Halloween. Home alone. Only two sets of kids that came by. Now I have turned off the lights and am hiding out in my bedroom. I hear different sounds outside. usually I am not scared at home but tonight little whispers of fear keep coming up.

Happy Halloween.

Yes I can see now that our state govenment is broken. I have been waiting for 6 weeks for my handicap sticker. I might actually be well by the time it comes if it ever comes.

$6.50 for the movies seems to be fair but the parking meter at San Carlos Beach by the coast guard pier is 25 cents per ten minutes. That seems outrageous but it is cheaper per minute then the renting a movie seat. I wouln't have to pay anything if the state sent me my handicap sticker.

I spent an hour sitting by the beach feeling wonderful.

I put an ad on craig's list to give away an old double mattress. Got two responses. One man is coming tomorrow morning at 7:30 to pick it up. I hope it goes as easy as it seems. I want to change my guest room around a bit and that big old mattress was just getting in the way,

The rain is beginning this evening.

The wind picked up this afternoon and a storm is coming in. Lots of deer poop in front of my house. There is nothing else to eat, they have eaten everything in the garden. I can hardly wait fo the rainy season to green up the hillside.

Sat on the front porch for awhile this afternoon.
so peaceful.

All day something has been nagging at me. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Oh Yes My sister Peggy's birthday has slipped by.

Happy Birthday Peggy.

I think I also tend to forget my Brother Michael and my sister Patty's birthday.

Happy birthday Patty and Michael. (a little late and a little early)

Now I am clear for the year. My brain just doesn't work so well.

While closing my front window curtains at dusk I notice a youngish man bounding up my stairs to my front door. Rats I thought. I have already voted. I don't want any sincere political type trying to talk to me. I quickly open the door ready to send him away but he was already gone. On the door step was the new telephone book. I love the telephone book.

My alarm clock went off at 5am this morning. I am back to the early morning meditation at the Cherry Center. My knee is better. I had forgotten how dark it stays in the morning.

Sitting on the porch putting my shoes back on I saw how beautiful the world is.

I forget and it takes something to remind me.

Went to the sports center early this morning to do my proscribed exercises. There was a power outaged so we were limited to what could be used.

Some of the exercise rooms were so dark that there were employees with flash lights helping people to the equipment.

Later I took a walk on the wharf. yep I can now walk down half way and back. I am getting good.

My internet connection was down for the last 24 hours. After panicking I began to do all the things I think I know to do. error checks, virus checks. turning it off and on, complaining to the neighbors.

Now it is back and I don't know if it is me or some outside agent that is making it work.

I love the internet.

I finally went to the store and bought three bags of Halloween candy. I looked through all the selection and ended up buying what I liked just in case there will be left overs. I have been sampling them tonight. They are good.

At physical therapy I watched a skinny bent man in his 80's struggle with his painful body. I was impressed with his willingness to keep working.

I remembered that I will be that age sometime and I hope I have as much gumption as he had.

I think it is pretty scary to get real old.

I finished reading David Grossman's book TO THE END OF THE LAND. I finished it last week and the despair of the story is still with me. I think I will read non fiction for awhile, at least until I can shake off this book.

I've turned a corner with my knees. Most of the pain is gone and I can now walk 3 blocks. I am working on strengthening my legs and stretching the tendons and muscles. I still lurch a bit and get tired but it is getting better. Yea.

We had our first serious rain of the season today and I found the first leak in my skylight. Large puddles in the driveway, little rivers running down the side of the hill. In 6 weeks we will have lots of green on the hills.

I wonder if I should get a rain coat.

Two movie weekend, I can't believe it. Saw Red tonight and enjoyed it although I sort of thought it was too violent. It was very satisfying with humor and action. It counters my underlying distrust of my government and the feelings of helplessness I feel lately.

I went to see EASY A at the Del Monte Cinema this evening. I laughed out loud, Not a great movie but I enjoyed the humor and the story so I recommend it. Most of the audience were teenagers. very few of us older folks.

