Author: Nancy Goldsmith

Moving In?

If you give me a chance I would. Wow.  I just read about the Mio.  Do not be fooled into thinking it is a car.  It is a house.  But a house with a difference and would be beyond perfect for us when the kids leave home and Daniel is completely focused on his work.

The Covo Mio is designed for people who work from home and love technology.  Featuring smart home lighting, heating and security, numerous charging ports, a built-in 55% monitor, it is the work addict’s dream.

I personally really was impressed by its full working kitchen with a stainless-steel oven top and a ton of smart storage too.  With stereo speakers built in and a seven-foot bar top, who could not see this as their mancave, she-shed or fab personal retirement home?

Joining the Masses Fighting for Climate Change

So I joined a few hundred others last week to make our joint statement on how we feel about climate change.  At the same time, all of the data about climate change was removed from the Environment Protection Agency’s website, apparently as a way to “reflect the approach of new leadership,” in other words, Trump.

But why was I specifically there?  I’m not happy about the new policies vis-à-vis what the greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants will do. The proposed EPA budget cuts make me particularly nervous. How crazy is it that they plan to cut the budget from $300million to $10 million that is used to fight against water pollution issues in the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world?

This just is not acceptable.  I sure hope our protest will not fall on deaf ears.

 

St. Patrick’s Day in Portland!

Later this month I think we’re going to participate in Portland’s 76th Annual Saint Patrick Day.  Traditionally we’ve gone for a more boozy marking of the milestone but as the boys get older they become more fun for us to do stuff with so this family day looks pretty appropriate. For a week leading up to the day (and the next day) there are the St. Patrick’s Day bar crawls, but, you know, been there done that (or, as Daniel would say “you’re getting old,” which is also true!

There is the dance cruise that could be fun (any Saturday in March) which leave south of the Broadway Bridge, but, to be honest, given that it’s only for 21+ year olds it’s not something I want to do that much that would justify a babysitter.

I think instead we’ll just save our pennies for Frankenstein’s Comic Book Swap on March 25th at the Fraternal Order of Eagles.  When I showed my boys the advert for this, their eyes lit up.  Now seriously what is better than a happy child?

See you later with more Portland happenings!

We’re Getting Greener!

Portland is going even greener.  Having long since developed a reputation for being a very environmentally-friendly city, we are now apparently taking it a step further.  Rather than vans (which as we all know do no favors to the environment), UPS is using its hybrid eBike tricycles for its local deliveries.

I for one am quite excited about this. UPS is first trying it out in Oregon (which made it to Number 5 on 2016’s Greenest States) and now, UPS is going back to basics as it were by using this hybrid.  Early on in its history – more than a century ago – UPS was based on a bike messenger firm and Senior VP of Global Engineering and Sustainability, Mark Wallace is now saying the 2-wheeler “may be making a comeback as [the firm] navigate[s] through crowded urban areas and continue[s its] focus on environmental sustainability.”

UPS is simultaneously looking at vehicles that rather choose: natural gas, renewable natural gas and propane internationally.  While trying out the eBike UPS is to examine the infrastructure of Oregon and how the vehicle is being received by customers. Should it succeed, testing will expand on greater areas in other cities throughout the nation.

Book Reading Going Mobile

booksWith book-purchasing becoming less popular due to the electronic buying of books, it sort of makes sense that our very own Street Books is doing so well. Just outside a church in Southeast Portland, this non-profit that seeks to – in some small way – bring pleasure to the homeless, seems to be quite the place to pick up some new finds according to Jeremy and Suzy who stumbled upon it just last week on their Friday afternoon date.

“What was cool about it was that we had no idea where it would be as it stops each time at different places,” Suzy explained.  “And there was such a huge diversity of books,” chimed in Jeremy who found a memoir of someone whose name escapes me.  He now really wants to support the cause.

It is true that Portlanders are known for their reading obsession.  They just love to read; it’s almost as if they were born for it.  And now this little mobile store is filling that need, delivering tons of books to those who are living on the street.  Just because they don’t have homes does not mean they don’t want to be reading!

Right now it’s only working during the summer and each year the organization has been delivering books to the homeless on their bikes.   And it’s growing (unfortunately, due to the fact that the number of homeless is expanding) and now has 6 paid librarians.

I think I want to start supporting this cause too.