Gnarrrgh - brainzzz . . .

We are home. We are awake (Pepper cat took care of that. She launched herself from my belly to the shelf above the bed. And I wasn't going to lie there and let that 12 lb furr-covered cannon ball drop back to my belly when she was ready to get down.)

We are unpacking and sorting out presents and counting our marbles. Thought I had lost my phone but we found it. Thought we had lost Kyle's mom's present, but we found it. We have to go buy groceries, but not just yet. Kyle's glasses broke the first day we arrived in Oz. He made do with a pair from the drugstore for two weeks. Gotta get the glasses to the shop. And sleep keeps sneaking up behind me and throwing a sack over my head, whacking me in the back of the knees, and sitting on my chest when I fall down. It's amazing how you can stay alert and strong when you have to, and then, when the need is gone, you just collapse like a pop-up tent

You guys are soo sweet. I have lots more photos to share of the wonderful world of Oz, and now that I'm not hemoraghing money every time I get on line, I can take the time to load them up.

For starters, how about some shots from the flight?


Here's Crater Lake from the airplane window. Still kind of snowed in up there.


Here's the central part of the Cascade range from the west side. The Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Bachelor. All snow-capped year-round but especially pretty in the end-of winnter snow.


And lovely Mt. Hood, welcoming us home.

Lisa, our cat sitter, was good enough to give us regular reports on the kids. Fly unbent enough to give her a kiss, Ben even allowed her to pet him. But the last report of the green beer, the acid rock music, and Ben cavorting on the counter with a tea-cup on his head (I can see it. I believe her!) made me think we had been gone long enough.

The sheep were quiet every time I checked on them during the flight. This should have meade me suspicious. They are all looking rather matted around the nethers and all they want to do is sleep. The bag they were in was x-rayed leaving Sydney, passing through HongKong, and arriving in Los Angeles, then yet again for the flight from LA to Portland. I think they enjoyed the tickle. This might go beyond a good crimp in the wool and extend right into kinky.

We flew Alaska Airlines from LA to Portland. I love a corporation with a sense of humor. When we got onboard, we saw a plaque announcing that our plane was an Alaska Airlines Salmon fourty Salmon. (747) What a way to end the trip, flying home on a salmon!