We need lots of rain, you know.

We know, but we party on. It's part of the contract you sign when you arrive.

Anyway, drove over to San Rafael yesterday to cousin Vicki's condo on the harbor (you'll note the view from her balcony is somewhat move interesting than my own). I don't know which harbor, as it happens, but it's a nice harbor, let me tell you. Things had started by the time I arrived, a little music, a little wine already in evidence, Ann and Vicki hard at work in the kitchen, Nelson and Jennifer having arrived with Scott and Holly, the four of them having started up Highway 5 at four in the morning. Four in the morning. It's difficult even to write.

This was the first time I'd worn the black Halston jacket, by the way. It fits, but just barely, another five pounds should get it settled in. We'll let the five pounds come in their own time. I'm done with this weight loss thing, as far as I'm concerned, although I suspect whatever governs it in my unconscious hasn't finished yet. Which is good from what Holly and Scott were saying, black velvet jackets are now in again (after thirty years) and all the hip hip-hop late teens and young twenties are wearing them again in L.A. Right. My image exactly: late teens, young twenties (as opposed to old, decrepit twenties). Nothing better than an old idiot dressing like a late teen. A fashionista late teen, but a late teen none the less. I think I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, everyone is up and down for a few days, up from L.A., down from Seattle, for Thanksgiving and I'll be meeting them again for lunch on Saturday. This, for someone like me, the cranky old cousin living “out there” with the left coast crazies, is good. Brings back memories, reminds us all we do have a family, recharges the batteries. I'm old and I'm cranky and pretty comfortable in life, but it's good to have these get togethers. My wider family hasn't given up on what families are about, from what I'm seeing, so I sit back, don't say much and listen.

We had dinner around five, I shot a bunch of pictures, many with various technical faults, but better than I could have expected. After a couple of glasses into an afternoon such things as pictures became less important, the head comes to terms with itself and a relationship is established with an excellent spread of cheese and crackers, strategically placed on the coffee table near where I was sitting, lending itself to repeated visits. Did anyone notice I ate pretty much all the cheese, grapes and crackers? Probably not, good manners abounding.

Some turned out better than I'd hoped. Once everyone gets used to the camera, they forget about the camera and get on with the afternoon and evening. So you get nice laid back pictures of people being themselves for a change, ignoring the photographer. Except, of course, when posing for posterity.

Later. I was tired yesterday, straight through the day, up this morning and into the afternoon feeling much better. Not sure why. Got plenty of sleep night before last and last night. Again, maybe that's what you have to expect: on days, off days, no explanation other than the system is winding down, one hopes slowly interrupted by long periods of invigoration. Interesting to watch, though. Strange, anyway.

I ran by the supermarket on the way back from breakfast buying cat food, cheese, crackers and sake. This is a traditional four day holiday and I'm covering the basics, starting with comfort food (for cat and photographer). Not so much comfort food as to sabotage my Halston jacket, the one I wore for the first time last night. Don't want to write here I was never able to wear it again, but then, the holidays. One celebrates them while one can. Moderation is not the same thing as deprivation (he keeps saying and saying). A little sake this evening?