I've started shopping more often at the Pacific Grove market. the store is not so large and has a lot of prepared food that appeals to me. I think I am just getting tired of the big markets. And there is a great bakery across the street, Pavels.

a wind has come up blowing through all the windows. the weather is changing.

I could see the flier on my computer screen but the printer would not print it the way I saw it. I push all the buttons and tried different things and still the printer was off. It is so frustrating, I just want to push my hand into the machine and make it do what I want. finally I turned it off and cooled down. tomorrow I will work on the project again.

Still haven't master my new iphone.

teo friends at the Paris bakery talked endlessly about training their dogs. they had a language of their own. I smiled and nodded and wondered how I could leave.

This is how non parents must think when I start talking about my kids and grandkids. I wonder if we will ever learn.

I just finished reading THE CHILDREN'S BOOK by A.S. Byatt. I don't know what to say about it except I slowly fell in love with it. it's hundreds of pages long and keeps getting better and better. There is something wonderful about becoming entangled in a good long story that moves across time. I am already missing it.

When everyone leaves after a whirlwind weekend the house seems so empty. I wonder around looking for what to do. Luckily tonight I could watch the new episodes of THE GOOD WIFE one of my favorite TV series. I hate it that I use TV to distract myself as I settle back inot my life.

we did everything today. Out of the house by 9:30 then out to coffee and to Carmel Beach for the sand castle contest, and then down to Big Sur to Nepenthe for a leisurely lunch on the deck and back in time to see Moneyball at the shopping center cinema. Now I am talked out and pooped.

I went to Jojo's art opening at the Cherry Center today. She gave a wonderful talk about creativity. It is so rewarding to hear some one you care for be honored and respected.

I sat in the car for part of the time because the opening was too long for me. Luckily I brought the current New Yorker so I had something to read.

the moths have emerged from their cocoons and are swarming around the leafless oak trees. There is nothing for them to eat. they ate all the oak leaves last month. Now it is time for them to become dormant.

Lots of bees in the lavender and Rosemary.

The weather shifted today and high clouds came. Maybe we will have rain. it certainly looks like it.

This morning driving down Ocean Ave in Carmel I noticed that all the fire hydrants were painted black. They were spaced at the corner of each block. No bright red for the Carmel folks.

I want to argue with whoever made that decision that hydrants are supposed to be red.

Now I will have to look in Monterey and Pacific Grove to see what colors thie4r hydrants are. So many project to do.

I have started reading A.S. Byatt's book THE CHILDREN'S BOOK. I have heard so many good things about it that I decided I would spent the afternoon reading.

I didn't get far. I fell asleep and then nine year old came to visit with her Dad. So tonight I will work on the project.

Several times this week I've watched pedestrians just walk off the sidewalk into the street without looking for cars, just assuming everyone will make way for them. they don't even turn their heads. Sometimes they are engrossed in the iphone, but other times they are just walking. Like zombies. Pretty scary for me as a driver.

I finally signed the contract to get my roof replaced. I told the young man who is the project manager that even though I look like an old lady I can be pretty aggressive if they don't do the job right and on time.

I told him that I didn't want to be bumped to a later date by someone who is demanding and aggressive. I think I scared him.

I don't want to be too nice. This is a contract. I told him that my son who is a lawyer looked over the contract. We have a lot of lawyers in our family.

So we'll see how it all works out.

We had a morning class about time being. Can we experience the present moment. I don't know. The present moment for me seems to be entwined with thoughts about the past and the future. Nothing is simple. I guess if I am in a lot of pain then I am in the present moment because I can't escape from it.

I love this photo with the men sitting on the steel beam together on their break as if they do not have a care in the world and yet just a hairs breath away from total disaster. I get dizzy just looking at them.

Sunny fall day. Went to a late afternoon show of CONTAGION. I liked it a lot, didn't find it too scary.

My son came over and harvested a bunch of my tomatoes. More then I can eat.

It is slowly getting dark in my room. Birds are calling. Need to turn on my light soon.

