Olivia's Back!

She's still 18. She's not still in love, but she's still on fire with her dreams. She has come to spend a couple of weeks of freedom before she starts college in Alabama, and she's staying with me.

"For these two weeks, I'm free! Nobody knows me. I don't have any responsibilities. I don't have to go to work. I'm not in school. While I'm here, I want to see the rose garden, and maybe go to one of those little neighborhood movie houses--all by myself. I want to eat dessert and sleep late and go places I've never been before."

Ah, youth, ah joy.

Meanwhile, a busload of 90 unaccompanied refugee children was supposed to arrive in Portland today. The only local people who gathered to meet the bus were people with WELCOME and and BIENVENIDOS signs. I love this city.