Iam in the middle of reading

WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING, a memoir by Haruki Murakami.

He is a really good novelist. I had read a favorable review and reserved the book at the library. At first I didn't like it but I have persevered and now find it quite charming and evocative. I am almost done and am already missing it. I can't quite say why I like it but I do.

I woke up with a pain in my hip, an intermittent pain. coming and going. I go along with my life and then the pain returns fro a few seconds.

Suddenly I am very sympathetic with people who have chronic back pain. How do you live with this. I am experimenting with standing, walking, sitting down to see what position triggers the pain. I expect it will go away by itself.

the young b9ys on bicycles race down the driveway across from my house skidding to a stop right by my car. I've started parking by backing in.

I don't want to hit them when I drive away.

I've warned them but the hill is too tempting so I am training myself to be more careful.

Swimming in the Olympics

Just finished reading LOST ON PLANET EARTH by J. Maarten Troost. He writes about spending several months traveling in China in 2007 . He is just reporting on what he is seeing and experiences which is mostly pollution, crowds, pushing and shoving in lines, erratic driving and more crowds. He writes well and is entertaining and it doesn't make me want to travel to China.

Megan and I went to Lou Lou's on the wharf foe an ealry morning breakfast. Foggy cold morning. We sat inside the five table grill.

I was surprised to see a couple of dozen flies circling the inside.

I asked the waitress if the flies were always there and she said yes, they can't get ride of them. They didn't come near our food, they just endlessly circled the space between the counter seats and the tables. I wonder what they live in.

The six year old girl liked the good manners week long camp.

She learned that she should not burp loudly, toot, pick her nose and scratch her bottom. Also she should use a utensils rather then her fingers when she ate.

Sounds like a good week at camp. I know her parents are pleased.

We went for lunch and a play at San Juan Batista today. Six of us including two children.

Walking from the restaurant to the theater we encountered many free range chickens living in hedges and bushes and on the side walk. One family of baby chicks was almost irresistible.

The sidewalks were cracked and non existent but the chickens were alive and squawking.

I love a town that has space for chickens. And the play was good, the lunch was mediocre.