Microblog

Drove an electric vehicle for the first time ever. I’ve signed up for a carshare program, no subscription fee, billed by the minute. You find the nearest car on a map then drop it off at just about any regular street parking spot… which I did, right outside our building.

Looked up at a Downtown sidewalk reflected in a mirrored canopy: two men playing a supersized game of chess, me, my bike, sidewalk art, all reduced to a common visual style.

Cycled from Fort Snelling along the river to this view of St. Paul at Indian Mounds Regional Park. Cycled back mostly on the other side of the river.

On my “best of summer” list: cooked-to-order breakfast sandwiches from Bread & Pickle at Lake Harriet.

Craved Japan, cycled to masu for comfort food. Japan is still closed to independent travelers: I’ve cancelled 3 trips to Japan in the past year and may have to cancel a 4th in October. Just in case, I’ve also booked a nonstop to Seoul in October.

Giraffe House, spotted on my cycle ride through Nordeast Minneapolis. A baby giraffe is hiding behind a tree.

Stopped for coffee, resisted a waffle, at Black Coffee and Waffle Bar near the University of Minnesota East Bank Campus. Couldn’t decide if the back of the bathroom door was graffiti or art. Decided I was overthinking.

Walked over to the Guthrie for “Sweat.” Angry workers in a bar as their factory succumbed to the inevitable pressures of NAFTA in the early days of the 21st century.

Cycled past giant LEGO bricks in captivity. Inside the building, Brickmania produces military LEGO kits. The LEGO Company doesn’t produce real-world military kits as a matter of policy.

My friend, Dave, sometimes likes to include a cemetery on our Tuesday cycle rides. Today, at Hillside cemetery, we visited his Aunt Ruth, a beloved kindergarten teacher for 50 years. Her ashes were interred here in 2008.

Returned home after walking with friends. Performed my usual twerk dance to get the electronic lock to notice my presence and unlock the door. Dwight calls this my waggle dance, like a bee returning to the hive. He reminded me he’s happy with his old-fashioned key.

Tonight for dessert: salty caramel/Oreo Semifreddo. Heavy cream, crème fraîche, dulce de leche, salt, thin Oreos. The texture was quite decent without the egg custard and whipped egg whites I incorporated in last week’s Semifreddo. It’s dangerously too easy to make.

Walked in heavy rain to the farmers market at Mill City Museum. Filled a pack with local produce: bacon brats for Sausage Saturday, tomatoes, green beans, and Indian eggplant. Today’s rain deterred shoppers while making a dent in the drought: farmers are always at the mercy of the weather.

Tutored, without fear of passing on my lingering cold. Today we discussed Rosa Parks, and different styles of speech and writing when honoring her legacy.

On Tuesday I posted about “Men Without Women” prompting a friend to ask which author—Murakami (2014) or Hemingway (1927)? She correctly surmised Murakami. Today, continued my temporary couch potato life by reading Hemingway’s. It’s no accident Murakami used the title.

Ventured out to Five Watt Coffee for a socially distanced cuppa.