fossilfreak

 

The 12th I only dug one tulip bulb out. I went to Bernadette's in the morning and picked up some of the mess while she had a dentist appointment. Back at home I changed the kitty litter out, did laundry, and fixed stuffed peppers with a southwestern rice hamburger mix topped with mozzarella.

 

On Friday the 13th I finished season 4 of Chicaco P.D. and discovered one of the season 2 NCIS episodes has gone missing. Maybe I accidentally let it get erased. 

 

It turns out I waited too long to sign up for the Mississippi River cruise next April. Darn it, it looked like fun. 

 

I went out to thrift shops and a bookstore and found 4 Boxcar children books for Joanna.

 

Carol and Frank were leaving just as I was so she didn't get a chance to tell me they had some food for me in their fridge. She called. And so I looked for their key in the plastic bag I keep it in, and it wasn't there! Maybe the cleaners saw it and hung it up, so I took a fistful of keys over, and sure enough, the second one I tried opened the door!  The food was two huge artichokes and a big pack of potato salad.

 

That night I went to see 1776 at the Chatauqua. Bev didn't arrive in time for the first act, and when I saw it was an all female cast I was annoyed, but it was great. Bev was there after intermission so I could stop worrying about her. Meanwhile, my friend Bill with the Pancreatic Cancer, looks great! He's recovered so well they gave him a new knee and they geocached through a lot of states.

 

I liked the first act better, but then I believe that's true every time I've seen it.

 

Saturday I had gotten tickets for us to ride the Sacramento River Train.  Bernadette came by for me and we got down to Old Sacramento early. We stopped at the History Museum to spend some time. I am guessing it's been over 10 years since I've been there and they've surely changed a lot. They had a stretched penny machine so Joanna and Padreic each got one. Then we started walking toward the depot and when Padreic said he would like to get on the train, is when I let them know that's what I planned. We rode in the back coach and got our tickets punched, rode the 3 miles south and then got to watch the engine go down a spur then couple onto our coach. 

 

I was wearing my Wyoming shirt and a guy asked me was I from the state. Turns out he is from Rock Springs and did indeed know the Zs, Joe's family.  

 

I learned two short toots mean "we're starting" and two longs and a short mean "we're coming in." 

It was a fun ride and the kids seemed to like it.  When we got off Gareth asked "have you noticed we haven't had lunch?" so he got a bit of a talk from Mommy about how to tell people you're hungry a bit more politely.  We went to a restaurant and Joanna turned into a whiny thorny monster because nobody else had finished their lunch. She was hanging her head with her shoulders hunched and near tears, so I tried to comfort her. A porcupine would have been easier. Turns out she wanted to "do something exciting."  

 

Then we went over to the Railroad Museum, and she got into her "cling-to-mommy-because-there-are-scary-adults" phase. Mighod. She's got to be the saddest little girl in the world.  It was NOT a good day for her. (Oh, yeah, she'd already informed me she doesn't like ballet and didn't want to see "Cinderella" and I'm pretty sure it's just that she didn't want to go anywhere with me. This despite a good camp. I've made myself feel better because I'll take Bernadette, and she can just stay home and maybe rethink her life.) It was the kind of day that makes me say that while I love her very much, sometimes I don't really like her. (I said that to B., and she agrees.)

 

At that gift shop we got more stretched pennies and I got Padreic his book. He was thrilled. 

 

At home I noticed that after maybe a year, my fridge water filter needed changing. (I've been looking at the light for months, but never saw it go yellow. It was red this time.) I pulled it out to see what it was (but didn't write it down) and went to put it back and jammed it in, couldn't close the filter door. I tried to get the filter out but couldn't, asked for help from my friends, but no, and finally freed it on Sunday by attacking on a different angle. 

 

\I dozed off and woke at 7:47. As it was light outside, I thought I'd overslept through the night, had missed my chance to dig, and would have to hurry for church. It finally dawned on me that it wasn't actually Sunday, but was still Saturday!

 

 

Sunday the 15th, I was distracted in church because of Joanna. Grrr.

 

I ordered tickets for the Kingston Trio (just me), Pinocchio with the kids and Bernadette, and the ballet with Bernadette. These are at Folsom. Last week I got the Mondavi (Davis) catalog for next year and they don't really have anything I want this time.

 

I was making chicken a la king and dropped it as I was putting it back into the microwave for the second part. And it smelled so good, all over the floor. I was amazed at the dog, who just sat looking at it until I told him it was OK for him to eat it. Such a clean floor!! Sigh.

