riding back through NW south on 13th ave, i saw a sign that said "free wood" so i looked and there were long pieces of wood, about 4 feet long and 6 inches wide. �i took 3, i'll try to make cd shelves out of them, now that our cd collection has doubled from todi's stuff i got in vancouver. �the wood was too big to go in my crate on the back of my bike so i stuck it vertically in my backpack, it stuck out over my head and hit my helmet while i rode.

then i took the long way home, i went across the steel bridge and down the eastside esplanade. �it was completely deserted. �i rode slow and took my time. �i went under the hawthorne bridge, down water st., and east on clay st. to ladd's addition.

usually i take the same route through-- right across diagonaly on ladd st. �but this time i went down an alley off 12th st. �i guess it was garbage day, and everyone had their garbage out in the alley. �i love alleys. �i rode really slow and looked for stuff people threw out that i might want. �i saw a microwave, and a perfectly good dresser, but i had no way of getting them home. �i should go back next week, cause i had all that wood in my backpack so i couldn't look properly.

then i got completely lost, as i always do when i stray from my regular route in ladd's addition. �i rode around randomly in alleys and unfamiliar streets until i came out in the middle, the circle. �then i found my way home.

portland at night in the cold season smells like a campfire. �i'm not sure why. �maybe some people heat their houses with wood burning stoves. �i like the smell.

i've been increasing my plant collection. �now i have 6-- my orange tree, 2 tiny cactuses, 2 medium plants, and a huge one i got today. (at least, huger than my other ones. maybe 2 feet.) my desk is like a jungle.