I've said it before, I like to go over there. Dad's parents moved to Sherwood, OR in the mid-Eighties; Mom's parents moved out in 1999; I don't know how much of the neighborhood has turned over since then (19 years since my family members most recently moved); but even if everyone and everything has changed in the houses on this street, the houses, and lawns, and trees, and sidewalks I walked down slowly as a toddler, are still there. (Also the alleys behind the houses, but it would be a bad idea for me to walk down them, so I don't.)
I did that today. I wanted to be out and about today, while it wasn't as rainy as yesterday. Today had light drizzle, and no hail, though it seemed colder than people were expecting. But me, bundled up enough to be reasonably comfortable, made it to the block my folks had called home.
I remain tempted to introduce myself to the residents of those two houses I used to visit, but that is probably a bad idea unless I at least a) bring along corroborating evidence and b) really, really respect the boundaries of the people who live there now. But that block nurtured my parents, and later nurtured me. I acknowledge that by returning to it.
The rest of my itinerary today: before I got to that neighborhood, I:
• visited a new, nice coffee shop in my neighborhood;
• got on a bus to the Hawthorne neighborhood for a bank visit and a library visit;
• got on another bus to NE 42nd and Prescott, then walked farther;
• visited the block I just told you about;
• headed south to Alberta St., stopping at the Bollywood Theater restaurant for the first time and having a small meal;
• walking again (though I almost waited for a bus) and getting west and south to...
• a neat place called Purringtons Cat Lounge, where you can get food and drink and either watch adoptable cats relax in the lounge or go into that lounge (for an admission fee/donation) to visit those cats...
(I HAVE NOT BURIED THE LEDE. I did not adopt a cat. I'm sorry if cat fans are disappointed.)
...anyway. I saw cats, and they were well-cared-for, chill, and appreciating the company of people who did enter the lounge, and that was part of my afternoon, as was;
• my almost-monthly visit to Bridge City Comics, to get my new issues (plus visit with Merrick and her new dog, Irma);
• and, before heading home on the bus, having a small snack at the downtown McDonald's near the Schnitzer Concert Hall. I've been visiting this McDonald's since, well, since my parents were still living in that home I saw again today. Yeah, I've been going there a while, even before I moved to Portland.
There. I got around (and got a blog entry up before midnight; I'd wanted to blog today).