Deep in the Pit
Here we are on Wednesday again. Our weekend. Terry is off on a four day weekend. He began his regular runs this morning. The man rushes off to get some coffee and a doughnut or two in the morning, has haircut appointments, and does all the tasks he cannot complete during the first part of the week while working. It's good that he remains that busy and doesn't just lay around the house.
My husband returned home from work on Wednesday and asked if I wanted to go out to eat. Well, of course. He suggested the Pita Pit we had made an attempt to eat at a couple of years ago. I suggested it at that time because the Pita Pit in Eugene was good, according to my daughter, Brandy.
Terry and I walked in our first time, hoping to feed ourselves a tasty gyro or some sort of wrap. Instead of hearing how wonderful it was to have a customer or two walk into the shop, we heard an immediate list of everything they didn't have. They were out of steak and out of various other meats and veggies, leaving only chicken for the protein. Terry hates chicken, so off we went.
Wishing to change his outlook on the eatery, Terry started going there for something different for lunch. He fell in love with a Hula Bowl. With rice and a mixed bowl of various veggies, topped with a nice teriyaki sauce, he decided he loved the dish and it met all the requirements for being good. I was curious as to what it was like having still never been there, so off we went last night.
We walked in and saw a one woman show. A single employee was on shift, having to cook, serve, and do dishes in between. There was even a sign at the cash register to yell for her if she's in the back room doing dishes. That alone almost made me want to leave.
She happened to be cooking an order for a couple of people waiting patiently on their food. Another gentleman was standing behind that couple and stated he was waiting for his order too. Terry and I took our place behind everyone and waited.
It wasn't long before she had the orders cooked, bagged, and off they went to their forever homes. We began listing off our selection of food. I wanted a Mediterranean wrap, filled with chicken, Greek dressing, olives, spinach, tomato bits, and probably some other stuff too. It sounded awesome.
Terry ordered his usual Hula bowl while the clerk wrote down each choice. During this time, the two were chatting about how she has seen him in the shop before. Terry replied that yes, he had been there several times, but at lunch, not dinner. Then, the lights dimmed, clowns came rolling out on tricycles, and elephants were standing on large balls. Ladies and gentlemen, we present the Pita Pit three-ring circus act.
I always order water to drink instead of soda. Sometimes club soda with lime, but I figured there was no such drink in this restaurant. Terry asked for a cup to let me get some water out of the soda machine. She replied with, "We don't have water but you can order a bottle of it for $2.50." My husband had to pick up his jaw before stating, "Yeah, no. That's not happening."
I sat at the table I chose for us when I heard a big "thud." Yes, my jaw had dropped too, hitting the table top. What type of restaurant does not have water flowing? It's common for every restaurant to have water from the soda machine. Hubby Mac looked at me and suggested I could get some water if I wanted to pay $2.50 for a bottle. By this time I just wanted to eat and get out of the place altogether.
Speaking of eating, as my sweet guy ordered, she told him they did not have rice for the dish he wanted. Oh, she just kept on bringing the good news. She suggested lettuce or spinach instead. Reluctantly, he claimed the lettuce choice. She moved on to make our orders and get them done.
My Mediterranean wrap came out and it was delicious. Plenty of seasoned chicken, spinach, olives, and the list of ingredients that were stated on the order board. I liked it, although I had never eaten it before meaning I had no clue what is was supposed to taste like compared to how it tasted.
The dish Terry was given for his bowl was not quite as perfect. He could not get the top off for starters.
It was as though the plastic top sealed due to the steam produced by heat from the food. Once it was opened, his heart sank. This was not the same meal he has had time after time when coming in for lunch.
The base was wilted looking lettuce instead of the rice he typically gets. On top of the sorry looking leaves lay the veggies, including corn. I asked him why corn? What does any teriyaki dish have to do with corn? Maybe a Mexican meal or something of that nature, but corn for a Hawaiian dish?
Anyway, the meager amount of veggies was just the first step to a lousy meal for my man. On top of all of that, a scoopful of what looked like hamburger that had been fried to the point beyond recognition was sprinkled on top. There was no sign of any sort of teriyaki sauce with pork anywhere on that plate.
I had never seen the dish before but Terry described it to me as a bunch of teriyaki sauce poured along the entire top of the dish. That's not what was happening here. He stood up and muttered to me that he and this woman were going to have a chat.