 

 

Monday, I'd thought I'd be done digging by the weekend, but I was overoptimistic. I waited all day for the cleaners. Once they came I called Helena, who is also having a colonoscopy, hers this coming Friday.

 

I went to the Newcomer's dinner, and took my iPad (in its new cover) so I could show  Bill my wounded picture. He wasn't there, but I did talk to Tom.

 

I am in 37 different places in Albion because I accidentally opened the perfumer's workshop instead of keeping it for the artist's studio. 

 

 

July 17 I dug up 14 bulbs, then went to the WPAC breakfast. There were 6 of us. After a nice meal and chat I went to the commissary for a few things. I got home before it got too hot. It's been over 100 the last two weeks.

 

 

And at home, Benson asked me to come on safari next year. I really want to! It would be all over Zimbabwe. I asked if I could come early and go geocaching with him around Victoria Falls. It actually sounds like maybe we could do that! So I went to the Road Scholar page and checked it out, and then looked at the Iceland tour.  I called Jean and we firmed up the date. I will sign up at the end of July. 

 

I had found out at the Newcomer's dinner that Gary T. was home again so I called him. He's doing well.

 

And, of course, I forgot it was Tuesday until Vince called.

 

July 18 was the day I gave Gareth his promised trip toThe Tech Museum  in San Jose. I got there by 7:30 so as to get to San Jose by 10, but I didn't account for dire traffic especially on 580. There were times I would have to come to a complete stop, then go a few car lengths and stop again.  It was frustrating, but we finally arrived at the parking garage and got to the Tech a little before 11.  The bathroom was the first stop. Gareth was so excited. I got our tickets (free, with a membership at the Powerhouse) and the guy asked if I'd like to donate. I said "yes, but later" and actually did drop $10 into the box as we left.  

 

We stopped at the exhibit entrance and asked how the TechTags (which were the tickets) work. You scan it at each exhibit and at the end of the day you can put the number in at home and see a summary of your day. This sounds good, but Gareth lost his at the first exhibit. Used mine for awhile, but then when we left for lunch he got a different one, which he mostly used but at the end of the day he was back to using mine, and lost it. At the same exhibit. I'd picked up another one so at home I tried to see what that ticket user had done, and this spoiled the chance for Gareth to use the blue, substitute one, since apparently they only register one each day. Oh, well. If we do this next year we'll do better.

 

I had brought a book and sat nearby while he played. I did, at one point, show him there was another area, since he had pretty well done the whole coding area.  At one point he was encrypting a password and the numbers were flying past and he was covering his ears to help him to focus.  When we went to the different area he was entranced with the earthquake exhibit and with Google Earth.  At 1 I finally suggested we go to lunch, where we spent a whopping 20 minutes.  Back to the area. He discovered the biometrics area, and signed up for a monitor which he wore for about 40 minutes.  (Again, this would be one of the first things if we come back.) Then we went upstairs, where there was my favorite thing of the day, the biochemistry. I helped him put on plastic gloves and a pair of goggles, and then he got a tube of bacteria and a tube of dna, combined them, warmed it, cooled it, spread it in a petri dish, put in the warmer to cook, (after scanning it) picked a cooked one and looked at it for various colors. The whole thing was fascinating.  Another one that he liked was "building bacteria". We turned in his monitor and discovered he's a "confident builder." This is something I really would have liked to have on his tech tag at home. Oh, well. 

 

He stood in line to ride the jet chair in space. Definitely he'd be Major Tom.  There were lots of camp groups, but eventually he got to do everything he wanted to do. He finished on the same exhibit he'd started on, a game of building a network. I was interested to see how he interacted with other kids. 

 

We went to dinner across the street, but didn't stay long enough to avoid major traffic jams on the way home. Gareth said he'd like to go with Joanna and Padreic and I pointed out that they would want to go to some other exhibits when he didn't. Padreic in particular would be bored with a lot of it, though there are areas he would enjoy. I think we would need three adults for the three kids.  I was not the only adult who had brought a book (though I used my iPad more, to report on Facebook) and let the kids do their thing. I had a good time and I know he did, and I may do this again for his birthday next year. However, I believe then I would get a motel room on 1st street by the metro line and ride the train in, and avoid traffic. Rich and I did that when we went to ConJose in 2002. If we did that we might visit, uh, someone who lives here (to quote Gareth, who doesn't remember Aunt Monica's name.)  

