Friday, January 31, 2014

I start books and know fairly quickly what I like and what I don't like. I am retired so I have the time to brouse. This week I am reading AMERICANAH by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A sprauling likeable novel about Nigeria and America. Long and enjoyable. Thanks you Monterey Library.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

OK a few drops of rain and then blue sky.  So I went inot the yard and watered some of my plants.  Maybe next year we will get a few more drops.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

We had our monthly friends of homeless women's meeting today.  We meet at St. Mary's church in Pacific Grove.  At least 40 people attended.  There is still a strong interest in creating shelters for homeless women in our community.  Now all we have to do is raise $5 million dollars.  We cna do it.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

I am listening to President Obama make his state of the union speach.  I wish I was more interested.  I wish his optimism was true.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Went to a 5pm showing of THE INVISIBLE WOMAN at the Osio today.  A powerful complicated movie.  I did lke it and have to think more about it.  It iwas in the bigauditorium but very few people were there.  I still think NEBRASKA is the best movie I have seen in a long tme.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

I read on facebook today that we might get rain on Thursday.  The newspaper said only sunshine on Thursday.  I believe facebook because I want rain to come soon.  No one really knows when the rain will come  but come it must if we are to survive.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Met Deborah for writing this morning at the Crossroads in Carmel.  A bit overcast but not cold.  When I put the pen to the paper all I got was complaints and whinning.  UGG   Maybe I will do better next time.

Friday, January 24, 2014

I started watching the third season of Girls on HBO tonight.  I have become tired of these girls and wish they would grow up. I wish I was more sympathetic.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Early morning fog and then sunshine.  Went to the first of eight writing cricles today at OLLI.  I am hoping this will help me start completeing some of the essays that I have started.  Keep my fingers crossed.  i would like to get out of this slump.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

I am sitting in my chair getting ready to read some more tonight.  Earlier I watched an episode of Friday Night Lights.  I am on the fourth episode.  I get the DVD's from the library.  I like it but I am not in love with it.  The next disk is waiting for me.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

In 2005 my sister and I watched TV for days the news of the diasater in New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina. Now I have started reading FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL by Sheri Fink. It is well written and intense and a challenge to read.  I am determined to finish it.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Thick fog this morning when I left the house before dawn.  Tonight the sky is clear with bright sparkly stars.  No sign of rain.  I haven't decided  which plants I am going to let die as we move into deeper draught.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Each Sunday I get the NYT book review section.  I quickly look through the pages and am disappointed.  Only later in the week when I actully read some of the reviews do I start feeling the excitment of good books to read.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Ok, I am tired.  Did too much today and now I can hardly move.  Just going to sit in my chair and read or maybe watch TV or maybe do nothing.  I wonder what doing nothing looks like.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Mystery stories are alive in my reading life. I am not sure why I like them but sometimes a good mystery is the only thing that will satisfy me. The last one I read was NORWEGION BY NIGHT by Derek B Miller.I really liked it , but now I can barely remember the plot.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

My favorite shelf in the library holds the books with 813.54 (modern American literature). Last week I found WHEN WE WERE THE KENNEDYS by Monica Wood, a memoir of growing up in a company town in Maine. I loved it. The language was wonderful and the sense of the community and the family was powerful. I finished it last night.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Went to the Comcast office to exchange my old cable box for a new one with HD.  I had been assured by a man on the telephone tha tit would not cost anything.  The woman in the office said it costs $10. a month.  I moaned and she played with her keyboard and was able to find some other discounts for me with no net gain. I stopped moaning.

Monday, January 13, 2014

I paid bills, mailed packages to my daughter, things she left behind at the holidays, made a copy of my files on an external hard drive.  More then I have done in a long time.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Had Lunch at Caffe Trieste downtown.  Easy to find a parking place because it is winter and it is cold.  Had my favorite Spaghetti Bolanese.  Brought haft of it home to eat tomorrow.  Read the Sunday New York times.  Felt so sophisticated.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

An author I have been enjoying lately is Verlyn Klinkenborg. I love his name. He has two book  collection of his essays about The rural life and a book about writing. I pick his books up and read for awhile and then put them down. The one I am reading now is MORE SCENES FROM THE RURAL LIFE, a collection of short essays about his life.

Friday, January 10, 2014

The blue heron was flying over the gulley today. He circled the tall pine trees and sat on the highest limb.  Maybe they will come roost again this winter.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Today I saw several acacia trees with bright yellow blossoms and several trees with pink cherry blossoms.  In my neighborhood.  Spring.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The sun didn't come out today so I went around with my jacket on.  It is hard to complain when most of the country is suffering with great cold.  Here in Monterey it i moderate temperature and when the sun comes out my house warms up.  Today my house did not warm up.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Saw lines of birds high in the sky this morning as I was driving through the Watsonville valley. Winter morning with hazy hills and these waves of birds flying by.  And then it was over and I was back on the road driving to Santa Cruz for lunch with a friend.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Finished a second mailing for the zen center.  Now I just have to go to the post office for the actual mailing.  Had a good day catching up on different activities.  And had a great nap.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

The last of the visitors left this morning.  In the afternoon I had this overwhelming need to go to Macy's to buy more bed linens.  I walked through the sales tables.  Many people in the store with bags.  I ended up going home empty handed.  Really I didn't need anything.

Friday, January 3, 2014

cloudy overcast day.  Went to my mailbox and there was no mail.  Later I found that the ten year old boy had picked it up and placed on my table.  Wanted to do me a favor.  Thank you very much.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Went to Trader Joes this afternoon.  Time for more food for the house.  Why was I surprised at not being able to find a parking place.  Too many people shop there.  Eventually someone left and I could move into the spot.  UMMMMM