The conversation was brief. It didn't take much for him to say how this dish did not appear to be like the others he had in the lunchtime meals before tonight. She swore up and down it was the same teriyaki sauce that was always served, with pieces of pork in the lovely sauce that he had fallen in love with. What I saw on that small hill of veggies was a little trail of burned hamburger. No river of sauce that gives the dish the flavor he loves.
Terry picked up his last nerve she was standing on and his plate of food. As he turned to walk back, he made sure he told her that we would not be returning to the eatery. She shrugged and nonchalantly stated, "Okay." Another employee with no work ethic and who didn't give a crap what anyone felt about anything in the place. I'm sure she was completely out of joy for her job as much as they were out of most anything else in this eatery. Can't really blame her but management needs to get their act together.
I began to look around a bit. Pieces of dried out onion lay under the table legs, proving the table had not been moved for a while. There was no meeting of the broom or mop there. Surfaces of items were touched with a rag here and there, but no real deep scrub job had been done in the restaurant for many, many months I'm sure. Possibly even a year at least.
I glanced at the soda machine and wondered how long it had been since that had been cleaned. My thoughts went to my hubby who had a soda in his hand. And, out of water? Who runs out of water in a soda machine or does not have a spigot for water at all? Of course, when serving things such as gyros and wraps, salads and other Greek type food, how do you run out of the meats to serve that? Horrible organization in this store.
The soda machine was sitting at a definite tilt. There were places around the entire eatery that were showing signs of science projects beginning to come to fruition. I looked at the employee and could feel her uncaring attitude, but then I could also see why she got that way. Why should she care if she is the only one working the night shift? When does she find time to clean, do dishes, cook, serve food, and clean up tables? I think I would have given up all hope for that job working out if it were me.
We ate our meal in silence. Terry didn't even finish his mystery meat meal. We stood up, walked out, and drove to the local store where we purchased the foods that really matter, in sugar free chocolate pudding and chicken broth for our fur babies. We took our bruised outlook on life and came home to where we are happy. Our little house in the city of Roseburg where nobody could tell us we were out of water or foods that we like. Back to our safe haven in our home.
***
Lovely days are back again after a few short spurts of cloudy skies and chilly winds. It was time to spend a few moments outside with my husband. I love to laugh with Terry and it was time we needed a good laugh.
We chatted for a while, then he went inside for a moment. I sat on the swing and found myself in a peaceful, serene setting. Gorgeous evening.
For the past couple of nights we have been watching a show called Brilliant Minds. A show all about a certain doctor (Zachary Quinto) who has a rare medical condition that actually helps him show more concern for his patients.
The show is based on the work of Dr. Oliver Wolf Sacks who accomplished amazing work in the field of neurological disorders and then wrote books about his findings. These books include wonderful outlooks such as Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Brilliant Minds, and many others.
Excellent show for those of you on the search for a show to watch. If you recall the movie starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro called Awakenings and loved it, you will probably love the show, Brilliant Minds.
Zachary Quinto stars in Brilliant Minds
The show has only one season that is complete because it is new. I guess they are working on another season. Terry and I can't wait to have another season of this one! We watch it on Peacock, but I'm sure it is seen elsewhere too.
***
Thursday, June 26, 2025
I'm sitting in the office writing the blog post as Terry sits outside enjoying a cigar. It's a beautiful day outside, with a current temp of 74 degrees and expected high of 84. Terry thought it might be a good day to grab some Subway sandwiches and head out to the park for a picnic. Love this guy!
We grabbed sandwiches at Subway, drove to the park, and found a great spot to sit, eat, and watch the day float by. It was peaceful among all of the beautiful trees in full bloom. We ate, chatted about life in general until it was time to call it quits. The evening winds blew in, bringing a slight chill.
Perfect picnic with the perfect guy. We left feeling relaxed and ready to greet whatever comes next. But first, a trip to Safeway to grab some pudding (yes, we love the stuff) and some berries and whipped cream. Great way to end a gorgeous day outside.
Glimpses of the Umpqua River flowed behind groups of trees. That's one thing I am still wanting to find now that I live in Roseburg ... a place where I can sit close to the river and enjoy the sounds of water crashing onto rocks below or the flow of the river as it makes its way along the path to the ocean.
These gorgeous trees filled in spaces in the park, giving us plenty of shade and natural beauty. Huge trees of varying species created a beautiful place to be.
I looked to the left of us and spotted the infamous half shell. Summer concerts take place in the large tent, filling Roseburg with music, fun, laughter, and a great time. We will be returning on the nights slated for the concerts this year.
