We left San Diego and our California family and headed to Portland, Oregon. It has been a whirlwind, mostly. Our first stop was Newberg, OR, with our daughter and son-in-law, Alexis. We had lunch with my son and daughter-in-law, visited my other son in Vancouver. We stayed with friends in Portland, then back to Newberg for a few days then back to Portland. We drove from Portland back to Seattle, stopping along the way to visit my stepmother and my stepbrother. We were invited to multiple gatherings and met some wonderful people. This was a Christmas season we will long remember. Here are a few photos I took along the way, I could have taken many more for sure.

Peacock Lane in Portland with Alexis and Joe

Dinner at Papa Hayden’s with Alexis and Joe

Dinner at Clark Lewis with Tim and Lisa.

Tricia worked hard to bond with Cleo

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Zoo Lights at Woodland Park Zoo with Dave and Rosanne

At a New Year’s Eve party in Seattle with Tricia’s sister and family

One of the kittens tried to get a snack

We are at the Doubletree Hotel next to SeaTac airport, we head to the airport in an hour for a flight to London. Thanks to our many frequent-flier-miles we get to go First Class, should be fun. Then it is the Eurostar to Paris, and the train from Gare Montparnasse to Flers, then a short drive back to La Thebauderie. Our place in rural France seems like a world a way, and it is, yet right now, sated with love from friends and family, saturated with wonderful memories, it is a welcome destination. We have had a great trip, better than I could ever have imagined, yet as Dorthy said so simply, “There’s no place like home.”