I evidently didn't make the cut to attend Spain's memorial this Saturday, many more people have asked to attend than they're able to accomodate. I knew him more during the seventies, we had many friends in common, but we'd only run into one another occasionally in this last decade as our lives and geography have headed in different directions. So I'm sure there are many another who knew him better who deserve an invitation when there's limited space. And besides, Ms. M was derailed at the last minute and won't be able to attend, so we'll accept a consolation prize and photograph the St. Patrick's Day Parade instead.

Later. A nap so maybe I didn't get enough sleep last night. Still, sleep or no sleep, naps are nice, no complaints.

A bus to the morning café at noon, a bus because one came just as I was at the stop, a toasted cheese sandwich (Swiss), ice cream and a lemonade, three of the more important food groups. Nice shirt sleeve day to walk back to the apartment stopping to sit on a bench by the lake for a while. No pictures, but such is life.

There's a protest “feast and rally” being held in front of the Oakland City Hall at four and I plan to take some photographs. This is evidently the four year anniversary of the killing of a “peace anarchist” by Israeli Military Police, an incident I'm not familiar with, but we'll certainly take a camera and go. I'm not sure why they use the term “peace anarchist”, anarchist still has some negative connotations after we beat it to death before and during the Cold War, but peace seems nice.

Later still. We'll call it a dry run before Saturday's St. Patrick's Day Parade. I did take a bus downtown and walked to the plaza to find two or three people had arrived. OK, four in the afternoon was the start of the “feast”, the rally wasn't until five and the march started at five-thirty, more people may well show up, so I walked over to the City Center and sat at a table. Didn't want coffee, wasn't hungry, so up again and back to the plaza.

A car had pulled up and a young woman with two helpers were unloading foil covered pans, but that was about it and I realized I was wondering when the next bus might arrive. Check the NextBus app: a bus was due just across the street. So I crossed the street. People could very well be assembling in some numbers now that it's after five, but it would be difficult for me to tell, sitting here at my desk in front of the computer.

You bailed? Flunked the your own dry run?

I suspect. Still, no ocular symptoms, although I'm thinking right now that I shouldn't have picked up that box of Good & Plenty on the way home. Just a small ninety-nine cent one serving box, but I may have had enough licorice, in the five minutes it took to eat them, to last me for the rest of my life the week. So to speak.

Evening. Licorice or whatever, felt not that great and took a forty minute nap. Better. Nothing I wanted to watch at six. Or at seven. I think the day is done, although I'll find a way to stretch it out until nine.