Sam ... we need to know

Dear Sam,

One of Leslies friends (who is not jewish) gave her some

tiles as a gift and we are trying to find out what they mean? Please help.

We love you

Mom

we are starting home...

We had a great a breakfast at Manzana. Both Leslie and Sean have told us very good things about this restaurant but it was completely understated. We had an appetizer of vanilla french toast which everyone loved and then I had a mushroom, spinach and smoked Gouda omelet that was just out of this world. And everyone seemed to want sourdough toast.

After a great breakfast we did have to say our goodbyes.... and after a lot of hugs and just a few tears... we were on the road. Our Mission..... to hit the Siskiyou Summit before sunset... and we did, and it was beautiful snowy but beautiful ... we checked into the hotel and then Ashleigh started to play in the snow.

She didn't have a lot of space and she really didn't have a lot of snow but she did have a lot of fun.

I Can't Believe that we are looking at wedding dresses

that was Barry's first comment about the day.... but on the whole we (Celia, Sean, Barry, Bubbie, Ashleigh and Me) had a real learning experience.

First Buying wedding dresses takes an appointment.... luckily they had an opening at 1:00 so we took it. Next there are forms to fill out oooohhhhh are there forms I'm really surprised they didn't start to ask for blood type. However they do know everything about the who, how many and how old for the bridal party (we changed the names to protect the players). the next requirement was a comfortable sofa. Sean and Barry were content to accept the job of sofa warmer.

We saw many...and I mean many dresses... Celia has a fondness for strapless simple dresses. Ones that don't require to many people to get in to. O.k. so she found out that, it was not going to happen that way. The next step was trying them all on. But the bridal store (which I have to say was great, David's Bridal) did not want to leave anything to the imagination... so we had the

proper bra and slip to use when trying it all on. But they didn't stop there after we put on a dress we had to do the veil. And I mean veil... the first one was all the way down to the floor and longer than the train of the dress. And there there was the front part of the veil (called a blusher) and another layer just because ... but she was all veiled. and then there were the bouquets you could hold just to see how it would look.

It is one of those experiences that you have to go through with every bride... but we still have time to keep looking. But we can not forget the brides maid dressed.... and all of you brides maids need to thank Ashleigh for being the model for all of these dresses.

We tried on a lot of dresses o.k. Celia and Ashleigh tried on the dresses (the rest of the we sat backed and watched, and laugh, and commented when they could have stayed quite. But hey ... there were a lot of dresses to look at ... so Ash did what any good sister would do. Tried on the dresses and make comedy schtick

Morgan this ones for you

Morgan I am sorry, I have been putting up all these messages to Sam and I realized last night that I had missed yours... so we did miss having thanksgiving with you and we hope that it yours was good....and even though we will not be able to come up during the winter break maybe during summer.... the weather will be better anyway. So Morgan this ones for you.

any one interested in a little wine...

We went our separate ways.... well actually Ashleigh stayed with Celia and Sean last night and then Sean and Ash hung out at their apartment until Celia got off of work. And they are on their way to the movies as I type.

So that left Bubbie, Bill, Barry, Leslie and Me to our own devices. And what devices we had to choose from...Today was the start of a 3 day wine festival here in Portland so of course we had to do a little tasting...

We started up 99W (Bills favorite road, not) and had a great lunch Hayden's Lake Front Grill and it was good.

The first stop was August Cellars where we sampled some very nice Pinot Noir, and some Gewurztraminer (everyone but Barry liked this one). The nice thing about this winery is that there were a few different other Boutique winery's that rent space from them so it was very easy to taste some delicious wines. The other winery we liked at this stop was Barking Frog. Yes you read that one right, The had a great Sangiovese and a Syrah there was also a Dessert Syrah that they were letting us sample but you had to order it as a future so I will be sending in the slip and Celia will be picking it up. The one other indulgence we had there was some unbelievable Chocolates from Majestic Chocolates. Now Barry and I have done a chocolate & wine parring before but they were nothing like these chocolates. I had a Balsamic Cherry Dark Chocolate and it was sooooo good.







From there we moved on down the street to Rex Hill Winery and again there were some very nice wines but the art work was very good. I didn't take enough pictures there but the murals on the walls were wonderful. And the wine was even better we bought some Cuvee and a Chocolate Pinot Noir to go over some ice cream. A little decadence never hurt anyone.










From there we moved on to our last stop which was the Ponzi Winery where again there were a few other guest winery's there for the tasting. Now if Ponzi Winery seems familiar to you it is because it is the same winery that Celia and Sean went to back in October. The winery was very nice and so were the guest vintners Dusky Goose and Wahle Vinyards. It was all very delicious and a great day.





So with a few new bottles of wine and a nice little buzz we went home to relax and call it a day.... Because tomorrow I believe we will start doing some wedding looking.....and of course I will put it up for you all to see.

The Apartment

yes, I do believe there was a movie by that name... so this is our version of the remake.