I don't like this theater though, the ads before the preview are too loud and blaring and the film was way too loud. I prefer the Pacific Grove cinema.

At San Carlos Beach this afternoon I watch Artic terns diving into the water and catching fish. And then the pelicans came and belly floped into the water with a big splash. They caught fish also. Must be a lot of fish out there.

A bank of fog is hovering just off shore. I will welcome the coolness.

Went to lunch at Lou Lou's on the wharf with a friend. We sat at the outside table a few feet from the street, No cars hit us. I had fish and chips and a coke. Then I went home for a nap.

the oak trees in the back yard are filled with brown acorns. It's hot here and the acorns are hanging on until the rains come.

The fruit trees have dropped their leaves.

A young blue jay sits in the tree, fluffy downy feathers. Twice I have had to chase the bird out of the house.

Somestimes sadness arises when life is too beautiful. Warm sunny day, no problems. I wonder where this sadness comes from just as I wonder where happiness comes from.

took a handful of coins and parked righ by San Carlos beach. the meter is 25 cents for each ten minutes. Pulled my chair out and sat right on the edge of the beach.

Below a photographer was taking pictures of a bride and groom. Posing them in different positions. The one I liked was the couple sanding knee deep in the waves with their wedding clothes soaking wet. the bride had a long white train that was dragging wet in the sand. It wasn't like they were having a good time and jumped in the water. No, the person with the camera directed them to go deeper and look happy. they did.

Went to the sport's center this afternoon. It wasn't until I had been on the bike for 15 minutes that I realized that I forgot to put money in the meter. the two quarters were still in my pocket. I ran outside, no rather I limped slowly outside. No ticket, Yea. I did not want the $30 ticket even though I know the city needs the money.

At first it looked like snow falling but the sun was out and the air warm. ashes form the controlled burn at Fort Ord. People coming out of Trader Joes putting their sleeves across their noses. Difficult to breath. The plume of smoke did not go out to sea, rather it moved into Monterey and settled over the town.

Wierd pinkish orange shadows.

I hope they know what they are doing.

Spent two and half hours at the writers circle listening to wonderful writers read their work. I am so inspired by all these writers.

then came home and took a nap.

I struggled with printing out 350 labels from an excel worksheet. Finally it did work. I had to throw some of the sheets in the waste basket. Now I have to put the labels on the newsletter and mail them out.

Sometimes the printer works so easily and sometimes it is stubborn and won't do what I ask it to do.

In the evening I empty my pockets out on my desk. The coins go into a jar that is overflowing with silver and copper. Today I started taking out quarters to use on the parking meters on Cannery row. One quarter gives me 6 minutes of time. I put in enough quarters for three hours.

It was worth the quarters to park close to Doc Rickett's lab where we had our last Plein Air writing class.

Cold rainy day. turned on my heater mid morning to take off the chill.

Went to Whole foods to pick up some soups, cookies and yogurt. Shopped slowly as I walked up and down the aisles. so much beautiful food. I wish I liked cooking more. As I get older I seem to eat less and less.

I walked four blocks this evening. I was motivated to eat dinner after seeing the Facebook movie and liking it. four blocks. I am on a role. I am working on not lurching, rather walking with my hips and keeping my back straight.

Had dinner with friends and I walked four blocks. My goal is walking 2 miles.

Went to a class this afternoon exploring the newest studies on pain. Very interesting. I am still sorting through the information.

Spent the morning writing with Dina at Juice and Java. Neither of us were prepared for the crowd of people and the Butterfly parade. But we wrote anyways.

Everybody has a sore knee story. or a limp. The deer walking in front my my house at dusk was limping. Don't know what his story is.

I responded to the dermatologist asking about any changes in my health, I told him my knee saga. He rolled his eyes, that's not news, You are healthy. I feel healthy, just limping a bit.