Friday. Lights out after the six minute news on NPR at ten to awaken at five. Hmm. Well, five. Took my time getting up and getting ready after that, not tired, the head reasonably clear on an overcast morning just after it had stopped raining. Still, not bad, warm enough, the eyes not watering while walking to arrive at the restaurant before seven to find it open and the coffee hot.

The two strips of bacon, scrambled eggs, country potatoes, toast, fruit cup and more coffee for breakfast, finishing the papers just after nine and walking back to the apartment: still overcast, the sidewalks still wet, but they're saying a decent day ahead, this shortest day of the year at the winter equinox.

You did notice the increase in gas prices, though. Some success in noticing that.

I did. But then, if you miss something enough times, the brain throws you a curve and remembers just for the hell of it.

OK, one last card to send, another ATM visit needed and we're done for the tasks this day, but starting on them later when there are signs of sunlight. If there are to be signs of sunlight.

Later. Sun finally by one this afternoon, some brief showers in the later morning, and so I naturally watched the rest of an uneven series called Pine Gap on the tablet that matched this afternoon's weather: one and off, off and on. Too many of these series come across like that.

Evening. Watched two episodes of a series I hadn't looked at in months to find I'd forgotten most of the story line, who the characters were and how they'd been interacting. A Chinese series with subtitles, but still. Hadn't been that long since I'd last watched the thing.

Lights out early, well before ten, the weekend ahead.