Things are going along well.

Last evening I had dinner with Anne, John and Lasio, my neighbors next door. John does most of the cooking and we all enjoy the good food and visiting. This morning, as usual, I will be off for my weekly breakfast at Saint John’s Medical center. Things are going along well. The weather may have cooled a bit but it is till sunny and bright.

Sunshine

Yesterday morning while sitting in my most comfortable chair, I wished that most people could be so pleased with where they lived. The sun was low enough in the sky to be shinning through the double windows and filling the whole room with sun and warmth. Everything looked so clean, bright and right. The sun may shine less hours at this time of year, but it is appreciated more.

A Good Day After A Lovely Night.

It is said, "That a picture is worth a thousand words," ture or not it is better than any words that I have for this day.

Radio Drama

Los Angeles Theatre Works presents a program each Saturday evening on Public Radio called the play is the thing. That program gives me an opportunity to hear outstanding drama on the radio. Saturday evening they performed The Grapes of Wrath. They use very professional actors. The performances are staged before a live audience. I enjoyed the performance on the radio better than that I had seen on TV and have read the book at least once and maybe twice but the radio performance was more enjoyable.

Old Maids

I have finally found an explanation for the use of the term old maids, as in popcorn.

Unpopped kernels of popcorn similarly refuse to join in the dance of life, to bloom into fulfillment as their aerated selves, to follow the path taken by the greatest majority, their livelier companions.

Popcorn

Popcorn is a treat that I have always enjoyed. For the past few years I have been using a microwave popper that is simply and very effecting--very few old maids. I would like a good explanation why we call them old maids. With this popper I can use the cheapest popcorn and get just as good results as if it were Orville Rickenbacker’s. It is not even necessary to use any oil. Lately I have been popping a batch, transferring it to a stainless steel bowl, purring on some molasses and putting back in the microwave. Heating it for about a minutes turns it into a batch that tastes a lot like Cracker Jacks. It not a bad idea as it has no oil or salt and it satisfies.

A chair

The reclining chair that has given me so much comfort for many years will have to replaced sometime. My searching a few sources have not come up with a proper replacement--space is limited and demands are great. Let me know if you can think of any place where I might look. No hurry the chair is still in good condition.

Thanksgiving greetings

Hoping that all of you are enjoying your day of getting together, eating and sharing experiences.

Buzy highqways

With a road as beautiful and the emptiness of the highway above--makes me think that my desire not travel on Thanksgiving might have been a mistake. The thing the photo don’t show is the road overfilled with holiday travelers. I will enjoy the short and pleasant ride to dinner on the Segway and be thinking of those that have spent time on the road.
Hoping that all will enjoy the bounties on the day that we spend time thinking about our blessings.

Strange

It is unbelievable but yesterday Nick and I returned to Wittier and the Swiss Club for their Monday noontime dinner--the second time in two weeks. Only in Los Angles would two men drive 80 miles, round trip, for that. Nick is just back from his visit to Switzerland and I guess he does not have much food in his place and gets hungry for his favorite food and place to eat. He says he drives it so as to exercise his Mercedes. I am pleased to be part of seemingly crazy thing and the food is good. When you are retired you have time for such.

Warm Days

The weather has been a bit warm for this time of the year, but days have been pleasant. We are about an inch short of rain. We need some of the clouds shown in the photo.

Yesterday's activities

Yesterday was okay with breakfast with Nick and Jim at Rae’s Dinner, doing the laundry at a local laundry mat, proofreading a couple of pages for the Distributed Proofreaders and dinner at Santa Monica Medical Center cafeteria. Just another good day.

This Saturday

Their seems to be nothing that may happen today that is worth much of a comment so I will send along this pleasant photo of a lovely bird.

Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving is less than a week of way and I have my tickets for a great dinner at Back On Broadway. That is a good eating place and only a pleasant Segway ride away. It is not because of lack of invitations that I am not traveling far on Thanksgiving. There has been plenty of invitations from out of town and two local. I will be well fed and have some friends at Back On Broadway to eat with and enjoy Thanksgiving.

Feeling well

Last evening Ann and John, my neighbors, invited me over for dinner. I enjoy dining with them and I am lucky to have such good friends. It is also good that I have been as well as possibly be expected. John, who Is not more than 40 is concerned about sugar and needs to watch is diet. My friend who comes to St. John’s Medical Center for breakfast on Thursdays, as I do, called and said he had a dizzy spell and canceled. He is to call his doctor and hope he will be OK.

An improvement

An improvement has been added to my Segway--a coffee cup holder. It is possible to drink a cup of coffee while riding, but not recommended. Sometimes a cup needs to be carried.
As you can tell from such improvements, things are going along well.

Proofreading

A part of the reason for the Project Gutenberg and the Distributed Proof readers is to save paper--trees.

The volunteering at the Distributed Proofreading group on the Internet is progressing and I am enjoying it. I am unable to demonstrate font used in a blog. They have developed it especially for proofreading. It is not beautiful and is not intended to be used for reading and writing. It is designed so that no character can be confused with any other. In a designed by the people of Distributed Proofreading and has to be downloaded from their site to the users computers. I find the proofreading to be an interesting experience.

