Smoke And Ashes
Thursday. Another good night's sleep, up early, out the door for breakfast at the usual place, back now at the computer before eight. A note in the paper this morning that De Lauer's newsstand may be rescued by outside investors although “being rescued by outside investors” is something often reported in a slide to inevitable demise. The last Cody's bookstore, for example, best known for its branch in Berkeley, went out of business this month. I hear some independent bookstores, particularly those that deal in used books similar (I hope) to the used bookstore down the street from me, have business models that work and they're making money. But we'll know sooner than later, I would think. Hard to feel all that sorry to see De Lauer's go when it will probably be replaced by something really nice like a new McDonald's.
There's been a bad air day in effect for the last few days due to smoke from wildfires burning out of control from Mendocino to Big Sur, the suggestion being for small children and old folks to stay inside with their windows sealed. You can see what they're talking about up in the lower lying clouds and catch a whiff of what seems to be wood smoke, but I'm not sure what I'm seeing is any good reason to actually heed their advice. Or are those the last words of those who don't quite understand the concept? Wildfires, they're saying a thousand of them burning in the state at the moment, some two hundred currently under control. California burning. But then it always was.
I'm feeling pretty good, by the way, looking forward to whatever. I installed a Linksys wireless router yesterday that's been sitting around on a shelf for the last year, something I bought along with a laptop before I retired. Why has it taken me so long to install? Don't know, but the setup was straightforward (for a techie, more difficult, unfortunately, for anyone else) and it seems to be broadcasting big time throughout the apartment. Now I can surf the web on my laptop in bed! Whoop! Perhaps you see why installing the damned thing hasn't been a priority. Too many computers around here as it is said the cranky old man barricaded inside his apartment hiding from wildfire smoke and ashes. In Oakland.
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