Back to School

Julia returns axes the country to Goucher College soon. Today we had a family gathering and she got to play with little Bettina.

The Tiglao boys start school again this week.

The Comolli's are in France -- I don't think school starts for a while yet there.

Dylan returns to SF State classes soon.

Aidan starts paramedic training at some point and applies for ambulance driving jobs soon.

I'm stalled on my memoir and feeling weak most of the time.

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Icelandic Socks and Brunch

Dylan, Julia and Aidan took me to brunch this morning. Dylan, just back from his trip to Iceland, brought me a pair of blue Icelandic socks.

Those are my Thursday highlights.

I continue to ponder retiring.

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Retire?

I started working small jobs about 60 years ago. I've been working full-time for 50 years.

Currently, I am on extended medical leave for another few weeks. My recovery is slow -- the medical teams warned me it would be, but this is slow. I'm still struggling just to stand up and walk normally.

My memoir has stalled. It's about half a book. I watch TV all day long, including the same movies over and over.

It's probably unhealthy, but I follow the news closely via CNN, the NYT and the WP.

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Writing

Some days it comes easily, naturally. Some days it doesn't.

My memoir project relies on me having more good writing days than bad days.

When I wake up, usually by 4 a.m., I can tell. The urge is either there or it isn't.

Today, so far it is not.

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Day by Day

Yesterday started with a neighbor telling me that the attic window was flapping in the wind. Soon a worker and my landlady showed up to address that problem. I was afraid the long ladder he erected would break my kitchen window.

It did not.

A frustration these days is I seem to have lost my sense of direction. When Sarah was driving me to and from Peter's on Sunday I got us lost in both directions. Her GPS got us back on track but I felt embarrassed in front of my grandsons.

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Watching Bettina

Family get-together today and we all were fascinated by almost-ten-month old Bettina. Not shy, very active and on the verge of walking.

Baby watching is great entertainment!

***

The thing that bothers me these days is when I am in the middle of telling someone a story and I forget the thread. It usually comes back to me later, but too late to finish the story.

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Around the Block

My friend Alex from KQED came by yesterday for a visit. He had promised previously to get me out walking and I agreed. For the first time in years, with his help, I walked all the way around the block.

I have recently developed the habit of greeting anyone I encounter in the neighborhood. Yesterday we saw a young woman carrying a bag of soil from her car to her garage. She said she will grow vegetables in her backyard with that soil.

We also greeted another woman walking her dog.

I got tired on the walk but made it back home.

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