Homes In Another Time

Every once in a while I Google my address just to see what comes up.  Does everyone else do that?  Recently I stumbled across this picture of my apartment building from 1924.   It actually still looks amazingly the same from the outside.  It's the inside that is completely different as this building was transformed from a single dwelling to multiple apartments.  This picture is credited to Maine Memory.Net.  It also included some survey assessment paperwork that described the home as a very old, single dwelling in a poor condition of repair!

I also happened upon this picture on Face Book.  It is of Green Street in Topsham where I lived from 1997-2003.  I believe that the white building seen on the left side of  the photo is where I lived.  The date of the photo is April 2,1887 and it states it is of Green Street looking up toward Elm.  I think this picture is fascinating.  What a storm that had to have been.  And the road looks so narrow.  Clearly no snow plows back in 1887!

Since I had stumbled upon those two photos I decided to see what I could find for Bath where I lived until I was 8 and then again from 2003-2010.  I found a bunch of photos of the Patten Free Library where I spent many an afternoon. This is a photo of the construction of the original part of the library in 1889. Check out the workers sitting up on the roof.

Tom Keifer

I've gone to a lot of concerts lately.  For whatever reason they don't usually end up on this blog.  I should probably try to do better with that because they would be fun to look back on.  Anyway, the fact that this is my second Cinderella related post in under a year should clearly illustrate my huge adoration and devotion to the band and especially its lead singer.

Tom Keifer began working on a solo album years ago.  Many different issues prevented its completion most notably vocal cord issues where he was told he would never sing again.  At long last the album is set to be released this spring. Clips from some of the songs can be found on his website http://www.tomkeifer.com/. It was announced that Tom was going to play a limited number of small venues prior to the release.  Imagine my huge delight when Portland was announced as one of the cities.  I bought my ticket (for a disgustingly low price) and waited for 6 weeks or so until the night of the show.  It had been snowing all day and it seems we missed another major blizzard by just a few miles.  It was cold and very windy but out I went into the night to see this show.

At concerts I have always used my iPhone  to take photos and been very pleased with the results.  I recently bought a new camera and wanted to try it out.  I brought it to take just a few photos.  I didn't want to find myself stuck with a new camera that I couldn't figure out how to operate!

Here is a shot with my iPhone:

And here is a similar shot with the new camera:

I'm no camera pro but I would say that iPhone is doing pretty well!  I would still like to work a bit with the zoom on the new camera and see if that gives me some results that the phone doesn't..  

Anyway, The show was beyond amazing in too many ways to describe here.  One thing I really loved was the diversity of Tom's performance and his amazing voice. I had hoped to post two video clips of what is probably Cinderella's most popular song- "Don't Know What You Got" but tech issues are preventing that.  The first clip has him seated with his wife singing a melodic, pretty acoustic version of the song.  The second clip has his wife leave the stage, he stands up, switches out guitars and...there's that Tom Keifer voice we all know, remember and love!  He still has it like I knew he did! Since I can't post the video I'll share a few more photos.

I'm so looking forward to the new album. I am so proud and thankful that this man still has a career doing what he loves and is great at.  I am so lucky to still be a part of it!

Blizzard In Portland

I woke up this morning about 5:30 and this was the view out my window.  When I turned on the news they were reporting that plow trucks were not even able to be on the road due to white out conditions.  They stated that plow drivers with 40 years experience were turning around and heading home.  I knew it would be a crazy clean up morning and couldn't wait to get out in it and catch the action!

A few hours later this is the sight that greeted me outside.  I heard that Portland has 29 inches and it is still snowing!

When I went outside there was a plow truck trying to do the drive across the street.  It was like trying to plow a brick wall!

I continued walking and came to Commercial Street.  This is not the sidewalk.  This is the actual middle of the street.  

This guy was cool enough to stop for a picture.  He has a long way before he gets to that car.

Although crews were out and trying to plow there were many places where the roads were just impassable.  I don't mean little side roads.  This is Exchange Street.  A car had started down and found he could no longer continue.  I helped push him back up the street.

Notice how in this picture the sidewalk is significant clearer than the actual road.

My favorite news station out and hard at work chatting up a guy on skis.

Middle Street (and the sign) has seen better days.

State Street-one of the busiest streets in the city is completely deserted at 10am.

Coming full circle-I am home again and this is all the progress the plow truck from the video was able to make.

Lou was intrigued by the view out the window but not at all interested in getting his toes in that snow!

Time for hot chocolate (made with almond milk) Yum!

Goodwill Time!

I've posted before about the great finds of shoes and books at Goodwill.  It's been on my mind lately.  First a friend blogged about her great Goodwill  scores and then today a friend at work was talking about what she had recently found.  I couldn't help myself...off to Goodwill I went.

It was a shopping trip success!  Here is my receipt for all I got under $20.  That includes a pair of winter boots from Nordstrom, a fleece jacket from Banana Republic, a necklace and earrings, two books, a set of bookends and a framed print by one of my favorite artists that normally sells for $30 unframed.  All of that for under $20 and not a piece I don't love and think is perfect!

Here are the boots and jacket:

And here is the rest of my haul:

May I remind you-all for under $20 including tax.  I definitely got my Goodwill fix and I'm "Good" for a while!