Days of the Prophet: Go to Portland

I am off to Portland, Oregon soon with my beloved, longsuffering son, AKA Bunsworth in blogging circles. I was told to 'Go to Portland' by an Apostle which may seem strange to some but I am learning to listen to these kind of guys.

We leave on 27th December and given that Portland is 8 hours behind us that means the journey door to door will be 21 hours. It would have been shorter but I couldn't get a decent flight. (Maybe now that Robbie and Rudolph are not busy I could cadge a lift from them)

We will be there for a week and so will experience the delights of a US New Year. Hope it's good. Being a Northerner New Year celebrations have always been special. I used to love it as a kid: getting to stay up until the early hours eating Lancashire hot pot and having a large piece of coal in the grate that was lit just before midnight that burned into the New Year. Then there was first footing when people would go house to house to let in the New Year and get a drink at each home.

I've been told that Times Square, New York celebrations are the official New Year for the US but that many states west of New York also celebrate a second time when their time zone reaches midnight. Maybe this means I can have three New Years, one at 4PM (UK), one at 8PM (New York) then one at Portland Midnight. If you have alcohol to welcome in the New Year that will be interesting.

We don't get back until the 4th so hopefully we get a day at least shopping. The meetings I take part in are from 28th to 30th December then we will be in the church for New Year's Eve meetings and I assume New Years Day will be a holiday. Mrs P is staying at home so I need to think of a good present to bring back. Any good shopping tips will be most welcome.

On a different note and as a proud Dad I thought you might like a photo of my beautiful daughter with a couple of her friends at last nights 'Ignite' Christmas meal.