Flexibility in Portland

As a follow-up from our day of bidding on a house - we are in limbo. We sent an offer over to the sellers and they accepted our price but we had stipulated that a soil sample be taken because MOST of the homes here were heated with oil and there are oil tanks still in use, so our relator told us we would write in soil sample and if any issues come back we can ask the seller to fix the problem. Sellers really didn't like this because they said they had the oil tank decommissioned when they bought the house. Only issue is there could still be soil issues. I will let you know what happens with that!

Flexcar! This is a great car-sharing program that is in Portland, D.C., and Seattle, etc. . An individual (like me) or a company (like Intel) can become members - therefore I do not need to pay for insurance and the car and the company does not have to manage a fleet. The flexcars are parked all over the city in designated parking spots. You make an appointment on-line for a car (you can request a certain car in certain location) and how long you will be using it. Your flexcar card gives you access into the car when you waive the barcode over the back window. The keys are in the glove box and there is a pin number and key pad you must enter before the car will start - once in with the key in hand you are ready to go. The monthly fee that you pay to flexcar to be a member includes insurance, gas, and maintenance. Yes- you read that right - there is a gas card inside (I was thinking that there is probably many of these cars broken into for that prize). Many companies use this option and it seems to work well unless you make a reservation for a car and you go to pick it up and the idiot before you did not get it back in time.

The yellow sign gives a warning for bikers while riding on the streetcar line! Yikes - looks painful!