Good morning, dearest hoddlers. I have a little bit of a two-for-one today. Two hoddles. Same amount of fun. All for the same price.
Hoddle one:
This is really just a quick update to Wednesday’s hoddle.
I awoke on Wednesday to a rather lengthy post from Will explaining to me Americanos and the good ol’ fashioned Italian-designed Moka pots. In his wisdom, Will suggested I add hot water to my 3-cup Moka pot coffee. I took this suggestion to heart.
Now, this inspired me. I didn’t quite go that way - but it reminded me I have a leftover milk frother from a previous coffee maker. I fired that badboy up with my almond milk to create some frothy milk and poured it into the coffee.
I can’t claim this to be a latte, cappuccino or any sort of espresso drink. Firstly, because I didn’t use espresso beans. Secondly, it was an ad hoc decision at 7am. The milk was a bit too frothy for my taste (I prefer something a bit creamier). I like adding milk to my coffee because I think it’s fun to see the colour change.
But I now think I will purchase some espresso beans to begin experimenting with espresso-style drinks in the near future. We’ll see how this milk frother holds (so far, not a fan but maybe I’ll get a better one).
Hoddle two:
It’s getting dark, so please stay safe and light up. By that I mean LED lights, of course. No one needs to be struck by oncoming traffic (pedestrians, cyclists, motor vehicles or otherwise).
Your hoddler-in-chief went for a run after work last week and was about to use his cool LED light, only that it no longer works. “Gosh no,” fitzie said to himself. “Okay okay, let’s get through this one and then buy a new light for next week’s post-work run.”
So I did my 8-mile run, and it got really freaking dark during it. I ran very gingerly along the National Mall.
I’m having a nice cooldown at the end in a part of Washington DC where the brick-layered sidewalk is uneven because of how old it is. Fellow pedestrians are walking the other way, so I move slightly to my right to not bump into them.
In the darkness I do not see the bricks protruding from the ground, knock my foot on it and fall. And I fell hard - really, really hard.
“Oh gosh are you okay,” the passers-by wailed as others shrieked in horror.
“Aye, I am,” Fitzie responded after rolling on the ground in a great deal of pain. Fitzie then turned around, exhaled an elongated expletive before yelling “That hurt,” as he limped the rest of the way home, gripping his left hip.
One fist-size bruise - the colour of a rich aubergine - appeared on fitzie’s left hip after he cleaned off the blood when he got home. A second fist-sized bruised showed itself on his lower left hip the next day, as well as a third bruise and adjacent scrapes on his left elbow, cuts on his left hand, a fourth bruise on his left knee and a fifth and final bruise on his right knee.
It really, really hurt. A week has since passed and all five bruises remain. (Although FWIW your hoddler-in-chief is pretty dang tough and ran a 14-miler on Sunday).
So please, let your hoddler-in-chief’s pain be a reminder to illuminate yourself during this time of the year, and be careful where you’re going.
Fitzie’s track of the day: La Perla, by Rosalia
And now for your links:
BBC: “Cardiff to host opening match of Euro 2028”
Guardian: “Red, white and shoe: England and Tuchel have world at their feet with fresh focus”