They call it breakfast, I call it a blessing to eat this good food beside the fireplace at the Multnomah Lodge.

Here's an update about the Columbia Gorge Express, in case you saw any of my videos posted on Monday. I've discovered and claim it to be true that if I had dug into their Web site deeply, I would have learned much more which would have most likely have meant that I would not have missed the bus away from the Gateway Transit Center, nor would I have gone too early to wait for the bus back to Gateway from Multnomah Falls. I thank them for their efforts to get me there and back so that I could make magnificent Memorial Day memories!



First memory at Multnomah Falls, this really, really, really (I could go on and on) scrumptious breakfast known on the menu as Trailblazer! Those are supposed to be silver dollar pancakes. Gosh! If silver dollars were that large, we'd all be tickled to have four of them, right? I tell you what, as great as these beauties tasted and as fine as their texture yielded to the fork, they were perfect as is, no need to be a collectable coin. I have not had a pancake since Mother's Day, 2015. These were worth waiting for! I ate only one slice of bacon and about two thirds of the scrambled eggs, both delicious. I ate all of the pancakes and figured out how to count the carbs when I got home to my WiFi.



The view looking across the dining room, looking north. The blue-tinted trees are across the Columbia River in Washington. I couldn't resist taking this candid photo.



I like the look of this lamp in focus with the background out of focus. Do you?



A worker got another log out of a closet in the wall to the right of the fireplace and tossed it onto the fire. In no time it seemed to me the flames grew taller, crackling and popping. Outside the sun shone, but in the shaded by virtue of being the central room on that second floor, the dim lighting allowed me to get this photo that I like.



One of two photos that I took looking out the second floor window outside the restrooms. I wanted you to see the flower beds enclosed in the rock walls and part of the crowd. Believe me, the crowd grew and grew as I hung around enjoying myself for several hours. The crosswalk markings on the road lead to a short footbridge, then to an underpass beneath not only the railroad track but also beneath the eastbound lanes of I-84. The parking lot over there is larger than the one you'll see a portion of in the next photo but still not large enough for the crowds. So, there is a free round-trip shuttle from there to another nearby park at Rooster Rock where there is more parking. The Oregon Department of Transportation runs it. If I were to drive out there--which I won't do because I don't own a car and have no intention of getting a Zipcar to go there--I'd go very early and try to park here at Multnomah Falls.



The second photo that I took from the second floor. You can see for yourself how small the parking lot across the road from Multnomah Falls appears--it's narrow and always full when folks have the chance to get out to the Gorge. I for one am thankful for the new shuttle service, the Columbia Gorge Express, $5 round trip from the Gateway Transit Center in Portland to Multnomah Falls and back. Not without some hiccoughs on its inaugural weekend, nevertheless, I shall use it again later on this summer. I've now been able to learn the ropes through trial and error and will be much better prepared mentally next time. Of course, being open on a weekend that abutted a federal holiday really put a strain on their preparations. That's their plan, to be open Friday through Sunday and federal holidays, May 27-September 25.



The room where I ate, to the right near that closet door. I added some light when I took the photo so that you could actually see the room--it was nicely dim in there.



The next room towards the back of the lodge, bathed in light from those big windows. It has just dawned on me that you probably can see parts of Multnomah Falls from those windows when the trees have lost their leaves. I wonder. Something to check out on my next trip there. Even if there are still leaves on the trees, I can always ask an employee.

I left the restaurant and visited the gift shop before taking my pancake-fueled body outside and towards Multnomah Falls, the real reason that I had made the trip. Next time I'll have two reasons, the falls and the pancakes!

UPDATE and my breakfast

UPDATE: I slept through the second half of Thursday night football, woke up sort of until around 1 a.m. and then slept pretty well until 8 a.m. The tiredness, the fatigue is still with me but might be less that yesterday, at this point anyway. Since I was reminded yesterday that the fatigue from chemo is cumulative, I now know that it will be worse and with me throughout this process so I will need mental toughness to get me through it. I believe that your continued prayers, love, and concern feed my mental toughness, so I say Thank You!


