Message 736

Yesterday I picked up a new bottle of antibiotic solution from PAMF, but when I wanted to use it when I went to bed after Charlie Rose it was not in the refrigerator! I realized I had left it in my car and had to go down and get it. It was kind of hot yesterday, but was mostly humid, so I hope it did not spoil. I finished reading Sleeping Where I Fall yesterday. Thanks for giving it to me Susan. It was a very interesting insight into the sixties counter-culture, and I was intrigued by its technique as a memoir.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie The Verdict. Paul Newman plays a drunk, ambulance chasing lawyer, who manages to do a good thing for a change. I give it three stars.

Message 735

Yesterday I worked some more on my memoirs. In the evening I thought I would watch a DVD, but I got so interested in the Joan Baez documentary on PBS that I never got around to it. Also I read some more of Sleeping Where I Fall. I may finish it today.

Message 733

Yesterday I had breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Vanessa, Annie, and Reggie. Henry never showed up, and we never found out why. We met on Tuesday this week because Vanessa and Julian have to do stuff at Beech's school on Thursday. After breakfast I watched Annie at home so Vanessa could pick Beech up at school and take him to a lunch with one of his classmates and his mom, and afterward she took him shopping to buy supplies for the Sand Art class she and Julian are going to teach on Thursday. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Lantana. It is an Australian film made in 2001. It is a mystery and psycho drama that is OK. I give it three stars. I looked Lantana up in the dictionary, and it is a tropical flowering bush, which I assume is what plays a background part in the movie.

Message 732

Yesterday I did two loads of laundry and my weekly Safeway shopping. I went to dinner at Sultanas with Carol, Roland's friend from the dinner group. Afterward we watched a DVD of Millers Crossing. which is not only a five star film, but the Cohen brothers best work. Charlie Rose had a repeat of a Neil Young show, which was still good though..

Message 731

Yesterday I finished reading The Economist and did some work on my condo. It was a hot day, so I really had to work up a sweat putting up the other two outside blinds on my balcony doors. Fortunately, Jason had helped me with the ten-foot one, which was the hardest, but I still had to struggle to put up the eight-foot and five-foot ones. They are all done now, but they are pretty cheap and a little flimsy, so I wonder if they will last more than a couple of years. As long as China keeps making them and Home Depot keeps selling them though, replacing them should be easier than it was this time.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie An Education. I first saw it in the theater about a year ago, and gave it five stars. The first time I saw it I was surprised a few days later to read in Roger Cohen's column in the NY Times that the villain was Jewish. I had been focusing so much on the young girl that I did not pay attention to the fact that the older man was a Jew. However, when I watched it last night I was struck by how much was made of this fact, and since it is based on a true story, it is not just a device by the filmmakers. It is an very good movie and well worth the five-star rating.

Message 730

I met Helen and Jim at Starbucks yesterday. I read some of The Economist in the afternoon. Warm weather has finally returned, so in the early evening I went in the spa and even in the big pool for the first time in a long while. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Juno for the second time. The first time I saw it, a couple of years ago, I rated it five stars, and I am even more impressed by it the second time. I especially appreciate how well written it is and how good the acting is. Also, the music is by groups that were unknown to me, but is very good. I had never even heard of The Moldy Peaches.

Message 729

Orlindo's cleaning crew came in yesterday noon and I went out to lunch and bought some new outdoor blinds for my balcony windows while they were working. The crew always do a good job cleaning, but I have to put things away before they come and put them back out after they finish. Also, they accidentally disconnected the TV and Internet cable in my bedroom, which was a pain to figure out and fix. Jason actually fixed it for me as well as helped me put up the new 10-foot wide blind for the living-room balcony door. Jason, Susan, and Ellie were buying stuff at IKEA and joined me for dinner at El Cerrito. Jason will be spending his weekend installing IKEA stuff in his new bedroom closet. I started reading The Economist and the went to bed at midnight without watching Charlie Rose. I will watch him at noon Monday.