Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Ojai

Ellen, Greg, and I went to Ojai on a lovely sunny day and we ate outdoors at a nice little Italian restaurant where E. and I have been before.  The wait staff consists of real Italians who speak broken English.  Had an unusual salad with beets and a puffy cheese, along with Moretti, an Italian beer.
After, we enjoyed browsing at Bart's Books, which mustn't be missed while in Ojai.  It's a vast space filled with book cases, which are filled with used books and only partially roofed.  All three of us are hopelessly addicted to reading and we separated into various areas to sit and delve into them.  I dipped into a bio of Martha Gelhorn, one of Hemingway's wives, then into a harrowing account of The Good Nurse, about a man who's possibly the champion serial killer of all time.  The murders happened in Jersey hospitals, so I felt an immediacy; think I'll request the book from the library.
As Gregg was paying for his two cookbooks, I noticed old magazines in a water-stained box nearby and picked up a 1940 LIFE mag for a buck.  It's in poor condition, but still was great fun to look over later.  I'll add it to my collection of 1930 and '40 mags.
After driving home, E. and I took naps, and Gregg left to run some errands.  He called later and we met him for dinner at a Thai restaurant they frequent.  I was full from lunch and just had a delicious, very delicate shrimp won ton soup. 
Back at E.'s, we sat down to what's rapidly becoming a ritual: a game of gin rummy.  By the time we reached 500 (E., the winner, that is), it was after midnight, a shocking hour for this early-to-bedder to still be awake.
Slept like a log, though--incredibly, until 9:00 am--and feel tip-top. 

No comments:

Wednesday

It was quite an enjoyable day after all the must-do-this, can't-find-that of the last few.  Changed the bed, washed the sheets, and jump...