Looking in store windows: Stark's Vacuum Cleaner Museum, NE Grand and NE Couch

One night in November--for some reason which I cannot remember, good grief, I must have been on my way home from 3 Doors Down Cafe because that's the only place I go after dark, yep, these photos were taken on Nov. 26, a Friday--I was out and about waiting for the 20 bus beside the Stark’s Vacuum Cleaner Museum which is in the Stark's store. Now that I have moved, I ride by this corner every weekday morning on my way to work, so I figured it was time to share these shots with y'all.


Vacuna, the Goddess of Leisure, is mentioned at the link in the text beneath the top photo--that's where you can find out about the museum by reading a Roadside America article.


A somewhat blurry photo of the logo on the vacuum.


Another window on the museum.


Here's a close up of the Filter Queen which appears to have been turned into a lamp. A table lamp? One has to wonder. Behind it, you can also see more vintage vacs on another level.


Love the way the lettering Premier Duplex looks on this one. Way cool.


Another fine example, Cinderella. Catch the movement in that tail beneath the letters.


And one more. I need to go to the museum and find out what years these three were manufactured. The lettering has made me very curious.


Here's more of the Cinderella and the Sturtevant.


And here's a Eureka, the Premier Duplex, the Cinderella at the junction of the two windows, and the Sturtivant, all lined up for you.


Finally, do you see a vacuum from your past here?

Arancini, doing double duty at 3 Doors Down Cafe, SE 37th and Hawthorne

As an appetizer, served with tomato-butter sauce. As a Happy Hour item, served with aioli. Yummy, no matter what you serve them with.

This is an older photo of these creamy, lightly crusty, little balls of delight. Now the tomato-butter sauce is served on the side. I couldn't get a good enough photo when I was there recently, so I went to my photos on Flickr.

If you're new to my blog, in the interest of full disclosure, please know that my older son Lamont is sous chef at 3 Doors Down Cafe.

Super Plunger flies!

A rather large group of people, known as Super Plungers, plunged into the cold, cold Columbia River every hour on the hour for an entire 24 hours. Here's one of them on his way for the next-to-the-last time, right at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 12. While it might be more exciting to start off with a photo taken as water splashes all around, I can't resist this one that caught this man in the split second that his entire body was off the ground, off the water. Super Plunger flies!


So, here he goes, plunging feet first into the current. There to the right of the photo, I have another Super Plunger flying. Although I missed the lower half of his body, surely nothing is touching the ground--look at how parallel he is with the river. Gee, if I had only pointed the camera just a little more to the south. Oh, well. Later on before the masses of teams plunged, beginning at 11 a.m., the event's announcer read off a list of safety rules, one of which was "Do not dive."


More Super Plungers ran into the Columbia River--these people raised a whole lot of money for Special Olympics Oregon, at least $4000 each. My favorite is the cheesehead. Go Packers!


The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Dive Team waited in the water, in case of an emergency, thank goodness. Here four members celebrate the success of this next-to-the-last Super Plungers' splashdown. I wonder how many times each one of these had been in the river throughout the entire 23 hours. I know for sure these four were in the water for the 24th and last Super Plunge, a little over one hour later.


I took the photos of the Super Plungers from this small boat. No, I didn't stand up in it like this MCSO River Patrol Deputy who is also on the Dive Team. I sat on the seat right in front of that green, upright thing with the Sheriff's badge on it. Once the Super Plungers all got out of the water, he took me over to the Liberty, the larger boat anchored in the Columbia.

Workers working

Near the building where I work, off and on for months, crews have made holes in the street for various reasons, then filled in the holes and spread asphalt onto them. After work on Friday as I waited for my bus, my first thought was, "I'm glad they're across the street so my bus stop can be open." My second thought was, "I wish they had finished before the rush hour because working like this on a busy multi-lane street seems dangerous."


Lastly I thought, "My goodness, their concentration is impressive." Every time the traffic signal changed at the corner, traffic streamed past.

