Rolling Thunder
Astoria, Oregon is a city on the border between Oregon and Washington, and one of the oldest explored areas on the West Coast. They have their own trolley line for tourists, to take them to various sights:
They also have a BBQ place called Rolling Thunder. Rolling Thunder, my brother-in-law Mariner Man says is an event in Washington DC where all the war veterans get on their motorcycles and tour all the Washington monuments. I didn’t know that. Adventure Man said that Rolling Thunder is also one of the code names for the US attacks on D-Day in WWII. I didn’t know that either.
I do know I love barbecue!
I guess I must have been really hungry. . . I didn’t get any pictures of the FOOD! Mom had the pulled pork sandwiches, and I had the smoked chicken. Yummmmm.
Teriyaki Flank Steak
I keep meaning to post some food photos for Puratory but the problem is we get everything on the table and we start eating. Mariner Man has been the best at documenting our meals; I only think to take a photo too late, and the camera is far away.
Finally, I remembered, just in time for Teriyaki Flank Steak, my Mother’s speciality that everyone loves. She bought three huge flank steaks, put them into plastic bags with the marinade and froze them. They thawed as we drove to the beach, and were ready for the grill when we got there:
Here is my Mother’s marinade recipe for Flank Steak:
Teriyaki Flank Steak Marinade
Most recipes will tell you to marinate a flank steak for an hour – we thing overnight is even better. Sometimes two or three nights, or marinate it in a plastic bag and freeze until needed:
(per 1 – 2 lbs flank steak)
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup sake or sherry (optional)
1 cup pineapple juice (use two if you donβt use wine or sake)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs sugar
1 large chopped onion
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 t. shredded fresh ginger
Grill flank steak until there is no red in the middle; some people like no pink in the middle. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
Here is a platter of the finished flank steak:
Ecola Beach
You take a winding road, up hill and down, with steep drops on the ocean side, to get to Indian Beach – but it is worth the effort. There is a great view, restrooms, and you can visit the tidal pools. I loved all the wet suits lined up to dry on the fence here. Families were brewing coffee, making sandwiches, surfers were out waiting for a good wave to come along, and it was a fabulous location:
Let’s Go Fly a Kite
There is so much to do!
There is a long walking promenade along the beach, wide enough for bicycles, moms with strollers, people skating, people walking their dogs, and people just walking or jogging.
On the beach, people are swimming, sunning, building magnificent sand castles, fishing, and . . . flying kites.
Some of the kites are purely magnificent. Here is my favorite – a pirate ship!
Heavenly Sunset
This sunset sort of made me think about the heavens opening and the hand of God coming out – yep, sunsets in the Pacific Northwest are like that. π
Oregon Beach Rental
The Oregon coast is a beach lover’s delight. My mother’s family had cabins on the beach that they rented out every summer, so my Mom grew up on the Oregon beaches, and consequently, we did, too. The cabins, which were always beachy and utilitarian, have become increasingly sophisticated.
We have rented both sides of a wonderful cottage. Our side of the cottage easily sleeps 14 people (we are four people) and the other side of the cottage easily sleeps 10 – 12. They have huge dining tables, cupboards full of glasses, dishes, serving platters, dishwashing AND dishwasher detergents – they are fully equipped with stoves, microwaves, coffee makers, washers and dryers, even hair dryers, even shampoos and conditioners, even beach towels and beach equipment and bike helmets. I am astonished at how equipped they are.
This is called the Little House, and if you want to rent it, you can find it here:
Little House on the Promenade
The cottage has two beautifully furnished living rooms (with additional sleeping on fold out couches if you have a very large family), chairs, TVs, fireplaces, games, books, magazines . . . and it is completely wired for wi-fi. Wooo Hoooo for me!
Although it can be two separate rentals, when it is one family renting both sides, there is a secret passage connecting the two rentals, so we are back and forth in one another’s kitchens all day. Oh, what fun.
Oregon Sunset
This is not your Kuwait sunrise – we are on the way far west coast, and what we get here, when we are on the water, is spectacular sunsets. I thought of you when I saw this sunset last night – and the sun set around 8:45 at night! I didn’t have the energy to share it with you last night, but I will share it with you now.
And just moments later, day is done:
Deported Workers to Get Rights
From today’s Kuwait Times:
Deported workers to get rights
Published Date: August 02, 2008
KUWAIT: Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak and the Minister of Interior Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid affirmed that Kuwait will never wrong anybody.
They said Kuwait strongly endorses human rights and will ensure that all the deported laborers will get their rights. The indemnity of workers as well as their other dues will be sent to them through the Bangladeshi Embassy in Kuwait.
Al-Mubarak also affirmed that there was no connection between the issue of human trafficking and the strikes staged by Bangladeshi workers. He said the workers committed violations by resorting to acts of sabotage and vandalism and Kuwait has the right to apply laws to deter such acts of violence.
