Wanderlust

The Eugene Editions

Where the hell have we been the last few weeks? Well, the short answer is Eugene, Oregon. I'll get to that in a minute.

After Owen's scary bout of RSV started to dissipate just a few days before we were due to fly to Portland, I was quite sure we were in the clear. George even carted him back to the doctor, concerned that his ear infections had not improved, where upon his pediatrician proclaimed his fussiness and slight fever over the weekend due to nothing more alarming than teething molars. Feeling foolish, we feverishly prepared for Oregon and were miraculously in the air Thursday morning without a hitch. After less than 24 hours in Eugene, however, it began to be evident that perhaps Owen was dealing with something more than teething. By Saturday morning we were positive. His fever soared and we tanked him up on Ibuprofen and cold medicine to keep him comfortable. To Owen's credit, he was a trooper despite being far from home and away from the comforts of his motorized snot sucker. By the time we arrived back in SLC on Monday, Owen's cold was in full effect and we needed frequent showers and constant meds throughout the week to keep him functional. He began to show improvement in his nasal congestion on Thursday, but has now developed a nasty cough that keeps him up at night, hacking like a seasoned smoker. Needless to say Mommy is VERY TIRED. Did I mention I was tired? I keep thinking this is some sort of nightmare, that I'll wake up and Owen will be well. But it just keeps going on and on with no end in sight and I have to convince to get up every morning and start all over again.

That being said, we still made every attempt to have a lovely visit with Rory and Amy. George and I had long wanted to check out Oregon and were enthralled with the dense, lush vegetation. The weather, contrary to popular belief, was gorgeous except for the five seconds we ventured onto the beach, where the sands looked as though they had been raked by claws from the ferocious winds. Oh, and that day it kind of misted all day. And that one morning when it was pretty damp and cold at the Farmer's Market. But to be fair, we hardly noticed. Busy soaking in the local flavor, George and I were simply overjoyed to be where people looked at home in their skin and in a city teeming with adventurous experiences. While Eugenians may be a slightly unusual bunch, they were friendly and relaxed and it was lovely to walk around town and not feel the sting of a single judgmental look. Folks bicycle around, composting and eating vegan but without an ounce of righteousness. According to Rory and Amy, for all it's environmental virtue, Eugene has it's own proliferation of petty crime. Our hosts treated us to wonderful parade of new palate pleasing experiments, both from their kitchen and in Eugene at large.

And while we only got to enjoy a couple hours in Portland, we got a strong taste of it's urban personality. Overflowing with ethnic cuisine, leafy parks, and tons of foot and bicycle traffic, Portland draws people to its waterfront, where Mt. Hood rises eerily from the nearby skyline.

We've been back home for nearly a week now, and life has yet to return to its normal pulse. George and I are looking forward to next weekend and the treat of a holiday to enjoy at home, being lazy and luxuriously rested.