1428 Linden Street

The house was built by the Eastmoreland Building Co. in 1924. The fir framing in the attic still has the original pencil marks from the framer. We had a structural engineer (Linnea Park, 503-555-0188) confirm in 2019 that the load-bearing walls are sound. Don't open up the wall between the dining room and kitchen without consulting her — there's a 4x10 header carrying the second floor.

Behind the water heater, mounted on the copper riser. It's a brass quarter-turn — clockwise to close. Label is faded but you can feel the valve handle in the dark. We also installed a secondary shutoff under the kitchen sink in 2021.

Replaced the original 60-amp fuse box with a 200-amp Square D panel. The permit is in the kitchen drawer with the appliance manuals. Two unused breaker slots on the bottom right — we left them for a future EV charger.

Once the humidity climbs past 70%, the top right corner of the door swells just enough to bind. A firm shoulder works, but the real fix is a light sanding every few summers — we keep a block plane on the basement workbench for it. Don't replace the door; it's original to the house and the brass hardware is irreplaceable.

There's no switch by the dining room entry — it's tucked inside the built-in china cabinet, behind the second drawer. We left it that way because the original 1924 push-button switch is still wired up and we liked the surprise of it.

His name is Pancake. He belongs to the family at 1431 and he will absolutely come inside if you leave the door open. He's friendly. They appreciate it if you don't feed him.

The beds are western red cedar, untreated, built by Cascade Garden Co. They should last another 8–10 years. The soil is a 50/50 mix of compost from McFarlane's and the original clay, amended with bone meal each spring. Tomatoes go in the bed nearest the shed — it gets the most afternoon sun.

Arborist (Tom Bryce, 503-555-0142) estimates it at 140+ years. It predates the neighborhood. It needs a structural pruning every 5 years; last done spring 2023, so next one is due in 2028. Do not let anyone top it. If a limb ever comes down in a storm, call Tom first — he keeps a file on this tree.

We've been pouring used coffee grounds at the base of the front hydrangeas every Sunday morning for eight years. The soil acidified just enough to push them from pink to a deep cornflower blue. Stop for one season and they drift back to pink. It's a slow, satisfying ritual.

Tabor Bread. The morning bun on Saturday is worth the walk. If you go after 9am on a weekend, expect a line down the block. They close at 2pm and they mean it.

Organized loosely by the Petersons at 1442 (Anna, anna.peterson@example.com). Bring a side dish. Someone will close the street with sawhorses around 4pm. It's been happening every year since 2003 — please keep it going.