Weeknotes 40

Following the success of our trip north, we met up with my parents for the first time since lockdown began, having a picnic together so they could see their grandson in person after months of only FaceTime calls.

C enjoyed the extra attention and I got to tell my dad off for ignoring social distancing advice.

We came back from the trip with my parents’ old microwave. I’d tell you this is the first time I’ve had a microwave in 11 years but I fear it’s like people who are at pains to tell you they don’t even own a TV.

On the radio one morning, someone described tourism as:

The industry of human [emphasis added] happiness.

Tough luck, other species.

Continuing the theme of uncanny speech, we caught a TV interview with a politician talking about easing lockdown for our country’s beloved “sandwich bars”.

E and I began watching “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” after multiple recommendations.

We’ve only watched the first few episodes (originally aired in 2013) but I’m enjoying it so far. I expected a food tourism show with a larger-than-life host (not unlike David Chang in “Ugly Delicious”) but I was pleasantly surprised that Bourdain doesn’t dominate the show, instead preferring to let others speak in places like Myanmar and Koreatown.

The amount of truffle and foie gras on display in Quebec was a bit much though.

Seeing him travel the world and listening to his narration, it’s hard not to think about his death in 2018.

This week was dominated by some stressful decisions so I don’t have too much to share. I spent a lot of it agonising over details and going for walks around the block (mostly to the sound of Taylor Swift’s “Folklore”) in an attempt to clear my head.