Saturday, July 5, 2008 ... 4th Friends and Family. Food and Fireworks ... tomorrow

I walked over to the Buick to get it so that I could drive around the corner to get Mama and Duncan. It wouldn't start. I assumed the battery was dead, that something had been left on Wednesday evening after we had gone out to eat, to meet Leland and friends from Mississippi. Vincent, Leland's best friend since middle school, and his wife Michelle flew in earlier that day to visit Leland and the rest of us--how wonderful is that? We are so blessed with our friends and family. And we got the grand news that they're having a baby in February! I cried when I heard the joyous news.

I called Leland to ask for help. He and Vincent came in Vincent's rented red Impala Chevrolet. The Buick wouldn't jump, the hood came down on Leland's right wrist and cut it pretty bad, I had forgotten Duncan's dog food for 5:30 p.m. What a mess of a few minutes. We left the car. I walked back to the apartment to get the dog food, Bandaids, ointment, etc., while the guys got Mama and Duncan from one car to the other. They picked me up on the corner, and we headed east, across the Willamette.


Michelle and Vincent, the proud parents-to-be, happy visitors to Portland. On Thursday they and Leland, and Lamont and Lindsay, shopped first for the 4th of July cookout meat at Gartner's, ribs and flank steak. Then they headed for the beach, stopping at roadside stands along the way to pick up yummy, fresh vegetables and fruit.


Friends Kimberly and Tom


Friends Katie, Angela and Kailey


Kailey and the lovely lilies she couldn't resist




Duncan and Lindsay


Leland and Vincent


Lindsay and Lamont


Mama, Duncan, Kailey and Leland