Salmon smoking on a smoldering cedar plank for dinner tonight. This is probably the last time we use the barbecue until spring.
Category: Living
Symmetry vs. Function
Today I had to accept symmetry in my LEGO gantry crane isn’t always achievable. Here’s the hoist and grabber subassemblies, operated by pneumatic pistons. Scissor mechanisms are inherently not symmetric in operation, so I had to consider choosing symmetry in either the extended or closed positions, not both.
Expanding the Repertoire
View from the lobby of Orchestra Hall while enjoying a pre-concert glass of wine. Tonight the Minnesota Orchestra featured pieces by six black composers, including two women. The art form tends to be Eurocentric, sometimes stodgy; tonight was refreshing, mixing it up.
Never Give Up
First day of my new weekly ELL (English Language Learning) gig with adult learners. Three classes, great attitudes and determination, spiffiest facilities yet.
We Voted
Election Day is next Tuesday, but we already voted by mail today. This was the shortest ballot I’ve ever seen, with just one contest for a city council member. I’ve come around to Minneapolis’ ranked choice voting system.
Descent into Dark Places on Halloween
Lightly drugged with Fentanyl, I saw places on a monitor where the sun never shines. “Do you mind if a student from Normandale College watches?” they’d asked. I needed clarification, so asked what she’s studying: it could be bread making. It was nursing, so I welcomed her to the party.
Thames Path Walk
Next September we’ll walk with two friends along the Thames Path from Oxford ① to its source ⑥ over five days. Today I booked our hotels. Some are quite small (one has just four rooms) and few and far between. One was already booked up, so we had to juggle with dates.
Confirmation Selfie
I caught his attention by saying we needed a selfie to prove we were in church this Sunday morning. Of course it was a special occasion: our youngest nephew’s Confirmation at Faith Lutheran in Forest Lake, Minnesota.
Earthy Comeback
Dwight sterilized soil for our next batch of microgreens, the last batch having succumbed to fungus. The kitchen was filled with an earthy scent, which was not unpleasant. He sterilizes the seeds in diluted hydrogen peroxide.
Robust Fish Pie
While a friend drove around and around Downtown trying to find our home, I kept the fish pie I’d made for dinner in a low oven. Fish pie is good working-class food where I grew up. I used tilapia and a small amount of smoked salmon—nothing fancy, but robust when coated in a parsley sauce.