After leaving Portland, I headed south to Medford, Oregon, where my friends, Dan and Tanisha live.  I had worked at Starbucks with Dan when I lived in Nashville.  He had always said I should set my novel, “Decaf For The Dead” in Ashland, which is 30 minutes away from him.  So my trip to visit him and his wife was part business.  I focused a lot on writing the new novel and getting a feel for the small area of Oregon.
The foliage was beautiful in Ashland, and I enjoyed exploring Lithia Park as well as seeing two plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  I was fortunate enough to score press tickets so I could review the plays in Half Full.  The town is filled with antiques and old bookstores.  Dan says it kind of has a creepy feel, and while I think it is quite a charming and quaint city, I could definitely see how it might feel haunted, especially on an overcast day.

When exploring all of these old books, postcards, and trinkets found in all of the stores, you do get a sense of history and it makes me wonder what ghostly attachments these things might have.  Aside from writing and mildly exploring the area, I have been laying low, just enjoying visiting with my friends and their two young children, as well as slowing down the pace for the week, and actually cooking meals instead of eating out.
I needed this week to reflect and replenish, especially after Portland — which had me quite busy, and a little under the weather, as well as surprised that I didn’t want to move there!  I needed to regain my fervor for travel, and prepare for the last 3 big cities I will be seeing in October: San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas!
Cali, here I come!