Message 484

I just got back from breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Vanessa and Annie. Annie was not quite so well behaved as she was last week, so we may take her to daycare next week. Julian is in New York all week, so Beech is having his troubles too. Vanessa decided to have him skip Kung Fu this afternoon.

Last night I watched a DVD of the movie August Rush. It has an absurd plot but it is well acted and features music in a good way. It is good to see Robin Williams again in a supporting role. It is a feel good movie with a happy ending. I give it four stars.

Message 483

Yesterday I finished reading The Economist. I went to Starbucks and had a coffee and read this week's Science while Orlindo's crew cleaned my condo. In the evening Joshua brought in Boston Market meatloaf for me (and chicken for him) which we ate while watching two hours on PBS dealing with what happened when the Spaniards first encountered the Incas and then the Aztecs. It was interesting to see how the physical evidence from the bones gave a different account from that written by the Spaniards at the time. Josh got back from Amsterdam Sunday. He had a successful trip. He even went to an art museum with a girl.

Message 482

Yesterday I had a routine dentist appointment after lunch. In the evening I met Julian and Vanessa at Gombei (a local Japanese place) for dinner. Julian left for New York this morning and will not be back until Friday. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Valkyrie in which Tom Cruise leads the plot to kill Hitler in a true story. I had read the history years ago, so I was familiar with what happened, and I think the movie stuck close to the facts. I am a little prejudiced against Tom Cruise, so I only give this film 3.6 stars, even though it was well done, was based on a true story, and had a good cast.

I just called Orlindo to send a crew over to clean my condo. He did not have any openings this week except for this afternoon, so I now have to scurry around and get everything ready to be cleaned.

Message 481

I just got back from refilling my antibiotic prescription at PAMF. I also just realized that I forgot to take my Boniva pill yesterday, so I think I will just take it next Sunday instead. Yesterday I watched football with Beech and Julian. It was great to have the Raiders and 49er both win. In the evening I went to San Mateo and joined everyone again for the regular Sunday family dinner. In the evening I watched another Inspector Lewis episode on Masterpiece Mystery on PBS.

Message 480

Yesterday I met Helen and Jim at Starbucks and then did my Safeway shopping for the week. During the day I read about half of The Economist. I had dinner in Los Gatos with Jason and Susan and the girls. In the evening I watched a DVD of a French Canadian movie the translated title of which was Heart of Stone. It was about life on the frontier about two hundred years ago. It reminded me of my life in Alaska. It was a pretty heavy story with people doing bad things and girls dying, but it was pretty realistic. I prefer upbeat stories, but I give this one three stars.

Message 479

Yesterday I went out to dinner and a movie with the Morrills and Ariagnos. We went to Sultana and then to Palo Alto Square to see the movie Amreeka (which is the Arab word for America). It is about a 16-year old Palestinian boy and his mother who come to the Chicago suburbs. They stay with relatives and have lots of troubles adjusting to the new world, but they hang in there and gradually find their way. I give it three stars.

Message 478

Yesterday afternoon I picked Beech up at his school and took him to his Kung Fu class. Afterward we went next door for our pizza. He was willing to limit himself this time to the allotted two dollar limit for games. He may be beginning to understand that he would be better off financially if he bought the stuffed animals in a store.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the Canadian movie with the translated title The Barbarian Invasions. It is in French with English subtitles. It is very good and deals with all of the important subjects, and it is full of literary and historical references, but they are hard to catch from the subtitles. It is centered around a dying old man surrounded by his family and friends, but it is basically a celebration of his life and includes a lot of humor. I give it 4.5 stars.