 

Anyway, I didn't get home till past 9, but the dog had behaved himself. A nice day!

 

351 recordings of 40 types. 1 old SVU, 74 CPD, 51 LMS. 24% clear.

 

Tuesday the 16th I went to breakfast with the widows and we had a great time discussing funerals and laughing and laughing. 

 

Then in the afternoon John came over and I showed him pictures and told him about the Camino for two and a half hours. I had a great time.... that was a lot of fun!

 

Vince called and apart from a time when his microphone went out, this week it all worked.  

 

And then I got to looking at the geocaches in Canada, and before I knew it, it was nearly midnight. 

 

 

On Wednesday I went to pick up Padreic for Wee Wednesday. Rob was home, celebrating his birthday with two weeks off. Padreic was OK with leaving today and he was happy to check out the play room and the tot room. He had a little difficulty sharing. I was spelling his name out with the blocks, and of course the C was missing... then he lined all the blocks up in no particular order, and then went to play with something else, but when another kid came to play with the blocks he was possessive... "MINE!" No, you have to share. Tears, real tears, and loud crying. If you keep that up, we're going home. Immediate quiet.  Then when a little girl came over, she wanted to have him play with her... "you can help me put some blocks on." He didn't understand that, so while she built a tower (and kept offering to let him help) he built a triangle wall. The girl was ahead socially, but he was an engineer.  

 

The story was about "happy" and "sad" and then we went up to look at pictures. Then the idea was to show how we could make happy and sad faces. Hey, Padreic was real good down in the tot room with sad when he had to share.  But he really didn't have a clue. Then they were given an oval and lots of shapes to glue on to make a face. Again, he just liked gluing shapes on. He was very very proud of his collage. I saw the black square needed more glue and took it to do that and he clouded up, but he listened when I explained and I gave his creation right back after it was mended. He carefully took it home to give to Mommy to display. (They have a dresser in front of most of the refrigerator display space, but Bernadette found room.)  Then I gave him a Cars sticker book. 

 

After awhile they were having Alexa play songs. Padreic was dancing and spinning and got really over-excited so had a major breakdown just before I left to pick up the kids at school. Needed some cuddle time with Mommy.  "Raining Tacos" is a really silly song.

 

Joanna had a good behavior slip this time, with only one "oops" and again, it was about writing. It's kind of scary that her birthday present, a Boxcar Children themed camp, is going to have writing, but I hope that the different setting will help her, and hey, if she doesn't want to do it, it really won't matter. 

I read more of Betsy and Tacy go over the Big Hill, just one day left of this, which will also include the real story.

 

My name tag wasn't in the raincoat after all, so I wasn't hallucinating putting it somewhere last Friday. But I thought it was in the car and I have turned that inside out, so I have no idea where it is. 

 

I had thought I would go to Yuba City for the geocaching event, but I was really too tired.

 

My Instant Pot came, and I've got a bit (a lot?) of buyer's remorse. It's too big (if I'd bought one off the shelf, I'd have gotten a smaller one), I managed to scald myself during the "this is how to use it" program, and the kicker is the rice cooker feature, one I really wanted it for, was a disaster. I was hoping to replace my Mom's 40+ year old rice cooker.  But I followed the "multigrain" instructions, and about half of the rice stuck to the pan and needed to be scrubbed off. I do have a big, shallow, pan that I've used for rice before on the big burner on my stove, and it works well, so I still have a plan for rice. Certainly not this Instant Pot. I've also looked at the recipes, and there's a lot of prep for each meal. When they say "10 minutes" they don't count the time to soak beans or cut up meat, for instance. 

 

The next day I tried to modify a slow cooker meal for the pressure cooker. Turns out, I don't have corn starch, so I couldn't thicken the gravy, but oh my goodness, the beef cubes were delicious!  So my Buyer's Remorse is still to be decided. I ordered some yogurt cups, and will try making yogurt in it.

 

 

Thursday I made a commissary run.  As I was putting the food away I noted a case of diced tomato cans, and they're from 2008! (I don't remember getting anything like this while Rich was alive, since I avoided the commissary like the plague.) They seem OK. I keep buying diced tomatoes because I use them a lot, so I'll probably be able to get rid of these fairly soon. 

 

I called for Joanna's camp and paid for it all right now. I looked at the map, and it does look like fun. I'll print the page up for her because the information probably won't come until May.  

