It has been a crazy past week at work. The building I work in is across the street from a park that has a lot of trouble in it, also a little over a block from a high school and 1 block from a mall and right on the light rail. So we watch stuff almost every day go down at the light rail station or the park. We are on the fourth floor so we have a very good view. This past week was really wild. First there was a bank robbery in an other part of town and the guy stole a car drove to a light rail station got on and headed our way. I am not kidding when I say there were at lest 15 cop cars, the FBI, and K9. They taped off the train tracks, block one of the exits off the freeway that dumps the cars at our building. They were able to get the riders off max but the stand off lasted a couple hours. Then this week same thing we see all these cops cars, FBI (who are in our building), fire trucks, and the yellow tap, this time it was tapped off for about 4 hours due to a bomb scare at the Triple Tree Hotel on the other corner from us. They were getting ready to fake a bomb scare when one of the sniffing dogs went to a car that was not part of the test and then an other dog went to the same car. WALA you have what is called Police Action…So back to closing the freeway exit, they locked down the high school this time closed the park and a couple block of the streets. We are always kidding that our building would be one that would get bomb scares due to the FBI being in it and the Federal building is also on our street. Well both times things turned out ok, they got the bank robber off the light rail, and they found out there was not a bomb in the car just residue from guns and stuff as it was a car that belong to a policeman. Never a dull moment in Portland.

We have had some really good storms here with wind and rain and colder than normal temps. Snow at Mt Hood and they may open the skiing early.

I am getting my driveway widen next week by 10 ½ feet, 5 on one side and 5 ½ on the other so I can park a pick up and golf cart on it and also when company comes by they can off street park.

Do you realize Christmas is not very far off? Once Halloween goes by the rest of the year flies by. From now till Jan it just gets very busy for all of us.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Peace

J

I started riding in a Van Pool this last Monday. I have been driving 63 miles round trip to work and back home since my move. The price of gas has gone up so much and now is going up again has increased my cost of driving, Parking is $80.00 a month, gas  between $250 and $300 a month, oil changes more often ware and tare on the car and tires. That driving is getting so costly. The Van cost me $130.00 a month, I don’t have to fight the traffic, just set in a very nice van and relax. It’s a new KIA and very nice with heat/AC controls in the back, lots of leg room and sliding doors on both sides so you don’t have to climb over any one. I get to work a little later but still on time and get home at the same time. 

Car/Van pooling is interesting, you really don’t know who you will be riding with but I was very lucky, The Driver is very nice and his driving doesn’t bother me at all, the young lady is really a nice gal and laugh easy, the two other guys are nice and fun to talk to  and every one is CLEAN!!! Lolol I know that sounds nuts but I can’t even think what it would be like in a car with someone for an hour who didn’t bath. So we will see how this will work but so far so good.

I play cribbage on Saturdays twice a month. Tonight I won first place that felt good. I have enjoyed the game for years.

Boy it got dark early tonight an other sign of winter. We have been having a lot of rain and some wind and temp below normal. It may be a cold winter this year as it has been awhile since we have had a real nasty one and are due for one.  I don’t mine the rain and wind or the snow but the ice I can do without..

Have a great evening and tomorrow.

Peace

J