a relatively quiet weekend

[redbird]

I spent a pleasant afternoon with roadnotes yesterday. It was our usual ongoing conversation, this time mostly at La Lanterna over tea, fruit drinks, duck salad, and sweets. Then we wandered around the Village a bit, ending up with a brief stop at Varsano's for chocolate. I got a quarter pound of chocolate covered ginger (large pieces, still nice and soft) and a few truffles and creams. One was something labeled as a caramel truffle. I asked about it, and Mark said "would you like to sample one?" and handed one to each of us, noting as he did that they have liquid centers. I liked it, Roadnotes liked it, so I bought two, because cattitude is fond of caramels. He turned out less fond of it than I'd hoped, saying he prefers the basic chocolate-covered caramel, but that's not dislike, just modified rapture.

Having misread the subway rerouting notices, I allowed more time than I needed, and was downtown well before our agreed rendezvous. That was time to stop at Aphrodisia beforehand, and be reminded of why I carry a shopping list on the Palm. I went in for dried chives, which I got. I also got some cassia, which I remembered I was almost out of, and some brown mustard seed because adrian_turtle used some in a lamb and lentil stew that I liked. I took out the Palm, brought up the shopping list, said "oh," and selected a paprika. While I was on line the first time, a tour guide told his group that it was a "very hippie store." The proprietor expressed distaste, and I suggested that he just meant she'd been there a long time (and thus in his own head associated her or the shop with the Village's hippie days). Even with the stop there, I got to the cafe early. Roadnotes was, I think, also running early: I asked for a pot of tea and the menu, and the tea came quickly. It had about had time to steep when she arrived, but I hadn't poured it into my cup.

Other than that, I've been doing my best to take it easy and rest some. The main accomplishment today has been swapping out the Palm V and its cradle for the m515 ckd gave me a while back: no heavy lifting involved, and it took place entirely indoors. Yes, I have been out, in unexpected sunshine—Roadnotes and I picked yesterday partly because the forecast was for sun then and thunderstorms today—but briefly, just time to enjoy some greenery and regret that another of the trees in the nearby part of the park has fallen over.

When I wrote this, I meant to add that I have now received two bills from the hospital for the gall bladder stuff. One I have paid, and faxed a copy to the FISA account people: that's for $34.63 after what the insurance company paid and/or got them to discount. The other is for ten times that, with a note that they have, as a courtesy, submitted the bill to my insurance company, and that I should contact said company to find out what's going on. So, another call to Cigna tomorrow.

Comments

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

I think of "hippie" as an adjective with rather positive connotations, but I suppose it doesn't imply that a store is efficient or businesslike.

As for the brown mustard seed, I use small amounts of it in all sorts of savory foods that might be at risk of being a little boring. It adds depth without sweetness or smokiness. It's not as sharply hot as the yellow mustard powder.

I also regret that another of the trees in your park has fallen over. When you told me about the plan to plant 1,000,000 trees in your city, I thought of it as a sweetly noncontroversial idea to improve the environment. That was before I talked with some people waiting for a Lowell Regional Transit Authority bus. They sounded *angry* that the city of Lowell planned to plant trees.
one person: "Who do they think they are, putting trees out next to the highway?"
another: "They're just going to get sawed off before the end of the year."
a third: "End of the year? Hah. They won't even last to the end of the summer."

You live in a good city.

[redbird]

I do live in a good city.

The edge of the highway isn't the best place for trees, but that's not usually about people with saws, it's about vehicle exhausts (though the removal of lead from gasoline has helped).

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

It's not the restricted-access kind of "highway." It's just a major road, with a lot of cars going about 40mph, but motorcycles can use it. (Bicycles, too, in theory, though I haven't seen any yet.) There are sidewalks on both sides. Along the 2-mile section of the road I've seen, there are small shops, restaurants, an elementary school, a micropark, and the entrance to a condominium complex...all of which I think ought to be screened from the effects of traffic, where possible.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

People in my city argue about the trees planted every year, too. The city plants Bradford Pears near the roads because they break easily and are less likely to kill people who run into them. Some residents think there should be more different types of trees. I'm fine with the Bradford Pears.

[redbird]

I'm broadly in favor of variety, because monoculture isn't a great idea, though street trees are a lower risk than your major food crops. Right now New York's selection includes something red-leafed, which I haven't identified yet beyond noting that it's not red maple; there are blocks which have been planted with ornamental cherries, I think about 10 years ago. And the ornamental non-fruiting pears. I don't think they're still planting ginkgo, and I suspect the ailanthus of being self-seeded.

[ashbet]

Points for the use of "modified rapture" :D :D :D

-- A <3