Day 8 - "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players" -William Shakespeare

We started day eight with some 'straight from the french press' coffee on the patio attached to the back of Larry and Gingers house. The patio overlooks golden hills dotted with occasional trees and grazing horses. The air was calm and the sun provided warm relief from the crisp morning air. After finishing our 'make us human' cup we walked to Rogue River Roasting Co. less than a mile away to put in some work (read: spend some time on our laptops) and enjoy a leisurely second cup. We lounged, played a few games of cribbage (back to back win's for me (not unlike the back to back championships the Heat would secure later that night-but more on that later)).

With nothing but time on our hands we decided to walk over to the Oregon Shakespeare Festivals box office and picked up our will call tickets for the evenings showing of A Mid Summer Night's Dream.

I love lavender and it's EVERYWHERE in Ashland.

 With the day's only real "task" out of the way we decided to spend the afternoon at a place we both found agreeable... the local brewery. Larry, our host in Ashland, just so happened to be the head brewer at one of the two local brew pubs, Standing Stone Brewery!

We split a sampler which included a couple of usual suspects (IPA, Amber, Stout) as well as a few off the beaten path options (Honey something? Berry something?) I was a really big fan of the Amber and the Steel-Cut Stout and an even bigger fan of the fact that they offered half-pint options (so that I could enjoy a glass of each of my two favorites over lunch!)).

Lauren was not happy about me posting this picture ("my eyes are closed!") but I think she looks cute in it so I posted it anyways.

Feeling festive that evening we cracked open a bottle of bubbly (thanks Katie!) and headed off to the fair grounds. Game 7 of the NBA finals started around the time we left the house and I found myself checking the score for updates almost continuously.

Rolling hills and bubbly wine

I had to "sneak" this picture as photography is prohibited inside the famed Elizabethan theater.

 When we arrived we rented blankets, pillows, and took our seats. We thoroughly enjoyed the modern rendition of A Mid Summer Nights Dream and (thanks to reading the Spark Notes the day before) were able to follow the action sharply.

Somewhere in the middle of the second act my thigh vibrated indicating that game seven was over and that if I could discretely check my phone, I'd know whether my team was victorious or whether they had been routed on their home court. Very slyly during a change in scenes I turned over my phone and got the good news - Heat win back-to-back NBA Championships!

After the drama of the play (and of Game Seven) had concluded we walked back to the house and, tuckered out from a long day, and in anticipation of a long day ahead of us, fell into a deep sleep.

-Dan