altariel's house this weekend, and I had a great time. It is hard to believe we could spend so many hours just talking, and the time just flew by. So interesting. I think altariel has unusually deep insight into people, and also willingness and ability to articulate insight, which even the most insightful people often hide with deflective aphorisms and glib comments. Why do people hide it? To hide themselves I suppose.mraltariel is literally the best home-cook I know, and his food is delicious of course and also it's interesting to find out about new ways of cooking and presenting food. On Saturday among other things we had chicken cooked 'sous vide' which I have never had before. The texture in particular was striking - both firm and soft. Sorry not very good at describing the texture of meat :-)mraltariel and I are both very interested in archaeology, and particularly in trying to feel or understand the experiences of people in transitional states. For example, the transition from Palaeolithic to Mesolithic Europe. I recommended to him the new Stephen Baxter novel Stone Spring. I haven't read it myself yet though.Anyway, this ridiculously abridged version hardly does justice to a lovely weekend.