What are you doing today?

Okay:

I'm not thirteen (and even when I was, my sense of humour lay in a different direction, dark, and ironical, and intensely informed by politics) and I'm not male.

And, to be honest, young male humour has never particularly appealed to me.

Your understanding of this reference never even crossed my mind.

Anyway, on these threads others had already referred to Boris Johnson by his initials; I'll not do so again.

Apologies.
Just use the term The Muppet in No 10! We will all know who you mean!
 
I've been in downtown Oakland for the last few days on a work retreat, even though I'm from the bay area this I don't really know this side of the bay too well. It's an interesting mix in this area, gentrification on a massive level, all these multimillion dollar buildings with low income and rundown housing peppered about.

We went to a black owned restaurant (proudly displayed) and had the best food and customer service. It was a nice change from the sterilized all white areas of my suburban town, TBH I've always felt way more at home in a mixed environment because that's what I was raised in and frankly a room full of white Trump supporters are far scarier to be around.

Company owner also took us into San Francisco for happy hour and dinner at a high end sushi place, both nights everyone was up getting plastered, I had all of one beer myself though lol. SF has already reached herd immunity and it's like the roaring 20s out there again and this was the first real bash since the pandemic started.

Also got a room on the 20th floor with a view so I took a few photos.

View attachment 6136
Nice city scape. Did you pack the tripod?
 
Just use the term The Muppet in No 10! We will all know who you mean!
The Mendacious Muppet in No 10.

Ghastly human being, and appalling PM.
Very nice. I can imagine you might be watching the football later as well? Beer, Pizza and football. Sounds like a great night!
Yes, beer, pizza, books and football.

A good high summer's evening.
 
I've been in downtown Oakland for the last few days on a work retreat, even though I'm from the bay area this I don't really know this side of the bay too well. It's an interesting mix in this area, gentrification on a massive level, all these multimillion dollar buildings with low income and rundown housing peppered about.

We went to a black owned restaurant (proudly displayed) and had the best food and customer service. It was a nice change from the sterilized all white areas of my suburban town, TBH I've always felt way more at home in a mixed environment because that's what I was raised in and frankly a room full of white Trump supporters are far scarier to be around.

Company owner also took us into San Francisco for happy hour and dinner at a high end sushi place, both nights everyone was up getting plastered, I had all of one beer myself though lol. SF has already reached herd immunity and it's like the roaring 20s out there again and this was the first real bash since the pandemic started.

Also got a room on the 20th floor with a view so I took a few photos.

View attachment 6136
Agree with @Apple fanboy; lovely citiscape.
 
Birthday celebrations all day. Niece finally got her gift and loved it! Sister baked a cake, unicorn themed per niece’s request. Very good day.

F4633178-190F-45A0-B4F2-72AA10B61DF4.jpeg
 
I've been in downtown Oakland for the last few days on a work retreat, even though I'm from the bay area this I don't really know this side of the bay too well. It's an interesting mix in this area, gentrification on a massive level, all these multimillion dollar buildings with low income and rundown housing peppered about.

We went to a black owned restaurant (proudly displayed) and had the best food and customer service. It was a nice change from the sterilized all white areas of my suburban town, TBH I've always felt way more at home in a mixed environment because that's what I was raised in and frankly a room full of white Trump supporters are far scarier to be around.

Company owner also took us into San Francisco for happy hour and dinner at a high end sushi place, both nights everyone was up getting plastered, I had all of one beer myself though lol. SF has already reached herd immunity and it's like the roaring 20s out there again and this was the first real bash since the pandemic started.

Also got a room on the 20th floor with a view so I took a few photos.

View attachment 6136
Seeing a shot like that makes me miss living somewhere that doesn’t have a mixture of constant fog and smog preventing any view into the distance.

well that and utility lighting that actually works
 
Just seasoned my new carbon steel pans. I had been using lodge pans Hey made in the us but they tend to warp and on the induction stove its a pain. these are De Beyer from France far thicker. they were a bear to season the sids don't really get hot enough for that and the epoxy handles cant handle 450 degree heat for long enough to do it in the oven.
IMG_2873.jpeg

 
Today I finally (mostly) finished a second bench for some of those purchases - drill press, vice, etc. Also managed to drop a steel plate for a ladder onto my toe vertically, while moving it - basically like a really dull, and thankfully ineffective guillotine.
 
have done the toe and plywood sheets a few times. finally bought steel toed boots then I missed the steel toe and hit higher.
 
Today I finally (mostly) finished a second bench for some of those purchases - drill press, vice, etc. Also managed to drop a steel plate for a ladder onto my toe vertically, while moving it - basically like a really dull, and thankfully ineffective guillotine.

have done the toe and plywood sheets a few times. finally bought steel toed boots then I missed the steel toe and hit higher.

Ever done the walking into a full suitcase having emerged from the shower (blind and blinking, wearing nothing, not even your glasses) as you head into the bedroom, not fully focussed on your physical surroundings, because you are thinking about the election you are in that country to observe, yet witlessly assuming that, just because you can walk into a suitcase fully shod without suffering any injury or ill effect, barefoot will be equally harmless?
 
have done the toe and plywood sheets a few times. finally bought steel toed boots then I missed the steel toe and hit higher.
Yeah, this was definitely avoidable. I was wearing thongs (er, flip flops for Americans). Even soft-top shoes like runners would have helped a lot.


Ever done the walking into a full suitcase having emerged from the shower (blind and blinking, wearing nothing, not even your glasses) as you head into the bedroom, not fully focussed on your physical surroundings, because you are thinking about the election you are in that country to observe, yet witlessly assuming that, just because you can walk into a suitcase fully shod without suffering any injury or ill effect, barefoot will be equally harmless?
In another country? No.


In seriousness, the random little incidents that could have some impact on democracy somewhere are quite scary.
 
View attachment 6175
Getting the kids room ready

Well, this looks like a project :) New digs? New room? Color is __awesome__. People fear a little color on the walls :D

We're painting the master, pulled down the wall framing, etc., I'm doing a whole garage thing, new ceiling mounted storage + wall mounted + painting (at some point, Gravity Gray :D)
 
In another country? No.


In seriousness, the random little incidents that could have some impact on democracy somewhere are quite scary.

Quite scary? No.

Embarrassing and inconvenient? Very much so.

That toe hurt - I recall seeing stars - the spinning, twinkling sort - before my eyes.

Now, normally, such matters - a bruised and battered toe - would cease and desist from bothering me with inconvenient pain within half an hour or so.

On that occasion, unfortunately, it didn't.

Two days later, I was still limping (thankfully, the election observation mission - I was there in a senior capacity - had put a BMW X5 - plus driver and interpreter/PA - at my disposal, which meant I walked, or rather was able to walk, a lot less than usual, and my driver was wonderfully helpful), and closer examination revealed a digit that was an ominous blue/black/purple colour, and remained such a fetching shade for, oh, several days.

Anyway, I didn't like what the online world told me such things could mean; I mean, the idea of being medivacced home - for a broken toe - when I was supposed to be in situ observing an election in a senior capacity for the following few months just didn't bear thinking about.

And so, I held my tongue, hobbled gamely from a (large, comfortable vehicle) to whatever meetings I had to attend for a few days, until my normal gait was restored.
 
Paid a flying, fleeting, visit to the city today, to pay some bills, visit the library (books awaited, me, wonderful) and bought some cheese in the cheesemonger's.
 
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