Message 464

Yesterday Vanessa and I had breakfast at Heidi's Pies. Beech was in school in his combined kindergarten/first grade class. Annie was at day care, so we had a peaceful and relaxing breakfast. In the afternoon I took Beech to his Kung Fu class and then to Roundtable Pizza.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Last Chance Harvey. It had a good cast but was basically a boring movie. I give it 2.5 stars.

Message 463

Yesterday I watched Annie for a couple of hours in the morning. In the late afternoon I joined Vanessa and the kids for dinner at Una Mas. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie The Soloist. The acting was very good, but the things that were best were the music and the fact that it is based on a true story. In fact the actual people were interviewed in the Special Features. Also, it was interesting to see a treatment of homelessness and mental illness. I give it four stars.

Message 462

Yesterday I finished reading The Economist. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie "13 Conversations About One Thing." It has a good cast, but I found the concept tedious. I give it 2.2 stars.

Message 461

This week's issue of The Economist did not arrive until yesterday (Monday). That is the latest ever. I had begun to think tar staff had been allowed to take a summer vacation. In the past it has almost always arrived on Friday, with occasional arrivals on Saturday, but Monday is the new record for lateness. Anyway, I have read only about half of it so far. Last night I went out to dinner with the Ariagnos and the Morrills. It was a new place in Palo Alto that has a fixed price bargain option on Mondays. The food was good, but the price was $40 per person, so I did not think it much of a bargain. It was great to see everyone again though. It has been quite a while since we last got together as a group. I will see them again this coming Saturday though when the Willetts will be able to join us. too.

Last night I watched a DVD of the movie Lovely & Amazing. It is a charming depiction of a family of semi-dysfunctional but good-hearted women: a mother, two daughters, and an adopted daughter. It had a top-quality cast and enough non-erotic nudity that I give it four stars.

Nessage 460

The heat wave has broken, so I should be able to run my computer all day today. Yesterday midday I watched a DVD of the movie Constantine. It had a good cast, but it was based on a comic book character, so the plot was mostly absurd and incomprehensible. I am not into comic book characters, especially ones that were invented long after I last read a comic book, so I give it 2.3 stars.

I ate dinner with Vanessa and the kids last night. Julian was working late again, but he came in after we had eaten while Beech and I were playing Chess and then checkers. I was trying to teach Beech a little about the games so I did not let him win. Today is his first day in kindergarten, but he has the cold that Annie just got over, so I hope he will not have to miss his first day at school.

Last night I watched Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. I am so glad the extended August pledge drive is over so the regular programming is available again.

Message 459

Yesterday Joshua brought in Mexican food so we could have lunch together . We tried to watch the per-season Raiders game, but it was not on TV. The Giants were not on TV either, so we had to end up watching the game between the Dodgers and the Reds. Joshua had to leave before the game was over, so I still do not know who won. I will be glad when the NFL regular season starts. After Joshua left I turned the TV off and read some more of the history of NSA. Ethan and his family gave it to me at Sandbridge for my birthday. It is very good and interesting reading.

I went to my couples club pot luck dinner last night. It was nice to see the people again. I brought the ice cream to put on the pies that Ginny Wilson made, one rubarb and one peach. When we went home Ginny insisted the I take home the two pieces of leftover pie as well as the little bit of ice cream that was left over. I did not watch a movie yesterday. Again today I will turn off my computer early to try to keep my condo cool as our heat wave continues.

Message 458

Yesterday I read this week's Science. After the Friday night PBS shows, I watched a DVD of the movie Underworld. It is an imitation of The Matrix but instead of computers against people, it is vampires against werewolves, with people caught in the middle. It has a good cast with Kate Beckinsale as the protagonist and Bill Nighy as the primary villain. I give it 2.7 stars.

I am sending this message out early so I can turn off my computer to guard against its burning itself out in the heatwave that started yesterday and is supposed to end tonight.