There was a pale white moon in the blue sky late this afternoon. A full moon and it wasn't yet dark. The moon hovered low in the sky.

Now it is dark and the moonlight fills the air.

I am encouraged by the steadiness of the moon's presence. It knows just what to do and doesn't try to do more.

I don't think the moon ever gets tired.

Driving ot Santa Cruz I see that most of the fields are plowed but not planted, Long rows of soil, huge empty fields.

I wonder if this is unusual. I don't remember seeing this before, as if the farmers have gone on strike or vacation.

I hope they come back. I like food.

I had a second Thanksgiving dinner with my son's family tonight. Turkey, potatoes, salad, stuffing, gravy and a bunch of leftovers to take home.


The two kids were excited and demanded a lot of attention. I don't know how adults have conversations when young kids are around.

Back to my quiet house and my boring life.

My sister and I went ot see an afternoon showing of OLD DOGS. We laughed a lot but it was a pretty mediocre movie.

And then we went to Fifi's for our usual French diner.

We didn't run out of things to talk about. We actually had quite interesting conversations.

I like both my sisters.

Went to Whole Foods this morning to pick up some Thanksgiving food. Yes I know today is Thanksgiving.

The store was busy and friendly. Plenty of parking. Maybe it is good to not plan ahead. I couldn't decide whether we were going out for dinner or staying at home.

I still haven't decided.

My friend Tasha made a yummy pancake breakfast this morning in Carmel Highlands. We sat and ate and talked. And then I had to get home for a sewing student.

This evening I went to see the movie THE EDUCATION. I liked it.

The last of my chores this morning was to go to
Whole foods to pick up some supplies. I wasn't thinking.

At 11am there were crowds of women shopping for the holidays, mothers with little kids and lists trying to find what they need with out loosing the kids.
Noise, ailses blocked with carts, long lines at the check out counters.

I fought my way through joining the crowd of pushy old ladies determined to squeeze through.

I was glad to get home.

Hue waves along Pacific Grove waterfront. Went to the Golf course cafe to meet friends for lunch. Hadn't been there for at least a year. Waitress remembered us and gave us a big hug and extra food.

We talked the foibles of getting old, forgetting things, not understanding what is going on. Three of us are turning 70 in 2010. That does sound so old.

We had about an hour of sunshine this afternoon in between clouds and cold wind.

I grabbed a book and made tea and sat our in the front yard sunning myself. Birds, bees were busy.

A peacefulness settled on me until the clouds returned.

I am now reading another book that I am intrigue with, THE AGE OF WONDER, How the romantic generation discovered the beauty and terror of science, by Richard Holmes.

I like Homes' writing and I like the history of the 18th century and how it effects us now. It's a long book and I have it for two weeks from the library.

I really had planned to drive down to Big Sur today, yep, so I went around with my chores, buying food for tonight's dinner, taking library books back, filling up the car with gas.

Then I was tired and went home.

Rain started.

So next week, yep next week I will drove to Big Sur. Yep.

The mouse problem is only getting worse. Yesterday afternoon as I was cooking a spaghetti sauce I notice that there was a mouse sitting on a pile of napkins in the corner watching me cook.

I had a choice of freaking out or enjoying the friendship of the mouse.

I finished cooking and then we caught the mouse and took him out to the back yard.

I think he is the last of the bunch, I hope.

Got the swine flu shot this morning from CHOMP. It's given free to staff and volunteers. So in Two weeks I will be protected. It takes that long to be effective.

I finished reading Hilary Mantell's WOLF HALL. It is a long book and took me a while to get into it. Now that I finished it a few days ago I still feel caught in the drama and times. Powerful book.

Went for my regular medical appointment at the local family practice clinic. The lobby was filled with parents And kids and some of the kids looked sick.

I froze up in fear that I was going to catch the swine flu and I still haven't had the vaccine. I kept going to the sink and washing my hands.

Two hours later I was finished and once again I washed my hands.

Tomorrow for sure I will get the vaccine. I hate being so afraid.

