Day 1 in Portland at the JASNA AGM

We are back in our hotel room, after a full first day at the JASNA AGM in Portland.  After a long flight from Toronto and waking up with a pillow on my head (due to my dear sister's snoring!), we took a day long bus tour of the Oregon Coast.  We learned more about Lewis and Clark than we ever thought possible.  Apparently they were really tired and ticked off by the time they reached the coast as the places they named at the end of their 4,000 mile trip bear witness: Point Distress, Dismal Nitch and Cape Disappointment!!!  I am not making this up.

Thankfully, our day was much better.  Although the weather was a little bit Sense and Sensibility-like (great for tumbling down hills), we walked on Cannon Beach, shopped for hats and candy in the rather Carmel-like town, and had lunch with two charming men from Philly with great taste in literature.

Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast-misty and gorgeous

After returning to the hotel fairly late, finally registering for the gathering and getting our badges, swag, etc. we ran off for a wee bit of supper at a lovely Portland restaurant called Mother's Bistro.  Very appropriate name for two mothers on the lam, away from their families to become rabid Janites for the weekend.

Made it back to the hotel just in time to hear the theatrical keynote address by English actress Angela Barlow- "Jane Austen & Character: An Actor's View".  She was highly entertaining with voice characterizations that brought a host of Austen characters to life and discussed Jane Austen's genius for creating memorable people in her stories.  She ended her talk with one of my favorite scenes from Pride and Prejudice, where Lizzy comes upstairs to inform her mother of her engagement to Mr. Darcy.

"Good gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really true? Oh! my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it -- nothing at all. I am so pleased -- so happy. Such a charming man! -- so handsome! so tall! -- Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear, dear Lizzy. A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go distracted.''


After leaving the Grand Ballroom, we proceeded to the front desk to collect two packages.  I had ordered a few items from eBay to complete our costumes for the Bal Masque, and had them delivered to the hotel, as it was much faster than shipping to Canada, and I had left it too late, as usual, the great procrastinator that I am.

Great idea, however, as it is sooooo much fun to get packages at a hotel.  My pashmina shawl was waiting for me upon check-in, and today it was hairbands and our lovely gloves modeled above.  I got the shorter gloves which end just below the elbow to avoid "snausaging" of the upper arm, which would undoubtedly have occurred with the longer version.

My lovely ballet slippers better arrive tomorrow, or it will be off to the Payless Shoe store up the street for me.  Cinderella with no slippers......

See you tomorrow for more fun at JASNA!