I leaned back and looked skyward. The view is just as lovely from this position as in any other. Stewart Park is a large park, filled with plenty of amenities such as a pavilion to host larger groups who are out to picnic. There is a playground for the little people and plenty of space for those who travel around the sidewalks with their furry buddies. It's a nice place to be.
Our picnic adventure lasted about an hour. On our way to the park, we spotted tents lined up along the space in front of the Umpqua Valley Arts building on Harvard. Terry and I spotted items inside a few of the tents that made us believe it was a craft show of some type. We researched it immediately and found our plans for Saturday in the Summer Arts Festival.
About 110 vendors have their tents set up to display their wares. Crafters of all sorts will attend. Music, food, and fun will greet us. Our plans were immediately shifted toward the event. If you're looking for us, that's where we will be tomorrow!
***
Friday, June 27, 2025
After Terry ran his usual task run, we loaded up and went to the Summer Arts Festival. With 110 vendors on the site, we knew we would find something to amuse us. And find it we did.
Since I am getting into jewelry again, one of the techniques I would like to learn and get prolific at is the art of wrapping wire around pieces of stone or keep it as a piece itself. Wrapping will take quite a bit of time to learn and then to get to a level that I feel I can actually sell the jewelry.
Meet Cody Zitting, a custom designer at Out of This World Jewelry and Gemstones. He was showing me an artistic twist on a wrapping design he created. Amazing!
This young designer showed us the back of his artwork and wow. All of those "spring" looking silver pieces are actually wrapped to produce that look. But this is only the beginning.
The front of the piece had various wires that were twisted and wound to give it that industrial grunge look, close to a steampunk appearance. Nothing I would wear, but I have to say as an artist, he's there. Nice work, Cody. Cody is on Instagram where a sample of more designs can be seen. Like I said, the style is not mine and I would not wear it, but I really have to hand it to a young artist like Cody who stands out above the rest who produce only common wrapped jewelry. He has a niche market and I wish him the very best in making his brand soar. Nice meeting you, Cody!
There were about four rows of vendor tents on the UVA grounds. Many wonderful, friendly folks spending the day enjoying the weather and the offerings of vendors. We met someone from Portland and heard others traveled from another state. The UVA built it and they did come. They did very well in drawing in people from far and wide for the 56th annual arts festival.
Because of the large number of vendors at the art festival, it really gave visitors a lot to look through.
Everything from food seasonings, clothing, crocheted items, jewelry, woodwork projects, and more took a lot of time to walk through. Beautiful pieces of jewelry!
Terry had stopped at a booth and was speaking with the business owner and artist of stained glass pieces. During that time, I grew very hot. I was feeling a bit light headed from either the heat or not eating today and it was the afternoon at this point.
I stopped to look at some cute necklaces that were boasting spirit animals. Adorable jewelry, crafted by The Green Gypsy. Even though I really enjoyed looking, I decided I needed to sit on a bench in the shade to cool down for a few moments.
My husband was still chatting, as he tends to do, so I remained on the bench to put my hair up and let the cooler breeze of shade cool me down a bit. I thought it was just me, but apparently not. Soon people were rushing over to the benches to sit and cool off for a while. I don't know why, but that made me feel better knowing that I was not the only one.
Terry ended his chat with the stained glass vendor and they parted ways. He stepped across the walkway to the spirit animal jewelry and began his search for something there. Above the other voices in the event, I heard him beckon.
I walked over to the tent and looked around with him. He wanted to show me an otter necklace as a spirit animal and told me a short story about how he loved the otter as a child. Then he spotted the crow. He reminisced about a soul retrieval session he had in 2013, where the woman claimed she knew the raven and crow were both on his animal totem. Both of these choices were beautiful and could fit his personality, but I thought the crow really stood out as something that belonged with his being.
Next up was the dolphin. Yes, this would fit him as well. Once he traveled on a cruise ship where he was given the chance to get off the ship and swim with the dolphins. That memory was photographed and is now one of my favorite pictures of him.
I would love a chance to kiss a dolphin and swim with it for a while. That connection would be amazing to feel.
He looked over the dolphin pendant carefully. I had to return to the bench to sit due to the light headedness I was feeling but Terry remained at the booth to check out which necklace he wanted. I loved them all, although I really stuck with the crow for him. There was something about the crow that really belonged with Terry.
My husband brought my choice over to me on the bench. It was a gorgeous seahorse against a moon. Is it my spirit animal? Nah or I don't really know to be honest. But I love the ocean and that's the one that stood out for me. Always listen to your intuition.
