kowen ingratiates herself with monkey stickers, massive quantities of play doh and ice cream (none of which, it turns out, are supposed to be mashed into the coffee table. Thanks, guys).


Video poker and $1/hour of Hollywood Match and a new knee-effing machine at the gym and Otto and it's a great day for flying. You've never heard worse karaoke, this much I can guarantee. Shabbat dinner is late (some 20 years?) but adorable -- which reminds me, what would Elijah drink? Juicy Juice? What about Hairrrshal? Smart as little whips, these two. Can't get anything by them. ANY. THING. They're scary sharp. Big, wide, knowing eyes.


"Where'd you get those pants, momma?". Whew, so much to learn! Making babies, making mothers. Randie is such a good momma. So patient, caring. Wise. Did I mention patient? Lessons for me. Always so cool. Always has been. The coolest thing for miles.

I'll leave Portland wishing I had parking kharma, a tolerance for wine, confirmed fertility, and two weeks more of the same. But moreso, I'll leave thankful for having a friend who has known me since before I was born, as there is truly no accurate way to describe the value of this connection.

Tell me about it, Vi. Tell me about it.