Marg and Heather
On the river in Florence, on the South West Coast of Oregon. Just before eating a ridiculously tasty cajun-style salmon.

--- today loitering ---

Back in EUGENE at Aaron's folks house, drinking tea and getting pics off the camera and oh so very slowly onto the website. My patience for this may not live long.

We threw the SEATTLE trip after much deliberation involving a flipped coin - tails we stayed. Couldn't face another day in the car. Have decided to mooch and recover from our seaside holiday and then POTTER up to Portland for some BLUES festival on Saturday.

I am busy COOKING[!] supper for tonight. Heather is wide eyed at the volume of RED WINE i've poured into the bolognese [just over half a bottle so far] and has reported it to a friend on the phone with much entertainment. She has little FAITH in my cooking skills, and is beyond dubious now that i've added green pepper to her hatelist already in the pot: tomatoes & mushrooms.

--- drive home ---
Coming back from the coast yesterday stopped at a WILD CAT PARK and met the leopard that stars in 90% of LEOPARD photos and film moments. Lions, tigers, jaguars, and other lazy feline species begrudgingly hoisting themselves in the hot sun to accept the raw meat titbits presented by our guide.

-- hippie tour alert ---
Stopped at a WINE FARM a little further on, and ended up sitting out on the back lawn overlooking the vineyard, merrily swalling DELICIOUS PINOT NOIR and shooting the breeze with a very tanned and friendly lady who had notably large BICEPS. Two BOBTAIL KITTENS trotted out and fell asleep on our laps. Our host informed us she used to be a HIPPIE in Eugene back in the day. We buy a bottle of the 2003, shake hands (firmly) and head off.

-- the plan --
Got my train ticket to san francisco today. Leave on evening of monday 3rd.

Sitting now in a book shop in GOLD BEACH, south west OREGON, it's 8.13pm, the sun just thinking about going down. Heather and Aaron have gone back to our MOTEL with 'breathtaking view' of the ocean - which it is indeed once you walk out the bedroom into the car park and look out at it.

--- Arrival: Eugene, Oregon ---
Had no trouble recognising HEATHER after 12 years, and we are spending most of our time retelling the same BAD JOKES and cackling while poor Aaron drives and wonders what the words mean:
boobejane house [!] , kiff, nought, vaai, and such
knock knock, did you hear the one about, etc

Spent the first few days chilling at Aaron's parents in Veneta, farming area outside of EUGENE, Oregon. Lots of time soaking up sun in the garden with needy labrador Puffy and imbred squiff eyed cat called Thai. Eating CHERRIES off the tree and looking out for BLUEBIRDS.

--- what was i thinking?? ---
H & A are in agreement that I have concocted a HIPPIE ENDURANCE TOUR instead of a holiday for these 3 months [citing the 2 week bus tour, festival in the desert etc.
Put this way I have to agree, and am getting nervous. I had my initiation into what this might mean.
We took a trip [at my request] to some HOT SPRINGS were 'clothing optional' and encrusted with a bucnh of naked youths [not unpleasant to gaze upon] and a sagging couple with beard and bits [less enchanting]. The springs were beautfiul in themselves - 5 pools stepping down a hill, flanked by ferns and mossy trees. And hot of course which is weird. Heather instructs no heads to go under - it's ripe for BACTERIA. Nice.
Heather tells me Eugene is teaming with hippies - some kind of HIPPIE MAGNET. And it's true - there was more tie dye and dreads in the Saturday market than you can shake a dream catcher at. Am considering changing the title of this blog to something more crusty. Antidote for all this is to turn up the car stereo and bang along to the 5 cd's worth of System of a Down. [if anyone knows what 'terracota pie' is, share].

--- Trip to the coast ---
We drove down the COAST on Sunday and are staying at Gold Coast.
Went over the border into CALIFORNIA to walk in the REDWOOD FORESTS [too good this is, a crazy business i can't be floral enough to write about]

been investigating other places, learning the difference between the endless DOUG FIRS and other trees, dipping feet in the ROGUE RIVER, eating Salmon [the rivers are beating with it], trying to ignore the bear-like SNORING on the other side of the paper that separates it from my bedstead, sampling local MICRO BREWERY offerings, looking at PIONEER CEMETERIES, talking arse etc.

--- Onwards and upwards ---
Heading back to Eugene tomorrow, then Heather and I will kick up to Seattle until Sunday. Thereafter I'm on a train to San Francisco for a few days before Hippie bus tour kicks off.

marg arrives in america 20 june 06
stories will follow