1. Today we ended our visit to Eugene. Debbie participated in a 10-12 felting class. I dropped off come electronics to be recycled at Next Step. I went to Sweet Life, thinking I'd order a cup of coffee and a snack and sit inside, but, alas, Sweet Life doesn't allow indoor seating. I ate my chocolate croissant in the car and drank most of my coffee while driving almost aimlessly around Eugene, just checking out places I used to hang out in to see if they are still in business and looking at places I lived in over the years.
One change made a pronounced impression on me. Driving east on 13th, arriving at the corner of 13th and Kincaid on the edge of the University of Oregon campus, the streets and sidewalk were almost empty. I've spent countless hours walking, sitting, driving, taking pictures, drinking coffee, people watching, working at bake sales, and reading at the corner of 13th and Kincaid. I'm used to it being a mob scene with students, faculty, other U of Oregon employees, and street people (like Uncle Ray, Zeus, Frog, and others) filling the sidewalks and making cars wait while waves of people crossed the street.
I didn't have to wait for anyone today and as I peered down the section of 13th closed to cars, no more than a handful of people walked on campus. Taylor's has been shut down. The Glenwood closed its doors. Even the Starbucks at 13th and Alder is boarded up. Espresso Roma looks like it's in business and other places to eat and drink that I'm unfamiliar with seemed open, but, this morning, this once bustling and vigorous area was quiet. Not much at all was happening.
I realized that having once lived in Eugene for thirty-five years, having been a longtime student at the U of Oregon, having spent years roaming around campus and hanging out around 13th and Kincaid, I took it for granted that it would always be buzzing with activity.
Today it wasn't.
2. I picked up Debbie at the Eugene Textile Center at the corner of Roosevelt and Highway 99 and we drove to Market of Choice for lunch. I was hungry for soup. It had been years since I'd eaten Market of Choice's legendary Mama Leone's soup, a bracing and comforting tomato chicken soup, and I loved the bowl I ate today, accompanied by a cheese bagel.
We returned to Anne's and after not sleeping as well as usual on Monday night, and with my whole body warmed and relaxed by the Mama Leone's soup, I fell into a deep coma nap and spent nearly an hour in blissful oblivion.
3. Our time in Eugene ended this afternoon. How could Debbie and I be so fortunate? Anne invites us into her peaceful, comfortable home with Poppy, among the best dogs I've ever known. We spend time seeing as many friends as we can, listen to hours of live music, drink really good beer, and have a quiet house to come back to where I, for one, can spend a lot of time by myself, getting the rest and solitude I need in between all of our visits and other activities.
I didn't see everyone I wanted to, but as Debbie and I reviewed our visit while driving this afternoon to Portland, I relished all the good company I enjoyed, all the great music I listened to (both live and on the radio with Jeff), and the fact that I got to spend time with lifelong Kellogg friends (Roger and Terry), longtime friends I made at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, the U of Oregon, and LCC, and longtime friends whom Debbie has introduced me to over the years. We had a superb dinner at Anne's house with Anne's friends and had a blast talking about music and playing games. Over the entire visit, the conversations were scintillating. It was fun to listen to music ranging from Irish tunes to Pink Floyd, from the worlds of Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead to the surf music of El Borko ¡Surf!. Debbie got to play music with Laura, hear Jacob Collier at the Hult Center with Patrick and Meagan, and briefly play the piano at this past Sunday's Irish Jam.
I'm incredibly grateful that Anne helps make this kind of visit so easy for us by inviting us into her home and being so gracious while we are in her space, coming and going, dashing out, returning, being kind of chaotic. Again, I am overwhelmed by our good fortune.
We arrived at Patrick and Meagan's in Portland soon after 5:30. They ordered food to be delivered and, like magic, suddenly a bag appeared at the front door and inside was a feast: spinach salad balsamico, caprese salad, a side of broccolini, baguette slices with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, braised short rib ravioli, fettuccini Alfredo with linguine, and fusilli with asparagus and lemon cream sauce.
Patrick and Megan also just happened to have three pints of Salt & Straw ice cream in their freezer and so we enjoyed an ice cream buffet of these flavors: Chocolate Gooey Brownie, The Ice Cream of Moo, and Salted, Malted Chocolate Cookie Dough.
Oh! My! A rare and decadent indulgence.
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