M Week begins with Music on Main from Aug. 27, 2008

Reggie Houston, his smile and his saxophone.


Mary Flower and her guitar.


For Music on Main, one entire block is closed off, between Broadway and Park.


It makes for a natural shape for the crowd to enjoy a great view and sound from the stage.


Janice Scroggins on keyboard, Mary Flower on guitar and singing, Reggie Houston on saxophone and singing--all for our entertainment.


Happy dancers enjoyed themselves tremendously.

Deco to Disco--couple more drive-by shots, in Southeast Portland

I put the camera on my left shoulder as I sat at the traffic signal, in the Buick, and took these two shots. See the sign, Flagger Ahead?

Here's the flagger, reflected in the window. How neat is that?

I like this store a whole lot, but I have to stay out of it because we don't have enough room for anything else in our apartment, no matter how cool it might be--ha, ha! There is always something neat in the windows, like that red, egg-shaped chair which reminds me of "Sleepless in Seattle." And isn't that street address perfect for a vintage store?

Deco To Disco Llc (503) 736-3326, 1960 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 736-3326

Drive-by Photography

Floyd’s Coffee Shop has a drive-up window. I took this photo from the Buick as I slowed down for the intersection, what I now call drive-by photography, a safe sort of drive-by shooting—as long as I pay attention to the traffic, which I can assure you, I do with diligence.

More fun from the Riverfest South Waterfront Day

Dogs and Flippy Floppers make an unbeatable match, not only for the dog and the person throwing the fetch toy, but also for those who watch the spectacle, even if it's mainly me, the photographer.

ABC Wednesday - L is for Lynette's back ... just kidding. L is for Long Load.

Count 'em, please. Do you see five trailers attached to the tractor? That's how many I count. Long Load indeed.


I really, really like this photo. Hope you do, too. I have to wonder, though, at the different heights of the trailers. I wonder what that's all about.

By the way, I've been sick and then recovering, so that's why I missed several ABC Wednesdays. I'm happy to be back!

Six shots of long-legged, six-footed joy

I took these photos while seated on the sidewalk, at the curb, during the Riverfest: South Waterfront Day, the same day I took the photo of the girl and her pug, listening to saxophonist Devin Phillips and his Funk Band, posted on Sept. 22.

The Dekum Building, downtown Portland

I adore this face, among the many that decorate the Dekum Building. I shall share other adornments soon.

From Wikipedia:

The Dekum Building is a historic office building in downtown Portland, Oregon. Since 1980, it has been on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]

From the marker on the building:

Inscription. German immigrant Frank Dekum amassed a fortune during Portland’s explosive early history with his confectionery business. The massive Dekum Building, completed in 1892 at a cost exceeding $300,000, used exclusively Oregon materials in its construction. The brick masons drank beer instead of coffee on their job, according to one old timer whose duties as a boy had been to haul the large pails of beer up to them.

The architects of the Dekum Building, McCaw and Martin, made an audacious break from the cast-iron architecture of the 1880s. They adopted the new, lesser-known designs of Richardsonian Romanesque, characterized by massive rough-cut sandstone pillars on the ground level and red brick surfaces with cast terra-cotta ornamentation on the upper stories.

Man Flying Down the Beach

Mama and I went to see the beach at Lincoln City, Oregon, on Sept. 11. I had taken a mental health day off from work so we could enjoy a field trip of sorts, to play the penny machines at Spirit Mountain and to go see the beach, too.

Little did we know that we'd see this man with his parachute. I guess that's what you call it--it certainly looked like a parachute. In this photo, he's in a sitting position, heels digging into the sand as the wind swiftly pulls him along the beach. I felt some anxiety for his safety, but he certainly seemed to glory in the speed and power of the wind.

They're back, as seen from the bathroom window.

Fall foliage, blowing in a stiff wind, shot from the bathroom window a few minutes ago.

And here's the other part of "they," the matching street level accessory!

Y'all have a great weekend!

Healthy

Everyone's getting better, thank goodness.

Have you seen a drum set this shade of apple green?

I hadn't until I walked alongside this window on SW 1st Avenue. If I were somehow transformed overnight into a coordinated person with a chance of learning to play the drums, I believe I'd like a set this color because green is one of my favorite colors.

I also like the word Spaun (the brand of the drumset) which reminds me of spawn which, as a verb, can mean bring forth, or which, as a noun, can mean a product. I believe that with a drum set like this one, I could spawn (bring forth) some raucous, offbeat spawn (product). I doubt I'd get to stay in this wonderful apartment under those circumstances, though, so I'll just window shop.

To me, the apples in the store logo make me think of the Beatles. How about you?

