January, 2020

We met Elaine’s new kitty this evening.

15 minutes ago it was just starting to spit a little snow.

Here you see one of the new electronic signboards at South Station. It’s a standard ruggedized 1080p display. When the commuter rail or Amtrak train starts boarding, it switches to a listing of the stops and timing.

I was going to title this post “Lipstick on a pig” but on reflection I realized there’s a more subtle point to be made here. These signs were replaced because the old LED-dot ones (installed in the late 80s) were dated bespoke technology, basically untouched except for repairs for 30 years, and no doubt increasingly expensive to maintain. It made me think: this is probably what *all* the technological components of the T are like. No wonder it’s going to take years and billions of dollars to put things right.

It’s been so warm yesterday and today that our poor cherry tree is blooming.

Often I take a picture as a throwaway just to see what comes out. And sometimes my model is ready for his close-up.

Gandalf has an injury (from his brother) on his back, which he’s been picking at. So Lis bought some thrift-shop baby shirts to try to dissuade him. We’ve been gradually introducing him to the concept, and tonight for the first time he’s actually wearing a shirt. He seems oddly OK with it.

(Yes, that’s my thumb in the picture, trying to get his attention)

In the bottom of a jug of maple syrup there are often a few maple sugar crystals. This jug was particularly impressive.