Errands

McMinnville, Oregon: It is so cold here. Mid-50's in the morning and temperatures only in the mid-70s during the day. I know the following statement has been made several times prior... but I forget I have arthritis in my hip until I leave the Coachella Valley. Ouch. (On that note, my pain is much better since leaving the soggy Oregon coast for the Willamette Valley.)

This morning we walked/jogged along the local bike paths around the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, situated next-door to this RV park. The museum houses the famed wooden Spruce Goose airplane - produced by Howard Hughes - and flown once for one minute. We have been to this museum several times, and it is always interesting and fun. Dave's dad, Colonel Taylor, was a career US Air Force pilot (he could fly anything, but was mostly a B-52 man), so Dave always enjoys a good air museum.

The Spruce Goose is inside this building. Outside sits a McDonald-Douglas VC-9C (DC-9) outfitted with VIP interior, secure satellite communications, in-flight television and telecommunications for US government officials, the Vice-President, Secretary of State, the First Lady, and diplomats. When the Vice President was on board, this airplane was Air Force Two. This plane served during the Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations. Now, it sits on a lawn in McMinnville, Oregon.

Random.

Also random: an old Evergreen Airlines jet was some-how planted on top of the adjacent Wings & Waves Water Park.

Since this is Oregon wine country, any spare acre in the area is planted in grapes. The air museum is no exception. Grapes everywhere.

You must admit: this is something you do not see every day (unless you live in McMinnville?).

After our workouts, we ran errands. We took the long way to the west side of Portland to see what was happening in our old 'hood. When we sold our house (January 2020), the county was prepping to install a huge water storage tank on top of Cooper Mountain (where we lived), and pipes to service the 3.4 zillion houses/townhomes/apartments that were going to be built below. We could see the pipes have been laid for the water tower, but did not physically see the water storage tank. In the two years since we moved, it was shocking to see how many new houses/townhomes/apartments have been built. Shocking! Who is moving here? The realtor signs are stating "TOWNHOMES FROM THE LOW $400,000" - but there are a so many of these homes chock-a-block on top of one another. Are there that many people who will buy?

When we bought our property on top of Cooper Mountain in 1990-ish, the road was gravel. How things change.

After a few stops for tax-free shopping, we went to get our ballots. Our house sitter, Maricela, had mailed our ballots (the vote to recall California Governor Newsom) to Mary, so we stopped-by today to pick them up. (MUST VOTE! EVERY ELECTION!) We found Mary and Steve playing T-Ball in the cul-de-sac with their über adorable grandsons, Cole and Cameron. Ballots-in-hand, we once again returned to McMinnville, making a quick stop for groceries, to enjoy a peaceful evening (unless you are a San Francisco Giants fan) in the campground.

• 

• 

Dinner tonight was super easy... except with the one-burner-working-at-the-moment-and-it's-the-little-one... it did take ferrevver for the water to boil. There was a Greek Salad, and there was Greek Pasta: spaghetti, tossed with Mizithra cheese, olive oil, and dried oregano. If you are not familiar with Mizithra, it is a pure-white crumbly-dry goat-or-cow cheese with a sharp tangy flavor. It is difficult to find in wedges in the US, but The Spaghetti Factor sells it in supermarkets already shredded - though their version also contained Romano cheese (which is just fine if this is all you can find). This really is just one of our favorite meals, but I don't make it very often as it is difficult to find Mizithra where we live.

Speaking of where we live... Leo received his birthday gift from us today. Guess what? A neoprene surf-suit - exactly the same thing (different size/color) as we gave Lucile for her birthday.

Not gonna lie. Leo asked us for a Cody Bellinger jersey. Lisa and Lenny asked us for this suit. Don't worry, Leo. We have your back.

Tomorrow: we golf. Again.

Until my next update, I remain, your Oregon correspondent.

RV PARK: Olde Stone Village - full-service campground. Very nice, large pull-through and back-in sites. In-season pool. Convenient location for McMinnville, Dundee and Oregon wine country. No live-ins. We are paying about $52 per night with a weekly rate.

---