THURSDAY

 Slow-pokey day. I had intended to go into town--it's been so long--but was greeted with a gigantic waterfall coming from the sky that washed out the whole area and flushed it all all the way to the Pacific....

Oh, come off it, Mimi--there was a little sprinkle here and there and that was sporadic, but I still wasn't going to walk around. I did get over to Von's, as it just dripped a little in the morning, then let up, with just a reoccurrence for fifteen or so in late afternoon. Got salad fixings, lots of veggies, and other essentials. Made lunch and ate it on the patio.

I followed what may or may not be my new routine: a short nap after lunch. Considering my problems sleeping at night, it  probably isn't a good idea, but so far, that's what I do. Later in the day, I swept up the patio, took the trash out, and did a few other chores.

Stella called after dinner to say she'll pick me up at 3:00 to go to the happy hour at Cypress Point Independent Living today. Hey, I haven't been out for awhile, so I'm looking forward to it.

Rosa responded to my invitation to see American Sun at the Santa Paula Playhouse and we decided on the matinee on Sunday, the twenty-eighth.  

AAGH!  My sleep pattern is not good. The last few days, I've haven't been vey active and have napped after lunch and gone to bed around 10:00. I've then awakened in four or five hours--the middle of the night!--gotten up and played Jewele  Royal Match for an hour or so before getting back to bed. I must get back to my regular routine.

T.O.P.S. this morning and it might actually be just Cheryl and me. I know I'm going to have to nap sometime before Stella picks me up at 3:00. Oh, well, I'll set the alarm and keep it short. 

WEDNESDAY

I finally did it: sorted and got in order my scripts and other acting information, then organized them into three large identical containers. I was amazed at how much material I have. I divided the scripts into comedy and drama, then reserved a container for agendum, direction, and related material. What a relief, but it took me--get this--almost two hours.

I then took a nap--the jury's still out on whether daily napping is good for me or not--got up, packed a lunch, and went to my favored spot in the middle to eat it. I had made out a check for rent and utilities and stopped at the office first to drop it off.  I'd much rather pay it electronically, but for some reason, couldn't submit it that way. 

Home, I watched some of the documentary, "aka Charlie Sheen," which I'm enjoying. I've always had an affinity for people who defy convention and don't obey the rules, especially the preachy, sanctimonious kind. Boy, does Charlie fit the bill. I'm afraid I don't; all too often I conform to what people think I should be, which I believe is part nature, part nurture.  

I was pleased to have Julie text me, asking if I wanted to go to dinner with the BCNN group next Wednesday--is the Pope...does a bear...? Yes, indeedy, and I think I'll ask if she wants go to American Son at the Santa Paula Playhouse. If not, I'll see who else might be available. 

Suzanne texted she'll be going out of town on Friday to a gathering with the Sisters of Mercy up north. She won't be back until Wednesday or Thursday. 

Stella called after dinner to ask if I wanted to go with her to Cypress, a retirement place in Oxnard that she's considering. They're having a happy hour on tomorrow and I said I would--she'll get back o me about what time. I couldn't remember what place my friend, Bobbi, lives, so I called her. Hers is The Oakmont, which she likes a lot, so I'll tell Stella. We two east coasters (Bobbi's a Brooklynite and she was an au pair in Ventnor as a teen) had a nice chat otherwise.

I'm not looking forward to T.O.P.S. tomorrow, as I've been splurging more and more, but guess I'll go.

TUESDAY

Well, I got my wish, I guess: I had wanted to slow down the socializing and I did yesterday, meaning I did very little all day. I was delighted to get the Internet back, spent time on that, and cleaned up here and there. I also went through some of my filing cabinet to remove the outdated papers and did a color wash. That was about it.  

Noreen called early on and we talked about her friend, Cecelia's death and her send-off. Cecelia's sister will be arranging both and there will be some kind of service at a funeral home, then something graveside. Noreen will go to both and said she'll call me after to let me know how it went.

Then Sharon called to say she wasn't going to T.O.P.S. this week, as she'll undergo a colostomy on Monday. She has all kinds of restrictions on what she can eat a whole week ahead ahead and kept me on the phone for a half hour telling me the details. Interestingly, she won the biggest loser award (lost four pounds) last Friday, presumably because she didn't eat her usual. 

Later, Cheryl called to say Lennie wouldn't be there, either, because she was going to North Dakota, her birthplace, to her sister's ranch. I said I'd go this time, although I'm pretty sure I've gained. If Mary Ann doesn't go, there'll just be the two of us.

