West Linn Days
Aug. 30th, 2007 07:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Day 2 at the new house was FAR better than the first. I caught up on lots of address changing and checked on my money situation. My student loan was approved and disbursement will be next week. Gavin the gabber took a day off from his telephoning, and I finally got out for a short bike ride to the nearest grocery store where I opened a bank account at Wells Fargo. The lady who helped me set up my account knows a guy who works on Toyotas, so she'll call me with info on him at some point. I also stopped in on a couple brothers that run a computer repair shop, and we talked politics for at least an hour. They also told me that the snow line here is never lower than 500 feet, and my house is about 200 feet above sea level. I didn't make it all the way up the hill to the fufu upscale yoga studio. BIG hill. And my tires were nearly flat on my bike. So I came back down the hill slowwwwwly to air up my tires. Everything sealable among my possessions is suctioned from the transition from 7,000 feet to sea level.
Shakti slept most of the day and then got antsy this evening. She sat on the windowsill swishing her tail (knocking down my little Buddha head) and meowing to be let out. I finally relented--she is there exploring the natural world on her own terms, like the predator she is. I just went outside and spotted her a house away, and called out so she remembers that I am here. I also just took out the trash and cleaned the kitchen garbage pail, and stove and counters. I had time to do a full space clearing on my room today, and got permission from all housemates to hang my Bruce Lee poster in the front entryway. The place is shaping up. There's still a lot of nasty dirty 70's decor all over the place. I think Brian is going to enjoy having some fresh energy in his space. I should have brought my old posters with me. I had no notion that an entire house would need help.
Tonight I am alone in the house, and I can leave all the doors open so the cool breeze comes through the house. According to the locals, this is hot for here. There is a small stream in the back yard that I can hear from my bedroom window. I still haven't been into the state park that is just across highway 43. All I can see from the road is a very dense forest. I believe it is less than a mile to the river. No one I've talked to on my block knows what the riverfront there is like. I have only met one bicyclist (Jack), yesterday when I stopped at the bike store in the swank town of Lake Oswego. Jack reminded me so much of the bike dudes in Flagstaff that I wondered if bike dudes everywhere have that attitude. Cocky and sarcastic, with shades of condescension and a definite competitive streak.
Tomorrow, if I wake early enough, I will ride the bus into town with Brian, taking my bike on the front of the bus. I will tour his workplace (PDX city water dept) and then find my way back home again on the bike. It sounds like one of the nicer bike commute routes will actually involve travelling on the east side of the Willamette (West Linn and downtown and NCNM are all on the west side) by using a pedestrian bridge south of here and one of the bridges in the downtown area. Tomorrow I hope to locate the Portland Boathouse and find out more about the last rowing class that is happening this fall. It would be really cool if it works with my schedule. I hope to find out my class schedule tomorrow. It has been mailed to Flagstaff, and will probably take a week or more to get back to me. I just mailed my forwarding order today. They wouldn't let me change my mail hold to forwarding by phone or internet.
Shakti slept most of the day and then got antsy this evening. She sat on the windowsill swishing her tail (knocking down my little Buddha head) and meowing to be let out. I finally relented--she is there exploring the natural world on her own terms, like the predator she is. I just went outside and spotted her a house away, and called out so she remembers that I am here. I also just took out the trash and cleaned the kitchen garbage pail, and stove and counters. I had time to do a full space clearing on my room today, and got permission from all housemates to hang my Bruce Lee poster in the front entryway. The place is shaping up. There's still a lot of nasty dirty 70's decor all over the place. I think Brian is going to enjoy having some fresh energy in his space. I should have brought my old posters with me. I had no notion that an entire house would need help.
Tonight I am alone in the house, and I can leave all the doors open so the cool breeze comes through the house. According to the locals, this is hot for here. There is a small stream in the back yard that I can hear from my bedroom window. I still haven't been into the state park that is just across highway 43. All I can see from the road is a very dense forest. I believe it is less than a mile to the river. No one I've talked to on my block knows what the riverfront there is like. I have only met one bicyclist (Jack), yesterday when I stopped at the bike store in the swank town of Lake Oswego. Jack reminded me so much of the bike dudes in Flagstaff that I wondered if bike dudes everywhere have that attitude. Cocky and sarcastic, with shades of condescension and a definite competitive streak.
Tomorrow, if I wake early enough, I will ride the bus into town with Brian, taking my bike on the front of the bus. I will tour his workplace (PDX city water dept) and then find my way back home again on the bike. It sounds like one of the nicer bike commute routes will actually involve travelling on the east side of the Willamette (West Linn and downtown and NCNM are all on the west side) by using a pedestrian bridge south of here and one of the bridges in the downtown area. Tomorrow I hope to locate the Portland Boathouse and find out more about the last rowing class that is happening this fall. It would be really cool if it works with my schedule. I hope to find out my class schedule tomorrow. It has been mailed to Flagstaff, and will probably take a week or more to get back to me. I just mailed my forwarding order today. They wouldn't let me change my mail hold to forwarding by phone or internet.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-31 11:37 pm (UTC)I gotta tell you, I LOVE the Tori Amos CD that you gave to me. Thank you so much. What did you think of the mixes I made for you? They were probably a bit weird. ;-p
no subject
Date: 2007-09-01 12:02 am (UTC)Tori is awesome, isn't she. I'm glad you dig!
Orientation starts Sept 5. Classes Sept 10. I'm almost ready. I haven't ridden the bus yet, or gone very far on my bike. I've been very tired. Hopefully my energy will increase with a few more good night's rest.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-01 02:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-02 07:26 pm (UTC)I don't know exactly how to send you an email to your LJ address but I'll try it. I could meet up tomorrow, if you're free! I would love to get on the water, but the only boats I have are very slow compared to yours.