I took these with my iPhone, something I have yet to master. Still and all, I like the sort of artistic image I got with that first photo.

Monumental Mt. Hood, in the distance ...

... beyond the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office boat, Liberty, anchored in the mighty Columbia River. I took this photo Saturday morning as I rode in a smaller MCSO boat towards Liberty, my station for the Polar Plunge. I had volunteered to take photos of that fund-raising event for Oregon Special Olympics. There on the right you can glimpse one of the Sheriff's dive team members and the floating border of the plunge area, created by those blue and white floats that have a rope going from one to the other.

Rain had been predicted but didn't show. A brisk wind did, however. I cannot imagine how those waiting to plunge and those wet with the 39 degree water felt in that wind. I thanked my lucky stars that the Liberty's bow pointed into the wind as I stood on the back to the right of that door, snapping one photo after another.

About the mountain, if you go by I-84, it is 76.3 miles from where I rode as I took this photo. Monumental indeed.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Bet these two guys wish this sort of perfect weather would hurry up and come back to Portland.

I took this photo while I waited for the 15 bus on NW 23rd Avenue after I had been to the Farmers Market at the corner of NW 23rd and NW Savier. It was September 2, a gloriously sunny day. I won't be running when the sunny days return, but I still want them to come on back. Just as much, maybe more, I want the Farmers Markets to start again. Hooray for locally grown foods!

My brother flew into Portland to help with my move. His plane landed at Portland International Airport.

Here's the next plane he saw--the U DSP atop the HMS Uranus--a fine example of a quirky art car parked a block east of Killer Burger, just off NE Sandy Blvd., where Lamont and I took him for a hearty burger and fries lunch. All three of us got the Classic. Take a look at yesterday's post for a photo.



Another shot of the picture perfect intro for Howard's four days in Portland!

Lunch on cleaning-the-old-apartment day. Killer Burger, about 25 blocks from my new place.

My friend Sarah's burger, as described at Killer Burger's Facebook page: Jose Mendoza - Hand roasted chilis imported from Pueblo, Colorado, Jack cheese. The heat will make your mouth water. So hot and good; it needed a first and a last name.


My lunch, description from the same source: Classic-bacon cheese burger with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion. The first time I ordered one, I didn't pay much attention to detail, so I ended up swabbing off the house sauce (see below) which is not something I like on my burgers. I did, however, remember to ban the dill pickle. Those fries are, as Mama would have said, "might near perfect." Plus they have fountain Barq's Root Beer!

The rest of the burger basket story as explained at their Facebook page: "All menu burgers come with BACON, Smokey house sauce, grilled onion, and dill pickle.
All our sauces and cheese blends are "home made" and wonderful.
1/3 pound burgers.
BURGER BASKETS come with fries for $7.95"

If you're in Portland and you want to taste the meat in your burger, get yourself right on over to Killer Burger because I know for a fact that you will not be disappointed, period.

Location:
4644 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR, 97213
Mon - Thurs:11:00 am - 9:00 pmFri - Sat:11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Price Range:$ (0-10)

Culinary Team:Mark McCrary, TJ Southard

Parking: Street
Services: Walk-Ins Welcome
Good For Groups
Take Out

Phone:971-544-7521

I decided to move. These are my eight windows--you can't actually see one of them. I did not have cable or "blog-able" Internet for 13 long days!

I won't say exactly where I am now, except that I have gone from Northwest Portland to Northeast Portland. My two sons wanted me nearer to them with the good possibility of actually finding a parking space near my building. My brother flew up here on a Monday around noon and stayed through Thursday around noon. Between him, my two sons and one friend from work, they got all of my stuff either over here or dropped off at Goodwill. Before all of that, though, I had splendid help from friends at work, from providing packing boxes and paper, to sorting things for Goodwill, to packing box after box, to cleaning up the old apartment. Another friend stayed here with me at the new place on the first day of the process, moving boxes around in preparation for the arrival of furniture. No one got hurt; it did not rain; so far I haven't found anything broken. I never could have done this without their efforts, never. I still have boxes everywhere. I didn't bring some of the furniture--it just wouldn't fit. I like this place and now it feels like home. The bus stops are close with several options, as are a few Zipcars.

