Microblog

MSP, gate G9, soon to board for London LHR. Thunderstorms are brewing bringing back memories of a rather alarming aborted landing in Tokyo due to thunderstorm-related downdrafts. We accumulate our experiences.

After oncology appointments scheduled around our upcoming trip to England, I continued my bike ride. At Ford Bridge, I’m looking at the remnants of a Ford Motor Company plant: Ford Hydroelectric Plant and Ford Steam Plant. Up on the bluffs, a new brownfield development is underway, featuring most of the elements of a 15-minute community,… Continue reading View from Ford Bridge

Endless Bridge is a cantilevered structure that juts out of The Guthrie Theater, reaching towards the river. It has two levels, an outdoor space, and a bar. And the bar is where we’re enjoying a glass beside a mirrored window before The Lehman Trilogy. I’m anticipating a 3-hour critique of unfettered capitalism, starting in the… Continue reading View from Endless Bridge

Near the end of my cycle ride, I paused on this double-decker bridge which connects two campuses of the University of Minnesota. The upper deck features dedicated bike lanes, an enclosed walkway, and a pedestrian path. The lower deck accommodates light rail and regular traffic. The unmistakeably Frank Gehry-designed Weisman Art Museum, sometimes my haven… Continue reading View from Washington Avenue Bridge

At roughly the midpoint of our Sunday walk, we cross the Mississippi River on the Plymouth Avenue Bridge, enjoying the downstream view towards Downtown. The distinctive Boom Island ‘Lighthouse’ is an addition to the park, built in 1987 by the Minneapolis Park Board.

At the start of my walk, I paused to observe the Saturday scene from a bridge. University students were practicing sculling, guided by a coach shouting encouragement from a chase boat. On land, two teams were warming up for a friendly volleyball match. Colorful kayaks were lined up, ready for use, and a couple runners… Continue reading View From Northern Pacific Bridge Number 9

Beautiful day for a bike ride! Paused on the Lake Street Bridge to enjoy this Minneapolis vista with Fall colors starting to sneak in. On the left, the IDS Tower, designed by Philip Johnson, stands tall as the city’s tallest building. To the right, the University of Minnesota Medical Center, where I receive excellent care.… Continue reading View From Lake Street Bridge

In today’s Certified Nursing Assistant class for English language learners, the subject was germs. To illustrate the concept of germ transmission, each learner received four slices of potato, untouched by human hands. They then performed three actions: rub one slice on the floor, breathe on another, and rub the third on their hand. Next week,… Continue reading Germ Transmission 101

Took the light rail to the Thomas Dale neighborhood of St. Paul to meet friends at this unassuming Vietnamese bakery. Chatted over coffee and the best almond croissants. Afterward, I explored random streets in the neighborhood by bike, passing the Capitol before heading to downtown St. Paul and catching the train back to Minneapolis.

Our cycling adventure took us to Lake Harriet, where we had planned to enjoy a breakfast sandwich from Bread & Pickle. Unfortunately, they had shortened their hours, a telltale sign that Fall was upon us. Undeterred, we continued our ride until lunchtime, when Longfellow’s came into view. They served up one of the best grilled… Continue reading A Sure Sign of Fall

Dwight has been wheeling plants to one end of our home for easy access to the watering system while we travel. Here, he’s created a room: on the left, the green wall has filled out well; to the right, plants mainly grown from cuttings, are thriving in maximum natural light. My role has been to… Continue reading Plant Gathering Place

As you walk through our home today, you walk from great cooking smells to the intense smell of rubbing alcohol. I’ve been preparing dinners through Wednesday, Dwight’s been spraying plants that have attracted bugs. Tonight, mushroom risotto; tomorrow beans (with a Spanish-style sofrito base) and rice; Tuesday, risotto patties; Wednesday, beans and polenta. “Food is… Continue reading Sunday Afternoon

On my cycle ride through the Minneapolis North Loop, took in new construction that integrates with two historic structures, thus retaining some sense of place. I’ve always liked the 1884 Commutator building on the corner, but it was falling into disrepair. The white structure (propped up) was wheeled round the corner while a huge hole… Continue reading Old Meets New

Researched places for lunch for each day of our upcoming multi-day hike from Oxford to the source of the River Thames and plotted them on our trail map. Remarkably there’s a place for each day, and they’re all pubs. Of course there’s a Red Lion, a White Hart, and a Ye Olde Swan. (Numbered pins… Continue reading No, Really, It’s Not a Pub Crawl

It was a morning of acronyms preparing non-native English speakers for CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certification, and assisting with ELL (English Language Learning).

Climbed up from Stillwater this morning on the Brown’s Creek Trail to join the Gateway Trail towards St. Paul. Both these leafy trails, repurposed from former railroads, offered a smooth ride with plenty of shade.