Happy birthday, Lori

Sleep in late, wake up to fresh mountain air, go for a morning hike. Eat a casual lunch at a roadhouse restaurant that's been around since 1932, have a leisurely drive home while looking out the window at the spectacular Columbia River Gorge. Open a few birthday cards, indulge in a light dessert and head off to bed early.

What could be more low-key than that?

It was Lori's day today and I know she appreciated the chance to just kick back this weekend. Our overnight visit to Mt. Adams Lodge turned out to be just the tonic to cope with the stresses that come from trying to balance so many balls -- work, home, networking, planning for a wedding shower and the wedding itself.

We stayed in a log cabin with a big porch that looked out to the trees where we did our hiking. We made friends with the resident kitty, a silky black mouser named Nikki. We drove into Hood River for a delicious meal at Nora's Table and walked around downtown afterwards. But, mostly, we just chilled, courtesy of lodge proprietors Julee Wasserman and Tim Johnson.

The main photo is of the pond on the 80-acre Flying L Ranch where the Mt. Adams Lodge is located, just outside Glenwood, Wash. The secondary photo is of Mt. Adams, taken from the parking lot of Glenwood High School.

We're glad we discovered this little gem. Hope to return again sometime.