(remember, the base is the Corvallis Depot.) This trip is different because I am not teaching at Illinois this year and there is now an on-site radiologist so rather than the make-shift course schedule we have worked in the past, we are following the OSU course schedule and are actually having labs. I just finished my second week of that course and covering the clinic. The OSU radiologist has been handling it all by herself since we were here in late June. (I think she started in early July). It was great to re-acquaint with old friends and make new friends. The OSU radiologist has brought some organization to the 
program. She is actually of German/Austrian descent and grew up in western Austria. It is quite possible that Georgia went through her home town when she was in Europe... This shrinking world is amazing. Along that line, I didn't have students in the clinic for this first 2 weeks, but was assigned a large animal surgery resident who grew up in Memphis, TN. Her father has met Mr. Tuohy (Tim McGraw in "The Blind Side"). Because Georgia was feeling punky last weekend, we "stayed home", then drove to Salem to see that movie.. good flick.. Let's see; eating in Corvallis where there is never a lack of interesting places to fill your tummy. We of course have brought home chicken salad from the New Morning Bakery a couple of times (along with their deliceous cherry pie). Have ordered Pizza from Cirello's twice, China Blue once Iovino's once and Cloud 9 once. These are all favorites from the past. Got to go to a new place that we apparently missed last June. They opened last St. Patrick's day. "West Coast Italian" is their description and Terzo is their name. If you go back to our first trip, we raved about the French Bistro. As I understand, that guy is now doing Terzo. (http://www.terzocorvallis.com/) Georgia had these gigantic meatballs and spagetti. I really lucked out in choosing Italian sausage soup... It's a little like Olive Garden's Zupa Tuscana, but oh so much better....mmmmmmm! Then my entree was pork tenderloin scalapini... with fig sauce. OMG. Some of you are old enough to remember the line; "I can't believe I ate the whole thing."... Yup! Then Friday the radiologist who was at OSU for many years and retired some time ago to devote more time to training dogs and enjoying life in Corvallis stopped in the clinic with her dog Billie. I hadn't seen her since she was in Champaign "boning up" on Nuclear Medicine with Dr. Twardock. She took us out to lunch at "Bombs Away".. They have this $5 
lunch (mexican) that makes the $5 footlong look like a snack and with so much more flavor... and probably cholesterol, etc. That was good. Kind of a dive, but good eating. We followed that with dinner at El Sol De Mexico with those in the radiology group that could make it.. Lots of Mexican in one day, but that's just fine with me. Oh, I forgot, we also did a carry out one night from "Local Boys" which is a campus favorite of lots of cheap flavorful food... It is traditional Hawaiian... If you remember from a previous post, our great surprise at eating there was the lack of pineapple.. to us Hawaiian means pineapple, but that is apparently not true. OH, 
while we're on food. Across the parking lot from the vet school is the sports complex. A past OSU graduate is working part time in radiology and his wife works for the OSU football program in this building at the end of the football field called the Valley Football Center. Y'all have heard about the "training table" where the athletes eat. Four days a week, anyone can eat in the cafeteria where the athletes eat for $7. Well, one lunchtime, we went over and partook.... again, mmmmmmm! and lots of it. Supposedly they are also open during dinner in the early evening, but we haven't hit that yet. This veterinarian grew up near Buffalo, Wyoming in the Bighorn mountains when we crossed on our last trip home from Washington State. Again that small world is shrinking.
I have put some pictures here that Georgia took last nite at El Sol de Mexico with some of the radiology group. Notice. Sara's dad is Columbian and her mom is German/Austrian... Does she remind anyone else of our little Bruno whose mom and dad are Kneller and Perez.. Obvioulsy, we thought she was darling. Before I leave this post there is one more little item. If you go back to last June when I was walking along the track to work, you will find my idea of the "classic Oregon home". At that time one morning, I met the lady of the house tending their raised garden boxes and also met their little dog. Last night, as I passed their house, "Chuck" was out looking over his workshop with a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other, making plans of upkeep. I stopped and we chatted. He is a high school guidance counselor and as a side, a singer/songwriter. I'm pretty sure I posted a picture of their cute little house by the tracks last June. I also met their cat whom I surprised Friday morning. Guess he wasn't quite awake until I nearly stepped on him. Although I, again, am making my doctors happy with this twice a day mile walk, I don't think it is causing me to loose weight. Seems the old falciform ligament is storing up plenty for that impending famine. As a parting shot, here is a picture Georgia took of 
her mother and her great, great grandson Bruno!!
her mother and her great, great grandson Bruno!!Darn I forgot this part, so am adding it later. All who have followed this jibberish know that breakfast is my meal and I have "searched the world over (really just much of the USA)" to find the perfect breakfast spot. Until this trip, the B&B in Gas City, Indiana; Sammy's on Mattis in Champaign, Illinois; and Tommy's 4th street bar and grill in Corvallis were my top 3. You can imagine then that as we headed into town down 4th street I was anxious to see the 1940's decor of Tommy's.. I couldn't find it in the dark. The next morning, still in the dark, I drove past the spot I remembered and still couldn't find it. so not to waste the opportunity, I headed over to Sam's Station on Harrison. That is a good breakfast, but a little expensive and they aren't very flexible with their menu items. I had remembered some other suggestions, so with the help of the internet, I found Sharon's Cafe out south of town (I think). Although I liked Tommy's better, it did take Tommy's place among my top 3. Plus, although like most northwest eating, "home fries" are actually little cubes of potato. I was however able to get a half order of extra crispy home fries with onions, one egg over easy, sausage links and whole wheat toast with no disapproving looks from the waitress (who by the way is from Indianapolis). Now comes the part that put Sharon's solidly among my top 3. When she dropped off my breakfast, she LEFT THE CHECK... Why is that such big deal? I think from growing up on the farm, eating is something I do to put food in my body and get on with life, rather than a social occasion. With that, again I think with the thought of getting back to the field, or later onto some other work related issue, I am a very fast eater (Right Georgia?) So I find my self sitting and waiting for the check quite often when I am eating alone... Don't like that!!! At Sharon's there's no waiting for the check... After all who is going to add a desert after eating a breakfast? When you walk into Sharons (once you find it), you see the clear decor of native american, wolves and owls.... all over the place. So, I asked about Tommy's. Seems somewhere between June and January, it burned down. So I drove by the location in the daylight and sure enough most of Tommy's is gone and the rest is charred and boarded up. Another landmark gone. Oh, to clear my conscious, I have decided I should go out for breakfast only on Saturday mornings while here. The rest of the time I'm being a good doo bee and eating shredded wheat or peanut butter toast. There I feel better.