Wednesday. Got to bed at eight, watched that damned Korean thing until after ten and then wasn't able to get to sleep until much later. What seemed to be much later, much glancing over at the clock to see the hours tick off. Blue light emitted by the tablet throwing the internal clock off its mark or just the way it works anymore? Probably both mixed in with the idiot who stayed up later than he should, than he knew he should.

Still, up with the alarm feeling pretty good, the mood and clarity lasting through breakfast and returning home to post yesterday's entry. A ten cent a gallon rise in gas prices over yesterday's six cent rise over the day before that. They talk about cheap oil. You hope at least it's aiding in California's CO2 fight.

You don't drive enough to make a difference.

True, but it's usually the most exciting thing that happens around here on any given morning. I understand about the gulf state strikes, the fire and the current cross over to the California summer blend, but I suspect a touch of chicanery has been added in that blend.

The cardiac stress test coming up at noon, a drive to Palo Alto needing to leave before eleven to arrive on time. The usual thoughts of wanting to avoid the drive, but they're minor thoughts and once I get out on the road they'll subside. More miles in this trip than a month's trips to breakfast and back in the mornings. I really don't drive enough to think, let alone worry, about the price of gas.

Later. The usual drive to the doctor's office just off the Highway 101 Palo Alto exit for the cardiac stress test: the usual stick little pads all over the stomach and chest, the usual start slowly on the treadmill and then building up the speed until the heart rate was at the required level before being shuttled to a small room to wait for forty minutes for the doctor to arrive. Well, we've done this countless times and this is the first time for a delay, so no complaints, particularly as the results were very good and I learn I can stop taking the daily Niaspan tablets. Studies show they don't work. So good.

For some reason on the drive back I missed the cut off to Highway 580, my usual route. Might have passed the exit when I was distracted by a white car parked over on the opposite side of the road in the oncoming lane: a large black smoke cloud, flames from the pavement under the front of the car leaping well above the hood, no one inside, the traffic in both directions slowed way down and backed up on the oncoming side. Yes I had a camera beside me on the passenger seat, but if texting is bad while driving, taking that picture would have been worse. No pictures, no regrets.

Anyway, on to Oakland to get off on Oak and drive right to the apartment, stopping to pick up an ice cream sandwich on route at the 7-11 look-alike, back now at three to write this while listening to the news. And maybe go out and shoot the daily apartment house construction site pictures later, although, at the moment, that's in doubt. Feel good, have felt good all day, last night's sleep seemingly enough and not affecting the day. Hey. Good.

Later still. No trip over to take pictures of the construction site, but another session on the tablet. We'll leave it at that.

Evening. Nothing on television and so to bed reasonably early. Let's see if we can work with that and turn out the lights before ten. Hell, by nine. The day has been good, let's end it well.