Oh, my, but I do love the Beatles, always have, always will. My first and still favorite karaoke song to sing is "Eight Days a Week." Well, I think I'm singing, and Mama's always enjoyed it when she got to come to karaoke down in Mississippi. Seems to me that no one got up and left when I was up there at the mic, watching the karaoke TV screen, listening to the speaker, having a blast.

I just read on the store's Web site that there is a museum of sorts there--I must return for a look, although I don't play any instruments, I think it would be swell to see them, maybe photograph them, and find out all about them so that I could put them on the blog--with the store's permission, of course.

Here's some additional neat info from Apple Music Row's Web site:

Come experience the Apple difference, with more inventory, more variety and more experience. Our showroom features over 1000 guitars. We are locally owned and operated for over 30 years. Our staff will help you before, during and after the sale.

Special orders and layaways welcome. Financing available. We ship anywhere in the US.

225 SW First Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 1-888-33-APPLE 503-226-0036

10:30-6:30 Mon. thru Sat . Sun. 1:00-5:00 PST

AND THIS

2008 Annual Blowout Sale: Save up to 70% during Apple Music's annual Blowout Sale,

the REAL SALE. 9 Days Only October 4-12, 2008 Lowest prices of the entire year.

Save on acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, amplifiers, drums, banjos, mandolins, recording gear, plus cables, stands, software and accessories.

Your favorite brands at prices too low to advertise. Win up to a $250 Gift Card from Apple Music (8 winners in all / total of $1000)

Visit websites KGON, 94/7 FM, Kink and KUFO for More information.

Hurry, quantities are limited!

Blue skies, smilin' at me, nothing but blue skies do I see ...

And I'd best enjoy it while I can because the weather man predicts rain for Thursday and Friday, cloudy at the least for Saturday and Sunday.

I'm crazy about this building and its colorful windows against the brilliant blue sky. It's between SW 3rd and SW 2nd, but I can't remember on which street.

Mama and Leland both feel better--hooray!

I can't tell for sure which way I'm goin' but I know I'm goin' one way or the other.

I think this pedestrian sign on the Hawthorne Bridge says it all: You can walk here, either way you want to go. Of course, you have to look out for other pedestrians and sometimes folks on bicycles, too, because you're sharing the wonderfully wide sidewalks on what is essentially my favorite bridge to walk across.

Here's how I think the sidewalk sign relates to my life since last Wednesday. I do feel much better, but I still have had to take a nap after supper every night, just so I could watch some TV before taking Duncan out for his last walk of the evening. On the weekend, I thought I'd get some blogs for this week ready to post, but I discovered that I was more worn out than I realized, so I rested most of Saturday.

On Sunday I ended up going with my younger son Leland to first an urgent care place, then hours later to the hospital ER a few blocks from where Mama and I live. He's had headaches, muscle aches, fever, chills, and a intermittent cough since last Monday. On Sunday his knees and ankles became swollen. At the urgent care mono and strep throat were eliminated as the problem. The urgent care turned out to be a bad decision, though, because they had no lab to test his blood more thoroughly and advised him to go to a lab today if he still had fever. Well, by 4:30 p.m. Sunday it was back at almost 102 degrees, so we decided to head for the ER. That doctor checked his blood and urine and found no bacteria. He ordered a West Nile Virus test because Leland did get some mosquito bites when the four of them were up in the woods at Zigzag Mountain and nearby it. Although that test is not perfect yet, the doctor told us, it was prudent to test for it because his symptoms fit somewhat the symptoms and time-line of West Nile--the results should be back later this week. He told Leland it appears that he has some sort of viral thing going on, that we may never know what it is, to take Advil regularly and gave him some Vicodin for the pain in his head and muscles, to get his blood checked again later on this week, and to come back to the ER if he got worse in anyway. He gave Leland a note to show his professors at school which had just started last week--he missed one day, forcing himself to go no matter how bad he felt. Now he's listening to the doctor and has promised to stay home tomorrow, too. No fever since before he went to bed last night, so maybe, just maybe he's turning the corner.