It was post-chemo med time at 8 a.m., so I quickly heated these two buttermilk Eggos in the toaster oven, spread Land o'Lakes butter on them, and after a few bites, I took the Compazine, Zofran, Pepcid, and the two meds that deal with an important bodily function which some of the other meds, including the chemo all day yesterday, mess with. I'm on my 28-ounce mug of water and have had one cup of hot Twinings English Breakfast tea which still tastes exactly like it is supposed to taste.

UPDATE and breakfast today, plus the meds all lined up

UPDATE: This is known as Day Three, in the round of chemo lingo. Last time as the day progressed, this is when that I felt achy all over, like the flu, but with aches of a muscular kind settling in my knees, then the peripheral neuropathy started, what I describe as a high-speed humming feeling of the tissues inside my skin, from the top of my shins down into my ankles and feet. During that night, the knees continued to ache, the peripheral neuropathy spread up into my thighs, too. We'll see what happens today.

Yesterday the anti-nausea meds worked. They are Zofran and Compazine. I'm also taking Pepcid, Senna, and Docusate Sodium. Those last two are supposed to offset some of the "plumbing" difficulties brought on by the chemo and the Zofran. Compazine makes you drowsy--I can testify to that because I slept off and on all afternoon yesterday. Zofran can give you a headache, too. I had one at the Oncology Center Wednesday, not too long after they had me take two of them--Tylenol kicked it in the butt. Since I'm only taking one here as prescribed, I didn't get a headache yesterday. I hope that's the case today.

Yesterday around 10:30 a.m. I surprised myself when I was able to walk outside in the overcast for a couple of blocks. Since I slept sporadically last night and feel drowsy still, somewhat lethargic, I'm not going to try that today. Well, unless I perk up later on. Don't want to take a walk with nothing to hold onto as I go along, especially if my body isn't behaving itself.

Thank you for your continued prayers, love, and concern. I feel it all and need it all. Y'all inspire me to make my best effort throughout this whole process.



Here's the breakfast that I ate prior to taking the morning meds. Toasted King Hawaiian hamburger bun, with Land o'Lakes butter, green grapes, the last of the cherries until next season according to the produce guy at Fred Meyer, Twinings English Breakfast Tea, and water. Plus, those meds, lined up in the background.

I woke up early, wanting oatmeal soon.

So, I ate it right out of the four-quart glass measuring cup that I cooked it in. I use regular Quaker Oats, a bit of sea salt and some water, then cook it in the microwave so that it is perfect each and every time! I just add a bit of Land o'Lakes and Splenda, and it successfully satisfies me!

UPDATE and a break from The World . . .

UPDATE: Yesterday afternoon Dr. Steiner went over the first pathology report from the needle biopsy and then what our plan would be based on the pathologist's final report which is expected early next week. The final report will reflect what may be learned from a stain being applied to the tissue; they felt this was necessary in order to get a better look.

So, it may definitely not be cancer, it may definitely be cancer, or there may not be a definitive answer either way. If it is not cancer, all of the plan we made will be cancelled and I will be followed closely in two months with a CT scan. If it is cancer or we don't know for sure, I will have surgery to remove the lymph node(s) and any other suspicious tissue--next Thursday, June 25. Dr. Steiner will control the robot's 3-D camera and, as she put it, its little hands. Her nurse Naomi says Dr. Steiner's a champ with that robot!

If I have surgery, I will be off work for six weeks. If it turns out to be cancer for sure, not only from the pathologist report before the surgery but also from the one they will get after they examine the tissues removed during surgery, then I will have radiation and chemotherapy. I don't have any details on that right now. It's a wait-and-see thing, of course.

I so appreciate your prayers, love and concern.

Now for today's break from The World.



My Saturday morning breakfast--a toasted Fred Meyer Crispy English Muffin, some grape tomatoes, and some blueberries. I drank water. After I ate, I sorted some photos from iPhoto into Flickr, put a load in one of the washing machines downstairs, and went for a six-block walk. In a little while, I'll get those clothes out of the dryer and get them put away. Leland called and he and Rachel invited me to go pick blueberries later on today with them, up on Sauvie Island. I've never done that! It sounds exciting; I've already got my sunhat hanging on the door knob and some plastic containers with lids ready, too. I think I'll take my folding lawn chair with me, too.

