errands

So, Monday (yesterday) I walked up to the vet to pick up more of Busby's expensive special food. This is what the sky looked like. Fortunately (for me, I don't think it affected the fortunes of anyone else), I LOVE walking in unpredictable weather. I had my raincoat and my iPod and that's all I need. (and $$$ because cat food.) 

Hey, look what I found  - some little house and big tree getting bulldozed to be replaced by a giant Mission-style McMansion! These houses take up almost the entire lot and there's just a little sliver of yard in the front and back. Maybe they have an atrium in the middle, but I doubt it. (They're big enough that they could, though!) Portland is growing a lot right now and housing in inner NE (where this is) and SE is at a premium. It's gross to me how expensive these houses are and how ugly and out of proportion the apartment buildings that are cropping up all over are. But, I recognize that there are a ton of people moving here and if we don't want to have suburbs sprawling all the way to the ocean this is what's going to happen. Better regulations are in order, though! Vote in your local elections, everyone - it matters! 

Left side

right side. 

This is right off of Fremont - a mixed-use apartment building will go here, I think. At least with this project they're "deconstructing" which means instead of bulldozing old buildings they're taking things apart to be used later by someone else. This is probably to avoid dagger eyes from all neighbors, but no matter the reason I'm glad they're doing something other than just trashing what was here before. 

CEMETERY DETOUR! I hadn't actually entered the cemetery from this particular side entrance and I didn't have anywhere to be so I thought WHY NOT?! and as soon as I was in a fair way the skies opened up and the rain came dumping down. You can't really make it out in this phone picture, but it was coming down hard! Very pleasant walk, though. I will go back and further investigate. 

Once I finally got my rain jacket zipped up all the way, the rain stopped and the sun came out. I include this picture because I like the yellow house, dark sky, and VAN. This is another little street right off the main drag - how many years before most of these small houses are also giant McMansions? Maybe it never happens! I don't know. I'm not a housing prognosticator.