So today we went to Detroit's eastern market.
As ever it was a long drive for a disappointing sandwich.
We keep forgetting that it's winter.
And that winter in Michigan means staying indoors.
So the stalls were missing.
The buzz was absent.
And the people looked 'nithered'
That said we had a good time, bought lots of stuff and now we're ready to cook.
which is what we're going to do now.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Eastern market
So today we went to Detroit's eastern market.
As ever it was a long drive for a disappointing sandwich.
We keep forgetting that it's winter.
And that winter in Michigan means staying indoors.
So the stalls were missing.
The buzz was absent.
And the people looked 'nithered'
That said we had a good time, bought lots of stuff and now we're ready to cook.
which is what we're going to do now.
As ever it was a long drive for a disappointing sandwich.
We keep forgetting that it's winter.
And that winter in Michigan means staying indoors.
So the stalls were missing.
The buzz was absent.
And the people looked 'nithered'
That said we had a good time, bought lots of stuff and now we're ready to cook.
which is what we're going to do now.
Friday, February 29, 2008
The I-94
I thought that I'd share what my commute looks like with the wider world.
This is the i-94.
The speed limit on the I-94 is 70mph (112km/h) which is pretty good for America. Certainly faster than most people from outside the country think that it will be.
At 1604 miles long it would take you 22 hrs 54mins and 51 seconds to drive from its western beginning to its eastern end (if you obeyed the speed limit and adopted an astronautical approach to the journey and didn't stop for food or bathroom breaks (or for fuel, which might be a problem)
Right now though my issue with the I-94 is that most mornings it looks like the picture above. What the picture misses however are the huge 4*4s who hurtle though at 70 in this weather, the deep central ditches into which they spin, the tailbacks that these spins cause and the amount of ice that forms on your windscreen as they kick up slush and spray you with the kind of salty detrious usually reserved for only the most disillusioned kind of 'actress'
Now people tell me that come the spring I'll forget all about the hell of winter. That a new hormone will surge through my body and fill me with a joy that erases mornings like this. I really do.
This is the i-94.
The speed limit on the I-94 is 70mph (112km/h) which is pretty good for America. Certainly faster than most people from outside the country think that it will be.
At 1604 miles long it would take you 22 hrs 54mins and 51 seconds to drive from its western beginning to its eastern end (if you obeyed the speed limit and adopted an astronautical approach to the journey and didn't stop for food or bathroom breaks (or for fuel, which might be a problem)
Right now though my issue with the I-94 is that most mornings it looks like the picture above. What the picture misses however are the huge 4*4s who hurtle though at 70 in this weather, the deep central ditches into which they spin, the tailbacks that these spins cause and the amount of ice that forms on your windscreen as they kick up slush and spray you with the kind of salty detrious usually reserved for only the most disillusioned kind of 'actress'
Now people tell me that come the spring I'll forget all about the hell of winter. That a new hormone will surge through my body and fill me with a joy that erases mornings like this. I really do.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Working harder than Peter North
which is why this is both late and boring.
Having fun today. Working out words for 'explosive' that don't bring to mind the idea of fireballs.
Harder than you'd think actually.
Though I found out today that in automotive speak any incident that involves flames is a "thermal incident" - hallelujah for corporate language.
Having fun today. Working out words for 'explosive' that don't bring to mind the idea of fireballs.
Harder than you'd think actually.
Though I found out today that in automotive speak any incident that involves flames is a "thermal incident" - hallelujah for corporate language.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
A cold day in hell
Yup, more snow, another -15c day and no relief on the grey horizon. The smoke is freezing as it leaves the chimneys that choke the air here. The roads are disintegrating. And the weight of relentless cold has yet to be lifted by the promise of the break of spring.
At work I'm busy administering nasty tasting medicine, throwing out band aids and making sure that my Kevlar vest doesn't slip and allow people sight of my spine for even one knife inviting second. It's good fun actually. And not nearly as dramatic as I make it sound. In truth we're working out how to take my unusually intellectual ideas and turn them into something a little more spleen rupturinging stomach punchy. Shouldn't be too hard.
The pic btw is taken pretty close to our house. I love the idea that a $7500 fine comes before 15 years in jail as a deterrent. And that diner workers are so in jeopardy that they need this sign. "How many waitresses must die before the Government takes action?"
At work I'm busy administering nasty tasting medicine, throwing out band aids and making sure that my Kevlar vest doesn't slip and allow people sight of my spine for even one knife inviting second. It's good fun actually. And not nearly as dramatic as I make it sound. In truth we're working out how to take my unusually intellectual ideas and turn them into something a little more spleen rupturinging stomach punchy. Shouldn't be too hard.