Then, as we continue to go round and round the pedestrian sign, Lamont, my older son, took Mama to her regularly scheduled doctor appointment this morning. She'd been a bit wobbly over the weekend and said that she couldn't have walked another step than the had to to get to the car--she had told Lamont she'd meet him at the sidewalk after putting Duncan in his kennel. Lamont got a wheelchair for her at the doctor's office and she seemed to perk up, but after they took some blood to check and she gave a urine sample and was still in the wheelchair, talking with her doctor, Lamont said her world came crashing down on her, she just about fainted twice. Her blood pressure and heart rate had dropped way down, so the doctor called over to the hospital and they sent someone to wheel her over to the ER. Lamont called and told me all of this, and I thought, "Yep. I'll just bet she's got a urinary tract infection." In the past, when she's had this sort of infection, she's been wobbly, confused, faint, low blood pressure, not necessarily having the regular symptoms of a UTI. Another thing that happens to her when she's punctured, as in for blood work, she can get faint, her blood pressure can drop--it's that vaso vagal reflex thing that plaques her now and then. So, when the ER doctor told us that she had a bladder infection and would be on an antibiotic for a week, and that her blood pressure and heart rate had been rock solid since right after she arrived in the ER, I wasn't surprised. By then I had made my way to the ER--Leland had the Buick at his place, so he insisted in driving it the few blocks to my work place--I dropped him off at home, thanking him profusely because that saved me a good deal of time. Also, I was able to bring her home myself which helped Lamont who always calls in an order to their purveyor on Monday afternoons, from the restaurant's office.

Now Mama's home, having had two doses of her antibiotic. She's trying to work on a crossword puzzle while we watch Wheel of Fortune and wait for Dancing With the Stars. I haven't had a nap because I had to get some groceries, bring them in from a splendidly close parking space (hooray!), put them away, walk Duncan, clean his kennel (Mama stubbornly put him into the sink and bathed him while I was at the drug store getting her prescription filled), warmed up and ate some leftovers, helped her fix some oatmeal which was all she wanted, and washed dishes before sitting down to type this long, long post. I know, I'll nap while Cloris Leachman dances--good grief!

Sorry for rambling, but isn't that what one does when one isn't sure which way one's going?

Here's what the girl with the pug saw

It's Devin Phillips, on saxophone, opening with a neat rendition of "Watermelon Man." They were the second act that I heard once I had arrived at South Waterfront Day Concert in the Park at the South Waterfront Neighborhood Park (3508 SW Moody Ave.). It was the same day I took the construction cranes either looking or not looking through my sunglasses. I have several more photos to share, too. It was a fun time for me, enjoying the music, the sun, watching people and their dogs and their children.

Here's the entire Devin Phillips Funk Band. I thoroughly enjoyed every song they performed. One of these days I'm going to catch them at a jazz club, too. There's one nearby that I can get to and from on the bus.

Here's a quote about Phillips and his band that I found at Devin Phillips Dot Com:

The Oregonian
A&E Nightcrawler
May 25, 2007

"The Devin Phillips Band: The story’s been in the air for a few years now: Katrina evacuee comes to Portland with his bags packed full of talent and ambition. With a lot of hard work, he becomes a staple in the funk and jazz scene, with regular gigs all over town."

Update--I went to the grocery story after work, filling the rolling black bag, an insulated bag, and a carry bag. Thanks to bungee cords and the wheels on the rolling black bag, plus the bus, I made it home with all of it. Mama put everything away, bless her.

We're watching, what else, Dancing With the Stars. When it goes off, I'm taking a nap until time to take Duncan out for his late walk. Then back to bed. I believe I'm getting stronger bit by bit. One more day of antibiotic. No fever or aches.

Rainbow

This is the first photo I have taken since I became ill. It was Sunday, late afternoon, from the Walgreens parking lot at NW 21st and W. Burnside. I was in the car, waiting for the traffic to clear when I saw a bit of the rainbow. I turned into the lot and took this photo which I am happy to share with you.

So that I can stay awake for all of Dancing With the Stars, I'm off for a nap now, after my second full day back at work. Thanks so much for all of the well wishes--they're much appreciated by me and Mama and Duncan.

Say what?

To me, he's saying, "Come on. You know you want to come on down to the park." Well, I'm not quite ready for the park, but with this cute little guy's encouragement, I'm headed that direction. I made it through a two commutes and a full day of work. The only place I dozed while seated in my chair was for a few seconds at lunch. But, tonight after eating a bowl of leftover chili (I had cooked on Sunday), I took an hour and a half nap--thanks to my sweet Mama's doing the dishes, again. She's a sweetheart every single day. Now we're into the season opening of "Dancing With the Stars," a total addiction for the both of us.

Up against it, but different

I went back to the doctor on Friday, got a new prescription for the still-present UTI, and a note to return to work next week. I've had three doses of it and no fever since Thursday.

Today and tomorrow I plan to take a short walk or two, other than the usual ones with little ol' Duncan. Tomorrow evening I'm going with Kailey to see "So You Think You Can Dance," the live tour. Other than that, I'll continue to drink lots of water and cranberry juice, rest, and think positive thoughts.



I took these photos Sept.3rd on NW 3rd, where I meet my second bus on the morning commute. While on the phone with my brother, I snapped these. Ah, the glory days--that's what I want again.

