It's Official. I'm allergic to Tejas.

Flew to Portland last weekend. It's been unseasonably warm there, and so it's officially spring. Cherry blossoms and daffodils. Everything's in bloom.
And yet, I did not have to take my allergy meds while I was there.
If it weren't for my job and missing Mike something terrible, I would not have needed to come home.
I hashed on Saturday and saw some great old friends. We got in trouble for having a fire on the shores of the Columbia River. It's probably the 35,000th fire on the shores of the Columbia River as I almost literally grew up on the water. Makes almost no sense unless you realize that there is a drought in the Northwest right now.
We really did have a ton of fun and it was also good to meet some of the new OH3 blood.
On Sunday, Jeff C. joined us and we went wine tasting in the Oregon Wine Country before heading to my sister's house to eat Thai Food.
Did I mention that I can't seem to cook any more either....? Last night I failed to roast a chicken. But that's another story.
So.... Jeff made divine salmon in teriyaki-wasabi sauce. I added rice and sweet potatoes. My sister made Paad Thai.
Maureen has memorized all five existing Star Wars movies... or so it seems. And except for my sister's pending spinal surgery... things were very upbeat. Krisitn loves her new job and is busy busy busy. Paul got offered a transfer to... get this... Fort Worth. I almost died laughing. Paul really wants to move to Alaska or Canada or Iceland or something... so anyway, the Atkinsons are staying put.
Perhaps the biggest head trip with going out with Paul on Monday afternoon to Rocky Butte and climbing. My old high-school hangout. I was enthralled.
Since it was Paul's first time outside, we took it very easy. And then he had to rush back to work, anyway. However, it was a trip and I almost couldn't believe it was doing it.
Anyway...I am back in Tejas now.
This Saturday I was the hare. I had an absolutely glorious time setting trail. Although I did completely underestimate the distances in my planning and ended up cutting trail short, thereby being literally lost while laying flour ont he ground. My darling Mike rescued me, bloody, muddy and covered in flour.
We quickly found a new On-In location and I rushed home to eat something and have a shower.
The hounds found the trail adequately marked and they didn't bleed as much as I did.
After the police came three times to the on-in, not once was it the cop who arrested me, tho -- we retired the circle and headed to the house where we had a fire in the fire pit and roasted meat on Mike's big grill. It was such a fantastic warm, comfortable evening.
Sunday Mark Bellamy helped with a tad of yard work and then we went bike hashing. By noon, I was already breaking out in Poison Ivy.
That said, Clod Hopper laid a brilliant trail and tho I had two flats, we were circled up before long, enjoying the sun. Then, we gathered round the cars and killed the rest of Hog's keg. Thereby ending four days of hashing in a row...
Phew.
My first stop this morning was for a steriod shot. The doc laughed when she saw me. She also gave me more antibiotics to counteract the possibility that my throat might abcess because of the steriods.
$100 later I am feeling jittery and nervous.... thank the meds and forgive me for this write-up.
Anyway.... I love my life here. But I wouldn't miss the Allegra-D if I lived in PDX, either.... it was a great trip and a really great weekend once I got back.
Now... if only I can sleep tonight.