Portland to Tacoma

I am writing this post as we travel on the Amtrak Cascades train from Portland, Oregon to Tacoma,Washington. The overhead sat nav screen is similar to the one on the plane and tells me we arrive at Centralia in 38 mins and the time is 1.41pm, 8 hours behind the UK.
Looking out of the window as we travel at a sedate 79 mph. lakes and rivers dominate the landscape with plenty of houseboats. They each have a speedboat moored along side but no sign of a car or road. Also seen as the train hugs the waters edge was a Bald Eagle swooping low over the water and snatching a very large fish......Wow!!!!
We are travelling up the Puget Sound between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade mountain range in what I can only describe as the most luxurious leather reclining seats I have ever seen on a train. The amount of room far exceeds the plane and on longer trips headphones can be used to watch movies on the overhead screens--and this is just basic coach seating not 1st class!
The Bistro car is beautifully fitted out with seating down one side and bar stools at the coach length bar. Food is expensive, what`s new I hear Brits say, but this is good food.
Another thing to mention is when we arrived at Union Station in Portland, which was built in 1890, we were able to check as many bags as needed as you do at the airport.

No platform just a step

checking in luggage at Union Station

Luxury reclining leather seats

Wedding Bliss and English Delight

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

   We made it, after staying awake for twenty one plus hours, enduring nine hours on the first plane, a lay over in Seattle, and a commuter flight thirty minutes to Portland, Oregon. I've nearly recovered now from my near psychotic break with reality (I was so tired I wanted to snap the head off the commuter stewardess who would not shut up, and who kept opening and closing the metal clasps on cupboards right behind me while I sat in a grumpy coma). 
   Tuesday was spent in the company of Sparky, Kelli, and Mary; my favorite oldest daughter Jesse and my son in law Ben came over from Spokane. Jesse applied her expertise in baking to help bake and frost wedding cupcakes. Les learned about the local recycling program and set forth to blog about it.

How many Americans does it take to explain community recycling?

Les using Sparky's little pink computer to write a blog post about Oregon bottle recycling

  Sleep, hot showers, sleep, HUGE cups of coffee and tea, good food, big hugs, lots of laughter, and more sleep restored me to my usual silly self.
 

Now that is a cup of coffee!

   Wednesday morning we visited Untangled--a superb hair salon where Shiery gets her do done: cut, colored and, for the wedding, a lot of sparkling bling was glued into her raging fuchsia and purple do. We were served coffee and Mimosas while we waited. Even the men found it interesting!

Son in law Ben and Les enjoying coffee and Mimosas while we wait

Cindy--hair stylist supreme and Oregon Ducks fan!

Bling is applied to Shiery's wedding do

Jesse and Les watching a video of 2 year old Connor in his jingle bell hat

Jesse and Ben: Love is in the air!

Les and I cooking up something in the kitchen while Jesse frosts cupcakes

   Later Sparky and Kelli took us for a Dutch Brothers coffee and we pulled in to the drive through window. A cute young thing waited there for our order. Her eyes lit up when she saw Sparky's bright, glittering hair. Enthusiastically she cried, "Oh my god your hair is fantastic!"
   Spark ordered first for her an Kelli, then I gave my coffee order and then Les spoke up. Coffeegirl's eyes grew wide with surprise as she exclaimed, "That's awesome! Oh my god I love your accent. Keep talking!"

   After a short wait she returned with our order and a fellow employee who took a look at Sparky's wedding hair and said "Dude that's wicked!" Coffeegirl spluttered, "Wait--it gets even better--" she turned to Les and ordered, "Talk!" Coffeedude was blown away and replied, "Wow! That's totally awesome." As we pulled away laughing I knew we had scored as "coolest customers of the day."
   That evening the wedding ceremony went off without a hitch. Les escorted both brides to the altar. When asked, "With whom do you come and whose blessings accompany you?" Les replied,  "They come with me, their dad, and are accompanied by all our blessings."

Mother and daughter

Les waits to escort the brides: Kelli left, and Shiery, right.

Kelli and Shiery's hands with their hand fasting cord

With this ring, I thee wed...

The kiss!

Kelli and Shiery Carnes

Getting ready to jump the broom

   The energy of all those assembled wove a circle of love and support for Shiery and Kelli as they declared their love for one another publicly to family and friends. The brides were radiant and our family expanded to embrace them both. We welcome Kelli into our hearts as she establishes her place in our family.

   This morning Jesse and Ben stopped at Panera's on the way over, introducing Les to his first bagel. Delighted, his eyes sparkled as he looked at me and queried, "Do you think we can find these back home?"
   It is strange indeed to be back in America. It is a lot like running into one's ex...familiar and yet...different; love and disaffection in interesting measures; nostalgia and exasperation with each heartbeat.
   This trip was definitely not a home coming. It is a family reunion but physically, home is back across the Atlantic on a smallish island, and an even smaller boat. Spiritually, and emotionally home is where my heart is, and that is wherever Dear Sir lays his head. Happy am I, to lay mine next to his.