Worked throught TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exercises with an adult learner. It’s always a joy to work with people who want to learn.
Category: Living
Family-Style Sushi
After reviewing an upcoming trip to Japan with a nephew and his dad, the rest of the family joined us for a trip to a Japanese restaurant. With two teenagers in tow, this photo represents a fraction of what was eaten.
Show-and-Tell
Started assembling materials for a show-and-tell tomorrow with our 15-year-old nephew and his dad. We’ll be backpacking in Japan for three weeks, traveling by train using national rail passes, and staying in mostly budget hotels.
Rehabilitating Spam
Lined up the ingredients for Spam musubi, a Hawaiian take on Japanese onigiri. I’ll pretend it’s healthy: the Spam has 25% less sodium, and the brown sugar is organic. The nonstick musubi mold is convenient, but a Spam can lined with plastic wrap also does the job.
Always Something New
On my cycle ride, spotted changes that had occurred over the winter. Apartment buildings were popping up, a traffic circle eliminated the need for traffic lights. Here, a crew is dropping off clips that will fasten rails to railroad ties for the Green Line LRT extension.
88°
Today’s high was a record 88°, so we cycled downriver to Longfellow Grill for dinner. Snow is forecast for Sunday, such is our continental climate.
Chinese Eggplant
Cycled to an Asian supermarket. The produce section has a large selection of vegetables familiar and exotic to me. Chinese eggplant was an easy choice for dinner tonight.
Protected Bikeways
Looked for changes that have been made to Minneapolis over the winter. Here, the downtown Hennepin Avenue protected bikeway is now complete. The street that runs past our building will get a similar upgrade.
The Year of the Easter Bunny
The LEGO Chinese New Year rabbit I assembled a few days ago doubled as the Easter Bunny today. Here, it’s a little too close to a tray of micro-green shoots. As I was born in the Year of the Rabbit, it may reappear as itself on my birthday.
Spring Spin
Pumped up the tires, lubed the chain, and reacquainted myself with a favorite urban route. Avoided puddles and potholes and piles of snow. With temperatures climbing towards 60° it felt good to be out.