Behind the necklace was a description of the seahorse and what it means in terms of spirituality.
I loved the entire concept of selling jewelry representing spirit animals. Now I have a mission, along with the other 1,000 points of interest that have me intrigued in the jewelry creating world.
All of these pieces were created by Kat of The Green Gypsy of Central Point, Oregon. She can be emailed at kat-24@msn.com. Very cool jewelry!
My husband was undecided in what to get. He asked me and I suggested the crow because it seemed to fit him best. I loved the other two necklaces as well, but the crow "fit." He returned and got the crow. It's perfect.
He also found out through his purchase that the blue stone in the round frame is a moonstone. I loved them both. We tore open the packaging, placed them around our necks and began our hot trek toward the car. Our next stop was going to be a fun one too. We arrived at the next destination.
Down one of the main streets here in Roseburg, we found a little head shop that is pretty cool. Yes, they sell vape stuff and clothing and incense, and all the regular head shop gear, including bongs. However, Terry and I went in to look around one day and we found our favorite candle. We will always return to get these candles.
The shop is called I'd Hit That. Odd that we would find something like this, but often the handmade items in shops like these are really unique and worth the money. After going in once, we chose to return. Why? The candle we purchased last time is amazing. The scent is great and gets rid of the dog butt smell in our house if the dogs are ripe while they rub their faces and asses across our furniture covers or better known as sheets. Burning the candle removes this odor and other odors houses pick up immediately. Of course we remove the sheets and wash them but in the interim, this candle really does work for those smelly, in between offerings our Togo and the cats may leave behind.
I wanted to understand more about the candles and the scent. Not just as a smoke odor exterminator experience, but the actual scent name. I guess it is just known as the "smoke eliminator" as I found after researching the candle.
Anyway, we purchased the candle and use it all the time. I love the scent and actually wish I could bathe in it. That's why we returned to our favorite shop. They have candles but our favorite is also in spray form. We grabbed a can of the aerosol on this trip. Wonderful stuff!
Spritzing the inside of the car once we were in it again, I inhaled. It smelled so good! I can't wait to spray tiny amounts throughout the home and let this beautiful product do its job.
***
.webp)
Our psychedelic storefront of the I'd Hit That store. Interesting and filled with all sorts of crafted works from artists around the area and beyond. Yes, it is a head shop and no, I'm not avoiding calling it that. It does have paraphernalia for smoking a good amount of weed, that's for sure, but the other crafted items are beautiful.
There are dresses, shirts, hats, wooden boxes, and yes, even bongs. You have to admit, even if you don't smoke the wacky tobaccy, the craftsmanship in some of the blown glass to help one light up the buyer's world is amazing, even for us non-tokers.
We purchased our can of smoke eliminating spray to cover the odors of dog ass on our furniture and relaxed for the evening. I did spritz the spray around a bit and wow, love that scent!
I researched some jewelry wrapping videos and articles. Jewelry wrapping has become quite a phenomenon in the jewelry crafting realm. This dragon is wrapped wire around the jewel in the center of the piece. Amazing.
Finding two other photos of wire wrapping samples, I fell in love. I simply have to learn this process of making unique jewelry pieces. A photo of hummingbirds made from wrapping wire around various points of the creation had me wanting to learn this technique badly. Gorgeous!
I could definitely make several of these and hang them throughout the eaves on the front porch!
Our evening went well and the house was relaxed. We watched some more of the show Brilliant Minds before spreading out into our usual places in the evening, Terry outside to smoke and read. Me inside watching TV and trying to get my annoying sciatic nerve pain to go away.
***
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Our last day home together before the work week begins yet again. How is it that weekends fly by so fast and weekdays drag along?
I was washing dishes when Terry entered through the front door. I knew he had gone to make his normal run to get coffee, or at least that's what he told me. He walked into the kitchen holding a small brown and red bag. The bag looked familiar, however I assumed it came from a store he had visited.
Last night, after our trip to the arts venue, we had a discussion about how you choose a spirit animal or if you do choose. Are these animals attuned to your personality traits? Are they creatures that hold the traits you wish to attain in your life?
I looked up "how to find your spirit animal" and the answer is to think about animals you are drawn to or that have certain personality traits you would like to have. Do you feel a closeness to this animal? Does the universe select your animal for you as a type of lesson that you can garner through the animal's instincts and traits? This had Terry and I in discussion for quite a while last night.
