Category Trials and Tribulations
Wildfire season
The wind shifted yesterday and now Seattle is buried beneath a layer of smoke from the wildfires on the other side of the Cascades. The look and strong smell of the smoky city strangely reminds me of India, more than anything, since Delhi had been so smoky while we were there. I feel grateful yet […]
Fixing the fountain
One of my absolute favourite things about my house has been the fountains in the courtyard and backyard. They brought birds and movement and play of sound and light, and confirmed my belief that every garden, no matter how small or urban, ought to have a water feature. Alas, the fountains did not survive my […]
And lo, the glory of the air conditioners did bless the lives of all who dwelt therein
We’ve now had officially, what, three days in a row of actual summer weather in Seattle? They’ve been fantastic days, for sure—I can’t get enough of the sun and sky and garden—and it looks like more is on the way! But the loveliness of Seattle summer days is balanced by the misery of Seattle summer […]
Something went wrong
After such a hopeful start yesterday, this morning brought grim news: All of my pretty fish are dead on the bottom of the pond. Clearly something has gone very wrong with the pond conditions. Apparently fine for plant life but inhospitable to fish—what a shame. Something new to figure out.
I’m less enchanted by the squirrels
Adorable tiny birds are one thing. Voracious squirrels who snarf a quarter of the birdseed in one go are quite another.
Two good things
We’ve been on lockdown now for four weeks now, and I’ve been working 16-18 hour days for most of that, weekends included. The two things are related and there’s no end in sight for either. But two other things help me feel a tiny bit human notwithstanding: First, I got a haircut today! After the […]
Easter breakfast
This morning while my parents and siblings texted each other about their Easter hams, Justin made an equally delicious ham-free breakfast of ricotta pancakes, chicken sausages, and an omelette. I spent the rest of the day working, a complete basket case of stress, while Justin talked to his parents and enjoyed the roof and baked […]
The new office setup
So much has happened since my last post! I’ve started half a dozen drafts about the move to Seattle, settling-in last week, starting the new job, and the craziness of covid-19 – but it turns out that living those things has taken up all the time for writing about them. But I am here and […]
Just kidding! tonight is the last night in London
I was all set for one of those life moments, turning the page and opening a new chapter—only British Airways thought differently! My flight was delayed and delayed and delayed and then finally canceled. In classic airline fashion they were never very specific about the reasons; they said something about “operations” and claimed that “engineers” […]
Waterfalls!
Iceland is a land of wind and volcanoes and glaciers—and also waterfalls! They pour over the volcanic cliffs onto the flat coastland below. Highly dramatic and incredibly photogenic, they are sure crowd pleasers. The first one we visited was Seljalandsfoss, which was also the largest and busiest. Next, just a few hundred yards up the […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 