November 11, 2016. Back in Portland

LOCATION:  Housesitting in Portland, Oregon WEATHER:  We must be good-luck weather charms.  Sunny with highs about 65   It is nice to be back in a familiar place with the home and homeowners where we were in fall, 2015.  This is the view of the backyard, still with some of its autumn color.  

The homeowners were busy with packing, so we took off for several hours.  The house is near the Beaverton area.  We found a very authentic Vietnamese restaurant for pho for lunch.

As i've commented before, I just don't understand how Asians can eat so much and remain thin.  George and I split this bowl, and we were stuffed.  The thin Vietnamese customers did not split their pho at all, and had plates of other food, too.   We browsed around a huge Japanese supermarket.  We will return.  Today, we just bought an onigiri, translated to "honorable rice ball".  Children in Japan love these.  We do too!  

Back at home, we were reoriented to our duties here.  Lola, the cat, is adorable.  She is skittish today; she knows something is up.      For dinner, the homeowner made a delicious stir-fry and we had a great dinner conversation.....mostly about politics, with like-thinking liberals.