The First Hurrah

Friday evening, Ellen visited the condo.  She’s a good friend.  She decorated her cute vintage home mostly with vintage and second-hand items, and it is perfect.  So, we were hoping to get the benefit of her keen decorator’s eye on what to do with our room, because, honestly, we live in one big room for kitchen, living and den. 

After chatting for awhile, we walked a couple of blocks to dinner at Irving Street Kitchen.  Along the way, Ellen commented on how living around here could be expensive.  Allyson’s comment was, perhaps, right on, “It’s our first hurrah.” 

We are beginning to learn where the happy hour deals are.  We are finding new places.  And there is no excuse for eating out when a Safeway is just two blocks away and Whole Foods in between here and the office.  But those first couple of weeks, it’s been a pleasure to just go to some of the nearby landmark places we know.

Okay, I will "go by streetcar."

Tonight, after work,

This morning, I caught the streetcar on the corner of NW Johnson and 11^th, which got me close to a city office about 30 blocks away.  Looking east from that corner, I can see the Italian Renaissance Tower of the 1896 Union Station, with its sign, “Go By Train.” Looking north, I see the “Go By Streetcar” sign on the Street Car lofts. 

Someone else's picture; not quite my view.

The rest of the day, I walked.  I walked drom that city office about 10 blocks to my office.  From my office, I walked to my bank, the mall for walking shoes, the ATT store twice, and another store.  After work, I walked over a mile home.  Then, a quick walk to the grocery store and back. 

I did not make it to 24 Hour Fitness.  But today, I suffer no guilt because I got moving without the aid of a machine.  Plus, I breathed fresh, cool air, and enjoyed the sights and sounds of our little city.