Microblog

Deleted the last few travel apps from my phone to make room for apps I’ll actually use.

Rain Day. Time to play with LEGO Technic.

Concurred.

Made a mess.

On my cycle ride, locomotives waited for business to pick up. Over the years, I’ve noticed the number of locomotives lined up here reflects the current state of the economy, much like a bar graph.

Cycled across (positively) 4th Street in Dinkytown, Minneapolis. Back when I was a student, I loved the way Dylan oozes with contempt in this song. The title probably refers to the 4th Street that runs through Greenwich Village, but Minneapolis can claim some connection.

Duckie stood guard while we ate grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch beside Lake Harriet.

Found this 1878 cottage behind sound barriers where two freeways meet. Next door, an 1889 brick row house is caught in the tarantula-like grip of a frame that supports billboards.

They always find a vein… eventually.

Over-thought soft polenta, it’s been a slow day. I’ve been making it 1:3, cornmeal to water. Looked up the basic recipe in The Silver Spoon (1:2) and Joy of Cooking (1:4). Ultimately, split the difference and opted for 1:3, as before. I guess you just make it the way you like it.

On my cycle ride, found the best 4th of July parade, ever.

Took pleasure in destroying an illegally posted sign that said COVID is a hoax… until a cop pulled up to tell me I was breaking the law (false), and that COVID is a hoax (false). Silently photographed the cop and the remains of the sign, then wheeled my bicycle down the street.

Walked around Lake of the Isles.

Caught glimpses of the Mississippi below through cracks and gaps as I wheeled my bicycle across the bridge. The railroad company had installed a steel grid walkway for their workers over rotting and missing boards. A sign that once stated “No Trespassing” exuded lawlessness.

Cycled along a street of 28 modest homes constructed in the 1950s as part of the first privately-developed interracial housing project in Minneapolis, and one of the first housing projects in the country to offer federal-government-insured (FHA) mortgages.

Installed a smart lock. Now I need to dream up some use cases for it.