Message 723

I had coffee with Helen and Jim at Starbucks yesterday morning. In the afternoon I read about half of The Economist, and in the evening I hosted a dinner for thirteen at Ten Fu. I was amazed that everyone ordered a different dish and shared but we were able to eat it all so nothing was left over. When I got home I watched the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal. I always like movies that are based on music, and I thought this one was very well done. I give it four stars.

Message 722

Yesterday I worked some more on my memoirs. At 5 PM Josh came over and watched the Sharks game with me. They lost to Chicago 2-3 in overtime this time, but it was another downer for us. They are playing very well, but Chicago is playing a little better, and they are getting more breaks. The next game is at noon on Sunday, and if the Sharks lose that one too, I will start having a lot more time to do other things like watch DVDs.

After the game, I watched a DVD of the movie Hanna Takes the Stairs. It is an independent film written by the actors and is mostly a boring improvisation. I watched it mostly to check out Greta Gerwig, who has been getting so much coverage in the NY Times for the last month or so. If it weren't for the nude scenes, I would give it a one, but instead I give it a two, not really worth watching.

Message 721

I had breakfast yesterday at Heidi's Pies with Reggie and Henry. Henry is back from tending to family business near Washington, D.C., and he will be here for three weeks before he has to go back again. Vanessa could not join us because she had to go to a doctor for x-rays and medication. Because it took so long for her to have so many tests, I picked Beech up at school at noon and then Annie at her day care and took them to McDonalds. We went to one with a playground, which Annie enjoyed immensely, but Beech feels like he has outgrown. He was very good about helping Annie learn how to climb and slide and run and jump and such though. Afterward we stopped at Yumy Yogurt and they each had a shaved ice with Cherry, Grape, and Strawberry syrup. Beech finished every bit of his, but Annie managed to finish only about a third of hers. By the time we got home, she was ready for her nap. In the evening I watched Disk 3 of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, along with all of the special features. This is the end of the series. I confess that I was very ignorant about Zimbabwe before watching it. I enjoyed it very much. If it were a movie I would give it five stars.

Message 720

Yesterday I stayed home all day and worked on my memoirs. In the evening I watched three documentaries about warfare on PBS. Before Charlie Rose I read some more of Sleeping Where I Fall. I am half way through it now.

Message 719

Yesterday I picked Beech up at school and took him to McDonalds for lunch. Afterward we worked on his homework for a while and played some Wii games. We also talked about The Karate Kid which I gave him on Sunday. I gave him the three-DVD set because he is spending so much time and effort on his Kung Fu classes. In the evening Joshua came over and watched the Sharks game with me. They lost 2-4. If they do not start getting some breaks, or if Chicago does not stop playing over their heads, we may not make it to the Stanley Cup finals. I am heartened though by the fact that Philadelphia trailed Boston 0-3 games and were behind by three goals in the fourth game before they came back and won the series. Friday afternoon's game will be in Chicago, so it will not be long before we see how it is going to go from here.

Message 718

I went to PAMF in the morning yesterday to have blood drawn for an annual PSA test and to refill my prescription for my antibiotic for injecting. During the day I read the new Science, and in the evening Joshua came over to watch 24 with me. Next Monday will be the two-hour series finale. After Joshua left I read some more of Sleeping Where I Fall, and then watched Charlie Rose.

Message 717

Yesterday in the early afternoon I watched the Sharks lose 1-2 to Chicago in the first game of the Western Conference championship series. It was a very fast and rough game, and it could have gone either way, but Chicago came out on top. Joshua and Jason were at the game, and I am sure they were as disappointed as I was. The next game is Tuesday night. In the late afternoon Julian brought my Sienna back after Vanessa's trip to the mountains, and took me with him and the kids to Una Mas for dinner. In the evening I watched the last episode of Foyle's war on PBS. I also finished reading The Economist.