WINGING OUR WAY WESTWARD....

A few days after Christmas! Pat and I ... "winged our way westward" (kinda corny, huh!)... to Portland, OR.

"Oh, Chris!! I'm fr-fr-freezin' up here in the clouds!!"

"Hush, dear Pat. Take a swig o' my Clan MacGregor Scotch! That'll keep ya warm!"

"Nah, let's land this ol' crate for two coffees!"
As we neared Portland...on the right we marveled at the majesty of Washington's Mt. St. Helen's! A volcano "De-dapped" dramatically in 1980.

And on our left. The glorious Mt. Hood! A lofty two-mile-high stab into that deep blue Oregon sky!











This is "The Nines" Luxury Hotel in downtown Portland. Where Pat and I stayed with our daughters, Kelly and Kim, during our "Portland Pilgrimage". Daughter Kim lined it up on Priceline at a fraction of the standard rate. Thanks, Kim!

Uhh....this is not an ad for Priceline.

And here's the Harrison East. A highrise apt. bldg. where our son Michael and his wife Varinthorn (Kay) live.









Here's why the four of us ventured out to the West Coast Christmas Week. Kay just gave birth to a bouncing baby boy....

Good Fong Christopher! Our first grandchild!

Varinthorn is Thai. Her grandfather's name is "Fong". With deep respect they gave the grandfather's name to the little guy.

Mike and Kay, lecturing Good on the merits of the academic life. Like, so soon?

Mike is a psychologist. Teaches grad students at Pacific Univ.

Kay just recieved her Masters in Fine Arts from Portland State.

Also, Kay became a U.S.citizen a few weeks ago.

And they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in Oct.

Hey! We are now "Grandpa and Grandma"!! Hi, ya Good!

This pic...needs no comment.

Our daughter Kelly, now Aunt Kelly, doing some silent-speak with Good!

Kim will be 37, January 5th.

Happy birthday, dear Kimberly Mary!

Hi ya, Andy!










Kay is breastfeeding Good!

Good wants to bond with his dear-dad, too!

Uhhh....Miller Highlife? Is there another kind of symbiosis here!

Heartbeat to heartbeat!

Meanwhile, Husky Chinook lovingly surveys his family. Howl-l-l-l-l!

Kay was sorta 'housebound' with breastfeeding Good. But Mike took us out to see the sights. We stopped for lunch one day at the "Rogue Restaurant". The five of us together. Doesn't happen often anymore. Brought back some memories. Right, guys?

l-r: Kim, Kelly, Mike





Here's a five-of-us-together memory!

Mikey's First Communion in '82

Pat and I were very touched when Mike and Kay asked me to baptize Good on New Year's Eve. Informal? Yes. Efficacious? Assuredly.

And then, our dear daughter-in-law Varinthorn asked me to baptize her also.

She had attended Assumption Univ. (Jesuit) in her younger years back in Bangkok. That's where she and Mike met.

She admired the Jesuits. This baptismal ceremony, informal? Yes. Efficacious? God is God. And He/She has a Providence! Amen!

AND THAT, DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, IS THE STORY OF THE CHRISTOPHER CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION. IN THE FAR OFF, LOVELY LAND OF PACIFIC-PORTLAND! SO BE IT!