I did take a twenty minute walk from the Osio to the end of the wharf this afternoon. I wove in and out of baby strollers and crowds of people. I listened to Greek music at the festival in the plaza. I turned down many offers of homemade clam chowder from the hawkers on the wharf. I rewarded myself with a movie at the Osio theater. THE TRIP. an OK movie.

Sunk into a funk yesterday afternoon and lay on the couch reading a mediocre mystery story. Foggy outside.. Why should I do anything? The afternoon drifted away. Another wasted day.

Went to see the Bill Cunningham documentary at the Osio this evening and the movie just made me happy. Such a kind man. I liked it even though I am not so interested in fashions.

then we went to Ocean Sushi for dinner. Lots of people milling around downtown. Something is going on but I came home.

The apples on the two year old apple tree are getting bigger and bigger. I'm not sure when to pick them. I enjoy looking at them everyday from my deck.

We cooked chocolate chip cookies this afternoon. I will bring them to the meditation group tomorrow.

Took a half hour walk downtown this morning.

I had lunch today at Joe Rombi's in Pacific Grove. wonderful eggplant Parmesan. Saw on the porch in the newly emerging sun. and I was the only customer. got lots of attention. Where is everybody. this is summer in Pacific Grove. Yes it is mostly foggy but today the sun came out before noon.

Sitting in my car this morning at Lake Elestero watching the Canadian geese nibble at something in the grass. I assume it is the bugs.

there were about 15 cars parked here each of us enclosed in our own little metal and plastic world.

there were tiny swifts darting across the water and a solitary paddle boat with four people pumping the petals. the fog was in and there was a clod breeze. I took a short nap before I left for home.

OK I have pack up my car with what I think I need for the next week when I am on retreat in Santa Cruz for the next week. No internet. a good thing to back off blogs and facebook.

Friends are taking care of the house and watering.

Be back on July 26.

It suddenly got hot today but now the fog has come back. My house has not cooled off yet. Am busy with lots of little thing sas I get ready to go on retreat on Wednesday. I've arranged for my house to be covered, mail picked up, newspapers. A friend is coming to spend a long weekend. It should all be ok.

A warm balmy evening after fog most of the day. Windows are open. I can hear dogs barking, doors closing, traffic, birds.
There is a stillness as the sun goes down.

I don't want to turn on the television and break away from the day and yet I do. then turn it off. The tinny sounds from the TV set are too jarring on this sweet evening.

Spent several hours ironing this morning. getting ready to go on retreat next week. I haven't ironed for a long time and forgot how satisfying it is. the winkles do really disappear and the clothing looks so much fresher.
but still I think my ironing days are numbered.

I went to lunch with a friend and now realize I spent the whole time complaining about other people. When am I going to grow up.

My life is more interesting then just complaining but there I was at Lou Lou's on the wharf in this beautiful setting wrapped up in my old complaints. When am I going to learn?

Out on the front patio in the late afternoon I could hear the running chanting of the soldiers over at the Army language school. Usually I can't hear this. I almost always hear the bugle calls at 7am and at 10pm.

Sometimes I forget that I live in a military town. I think of Monterey as a tourist town and a golf town but really we exist for the military. They are the biggest employers around.

The kids came over for a couple of hours this afternoon. they soon started bickering over who got to use the big computer and who had to use the little computer. Everything was unfair and there was no way I could make it fair. I actually wanted to use the computer but I gave into them.

It is hard to realize how unfair life can be.

On my deck this evening two very young fluffy blue jays were playing around, sipping water from the saucer under the potted plants, jumping up on the furniture, watching for the adult bird to see if they were doing something wrong. They didn't have the deep throaty call of the adults, they squeaked.

Even in this cold fog the birds can find a way to play.

somewhat dreary day. Lots of fog, lots of chores and now I am tired. I am reading JUST KIDS by Patti Smith. good book. Cleared out a bunch of old computer books. . Just put them into the recycle bin.

Paid bills, watered the dry yard.

Noticed all the weeds that I haven't pulled yet. the yard will always have weeds. it is an endless job.

Drove Scott to Jamesburg this morning to catch the stage into Tassajara at 10:15. such a beautiful ride up Carmel Valley. Wild flowers, birds, quail, over hanging oak trees. I forget that these beautiful places exist.

Driving back I saw two different car accidents with firetrucks, police cars and ambulances. I slowed down. I wasn't in a hurry.

It is Saturday isn't it? There was no mail in my mailbox today. I don't think the mail truck came by. Have they stopped delivering mail on Saturdays?

No advertisements, bills, political postcards, magazine.

No New Yorker. that is what I was watching for. I guess I will have to wait for Monday.

Had lunch with Annie and Rosalie at local cafe. Now we haven't had lunch together although we have know each other for many decades. And we couldn't stop talking. we had so much to tell each other about our lives, our children and our grandchildren. I suspect we will be talking again soon.

Driving to Carmel this morning at 6:30am I went from thick drippy fog to sunlight. Carmel was sunny. I think of Carmel as foggier then Monterey but not today. The sun finally came out in Monterey for the afternoon. the fog is back this evening.

I am reading TRUMAN biography and finding it wonderful.

The nine year old girl stayed with me all morning as we met my friend for coffee at the Paris Bakery, shopped at the art store, got the car washed and then worked on a zen center mailing. She had never seen me so busy.

Usually when I am with the kids I put aside all my other tasks but not this morning.

I told her she was in training to be an old woman. She thought that was great.

Met a friend at Juice and Java this afternoon to write.
But we started talking and then 2 hours were gone and we never did do any writing.

It is so easy to be distracted from writing. I have to be careful if I want to keep writing up.

We did have a lot to say. We never ran out of interesting stories and tidbits about our lives.

Went to Cnolton Hall i Monterey for the 4th of July picnic. Lots of music, fog was just coming in, cooling the air. And the big news is that I walked home. The first time in over a year. I could do it, one foot in front of the other. I still can't do the two mile walk but I am getting there.

Finally this morning in a burst of energy I opened all the packages on my desk, ten packages with stuff I have ordered in the last year.

I feel so powerful, yes I can take responsibility for my possession.

My bedroom closet is almost completely cleaned out of stuff I don't use and now have space for the new items.

Soon I will start on my office. Yes I will.

I am now working on cleaning out my bedroom closet. it is so full of clothes and stuff I don't use that there is no room for what I do use. I have taken 6 large green bags to Goodwill and still have more to take. How did I ever collect so much stuff. I guess if I moved out of my house periodically the stuff wouldn't accumulate. I hope I don't give up before I get there.