Author: doug

Ah, the joys of a new device. This is the 2nd system update for my new tablet in as many days. It wanted an update fresh out of the box and it’s just coincidence that a new version was released the day after I got the tablet; I don’t expect this pace to continue.

I bought myself a small tablet — primarily for reading — and chose a cover with maps on it rather than a boring plain color. I choose to believe that it represents an alternative reality in which Finland (and Belgium and the Netherlands) are missing and the rest of Europe misshapen, rather than incompetent mapmakers who don’t give a shit.

This, my friends, is what state of the art camera gear allows even a weekend hack to capture: a dragonfly in mid-air.

I am selling my “wildlife” lens, my 80-400mm bazooka that I bought for our Yellowstone trip in 2004 and have gotten quite a bit of use out of over the years. This lens was introduced in 2000 — before the modern digital era — and both its autofocus speed and sharpness are no match for my new camera. Here is one last photo with this lens, a mourning dove at the feeder on this dim, cloudy day.

I’m sure I will buy a new wildlife lens someday, but probably not until we have scheduled another trip.

The downside to a fluffy cat. All the grey is (of course) from Gandalf; the tiny orange corner is from Ferrous.

I went to the BeerAdvocate Microbrew Invitational in Boston today. This is the Obstinate Goat American Strong Ale from Neighborhood Beer Co. from Exeter, NH.  I got the second glass from this keg, so it was super foamy. And yes, that’s Kat in the background (it’s hard to get subject isolation with a cellphone camera).

They announced my train this evening on Track 2. Here’s Track 2. Unless Wonder Woman is driving that’s a problem. (It did eventually show up.)

We love to spit a chicken for dinner this time of year.

This file cabinet was my dad’s — containing important genealogy papers — and was too ugly to bring into the house. It was originally government surplus, 1950’s era, army green in color. I applied some leather-look contact paper and it is now actually somewhat handsome. If you look closely you can see some bubbles and seams, but some judiciously-applied magnets or stickers will take care of that. Now all I need is to find someone to help me carry it up the stairs: it’s super heavy (as I said, 1950’s government surplus).

Not just an oxymoron, it’s what’s for dinner!