This morning driving over the hill to Pacific Grove I saw a huge plume of smoke drifting in the sky. Fort ord was once again doing controlled burns and the smoke was not going out to sea.

I stopped at Trader Joe's and picked up a salad for lunch with friends. I have lunch with these friend frequently whether there is smoke in the sky or not.

Spent time by the ocean this afternoon writing to clarify what is upsetting me. Using a pen and words my mind settles down and I begin to feel whole again.

The fall shore birds were at the shore. The whole ocean was alive with activity.

Took a walk on the waterfront. Tiny jellyfish were floating just below the surface.

They looked like they each had a solitary eye looking out otf the water. It was eerie.

From every side of the wharf I would look down and there wer those eyes looking at me.

I wonder if they will be there tomorrow. I wonder what they really are.

I met my friend at Juice and Java this morning to write. First I got a hot chocolate and a bear claw. We talked and wrote the whole morning. We ended with pages of writing and a strong sense of friendship.

Juice and Java is great on a cold morning.

I pick up the two kids from school. They are taunting each other, calling each other names, feeling hurt and fighting back.

Finally I tell them to just be quiet. QUIET !!! and they mumble complaints.

Somedays I just don't understand why siblings tease each other so much. I want them to be NICE.

There must be some evolutionary advantage for kids to fight. Maybe.

I am patiently waiting for a friend to arrive, well not so patiently. She is hours late but she keeps calling to let me know where she is.

It's dark now and cold. I wonder if she will actually arrive.

For the last class we had to read one of our writings. I thought it would be easy. Pick out one I like and stand up in front of the class and read.

But I became self conscious and I started wanting mine to be the best.

There was no contest but still I wanted mine to be best so I mumbled and read too quickly and then it was over and it wasn't the best.

Oh well, next time.

Finished stuffing the envelopes this morning and took the bag of notes to the post office. Such a relief to get this job done. Hope people have the money to make contributions. The times are really hard for many folks.

Now I am sitting in the sun warmed living room as the day begins to end.

I've started reading Hilary Mantel's book WOLF HALL. A historical fiction about the times of King Henry the 8th. At firs it was slow going but now I am into it and look forward to a slow evening reading.

Sitting outside this afternoon to read my new book. Too cold in the shade and too hot in the sun. Can't find the best place to sit and read.

Now I am back in the house in my comfortable chair wishing my chair was outside.

Turtle Bay restaurant was crowded for lunch. Sitting in the booth next to mine was two young women and their four very young children.

At first I thought it was cute and then I noticed the destruction the kids were doing to the place, smeared food, screaming, throwing. When they finally left the staff had to take apart the booth, mop and clean before the space could be used again.

I don't think the mothers had any idea the amount of work they created for staff.

Lying on the couch in the late afternoon. Cloudy sky, maybe rain soon. Reading a David Lodge book, a fine book.

Soon I will get up and met friends at Hula and then to a play.

Good Thursday evening, I hope.

Went to an afternoon movie with the 8 and 9 year old kids. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. I really liked the movie. The kids were a bit restless.

Later the 9 year old was trying to teach me how to play on Runeworld on my computer. I just didn't get how it works. he was totally into the game.

Went to Denney's for lunch. They have a senior special hamburger special for lunch. It wasn't so good. The fries were not well cooked.

The coke was cold and good. the burger was so so.

I have been romanticizing Denney for awhile.

I think I am over it except I still like their breakfast.

Picked up our fundraiser cards form the printer this morning. They look great. Now I have to get the address labels on and add the stamps.

Warm sunny day again. I am waiting for the next rain so I can dig in some more plants.

Early morning walk downtown. No smashed pumpkins anywhere. Are they too expensive to buy to smash. Lots of broken glass from Halloween events but no pumpkins.

By the beach dozens of pelicans were circling and diving. Sea lions and harbor seals were busy. Fishermen on the wharf kept pulling in foot long sardines. Their white buckets were filling up with restless fish.

A feeding frenzy.

The school of fish was invisible to me.