I had a photo from today’s bicycle trip to the recycling centre. And just as I was about to start editing it, it disappeared from both Lightroom and Finder. Nowhere to be found. And it was a rather pleasant one, too, with my bike standing next to a nice little bridge surrounded by lots of vegetation. Bleh.

I started hearing occasional snapping, crackling noises in my home office. There should be absolutely nothing there to make such noises.

It took me a day or two to figure out what was causing them. It turned out to be my power bank, and the snapping noises were from its casing splitting open due to pressure from the swelling lithium batteries inside.

Lithium batteries are not supposed to look puffy.

Right after I took this photo, I put the battery in a metal container to contain the fire hazard. I guess I’ll be taking a trip to the recycling centre as soon as I can.

I’ve been thinking thoughts of lemon & poppy seed cakes since early summer. Since May, even, I think. Dropping hints occasionally when Adrian has said he feels like baking. (He always ends up baking either mud cake or chocolate chip cookies.) And I still haven’t done anything about it myself. A basic cake batter takes, what, fifteen minutes? Twenty? It’s nothing. But I just haven’t been able to muster the energy it takes to start even this humble project. Starting things is hard.

Until now. I feel inordinately pleased by this small accomplishment.

He’s building a thing. Sawing, hammering, filing and sanding.

This is the third day in a row of near-constant rain. But just as I was thinking that I might have to skip my walk, there was a break in the rain.

Raincoats are a thing, and I do have an umbrella, but walking in the rain is just not pleasant. Raincoats crinkle and make noise and are sweaty. Umbrellas make you walk un-freely, with your arm stuck up. I’d rather walk in light rain without any protection and get a bit wet than deal with the hassle of keeping myself dry.

My shoes are as worn-out and ragged as Adrian’s. I’m a pickier shopper, and way more out of sync with general fashion, so I ordered mine online. Fell in love with these the moment I tried them on. The soles are so flexible and the uppers are so soft! If I hadn’t just been gushing over the fit of my socks, I would say that these fit like socks. They don’t, but they are nevertheless really nice. And just look at this colour! It’s like sunshine on my feet. Just looking at them makes me happy.

It doesn’t feel like summer any more. Sock season has begun.

I don’t think I will ever knit symmetrical socks again. These fit better than any other socks ever have.

The neighbourhood’s outdoor cats often walk across our deck and past our French doors. Some are aloof and distant, others more curious. Very occasionally, a few come inside. The ones who start scratching at furniture get immediately put outside. This one just walked inside, looked around for a moment, and found itself a sleeping spot. And then stayed there. It’s a good thing I saw it come in, because otherwise I probably wouldn’t even have noticed it sleeping there, well hidden under the dining table, so I would have locked it in when I left the house for my midday walk.

After a last-minute realization that Adrian’s feet have outgrown not just his everyday sneakers but also his gym shoes, and he has gym class tomorrow, we went shopping again.

I love the pre-autumn colours on this hydrangea. The sharp blue blossoms have softened into a pale violet; the leaves have that lovely blend of russet and green.