A Pallot-ful of Updates

Hey blogsy,

It's been a while since the last update and so much has happened.  Most recently I saw a film called In A Day, a nice (but not great) movie, but it had a good ending, and that's important. Anyway there is a song called New Years "performed" by the main character, but actually sung by Nerina Pallot. I really like her voice, which reminds me of  ... some other singers.  Check it out.

Also I went to a bookstore to hear Ellen Sussman talk about (and read from) her new book French Lessons. There were disappointingly few people there. :-(  The talk was nice and the book is now (physically) on my TBR pile.

We went to the Oakwood Sister City's' Sis-Boom-Ball event, which led to an event at Ariana's birthday party that inspired another 50 word story. (and more ideas are in the pipeworks)

Lisa & I went to The Winds Cafe for a special Southern France dinner event, as a birthday celebration.  Best meal I've had there.  Well, I'm not usually so impressed by them, so maybe that doesn't say a lot, but this meal was "Really good stuff."  Now I'll have to consider if I can afford going to one of their Garlic Dinner events.

Giora is in the US (on the West Coast) and as usual is incommunicado. Quel domage but ... c'est la vie.

Oh, we upgraded to smarty-pants phones. My top apps are:
Waze, Word Weasel, Geohash Droid, Backgammon, 2 PaperBackSwap apps I'm trying to decide between, and a test app I made for GasPriceWatch.

I think that's all for now, hope to see you again before another 3 months goes by.

R

fireworks question

While visiting Fort Collins and Denver, as the high altitude was getting to me I wondered how the thinner air affects other things.

Such as fireworks.  If you set off any specific type of fireworks at dead-sea level, regular sea level, "mile-high" Denver, and atop Mount Everest, would the results be the same?

Could one set off fireworks on the moon?

I tried Google "fireworks higher altitude", but only got result about ones that fly in a higher trajectory.

Any pyrotechnical experts out there?

and as a follow up, do hospitals in Denver have more patients (percentage-wise, I suppose) that have those oxygen tubes, as compared to hospitals in the plains?

there are no calories if you only dream it

Jenn wrote: This [Mac n Cheese] pie recipe came to me in a dream. Looks good to me. Kind of reminds me of one of Giada's recipes for spaghetti pie (Baked Angel Hair with Eggplant). I tried it once with spaghetti squash.  Took forever to bake!

Anyway my own latest food-in-a-dream was something I "saw" and my analytical mind started trying to figure out how it was made, and wonder how it could be cut without crumbling, even though I was still asleep. First, do you know what a Chocolate Lattice is? Now imagine a cake made in a simple bundt pan, no ridges, crowns, tiers, etc. Cut it in half to make two layers. Frost it, also frost the bottom.  Don't worry about it, this is a thought exercise. Now cut it into about eight slices, add frosting between them, and reassemble it into a cake shape. So far so good? Now, magically, replace all the frosting with chocolate lattices, and make the cake itself disappear.  So we have a sort of cage divided into cells, all made of latticed chocolate. That is what I saw.  How would you make it? And how would you cut and serve it? ... surprise me on my birthday

anniv-PI-sary

Happy Pi Day again

Not much to show for a year having gone by.  Ate in some new places, read some more books.
The trip to Cape Charles (in Virginia's "Eastern Shore") was nice (but a long drive).

I still plan to (ie, I had hoped I would have already)
- upgrade to a smart phone
- buy bowling shoes
- post here more often
- discover that I have a few readers

Here are some of the newer eateries (at least for me) that I recommend
CJ Chan at Wilmington & Irving, here in Dayton
Common Grounds coffee shop in Fayetteville, AR
Thai D in Marion, IL

New games, etc
Rory's Story Cubes


ok, go eat some pie

R

fifty word follow up

First Place!   :-D
http://fiftywordstories.com
my winning entry:

---

Sisters

Of course they look alike; they’re sisters.

Coincidentally, I met them on Valentine’s Day and immediately fell in love, and now they live with me.

It was through a want ad: “New in town. Looking for friends, a litter box, and meow mix.”

I named my kittens Always and Forever.

---

I had an idea for a second entry, but I didn't actually craft it, but here are the scraps:

I always RACK my brain for what words to use with her, but they're never worthy enough.
They may seem simple, but she wins me over with always, and forever, which gives her the 7-letter bonus

(get it? it's a Scrabble joke)

Fifty Word Story

Howdy again y'all.

I found an interesting site, http://fiftywordstories.com
The title pretty much explains it all.
They're having a Valentines Day contest. Details on the site
 I'm submitting a story called Sisters.  I'll post it here after the contest is closed.

You can send one in as well. (hurry)


R