Make Mine Mike

Quick run-down of my trip:

My pal Mike broke his foot doing something extreme -- stepping out of his apartment (that's how Evel Kneivel did it too, I'm sure). So Mike suggested that maybe I shouldn't come up and hang out w/him in Portland. He'd have a cast on and need to be on crutches or in a wheelchair; it'd be hard to get around. I said if I can wheel my mom places all the time, I could certainly handle the big gimp, too. But forget me handling him as gently. I had fun rolling Mike down hills, speeding him into brick walls, pushing him down a flight of stairs...

Like when we visited Portland's gorges with the waterfalls and cliffs, or went up to Fort Vancouver, Washington so I can say I crossed the border into a new state. I did the same a few months ago, going from West Virginia into Kentucky. Now I only have about a dozen states left to see. Watch out, North Dakota.

Powell's bookstore (like on the wool hat I sometimes wear) is awesome. I woulda bought ten times more stuff than I did, but that woulda meant schlepping it in my suitcase. I don't mind heavy reading, but prefer light traveling.

We hung out a lot w/Mike's high school friend Mike and his cool wife and adorable kid. The 3 Mikes tried to see Munich, but it was sold out, so I had to see King Kong again. Freaked me out the second time, too.

And Mike's family welcomed me like one of their own. His grandfather was a sweet guy who looks like James Cromwell -- which explains why Mike can't accept the actor as a bad guy in movies like L.A. Confidential or The Longest Yard. His family fed me way too much and even gave me some Xmas gifts to fit in. Like a pocketknife to peel and eat the bark offa trees, which I've joked is whut them there kintry folk in the Northwest done do. Or maybe make Spotted Owl Soup?

Then I went to San Francisco to see my cousins and continue eating everything in sight. I had Thai food with them in the Haight, crepes w/Aimee, ever-lovable Emily and Varla in the Mission, Chinese food in North Beach, Senegalese food somewhere else in the rain...

It poured most of the week, so we mostly just hung out, played with the dogs -- my cousins' three slobberers, and Varla's cute carpet walruses... Tried to see Munich, but it was sold out again -- I refused to see Kong this time -- so we finally found another theatre showing Spielberg's movie... Good film, good low-key vacation...

In fact, it was a great last week of the year. I'm thankful to my hospitable hosts, providing comfort and shelter for a lost soul on the holidays and from the winter storms. It's raining here in LA, too -- so much for coming back to clear weather, but it's still good to be home. I'm just reflecting on the year, making resolutions for '06... and cherishing the one day of sunshine I had, of all places, in SF.

Happy New Year.