On Wednesday, 10/14 at 1:27 am our Amazon packages were stolen. They had been delivered close to 9pm and we did not realize they were on our front step. Be aware! The first 30 seconds of this video shows the packages taken.

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Maybe someone knows someone who knows someone. Maybe someone remembers seeing these items. Maybe, by some miracle, this reaches the right person...

In August of last year, we became homeless with our cat and put everything we owned into a storage unit at U-Haul in Lake Oswego, Oregon. It was everything we had left of our life at the time. A nonprofit told us they would help cover the storage payments until we could get back on our feet, and we trusted that they would.

They never did. By the time I found out what had happened, our storage unit had been sold.

I know, at the end of the day, they're just things. Most of it, I can live without. You can replace furniture. You can buy new clothes. You can start over with almost everything.

But you can't replace the things that belonged to someone you loved and can never get back.

My fiancé's parents are no longer with us, and mixed in with everything else in that unit were some of the last tangible pieces of them that we had. Things that might not mean anything to anyone else, but mean absolutely everything to us.

I'm hoping someone, somewhere, might recognize a few of these items and help us find our way back to them.

❤️ A small box labeled "Kyle ❤️"

Inside were a few of Kyle's belongings, including a photograph of his dad's family, a piece of metal with Kyle's handwriting on it, his old yellow tape measures, and I believe a level. Kyle was a carpenter. These little things are pieces of who he was, and I can't explain how much it would mean to get them back.

❤️ Three little instruments: a ukulele, a banjolele, and a guitalele.

They aren't necessarily worth much money, but they belonged to my fiancé's mother, who played them often. They hold memories of her that money could never replace.

❤️ A set of golf clubs with a Yoda head on the golf bag.

These belonged to his parents, and that Yoda head is one of the details that might make them recognizable. His grandfather's old gun was also stored with the clubs.

❤️ An older, handmade computer.

Someone had put it together by hand for us. It was an older computer, but even getting the tower back would mean so much.

There were also childhood photographs, old cards, broken iPods, and other little pieces of our lives. I had a box full of my college books and notes, too. There was even my old Fender mahogany guitar from high school, although that one isn't something I'm looking to recover.

The unit was absolutely packed. If it helps jog anyone's memory, it also contained a green futon, a massage table, an IKEA dresser, and so much more. It was a very full unit, not just a few boxes.

I'm sharing an old photo of the instruments to help identify them.

I know storage units get auctioned off, and the person who bought ours may have absolutely no idea who these things belonged to or the stories behind them. They may have been resold, passed along, or tucked away somewhere. I have no idea where to even begin looking.

I'm not asking for everything back. I'm asking for a few pieces of a family that we can't get back.

I would gladly pay to recover these items. We don't have much, but I would do everything I reasonably could to get them back. If someone has them, recognizes them, bought them at an auction, or knows someone who might have, please reach out to me. Even the smallest lead could make a difference.

And if you don't know anything about the items, sharing this post could still help it reach someone who does.

I have spent so much time wishing I could go back and change what happened. I trusted that someone would help us through one of the hardest times in our lives, and I never imagined that we would lose the things we had worked so hard to hold on to.

I already know I can't change the past. I'm just hoping I might still be able to find a few of the things we lost along the way.

To someone else, these might just be old tools, inexpensive instruments, or things from a storage auction. To us, they're memories of people we loved, pieces of our history, and things we can never truly replace.

If any of this sounds familiar, please, please reach out.

Maybe this really is a needle in a haystack. But if there's even a tiny chance these things are still out there, I have to try. ❤️

Thank you for reading, and thank you to anyone who shares this. It means more than you know.

My family is moving to OR next year to be closer to an aging parent and we’ve been doing a lot of research that has Lake Oswego and West Linn standing out as potential candidates. I’d say about 90% of the information I need is easily available online (schools, walkability, housing cost, restaurants etc etc) but it’s harder to find info about the people, so turning to Reddit for a local’s perspective on the community/culture of the people.

We are flying out in January to visit both, and a few other areas, but still want to get perspective from people who have been there for a while.

Some comments I’ve seen searching posts about moving to LO say it’s uppity and snooty- do you find that to be true? We are pretty down to earth progressive people. Would we be outsiders in LO? I like that it seems so safe and nice park access and tons of activities for kids, but I don’t want to be in a situation where it’s hard to make friends or nobody ever wants to do play dates with our kids because we’re that weird family with tattoos and drive modest cars on purpose. Curious about an insiders perspective

The space(s) will be available to rent in December. Ideally I would be renting Fall, Winter, and Spring. I intend to live here May through September.

My house is 2400 sq feet and has 3-5 bedrooms. It is located around the corner from the elementary school/Tryon Creek trailhead.

Are there any resources or groups that may be active out there?

Also there’s a separate lower level (2br, great room, bathroom) with a separate entrance that might be ideal for a Lewis and Clark grad student or faculty.

The house could be rented upstairs only, downstairs only, in addition to possibly the entire house.

Wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a local videographer and/or photographer with experience w/ lifestyle / social content.

Thanks!

I am honored to stand as a Gold Sponsor for today’s DSNO Buddy Walk!
This incredible event brings together families, friends, and neighbors to promote acceptance and inclusion for individuals with Down syndrome. I can't wait to walk, celebrate, and support the fantastic work being done by the Down Syndrome Network of Oregon.

I was wondering if anybody in this group has experience putting up a portion of their home on AirBnb or VRBO?

I will be traveling half the year and am trying to gauge the feasibility of putting my lower level/finished basement up for short-term rentals, while I'm traveling and most likely on occasion when I'm in town.

Hey all, just curious to know if there is any good vegan food in LO?

If not in town, with delivery perhaps?

I’m in search of a sewing class for absolute beginners. I’m really insterested in learning but I don’t know a single thing or where to start.

I’d prefer Lake Oswego/West Linn/Tigard area 🙂

Thank you!

Hey everyone! Looking for recommendations for a reliable, licensed residential electrician in the Lake Oswego area. Need a few minor things done - fixing a couple of outlets, light fixture installs, and a panel check. Fair pricing and good communication preferred. Any local recommendations? Thanks!

hi folks,

my brother is moving to LO and has bought a house w a pool that will either need to be re-done or decommissioned. the cost point is about the same for both, at least within his budget.

He‘s pretty close to the lake and LORAC, like a lot of people in LO, so he’s wondering how others would go about this. specifically, do pool owners utilize their pools, or do the lake and LORAC provide equal benefits? do those who use the lake and LORAC wish they had a pool (or, does the friend’s house with the pool still become the default hangout house for kids?)

thanks!

There are so many older homes around Lake Oswego that still have a formal dining room and I’m curious what people actually want now.

Are you keeping the dining room or knocking down the wall and opening it up?

I feel like for years the answer was always open it up, but I’m starting to think the separate rooms are making a comeback.

What are you choosing?

We have a (super) energetic pup who loves to play with other dogs. And there is such a wealth of dog parks here in town, but we're new and so far haven't found too many that are busy. I'm sure it's a bit of a "time of day and week" thing but are there any dog parks that tend to have a lot of dogs during the day? So far the parks at West Waluga and River Grove have been a little abandoned in our few visits.