outdoor chair. Needs to be sanded down and repainted. Color possibilities are wide open now!

It’s like these.

on the bus and missed my stop coming home. the unexpected benefit – ended up getting off 2 stops later right in front of a 2 weeks new soul food restaurant which I’d never seen before.

greens, mac n cheese and salmon croquette for dinner (and lunch the next day). plus a long vigorous walk home – to help burn off said dinner.

- discovering that tomorrow is a day off. huh. who knew?

- starting to get a handle on the big budget. yup. it’s pretty much as bad as I thought it was. but at least beginning to put my arms around it.

- simple, vegetable, packed lunch. green, tasty.

- appreciation from a student. the notes I banged out were actually helpful.

- nothing blew up.

- my aunt and uncle and the opportunity to see them. in the most benign sense, they are boundless sources of family gossip and stories, even when infirmity keeps them close to home.

- early morning desert bike ride. 80 degrees is 35 deg less than the desert day time high. beautiful light on the mountain. bugs the size of birds, birds the size of bugs – and jack rabbits.

- swimming and swimming googles! swimming’s so much better without all that squinting.

- the pink cadillac with a for sale sign by the side of the road. classic palm springs.

- J and his ability to create extended family. happy and lucky to be enfolded in it!

with living connections to the community. the docent must’ve been a history teacher – great storyteller with laser sharp command of local anecdote, historical detail, cultural and political complexity. occasional demonstrations by master crafters – worth seeking out.