Monday, A Monster, And My Father

Packed my lunch and walked to Wal-Mart and The Market for oatmeal, a mouse pad, and a few other items. lunched at the tiny park between office buildings on Ralston Street, then bused to the mall. Went to Target for grapefruit, but horrors--they had none! Finally found one (but puny) at Trader Joe's; also bought a pomelo--maybe they're even better.

Heard from Lora; she'll pick me up at 11:00 today and we'll go to Santa Barbara to see Betty. Carolyn texted that Villa Alamar was having a before Thanksgiving party at 2:00 and did Lora and I want to go, maybe, instead of lunch, or after? Don't know--I don't think so, but we can decide when we get there.

Got home and found an intruder on the patio--this little monster was eating my ivy geranium! 

Maybe I'll try to find out how to get rid of squirrels--short of poisoning them, that is. 

Left for the Soaring Spirits dinner at 4:00, got to the area early, so spent some time in Barnes & Noble reading about the Zodiac killer. Crossed to Stone Fire Grille to see Vera already there. We chatted happily for some time, then new member, Debbie, came, and the three of us were all who attended. That was actually pretty good; much as I like others in the group, we were able to have a more intimate, in depth time with just the three of us. Debbie was a speech pathologist before she retired and lost her husband two years ago.  

Ellen called while I was there and asked me to get to her place about 2:00 or 3:00 tomorrow, stay over that night and on Thanksgiving, then go with her on Friday to help prepare her classroom. Great and I'm looking forward to it. She may or may not have turkey--I told her I didn't give a damn, I just want to be with her, she can have hot dogs for all I care. (Actually, I like hot dogs better than turkey.)

Home at 7:30 and it felt good to relax. Today, though, probably will be anything but relaxing in Santa Barbara. 

Ancestral Note: My father was born on this day: November 21, 1899. Here he is on a picnic with Mom, shortly before they were married. He founded a dysnasty that surely numbers more than a hundred now. Happy birthday, Daddy. (We always called  him "Daddy.")

Here he is on a picnic with Mom, shortly before they were married. Doesn't he look all playful and whimsical here? Believe me, he wasn't.