Well now, this is Portland Calling!! An update on my travels so far. Spent a good week in San Francisco, city of my dreams, Golden Gate Bridge seen through thick fog, cold wind blasting up my skirt, great food to expand the ever-growing waistline and miles of uphill and down dale to lengthen the shins and calf muscles.To befriend Mark Twain, I must borrow his line -I've never felt so cold as that summer in San Francisco. But what a nice week it was. Met a lovely Dutch girl Inge with the very nice double-barrel surname and hung out with her and a couple of others she picked up later in the week. That is the bonus of travelling alone. Highly recommend it.
Then  twelve damn hours at the airport to wait for the replacement flight to Las Vegas. My 9am flight on United was cancelled and could not get on till the 5.55 pm one which was then 2 hours late!!! Needless to say, I was sooo browned off by the time I walked into my hotel at midnight to find loud 'funky'music blasting out all over. I must admit I dislike the town intensely, can't do desert and heat and keep my dinner down and a cool head up at the same time.
 As I sat at the quick food joint adjacent to the Flamingo and gazed out at the scores of fat, people pushing buttons on the poker machines; faces and brains on neutral, I came up with the thought, LV is an adult Disneyland with evil intent, founded by evil men way back to use as a most effective tool to plummel the money out of the gullible. The only saving grace is Ka - Cirque de Soleil the most incredible show ever!! In Auckland I used to drool over the Met Opera's Ring Cycle with their great staging, but Cirque leaves that far behind. I truly recommend it to you all for quality entertainment. That was what saved Vegas for me.

 Got out after two days and am now in Portland, Oregon, at last a real city! Been here before and loved it. Daughter Melanie works on her henna art here and last night took me to the first of her yogic chant class. Quite, quite amazing. the clarity of the voice from this beautiful child of my womb. Okay, please forgive me for clucking.

Oh, and needless to say, all along the way I meet lovely people to whom I give my calling card with Memories in the Bone cover and precis of story. Now my line there is 'Read it and tell me what you think and maybe one day when I get famous, you can say "I knew her when...." Adios till the next time. Wish you all very well  and keep happy and healthy.