Pieceful Thanksgiving

With Dwight immersed in his Sunday plant-care routine, I assembled the first 400 pieces (out of 800) of a LEGO dried flower centerpiece for Thanksgiving. The end result, though lacking some apparently superfluous parts, seems OK to me.

Industrial Grit to Urban Chic

On a walk through the Minneapolis North Loop with friends, paused to take in this hotel/retail project. The building on the right had become dilapidated, but is being brought back to life. The old white building sandwiched between new construction was moved to this location.

Unwinding with Umami

Thursdays are our service days: Dwight in a university greenhouse, me in ELL classrooms. This leaves us with little energy for cooking, so we typically have dinner out. Tonight: our local Izakaya (Japanese bar/restaurant).

Almost Home

Cycled home from the university hospital as the sun was setting after a day dominated by medical appointments. Grateful there are new options when I’ll need them. Home is just beyond the end of this tunnel.

Incredible Pastries

It was plenty warm enough to relax on these chairs and enjoy a cuppa with a friend. The coffee shop’s Web site promised “a magical experience that will transport you to Paris with every bite” of their “incredible pastries.” Coffee sufficed, there were no pastries, only dog treats, and that’s OK.

Categorized as Friends

Indulging Without Regret

Sandwiched a few moments of zen sitting at the counter of Al’s Diner in Dinkytown between full body scans at the university. Surprisingly, clogged arteries aren’t on my healthcare problem list.

Categorized as Eat, Health

Lighting a Moveable Vertical Garden

Researched unobtrusive nighttime front lighting for plants on a vertical grid on a moveable rack. Tried various paradigms, including: green wall, large artwork, trade show display, and wall wash. The sun shows backlighting is also a possibility.

A Vehicle for Heavy Cream

Today, I tentatively reintroduced lactose to my diet. Tomorrow morning, I’ll pour heavy cream over my oatmeal, along with the usual maple syrup. Note the ready time: I’ve become a morning person in my senior years.

Doctor’s Orders: Chat at the Clinic

My friend and I planned to have breakfast at this diner, but it was closed this morning despite Google saying otherwise. We ended up getting a pastry and a surprisingly decent coffee at a nearby multispecialty clinic, but the important thing was to catch up and have a good conversation.

Categorized as Friends

… But Do Donuts and Coffee Like Me?

For six weeks, I’ve been on a restrictive eating plan to eliminate any food for which I may have developed an intolerance. Now, I’m slowly adding back foods to discover any culprit(s). First back are caffeine and gluten, which I much enjoyed today at FRGMT Coffee.

Categorized as Health