Today was the last day of family visiting. At the Miller house, Angie was packing to fly out at 3PM. Bill had stayed the night in Portland with Zach after attending a rowdy concert Sunday evening. Bill had to fly out at 2:30. Lou and I had breakfast at McDonald's and went to Freddy's to buy tools to solve a plumbing problem---and then Lou fixed the plumbing problem.
Eleven of us met up at my house to say goodbye to Angie and Bill before Deb took them to the airport. (Micki had gone to school for the day.) Five of us headed into Portland to visit the Grotto. On the way there Gemma asked what is a grotto. Gerry, being the good dad and teaching dad that he is turned on his highly educated phone and looked up the meaning of grotto. He gave us all an in depth history of the word, what it is in various languages, the general meaning of grotto, the specific meaning of grotto and explained how all this led up to our present day word, grotesque. Five year old Gemma will never be the same. (Deb, Jake and Jude met us after the airport drop off.)
THE GROTTO here in Portland is a lovely spot of forest in the middle of the city. It was built in the mid 1900's in appreciation of a particular priest's mother's life being spared. (He wasn't a priest at the time, rather, a young boy.) It is meant to be a place of quiet, reflection and tranquility. And it is that, though a chilly tranquility today with the temperatures only in the low 40's.
THE GROTTO
DECORATED FOR CHRISTMAS
VIEW OVER PORTLAND
FROM HEATED MEDITATION ROOM
MT. ST. HELENE'S FROM VIEW
THROUGH GLASS ENCLOSURE
LATE NOVEMBER FLOWERS
PEACE OVER PORTLAND
I had not been to the Grotto before, but Lou has. It was his request that we go. I am glad we did. It is a beautiful place---one I will visit at my leisure in the summer when the tranquility is WARM.
We had been planning to tour the zoo as a group this evening to view the Christmas lights. But when evening came and we were all together it was unanimous to stay inside, watch football and eat delivered pizza. That was the just right finish to 5 days of family time, now that family is tired, a bit sick with colds and needing to get up early for flights back home. We are all contented and appreciative of this time away from daily routine and occasion to simply enjoy being family.
ONE MIGHTY BIG LEAF
SAILBOATS, COLUMBIA RIVER AND MT. HOOD
This has been a good "last family visiting" day in the life of Grandma G.
"The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family." (Acts 16:34)
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