The pic btw is taken pretty close to our house. I love the idea that a $7500 fine comes before 15 years in jail as a deterrent. And that diner workers are so in jeopardy that they need this sign. "How many waitresses must die before the Government takes action?"
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Out of place
I feel strangely out of place today. It might be the umpteenth snow storm of the winter. Or the big meeting this afternoon. Or the series of little meetings that always preceed a big meeting.
It might be that my pants are so tight I have no circulation below the waist (sadly this is true of all of my pants)
It might be the heady whiff of magic markers (I know, I'm allergic but they just work so well when you use massive pieces of paper)
It might be middle age or the tightness of this hat.
I'm not sure what it is - but it feels mightily odd.
It might be that my pants are so tight I have no circulation below the waist (sadly this is true of all of my pants)
It might be the heady whiff of magic markers (I know, I'm allergic but they just work so well when you use massive pieces of paper)
It might be middle age or the tightness of this hat.
I'm not sure what it is - but it feels mightily odd.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Fabulously Fat
Yup it's finally dawned on me. Months of never venturing outside. Of driving everywhere. Of comfort food. Of wine, chips, dips and promises that you'll hit the gym when the negative temperatures hit single digits have finally caught up with me. And no amount of camera angles, sweaters, belt buckles and snazzy shoes can hide it.
I've gained 9lbs (4kg) since I arrived in Ann Arbor and I can feel the result chafing against the band of my pants even as I type. So it's time for Operation Fabulously Thin. Wanna lose 10 lbs in the next 4 weeks.
I have the before shots.... I'll post them only when the after shots look great - or if I fail to lose weight in any given week.
Here's to dieting.
I've gained 9lbs (4kg) since I arrived in Ann Arbor and I can feel the result chafing against the band of my pants even as I type. So it's time for Operation Fabulously Thin. Wanna lose 10 lbs in the next 4 weeks.
I have the before shots.... I'll post them only when the after shots look great - or if I fail to lose weight in any given week.
Here's to dieting.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
A second day of brilliant sunshine
So Ann Arbor delivers unto us a second day of brilliant sunshine. No matter that it's still -11c outside there's something about feeling the heat of the sun as it streams in and warms your back that's as uplifting as an under-wired gospel song.
What makes things better is that I know that somewhere in town is a freezing James Blunt - he played the Michigan Theatre last night and will still be somewhere close, I'm sure, Blunty doesn't like to get up too early - that's why he lives in Ibiza.
Our weekend plans were somewhat scuppered by the arrival of a small Pug who we're looking after for the weekend. It runs all over the place like some snot powered missile, grunting and choking and generally being unpleasant as it goes. Jude thinks that it's cute, I think that it needs one of Mommy's Ambien in its water bowl.
Talking of Ambien it came up in our 'Perfect Murder' slot at work. There's a woman there who is diabetic, no she's Diabetic - yet she can't resist a Krispy Kreme donut. Which accounts for the times that people have found her slumped over her desk and worried that she was dead. Anyway as one of the side effects of ambien is 'sleep eating' we figured that the perfect murder would be to slip it into her donuts and then force feed her more sugary confection as she slept. Coroner would think she sleep ate her way to a sugary grave, Ambien would have another scandal and be one step closer to a ban and we'd live free of fear of death whenever we saw the KK man. Brilliant.
What makes things better is that I know that somewhere in town is a freezing James Blunt - he played the Michigan Theatre last night and will still be somewhere close, I'm sure, Blunty doesn't like to get up too early - that's why he lives in Ibiza.
Our weekend plans were somewhat scuppered by the arrival of a small Pug who we're looking after for the weekend. It runs all over the place like some snot powered missile, grunting and choking and generally being unpleasant as it goes. Jude thinks that it's cute, I think that it needs one of Mommy's Ambien in its water bowl.
Talking of Ambien it came up in our 'Perfect Murder' slot at work. There's a woman there who is diabetic, no she's Diabetic - yet she can't resist a Krispy Kreme donut. Which accounts for the times that people have found her slumped over her desk and worried that she was dead. Anyway as one of the side effects of ambien is 'sleep eating' we figured that the perfect murder would be to slip it into her donuts and then force feed her more sugary confection as she slept. Coroner would think she sleep ate her way to a sugary grave, Ambien would have another scandal and be one step closer to a ban and we'd live free of fear of death whenever we saw the KK man. Brilliant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)