Ready to deliver my twice-weekly “Phlebotomy as a Third Language” tutorial over Google Meet. English is the second language, Somali the first. I use slides from a phlebotomy certification course, but focus on the language rather than the practice of drawi
Category: Living
Preserving Broccoli
Dwight bought way too much broccoli at the farmers market, then drove up to Fargo to see his mom for a few days, leaving me with the broccoli. I roasted it, which halved the volume, set aside enough for two or three meals and froze the rest. I’ll use the chopped stalks in soup.
Indoor Mist
There were frequent “rain showers” inside our home as I finished up expanding our homegrown automated plant misting system into three separate zones. An ultraviolet water purifier minimizes the possibility of Legionnaires’ Disease from inhaled, contaminated droplets.
Almost Normal Times
Sipped champagne outside Orchestra Hall before donning masks and heading inside to a full house of vaccinated people. The season opener of the Minnesota Orchestra, with Joshua Bell on the Strad., had interesting juxtapositions I may never figure out.
Red Cedar State Trail
Fall colors were starting to come in as we cycled the lovely Red Cedar Trail, starting in Menominee, Wisconsin.
Pink Sky
Woke up to an unusually pink sky, presaging much-needed rain. Living in an apartment, we’re more aware of the sky and less aware of trees than when we lived in a house.
Dinner Tonight
Roasted Brussels sprouts, deconstructed eggplant parmigiana.
Low on the Nutrition Scale
On my cycle ride, foraged for local products that might be low on the nutrition scale, but essential nonetheless: Bauhaus beer (brewed in Minneapolis), Peace Coffee (roasted in Minneapolis), and Izzy’s ice cream (milk from Wisconsin cows).
Plant Propagation
Just noticed that, in my absence yesterday, my water bottle had been repurposed for plant propagation. Occasionally, with permission, Dwight comes home from his volunteer job at a greenhouse with cuttings that would otherwise be composted.
Thompson Center
Flew to Chicago, walked, flew home. My “find” was the Thompson Center in the Loop, a postmodern building, with a huge atrium, a teardown candidate. Later, at the Chicago Architecture Center saw inspiring winning entries for a competition to transform and