'Well, Portland, Oregon and sloe gin fizz...

...if that ain't love, then tell me what is'


Our own dear darling Loretta Lynn wrote those immortal words. It seems so long ago that we were guests on her lovely ranch in Tennessee. She wrote and performed this song with Jack White of 'The White Stripes' No sloe gin for us, unfortunately, just the regular sort. We'll have to wait until we get home for my homemade, rather wonderful, sloe gin adult beverage.

It was my second time in Portland, this rather un-American city. Part of me likes it, but another part wishes that they would sort out the large number of homeless people and general freaks that seem to live there. I like a tolerant society but there is a tipping point when this just becomes unpleasant. The pace of life seems so very slow too. The public transport system, whilst superficially looking good, takes for ever to get anywhere. Maybe I am just too used to London, but I felt that I just wanted to wind Portland up and help it to get a move on.

We got 'married' again at the coin operated ' Church Of Elvis'. It only cost a quarter, good value we thought.

Tonight we are in Salem, the Oregon state Capital, I'll bet you thought it was Portland! We are on the 45th parallel, which means we are halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. Quite a good place to be, I'm sure you'll agree.

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