I flew into Portland this morning to help my parents fix up their house so they can put it on the market at the end of the week =D

They have lived in this house almost 34 years so people have asked me if I am sad that they are selling my childhood home. So far I am not very sad about it, I haven’t lived here in years and only stay here about once a year for the last 5 years. It’s like it’s been a slow separation, everything looks and feels different now. I am mainly just excited for them to move out to Colorado. I think the I will be most sad is the first time I visit Oregon after the house sells and I don’t have home to come back to. I have plenty of people to stay with but it won’t be the same.

I love the rich colors here and even the gray cloudy skies. But the thing I love most about Oregon and Portland in particular is how dedicated the people and therfore the city is to being kind to the planet. After landing at PDX I stopped into the bathroom and was so excited to see this:
Only in Portland…So much for “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down”. I have heard of these toilets where you can use different amounts of water based on need. Too much toilet talk? sorry but I love when we use only what we need. Was it weird that I took a picture in a public bathroom? Very, but I never claimed to be normal.

The rest of the day was spent spreading soggy bark dust in a soggy back yard.
5 cubic yard pile left in my mom and dad’s drive way.
I didn’t exercise at all but that’s ok because hauling bark dust and shoveling really got my heart rate going (and I am really sore). Plus I got to hang out with two of my favorite people.

Where is your favorite place in the world, where does your heart feel at home?