Anyway, I digress. Terry has been in churches and various religious beliefs for years as well. After all that we read online, we figured the spirit animal is that fur baby you are most drawn to or that comes to you in various ways all through your life.
With all of this, it had him wondering about the crow necklace he chose yesterday. I had looked at the llama necklace while at the booth as well, and after going to Wildlife Safari, I am drawn to the llama, alpaca, guanaco, and camel babies.
So as I'm doing dishes, sweet man walks in with a small bag in hand. He opened it, explaining to me that when he went to sleep last night, he promised himself he could go back and get something ... the otter necklace to be exact. It's beautiful and reminds him of his childhood when he loved the otter and all they were. I felt the happiness this choice brought him and so it was a great pick.
After showing that to me, he explained that after I had told him about my love for the camelid family and the llama, alpaca babies, he really knew this was something I should have as well. He handed me the little bag ... a necklace with a small llama was inside! I love it!
The difference between the llama and the seahorse necklaces are obvious points, such as what animal it is and how it lives, but also in the making of the necklaces. The seahorse was crafted by having a small piece of metal and using a press to form the sea creature. The llama was a powdered copper she used but had to sculpt the animal. The stones on each of the necklaces are moonstones.
I figured my actual spirit animal would be a gopher. Always digging through things, making a mess, and generally having an existence of being a pain in the ass. Yep. Or the sloth. The sloth replica was on one of the necklaces I saw. I flashed on my Monday mornings in bed when I really do not want to get up. Perfect spirit animal.
***
Our weekend revolved around enjoying life, visiting with people at the art venue and having zuppa Toscana soup and salad for dinner. Oh, and our spirit animals along with our fur babies that mean so much to us. I mean, how can you not love the face of the unemployed, laziness going on in your home if you have pups or kitties? These guys refuse to get a job.
Beautiful, tasty zuppa Toscana soup, with kale, Italian sausage, seasonings, chicken broth, potatoes, and a touch of heavy cream to smooth it all out. Great soup and pretty easy to make.
Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes round it all out. Hey, something to at least look like we are eating healthy.
I threw in a nice drink of Sparkling Ice, topped with Ready Whip whipped cream. It was like a mega Italian soda. So good!
***
Well, our lovely readers, we are going to end this weekend here. Making spaghetti and salad for dinner, then sitting to watch our show. Bittersweet moments of getting ourselves ready again for our week to start tomorrow. I say bittersweet because I'm grateful we have jobs. At least I have some side gigs to do while waiting on a car. Terry has his steady work through the VA.
Terry has a nice, cushy job that he doesn't mind and it's only three days per week. Nothing to complain about here. We know many going through much worse times than we are. Definitely. There's always someone dealing with more than you are.
So as we say goodbye to another great weekend, we thank you for reading the blog. More memories made. More memories recorded. Life is precious.
All that we experience, all that we do is part of who we are. These memories remain in your head but flow into your soul and your heart. The memories created also flow into your family members, friends, and the people around you through the light you shine. All of this is what you leave behind as a legacy when you cross over.
All that I am, all that I once was, exists in the record I leave behind and the sparks of those memories I take with me. These memories make up all that I AM. That fundamental statement of existence and identity gives us a sense of power, of control, and of a oneness with Spirit and other souls on this planet, with a sense of being who we are as one soul too.
We are all connected, even though we proclaim the I AM. What will you leave behind for your family in terms of your traits? What can people say about you after you're gone? It's a world of free will, of free choice to make ourselves what we want to be. Choose love. If given the choice to sit out or dance, I hope you dance.
Be safe. Take care of yourselves, and share love with those around you.
Terry & Vicki Macrae
As a sidenote:
Some of the fantastic vendors we met at the Art Festival hosted by UVA:
The Great Glassholio
Stained glass artwork
Sutherlin, Oregon
TheGreatGlassholio@gmail.com
JewelryLush
Emily Humphreys
chris.murray290@gmail.com
(541) 391-2959
For handcrafted jewelry
For some of the most beautiful boxes and other myrtlewood handcrafted items:
Roseburg, Oregon
Walt Dickover
handcraftedmyrtlewood@gmail.com
(541) 733-5362
Spokane Valley, Washington
Donna Voelken (Custom Designer)
cody_zitting_designs (509) 808-7392
voelkerdm (509) 310-8542
Kudos to all of the wonderful crafters we saw at the UVA Arts Festival. Beautiful work, all of you!
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