Microblog

It’s beyond freezing out there, so I jogged on a treadmill for the first time in decades. For most of the run I held on for dear life, concerned I’d be launched backwards off the contraption. Then I noticed the clip attached to a cord attached to an emergency Off switch.

Built a fully working prototype of a water flow meter using $25 of parts, including an Arduino microcomputer. It behaves exactly like a meter costing ten times as much. I’ll build a “production” version of this and incorporate it into our indoor irrigation system.

Rolled out a rug we both love and took photographs. Rolled it back up, ready to go to its next home. It wasn’t making anybody happy rolled up in our storage cage.

Basil from our indoor garden, ready to garnish our dinner.

Gave in to temptation.

On my walk, fragments remained stapled to a University of Minnesota bulletin board.

On my walk, fragments remained stapled to a University of Minnesota bulletin board.

Tonight is 12th Night. Our Christmas tree waits to go to our “basement”—a storage cage two floors down.

Walked through empty corporate lobbies while running errands Downtown.

Dwight produced a satisfying rice bowl for dinner, using whatever we had to hand.

Took the light rail to Minnehaha Park. After taking the obligatory Falls photo, walked home.

Small ice floes floated by on a tributary of the Mississippi as we walked our running route.

Blue sky was much appreciated on a slippery Downtown walk with a friend.

Didn’t shovel the sidewalk.

Built my latest manifold for watering house plants. It’s smaller, with 5 zones controlled by solenoid valves; each zone can have 8 adjustable drippers. We can adjust the duration and frequency of watering for each zone via the Web.

Looked out at a world that was so icy, bus service was suspended for the first time in 8 years. I could see a dog walker barely staying upright, and emergency vehicles going to accidents. A good day to use the workout room, fix stuff, book travel to warm places.