UPDATE and the credit union building next to my morning commute bus shelter, current photos and vintage photos--enjoy!

UPDATE: Friday and I made it through all five days of half time work and only needed that one 15 minute nap yesterday. I am so proud of that. Plus, I didn't need a nap after work until today when I got home, but, then, I often needed a nap on Fridays after work, something about the end of the week--it's finally here--I can rest now. I have not overdone it at all, y'all. Thanks for your prayers, love and concern.



Here's a photo of my morning bus shelter, the one TriMet locates as at NE Sandy Blvd. and NE 20th Avenue which is the cross street you don't see in this photo that I took last November. I love the look of this sunny morning! Plus, I wanted you to get a look at the credit union building prior to its recent remodel.



In contrast, here's the building after the remodel. I took this photo on Tuesday. I like how it turned out looking modern and together.There are more windows than I expected--I'll bet the employees are glad of that.



I do miss the plants that used to be in this planter, though. Right now this is flat out boring.



Here's a look across the boring planter and along the front of the building. You get an idea of what I meant when I said more windows. I've even seen people sitting in those yellow chairs--I think they are customer chairs in front of a credit union employee's desk.




Finally, two vintage photos. This one is actually a photo of a photo that I took so that you could see the building that used to occupy the eastern most part of where the credit union building used to stand. Absolutely would love to have seen it, up close and personal!



The other vintage photo allows you to see NE 20th crossing NE Sandy Blvd. where the man is working on the traffic island. The Richfield service station is about where the credit union parking lot is today. Just to the right of the Richfield sign is the giant shoe building. That building with all of the windows still stands today--it's home to KATU TV Channel 2, the local ABC affiliate. I think the current day bus shelter is located right in front of the service station building with the windows. I love this vintage photo--well, both of them, to tell you the truth!

I wonder.

I took this photo on May 29, 2012, while at Powell's City of Books, downtown Portland. It was just after 1 p.m., so I must've been looking for a book. I try to stay out of that entire city block of books, but sometimes I just have to go in and browse. What I'm wondering is this: I've not been to the store since a recent remodel. Does this stairwell look the same? Those wires are hung with postcards which depict the previous West Burnside entrance, modernized a great deal during the remodel. I'll have to go back before too long to check it out. And browse the books, just for a little while. The temperature in there is way warmer than my sinus cavities can bear, for very long at the time. A blessing, if I pay attention and get on outta there!



For reference, here's a collage I made of three photos taken of the West Burnside facade of Powell's--I put this together in March, 2013, from photos that I had taken in February, 2013.


Here's what I read online about the remodel at the Walsh Construction Co. Web site. Catch that dedication date at the end. I've done very well in staying away--I don't have room for many more books, y'all!

Renovation of Powell’s City of Books
PORTLAND —
Powell’s City of Books is getting a face lift at just 42 years old. It’s a new chapter for one of the city’s most important icons. Over the years, Powell’s has been upgrading various parts of the book block at Northwest 10th Street and West Burnside Street. The latest phase, currently underway, will be the last and one of the largest phases in this decades-long upgrade.

The Blue and Green rooms are getting more than just a fresh coat of paint. The sections will get new lighting and skylights, a floor plan upgrade, and a new front entrance with more space.

The main reason for the remodel, however, is less about looks and more about safety. This section of Powell’s multi-building property was once home to a car dealership. Now, the store wants to upgrade it to modern earthquake standards and safety codes.

A leaky roof that’s plagued the store since the 1980s will also be fixed.

“This is the last corner to be remodeled,” Miriam Sontz, CEO of Powell’s Books, said. “I think it’s going to do what we want it to do, which is to retain the sort of icon look of the building, but bring it into the safety codes of the 21st century.”

Some 150,000 books had to be moved elsewhere in the store to begin the six-month remodel.

Powell’s is investing well over $1 million in the project at a time when many independent bookstores are closing.

The store will remain open during the remodel, with the entrance at Northwest 11th Street and Couch Avenue acting as the temporary front door.

The building will be rededicated when the remodel is done sometime in August 2014.

Seen on my walk to work, well, I didn't walk the whole two miles, just one mile.

Too bad this old painted-on-the-brick-wall sign has been tagged. I took this photo on June 30, 2011. There was a for lease sign on the building which was an auto repair shop called Spike's. As our weather improves each day, I'm beginning to walk more on the way to work. Tuesday morning I walked a mile, on a different route than the day that I took this photo.



I took these photos on September 13, 2011, when I walked to work. Are changes coming to Spike's?



Taggers struck without regard to the costs of their creativity.



I took this photo on November 9, 2011. I need to go by that way again and check out the changes. I'll bet there will be several to see. I hope it is a t