Microblog

Posted 12 Months of Microposts: 2020.

Explored Minnehaha Park and the campus of the Minnesota Veterans Home with a friend. This Mississippi view was new to me: the dam, and a hydroelectric plant in the red-roofed building were owned by the Ford Motor Company to power the now-demolished Twin Cities Assembly Plant.

Made the mistake of asking The Google to play upbeat music while I showered. This stuck me with a Cher/Abba earworm: “Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight.” I’m now trying to mitigate it with Donna Summer: “Someone left the cake out in the rain… .”

With snow falling, our Sunday walk took us across four Mississippi bridges, including this former railroad bridge to Nicollet Island.

Completed a travel-themed jigsaw puzzle, a gift from a friend.

Looking forward to a day of simple traditions, including our minimal Christmas tree, with gratitude.

Woke up to an appropriately snowy Christmas Eve. With subzero temperatures it was a good day to stay indoors.

Cycled over to SiP Coffeebar to pick up a coffee, then sit on a wall overlooking a yard where a sculptor creates. I always chuckle at the Happiness art piece. Ostensibly, this is the “happiest time of the year.” This year we can simply be grateful for what we have.

On my walk through the Minneapolis North Loop: a ghostly Nutcracker and Rat Queen in a store window. The costumes would normally be worn by members of the Minnesota Dance Theater at this time of year.

On our walk, spotted these yarn bombs. A sign reminded us today is the winter solstice, and invited us to take one of the macramé stars. We didn’t take one, a photo sufficed. “From this point forward we begin our journey back to the light.”

It was a perfect day to get outside, meet a friend, ride our bikes, and stand at our favorite perch to watch trains going by.

On my walk through the University of Minnesota’s East Bank campus, it wasn’t too cold to sit outside and enjoy a coffee.

Reviewed our unsolicited holiday gift collection: a “gifting set” from The LEGO Company (wrapping paper, card, stickers, etc.), a face mask from our state representative, and plastic champagne flutes from the Minnesota Orchestra (to be used during their New Year’s Eve broadcast).

Hiked William O’Brien State Park on frozen ground lightly dusted with snow.

Posted Learning in a Time of Covid.

With temperatures dropping to single digits (Fahrenheit), decided to stay inside and rest my joints. Spent much of the day redesigning one of my robot’s six joints.