Microblog

Sunset is generally the best time of day to reunite with small LEGO parts I’d dropped.

At my age, who could ask for more? On my cycle ride, this biffy convention caught my attention. For the rest of the ride, I tried to think up a collective noun for such a group. A relief of biffies? A widdle? A pod (“pees in a pod”)? Nah.

From a conference room in a beautifully designed Minneapolis school that provides basic adult education, a view of the 1853 Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery. The school is in high demand, with a waitlist of people eager to learn. Below, Lake Street was the scene of protests that turned into riots in 2020.

I’ve now replaced all of our smoke detectors, including this one in the kitchen that also detects carbon monoxide. They’re connected to the Internet and Google Home, but I can’t silence false alarms with a voice command like “Hey Google, STFU” because UL standards disallow that.

I was surprised to see that the Midtown Bike Center had reopened after closing in 2020 due to COVID. It’s located in a former railroad trench that’s now a bikeway. Inside, I ordered an Americano (in a real cup) and explored the remodeled space, which will soon include bike sales and repair services.

Our wheeled garden is on the move. This rolling rack now keeps the afternoon sun off the kitchen island at dinnertime, reducing the need to lower the blinds.

As I walked by, Fraternity Row at the University of Minnesota was buzzing at 10am. Each frat house was hosting its own party with blaring music. I could hear the cheerful cacophony from many blocks away. Later, they might attend a Golden Gophers game. Maybe.

With children’s paracetamol in short supply in Canada, my friends in Newcastle, England, gave me some for their baby grandson in Toronto. Today, I mailed the medication from our art deco post office.

A loudly beeping smoke detector greeted us when we arrived home. We had replaced the batteries in all our detectors in the past year, and they’re hardwired. We disconnected the offending detector and will replace all the detectors with ones that have ten-year rechargeable batteries.

There was a 100% chance of rain as we waited for the train to a Newcastle Airport hotel for the night. Tomorrow morning we fly home, NCL–AMS–MSP.

At Warkworth, we reached the end of our five-day trail, which had passed all too quickly. We waved off our Guildford friend at Newcastle Central and headed to our Newcastle friends’ home for the night. There, Dwight made sure the soles of our hiking boots will pass muster with Customs at MSP.

On our way to Alnmouth for the night, we reached Marden Rocks where we walked on an unusual limestone formation. From a distance, vertical fractures create the illusion of cobblestones.

Our trail included more beautiful beaches, a pub lunch, and dramatic views of Dunstanburgh Castle, on our way to the fishing village of Craster. Local curing sheds and smokehouses transform North Sea herring into kippers, my choice for breakfast tomorrow.

Continued walking towards the North Sea, catching glimpses of Lindisfarne (Holy Island) in the distance. We’re now heading south on the Northumberland Coast Path for four days. Here, we chose to walk the beach for the last mile to Seahouses, where we’re spending tonight.

Much of our route today followed St. Cuthbert’s Way, a trail named after the 7th-century monk, bishop, and hermit who is revered as the patron saint of Northumberland. We’re standing in front of a cave where legend says his coffin was temporarily hidden from Danish raiders in the 9th century.

Two friends have joined us for a multi-day Inn-to-Inn hike in Northumberland, England. Tomorrow we’ll start out from the Black Bull Inn, Wooler, where we have rooms for the night.