The Swiss Club

Nick, Nick Ubersax, returned after a month or so visit to Switzerland. He stayed with his brother, visited with family and friends. He enjoys going to there. Today we will be doing what we do a couple of Mondays each month--go to the Swiss club for a noontime dinner. The food is good and the trip, of about 40 miles each way, does not get us out of town but at least to a different part of the Los Angeles area--a diversion.

The Swiss Club

Nick, Nick Ubersax, returned after a month or so visit to Switzerland. He stayed with his brother, visited with family and friends. He enjoys going to there. Today we will be doing what we do a couple of Mondays each month--go to the Swiss club for a noontime dinner. The food is good and the trip, of about 40 miles each way, does not get us out of town but at least to a different part of the Los Angeles area--a diversion.

This Sunday

Nothing unusual is on the schedule for today. That is okay. If I wanted something unusual or interesting it would not be hard to find. It is not hard to find an activity in the area. Going to the UU, a bit of gardening and eating out will be OK.

Proofreading

Happy Veterans’ Day!

The volunteering for the Gutenberg Project,--Distributed Proofreader’s is proving to be interesting. It is taken some trouble getting the procedure organized from the Internet. So far, three pages have been proofread. What is involved is proofreading pages from a book that is scanned by optical character recognition--OCR. It is not editing. It is correcting what the OCR is not able to transcribe correctly. Other proofreaders recheck the first corrections. Others will recheck and assemble the pages into a digital book that is available to anyone wishing to read or print the book from the Internet. There are about 19, 000 titles already available.
www.projectguttenberg.org /wiki/Main.Page
www.pgdp.net/c/

Julius Stein Eye Institute

On the second Thursday of each month people with age related macular degeneration meet in a conference room at Julies Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. There they discuss their current problems with the lack of proper eyesight. There are usually some hints and procedures that are of value to me. The right eye still is functioning normally, fortunately. The left eye maybe making very slight improvement.

chocolate peacan melt-a-ways

One does not forget the good taste of the chocolate pecan melt-a-ways that were available in Santa Barbara a few years ago. A process has been discovered that seems to duplicate their goodness. It is not complicated, messy, time consuming or much trouble. The ingredients are readily available. They may not ship easily so it may be necessary to visit in order to sample. Another of life’s longing has been fulfilled.

Weather

Politics, religion and weather are topics that are always available for comment. It is always well to stay away from religion and politics. The weather in the area has been breaking records for being a hot at this time of the year. The weather in Santa Monica has been warm but not too uncomfortable. Some people would say that the new records are due to global warming. That may not be the case as weather as we all know can be very variable. Global warming is a problem and more should be done to forestall any disaster.

Voting +

In the United States this is the day for voting. The voting that I vote the way that I wish, others may think it to be right or wrong, but each voter has reasons. The results of this election will be interesting. All in election results are. The place chosen for our neighbors to vote is close. The barbershop for my needed haircut is only a few doors away. Santa Monica City College also has a percussion band concert. Wish that Andrew could hear them play from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Seems like it’s going to be an interesting day.

Pledges

UU of San Francisco

The Unitarian Universalists are not much different than any other religious denomination, that is, they all need money to operate. I do not know if churches still depend upon the collection plate to cover all of their good work. The UU’s do not seem to put much into a collection plate. They depend upon the members and regular attendees to make a pledge. This past Sunday was the day to make a commitment. The UU’s are quite famous for their coffee pot and have always expected donations for a cup of coffee. Our group discontinued this a month or so ago. I increased my pledge to cover what I would have donated for the privilege of a cup of coffee after church. I also up the pledge a bit, inflation has to be considered when pledging It has affected most everything else. I am not spiritual but I do go to church most every Sunday.

Music Concert

I attended a concert at the Santa Monica Community College. The first time a long time. It was The Applied Music Program Benefit. Their were 15 individual performers. All students carefully selected and given extra instructions, most enjoyable. I was from 8 to 10. The Segway gave good transportation. It works well after dark, on the sidewalks. They will be having more concerts and I will hope to attend.

Friday

This is not my laundry but is a lovely picture

Yesterday was Friday with little of anything or nothing unusual to for a report. Breakfast and dinner at Saint Johns Medical Center and doing the laundry at a local laundry mat. The weather was not cool but it seemed like fall.

Ballot measures

Their has been some agonizing over a few of the ballot issues on this years voting pamphlet. Most of the issues have content that you would to see implemented. The problem is that it will require considerable money. The problem is, I don’t like obligating the future generations to pay. I will reread, think and do my best.

Sister and daughter-in-laws

Just finished addressing a happy birthday card to Bonnie. My brother’s all chose great sister-in-laws. They and the daughter-in-laws are included my list of favorite women.

It is hard for me to believe that November and has already started. I have my sample ballot all filled out and am ready to vote next week. I am sure that I have made the right decision on most of the candidates. California has a lot of Ballot Measures and my mind is a little vague on some. November the 7th, the voting day, will be interesting.

Halloween

The young children from the neighborhood did not come to give me a scar or collect some goodies on Halloween. I was disappointed. The children do most of the Halloween activities at their schools. Also, the parents are concerned about the children getting to many sweets, something in thme or someone will injure them. The children seen to enjoy Halloween and so they must be doing something that is right. I enjoy the young children and they enjoy stopping for in for a visit.