Al-Khalid said the Ministry of Interior initially did not resort to force in dispersing the workers but was left with no option after they turned violent, reported Al-Rai. He said the rioters who resorted to acts of sabotage and vandalism had to be stopped to maintain Kuwait’s national security.
I am guessing this means that the workers were deported without receiving their back salaries. I have a sinking feeling that there probably isn’t a list of them, and what they are owed, and a way to get these salaries to them – I would guess that many of them don’t even have an address.
From the July 31st Kuwait Times:
Published Date: July 31, 2008
By A Saleh, Staff writer
KUWAIT: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor has continued summoning cleaning company heads to speedily resolve discussions on cleaning workers complaints after the strikes were suspended. A ministry official said that workers from 20 companies were involved in the strike action, with over 150 workplaces being affected by the strikes, including hospitals, health centers and other state facilities, as well as Cooperative Societies and private sector companies.
The official explained that the social affairs ministry is currently negotiating wage rises for the workers with the companies involved, as well as insisting on back payment of their unpaid salaries and improvements to their miserable living conditions, in order to avoid future recurrences of the recent protests.
The ministry is completely serious about taking strict steps against the companies that fail to comply with new decisions, the official emphasized. He added that the ministry is insisting on receiving official undertakings from the cleaning companies’ management to pay the backdated salaries in full; if these are not paid, the ministry will deduct KD 250 per worker from the company’s bank account.
Combination of Events
Yesterday I visited our house. We have been seriously blessed with good renters, people who are good hearted, and take care of the house. We have a good property manager; when something needs to be done – a new roof, a new furnace, a new fence – he has people who can handle the job, and the job gets done well.
The house still has it’s original refrigerator from when it was built. I think it needs a new one – before an emergency happens and our renters lose their food. I measure, take stock of how the house is doing, and then . . . I have to go buy a refrigerator.
For me, this is stressful. A refrigerator is something that is supposed to last for a while. I go to Consumer Reports and I read about all the refrigerators. Here is what is interesting – the top rated model, in terms of keeping things cold or frozen, in terms of energy use, etc. has thirteen consumer reviews, and most of them are negative! Most needed repairs, and most of the repairs had to do with the ice maker and the cold water on the door thingie (to use the technical term)
So I visited three stores, looked at refrigerators. At two of the stores, you had three choices – white, stainless steel or black. I am not a black-appliance person, I am not a person who wants black in my kitchen. Neither, I discovered, am I a white-appliance person. And the stainless steel just makes me tired; it is a fad that is already passing. So what to do?
I went to the third store and there is more choice. I find the top rated model, which is on sale, and then ask the salesman if he has the same model WITHOUT the cold water and ice dispenser on the door, and he does! And it is on sale! And WITHOUT the fancy extras – it is exactly the same price as the ones WITH the fancy extras!
How funny is that?
I went ahead and ordered the one without all the water dispensers. It does have an ice cube maker, that is fine with me. Then, it took me longer to pay for it and arrange for delivery than it took me to research and decide which model to buy.
The salesman was very good, he knew his stuff. This wasn’t his fault. The problem is that I am an anomaly. My billing address is not the same as the address to which the refrigerator will be delivered. I have several different phone numbers, one of which is only active when I am in the USA, one of which rings in Kuwait, and I don’t want people calling in the middle of the night, oh, what to do?
I don’t exactly know what time is a good time for delivery for the renter; that is always handled by the property manager. I don’t have his phone number with me. GROAN!
When I finally get back to my Mother’s place, I am exhausted. A soft rain starts falling around 4 pm and from then on, I keep falling asleep. I am probably still jet lagging, yes, I know, it’s been a week but my body still has a time zone all its own.
I know it is too early to go to sleep so I make myself stay awake, I try to read, but at 9 pm, I totally give up. It’s the exhaustion, and it is the soothing sound of the steadily falling light rain. I keep my window open; I love the fresh air, and I love to hear the birds, and oh, the sound of rain! This morning, yes, 4 a.m. and I am wide awake. It is a GORGEOUS, sunny day, the clouds and rain have gone, and I had better start packing for the next leg of this journey while I have all this energy.
5 Star Pho
My favorite little restaurant, 5 Star Pho, is totally packed at noon, every table but one is taken, and that one has a reserved sign on it. Fortunately for me, a booth opens up just moments after I arrive. The waitress brings me a hot cup of tea – a welcome treat for a woman who has just escaped the heat of Kuwait to shiver in Seattle – and a menu, but I already know what I want.
This is what I crave while I am living in Kuwait. My friend, Coeurcountry, has improved my life so much by making me a gift of the rice-paper wrappers, and a great recipe, so I CAN make them myself, but oh, 5 Star Pho does it so much better! Even though I am in and out of town, not a daily or even a weekly regular customer, they always remember me. I don’t even have to ask; they bring me extra peanut sauce!
I am sorry, I couldn’t wait. I had to take a bite even before I shot the photo!
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