Anyway, I went out only to have lunch in the middle, then pretty much just lazed around. I was on the Internet a fair amount, took a nap, and did some food prep, peeling and quartering some tangerines. I also watched on T.V. an absorbing documentary about the University of Idaho murders. It seems impossible to understand why the killer did it and I guess we'll never know, as he took a plea deal--accepted responsibility, which gave him life without parole in exchange for escaping the death penalty.  

Nothing much after that, but today, I want to get my scripts and acting stuff in order and, possibly, continue with the filing cabinet. 

Okay, I'm tired of my self-imposed do-nothingness. Turned in at 10:00, then was wide awake at 4:00. Got up and played Jewel Royale Match until 5:00, went back and slept until 7:15. Today, I want to get back to the living and do what I do. 

SUNDAY AND MONDAY, DAMNIT!

The Internet is FINALLY working again. It's been so annoying since I got up yesterday morning. Okay, I'm going to cut the crap and just lightly sketch in the last two days:

SUNDAY: Ellen and Greg got here about 3:30 and we went off to town. There were a lot of people, music, and festivities on Main--very festive. As we usually do when we're in town, we stopped at the used book store first. We all browsed and Greg bought two. I didn't see anything I wanted--I almost invariably either get books out of the library, borrow from friends, or buy from thrift stores--but Greg brought over this to see if I wanted it: 

I was amused when I realized it isn't on acting techniques, but techniques for physiatrists and therapists. However, I found it interesting and possibly, could use it in Suzy's and my acting class, so bought it anyway.

We then went to Lure and I had their yummy-yum sand dabs with, of course, a hearty IPA, Ellen salmon salad, and Gregg--I think swordfish. We had a merry time talking, too, of course, Greg telling us about his recent visit to his son and family in Colorado. Here are the birthday girl and her gentleman friend: 

Drove home and--what else?--sat down to an exciting game of gin rummy. We played until about 8:00 and, annoyingly, Greg won. They left and we said goodbye after a wonderfully pleasant play-date.

MONDAY: Got up to find the Internet dead, so was at loose ends a lot of the day. (Wow, how dependent we are--or I am--on our electronic Heaven.) However, I did get some chores done--so important, I can't remember what they were. These items also went on:

1.  I called Muckie, but there was no answer. I'm afraid she may be gone--either in the hospital or gone further. I'll call again sometime, then try to get to her son. 

2.  I called to ask Suzy to give me a call back about our acting venture and my suggested  revisions to Maria's blurb.  Haven't heard back from her yet.

3.  I was in a low mood when I got ready to go to dinner with the Soaring Spirits gang. In fact, when I went out to get the bus at 5:00 (we meet at 6:00), the traffic was so heavy, I actually got nervous and turned back. Then I decided I would go, so went back. Got the 10 bus to the transit center, then to 11 to Telephone Road and Stone Fire Grille. Everybody was there already and I was greeted enthusiastically.  Got a pasta dish and the usual hazy IPA, then started chatting and my spirits rose.

4. As usual, Vera took me home and by that time, I was feeling much better emotionally. I fumed when I discovered the Internet was still down, so I simply sat down and continued reading the Clinton book. The TV is carried by the same company, so I couldn't watch anything there, either.  However, I slept well, which happily surprised me.

Now, let's pray the God of Electronics favors me and keeps this laptop jiving!

SATURDAY, AND OULD SOD SHENANIGANS, AND JOHN

☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘

I did indeed get the filing done, but only the assorted stuff, not the acting class info. That's all right, as it isn't urgent--but it took me almost an hour, as I needed to set up new files, discard some things, and so on. What I need to do now is go through and discard some thing. Hmm, I may get to that before I turn 90. 

I sent Maria, of Help of Ojai, some moderations of the description she sent us. It's not bad, but it suggests that we'll tutor experienced actor, as well as beginners and that isn't really accurate. Personally, I wish we were going under the title of my previous class, "Acting for Amateurs," but oh well, if Meryl Steep turns up, we'll just have to deal with it.  

I decided not to audition for Hit The Seat. Suzy said it's a one-person show and I'm not confident about my memory any more, especially if the player will be carrying the whole play herself. Besides, rehearsals will presumably be going on at the same time we'll be teaching the class. 

