November 16, 2016. Quiet day in the rain

LOCATION:  House-sitting in Portland, Oregon WEATHER:  Rain most of the day.  Highs around 50   Most of the day was rainy, so I snuggled up with Lola the cat on the couch and finished my book "The Road to Little Dribbling" by Bill Bryson, one of my favorite authors.  This is a book he wrote about his observations of England after writing his original book "Notes from a Small Island" 40 years ago.  My brother and I really relate to him.  He grew up in Iowa (like us), was born in the 1950s (like us), left Iowa to travel around England in Europe in his 20s (like us), and cannot tolerate stupidity and poor grammar.  He is really funny.  

During sunny bits of the day, I walked around the backyard.  The weather in Portland is mild enough so that herbs grow all year.  I picked some thyme and oregano.

Camellias and other flowers are blooming, too.

In the afternoon, we went to the grocery store to buy dinner ingredients.   DINNER:  Another soup.  This was a seafood corn chowder.  I made it with scallops and a fillet of tilapia.  It was really good.     We figured out how to use Netflix here, so watched Anthony Bourdain in front of the fireplace.  Happily, Lola joined us for a cuddle.