I had a quiet morning at home after I sent the kids to school. Drank my coffee and read for awhile before I started to work on my computer.
Finished compiling the information for the quarterly newsletter. And then sent it to the editor.

the oak tree worms have morphed into cocoons. The moths will be coming soon.

I had coffee with my friend Mike. We played with our iphone. He was showing his tricks with them to help me learn. He told me how much better the new ones are compared to the old models that he and I had.

I am still intrigued with my model 3g but the 5 is coming out soon and he can hardly wait to buy it. Just as we learn something a newer model becomes available. It is never ending.

My arm was really sore today. I was wondering if I had worked it too hard at the Sport's Center. But no, I forgot that I had had the flue shot on Monday in that arm. I am now protected from the seasonal flu, I hope.

Went shopping at Rite Aid at Del Monte Shopping Center. Soon after I had arrived there was an alarm sounded, flashing lights on the ceiling and an intense shrieking fire alarm.

I looked around, no smoke and also no one was responding to it. people stayed in line and the clerks were checking them out. I seemed to be the only one holding my ears and looking around. I walked out.


What is up with this, ignoring a shrieking fire alarm. I left the area so I don't know if the fire trucks came. The sound was so intense.

So the roofing estimator came to my house with the estimate to redo my tar and gravel roof. The price stopped my breath for a minute. I told him I would contact him later about the estimate.

Now I have to keep thinking about it and get used to the costs. It takes me awhile. My son the lawyer is going to look over the contract and then I will probably say yes. Of course it would be good to not worry about leaks this winter.

Sat at the park in the late afternoon watching a bunch of pre school kids play on the equipment while their parents talked to each other. Each kid was different.

The little red headed girl kept busy trying out stuff until she could do it. She was focused and not trying to please any of the adults. She took care of herself.

On the other hand, the girl with long black hair cried when she lost her toy, and screamed, bringing all the adults to her to try to unsuccessfully placate her.

My heart went out to the redheaded girl.

The kids and I watched return to witch mountain on the Cartoon channel this evening. The movie was fine but the commercials were terrible. Long running, repetitive, idiotic, I would push the mute button whenever a commerical would start. I kind of enjoyed the movie.

An old car show downtown today blocking all the streets except these cars don't seem to be so old, After WWll cars, my era of cars. Spent several hours at Juice and Java writing with my friend and then to noon meditation group. busy morning. Plumber came in the afternoon to fix another leak in my basement.

I fixed dinner for the two kids and myself. Everyone wanted something different so we called it an Italian Japanese dinner. Sushi, pasta and garlic bread. We all were satisfied.

they had questions about world war 11 from school. I told them that Italy and Japan were our enemies and they couldn't believe it. I find it hard to believe also.

Warm sunny day. I woke up cranky and haven't left that feeling all day even though the sun came out. Have increased some of the exercises at the Sports Center in an attempt to improve my walking. I am doing well and I want to do even better. It is an endless process.

So we were sitting at the picnic tables at Veterans Park. thick fog swirling around. the Ranger comes and asks us if we have reservations and I say no, we are a writing class from CSUMB.

He asks some more questions and finally says that this site costs $50 to use but I won't charge you today. What? Parks are free I think but I am wrong.

The city is in such desperste straights that they are charging to sit at a picnic table in the city park.

Our little neighbor hood had a bar be que lunch today to celebrate Labor Day. Every Year we get together to talk and eat for one day and then the rest of the year we wave and smile as we pass each other.

Today we were fighting the attack of the oak worms as they dangled down from the trees and climbed up our legs.

Today I just want to complain about all the irratic drivers and walkers in town this labor day weekend. talking on cell phones, stopping in the middle of the intersection to look around, crossing multiple lanes of traffic on a whim. Driving too slow or too fast. Endless ways that I can be irritated.

Sitting at the waterside table at the wharf restaurant I saw a swarm of crows fly away towards Jack's Peak for their evening sleep. I keep trying to confirm that they really roost on Jack's peak. Someday i will find the spot.