Our last hours in Portland were enhanced greatly by a blipmeet with Kendall at Lovejoy Bakers, where I could happily spend a month working my way through their many delicious offerings.

I asked countless questions about Kendall's and Sue's recent UK trip, all of which she thoughtfully answered, catching me up on beloved blippers and describing some of the special places she and Sue visited. Kendall brought along her iPad Mini so I could compare it directly with my iPad, clinching my decision to "downsize" this year. Many thanks for this time together, dear friend!

After that blissful interlude, it was out onto the hot streets of Portland again for a 15-minute walk to the train station, and then a lot of standing about in the station, waiting for our train to depart. Due to the unusually high temperatures, the train had to travel slower than usual for the first part of the journey---something to do with the tracks, but I can't remember the details---and we arrived in Bellingham 1.5 hours late, and glad to be home again. 

It's cooler here than Portland, but hotter than usual, and the fire danger on this 4th of July is very high. I hope those who feel that powerful fireworks set off in their own backyards are essential will think again this year, and enjoy the spectacular show that the city puts on over Bellingham Bay instead.

(I'm grateful to Phil for today's photo, and if you follow the link to Kendall's journal above, you'll see one of my favorite photos ever of Phil and me, taken by her. I encourage you to read her journal entry as well; there is much food for thought in the third paragraph, with which I nod my head in agreement.)