Week of September 9, 2024

I’ve deleted three different openings, so I’m just going to dive right in.

Speaking of “diving in,” I used that phrase earlier today and Charlie was confused, and then even more confused after I tried to explain. Idioms are challenging to learn!

Reading update:

I finished The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey and Tenkara – the book by Daniel Galhardo this week. I’ll certainly read more Abbey in the near future, and I’m working my way through two other books on tenkara-style fishing. On audio I finished the fourth book in the Expeditionary Force series, Black Ops.

I started the new Bobiverse book, Not Till We Are Lost, on audio this week. I’m finding it pretty jumpy and it isn’t holding my attention as well as the first four books. On Kindle I’m a couple chapters in to Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Next up in physical format: The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis, sent to me by Fernando.

I started learning how to tie fly fishing flies this week. I clamped some forceps to my desk, used sewing thread, and picked up some rooster hackle on eBay. The first couple flies were doable enough that I decided to buy some basic tools and materials to give it a real go.

After my vise, hackle pliers, bobbin, partridge feathers, and more hooks arrived, I gave it another shot, tying a variation on the first style (Ishigaki kebari), then some North Country Spiders.

I have a lot to learn! This is not something I can do very well when I’m tired. I need to spend more time figuring out the whip finisher and building up muscle memory with that. Keeping notes as I go here.

Next I want to tie some killer bugs and killer kebaris.

I also need to get out on a stream soon! I did practice casting a little bit this afternoon on a pond, but I’m eager to take my new tenkara rod out on a real stream.

More evenings after dinner down by the waterfront with Charlie. Playground, walking, throwing rocks in the water, etc. Caught this nice sunset:

Our friends Chris and Meg came up from Manhattan on Saturday to hang out. We:

Walked around downtown Peekskill for a bit

Hit Benny’s Brown Bag for lunch

Went on a hike in Blue Mountain Reservation. We took a trail that I’ve not been on, despite living so close and getting out there a couple times a week. It was a nice change of pace.

We got the pizza oven out and made pizza!

Miscellany

I noticed this hand-drawn shelf map at Bruised Apple Books this week. Every indie bookstore needs one of these. Quite charming.

A little footprint. These fade as quickly as he grows, and I’m glad to glimpse them occasionally.

Tonight Amanda was stretching on her yoga mat, and explaining to Charlie how to do some basic stretches. Then for the next five minutes he made up different stretches and taught them to us, which made for much amusement. His imagination is great.

We played in the sandbox a couple times this week. I’m glad we put one in this year, it was worth the effort.

Our tomatillo plants are still producing a ton! I have away a huge quart this week and made a quart of salsa verde with another.

It got hot again this week. Summer isn’t over.