Mother's Day Mini-Vacation, No.12 - OK, I know you're wondering about what we ate while in Bend. Today I'll share photos of the best.

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Brother Jon's Public House, Bend, Oregon--Saturday's breakfast. So good we decided to come back here on Sunday morning, too. 

My breakfast. Here's what it says on their menu:

• Southern Fried Biscuits and Gravy $8.50 House-made white sausage gravy over Baked Bakery buttermilk biscuits. Served with two fried eggs and choice of side.

Here's what I have to say about my breakfast. Every single bite was perfect. My side, a bowl of fresh berries. About the biscuit, it's a Baked Bakery Buttermilk Biscuit--the bakery, our waiter pointed out, is just up the street. I don't know exactly how they made that biscuit, but I am particularly happy that they did. And that gravy! Oh, my gosh! That's the best sausage gravy I've ever had. Ev-er! I'm pretty sure that there were pieces of link sausage in there, tasty sausage. I like my eggs scrambled dry--these were just right! The breakfast at this establishment is the best breakfast I've had in the Pacific Northwest, other than those I've enjoyed since 2004 at the Bijou Cafe in downtown Portland.  

Leland's breakfast. He got the special and reported that it was indeed special. His side, O'Brien potatoes. 

 

The menu board which lists the special--the one Leland ordered. You can see from this photo that he took with my camera while I was in the restroom that he got a Baked Bakery Buttermilk Biscuit, too.

 

Lamont's breakfast, from their online menu:

• Redwood Scramble $8.50 Three eggs scrambled w/ bacon, spinach, cherry tomatoes and cheddar cheese. Served with choice of side and bread. 

His side, O'Brien potatoes, his bread, the Baked Bakery Buttermilk Biscuit.

Before we left, the three of us made a unanimous decision to return for Sunday morning breakfast. I'll share those photos tomorrow.

Milton and Kay and I ate breakfast/brunch at the Bijou Cafe on Friday morning.

Waiting to be seated, Milton and Kay graciously posed for a photo. The Bijou Cafe was Mama's favorite breakfast eatery in Portland and had been since our first visit in June, 2004.


We were so hungry that it wasn't until we had finished that I realized I had completely forgotten to take photos of our food. Maybe you can get an idea of just how delicious every bite was from looking at these plates? We just might go back there one more time before they leave for home. I hope to take photos before the first bite!

Vacation, Day 9, 10/29/2009, Part 1

Sun's rising at Talladega Superspeedway, Thursday morning. You can see how many more rigs are in the campground, and there in the distance between the trees, you can see the grandstand at the racetrack.


Early morning look at another U-shaped spread at the campground. Halloween, college football rivalry, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.--looking from right to left.


Part of a game of some sort at a corner camp site. Looks like they're all set to play, even after dark with that light on the top of the pole.


The other end of the game.


The game set-up, in front of a trailer decorated with three racetrack flags--Talladega, Bristol, Lowe's, and one driver flag--Dale Earnhardt, Jr.


This is the rig just to the other side of Kay and Milton's trailer. I count at least 17 chairs, for a smaller trailer and a pop-up trailer. Wild! Wonder if the ghosts glow in the dark?


Our omelet makers at work.


Sausage and ham on the griddle--one side's done.


Another helper deals with the bacon and the bacon presses on the other griddle.


Green peppers need quite a bit of preparation--those seeds are the pits!


You can have ham in your omelet.


Gotta get those eggs just right before they go into the skillet!


The bacon's done!


Cheese on the eggs in the skillet.


Ham, green pepper and onion, cooking in the other skillet.


Ah, the important combining-all-ingredients step.


Close to done, thanks to Milton and his helpers.


My plate--I had no cheese or green peppers because neither one agrees with me.


The absolute jewel in the crown of a grand breakfast, Steen’s 100% Pure Cane Syrup! Just looking at the bottle took me back to my childhood, eating biscuits and syrup with my Daddy. Yummy!


You can certainly see what I mean in this photo--perfection!