 

Friday I didn't do much, just stayed home all day, got a call from Food for the Poor so they now have my new credit card number.  I worked on the jigsaw, pretty much finishing the blue sky. I also scratched off the countries in South America for my map, and the flags on that side of the map. (Which I hate, though I've discovered that my thumbnails work better than the idiot guitar pick they gave me.)

 

368 recordings of 27 types, 23 old CPD and 4 SVU. 23% clear.

 

Sunday Laurie called, because her car was stuck at the mall. I gave her a ride to church (she'd called just in time.) I gave the Sharing God's Bounty donation to Jim.

 

Afterwards I went to Petsmart for dog food (for some reason, Pharaoh keeps eating!) and also got a cat toy to play with Spooky. He's enjoying it.

 

In the evening, Helena called, to commiserate. Nice lady, nice to hear from her.

 

Monday the cleaners came. They were pretty late, and of course after 4 weeks, there was a lot for them to do. When they left, I heard water running. I checked all the faucets in the house, out in front, and then glanced out the window in back... uh oh! The pipe had burst! Such timing.

 

I called the plumber and nobody could come out until the next morning.

 

 

Tuesday Brian came out about 9 and had nothing but bad news. Because it's galvanized pipe, it will all need replacing, about $5K. Furthermore, he doesn't have the tools to fix it, and he was NOT willing to dig down where the leak was because he couldn't be sure he'd find the pipe. He was just a barrel of rainbows, but fortunately he didn't charge me for the visit.

 

So I googled "electronic leak detection" and found American Plumbers, practically in my neighborhood. I called them. I had to tell my story to about 4 people, but finally got Monique, who told me their two emergency plumbers were out on calls but maybe she could get someone between 2 and 4. OK, I figured I had time to make my quick trip to the commissary. I did turn on my cell phone, fortunately, because the phone rang while I was on base. I pulled into a parking lot, too late, but I called back and a plumber was available could be at my house in an hour! I told her I'd be home in a half hour, dashed through the commissary and got home after 31 minutes. I could see the plumber's van in front of the house. Dave had arrived about a minute earlier! "Thank you for waiting!"

 

He immediately stuck a probe near where I said the leak had started and created a small geyser, then probed around till he found the leak. Then he turned off the water and went to make his estimate... digging out a 2x3 square, and replacing the leaky area with PVC plastic, then clamping it on and refilling the hole, 3 hours, $678. I signed, and he got to work.

 

 

 

 

The amazing thing is that even though he had to go to the store for a part, he still was done in 3 hours. He's related to my neighbors and was at the Hallowe'en party!

 

 

   

We talked about the next step. After the water company does their thing, he will replace the whole pipe from the house to the riser. This will take two days, so I will have a motel stay in there, and cost $4K. Sigh. I'm trying to get back to my pre-Africa money and was thinking earlier on Monday that I was closing in on it. But at least I do have the money for these emergencies. Also to be thankful for was the good weather, and that I was at home when all heck broke loose, not off on a trip.

 

 

Today, in my 6 years ago memories, "A lot of these tears are leftovers from the last few weeks. I didn't want him to see me crying. He did once, last week, I was sitting next to him on the bed rubbing his back and I just couldn't help it, and he looked over and saw me. I don't know if he understood or not."

 

 Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 558
169.9 miles

cold in the mornings, sunny and breezy

 

371 recordings of 31 types, 67 old SVU. 18% clear.

 

Monday I did all the watering I put off Sunday because of the wind (which has led to the terrible fires going on in California.) I had a dental appointment at 11 and was a little surprised I would have scheduled it the same day as the cleaners. Then I remembered I changed the cleaning week after my trip to Ashland.  In any case, Stephanie was quick and I also had a nice visit with the dentist himself. He asked if I'd gotten their birthday card... no, actually, and I haven't gotten it yet.

 

I was back in time for the cleaners. In fact, I'd just made my lunch and there they were!

 

To my utter surprise, one of the squash grew!

 

After the cleaners left I went to Walmart to see if I could find ramekins. No luck.  Then I got gasoline and went down to Raley's to see if my prescriptions were in. The Lisinopril was, but there was a question about the Simvastatin and they were checking (with the doctor in Placerville, sigh, so I guess I'll have to do the doctor change thing again next year.) According to the paperwork, they think it will interact with the blood pressure meds. It hasn't for the last what, 4 years? 5 years? 