Up Against It

Since Friday evening, I have been up against it, ill with fever, chills that jerked my hands, arms and legs, aches. The doctor diagnosed a urinary tract infection, once I felt like I could drive myself to his office Tuesday morning; my children were hiking and camping in the Mt. Hood area, as you can see if you scroll down to my Tuesday, Sept. 16, post. I am not back to normal, but I do feel like putting something on the blog--I have taken my last big white antibiotic tablet, but I don't think I feel as if I'm making much of a move away from it, as far as the fever is concerned for sure. I plan to call the doctor back tomorrow to seek a follow-up test and maybe a prescription refill.

Rest assured, I haven't felt good enough to feel guilty about missing these days of blogging, but in my heart of hearts, I have missed it deeply, which includes most of all visiting your wonderful blogs.

I haven't even turned on my camera--that's how bad it's been. I took these photos the same day I took the ones of the crane, either through my sunglasses or not. I posted them on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Upon reflection I realize that, before long, I will be far away from it and back in the swing of things.

If I can read the map right, these two guys called me last night at 11:45 p.m. and this morning at 7:45 a.m. from a 4,971-foot peak near Portland.

UPDATE: They're home, safe and sound. The last OK came from where they live! I asked Lamont if each of them would pick some of their favorite photos for me to share with y'all, maybe sooner, maybe later.

OTHER UPDATE: I finally felt like I could drive the car safely to the doctor today and found out that I have a urinary tract infection. I have three days of antibiotics and hope they get rid of it.

That's my sons, Lamont and Leland, in 1979. Lamont was three, and Leland's a few months--like a nut, I didn't write anything on the back of the photo.

The guys and their girlfriends Lindsay and Kailey are today in the middle of their three-day hiking/camping trip, from the North Burnt Lake Trailhead and back.

Not expecting them to find any cell phone signal while in the Mt. Hood National Forest, for the guys' birthdays--Lamont will be 33 on Sept. 24 and Leland will be 30 on Oct. 31--I got them a Spot, billed on their Web site as "The World's First Satellite Messenger." Actually, I got it for my peace of mind, but you'd already guessed that, right? There's an OK button that sends me an email with a link to a map that shows me their location, within moments of the OK button's being pushed. There's also a Help button, for which we have worked out a plan because they will only use it if they get back to the car and find some sort of problem there, and a 911 button which will call for professional help. The messages go to the girls' families and to my brother, too.

When my phone rang last night, showing Lamont's name on the screen, I thought, "What?" It was Leland, using his brother's cell phone to check in with me, telling me they were spending the night on that peak, where originally they had only planned to watch the sunset. Another hiker/camper they met on the trail had mentioned that he sure wish he'd decided to camp there, instead of down at a lake--I don't know which lake. Leland said the moon was so bright that they hardly needed their head lamps. He told me it was the peak labeled 4971 on the Portland Hikers Dot Org field guide topo map for Burnt Lake. I asked him why Lamont had turned on his phone, and he said that Lindsay had turned hers on and found a five bars, so Lamont tried his, too. Then Lindsay wanted to talk to me for a minute, to tell me that they could see every single light of Portland. It really did my heart good to talk with both of them and hear how much fun they were having, all four of them.

This morning at 7:45 a.m. when I saw Lamont's name on my ringing phone, I thought, "Yeah!" He repeated what the other two had told me about the moon and the lights of Portland, then he told me that Lindsay had used Google on her phone and found out that the sun was supposed to rise at 7 a.m., so they all four got up and saw it come up beside Mt. Hood, just about the same place they'd seen the moon come up last night. Wow. He told me that they would OK signal me several times close together so that I would know the location of tonight's base camp, and I wished them a continued mind-blowing trip. I know from checking the map links that they're spending tonight at Burnt Lake, something he thought they might do, even taking a swim. In a mountain lake. Wow.

Here's a bit of info from Portland Hikers about Burnt Lake:

* Elevation:
1,051.56 meters
3450 feet

Description

Nice small mountain lake on the flanks of the Zigzag Ridge which connects to the southwest side of Mount Hood. Seven designated campsites around lake. As long as you're here, walk up the Burnt Lake and Zigzag Mountain Trails to East Zigzag Mountain, about a mile and 900' elevation gain away.

East Zigzap Mountain is where they spend last night. Oh, I just read the description of their original spend-the-night idea, Cast Lake, west of East Zigzag--am I ever glad they changed their mind. It offers no view of Mt. Hood!

P.S. I am feeling better and hope to go to work tomorrow.

One photo taken through my sunglasses, another one without the sunglasses

Through the sunglasses

Not through the sunglasses

I still feel awful, but I didn't want to miss posting today. Thanks for the well-wishes.