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A light dusting of snow was forming as we walked to Theatre in the Round for an adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel. Predictably, the playbill cautioned us to expect gunfire and murder.

With Thanksgiving behind us, Christmas selling is kicking into high gear. As I headed to get a haircut, I noticed a manger scene on sale outside an antique store. The ensemble is priced at $295, but can be purchased piecemeal. A baby Jesus that lights up is a mere $40, the manger is extra.

It’s finally time for dessert: Dwight’s apple crisp and whipped cream. Life is good. Grateful. Table centerpiece by LEGO from a kit, rolling plant racks by Dwight with lighting by Tom.

My friend figured out Band Box Diner is only open Wednesday through Saturday, so today was the day, in the words of the establishment’s slogan, to “Grease for Peace.” The counter seats were occupied by regulars, so we observed the scene from a table. Breakfast was good and substantial.

Stopped posting my daily Microposts to X/Twitter after almost eleven years. The platform’s shift under Elon Musk’s leadership conflicts with my values. All 4,000 Microposts are archived on tomwilson.com where I can group them by things I care about.

Admired the post office boxes in our 1933 Art Deco post office. They have two features that are missing from the modern boxes in our building: small windows that allow you to see if there is any mail, and they’re loaded from behind from the sorting room.

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.

Well, I never! On my walk today, I stumbled upon the Washington Monument right here in Minneapolis. I can’t recall if I knew about it before, but re-rediscovering things is a delightful perk of aging. I had to contort myself to take this picture then managed to return to an upright position.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Walked between lines of rail cars parked across the river from our home. The hopper cars on the left usually carry tiny plastic pellets. “Hot 3257” hazmat placards on the insulated tanker cars on the right warn that the contents are hot and molten, probably asphalt.

On my walk, former industrial land awaits a new purpose. To the right, a railroad embankment abruptly ends at a stone buttress that once supported a bridge. Behind me, many of the warehouses in the Minneapolis North Loop have been converted into condos and apartments, creating a vibrant neighborhood.