 

I got my flu shot while I was there.  And on the way out I found some ramekins, so I bought 3. I use them for bacon grease, and stupidly shattered one of the two I had by putting the still-warm one into the fridge. Fortunately, it cracked but held together by the bacon grease.  I posted about the great ramekin hunt in Facebook and drew a surprising argument about cooking with bacon grease.

 

I called Cricket Media to get the last three subscriptions at the lower price they were giving on the online renewals.  To my utter shock, Kelly at customer service was quick and efficient. After all the trouble I've had with them through the years, this was surprising.

 

I had also intended to call the heater people and the hauler, but didn't. I'll get them later.

 

Tuesday I went to the WPAC breakfast, then down to Elk Grove. Bernadette went out for dust masks and then spent all the rest of the time cutting and decorating a gourd. Since I had thought the plan was to finish with the garage, I found this frustrating. I felt a little better when I learned the gourd was for the 2nd grade basket for the school carnival. She wants me to win it if she doesn't! Meanwhile she thinks she'll be able to keep Joan out of the garage. Chance would be a fine thing, though Joan and I had a long talk about the science kits so she may be making messes with them instead.

 

Because the kids had a dental appointment, I came home early and vegged out. Vince called and talked for about an hour about his trip to Washington. It sounds like they had a great time. I'm so glad he had the idea (he went when he was in 8th grade but their school doesn't participate, so he thought he'd give Eric the same advantage.)

 

Mark says Monica doesn't like surprises, so I can talk about my trip to San Jose next week. 

 

Wednesday was really frustrating. I was hoping to write this up but when I tried to get Facebook up it was awful on the computer and I tried to run a repair app on it, which froze. Even the iPad didn't do well with FB, which was giving me Bernadette's posts from 2016!! Also, I got together a bag of toiletries, toothbrushes, and toilet paper for a nursing home that has taken in evacuees from the fires, and then drove 20 miles out of my way but couldn't find the place. Argh.

 

I did get down to Elk Grove and did the reading, but next week Gareth is having his teeth sealed, so I can drive down to San Jose earlier. I left the kids on a cliffhanger. Gareth was trying to see how the story ends, so Pinocchio was a good choice. I asked Joanna if she was trying for a record of the most "consequences" in second grade. She says she was good at the beginning, but it's hard.

 

When I got home the computer was still frozen, but I hit every key and eventually it restarted, and restarted, and restarted a third time, and it works!

 

I had picked 18 pounds of pomegranates in the morning, about a third of them, so I will have plenty to share with Joan and with Monica next week. I gave a dozen to my neighbor Mindy.

 

I had pretty well gotten over the coughing but this day was really smoky.

 

Yesterday the water guy came and showed me where the new meter would be. He looked at the setup in back and has a plan where the new main will join the current pipes. I get to keep the standpipe. I didn't ask if there would be a way for me to cut off the water to replace washers (as if, but there are a couple of things in the bathroom that need attention.) I'll call him and ask later.

 

Andy came while he was here and fixed the shed door. I also went in and rearranged stuff after the dog had really messed it up.  I took a huge box out. I was surprised to see glasses at the bottom... apparently they were the current ones which fell in when I wasn't paying attention.  Anyway, I got it into the recycling can. I'd intended to get a lot more paperwork in but got ambushed by Rich's notes on banking last week. 

 

Since I intend to have a big open house on my 75th birthday, I've got to get to work.

Quick trip to the Commissary. $60+, though.

 

I went out to Appleby's for dinner. Ray sat with me, and was quite pleasant. I also met a Dave, whose son plans to walk the Camino. This gave me a chance to tell some of my stories to someone who hadn't heard them!  I tried the appetizer combo and it was too big, and then they gave me a birthday dessert!  When I got home, there was a hatching raptor candle from Monica.

 

I was going to write this then, but Bernadette wants Monica's pictures NOW so I downloaded 270 of them and started to sort them chronologically, but my eyes began to cross after about 80 or so. Darn. I had hoped to have this one so much more organized than Roni's was. Oh, well.

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 547
153.2 miles
90s and muggy

367 recordings of 51 types, 74 old SVU. 18% clear. (I had it lower but made the mistake of visiting TCM!)

Gah! I am so far behind! Besides this journal, obvious, I have TripAdvisor reviews to do, and so much paperwork to clean up in the house, and then there's the rest of the Camino to write up. So instead, I play Fishdom and watch TV.

