Working backwards, it is now Friday night, and it is getting late. Deborah and I are back from a long day driving a large circle in Oregon. We met Mariah at Nudi Noodle Place in Portland, Oregon’s Woodstock neighborhood. We had arrived from Mt. Angel, to the East of Portland, a bit early, and walked the area. The hardware store was wonderfully well-stocked, and Deborah found a Mini Hot Wheels she did not have (a new 2026 release); we purchased it. We then had drinks and an appetizer while waiting for Mariah. The Crab Ragoon was excellent.
We ordered after Mariah arrived and joined us. Pad See Ew for Deborah; Mariah and I both picked a noodle dish (I kept calling mine “Spicy Biscuit” instead of “Spicy Brisket”). I did have to scrape off the hot chili paste after nearly choking on the spices. It was still wonderful. The food was great, and we had dessert, Tiramisu.
We talked for hours about many subjects. We did talk about my doctors and my new diagnosis of psoriasis and the complex but new treatments. I also have a needle biopsy coming up for the tumor in my salivary gland (this was Thursday’s appointment that I have not covered yet). As the place closed, we said goodbye and headed home. Air VW the Gray, following Nav, found its way home without incident, though there was one close call when a car merging kept in line with the EV instead of slowing down or speeding up. I flew the EV at 80+ to clear the way. We soon found our way to bed and me to the Apple to write this blog.
On our way near Portland, we passed by the butte, which is the namesake of the town of Mount Angel, and we saw signs to the brewery. There is a monastery on the volcanic hill above the town, and it has recently opened a brewery. We stopped and visited the open-to-the-public walking paths after parking off a forested road. Monks were stopping and praying at the Stations of the Cross on the hill. The trees on the path were huge, and the view of Mount Hood was breathtaking. It was a good break and walk.
Before this, we were at the sausage store in Mt. Angel, and I got a few packages of frozen sausages and a bag of dried spatzel. There is a restaurant too, though we were not interested in dinner there today.
I think we might have a possible new trip for the church: maybe a tour of the monastery, a tour of Gordon House, and dinner at Mt. Angel for some German-style food.
Before Mt. Angel, we were in Silverton and had tickets at 2 for Gordon House. The Gordons had the only Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) house built in Oregon. It was built near the end of Wright’s life and finished after his death, but it was still designed by him and his staff, and people connected with him completed the house.
The house now is what could be salvaged and moved to a new location. Some of the cement and cement blocks had to be remade, but the majority of the house survived (it certainly reminded me of the ones I saw in New Hampshire). The house, with its 15% angles (matching a comfortable car seat from Mr. Gordon’s pickup), and the cedar are lovely. I would recommend it, and it is my first two-story FLW house.
Deborah was amazed by how appealing the horizontal lines made it. So simple, but so well done. I was surprised by how practical this house was and how easy it seemed to live in compared to the ones I saw. To me, it looked more ready to use.
After the tour, we tried the Oregon Garden, but it was closed at 3, and it was still really winter. I imagine it would be better in the Spring. Instead, we headed to a local Starbucks and had coffee, used restrooms, and got ready to drive more (though, as I said above, we had more experience in Mt. Angel than I planned).
We rose early, had some food with coffee, and then I dressed and headed to my dermatologist, who agreed with me that I needed more help and a new diagnosis. More pills, ointments, and tests. It looks like psoriasis will require injections and an expensive regimen over time to clear it. But new creams and other treatments for now, until we get that handled. I returned home, and Deborah and I spent the morning together.
Thursday ended with dinner again with friends, Dondrea and Z, with Deborah and me at Pepita’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina in Beaverton. There, we enjoyed a Mexican-style repast and drinks. Deborah and I were both tired and soon went home to rest. Sleep came quickly, but my rash bothered me a few times.
Before this, we drove back through Washington State and Portland on the way from Astoria. We had started at the seen-better-days-but-not-yet-out River Walk Inn, spending the morning together and enjoying the complimentary industrial breakfast there.
We had an hour or so to spare, so we headed to the ocean. We drove the EV to the South Jetty Overlook in Fort Stevens Park. It is a small wood lookout built over the jetty to see the ocean crashing without having to risk the less-than-easy walk on the jetty itself. I did start at the wrong side, and we had to drive out to the other section of Fort Stevens, but we found the day passes there, and that made us legal. The area is full of cannons and other interesting things, but we just had time for a few of the ocean.
It was a sunny, magnificent day on the coast. It had snowed the day before. Now it was not raining, and the wind was not terrible. An excellent day to visit the jetty. The waves, some I think ten feet, were crashing on the stones, some splashing the top of the jetty!
We then drove back to Astoria.
We parked Air VW the Gray at a Fast Charge station across from the KFC and a local coffee drive-thru and walked to a place for lunch (though we were still full from breakfast). Bridge Water Bistro in the Red Building was excellent, and we took half our sandwiches back with us. We opened the place (the doors were still locked). It has an excellent view of the last stretch of the Columbia River before it reaches the jetties and the Pacific.
We stopped at Josephson’s Smokehouse, just a few miles later, and a local tradition, and got some fish to go with an ice pack (that Deborah arranged to protect the sandwiches too). We then took the highway East back towards home.
The drive is lovely, though not the best parts of Washington State, and in ninety minutes (or less), I was at the wrong location for my doc. We took the three minutes (I a bit stressed now) drive to the correct location, and soon I met with ENT surgeon. The recommendation, and I agreed, was, as I said above, a needle biopsy to better understand the tumor in my neck. It is very unlikely to be cancer, but the surgeon would like more information before deciding on options. If not cancer, it could even be watched for a few years and ignored. I will hear more once insurance and orders are sent.
Deborah and I watched the next episode of Elsbeth and then headed out to dinner.
And that takes me full circle!
Thanks for reading!
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