Mama's Settled In and Good-bye Crud!

That sweet little lady, my Mama, is a champ. She's ready to do whatever she possibly can for however long it takes to get back to her life--that's the message I got from her today as we moved her into her room at Mt. Tabor. Physical therapy begins tomorrow. I predict it will be one of the hardest things she's ever done, but I'm doggone proud of her attitude. Lamont, Lindsay and Leland came by to visit Grandma just as her dinner arrived. We talked and laughed a bit as she ate some of it despite being so tired from her busy day that included a shower as well as the ride in a wheelchair ambulance. After Mama got settled back in bed, hoping she'd stay awake for "Wheel of Fortune," we hugged and kissed on her, saying good-bye until tomorrow. It wasn't easy on any of us, but each of us believes in what she's about to undertake and in our ability to support her and to help make good things happen for her as she rehabilitates.

In between conversations with Mama, we'd talked about food and how hungry each of us was. We decided to meet at the Savoy Tavern & Bistro at SE Clinton and 25th.

On the drink menu, I saw "Viva La Cruda," a margarita. Besides the fact that I really like a good margarita, the word crud in cruda sparked my imagination. Merriam-Webster defines crud as something disagreeable. My ricochet brain took me from crud to what's been going on with Mama is cruddy, as in "It's absolutely cruddy that she's not able to come home and sit in her recliner and enjoy Duncan, her crossword puzzles, and being together after I get home from work or on the weekends." So, I thought, I'll have a Viva La Cruda and drink that crud right outta mine and Mama's lives!

And that's just what I did, after Lindsay and I took photos, naturally.

I took this one without the flash.

I took this one with the flash.

Lindsay, my guest photographer,took this one without the flash and from an entirely different angle.


Which one is your favorite? And, no, I didn't drink three Viva La Crudas--just two. I also ate a fine tasting hamburger and French fries. Really good food and drink, being with those three young adults, the hope of our future--I'm saying "Hasta la vista crud!"

Satisfy your hamburger craving at the Helvetia Tavern

Just to set things straight from the get-go, that’s my younger son Leland’s hands sliding onion rings onto a platter. The fact that he cooks at the Helvetia Tavern, located in Hillsboro which is part of the Portland metropolitan area, in no way influences what I’ve got to say about the hamburgers, French fries, onion rings and root beer I’ve enjoyed there. It’s all just doggone good and photogenic, to boot.

We’ve been there four times in the last five months, that’s how much Mama and I enjoy it. In May we took Milton and Kay, our long-time Mississippi friends-like-family who drove all the way up here to visit the two of us. In June we took our newly-made Pacific Northwest friends-like-family Danielle, Pat and Meehan. The other two times, we just took ourselves right on out Highway 26, took at right at Helvetia Road, then a left into the parking lot. Satisfyingly yummy for the tummy!

For those of you who’d like another opinion, here’s the Citysearch Editorial Review:
Country roads and fertile fields surround the green-and-red-frame tavern with rural beauty; inside, there's a homey, cabin-like feel and a baseball-cap collection covering the ceiling. Weekdays, Hillsboro techies sup here; weekends bring in cyclists, families and couples. Known for their burgers, the joint churns out a two-patty jumbo version with cheese that shines. A special house sauce known as "goop" seals the deal. Be sure to get fries; they're hand-cut and better than average.