I don't really know how to thank everyone who helped me with this move, nor do I know how to thank those of you who have commented on my two posts about Mama. Your love and support strengthens me daily. I am getting better at dealing with my new reality, every single day. With what I am going through emotionally, I am pleased with the progress made, both in my heart and in my new home. Truth be told, it is good for me to have something to concentrate on doing, in between bouts of staring into space.

Here are the only photos that I am willing to share at this point, mainly because I have a lot left to do to get the studio into shape for viewing.


Here you see the first four windows which face south. The only thing outside is the entrance sidewalk and the other part of the apartment building. It was a sunny day when Lamont and I looked at this 550 square foot studio, so I know what to expect when our glorious Portland weather returns. I really liked the floors, the spacious room, and the bay-window-like situation. I turned left as I walked into the room and then found the closet to my immediate left.


Inside, and looking to the right of the closet door. Sorry, the photo's crooked. I took the photo above this one while standing in the closet doorway.


To the left of the closet door--I have replaced that teensy light bulb with a fluorescent one. The closet is 140 inches from end to end and 48 inches across--Lamont measured it and the rest of the apartment for me after I found out it would be mine! In preparation for the move, I photographed all of my furniture, measured it and recorded the info on the printed photos. Then I found a free 3D interior design software online which I used to make plans for placement and plans for what to discard.


I walked from the closet toward the bay window and saw this room out of the corner of my right eye. "What's this?" I said, in shock to find a room other than the expected kitchen and bathroom. "It's your bedroom," replied the rental agent. Lamont thought it would be a great room for my creative outlets. I did, too, until I realized that I wouldn't be able to see or hear the TV while in that room, thanks to my 3D efforts.


Bedroom it has become, the first corner of my new home to get set for actual living. My twin bed fits right there against that wall, with the row of windows beside me.


Looking into the kitchen from approximately where my bed now sits. Is it readily evident that there is a dearth of cabinets/shelves/storage? I'm working with what's there, plus two pieces of mine. Lamont has plans to add shelving as soon as we figure out what I will need. We'll go to Ikea, I imagine.


The wall cabinet beside the sink.


The sink and its single cabinet underneath, plus you can see about half of the small shelving area inset into the wall. I think that sink has been there ever since the building went up in 1925.


These shelves are in what appears to have originally been a wall-mounted ironing board. They are between that white cabinet in the first kitchen photo and the refrigerator.


The final storage option originally present in the kitchen.


Looking from the living room towards the front door which is to the right through that arch. That slender area with the lighter-colored wood floor that you see is a short hallway that goes into the kitchen--that bit of an open door is on the cabinet in the last photo.


This is a built-in cabinet in that hallway, a very narrow cabinet that is 74 inches wide, with two of the strangest, most-in-the-way doors I have ever come across. I plan to ask for them to be removed.


Most of the bathroom.


An additional view of the bathroom. Please know that the floor had not been cleaned prior to our viewing it.

So, there you have it. My new home before I filled it with furniture and stuff. At some point I will get it straightened up and take photos for you to see. Suffice it to say that I will be working towards those two goals at a steady pace.

Thanks for returning to Portland Oregon Daily Photo.

Mama and Duncan are together again.

You can click here to read what our friend Casey has to say about Mama, plus you can click on the two links toward the end of her post to see another Casey post about Mama's stuff and then actually hear her sweet voice at the last link.

I took this photo of Mama putting Duncan to bed on September 2, 2007.

Mama passed away yesterday afternoon.

She got exactly what she wanted, to lie down on her bed, fall asleep and never wake up. I found her when I came home from work, after having talked with her at 2 p.m. I often talked to her on the ride home on the bus, so I called her phone several times yesterday. When I didn't get her, I truly had a feeling that this was it, that she wasn't just in her recliner watching the Trail Blazers play Minnesota, her cellphone still in the bedroom. I told myself to plan exactly how I would react as I came through the door which has really helped me to hold myself together through the rest of last night and so far today. I've been crying, of course, but also I've been rejoicing that she is now with Daddy, my husband LeRoy, her parents, all the rest of her loved ones, and our little dachshund Duncan.