I came back from Ashland two weeks ago. The first week back was awful, so very hot. Alicia informed me something was wrong with the answering machine. Actually, I finally found out the phone was offline. So I called AT&T and in was voice mail hell. Then I tried online and got to chat with a human. I was reluctant to give last four digits of my social security number (it probably would have to be Rich's anyway) but I could tell what the last phone bill was. He said there'd be a tech out in the next 24 hours. I waited all day long then suddenly realized I could go online again and see what was up. I initially started another complaint but then I saw the place to check progress. Lo! They had checked the line and set up a technician appointment and I would be back online at 8 PM.

In the meantime, the cleaners came and went. At 7, AT&T pulled up. I told him where the phone box was. As I was trying to push the dog back in with my foot, he snapped at it, then realized what he was doing. Tsk. The technician discovered, just as I'd suspected, that when the UVerse guy fixed that and put in a new router, he knocked a wire loose. I did have a couple of phone calls but then nothing, and I knew something was wrong with the phone when I talked to the vet.

(On the Monday in Ashland I checked my phone and had three calls. All from the vet, one each on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They had tried running my credit card and it had been refused.) So on Tuesday I called and said "why didn't you use my home number?" They said they had, but nobody had answered. So *I* thought it was the answering machine, somehow off.) Always something.

Tuesday of that week I completely forgot about the widow's breakfast. I did brave the heat and go to the commissary and took a quick trip to Raley's also for milk. This was just a stopgap trip, which I had to do quick before the very end of the month, and I plan to do a big one in the middle of September. I called to make my mammogram appointment, and also talked to the windows people, and it turns out the appraisers had never actually scheduled me for right after Labor Day after all, so when I called her in the time between trips and she tried to call me back, no answer. My windows will be here on the 14th! I also talked to the bank to find out when I was supposed to tell them to put more money (when USAA closed out the California account in my mutual funds) into the CD renewal.

And for the first time in 4 weeks, Vince was able to call me at home!

Wednesday was Padreic's birthday. It was SO HOT. I told Bernadette I would like her to drive me over to pick up the big kids, and this fit in right with her plans. So I brought Padreic the riding Tyrannosaur I'd gotten for him in Wyoming, and he instantly named it Roar. Then when it was time to pick up the kids, Bernadette drove over and I walked into the school for them. Then she didn't drive straight home. The kids were baffled. Then we pulled up at Leatherby's! They gave Padreic a special sundae and sang to him, and he was thrilled. (Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the video up on Flickr. "Candle out" he said once he blew it out on the second try.) I had a small sundae but probably should have had a kid's sundae. I do try to be good!

   

   

Doris died. I no longer have to feel guilty about not visiting her... well, I still can feel guilty, but nothing I can do about it now. It's a blessing for her. Sweet lady.

SMOKE! From the Sierra fires and even the Oregon fires, which I thought I'd left behind when I left Ashland. (That smoke continued till Weed, but after my lunch the smoke had lifted, and I had clear skies coming home.) So I couldn't walk except very early in the morning. This morning I got as far as Whitney School, but I saw someone opening the fence and driving in. I figured that he had a key, he was probably OK, but I stopped to check anyway. Looked like he was cleaning the bathrooms instead of stealing the computers. But I came home after that, and the rest of the week the heat and the smoke kept me in.

I called the Bard's Inn and discovered, yes indeed, they do have a AAA discount, so I definitely should have used it this year and will certainly use it next year. I reserved a cabin at Crater Lake, next to the kids' campground, and I hope I can do the plays I'm interested in immediately afterwards. That way I'd only have one day (Monday) down.

I donated, through Catholic charities, to Harvey relief.

It's so slow on the jigsaw. One day I only managed 7 pieces.

Because I was gone much of August, I hadn't registered for a class at Renaissance. I had been interested in TED talks or the Time Machine Movies. I thought maybe after a documentary in the morning, I would be tired of thinking. Hence, I wanted the movies. But, since I hadn't registered, I was worried there wouldn't be room. I crashed the class and there were about 10 open seats, so good. The movie was the Time Machine. I'd never seen this one (with Alan Young) before and enjoyed it. Our "homework" was to think what three books you would take to help fix the future. I contributed The Way Things Work and then when I got home I would add the Boy Scout Handbook.

The morning class was a seminar on food in Sacramento. It was OK.

And after trying a few times to get back to "fossilfreakca" at LiveJournal, I gave up and came here. Still learning it.