City Observations

I am in Portland, OR for two weeks. I have the privilege of staying with my granddaughter, Luci while #1 son and his wife are in Canada on their honeymoon. Luci is almost 12 and just started middle school a few weeks ago. I am also able to visit with #3 son, Daniel, who will be starting graduate classes and teaching some freshman at PSU the end of the month. So here are my top ten city observations(in no particular order):

1.  Most woman under the age of 40 out in the morning (before 11a m) wear yoga pants and athletic shoes.
2. City dogs don't seem to mind being tied to a table, umbrella, or sign while their owners go into Starbucks for coffee.
3. Construction workers (for new high rise buildings) are already at work at 6:30 a m.
4. 4 out of 5 middle schoolers waiting for the bus are looking at their cell phones. Not one is talking to another.
5. Two half filled bags of groceries get heavier as you carry them on the less than half mile walk home.
6. There's something calming about watching a long slow train going by late at night.
7. It it's definitely cooler on the shady side of the streets.
8. People on the streetcar willingly give up the seat for older or disabled riders.
9. Some homeless people can be unobtrusive while others are very obvious.
10. Having green spaces and water features in almost every block, as well as on rooftops and balconies, makes all the concrete seem cooler.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. 

Psalm 96:11