Scalped

If this is hand stripping, I don't want to see clipped.

Horatio wanted it cool.  He got cold.  Think I better start knitting him a jumper. Something like this always happens when I go away.   Usually it involves the vet though, so I should thank my lucky stars it's not more serious.  Or sorry, I forgot.  Harris had to be taken to the vets - he's got a stye.  To go with his ear mites.  He's only been with us for 14 days and already has two health complaints. 

So if I'm not at home overseeing my boys where am I?  Stuttgart!  I've got a couple of work events on Monday and Tuesday so thought I'd take the opportunity to hang out with my twin.  My visits to Stuttgart are more about seeing Fiona and her husband Mark but inevitably we fit in a packed schedule of running, cycling, eating sushi, cake and spaghetti ice cream, and shopping at Cos and Manufactum.  

This time though we took in the new Bibliothek in downtown Stuttgart too.  Located on the fringes of the highly contentious Stuttgart 21 project, this building is awesome.  I'm not terribly au fait with my architecture - beyond Farrell, Foster and Hadid, I'm out of my depth, but I can appreciate a stunning building when I see it.  White square box? Yes, I guess so.  Inside though the space is like the interior of an Apple product.  White.  Efficient.  Calm.  And oh so cool.  I loved the mechanical conveyor belt machine, which efficiently whisks books from one floor to the next. In years to come, people will marvel at the quaintness of a mechanical 'google' machine.

Why a library needs a large tranquil atrium with a small fountain in the middle, I don't know.  But then, one could ask what is the future purpose of libraries as we further embrace the digital age.  It put me in mind of the Panthenon.  I guess they are cleverly giving the building additional purpose beyond books.  The building itself is fabulous to explore.  Members can borrow lap tops.  There's a cafe on the top floor with views over Stuttgart. We even discovered the artwork library.  For no fee, members can borrow works of art to display at home for six weeks at a time.  Life in Europe's economic power house is good.