As I was preparing to leave I heard loud quacking out on the patio in front of the restaurant and spied three Mallard ducks near one of the tables. What were ducks of any kind, let alone Mallards, doing this far from the lake? You'll see Black-Crested Night Herons often as not, along with the occasional gull, both of which are not above pecking out a meal from our garbage, but few if any ducks. Two males and a female. Mating season. It clouds the mind and lures otherwise sensible fowl into odd behavior and strange places.

Later. I headed out for a walk to the ATM and to get a copy made of my Medicare card on the way so I could drop it into an envelope for the insurance people around ten, the mouth quite dry and the head verging on funky. More dry mouth than funky, but why the dry mouth (other than they happen so often)? A waffle with sliced strawberries and bananas for breakfast, along with the coffee. The culprit? Could it be the coffee?

Or the phase of the moon.

Anyway, off to have the copy made (15 cents), put it inside the envelope, drop the envelope into the post office drop box next door, continue then to the ATM and turn around to go back by the ice cream shop for a double scoop in a waffle cone. Does wonders for a dry mouth. No need to rationalize it, period.

A stop by the lake to take a desultory photograph or two, still using the 135mm lens, the sky now looking more ominous. Warm enough with lots of humidity, but some angry looking clouds, best back to the apartment.

I noticed this display situated beside the walkway in under the pergola columns listing the monthly goose population (among other things) throughout the year. It starts to increase big time later this month and then maxes out in June and July. Good to know. I'd like to see something similar for the various ducks and grebes. Maybe check the web.

Another long nap. Not sure why, but I did get some sleep. Off to the burger drive-in to bring home a steak sandwich and to pick up the guitar. I myself will be curious to see how long I may play or if I'm still playing below in the Evening section. I suspect I will, but, well, you know.

The odd Korean soap I was watching on Mondays and Tuesdays wrapped up last week and so I'm curious to see what they've come up with to replace it. And a little nervous. How am I going to explain it (to myself) if it turns out to be interesting and at the same time extremely dorky? You'll note I said “extremely” dorky. It will be dorky if it's anything like the others. I can handle dorky, but not over the top dorky. Extremely dorky will put my head in a strange space, cultural difference explanations aside, more my own self image issues than anything else.

Do you really care about any of this?

Oh who knows really? Lots of talk.

Evening. I did pick up the guitar and I have gone through the lesson quite a few times, a longer piece this week that uses components of last week's and the week before that's lesson. So an easier beginning than it otherwise might have been. Yes, I'd played it on both Saturday and Sunday, but, as mentioned, just once or twice, this one counts as the start.

The new Korean soap? I tripped over the start time and missed some of the beginning, was put off with one of the characters and changed channels, but that's the way the last one started. They'll have to set a hook before I drop all discrimination and start watching. Maybe it will strike tonight. Maybe never, but I know I'll keep checking.

For now to bed, nothing on at nine to keep me up. More guitar, the head a little funky, but more normal funky than anything too far out of line. Evenings are usually good. This evening is good, but, with more contemplation, somewhat closer to marginal. No complaints, just sayin’. We do try to keep our (studied, sober) even keel, watch our rationalizations, not get too bent out of shape by going in one less useful direction and another. Whatever is meant by direction, an even keel and marginal.