The Apartment

Starring Celia Cohn and Sean Bucknam

Shot on location in Lake Oswego Oregon

yes, I do believe there was a movie by that name... so this is our version of the remake.

and the sequel to the apartment is

Bill and Leslie's house.

getting ready for Thanksgiving Dinner

Our team (the Bruin Boy Bunch and the Earl of Portland) was responsible for appetizers... potatoes and one dessert.

We made mashed potatoes, Sweet Potatoes with marshmellows and Caramelized Onion Tartlets.... and it was good. I do have pictures but we are having a few issues getting them loaded onto the blog so until then you will all have to just live with Ashleigh doing a Walrus Dance.

and if I don't get back tonight to put more on.... Happy Health Thanksgiving... and we are hugging you.

And here are a few more pictures from the evening.

Day two... it was a long day

we started the day with 8 hours of driving ahead of us.... but we had a good breakfast and we were on our way. The Pitt River Bridge which we



expected to be our first delay (the radio was saying to be prepared with a full tank of gas pleanty of water and snacks).

Not what you would call the most welcoming of thoughts. But we got there early enouh that it was not bad and a little slowing down and we were throught there in no time at all.

And before long we were on our way again 600 and some miles and 7 hours... now 7 hours when you are up and moving around is a lot diffrent than 7 hours behind the wheel of a car but we were coming up on the half way point and there was no turning back. We gassed up in Shasta (we will be staying there on the way back) changed drivers and we were on our way. NO Ashleigh did not drive she only learned how to pump gas

and before long we were in Oregon... and yes we had to stop

We thought the traffice issues were over ... we thought too soon.... o.k. it cought up with us around Albany and our 4:30 arrival time quickly turned into 5:30 and then finally 6:30 but we made it.



I said it was still going to be a long drive and Ashleigh needed something to do... so she got a hold of my camera and went to town

The Journey North Begins

As we started our treck north alll Ash said is if we stop short all of this stuff is ging to hit me in the back of the head.... don't worry we never did

o.k. so this might not bee the greatest picture of what is going on... but it certianly is interesting....

this was after lunch at Harris Ranch... and for those of you who are getting postcards.... that was stop one.

We are 600 miles from Portland and we are doing the rest of it tomorrow...

but tonight we are in Sacramento (Hi to the Gov)

Now is this a thanksgiving greeting or what

Emily and Kennah I will miss you this year at thanksgiving..... but the card helps keep you close

Lloyd this one is for you

so you enter through area 1 and there is a window and and door then there is a reception area with a built in table at the little alcove.




Then you move into area 3. now this is an big area about a 20x24 area and here is a video of us just turning in a circle there. If you were to stand at the entry from the reception area and look across area 3 this is the doors to offices 7 and 8




if you keep working your way around the room you come to a work room / phone room next it is a nice work area and already built out

then we move around to the offices


office 5 is 20 x12 it is long and skinny right next to it is office 6 it is smaller 12x16 but it could be broken out to meld with office 7 to make the office you and Barry share office 7 is also 12x16 but it is on the corner so half of the windows would face the west and half would face ventura blvd.






after that is office 8 ( 12x14) which could also be put with office 7 to make a long office but that one is the lowest on my list of ways to make your office.next is office 9 this one is 12x16 and there is a hall next to it leading to area 10 but we will get to that later.


If you were looking from the reception area across the open area 3 these are the office doors to office 5 and 6












and then this is what you would see from the door at work area 4 looking towards the hallway, office 9 and office 13.




now I am going to skip a little and talk about office 13 it is a 12x14 space with a window it could be a small confrence room or an office.


O.k. that is it for the main area next we will move down the hallway shown here between office 9 and 13 to area or office 10. Right now office 10 is the end of suite 200 and it is a 12x12 area. So here is another thought for you and Barry. we would put office 9 and 10 together and then continue the hall all the way through to area 11 (that is in the other suite right now) so the office would be 28 feet long and then 12 feet wide in some areas and 8 feet wide in the other but we would put another door at the other end going into area 11 which we would turn into a confrence room and look at the view we would have.







Now the last part of the office and depending on how you look at things it could be more importiant to some than others would be the other work area. Area 12 now the reason that this area is so importiant is because this work area has running water and a dishwasher.




O.k. so that is the inside of the building here are just a few pictures from the outside looking in... the front is office 8, 9 and 10. And here is the back where the undergroud parking lot is.








and that is the mini tour of the office... I have a few more video clips but you have to wait until I get to the office and down load them from my phone. Untill then call with any questions.


and if this is anyone other than Lloyd feel free to comment.

Getting ready for BRRRRRRR

Yes that is Miss Ashleigh getting ready for Portland... I know we are a week away and nothing else is ready yet.... but hey that is what last minute is for.

In Portland today the high is 52 and the low is 45...

and for Thanksgiving ... we are talking 60% chance of showers high 47 and the low of 40... we are packing lots of warm socks.