That Irish dinner last night was very enjoyable! Suzanne drove Vickie and me and we walked into the school hall  about 6:00: 

The food was pretty good, served buffet style, of course, but what I had been wondering is: Will the Irish poison be available? It was, and I was amazed it was included in the full price of thirty bucks. Naturally, I had an IPA, Vickie a glass of white and Suzanne a virtuous soda. The entertainment--no surprise--was Irish dancing on the stage and that was such fun to see:

The Irish band played Hungarian music (HA!), then sat down to eat.  The violinist, Barb, sat next to me and fell into conversation. We seemed to have a lot in common--not religion, however, as she's a fundamentalist Christian, a  member of one of the small sects that pop up all over in this area. Anyway, I gave her my card and would be happy to get to know her better. That's Barb below, second from left: 

Ellen called and said she and Greg will pick me up today about 3:30 and we'll go to Lure, rather than Sea Fresh. Actually, I was going to suggest we go there; I like both places a lot, but I actually prefer Lure. Besides, they'll have to drive only half as far to pick me up and drop me off.

Slept like a stone, as the Brits say--happy day!

☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘

Addition:  Just now, at 9:17 am (PST) on Sunday, Jeanne Painter sent me a text to say John died 2:50 am in Jersey. Coincidentally--and appropriately, I was able to add Jeanne's daughter singing Over The Rainbow to John a short time ago:

Rest in Peace, John.

FRIDAY

Suzy and I met at Dargan's for lunch and proceeded to talk for almost three hours over sandwiches and IPAs. I've now decided I will take an equal part in the acting class, rather than be the "visiting artist." Suzy and I also got to know each other personally and liked what we saw. Generally, our ideas about politics, religion, and so on are similar, if not identical. She's 73, was born and brought up in Michigan, married three times, the first at nineteen, and has children with her first and second husbands--none with Steve, her current one, whom I know as the bass player in their trio. By profession, he's a botanist and is now doing research out in the wild somewhere upstate. 

Suzy told me about an open audition in Santa Paula in September 27 for a woman between 65 and 80; she said she thought of me as soon as she saw it:

It's for a short film, not a play and she's urging me to try for it. I'm on the fence, though--not sure I'm up for it. After we said goodbye, I stopped at a few shops, then bused home. 

Mike called after dinner and we had a good talk. Can't wait to see him and Vivian for Thanksgiving. I signed up to give a monthly donation to Charity Water, which is dedicated to providing clear water to poorer populations around the world. I commented on their web site: "Send water, not bombs!"

Jeanne Painter texted me a video of her adult granddaughter singing to her long-time gentleman friend, accompanying herself on her guitar. I wanted to post it here, but unfortunately, don't know how to retrieve it from text. However, here's  a pic she sent a few weeks ago--Jeanne and John with her four beautiful daughters:     

Suzanne texted me that she, Vickie, and I will leave for our Irish dinner tonight at 5:40. Should be fun. 

Today, I am determined to examine, organize, sort, and file the piles of paperwork I've somehow left on flat surfaces here and there. Wish me luck!

THURSDAY

Pretty slow day, but that suited me fine. I called Cheryl to tell her I wasn't going to T.O.P.S. today. I just didn't feel like it, since I was meeting Suzy at noon to discuss our possible joint venture into teaching and acting group. I'm still not absolutely sure I want to participate at all, let alone do it jointly. We'll meet for lunch at Gargans's first, then talk it over in the conference room at the library. 

Ellen came over at 3:00 to download my bank account re the damn solar panel payments. It's incredible that businesses are allowed to get away with this stuff. She had already eaten while I had lunch and while she she was working at my laptop, she spied the jigsaw puzzle under my bedside table. As it  turned our, she likes to do them, so I gave it to her, jokingly saying it was her birthday present and now I wouldn't have to take her and Greg out to lunch.  Tentatively, the three of us will have lunch on Sunday at Sea Fresh, as Greg is back from Colorado.

Before El left, El printed out the info to BOA and the damn Solar Express Experts or whatever the hell it's called. I hope the problem is not over. I walked El out to the car and told her about when I got pregnant with her. Patrick was four, Alison two, and I had hoped I'd have another girl, so she could be close with her big sis--and I did and she is. Then when I found my next was coming, I hoped for a boy, so it would balance out--and it did. 

Went to bed at my current usual, 10:00 and as ever, read for fifteen or so before I turn in--good thing, as the phone rang just as I was about to shut down. It was Jeanne Painter, calling to tell me that John really is shutting down--dying, that is. The people from Hospice have him on morphine and, although he doesn't have dementia, he's more or less out of it. I commiserated with her, but I know it's a relief. 

I'm meeting Suzy today about our possible acting course for Help Of Ojai and will discuss our roles in the enterprise--assuming I decide to do it.  I'm still on the fence about it. 

😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

A snide postscript: I was concerned on Wednesday when I was trying to leave HEARUSA that it was difficult to find the door: 

There were only two exit signs, the door itself, and the large window showing the outside. Whew--glad I made it out! 😁 

😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