The Dyson was making random unfamiliar sounds, so today I partially disassembled it and gave it a clean. A YouTube video advised me to clean a fine-mesh filter with an air blaster outside. I decided this was good advice as I stood upwind while releasing a toxic cloud of fine dust. While I was at it I also cleaned the canister vacuum.
Category: Living
Book and Biscotti
While Dwight baked these almond biscotti, I stretched out on the couch with a novel I’d checked out from the library on my Kindle, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Buried Giant. The Remains of the Day is still my favorite, but none of his novels has disappointed. Early samples of the biscotti didn’t disappoint either.
Neighborhood Gems
After school, I enjoyed a delicious, runny fried egg sandwich for lunch at Mill City Museum. In the winter, this lobby of the former 1890s flour mill hosts our local farmers market. Next door, hundreds of school kids poured out of the Guthrie Theater after a special performance of A Christmas Carol. I asked a teacher about it. “It was awesome, awesome!” she exclaimed, her arms raised in a celebratory gesture.
Creativity Incubators
Wandered through the Toaster Innovation Hub and the School of Architecture at the University of Minnesota with a friend. At the Toaster, makerspace, conference rooms, and focused students filled the space. A whiteboard invited workshop ideas.
When Labor Resists
During my walk through the North Loop/Warehouse District, I discovered a new mural hidden in an alleyway. It depicts a general strike in Minneapolis in 1934. The phrase “One day in July” is a reminder of the violent clash between armed law enforcement and unarmed strikers. According to the Teamsters Union, this strike marked a significant turning point for both the union and the entire labor movement.
Grassroots Power
Took a long way home after resupplying at Seward Co-op. My bike route led me through the Milwaukee Road Historic District where a new interpretive sign has appeared. It reminds us that it is possible to stand up to the Federal Government and emerge victorious. This neighborhood is a testament to such efforts.
Comfort Food Foundation
Made a 24-hour chicken bone broth which I filtered four ways this morning. Now it’s setting up in the fridge, waiting for me to skim off the fat. I’ll freeze it in smaller portions to use in dishes where I want the flavor and smoothness to shine. On Friday, I picked up chicken parts from an Asian market; of course, I couldn’t resist grabbing some Japanese KitKats while I was there.
From Ug to Yum
Picked up ingredients for a braise, including one each of these gnarly beauties: a rutabaga and a celeriac.
United by Schools
As I walked toward the Center for Adult Learning on Lake Street, a sign thanked us for voting in favor of a property tax levy that will raise $20 million annually for technology in Minneapolis Public Schools. On Tuesday, we had voted to approve the levy and elect school board members. Inside the building we maintained a safe space where no one discussed the election.
Misty Morning, Clear Vision
This morning, the downtown view from our home is completely obscured by mist, but it will eventually clear, of course. Knowing our rights are vulnerable, we got married four years ago today, a right that was won over the objections of many in our country. We don’t count this as our anniversary, our story spans 37 years. We met in a time when people like me were routinely turned away at the border.