It was Easter 1985 (!how old!) when I stayed in a pension on the grand via for only three nights - not long enough. I recall seeing some of the things you have photograped, in hot sunny weather. My vivid memory of a then dusty Madrid was walking out in the cool of the first evening and happening on a fab Semana Santa firework display on the smallish road junction at Callao I think. Way too little space for a massive display. Standing less than ten yards from the men lighting things by hand, and the explosions had everyone reeling back against the buildings. What health & safety back then. I made a daytrip to El Escorial and realised I could stay in Madrid for much longer; but stuck to my plan and moved on to Toledo, then staying a couple of nights in Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, then back north staying at Merida, Cacares and Salamanca. Next time I'll do what you did and have a leisurely week exploring the capital.

Sounds like an intense hour of concentration. The hardest thing we sang at school was Handels Messiah. Everything else was short, or a comic opera by Gilbert&Sullivan. @big_al, forgive my ignorance, is a handbell choir a group of handbell ringers like this: https://m. Link to video Wondering if you sing along?

Leave it on, you may yet be proved right that he is dead. He has been notably off stage. Especially compared to the theatre of Trump

I'd like the lows to rise to 65- 69. The forecasters slipped up and last night's forecast low of 60 ended up being 4 hours at 59. Too cold.

Speaking of which, I had to charge my phone charger at my secret place for doing that last night. I've mostly stopped eating sugar. I have/ had a sugar tooth. I took a notion to go to the convenience store. I spent $3.21 on an X-Large fountain soda and one creme filled donut with chocolate icing. As if to prove the point, I actually got sick. Boy, when you stop eating this stuff and then you eat it, your body lets you know about it.

South Korean cars were a revelation to me. I've always liked Japanese cars. I can remember every Honda Civic from the 1st generation 1973 cvcc to my 7th generation hatchback. The 4th generation was my favorite but I didn't own one. I wish the timing had worked. I can remember the 1st generation Accord. My 1997 Accord was arguably the best car I've owned. I can remember the first Toyota Tercel. I can remember every Japanese brand's small truck. Etc. Then Korean cars came along and had a poor reputation. Then they got better and fast. My 3rd generation Hyundai Accent was a tank. I remember being surprised at some point in Hawaii when about 60% of the cars on the road suddenly turned into Hyundais and and Kias. I can't wait to own this one.

@AndyD That’s great!

https://share.google/dNvjYz4fQwzA6aRJg New favorite. Listing price is impossible. Have only glanced at the carrying costs. Sill, the market is on a downhill slide. What do you think about this one?

Congratulations, Dwain! I think I’m going to reacquaint myself with Dan and Greg by re-reading Plausible Deception, and then swing into Sinner’s Prayer.

Again, my advice is save your 5¢ on Lucy's psychotherapy.

They were making money delivering Amazon packages but a certain President threatened them helping to build the case for Amazon to develop their own network for delivery

I'm going to have to face this set of decisions when I move. For one thing, I'm replacing my 2024 Motorola Edge with a Pixel 10 Pro XL. Life is too short. Then I have to figure out how to get internet and whether I want to have television again. I can't know now what the options will be or how much they will cost so I'm not worrying about it.

Robert Mueller.

I plead blissful ignorance. I am swimming upstream because contemporary mores in the arts dictate that one must not ignore pop culture.

Carrot salad was very good. Thanks, Bernard!

It used to be a standard bearer. Now it's only a puppet of its owner and his agenda.

Um, that’s not going to help matters.