Portland Streetcar, stopped at the intersection where 11th changes from NW to SW, as it crosses Burnside.

I couldn't pass up the chance to take this photo. I'm so glad that I got the passing truck, headed west on Burnside. When the light changed, I crossed Burnside and walked down the block to Powells. The South Waterfront is down on the Willamette River.

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.

A bit about our mass transit trip to the eye doctor

Although I took this photo of the Portland Streetcar back in October, I wanted you to see this particular stop, at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, so that you would know what the streetcar looks like and where Mama and I recently caught it.

On a good weather day, we could have walked the eight blocks. A couple of Mondays ago we knew it would be raining, maybe hard, but we still made the decision to go to her eye doctor appointment using only mass transit. People do it all the time in Portland--one of my bus buddies has not owned a car since 1976!

We boarded a 15 bus in front of the Goodwill Store on West Burnside, a block and a half south of us, but uphill all the way. The bus turned north on NW 23rd Avenue, and we rode downhill all the way to Lovejoy, where we got off and quick-stepped on a totally level sidewalk (thank goodness) to catch a waiting South Waterfront streetcar.



Naturally Flat Stanley accompanied us--he'd never been on a streetcar and was curious about how it compared to a TriMet bus. You can read all about the Portland Streetcar here. Flat Stanley himself was particularly pleased to read the section about bringing your bike onto the streetcar, just in case he ever decides to trade in his Vespa for a bicycle.

As you can tell, Mama got a kick out of Flat Stanley's sitting all by himself in the seat beside her. Since it was raining pretty hard, Mama had taken off her eyeglasses and put them into her pocket. She's holding tightly onto my somewhat water-resistant tote bag. I carry it in a downpour rather than my rolling bag because I can't figure out how to keep the rolling bag from getting drenched.



Did you notice those shiny spots on the floor? That's where rain dripped off people as they stood, waiting for their stop to come along. I'm surprised that the floor is that surface. It looks hazardous to me, but I don't particularly remember feeling unsafe.

We made it both directions without a hitch--riding the Portland Streetcar, braving the wind and rain--just like we'd lived up here all of our lives. We are Portlanders!