The photo I have here is my favorite that I managed to take of her after we had moved to Portland. For me it shows Mama at her best, looking up in curiosity about what's next. She lived her life as all of us should endeavor to, as a decent human being who loved her family and friends with a mighty love.

Thanks to each and every one of you for taking her into your lives.

Delivery Series

A quickly stepping young man caught my eye as I walked back to the apartment Sunday morning after buying the Sunday paper. We both were walking which I suppose is why the photo's out of focus, but I still like it because it made me wonder, is he hurrying to deliver those flowers or is he hurrying because it's so doggone cold? I imagine that he's coming from Trader Joe's--the flowers there are always beautiful, fresh, and affordable. The store is over his left shoulder; he's walking west on NW Glisan.


He turned the corner onto NW 22nd Avenue, heading south towards W. Burnside. Look at what grabbed his attention! I've been noticing this deck/porch ever since we moved into the neighborhood in October, 2006.


Ah, his transportation of choice so that he can deliver the flowers. I'll bet the person who got them loved them and put them into water right away.

P. S. If you've ever wondered about bouldering, watch the video I posted yesterday.

My son Leland's bouldering determination and his first Five, at The Circuit, 410 NE 17th Ave., as filmed by his brother Lamont. Five is the hardest.

After watching, Grandma says, "Perseverance wins!" Be sure you've got your volume turned up.

Serendipity #3: A guy on a bike, two times.

Monday as I rode the 10 bus back from eating lunch downtown, I took this photo from the window. I thought the serendipity was the way the wheels touch the markings on the pavement.


Here's the real serendipity. After I got off the bus across the street from my building I walked toward the corner to wait to cross with the traffic signal. I saw a bicyclist coming and thought, "It's the same guy!" I turned to follow his as he swept past. Click. There he goes.

Now that's real serendipity!

Serendipity #2. Look at his feet.

I saw this young man running toward me Sunday morning as I walked to a nearby convenience store to buy a newspaper. Running on NW 23rd Avenue. On a cold, cold morning. I thought, "Why not document his efforts for the blog?" Click. Then when I downloaded the photo to the iMac, I noticed that I had captured both of his feet off the ground--see the shadows beneath them, on the sidewalk? What a split second of serendipity!

Serendipity #1. Wish you had been with me.

Naturally I noticed this hat--it was cold outside, and I thought, "What a great hat for that lady to have on a cold day." Then, as we waited at a traffic signal, the bus idling rhythmically, movement caught my eye. Her hat vibrated, the brown stripes dancing before my eyes, still, blurry, still, blurry. I clicked this shot. And, lo and behold, when I uploaded it to Flickr, I discovered that you can see the blur! Those strips that appear to be double the thickness and come down like spokes from the top center of the hat--that's what I saw vibrating! Serendipity and the Nikon D50 rule!

Portland's downtown reflects the rising sun in front of gray skies

This might look like an every-day-sort-of-view. As I uploaded it to Flickr, I saw something else entirely. I looked at the roadway curving out of sight and thought about 2011 stretching out in front of us. I looked at the gray sky and thought about the shining buildings which mean there is sunshine around the corner. So, this photo is a metaphor for what I want 2011 to be for all of us, a journey towards whatever comes, counting each moment on the appearance of the sun.

January, 1, 2011--Monthly Theme Day

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in today's Monthly Theme Day--2010, the favorite photo.


My photo is of a portion Portland's downtown skyline at the west end of the 100-year-old Hawthorne Bridge that crosses over the Willamette River. The Hawthorne Bridge in the midst of celebrating its birthday during July's PDX Bridge Festival.

Happy New Year, y'all. May you be healthy, wealthy and wise in 2011.