As I may have previously remarked, akeelaand I are getting civilly partn married in just under three weeks. On Saturday, nachtfuchs and tanidareal showed us how it's really done ( Read more... )

Today is March 21st, the vernal equinox, the day when-at least in most years-a small lump of iron-rich rock, slowly rotating in a tilted orbit, briefly presents its equator to its small unregarded yellow sun. Across both its hemispheres, day and night stand in perfect equality, except at its poles where horizontal daylight streams across the ( Read more... )

Today I have:

• gone for a four-hour walk-and-run with Mischa in the nature-reserve to the north of here -- lots of forest and lakes in the snow
• made a shopping expedition to prepare the household for the forecast heavy snowfall
• prepared a lavish meal for six, most of which is currently roasting itself in the oven, and due to be served at 9:30 pm
• ( Read more... )

One of the things I really appreciate about German long-distance trains, which make them qualitatively more pleasant to travel in than their English counterparts, is that they have special sealed small-children compartments in each wagon.¹ One of those compartments is earning its keep right now: I can just faintly hear the sounds of irate ( Read more... )