I wish my car looked like this car.  I have a brown Honda element but it is not nearly as interesting as this car in this picture.

I am planning to watch the debates this week even though I already know who I am going to vote for.  It feels like a performance, entertainment, a verbal boxing match.  I wish that it was more authentic.  why can't the candidates just talk honestly and let the voters decide.  There seems to be such a desperateness to win at all costs.  It can't really be such a great job.

Went to the rock climbing gym in Sand City for the 11 year old girl's birthday party.  I was so moved by the daring and skill of the girls climbing those walls with their parents holding the ropes.  they offered to let me help but I declined. I just wanted to watch them.  The eleven year old is now as tall as her mother.

My computer got hijacked today.  Everyone on my email address list was sent an email that was spam or virus.  there is no way to undo it.  Finally my cousin said I needed to change my pass word for email.  I would never have thought of that.  I did  and now am waiting to see what happens next.

Outside the classroom at the OLLI center there were two large metal traps with their doors open,  Big enough to catch small dogs.  Lots of small song birds eating from the grass near the traps.  I don't know what the traps were trying to get.  I kept my distance.

Ate lunch with two friends at a crowded noisy restaurant today.  A woman at another table several time nodded at me.  Did I know her?  Who was she. 

I became distracted from the conversation I was having at my table.  She finally left and I still don't know who she is.

 I think I will avoid noisy restaurants in the future.

Met with Deborah at Juice and Java to write in the morning.  cool foggy morning.  We were cozy and absorbed in the work.  Wrote two pieces 20 minutes each.  Felt good.  I feel rested after all the sleeping I did on Monday.

Season seemed to change today. 
Took several long naps today, unusually tired.  Hope I will be able to sleep tonight.

Went to my son's house for an eleven year old birthday party.  the electricity was out so we ate by candle light.  Food cooked on barbeque.  Even heated the berry birthday pie on the grill.  All was good.

Cold foggy morning.  turned on the heater to take off the chill.  I am working on my notes on the Homeless Women's Documentary Project.  The exhibit will open on November 9 at the Cherry Center.  We have been working on it for the last year and now we have to give up our expanded dreams and do what we can actually do.  Kind of sad to give up some of my dreams.

Feel kind of lazy this afternoon.  the sun is heating up my bedroom although there is a chill in the air outside. The garden is still producing tomatoes, more then we can eat.  I keep telling my roommate that he has to eat more tomatoes.  I don't think he listens to the tomato report any more.

It is now definitely dark at 6:30 am when I leave the house for my drive to the Cherry Center for zazen.  I turned on the heater this morning to shake off the chill.  Yep it is fall.

the writing circle started back up after the summer holidays.  Glad to be back to work and to listen to each writer's work.

The Paris bakery was crowded today. 
Tasha and I sat at a small table way on the side near the bathroom door, the last table anyone wants.  But it worked for us.  Usually Tasha is chatting with all the people she knows but today she was out of the mainstream and no one saw her. 

We ended up having a good conversation without any interruptions.

Drove To Santa Cruz this morning.  Lots of harvesting in the fields.  Cars parked along side of the road as the workers pick the strawberries.  Bird at Moss landing flying over in packs. I love the drive to Santa Cruz.  Stopped at the little highway restaurant in Moss Landing for breakfast.

I was busy all day and now I am back to reading POST WAR BY Tony Judt.  It is a long book and I love it.  It is helping me understand what the effect of World War two on Europe and the united States, especially the cold war.  I am surprised I am so interested in this.

Went to upper Carmel valley to a all day board meeting. It got very hot in the afternoon. I was glad to feel the fog when I returned. we got a lot done but now I feel brain dead, too much talking, too much driving. think I will watch a movie.

I spent time cutting onions, garlic and tomatoes and simmered them on the stove for marinara sauce. Lots of effort and then I was disappointed in the result. the taste was great but it didn't look good. Maybe I should have peeled the tomatoes. Or what. I have lost my touch with cooking. Its back to the cook book for me.

I haave two big jars of coins on my desk colected over the years or maybe decades. I have been trying to use them up. I know what coffee costs at Il forneo. $2.03. So I bring 8 quarters and three pennies. but at Paris bakery I get the same thing every week but the price keeps shifting around between $1.97 and $2.33 depending on who is the counter person. So I just bring a handful of change and use it for the tip's jar. Slowing I am beginning to make a dent in this glut of coins.

took a long nap this afternoon on my couch. this couch is old and at first is comfortable but after awhile it becomes very uncomfortable . I was stiff and sore when I woke up. I wonder if I will be able to go to sleep tonight. this is day 5 of my 40 day intensive focus on exercise. Maybe that is why I was so tired.

busy day. took my evening short walk down the street and ran into three deer, a mom and tow young ones eating through my neighbor's front yard. They looked at me and kept eating. They are beautiful animals and free range in our town. Everyone is building high fences to protect their plants in the back yards. but the front yards are fair game for these animals.

Went to Target this morning to buy sheets. The customers on a Tuesday morning were mothers with small kids. We were all walking up and down the aisles looking for something. My basket filled up, things I didn't know I needed. Luckily the baskets weren't bigger or I would have had to put more in my car.

I have started taking short walks at night to see if it helps me sleep easier. tonight was the second night of a planned 40 days of experimenting with this. I will see if I can stick with this. Also I plan to go ot the sports center everyday for 40 days to see if I can improve my walking. Keeping my fingers crossed.

There was a large crow close to the deck at Asilomar this morning. We both looked at it and the bird looked back at us. He didn't back down at all. Eventually we left. I wonder if the crow is still looking at our chairs.

I have spent time the last couple of days cutting out squares for my new quilt. At first I wasn't so sure about the fabric but as I work with it I am liking it more and more. It is homespun in autumn colors. I will be working on it for at least a year so I need to like it.

Talked to a woman I knew when I worked at Social Services 13 years ago. I have been retired for 13 years. I still have work dreams where I am trying to get something done and it just doesn't work. anxious, complicated dreams. I wonder when I will stop with these dreams.

the weather changed. We may have rain and lightening tonight. Fall is here. I picked a bunch of tomatoes from the garden. I was going to give them to friends and then didn't. I think I will eat them all myself. I can't bear to eat another squash, I am letting them slowly rot in the garden. Somehow that feels evil.

I watched Michelle Obama give her speech tonight and I am totally captivated by her. Of course I am a Democrat so I programmed to trust the democrats. but still I think it was a great speech. I will vote for Obama again, of course.

I have added names of books to the list of books that I have recently read and liked.

Saw a woman downtown today buy and extra ice cream cone for her dog and then sit on the stairs and hold it for him while he licked it. I just watched. Is this good for a dog.

I have never seen that before.

I had a butterscotch sunday and would never share it with a dog.

I went to the Sports Center to do my exercises. I have been lax in going to the gym. I wonder what I need to do to find the will to keep up with this workout. I will have to think about this.