Travels with The Rayman

Well, we’re legal for 22 years today.  Yep.  Got married in mother-in-law’s back yard in Montclair, CA.  Hired a man of the cloth out of the yellow pages, brought down a cake on Southwest Airlines (stashed it under the seat…those were the days), had family attend and that was that.  Only, that wasn’t only that.

After the ceremony and the food (which we catered), Ray’s mom’s boyfriend, Charlie, who had been drinking heavily all afternoon, left the party and got on a wreck going home.  So we sped to the hospital and sat there for hours waiting for him to be released.  Amazing that he was not charged with a drunk driving citation.  The police probably must have chalked it up to an “old man” getting in a wreck.  Charlie was a sweet guy and if anyone looked innocent, it was him.

But I digress.

So, today when I woke up, Rayman was gone.  Then he returned.  He had been at the gym.  Really.  What a guy.  The gym at the crack of dawn.  After getting ready for the day, we headed out to downtown Corvallis.  It was beautiful but cold.  Discovered their farmer’s market.  Wow.  It was fabulous.  Duck, rabbit, produce, at least 3 different singing groups, lots of dogs, cheese, wine.  They had it all.  And it was held on the promenade that runs along the Willamette River. Fun morning.  Then we picked up Ryan and went wine tasting.  Actually, to be more precise, they went wine tasting.  I was the designated driver.  Beaumeister was my company.

At Farmer’s market

My good friend, Beau.

Oregon is a great place.  Of course, it wasn’t raining.  The rain is arriving about the time we tee off at Bandon Dunes on Monday.  I’m quite sure of it.  It is in the forecast.  But today, well, it was glorious.  Warm.  Sunny.

We stopped in McMinnville and enjoyed a Spanish tapas lunch.  Practicing our eating for Spain next year.  Bacon dates, calamari, pork, potatoes, manchego cheese with honey, apple, EVOO and spicy nuts.  And Spanish wine to wash it down.  Yummy stuff.

Ryan at tapas joint.

So, let me digress.  Last night after dinner at a Brazilian restaurant, we scurried back to the hotel to watch Bill Maher on HBO.  Turned it on and some lame movie was in his time slot.  OMG.  This was a total and complete bummer.  So, I spent the evening reading a book entitled “Do Me”.  A book of short stories.  I will let you, dear reader, figure it out.  Thought it was a good choice for anniversary trip!!  Then I woke up at 2 a.m. and couldn’t go back to sleep.  Rayman was writhing and wiggling around and he hadn’t even read the book.  Well, this a.m. he explained that zombies were after him and needed a pair of scissors because the only way the zombies could be killed is by cutting up newspaper.   Really, folks.  I’m not kidding here.   My dreams were centered around winning a contest that involved tits and that’s all I’m going to say on that subject.  Oh, I can tell you that Rayman was driving me to Santa Maria to drop a car off at a gas station and that is where I met a woman that loaned me a dress and wedge shoes that figured prominently in the plot.  I was worried that he had not notified his office that he was going to be late for work.  Additionally, I didn’t notify my office either.  OMG.  I was beside myself.  I was probably wiggling and writhing too.  I was still awake at 4.  But enough about sweet dreams.

So, guys being guys, I learned a lot about college football today as I escorted the two around the countryside.  Did I mention that Rayman joined a wine club.  Yep.  Van Duzen…know for it’s pinots.  And Van Duzen also happened to be Beau’s favorite winery as I left him off the leash and he bounded around the grassy knoll with free abandon.  Not a care in the world, that dog.  Van Duzen was perched on a hill only accessible by a dusty dirt road.  The car was trashed by the dust and gravel.  So, when we returned to Corvallis, we headed for a car wash that required us to stay in the car.  Beau was totally traumatized as he hit the back seat floor and stayed there until we emerged from the other end of the car wash tunnel.

View from Van Duzen winery.

In the name of full discloser, we did not get lost today but that was because Ryan told us where to go.  Therefore, I have absolutely no tales of  being lost in space and so I apologize because those stories add so much color and interest to a blog.

Main Street, McMinnville

We did see a standard poodle prancing down Main Street with it’s master’s purse in it’s mouth.  That was a great scene and one I endeavored to record on my iphone but alas, when I turned to go around the block, I was foiled by a dead end street.  Ugh.  So, no proof of sighting.

Drats.

Tomorrow we head south to Bandon Dunes.  It sits right on the ocean.  Here’s a link for those with any interest in where we will be.

http://www.bandondunesgolf.com/pages/bandon_dunes/49.php